by Shane Cogan
C H A P T E R 8
Aria
Wormblack was in the hoyden and driving back to Aria. He put the vehicle on autopilot, turned on the radar console and let the technical aspects of the vehicle take him home. In any case, he needed to think and not drive. While it was relatively easy in the air, one still had to remain vigilant behind the wheel, and it was not something he could do now. His sister, Zirva, did not explain in great detail where she had sent Camellias, but it was far from Aria. His mind remembering her every word. He had asked her several times where, but she did not answer.
That was the biggest issue with Zirva. All the damn secrets. Her whole life is one big secret. Even with father, she kept secrets.
‘You will know everything in good time when all will be revealed,’ she told him. I was never in favour of that plan. ‘Absolute madness and we will all get caught eventually,’ he shouted. He smashed his small hand hard against the right pain of glass in the vehicle. It barely made a noise. He looked out at the passing vehicles. Dusk was approaching and there were fewer hoydens in the air.
He had handed his sister the book, the liquid and all the remains of the black holder bag. He knew that the liquid was a poison of some kind. Was it for Camellias? Where had she sent her? The more questions he asked his sister, the more blank answers he got in reply. He thought back to their childhood and conjured up the image of the two of them listening to their father and grandfather and the endless tales of the Yarracullan Empire. You were the one who would act strangely and not conform to the family’s normal pattern of Atisian life. And then the Collective. He sighed heavily. Are they also behind the abduction? He shivered at their very name. He brushed his hand hard along his forehead.
They attracted all kind of strange rumours, with allegations of sinister magic being practised. I know Zirva is a prominent member, and that they had the backing of some of the important members of the Yarracullan tribe, but who else is in the group? He tried hard to link the pieces together on why the King’s wife was so important. He heard the hoydens automatic light system kick in and its engine slow to a hum. He could not to see the link. It must be about a ransom of some kind, or maybe just in return for some political patronage and increased power. He heard the vehicle slow down and an air lock sound whistled a low booming sound. Wormblack looked out the window and noted that they had already gone through the eastern gate. There was no light on in the small tower. He smiled.
He drove the rest of the way manually. He pulled up at where he had rented the vehicle, under an alias, returned it and walked the rest of the way home. As Wormblack entered his home, he thought fondly of Camellias. As a member of the Vanguard, he had access to the King’s family. He had become very close to Fareth. Zirva knows this. And that damn Collective knows this. Is this the only reason they need me? I’m being used by my own sister?
His wife and children were at home. He joined them in the seating area of the house, where they rested for the rest of the evening and talked about all the issues of the day. He tried to eliminate all the events of the day from his mind and focus on the nice things his family had to say, but found it difficult. His mind was restless as ever. His wife’s eyes scolded him for this on more than one occasion, yet she consoled affectionately with her hugs. The youngest child tickled Wormblack hard under his arm. At first he shrugged her off. His wife’s eyes told him off again. He tickled his daughter and she responded harder this time. He rolled over and laughed. The other children joined in. His mind now focused on the laughing.
******
After her brother had left the small mountain cabin, Zirva had gone into her study to look at the contents of the bag more carefully and plan her next move. Her head almost touched the top wooden door frame as she entered. She folded her black hair into a coil. She snapped her fingers and a small mirror appeared on the wall. Twisting her neck in an exercise motion to the left and to the right, her green eyes and pale white skin never left the middle of the mirror. She brushed her face with a hand ever so slowly and smiled. Still no scars, blemishes or identifiable marks for this special Atis centenarian.
Zirva read the small book from start to finish, especially the small section about her. ‘That damn interfering Tarracullan must have spent years doing this research. I have underestimated their skills,’ she whispered. She read on. After closing the book, she picked up the bottle of strange-looking liquid. She unscrewed the small cap, placed it carefully on the table next to her, and pulled its top to the edge of her nostrils. She placed one finger between the top of the bottle and her nose and waved it slightly, so as not to let the odour enter her nose entirely. She pulled back after only two seconds. ‘Still as durable, pungent and nauseating as all those years ago,’ she said. She closed the bottle quickly and placed it on the table. She thought about the first time she had encountered the liquid when she was much younger and smiled.
