MiraLand

It had been a long summer, and Aribette was still nervous about attending a new school in a new place. “Papa promised me it was safer here and I did not have to worry,” Ari thought to herself. But still she was afraid; her family had barely escaped the country of her birth. In Nerodia, her family’s being deaf meant certain death.

Suddenly, Ari’s thoughts were interrupted when the little bird she had been watching all week lit once again upon the school windowsill next to her seat. He was an unusual looking bird, about the size of a man’s fist. His top half had mint green feathers while the bottom half was snow white.

“It rather looks like he is wearing a little coat and pants,” she mused to herself.

Each morning the little bird came and sat, unwavering, watching Aribette. And each afternoon he quickly flew away when she ran out of school after class. He was quite odd and his behavior so strange that by the fourth day of not being able to get close to him, she was afraid he might quit coming and she would never understand why he had been there at all.

Her family’s conversation at the evening meal was

concentrated on that little bird. Ari’s father had an idea and suggested she not run out of class but walk the entire distance slowly, and then she might just reach this little fellow without scaring him away. Ari thought that was an excellent plan and could not wait to try it the following day after school. She just hoped she would not be too late, and he would still come one more time.

To her great relief, when she arrived at school and entered her class, the little bird was already sitting on the windowsill; waiting for her. All-day, the funny little bird, sat there staring only at Aribette, and it seemed to her as if he had some urgent message to convey.

Ari felt that the school day would never end, but when the final bell rang to go home, she was careful not to spring right out of her seat. Instead, she very calmly rose, gathered her belongings, and slipped on her jacket. All the while, keeping a careful eye on the little bird, making sure he was still waiting.

Although she was quite anxious and everything in her said, “HURRY, before he flies,” she did as her father had advised and walked slowly out the schoolhouse doors and down the front steps. Nervously she rounded the corner and this time the little bird was still there waiting. As she got closer, Ari started walking even slower, fearful of scaring the feathered stranger but today he made no attempt at flying away. Instead, the closer she got, the more intently he looked at her.

As Ari closed in on him, the little bird began to hop

across the ledge slowly and began fluffing his wings to fly. She continued to stare into his eyes, and as he began to move, she felt he wanted her to follow him this time. So, Ari nodded her head and with her right hand, made a fist with the palm facing towards the little fellow and signed, “Yes,” with two small up and down hand movements.

No sooner had Aribette answered the little bird, up he sprang straight into the air! He took off so fast that if Ari had blinked, she might have missed seeing which way he headed. Ari took off running to catch up with him, and as she neared, it became frightfully apparent that he was leading her to the Big Wood.

The Big Wood, a thick, dense tangle of trees and briars, all were barred entry, and no one dared argue with this decree. Since the beginning of the Time Before, the Big Wood had been off-limits to all peoples of every Tribe and Nation. Long ago it was agreed by all Tribal Leaders that the Big Wood was to be recognized as forbidden for all people to enter. To trespass was to break the agreement and therefore, bring retribution upon the individual’s Tribe and death to the perpetrator; and possibly their entire family.

So much time had passed since this covenant of the peoples had been cut that only the Tribal Leaders themselves even knew what the reason was that the Big Wood remained forbidden. So even though Ari did not understand why she must avoid this dark place, she did know the consequences if she entered. This bit of knowledge made her tremble with fear, and her legs

refused to carry her any further.

“What should I do?” Aribette’s mind was screaming at her.

“Momae and Papa will be expecting me to be home when they leave work.”

“If I get caught…”, her thoughts stopped there. She knew what that meant. To break Tribal Law and the consequences thereof had been all too familiar to her and her parents.

It had been less than a year since their escape from Nerodia. They had tried hard to blend in with the people of Edenia, their new home. It was a small town that still held to the Old Ways, and so it was safe to be deaf, to be “Different.” But, the consequences of breaking this law was the same everywhere.

Just then, the little bird hopped onto Aribette’s shoulder, interrupting her racing thoughts. Ari could see in his eyes that he was desperately pleading with her not to stop but to continue, into the Big Wood.

“I could get my whole family in trouble if I do this!” Ari sharply thought, “But I can’t shake this feeling that something worse might happen if I do not.” With that, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped into the darkness of the foreboding place.

As Ari followed the little bird deeper into the forest, she could smell the years of rot and decay. No one had

been there for generations, and the thick bramble nearly barring her way appeared to be trying to stop or even trap her at times. Her unease increased as thorn trees seemed to grab at her hair and clothing deliberately. But above all the obstacles, she was most disturbed by the eerie stillness. No wind. No movement. Nothing. It made everything feel thick as if it were coming in on her like a big, suffocating blanket. The only thing disturbing this stillness was the movement of her shoes crunching the dead, dry leaves.

After a while, Ari felt sure she could feel hot breath on her neck, like whispers among the trees. As she spun her head around to check that no one was there, her stomach sank as she realized night was fast approaching. The already murky wood had been steadily growing darker. Even with the power of the two Suns, only a few rays barely managed to push their way through the massively, tall trees. And they were beginning to grow fainter and fainter.

Ari feeling overwhelmed and hungry, stopped and sat down. She rested her hands on her knees and letting her head drop; she tried to collect her thoughts. The little bird quickly noticed his companion was no longer following him and so turned back and lit on the forest floor in front of her.

“I am hungry little bird,” Aribette signed, “And it’s getting too dark to see!” She looked around at the unfriendly sights surrounding her and turning back to the little guide she shakily signed, “I am afraid.”