Read Online Elephant Talks to God by Dale Estey - Free Book Online Page A

movement that had all of her weight on top of her, she crashed to her knees, pulling the elephant off balance and nearly down.
    â€œAre you all right?” he asked in a panic.
    â€œYou can be quite daft with your questions.” She took ragged breaths and was staring straight ahead.“Yes. That is familiar.” She moved her trunk in the grass. “Come closer.”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œYou’re going to have to push me onto my side. I can’t do it by myself.”
    â€œPerhaps we can help you up.”
    â€œThat wouldn’t be …,” the old elephant did manage a rough laugh, “… much help. It’s my time which is up.”
    â€œGotcha.” The elephant rubbed his trunk over her head. Her eyes didn’t blink as he stroked her, and he guessed that she was blind. “I’ll come around and help the others.”
    The elephant moved to the far side and positioned his tusks in line with three of the other elephants. Together they inched forward, their broad brows against the bulk of the dying animal and their tusks levering under the body. In a matter of moments they had shifted the old elephant off her knees, and she sprawled onto the ground with a great noise. The elephant stood by her head and bent over.
    â€œSorry,” he said into her big ear.
    The old body twitched, and the feet kicked spasmodically in the air. She tried to raise her head, but it quickly fell back into the grass. She did, however, manage to speak loudly enough for him to hear. “You didn’t have much of an option.”
    â€œDo you want me to —”
    â€œI want for nothing,” said the old, old elephant, gasping for breath. “Finally.”
    The rest of the elephants now moved forward and formed a circle around the dying beast. They stood and watched while the sun moved across the sky and the shadows in the clearing changed direction.
    The old elephant could hear and feel their breath as her own became more laboured. The members of the herd took turns to periodically rub her with their trunks, and she occasionally acknowledged their touch.
    There was very little noise, for the surrounding jungle held only the most distant of animal calls. Often the only break in the silence came from the old elephant as she seemed to gag on the very air itself. Her whole body would shudder, and her head would shake erratically. Then she would lie quietly again. And eventually, one of the elephants rubbing her with his trunk discovered there was no breath at all.
    The herd stepped a few paces back as the senior bull tugged at her trunk. He also jabbed his tusks against her neck and into her mouth. He sniffed the length of her body then abruptly turned and started walking away. The others followed.
    The herd returned at its usual pace, which was much faster than their earlier progression. The elephant guessed that he was halfway home. He tried to make a more accurate estimation from the stars, and it waswhile he glanced at the sky that he noticed the night shadows thickening above his head.
    â€œYou were noticeably absent,” accused the elephant.
    â€œIt wasn’t you I was talking to,” said God.
    â€œOh.”
    The elephant lowered his head to the path and trundled on through the darkness. He did not have to concentrate on much more than keeping behind the elephant in front of him. Which was fortunate, for his thoughts were troubled.
    â€œYou may as well say it,” pointed out the cloud.
    â€œWhat?” The elephant was startled.
    â€œYour mind is full of more than that elephant’s backside.”
    â€œIt was a mean death.”
    â€œIt was an earned death.”
    â€œShe made me remember so much.” The elephant looked right at the cloud. “And I haven’t had anything to do with her for so long. I would sometimes see her in the herd —”
    â€œDoing what?”
    â€œLooking after calves.” His voice was