Free Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck Page B

and
bubbled up to the surface of the water where it moved noiselessly to a large
boulder.   At the boulder the waters
divided into four streams that drained down to meet the sea.   Large flowers colored like lapis lazuli
covered the shadowy banks.   The murmuring
plash of the waterfall, the drone of the insects, and the brief communications
of the birds were the only sounds that pierced the stillness.
    After finishing with Leah, Catherine escaped from
the scorching afternoon by entering the lagoon for a bit of exploring.   She descended over fallen branches and
through dense floor covering to the banks of the water and began to scour the
earth for various medicinal plants.   On
the ink-spotted pages of her journal, she sketched the plants and their
locations before moving on for more explorations.   As Catherine moved closer to the waterfall,
she slipped and nearly fell into the water.   Upon regaining her balance she smiled and thought of the day in her
early adolescence when she and Leah had romped through the lagoon.   She had recited Tennyson—

 
    “Day and night to the billow the fountain calls;
    Down shower the gamboling waterfalls
    From wandering over the lea;
    Out of the live-green heart of the dells
    They freshen the silvery-crimson shells,
    And thick with white bells the clover-hill swells
    High over the full-toned sea.”

 
    She had climbed onto the large boulder and had begun
to recite to her companion a poem of her own composition. “Oh, Waterfall, what
beauty you possess!   But your sopping
sprays make the mud soil up my dress. If you would but spray the other way, you
would not make a mess.”
    Catherine had jumped down from the boulder amidst
much laughter and applause as Leah climbed up and began:
    “Rushing
waterfall; dangerous dashing font, how I wish you would drown that monstrous
man Sarponte. Unless of course, that means, he would be back to haunt!”
    The girls’ laughter had evaporated in the rush and
splash of the water, and Leah jumped down from the boulder.   They had knelt by the water to see if any
manner of creature could be observed.   As
Leah had peered into the water, Catherine pushed her from behind.   She came up sputtering mad.
    “You wicked girl!   Mami will be furious!”
    Leah climbed out and began to chase
Catherine.   She caught Catherine and
forced her into the lagoon under the spray of the waterfall.   Upon doing so, Leah lost her balance and fell
into the shallow pool.   Both girls
splashed and plunged one another under the water until they were out of
breath.  
    They grew silent and began floating on their backs
as they stared into the canopy of tropical trees.   Only the sound of the waterfall could be
heard as they floated like water lilies.   They spun in the gentle current until their hands touched.
    “Why can’t every day be Sunday?” Leah had
whispered.
    Catherine shook her head as Leah’s words came from
her memory and whispered ghost-like around her. They hung in the air, jumped
from behind bushes, and splashed off the water.   Catherine’s eyes swept the trees with foreboding.   She began trembling and a lump rose in her
throat.  
    The rumbling of distant thunder urged Catherine to
gather her journal and bundles of plants and hurry to the slaves’ village.   She walked quickly, watching the sky for
signs of the incoming storm, but soon relaxed her step when she saw the storm
was far off on the horizon.  
    The smell of oranges and boiled sweet potatoes
greeted Catherine as she stepped into the slave village.   The very young, the very old, and the infirm
were the only beings populating the village at this hour, and many waved at
Catherine as she made her way to Rebecca’s hut.   
    Piercing high over the wind, cooking sounds, and
humming was the shrill cry of the infant.   The flap was pulled back, exposing a tearful and agitated Rebecca
rocking her newborn son.
    “I don’t know what’s wrong.   I’ve tried feeding him, but