Odlazak iz Doline

Tomas, čuvar parka, stigao je u centar za posjetitelje u zoru. Imao je termosicu s kavom. Sjeo je na klupu pored Polly.

Tomas the ranger came to the visitor centre at sunrise. He had a Thermos of coffee. He sat on a bench next to Polly.

Nisu puno razgovarali. Polly je uređivala svoje perje. Jutro je mirisalo na rijeku.

They did not say much. Polly preened her feathers. The morning smelled of the river.

"Odlaziš," rekao je Tomas.

"You are leaving," Tomas said.

Polly je nagnula glavu.

Polly tilted her head.

Ispričao joj je o ostatku parka. Visoko gorje s jezerima. Druga dolina na sjeveru. Šumarak visokih stabala.

He told her about the rest of the park. The high country with its lakes. Another valley to the north. A grove of tall trees.

"Ovo mjesto je preveliko da bi se vidjelo u tri dana," rekao je. "Vidiš samo dijelove."

"This place is too big to see in three days," he said. "You only see pieces."

Polly je razmišljala o svojim skokovima s litice. Nijedan nije bio dobar. Ali svaki je bio malo bolji. Mogla bi se usavršavati cijeli život.

Polly thought about her dives off the cliff. None of them were good. But each one was a little better. She could keep getting better for a lifetime.

Zeleni autobus se vratio. Isti vozač. Tomas je ustao. "Idemo," rekao je.

The green shuttle bus came back. The same driver. Tomas stood up. "Off you go," he said.

Polly je raširila svoja krila. Podigla se s klupe. Kružila je oko centra za posjetitelje. Usponila se.

Polly stretched her wings. She lifted off the bench. She circled the visitor centre. She climbed.

Dolina je nestajala ispod nje. El Capitan bio je s njezine lijeve strane. Half Dome s desne.

The valley dropped away. El Capitan was on her left. Half Dome was on her right.

Na rubu, skrenula je prema zapadu. Ispod nje, sivi sokol lovio je male ptice uz liticu. Polly je promatrala. Zatim je pronašla vjetar i pustila ga da je nosi izvan parka.

At the rim, she banked west. Below her, a peregrine hunted small swifts along the cliff. Polly watched. Then she found the wind and let it carry her out of the park.