Tree of Life Book III

Part I - Chapter 04

TREE OF LIFE BOOK III – PART I

CHAPTER 04

"This is nuts." Brian shook his head.

Nicole kept packing as she talked. Folding up clothes, she stuffed them into her backpack lying on top of the bed. "So are you going to do it or not?"

Brian continued to shake his head.

Meanwhile, Wendy was sitting on the bed, next to the pack with a bowl of cheerios in her hand, no milk. She was stuffing the multi-coloured 'o's into her mouth one by one because…that's the only way they would fit in there. The sound of her chewing was crisp in the confines of the bedroom.

"Do you even know what it's like there?" Brian was gesticulating non-stop. "It's the wild, Nikki! You could die there. And no one would even know about it! This is a stupid idea…"

"So that's a 'no'?"

It was later on that same morning. Nicole had wasted no time. She called Brian right away. With the memory block that he and his people had in place, she didn't know what the situation was with that base she had been to three years ago in the Amazon. So she asked him.

He was shocked. How on earth did she know about that? It was a top secret facility…!

Brian had pressured his company to build it a few years back. He had come into some information that the deforestation rate in the area had become dangerously high, so he wanted to set up camp there to make sure that no one was overharvesting the trees illegally. Around the office, by the water coolers and elsewhere, there were now rumours that he had gone soft and become quite the environmentalist hero, a champion for the good of the Earth and all that.

That's all right. Brian would smile and shrug. Somebody had to fight the good fight.

Surprised by this version of the story or otherwise, this came as good news to Nicole.

That's great! She had said. It's still up and running then? She rubbed her hands together. Can you fly me out to it? Can you give me supplies?

No way, Brian said. And even if he did, he would have to go with her…

No way! She crossed her arms. You're not coming.

"Why not?" Brian squared his hands on his hips. "Why can't I come?"

The baby wandered over to her uncle Brian and hugged his leg. "Why, Mama?"

Brian glanced down. He tilted his face back up to Nicole.

Nicole stared back at Brian.

No. He might not remember, but she did.

She bent to direct her gaze at Wendy. "Honey, grown-ups are talking now."

"And even worse…" Brian crouched down beside Wendy. "…you're taking the baby with you? That's crazy!"

Nicole rolled her eyes. "But that's what the lady said—I have to go. The baby has to go."

"Lady? What lady?"

Wendy spoke up. "The lady who spoke to me. In my head." She pointed to her temple. "Daddy's in trouble. We have to go."

Brian rose to his feet. He clenched his jaw tight and then relaxed again. "Just let me go with you. It's all I ask. You need someone who knows the area."

Nicole had finished packing. She had a scrunchie in her hand. Reaching up and back, she went and tied off her long hair into a ponytail.

"Nikki, please. There will be danger. Without me, you will not last the day."