We have already walked at least another ten minutes and this trail does not seem about to end, plus it is beginning to rain again. To Carl I say, "Are you sure we're not lost?".
"This trail cannot go on forever and we have not left the grounds. I say we keep going", he says. "But sometimes I forget just how long some of these trails are."
"Look at that ", says Francois, pointing ahead.
"What. What do you see?" says Carl.
Then I see it too, walking just a few metres ahead. A peacock.
"Do you see him", say I, "Do we all see him?" I have been so worried that I have been hallucinating.
"Yes, that is a peacock", says Carl, "And I say we follow him."
The large bird turns off the trail onto a very obscure looking path that we otherwise would have missed. he slows, as though waiting for us to catch up, then begins to run ahead. We are all getting wet from the leaves and branches, but a trail it is. The bird slows till we catch up, then races on ahead. The rain seems to be letting up again as we come out onto a clearing, and there it is. The southern magnolia, still sporting only one partially unfurled flower. We will soon be home for dinner.
No comments:
Post a Comment