The Worship of Mother Nature-Stephanie Nazario

I have always lived in a community that's spiritual, we worship Mother Nature. I have never understood the concept of why we did. I don't believe in mother nature, I never had. I have been in many awful situations praying to her hoping she could help me...but she never has. I started to doubt her existence, hearing about this woman with dark skin almost as dark as chocolate. Her Afro hair is always decorated in flowers, she is most known for having daisies. Wearing a silk green dress and a brown cape traced with emeralds, known for being skinny and an hourglass figure to swiftly move through the trees, at least that is what the people who have met her said she looked like.

I sit up, I look out the window. I see the sunrise lining everything in gold. I hear the birds chirping in a melody. I stand up walking over my messing room, clothes and food rappers cover my floor. I don't remember the last time I felt my real floor. I sigh, I know I should clean the mess up but I feel so tired from staying up all night and my motivation running out. I walk to my mirror and my red hair is tied into a messy bun, I don't even know if I can call it a bun at this point. My baggy shirt sags down. I bring my face up close, I see my face begging to be taken care of. I look at my shirt seeing my food stains covering . I raise my arms up to stretch only to be suffocated by a smell of my armpits. I gag. I should probably take a shower. I look down at the floor looking for any clean clothes. I start to regret not putting them in my dresser. I shrug and just grab some clothes not caring if they match or if they are clean.

I get out of my hot shower. I must have been in there for a while, my bathroom was foggy, I wiped the mirror with my towel. I stare at myself posing around to see which one I look best in. I sigh coming to an answer that we don't look good in any. I look down and stare at my hand which has scars all over it. Not that I hurt myself, but it was because when I was younger I was known for climbing trees. I stare at my skin color. Pale. I am very pale. I hate it. It is not like I get discriminated against, no one does. The only time I heard about people getting discriminated against was in the 1800's-3000's. I hate my skin color because I easily get sunburned and red. I put my clothes on. I put my back long sleeve shirt on. I put my black skirt on and a corset over, I hear noise coming downstairs, I grab my phone and play music to drown out the fact that I will soon have to talk to my moms.

I put my makeup away, and hit pause on my music. I hear my moms singing Mother Nature songs. I roll my eyes and walk down stairs. I make my way to the kitchen where I see them slow dancing and my mum Iris singing. I lean against the wall and smile. The song ends and they break apart. Iris looks up and smiles " There's my beautiful daughter." She walks to me and gives me a hug. Iris was always the nicest one out of my parents. I hug her back and she pecks me on the check. I smile. She walks over to my other mom lisa. Lisa had her arms crossed " Seriously? We are going to Flower Bloom Church and you are going to wear that? Wear this instead." She pulls out a white dress covered in cherries. I gag at the thought of me wearing the dress. I recompose myself I look away " Thanks for the offer but I will pass." The dress was pretty, but it wasn't my taste. I hear my mom lisa grunt. Iris comes over and whispers to Lisa.

I flop onto my bed. I sit up to glance out my window. For me it was the prettiest time, I saw fireflies glow over the meadow, and a line going into the lush forest. I put my hand out the window feeling the warm breeze. A fire fly lands on my hand and glows a few times before flying off to the others. I smile. I suddenly hear a knock at my door. I turn to face the person, Lisa stands there. I take a deep breath ready to be lectured at. Lisa looks at me then looks around " Your rooms a mess." I look at her and roll my eyes " No really" I respond sarcastically. She chuckles. She walks over the mess and sits on the edge of my bed. She looks at me and pulls out a paper " I know we have never been on the best terms." She pauses for a second " but I just wanted to give you this." She hands and a small piece of paper that was folded. I look at the paper " Thanks. I guess." Lisa sighs and pats me on the back. She walks out my room closing my door. I look at the paper, it is probably a mother nature sentence from the bible. I crumple it up and throw it to a corner of my room. I lay down and grab my phone looking at my notifications. Only one notification. I look at it. It was a tweet from a classmate of my. I read the tweet "Can't wait for the Mother Nature Festival Week Starting Tomorrow!!!!!" I kick my leg out in frustration. Mother Nature's Festival. Great. I whine. I just want to leave. I turn over. The crumpled piece of paper catches my eye. I stare for a while. I wonder what it says. Curiosity gets the best of me." Follow the Light" That was what it said. She probably means to be good, and wear nice things.

