Earth, Air, Water, Light

by C L Lassila

  Adelaide attempted to comfort the girl as best that she could.

  “There is plenty of time before Nathan leaves, if he does. His family may not have the money to come for him. You don’t know what will happen. It might all work out just fine. He might ask you to go with him. Just show him how much you love him…And be careful,” Adelaide replied.

  The girl wiped her eyes. “It feels good to tell someone,” she said.

  “What’s your name?” Adelaide asked.

  “Mary,” the girl answered.

  “Well, Mary,” Adelaide said. “If you come to the hotel on Wednesday afternoon, when I am there tending to Nathan, I will make sure that you can have some time with him without fear of being caught. But you have to be careful.”

  The girl finally smiled.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I am so grateful.”

  As the girl prepared to leave, Adelaide said as she walked her to the door, “It’s not easy to keep secrets. And it can be hard to be a woman in such a wild place.”

  ****

  With the season moving deeper into fall, Adelaide wanted to spend as much time as possible in the woods. She had never seen anything as beautiful as the colors now present in the woodlands around her. It was just a matter of time before all of the grand colors would fall from the trees and disintegrate into the ground.

  She tried to get Jonas to come and walk in the woods with her, to show him some of the places that she had been sketching. Not because she did not like to be out in the woods alone, in fact she preferred that, but because she thought seeing it would help Jonas to know her better. Her love for nature had become so much a part of who she was. But Jonas was always busy working, eager to grasp the present opportunities and make a success of himself before the new year. Next spring would most likely bring a rush of people into the area and those who had already established themselves and had a foothold would have a greater chance of success.

  One evening he announced that he would be going away for a few days to explore some possible business opportunities out on Isle Royale. Adelaide had proven herself to be so capable a woman that he had little concern about leaving her on her own for a few days. Adelaide too, had no problem with being alone, but she did worry about Jonas once again traveling across the temperamental lake. Isle Royale was an island in the middle of Lake Superior, and Adelaide had seen what the lake could do when it was in a bad mood.

  They made love the morning before Jonas left. Adelaide then made him breakfast, packed some food for his trip and saw him off.

  “Travel safe,” she said after kissing him goodbye. “I hope that you find the lake in an amiable mood. Please, if there is any sign of bad weather when you travel back, wait until it passes.”

  “I love you,” Jonas said.

  “I love you,” Adelaide replied.

  Adelaide was comfortable with being on her own for a few days. In fact she was grateful to be free of her household obligations for even a short time. She had not made any serious attempts at doing watercolor painting, but it seemed ridiculous to go out and sketch in such a colorful environment in black and white. She packed everything up and headed off to the pond. Once there she found her favorite view, set things up and started to sketch, later filling in the page with bright colors. She was not satisfied with the results. She definitely had a lot to learn about the medium, but she thoroughly enjoyed her efforts and the hours passed quickly.

  There was barely a breeze stirring the plants, and the sun was warm. Adelaide lay back on the ground and shut her eyes. More comfortable there than she was in her own bed, she soon was lulled to sleep. She didn’t sleep long, but even after waking she lay basking in the perfection of the late summer afternoon, wanting to hold on to it for as long as she could. The lovely afternoon had become a lovely evening before Adelaide packed up her things and went home.

  It was twilight, the time of the evening when all colors start to shift to shades of grey, when Adelaide stepped from the woods behind the house. She stopped to greet the chickens. As she approached the back porch she noticed a small bush, its roots wrapped in burlap, resting next to the door. She knew immediately who the gift was from.

  “Calix!” she hollered, walking to the side of the porch and looking around in search of him.

  “Calix!” she called again, becoming concerned that she may have missed him. She ran to the front of the house in the hope of finding him there. Disappointed when he was not, she walked back to the rear of the house.

  There he was, standing on the back steps.

  “I thought that I had missed you,” she said, walking over to him.

  Adelaide stood in front of him, her hair disheveled, wearing Mr. Greenfield’s clothing.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said.

  Pulling her to him, his mouth found hers. Intense excitement flooded her body. The desire that she felt for him, the desire that she had tried to escape, was now inescapable.

  “Make love to me,” she said.

  With that said, she led him inside, to her bedroom. She could barely breathe as he undressed her. He laid her unto the bed and she watched as he removed the clothing from his lean, muscular body. Calix stood naked at the foot of the bed, his desire for her unconcealed.

  Adelaide looked at him, her arousal becoming almost unbearable.

  “I want you inside of me,” she said.

  Calix lowered himself onto her, guiding his erection into her. He thrust forward, driving the full length of his penis deep, filling her completely. Adelaide lifted her hips to meet his. She moaned, surrendering to the overwhelming physical pleasure. Their entwined bodies moved in the eternal rhythm of copulation. The tempo of their fucking increasing until they both reached orgasm.

  The two stayed in bed enjoying the comfort of each other’s arms, not wanting to leave the situation that they both had craved since their last meeting. In time, Adelaide sat up and looked at Calix.

  “Jonas is out on the island for several days. Can you stay?” she asked.

