The PriZin of Zin

by Loretta Sinclair

  Reaching what appeared to be the source of light, any false security Morgan had was once again shattered as the stream of rapids abruptly ended. The four now burst forward, first into thin air, then again plunging downward over an enormous waterfall. Dropping through hundreds of feet of water and air in mere seconds, Aeryn let out a deafening scream that echoed throughout the entire cavern. Reaching the bottom, the group splashed with tremendous force into the warm, soothing waters of a peaceful and tranquil pool in this underworld realm.

  Coming up for air, the four gasped and choked until they were able to catch their breath. Clinging to each other for support, they floated in this new serene and picturesque land.

  “Where are we?” Aeryn whispered.

  One by one, Morgan dragged the children from the water and over to the sandy shore. Exhausted and scared, the kids all floated in the warm comfort of the underground hot spring, letting Morgan carry them to safety. He carefully checked each child for scrapes and broken bones as they were extricated from the water.

  Dripping wet, sand clinging to her bare legs below her shorts, Aeryn stood and surveyed this strange new world, while the others sat motionless on the shore. It took a few minutes for them to speak.

  “Where are we?” Aeryn asked for the second time.

  Ian and Hunter shook their heads.

  “It’s beautiful.” She looked at the thick, lush vegetation and a multitude of brightly colored flowers. “Wow. And where is the light coming from?” She turned around, looking for the source of the reddish glow illuminating the entire cavern.

  “There,” Morgan said. He pointed back across the water from where they’d come.

  There across the lake was a bubbling, boiling mound of molten lava flowing down from its source higher up. It hissed and spit while churning its contents over and over again in the huge pit.

  “It’s a volcano,” Ian said.

  “Close,” Morgan jumped in. “It’s the bottom of a volcano. The top is up there,” his finger extended upward toward their homeland, “where we were hunting. That’s why the water is so warm. It’s like a hot spring down here.” He sniffed the air, taking in the heavy smell of sulfur. “This is an underground river.”

  “And how do we get back up there?” Hunter asked, pointing upward like his father had done.

  “Good question.”

  “Maybe we could ask someone,” Aeryn said.

  “Ask someone?” Ian shot at her. “Ask someone? Who do you want to ask? Look around! There’s no one here, in case you didn’t notice!”

  “Don’t yell at her,” Hunter jumped in. “Besides, you don’t know. We’re down here, aren’t we?”

  Ian snorted and jerked his head around.

  “Just look,” Aeryn kept going, unfazed. “There’s vegetation, a whole forest over there, and a lake.” She looked up toward what should be the sky. A rock ceiling and slick, gray, slate walls locked them away from their own world above. Floating as high as it could without escaping through the makeshift roof, was a fine mist rising from the warm water of the hot spring. It glistened from the light of the volcano, illuminating the entire sky like clouds in sunshine. “There’s oxygen, water, light, heat, and shelter. What else do people need to survive?”

  “Um, food,” Hunter said dryly.

  “I’ll bet there’s food in the forest.” She turned and walked toward the thick vegetation.

  “Be careful,” Hunter blurted out. “Don’t go in there.”

  “I’m not going in, I’m just going to look and see- - - EEEEHHHH!” Her scream jolted the others. It was followed by another of equal intensity, but not from her.

  Ian bounded to his feet and was at her side in an instant. Hunter and Morgan followed suit.

  Looking around for the source of the second scream, Ian peered through the bushes and there he saw a little pair of frightened green eyes looking back at him. Gently, he pulled some of the underbrush back to reveal a tiny creature, man-like in stature and characteristics, but very, very small. It stood only two feet tall.

  “What is it?” Aeryn asked, pulling more brush back so she could see better.

  “EEEEHHHH!” came the shrieking reply from the little thing.

  “I don’t know,” Ian answered. “But I think- - -”

  “EEEEHHHH!”

  “I think it’s a- - -”

  “EEEEHHHH!”

  “- - -Troll.”

