Renhala

by Amy Joy Lutchen

  A noise escapes from behind the creature. Its ears quiver, and its head turns all the way around like an owl’s, then swivels back toward me. I’m amazed by its flexibility. Its skin seems to be in constant movement, and it begins moving toward me quickly. It’s so fast. And so big.

  I grab the pole and stabilize myself, knowing I cannot outrun this abomination, and it’s time to prove I can take care of myself. Seconds before it reaches to grab me with its monkey-length arms, I duck and swing the pole out, but the creature jumps over me swiftly.

  It lunges again quicker than expected, and I manage to somehow cut my leg with my own weapon. The flow of blood freezes me, vulnerability creeping up on me like a dark shadow. The creature makes the jump toward me. I fall directly down, sticking my pole spade straight up in its direction with my eyes closed. My movement is unexpected—by both of us—so the creature comes down slightly crooked as my blade nicks the inside of its leg.

  Black ooze runs down its leg, dripping onto the dirt. Black ooze. Before I loose myself to the visions, I notice the tears in its eyes. This big, ugly creature—surely sent by Satan himself—is crying, and reeks of regret?

  “Ow! You hurt Bu! How could you? Bu was only going to help you.” Its voice is undeniably male and youthful as it wipes the dark ooze from its mouth on the back of his hand, then proceeds to lick some off.

  “Oh, gross,” I groan, totally disgusted. I hold the pole weapon out in front of me.

  The tears are as big as his eyes as they roll down his cheeks, and I find myself feeling bad I hurt him, even if he was going to rip my throat out. I get closer to him, just out of arm’s length, and say, “You were going to eat me! Is this a trick? You feign pain, I come close, and then you eat me?”

  He then does something unexpected—giggles. It’s then that I feel it—purity. Purity of heart and soul is spewing from him, like rays from a sun, warm and soft as cashmere.

  “Wait,” I say as I sniff the air. “You smell like chocolate.”

  “Want some?” he asks as he raises his hand, covered in goo, to me.

  “You did well for your first time. I see you found your weapon.” I swing around with my weapon in hand and see it’s Gunthreon who has snuck up behind me. The creature cries harder, turning toward Gunthreon for help. Gunthreon walks over and hugs him, talking to him in a soothing way, thanking him for his help in the “acclimation.” “We have a nice treat for you. Come back with us,” he whispers. “We’ll take care of your cut.” He then points to my leg. “Both of your cuts.”

  Chapter 9

  Silly-willy

  Suddenly, we’re back in the dining room, seated at the table as Gunthreon mends our injuries. My hands are sans weapon. I look around and see it nowhere, so I assume I dropped it. A feeling of despair comes and goes as I sit across from the giant creature, apparently named Bu. I stare in amazement at his size and despite his massiveness—and scariness—I feel comfortable sitting across from him, simply watching his delicate movements.

  He eats his raw meat, smiling at Gunthreon all the while. He then gives me a hurtful glance, which actually makes me feel bad—but not so bad that I forget what just happened.

  “So this was a test?!” I exclaim, suddenly back to my senses, and furious with both of them. “I could have been killed!”

  “Yeah!” says Bu, smiling at me. Then he adds, “Yes, but no?” His eyes turn questioningly to Gunthreon.

  My mind turns over what I experienced, and I try to determine whether I should interrogate them or run out the door and leave the country. “Where the hell were we?” I question. “It didn’t feel like anywhere around here. Gunthreon, what did you put in that wine?” My eyes narrow as I glare at him. “Do you have more to tell me? What is he?” I point to Bu. “And can you tell me how he got to my work the other day?”

  Gunthreon’s facial expression shouts ignorance for a brief two seconds, and then he just stares at Bu with a furrowed brow.

  “Bu,” he growls in a fatherly tone.

  Bu now stares at his empty plate like a scolded child. His feet shuffle and sweat beads on his body. With his head down, he says, “Bu couldn’t help it. Bu wanted to meet Kailey.” Then he looks up at Gunthreon and says, “You showed me her building once. Bu remembered where it was. Nobody else saw Bu!”

  “You know, you scared the crap out—”

  Gunthreon holds up his hand at me. “Bu, that was entirely wrong,” he says. “You know you cannot make people visit you in Renhala, even if it’s only in-between. You could have gotten Kailey hurt, or someone could have seen you. I should make you go home right now.”

  Bu starts bawling like a grounded child. His tears somehow glow, lighting up the room with splendor. The twinkling lights are beautiful. They make me want to drink them up and dance around the room.

  Reaching across the table, I touch Bu’s face with one hand and reach into my pocket with the other, pulling out the necklace with the locket I found. An unexplainable need to give him the treasure I found has me handing it to him. He holds it gently, opening it with great dexterity. How he does so with his huge hands, I do not know.

  “You found it! You found it!” he cries. He gets up rather quickly and hugs me, squeezing a little too hard.

  “Bu, remember your manners,” Gunthreon urges.

  Bu lets go.

  “Gunth, Kailey is cool!” He is dancing around his chair, making me smile, and making any tension left in my body dissipate.

