Branching up

When the rains started, he watched as a few of the many who sat on their perches in the tree went in for cover yet, he wasn't made of sugar, he had borne the weight of a storm or two and decided he would sit a little longer and see what there was to see. His perch was not high and when he looked up, he saw many more just like he, waiting to see.

The rain poured and he watched as the ground became saturated with the clear blood of the heavens and began to form puddles and then pools. Soon, the ground was a layer of water and the large drops splashed as they each hit the surface making tiny ripples that collided and dispersed.

He looked around the branches and they had thinned of their customers even more. He noted that especially the young among the flock had taken for shelter, chosen comfort and warmth over being drenched in the cold. There were still quite a few above, speaking in hushed tones about the conditions.

He turned his attention again to the skies and the heavy clouds spilling over at their sides on to the ground below to add to the rising flood. It carried on this way, hour after hour, day after day and the waters continued to rise with no sign of relief on the winds, just the dankness and the feelings of hopelessness and misery that so often accompanies for the ride.

He watched as several more from the branches flew off into the distance, tired of holding onto their perch. He looked to the sides and he was near alone, just a few remained, their faces stern as they watched the waters continue to eat at the height of the trunk. The branches above were also emptying yet several old birds gripped ever more tightly as they had seen floods before and survived.

This helped him find strength for if they had survived this far, he could also, he could hold on longer still, at least for a little more. The waters rose though and he felt their cold just below and he released his grasp on the branch. For the briefest of moments the thought crossed his mind and the will to find warmth washed over but instead of joining the other birds in comfort, he hopped up to a higher branch.

This continued day after day until all that remained was barely a handful of what was, so many had taken to the skies as birds do. He observed the steeled expressions of the faces by his side as the waters were higher than times before. He looked up but all he could see were the clouds above, there were no more branches to climb, the tree would soon be claimed,

He looked into the muddy waters below, now close to their toes and could not see through the murk at all. What lay within he did not know but his clutch on his perch held fast, although his resolve was fading with each climb the waters made. Was he a fool for he could fly, there was no reason to endure such torment.

The first gurgling curl and splash touched his toes and he lifted a foot to take flight. A voice cut the air sharp and precise and stopped him in his tracks.

"Hold dammit! A little more, just a little longer, you will be alright."

He looked about to see the other birds looking back at him intently. He had seen each of them before but had never spoken to any for they were always too high in the branches, too far from view with too many in between. From up there they had had a view and now that view was flooded as far as they could see.

Together they perched, no longer a flock but a band of survivors on an island that was once the ceiling but now the floor of their domain. All had left but when there was nowhere left to go but up, they stayed firmed and remained.

"These are the lows and also the highs for it is here the lessons are learned. We have come this far, do not falter now. Look now to the skies."

He looked up to where he was directed and the clouds had begun to break. A sliver of sunshine broke through and landed upon the tree, engulfing it in the golden warmth of its touch and drying the faces of those left upon the branches. They looked down as the waters began to recede and into the distance where the flock could be seen returning.

"You have earned your branch, here you stay. The view you have gained is only afforded those who endure the storm."

Taraz
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