Page 38 of Wild Life (STEAM-y #2)

Six Years Later

Poaka

A sharp scream rang in my ears.

Lately, they couldn’t pick up as much sound as they used to, but this sound was harsh enough to wake me up from my third nap of the day. Or maybe it was my fourth. I couldn’t keep track anymore, as I now spent more time sleeping than awake.

The screaming continued, accompanied by a bunch of other familiar voices. I stretched my legs and wobbled onto my hooves. My balance was unsteady, and it always took me a little while to stabilize before I could move. I walked up the ramp that my humans had built onto the porch stairs. Aleki was good with his hands and could make almost anything with some wood and time.

I trotted through the open front door to find myself in the center of the commotion. My view was partially obstructed from the ground, but I could make out Maris on the bed. She didn’t look well. I had seen her like this once before. Within a few hours, she’d regain her color, and by tomorrow, she’d be up on her feet like she always was, scurrying around and taking care of everyone. She was kind to me. Always sharing her snacks and rubbing my belly.

She was in pain, and her legs were spread open. Aleki held one of her ankles, and a strange woman who had come by boat a few sunrises ago held the other.

Another woman was at the end of the bed, calling out orders to everyone. The two strangers visited often whenever Maris’s belly grew. And then, when it was about to explode, they stayed for longer.

“You’re doing a great job,” Aleki said to Maris. I understood human language very well since Aleki had taught me when we had found each other. He had read books with large words to me over and over until I understood each one.

Maris didn’t pay much attention to his encouragement. She was too sweaty and uncomfortable to speak.

“Okay, the baby’s head is almost out,” the woman between her legs said. Her voice was loud and clear. She was smart. “I need you to push as hard as you can with the next contraction.”

Maris nodded. She was normally very talkative, and I always worried when she was quiet.

Suddenly, Maris yelled again, scaring me enough to skitter backward.

“NOW!” the woman between her legs shouted. “Push!”

Maris groaned deeply, like she was angry.

“Keep going,” Aleki encouraged her. “It’s almost out!”

Maris’s groan continued, until finally, the woman between her legs pulled something out with her hands. It was covered in a slop that didn’t smell good like mud. Then the thing belted out a loud screech.

Maris let out a cry of her own, her face wet with tears. Aleki let go of her foot and rushed to her side to kiss her head. “It’s a girl! I’m so proud of you, my love. Thank you for making me a father again.”

The other woman took the crying thing and put it on Maris’s chest. Maris and Aleki were smiling now and showered it with enough attention that it stopped crying.

“Do you have a name for her?” the woman at the end of the bed asked.

Aleki looked at Maris. “Marina,” Maris said.

“Oh, that’s a beautiful name. Perfect for an island girl,” the woman who had held her foot crooned.

“I can’t wait for Forrest to see his baby sister,” Maris said softly, grinning down at the now quiet thing.

Baby sister. My family had grown bigger with this new baby. Aleki and Maris were great parents to Forrest, and Marina was lucky to have them, too.

“Are you ready for Forrest to come in?” Aleki asked Maris.

“Yes, poor thing must be lonely playing outside for so long. I feel guilty excluding him, but I didn’t want to scare him with the visual of childbirth. He’s only five years old.”

“That was a good call,” said the woman at the end of the bed. She moved around quickly, using various shiny instruments to cut the long rope that hung from the baby and then massaged Maris’s belly.

“Thank you again, Dr. June. We’re so grateful that you and Heather were able to come out here again to deliver Marina.” Maris smiled at the two strangers.

“It’s no problem. We’ll stay for a few more days to make sure you’re okay.”

“Thank you,” Aleki said. He noticed me standing by the bed. “Hey, buddy. Have you been here this whole time?” He scratched my head. “Did you see your new sister? Her name is Marina.”

Maris held the baby up for me to see. She was asleep now and seemed so little that it was hard to believe that only moments ago she had been screaming loudly. She looked a lot like Forrest.

“Do you think you can go fetch Forrest for me so he can meet Marina?”

I let out a grunt, but it came out more like a honk. My voice didn’t work like it used to.

“That’s a good boy,” Aleki said. “And, Poaka, we love you.”

His affection was as good as an ear rub. I loved him, too. I loved all of them very much. I just wished I could tell them in their language. Instead, I nudged his hand with my nose and then made my way back outside.

I couldn’t move very quickly and did my best to make it to the back of the hut, where I saw a figure huddled on the ground, stacking rocks in a pile. Forrest greeted me.

“Poaka, is Mommy okay?” His mouth tipped downward. He loved Maris a lot and didn’t like spending any time away from her. He loved Aleki, too, but not as much as he loved his mother.

He had the same color hair and green eyes as her, yet his skin was dark like Aleki’s, especially since he only wore fabric around his waist, which allowed his skin to tan in the sun.

I let out a honk.

“Can I go inside?”

I honked again.

He stood up and followed me to the front of the hut. Except, he didn’t go in immediately.

I looked up at him.

“I’m scared,” he said, his voice shaking as it did whenever he was afraid.

I rubbed my side against his legs, and he dropped to the ground and buried his face in my fur. Liquid seeped into my skin, and his body trembled.

I loved Forrest. He had been a good friend to play with and always included me in whatever he was doing.

Forrest finally pulled away from me. “Thank you for hugging me,” he said. “You’re my best friend.”

He was my best friend, too.

“Forrest, come and see your new sister.” Aleki came to the bottom of the porch ramp and brought his son inside.

I watched from the open door as my family gathered together. There was so much love inside the hut. Love that I was lucky to have been a part of for many years.

I had overheard Aleki and Maris saying they had lonely childhoods and had longed for affection. I wouldn’t have guessed it from how well they showered us all with it.

My humans were special, and I would always be around to protect them with my soul, but my body was tired.

I took one last look at them all huddled together on the bed, bathing each other with kisses and smiles. This would always be my favorite image of my family. All of them happy.

I turned away and walked slowly into the thicket of trees that I used to fly through at top speed. My hooves hurt from the journey, but when I passed the trees with the gashes, I knew I was close.

I found my spot next to the two beds of dirt where Aleki’s parents were buried. I had never met them, but from what he had told me, they had been good humans, too.

I lay down on the wet dirt and blinked my old eyes. In my mind, I held the picture of my human family, full of life, as I took in my last breaths of warm jungle air in this body that had served me well.

Through my blurred vision, I saw the distorted image of the one I’d always find in every life.

His deep voice called out to me. “Poaka, is it time again, buddy?”