I dial Gunthreon’s number on my cell, figuring I don’t need to owe Conner any more favors. “Gunthreon, can we use your driver?”
“He’ll be there in five minutes.”
Three minutes is more like it. This time the driver actually gets out of the car to open the back door for my mom. He’s huge, and I am amazed how he fits in the limo. His muscles ripple underneath his white, short-sleeved shirt as he offers his arm to her. “Hey, I never got that!” I squawk, furrowing my brow at him. I’ve never even seen the guy’s legs.
“Fidello is an old friend of mine, aren’t you?” my mom chuckles, giving him a great, big old bear hug. He just nods and smiles. He reminds me of a giant tree stump with two arms, which are also tree stumps, decorated with scrollwork tattoos. His dark skin shimmers in the sunlight as he picks my mom up off the ground in his hug. It is then I see his facial features clearly: broad nose, wide forehead, straight black hair, resembling one of Native American heritage. He then places her gently back on the ground.
Their friendliness bugs me in a jealous sort of way. “Well, take your old friend here home, because she’s a pain in my ass,” I say, crossing my arms. Fidello apparently thinks this is funny, and laughs a big, hearty, ear-splitting laugh. Then my mom chimes in, while I climb in and pout because there’s some inside joke going on that I am not involved in. It happens a lot.
My mom is dropped off at her home, seemingly upbeat. She gets out of the car herself, brushing off Fidello, but before she leaves, she says to me, “If you see Gunthreon, tell him I said, ‘Meadow’s Edge.’” She waves farewell and runs faster than the wind to her front door, with still a bit of my energy clinging to her.
Chapter 22
Renewing
When I get home, I see that Kioto has been well taken care of by a couple of friendly fellow travelers, namely Bu and Philip. It’s nice to know they can make themselves comfortable in my residence while I’m away. I find Kioto’s food and water bowl full, an empty microwave popcorn bag sitting on the counter, and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in my DVD player—oh, and a fern that has long been dead is now alive and thriving.
I take a long, hot shower to clean the black ooze that’s caked on my skin and in my hair. Once I hit the couch, I’m out for the night.
*********
I decide to call Gunthreon first thing in the morning to ask if he’ll at least come over for a chat. Within ten minutes, I see Gunthreon and Fidello pull up. Gunthreon waves to Philip’s balcony.
Gunthreon makes it up the stairs slowly. “I still cannot believe you live across the hall from him,” he says. “Talk about karma.” He hugs me tightly. His hugs are getting better and better. “Talked to your mom. She’s surprisingly in great spirits.” I simply nod.
Gunthreon hands me a tin container as he enters my apartment. I open it and breathe the aromatics. “Tea!” I’m so excited, I rush him in and practically run to my kettle. Kioto greets him with a kiss on the hand and he firmly pats her on the back.
“Use it sparingly, please,” he requests. “The Hymenaea protera tree is extinct from what I hear. Gone with the dinosaurs. Such a shame.”
“No way! I’m drinking an extinct plant? That is so cool, as long as I don’t suddenly have Greenpeace knocking on my door. Thank you, Gunthreon. It’s fun having friends in high places.”
“Oh, don’t misjudge me. I have not always been the friend in high places. I’ve had my lows, too.” I’ve never been one to judge people and their past, so I just nod, and he seems to understand that I won’t ask. I expect he understands karma more than I do, and has most likely spent a lot of time making up for whatever he may have done in the past.
“This tea is just what I need,” I state, “especially after the hospital. I always thought everyone there was crazy, but they just see the truth. They really see it. How come not everyone does?”
“It’s because some people aren’t as open as others,” says Gunthreon. “Lots of people lead sheltered lives and don’t open their minds to what else might be out there.”
The water in my kettle starts to boil slightly, and after I add the tea leaves, I drift into a comfort zone beyond belief. The scent is heaven. A glance at Kioto sprawled out on the floor with her ears relaxed and a dog smile on her face tells me she feels the effects, too.
