He didn’t respond at first.
“Simon!” She shook him harder this time, almost sending him tumbling down the mountain.
Simon finally jolted from his daze and looked up at Cynthia, who was pointing ahead of them.
“We’re here!” she told him merrily.
Already?
He watched as Cynthia struggled up to the mountain’s summit and crawled around to take his hand. Simon gladly accepted and Cynthia pulled him up as well. When Simon was firmly on the smooth rock, he gazed around at his surroundings.
They were here.
The summit of River Mountain.
The scenery of the summit enchanted Simon beyond measure. He had never expected this in his wildest dreams. Above them were clear, azure skies. The grass was a mixture of lime and forest-green, gently swaying in the wind. The breezes were caressing the land around them, creating a soothing atmosphere at this altitude, which was neither chilling nor burning, just cool.
Now, Cynthia pulled at his shoulder and Simon looked over to the ancient oak tree. Already beneath it was a softly colored blanket with a sweetgrass basket sitting in the middle.
A picnic? Simon thought suspiciously. This is why she brought me up here?
Simon glanced back at his companion, who was prancing forward as though he wasn’t watching her. He shook his head and followed.
When Simon arrived, Cynthia was twirling around. Her long skirt was soon an array of colors, particularly matching her violet sweater. Grass fluttered in the wind and she smiled at him. Simon smiled back, and headed towards her, but then he stopped.
For only a second, something felt wrong. The sweet wind and grass went silent and Cynthia stopped twirling. It seemed almost as if it were a slow-motion shot in a film he once saw. The wonderful colors of spring turned sharp like steel and became harsh. Black spots created an unfathomable void in his memory, as though it was trying to erase it forever.
Simon could only stare blankly as the scene unfolded before him. And then, slower than ever before, time unwound itself. The brilliant colors came back. He began to blink again, and Cynthia turned towards him once more, a new expression on her face. One of extreme annoyance.
He began to wonder how this had happened, why he was here. Did he even know himself?
He looked back at Cynthia and laughed.
“Simon, come on already! Sit down!” she called to him.
Simon looked away and ruffled his hair until Cynthia laughed at his way of combing his hair. It had always been a bad habit of his.
“I’m coming already!” he mimicked.
Cynthia had already set out the meal and was thoroughly enjoying herself. And by the time Simon arrived, almost everything was gone. He sighed and began eating beside her.
When the pair were completely settled with the picnic, Simon believed it was time. He gingerly pulled the blue flower from his pocket and held it out to Cynthia. He began to speak, until he noticed that she was sound asleep beneath the oak tree. A gentle breeze brushed past them and Simon smoothed her braid out.
Even though the days seemed peaceful now, they needed to be prepared. The people of Appia were beginning to worry about something, Simon knew. Whenever the adults passed him, they would put up cheerful smiles and continue on to their tasks for the day. But Simon knew better than to ask what was troubling them.
Cynthia, on the other hand, did not exactly follow that unspoken rule.
In the beginning weeks after her parents’ disappearance, Simon knew Cynthia was at her breaking point. She was running around town, questioning anyone she could find. Most believed that her parents were dead, despite Cynthia’s belief that they were still alive. Simon tried to persuade her to cease her questioning, but it was no use.
Finally, she asked her grandmother. Simon assumed that her grandmother would be the first person she asked, but apparently not.
One day Simon saw Cynthia on the horizon, running to him. The sun was setting by then, so she was only a shadow in the background. He was working on planting the spring flowers, so he didn’t notice her until she had run through the gate.
She fell into the dirt and soon popped back up to explain the situation to Simon, vowing she would never question the adults ever again. “Clueless people,” she called them.
He almost thought, Why me? Why did I of all people have to be stuck with her? But he shook the thought aside. Simon knew that wasn’t true. He knew that there was more to Cynthia than just her maddening shenanigans.
Simon stirred the sleeping shadow once more.
“Cynthia,” he whispered. “Cynthia, wake up.”
