Mum's The Word

Mum sat on her rock, behind the reeds next to the small pond. It was sunny here. It was always sunny here. Her hair flowed down her back, her brownish curls touching the top of the rock of where she sat. Through the reeds she saw the tree. She saw the bird. She saw the horse and the cow. She saw the people.

She remained quiet, peaceful in her silence. She watched the animals and the people walk. She watched the wind blow the leaves of the tree. She watched the sun rise and the sun fall. She watched. Mum never came out from her concealment behind the reeds. She never went to the man or the woman. She never spoke. She remained muted and closed.

The snake found her like he often did. Green with bits of brown crossing the scales. It was neither large nor small. Big enough that it wasn’t hunted by other animals but small enough to be easily overlooked as it perched on the tree, as it did most days. The snake came to her foot and looked up. Mum remained silent, as always. The snake began climbing, over her foot and curling around her calf, each stretch of muscle bringing him higher. He came to her back, looped himself around her chest and perched his head on her shoulder. Together they sat in calm and watched through the reeds. The snake spoke to her.

“You have watched since near the beginning. I have watched since the beginning,” the snake said, it’s voice more felt than heard.
Mum said nothing.

“They live but they don’t know how to live. In ignorance, they appear happy but it is only because they don’t understand what you do. What I do. As you sit here watching, you have never gone to them. I wonder why? I know that of all mine you are shy, you are reluctant to be seen. Some would think this is a way of you avoiding creation, some would think it is a sign of fear or a mark of reluctance.”

The snake moved it’s head to the other side.

“I think not though. You watch and you think. You watch and you plan. My little Mum has got more to her than she lets the others see, I think. I have watched with you and sat with you. We have had our little talks and it’s so good to talk with you. Ideas and plans become fresh, the abstract begins to take shape. Without my little Mum I doubt that I would have had the patience to just sit and observe and do nothing.”

The snake seemed to laugh but it was hard to tell.

“But we did not do nothing, did we Mum? No, we did not. We watched and now we know what must be done. Now we know the way to do what must be done. It is a simple thing really, but through it, we strike our first blow and they won’t even know it. They don’t even know that we are at war. They think that it is over but it is just beginning. My Mum, we must start our work.”

The snake slithered off and Mum watched it go. She did not say goodbye or good luck, but she merely let her eyes follow the snake's path. She saw the snake climb the tree and lounge on a low branch that held the apple. Mum watched and she noted every detail. One day she would write about it, she would tell the true history of the beginning. She would write quietly, near the small pond as she watched humanity in its infancy.

She saw the woman approach the tree and the snake tensed, but it was only noticeable to Mum. The snake looked at Mum right before the woman sat under the tree. As always Mum felt him clearly in her head.

“Yes, my Mum. Write the story and when we are ready, when the world is ready, we will release our book. Until then, write and watch and think. This will be our secret. Mum's the word my dear heart, Mums the word.”

Mum smiled, her own scaly face distorting what beauty remained in her. Yes, Mum is indeed the word.