One day, excitement floated again. People came, many people, colorfully garbed and laughing. Lina lifted her heavy head. What would happen now? The people spread out through the field, calling to each other and singing. They bent and straightened, bent and straightened. It was some time before Lina could see what they were doing, and when she did see, a shock of dismay ran right down to her roots. They were killing the flax! They leaned down grasped a plant near the ground and pulled, jerking it out, roots and all, and throwing it on a pile. Then they moved methodically on to the next.
Lina shivered with terror. The songs and bright clothes took on a sinister meaning. The golden sun, which had felt so warm and nurturing, now seemed only distant and unconcerned. What could she do?
Nothing, of course. Nothing at all.
A woman came down her row, bending and jerking, bending and jerking. Lina's neighbor. Then Lina. She felt a dreadful rending as her roots tried to cling to the warm, familiar soil, and then a shock as she landed on the pile.
And that was that. The end. Obviously, she would never be beautiful again, let alone valuable.
More plants landed on top of Lina, and the sun disappeared in darkness and the smell of death.
The rumor had been just that - a lie.
To be continued. . .
Repairing the Breach,
Debbonnaire
all material copyright Debbonnaire Kovacs, 2000. No copying or sharing without permission.
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