Dormia (51 page)

"Go on," said Alfonso with a smile. "There's no sense in being shy, Uncle Hill. Show them the bloom."

Hill nodded obligingly, picked the bloom up off the floor, and held it high over his head. The crowd exploded with delight as the snow swirled around them. Children, parents, grandparents, policemen, soldiers, teachers, even Dr. Nostrite—who was riding in a sled directly behind them—began to holler with unstoppable joy. They cheered, not only because the bloom was alive and well, but because very soon it would be
placed in the ground. The planting ceremony marked the start of an incredible year in which the bloom would grow three feet each day for twelve consecutive months. By this time next year, the small plant that was currently resting in Hill's hands would stand over one thousand feet tall. Meanwhile, the current Founding Tree of Somnos would quickly wither away. Crews of leaf-sweepers would work around the clock to help take down the old tree and make sure that it didn't accidentally topple over and crush a large section of the Trunk District. Within a year, explained Josephus, Somnos would return to being paradise. Alfonso wished Spack was there to witness the rebirth of the paradise she always described and remembered so fondly.

Ivan drove the sled right up to the Tree Palace. Here, the entire group came upon a most unexpected sight. Standing by the front gates of the palace were two large, freshly carved ice sculptures of Dormian soldiers dressed in full battle gear. Clearly, several artisans had done some quick work. The faces on the sculptures looked familiar—very familiar. One belonged to General Loxoc and the other to Spack. In fact, at the base of the sculptures were two blocks of ice with engravings both in Dormian hieroglyphs and in English. The English engravings read:

G
ENERAL
G
ILLIAD
L
OXOC

S
UPREME
C
OMMANDER OF THE
A
RMY OF
D
ORMIA—
HERO OF THE
G
REAT
B
ATTLE OF
S
OMNOS
. H
E WAS
,
INDISPUTABLY, THE BRAVEST SON OF
S
OMNOS
EVER TO HOLD THE RANK OF GENERAL.

S
PACK OF
B
ARSH-YIN-
B
INDER

R
ENOWNED NAPPER, PROCRASTINATOR,
PROFESSIONAL BEGGAR, MOOCH, SCROUNGER, BORROWER,
FREELOADER, HITCHHIKER, WANDERER, DEVOTED
PATRIOT, AND MOST COURAGEOUS HERO OF WAR
.
I
N THE
G
REAT
B
ATTLE OF
S
OMNOS, SHE LED THE
CHARGE THAT SAVED OUR FAIR CITY.

Everyone stepped out of the sled and stood silently for a moment as they paid their respects to Spack and General Loxoc. Josephus unsheathed a ceremonial sword and left it at the base of the sculptures. The others watched on reverently.

"Well," Hill hoarsely said. "Spack got what she wanted—a statue in her honor right in the heart of Somnos. I just wish she was here to enjoy it."

"You're right," said Alfonso with a sad smile. "She would've been very happy."

"Rest in peace, General," said Bilblox as a tear ran down his cheek. "And as for you, Spack, we all cursed your laziness more than once on the trip here, but when it counted, you came through—you saved us all, old gal."

"Come," said Josephus finally. "It is time to plant the bloom."

Josephus, Hill, Alfonso, Bilblox, and Resuza trudged through the snow and made their way into the Tree Palace. Today the palace was completely empty. No spectators were allowed in. Tomorrow, and in the coming days, every citizen of Somnos would be allowed to see the new Founding Tree of Somnos for themselves. But during the planting ceremony, only the Great Sleeper and his traveling party were allowed to enter. This was
the custom—the way it had always been—and the way it always would be.

