I walked farther than I had in a while, but on this calm day, everything around me seemed magical – from the streets to the trees, birds, and even the tiny daisies sprouting miraculously from the sidewalk. I walked until my legs ached and the hot summer air made me feel drowsy. Finally, I found a spot under a willow tree and laid down on my blanket. I watched as sporadic cotton pieces floated above on a blue canvas. And there was something bright and roughly circular that seemed to be emitting linear streaks. My mind grew foggy as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing – my best guess was a giant diamond. I put on my sunglasses, closed my eyes, and drifted off into a deep sleep. Time seemed to slip away, and I lost track of whether it had been minutes or hours.
During my sleep, I heard a buzzing sound hovering above me. I fluttered my arm towards the object where the sound was coming from and sprung up. I felt something terribly sticky land on my cheek, accompanied by a crackling sound that disturbed the soil. With weary eyes, I glanced over to see an angry bee glaring at me! Next to her were two jars that had spilled over, their handles shattered.
Bee was panicking. “My boss is going to kill me.”
“Your what?” I stood up. “Where am I?”
“We’re submitting honey to the Flora project in two hours. My batch is ruined, stupid human!”
I wiped my cheek and saw honey stuck to my fingers. “I’m so sorry.. I didn’t mean to -”
“I’m trained to fly a minimum distance of 5 meters above the grass. I shouldn’t have gotten distracted by that sweet scent.”
“Shit. My perfume..” I mumbled.
“What did you say?”
“I.. umm nothing. I didn’t say anything.”
I started collecting the broken pieces of the jars and saw Bee’s anger turn to sadness.
“Everyone makes mistakes. I’m sure they’ll understand,” I told Bee.
“Understand? I didn’t comply with GFP. When they’ll know what happened it’s bye-bye for me!”
“GFP?”
“Good Flying Practices. It’s a regulatory requirement in the honey industry.”
“Hey! That reminds me of…” I tried to remember what I was reminded of but my memory was all too fogged up.
I grabbed my bottle of water. “Would you like some? You look very tired.”
“Please”, Bee said.
I poured water in the palm of my right hand and held Bee on my left thumb to reach for the water. Bee drank, then flew down and sat on the picnic blanket next to me. Bee’s face was pale and she could barely move her arms.
“Your arms are mushy, Bee! What happened?” I glanced down at her.
She sighed, “It’s the jars! Every damn day I’m transporting honey from the comb vendor to Yellow Cell.”
“Yellow Cell?”
“Yes, Yellow Cell is the biggest honey production site in Leafland. Everyone knows what Yellow Cell is!”
“Oh, sorry. I’m from Montreal.”
Bee looked at me as if I said something unimaginable. “Montreal? The fictional city from the story Alice in Montreal? You’re funny!”
“Funny? Story? Wait.. You, a bee, can read?” I looked into Bee’s eyes and noticed myself growing smaller and smaller until I reached Bee’s size.
“Of course! How else would I have a job? I mean.. have ‘had’ a job..”
“Ah yes, a job. Humans do that too.. I think..”
I continued shrinking until Bee’s giant body was towering over me. I tried to recall anything from my memory, but all of it was gone. I could only remember my name and the word “human” but I didn’t know where my name came from or what the word “human” meant.
“My pet,” Bee said, interrupting my thoughts. “It’s time to go home.”
Bee gently placed a bracelet around my arm and pulled on a string connected to a matching bracelet on her arm.
“Let’s go,” Bee said with a smile.
Drawn to the reassuring warmth in Bee’s eyes, I stepped beside her. Without any recollection of my past, I was too small and knew that I couldn’t be left alone, but I also sensed that Bee would protect me wherever we went.
When we arrived at Bee’s honeycomb, she untied my bracelet and lifted me into her arms.
“My little pet, let’s clean you up before bedtime,” Bee said as she gently placed me in a warm, foamy bath that smelled of sweet nectar. She scooped some water onto my body and began combing through my hair with a brush.
Bee treated me with kindness and patience, and I felt safe in her arms.
“It’s okay to be small and scared,” she reassured me. “You don’t have to pretend here. You’re safe with me.” Bee’s voice became even softer and her eyes more tender.
“I’m safe with her,” I whispered to myself.
My conscious mind took over. I became aware of my naked body and how vulnerable I was. I ought to be terrified in another world, but not in this one. And despite my memory loss, I could recognize the human in me. I could recognize my helplessness. And I could most vividly recognize the complete trust I had in Bee, which was something I hadn’t experienced in any of my pasts.
“Bath time is up” Bee said, as she removed the drain stopper.
“Stand up, let’s get you clean,” she continued.
I stood under the shower with clear water running down my body. I lowered my gaze into the tub and saw my tears washing down with the water stream. Bee helped me out of the tub and wrapped me in the softest towel. She then tucked me into a cloud-shaped bed and wiped away my tears with her mushy hands.
As I laid there, Bee opened a drawer and pulled out a book. With closed eyes, I listened to her, ready for whatever came next, even though I couldn’t remember what that might be.
She began to read:
“In a distant land of Montreal, there grew a tall and lush willow tree that appeared no different from any other tree in the region. It was a peaceful sight with its delicate leaves that swayed in the breeze and extended down to the earth, connecting with the roots beneath. But no one knew what laid beyond the tree’s thick curtain of leaves until a curious girl named Alice happened upon it.
Alice was exhausted when she stumbled upon the tree, but her curiosity was piqued by its unusual appearance. She laid down on a soft blanket beneath the tree’s branches and allowed its gentle leaves to drape onto her body. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt as though the tree was holding her in a warm and comforting embrace.
When Alice woke up, she found herself in a completely different place, embraced by a caregiver who had taken her in. She didn’t question how she got there or who this person was; she simply surrendered to the feeling of safety, unconditional love, and peace. As time passed, Alice’s wounds began to heal, each touch from her new caretaker providing her with comfort and calmness.
And so, Alice had discovered the secret behind the willow tree’s dense foliage – a place of warmth and love that had the power to heal even the deepest of wounds.” The end.
At the sound of the book closing, I slowly opened my eyes and found myself back under the willow tree. I was surprised and confused as my memories came back to me, wondering if the previous events were just a dream. But then, I noticed something different. I felt a sense of peace, love, and safety. It was as if the tree had given me a gift that would last forever. I neatly folded my blanket, walked away and smiled, knowing that I had found a treasure that could never be taken away.
pale blue fragments 