(aka Bike) Part 1333 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad
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I held her until she went back to sleep after which I tried once again to get comfortable on the chair and did fall asleep, at least I assumed I did because I dreamt again.
I was walking through a woodland full of bluebells and birdsong–something I’ve done loads of times and was trying to identify the bird song when I heard a strange noise–I can’t begin to describe it–but it sounded–like a cross between a rutting red deer stag and a scream.
The birdsong went quiet and I felt my blood run cold–what the hell was it? My only thought was a feral wild boar–and although they usually avoid humans–they can be dangerous, with vicious tusks that could give you a nasty wound.
The noise sounded again and the birds were using little alarm calls to each other and then went silent. I felt rooted to the spot, I wanted to run but my legs wouldn’t move and feet felt like they’d been glued to the ground. I was aware of the perfume of the bluebells.
There was a crashing through the undergrowth and suddenly before me reared a huge bear, grizzly bear size but I’d have assumed from its colour it was a brown bear. I thought it ironic that as a professional zoologist specialising in mammals, it looked as if it was increasingly likely I was going to being eaten by one. Mind you I rarely feel threatened by dormice.
Again, I realised that no human can outrun a bear, nor could I out climb it–in fact, with my poor upper body strength, I was a lousy tree climber. No, it looked as if I was coming to a sticky end.
Suddenly, the spell was broken and I could move. As I said I couldn’t outrun it so I had but one chance to scare it off–yeah okay, it’s like using a pencil to stop a crocodile eating you. Bears have been extinct in England for about fifteen hundred years–so where did this one come from?
I picked up a broken branch and began to shout and bang the branch to make as much noise as possible. Just to reassure me I remembered some fact that a bear can crush your skull with a single bite–which is as bad as a tiger. Good job I was wearing brown trousers.
The bear stopped and looked at me, “What’s your problem?” he asked.
I’ve heard of dancing bears but not talking ones–except in Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights series.
“What are you doing here–this is England and you’re extinct.”
“I see, on what d’you base that observation?” replied the bear.
“I live in England, I haven’t been abroad recently so I assume this is still England and you lot became extinct around the Roman period.”
“This is a dream–my dream–so what are you doing in it?” challenged the bear.
“I thought you were in my dream,” I complained back.
“Typical bloody woman,” he grumbled. “Here I am dying and having a last dream and you wander into it and start making loads of bloody noise.”
“Dying–you’re dying?”
“Yes, one of your species shot me–I got away so he won’t get a token pelt to say he shot me, but I’m lying in my cave breathing my last. I just wanted to remember my youth when I was king of the forest.”
“Perhaps I can help?”
“Yes, stop making a noise to start with.”
“Did he shoot you in the head?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“I thought so.”
“How did you know?”
“You are a bit stereotypical.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“A bear with a sore head.”
“And you’re a woman with a long tongue.”
“Do you mind if I approach you–I mean you no harm, I’m a scientist and I study woodland animals.”
“Approach if you wish, what did you have in mind?”
“I am also a healer.”
“Yeah, so?”
“I’d like to try and heal your wound.”
“This is a dream, woman. My body is miles away from here.”
“Hush, Bruin, stand still and let me look at you.” I walked up to the bear–I could sense an injury near his left eye. I waved my hand in front of it and he didn’t blink. “Please sit down.”
“What for?”
“Because I need to touch your head.”
“Take any liberties and I’ll bite your hand off.”
“I thought this was a dream?”
“Damn, you weren’t supposed to remember that.”
“Look, Rupert, just button it, I need to concentrate and your time is running out.”
“Oh okay,” he sat down and I moved very close to him. My hand was drawn to his eye and I placed my right hand over it, my left I held on his heart. I drew down the light and began chanting something which I didn’t know I knew. Suddenly the woods echoed with the same chant and I felt the power growing. The bear fell down and I was trapped underneath, he was heavy and his breath smelt dreadful.
However, instead of struggling to escape I continued to force the energy into him asking him to get better and at the same time chanting, the noise of which now filled the forest.
