4
we are the fern’s
Tali (short name for Talitha) Fern, the wife of John, was driving the family to their new home. Lucy read her book snuggled under blankets and pillows, as Lucas was still thinking about what happened an hour earlier at the park.
John was in the front seat of the car, listening to classical music.
“Dad!” Lucas called.
John turned around, smirking, as if he knew exactly what Lucas was going to ask.
“Why didn’t you tell me before, that you are like me?” asked Lucas.
Lucy put her book up to her face pretending not to listen, when she was in fact, eavesdropping.
Tali looked over at John with a grin.
“Go ahead!” she said, “It’s time they know a little more about what it means to be a Fern.”
John looked at Lucas, right in the eyes, more intense than ever before.
“We were waiting for the two of you to be mature enough, before letting you know!” he said.
“Go on!” demanded Lucas.
“The hardest part for the two of you to believe is, your mother and I are over 2,000 years old. I was made ‘Keeper of Earth, back when I was in my twenties.” he explained.
Lucy was not hiding behind her book anymore. Her eyes, and mouth were now wide open in shock.
Lucas was a little uneasy. It took him a few moments to think of his next question.
“Can Mom do anything weird?” Lucy interrupted.
John grinned, then looked over at Tali. She was also listening, but watching the road as she drove the car.
“Your Mom has a gift we may not speak about here!” he replied. “We will explain later, when we are at the Temple garden.”
Lucas was beginning to feel hope.
“What is the Temple Garden?” he asked.
“It is where we can meet under the protection of nature’s mightiest warriors.” John replied.
Lucas opened his eyes, really big, and looked over at Lucy. She was still in shock.
“Who are these warriors?” asked Lucas.
“They are the Giant Sequoias, with the ‘Grizzly Giant’ as their leader.” he explained.
Lucas was still feeling confused. “How can a tree become a warrior?” he asked.
“When you see this tree, you will understand.” said John. “I planted the ‘Grizzly Giant’ a very long time ago.”
“When can we go? How far away is it?” asked Lucas.
“Slow down, big guy!” replied John. “We need to unpack first.”
“How do you communicate with them?” he asked.
John smiled.
“Every living organism on Earth is connected, at all times.” he explained. “We communicate with plants and trees, through our thoughts and energy.”
“Do trees speak English?” asked Lucy.
“They can understand your thoughts, by your energy and light. If you are good, and full of light, organisms will respond in a good way. If you are angry or full of bad energy, they will respond in a bad way.”
Lucas was beginning to understand what happened at the park, when everything began to die.
“You mean, my anger at the Park, caused all of that damage?” asked Lucas.
“Exactly!” John replied.
“Do you think I can bring back the life of the dead bush, if I am full of good energy?” he asked.
John paused, deep in thought. “I think eventually, you will bring more good energy and life to this world, than I ever could.” he replied.
Lucas instantly felt relieved.
“Can I try it now?” he asked.
“You still have a bunch of negative energy to eliminate, before you will be ready.” replied John.
“Does that mean that I am a bad person?” asked Lucas.
“No, you just need some time to process your anger, fighting through the darkness, until you find your inner light.” he explained. “Everyone has darkness and light, inside them. Most people are controlled by one or the other. You will never get rid of darkness, since Light cannot exist without it. You must learn to find control and a balance between the two.”
“Can I start now?” asked Lucas.
John smiled.
“You already started!” he said. “Some people die before ever learning the balance. I will take you to Grizzly Giant, where you can speed up the process.”
“When?” asked Lucas.
Lucy was beginning to feel left out.
“I am a Fern too! Why can’t I learn?” she asked.
John turned all the way around in the front seat of the car, looking at Lucy.
“Your gift, like your mother deals with animals, not plants.” he replied. “You will learn more, during our trip to the Temple Garden.”
This was new to Lucy and Lucas. They had no idea.
The more Lucy thought about it, the more she started putting the past together.
“We have never been to the zoo, or had any pets, because I might hurt them like Lucas hurt the trees at the park?” she asked.
“Correct!” replied John.
He passed coloring books back to Lucas, and some colors to Lucy.
“That is enough information for now. It’s time you both relax your mind, and later we can explain more.” he said.
Lucas had a million more questions, and the possibilities caused his brain to quickly run out of energy, he fell fast asleep, a few minutes later.
Lucy was back under her blankets, full of emotion. I am a mutant! she thought to herself. How many animals have I hurt? Her mind was also full of a million questions.
“Lucy!” Tali called.
“Yes, Mom.” Lucy replied, pulling the blanket off of her head.
“John said, we should stop by the animal habitat in Las Vegas.” she said.
Lucy struggled to focus, still feeling confused about her gift. She did not know yet if she was happy to be a Fern now, or Sad.
“That would fine!” she replied.
“Just fine?” Tali asked. “You love animals more than any other kid I know.”
Lucy smiled.
“You’re right! I WOULD LOVE IT!”
“We will only stop by quickly to get a good look at the new Giraffe, and maybe a few other animals, from outside the park. We would stay longer, but we still have another four or five hours, until we are home.” she explained.
It was not long after, Lucy saw the sign on the road. It read: 2 miles to the Zoo, 10 miles to the Army Base.
“I see the sign!” cried Lucy.
Her yelling woke up Lucas and John.
“Are we there yet?” asked John.
“No, we are just getting close to the habitat!” replied Tali.
A few minutes later the zoo came into view and Lucas took off his seat belt, standing up in the car, trying to get a better view.
“I see it!” cried Lucas.
“Hey, big guy!” replied John. “Keep your seatbelt on!”
Lucas remembered the rules and sat back in his car seat, clicking his seat belt back on.
“I can’t see very good from here!” he whined.
“Don’t worry!” replied John. “We will get out in just a minute, and you will see just fine.”
Lucy was still in her seatbelt, only she was sitting on her knees, also trying to see better.
“I see it too!” she shouted.
Tali finally pulled the car over to the curb and stopped.
“I will wait, and drive around the block a few times, so we don’t get a parking ticket” she said. “You guys will go with John and take a few cool pictures.”
“I will take a thousand!” replied Lucy.
A few moments later, Lucy took the best picture of a giraffe drinking water!
