Stacy--Part Seventeen

Splog # 59

Seventeen

   Then they came back and sat down with the girls, Splog next to Stacy and Johnny next to Lane. No one said anything for a few moments and then Johnny, without a word, stretched out his arm and pointed to another streak of white in the sky to their left. It moved quite slowly through the night in a straight line that seemed to be heading somewhere to the left of Splog's tree. After watching it for a few moments, Splog stood up. Stacy followed suit and, for no particular reason, took Splog's hand. It felt somewhat knobby, yet at the same time it was cool and reassuring. Lane stood up and took Stacy's other hand and then Johnny stood up and took Lane's. Just as the streak of white disappeared into the trees, the two butterflies appeared and one landed on Stacy's right shoulder and one on Lane's left shoulder.

   Splog took a deep breath and, without letting go of Stacy's hand, said, "Now would be a good time to make some plans and decisions. Any one have any ideas or are you ready for mine?"

   Lane and Johnny looked at each other and Lane opened her mouth to speak. But she simply let out her breath and they both turned back to Splog and shook their heads. Stacy shrugged her shoulders and then looked to see if she had dislodged her butterfly, but it was still there.

   "Then I'll tell you what I think," said Splog. "I believe Stacy has been brought here to help you and the Doolins."

   Stacy's mouth dropped open and she looked at Splog with wide eyes. He laughed lightly and took her hand in both of his.

   "I'll bet that you're thinking that an eleven-year-old girl, in an unknown place, doesn't seem a likely candidate to be giving aid to an entire group of people, most of whom are older than she is."

   Stacy shrugged her shoulders again and gave a little half-smile. Lane squeezed her hand encouragingly.

   "If Splog thinks that you can help us," she said, "then Johnny and I would never think you were too young or too small or anything like that."

   Stacy gave her a grateful look and stole a glance at Johnny. He was nodding and smiling in an agreeing manner. So she looked back at Splog.

   "Now, the best way for the three of you to begin would probably be to head back to where you two have been making your home and let Stacy get a good rest. On the way you can give her a sketch of the way things are and then let that settle in her mind while she sleeps out the night. As late as it is, we'd better start heading over now."

   Johnny let go of Lane's hand and said, "I'll clean up first," and turned back to the chair.

   But Splog called after him, "Never mind that, I'll see to it. I want you two to take care of Stacy. I think she might be more tired than she realizes and I want her to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed come the morning, when the three of you will be commencing your task."

   By this time, they were heading over the arch. Lane asked Splog, "But Johnny and I have been at a loss what to do. Everything is just wrong and we're not even sure why or what the trouble is. So how can we help Stacy fix it?"

   "Well, Stacy isn't going to fix it. That's not what she's here for....I don't think so anyway. Now listen carefully, tonight on the way back you tell Stacy how things are over there, just a basic framework, understand? Then I want you all to get a nice, comfortable, sound rest and, in the morning, have a good breakfast and then take Stacy on a simple tour of the place, so she can see what it's like and get a feel of it for herself. By lunchtime, the three of you will be ready to sit down and talk about what you've seen and experienced. Hopefully, something will occur to you as a way to begin what you have to do. Any questions?"

   There were none and now they were standing between the two statues.

   "Johnny, put your hand on Ruth's. Lane, put your hand on May's." Splog pointed to the white statue for Johnny and the red one for Lane.

   "Stacy, take Lane's hand. Johnny, take mine."

   While they were taking hands in this formation, the two butterflies flew to their positions on the statues' mouths - red on white and white on red.

   Finally, Splog resumed his hold on Stacy's hand and the two butterflies, the two statues, the boy, the girl, the stranger and Splog stood in the moonlight connected to each other and the night.