by C E Johnson
“Now tell me again. Is it a long hike to get to the house with the showers?” Anna questioned with a raised eyebrow. She had her window part of the way down. She pulled her dancing hair into a ponytail.
“The showers are pretty close. If you get too scared of being in the great outdoors, we can definitely head for the shelter,” Emily teased. She looked out the of the car, everything was perfect. The sky was a clear, dazzling blue.
Anna playfully lunged at Emily in retaliation before turning to face Elizabeth. She furrowed her brow in concern. “Did you pack your medicine?”
“Yes, mother Anna.” Elizabeth began to count on her fingers, “Benadryl, steroids, and inhaler. All locked and cocked.” She made hand motions as if she was loading a pistol.
“Maybe we can try a few songs around the campfire tonight after we eat.” In a strong and beautiful voice, Isabelle began singing a song about only being happy when around friends. Her wavy long, braided brown hair bounced in time with her words.
“I’m ready for the lake.” Elizabeth’s piercing blue eyes looked wistful. Her golden blonde hair was unbound, and she smoothed her hair back behind her ears.
“We’ll swim in one of the coolest lakes known to mankind,” Emily promised. “One you’ve never been in before.”
“So mysterious today.” Elizabeth made a spooky noise, before laughing with excitement.
“Time for blindfolds.” Emily pulled out the fabric and made sure they were blotting out the daylight, making darkness complete. Dr. D entered a highway ramp, even driving a short distance out of town to make the trip seem longer, before returning to park by a side entrance of his hospital. Emily and her father placed backpacks on each of her friends as they exited the vehicle with their eyes still hidden. They proceeded into the hospital area in a single-file line, arms extended to contact each other. Xena was at Emily’s side, eyes wide, relaxed.
“The first step of our journey is a hike and then a water test.” Emily hoped she was sounding confident. She pressed the button for the elevator and they all loaded in.
You’re doing fine, Xena nuzzled her hand.
“We didn’t drive very far.” Elizabeth sounded confused. “I wonder if I’ve been to this lake.”
“Are we in an elevator?” Luke ran his hands along the smooth side-walls. “It feels like we’re going down. Is this place underground? A cavern?”
“Yes, we’re in an elevator, don’t peek.” Emily gave Luke a playful push, “and don’t trip in here.” Luke’s hand whipped out to grab Emily and he pulled her to him, giving her a small hug. Emily giggled, leaning in to him. She wrapped her arms around his body, around his neck. She touched her lips to his cheek, giving a small sigh of contentment.
The doors opened, and they continued single-file out of the elevator. Emily led, calling out directions as they headed down the stone passages with her voice reverberating on the rocky walls.
“Cavern swimming?” Isabelle’s voice was quavering slightly.
They’re becoming nervous, Xena glanced up at Emily with her muzzle pulled back in a somewhat anxious expression. Xena stopped and tested the air, sending Emily her report. The tunnel was nearly odorless, just a faint dank and musty smell of age.
“We’re almost there,” Emily encouraged the group, trying to sound calm even though her heart was racing. “You’ll be fine.” Emily wanted to give them more words of encouragement, but the words caught in her throat; she didn’t want them to hear her concern.
They walked in silence until Dr. D spoke, “In a minute, we’re going to get in a circle and jump into the water together. Leave your backpacks on. They’re water-tight. We’ll swim to the top, and once out of the water, you can remove your blindfolds and see our camping spot. Don’t take a breath for a while even though it might seem like a long way to get to the surface of the water.”
Isabelle began speaking in a nervous stream of stammering, while rocking on her heels. “Why will it take long to get to the top? That doesn’t make a lot of sense. Maybe I’ll just stay here and meet you guys tomorrow.” She licked her lips and hesitantly moved a hand toward her blindfold. “I’m not really ready to go in the water just now. What do you think, Em?” She forced a worried laugh. “Would you mind if I met you tomorrow? Or if we’re near to the campgrounds already, I can take off my blindfold. I can just meet you guys wherever.” She backed up toward the cavern wall. “My mom said I can call home if I’m not having fun. She’ll come and pick me up. I have an extra horse-riding lesson tomorrow evening anyway.”
