Mending

The untamed land flourished away from human life. Growing around and healing painful memories. Laying vines over doorways and dirty windows and growing weeds despite the stone and gravel. Spiders make their homes inside the decaying houses to hide away from the soft and rhythmic singing of the birds. The sky transitioning slowly to orange and purple until the dark removes blanket covering the stars back into the sky. Letting the world rest before the sun awakens with them to busy the day. Many would have thought the old decrypted buildings were haunted based upon their looks, as if they were dying along with its history. Yet to many it would never be forgotten. For the longest time, this was a home, a safety net for the unstable. Where they could feel safe until everything healed and faded, like a scar that had let go of its resentment.

               When the houses were new, made of shiny, fresh planks, placed together methodically to build simple boxes. To most at one glance could be mistaken for a simple prison cell made by builders too cheap to use real stone or cement. At first, dirt was roughly dug and left uneven to make a path, putting the miserable village further back in time. Trees and many other exotic plants were crudely chopped away through and slightly around the village in order to make it barely visible. Not even a day later, the new residents of the town were driven out and dumped into the small village. Once they were shoved out of the numerous vehicles, ever single one drove off abandoning the groups without any resources.

               Slowly each mature individual realized where they were. Several rounded the children to keep them calm and entertained and others gathered to discuss. Slowly the shock faded away and plans were made. The gathered divided into three groups, one gathered sticks and vines, then headed to the nearby river. Another foraged certain berries and aided others in climbing trees to investigate the surroundings, while the last group, the strongest and most experienced, circled the small village and faced the forest around with vigilant eyes and ears focusing on their surroundings. The few mature ones with the children brought them into the village and into the houses. By nightfall, every child was able to eat full meals while the matures had smaller portions before getting into the little shelter they had to rest.

               Time moved on around the world as the small village thrived, growing bigger and improving what they had. Building and constructing better houses, children grew and were taught how to survive. Strangers and neighbors who had never uttered a word to the other, would trust the other with their life. Instead of a gripping, strangling fear that should have stolen them away, a bright aura replaced and grew letting them prosper. To the elders, the past held pain and repressed anger that they had slowly learned to let go. Many generations grew and thrived within the small village, each one bringing new ideas, new hope and improvements. Many meals were made, families came together each night, they never had to talk, but the presence of one another was enough.

               Slowly, the improvements shifted motivations. Many of the children grew and explored outside the village, till they came upon a city that reflected their own village weeks before. Yet, the newest generation stayed there confused. While they grew quickly, the town seemed to be growing slowly, as if that instead of every day getting a new idea, it took many years. Looking at one another they quickly ran back to the village and to the elders. Questions arose and were answered from the old to the new. Instead of anger they sprouted a new idea. A small chance and opportunity they wanted to take. They had been there when they were children and grew here. They were raised so that growth was an equal opportunity.

               Once the sun had rose once more, they walked back to the town with half the village. Many of the residents stared at them in fear, curiosity, hatred, but they slowly walked around the town circling it. They carried no weapons as they walked slow and silent. Heads straight and calm, no emotion in their eyes. Once the circle was complete, they sat down, one by one, down onto the grass and stared into the town. When every villager was sitting, they tilted their heads down and closed their eyes. Staying quiet as the town stared at them in wonder. The villagers never dared to make a noise, never dared to raise a hand towards the residents. Only sitting in peace, waiting for the residents’ response. Silence stayed among the groups, neither side taking any sort of action.

               Finally, one man walked towards the villagers, even then they did not make a sound, they did not move. He cautiously walked closer and sat between two of them. He looked side to side at their positions and saw the two’s eyes were open staring at him, still waiting. He took a deep breathe and introduced himself, asking about them, who they were, where did they come from? Calmly, one rose their head up and spoke back to him. The man was surprised to hear the villager speak, in the same language, nonetheless. Despite her accent, her words were calm and clearer than freshly made glass. She spoke with ease, explaining to him and smiling gently as she talked.

               Slowly, more of the town’s residents walked out and sat between villagers and talked. All through the night, they spoke to one another, most of their voices barely above a whisper, never raising to a yell or rising with a spike of anger. In the morning, the villagers left back home, but the next day they came back again. They came with more villagers, they brought food and books, they taught the townspeople about themselves and the residents did the same to them. Before long, the villagers moved into the town and bringing their intelligence with them.

               The past had long been forgotten, but to many, the old decaying homes held a hidden life. Stories that were told to the younger ones, resources were plentiful, and the town had been brought to the future. Just like the village, they grew and thrived, their growth continued in rapid rates to an unforeseen future. Though each year they went back to the first place the villagers ever truly called home. Ready to relearn about the desolate place that brought them to their future.