Winds of Fate

by Thomas H. Reed

  The Tearth Silvia was looking at was female, probably less than four years old. It had long, dirty brown hair, tangled with weeds and sticks. Every inch of its body was covered with dirt and grime. Its fingernails were chipped and dirt incrusted. It also smelled like manure… or something rotten.

  Silvia pushed the Tearth with the toe of her shoe. “Scat!

  Go away! Get!”

  The small creature responded by curling into an even tighter ball. Again, she nudged it with the toe of her shoe, “Go on, and get out of my garden!”

  Upon trying to blend in with the flowers around her, the little Tearth burrowed deeper into the foliage. Silvia backed up and studied the pathetic creature. As filthy as it was, it was a pretty thing, and looked anything but dangerous. Finally, she squatted down next to it, noticing how it shook.

  “You are terrified out of your mind. Where are your parents?” Again, ignoring the warnings, she reached out and placed her hand on the small Tearth, readying herself to pull back quickly if it reacted violently. Instead, it only flinched at her touch, a puddle forming under it as its bladder let go. But there was no sign of aggression. She stroked the Tearth’s back, attempting to sooth the creature. “I am not going to harm you. It’s okay. See... no nasty hoe.”

  Little by little as Silvia soothed the young Tearth, it uncurled from its protective ball and peered up at her. Two big, beautiful, sea green eyes, spilling over with tears, stared up at her. There was such a desperate plea in those eyes that Silvia’s heart melted almost instantly. Reaching down she put her arms under the small Tearth and picked her up. She stood there with the little thing in her arms and wondered. What am I doing? I should be calling someone to come get this thing.

  She looked down at the small creature and, again, she couldn’t help but smile. She sure doesn’t appear to be dangerous. She just looks like a little lost girl, nothing more. I know I am probably asking for trouble, but I just can’t leave her out here like this. Someone will kill her. Heck, I almost killed her. Even if she found her way back to the forest, a wild animal would have her for lunch long before she finds her family. And she’s just too young, and too tiny to take care of herself.

  Sylvia took the Tearth inside her house, grabbed a towel off a rack, wrapped it around the creature and sat her down on the kitchen table. The Tearth, sitting silently with her knees up under her chin, and her arms wrapped around her legs watched every move Silvia made. Silvia looked around the kitchen trying to remember the information Samuel Wait had said about a Tearth’s feeding habits. They were vegetarians; their strong sharp teeth were for tearing at roots and fruit rinds.

  Looking at the Tearth, Sylvia said, “Fruits and vegetables, that’s what you need.” She went to the refrigerator, took out a salad and a melon half. She put a dish on the table and then cut a slice of melon into small pieces and added it to the salad. The Tearth looked at the salad, and then reached out timidly taking a bite. It went into her mouth and she chewed slowly. Soon afterward, she sat up a bit straighter and began to eat with more confidence. She gazed solemnly at Silvia when Sylvia praised her for being such a brave little girl.

  The odor inside the house was so bad that Silvia had to open the back door and the kitchen window to air out the room. But l before the smell had evaporated, the front door opened and Olive Peck, a whippet-thin, no-nonsense woman of sixty-eight, came in to the living room and called out. “Sil, are you home?”

  Before Sylvia could answer, she heard, “Oh, my God, Sil! What is that awful smell?”

  Silvia called out saying, “Keep your voice down will you? I’m in the kitchen. Come on in, but be quiet, and don’t scare her.”

  “Scare who? What in heck is going on here?”

  Olive was closing the front door but decided to leave it open. Then she went into the living room and opened the windows. “Are you cooking something in there? Whatever it is, you need to throw it out.”

  “No, I am not cooking anything. Just come on in and you’ll see.”

  Olive made her way through the living room and as she got closer to the kitchen, the smell grew worse. “Oh, my God Silvia, Whatever you’ve got in there stinks to high heaven.”

  Olive stepped into the kitchen, looked at the Tearth sitting on the Formica tabletop, and froze. In a very quiet and somewhat shaky voice, she said, “Silvia do not move!”

  Silvia turned around with a bowl of sliced apples and said, “What’s the matter?”

  “There’s a Tearth sitting on your kitchen table eating your salad.”

  “Of course there is, that is why my house smells like shi… manure. I have no idea what the little thing got into that made her smell so horrible, but you’re right, she sure does stink.”

  “Silvia! Have you lost your mind?

  “Possibly, but why do you ask?”

  “Well, for starters, don’t you know those things are not only filthy, but they’re violent by nature and could turn on you in a heartbeat? That thing could rip you to shreds before you could blink an eye. Feeding a Cobra on your kitchen table would be safer.”

  “Oh pooh, does she look dangerous to you?”

  “Those things may not look dangerous, but believe me they are.”

  Silvia put the dish of apple slices in front of the Tearth, and the little creature reached out, plucked a small slice, and timidly bit into it.

  “Who said they were dangerous?” Sylvia asked with a questioning look on her face.

  “Everyone! The books! All of the government’s official records! Every teacher in school! The people who have been attacked by them! You need to get that creature out of your house.”

