A Tundra Tale

By Lone Alaskan Gypsy

Inspired by Alaskan folklore, this fairytale story takes Olive, a twenty-year-old resident of a remote psychiatric hospital, on a journey into the tundra, where with the help of her arctic fox companion, a young Athabascan child, and an old trapper she will discover the secrets of the black wolf, the story of the land's ancestors, and the power of the northern lights that could unite them all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lone Alaskan Gypsy
• Release date: Jun 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311351494

Book preview

A Tundra Tale

By: Lone Alaskan Gypsy

Smashwords Edition

© 2012 by Dawn Webb. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying form without written permission of the author, Dawn Webb.

Books may be purchased in quantity and/or special sales by contacting the publisher directly at [e-mail]

Index

Chapter One: Aurora

Chapter Two: The Vole’s Gift

Chapter Three: Lynx Tracks

Chapter Four: Charlotte’s Secret Place

Chapter Five: Cabin in the Cottonwood Forest

Chapter Six: Blueberry Syrup and Morning Conversation

Chapter Seven: The Redpoll’s Urgent Message

Chapter Eight: Healing Magic

Chapter Nine: Disappearing Graveyard

Chapter Ten: The Library’s Story

Chapter Eleven: Late Night Whispers

Chapter Twelve: Eskimos In Traditional Clothing

Chapter Thirteen: Speaking With A Rose

Chapter Fourteen: Charlotte’s Animal Familiar

Chapter Fifteen: Stalking Wolves

Chapter Sixteen: The Shaman’s Home

Chapter Seventeen: Northern Lights

Chapter Eighteen: The Star By The Moon

This book is dedicated to the young girl who became my Sasha. I had no idea when writing this story, that when I turned 21 a young girl named Blanche Madeline Lucille Andrews would walk into my life and steal my heart forever. I was only your foster parent for a short while, but I will always be your Olive. You have forever changed my life little one. And I know I’ve told you this a million times, but just for good measure- I’ll tell you a million and one: I love you so so so much.

Chapter One

Aurora

Olive walked slowly into the barren tundra landscape. The days had grown dark with the winter in her northern home. Hard snow had packed down around her making travel easy. It was merely 4:00 in the afternoon but the sun had all but set. The land was flat with only one distant mountain in view, so the glowing pink skies escaped the shadows and twinkled their reflections on the settled snowflakes. Olive naturally moved slowly. Her mother had often told her to stop and smell the roses. Taking it in the most literal sense, Olive stopped to admire everything in her path whether it was a bright sunlit landscape or a mere fallen autumn leaf. She had a great fondness for nature and an immense amount of curiosity surrounding everything the mother earth held dear.

Aurora sat in the distance watching Olive's slow steps. Aurora was an arctic fox. Dainty, kind, and touched by some of the most beautiful white fur human eyes could behold.

The sight of Olive did not faze her. She stayed completely still tracing the footsteps Olive left behind with her big black eyes. As Olive got closer she made eye contact with Aurora. Aurora seemed to smile as she lowered her head in a welcoming come-hither manner. Olive picked up her pace to what would be a normal human's speed of walking. This speed was quite fast for Olive though, for typically she was a terribly slow mover. As she reached Aurora's side she knelt down on her knees. The snow lightly crunched beneath her as her body-weight changed positions. She hugged Aurora without one word and then sat down completely in the snow beside her white fox friend.

Although the temperatures in her arctic home were well below freezing, Olive was warm. Insulated mukluk (seal skin) boots and a full fur winter parka shielded her from the frigid air. Although this was typical Eskimo wear, Olive was not of native origin. She had very light skin, white hair, and bright blue eyes. Perhaps that is why Aurora let Olive sit in her presence. They were much alike in appearance. Many would say they were paranormal familiars- known to each other through some unspoken reason.

