Waking the Wood

The village of Lundara always suffered from long winters. At the end of a long dormant period Lundara’s people would gather for the Spring Waking Festival.

They would emerge from their frost encrusted homes and snowed in cottages to toast the coming spring. Trees, long left barren and void of leafs, would be adorned in lights and colored banners. A banquet would be laid, piled high with apple pie, cider, and the scent of cinnamon in the air.

There would be singing, oh yes there would be dancing too. The hullabaloo would be enough to wake the wood and usher in spring.

It was with some confusion then that all the racket and feasting was not causing the intended effect. Winter stood fast.

Chief Wallock gathered the other chiefs in his hall. His beard was frosted over. His rosy cheeks grace the look of the jolly cringle. Instead he was irate.

“My beard is all frozen over and my joints are as brittle as the pretzels Benson brought.”

He cleared his throat and asked, “Now gentlemen, winter is very much still around. How do we rectify this?”

The other chiefs glanced around. As if the answer would just fall from the sky.

Wallock shoved a pie slice in his mouth. He aggressively chewed.

“Chief Martin.”

Martin shot up. “Yes sir Mr. Wallock sir.”

Wallock asked, “And what do you propose to do about our situation? This is the Spring Waking Festival. Well I’m looking around and seeing an explicit lack of spring or waking spring.”

Martin replied, “Well sir, the Archives of Lundara are clear. Should the revelry of the Spring Waking Festival not work a representative should be sent into the roots of the Slumber Wood to wake Spring.”

A Chief Turnip grumbled and folded his arms. “I think we just need to keep partying. We haven’t even started dessert yet.”

“It’s too cold for dessert,” bemoaned Chief Aldin.

Wallock asked, “And who do you propose we send Chief Martin?”

As if the answer would just fall from the sky the answer fell from the sky. It tore through the hall’s window. It was soot covered and in one fell swoop dashed away the plates and table coverings.

Wallock bit into a chicken leg and chewed. “And we have a winner.”

He got up and at the head of the other chiefs headed to the impact site. They passed through a burned doorway and into Wallock’s garden.

A rocket was left smoldering and embedded in a tree. Its gnarled remains were colored orange and red. There was a muffled shouting from beneath the mound of snow.

Limbs popped out one at a time. First a leg here, an arm there, and then finally a head. The head belonged to a scruffy haired young troublemaker named Matilda.

“Uh, howdy gentlemen,” she said. Another clump of snow plopped onto her head from a branch.

Chief Smore gripped the bridge of his nose. He asked, “Matilda… don’t you know you were banned from the village after the last incident?”

Matilda’s head reappeared where she shook the snow from her hair. “You know I might have… blocked some of that out. I just noticed the party and wanted to contribute so I brought some fireworks.”

Martin asked, “Why were you on a rocket soaring through Wallock’s house?”

Matilda shot out of the snow. She said, “Well you see, I was sampling some appetizers when my snow shoe got caught on a table cloth…”

“Okay I am going to have to stop you right there,” Martin said.

Wallock was chewing over an idea. Then an idea hit him in the gut.

“Gentlemen group huddle.” Wallock said, “Wait one second Matilda.”

The chiefs gathered around him.

“Martin you said we needed a representative right?”

Martin nodded.

“Well why not send Matilda. She’s perfect,” Wallock suggested.

Turnip replied, “That’s a splendid idea. We’ll get her out of our hair and save the party.”

Wallock asked, “All in favor of appointing Matilda as our representative say aye.”

“Aye.”

Matilda had been picking through the wreckage of her rocket. She glanced up. “What?”

Wallock began pumping her hand up and down. “Congratulations Matilda, your flagrant disregard for property and law means you are eligible for a village position.”

Matilda’s eyes widened. “A village position? What is it?”

He explained, “As our representative we want you to go deep into the Slumber Wood and wake Spring. Cause as much noise as possible. You’re good at that.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That sounds really simple. What’s the catch?”

“Oh no, no catch. Just you go into the Slumber Wood and wake Spring. That’s all.”

Matilda replied, “Isn’t the Slumber Wood also where all those warning signs, bone totems, and howls of the damned originate from?”

Wallock glanced at Martin. Martin shrugged.

Shoving in three biscuits into his gaping maw Wallock said something as he chewed through crumbs. He swallowed.

“Hmm yes that’s just to… keep out hooligans and trespassers. The Slumber Wood is sacred after all. But as our representative it should be perfectly safe.”

Matilda replied, “Say I do this and you know I will but what do I get in return?”

Martin asked, “Well what do you want?”

Matilda scratched her chin. She snapped her fingers. “How’s about you repeal that ban keeping me from coming over? I also want you to hold a festival to my honor for saving your party this day.”

Martin turned red. “Absolutely not.”

Wallock shot him a glare. Turning to Matilda he said, “You got a deal on that first part. You get your festival if you actually succeed.”

Matilda tapped the side of her head. She shot them a finger gun and said, “You strike a hard bargain. Deal.”

“Now as our representative,” Wallock began, “It is important that… what are you doing?”

Matilda strapped some ‘fireworks’ to her person. The chiefs took several steps back.

She said, “As my first act as representative I declare coming in…”

Matilda set off the rockets.

“Dramatically.”

The rockets propelled her into the air. They sputtered and flared, sending her flying up and down, left and right. A trail of smoke streamed behind her as she crudely directed herself to the Slumber Wood.

All good rockets come to an end. Her rocket smashed through several branches before exploding. Matilda brushed off some of the flame that clung to her.

