by Amanda Rose
“You’re right. It will be fine. Thank you, my friend. Let’s call it a night,” Mack smiled. The shady figures moved across the room, and their bodies, as noiselessly as possible, crawled onto couches. The hushed timid tugging of their blankets shuffled meekly across their clothing. Heads pressed down against borrowed bed pillows. Tomorrow would come all too soon…
Hope is what we cannot afford to lose. Hope is all that is left sometimes. Life is what we shape it to be. If we can’t even hope to change it, it will never happen. Hope is what we cannot afford to lose.
Chapter 18: Descent
…And it did. It seemed a blink and the sun was up, peeking over the mountains from behind. Waking the others, Mack began the day, trying to forget the negativity that had overcome his thoughts for so long now. It was time to think positively, for if he couldn’t believe in this renegade group of freedom fighters, who could?
They readied themselves, and skipped breakfast altogether. Saying goodbye to the cabin they travelled with the light. It was tiresome, and bodies were still weakened from their time stuck in the ice cavern. Yu-Lee had a stable cough that never seemed to leave her be. Ideally another week or two would have provided sufficient rest, but it was simply not and option.
Trudging forth they ploughed through the knee-deep snow. The high rock wall to their left, and the other random snowy peaks to there right, they were surrounded by rock in all directions. The path curved around the mountainside, and several trees poked their upper halves above the snow along the path. As they went along they collected dry branches for their fire that night. They followed the trail for hours around to the other side. Snow enjoyed crawling down into boots, nipping at their skin as it melted and became like glacial water dripping through their socks. Exhaustion tuckered them out, still less than fully recovery, long slow wheezing aerated their bodies. Lively conversation died by late-morning; their high spirits faded along with the sunlight, for as they twisted around the side of the mountain pass the high peak cast its shadow over them. The temperature from the light unto the shade bore great significance, at least fifteen degrees.
Intermittent breaks spruced up out of necessity, as their stubborn limbs protested the anguish. Much to Mack’s approval Masumi urged them to keep moving. “We, we can’t stop everyone. You need to keep moving or… or you’ll, your blood will get thick… Common!” she expelled as much in a breath as she could. Grunts and moaning resounded all around as they followed the girl onward.
Hunger pains started to compete with sore muscles and the feeling of oncoming frostbite. Crunch! Crunch! Was the only sound that was present along the curbing pass, aside from the random cough, sneeze, and distressed huff. All they wanted to do was get to the next stop, set up tent and cuddle up in warm furs with something to fill their empty tummies. It was the race to get to the end of the day, a race being played in slow motion.
By early that afternoon the sun had risen high enough to fill the separation between the peaks, shining onto the trail. The heat was a blessing and was like receiving a second wind during a marathon run. The heat radiated onto their skin pleasurably, teasing them with its sensuality. Caressing, feeling, alive, it was a grand occasion, like the festival of lights. It was the first pleasant break of the day; little did they suspect that luck was on their side.
A little further down the path the snow wasn’t so deep, as most of it had been swept over the edge by the wind. It was only ankle deep, so as the merged from the deep snow it was as if stepping into a new pair of legs. Movement was so much simpler, numb legs began to warm up and started feeling motion again, as the blood began to better circulate through them.
On and on, the path was cleared for them. They walked in the warm ebbing light from the sun for hours. As they cornered the bend, around sunset, it was clear a storm was brewing from the south. Threatening cumulus clouds lined the distant southern horizon. Slowly the mound of clouds were migrating closer and closer, edging their way toward them. The oncoming clouds had stolen Mack’s attention away. He started to calculate the time that had passed since they departed Ryoko in late December. It had to be the first week of February. February… he thought, …the month of storms…
“It’s coming too quickly. We’ll never make it! It’s coming too fast! Mack, oh god! Don’t leave me here! …”
The blue and green pastels of the sinking sun flared across the sky. They had achieved their destined goal for the day, and would climb down from this spot the following day. Stretching out ahead of them were plains and plains of winter white fields, all the way to the ocean they could see over the flat land to the south-western corner. To the north-west, toward Tomakomai, the land was rougher, hills rolled creating a distorted distance. Faintly they thought they could see the monstrosity of the great city far off from them. Whatever their eyes perceived, it stood as a speck in the distance.
