The Ultimate Gift, Glen Marcus [top 100 novels of all time .TXT] 📗

      Between wisps of scattered clouds, the quarter moon dimly illuminated the longest night of the year. Light spits of snow were following the northerly winds and landing softly with little accumulation. The gusts made faint sounds that whistled through the mountain crevices and could be heard by the animal life in the valley below. This area of wilderness was not home to many humans and the ones that dared to trek the terrain did not reside at this elevation. It was a safe haven for all in the animal kingdom and because of this fact, they flourished. But within the perfect design of nature, there are always struggles for survival.
      A twig, snapping loudly, caught the snowshoe hare’s attention. Though unobserved before the noise, a young bobcat had crept dangerously close to its intended target. In his winter coat of white, the sparse snow at this elevation had not yet become thick enough to give adequate camouflage to the rabbit. The hare’s large ears became erect and pivoted in all directions to ascertain the impending threat. Unaware, that only a few feet away behind a rotting tree trunk, the wildcat was coiled and ready to spring into an attack. In the blink of an eye, the bobcat made his move.
      The mature hare had been in this position before and anticipating the danger had already began evasive maneuvers. Vaulting a split second before the strike, the hare ran in the direction of a thicket. As its heart raced at a blistering speed, so did its legs, carrying its furry body in a zigzag motion along the forest floor. The bobcat was stretching and striding with great leaps that dwarfed the smaller hare’s progress. Seeing the escape route into the brush ahead, the wile feline broke at the last second and cut off the path to his prey. Spent by the quick acceleration of the chase, the rabbit now had only one choice, to retreat to the open ground. In that very moment of decision that meant life or death, the hare suddenly froze in his tracks. But surprisingly for both, so did the bobcat.
      For it was in the darkest recesses of this backcountry forest, glimmers of colored light began to illuminate the thick canopy of mostly pine and tall spruce trees. Flickering tints of green and purple rained down from the heavens and washed the treetops with an eerie glow. Though normally impenetrable, this glowing effect flowed unimpeded as it broke through the umbrella of evergreen needles and washed a large area on the forest floor below. As the dual-colored radiance struck the ground, it seemed to bounce back upward, shattering into a sparkling array of many colors. Swirls of dazzling hues now engulfed the forest floor and grew in intensity until the entire area shown as a beacon in the dead of night.
      High on the mountainside, a few bighorn sheep started making their way down the jagged rock face. A herd of feral horses, grazing on a patch of winter grass below raised their heads and trotted the short distance towards the tree line. Without trepidation, every animal within reach of the signal began making their way towards it. The exhausted hare now breathed a sigh and followed the bobcat in search of the light. For some of the younger animals this was a new experience, but for the elders of the forest, this annual occurrence was a rite they had grown accustomed to.
      For a moment in time there were no animosities among species. Upon arrival to the scene, two mule deer stopped and stood calmly beside a mountain lion. The horses slowly walked into the assemblage and paused on the outskirts next to a grizzly bear mother and her cubs. Squirrels shared limbs with eagles and other birds in the trees. Small or large, prey or predator meant nothing beneath the aura. As the sparkling lights continued to glow, the animal’s eyes would follow them as they danced in circles on the ground and then bounce upwards towards the tree tops. It was a magical sight and while oblivious to their situation; their consciousness was keenly aware of the experience.
      When all the animals had assembled, the brightness of the many lights subsided and formed into a single beam in the center of the group. The faint whispers of wind lay calmly and the last of the fluttering snowflakes came to rest on the forest floor. They all could feel a presence in their midst, though no shape was clearly visible. Inside each species instinctual mind, an audible language could be recognized and fully understood, as they all listened intently.
      “My creation, oh how I cherish you. This universe shines in the beauty I have made and you have pleased me greatly.”
      Upon comprehending these words, the creatures on the ground lay down in a resting position and lifted their heads to focus on the single beam of light.
      “I bring you all here in the still of the night as I have since the time I made you. My purpose has always been clear and everything I do is purposeful for your benefit. I struck a mold for the universe you reside in and though the vastness of it escapes you it had not been lost on you.”