  “I am not a Troll ye eedjit,” the creature snapped back, openly irritated. “I’m a Leprechaun. Learn the difference.”

  “You can speak?” Aeryn stared, eyes mesmerized by the tiny creature.

  “O’ course, I can speak. Can’t ye?” it sighed.

  Taken aback by the question, Aeryn stared back into the severely aged face of this tiny person. Dressed in a dark green suit and floppy, pointed hat, the creature looked like it could be a hundred years old. Skin like leather hung loose and wrinkled over his sagging face with two tired little eyes peering out from under its slouched hat.

  “Why did you scream?” Hunter asked.

  “’Cause the wee lassie did, when ye flew down from the world above, and nobody better call me a Troll!” it snapped. “Trolls ’re mean. Gnomes ’re stupid. I am a Leprechaun. Don’t ferget it.”

  “I won’t. I’m sorry,” Hunter said.

  “I am Alastair.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I was just—”

  “I know what ye were doin’,” it snapped again. “Ye’re jus’ like all the others.”

  “Others?” Morgan jumped, grasping at the tiny glimmer of hope. “There are others? Like us?”

  Alistair nodded. “Happens sometimes. When the sun gets angry.”

  “The sun?”

  A crooked little finger extended and pointed at the volcano bottom. “When mother sun becomes angry and shakes, beings from the above-world fall through.”

  “Do they ever find their way back home?” Hunter asked from behind the group.

  Alistair nodded. “Some.”

  Hunter waited for Alastair to continue. The two watched each other in a long, deafening silence, looking each other up and down. “How?” Hunter asked when no answer came.

  Alistair shook his little head and shrugged. “Evil knows. The serpents and shadows go up there often, but cannot ask them. Too dangerous. Should not know ye are here.”

  “Is there any other way?” Morgan pushed.

  “Yup,” the leprechaun answered again.

  Silence again.

  “How?”

  Alistair shrugged. “Need to ask another.”

  “Another? There are others?” Hunter sighed.

  He nodded.

  “Is there any food around?” Aeryn asked.

  Alastair grimaced. “There,” he pointed.

  “What on earth is that?” Aeryn asked. She ran toward the forest.

  “STOP HER!” the leprechaun screamed. “She must know!”

  Aeryn stopped in her tracks and looked back.

  “Must know what?” Ian was by her side.

  “Danger. Near.” Alistair’s beady little eyes darted around frantically.

  “Where?” Morgan’s eyes followed suit. Alistair’s prickly little finger spun around in a circle, and pointed directly at the four standing in front of him. “What?” Morgan was incensed. “What are you talking about?” The finger came straight at Morgan’s nose.

  “Sometimes the closest danger lives inside.”

  “You’re crazy!”

  “Spirit knows.” Alistair twitched, but kept scanning the grounds.

  “What spirit?”

  “Both. Yours and His.” He lowered his little leprechaun hand.

  “His? Whose? And what does that have to do with us finding food?”

  “Choices. Good choices bring good favor. Bad choice…” Alistair shuddered. “Purple is for Him. Ye must never, ever take it.”

  “Who is him?” Ian asked.

  “Him, not him. The One. But not just one. He is
them.”

  “What does that mean?” Ian sighed and looked to Morgan for clarification.

  Morgan shrugged.

  “Ye understand ‘leader’?”

  “You have a leader?” Aeryn asked.

  “Yup,” Alastair said. “The three are the One. They are Them. Ask Him, not him. Only Them.”

  “They?” Morgan asked, confused. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “What’s he like?” Hunter pressed. “I mean They?”

  “He is good,” the leprechaun went on. “They will care for ye. Protect ye from the other one.”

  “There’s another one?”

  “Evil.” The leprechaun shook in fear at the mention of his name. “Must never venture into the forbidden forest without a guide. Danger inside might be let out. Choices to make. Will be hard. Understand?”

  The three younger travelers all looked to Morgan. He shrugged and struck out toward the forest after Aeryn.

  “I won’t go in,” he said. “I just want to look, from the edge.”