A second dark speck among the rolling hills caught Masumi’s eye. She squinted, and thought herself delusional at first, “Hey, everyone!” she waved them over. Mei, Vince and Kairu attended the call. “Do you see that too? Look… just below that sixth mound… You see it? You see it, don’t you?” she exclaimed. The others looked vividly until it also came into visual recognition. “I see it!” Mei asserted excitedly. “I see it too, but… what is it?” Vince squinted harder. Kairu looked on with his hawk like vision. “Is that what I think it is?” he asked Masumi. “Yea! Hey Mack, come over here! Quickly, common!” Masumi impatiently persisted.
Mack shook off his daze, went over to his crew, and the sight automatically caught his eye, but he couldn’t quite make it out. “Good job,” he praised, “what is it… is that?!” he finally felt a giant weight lifted from his shoulders, which he thought, must be fraudulent at first. A mirage? he questioned the validity of his eyes. But no, it wasn’t a mirage! It was real! Down between the hills a new underground train station posted itself. A tunnel had been burrowed beneath the land, which was otherwise invisible if not for the station post. Not a moment later a train pulled into the station; it was operational! Maybe, just maybe there could hustle and get to it before the storms spitefully began their bitter onslaught, just maybe…
“Everyone, come here!” Mack hollered. They set the tent they’d been erecting aside. “What is ‘e boss?” Kato asked as he abandoned the woodpile he’d been stacking. “We’re in luck! Ha-ha! There’s a transport for us, and where there’s people theirs gotta be some food! So, tonight let’s cook up a storm! Leave just enough for tomorrow, cause tomorrow’s gonna to be a long day. Ha-Ha!” He was so exhilarated he went and worked intently on the fire just so he could light his cigar. Their leader was back, and they all knew it.
It was a night to remember indeed. Even though their meal was poor, it was a banquet to them compared to what they’d been living on. They had boiled the potatoes in water they’d melted from snow, then tanned them to a crisp golden brown in their frying pan. They made a tortilla like flat-bread from the flour, and although bland, the crunchy warm bread gave them an enormous energy boost. For desert they cracked open the third bottle of fruit preservatives; the cherries, that Vince had brought from the cabin. They left themselves the carrots, rice and last two bottles of fruit preservatives for the next day.
Though the feast was quaint, the company was excellent. A ray of hope, a new energy, permeated through each of them. Vince and Suako entertained them with song about their adventures, switching back and forth with the verses. Suako began the little jig:
“Down into the depths below,
The troops, they wandered to an’ fro’!
Came out atop the upper land,
To find thee Earth was only sand!
Between the mountains of the south,
Met a jujitsu master,
His heart was sound and stout,
But he had a quiet mouth!
Onward yet they ventured on,
Onto the other side,
Looked around for a new place,
Rejected at Atani, acc
epted at Quan!
Across the angry shaky land,
Came across a magickal ma-am,
She took me in and healed me up,
When the earth played just too rough!
Met up with them at the end of the world,
Pulled them from an imploding place,
With little time,
And lack of grace!
Ran back just as fast as we could,
Stumbled to the ship at port,
Set the sail and aimed the cannon,
‘Cause Yoshida’s a mighty bad man!
Came across onto new lands,
Wasn’t our initial plan,
Crashed our way onto the shore,
Split our party up once more!
Heaving through the snowy fields,
Until the trees would reveal,
Our rivals we assumed behind us,
Got here first in time to blind us!
Met a cute mountain climber girl,
Brought her along to take a twirl,
Turns out she was a mighty climber,
Can barely keep up behind ‘er!
Up the peaks we climbed so high,
But to the eagle we almost died,
Good thing for our loyal friends,
Or we’d have met a bitter end!
Locked up in an icy prison,
Days went by,
The sun did glisten,
Until from it we had risen!
Over the bridge to the other side,
Ran to the cabin before we died,
Turned up the heat; and crawled under blankets,
Hid there till the food couldn’t bide us!
Out once more we travelled on,
Tired; starving,
It was no fun,
But we just kept pressing on!
