Nijah's Sol

Nijah's Sol (1/4)

Thank you for taking a moment to read Nijah's Sol. If it speaks to you, please share it with someone you love. Click on the audiobook version above if you'd prefer listening to me read it to you. Also, I'm open to any critique of spelling or grammatical issues or anything else that seems funny. I want this story to be the best it can be, though it already served its purpose years ago as a personal love letter. Thank you so much for giving me your time and reading my little love story.

For Dani
My true love and best friend
I'm glad I was planted next to you

 

There once was a flourishing garden cared for by a very careful gardener. He made sure the sight of it filled the eye with beautiful colors, shapes, and sizes. The gardener took pride in his green grass, glorious trees, and of course his little flowers. However, one plant in the garden was rather peculiar.

Hidden behind a row of trees, was what appeared to be a bush that was a twisted knot of thorns wrapping each around the other, covering itself over in a kind of dome. The knots of thorns were so thick the poor plant couldn't see out of herself. All she could see were her own thorns and thistles shrouding her in darkness. And that was all she observed from when the sun came up and shown on her in the day until the moon kissed her with its glow in the night.

One day, when the sun was shining brightly high in the sky and the day was warm, she felt the gentle churning of the ground next to her. Of course all she could see were her thistles, but she knew the feeling well. She knew the sound too. It was the soft sound of digging. The gardener had come to plant.

She listened as he dug and dug with his careful fingers. She heard the digging stop. Then she heard the sound of something new being placed next to her. She knew how the rest would go. The gardener would then lay some fertilizer, cover over its roots with dirt, and then give the new soil a nice loving pat. The gardener did just so. Then, down poured the soothing sprinkle of water on the ground next to her, followed by her own gentle shower.

The water seeped down through the crevasses of her twisted and knotted body, finding a way to reach her and seep down into her roots. The droplets dripped gently from the points of her thorns onto her. Though she couldn't see the sunshine, it warmed the gentle drops turning her dark domed home into what was like a comforting steam room that gradually cooled her as it evaporated. This was the happiest part of her day. Perhaps the only part of her day she enjoyed.

She allowed the feeling to linger as the last few droplets fell, when suddenly she saw a ray of light penetrate the darkness. She squinted and looked up at this new hole in her roof. She saw nothing at first, but then was startled by a face! It was a bright face and a friendly face, one that mimicked the glow of the sun that she hadn't seen in so long.

"Hello!" he said, "Sorry to interrupt your shower. I couldn't tell if you were all done drinking yet."

The thorny plant blinked in surprise as she looked at the limb of the sun plant pulling open the roof of her home. He had carefully placed it right between two of her thorns and prodded ever so gently to make his opening. He had been so careful she hadn't realized he had done so. She was silent for a moment.

"H-Hello," she said back softly.

The face smiled.

"So you do talk. My name is Sol. What's your name?"

She thought for a moment.

"Nijah," she said back to him.

The face looked concerned.

"Why did you hesitate? Were you unsure?"

She looked up and replied, "I guess...I guess I haven't told anyone in a while...I suppose I had almost forgotten."

The sun plant frowned.

"Well, what terrible neighbors you must have had."

Alas, the thorn plant sighed.

"No...it is me who is the terrible one."

"What? Why?" asked Sol, "Do you not say 'hello' first?"

"Well, no... it's more than that."

"Well, then why?" he asked.

"I... I'm a weed."

The sun plant stared at her for a while, her looking back at him. There was silence between them. Then suddenly he began to laugh. It started out as a chuckle and then turned into a full-blown laugh. The thorn plant was shocked. And even a bit hurt.

"Don't laugh!" she cried, "It's not funny!"

But he couldn't stop.

"It certainly is funny," he said, finally slowing down. He wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled, "when you're the farthest thing from it."

Nijah's eyes welled up with tears.

"I am a weed! I am! I know I am!"

Tears rolled down her face. And it was the last thing the sunflower saw before she closed her thorny branches over herself again.

"Oh!" he cried, his voice tinged with embarrassment. "Oh no!"

His voice came through muffled by her wall.

"I... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to –"

She could feel his petals lightly brush the outside of her, as he moved his head all around looking for an opening to see her face.

"Please! I am so sorry, I really am!"

This went on for some time. Finally, as his apologies and pleadings seemed to be falling on deaf ears, he fell silent.