Chapter 15: The Story

Eric was puzzled and thought to himself, was it a dream or was it a hallucination. He looked at his table and opened the drawer. In there he saw the two broken pieces of the ointment jar. "No, it can't be. It must be because I feel guilty for hurting her that I just dreamt of her. It's nothing else," he said to himself. He was restless that he couldn't sleep that night. His heart felt unsteady as if he lost something important.

Ruby returned back to her home and lay in front of the river. She was exhausted. Even with her eyes closed she couldn't sleep.

Grandmother Willow's tree branches pivoted to lift her chin up to her and said, "What's bothering you?"

"How do you know I'm not asleep," asked Ruby.

"You're frowning."

"I just can't sleep."

"Ruby, dear..."

"Yes, Grandmother Willow," said Ruby looking up at her.

"I think it's time you hear the truth about me."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever read about the Northern Border's great beauty?"

"I have, but there were only words. Not a sin