      The beam of light then began to spread out and vivid images could be clearly seen by all the animals in the area. Describing in detail and pictures, the Creator explained, “In the beginning, this Earth was created for my pleasure. I took enjoyment as each grain of sand was placed methodically on every shore of the oceans I produced. Painting the mountains with grays and rust colors made them shine with the light my sun provided. The forest, like where you reside, gave me a calming feel as I strolled through them in the cool of the day. When completed, I found it to be one of my greatest accomplishments and its inception was ideal.  I watched the ever-present waves roll along the beaches and the wind push the trees as they swayed. I tread through snow and watched glaciers as they were being born. But in all this natural majesty, I soon realized something was missing. While I had painted a beautiful background, I still had fine details to insert on the canvas.”
      “For this aspect, I could see no other solution than to create inhabitants for nature’s artistry. I first went about the task by filling all the seas, oceans and rivers with abundant life. From the mammoth whales to the tiniest organisms, I succeeded in giving life to the flowing waters. Upon completion of this, I felt a need for some of my creatures to have the gift of flight. I patterned their wings as those of the angels and gave them the freedom that most animals only dream of. Finally I finished the masterpiece with every other animal species and was comfortable in the thought that my creation was complete.”
The beam then narrowed again and a more somber tone could be detected in the voice.  “You, as a creation, have never disappointed me. Though made solely for my pleasure here on Earth, I intentionally gave you no souls. You have the ability to do as you instinctively wish, with no consequences. Freedom was my ultimate goal for you and also to live and interact with nature’s beauty. And by doing so, you heightened the experience for me. As wonderfully attractive as nature was originally built, you, the animals gave it the finishing touch. You see, I never saw you as a “part” of nature…but the pinnacle of nature.”
      There was a moment of silence and as the beam spread out again, the animals were startled by the images of man as they appeared in the light.
      “If I had concluded my creation on the Earth with you, I sometimes feel as if my heart would be more full of joy today. But I had the urge to create man in my own image and give them the gift of souls. I envisioned them to be someone to fellowship with; someone to share my thoughts and for them to give me a depth of love that even my angels couldn’t know of. But by giving them the free will of choice, my creation of man became a debacle. My heart filled with sorrow as I saw the corruption of my creation. Instead of a friend to me, I had created a monster of evil.”
Flashing visions of strife and horror invaded the scenes on what was before them. Though taken back by what they saw, the violence did not surprise the animals as the Creator had always instilled in them a weariness of man’s ways and his presence.
      “At that point I made a decision to decimate all mankind by a great flood and start the process over. My love for nature was evident still, as I saved a remnant of animals during the cleansing process. But alas, it was for naught as the seed in man had already been sown and the world evolved into a den of iniquity once again."
      The beam of light suddenly disappeared and the forest lit up as if it were a new day. A flow of warmth spread over the group and they all stood in response.
      “I have a special revelation to share with you and all of your fellow creatures on the Earth this night. In times past, I would come unto this place and many others such as this around my sphere and share a special message. Normally this meeting is held with you to give a special gift to a chosen few. For as some of you know, I have granted unto the animals that would depart this life before next year’s visit, the gift of a soul. With this gift, all knowledge and the responsibility that goes with it is given. Though only given for a short time on this planet, this offering allows all of nature’s creations to reside with me for eternity. It has been a time-honored tradition and one that I am most proud of bestowing upon you.”
      “Tonight though, is a very different set of circumstances. I again come to the place of decision on man’s fate and after weighing all his downfalls. I find him wanting. I can no more tolerate the abuses he bestows upon my creation and even more, the abuses you suffer on this Earth because of him. It pains me so to say this, but the end of mankind is very near.”
      The assemblage now began to feel the ground tremble beneath them slightly. In the warmth of the glow, they knew no panic was necessary.
      “So on this very special night, I have not a gift to the few, but the ultimate gift to all. As the dawn breaks in the Eastern sky, my living creations of nature shall all be granted a soul. I will also give you free reign to the entire Earth unimpeded by man and his loathsome existence. It is through you and all like you that the beauty of my first creation will eternally retain its exquisiteness. I will once again be able to view all that I have accomplished through a window of satisfaction, knowing the balance of nature has been restored.”
      The shaking of the ground ebbed and the multi-colored, sparkling swirls again appeared. Collecting into a single grouping above the animals, the lone light ascended towards the heavens and disappeared through the treetops above, leaving the darkest moment of night surrounding the animals. Silently standing in awe, none of the Creator’s handiwork moved a muscle for a few moments.
      To the east, a