Encourage her, Xena suggested. Her fear grows. Xena let Emily smell Isabelle’s fear.
“Isabelle, this is going to be fun.” Emily quickly moved over to squeeze her friend’s hand. “Just trust me for a few minutes.” She smoothed her blindfold. “Then you can go home if you like.”
“You’re all doing great,” Dr. D added his encouragement. “We’re very close.” His voice was steady and even. His words had an instant calming effect on the group. Isabelle took a brave little breath of air and continued hand-in-hand with Emily.
When they arrived at the portal, Emily felt a familiar sense of awe at the vastness of the cavern. Their gossiping stopped, and a silence fell on their group as Emily went to stand before the smooth stone, watching the swirls of blue and violet color pulsate through the wondrous structure. Shadows swayed in the light, making the chamber feel alive. One step of the way.
I smell ancient dragons, Xena whispered, and Emily could identify the links Xena was suggesting. Memories of the smell of Tiamat and Ladon matched with the portal in this room, reinforcing a sense of age without boundary, time without end.
“Can we change into dry clothes when we want?” Anna asked.
“Yes, there’s a dry change of clothes sealed for each of you in your packs.”
Dr. D and Emily went through their packs one last time, checking for anything metal or plastic and setting the objects near the portal entrance to await their return. Emily stood between Isabelle and Anna, so she could watch over two of her friends while Dr. D stood between Luke and Elizabeth. “We’re going into the water together. You’ll take a deep breath, link hands, and swim to the surface.”
“Are you guys sure?” Isabelle began again.
“Isabelle!” everyone yelled.
“This is a little crazy.” Luke’s tone was thoughtful, calming. He was speaking to Isabelle in a clear voice. “I’m totally ready to get off this blindfold too, but let’s give it a try. Emily usually knows what she’s doing.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll go. Let’s do it.” She shuffled her feet.
“Everyone, please take a few large breaths of air, in and out.” Dr. D drew an ‘A’ on the stone tablet. The portal began to pulsate.
“What’s that noise?” Anna was squeezing Emily’s hand so tightly it was beginning to hurt. Emily could feel the tense electricity radiating off of her.
“Part of the adventure.” Emily tried to push down the panic rising in her chest. She could feel sweat beading on her forehead. “Now on three, everyone take a big breath, hold it, and we’ll step forward into the water together.” Xena pushed against her leg. She counted aloud, and they stepped into the portal as one. Am I being reckless? she wondered as darkness engulfed her.
We’re across! Xena exclaimed.
Basking in her heightened sensations pulsating around her, Emily sighed in ecstasy. She immediately responded to Xena with a mind-linked message of affection, delighting in the purity of their link. After she was certain Xena was fine, she sent Ammolite a message, informing her of their location, and expressing regret at their long separation.
Ammolite responded almost instantaneously, not in words initially, but in sensations. Emily and Xena were bathed in a flood of love and acceptance. A part of Emily that had been missing for so long was finally put back together, and she felt as if her world was suddenly in balance again. The hole in her heart was repaired. Good to have you home, my links, Ammolite whispered.
Holding tightly to Isabelle and Anna’s hands, Emily guided her friends toward the surface. She could faintly make out her father similarly helping Luke and Elizabeth up through the depths. They all burst out of the water, gasping for breath. Blindfolds were cast aside.
“Where are we?” Luke looked around wide-eyed, sputtering, “How did we jump into something that deep?” He glanced down into the water. “That was a long way to get up. I felt like I was moving pretty quickly, but it just kept on going and going.”
They were all treading water. Emily was glad it was daytime because her friends appeared disoriented. She had worried that they might come up in cold darkness which would have added to their confusion. “What do you think of your vision?”
“Incredible.” Anna pointed at a great blue heron that landed close to them. “Everything’s so vivid … almost too vivid.” The bird used its harpoon-like bill to snatch a fish from the lake. “I can hear animals moving in the forest way over there.” Anna gestured toward the forest. “My ears are throbbing.”