I could sense rather than see beings all round me, and it was their chanting I could hear. They were calling ‘Arth’ or bear, I remembered that from my history lessons–King Arth-ur was possibly a warlord called, ‘The Bear’ because he was either huge or had a bear motif as his standard.
The bear gave a great shudder and I thought my skills had failed me as they had with Trish. Then he roared and frightened the life out of me, but I kept my hand over his eye.
He stirred and then stood up, I was left lying on the ground. “Thank you, madam, I seemed to have misjudged you–you do have healing skills.” With that he simply walked away followed by an entourage of all sorts of weird woodland folk of all shapes and sizes.
I lay there for a moment hoping that I had helped to save him and restore his sight. Getting my breath back I was just pulling myself up on my feet when I felt someone standing behind me.
“We are pleased with you.” I recognised the voice–what did she want?
“Why, you usually criticise me?”
“You resisted the urge to try and give the child what she wanted rather than needed.”
“If I could have given my child what she wanted, I would have done.”
“Despite it being against the laws of nature?”
“I’m a full size example of contravention of the laws of nature, so is she. I’m supposed to be male–nature got it wrong–so I had things changed at least so I can cope with myself.”
“Yes–nature did get it wrong–you should have been female–the female essence is strong in you, and in your damaged child.”
“I suppose trying to help the bear was against the law of nature, too. I assume he was meant to die–horribly from his wound?”
“No, that wasn’t his destiny at all–neither was his encounter with you–but we were greatly impressed your resolve and your resourcefulness–very few would have had the courage to tell a bear with a sore head to sit down while they helped them.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I am going to send you back to your task–back to your daughter to heal her.”
“Thank you, milady.”
“At last we get some recognition. One day, Catherine, we won’t accept your impudence.”
“I’m sorry, milady.”
“It’s too late for apologies–go back to your child–and do not fail us in your main task.”
“What is my main task?” I shouted as I felt myself falling and woke up on the floor entangled with that wretched chair and the blanket.
“Are you alright?” asked a nurse as I got up and righted the chair.
“Yes, thank you,” I folded the blanket and dumped it on the chair.
“Fancy a cuppa?”
“Oh yes please.” She was suddenly my favourite nurse.
“I’ll bring it through in about ten minutes.”
I stood beside Trish and she seemed restless. I put one hand on her face by her eyes and the other over her heart, and began chanting, ‘Ursus’, very quietly.” I felt the energy flow, I also felt the presence of something very large with me.
The energy was flowing so quickly and so powerfully, I could barely keep my hands still and in place. Suddenly, she pulled my hands away and opening her eyes said, “Mummy, I knew it was you–is that my teddy?”
“No, sweetheart, it’s your guardian spirit.”
“He’s nice–oh he’s leaving.” She sat up, “Why did he have to go?”
“Because he’d done what he had to do, sweetheart, help me to make you better.”
“Did you see him too?”
“Oh yes, darling, I saw him as well.”
“I don’t like this gown very much, Mummy, it’s a horrible colour.”
“You can see again, can you, sweetheart?”
“Yes, Mummy, my headache has gone too.”
The nurse returned, “Oh, she’s awake?”
“Yes, I am thank you.” Trish replied, “Nurse Ursula.”
“You can read my name badge?”
“Yes, I am seven you know.”
Comments
The Keeper of Dreams
Angharad,
As always you weave a dozen threads beautifully. The mythology of bears is a fascinating subject; the Celtic bear goddess Artio and the shamanic tradition of the bear as 'keeper of dreams', even the final tweak for nurse Ursula, although most of all I loved the classic line
"Look Rupert, just button it,"
So typically Cathy!
Persephone
Persephone
Non sum qualis eram
well, thats different
quite a test. At least it was for the better. Sounds like she still needs to rein in her attitude a bit, or risk upsetting the whole cart.
I have no doubt Cathy will win out in the end
... and regain the trust and love of her patroness. But then again if her patroness is as all knowing as she is suppose to be, imbuing power on such a complicated and strong soul as Cathy will have issues. It is a problem a lot of managers face. I had to deal with a subordinate who was headstrong and pissy at times but I had to rein in any knee jerk reaction to it because she worked hard and did good work.