  “I saw Jonas in town before he left,” Calix said, taking her hand in his. “Yes, I can stay,” he added.

  Adelaide got up from the bed, not wanting him to see the emotion on her face.

  “I should make us something to eat,” she said. She put on one of Mr. Greenfield’s shirts and went into the kitchen. Calix pulled himself up from the bed, put on his pants and joined her.

  While Adelaide prepared dinner, Calix sat at the table and began to look through one of the sketchbooks that had been left there.

  “Take a pen and write the names,” she said.

  “What?” Calix asked.

  “I don’t know the names of most of the birds and plants that I have sketched. Write the name that identifies them on the bottom of each page,” she instructed.

  She brought him a quill and inkwell from Mr. Greenfield’s desk and he did as she had requested, writing the type of bird or plant on each page.

  “You are a naturalist,” Calix commented. “You really look at the birds and the plants that you sketch. You really appreciate them. You are interested in them because of what they are, the science of it, the aesthetics of it, not what profit they might bring.”

  Adelaide saw that he was looking at the sketch of the tall, prehistoric looking birds with the red mark on their heads. She moved behind him to see what name he had written.

  “Sandhill Crane,” she read. “They are magnificent birds. They look like they could have been here when there were dinosaurs.”

  “They probably were,” Calix said.

  Adelaide returned to preparing dinner.

  “The colors in the woods are so incredibly beautiful now,” she said. “I tried to paint them,” she laughed, “not very well. But I think that the beauty is beyond what any human hand could convey.”

  Calix stood up and looked at her as he brushed his fingers through her hair. He drew her close and kissed her.

  “Would you like to climb the mountain tomorrow?” he asked.<
br />
  Adelaide knew what he was referring to. The mountain had the highest elevation in the area.

  “You will have a blanket of color at your feet,” Calix said.

  “Of course, I want to climb the mountain,” Adelaide replied excitedly. “Thank you. Now eat.”

  The two of them sat and talked and laughed until their attraction for each other brought them back into the bedroom. They made love until, happy and exhausted, they fell asleep.

  Calix woke Adelaide before dawn. If they left early they could take their time. They had discussed camping out overnight, so Adelaide packed their food and water while Calix fashioned bedrolls from some blankets. She was about to collect her sketchbook when Calix stopped her.

  “Leave it,” he said. “I want you to see it all without being distracted by drawing it.”

  As they left the house, Calix said laughing, “Stay on your feet.”

  “Have you climbed it before?” Adelaide asked.

  “Several times,” Calix answered. “With Albert Ten Crows. There is a path that the Ojibway use.”

  They walked through the woods, sometimes silent, sometimes talking. Calix would identify the sound of a bird or squirrel or stop and tell her the name of a plant that they came upon. He also pointed out signs of bear and other wildlife, signs that Adelaide would not have noticed. Gradually the terrain grew steeper. Calix found two, fairly straight, long branches that they could use as walking sticks. The walking sticks helped as they climbed higher. Occasionally Calix would take Adelaide’s hand to help her up an especially difficult incline. After walking

  for several hours they took a break in a small clearing. A turkey vulture circled high above them, gliding on the updrafts in the cloudless, blue sky.

  “It’s looking for lunch.” Calix commented.

  “That’s what I want, when I die. I want to be a good meal for the crows, ravens and vultures. That would make my death useful.” Adelaide said. “I like the thought of being part of what has given me so much joy.”

  “I don’t know about a good meal, a snack maybe,” Calix joked.

  “It must be an incredible sensation to fly,” Adelaide remarked. “To not be bound to the earth.”

  Calix pulled her to her feet, one of his hands momentarily resting on the small of her back. His touch brought her immediate arousal. For a brief moment birds and plants disappeared from her thoughts replaced by the desire to make love to him again. She watched him move with comfort and agility in front of her. The time passed quickly in his company and soon they had reached the steepest part of their climb.

  Finally he pulled her onto a high rock outcropping. They had reached the overlook. Calix stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she looked out over the colorful landscape that lay before her. The forest went on as far as the eye could see. The colors, rich and varied, melded together like a grand tapestry. To the north lay the vast expanse of the lake, calm today, mirroring the deep blue of the sky. There were more colors and hues than she had ever seen at one time. The view was more splendid than she had imagined.

  Calix held her and whispered, “There is your cathedral.”

  They stood quietly for several minutes gazing at the spectacular view.

  “I don’t understand why human beings feel that they need anything else to worship,” Adelaide said.

  “Ego and greed,” Calix stated. “If they worshipped it they couldn’t exploit it for profit.”

  They stood together for a long time, satisfied to just look at all that lay before them. A large flock of geese flew over in their V formation, talking loudly in a language that was specific to them. And two hawks could be seen, circling high above the trees, riding the updrafts just as the turkey vulture did.

  Calix took Adelaide by the hand and they walked around to look at the different views.

  “When I first came up here I saw no sign of human activity down below. Now you can see the town from the other side,” Calix said.

  “Let’s stay on this side then,” Adelaide replied.

