Norpeo Bridge

Norpeo Bridge

Copyright 2013 Kim Aubrey

Published by Kim Aubrey at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter 1 - Until the Light

It was the end of the light.

Since the first ray from the sun had shone on the deep green waters the Norpeo had prepared for this moment. Countless moments of learning went before them. Countless questions asked, lessons learned. Boundless pleasures shared. The wisdom of the Ancients had grown amongst them and the minds and lives of each and every one had been continually expanded, until this moment.

Darkness descended upon the dwellers.

They reached for the hands of the one who stood beside them and held tightly. Their heads moved in unison in a slow semi-circle as their enormous eyes took in all that was around them, savouring it in their minds before the light left them.

Norpeo Grandis raised his gnarled arms towards the group in a gesture that reverberated through every one with the warmth of family. He spoke with a voice that trembled with age but echoed with strength.

My family. The time has come for each of you to acknowledge your place in this world and to be humbled by the grace of the Naturals who have guided you to this knowing. It is our time to accept, our time to give thanks and finally, our time to rest. Be not afraid of the dark. It cannot harm you as it is only the absence of the light that allows our souls to absorb what they have been shown. You will awaken in the future with renewal and vigour. Tread lightly. Go softly.

The younger Norpeos each went to an elder and respectfully touched the Knowledge Rings. Tread lightly. Go softly.

The silent procession of old and young to their allocated places was watched by Norpeo Grandis from his throne. He whispered, Until the Light. For a full minute no sounds were heard as all light slowly faded into blackness. All breath was held.

Norpeo Ollyda groaned and raised herself to her full height, brushing the dirt from her Knowledge Rings as she rose, straining with the effort of one who rarely bends.

"Here I stand with Norpeo Grandis,

My soul and his as one,

Before my family these words I say,

Enough drama, time for fun!"

The crinkles around her eyes began to shine with the glow that can only burn from many years of gathered pleasures. The older the Norpeo, and the more crinkles they had and the brighter the light that shone from them. Ollyda was in her 77th thawing so her light was almost blinding. The eyes of her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren turned to face her and as each young face creased in a smile, so the light filled The Gathering Place.

Right then, enough of that. Who’s for a nice cup of pea soup and one of my freshly baked horseradish portfolios?

Myco sniggered to Lymy. Will you tell her or will I?

You’re supposed to be braver than I am. You do it whispered Lymy.

Myco pursed his lips at Lymy. Duckguts. Quack Quack. He felt a pinch on his side for his troubles. It’s pronounced ‘profiteroles’ Ollyda! Not portfolios.

Norpeo Ollyda put her hands on her very wide hips and looked down at her grandson.

Portabellos, Portfolios, what’s the difference anyway? Do you want one or not? Come, come. You never could resist them before. Just because you’re almost all growed up now, don’t mean you’re not hungry for your Ollyda’s potpourris, now, does it?

Lymy checked her reflection in the waterbowl. Give up Myco, she wins again. You can’t beat Ollyda.

Norpeo Grandis picked up his walking cane and shook it in the direction of Lymy. First bit of sense I’ve heard out of you for a long time young lady. Yes, I’ll have one of your pingpongs Ollyda. That’s why I married you after all. You’re a mighty fine cook my darling.

He scratched his belly slowly as he let out a gust of foul air that caused the baby Norpeos to squeal.

And you’re not a bad old bit of overweight yourself my lovely one! Ollyda smiled to herself. You scrub up alright for an Ancient! To punctuate this moment of true love, Ollyda also let rip an almighty bottom burp. The babies giggled.

And so the nightly ritual had begun with each Norpeo eating horseradish profiteroles and trying to out-bottom burp the other while hysterical tears of laughter ran down their hairy little faces.

Only Lymy was not impressed. Oh so absolutely cringe-worthy. When will you Norpeos grow UP? If only the Shargans didn’t live so far away I’d join them.

Much to her disgust Myco performed a triple somersault with bottom burps on each turn. Pull my finger Duckguts.

I mean it. If you do that once more Myco, I’m going to join the Shargans.