Emily spoke several words to cast a spell to minimize some of the overwhelming effects of sounds and colors on herself, Xena, and her friends, “Flammeus absorbeo.” The intensity in their minds died down to a more manageable level.
“I can’t believe it.” Elizabeth pointed at her throat, blinking in shock.
“What?” Emily started to swim in her friend’s direction with her head up.
“I can breathe. I mean I can really breathe. No wheeze, nothing.” A happy smile played on Elizabeth’s lips.
“Awesome!” Emily paused her swim and relaxed. I wondered if that would happen.
“Holy cow, is that a mammoth?” Isabelle nodded at a massive wooly creature that came to drink from the lake.
“What the heck is going on?” Luke exchanged glances with Emily, his warm brown eyes were full of questions, but he wasn’t angry. He appeared overjoyed.
Emily cleared her throat. “Yes, that’s a mammoth.” She felt breathless, and she hoped her friends stayed excited. “Everything you do in this place is going to be very cool. Let’s get rid of these backpacks. Race you guys to the shore!” She flipped her legs in a strong butterfly kick, creating a monstrous splash. Her friends followed awkwardly with their backpacks, just behind Emily.
Your friends are excited, but anxious, Xena observed. They’re sticking close to your side. On shore, Emily showed them where a swimsuit was stored in their packs, and they dressed behind trees on the bank.
Free of constraints, the young friends raced over warm grass to return to the lake. Their uneasiness gave way to amusement and then laughing as they became nearly overcome with excitement at their new strength and incredible sensations. They flew through the water and began shooting several feet out of the lake into the air, droplets cascading around them in beautiful patterns.
“Do you see these fish?” Elizabeth pointed below her. “There are thousands of them. Some I’ve never seen before.” They swam through schools of bright colors: rich red, creams, and every shade of blue. Vibrant spots and elegant-flowing striped fins decorated the fish, many with neon patches, radiant feeler barbs, and graceful fan-shaped tails. “I feel like I can hold my breath forever.” She dove back underwater, pointing out a rainbow-colored fish that resembled a flower to Emily.
* * *
They act like they’ve never been in water before. Dax sounded amused as he spoke through his mind-link with Andrew Dalton.
Teen-agers, Andrew thought, laughing at the fantastic scene of the friends ripping through the waves and making soaring jumps into the air like giant dolphins. I’m going to dream-link to Hadrian and Dysis. He sat, closed his eyes, and attempted a dream-link message to his son. Hadrian didn’t answer. Hadrian wasn’t dead, there was no death-void, but there was a hazy unintelligible blankness. No response. Andrew felt a small sheen of sweat form on the back of his neck as a touch of worry and doubt began to form. He allowed Dax into his mind while attempting the incantation several more times with no success.
Injured? Dax questioned.
Possibly, I’ll try again in a little while. Trying to stifle his worry, Andrew began to prepare a meal for the group. “Em, can you ask Xena to help me with dinner?” he called out.
Xena bounded out of the water. She began to stalk the edge of the lake with Dax. The two were deadly, fast and efficient, and they stacked fish while Andrew located one of his hidden caches of supplies buried underground. Using his heightened strength and speed, he revealed a hollowed-out compartment hiding a chest which housed his ‘survival pack.’
Taking out cooking gear, he made a fire with pine shavings, and began to make fish fillets for the group. He opened storage compartments from his Earth backpack, and added potatoes and butter to the meal from some of the sealed containers. When the food was cooking, the aroma became delectable, dancing in the air. The scents pulled the group out of the water. After serving the meal, Andrew stepped away to attempt to contact Hadrian again while Emily and her friends began to talk.
* * *
“Explain all of this.” Isabelle’s brow was furrowed. The breeze pushed at one of her dancing brown curls, which she caught and pushed behind her ear.
“It’s complicated.” Emily handed a cooked fish to Xena. I’ve practiced this speech for months, but I still feel unprepared for the magnitude of what I’m trying to explain. She took a bite of a fillet herself, chewing it slowly as savory rich tastes burst in her mouth.
