The Woodmans Garden - Part 5

Grace approached the door to her room, more than ready to once again feel the comfort of the huge bed which was given her. Placing her hand on the small crystal knob, she suddenly stood motionless. She could hear voices and they seemed to be coming from her room. It sounded much like singing. Again as earlier when she first came. Who would be in her room? She had left the crowd of 4 in the kitchen earlier when she said her goodnights. Then who could this be. She shook her head as if to awaken herself from her thoughts and once again began to turn the knob leading into her room. As she pushed the door open she was surprised to find that her room was empty.

The small lamp next to the bed was lit as was a small candle on the table across the room. Her bed had been turned down and a cup of hot tea sat beside the candle. She noticed also 2 small pieces of stone on the table. They were white as the trees she had seen from her window. As she drew closer she could see that they appeared to have some design inscribed on each. She was unsure what each meant yet one appeared to resemble a B and the other an R. She had seen these before. She remembered playing with such stones when she was young. A small bag made of red velvet and lined with red silk sat behind the vase on the table. She reached for it feeling the softness of the velvet. A red cord tied the bag as to not allow what was inside to escape. Opening the bag she could see it contained stones similar to the ones on the table.

She dumped the contents of the bag onto the table. A total of 25 stones lay scattered across the table. She looked at them for some time. Maybe they would give her some clue as to the memories that seemed to be hidden in her mind. Yet nothing came to her. She returned them all to the red bag and pulled the cord closing it tightly and placed the bag back on the table by the candle. After enjoying the tea left for her, she retired herself to the awaiting bed and the sleep she deserved so.

The trees around her were dense and no matter which direction she looked she could not see any clearing to escape her dilemma of feeling she was lost. The sun appeared to slowly be setting; however any real point in time was difficult to penetrate the heavily covered branches above. She sat to collect herself and attempt to remember where she had come from. She was beginning to grow cold and her stomach growled from the hunger she had due to her plight. All directions appeared the same to her. Honestly she did not know for sure which directions she had come from. She would have to accept the fact that she may be in the woods after dark. She rose once more, determined not to waste any of the daylight which may remain.

The trees around her were white as ivory for they were birch. This was a good thing as their color helped to illuminate the last of the suns light giving Grace an ability to see. As Grace wandered further into her maze she noticed a woman sitting on a small tree that had appeared to have fallen. As the woman stood, grace could see her figure to be tall and lean and her skin the color of the birch itself, and her movements sleek and almost silent. The trees themselves seemed to acknowledge her presence.

She nodded her head to Grace as if to welcome her to the clearing she had come to occupy. Her hand outstretched in a gesture requesting Grace to come and join her presence. No words were spoken between the two, yet all was said that needed to be said. She reached down to where she had sat and retrieved something from a small bag and handed it to Grace. It was a small cake made of fresh crushed grains and wild berries which added color as well as flavor and sprinkled across the top was a substance which tasted like sugar.

Next she moved aside from where she stood and showed Grace a small natural spring of fresh water. Grace fell to her knees and began to cup the water in her hands to drink, yet the woman stopped her from doing so. From her belt she took a small silver ladle attached by a silver chain and handed it to Grace. Grace filled the ladle drinking until she was thirsty no more and returned it to the woman’s possession.

As Grace rose once more, the woman pointed towards the woods in front of her. Grace took it to be the direction she was to journey to finally reach home. Soon Grace saw the white trees which stood guard at the woods entrance. She had come home.

The early morning light shone through the window as Grace opened her eyes. Another dream. She wondered what this one meant. Did it mean anything at all? She did not know. She rose to prepare for the day and her many activities and also to find out the source of the wonderful smells she sensed. Yet in her mind she knew that it had to be Millie’s blueberry scones and fresh coffee.