The girl was lagging behind the others on the dirt road. It was clear she was upset but no one asked her why. They were too busy talking about her to actually talk to her. A herd of elephants came out of the jungle and traveled down the road in the other direction.
The matriarch of the group suddenly turned and moved swiftly towards the girl. The other humans panicked and yelled at the girl to run behind a tree for safety but she was too afraid and too heartbroken to move.
The aged elephant stood next to the girl, pushing forward just enough so that her head was against the girl’s body. When the girl didn’t move, the elephant raised her head and repositioned herself.
The long trunk spiraled around the girl’s body and pulled her closer to the matriarch. They stood there for a short time in silence. The other humans were still screaming in fear and the rest of the elephants were just milling around waiting.
The girl sniffed. A sob tried to sneak out but she caught it and pulled it back. The tip of the trunk patted the girl’s back gently. The girl reached with an arm and embraced the trunk. With her other hand she tried to hold the elephant.
Another sob escaped. Then another. Sobs poured into tears that left muddy streaks on the elephant. The matriarch held the girl against her as the girl’s pain was released in deep wails and shuddering breaths.
The other’s in the girl’s group were silenced in shame. The other elephants brought the girl large leaves they had plucked or just came close to touch the girl’s leg in sympathy.
After the girl exhausted her hoarded pain, she kissed the elephant and returned the patting gesture. She clutched the gifted leaves tightly and whispered her thanks to the matriarch.
The matriarch released the girl from her grip and carefully tussled her hair with the end of her trunk. The girl laughed. A beautiful sound.
As the matriarch turned away, she sounded an announcement to her clan. They resumed their trodding down the road while the girl caught up to her own family.
As the two clans increased the space between them, I continued to sit in silence in the branches of the tree beside the road. Many monkeys were perched around me in the same silent observation. The Monkey King waited until both groups were out of sight before asking me one question.
“Did you see?”
Before I could answer, the overloaded tree branch broke and I was dumped out of the dream.