by Lan Dang
Chapter 9: Grand Entrance
The sun was starting to set when he arrived home. As he unlocked the door, he heard two voices coming from the kitchen. One of the voices he recognized as belonging to his mother but the other male voice sounded unfamiliar to him. They were both laughing and talking loudly in the kitchen so they didn’t hear Eric coming in.
Eric saw a tall, slender, rather handsome man in his late thirties with dark brown hair and green eyes. The man was tan and he wore an expensive-looking dark blue suit and a white collared shirt with a green tie that matched the color of his eyes. He had a gold, flashy watch and expensive dress shoes. When he saw Eric, his eyes lit up and he smiled.
“So you must be Eric. Your mother here was telling me so much about you.”
His mother turned around and smiled at him.
“Well, you’re home rather late today. What happened?”
Eric knew he had to come up with a lie. He looked his mom in the eye.
“I was at Janet’s house. She was helping me on my homework.”
It wasn’t an utterly complete lie for he was with Janet for most of the afternoon. Apparently, she believed him or else her mind was already occupied for she didn’t ask any further questions.
“I see. Oh, this is Mr. David Harper. Remember what I told you earlier this morning at breakfast?” She winked at him.
Eric knew he had to be on his best behavior, especially since this was their first date. He extended out his hand and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harper.”
The man shook Eric’s hand and said, “Just call me David.”
His mom continued with the introductions.
“David is a lawyer. He works for a law firm a little ways from here. He was driving on his way to meet with a client when he was in a car accident. It wasn’t his fault either. He couldn’t stop in time when an elderly lady making a left turn hit right into him. He suffered whiplash and his back still hurts but other than a few scrapes and bruises, he is okay. He was very lucky.”
She looked at David with loving eyes.
Eric felt like he wanted to vomit. It was awkward for him to be here when he knew they probably wanted some privacy. He decided to change the subject.
“So where are you going for your date?”
He figured they must be going out. His mom was dressed in a black plain dress with matching black high heels. Her hair was braided upwards and she had make-up on. It was rare for him to see his mom dressed up like this. She looked like a stranger that he could barely recognize.
David politely answered him, “To a classical music concert. I had been given two tickets from a client as a gift and I thought it would be a perfect place for us to go on our first date.”
He smiled at her as he said this.
It was getting too awkward for Eric. He knew they would probably be holding hands and kissing and hugging. It was just that he was there that they were keeping a good distance apart from each other but he could tell from their smiles and the way they looked at each other that it might be one long date. He had to remind himself that his mom was happy and that was what mattered.
He had to think up a polite excuse to leave. “I feel kind of tired, Mom. Is it okay if I lie down for a bit?”
She immediately tore her adoring eyes away from David to look at her son with concern. “Are you feeling alright, dear?”
“I’m fine, just kind of tired. Can I go to my room?”
“Sure. Just order dinner when you’re hungry okay? Oh yes, I also wrote my cell phone number just in case there is an emergency. It’s on the kitchen counter.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He almost forgot his manners in his haste to retreat to his bedroom. He smiled at David and said, “It’s a pleasure meeting you sir and have fun okay? Bye Mom. Bye David.”
“Bye Eric. I hope you feel better.” David started to edge closer to his mom which made Eric retreat even faster.
“Bye sweetie. Remember if you need anything, just call me on my cell phone okay?”
“Okay, I will. Have fun.”
She giggled. “We will. Don’t worry about us.”
It was way too disgusting for Eric. He practically leapt up the stairs and into his bedroom. He immediately closed the door to lock out any sounds.
He shook his head. This wasn’t fair. It had been only a couple of months and his mom was already all over a guy she barely even knew. But there was no denying it. The guy was handsome, charming, smart and well-off. Dad couldn’t come close to him. He sighed. No matter what happens, Eric felt very loyal to his dad, even if he wasn’t his biological father. He had raised him all these years and in some ways, that had created a tighter bond than blood relations.
Eric laid on his bed and closed his eyes. He had to review the information Janet had given him today and make sense of it. Janet had told him that his alien race was frequently visiting this planet and some of them have even chosen to stay here permanently and make families here. That seemed like Janet’s case. Her dad had chosen to settle down here and marry a human being which means it is possible that his dad would return to his loving family. Maybe his dad was just visiting his relatives on his planet. Maybe he would come back soon but what will happen when he finds out his family has moved on and forgotten about him?