She was now deep in the Slumber Wood. There were no howls of the damned but an eerie stillness filled the air.

Matilda crunched along in her snow shoes. As she walked she came to a realization that she did not know where to find Spring.

“Hmm, Wallock did say to cause as much noise as possible.” She pulled some fireworks from her pocket. Matilda lit some. As fuse hit powder Matilda shouted, “Hey Spring, wakey, wakey.”

The fireworks zipped through the air. They exploded into wondrous displays of vibrant reds, blues, purples, and yellows.

They drew shapes in the sky. If Matilda looked closely enough she thought they spelled out something.

“Right… behind… you.”

Matilda looked at the clump of fireworks in her arms.

“Huh, didn’t know they knew how to spell.”

There was a sound of twigs snapping behind her. She turned and saw nothing. As her head turned to face forward her eyes saw it first.

“You make a lot of racket mortal,” the white wolf said. Its mouth did not move.

Matilda fell back alarmed. Its voice was in her head.

Now faced with a predatory animal that communicates with its mind Matilda’s first instinct was not to run for it.

“Hey there doggy you want some fireworks?”

The wolf tilted its head.

“Are you supposed to be Lundara’s representative?”

Matilda replied, “Yeah. Am I doing a good job?”

The wolf said, “Only Lundara’s people can walk these woods. Not only are you not dressed for the role of representative you are not from Lundara.”

Matilda grumbled, “Not dressed correctly? Ah dang I knew I should have worn the pink winter coat.”

“Don’t you understand what’s going on here? You are an intruder. I’m supposed to kill you.”

Matilda asked, “What’s your name wolf?”

The wolf sighed. “It’s Virgil.”

He got up and moved towards her. She felt its warm tail brush against her arm and cheek.

“So uh… are we cool?”

Virgil turned his head. “Yeah sure. Why not? It’s not like my lady gets much company these days. Follow me.”

Matilda followed Virgil beneath the Wood’s twisted boughs. Somewhere in the center of the forest was a massive tree. It stood at a tilted angle, like something had uprooted it. Between two massive roots was a cave entrance leading deep below. Virgil leapt on top of the opening.

“Deep within Spring sleeps waiting out winter. She requires the sound of celebration and joy to be woken from her slumber, to be alerted that spring has returned.”

Matilda asked, “You think my fireworks will work?”

Virgil replied, “Tradition states that a representative from Lundara is supposed to lead his or her people here to host the Spring Waking Festival. Lately it seems no one bothers to even leave an offering.”

He looked into the distance.  “Mortals can be so ungrateful.”

“Well as Lundara’s unofficial representative let’s wake up Spring with a bang,” Matilda said.

Lighting the last of her fireworks the fired up into the air. The sky was illuminated with showers of sparkling gold, bold blues, and other colors.

Virgil looked down. His eyes perked up, like he had heard or sensed something.

As the last firework sped into the sky and detonated a large lumbering form began to emerge from the cave.

Virgil jumped from his perch and stood beside Matilda. Virgil bowed. With a slap of his tail to her back Matilda bowed too.

The lumbering creature made the ground shake. As it came closer from the trembling earth the first shoots of new life began to take root.

Matilda dared to raise one eye.

Her brief glimpse beheld a mighty brown bear. A radiant light shone around it like a miniature sun. Following in its wake was a path of newly grown flowers and grass. Fluttering butterflies followed behind it. The sound of bird calls, quiet at first, grew louder.

As the bear left its den behind the forest came to life. New leafs began to grow. Animal life slumbering beneath the snow began to emerge.

Once the bear disappeared into the woods all was quiet.

Matilda felt Virgil’s tail slap her again.

“The deed is done. Thank you. My lady is awakened once again. Come I will take you back to Lundara.”

Matilda followed Virgil down a newly grown path. With the snow gone it was clear what paths to take.

“Hey Mr. Virgil, my vision is not what it seems.”

For Matilda the world seemed blurry. She had to have Virgil guide her otherwise she risked stumbling into a tree or trip over a rock. Virgil stopped and looked up at her.

“You stole a gaze at my lady didn’t you?”

Matilda replied, “I couldn’t help it. I wanted to know what Spring looked like.”

“My lady vanishes it is true, but she is never departed for long. If you are in search of beauty you need only gaze at the world around you and see the life that exists all around. Yes, even the life that flourishes in the coldness of winter.”

Virgil said, “If you had been raised in Lundara and knew of its traditions you would know that to gaze upon my lady your sight would be taken in tribute. An offering should have been made to prevent such punishment.”

“This isn’t too serious is it?”

Virgil pawed at Matilda. She knelt down. After giving a closer look Virgil licked her face.

“Be at ease. Not all sight is lost. You were wise to only look with one eye. And now that you are steeped in the woods’ mysterious you are welcome here anytime.”

At the edge of the forest Matilda could see that the party had concluded. It was deep into the night.

“Farewell Matilda. And thank you.”

Matilda blinked. Virgil was gone as a wind kicked leaves by her.

She blinked again. Her vision was blurry but she could still make out the glowing light beyond Lundara. The light of home.

She yawned. “Well that happened. I think tomorrow I’m going to cash in that favor with ole Wallock. He owes me a festival.”

Matilda made her way down the old road.

“Yeah and maybe I’ll leave a rocket in his mailbox.” Matilda threw her arms in the air. “Happy first day of Spring everyone.”

The wind brush of leaves and the warmth of home hurried her home.