PROJECT NOVENIA 01: Sakura

“Winter is here..”

That was the only line she could think of when she gazed out from her bedroom window. The freezing cold air touches her pale skin when she walked pass the small opening on that window. “ugh..It’ll be harsh this month..” she mumbled. Trying to reach for the knob and with one stroke she sealed that window close and drew her breath. Light haze coming out from her nostrils. She still remembers what has happened last month. It seemed like only yesterday.

It was that particular day, one month ago, early in the morning. She woke up with the same freezing wind that has opened her window. A young woman of only 24, she was at the pinkest of her health. She rushed out from her bedroom and didn’t even bother to close the windows. Made a stop at her wardrobe, wore her turtleneck, a pair of jeans and her favorite running shoes. She did this every single morning for almost a week now. She rushed out, slammed the door, and walked over the asphalt path.

The Sakura trees on the garden in front of her house have shed their leaves and flowers. They looked like scrawny twigs pointing to the sky as if saying “I’ve done my part. Now I shed little pieces of my soul for you to collect..” Sakura trees were calling her. These trees have made her left her comfortable warm bed each day just to be with them. She loves to see them, to admire their beauty, to imagine as if those falling petals were flakes of snow.

She was walking and making occasional stops, paying attention to all the details she could catch among the patterns of the falling Sakura petals and leaves when she realized there were something different about them today. They’re not the usual delicate silky pink petals but they’ve become rugged, somewhat harsh and crumpled on the edges. “What has happened?” She Though. “There must be something happened to them last night when I was asleep..” She continued. Despite the questions playing in her head, she moved on and scrutinized all the petals she could view and lay her hand on.

At some point, she stumbled upon a log on the ground. She fell face forward and got quite amazed with what she saw in front of her. More and more logs on the ground, seemed like someone had done some tree cutting yesterday. She paid more attention to the tree barks. There was something moving inside. She took a closer look into one of the barks lying not far from her. She got herself straight up, and suddenly held her breath for what she has seen a few seconds ago would change her life forever..

Inside the barks, she found tiny little creatures with pointed ears, red cheeks, red noses, wearing little caps, one button jacket, short pants, and green boots. “Am I dreaming?” she rubbed her eyes, close and open them several times and still see the same thing. These creatures are busily cleaning up their little chambers, walking, communicating and sometimes stumbled upon the roots and tiny things inside the tree bark. Seemed like they are going to move out from what seemed to be their home. They look cute and friendly, so she decided to make some form of communication with them. “Hey there..” She said softly. None of the creatures noticed her. She makes a second attempt. “Hey you! Little guys! Hello..can we speak?” She speaks louder. This time one of the tiny men notices her. He seems surprised, make a little screeching sound and inform his friends. The little group now scatters around inside the bark.

She realized that she might have frightened the little creatures. She moved away and decided to come back later. The next day she tried to communicate with them again. They are still busy moving but they’ve slowly aware of her peering at them and didn’t run away in fear when they saw her. One thing for sure, they didn’t speak the same language. So she can’t understand what they were saying and seemed like they didn’t understand our language too. So, as the day passed, she’ll just see them from time to time and checking out their progress of moving out.

On the fifth day, they have finished moving. During the process she followed them to their new house. It was inside one of the oldest Sakura tree in that park. The soft and silky pink velvety touch that she had always liked was back. She learned that those tiny little creatures are the keepers of the trees. When human destroy their home, it will also destroy the leaves and petals.

During the time of her observing, once she brought a container full with her favorite fruit, peaches. She was crunching and gnawing at the fruits when she accidentally dropped little pieces of the fruit near one of the little men. He picked them up, sniff a little, making little sounds informing the others and they looked at her. She can almost swear that it was the first time they looked at her in the eyes. She makes a gesture of biting into a chunk of the fruit. They followed her; put the little pieces into their mouth and crunch at them. Little smiles! She can see little smiles on their faces! She becomes excited. She dropped more little pieces and they enjoy them together.

It has been a month. Winter comes. She always loves winter. She closed the window, gazed upon those scrawny trees again, put on her jacket and walked toward the refrigerator. She took out a plastic container full with little pieces of peaches and rushed out into the trees. She can’t wait to meet them today. Really can’t wait to meet the little Sakura men who love peaches and see their beautiful tiny smiles again.

Novenia; December 3, 2009 - 10.30 pm