Myco didn’t believe her. Ooooh. I’m going to join the Shargans she says. I’m going to run away and be all tough and scary she says. Ooooh, I’m so scared. I’ve never seen a scary looking Duckguts. Oh hang on, yes I have! Every time you get out of bed in the morning, that’s scary!

Stop it Myco, be nice to your cousin. And you lighten up MooMoo and have one of my horseradish portofspains. It’ll help you get all that pent up gas out and you won’t feel so inclined to whinge about everything.

Lymy. My name is Lymy, not MooMoo and not Duckguts. Ollyda, when will you stop calling me MooMoo? I’m not a little Norpeo anymore. I’m almost in my 13th thawing.

You’ll always be my little MooMoo so get over it. Ollyda wiggled her enormous bottom at her granddaughter. Come, come. Do the Bum Dance with me just like you did when you were a little MooMoo.

Oh Ollyda. No, don’t shake that thing in my face. It’s deadly.

As Ollyda danced her Bum Dance, Norpeo Grandis snored loudly and the moss on his throne’s legs was drawn up and let down with each intake of breath.

And so the night continued until all the gas had been let out and all the laughter had erased the lines of fatigue from their faces. One by one, the Norpeos laid down to rest, most of the younger ones snuggled on top of Ollyda when her Bum Dance Finale sent her face up onto the floor like a hairy mother turtle on her back. As each closed their huge eyes they sighed contentedly knowing that tomorrows’ new light would again hold wonder, joy and horseradish profiteroles from Ollyda.

Only Lymy lay awake in the darkness. A tiny spider weaving its web above her stopped spinning and looked down at Lymy as she whispered to herself. I will join the Shargans. I can’t stand this childishness anymore. The Shargans don’t do things like this every night. I bet they don’t eat horseradish every day either. I must work out a plan to escape … and with that she yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The spider tapped each of its legs, one by one, thinking on what it had heard. No Norpeo would ever want to join the Shargans, especially not that pretty little girl. That would just be silly. It dismissed the whispers as a bad Norpeo dream and went back to spinning its’ web.

Chapter 2 - Firefly Toejam

Morning dawned on Norpeo Bridge and the family rose and began preparing for a hard day’s work. In only one more Mooning, the Thawing would take place and there was much preparation ahead of them all. The Thawing was the most important event on the Norpeo calendar. Every Norpeo had a job to do.

Ollyda was busy in her kitchen with her youngest grandchild when the rumbling began. The creaking of the timbers made Lisantya run to Ollyda and hide herself amongst her apron folds.

Come, come Little One. It’s ok. Ollyda won’t let no Human Bean find my little ones. They can’t see you. They are on top of the bridge. We are under it. Human Beans never look anywhere that they have no use for. Human Beans never look under the bridge.

Ollyda tucked Lisantya into the deep pockets of her apron and tried to ignore the shaking of the kitchen as humans passed overhead. The timbers creaked and the shell containers rattled.

He’d better not start running or he’ll ruin tonight’s’ horseradish portulacas. Big footed Human Beans.

What’s the Human Bean doing? Lisantya whispered from deep within her grandmother’s apron pocket.

Probably nothing important. Probably trying to show another Human Bean how clever he is. Probably not being very clever at all really. Big dumb Human Beans. Probably just going.

Lisantya giggled at Ollyda. Bum Dumb Human Beans.

OK, enough hiding Little One. Out you come. Come, come. Time for you to help me get these porticos full of horseradish. Mustn’t forget the secret ingredient either, eh Little One? Mustn’t forget Ollyda’s secret ingredient. Hmmm, now what was it again?

Firefly toejam, secwet indeedient recited Lisantya in a very good imitation of her grandmother’s voice.

My oath it is! Well done Little One! Well done! Don’t you ever forget that! Come Come, let’s squeeze our firefly toes.

Norpeo Ollyda prided herself on her nightly trays of horseradish profiteroles but her pride in them paled into insignificance compared to her pride in herself as Head Cook of The Thawing.

There was so much work to do during the next Mooning that she didn’t have time to worry too much about the Human Beans and where they were going to on top of the bridge. Cooking Horseradish Profiteroles and Thawing Cakes was much more important right now.

~~

All Norpeos were created in The Thawing