LeOmi's Solitude

by Curtis, Gene

  Tears flowed from LeOmi’s eyes. She could feel the firm belief from everyone in the room.

  He will be rescued.

  * * *

  LeOmi stayed at the museum with Bekka and Mr. McGraw.

  The waiting was the hard part.

  “I was always so concerned that this might happen. Hadn’t I mentioned this to you? We should have taken better precautions.”

  “But if those…within…could have found…a way out.”

  “I know, I know, but now, we have another in.”

  “Yes…” Mr. Diefenderfer turned Mr. McGraw to look at him, “Believe, Quintus…We must believe.”

  “Yes, yes, you’re right.”

  Bekka took Mr. McGraw’s hand, “Come Father, let’s sit down.” The two of them went towards the office.

  “LeOmi, you have…something…for me?”

  “Yes, but I feel that you already know.”

  “About…the Truth Stone…and Ralph…Yes…There are…those who…no longer need…the Truth Stone.”

  “I thought that might be true, but I had to be sure.”

  “Yes…Thank you…Miss Jones.”

  “I am going to the Reports Room now.”

  “Very good…Miss Jones.”

  LeOmi turned to go but she stopped and turned towards Mr. Diefenderfer and she said, “I believe. I believe he will be out very soon.”

  “I…too…Miss Jones.”

  * * *

  Gunnison was not in the office. No one else was there either, as usual.

  LeOmi looked in the little window and found some sticky note paper and wrote “YES” and posted it on the little name plate that Gunnison had previously set on the window shelf. LeOmi thought of it as “THE DOCTOR IS IN” kind of thing.

  Then she went to the Olive Tree. The coneys were restless.

  * * *

  Ms. Vanmie was the only other person that LeOmi had seen at Bekka’s Olive Tree. It was very strange to see Lydia Jefferies standing in LeOmi’s usual spot.

  Bekka didn’t really own the tree, but she did nurture it.

  She took it upon herself to observe the tree daily, since it was in such a harsh and dry environment.

  There was a drip irrigation system that was gravity fed from a reserve container on the mountain itself. She even borrowed bees from the bee keeper during the flowering time to pollinate the tree’s buds so that they would produce fruit.

  Gunnison had already notified Mrs. Shadowitz, Bekka and Lydia Jefferies about the ‘Yes’ note, before LeOmi made it to the tree.

  “Are we having tea again?” LeOmi was smiling as she approached the two women.

  Bekka wasn’t enthusiastic at all. “Mrs. Shadowitz has suggested that Lydia give a few pointers as to how to control your anti-empath…but I want to remind you that you are entering what can be a dangerous situation. I’d like to think that Mark Young’s falling into the labyrinth was an accident, but I want you to understand the need to be cautious.”

  Lydia said, “I definitely agree and so does Mrs. Shadowitz.” She had found a comfortable spot to sit on the shady side of the tree; she motioned for LeOmi to join her.

  Bekka said, “I’ll leave now. LeOmi, I will see you at dinner?”

  “Now, I want you to know that we would rather believe that there is good in Slone. Don’t you agree?”

  “Yes!”

  “Good!”

  “Sometimes, you project your emotions to those around you. When that happens, people generally become just as happy or as angry as you are. The key is to control your feelings and I have a few tips to help you do that.”

  LeOmi nodded.

  “Good.”

  The lesson lasted for about an hour, while the coneys were romping up and down the branches of the olive Tree.

  * * *

  Later that evening in the museum, Mr. Diefenderfer explained to the volunteers, “Twenty-four hours…equal twenty-four days…approximately…in the labyrinth…Two seconds…outside time…is a few minutes… in the labyrinth…Mark has had…no sleep, little food…and the evilness…of the place...If you are…posted as a…listener …please be aware…that you may experience…these things…along with…Mark.”

  At least three weeks had passed for Mark. He was shown through The General’s eyes that the glass cases in the museum had been moved. He knew that a very long ladder was lying on the floor prepared to be shoved into the labyrinth as soon as the wall disappeared.