“I guess I can understand that. I guess maybe it’s a blessing, though, in some ways, that not everyone knows what’s going on. It could be chaotic,” I assume. “That’s what I wanted to ask you! Do those in Renhala all know of our realm? Or is it like here, where only some know?”
“It’s like here,” Gunthreon says. “Some know. And with most of those who do know, mothers protect their young, like in most species—well, except for that damn dodo bird. And a small minority travel often. I do believe, however, that some time everyone is going to need to know the truth. I feel a great disturbance in the air, plus Velopa’s cretins are popping up everywhere in Abscondia. If the army isn’t stopped, and it continues to grow in numbers, the general public will need their eyes opened. They’d have to be trained to fight.” The look on Gunthreon’s face is one of fear. “Let’s pray it doesn’t come to that,” he says.
I pause before deciding to ask him another question, for fear I may betray my mom in some way. “Gunthreon, does ‘the releasing’ mean anything to you?”
Gunthreon’s eyebrows scrunch and he responds, “No. Should it?”
“No, just wondering. I had a weird dream, that’s all.” He suddenly looks concerned. I then say, “How ‘bout ‘Meadow’s Edge’?” I say, in hopes that Gunthreon’s train of thought may switch tracks.
At the mention of this, I hear a faint noise from the hallway outside my door, and just as I do, Gunthreon jumps up faster than a kangaroo on amphetamines and opens my front door. Philip practically falls into my apartment.
He is thrown askew, but recovers quickly. “I was just coming over to borrow a cup of sugar,” he says.
“I’d say a cup of eavesdropping.” I walk over and punch him in the arm. “Hey, want some tea?”
“And let that voodoo take over my mind? No way,” says Philip. “I need to be on my toes with this one.” A nod toward Gunthreon brings a smile to his mouth and evaporates any negative energy that may have been forming in the air.
“Well, in case you didn’t hear, Ladimer, our karmelean friend here mentioned Meadow’s Edge. Up for a trip?” Gunthreon has a sneaky, mischievous smile on his face—one which I haven’t witnessed on him—and it makes me wonder what trouble this place might be. “It’s actually quite a coincidence, isn’t it? Having to speak with Hamm and all?”
“I thought ‘coincidence’ wasn’t in your vocabulary?” I say to Gunthreon with a smirk.
Philip laughs loudly as Gunthreon puts his hands on his hips. “She got you on that one. And oh yeah, you know I’m up for the trip,” says Philip, with a grin that makes me straight-out shiver.
Before I even have time to bring the teacup to my lips, we travel. I sincerely hope not to find my favorite cup in shards back at my apartment. So much for my Sunday, day of rest.
*********
The ground we arrive on is rocks, rocks and more rocks—just a great big land of rocks. I stumble as I take my first steps, wondering why on Earth my mom would send us here. Philip and Gunthreon are already walking ahead together, busily talking. A sniff of the air tells me nothing, but then again, do rocks really have a scent? The sky matches the rocks—gray. It’s not even cold or warm. This place is just plain boring.
“Remember drunken Rihan and that sprite of a pixie he got caught with in the barn?” rambles Philip to Gunthreon. “Wow, the sparks that flew that night. The mead and the love songs got the best of him.”
“Yes, and his horse! You can’t forget how long it took him to get it white again. A pink horse. Ha!” As they laugh it up, I struggle to follow and not to trip and fall on my knees again. Kioto follows along with me, but looks confused as I continually stumble, and my struggle
is futile, as I cut my knee on one jagged piece of unruly rock. Kioto licks the cut as I try wiping the blood off with my hand, but the blood continues to run, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I decide to take a small piece of rock and keep it in my pocket to remind myself how mad I am at my mom.
Just as I’m about to groan in pain, a wave of scent practically knocks me over. Lilacs. I look ahead at Philip and Gunthreon, and am amazed at Gunthreon’s sudden cheerfulness, when just earlier he was informing me that my plane of existence could be overtaken by blood-thirsty, maniacal animals—at least that’s how it’s forming in my mind.
I don’t see anything yet, but there is definitely something alive here. We walk for another ten minutes across the rocklands, and I slowly realize this tricky terrain seems to repeat itself: large flat rock, smaller flat rock, taller pointy rock; large flat rock, smaller flat rock, taller pointy rock; and so on. I catch up to the two Chatty Cathys ahead of me.
