The intensity of her emotions nearly burned a hole in her heart.
She fell to her knees at the edge of the Kīlauea crater and let it all out. The cry was ugly, and anyone who witnessed how it twisted her visage would be repelled, not only to look away but to run as well. A park ranger who witnessed this sat next to Elana, held her in her arms, and encouraged her to let it all out. Her park ranger name tag identifies her as Lehua. Her face was soaked with tears and hupē kole. Lehua did not judge her but gave her a handkerchief to clean her face."When you're ready," Lehua said. "We can walk back to the visitors center and talk more."
Her legs were still shaky from the emotion she just let out, but Elana made it to the visitors' center, where she sat down at a table that Lehua chose for the two of them. "I'll be right back," patted Elana on the shoulder. "Wait right here."
While Elana sat there gathering her thoughts, there was a sudden commotion at the visitors' center. Everyone ran outside, uttering shouts of shock and horror. Elana got up and followed the crowd. She was shocked to find out that the area where she was just expressing her grief over her heart being broken had crumbled and fallen away to the bottom of Halema'uma'u. Had it not been for park ranger Lehua, she would have fallen to her death. Running back to the visitors' center, Elana couldn't find the park ranger no matter how much she tried. After giving up, Elan decided to leave. On the way out, passing the guard shack, she saw a park ranger and decided to stop.
"Do you know a park ranger named Lehua?" She asked.
The ranger in the stand was an older Filipino man whose face changed suddenly. "Did she help you or something?"
"Yes," Elana said. "I was standing at the edge of Kīlauea crater, just crying because my boyfriend broke up with me. This Lehua, this ranger came and held me, letting me cry until I was done. Then she walked me over to the visitors center."
"Is that when that part of the crater collapsed just now?" The ranger asked.
"Yes, how do you know all this?" Elana inquired.
"We don't have a park ranger named Lehua. But somehow she shows up all the time and saves people from getting hurt, or worse," the ranger nodded. "Yet, people see her all the time. We think it's Pele, it has to be."
credit @laurelhamers
No comments:
Post a Comment