You have shaped my life, shaped my thinking and are now returning again to shape the future. ‘I have missed you, my friend. The purple water is now in my possession again and I intend to use it to my full advantage,’ she said. Zirva left the small mountain cabin and proceeded on foot further up the mountain.
******
Aluum had walked for several days, during the daylight hours, finding shelter at night in various places on the stark planet. Aluum continued to recall each word that the guide had said in the last dream, while studying its own body, the surroundings and what it all meant. On the fourth day of walking across the barren hot landscape, Aluum came across some new colours it had not seen before and with it some new formations on the landscape. Carefully, Aluum approached this new sight. Once again, it repeated the words ‘use your eyes and ears to guide you. Study only whatever crosses your path.’ The area in front of Aluum’s eyes was something that it had not seen before. It could barely make out it was mainly green in colour, structure and formation. ‘What is it?’ Aluum moved slowly towards the small area that was relatively flat, but noticed that it had some other formations on the green area that were upright. Aluum stepped onto the green area and sensed that it felt different. It stepped back off the green area, thought some more about it and then walked back onto the green area. It sensed this was very different to most of the surfaces it has encountered so far, certainly the barren red dust, and it was fine to move around and explore. It felt soft under its feet somehow, Aluum sensed. It is a similar feeling to the water on my skin, in that it helps the body somehow.
Aluum walked around the green area for some time and with each step grew more comfortable with the new surroundings. After a while, Aluum saw a larger shape that was tall and very unlike the rocks that were everywhere on the planet. Aluum walked towards it. ‘What are you? You have some arms and legs like me and the spider?’ There was no reply. It tried to speak some more to the new structure. Still no reply. Aluum was almost certain that this was some kind of creature, as it had large arms or leg-like objects that came out of its body. However, Aluum felt that this thing was different, as it simply did not make a move when spoken to. Perplexed, Aluum touched the creature with its fingers and hands and moved its hands slowly on the brown skin that covered its body. Aluum felt that its skin was hard, but not as hard as the rocks. It was similar to the rocks in that its skin was jagged, uneven. Aluum continued to touch the skin and realised that this creature’s skin was very different to its own. The creature made no sound and didn’t move. Nothing. It simply remained where it was.
How very strange, as the spider had simply moved away when we had first locked eyes together. Aluum stretched out its hand and pulled at one of the creature’s arms. Aluum tried to pull the arm closer to itself. It pulled harder. Then the arm came loose from the creature and made a strange cracking noise. Aluum fell backwards with the creature’s torn away-coiled arm still in its own hand. Aluum had landed flat on the green surface, while looking straight up at the strange dusty creature above. Aluum looked at the creature’s arm in its own hand and felt a strange awareness. It studied the lo
ng thin brown arm more closely. The creature’s arm had small green things on the tip of the arm that, when touched, felt very much like its own skin. Taking the arm from the creature was not quite right somehow. Aluum did not try to do the same thing again, as something inside its mind told it not to. It could not work out why this was wrong and decided to leave the creature alone. In my next dream, I will ask the voice why I feel this way.
Aluum stood up and walked around on the green area some more, but felt it was also important to keep an eye on the tall brown shaped creature, in case it moved or ran away. It did not move away, but remained where it was, not making a sound.
Aluum decided to use the guide’s last advice and study the large brown creature more closely. It moved closer to the creature, folded its ailing body on the green surface and started to study the creature. Aluum focused its eyes first on the top of the large brown creature. By comparing it to its own body, Aluum calculated that this creature was about ten times its own size. It then allowed its eyes to carefully look at the brown creature’s body, arm by arm, leg by leg. After a while, Aluum felt that the large middle part of the brown creature might be its legs. And then tried to use its fingers to try and calculate how many arms it had, but gave up, as it stopped counting after the fourth hand. It clearly has many arms, as they all come from the middle of part of its body. Aluum now felt the creature would not move, so rested its body against the brown creature. Feeling comfortable, it rested its eyes and fell asleep.