“Yes? What is it?” Cynthia asked as she stood up from the blanket.
“Here.”
Simon brought the beautiful blue flower up from the blanket and placed it tenderly in her outstretched hands. Cynthia stared intently at the flower for a few minutes as the breezes passed them by.
“Um… Cynthia?” Simon questioned and he began to tap Cynthia on the shoulder. The wind brushed through her hair once more and she suddenly jumped towards him.
“Thank you, Simon!” Cynthia beamed at him, the midday sun as her backdrop. Simon nodded and rubbed the back of his head.
“You’re welcome,” he replied.
She hugged him, if only for a few moments. Then she relinquished the flower to Simon, placing it back in his hands.
“I’ll never forget it,” she promised.
“Thank you.”
The mountaintop had never felt cooler. The midday sun was slowly creeping to the west, threatening its imminent cycle of darkness. Pan, Arcadia’s moon, could be seen just above the horizon. The stars scattered the sky as well. Cynthia was celebrating her surprise picnic success while Simon stood by the tree. He held the flower in his hand, but this time it felt natural to be like this with Cynthia. Moving along with her to work out their adventures.
But, as with any other time, the dawn falls to dusk, leaving behind only memories of sunshine.
“We’d ought to be going home now, Cynthia!” Simon called to her in the twilight.
“A little more! Please?” she begged. Simon furrowed his brow and leaned his back against the trunk of the tree. This was going to take a while.
“Just a little more!” Cynthia repeated.
“Fine!” Simon conceded. “But if we don’t leave before nightfall, I’ll go back down myself!” Simon saw Cynthia frown, but a touch of a devilish smile was hidden beneath it. He realized he probably wouldn’t come back down until dawn.
Time passed as Cynthia continued to jump along the cliffside. Simon thought he heard her laugh at him several times, but he didn’t mind as much as before. She was enjoying herself, and when they returned, both of them would head back to their daily lives. It was simple.
“Simon, look at this!” Cynthia cried to him as she twirled around once more along the cliff side. She did a jump as a finale, but it was slightly off. Her dark shoe caught the edge of the cliff, causing it to crumble.
She fell.
Simon’s eyes widened as he realized what just happened. He rushed towards the edge and stretched out his hand, tears welling up in his eyes. He fell down as he grasped her hand, desperately trying to hold on. He struggled to pull her up, but a rough gale blew past them. Her hand almost slipped from his grip; he grabbed it once more to pull her up. He whipped his head towards the west and struggled to comprehend what he saw. An immense cloud had risen from the ashes just another few mountains ahead of them, trailing deep-grey smoke layers above the clouds. Smaller waves formed beneath the larger ones, creating an impossible setting before them.
He finally succeeded in pulling her up. “Simon,” Cynthia said when she was on the summit again. “Are you all right?” She reached a hand out towards him.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” he reassured her and took her hand. He smiled at her.
“Thank you, Simon, for saving me…” she murmured as tears filled her eyes. Simon looked at her, surprised.
/> Why was she crying?
He chuckled and stroked her cheek as he replied, “You’re welcome.” Cynthia smiled. Another gale hit, stronger this time. Simon saw her attention turn toward to the west.
“Simon,” she asked him. “What’s going on?”
He shook his head and looked out at the ever-increasing clouds.
“I… don’t know.”
He watched the mass unfurling towards them. One full of dangers beyond their imagination. The once azure skies were now a steely grey that blocked out the sun. Patterns began to form amongst the clouds and left contrails that broke apart the dangerous heavens to a clear day.
“Contrails? Here?” Simon wondered. A distant thumping grew louder, the sound echoing across the valley. They hurriedly covered their ears to block out the horrendous sound, and then it came. Blast after blast of immense concussions almost threw them off the mountain entirely. The surrounding flora were forced out of the ground as if a tornado had raged through.
The rock of the unbreakable mountain cracked in an instant.