  They found a comfortable spot to sit, facing west, where they could see both the lake and the endless panorama of colors. It was an ideal spot for a picnic and after the effort of the climb they were both hungry. Inspired by the beauty of the sight they decided to stay there and watch the sunset from their magnificent vantage point. It had been a mild day and with barely a breeze, the night would not be too cold. They agreed that they would happily keep each other warm. There was a spot of bare ground that would do well as a fire pit. Leaving Adelaide alone so that she could have some time with her thoughts, contemplating what was before her, Calix went to collect enough wood to fuel the fire throughout the night.

  He came back; the task finished, and knelt in front of Adelaide. He untied her boots and slipped them off of her feet. He then removed her socks, allowing her bare feet to feel the warmth of the late afternoon sun. Moving around behind her he sat down with his legs on either side of her. She leaned back and rested her head on his chest.

  The sunlight, this time of the afternoon, this time of the year, took on a golden glow. There were a few wispy clouds floating on the horizon in an otherwise cloud free sky.

  “There is a quality of the light here that I have never seen anywhere else,” Adelaide said. “And so many variations of so many colors.”

  “In a couple of months it will be completely white. The lake freezes over. Snow covers everything. On a clear day the colors are white and blue, on a cloudy day white and grey and when there is a blizzard nothing but white,” Calix added.

  “Winter is long here?” Adelaide said, her remark being both a statement and a question.

  “Yes, remember the colors,” Calix said. He kissed the side of her head. “You can paint them in the winter.”

  They sat and watched as another hawk flew overhead.

  “After seeing all of this I believe even more so that if there is a god it was created by nature, not the other way around. I think that what you said about the human ego is true. Most religions place human beings above all else; religions where people are made in god’s image, religions that give people dominion over the natural world. If you create a religion where god made everything in nature for your use, than you can take and kill and kill and take, without making god angry. It is pretty convenient,” Adelaide reflected.

  “The human ego is a powerful force,” Calix said.

  “I liked the idea of reincarnation,” Adelaide continued. “I would think sometimes that maybe in my previous life I had been a wild animal of some sort, and some of that previous life clings to this one and that is why I feel more comfortable outdoors than inside and why I am not that interested in the company of people. But then, I thought, religions that believe in reincarnation put humans at the top of the ladder too, a higher form of being. I think that the closer you are to nature the more divine you are; an insect, a bird, any nonhuman animal is more divine than a person.”

  “You’re a philosopher,” Calix said. “You should talk to Ten Crows about his beliefs. The Ojibway know that they are a part of nature. They treat it with great respect.”

  “You’ve spent a lot of time with the Indians?” Adelaide asked.

  “Ten Crows is a good friend,” Calix answered.

  The sun was moving closer to the horizon. The few clouds were transforming into shades of orange and pink, adopting the colors of the trees. From one horizon to the other, the sky wore many variations of the color blue. The myriad colors of the landscape slowly began to slip into shadow, and the planets began to show themselves in the sky. So moved was Adelaide by the splendor of the view that tears welled up in her eyes.

  “Are you getting cold?” Calix asked.

  “Not at all,” Adelaide replied. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “It is my pleasure,” Calix said.

  He brushed his fingers over her hair which had been pulled back into a loose twist. His fingers then continued down to caress the back of her neck. Ade
laide’s body responded with excitement. His touch ran through her body like electricity. She angled her head back and Calix’s lips met hers. They sat together silently, his arms wrapped around her, relishing the joy of the share experience.

  “I should start the fire before it gets too dark,” Calix said.

  He went to light the fire while Adelaide put her shoes back on.

  The sky took on a beautiful deep azure color as the sun slid completely out of view. All of the grand colors of the day became shrouded by darkness. Now it was the stars time to shine. With the landscape now cloaked in black, it was the sky that held the dazzling display. As the night grew darker, it was as though the stars were waking up. Soon they blanketed the sky from horizon to horizon.

  They found a spot away from the fire were some tall grasses could be folded back to create a soft place to lie. Calix threw down a blanket and the two lay down to enjoy the night sky. Calix, who was familiar with many of the constellations, pointed them out to Adelaide. The moon reflected brightly off of the unusually still great lake. The darkness enveloped them and the brightly colored environment that they had enjoyed all day had been reduced to a palette of black and white and gray, yet it held no less beauty.

  Several shooting stars made their run across the sky.

  “The mysteries of the universe all around us,” Adelaide said.

  “And within us too,” Calix added.

  “True,” Adelaide replied. “I liked to look at the stars back in England, but I don’t remember them being this bright. It makes me wonder why people are afraid of the dark. If it were not for the darkness we would never see the stars.”

  “Have you seen the Northern Lights yet?” Calix asked.

  “No,” Adelaide answered.

  “The night sky really puts on a show then, colored lights moving in the night sky. They give the stars a run for the money as far as beauty goes,” Calix continued. “Are you getting tired? We can move closer to the fire.”

  “Not just yet,” Adelaide said, not wanting her day to end.