Then we reached the other side,
Where good tidings for did lie,
So now we sit around the fire,
Giddy and full of laughter!”
Vince and Suako came together at the finale to finish it all off, and laughter roared among the entire group. The pair had acted out the scenes comically, which everyone responded to by holding their sides as they laughed out hysterically. It was a time to remember, and even better yet when Jenko found a bottle of rum from Quan he’d forgotten about at the bottom of his satchel. “Hear, Hear! Bravo you two! We even have terms a reward for you!” he called out, then held the bottle high to curious eyes. “Wohoo!” Mei cheered clapping her palms together. He brought it over and twisted the tin lid from the top of the glass bottle. The warm rich colour of the rum chug-a-lugged and sloshed around as it entered glasses held high to be filled. Even Masumi was given a small glass of it, to join in the merriment; they had all been deserving. Maturing seemed to be rapid in those that took on challenging roles in these rough days.
“A toast!” Jenko held his glass high after serving everyone up, “To our magnificent performers!” “Aye!” everyone cheered, and then took a swig. Vince put his arm over Suako’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. No one noticed, but she blushed under her already hot red cheeks. More cheering prevailed on, praising one person to the next for all that had been done. The excitement over the railroad had been so uplifting, that they felt as good as if they’d already decimated the C.D.F.P.; well, almost that good.
“Everyone, I have another surprise! I was saving it in case we got desperate, but that doesn’t matter now!” Vince gleefully announced. He pranced over to his pack and sifted threw to the bottom. He pulled out a bag, which Masumi recognised automatically, and from it he pulled a rectangular package. “Chocolate!” he smirked. Eyes lit up around the circle. “Enjoy,” he threw it into the jumble of bodies. Mei snagged the bar and cackled giddily. “Ha-Ha!” Vince laughed. As they all sat preoccupied with it, Vince grabbed Suako from them, and pulled his finger to his lips signalling her to keep quiet. Although flustered at first, she did just that.
He led her away from the others to a moonlit spot; the yellow glow of the fire could be faintly seen between a lively spruce tree’s branches to their right. Her heart fluttered with anticipation as he practically swept her off her feet. He pressed her against the rock wall, holding her hands to her side, and then without warning, intimately kissed her before even saying a word. Everything was happening so quickly that it took her mind a moment to catch up. Once it had, she just relaxed into it, and let him take her away. Her heart was his, there was no doubt in her mind.
He pulled gently away from lips desiring even more. He kissed his way across her jaw and to her neck where he commenced to merrily whisper an unsung piece from their song:
Came up with a sharp new arrow,
Shot it deep into bone marrow,
At first I’d thought that I’d gone stupid,
Then I realised it was cupid!
Suako giggled at his silly verse, then bit down gently on her bottom lip. Her eyes were wild for him. He nibbled gently on her ear lobe erotically and it incited her even more. They necked like doves; two birds in love, their two hearts beating in unison. I love you were words that didn’t need to leave the lips; like the unspoken knowledge, it was out there, and they both knew it.
Infatuated with each other, they refused to pull apart in the least. Desperate hands longed to touch, and tender skin quivered at the touch of wandering fingertips. Internal infernos erupted as their bodies begged to be held, felt, touched and ultimately loved. Their emotions ran deep, they had so much to say to each other, but no words in which to describe their feelings existed.
It was an invitation into Shangri-La, to be offered such an unspeakably endless swell of devoted mutual appreciation, only a fool could refuse. Lust was an undeniable motive, but there was more to it. Their attraction came from a deep understanding between two people; it was a once in a lifetime connection that not everyone is blessed to discover.
Love me forever. Join with my soul. Never leave me lonely. Never take away this feeling you’ve injected into my very being. Stay by my side, till death do us part, and beyond into the abyss of the afterlife. Hold me close… just hold me in your big wide arms. Explore me, learn all there is to know. I’m open to you, I shan’t hold back for you. Pull me into the euphoria of your love. Feel my heart beat against your chest, while I feel yours echo into me… Love me… Just love me… If this is not Utopia, it does not exist...