I put new clothes on and open my front door. I see people I know and don't dress up as mother nature. Wearing flowers and dresses cute,sexy,handsome,ugly you name it people were wearing it. I walk out and see a group of girls from my class take pictures. Some guys were playing football. I see a couple of musicians playing music with a singer. I walk past the crowd and meet the big meadow that is before the forest. I look at the forest, just staring hoping something will happen. I see a fire fly fick their light. A hand taps my shoulder. I turn around and see both of my moms staring at me. Iris is wearing a blue off the shoulder ball gown covered with blue flowers, she wears a flower crown of blue roses. I look at Lisa who is wearing a pink suit with a pink rose tucked behind her right ear. Iris looks at me, she smiles " What are you doing? Come with us! You might missing the start of the festival."  I take a minute to respond. "I- '' Lisa grabs Iris' shoulder. Lisa whispers to her, she then turns to me.

I see them walk away slowly fading into a crowd. I look back to the forest trying to see another fire fly before walking away. I wait for a minute before I see something move in the forest. I look closer and get a better look. I see a dark shadow. I step off the concrete and into the meadow. Everything becomes quiet, I can hear the ringing in my ears. I turned behind me to see the festival to see why everything was quiet. I see everyone frozen, as if time had stopped. I walk up to the nearest person. I listen carefully to see if I could hear them breathing or even a heartbeat. Nothing. I touch their arm only for them to feel like a tree. What? I close my eyes to recollect everything. I open my eyes to see the beginning of the forest tree line. I don't understand. I look behind me to only see another tree line. My village was gone. I was in a huge circle meadow. I hear a stick break behind me and humming. I turn my head and see a shadow figure walking deeper into the forest. I take a deep breath and step into the forest. I see scattered papers, I pick one up.

6:00am Arrive to Prade

7:30am Start Prayer

9:00am Go to festival and party

12:00pm Eat Lunch

1:00pm party till 12:00am

I look at the title. Mother Nature Prade 2021.

A wave of fear rushed over me. Why is this here? I could feel my eyes start getting surrounded by darkness. I looked to the sky, the sun was starting to set. I put the paper down on the ground. I look back to where I last saw the shadow figure slowly creeping up to the spot. I don't see them but I see a track of footprints leading farther into the forest. I look behind once more to where I last saw my moms. I felt a knot form in my stomach, I felt homesick. I take a deep breath before turning to the tracks to follow them.

My feet ache and I am so hungry and tired. I must have been walking for hours and had to have walked more than a mile. I look up to see if I could see the sun. Nothing. I could not see any of the sky because the tree leaves covered everything leaving me in a complete dark abyss. The only thing illuminating the footprints were the fireflies. I slump down leaning against a tree. I curled up and put my head on my knees. I felt tears swelling in my eyes. Why? Why did I have to step into the meadow. I should have left when I had the chance.

I woke up to see the ground moving from under me. I look up. What? I struggle for a second. I looked behind me to see what was carrying me. I was met with a chubby dark skin person carrying me. I see their afro was covered with daisies and wore a green robe. I start to move more hoping that would loosen their grip. I finally made out a sentence " Let go of me." I wait to hear the answer but they don't say anything. " Who are you? What do you want from me?" I question. I wait until they come to a stop. They  put me down and I finally got a look at their face. They person was definitely a women. She had a round face and a button nose, she had four eyes each color different red, blue, grey, and brownish green. She Stares at me before answering "My name is Mother Nature. I am here to help you and your village". Her voice was a sweet as honey, it could have almost put you in a trance. I stare at her beauty before snapping out of it. I try to look as mad as a could manage " What do you mean mother Nature. She doesn't exist, plus my village doesn't need help." She sighs  " Your village has been worshiping me in the wrong way and if this festival carries out everyone you love and know will die." I laugh. She glares at me " This is no laughing matter". I stop and look out the ground. She takes my chin so I can look in her eye, although I didn't know which one to look in. She says in a sweet voice " Look in my green eye" My eyes shift to the left to look in her green eye " I need to help you get out of this forest and hope you can figure it out on your own. Before-" She pauses and looks down. She walks past me. Before? I knew it was best not to ask and fallow her.