Inside the palace, the group was greeted by the grand vizier, who was dressed in an elegant but simple green velvet robe. She was, as custom dictated, fast asleep. The grand vizier nodded politely to the group, yawned, and then drowsily shuffled down a long marble hallway that eventually opened up into an intimate courtyard. Snow lay everywhere, in the cracks in the wall and piled on the floor. The courtyard, however, had been shoveled clean of snow, although more snow kept falling and the ground was quickly being covered with a new layer of white. In the center of the space was a small hole recently dug into the dark, frozen soil. Directly to the right of this hole stood a lone violinist, dressed in a heavy fur coat, who was the only other person there. The grand vizier nodded once, just slightly, and the violinist began to play. He played a slow, sad ballad that sent shivers up Alfonso's spine. It was a haunting melody whose notes conjured up images of Dormians from ages past. It was also somehow familiar. Alfonso looked at Hill, who was singing along in a soft voice:

Bitter cold, pounding snow
Dying with no place to go
As we wandered through the empty wasteland
Young and old did weep
Then one day, like the sun
Lives of green had just begun
For our people finally found a place to sleep
Founding Tree, guiding light
Dormia sleeps tonight
Neath your leaves
We can live our lives in peace
Proud and true
We protect and cherish you

"What was that?" asked Alfonso when the violinist had finished.

"The national anthem of Dormia," whispered Hill. "It's one of the few things I never forgot. With a little coaxing I think I could even sing it in Dormian."

"My dad used to whistle that tune when he took me on walks in the forests back in Minnesota," said Alfonso.

Without saying a word, Hill placed his arm around his nephew and gently squeezed his shoulder. The violinist started to play another tune. It was a faster-paced melody, the sort that almost made you want to get up and dance, and it seemed to restore a sense of relief and happiness to the event. The grand vizier nodded once more and Josephus explained that it was time for the Great Sleeper to put the bloom into the ground.

"If it's all right," said Alfonso, "I would like Bilblox to do the planting."

"Me?" said Bilblox curiously. "But besides bein' blind, I ain't even a Dormian."

"A noble idea," interjected Hill. He turned to look at Bilblox. "Your devotion to this quest is all the more praiseworthy because you
aren't
a Dormian. You risked your life again and again for a land that wasn't even your home. I think you've more than earned the right."

"Well it's highly unorthodox," mumbled the grand vizier sleepily. "But then again, everything about this process has been unorthodox, so I don't have any objection."

Hill promptly handed the bloom to Bilblox, who took hold of it in his large callused hands.

"Just keep walking forward," instructed Hill. "We'll tell you where to go." Bilblox walked about thirty paces, until Hill told him to stop. "It's right in front of you," explained Hill. "You're all set." Bilblox nodded appreciatively and then dropped to his knee and lowered the bloom into the small hole in the ground. When this was done, he scooped up several handfuls of dirt and spread them around the base of the plant.

"It's all done," called out Bilblox, his loud voice cracking with pent-up emotion. "She's in the ground. Alfonso, she's in the ground."

They listened to the heavy snowfall. It sounded like a long, drawn-out sigh of relief. Everyone stood there and watched the little Dormian bloom as snow thickly covered its leaves and branches.

Resuza gasped and grabbed Alfonso's arm. "Do you see that?" she exclaimed, and pointed at the frozen ground surrounding the bloom. It glistened in the morning light. It was melting. In less than a minute, the bloom had begun to melt an area of several feet around it. After another minute, the circle of melting snow had expanded ten more feet. Next to the bloom, the melting snow revealed brown and bent-over grass that immediately turned a brilliant, luscious green.

"The seeds of tomato and cucumber plants are buried nearby," said the grand vizier. "They'll be ready for eating by tomorrow."

Alfonso turned to look at Hill. Despite the fact that they had expected this, it was still astonishing. His uncle's eyes brimmed with tears.

"I could stand a good fresh tomato salad," said Hill. "Yes indeed."

T
RADITION
held that the gates of Somnos opened only once every twelve years on the occasion of Great Wandering Day. This was the day when Hill and Leif had accidentally gotten caught up in the crowd and been forced out of the city. This was also the day, some twelve years later, when Spack had managed to escape. This tradition, great and honored though it was, now posed an immediate problem for Alfonso and his group. The next Great Wandering Day was still three years away. This meant that, according to the rules, Alfonso, Bilblox, Resuza, and Hill would have to wait until then before they could begin their journey home. Luckily, however, Josephus found a note in his history books saying that special exceptions could and
should be made for visiting parties that included at least one non-Dormian.

