The Land Down the Well, Part 2

Something tickled Liesl’s nose and she sneezed. She opened her eyes and sat up. Where was she? Last thing she remembered was…

Drowning? In the well? No. That was impossible. That had to have been a dream. Sunlight warmed her face as she looked around in search of a familiar landmark. She was in a meadow, a line of trees in the distance. Buttercups and daisies swayed in the breeze.

Petals
friendly faces
smile up at me

Behind her was an enormous oven, a plume of smoke rising from its chimney. The smell of fresh-baked bread was everywhere.

“Help! Someone please help us!”

Liesl looked around. Someone needed help, but there was no one in sight. What a strange place this was. The sound seemed to come from the oven.

“Help us! We’ll get burnt to a crisp if we stay in here any longer!”

There were people in the oven? Liesl rushed to the oven but stepped back when the heat blasted her in the face. What sort of person would put people in a burning oven?

Liesl took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Wouldn’t she be just as guilty, to walk away from helping them because she was afraid of the heat? She opened the door.

Inside, two rows of golden brown loaves of bread lay on a tray. “Someone came! Finally! Won’t you please take us out?”

“I don’t know if I can. My hands hurt so badly.” Liesl closed her eyes but she couldn’t block the vision of Mama, frowning at her--yelling at her. “Besides. With my luck, I’d probably drop you all in the dirt anyway.”

“Please, Miss. We can’t stay in here much longer. We’ll start to burn!” The voices were shrill, frightened. “We’ll be ruined. Please, help us!”

Papa had always taught her to help wherever she could. And Mama wasn’t here to scold. How could she refuse them? Wrapping the hem of her dress around her hand to keep from burning herself on the hot tray, she pulled out the tray and put it down on the ground.

“Thank you, Miss. You saved us from going to waste.”

Liesl took a deep breath, mouth watering at the aroma of the bread.

Savoury smells
reminders of hunger
stomach rumbles

“Miss? Please accept our gratitude, and with it, a loaf of bread. It’s all we can offer you, I’m afraid.”

“Oh. It’s alright.” Liesl stepped back, shaking her head. “Helping was the least I could do.” Turning away before the growling in her belly betrayed her longing for food, Liesl explored the surroundings of the meadow. Behind the oven was a gravel track.

Mystery road
pulls me along
Adventure awaits

The sun passed overhead as Liesl walked. In the distance, a tree swayed to the rhythm of the wind. As she drew nearer, it soon loomed over her, seeming to grow taller with each step she took.

“Please, won’t someone help me?” The voice sounded deep and raspy. Who did it belong to?

Liesl increased her pace until she was running. Someone else was in need of help. She looked around but there was no one in sight. The tree’s branches creaked, straining under the weight of countless apples, blushing red and ripe for the picking.

“So tired. These apples are getting heavier and heavier. Won’t you please pick them, Miss?”

Liesl swallowed. It was the tree? Calling for help? How was that possible? What a strange place this was. First talking breads left unattended in an oven, and now an apple tree begging her for help.

The tree bends down
speaks to me.
Must be a dream.

“Uhm…” Liesl bit her lip. “I don’t know. Surely, someone will come along soon. What if they think I’m stealing your apples?” Mama wouldn’t like it if she were accused of theft.

“Oh please, Miss. Won’t you help me? My boughs will break if these apples don’t get picked soon.”

“What if I fall?” Her back was still sore and her hands ached from all that spinning. Could she stand more pain? Was it fair to the tree to let him suffer any longer?

Liesl’s hesitation only lasted for a moment and she walked up to the tree, resting her hand against its smooth, brown bark. Sunlight filtered through the leaves as they rustled in the breeze. The tree moaned, clearly in pain.

She squared her shoulder and looked up. “Alright. I’ll relieve you of these apples.”

Behind the tree lay a basket and a small ladder. The tree was not that tall, so Liesl could reach all of the apples from the ladder.

Up the ladder
apple after apple
fills my basket

Gleaming red fruit filled the basket at Liesl’s feet. The tree swayed gently, free of its burden.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Miss. I was afraid my branches wouldn’t last under the weight of all those apples. Take some with you as a token of my gratitude.”

“I couldn’t. These apples aren’t mine to take.” Liesl looked up at the tree. “Your owner will be here soon enough. The apples are rightfully his.”

“If my master wanted to enjoy these apples, he should have come and picked them.” The tree huffed, rustling its branches. “You’re the one who helped me when I was in pain. You deserve a reward for your work. Do this old tree a favour and take a few apples. It would please me to know I quieted the complaints of your stomach, child.”

“Why thank you kindly, Sir Tree.” With a giggle, Liesl curtsied. “It was my pleasure to be of service. I’ve never earned a reward before.” She picked two apples from the basket, and continued her journey.

Apple crunches
fragrant and sweet
food for the soul

^{Photo by Roman Averin on Unsplash}

---

Click here to read more. If you missed Part 1 you can find that here.

---

Today's companion post will provide you with more information about the haibun. I hope you like reading it as much as I liked writing it. It's a bit different from the stories we're used to. I personally love how the haiku allowed me to capture an image in so few words.

Companion posts
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

As always, dear reader, thank you for sharing this with Liesl and me.

Hugs

Tiny

---

My stories have all found a home on my Fiction Steemshelf. Feel free to pay them a visit.

If you would like to read more of my work, feel free to have a look around on my off-Steem blog page by clicking the banner. My library there contains all of the pieces I’ve written since starting my blockchain adventure.

---

The Writer’s Block is a home to writers from every corner of the world, and from every discipline that involves the written word. I consider myself lucky to have found this amazing community. Not only have I found help, support and encouragement there, but I’ve found people who feel the same way I do about writing. I’ve found a second family there. Do you write? Would you love to be a part of a community that can help you learn and improve your writing skill? Our door is always open for kindred spirits. Come and pay us a visit by pointing your pointy thingie at the animation below and clicking.