It has been 5 days since I was last home. I have been eating berries and fruits. I had to take off  my black dress and change into a more suitable clothes. She had made me pants that were tan and cut the fabric of my black dress to make my shirt, now I have a black shirt. I also have observed "Mother Nature's" graceness and kindness. I should ask he what her real name is. I take a deep breath " What is your real name?". I hold my breath hoping she would tell me Angel or bloom. She turns to face me " My name is Mother Nature." She smiles. I sigh. Is that her real name? She walks over to me and reaches her hand out. " Come. I have something to show you." I immediately gave her my hand. I have grown to like Mother Nature and trust her. She has guided me through the forest. She pulls me up and with that she starts climbing up a tree staircase which she was making. We make it up to the top of the trees where I see fireflies dancing and shooting stars. I gasp in shock " This is beautiful" She nodded her head, she turned to me. I look to see her eyes glowing with shooting stars. Mother Nature was beautiful, she smiles at me and in a soft tone tells me "Make a wish" I nod and close my eyes. I wish I could help my village and then stay with mother nature. I open my eyes. I lay down on the top of the tree. Mother Nature looks up at me. " Do you want to hear a story?" She asked. I nod yes. " When I was younger I would always follow the light, but I soon realized how dangerous the so-called friendly light was. The people in the light or outside the light could easily spot you and harm you. Your chance in the dark were higher to survive. One day while I was in the dark I had come across a village that had only a few people. I help them fix their village, find their food and in return they would worship me. They worshiped me in different ways, a sacrifice and dancing. The sacrifices would eat a dinner made for her, put on a dress, wait in the line of the forest and then I would take him or her. The sacrifice was chosen because they were smart, pretty, talented, and helpful, but soon the village started just handing me anyone. Somewhere good and others not so much, because the people they had given me never came back. Not that I ate them or killed them, it was because they had no reason to. I provided them with a castle and love, food, clothes, wealth and in return they would bear my child or I would bear theirs. Every person I knew that they had given to me...we had fallen in love, but now the village doesn't give me sacrifices, and if they don't have food and water and everything they need will be gone." I look at her. In a calm voice I say " I understand now why you want me to go and help my village but what happened to the people that were sacrificed? Where are they now." She sighs " The last someone was sacrificed to me was 200 years ago. They all died of old age. I now have no one. I have gone through so much heartbreak, I saw my lovers die and children." She lays down. I grab her hand " Well you have me" I say and give her a smile. She smiles " Yes. Yes I do have you." She hugs me and close her eyes. A sacrifice... I am no beauty, smart, or talented. I mean the only talent I have is getting myself into a depression state. I smile. Once I tell them what to do, I will leave with her. I hug Mother Nature and fall asleep.

Another 5 days have passed, we have walked through many challenges. I have learned the ways of the forest. I understand which berries to eat and which to not. I have learned more of her past. I have learned to love her and to be open. We walk a bit before we come across a fork in the road. Mother nature looks to me " I can not help you now, you must journey the walk alone. Choose one" I nod. I looked at the paths, one was dark and one was light. I step on the path. The path of darkness, I hear movements around me. I close my eyes and continue walking straight. Soon I felt the warm sun hit my face. I slowly open my eyes. I am in my room. I rush down stairs and open my front door. People walking celebrating Mother Nature. " STOP" I yell.

I walk to the front of the forest in my white dress, my red hair curled. I turn around to see my village waving and crying. I turn around and face Mother Nature, she extends her hand out to me. I take her hand and step into the darkness.