The Sentinel

  The Sentinel stands guard over it's lonely valley like a guardian angel over his assigned. The Sentinel watches with a fiery stare, nothing can disturb in, not the cold rain nor the scorching heat of the Sun. When Spring comes it turns the Sentinel's great gray coat green and the valley is set in a joyous mood for food is a plenty; truly a time when the Sentinel can rest a little easier. Summer however, brings it's unchained anger across the world. The Sentinel must bore the worse of this season's temper for the valley would perish in agony, but no matter how hard Summer rages with it's fire buring it's back, the Sentinel just watches it's valley engulfed by it's shadow. Finally Summer leaves, and in comes old Fall ready to soothe the burns and show off it's artistic skill. Fall comes to the valley with a red and gold picture on it's mind. It has the valley pose for the picture and the artist begins. Meanwhile, the Sentinel looks on with amusement at the valley's stillness as Fall paints with great detail one of the rare times when the Sentinel smiles with joy. Seeing the Sentinel's unusual happiness, Fall sneaks in a chance to paint the Sentinel's now burned green coat a most rich red. The valley looked up in awe and some said it was as if a great ruby and emerged from the earth. Satisfied with it's work Fall moves on to paint the rest of the world leaving the valley to admire it's skills with the brush. Grateful for the new coat the Sentinel watches Fall leave then looks down upon the valley as it shows a painting of gold, red, and brown. However, the Sentinel knows it can't stay that way forever because an old man with a love for cold is on his way. Winter arrives silently upon the valley starting the year's first snowfall and giving a good chill to the air. The snow starts gently at first, but soon it comes down like fire from the sky covering everything in a blanket of blinding white. At nightfall Winter brings his full load with a massive blizzard causing a complete whiteout nothing can be seen until morning when the Sentinel checks the damage. It looked as though Winter had brought all the flour from every bakery in the world and all the ice from the Poles to outdo the other seasons in their work. It was months before the valley could dig itself out of the snow and the Sentinel had to watch Winter to make sure he did not attempt to bury the valley again. Looking at the Sentinel the valley noticed that Fall's ruby coat had been turned into Winter's own pearly white design. Winter laughed and said he had liked to give the Sentinel a new coat for protecting the valley all year long and left with a smile on his face. Some of the valley mummers that old man Winter is quite the joker, but the Sentinel is focused on something else. A patch of green has sprung through the now melting snow. The Sentinel sighs lightly and grins it looks like it's about to begin again.