  The easel with the large paper tablet now read:

  Stand clear when the door opens.

  We’re sending in clothes and food first.

  Then we’ll put the ladder in.

  The ladder is self-supporting,

  Stay clear until the legs lock in place.

  We are not going to give up.

  LeOmi and everyone else in the volunteer group were standing by and waiting.

  When the door finally opened, Tim threw down six duffle bags full of food, lanterns and warm clothing.

  Tim yelled through the emptiness, “Make way for the ladder” as Gerod and a team of volunteers shoved the extension ladder through the hole. It seemed to take forever for the ladder to reach the bottom and lock. There was no sound, just the support vibrating with the ladder sections lowering one by one.

  Everyone stood by, anxiously waiting for Mark to come through but nothing happened.

  When the door closed for the day, Mrs. Shadowitz stood as Mr. McGraw had the day before, “Everyone, do not dismay, this is the first attempt and we have made much progress. I believe that it is only a matter of time.”

  * * *

  In the morning, the news was all over the mountain. “Mark has made it out of the labyrinth.”

  LeOmi bombarded Bekka with questions, “Where is he? Is he all right? How did he get out?”

  “Dad said that Mark had a terrible time in the labyrinth, then he learned the secret of his staff. It is a key to the labyrinth.”

  “He had it with him the whole time and he didn’t realize it.”

  “He seems to be fine, in fact physically he is better than fine. He totally healed from all the injuries he sustained from the labyrinth.”

  “Where is he?”

  “He is in the Healing Ward. Mary White is taking good care of him.”

  LeOmi found the Healing Ward; it was on the second level of The Seventh Mountain.

  Mary allowed her to stand at the door and peer in.

  “He looks all right, tired and drained, but he’ll be okay, won’t he?”

  “The body knows what it needs. Let him sleep.”

  Days passed, and Mark didn’t wake up.

  * * *

  LeOmi went to Slone’s practice area near the Island on Saturday after giving tours at the Game Preserve. There were twenty-four in Slone’s group now and LeOmi would make twenty-five.

  Ralph was sweeping away crusted bird poo from around Slone. LeOmi had heard of the Flying Fecal Farce practical joke that Mark Young’s group had played on Slone’s group. She could see that he was still seething from the humiliation.

  She had on her work tunic and was removing her baton from Aaron’s Grasp as she approached.

  Slone smiled at her, “LeOmi, so glad you could make it.”

  Slone motioned for her to take the spot next to him, the spot that Ralph had just cleaned.

  Ralph nodded and moved down to sweep more muck.

  Slone started his warm-up stretches and LeOmi started her warm up exercises too.

  Lydia had given several pointers, they all made perfect sense. “Just act like you belong. They will sense that from you and accept it as fact. They are expecting you to act a certain way, be cautious, don’t let your guard down. Treat others the way you want them to treat you and you shouldn’t have any problems. If the situation calls for kindness, use kindness. If a situation calls for aggression, use aggression. If it calls for walking away—do it. If all else fails and you feel yourself getting frustrated, pick a song that you can just kind-of
get stuck into.”

  “I knew that you would be back.”

  “Let’s call it a trial basis. You’re right. I can’t afford to eat and go to school. I’m tired of going hungry all the time, and I wouldn’t have done that stunt with the birds and locking doors. Nobody should be that cruel.”

  “Well, what about Mark in the labyrinth? Isn’t that cruel?”

  “I thought that was an accident—just horsing around is what I thought you said.”

  “That’s right.”

  LeOmi continued her warm-up and hoped that she suppressed her anger and contempt for Slone. “So what are the rules out here? Are you gonna puncture my lung again? Or do we play nice?”

  Slone’s smirk was a statement of pride, and it took all that LeOmi had to not punch him in the face.

  “There have been a few who have gone to the healers after they have left practice, but they were back the next day. The same thing happens at Ms. Vanmie’s class from time to time. Of course if you are out for revenge, you can get as much as you give.”

