Seeds of the Sun

Petra stood at the mouth of the cave looking out. She absentmindedly fingered the small, heart-shaped locket hung on its leather braid around her neck. From behind she could hear the life-giving trickle of water, a comforting sound. Outside, an occasional bleat from the goats and crowing from the rooster, who had never given up his announcement of dawn, meant chore time. A lizard skittered across the opening, already panting in the heat. She wondered what they ate.

Her mother came to stand next to her, thin and spare after thirty-five seasons of rain, but still strong. "It's time to feed them before it gets too bright and too hot."

"Yes."

She covered her head and walked down the hardened, narrow path. Below, bare terraces covered in dried weeds and bedding from the goat and chicken enclosures lined the descent to the plain, each one bounded by leafless shrubs and the occasional scrubby tree. A few short and stalwart palms dotted the landscape. These had open, plaited grass screens over them, with ladders against the framework so the farmers could raise them if there was growth, and to protect the fronds from both the harsh sun and pelting rains.

When she reached the edge of the enclosure, the goats were waiting expectantly. Petra climbed over the fence. It was easier than opening the gate, and she could avoid the frantic stampede at her arrival, risking losing one to the sun if it got out and ran. She threw them armfuls of dried grass and maize stalks saved from the year before and allowed the chickens their measure of grain. She filled the water trough using a spigot mounted on the wall. Then she checked the water tank.

Built of concrete fifty years before, just before the days in which the old times ended, when the sun's rays had already reached dangerous levels of heat and toxicity, the tank was filled each year when the rains came, using storage funnels from above connected to pipes running down through the ground. At the end of each rainy season, the funnels would be closed off to prevent evaporation. She climbed the stairs to the top of the tank, opened a small hatch and lowered a weighted rope to the bottom, then pulled it up. Still safe, she thought, the remaining water would be enough. When the rains came, any water left from the previous year would be let out to irrigate the terraces below and replaced with the new season's water. Chores complete, she walked back up the path to shelter. Mama was still standing there, but now she wore a hint of a smile. "A message came from Abuelita. She thinks the rain will come tomorrow or perhaps the next day. We need to finish preparing. People will probably be arriving as soon as the sun leaves for the day."

Petra felt a jump of excitement. Abuelita was the wise woman of the region, a survivor from the old times and one who could remember the way of life before the Great War. She told stories of people talking to each other through the air from great distances and traveling in vehicles that moved by themselves. So many things in Abuelita's stories seemed impossible. In 150 years people had gone from traveling on foot and horseback to flying in the air and then back to traveling on foot. In those days, Abuelita belonged to a family called Scientist. She worked and lived at ARK. Agriculture Restoration Keep saved the edible and medicinal seeds of life for all cultures, in case the crops failed, or warring nations came and destroyed the treasured food of an enemy. A bunker in this mountain was the repository for the seed collection.

The mountain had proved to be a haven, the people hiding in it were safe from the light and smoke that came. Poisoned clouds parted around it. The clean rain still came here in its season by some miraculous flow of air. Over time the poisoned air lessened while Abuelita and her people cleaned the toxic soil farther out inch by inch. The Sun Ceremony was instituted as all people living on the mountain were required to help. At one time, survivors brought seeds out away from the mountain at the end of the ceremony, dragging them on a travois or in packs on the backs of their goats. None came back. Some sickened and died from living at the edge of the ring. One day only Abuelita remained of all the survivors and no more seeds were sent out.

Abuelita continued to conduct the planting ceremony each year and seemed to have an instinct for when the rains would come. She had tools that told her things about the weather and other tools which helped her choose the seeds to plant. Petra had seen all of these things many times in the bunker where Abuelita still lived. Abuelita had no children, and Petra hoped one day soon she could learn to be one of the caretakers of the wisdom.

This year Petra was old enough to participate in the Sun Ceremony at the beginning of the rains for the first time, she had carried the locket an entire year. At the end of the rains, the plants would be harvested in another ceremony, the best of the seeds saved for the next rains. There would be a celebration for the inches of clean soil gained for the farms. In Petra's lifetime, the soil had been cleaned in this way out as far as a person could walk between first light and the first ray of the sun over the horizon.