  “Promise,” the leprechaun demanded. “Bad things will happen if ye do not obey.”

  “I promise,” he said grudgingly. “Only looking. Never purple. Got it.”

  “About the others of our kind,” Ian asked, “you don’t know how they got out of here?”

  “No, mus’ find out. Wait here. I be return.” Without waiting for a reply, the tiny creature turned toward the underbrush and vanished, leaving the four alone again on the shore.

  “What’s in there, Dad?” Hunter tried to peer over the edge of the forest.

  “It looks like a garden. I see strawberries, and greens. I think there’s celery, lettuce, and watermelons.

  “I’m hungry, Daddy.”

  “I know, sweetie. Just hold on till I make sure it’s safe in there.”

  “We’re going in?” Ian jumped. “Awesome!”

  “But, Dad, Alistair said not to go in.”

  Morgan looked at his daughter. “I know, honey, but we won’t touch anything. There’s a path that goes right through the middle. We should be okay if we stay on it.”

  “Where does the path lead?” Hunter asked, still leaning forward.

  “Looks like a giant tree right in the middle. I’m not really sure, Hunter. It looks a little odd.”

  “Odd, how?”

  “Can’t really tell. Everybody stay close to me.”

  “That’s not a tree,” Ian said.

  “It’s got branches like a tree.” Hunter reached out to touch the bark, but Ian batted his hand away.

  “Careful, man. I don’t want to lose my best friend.”

  “You’re not going to lose me. I just want to know what it is.”

  “What kind of tree has a mirror in the middle of the trunk?” Aeryn was mesmerized.

  “It didn’t grow like that. Someone, or something, created that.” Morgan stared at his reflection. “Something intelligent, and very, very creative.”

  “Do not leave the path,” a velvety smooth voice cautioned.

  “Ok, Dad.” The three kids all looked at Morgan.

  “What?” Morgan turned around.

  “We heard you,” Hunter answered.

  “I didn’t say anything,” Morgan whispered, turning back to the tree.

  Aeryn squeezed in front of her father and looked into the mirror. The sky twinkled and the mirror lit up, reflecting her beautiful, smiling face.

  “Do you trust me?” It was the same calm, soothing voice as before.

  “I don’t know who you are,” she answered.

  “That is very true. I am here to help you, if you choose it. What do you need?”

  “I’m hungry. Can I please have some food?”

  The tree shook, flapping its branches almost like a bird. When it settled, the limbs were laden with food. Not just fruit, but food from home: granola bars, candy, apple pie, roast chicken platters. There were bottled drinks of every size and flavor, and a water spout flowing at the other end. A rainbow of fruits and nuts covered every vacant spot in the tree. In the middle was a giant prime rib roast with all the fixings.

  Aeryn’s eyes lit up. “How can I get it if I can’t leave the path?” The tree bowed low, and the branches came within her reach. She and the boys all helped themselves. When she uttered her ‘thank you’ the tree returned to its original height, shuddered, and the food disappeared. “You have done well, young Aeryn.”

  The tree turned on its roots and looked at Hunter. “Do you believe in yourself?”

  Hunter froze, unable to answer. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Palms sweaty and fingers shaking, he nodded unsteadily.

  “You don’t have to go through life alone. There are others out there who can assist you, if you will only let them. The choice is yours. Have faith in what you cannot see.”

  Hunter nodded again, seeing a tear at the corner of his eye forming in his mirrored reflection.

  “What about me?” Ian jumped in, shoving Hunter to the side. “My turn now.”

  “Ah yes, young man. Are you having fun?”

  Ian nodded. “What’s next?”

  “That depends on you.” Ian’s reflection in the mirror wavered and two paths appeared. “Two roads will show you two different possibilities. Learn to control what flares up inside, and the right path will make itself known.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Ian’s face flushed and his fists balled.

  The tree spun back around and faced Morgan again.

  “I can’t believe this,” he whispered.

  “Open your mind, and your heart to see all that life is truly about, Master Morgan.”