  “I have to admit that I would like to see you a little bloodied, but I don’t want to put you in the hospital.”

  “Well good.”

  “Let’s start you at the bottom shall we, and we can find out where you do the most good. You agree that we learn from our mistakes don’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  He dismissed her by pointing to the back of the group. She nodded and went to the end of the last row and Ralph took up his spot again.

  Practice began.

  * * *

  After a week, Mark finally woke up, Bekka had just found out from Mrs. Shadowitz.

  LeOmi was about half way through her morning run when a guard from the Healing Ward approached her on the jogging track. “Mrs. Shadowitz needs to speak to you. She is in the Healing Ward, Mark Young’s room.”

  When LeOmi entered the room, she heard the guard say, “Here is the last of the students that you sent for, except for Cap’n Ben. I can’t find him, anywhere. I’ve sent more runners to look for him.”

  “Very well, see to it that I see him, immediately, when he is found.” Mrs. Shadowitz stood and faced each student in turn and examined them for the staff.

  “None of these have it with them.”

  Mrs. Shadowitz stood so that everyone in the room could hear her, “Mark’s staff is missing, the key to the labyrinth.”

  Mark said, “That has to mean that Cap’n Ben has the staff and has gone into the labyrinth.”

  Mrs. Shadowitz said, “That could be true.”

  * * *

  The next day at nine in the morning the door opened and a duffle bag and bug bomb, a bug spray for evil, were thrown in.

  Mark climbed in on the ladder, a few seconds later Cap’n Ben and Mark climbed out.

  Mark didn’t go back to sleep because he had been in the labyrinth for only a few moments, but Cap’n Ben went to sleep immediately and helping hands gently took him to the Healing Ward.

  “I don’t like the way that he did it, but he was right. Those people need to be rescued from the labyrinth. Not Cap’n Ben or anyone else knew that Mark was the only one who could use the staff.”

  The following day, an expedition to rescue those trapped in the labyrinth began.

  * * *

  “LeOmi, If you would…please help…with the beds…There will be…almost seven hundred…coming out…of the labyrinth…They will sleep…as soon as…they reach the…floor of the museum…We will need…volunteers…to carry all…away from the…threshold to a cot…that the orphanage…has graciously provided…for this…rescue.”

  “Of course, I’ll get right to it.”

  “Thank you…Please see…Orphanage Counselor, Jesse Jones.” He pointed to a tall man giving directions as to how to properly unfold and set-up a cot. It was her brother. As he pointed, he laid his other hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentile shove. She took a few steps and turned back to him.

  Just then, Mark opened the door to the labyrinth with his staff, the key to the Labyrinth, and Mr. Diefenderfer was one of the first ones to enter. LeOmi watched him go and then she continued to the task that he had asked her to do.

  “Bundles of cots have been staggered throughout the Museum.” He unlatched an elastic cord that held the bundle. The cots were stacked but easily separated. “The Healing Ward can handle hundreds, but it is thought that the Museum would be the best place for the uninjured, which is expected to be the majority of the occupants due to the reported healing qualities that the labyrinth possesses.”

  He stood and spoke just like their father, but he was about four inches taller and even in the robe of a Magi, it was apparent that he was too thin.

  “There are three hundred Magi standing by in the Healing Ward for the word to come when they are needed.” He grabbed a cot and demonstrated the set-up once again. “Let’s get to it people.”

  The thirty or so students and Magi headed off in different directions. LeOmi followed Jesse to a bundle. They worked well together, in silence, neither knowing what to say.

  The spacious underground cavern became full of empty cots that were ready for occupants while Magi were still streaming into the Museum and down towards the labyrinth’s hole in the wall. Three hundred Magi each carried a duffle bag with food, water, lanterns, and Gerod’s bug bombs which proved useful as an ancient method of temporarily running off evil spirits.