“Hey, hey, remember me?” Hoping for some sympathy, I make sure discreetly to flash at them my hand, bloody from my knee.
“Forgive us Kailey, we kind of got caught up in the excitement.” Gunthreon is still smiling.
“Excitement? Where? Do rock quarries get you all hot and bothered?” I prattle. “You guys are both weird. Think I can get some help with this cut?”
“No need,” says Philip as they both turn and keep walking forward. “The land will recognize you.”
I am ready to scream. Refusing to keep walking, I sit down square on my butt. Kioto sits down right alongside me. Gunthreon and Philip keep walking and don’t even bother to look back—and then, suddenly, they disappear. This frightens me at first, but really, it’s actually quite peaceful just sitting, having nothing to do but stare ahead of me at the patterned rocks, nothing and nobody to worry about. The lilac smell is still strong, and a slight wind seems to pick up as I lie on my back and stare straight up at the gray sky. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a quick, jagged movement high among the clouds and as I look up, Kioto growls deep in her chest. One small, but unusually long speck of black seems to be hovering miles above me. I try focusing and unfocusing, but I cannot make out its shape or size.
I decide to get up and do something other than waste time sitting, as whatever is circling could probably swoop down and eat me. As I get up, pushing my hands against the rocks below me, a tingling sensation comes over me. I walk toward where Gunthreon and Philip went, and the sound of falling water suddenly fills my ears. The land changes slightly as I walk. The rock patterns are different, and jutting rock walls sprout up like teeth out of the ground. But even so, everywhere I turn is still rock, making me dizzy.
Then, before I know it, just as the falling water becomes loudest, I walk right into a rock wall—right smack-dab into it. After I regain my composure, rub my nose, and realize the illusion of space before me, I feel the rock wall, looking for a change, maybe an opening. I find it and step through.
Appearing out of nowhere, I find a pool with a small cliff lingering above it, spilling crystal clear water into the pool. The sound and sight are breathtaking among the rocks—and still there is no vegetation in sight. The water looks refreshing, and I want to soak my whole body in it. The waterfall keeps emptying into the pool, but the water level does not move, despite its small size. It’s only, maybe, equivalent to six hot-tubs of water.
As I stand before the pool, a feeling of familiarity overtakes my senses. Moving into a trance-like state of consciousness, I slowly begin to lose each piece of clothing, by my own hands. There are stairs of rocks leading into the pool, and, naked, I walk down each one carefully. As each body part meets the pool, the tingling in my body becomes orgasmic. Kioto paces back and forth quickly at the edge of the pool as I continue into it, wanting more and more, giving into the selfishness of satisfaction. I forget the disappearance of my friends as I totally submerge my body. Holding my breath, I am fully engulfed by the pleasure running over and into each and every pore. Soon, there is no need to hold my breath any longer, and a warmth so tender closes in on me, making me feel like I am being embraced—like this is where I am meant to be, forever.
I stand with my feet at the bottom of the pool and open my eyes underwater. Underneath my feet is a mosaic rock symbol, and it looks familiar, at once very endearing and thought-provoking.
Then I recognize it: the symbol from my teacup! This must be Meadow’s Edge.
My cut is healed, and my skin has never looked so young, my breasts so firm, and my hair so sensuous as I walk out of the pool, deciding I can’t really stay here forever. Kioto whimpers loudly and begins wagging her tail fiercely. I feel totally refreshed and ready to emerge into the world, ready to face whatever comes at me—at least until I see two pairs of eyes staring widely at me.
“Turn around!” I scramble for my clothes, and Philip seems not to hear my plea, but Gunthreon turns, being the gentleman he is. My clothes are assembled messily, but do their job of covering me up.
Philip hasn’t moved, but eventually his mouth does. “I see you’ve tended to your cut.”
“We’re here, right? Meadow’s Edge? Where did you guys go? And what kind of water is that? Because I need to bottle it up and make millions of women happy.”
