Not much happened when she tied the first knot. He made a single knot on her finger with fishing line and another knot on his finger. She stared into with his grey blue eyes and said let’s explore the world together. Life was a complicated mystery she couldn’t wait to experience. She gave the string a small tug and they set off.
On foot they walked and met lots of wonderful people. The people would ask about the string. She explained they were going to see the world and she offered them a string so they could come along. The string was always different, rope, yarn, even floss they used whatever they could find.
As the years went on they had a beautiful tapestry of people. As the string rustled she thought of all of the memories, laughs, conversations she had along the way. Hundred of strings all walking together, sharing life together.
The strings got tangled at times, with so many people going in different directions. They decided that they should all make decisions together. So they could always stay together.
The strings would sometimes ware so they would tie the string a little tighter, a little closer. They married, had children. As the children learned to walk, they too would get a string. It began to be too difficult for everyone to move together in such a large group so they settled in one area. Built houses close together, to make sure the string was in tact.
One night she spooled some thread out as far as it would take her and laid on the grass staring at the vast starry night. A flicker of a wing caught her eye and she found herself mesmerized by a beautiful bird with wings like a kaleidoscope of colors with little glints of silver that shone like diamonds in the dark night.
The bird landed next to her and she scrambled to sit.
Hello, she said
Hello to you, said the bird. I have been flying all night and I was just hoping to rest for the night.
Sure, you are welcome to rest in our village.
She stayed up all night with the bird and he told her of his journeys. He spoke of the fresh taste of sushi in the daybreak in Japan, the sweet smell of sweat in India. The way the sunflowers blanket the hills of Italy. The delicious sound of crisp wit in London. She listened intently and asked the bird where his next adventure would take him.
He said he was headed to Australia to explore the Great Barrier reef.
The dawn started to break and the bird said he better be on his way to catch the westward wind.
You should come, said the bird
Yes, I would love that, she said
As she stood she felt a tug that knocked her back. As she turned she saw hundred of eyes baring into her in fear. The whites of thousands of knuckles clinging to her string.
Where are you going? They cried
You can't leave us! They cried
We can't lose you! They cried
Surprised she said she was not going to be gone forever. She just wanted to see the world beyond the village. She had always wanted to travel…
What about us! they cried
She looked back at them. Her people, her family. She saw the fear in their eyes, the sadness in their stare.
I'm sorry Bird. I am going to stay.
And the bird flew off. The sunlight hit the flecks of silver in his wing. As she rose her hand to wave goodbye the force of the string cut her skin, and she began to bleed.
