CHAPTER 2: part 3 of 8; back to Keera

back to the BEGINNING

KEERA

There were three manatee mothers who had lost babies and were still in milk, so they were each hoping to save a human baby.  Keera was sad that they had lost their own babies, but thankful that they desired to rear others like her.  She loved all the manatees and wanted to do whatever she could to help them.

Ingo, an enormous manatee-looking mabsoner male, arrived from checking on other manatee gatherings to see if there were any other mothers who desired to try to save a human child.  Ingo was alone, so apparently he hadn’t found anyone.

“Why aren’t you eating Keera?”  Ingo asked in a combination of manatee-like sounds and body postures.  He seemed angry, as he always did when he communicated with Keera about food.

“Watching over these mothers.  They are sad.  Not hungry.”

“You look hungry.  You need to eat.  You will become too cold and no longer be able to help these sad ones.”

“Yes, you could be right." Keera said, "Eat soon.  Yes, soon.”

“No.  Eat now.  Need to see eat.”

“Why, Ingo?  No need concern the food this body or cold around it."  Keera knew she didn't look healthy compared to other mabsoners.  She was far too thin to look like she could stay warm and healthy.  But she defied expectation.  Addressing Ingo, she finished her effort to soothe him, "Be well.  All is well.”

“No concern?  Aly may not understand concern, but Aly is young.”

Keera wondered what Ingo could possibly mean, but didn’t care enough to puzzle over it long.  She went back to her intense observation and efforts with the bereaved mothers.

“Eat. Eat now.”  Ingo had her favorite foods in his big hands.  She smiled at him and delicately took some of them.  He plopped the rest on a stone near her.  Keera shrugged and began to daintily eat from those plants she’d chosen among all that Ingo had presented.  She knew well this dance and once again refused to follow his direction.  He was perturbed, but left calmly enough.

Keera put the food she'd held down near the rest and swam over to one of the most sorrowing mothers and put her arms around her.  The mother was almost not moving – even with breath.  Keera felt great concern rise inside like waves with the rising tide.  After a few moments of trying to share her grief, Keera changed tactics.  She started to direct her feelings and thoughts to love and hope and push them out of her own body and into the body of this sorrowing young mother.  The mother shifted and sighed and began to move in the slow, easy way manatees moved to get from one feeding area to another or from one near place to another.  The less sorrowful manatee mother smiled at Keera as she passed her.

Fatigue swept over Keera as the mother swam away.  She felt like she needed to eat right now, but couldn’t get herself to move toward the stone on which she’d left the gift Ingo had given.  Almost as if he knew what she was experiencing, Ingo was next to her.  His large hands at her waist and supporting her head as he moved her back to the stone.  He held her up as she weakly reached for some of the food there.  “This why.  Aly need eat more.  Cannot help sad mothers with nothing on Aly body.  Must be more so help them.  They are more.  Aly must grow more body to help their spirits.”

Keera wondered if Ingo just might be onto something.  He was a wise one.  He was one of those born in these waters of parents born among the Madsoners for generations.  He was a very big man and fit right in with the manatees, though he had significantly more hair.  Keera did not belong, if belonging were only defined by physical appearances.  Even though she’d never felt and sense of misplacement or different-ness about herself before, just this moment she did feel, in a profound way, that she needed to be healthier to contribute in her family and this world.

© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 25th, 10am