Still standing at the mouth of the cave with her mother, Petra asked, "Who came?"

"It was Aarush. He said he would see you tomorrow."

Petra smiled again. She and Aarush had been friends for their entire lives and recently had taken to teasing each other about their names whenever they met.

"What an unyielding stone!" he would exclaim when he saw her.

"What parents would name their child after the first ray of the sun when only danger follows?" she would retort, and they would collapse in laughter.

"I have to think of a better joke this time," she said as the sun's rays poked menacingly over the horizon. Her mother smiled and together they walked farther down inside the cave to stay cool until the sun completed its scorching path across the land. The night's moon would be almost full, allowing the movement of people through its cool and silvery reflected light.

The next morning, early, Petra arose in anticipation of the day. People, families had come during the evening hours just before dark and pitched thick tents wherever space would be shaded during the day. Others were arriving in the half-light before the sun rose in earnest. A small gathering of clouds was visible on the horizon. Today would be the day!

She joined a group of chattering girls. All had seen thirteen to eighteen seasons of rain. They would also participate in the planting ceremony. The boys of similar age ran around them shouting, playing who knows what game.

After a meal together, brought and shared by each family, they retired to areas with heavy shade to wait out the most intense heat and dangerous rays of the sun. In the late afternoon, they gathered, walking slowly down to the land prepared in the last field at the edge of the safe lands, the outer band to claim for this year would receive the ceremonial seed as a marker for the farmers. Together they would make the symbolic gesture of celebration and hope for the future, remembering what had gone before. It gave significance to the growing season, also acknowledging the gradual transformation of children into adults. Today, for the first time, Petra would be one of those beginning her transformation. She felt nervous and ready.

Petra stood at one of the prepared locations looking down at the rich earth brought from the interior of the ring. The other girls were standing along the edge of the band as well, waiting. The boys of their age group walked over one by one. As a shadow passed across her feet, she looked up. Aarush was standing next to her with an earthen pitcher of water brought from the sacred lake on the mountain which had not dried up when the devastation occurred. He looked nervous as well.

The community began the song of planting, calling, and responding in unison. The song grew and pounded out, recounting the history of each year since the old times. At last, the song ended on a long note and Abuelita stood and gave the signal for the planting to begin. Each girl knelt and dug a small hole in the earth. Petra opened her locket and took out a hard, striped seed. It was a seed of the flowers of the sun, more precious to their lives than the small clear stone on the front of the locket. This was an original seed from ARK, still viable, brought out to plant, a few each year. The original seeds were the most effective soil cleansers, growing as if they could push the old times back into the soil. After the outer ring of these seeds was planted, the farmers would plant the seed they saved from the previous year, from the base of the mountain to just inside the ring. They would weed and water, hoping for a good season of rain, and an expansion of fertile soil. It was always said that in the 150th year, the ones who had gone out with seeds would return, meeting the thin row with their own, and the world would be clean again.

She placed the seed carefully in the hole and cupped her hands above it. Aarush began pouring water slowly and carefully into them, and she let the water gently surround the seed. Together they covered the hole with earth and Aarush slowly watered the ground around it. The thirsty soil at first repelled the water, and then gradually accepted it. Together they arranged small stones in the shape of the sun around the planted seed.

When they were finished, Aarush looked up and grinned. "Since I can't get water from a stone, I have to bring my own when I visit," he laughed. Petra opened her mouth to make a retort, but she couldn't immediately think of a comeback.

Abuelita rose again. "Let us say the words of blessing for our future harvest and gratitude for the past ones."

Together as one, the group turned and replied to her, "Our treasure is placed in the ground, our hearts with it. Let it grow and multiply. Let us remember these words of beginning now and forever."

Petra looked at Aarush and once again began to open her mouth in retort. A large, cold drop of water hit her on the head, and another fell on the ground beside them. More drops fell around them. A dark cloud suddenly blocked the rays of the sun, so they joined hands and laughing, ran for shelter. The 40th year had begun.