Background
Reference is made to Ch 11
As Liz & Linda sit in Tommy's car he tells of a harrowing incident that happened when they were trying to get beyond the falls in their cave journey 10 years earlier.
|
Previously: Walking away from their stalled car, Liz and Linda are rescued by a Native American young man, Tommy. They've been sitting in his car, and it appears the cars are going to begin the procession west toward Billings.
They are comparing their journeys through the cave. Tommy and his companions entered the cave where the teens exited. Their descriptions are going to be the opposite. Up will be down and down will be up. In front of will be in back of and in back of will be in front of.Tommy admitted what he was sure of. "I know Spring Blossom's father
Tommy is telling of what happened when they got to the back of the falls. Linda and Liz only know of approaching from the front of the falls. Because Tommy and his companions did not know what was on the other side of the falls, they've roped-up Spring Blossom, then 6 years-old.
***********
Tommy admitted what he was sure of. "I know Spring Blossom's father, Shoots the Arrow was having second thoughts. The shouting in his head warned him of what could go wrong. He could lose his brave sweet daughter forever. He could not bear to lose another daughter. That's why they were there, doing this."
Tommy told the two ladies how Shoots the Arrow was always questioning whether he was being a bad father. He'd already lost one daughter. He felt he should have been able to prevent her murder and her friends' disappearance.
Liz remembered Sweet Blossom chanting the names of her sister Sunglow and her two best friends Cedar and Ash in the litany of the murdered and missing just before they walked under the glorious waterfall. She struggled with the question of how the waterfall could mean such radically different things to everyone.
Tommy explained that Shoots the Arrow needed Porcupine medicine to give him faith and trust. Spring Blossom would have the help of Black Panther for courage, and grace. Her father felt it was imperative she become toughened up and alert, so the same thing would never happen to her as it did to her sister.
He explained what this would entail. "There would be a true challenge of her feminine power, and a rite of passage for this young girl. She would need both, as she edged her way along what could be a precipice."
The two ladies sunk deeper into the beautiful Native American blanket sensing comfort in its spirit. They had no idea how this story was going to come out. They knew she had survived as a 6-year-old; she was now 16, but what rite of passage she had to go through they had no idea.
Liz knew this was not the same as the important rite of passage Spring Blossom would go through later in her life when she was moving into womanhood. This must have been a vital step in her gaining courage and skill. Rites of passage most always challenged logic.
Tommy already told of how she had saved the two sixteen-year-olds, her brother Flying Squirrel and him, on their way back through the cave. Liz directed her attention to Tommy's voice as he continued.
"Because we were still fearless," Tommy's voice shook as he said, "neither of us I worried about Flying Squirrel's sister. She was perfectly capable of accomplishing her goal. We were very blas�???�??�?�© about it back then, too blas�???�??�?�©.
We made sure Blossom's rope was secured. The three of us held onto the lead as she, with lantern in hand, set out to scout the way for us to get beyond the falls. For some reason, she stepped to the left on the rock ridge and...
"No!" Both Liz and Linda looked at each other and gasped. "She went the wrong way. She should have gone right. Oh, no." They both hoped they were wrong about their cautious concern.
There was a pause as Tommy swallowed hard. He described her setting the lantern down behind her on the ledge, so she'd have both arms to balance herself.
"Maybe... because the lantern light got caught in her shadow? I don't know...maybe she couldn't see where the rock mantle had chipped off? I don't know."
It was obvious he still played the question over and over after all of these years. Liz and Linda looked at each other, wincing. They knew this was not going to be pleasant to listen to and yet had pulled themselves to the edge of their seats sitting up to hear what happened.
"Her yell for help was muffled by the roar of the falls, but we were certain that's what we heard. When we looked at the area she'd been stepping along, she was nowhere to be seen.
"I looked down at the water illuminated by the lantern. I could see her trying to get a hold on the rim; it kept breaking away. Each time she seemed to have a good grasp on a section, she ended up holding that chunk in her slippery trembling hands."
He confessed he knew, he had been too judgmental and minimizing of Shoots the Arrow's concerns. He described how when they began pulling on the rope, it only made things worse.
"We were pulling her back toward the falls. She would be pummeled to death. I knew I had to do something. Describing my plan, I told them to hand over her lead rope to me. With every second counting, I quickly tied it around my waist.
"I prepared to dive blindly into the darkness, brightened only by the lantern. I observed the current had carried her away from the agitation of the roiling falls. I felt better about that. As I did a shallow dive, I felt my foot graze the lantern body.
"I knew as I was gliding through the air into the water, it was too late to do anything else about the tumbling lantern. I only hoped the others would know to replace the light. Blossom and I would find ourselves having to engage in an activity similar to the water game non-Native children play.
I swam the distance of my best estimation of where she would be. I could hear her calling my Native name, Corn Flour." He promised to tell them the origin of that name later.
"When I reached that location, I realized I could touch bottom with my feet, flat on the rocks. Not only that, as I spun around toward her voice, chills ran through my entire being.
"I think her sister Sunglow was by her side the whole time. Maybe her spirit was holding up the lantern directly behind Blossom. It was bobbing around on the surface of the water like a buoy in a lake."
He described how tightly he grabbed Blossom with one arm and the lantern with the other. "I ferried both safely to the edge of the water."
There was a tone of regret in his voice as he described that as they stepped away and looked at the falls they could see the safe path Blossom could have taken.
"I untied our rope and holding onto each wrap between my thumb and index finger, coiled it under my bicep. We hurried down the wide stone walk under the falls and into the opening of the cave.
Shoots the Arrow and Squirrel were so relieved to see us. Blossom's brother and father both picked her up spinning her around with hug after hug.
Blossom led them out holding her father's hand as his shaking legs made their way to solid, sure ground. They moved quickly away from the thundering reminder. Everyone was comforted by the fact that when they returned, they would know what they were doing.
Liz remembered what was coming next for them. She reminded herself they would somehow have to descend that very intimidating incline that overlooked many of the rooms far below. It was hard enough going up it. What would going down it be like?
Author Notes
Billings is a large city where they were going to participate in a food festival
Porcupine medicine gives one faith and trust.
Black Panther symbolizes courage, valor, beauty, grace, challenge, feminine power, and rites of passage.
Spring Blossom is one of the teens rescued by Liz and Linda from a trafficking operation. She led everyone through the cave.
Spring Blossom's brother is Flying Squirrel and her father is Shoots the Arrow. They were friends with Tommy.
Tommy is a young fellow who offered Liz and Linda a seat in his car and who is a chef.
He and the surrounding cars were headed into Billings for a food festival. This line of cars was standing still because the road up ahead was blocked by firefighting equipment.
The game Tommy refers to is Marco Polo in which one person yells Marco, the searcher yells Polo until they find them.
I wish to acknowledge Sean T Phela for their perfect picture for my purposes.
|
|
