What Cannot Be

 White, puffy clouds,

float above the gorgeous blue sky.

A delicate breeze,

rustles a nearby spruce.

Smells of autumn fill the air.

Scents,

burning of wood,

wafting from every chimney.

Aromas,

harvest being brought in.

To distribute to the people of Town.

They share and enjoy

Shae stood,

in the midst of it all,

breathing in deeply.

She loved that smell,

ever since she was just a small child,

running through the square,

dodging,

skipping,

peering around other small children,

awaiting their mothers to return,

always with many goodies and treats,

all for her,

and her small family.

But now,

she stood alone,

not in the square though,

just in an empty road,

void,

except for an occasional child.

Waddling on unsteady legs,

teetering across the way.

An attempt to escape their homes.

Their attempts foiled,

when caught by the young mothers.

Scooped into their arms,

they'd carry them back.

Shae,

watched them,

laughing silently to herself,

how she wished for a small child.

Absentmindedly,

she patted her horses' mane,

neck,

body.

Hoisted herself atop the creature,

in haste.

Leather saddle underneath squeaked,

reigns trembled,

as Copper shook his mighty head.

Shae gazed at him,

marveling.

How beautiful these things were.

She clucked.

Her steed started off,

towards the square.

He moved steadily,

agily,

underneath.

Gliding like a ghost.

Only sharp taps,

of hooves against stone,

signal they are there.

Shae looked about.

Across the rocky roads,

something,

something was wrong here.

Instead of several large bins,

this years harvest filling them to the brim,

one stood,

alone,

meek.

Standing by the bin,

a solem face man.

Looking like work had aged him,

before his time.

When he saw Shae,

sadly,

he shook his head,

as if trying to escape,

from a bad thought.

Shae stopped.

This wasn't right.

Usually,

central area would be filled with people.

Craning their necks,

straining to see over each other.

Farmers standing next to their bins.

Proud,

of what they have managed to produce.

They would hand out food,

to the awaiting people.

Who'd gleefully take it.

Then,

set off to store it,

in their cozy cottages.

Now,

only the old man,

stood in the square.

Alone,

with the bin.

He shook his head,

sadly.

Shae swung her leg from around Copper's back,

dismounted,

took the reigns,

slipped them over his ears.

Finding a nearby post,

tied him to it.

Then,

walked towards the man.

“tis not enough for everyone.”

he said,

before she had even reached him.

“where have all the bins gone?”

she asked.

“Rows of people?

Anxious children awaiting food?

Where have they gone?”

The man,

but shook his head.

“Tis not enough for everyone.”

he replied.

He turned,

walked away.

Dinner came.

Shae sat at her usual place,

between her mother and father.

“Something is not right,”

she informed them,

“I can feel it.”

“nonsense!”

her father replied,

angrily almost.

“Town,

has always succeeded,

in our darkest hour.

No matter like this,

wil bring us down.”

Her mother only nodded.

But,

Shae did not find a word of comfort in their talk.

Over time,

Things only got worse.

Shae would look out her cottage window,

at town,

stripped of it's beauty.

Like a wilted flower.

Trees all around,

dying,

wilted.

Farmers,

no longer able to grow anything from the rocky soil,

that once fed town.

Something,

was happening.

Though,

everyday,

through the turmpil,

elder would stand,

proud,

tall

in the square,

informing citizens,

that they would recover.

This was just a phase.

Nothing,

town couldn't handle.

All through his speeches,

a note of uncertainty,

played in his eyes.

Maybe,

it was just a trick of the light.

Finally,

Shae could no longer deny it.

No matter what father,

mother,

or elder said,

town wasn't getting better.

It was much,

much,

worse.

People everywhere,

fainting,

becoming ill,

here for lunch and gone by dinner.

Yet,

elder would continue to stand,

persistant,

saything things would get better.

Shae would stand with the people while he said this,

shaking her head,

just like the old man,

in the square.

She couldn't bring herself to believe elder's words.

Shae rode Copper to the marketplace,

in search of food.

They hadn't had a fit meal,

in three days.

Shae was starving.

She overheard elder,

talking to a large,

burly man.

Well know seller.

“This must be the last time”

elder said,

“I cannot continue to tell them this.

Time is running out”

Shae couldn't believe what she had heard.

Elder?

Saying such things?

But wasn't he the one who was trying so desperatly,

to convince people we were okay?

And,

What does this mean?

Suddenly,

Shae knew.

In school,

teacher had told them that Town was only good,

until the soil ran dry.

But,

she had always said this in passing.

Almost carelessly.

So,

everyone thought,

it must mean something else.

Just something to say,

reassurance to those who didn't think Town would last,

that it meant that soil could never “run out”.

Could it?

It had to.

Still,

everyone expected town,

to be fruitfall forever,

never ceasing.

It made sense.

That saying was real.

Not something to scoff at,

not something to look over,

as so many had.

The soil,

was dry.

Fruitless,

overused,

barren.

There was only one choice then.

Shae had to leave,

escape.

Town,

Beautiful,

Town,

was dying.

She had to help.

She had to find something.

Anything,

to save her beloved Town.

Maybe,

another town.

Maybe,

one with more fertile soil.

Maybe,

someone who could help.

Someone who knew how to fix this.

Shae had to try.

She knew that father,

mother,

elder,

wouldn't help.

They still thought,

Town could fight through this.

What,

with elder saying not to worry,

who would belive a child like her?

No one.

Shae was alone.

She felt it.

An icy chill ran down her back.

She had to go,

by herself,

so no one could stop her.

Go,

to another place.

Go,

to save Town.

That night,

hurriedly,

she packed a small bag.

Prepaired to leave.

Tears rollling down her cheeks.

She feared there was nothing out there.

No one,

who could help her.

Nothing,

that could save her.

Copper,

stood ready outside.

Tense.

As if,

he knew.

Knew the task,

the mission,

that was being set upon them both,

to save everyone,

the people,

the beloved Town.

Before,

it was to late.

She climbed atop him,

head help high,

shoulders straight.

No more tears for her.

Either she could save them or she couldn't.

And,

Shae was going to try,

try,

until there was nothing left in her.

Leading him on,

Shae set off toward the boundaries of Town,

Galloping away,

away,

until,

when she looked behind her Town was just a dot,

then,

nothing.

She looked ahead again,

determination,

overpowering them both,

sending Copper flying,

faster,

faster.

Away,

Away.

Days,

passed.

The land remained rocky.

Rough,

unusable,

useless.

She trudged on.

A week,

two,

three passed.

Little success.

Only the need,

to survive,

to help and to find,

kept Shae thriving.

Then,

after weeks of fruitless journeying,

both Shae and Copper sensed change.

Tired gray sky,

turned to the old familiar blue.

Warm breezes,

ruffled their hair and fur.

New scents,

old,

but familiar,

drifted across the landscape.

Sclimbing a small mountain,

Copper panting slightly beneath her.

They,

together,

saw the most breathtaking,

wonderous,

picturesque scene.

Portrayed in front of them,

rich,

green,

rolling fields.

Spread beneath their feet.

Trees,

everyshape and color,

grew in this place,

flowers,

with fruits of colors,

ones she had never seen,

mouthwateringly plump,

grew on various vines.

This,

she knew deep inside her,

was meant for her to find.

This,

was her saving place.

This was her new home.

She slid off Copper,

ran her fingers through the shoulder high blades of grass,

then,

fell asleep under an old oak,

with the smell of a harvest,

wafting through the air.