Eric sighed. It was difficult for him to think what was going through his dad’s mind when he left. He obviously knew Eric’s identity but why did he suddenly change and disobey the Elder’s orders to take care of him and raise him as his own son? Something must have changed but from his memory, all he could think of was his dad making excuses that he had to stay later at work and his frequent trips on the weekend. Even Mom was beginning to worry that maybe he was having an affair with another woman. She even confronted him about it and the result was endless fights and yelling matches.
Eric felt sorry for his mom. She was completely in the dark, innocent of the burden that plagued his dad. At the same time, he felt sorry for his dad too. He couldn’t help it but he kept thinking that his dad must have left for a reason. Eric wanted to take a closer look at the note his dad left. He had hidden the note in a wooden box that his mom gave him which was placed in one of the drawers. Eric forgot which drawer it was located so he opened all of the drawers and rummaged the contents before he found the wooden box. It was just as he remembered it. The box was hand-carved and very beautiful. As Eric opened the metal clasp, he felt a stinging sharp pain on his finger and looked down at the blood oozing from it. He wiped it on his pants, carelessly. He removed the letter from the box and re-read the note.
“Sorry son. I just have to take some time off. I don’t know when I would return. Just keep playing soccer the way I taught you and maybe, some day you will play in the World Cup.”
He stared at the note. It was his dad’s writing alright, big, scrawly letters that seemed to dance across the page. He could recognize his dad’s writing anywhere. The note didn’t seem to have any special meaning attached to it though. He had secretly hoped for hidden messages but it was simply a letter telling him never to give up on his hope to play in the World Cup.
He sighed. The only other object left was to examine the necklace which was left along with the note. Eric removed the necklace and as he put his bloody finger on the pendant, all three rings started to cast a bright, eerie red glow. He had never seen this before. The color became a deeper red within a matter of seconds as Eric immediately put the necklace back on, afraid to lose it. He was puzzled by the sudden color change. The only other time it had changed color was in the video game store.
Eric muttered to himself, “This is very strange.”
Suddenly, his room became a distant blur and he felt himself, much like a vacuum, being drawn, by an invisible force, towards the eerie red glow. It felt warm, pleasantly warm, as the red glow touched his skin. Eric saw his own room disappear only to be r
eplaced by blinding flashes of light. Instead of being afraid, he felt a growing curiosity about where he was going. He wasn’t sure how he knew this but a part of him reassuringly told him that this was his way home, a home he left when he was only a couple of months old. This was his birthplace, a familiar place. He could feel its pleasant warmth, a greeting that he had returned home. Eric smiled, in spite of himself. It seemed like a couple of minutes had passed as the flashes of light eventually slowed down and all became black.
When Eric came to, he blinked his eyes in disbelief. He didn’t know where he was but he was no longer in his bedroom. One moment he remembered putting on his necklace and the next moment he woke up to find himself here. In front of him was a large river and on the other side of the river, was an open field, vast, empty, and yet very peaceful. On his side of the river, was a gloomy, dark and melancholy forest. Sounds emitted from the dark forest, low beastly sounds which sent a shiver throughout his entire body. It may have been the weather but Eric doubted it. He was aware that it was getting dark soon and he wasn’t exactly dressed for the cold outdoors.
As he glanced back at the forest, he knew he had to cross the river. He wasn’t sure how deep the river was but he was confident he could swim across it. He took a deep breath and glanced upwards at the cloudless sky. The sky was a beautiful light blue color and the sun was starting to set, casting deep elongated shadows on the ground.
He felt a tranquil atmosphere surrounding him, a feeling that he had never experienced before. It was pleasant here. It felt similar to the feeling he had when he was practicing on the soccer field by himself. The vast land that stretched before his eyes, beyond the river, reminded him of the soccer field except there were no boundaries here. He felt like he could run forever, run away from all his problems and immerse himself in the land of absolute freedom. It was on this land that all his worries and responsibilities seemed to vanish into thin air.
He closed his eyes and tilted his head up into the setting sun and took a deep breath. He exhaled and felt completely liberated. He felt like he could be himself here, no longer the boy who was pitied because his dad left him, no longer the support for his mother, or the team captain for his soccer team or the prince of a kingdom whose planet was completely unknown to him.
The gurgling sound of the river caused him to open his eyes and helped him out of his reverie. Eric shook his head to clear his mind. There was some sort of mesmerizing power here that made him forget his true purpose and almost cloud his mind and memories. He was sure it was dangerous to stay here; he had to leave.
Eric ran to the river and slowed down as he approached the water’s edge. Instead of being crystal clear, he was astonished to find the water was a white, murky color resembling that of diluted milk.