“Hang on!” a voice yelled over the deafening noise. Simon turned to respond, but it was too late. The slate beneath them broke off and slid down the mountainside. Both children tumbled downhill and crashed into the rubble of the fallen plate. Simon’s entire body hurt as he attempted to sit up from the gritty surface. He could barely hear mumbling next to him and he crawled in that direction.
“Cynthia?” he croaked.
His vision was beginning to clear when the voice replied, “Simon?”
He could see an equally battered Cynthia ahead of him. He nodded and looked up at the sky. What had caused those thunderous shocks? Were they what caused the contrails? The clouds above were almost charcoal colored, creating an ominous feeling. Fragments of gravel showered them from the broken cliffs hanging in the haze. Below the remains of the cliff there were fathomless pools of crystalline waters.
“We have to find a way down,” Simon said. Cynthia surveyed the area around them, then gave a triumphant clap. She turned to him and exclaimed, “We jump!”
The more logical of them just stared at her, wide-eyed. It was as if she suggested that they escape the planet! They were better off climbing down. Much safer, but slower. Unless….
Simon looked down at the pools of water. From where they were, it was about a seventeen-meter drop. He looked back at Cynthia, who had a wide grin on her face.
She’s mad, Simon thought dully.
“Come on, it can’t be that hard of a fall!” Cynthia said cheerfully as she grabbed his hand.
About as hard as slamming into a concrete wall, I’ll bet!
She gave him a reassuring smile, just like when they started up the mountain. Simon felt a tug on his wrist, and then he was falling.
Cynthia had pulled him over.
Stains of silver and iron streaked past them as they fell. The sky and sun became a mosaic of colors, and there was only the uncertain future ahead.
The air rushed by them as though they were rocks sinking into a pond. Simon saw the pool quickly approaching, and he looked at Cynthia.
He saw the gleam of a jubilant smile as they crashed into the starless abyss.
Chapter III
Fire
In the blink of an eye, contrails streaked across the sky, temporarily clearing the silver blockade above. Something blue blurred past them, spraying gunfire. Cynthia tried to see the attacker, but it was already gone.
“What… was that?” she heard Simon say. He, too, was clearly bewildered by the experience. She looked at him now, in the cold, tundra-like environment that they found themselves in.
Like her, he was soaked and dripping with water. His black hair darkened his violet eyes to such an extent that she wondered how they could change so much. Thankfully, he was quickly drying off, even better than she was on the damp sand.
Simon looked down at her warily.
“Need a hand?” he asked, holding out his own.
“Please,” Cynthia replied, taking Simon’s hand and shakily standing up. Her body ached from the fall, and her legs burned like fire.
She stumbled and almost fell down again.
Simon caught her and helped steady her on the scant beach alongside the water.
“Try to take it easy now,” Simon told her.
She nodded.
Her eyes widened and she stared up at the sky at the sound of engines screaming. Planes dropped down through the sky like fallen meteors. They crashed through the heavens and advanced over the lands.
Cynthia and Simon stared.
“Simon—”
“We have to hurry.” The boy snapped out of his trance and took Cynthia’s hand.
He began to walk, fueled by a desire to return to their home. He would find the way back, no matter what.
But Cynthia stopped.
What would happen if they lost the way towards Appia, their home? What if they were killed on the way by those planes? Thoughts such as these swam through her mind and paralyzed her with confusion.
“What if?” she murmured.
“Huh?”
“What if we don’t make it, Simon?” she cried.
She pulled away, almost sliding back down to the banks of the pool in defeat.
“Don’t worry,” Simon held her hand tight and pulled her back up. “We’ll survive.” He smiled. “After all, if we don’t go home soon, everyone will be mad, won’t they?”
“They would,” she replied sheepishly. It was a pitiful excuse. Why would she need cheering up? But still… Simon seemed fitter for this than she did.
She stood.
“Come on,” he told her, “let’s go!”
The skies seemed to roar as they ran across the flat plains of Arcadia. The twilight shrouded them in darkness as aircraft flew overhead.