“Can’t be bottled up. Feel your hair. The water cannot leave the pool.”
I run my fingers through it, and it’s totally dry and soft. It smells like lilacs, too. I breathe in deeply, and I see both Philip and Gunthreon step in to take a whiff themselves. “Step back, boys,” I say. “This is mine to enjoy right now.”
“Well, stop your lollygagging and let’s move.” Gunthreon hoots. Hearing the word “lollygagging” from his mouth is funny enough, so Philip and I laugh as we venture forward. Gunthreon’s most definitely smitten by Meadow’s Edge.
“Why aren’t you two eager to jump in?” I ask Philip, playing with my hair.
“This is a life pool for women only—no men are allowed.”
“Cool.”
Philip looks toward me and comments, “Only thing to know about Meadow’s Edge is that there are many things here that are either masculine or feminine. Everything seems to be connected to either one sex or the other, creating a balance. When you come upon something that calls to both, hang on to your britches!”
The boys start up with laughter. Whatever.
I think of the sorts of people or creatures I may meet in Meadow’s Edge and a question comes to my mind. I turn to Gunthreon. “Hey, do they speak English here, too?” I say. “Is there any place in Renhala where I won’t know the language? People from other countries travel, too, don’t they?”
“A universal language is spoken in Renhala, and it’s the same for any written text,” says Gunthreon. “Neda thought communication was of the utmost importance. No matter what language you speak in your realm, everyone understands each other here, and anything written here is easily read by any Abscondian. When a native Renhalan travels to Abscondia for the first time, there is a brief disconnect if they speak to a non-traveler, but a traveler would understand them. It’s another reason for Renhalans to stay in Renhala.”
“Like soulspeak?” I question.
Gunthreon stops and asks, “How do you know about soulspeak?”
“Oh, I met this guy. His name is Conner,” I reply with a smile on my face. Philip suddenly looks at me and clenches his jaw a bit before turning around, not saying a word.
“What?” I say, as my smile disappears. Then I realize the emotion which Philip exhibited in his stare: jealousy. It heightens my belief that Philip shouldn’t be walking around in a seven-year-old’s body.
Gunthreon disregards our interaction and says, “I know Conner, too. I met him through Russell. Nice gentleman. I wasn’t aware you two met.” He hesitates. “But anyway, soulspeak is an entirely different matter. He speaks from his soul to another soul, and it is truth spoken no matter where he stands. No lies exist in soulspeak. But language here can be anything, so be wary of words spoken,
for words in Renhala hold ancient magic, and not always pleasant.”
Chapter 23
Drunk
The rocks finally end, and the world suddenly opens up to green, and green of every shade imaginable. Interspersed are shouts of cheery reds, sunny yellows, and popping pinks. Sunlight spills from overhead, and the grass reaches skyward as flowers spread their petals, welcoming the warmth of life. Happiness floats on the breeze, and the world here is good.
Soft white fuzzies float in the air and tickle my nose. In the distance are cottages made of moss and logs, sheltered by trees resembling weeping willows, swooping down low, lovingly caressing the cottages and gardens comprised of every flower imaginable. It’s definitely heaven.
“Ah—beautiful, wondrous Meadow’s Edge,” sings Gunthreon, breaking the spell. “Let’s see if we can find Lupa. She must be around somewhere, tending her rhubarb plants.” In watching him go, it seems as though he’s actually skipping to his destination.
Philip grabs my hand, and we follow far back behind him. “Kailey, it may seem perfect here, but, something bad is indeed going on in both our realms, and I need to stop ignoring it. This is why I’m here,” he says, “not simply because your mom suggested we take a vacation. Keep your eyes and ears open, please. Take these trips seriously. We are here to speak to a few contacts.”
“I pinky-swear.” I intertwine my finger with his and he frowns, but seems satisfied enough.
Then he rubs his gurgling stomach. “Time to find some grub. I’m starving,” he grunts. “How does homemade sweet cream biscuits and cinnamon rhubarb jelly sound to you?”
“Not bad. Not bad at all.”
“Let’s find that old fart.”
Renhala Page 15