He couldn’t even see how deep the water level was and thought to himself, “I can’t possibly swim through that.”
He touched the surface of the water and felt how icy cold it was. The temperature was freezing even though the sun was still out and the sun’s rays should have warmed at least the surface of the water. He leaned over the water’s edge to peer into the murky, white color hoping to catch a glimpse of anything inside it but it was not translucent enough. He sighed and hoped there were no dangerous creatures inhabiting this unusual river.
There was no bridge in sight, no alternative but to swim through the river. Eric glanced at the river’s length, it seemed to span for miles and miles and even though the current looked relatively calm, he had the feeling that it would be difficult to swim across it. He was contemplating how wide the river was when he noticed that his necklace was starting to glow a faint reddish color and heat was dissipating from the three rings.
Eric looked down at his necklace, having forgotten he still had it on in the first place. He decided to ask it a question, just as he had when he was in Mr. Hayden’s classroom.
“How do I get across this river? Can I swim through it?”
He felt silly asking an inanimate object but it was his only source of help as far as he could see. He waited patiently for its reply.
The color grew a darker red, almost crimson in color and suddenly it started to speak.
“This river is sacred. You cannot swim through it. It will only swallow and consume you within seconds. To get across this river, you must blow as hard as you can to freeze the surface of the water. Walk as fast as you can but do not run and never stay too long on one particular spot, lest you fall through and drown in its icy depths. Your life will be only one of many lives it has claimed, thus far.”
The necklace grew silent after it had spoken. The male voice was deep and resonated like a strange echo as if someone were speaking in a cave. The voice was monotone and revealed little emotion.
Eric was shocked and surprised by how brilliant the voice was, for now, it seemed like this was all the help he could get. He stared down at his necklace. It had turned back to its usual silver color and it was cool to the touch.
He took a deep breath, bending down on his knees, and peering at the river’s edge. He wasn’t sure if this was going to work but there was no harm in attempting it. He inhaled deeply and exhaled out a huge breath of air, as much as he could muster, and was surprised at his own icy, cold breath. It was as if someone had deliberately left the air conditioner on for so long in a small, closed room that the end result was that it felt like a freezer. The instant his breath touched the surface of the water, like the domino effect, it spread from its source from one side of the river to the other side until the entire river was frozen. The river that had spanned for miles and miles was now nothing more than a frozen, murky white large block of ice.
Eric stood in surprise and amazement that this was actually working but he knew he didn’t have time to admire his work of art. The ice would only last for a short period of time. He cautiously started to walk on the ice, putting one foot out and then the next and making sure the ice could hold his body weight before it cracked. He thought he would slip on the ice but some force, maybe the necklace, was preventing him from falling and slipping. He had never skated before but here he was, walking without tripping on the slippery ice, with just his tennis shoes. He was glad he had not removed his tennis shoes in his bedroom. He could just imagine how wet his socks would be now.
He obeyed the instructions given by the necklace and quickly walked across the river, never standing in one spot for a long time. His stride was rapid and he was constantly shifting his weight from one leg to the other, rather than extending his full weight on both legs. After a while, he heard a cracking sound and he knew the ice was starting to melt, that it would not be long before the full current of the river would displace the frozen stillness. He quickly walked across the remainder of the ice and finally ended on the other side of the river. He breathed out a sigh of relief, grateful that he had managed to walk across the ice safely.
When he turned around, he saw that the opposite side was already cracking in various spots, chunks of frozen ice was floating on top of the river. The river seemed to be angry; its current lashed back and forth like a furious creature, breaking free of the ice that had trapped it. The murky, white color became even murkier; the river heaved back and forth until it eventually freed itself entirely of the ice. The chunks of frozen ice were no match for the strong current; it was tossed back and forth until it was completely obliterated and the river flowed freely as before. Eric sighed in relief, grateful for the necklace. He quietly thanked it and stared at the river in fear. He could just imagine the river swallowing him whole and this made him shudder at the thought of his own near demise.
He looked at his surroundings on the other side of the river. The vast land that expanded before him was empty, devoid of life, and it seemed to stretch limitlessly. He trudged forward, not knowing which direction to take, but he felt better away from the dark forest and the dangerous river. The sun was slowly sinking beneath th
e horizon and it was starting to get cold. He shivered as a cold breeze whipped him around, signaling that it would soon be night time. He looked at his necklace and decided that now would be a good time to ask for directions. He had no compass and there were no traces of life here, no one to ask for help. The necklace was his only glimmer of hope.
