Endings and Beginnings

It was probably their last refuge, thought Father mole as he gathered his wits about himself. Grunting with effort, he signaled to his family to begin the climb. The tall structure with its pointed top beckoned like a beacon. It had always been there, thought Father mole. I remember passing by it so many times.

Mother mole could hardly believe their hole in the ground was no more. Already, most of her fellow beings had simply disappeared in the flood. I lost some of my near and dear friends too. It was raining torrentially. The clouds thundered once in a while, driving all the moles into a tizzy. Mother mole was carrying a new brood inside her, and the effort of going to a completely unfamiliar place was taking its toll on her. She knew that if she exerted too much, she would be unable to complete the journey.

A loud clanging sound from within the structure stopped Father mole dead in his tracks. Behind him, Mother mole shuddered, and their two babies, cowering behind them, jumped with fright.

They were now at a point where they would have to improvise a bridge to cross the twisting, tumbling water that threatened to engulf them. Father mole looked around for a twig that he could use to put across the gap. Even if I place the twig, will it stay? He lifted a twig in his mouth and dragged it over to the gap. He laid it gingerly across the schism. On the near end, it lay over a large boulder that would probably stay undisturbed for some time at least. On the far end, it lay across the man-made structure that humans used to climb up the edifice.

He looked at his beloved and signed to her to commence the crossing. Mother mole called her babies to her. The male looked at the twig and understood what he was expected to do. The female understood as well, but her nervous disposition prevented her from taking the first step. Father mole came back to nuzzle his favourite baby. Come on, you can do it. Let's move! The female baby finally mustered up the needed courage and began the walk across the twig, just behind her brother.

All around them, the water tumbled and fell down in gigantic cascades. Dead animals and some human carcasses went past them as they all finally climbed over to the first step. Quickly, they clambered over to the next one, and then the next one, as the water continued to rise behind them.

Finally, the steps ended and they were past a big door into a huge, cavernous structure. They ran past several wooden seats, all neatly arranged in rows, till they came to a raised dais. Over here, come on! said Father mole as the family went up the small flight of stairs on to the next level.

The entire building shook from its foundations once again. The clanging sound began again. The baby moles cowered and snuggled closer to their mother, who had a tough time climbing up to the next step.

Father mole knew that they could not possibly go on much longer if they did not eat something soon, their last meal having been over half a day ago. He suppressed the pangs of hunger and gently urged his mate and babies along. At one point, he had to actually help the babies to clamber up by pushing them upwards with his back.

Presently, the flight of steps ended. The water was now all around them, and the babies slipped one or two times as they went ahead.

Suddenly there was a deafening cracking sound from the world around them. A huge section of the structure around and behind them collapsed and rain started gushing into the edifice. Father mole was panicking and Mother mole knew it. She went up to him and looked into his eyes and comforted him. It will be all right. Father mole was not convinced. He rushed to where the water seemed to be less.

A strange smell wafted up to his sensitive nose. Food. I can smell food! The smell seemed to come from the top of the four-legged structure that sat in the centre of the platform. Father mole gestured to his family to follow him. They all climbed up the structure till they were on its flat surface. A gleaming bowl stood just a few feet before them. Father mole clambered up its side, but the bowl tipped. Sweet-smelling white crumbs fell from it. The family of moles nibbled at the delicious tidbits. Then Mother mole let out a small noise of alarm. We must move on!. Father mole stuffed his mouth with the food. The babies tried to do the same. Then they climbed down the structure and proceeded ahead to the opposite wall, where a pigeon roosted on a high pedestal. Seeing the pigeon, Father mole felt a little better. He urged his family to begin climbing different structures adjacent to the wall. They went up some more objects and large wooden structures.

By now, the babies were tired and they refused to budge further. A giant, unmoving human figure was glaring straight ahead from the wall. Its hands were outstretched, and Father mole found that comforting. He realised that this was possibly the last structure on this wall. Something about it seemed very nice and cosy. It was obviously not a living human, or it would have kicked them immediately.

He climbed on to the left shoulder, while the mother mole climbed on to the right one. Gently, they helped deposit both the babies on to the head-like projection above them. The babies sat carefully while the torrential rains continued to fill the entire structure around them.

Father mole gradually realised that their journey had been futile. They would all perish, just like the other animals around them. A tear rolled down his cheek.

Just then, Mother mole went into labour! She screeched with agony as the pains inside her gradually increased in intensity and started coming more and more frequently. She indicated her plight to Father mole, who climbed down his perch to be next to her. He kept nuzzling her with his snout as she sweated and breathed heavily. Within a short time, one after the other, five baby moles tumbled out from her womb. Each took a deep breath, and opened its tiny eyes to look around.

It was nothing short of a miracle, thought Father mole, as he sat admiring his new offspring. Each of his five newborn babies were so pretty, he almost choked with happiness. They all snuggled under their mother as she turned her snout round and round to count and see all of them. Soon, the mother mole began to lick the blood and mucus off the babies' new, almost hairless skin. Then she looked up. She was just in time to see a huge wall of water coming up to them. She breathed in once. Then she gave herself up to the forces of Nature. The family of moles perished. All nine of them.

The world of living things was ending. The clanging sounds grew to a crescendo before the entire structure, bell, walls and all, tumbled down with a crash. The alarmed pigeon made guttural sounds and flew off its perch. He looked down upon the devastation.

Soon, he would join the dead.

End

This is the comment I received on 10/26/2008 from granny

Siyo Dr. Taher, I like well your story, giving proper courage and heart to Creators "small" children. It brought tears to see through your words the heart of the Mole family, like all loving families trying so hard to help each other through a time they could not understand. Each time we are faced with such endings(the stories of my People hold many), all strive together to simply survive another day, sadly only then are we willing to help one another no matter human or animal. Only times of great trouble bring either the best or the worst in humans, but if ever you have seen a forest fire?, the animals will run together in peace, wolf and deer, bear and rabbit to reach safety as if "truce" is called until all are safe.

blessings granny