  Mrs. Shadowitz, Nick, Jamal and Chenoa kept a tally of those going in and after eight hours, they watched as the last of the line descended the ladder and Mark gave a small wave as he turned and allowed the wall to take its normal shape.

  “Now the real waiting begins again.” Mrs. Shadowitz looked around, “Well there must be something to do. There is always something to do.”

  LeOmi and Jesse started placing piles of blankets in easy access of the labyrinth opening, the last of the preparations before the waiting began in earnest.

  LeOmi asked, “Do you hear from Ruby?”

  “No. Not anymore. Of course, I spend all my time working.”

  “Yeah, I guess she does too.”

  Silence again.

  “Do you ever get IRKed by anything?”

  LeOmi’s face showed the puzzlement from the question, “No.”

  “Well I do. What is most aggravating to me is how theories seem to become fact, but my most recent IRK is the manipulation of literary fiction.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  He started pacing back and forth waving his arms. His voice gained volume, “There was no Robin Hood, no Tom Sawyer, and no Uncle Tom’s Cabin for that matter. They are all creations from writer’s minds. Sure they may have been based on experiences, but the true characters of these novels never existed, unlike some would have you believe. Doesn’t that bother you?”

  “Uhhh.”

  “Another IRK is the instant where someone takes something that is real and revolves a lie around it. As an Example, King Solomon’s Copper Mines—He didn’t get his copper by mining. He got all his copper from his father’s storehouses.” He began waving his arms again. “But someone started the rumor in the 1800’s that Solomon had mines and huge stories have developed from it. There are even archeological digs trying to find these mythical mines.”

  He stood waiting, “So do you have any IRKs?”

  “What is IRKs?”

  “Irritatingly Ridiculous Knowledge.” He waved his hands over her head as if to cool her brain from overworking.

  “People believe what they want to believe.”

  “Yeah.” Then he said, “Do you ever get any PIRKs?”

  “What?”

  “PIRKs? That’s People with Irritating Ridiculous Knowledge.”

  “What?”

  “How about SPIRKs?”

  LeOmi’s smile was stretched across her face. They had drawn a crowd and everyone was smiling the same smile, even Mrs. Shadowitz.

  “SPIRKs are Surprised People with…”


  LeOmi spoke a little too quickly, “Irritating Ridiculous Knowledge.”

  Everyone applauded, except for LeOmi who shook her head, then she lowered it in shame—that she fell for such a ridiculous rant of knowledge. “You’re such a comedian.”

  “Always have been, I thought I would just pass the time.”

  Everyone dispersed back to what they were doing.

  “So, you work with the Orphanage?”

  “Well, sometimes I feel like a bit of an orphan myself. As I am sure that you do too. Probably more-so than Ruby and I.”

  “We do have dad.”

  “Yes, but he was so busy, and I imagine he still is.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you know that mother didn’t want me to leave home and come here?”

  “I was so young when you left.”

  “She was not told about The Seventh Mountain, until I was accepted. She was angry at me for even wanting to come here. I suppose she became even angrier when you and Ruby wanted to come here too.”

  Mrs. Shadowitz walked towards the labyrinth opening, “Ahummmm. All right everyone, Mark will soon be approaching the door. There will be two to assist the persons leaving the labyrinth. A blanket will be wrapped around them as soon as they enter and fall asleep. Then the two or perhaps three carriers will make sure that their charge is placed securely on a cot and then the carriers will come back to the line for another. That line begins here.” She pointed to a spot near the blankets.

  “Nick, Jamal, Chenoa and I will try to identify as many as possible and make sure a continuous supply of blankets are available. If a person is injured, take them to the cots near the exit.”

  The carrier line formed.

  “Are there any questions?”

  Mrs. Shadowitz breathed deeply, “Here we go.”

  Mark’s staff protruded through the wall and the first labyrinth captive approached freedom.

  LeOmi heard Mark announce, “Don’t forget you are going to go to sleep.”

  Then directly to the first person, “Do you know Joseph Young? Is he here?”

  “He’s not here. Must still be back in the grotto.”