Exceptional Liz and Linda focus on the basket with the unusual guest Traffic : The Basket by Liz O'Neill Artwork by avmurray at FanArtReview.com

Background Liz & Linda are thinking back to what happened before they discovered the house with the Native American teens. In this part of the book they're greeted by an unusual visitor as they sit in their car. Linda climbed back into the passenger's side and swiveled toward the back. As they sat aligning their bodies to Kai Zita, Liz sensed a heightening of energy in the car. Without realizing it, they both began telling her facts about themselves. These were things they'd mostly only told each other.   She's so easy to talk to, thought Liz.   Linda and Liz were known for talking a lot; but it was never to bare their hearts or souls to anyone. For some reason I feel lighter, less stressed, Linda was noticing.   Liz observed, There definitely is something mystical about this woman. The seemingly long silence that followed didn't even feel awkward.   After Liz and Linda felt they'd said enough, maybe too much, it was Kai Zita's turn. "I've listened with my heart to your stories. I am sensing great pain within both of you."   "Linda, you love your children and kinfolk as you call them."   Linda puzzled, how does she know any of this and especially that I call them my kinfolk?   "You worry continuously about them. You were hesitant to leave them so far behind. You have not left them; you have carried them with you in your heart. You are a full-hearted generous, self-giving woman. You need to learn to give to yourself more."   "You also, Liz. You have felt your goal in life is to take care of others even if it means going without, yourself. You learned that from your mother. You know that didn't get her very far. You need to discover what you want for yourself. I know you're wondering, even at73?"  "Yes." "Both of you have come on this trip with an agenda and itinerary. You can see already; things are changing fast. This journey will be filled with adventures. Some, you will understand and other will take more time to absorb. You will find you have very little control over what is revealed. Just let things happen and unfold as they will. Learn and grow." As Kai Zita made effort to slide out of the backseat, Liz rolled mortified eyes as the muddle of the surrounding clutter began to fall back toward the unsuspecting woman. She was very polite about the intrusion.  The first was a pellet bag of plastic Tupperware containers Liz was planning to give to Linda for her kinfolk up north. The largest bag was Linda's gatherings of donated shirts, pajamas, and jeans that were eventually headed for some tall yellow, metal boxes for the purpose of collection by some truck to transport them to a distribution center.  Her Honda never seemed to be able to remain neat and empty as other vehicles she'd seen parked outside of supermarkets. But neither was Linda's car; which made her feel a little better.  Kai Zita, with one foot on the ground, reached deep into her woven basket. Finally, the mystery is happily solved for us. Phew, no animal under that mat. Liz salivated when she saw what it was. I hope this won't stir the grumbling within my stomach acids. What a luscious looking loaf of some sort of bread.  Kai Zita handed them the loaf on the mat. "Acorn bread for you." Liz was immediately transported back to when she was a child. They used to hollow out tiny acorns to put a minuscule amount of dried corn silk into them to smoke. This was her mother's childhood trick she had taught them.  Liz wondered why this mischievous activity never became popular. No one else seems to have ever heard of such a thing. "Dried corn silk? You smoked it?"  As a challenge, everyone had to bite into an acorn at least once. She remembered how bitter it was. In her flashback, she grimaced and spit out the acrid meat, making that proverbial raspberry sound followed by a shudder of the entire body and a shaking of the head. And we all laughed. Along with the bread were sweet scrumptious smelling raspberries, black and red. It was difficult for Liz looking at them. They look so yum. I wish I could pop a few into my mouth; but that would be rude. I hope that bread isn't bitter like the acorns I've bitten into. Linda hated to admit it, I kind of wish she'd leave, so we can gorge ourselves with that new bread. I wonder what it tastes like.  And those mouthwatering berries. Slurp. It'd been so long since they'd really sunk their teeth into anything of substance, their jaws began reflexively slightly clamping up and down in chewing motions. Lastly, their benefactor unveiled two tiny pouches. Native Americans used to use the treated stomachs of animals for carrying liquids. These looked to be the size of a squirrel's stomach.  As she handed these pouches, to their up-turned, outreaching palms, she instructed them,"Drink the liquid within the pouch just before you want to sleep. It will help you rest, dream, and find your way."  Find our way? What could that ever mean? Liz wondered. There was a sadness as Kai Zita placed the second moccasined foot onto the edge of the ashen hued pavement, raised herself out of the car, and stood up. She paused, pressing her right hand against her dress to smooth out any wrinkles.  Next, she leaned down in their direction balancing herself with her right hand on the back of Linda's headrest, "You will know you are near the end of one destination when you see a sign: a bear, cat, and dog.  "Placing her fingers of her left hand against her forehead in a farewell sign of reverence, Kai Zita pivoted and began to move slowly past the rear of the car and away. ****************** "Which do you want to sniff first? The berries or the bread?" Linda let Liz go first, "You go ahead." Liz inhaled the delicious odors, "Mmmm yum." On the way to offering the mat of goodies to Linda, she grabbed a berry. It took seconds for them to take turns inhaling the aroma of the bread and berries. When they glanced back to follow Kai Zita; Linda with a berry in her mouth exclaimed, "She's vanished."  Liz thought, Linda must not see the coyote back there a ways. A thrill ran through Liz's whole being. A shape-shifter. Kai Zita is shape-shifter. Liz returned her attention to Linda. With a quick shrug of their shoulders, a pursing of the lips, and a waggle of their heads, they paused, grinned and tore into the bread.   "It has a nutty moist sweetness to it." Liz added, "I read about this bread in my Gear novels. It tastes as delectable as described by some characters in the stories I've read."  Both of them made sure to pick off every little crumb from the front of their shirts. Linda, the practical one suggested, "I know we want to gobble down the rest of this loaf, but we should save it for our journey. You know how we usually love to eat."   They so often had found they ate more when they got together than they did with most other friends. They just enjoyed each other's friendship and eating.  Liz agreed, "Yuh, and we should get some sleep if we're gonna be in any shape to start out in the morning."    Author Notes TERMS "Shape-shifting" is the metamorphosis of a person into an animal for the purpose of healing and protecting. It is a tradition that exists in most Native American cultures. I'd like to acknowledge avmurray again for their picture that suits my theme. This book is about the adventures of Liz & Linda in Montana. Most of the adventures are related to the fact that they are close to the Crow Nation Reservation.

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