by C. Louis S.
They were standing in a garden.
Kali gasped again. “This is so beautiful,” she whispered all too loudly and then blushed again.
Flowers of every color shined up at them. Well-trimmed bushes of vibrant green covered the ground. Butterflies fluttered around them. The ceiling was a large window that let the sun’s light flood into the room. There was a stone walkway leading to the center of the garden. And at the center of the garden was a white tree.
Leon had never seen anything like it. Its trunk was white and its leaves were even whiter. It’s fruit appeared to glow. Leon was baffled and he couldn’t take his eyes off of it.
They walked along the stone path, but Leon wasn’t watching where he was going and he stumbled and bumped into Micaela and Kali as the pathway curved around. His eyes were still fixed on the tree.
They stood under its protective branches, looking up at it. Leon breathed slowly and deeply, in awe of this magnificent tree. The song was loud in his ears as if it were coming from the tree itself. It was soft, but it pierced him to the very soul. It was playing its beautiful melody on his heart strings.
Kali moved to touch a leaf, but retracted her hand quickly and looked around blushing.
“No, it’s okay,” Micaela whispered. She caressed the leaves and ran her hand up a nearby branch.
“What is this? I’ve never seen anything like it in my whole life.”
“It is called the Tree of Life,” said Mrs. Sol.
“They never told us about this kind of tree in school,” Leon said.
Micaela covered her mouth and giggled quietly. “Only we know it exists.”
Mrs. Sol continued, “This tree is a representation of Christ.”
“What is Christ?” Kali asked.
“He is our Creator and our Savior. He created the Light — the True Light — and he has saved us from the Dark Void.”
Kali and Leon were silent for several moments.
“So you’re not human, Micaela? Is that why you don’t have powers?”
“What do you mean not human?”
“Well, you said this Christ created you. So what are you?”
Kali smiled. “No, silly. He created us. You and me. We are all his creations. He created our souls.”
Turning to her mom, Micaela softly asked, “Can I?” Mrs. Sol nodded, smiling.
Micaela smiled at Kali and slowly reached up towards one fruit that hung near her head. She grabbed it delicately like a piece of glass.
It popped off the branch with ease. She cuddled it near her chest like protecting a small child and then slowly handed it to Kali. Kali reached out and cupped her hands to receive it.
Micaela picked a fruit for Leon with the same delicacy as before. It felt as though it weighed nothing in his hands. It glowed from the inside out and it had a sweet smell like waking up on a spring morning after rain.
“Go ahead,” said Micaela, “taste it.”
Leon hesitated, the song beating loudly in his heart. He looked at Kali who had not yet taken a bite. They stared at each other silently, waiting for the other to take a bite first. This was not something you bit into. It was too perfect, too priceless. To ruin it with your teeth would be to destroy a masterpiece, a cherished memory, or a friendship.
Leon turned to Micaela, offering the fruit back to her slowly. “I can’t.”
Micaela only nodded her head encouragingly. Her smile was genuine and warm.
Leon retracted his arm and looked back at Kali. She nodded her head slowly and by silent agreement they both raised their hands to their mouths. Leon took a bite.
chapter 16
Nona and Papa
