A TIME FOR HEALING

by Diane Mullen

Bennu was tired. He tried so hard to teach the Earthlings to respect each other and their planet but it just didn't seem to work. They didn't listen to him. The cities all smelled of a lack of trees and air. Bennu needed to get away for a time, to recharge his energies. He decided to take a trip into the mountains.

The Rocky Mountains of Colorado were beautiful this fall. The green of the pine made a nice contrast with the bright colors of the other trees. The air smelled fresh and green. Bennu savored the freshness as he walked slowly through the forest. This was so much better!

Bennu suddenly heard the sounds of someone crying. The sound was very jarring in the stillness of the woods. He hesitated a moment, feeling a selfish desire to by-pass this person and go on his way. He knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did, so he shook the feeling off and looked around to see if he could find the unhappy person.

A young woman was sitting among some ferns surrounding the trees. She was hunched over, sobbing quietly, her back to him. He approached her softly.

"Are you all right?" he murmured.

The young woman jerked her head around, obviously startled by Bennu's voice. "I'm fine," she said in a harsh whisper. "Please just leave me alone." She turned back away from Bennu.

Bennu thought for a moment. He could sense her great emotional distress, and he was afraid of what she might do if left alone. Somehow, he had to help.

"I cannot just leave you here like this," he said gently. "Perhaps I can help."

The woman did not look at him. "You can't help," a touch of anger came through her tears. "No one can."

Bennu seated himself next to the woman. "Maybe I can't bring your children back, Carol. I can still help."

Carol spun around to face Bennu, her hand going to her side in a spasmodic reaction. "How do you know about my children? How do you know who I am? Who are you?" Carol's voice was ragged with pain.

Bennu was surprised to realize that she was hurt. Her emotional distress had hidden all thoughts of physical pain. He reached out to help her.

"Keep your hands off me!" Carol cried. "Answer my questions."

Bennu hesitated. He could feel that Carol's need was great, but how much of himself could he risk revealing to a human? Feeling that she could be trusted, he shrugged off his customary caution.

"My name is Bennu. I could feel the pain for your children in your mind, just as I could see your name there."

Carol gasped. "You can read my mind?"

"Yes - your mind and your emotions. You're bleeding - let me help"

"Why?"

Bennu was confused. "Why what?"

"Why do you want to help me?"

Again, Bennu hesitated. No one had ever asked that before, and he wasn't sure how to answer. He struggled to put into words something that he felt at the core of his being.

"I don't like to see anyone in pain," he answered, slowly. "I - I need to help you, because you need help and I can give it to you."

He shook his head, certain that the words had been inadequate.

Carol nodded slowly, understanding more than he had said.

Carefully, Bennu reached out to Carol. He placed his hand on her side where the blood was coming from. Moving aside her blouse and blood soaked bandages, he revealed a wound and torn stitches. Bennu pulled out his medallion and let the power of the Phoenix flow into the wound. In moments, Carol was healed.

Staring at Bennu incredulously, Carol felt her side. "I don't know who or what you are, Mister," she said, "but - thanks."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bennu asked.

"What good would that do?" she said bitterly. "I don't know what kind of powers you may have, but you can't bring back the dead."

"No, I can't, but sometimes talking helps to ease the pain."

Carol looked at Bennu for a long moment. Then she began to talk rapidly, as if to tell the story without giving herself the opportunity to think about what she said.

"A couple of days ago the kids and I were out shopping. We came out of the store just as a sniper opened fire. He killed both kids and wounded me."

Her rapid speech stopped, as her voice caught in her throat. "They were so young! It's not fair that they had to die."

She paused, to clear her throat before continuing. "I guess I'm supposed to be in the hospital still, but I just couldn't stay there. I came up here because it's always been so peaceful. I've always been able to find the strength to go on here."

Carol shook her head. "This time, it just doesn't seem to be working. I've got no one and nothing left. My parents are dead. I have no other family. My husband is God-knows-where - and I don't want to know - I couldn't deal with him now anyway. I don't know what to do."

"You go on with your life," Bennu said.

"How?" The word carried an ocean of pain behind it.

"By remembering that you have value on your own. You don't need to have other people to judge yourself by. You are important by yourself."

"But what am I going to do?"

"The best you can. That's all anyone can do." Bennu smiled at her, feeling her innate strength and her sense of self begin to return.

Carol studied Bennu silently. The minutes stretched on. Finally, she smiled. The smile was small and weak, but it was a start.

"Maybe I can go on," was all she said.

Bennu smiled back and rose to go, sure that she'd be alright with time. Carol stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Please - you have helped me so much. I don't know how to thank you."

Bennu shook his head. "Thanks aren't necessary."

Carol studied him seriously.

"I don't know how I know this, but you came to the mountains for healing, too," she said. "I know of a place so beautiful it almost makes me cry every time I see it. Let me take you there."

Somewhat surprised, Bennu agreed and helped her to her feet. Carol lead him higher into the mountains, deeper into the woods. Suddenly, they came out of the woods on a cliff edge. They stopped, allowing the breathtaking view to impact on their senses.

The vista that stretched before them was truly beautiful beyond words. Below them was a valley, down the middle of which flowed a river. The scene sparkled as if God had sprinkled glitterdust over everything. Nowhere would you find deeper greens, brighter reds and oranges, clearer skies. The river laughed as it tumbled over its pebbled bed. Birds wheeled and played in the sky, calling and shouting to each other. As Bennu and Carol stood, watching, they could see quiet woodland animals coming to the river to drink. A doe watched over her fawn while a skunk and her family walked past. Raccoons fished in the water, and porcupines waddled on their way. Everything spoke of peace, love and happiness.

Many long minutes had passed when Bennu turned to Carol, tears in his eyes. "Thank you," he said. "This is exactly what I needed. I could not have found a better place to restore my energies."

Squeezing Carol's hand, Bennu moved to walk down into the valley. Carol stopped him and, reaching up to kiss his cheek, said, "Thank you, kind prince. Someday, maybe, I'll learn who and what you are."

Bennu merely smiled as he walked into the valley. Carol watched him go, seeing the Golden Light reflected from his medallion. Then she turned toward home, to begin her life anew.