TWENTY-SEVEN: Comrades in Arms

            The show for the Spring Jubilee was a history project of Arous and Edlawit.  Instead of giving an oral report or giving them an oral history exam on the Pangaea Meteor-quake of 2198, they wanted to put on a show.  It was written by them both.  Edlawit organized, produced and directed it; Arous was in the show.  Edlawit couldn’t stand attention, Arous had to be in the middle of everything – it was perfect for them both and their relationship grew from just sisters and friends to comrades in arms.

            We walked to the stage which was the front porch of the large house.  There were people all up the drive sitting on blankets and hanging out in trees.  The Sasquatch and Momos had taken Human and Dwarf children upon their shoulders. Many of the Nephilim had plank board stretched between their shoulders for Dwarfs and Sasquatch and Momo children to sit on. There were people and Sasquatch and Momos and Nephillim and other creatures, too many to name, in the meadow staring at the side of the house.  I saw the Diofe walking through the meadow.  As he did it became a gently rolling hill so that everyone had a good view.

            “How are they going to see, staring at the side of the house?” I asked.

            Priscilla squirmed but didn’t answer.  I knew she had helped with the production and the poisajos but I had no idea what.

The cara-caras even walked up from the river to see what was going on.  They joined other animals lying at the foot of the stage and rolled onto their backs and just looked up.  A few water creatures came up behind them.  The air of the Bowl was so heavy with moisture it made it possible for water creatures to come onto land, although it was an awkward fieldtrip for them.

Even the trees quivered with excitement.

Arous was standing on the stage.  It was just the porch. There were a few potted ferns and a couple of potted trees but other than that it was just the same old porch.  I looked at Priscilla. I was already feeling disappointed in the work they had put into making the set.

“The sets at the New Globe hundreds of years ago were better than this.”

Priscilla was quiet.

“You’re going to love the poisajos,” said Priscilla.

“Don’t tell me!”

The ram’s horn sounded again.

I saw a flicker across the meadow.  People at the back of the meadow turned around.  I could hear them chattering with excitement.

A flood of poisajos came from the Mist and across the meadow.  They enveloped the porch and the side of the house in the swirling colors of outer space.  They didn’t miss one beautiful star or planet or asteroid and they flew us through space.  Arous sung their directions and told us about the meteor through which she had disappeared.

“I helped her teach them the details of what she wanted them to do so she didn’t have to sing every little thing.  The poisajos have this memorized!”

“Shhh,” I said. “I want to hear the song.”

Last days

No praise for 2198

No one saw you

Felt you

But you shook the earth to its molten core

Was the sun sick?

Was their some Martian throwing stones?

Small as a tin-foil ball

Barn kitties like to bat around

Only a blip for men to see

A firey path

Blazed through the heavens

Target Earth

Bulls-eye Indian Ocean

Did nothing happen?

Conspiricay?

Martians!

Conspiracy?

Lock your doors!

Conspiracy?

Alien Gods, is that all you got?

Stop

Electric Motor

Stop

Electric Doors

Stop

Sentient Imaginations

Never filled more

Strange

Where are my keys?

Stranger

That’s not where my house was when I left this morning.

Strangest

Where’s this continent going?

As Arous sang about the meteor touching down the poisajos showed every detail of what it was like.

“They must’ve had help from the Diofe,” I said. “That’s cheating!”

“Shhhh.”

            Arous along with the two other Skin-Dancers played out scenarios of people finding things were not where they put them.  The poisajos created a hyperbolic picture of a house growing legs and walking away. Mekko’s expression of surprise at seeing his house walk sent everyone into fits of laughter.

            Arous continued to sing.

            Strange

            I can’t think

            Stranger

            I can’t figure

            I’m beginning to sink

            Strangest

            Plague

            Ever