They sat in silence as the sun disappeared over the horizon. The night turned a dark blue and the first few stars glittered in the sky. Olive knew it was time to say farewell and hugged Aurora once more. Aurora's eyes twinkled with sweetness and she caressed Olive's cheek with her warm tongue as if to say goodbye. Olive trekked two miles, tracing her own footsteps in the snow back to her original destination. She walked along the flat barren tundra and then through a thicket of willows. Once on the other side of the small timber Olive sat on an old wooden bench outside of a long white building.

The place was calm, quiet, and well lit by the many street lights surrounding the small park-like area. Ahead of the bench where Olive sat, stood two large glass doors. The building they opened to looked quite plain, even dull in a sense. It was filled with bright fluorescent lights reminiscent of a hospital. The floors were plastic tiles. The walls were white painted brick. Olive looked inside with dismay. It was a place she neither liked nor hated, yet the aura of it made her quite sad. Its aroma was stiff with sharp cleaners. Its air was always too hot or too cold; its indoor appearance an array of boring colors. To her it was never the home she had dreamed for herself, but somewhere along the way fate had led her to such a place.

As Olive gazed inside in a trance, the doors quickly swung open. Out walked a lady in bright pink scrubs with a charming kind smile on her face. Olive! she exclaimed happily, Time for your medicine. Olive smiled back kindly and stood up. She walked quietly over to the woman who's name was Brooke. Once she arrived at Brooke's side, they began to walk side by side into the long white building. The lights were harsh at first, stinging Olive's eyes. But she quickly grew accustomed to their brightness. A young girl stood at the doorway to one of the rooms that lined the hallway. As Olive and Brooke neared her door Olive spoke.

The salmon will be dancing tonight, she said.

A large smile grew on the young girls face. How do you know!? she asked excitedly.

I saw Aurora this afternoon, Olive replied.

Aurora! the young girl shouted getting even more excited. Brooke kept walking even as they passed the young girls room. Olive did as well. The young girl, wanting to know more, walked out of her room and began to follow Olive and Brooke down the hallway. You saw Aurora? She told you the salmon are dancing tonight!? she asked excitedly. She skipped down the hallway now full of energy. Brooke turned around.

Now Sasha, she scolded, You're not supposed to be running around outside of your room. Brooke's scolding was never brash, but the young girl listened nevertheless. She hung her head and walked sadly back to her room.

Olive stopped and looked back at the young girl. Yes, the salmon are dancing tonight. Perhaps Brooke will take us out to watch them and I can tell you about Aurora and I's adventure, Olive said. Both Olive and the young girl turned to face Brooke. Brooke looked back at them both.

The yearning in their eyes was too much and hesitantly she agreed, Okay, fine, I'll take you. Olive, once you take your medicine you will need to go back to your room. Both of you wait in your rooms and behave. Once I pick Tamon up from school we will come back this evening and go out to watch the salmon dance with you. Both Olive and Sasha agreed, and then Brooke and Olive turned around to finish their trip to get Olive's medicine.

How do you know, Olive? How do you really know there will be northern lights tonight? Brooke asked. Out of all of her patients, Olive was undeniably the most interesting. She was smart, funny, somewhat even normal. And she knew things that people normally wouldn't know. Perhaps that's why Olive was in the home she was in. She had a sixth sense that just couldn't be explained as normal. In fact it wasn't normal at all. It was different, unusual, and the stories she used to explain her knowledge were even more absurd. But she was not mean, dangerous, or even legitimately crazy. She was just, well, as Brooke liked to explain it- Olive just had a very large and beautiful imagination. Yet she still couldn't fathom the fact that Olive knew exactly the nights that the northern lights would be out and at their brightest.

Brooke, Olive began, smiling, I know you must not believe me. But the walks you let me go on, and the stories I tell about them, they are true. I did see Aurora. She told me the salmon will be dancing. That is all the more knowledge I need. And that is how I know. Brooke smiled back. She knew there was no use in attempting to pry the real reason out of Olive. Olive was in the deepest sense a story teller. She held to her tales for as long as life itself. She would never once admit to them being untrue. In a way Brooke admired that. And deep down Brooke loved Olive's stories. She just absolutely loved them.

