Crazy Fire Lovers!

The first words I heard sounded like happiness. "There you go. All done." I opened my newly carved eyes and saw a beautiful woman with long brunette hair wearing a dandelion yellow dress. She put her carving knife away and smiled, "My name is Lady Nimmo." The ability to see and hear was enthralling. When I was a tree, I only sensed sounds and pictured sights. But this was an entirely different world.

"It takes some time to get used to," she told me. "For a few days, I'd like you to stick with me so I can help ease you into your new life. Would you like that?"

I knew I did, but speaking was unnatural, so I nodded. She asked me to say it if I could. I concentrated and opened my mouth. I knew the word, but only "uuuggghhh" escaped. She seemed happy and clapped her hands. "Very good. It really is. A lot of stumpers take weeks before making a sound." Man, did I feel fifty-feet tall.

She introduced me to her father, Sir Jor, and a man my height named Flimlet. They were sitting in a contraption made from a bunch of sticks, rocking back and forth. They were sitting in front of a building made from logs with a sign above the door. I later learned it was Ye Old Guard Pub. Apparently, it serves food and a special kind of water. But they won't let me try it.

"I'm glad to meet you," Sir Jor stretched out his hand. I wasn't sure why he stretched out his hand, so I did the same. We stood there with our arms outstretched, looking at each other. "Nimmo hasn't taught you about shaking hands yet, has she?" I shook my tree trunk body. "Well, it's pretty simple." He grabbed my hand and shook it. "That's how we greet each other." I guess people cannot be shaken by the wind like trees, so they shake each other instead. 

"Another one, just what we need around here," Flimlet said, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking down at a stick he was cutting with a knife. "Heaven knows we don't have enough trees," he said.

"Flimlet. Behave," Lady Nimmo said.

"But I'm no longer a tree," I said. "Lady Nimmo said I'm a stumper."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Flimlet's knife peeled bark from the stick he was cutting. "And heaven most definitely knows we don't have enough stumpers around here."

"You're being a bit extra today," Lady Nimmo said.

"What if I am?" Flimlet stopped cutting the stick and pointed his knife to the forest. "That nervous Nellie of a spirit out there is driving me batty. Every time I try to fry an egg, she gets all jittery and mutters under her breath that I better keep my fire under control."

"Oh, I see," Lady Nimmo said.

"That spirit has me so worked up that I actually ate a raw egg. And let me tell you, it does not taste good."

"I understand. We just have to do our best and keep our fires as inconspicuous as possible," Lady Nimmo said.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How can such friendly people talk about fire as a good thing?

"I'll show you inconspicuous," Flimlet said. He quickly made a fire. "Here's what I think about it." He left and returned with a pan and eggs. "No raw eggs for me." He fried the eggs and ate them straight from the pan.

We all watched dumbfounded while he did all this. But my eyes were on the fire. The flames cracked and hissed, bringing painful memories back. I began to shake uncontrollably. I could feel the burning heat and took a few steps away.

Jor was chomping on the stem of his unlit pipe when he noticed me. "Are you alright? You look agitated."

I shook my body. How could I be? I've met fire before, and I know what it does!

Lady Nimmo bent face to face with the kindest expression I've ever seen. Grant it; I've only been able to see for a few hours, but it was emphatically the kindest. Anyway, she told me with that really kind face, "Don't let that bully of a dwarf bother you."

"Seriously!" Flimlet said. "You're a tree, not a pansy. I'm always this way. Man up!"

Jor looked at Flimlet, "Man up?"

"Well, you know what I mean," Flimlet said.

I squinted my face as I tried to form the words, "Nooot… Flmt… Fir…” It was the best I could do, and it was not enough, judging by the look on everyone's faces. Now, they were confused. I gave up and walked away.

They didn't follow. Perhaps they instinctively knew I needed some space. Or just didn't have time for a troubled stumper. I thought I saw Lady Nimmo walk my way, but if she did, she never caught me. My mind was all rattled. They think fire is good. Don't they know what it does?

While tossing these thoughts around, I stumbled onto several stumpers standing near a circle of stones. In the center of the stones was a pile of wood on fire.