After a while, Aluum opened its eyes quickly, as it felt something hit its head. It is still daylight, so I could not have been asleep for long. And I am still next to this brown creature. Aluum felt around on the top of its head to see if something had landed on its head. It picked up the thing that fell on its head. It was part of the brown creature’s skin, Aluum realised. Aluum looked up to see more of it coming down towards it, and fast. Aluum moved out of the way, trying to escape the falling pieces and arched its head back to see where it was coming from. After a while, Aluum could make out that a very small black creature was causing the stuff to fall down. ‘Stop! What are you doing up there? Who are you?’ No reply. ‘It seems none of these creatures, small or big, brown, or black, speak my tongue, so maybe I won’t speak to them anymore. It seems pointless,’ Aluum said.
Aluum could make out that the small black creature appeared to have four legs, a head, a tail and eyes. It is very different from the spider. It has two eyes, a mouth and can move fast. Aluum sensed it needed to be still to view the creature more carefully, so it moved back from the tall brown creature and rested on the ground, standing completely still. Aluum watched the small black creature come down the brown creature’s body. It seemed to sniff the air and moved its head back and forth to check out the area and then came to a stop at the bottom the big brown creature. Why did it just stop there? Does it see me and want to speak with me? Aluum watched in silence, as the small black creature looked up a few more times, before burying its head and mouth into something that was attached to the brown creature’s lower body. Aluum tried hard to see what the small black creature was doing. Holding its breath, Aluum remained still and silent.
Was this the same story as when the spider caught that small thing in its web and then put it in its mouth? Finally, Aluum moved closer slowly, so as not to make the new creature run away, like the spider. It kept its mouth and head firmly in whatever was at the bottom part of the big brown creature. Aluum stopped as the small black creature had spotted it. It looked up, made a movement with its small head, blinked its eyes, and then ran off with a long thing twirling behind at the back of its body. Aluum quickly moved to what had preoccupied the small black creature’s attention. The substance appeared white and was indeed attached to the brown creature. Aluum began to realise that the brown creature that dominated the green area was no creature, as it still could not move, especially now after some other creature had started to put its mouth onto its skin. I would move away, if this happened. I’ll just call you ‘brown body’ from now on, as you are no creature.
Aluum touched the white substance with its fingers. It seemed very much like water, but harder. Aluum picked one up. All of it came away from the brown body with one attempt and quite easily. Aluum held it in its hand, closed its hand on it and felt the substance open and close within its hands. There was no sound, no change to its appearance and no strange sensation on the skin or hand. It seemed harmless, Aluum sensed. It appeared to have a very small, white, round head, with a lot of brown lines under the head, with just one leg holding up the whole thing. They were small in appearance, many of them, and all attached to the bottom of the brown body. The guide had said: learn from the creatures. Aluum had seen that the small black creature was putting this small white thing into its mouth. Do I also need to do this, similar to the water? Do I need more than water for my body? Maybe this is what the guide had meant. Aluum placed one of the small white things in its mouth, then another and then one more. Aluum at once realised that this was the first time, other than water, that something hard had gone into its mouth. Unlike the water, Aluum sensed that these things would not go down the back of the mouth easily. It used the hard white objects in its mouth to press on the white material, slowly at first, then faster as it seemed to like it. Aluum felt a strange sensation in its mouth, as it seemed very different from the water. Aluum did not dislike this feeling, but was sure it was very unusual and thought each item that it put in its mouth may have a different a feeling. ‘What is that feeling?’ Aluum said. Aluum continued to put many of the small white things into its mouth, press on them and then they disappeared down the back of the mouth and into the body. Realising that this all felt good for its body, Aluum continued. Just like the small black creature had being doing, Aluum folded its own body and moved closer to the small white things on the ground and pushed the rest of them into its mouth. Aluum felt good. My body seems to like this substance. I need to put more in my mouth.