  “I absolutely will not. The poor thing is starving to death. Look at her. She is nothing but skin and bones.”

  “And when it gets through eating that apple it will start on your face.”

  “Don’t be silly, Tearth are herbivores; they don’t eat people.”

  Olive took a cautious step forward, picking up a rolling pin from the counter.

  “Olive Peck, you put that down right now! You are going to scare her.”

  “Scare her? What about me?”

  “Does she look like she is going to suddenly jump up and bite you? Just put the rolling pin down! Besides I need you to help me.”

  “Help you? Help you do what?”

  “She can’t stay in here smelling like vulture bait now, can she? I need to give her a bath… get that awful smell off her.”

  “You want to give that thing a bath? Now I know you’ve lost your mind.”

  Even as she said it, Olive headed to the sink. She turned on the water and plugged the drain.

  Silvia looked at her and asked, “You want to wash her in here?”

  “Might as well, the thing isn’t all that big, and there’s no reason to stink up the rest of the house taking it into the bathroom.”

  She paused, and then remarked. “Don’t tell me you’ve never bathed a baby in the kitchen sink1”

  “Well, yes, but she isn’t a human baby, even if she does look like one.”

  “But she is small enough to bathe in the sink. And if you’re going to do this, you might as well do it right in here. You can always sanitized your sink afterward.”

  Silvia went over to the Tearth and reached out to her. “Come on sweetie, let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Olive started to say something but stopped short when the Tearth put her arms around Silvia’s neck allowing herself to be lifted up. Silvia took the Tearth to the sink and sat her down on the edge of the counter.

  “Now, is this going to be easy or hard?” She took the Tearth’s hand and put its fingers in the warm water to show her it was okay. Instantly the Tearth pulled its hand away, but then reached back and put her fingers in the water.

  “Bath water... nice soap... fluffy suds... lots of splashing... see, it won’t hurt you at all.”

  She picked up the Tearth, stood it in the sink, and then splashed water over its legs. She applied liquid soap and began to wash
the creature’s legs. The Tearth slowly sank down into the sink until it was sitting in water up to its waist. It cupped a handful of water, letting it dribble through its fingers as it watched the two women with a genuine curiosity.

  Olive finally sighed, “Oh, what the hell.” Reluctantly she rolled up her sleeves, took a washcloth from one of the kitchen drawers, went over to the sink and began to help Silvia. Two sinks-full of water, and a half-an-hour later, the little Tearth smelled like lilac and sunshine. Her hair had been so dirty and full of weeds, twigs and caked-on grease that they had no choice but to cut most of it off. By the time they were finished, her hair was so short she looked like a pixie with pointed ears.

  Olive had the Tearth wrapped in a towel and sitting on the edge of the kitchen table again. She trimmed tiny fingernails while Silvia cleaned up the kitchen. By then most of the smell had cleared out. Olive looked at the baby Tearth and commented, “I have to admit that once we got the first two layers of dirt off, she turned out to be a pretty little thing. Silvia came up with an idea and said, “Olive, let’s give her a name, I don’t want to keep referring to her as “The Tearth.”

  “I think that’s a good idea,’ replied Olive.” Let’s name her Mindy Rose.”

  The Tearth took on the name of a beloved teacher who had done many good and noble deeds for the community. Aside from all that, the name just seemed to fit.

  Another “Hello, anybody home?” came from the front door. Olive looked at Silvia then whispered, “it’s Ruth!”

  Silvia smiled, “Of course it’s Ruth. This is our day to play Bridge.”

  “Oh heavens, I forgot all about our bridge game.”

  A stout, heavyset woman of sixty-five with salt and pepper hair came into the kitchen. “Why haven’t you got the game set up yet? The others will be here shortly?”

  Then Ruth spotted the small girl wrapped in the towel, and said, “Oh my, isn’t she a pretty little thing.” But after taking a second look, she said. “She has pointed ears! Isn’t that just the cutest thing you ever saw?”

  Ruth went over to the Tearth and held out her arms, the little Tearth reached out and put her arms around Ruth and snuggled up close, taking advantage of her ample bosom. “Oh, she is a darling, isn’t she?” Ruth pinched her cheek softly, and then planted kisses on both cheeks and her forehead. Olive stood looking at Ruth in amazement then said, “Now that you have her, you can finish trimming her nails.” She handed the clippers to Ruth and then looked at Silvia. “Leave it to Ruth.”

  “Do you intend to let this child run around the house naked?” Ruth asked. Silvia thought about it for a moment and then her face lit up. “I think there’s an old box in the garage that still has some of my granddaughter’s clothes in it. Let me go get it and see if any of them will fit her.”

  “Won’t your granddaughter miss them?”

  “Oh pooh, she’s grown up now, and she may be expecting a baby of her own. And I’m sure she doesn’t even remember the things she left here. Besides, there’s a real nice dress among those discarded clothes, and it would look just great on our little girl here”

  Ruth looked up from her task of nail trimming and said, “I think this beauty is a Tearth.”

  Olive chuckled then said, “Nothing gets past you does it?”

  Ruth looked at Silvia and asked. “So where did this little doll come from anyway?”

