Dream Catcher

By dani harris

The sickly sweet aroma of summer's fruits gone over-ripe sent me wandering back... reminding me of a fervid summer day that was the last time I could claim my life as my own.

It was the final year of The Thirty Year Drought. Of course, no one knew then that the rains would return in a matter of weeks. The crops weren't worth harvesting and the hard, shriveled fruits were left to rot on the vines. The heavy perfume of the grotesque vegetation was so thick I could see it ~ a blue haze that insinuated itself into the dust that was everywhere.

Both my parents took the day work they could find in town, insisting that I stay on the farm to protect what little of value was left. Though only fifteen, I'd gotten damn good with the old pump-action shotgun. Stupid fucking men thinking I was just a piece of ass they could enjoy before they stripped our place clean of whatever they could eat, drink or carry off. None of the neighbors cared how we kept our pigs fed as long as we shared the meat whenever we slaughtered one.

I hoped that helping others to survive would spare me from eternal damnation but, with every life I took, I felt my future dying as the Earth died all around me. I spent my days sitting on the front porch waiting for the marauders, shotgun hidden in the folds of my skirt, decorating grapevine hoops with felt from our one remaining sheep, as well as found feathers and pretty stones. I hung them all along the porch eaves.

I'd taken to watching a spider spinning its webs inside the hoops, one after another. By the time the spider had wound the last thread, it no longer seemed strange to me that he had started at one end and moved, hoop by hoop, to the opposite end of the porch. I wasn't at all surprised when the wise-looking spider spoke to me.

"I have brought you an opportunity to help Humankind and the Earth" he whispered, "if you have the courage to devote yourself to their needs." "What would I have to do?" I asked hesitantly.

"Between the two of us, we have created dream catchers which hold the destiny of the future within them. They will only work if the People believe in the Great Spirit and in the power of the dream catchers. You must go to each Human and speak to them when they are sleeping, giving them the faith they are lacking. Leave a dream catcher hanging above their bed so that it may filter their good ideas, dreams and visions to them while they slumber. The bad ones will be trapped and will not pass. In this way, they will discover the actions that need to be taken to heal the Earth and bring balance to all Life."

I could not refuse the honour of being chosen for such an important task. It did not take long for Humans to begin to solve the problems of the world. A way to seed clouds to make rain was working in less than a month; new farming techniques were developed which helped to feed everyone. With their newfound faith, violence ceased. All of the deadly sins were vanquished. Those with material goods shared. Those with knowledge taught. Those with hearts full of love and compassion cared for those who were unable to care for themselves. Life flourished as others began to spread the Faith we all need to have in ourselves to succeed.

The spider and I continue to make dream catchers to deliver around the world. His companionship is a treasure I truly cherish.

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Working together
Gives individuals strength
United we thrive

Copyright ©2012 dani harris. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce in any form, including electronic, without the author’s express permission.

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one history of dream catchers can be found at http://www.dream-catchers.org/dream-catcher-history.php.

This story originally appeared on the my heart's love songs site on August 19, 2012.

If you like this story, check out dani’s other stories, published on this site: Bugged, Camellia, guardian angel {sorta}, haboob {another creepy tail} and Sinnerman.

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

dani {not a boy} opened her poetry blog my heart's love songs in February 2010 and now includes occasional prose which is often humorous, science fiction/fantasy or horror. she has had five pieces published at photographprose.com and participated in eight rounds of SPARK ~ art from writing: writing from art.