279. Observing flora, 6

(Rose)

This dam seems out of place. The bluish colour of its concrete looks like it was brought there, but built in another country. The architecture is very different from what we've seen so far. And though it looks old, it still functions and resists the erosion mostly.

Everything is humming in there, and there is even electricity inside.

Lamps, and even elevators, are working. Mostly. A little roughly.

We were on the level below, so we're climbing it to exit toward the city level above, and volcanic mountains.

The elevator gives metallic shrieks and stops at mid height inside the building. We're forced to open the doors of the level closest to us and get inside.

We push ourselves inside an odd building of offices and cosy salons or spaces. The building has large but heavy glass windows facing the landscape and overflow waterfalls.

The sight between the waterfalls and the dry complex desert aside the lower level of the shores is quite beautiful.

Even Grape is a little agape at the rainbows over the desert and river.

Sunrise and sunset in here must be looking nice.

No one lives there? Feels like a shameful reality.

We rest a little. Grape lays lasciviously in a very round armchair, facing the landscape, one of her last bottles in hand.

B - You're thinking that you could try to grow back, from here?

G - Yes... Salt water can be the future, but the present here with the river nearby would be an easier place to evolve.

R - As long as you keep your spirit, I don't see you failing in reaching the sea with roots.

G - ...

Grape stays silent thereafter. She's thinking a lot. She's planning her future.

We enjoyed the sunset along with her and slept there.

In the middle of the night, Grape woke us up. She asked us to follow her.

We followed her climbing stairs with some light bulbs, trying their best to survive the years.

We reached the roof of the building and went across a bridge leading to the top of the dam, this time under the faint night sky light.

At the closest end of the dam, we entered another part of the building, making the junction in this complex.

There's a large direction meeting room overlooking the landscape below. And a few other of these big round chairs.

Grape go lay in the one closest to the sky.

G - I'll... wait for you, here. You go find Blume tomorrow without me.

B - Don't you need earth to rest and regrow? Outside would be...

G - Not really. By tomorrow evening, I'll have faded around here. I'll make something grow you'll see when you come back. Something nice...

R - We will then...

She opens her arms and asks for a last hug from both me and Bleue. And a last kiss on the cheek from Bleue only.

Grape says she'll miss us with a genuine smile. It's been nice.

We finish our night there near her.

~

As morning comes, Grape is seemingly sleeping. She won't wake up anymore.

Bleue kisses her a last time and we leave.

May you regrow next spring time friend.

Outside, as we head toward the ruptured volcano, Bleue begins spreading grape seeds she kept since the island.

You know, just in case it could grow, she says.

Being a being-like-her, I know that something of Grape will remain.

How much, I know not.

I wonder if we'll see something more than her abandoned clothing when we will return.

Meanwhile, the dawn is there and now well settled over the horizon, and it's time for us to move further.

Probably toward our goal.

Blume. It's been too long...

It's been far too long.

I don't regret my selfish wish, now that I'm holding Bleue's hand. But I miss you dear lover. Mon amoureuse.

The grim volcano overlooks from afar the lake, the immense lake atop the plateau and the dam.

I know I'm coming from a different direction but I really don't recall such a lake last time I came around here.

Some hints that a very big city once stood there are still visible in the landscape. Between the lake and the desert to the west. I don't see the red jungle I expected to find around the ancient the ancient pyramids. From afar, it's as if she never were here.

We reach the ruins of the collapsed pyramids and the one that still stands, as night begins to fall.

We're setting camp in one of the holes from it. The thing is badly damaged, but still there.

And as morning comes, we begin looking for clues.

Because Blume is not there.

~

Digging around things, thinly buried, I find some charcoal and ashes, everywhere around.

There was a fire, huge. Traces are still visible from the heights.

Her body was burnt, and it was unlikely to have been a natural occurring fire if it got to her.

I'm worried, but I hardly believe that's the end of it, the end of Blume.

Bleue is the one to find the trail.

The so called volcano is nothing but the last standing peaks of the collapsed caldera of the previous large volcano I recall seeing active. The ground has been ruptured, and some fissures are draining some of the sand.

Across the caldera, is a trail heading east.

The trail is made of golden, copper sprouts, evenly distanced from one another. It starts discretely close to the pyramids.

Various kinds of small flowers. I don't know their names but I recognise most of the varieties.

And would they be real, or rather normal, they all are common wild flowers of the country I'm from, so it would be weird to see them here, protruding from this rough sand.

But they look artificial and born or made from various metallic alloys, like sharp jewellery. They glint under the sun, like sparkling dots laid over the sand, about one metre away from each other.

This trail of golden flowers heads east. We follow it and cross the ruptured caldera. With everything happening here, it seems this volcano is still somewhat active. Well, there are no clouds of smoke at least, and the temperature across the dark land is bearable.

The flowers sprout alternatively slightly on the left or on the right from one another.

A little like footsteps. Or tears falling to the ground. From a tall person nonetheless.

Beyond the darker land, one more day of walk already, we reach the bank of the Nilus river over the urban ruins of Cairo, now deeply buried beneath.

Given how wild are the banks, and buildings inside of the water, I guess it's not the historical river bed that flows here, but a modern one.

Now for us is the issue to cross the river to follow the trail.

The easiest way to start is probably the dam.

We're pragmatic. We don't carry much water and food with us.

We head north right away and begin the journey back to our friend's dam.

~