  “Kailey has blessed you because she knows how helpful you are when we need you. You are special and deserve a special present.” Gunthreon mouths “Thank you” in my direction.

  “Hey, I think it’s my job now. Better get some practice, right?” I can’t help but feel good watching Bu continue to dance as he attempts to do the running man.

  “You need to know there are rules that go with your job,” says Gunthreon, looking toward me. “There is still much to teach you, and learning will have to be fast, because the quest moves much too quickly, and things are starting to get bad. I will go get dessert, and then I will explain all about Renhala, the realm you have just visited. Bu, you want some, too? It’s berry cobbler.”

  “Yes, yes, yes!” Bu is so worked up he can’t sit.

  “Realm?” I yell to Gunthreon as he leaves the room.

  Then it’s just me and Bu.

  “Bu, if you only wanted to meet me, why the scary rhyming?” I say, “Kailey, Kailey, come and slay with me’? That doesn’t sound very friendly to me. You really scared me today. Good thing I thought it was only a dream and didn’t check myself into the loony bin.”

  “What’s a loony bin? That’s funny words.”

  “It’s a place where they put crazy people,” I say. “Somewhere maybe I need to go after tonight.”

  “You’re not crazy, Kailey! You’re silly-willy! I was singing a greble song my momma used to sing to me. It’s a...a...I don’t know.”

  “A nursery rhyme?”

  “Yes—a mursery rind.” He is really cute, despite his ugliness.

  “You’re called a greble?”

  He nods without looking up at me.

  “I like you, Bu. Can we be friends?” I cannot believe I ask.

  “Yes, oh yes! Bu don’t have many friends.” He examines his locket and appears happy and sad at the same time, tears and a smile gracing his face.

  “Bu, what’s in the locket?”

  “This.” He shows me a picture inside, which is a spitting image of himself, but with breasts, three of them at that. “Momma.” He looks just plain sad as he puts the locket around his neck.

  “That locket was yours? Wow.” I whisper the latter to myself, amazed at the coincidence. Coincidence is not in my vocabulary.

  “She’s beautiful. You look just like her,” I say. I lift his chin with my hand, and he smiles a smile at me that could melt the North Pole. When Gunthreon comes back, my heart suddenly feels heavier.

  “Better give me that cobbler first, because I have a fe
eling you’ll need to sweeten me up before you start,” I say. I brace myself, shove a huge scoop of cobbler in my mouth, and nod for him to begin.

  “I want to start from the beginning. You need to know the whole truth about our existence, so listen, and when I am through, you may ask me questions,” chatters Gunthreon. “Let’s go and sit somewhere more comfortable. Follow me.” He leads me and Bu to the purple and gold room in which Gunthreon and I first spoke, and there we find three armchairs. Bu frowns. Then, in the blink of an eye, there are one armchair and one loveseat. Gunthreon shakes his head at Bu, but he doesn’t pay attention, instead pulls my hand toward the loveseat.

  “Kailey wants to sit by me,” he says, plopping his butt on the loveseat, still holding my hand. I have to sit, unless he lets go.

  Gunthreon laughs, “Fine,” he says. “Kailey can sit with you.” I plead with my eyes to Gunthreon, and he only laughs harder. “You’ll find some tea on the table over there. Fill a cup and sit.”

  I lift my body with lightning speed and proceed to speedily walk toward the teapot. I fill a cup and sniff the steam as it escapes my cup. It’s the same tea as before! Excitement fills me, and I feel like a child who’s been given one of those huge, swirled lollipops the size of my head.

  Cup in hand, I sit next to Bu with folded legs, and he scoots over next to me, instilling a fear in me that the loveseat might tip up, dumping me atop him. But he is cautious, and I actually lean on him, quite aware I will probably smell like eggs henceforth. I lean against his fanny pack and something stabs me from inside.

  “Bu, what’s in this?” I query, touching the pack.

  “My tools! Look!” He opens it up and shows me the many tools inside: screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, files—you name it. All are worn with age, and very sloppily—but most likely lovingly—have been scribbled on with the name “Bu.”

  “Cool collection, big guy.” I smile at him as I give Gunthreon the thumbs up. I’m ready to be amazed, or scared shitless, whichever comes first.

  Chapter 10

  Bewildered

  “This is the story that’s been passed down to me through thousands of years. You may take it as you like, Kailey.” Gunthreon seems eager to begin. “Just remember, I am not a scientist, so take what you can from what limited information I give you.” He clears his throat and takes a breath, inhaling deeply before he begins.

  “The center of the world began with two atoms, and these atoms consisted of two opposing energies,” he says. “After repeated contact with each other, these energies slowly produced other molecules, and the power of their opposition eventually created physical matter, and life was formed.” I give him a dumbfounded look, which doesn’t take much effort on my part. “Think of two pots clanging, and sound—a third matter—is formed, yes?” I give him the same dumbfounded look, but he continues.

  “Despite the opposition of these initial energies, life was at first harmonious. Life matter continued to grow, until it formed creatures which ranged in size from bacteria to bigger even than Bu. As these life forms evolved, so did the two original atoms, and the complexity involved in their composition gave them great power. They oversaw all life that was created. Their creations roamed freely, developing many special traits, and many different abilities. Their world was called Renhala.