C H A P T E R 9
Aluum
‘So you found the answer to your question on what comes after water?’ the guide asked Aluum. No response. Aluum was not quite sure if the latest dream and the voice it had just heard was real, or just in its head. The last thing Aluum remembered was eating the small white-headed objects on the soft, green area. Aluum tried to see, but could only see darkness. It tried to reach out, but could only feel the darkness. Aluum tried to speak, but its mouth would not move or make any noises. It tried to move, but its entire body was frozen. ‘I am waiting for your reply,’ the voice said. No reply came. Aluum tried to force one hand to move, slowly at first. Nothing. Then it started to move ever so slightly at first, then more freely. Aluum moved one hand in front of its face, while looking at all its fingers. Everything seems fine, but something is very different. I feel some strange sensation in my body. ‘Aluum…Aluum can you hear me?’ the voice called out. Aluum tied to reply, but nothing came from its mouth. What is going on? ‘Why can I not reply?
Aluum felt a new sensation in a part of its body that it had not felt or properly seen before. It moved the hand it could see toward its body, where this new sensation was coming from. Slowly the hand moved and the fingers came to life. Sluggishly Aluum began to focus on this new bodily feeling for the first time. The hand touched the area where the new sensation was coming from. Again, the hand touched the area, and then the fingers went in. At first, Aluum moved its hand very slowly away and then back in front of its eyes to have a closer look, as it felt something sticky on its hand. It shouted out a new sound, a long piercing sound that it had not heard before, as a pain inside began to increase with each heart beat. Again, Aluum let out the same sound, but even longer this time – but harder on the ears. Almost by instinct, Aluum held a hand over each of its ears in response, while the sound continued from its curved mouth. Aluum now felt very peculiar. Indolently, Aluum removed its hands from its ears, while bringing each hand around in front of eyes. What is that colour? What is that red liquid o
n my hand? One of Aluum’s hand and fingers were covered in the red liquid and drops were falling from the hand that had touched the area of its body earlier. Aluum tried to jump up, but could not and could only stare at its hand. Some drops had stuck to its hand and began to dry fast, while some continued to drip from its fingers onto its body, which then fell onto the ground. The substance appeared to stick to Aluum’s body quickly, and did not drip off or disappear. Aluum reached back again to the middle part of its body, between its legs, where the liquid was coming from. Once again more of the substance came out. And again, even more dripping. This new sensation of something it had never felt before. Aluum felt it needed to move. After a while, a louder noise came from its mouth, and then finally Aluum could open its mouth and move its head. The voice re-appeared.
‘Aluum, are you there?’ the voice called out. Aluum tried to focus hard, opened its mouth and asked: ‘What is happening? I feel strange. What is this liquid between my legs that is causing this new sensation? I do not like this. I do not want this to continue. I want it to stop. Help!’ Aluum shouted out. Silence followed, whereby Aluum began to shake and move its body. The voice replied: ‘Stop, Aluum! Do not move. Just focus on my voice. You are in a semi-dream.’ Aluum listened and its mind began calm, ever so gently. ‘You have had a very busy day, Aluum. There is much to discuss and a lot to take in.’ Aluum was not quite sure if it was only a dream, but had forgotten all about the liquid between its legs, for the time being. The guide tried to navigate Aluum’s thoughts away from the pain it was feeling.
‘So what have you learned from your experiences in the green area today?’ Aluum paused. ‘Well, I watched the small black creature put those white things in its small mouth.’ The guide explained that the small creature was called a rat. ‘So it was a creature. And what was it putting in its mouth? I also did it, as I wanted to follow your words that I needed to watch the creatures that I came across.’ The guide explained that these small white things were fungi and grew wild in the green areas, especially under large trees that Aluum called the ‘brown body’. ‘These trees are also very important. So when you see them, watch them, even climb them, as there are many creatures living on and off of them. However, some things are not always possible to eat, even the fungi, as some are poisonous, meaning that if you eat them you will get sick or’, the guide paused momentarily, ‘they make you see things, as there are a particular type of fungi that can be eaten that will make you see things in a different way than normal. Sometimes you will eat these, as they will give you more answers.’ Aluum repeated the word, ‘eat’? The guide explained that eating certain fungi was important for Aluum’s body, and even more essential that it eats these things that grow in nature. ‘So I drink liquid, like the water, and eat stuff like the fungi, but I must always learn what to eat from watching these small creatures?’