He focused on the three rings, feeling a nice warmth as it touched his skin.
“Where am I? Where can I go for shelter?” He was secretly wishing for a nice hotel with warm blankets and food.
As before, the rings started to become a dark, crimson red color and it glowed brighter than usual, as an intense heat emanated from the silver rings.
The monotone voice echoed out a reply. “You are now on the planet of Sylo, far from the planet you just left. Shelter is not possible as of now. Your best bet for shelter is to head to the Guilden Kingdom. You are going in the right direction but tonight, it looks like you will have to sleep in the open field.”
Eric’s fear was confirmed. He had indeed landed on another planet, the planet where the Guilden Kingdom was located. His heart started to beat erratically. He was sure this planet was dangerous as proven by the river. If the necklace suggests that he should head for the Guilden Kingdom, then that is where safety lies.
“How do I get to the Guilden Kingdom? Is there anything I should be aware of?” He waited for its response.
“Keep walking in the same direction from which the sun rises and head in this direction for three days. You will come across five small hills. Make sure that you climb over the third hill and not through the troughs on either side of this hill. Lay low as soon as night fall comes. When daybreak arrives, that is the time to start your journey. Be aware of creatures that run amiss.”
The necklace reverted to its original silver color, the red eerie glow fading slowly and with it, the warmth was also gone. Eric didn’t know what to make of this next set of instructions. He glanced at the sky. Indeed, it was starting to get darker and he knew it was time to settle for the night
He bundled himself as best as he could with his grey jacket and wrapped his arms around himself. He sat, cross-legged and shivered as the cold wind whipped across his face. The breeze brought a pleasant smell with it, much like the smell of a fresh bouquet of roses. It was oddly very inviting as he sniffed around for the direction of this scent. He wasn’t sure of the exact direction for the wind seemed to swirl in different directions and the scent, although pleasant, was not as strong as food. He was too hungry and too cold to care about this smell anymore. He remembered that he hadn’t even eaten since lunch today and his stomach growled loudly to confirm his memory. He shivered as the wind picked up its pace, blowing furiously around him as the sky enveloped him in darkness.
Even though he wasn’t sleepy, Eric laid down against the cold, damp ground. The wild blades of the grass were poking through his jacket and making him feel itchy. Luckily, he had worn his thick “soccer socks” as his mom nicknamed them, which went up to just below his knees. They were warm and they covered his feet, ankle and calves perfectly. He closed his eyes, tired with fatigue, from the day’s excursion. He felt like he had been walking for hours and his body seemed to ache even though he was considered to be the most athletic of all his team members.
In spite of the chilly gusts of air and the constant hunger gnawing at his insides, he drifted off to sleep. In this dream, he was laying curled on his sides and there were bars on both of the sides of his bed. The top had an open space and way up high, he could see a bright red circle with stars attached to the rim. Music played soothingly in the background, lulling him to sleep and the stars overhead floated around and around. The ceiling and sides were painted a sky blue color, his favorite color. As he touched the wooden bars, someone reached over to lift him and cradle him in their arms.
As Eric gazed at the face, it looked very familiar, much like his own face, except it was much older. There were slight wrinkles on his face and his eyes were a warm brown color. The lips were much thinner and the cheekbones were sunken in comparison to Eric’s own face. But the similarities were still there and very striking. He stretched out his hand, his fingers extending toward this strange man’s face. He wanted to touch his face so desperately, the yearning to be comforted by his warmth and tender love. But as he reached for the mysterious face, all vanished and turned pitch black.
Eric listened intently and he could hear a pleasant female voice singing in the background which had interrupted his dream. It was a beautiful, mesmerizing, almost hypnotic voice. He couldn’t make out the words but he felt drawn to the rich voice. It seemed to call out to him, wanting him to follow it and he smelled the same scent as before but now, the scent was much stronger, much closer. It was the smell of freshly picked roses, tempting and sweet in nature. It matched the same feminine singing.
Eric yawned out loud and shook himself awake. He opened his eyes and looked up at the sky. The bright stars twinkled above but there was no moon, no light. Eric wasn’t sure if there was a moon on this planet but he couldn’t see it from where he was. The planet seemed so similar to Earth but yet different. Eric still felt hungry but he knew that it was not a good time to look for food. He felt ravenous and he craved the pepperoni pizza from Pizza Lovers. He smiled at the thought of just one slice of that delicious pizza and he savored its mouth-watering aroma. He sighed, fearing that people on this planet may be ignorant of the concept of pizzas.