Was this night to good to be real? The thought wandered into Suako’s mind. Could she have dreamt all of this? Was she dreaming back at the cabin, wishing that this were what was to become of the day to follow? A hallucination possibly? No! It was real. It was mystical and romantic, and for once in a long time she was not consumed with worries, or uncertainty eating away at their innards. It was simply… bliss.
“Mmm… Oh my God! That was so good!” Mei exclaimed. The chocolate had practically been orgasmic. Everyone had taken two squares and slowly enjoyed them as the sweet rich textures had gradually melted on their tongues. The warm sensual feeling it summoned in their bodies was soon heightened by the caffeine boost that followed. “That was great… H, Hey where’s Vince…? Uh, Suako’s gone too?” Masumi asked looking about. They all looked around themselves. Mack looked around the corner with Jenko, and then turned back to the other with a big grin on his face, “Guess we’ll have to save our thanks for later,” he chuckled while the others looked up puzzled at him. “Hah!” Jenko let out, taking a friendly jab at Mack’s arm for the comment.
An innocent smile crept across Kairu’s face as he imagined Vince and Suako caught up in each other’s gaze. Looking next to him, Masumi sat comfortably leaning against him with his arm about her shoulder. He suddenly had a flashback from Quan, and he remembered Okichi vividly, as if she stood before him with the warm air buzzing about, and the rippling waves that manipulated the moon’s image behind her. He recollected the sway of her brown-black hair across her tanned skin, and the way her dark eyes lit up when he spoke. Then the smell, as if he could be with her then, that provocative, zestfu
l scent she allured to him with, eradicated anything else from his mind. Spices of curry and saffron… and then nutmeg and cinnamon with a hint of ginger. He could almost sense her there, with her sweet voice pleading to hear one of his stories. An untamed look of delight beamed from his face.
The lively hyper mood of the group faded as the hour grew late. Jenko noticed the conversations dying down, and since he was earlier captivated by the landscape, he neglected to retain his ambition any longer. He heated his inkpot up with the kindling flames of the fire, and a few moments later it was ready. Pulling out his map, he started his artistic and precise art of mapping. He began by detailing the train station down below, using his special quill pen, he dipped it into the black ink and stained the page. It was absorbed instantly into the sponge-like parchment paper.
“It’s amazing,” Yu-Lee said as she snuck up on Jenko. He jutted backward, almost sure his heart had stopped, but was fortunate enough to pull his pen up, rather then destroy his map. “What is?” he jolted, and snapped the automatic response out at her. “Oh!” she gasped shocked, and then laughed. “I’m sorry,” she giggled, “I didn’t mean to scare you, hehe,” she raised her finger to her lips to try and halt the laughing fit. He turned his head away and blushed as he felt his heart start again after the temporary arrhythmia.
After gathering himself together Jenko looked back up at the woman. He laughed at himself, and the thought of how silly he must have looked. “Heh, what can I do ya’ for Yu-Lee?” he put on his charming smiling. “I just caught sight of your map there, and it reminded me of just how far we’ve gone. Amazing, don’t you think?” She asked, taking a seat next to him as she peered at his masterpiece. “Yea, yea it is,” his head bobbed up and down.
Jenko offered her the map of the Imperial green continent to take a look at. Her eyes flew around from place to place, and she noticed that the far south-eastern corner of the map was incomplete. “Jenko,” she placed a hand upon his shoulder to grab his attention. “Hmm? Yes, what is it Yu-Lee? Something wrong?” He asked. “No, no, it’s just…” she took her hand off his shoulder, and pointed her pale long finger to the map where her eyes had landed. Her lengthy fingernail dragged his eyes to it. “Nothing wrong, just not yet finished. You’ve never ventured past here I assume from the lack of this corner, right?” she tore her eyes off the page to look at him. “That’s correct. In fact, I’d not even been into Kagawa, I’ve only camped near by,” he explained. “That’s understandable. No one ever travelled to the Sacred Lands without one of the Kagawa Priestess’. There was a city, close to the ocean, beyond the dry desert lands past Kagawa, but… the earth gobbled it up before my eyes…” she felt her heart sinking. “It still deserves to have been remembered. Would you…” she hesitated to ask him to modify his life’s work for a now non-existent place.