  “Oh, I found her in the backyard eating my flowers. I think she prefers violets.”

  Silvia headed for the back door saying. “Keep an eye on her, will you? I’ll be right back.”

  Ruth looked at the Tearth and then asked, “So, what do they call you, sweetie?”

  Olive handed Ruth a brush and said, “Her name is Mindy Rose.”

  “That’s a beautiful name,” said Ruth. “And it fits her perfectly. But aren’t Tearth supposed to be dangerous?”

  Ruth finished running the brush through Mindy’s hair and then commented, “I think she breaks all the rules. Just look at those gorgeous eyes.”

  Olive turned to look at the Tearth, “She is a beauty, and has a perfect little body. She has no sores on her. Something I noticed when we were giving her a bath. When a person gets dirty, and then fails to bathe, after a while they develop sores and dry patches. Even though she was filthy enough for five children, she was healthy underneath all the grime. A little thin, but healthy.”

  “So what are you getting at?”

  “I don’t think she has been on her own for all that long. She has probably been hiding in dumpsters and rummaging for food where she could find it. My guess is she was separated from her parents, or rangers might have killed them off when the pod foraged too close to town. Mindy has probably survived a lot of hardships recently in order to stay alive.”

  “Oh, you poor little thing; how horrible.” Ruth hugged Mindy Rose close to her great bosom.”

  “Ruth, for God’s sake, let her breath!” But, even Olive could tell that the little Tearth was enjoying the attention she was getting from Ruth.

  By this time, Silvia had come back from the garage carrying a large box. She sat it down on the kitchen table, and took the lid off. “Now, where is that dress?”

  Ruth carried Mindy Rose over to where Sylvia was fishing around in the box and began helping her search. Ruth reached in and pulled out a pair of tiny underpants.

  “I think these will fit her.” She held them out to Mindy Rose and said, “What do you think?” Mindy studied the underpants for several long seconds, and then gave Ruth a curious look.

  “Okay, I’ll take that for a ‘Make my day’ look. “So what do you say, little Dumplin’. Want to try ‘em on?”

  Ruth stood Mindy on the table, and Olive lifted her while Ruth threaded her feet through the proper holes. Then Olive stood Mindy back on the table while Ruth pulled the small panties up.

  “Now let’s see if she’ll leave them on or take them off.”

  After a few minutes had passed, and Mindy didn’t seem to be bothered by the underpants, Olive said, “Well, that went okay, now let’s try the dress.”

  So, needless to say, the idea to dress Mindy Rose in clothes for the first time in her life proceeded as planned.

  As they were pulling the dress over her head and settling it into place, Karen Hastings walked into the kitchen.

  Karen was in her forties, still had a nice figure and a handsome face framed in shoulder-length, reddish-brown hair with streaks of gray. She looked at the three women and then at the small Tearth. Olive was buttoning up the dress while the other two women smoothed it out.

  “What in heaven’s name do you people think you’re doing?”

  All three women and the small Tearth looked at Karen. Karen had her cell phone in her hand and without even thinking, was about to dial the authorities when she saw the Tearth’s beautiful face and gorgeous green eyes.

  Karen hesitated with her finger on the send button when Sylvia said, “Stop, right there, Karen! And you can just put that damned phone away because you’re not calling the authorities. And if you do, you can consider yourself banned from all the homes of the present members of our club,” Silvia said with a look of total conviction.

  “You’re all crazy!” Karen said, looking almost frightened. “Do none of you keep up with what’s going on in your own state?”

  “I don’t,” said Ruth. “That is if I can avoid it. But I’ll bet you’re going to tell us”

  “You bet I am.,” said Karen with a determined look on her comely face. “Due to newly discovered dangers the Tearth present to humans, there has been additional legislation approved to rid the state of all Tearth within twenty miles of any village or town site.”

  “And on just whose authority was such legislation approved?” Sylvia asked.

  “The governor signed the bill which was introduced to him, along with proof of the dangers the Tearth pose to the people in areas where they venture too close to towns or villages.”

  “Yes,” Ruth said quietly. “I read
that article. I also read the conciliatory article presented by Dr. Samuel Wait. He has studied the Tearth for decades, and has found nothing to indicate they present a danger to anyone. He has gone so far as to say the Tearth are cleaner and healthier than humans are and less disease prone. And for what it’s worth, he also did a bit of investigative legwork and learned that a group of developers wants to build a factory in the area where the Tearth have, until this new discovery, been protected. If the new factory is allowed to move forward, the corporation that is planning the new project will also hire contractors to build dozens of new homes, add shopping centers and a new security center to house a complete new police force. According to the news, the C.E.O’s in charge of the project are spouting figures of billions of credits for the county, and the governor is listening with both ears. Therefore, my dear Karen, in answer to your question, yes, in spite of best efforts to avoid the news, I manage to get my fill of it on an almost daily basis. Frankly, I try to listen with an open mind so that I can understand both sides of the situation. And I’d really like to think that a doctor, such as yourself, would at least give the Tearth a complete examination before you condemn it to death, as I’m sure its parents have already been.”