“Hurry,” Simon whispered when Cynthia began to slow to a jog. “We have to keep going!”
They slid behind a boulder and crouched. In an instant, it was gone, blown away by an unseen force. They jumped and sprinted south in terror.
“Keep going!” Cynthia called to Simon when he began to slow along with her. They had been sprinting for some time now. The prospect of arriving in Appia was driving them.
They kept to the extensive rocks when countless, semi-invisible carriers sped by. Some barreled to the sides and to a different sector of the infiltrated utopia. A few flew above the clouds to offer support. But the only ones they were concerned by were the eagles hovering above. The carriers hovered and were comparable to helicopters.
The eagles raced by the rocky escarpment. Sonic booms resounded across the valleys. They huddled together in fear that no one else would come.
In time, all was silent again.
The children sighed in relief and stood.
“We have to get back!” Cynthia told Simon. She was more convinced than ever, but why, she couldn’t say.
“All right, then.”
They continued their journey towards home.
They had finally reached an outcropping not far from their hometown when they saw it. Smoke rising high above the mountains. Surprise and fear overwhelmed them.
They ran towards the ferocious fire.
As they reached the burning town, Cynthia stopped. Tears began to flow and she screamed at the injustice and slid to the ground.
Everyone… is gone….
The place they once called home was now barely recognizable as the blistering heat of the flames engulfed it. Appia was truly gone. The solemn, battered girl stared at the ground, tears sliding down her reddened cheeks.
“I’ll…” she choked out.
“I’ll…” her voice trembled, but she threw her head back in a flurry of rage. “I’ll kill them!” And then she returned her attention back to the soil. It was soft, in a way. It looked like gravel, but this too held the flame’s reflection.
Cynthia continued to stare blindly. Where would they go? Homes crumbled and more smoke rose into the air, blacke
ning it, signaling the town’s demise. Her eyes shone like the fire before them, a deep crimson that resembled a jewel.
She finally turned away.
“Let’s go,” she said roughly to Simon.
Cynthia’s face and long, apple-red hair was spattered with dirt and mud. Scratches from the fall streaked her face. Her clothes were tattered and soaked.
Simon’s appearance was no better.
Cynthia clutched his sleeve and her voice rose. “Let’s go, Simon!”
He tried to pull away, but the grip only tightened. “Cynthia, let go!” he cried, and she jumped, dropping his arm. Her crimson eyes returned to their usual emerald color. What had happened? Cynthia was crying again. He held out his hand to wipe off the tears.
“I’m sorry,” she heard him whisper.
She looked up and nodded. “No, it’s fine.”
Simon nodded back.
“Let’s go, Simon.”
“Let’s.”
They could never have imagined the desolation. Smoldering remains choked the air. Fires leaped among the remains, making the once peaceful town a hellish nightmare.
They rushed down the burning streets. Grayish debris tumbled in their wake. Cynthia held tightly to Simon’s hand through it all.
“Simon, watch out!” she yelled when a pile of rocks caused him to fall face first onto the stone. Trickles of blood ran down his forehead. Cynthia fell forward, letting go of his arm and hitting the ground as well.
Flames burst from the buildings nearest to them. Two pairs of eyes widened as the buildings began to tumble and fall down. They scrambled away from the inferno. Cynthia rolled to the side and looked for Simon.
“Simon!” she cried through the clouds of debris and smoke. She saw a hand slowly appear and he replied weakly, “Don’t worry about me! I’m fine!”
Cynthia let out a little laugh. Even in the most desperate times, Simon could still be a joy.
“Don’t worry!” The boy comforted her again and she laughed through her tears.
Don’t worry.
“We have to hurry,” she told Simon. He nodded. Cynthia reclaimed his hand and they ran back onto the streets of the decimated town.
When they finally reached the town square, it was quiet. No flames, debris, or destruction. The white marble fountain in the center was still intact. The cobblestone roads were not scorched.
Hope in Paradise Page 2
