Floating On the Wind
He picked up a leaf and touched the rough surface with his hands. He let the tiny bumps and ridges pass beneath his searching fingertips, and he found life there.
Millions of tiny veins ran through it, once reaching and spreading, once pouring life into the farthest leaves of the highest treetops.
“Ask me a question and I’ll tell you a story.” He whispered to the boy quietly.
“How long had it lived for?”
“It lived for a million years, and saw a million sunsets that overlooked a savannah that spread out over a million miles. This leaf was the first and greatest of its kind. But not many know that it saw forever because of time and age.”
“Don’t you think it became wise after living all those years?” The boy asked
“Oh, of course.” The storyteller agreed. “That one leaf knew all the secrets of the universe because it watched and waited for so long.”
“Well, what was it waiting for?”
“Death.” The man replied
“Death? But, why death?”
“He waited for death so that he could be free of the tree that bound it to its branches. He waited for death so that it could fly away into forever.”
“How do you fly to forever? How can I get there?” the boy pleaded.
“Ah, ah, ah- only one question at a time. Think before you speak, and if you ask just the right question, you’ll get just the right answer.”
“Right, sorry..” he said sheepishly. After a few moments deep in thought, he asked a different question.
“What is forever like?”
“It is a place where spring and autumn reign and everyday is beautiful. Leaves fall but never die, and even the tallest trees never stop growing.” the old man said with a smile.
“How did the leaf get there?” the boy asked again, his eyes now deep and searching.
“When it dropped from the tree, it asked the wind to take it there. The wind said it would, but only on one condition. The leaf had to prove to the wind that it had done three great things to change the world. And if it could, then the wind would take it to forever.” , replied the storyteller.
“‘Do you see that patch of dead grass beneath my tree?’ The leaf asked the wind. ‘There I gave shade to all the weary travelers that ever rested beneath me. Not once did I turn them away or tell them I was too busy. Does selflessness not change the world?’ asked the leaf.
’It does.’ said the wind. ‘That is one.’
’Do you see the many marks on my skin? I have been not only shelter but food to even the smallest insects. I gave them safety and offered them nourishment so that they would do the same for others. I taught by example so that there would be life in abundance across the entire savannah. Does all life not change the world?’ asked the leaf.
‘It does.’ said the wind. ‘That is two.’
‘Do you see that I am dead? I did nothing my entire life but serve the tree where I began. I was alive for him, and I stayed by his side for a million years to make him beautiful and help him grow. I gave him all of me. Does sacrifice not change the world?’ asked the leaf.
‘It does.’ said the wind. ‘That is three.’“
The small boy waited but the ending did not come.
“So what happened? Did he take him?”
“I don’t know.” the storyteller said with a smile.
“You don’t know?!” he shouted. “How could you not know? It’s your story!"
“Exactly!!” The man exclaimed. “It is my story. And my story ends there. But if you want to know the end so badly, then why don’t you finish it yourself?”
“Look, I don’t think…” the boy began.
“Don’t think.” he whispered softly. “Just answer the questions and the ending will come. Did the wind do as he promised?”
“Um, yes.” The man motioned that he wanted more. The boy didn’t know how he was supposed to finish a story without thinking, so he just…began.
“The wind recognized the leaf because he was the first to pass the test. He was just about to take him to forever, when the leaf shouted, ‘Wait!!’”
“Why did he shout wait?” the old man asked.
“Because he still had one more request before he left his home behind.”
“‘ It was you who asked me to take you on to forever.’ Said the wind. ‘Have you changed your mind?’
‘No.’ said the leaf. ’ I have not changed my mind. I just have one more thing to ask of you before we go.'
‘If it is within my power, it shall be done.’ Said the wind.
‘I want to be remembered so that those that come after me know that they too can change the world. Carve me into rocks that will not fall or crumble so that they will remember me and know that I wait for them in forever.’
‘I cannot, my friend.’ said the wind. ‘That is not within my power. All on this earth must fall and crumble; I cannot change that. But what I can do is this. For a million years, you were the only one of your kind, but now billions of others like you will grow around the globe. They'll follow your example and do as you did to remind us of the life you lived. They will be selfless, give life to the world, and sacrifice everything they are to make the world beautiful. They will teach the world as you did. No longer will you be alone.’”
“That's it.” the old man whispered. Then they stood, and only watched as their leaf too, floated on the wind.
ok i really love this story. besides epsilon this is my favorite. i would love, love, love to see this in a book. BUT, there is one problem. the boy's language at the end where he finishes the story isn't in line with the kind of language he uses throughout the rest of the story. it sounds like the man again. also a boy probably wouldn't be able to come up with that story. and if he could certainly not in that language/diction-its too elevated. so i love it, but that doesn't sound like a boy would say it. especially when through the rest of the story his language was pretty casual and young. i don't really know how to fix it- i just know it's a problem. the voices/language of the characters have to be distinct! just like in storytelling!
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