Their heightened feelings will support your words. Xena ate her fish.
Satisfy them with the truth, Ammolite urged. Emily was warmed by the new voice in her mind. She could sense Ammolite flying toward her.
“For the last year, I’ve wanted to bring you guys out here, to see where I’m from.” Emily glanced at each of her friends, eyes locking momentarily with each of them.
“Where exactly are we?” Elizabeth sipped on a warm tea Dr. D had prepared for her before he walked away. “This is like a dream ... I’ve never felt better.”
“This place is known as Acacia, or as Luke likes to call it, the dragon-world.” She stared into Luke’s eyes, and his mouth dropped open. “This is where I was born. I didn’t think I could simply tell you about it. I wanted you to see it for yourselves, so you’d know a little more about who I am.”
“Where exactly are we?” Anna repeated Elizabeth’s question slowly. “Acacia isn’t in Texas, is it? I know we didn’t travel very far in the car, but everything’s just too different.”
“I know it will be hard to believe me for a while, but just keep your minds open.” She took a deep breath, wondering how her friends were going to respond to what she said next. “We went to a place that’s a little bit like Earth, but different.”
You have opened a door for them, Ammolite spoke in a soft voice in her mind.
“A portal?” Luke whispered. His eyes were wide, glimmering with excitement.
He loves magic. Xena studied Luke.
Emily felt encouraged by Luke’s intrigue. “We went through a portal which bends the fabric of time and space, taking us to another world.” She waited for her friends’ reaction, knowing they might not be able to accept what she was telling them. “We can head back when you want,” she added rapidly.
“This really can’t be a trick … can it?” Elizabeth sounded wary, but a faint smile played at the edges of her mouth. “I mean, this would be too elaborate.”
Emily giggled. “You know from swimming in the water, it’s real. Everything’s different. I’ll show you more wonderful things, like the mammoth.”
“This is freaking me out,” Isabelle quietly murmured, but she didn’t sound too upset. She glanced toward the lake with a thoughtful expression on her face. “Tell me a little more, and show me a little more.”
“According to the dragons, we’re now on a planet towards the center of the universe,” Emily gently introduced the concept of dragons to her friends, “the area around which the solar systems all rotate.”
He likes dragons, too, Ammolite sounded proud.
“There are dragons and they can communicate.” Emily closed her eyes and thought of Ammolite.
I’m close, Ammolite sounded excited. Keep talking to your friends. They’re accepting your words.
“Look over there.” Isabelle pointed at an animal over seven feet tall at the shoulders, with the largest antlers Emily had ever seen. “Is that a giant elk?”
“Yes, it is,” Emily laughed, pleased that they were having fun with everything. “There are also saber-toothed tigers here from the Ice Age, along with small dinosaurs and other animals long extinct on Earth.”
“How many people have you brought here?” Anna set down her plate. She was staring at the enormous elk.
“You’re the only people that I’ve shared this secret with. I feel that you four are my true friends in life, my family … my pack, as Xena would say.”
“If she could talk,” Elizabeth giggled. Xena lifted her head and stared at Elizabeth. She stood, pricked her ears, and wagged her stub of a tail.
Emily gestured to Xena, and Xena went to sit on her haunches next to her. “Xena can communicate with me.” She paused to let her words sink in.
“Why are you suddenly telling us all of this?” Isabelle wrinkled her brow.
Emily shrugged. “I have a feeling we may need each other in the future.” She enjoyed revealing her secrets. “Maybe sharing the truth will bond us a little bit tighter.”
“I like this kind of bonding.” Elizabeth walked over to Emily and gave her a hug. “Thank you. The speed in the water, the power that we have ... it’s incredible.”
Emily felt tears forming in her eyes as Anna hugged her next. “You know you’ve changed our lives forever. This place is incredible.” Anna’s eyes were twinkling brighter than the stars above as she spoke. “I feel so alive here like my senses are just awakening from a long sleep. Everything’s overwhelming, but in a good way.”