However there are limits and Cathy is going to toe the line just at those limits to Shekinah's chagrin no doubt.
Kim
If Cathy's patroness
wanted an obedient, worshipful protege, she'd have chosen someone else. She must appreciate Cathy's attitudes and skills.
Yes and no
Clearly if she wanted somebody worshipful than Cathy is not the first choice obviously as she does not even believe in God *duh*. If one were to follow the biblical creation myth, God created man to deliberately fail and gain free will otherwise the Angels who are made mostly obedient would suffice. Cathy still has a chippy attitude that is not appreciated but despite the minuses she is the best instrument for the job. Note I don't think that Shekinah thinks she is the perfect instrument but she is obligated to not impose her will to make Cathy 'perfect'.
In other words, you take the good with the bad.
Kim
Good and Bad
God has a very long history of taking the bad and getting good from it.
David was a 'man after God's own heart,' and he had a lot of integrity -- until that little bit with Bathsheba. Still, after his illicit relation with Bathsheba, and after murdering Bathsheba's first husband, David made her queen, and she bore Solomon. From that line came Jesus himself.
Isaac tricked Esau out of his birthright, but his line was preserved and led to the line of people that we now call the Jews.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, but he later turned around and saved his people by accepting them into Egypt.
Saul of Tarsus was the biggest persecutor of the early church, but he ended up writing a major portion of the New Testament.
The list goes on...
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1333
I've a feeling that Trish is ALL GIRL, now. Perhaps Julie, Billie, and Cathy as well.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Does kind of make you wonder
if the power was flowing into the bear or the other way. But Cathy showed her fearlessness and her compassion. And where did this come from? "With that he simply walked away followed by an entourage of all sorts of weird woodland folk of all shapes and sizes." I kind of wonder about those weird woodland folk.
Cathy must have a Jewish relative?
Gosh she seems to obnoxious and disrespectful of God. I'd never have the cheek to be disrespectful of God. Whew !
Khadijah
Disrespectful
Stubbornly, there is a large part of her that refuses to believe in God. She's trying really hard not to believe -- even faced with the reality in her visions. It's all too easy for her to say, "just a dream" when she wakes up.
Soon, her scientific mind will have to take a serious look at the preponderance of evidence.
Perhaps the Bear will become
Perhaps the Bear will become the totem of Cathy's little clan. Native Americans (Indians) generally have an animal or bird totem figure for their clan or tribe. That is how Totem poles evolved, as it is a carved, picture description of all the clans who have joined together to form a tribe. Cathy's work with animals could easily put her on the "fast track" to receiving such an animal, and Trish saw the Bear also. Animals are also used as "spirit guides" by Native Americans, so the Bear might just reappear to Cathy or Trish or any of the others in time of need or harm.
Caution!
Diversion. Wait here until the lights change.
Drive carefully Cathy. (And don't be rude to bears!)
XXX
Bev.
Growing old disgracefully.
Very enjoyable episode
and I loved the ending .... Nurse Ursula. Looked up the meaning of the name ... isn't the internet wonderful ... how did we cope before it. "It is of Scandinavian and Latin origin, and the meaning of Ursula is "little she-bear".
Two things I'm wondering
Thanks A+B: once again you've taken us in what for me is a totally unexpected direction.
Now, I'm wondering:
I'll be back tomorrow to see if you're able to enlighten us any further.
Pondering Slowly
Bike Resources
Bike Resources
Good to see
that Trish is back healthy of mind and sight, And with her sense of humour intact,
And i am with Cathy on her last words to Milady .... Just what is her main task ?
Kirri
Stan, I think yer assment is wrong.
I see this was a punishment/test...of boundries/limitations of the blue-light special ... Kathy has passed... to be determined if Trish has ?
I suspect
that whoever or whatever is in charge is just going to have to accept Cathy as she is. She can learn, but she has her own needs too, and a lot of issues that go with it.