  “Those that walked Renhala named the two energies with which their life forces flowed. They were to be known as the Higher Ones: Neda the Kind and Velopa the Stern.

  “It is said that one day, a creature was born—a magnificent being of great beauty and strength. It walked upright, and was able to talk to all creatures and create wonderful works of art with its bare hands. It could sing and make joyful exhilarating noise, and rock you to sleep with gentle lullabies. It was smooth and voluptuous. It had long, silky, silver hair that flowed to its feet and reflected twofold any light which shone upon it. Sadly, this being lived without a name, because the Higher Ones fought back and forth, day after day, over who had the right to name the creature.

  Neda the Kind insisted it had more to do with its birth, since the creature cradled all life in its hands and fed all creatures with the milk of its breasts. But Velopa the Stern felt it held the power to name the creature, because of the creature’s ability to scorn and the aptitude with which it could persuade. The battle between Neda and Velopa became so horrible that the lands began to crumble and life began to die. Those creatures that remained began fighting each other and taking the side of either Neda or Velopa. You could no longer love both. You had to choose where your loyalty lay.

  “One day, Neda decided something had to happen to end the quarrelling. After much thought, Neda brought forth an idea to Velopa: This creature needed to be destroyed, or else all their other lovely creations would soon become extinct. Velopa felt it should be the one to finish the deed and agreed to give Neda one day to spend with the creature and decide how to destroy it. But Neda loved the creature so dearly, and the extra day only confirmed that Neda could not have the creature destroyed, so it came up with a plan.

  When the new day began, Neda explained to Velopa, in its saddest tone, that the best death would be a quick jump off the edge of the deepest chasm. Velopa quickly agreed, eager to see how the creature would react to facing death. It found the beautiful creature and told it what it must do. Despite the fact that this creature held its own free will, it knowingly agreed to die to save all other life. The creature walked to the edge of the chasm and shed a single tear of glowing light before it walked off.

  But unknown to Velopa, Neda had spidery creations weave a sticky web thousands of feet into the chasm, where the darkness swallowed all light, to catch the creature. It was there Neda decided that, to protect it from harm, the creature could not retain all its extraordinary abilities. So Neda immobilized certain areas of its brain and exiled it to a place where all life was limited in its abilities—a place where life was much simpler, and a place where vain Velopa would never lower itself to search. Neda also decided to name this creature in secret, whispering ‘Wohmin’ in its ear and deciding that, for its own sake, it was never to see this creature again. The realm it was banished to was this realm, here.

  “This creature roamed the new realm in solitude, until one day, it stumbled upon another creature similar to itself, which had grown from the Earth. They told each other their stories and loved each other wholeheartedly. Times were happy. They flourished, and life became what many know it as now.

  “Through whispers of the chasm, Velopa eventually found out what happened and decided to find this creature and keep it for itself. So Velopa descended to this level and found many creatures similar to its original, but not as powerful, and it seemed death came much easier here. It was evident the creatures were not using the powers stored deep within themselves. But still, the power involuntarily spewed from each of them through mighty surges, threatening Velopa. Velopa pondered their creation and thought Neda surely was behind it all. Overcome with anger, Velopa vowed to destroy all existence at this level, but to do it in a way that Neda would only realize the plan too late. This began what we refer to as ‘The Surge.’

  “Slowly, this level of existence starting killing its environment. Wars of huge proportion began, and debilitating diseases, plagues and epidemics, were born.

  One day, Neda decided to break its vow and visit the creature it so longed to see. But upon its arrival, Neda was appalled to see what had happened and knew that Velopa was behind the insidious actions. Neda restored some of the creatures’ abilities, realizing this may be the only way to save them, but it took these creatures many a century to relearn all their gifts, and it was only a select few who wanted to use the gifts on this plane, because so many were afraid to challenge themselves. They had become too comfortable with their lives. So those who chose to use their reborn gifts saw that they could move between the two realms, and once again, those who traveled sided with either Neda or Velopa. This battle still thrives. Neda believes all creatures can once again
live harmoniously, but Velopa has grown angry. Velopa, they say, is trying to build an empire of creatures to control all those it deems inferior.

  To many here on Earth, Renhala is only the movement you see out of the corner of your eye—that unidentifiable smell that reminds you of childhood fairies and goblins, or the strange feeling of déjà vu. Then, there are those few of us who travel between realms and struggle either to protect what’s left of a harmonious life or strengthen Velopa’s army of cretins and misfits solely for the purpose of havoc. Velopa’s forces are growing every day, and humanity as you know it, Kailey, is in grave danger—humanity in Renhala, as well as our realm here, known as Abscondia. Every day, more and more evil creatures show up outside Renhala, threatening our lives, here. We need your help.”

  Despite the look of desperation in Gunthreon’s eyes, I don’t know whether to believe this story and run to the hills for shelter, or instead laugh and proclaim my new friend a great comedian. Saliva starts puddling in my mouth as my brain churns through the information.

  I glance over at Bu. He’s snoring now with his mouth wide open.

  “I need some sort of proof of my connection and that you’re not some wacko trying to brainwash me.”