And so it was arranged that, in two days' time, the gates of Somnos would be opened so that Alfonso and the others could head home. This would give them exactly two weeks to return to Barsh-yin-Binder, where they hoped Vice Admiral Purcheezie would still be waiting for them. She had promised to wait only five weeks, and none of them wanted to test her patience. According to their calculations, they would arrive in Barsh-yin-Binder the day before the vice admiral set sail. They'd make it, vowed Alfonso. It was time for him to return home—Pappy and his mom would be sick with worry.

Resuza would return to Barsh-yin-Binder; Bilblox would go as far as Fort Krasnik; and Alfonso and Hill would go all the way back to World's End, Minnesota. Or at least that's what Alfonso thought. But, the night before their departure, Hill pulled Alfonso aside after dinner in the guesthouse and asked to talk with him in private. There was a peculiar and rather sad look on Hill's face. It took a moment for Alfonso to sense what was coming, but suddenly he knew, and he felt a hollowness in his stomach.

"You're not coming home with us, are you?" asked Alfonso.

"No," said Hill. "I'm afraid not."

"Why?" asked Alfonso.

"Because this
is
my home," said Hill. "I've spent too much of my life away from here. This is the place where I want to grow old. I feel comfortable here, as if I really belong, which is a feeling that I've never really had anywhere else. I feel like I could truly settle down here on one of these sleepy streets. I could help rebuild the city. I've always been good at fixing things."

"What about me?" asked Alfonso weakly. "You're my only uncle and we've practically just met."

Hill clapped him on the shoulders and enveloped him in a massive hug. "I have every confidence in you, my dear nephew," said Hill. "You and Bilblox know the way back—you'll be just fine. There isn't another lad in all the world with your abilities."

"What about Resuza?" asked Alfonso.

"She wants to stay here," replied Hill. "She has nothing in Barsh-yin-Binder and her sister is lost. I told her that she could live with me. I've talked to the grand vizier about it and she has given her conditional approval."

"I see," said Alfonso.

"This was a tough decision, and just three months ago, when I first met you, I never would have left you on your own," said Hill. "But things have changed. You're different now. Older and wiser. You're going to be all right. More than all right. And who knows? Maybe you'll find your way back here someday."

"Yeah," said Alfonso as he struggled to hold back a sob. "I guess the gates will open again in three years for Great Wandering Day."

"They will indeed," said Hill. "And I'll be here waiting for you."

***

The following morning, under the cover of a heavy fog, Alfonso, Hill, Bilblox, and Resuza headed for the giant stone
gateway. The party traveled with Josephus in his sled. A garrison of Dormian knights accompanied them.

Everywhere snow was melting and icicles were shrinking. The water from this epic melt was seeping into the earth and feeding a massive blossoming of life, the likes of which Alfonso had never seen before. Thousands of wild flowers were emerging through the frost. Insects were crawling out of the earth in droves. In places, fresh green grass was sprouting and giving off a thick, ripe steam. The Founding Tree had taken hold. Part of Alfonso longed to stay and see the end result—the complete return of tropical warmth—but he knew that this was not meant to be.

When the sled reached the mouth to the long darkened cave that burrowed through the mountains and led to the outside world, everyone stepped out. There was a final round of goodbyes. Alfonso gave his uncle and Resuza long hugs. Then, with great sadness, Alfonso turned and headed into the darkness of the cave. Bilblox followed, helped along by a Dormian knight. In the distance, they heard a low, rumbling sound as the gates of Somnos opened.

Josephus turned to Hill and looked at him appraisingly. It was clear that Hill was quite sad. "That nephew of yours is a good lad," said Josephus softly.

"I know," said Hill.

"Don't worry," added Josephus. "Someday I suspect that he'll come back."

I
T WAS LATE
evening in the middle of the North Pacific. The
Success Story
pushed forward through choppy water, on its way back to North America. Bilblox was in the windmill, already asleep. The deck was empty except for Alfonso, who was lying on an old blanket and looking up at the stars. He wasn't tired that evening—something about sleeping in the windmill had made him anxious to get out. Maybe it was the memory of staying in there with Hill. Alfonso wondered for the thousandth time since he had left Somnos: would he ever see Uncle Hill again? His other worry concerned Bilblox. Alfonso doubted that there would be much use for a blind longshoreman back in Fort Krasnik. Poor Bilblox. This journey had taken its greatest toll on him. It didn't seem fair.