"Hello, there," a stumper said. "My name is…"

I shouted, raising my arms in alarm. I've had all I can take. This entire village is infatuated with fire.

The stumpers began to shout, too, although I don't think they knew why. There we were, screaming without moving. But the screaming wasn't doing any good, so I made a break for it, running as fast as I could out of this crazy village.

The stumpers tried catching me, but I ran faster. I didn't stop running until I was far from the village. I looked back and saw no one. Being surrounded by trees calmed me down a bit. It felt more natural than the village. The familiar sounds of the forest calmed me even more: birds chirping, leaves rustling, limbs creaking. This is where I belong, not that fire-loving village. Although, I will miss Lady Nimmo.

I found a creek and waded into it. I drank through my roots. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was. It was probably the fire's fault.

I stayed in the forest for several days. Each day, I found myself missing Lady Nimmo more and more. Something wasn't right. At first, the forest felt right, but it began to feel odd over time. I tried to shake off thoughts of Lady Nimmo and the village by practicing speaking. I surprised myself with how quickly I was able to form words. Lady Nimmo would be proud. D'oh! There I go again.

I was determined to forget my new life and accept my old one, so I moved next to a large oak and attempted to plant myself. Perhaps over time, I'll grow back into a tree.

After two dull days of standing in one place, I heard footsteps crunching through the undergrowth. I tried looking towards the noise without moving, but it was too far to my left to see. As the steps grew louder, I gave up and turned.

"Ahhh!" Lady Nimmo screamed.

"Ahhh!" I screamed.

"Oh my goodness, how you startled me," Lady Nimmo said.

"What about me? I was startled, too."

"I'm so sorry, but I'm glad I finally found…" Lady Nimmo's face lit up. "You can talk!"

I had forgotten I couldn't talk the last time we were together. "So you've been looking for me?" I was deeply touched, even if she was a fire lover.

"Why did you run away?"

I struggled to find the right words. I didn't want to make accusations, but I also loathed their fires. "I hate fire," was all I could manage to say.

"That explains a lot," she said, giving me that kind look again. "Can you tell me why you hate fire?"

I wanted to, but I hated to recall the traumatic event. I nodded but remained silent, not knowing how to start. She sat against the large oak and looked at me. I knew she wasn't going anywhere until I spilled the beans. So, I started spilling.

"A long time ago, when I was in my fifties, still young and rebellious. My surrounding tree family told me that since I was as tall as them now, I needed to bend as far over as possible during a storm. They warned lightning strikes the highest point. Well, I didn't listen. I hated to bend. One day, a storm came, and I remained straight and tall. Sure enough, I was struck by lightning and caught on fire. I would have perished had it not been for the tremendous amount of rain. It put the fire out, but not before my treetop was scorched. Ever since then, I've been terrified of fire."

Lady Nimmo looked deep in thought. Neither one of us said a word for several minutes. I couldn't help but wonder if she thought less of me for being afraid. I noticed none of them were. They control fire, and I scream like a little girl.

Finally, she spoke. "Fear is like a tiny yapping dog. He will bite you if you turn your back, but if you face him, he will run from you. Do you understand?"

"I have to face fire?" The very thought caused me to tremble.

"Not alone. I will be with you. We will start small. Controlled fire is not the same as out-of-control fire."

She convinced me to return to the village with her. When we arrived, Lady Nimmo was true to her word. She helped me face my fear with tiny sticks burning with a tiny flame. Once I graduated from tiny sticks, we moved to larger sticks and then campfires.

One night, I was given the task of putting out the campfire. I had to get really close to ensure I extinguished the fire—I had never been really close before. With much trembling, I completed the job. Everyone clapped and cheered. Even Flimlet had something nice to say.

Lady Nimmo's custom was to observe a new stumper for a few weeks to know his personality before naming him.

"You've faced your fear of fire with water. Because of this, I name you Rain Storm. You are who you are because of the storm that caught you on fire and the rain that proved stronger."

Everyone clapped again, chanting my name: Rain Storm! Rain Storm! I took it all in and let it grow on me. Rain Storm? Huh? I like it. I like it very much.