121 It’s a No

Onward Journey

121 It’s a No

“An Olive tree field!” exclaimed Brain “that means a farmer, did you see anyone Nana? Did you find any tools or Olive nets? Any signs of life or a person that may help get us out of this Pumphouse?”
“Will you give me chance to explain” Nana replied “the answer is No to all of the questions. We walked the whole perimeter of the field.”
“Surely not, Olive trees are a crop, there must be someone tending to it?” Brain was impatient.
“Quite. But they are just starting to fall from the trees, they are nearly ready to gather and I know it’s tedious work and takes a group of people, usually the family meet up to gather them and work together. It’s a difficult crop to pick.”
“How is that relevant Nana? Please stick to the point.”

“The point is Brain that they are starting to fall to the ground, they are nearly ready. So we decided to visit the same field again and soon, in the hope that we find the family when they come to harvest the crop.”
“But I don’t know anything about Olives” stuttered Brain “I don’t know when they will be ripe and ready to harvest. How will we know when to revisit the field again?”
“We don’t” Nana stated plainly “We will revisit as soon as I am able and allowed to.”
“Oh this is ridiculous” stated Brain.

“Calm yourself Brain” sighed Soul “We must have hope and faith in the timing.”
“We should go every day Nana to be certain” called Spirit and make sure we don’t miss the chance to see the farmers.”
“That may not be allowed, and I may not have the energy” stated Nana “but I will do my best.”

“But what if we miss them? What if we fail? It would be too much to bear” cried Heart “I cannot take more disappointment.”
“Sshh now” called Spirit “you are spoiling the hope of the chance to meet the farmers before we even have it. Soul is right we must have hope and faith that the timing will be right. It will happen for us and we must believe that.”
“And if the meeting does not happen, it will be for a reason, a purpose. It was not meant to be our path towards escape and there will be another way forward” sighed Soul.

“It’s all very wishy washy if you ask me” stated Brain. “I like to deal with facts and logic, and if I knew the correct harvest time I would plan to revisit the field. In this case, A- because I don’t know the facts for our plan and B- we should visit the field everyday and put the odds in our favour.”
“That may not be possible and is beyond your control Brain Nana admonished “and as I have stated before “we” do not do the walking, I do.”
“A fair point ” Brain acknowledged “but surely it could be arranged? Surely you would do it, revisit the field everyday, for your grandchild’s safety and escape?”

“I will do my best” Nana reiterated “but it may not be possible, and I might remind you that I deeply love my grandchild and her safety is of paramount importance to me and can be assumed. That being said Brain, do not attempt to manipulate my feelings and use emotional blackmail to control what you see as the only course of action. It is not appropriate to put me in that position. Have I made myself clear?”
“Very” stated Brain somewhat ashamed of itself even though Brain would not admit that to Nana.
“Good” Nana confirmed.

“I can go everyday Nana” the Little Red Haired Girl piped up.
“Absolutely not” cried Heart “you may get lost.”
“I do not think so child, you need my help to get out of the window, and Heart is right, you cannot go on your own” Nana confirmed.
“But…”
“No ‘buts’ It’s a no.” Nana had spoken and the child did not argue.
“Would it be possible if…” Brain started.
“It’s a No” Nana repeated.

There was a silence in the Pumphouse in real time whilst they listened to Nana’s ‘No’ echoing around the walls.

“So how do we have hope and faith in the timing of possibility meeting the farmers? and have hope and faith that if we don’t meet them that it was never meant to happen that way for a reason? To have hope and faith in as yet an unseen method of escape that will be coming?” cried Heart. “It’s too much to ask.”

“A good question (or 3)” stated Brain “especially as I cannot see any other method of escape open to us.”

“We may not always ‘see’ a way out” called Spirit “but it does not mean that a way out is not there? It does that not mean that circumstances won’t change and an escape not become open to us? It does not mean that we have to ‘see’ the opportunity this second to believe our escape will happen?”

“I admit circumstances may change” muttered Brain “but it would have to be some sort of freak accident like a tree falling on the Pumphouse to destroy its roof and walls or so much rain that the mortar becomes softer on the hole we started to scrape away at not so long back.”
“Or Noswad coming back for us” cried Heart as Body rolled its eyes to the heavens “or sending a friend to get us out, It’s possible.”
“Possible but not likely” stated Brain.

“Or our spirit guides like Nana finding a way to help us out” called Spirit.
“We can do our best if you are all receptive” answered Nana.

“Or a new direction, a new path we have yet to discover” sighed Soul. “We can meditate and pray for an answer.”

“Or a miracle” said Big voice “how about a miracle?”
“Now that I have yet to see” stated Brain.

“Not so” was the reply “and I ask you to reflect on your past and remember the miracles that have already taken place for your benefit.”
“Such as?” Brain was questioning and being disrespectful Body felt and shuddered as the cold went across her back.

“Seeing as you mentioned a tree falling Brain, think about that, remember an incident with a falling tree and the circumstances surrounding it. Reflect, remember and be thankful” and with that Big voice, God, was gone.

“It’s sooo annoying” stated Brain “disappears leaving me with more questions instead of less, It’s very perplexing.”

“Then do as you are told” the Little Red Haired Girl piped up, and Brain felt admonished again not only from Nana, and God, but a child too for heavens sake! What was this world coming to within this dark Pumphouse.

Somehow Brain had to get back to the life it recognised. There must still be an ordinary world out there.