Writers Island - The Dream

Inspiration for this piece came from Eileen, who is known affectionately as 'the Dream'. She posted here, in response to a meme, that she loved silverback gorillas and also, had once run up a hill in Ireland and touched a cloud . I made the comment that this was magical and would make a good story. So then I went away and wrote this. Later in the day, I visited Writer's Island , not having posted for a long while, and discovered that the prompt was 'The Dream'. I don't have to tell you that this is all too uncanny and freaky! So this post is for you Eileen :)

The Dream

The silverback gorilla steadily ate through stalks of bamboo that grew on the side of the mountain. He sat in the dusty, red earth with his mate and they groomed each other patiently in the sun. The day wore on and they nestled under the shade of an African Redwood tree and slept.

The silverback gorilla was compelled to climb up the mountainside beyond his safe territory, although he knew not why, until he came to a place where the air was thin and cool. Below he could see the dense green roof of the forest, where squarking birds circled dreamily in the humid air. Upwards he climbed, until all around him was pale with white mist. Hanging in the air beside him, he saw a cloud, heavy and green with moisture. The silverback gorilla cautiously reached out to touch the cloud and he gasped at the cold that met his black fingertips. Suddenly the cool wind swirled around the mountaintop in a flurry. The cloud darkened dropping rain in sheets that ran down the mountainside in torrents, gathering sticks, leaves and pebbles along the way.

As quickly as the dark cloud had burst, the sun broke through the thin mist that remained, heating the thick neck of the silverback gorilla. The mist slowly began to dissolve, revealing bright blue sky that hurt his eyes. He bellowed and roared, beating his chest as he danced on the mountaintop.

That night as he sat beneath the dark canopy of the African Redwood tree, water dripped from shiny leaves overhead. Puddles in the red earth reflected the stars and moon hanging in the clear sky above. The silverback gorilla quietly began to tell his mate of a dream, where he reached out to touch a cloud, making the silver rain fall across the thirsty forest.