no fear there.
“ You know Earth is divided into Northern and Southern Hemispheres?”
“ Yes,” he replied smiling.
“ You also know that each hemisphere runs their seasons in opposition to the other and that the seasons change every three months, give or take a few days.”
Cyan nodded his head.
“ Mother Nature what you are telling me is taught from birth. You forget I have been through school and worked for years in your own departments. I know how the seasons change. I know how the Earth’ s hemispherical situation works.”
He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone.
“ I know some of the problems you have been facing. You are tired. You are sick of the complaints, of which there have been many in the last seven years alone.”
Mother Nature gasped at his rudeness.
“ It is common knowledge and gossip in Naturalis that you have dropped the ball. I’ m sorry! That was cruel but you need to know these things.”
Mother Nature bowed her head. What he was saying was true yet coming from this youthful mouth held some obscenity. No one realised that their petty complaints could be heard in other realms, bouncing off the walls and echoing down through time. The list of criticisms against Mother Nature was endless. It’ s too hot, too cold, too much snow, why isn’ t it snowing, too much sun, why isn’ t it sunny, not enough rain, too much rain, and on and on.
A weary Mother Nature looked at Cyan who sat with complete stillness. She thought for a second and took a deep breath.
“ Are you sure you want the responsibility that goes with this job, Cyan?”
He nodded slowly.
“ You won’ t get much sleep. Workers will come to you at every opportunity. They will expect you to fix their mistakes, and blame you for causing them.”
Again Cyan nodded. He could feel the butterflies of anticipation building in his belly but knew it was important to appear devoid of overt enthusiasm. Best if Mother Nature did not see his excitement. He felt confident the job was going to be handed to him.
“ You do realise that this is a fulltime position with no holidays and little or no help. I will be gone anywhere between one and two years. It depends on how long I take to rejuvenate,” Mother Nature finished.
Cyan shifted restlessly in his seat.
“ I knew all this when I applied for the job. Are you trying to dissuade me?”
Mother Nature shook her head again. Cyan did not seem to be the ideal candidate for this job, but she knew she had to take this break.
“ You are hired,” she said reluctantly, feeling sorry for this boy. She knew that by the time she returned he would have become a man. She also felt that by the time she returned her problems could be far greater than they were now.
“ Beggars can’ t be choosers. I hope his shoulders are as broad and as strong as they look,” she thought to herself as she stretched out to shake Cyan’ s hand.
“ Best of luck, my boy,” she said tiredly as she offered to show him around his new living quarters.
Mother Natures quarters were not to Cyan’ s taste but as these were her private area he said nothing.
He looked in horror at the huge four poster bed with its heavy red velvet drapes and canopy, gold brocade borders and fringed tassels. The head of the bed was covered with silky pillows and a grey Persian cat lay sleeping on top of these. Cyan’ s lip curled, he hated cats.
“ She comes with me, don’ t panic,” said Mother Nature noticing the look on Cyan’ s face.
The room felt like his old grannies bedroom and Cyan decided that he would bunk down in his own quarters. He felt suffocated by the sandstone walls, fluffy rugs, candelabra, chimes and heavy furniture. The only redeeming feature he found in the room was the glass domed ceiling, showing the sky.
“ That must be awesome at night,” he thought.
“ I love this room,” said Mother Nature,“ Please don’ t change anything while I’ m away.”
Cyan reassured the old woman that he would touch nothing and took his leave.
Continued next month
© 2008 Susan Johnston 194 Lachlan St, Hay NSW 2711 02 6993 2016
Warning: Do not use information in the story for science exams without checking validity with your teacher.
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