  “How do you know my name - our names?”

  “Look into your soul, Morgan. What do you see?”

  In front of him, on the glass embedded in the impossible tree, Morgan saw scenes from his life flash by. School as a child, playing, homework, graduating, college, getting married, holding his children. One memory flashed by, replaced by another, strung together with him as the center.

  “What do you see?”

  “Just me,” Morgan answered. “My life.”

  “And so you shall remain. Until you can learn to see life as these young ones do, you will forever be a prisoner inside yourself, Master Morgan. Learn to see the impossibilities around you. Look outside of yourself.” The tree shook again, and the mirror disappeared. It blossomed one more time with a rainbow of fruit; peaches, grapes, apples, strawberries. Low-hanging branches offered fruit of every kind, albeit strangely colored for its type. Reds, blues, greens, yellows, purples, and oranges of all shades adorned the branches.

  “Let’s go, kids. This was no help at all.” Morgan turned to leave, guiding the kids up in front of him. “He’s useless.” Stomach rumbling, Morgan turned back. He dashed from the path and circled the tree, grabbing fruit of every kind for his trip. “Who knows how long we’ll be down here, with help like that.”

  “That was the most delicious apple I have ever eaten. I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” Aeryn said. She tossed the core off into the brush a few feet from the shore. Startled by a rustling and flapping sound, she turned back to see another small creature with long, slender wings swoop down and take off with the apple core in its mouth. “Look!” she squealed. “It’s a bird.”

  “That’s not a bird,” Morgan said. “It’s got the body of a squirrel, but with wings.”

  “It’s a squird,” Ian added, chuckling.

  They smiled, watching the small thing fly away with its prize between its teeth.

  Ian was next to try. Tossing his apple core off a short distance away, another squird swooped down from the treetops, scooped up the leftovers, and flew back up to its perch.

  Morgan tossed his away and waited. No animals came. “I guess they didn’t see it,” he said.

  “Maybe you need to toss it again.” Aeryn ran to the discarded core, bent over to pick it up, and froze. Standing straight up, she spun around and stared back at him, eye
s wide and in shock.

  “What is it?” Hunter asked, running to his sister’s side. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s purple,” she whispered.

  “What?”

  “It’s purple,” she said louder, her voice cracking and shaking. “Dad ate a purple apple.”

  “What?” Hunter yelled. “Why?” he demanded spinning to face him. “You heard what the leprechaun said!”

  “Relax,” Morgan said. “I wanted to taste it. I’ve never had a purple apple before.” He smiled, “and look, nothing bad has happened to me. The little runt didn’t know what he was talking about. I didn’t die.”

  Morgan looked down into his daughter’s tearful glare. She grabbed the arm of her big brother for support. Ian backed away as well, standing next to the other two. Huddled together in a tight group, they scanned the area, eyes darting every direction. Seeing their rising panic, Morgan tried to talk to them.

  “Oh, come on, you guys. Look. It’s just an apple— and a very good one, at that. I’ve never tasted anything like it before. I might just have another one. You guys should try one, too.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea, Dad,” Hunter cautioned. “We don’t know anything about this world.”

  “Well, I do know one thing,” he said, “apples are just as juicy and sticky down here as they are up there.” Morgan strolled back a few yards down to the water line and bent to wash his hands and face. Splashing the warm water on himself, he rinsed off the remnants of the snack, then stood and looked back at the others. “Don’t be such chickens. I told you nothing bad—”

  A giant sea serpent burst through the water’s surface and hovered over him, showering Morgan with a sudden spray of saliva mixed with warm water. He looked straight up to see a long snout with giant nostrils breathing smoke and flame looming above him. A wicked snarl was wrapped across its ugly face, razor-like teeth protruding from under loose floppy jowls. The enormous snake had a red, diamond-shaped head with horns, and knife-like scales covering the length of its back all the way along the spine, disappearing into the warm tranquil water. It growled at Morgan, a low vibrating rumble that shook both the water and the sand on the beach where they stood.