The singing and the scent made Eric feel wary of his surroundings. Sometimes, he could hear the attractive voice singing softly and sweetly in his ears. Once in a while, he could hear the singing trail off, followed by a gentle, musical laugh.
Eric muttered to himself. “This is so weird. I know I’m not dreaming because I am fully awake now. I thought I was imagining things but I think this is real.” He had no other option but to question the necklace.
The three rings were still silver in color but it felt warmer than before. Eric hesitated as he looked deep into the rings and asked, “Who is singing? Where is this voice and smell coming from? It seems like it won’t stop unless I follow it. Should I follow it?”
The necklace became warmer and started to cast a bright eerie red glow that was rather attractive in the dark. It felt like a small flashlight giving off a red glow.
The voice was low and soft as it replied, “Do not follow this voice and smell no matter how tempting and alluring it may be. Death be to all its prey. This is a sinister beast who hides its true nature in the form of a beautiful woman. No one has lived to tell of this beast once it has laid eyes upon it and no one knows where it lives exactly or its name but it is a powerful beast that has lived in seclusion for many years. My suggestion would be to close your eyes and dream your dreams. Let the night pass for the night is when it calls to its prey.”
The voice grew silent, the red glow dimmed and soon vanished, and the warmth was replaced with a cold, metallic touch. He marveled at his necklace. It was very useful. It seemed to know everything. He smiled as he tucked it under his shirt and did as he was told.
Eric laid down on the cold, hard earthen floor and closed his eyes. He concentrated on the vivid face of his older self from his previous dream and paid no attention to the singing in the background or the smell associated with the singing. Even as it grew drastically colder and the wind tossed him relentlessly back and forth, he gritted his teeth in determination and closed his eyes. He endured the chill and hunger in silence.
Morning slowly crept forward and the warm sun peeked shyly through the dark blanket of night. He felt the inviting warmth of the sun on his face and smiled to himself. It felt like outdoor camping except for the fact that he was alone, without a tent, and extremely ravenous in a totally alien planet. He yawned and got up. He stretched himself, feeling sore from sleeping on the hard ground. He was elated that he had survived his first night on this planet. To his amazemen
t, the voice and its scent had disappeared, just as the necklace had informed him. His stomach growled loudly to remind him that he had missed two meals already and his lips were parched dry. He was also thirsty as well. He sighed and continued to walk in the direction of the rising sun. Refreshed from last night’s sleep, he quickly walked through the empty, green fields that stretched endlessly. Once in a while, he would take breaks to relax and stretch his legs.
And so it continued for three more days. Eric trudged forward during the day and slept at night. The beautiful singing voice and the sweet scent that haunted him before grew more distant and less alluring. He now ignored it without any effort as he slept peacefully.
On the third morning, Eric grew restless and he asked the necklace.
“Where can I find food and water? Is there anything edible near here?” He could ignore the singing voice but it was difficult to ignore his body’s basic needs.
The necklace replied, “You have the ability to withstand food and water for at least a month, if not more. Eat and drink at your own risk for nothing outside the Guilden Kingdom is safe. Even the fruits carry poison and small prey have been known to feast on the hunter.”
Eric shuddered at the warning. He was tired and cranky. With no food for three days, he was becoming desperate. The open fields no longer appealed to him. He longed to be back home in his bedroom, comfortable and safe. He, personally, didn’t even mind having to put up with David Harper if that meant having meals and a warm bed and not to mention, a hot shower. He sniffed himself. He was beginning to smell. He shook his head. He had no choice but to heed the necklace’s warning.
He sighed and walked faster, impatiently thinking about how much farther the Guilden Kingdom could possibly be. At least, he knew he would be fine for a month before he started to panic. He couldn’t imagine eating anything in the wild here, it didn’t seem safe.
It was not until mid-day that he finally came upon the five hills as instructed by the necklace. They were small hills and it was not so difficult to walk over them but the troughs were more convenient to walk through. Eric peered at the bottom troughs of the hill. He couldn’t see anything suspicious except for a handful of wild vines growing carelessly on the ground. They looked rather harmless to him but he dared not disobey the necklace’s instructions. He slowly climbed over the third hill. After an hour or two of treacherous uphill walking, he had slipped multiple times on the rough edges, he finally found himself on top of the hill. He looked in admiration at what met his eyes. In front of him, was a dome-shaped translucent barrier and behind that was the stone wall that must be the entrance to the Guilden Kingdom.