And that's why Brooke brought Tamon, her son, to see Olive. Tamon too loved Olive's stories. Although Brooke's supervisors sincerely warned against Tamon's presence at the home, Brooke trusted Olive. Olive had never laid a hand on a soul- not even the pesky mosquitos that overtook the home during the hot summer months. And Tamon would beg to come see Olive. At the age of six he had gained a great fondness of Olive and her wonderful tales. But Olive was that way with everyone. Although she was merely twenty years old she had a warmth similar to an aged grandmother. She was open-minded, giving, and most of all utterly entertaining. Even the worst patients at the home loved Olive.

This showed at every door Olive passed on her way back to her room. Most of the time there came a gleeful Hello Olive from each open room she passed. Olive always replied with a friendly Good evening, not missing one person along the way. As she reached her room, Olive removed her heavy parka, mukluks, mittens, and fur hat. She set them gently on the table beside her door. Then she went over and sat on the plain white sheets on her plain white bed in her plain white room. A nurse soon came in and grabbed her outdoor clothing. It overflowed out of her arms and she made several attempts to position the items in way that she could carry them all at once. After dropping one mitten, the mukluks, and then the mitten again, she finally gave up and sat down half of the items. She walked away with what she could and a few minutes later came back for the rest. Extra clothing items could not be left in the patients rooms at the home. Olive knew this and paid no attention to the nurse as she went about her business. She sat quietly and read one of the many books they permitted her to keep. Before long, small tip-toeing footsteps made their way down the hallway and through the doorway. Olive looked up from her book to see Sasha standing in corner. Sasha smiled. Olive scooted over on her bed to make room for Sasha to come and sit beside her. Quickly Sasha ran over and jumped into the crisp white sheets. You saw Aurora? she whispered excitedly.

Sasha was not allowed to wander into other's rooms. Aware of the consequences, both Olive and Sasha spoke in a quiet tone as not to alert the nurses that they were in one another's company. I did! smiled Olive. Sasha smiled excitedly back. She knew that when Olive saw Aurora, the northern lights would be in the sky. Although the curiosity of the entire story was overwhelming Sasha did not ask any further questions. Olive would not tell the entire story until Tamon and Brooke came back. Luckily, not much time passed before the two of them arrived. Brooke walked into Olive's room and spotted the sight of Sasha. Although it was her job to scold Sasha for breaking the rules and coming into Olive's room, she pretended to forget the rules for an instant and let things be the way they were. She dropped Tamon off with Olive and Sasha and then went to gather winter clothing for everyone.

Tamon walked over and sat on the bed. You saw Aurora? he asked Olive excitedly.

Sasha spoke up enthusiastically before Olive had a chance to reply. She did! she said hysterically. Tamon smiled wide. He couldn't wait to hear all about Olive's encounter with Aurora. But even more so, he was excited to see the northern lights. At such a young age they were still a magical phenomenon that he dearly enjoyed.

A few minutes passed and Brooke arrived back holding a large stack of fur clothing. Sasha ran over and pulled her parka from the stack. She knew exactly which was hers, for it had a bright white wolf ruff around the hood. Just as any young excited child would do she hurriedly put on her winter clothing in a frenzy. By the time she was finished her boots were on the wrong feet and her mittens were upside down. Olive laughed and bent down to help Sasha fix her clothing. Tamon and Brooke had already wrapped themselves in scarves and hats before they came to the home. They knew they would be spending the next few hours out in the cold arctic air and were well prepared.

From there all four of them walked out the back doors. They stumbled out past the bright street lights and through the willows until they reached the clearing. There Brooke took a large wool blanket out from her backpack and laid it on the snow. Each of them picked their spots according to the northern direction they would be facing and sat down. Brooke poured a cup of hot cocoa for each person and they warmed themselves with the soft kind aroma of milky chocolate. The sky was now a pitch black just lightly dotted with small sparkling stars.