by Troy Dukart
One of the people sitting next to me had medical supplies and offered to patch up my wounds; I was grateful. I should've asked them though, on how to fix what I was feeling inside.
“That'll about do it…Oh, wait! I need to put in this last stitch,” the old medic told me.
“Ah!” I yipped; I hated needles.
“Ah, you'll be okay there, young man. Falling to the ground would've hurt a lot worse,” he said as he patted me on the back.
I thanked him for his help as he went back to sit with his family. With a big inhale and exhale, I leaned back in the bench next to the wall. The armor I had on was starting to make me hot, so I decided to take it off. When I pushed the button on the chest-plate, it melted like cheese in a microwave off my body and onto the floor. No longer wearable, it looked like a puddle of purple and silver melted wax.
Brutus' kidnapping by that bastard Barzakh weighed on me. Losing my spirit animal was driving me crazy. I would never stop until I got him back. He was given to me by my father's tribe, and I would die to find him if I had to. As terrible as the experience was though; we saved so many people and survived that damn tower.
Looking right towards the driver's end of the cycle I saw Yessa sitting with a group of people and they were holding hands. I walked over to sit with them.
Like I mentioned earlier, I wasn't a devout practitioner of any religion, but I did find comfort in some of its ways. Deep down, Christianity was meant to guide people toward living good lives. Regardless of previous scandals, in times of war, it certainly helped a lot of people find the strength to live for the next day.
Everyone in the circle released their hands and went back to their families, while Yessa sat there. I took another deep breath and moved next to her. I knew this wasn't going to be the reunion we both had imagined. “Yessa,” I tried to grab her hand but she pulled away, “You're okay.”
“Yep,” she replied as she crossed her arms and tilted her head away.
“Yessa, listen, I,” I stumbled across my words, “You have to let me say what I have to say to you.”
Keeping her arms crossed, she turned her head and looked into my eyes. Just being so close to her after so long gave me the biggest smile I had in the months since this had been going on. All the great times flooded back to me, and for once in a long time, I felt peace pass over my body.
“When all this had happened, this war, it all was so quick that nobody was ready for it. You, Professor Sighter, my mom, everyone back home, gone in a matter of hours. There were nights that I stayed up until the morning with tears in my eyes because I wished that I'd done more to protect you. I thought how, if only we could have traded places, that it was me who was taken and not you. Brutus has been kidnapped now. The darkest of my recent days don't compare to those of yours, but I want you to know that every night before the dawn, that I would remember how it used to be lying next to you…,” I was telling her before someone came down and sat next to her.
“Hey baby, who's your new friend?” the guy asked as he kissed her on the cheek.
“Grey, this is Strafe, Strafe this is Grey. Strafe was a friend of mine from back home,” Yessa emphasized the “was,” with lifted eyebrows and shoulders.
“Hey, what's up dude?” I said to him as I put my hand up to shake.
He shook my hand firmly, almost trying to crush it, “Nice to meet you pal! Hey, Yessa, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Hang on!” I stood up, stopping him from pulling her away, “It'll only be a minute, but I really need to talk to her, about what's happened. It's important.”
“Well, okay. We'll be over there Yessa,” he said as he rubbed her arm, pointing over to a window looking out. She nodded and sat back down.
There was a bit of awkwardness as we sat next to each other after that, she looked slightly embarrassed. I knew attacking her for trying to make me feel bad about Roya would only push her further away, so I went a different route.
“Is that…” I began before she interrupted me.
“Yes, yes he is. My boyfriend,” Yessa said, “He's from Crotona. We were part of the same shipment sent to that god forsaken place.”
“Did he take care of you?” I asked as I held her hand in mine.
“Yeah, he made deals with the guards so they wouldn't come at me anymore,” Yessa replied as she lowered her head.
“The guards?” I put my hand to my forehead, “Did they try to?”
“Yes,” she mumbled as tears began to form. I moved closer and pulled her head onto my shoulder. She cried a little before she brushed away the tears, “The bad thing is, I knew when it was going to happen every time, and no matter what I did I couldn't change the future, only witness it.”
“What do you mean 'witness it?” I asked.
To my surprise, I saw sky blue colored tattoos adorning her skin. Yessa was a Guardian.
“You have power too?”
“Shortly after I came into this world Strafe, I found this. I have the Power of Concern, I can see the future.”
“Can you see, everyone's future?” I repeated.
“Yes, but only if they are nearby. I can't see more than a day out either. I never knew if I would see you again, which is why I'm with Grey now. I, I thought I would never be with you again,” Yessa said as she leaned her head into my shoulder.
“There's nothing to be ashamed about. This war, has reminded me we need to make the most out of each day. I had no idea people could act like this. If only they talked to each other, maybe this suffering could end,” I looked toward Grey and nodded my head, “Sometimes human touch is needed to heal and escape the pain. I think that's what we both needed, don't you agree?” I advised.
She nodded her head and we shared a moment of silence. I noticed that she had fallen asleep; she always used to like sleeping on my shoulder. I swapped auras with her, to keep track of her. Before I went to sleep, I whispered to her,
“No matter what happens between us now, just know that you will always have a special place in my heart.”
When I woke up, it was daytime. Yessa was still sleeping on my shoulder, and her new boyfriend wasn't looking happy. I winked at him before laying her down; I needed to take a leak. I felt her grab my hand though, so I turned around quickly to see her looking up at me, “I was really mad at you, when I saw you kiss that girl, but then I realized how it looked for you seeing me with another person too. I don't know what to feel right now Strafe, seeing you again, it was almost too much for me. You have always been the love of my life. This damn war has taken a lot from me, maybe even you.”
“Yessa, we'll get through this,” I told her.
She stopped and paused for a second before telling me, “For a long time in the holding cell, that man in the black garb would come over and watch me sleep. I pretended I didn't notice him. When he took off his mask, he, he looked so much like you. Whatever is happening to him, I think he knows you.”
“Thank you…I need to find him. I think he's…my brother. A woman from Mylintus said he was alive, and hurting,” I frowned, “So, what now, between you and me? Gonna dump me?”
“I don't know, you gonna dump your new girl?” she countered. I smiled and she took a deep breath, “I think, some time together would do us some good. I know this wasn't the reunion we both wanted, but I'm, I'm happy to see you again Strafe.”
As she turned around and walked away, I rubbed my head and said, “Nice to see you too.”
Whenever I moved, I felt the small cuts and bruises scream at me. I got some of my wounds treated again to remove any dirt that got in them; a shower would have to wait until we crossed the desert. At the moment, the only thing I could do was sleep but before I closed my eyes, people on the train began looking out the small, cut-out windows on the left side of the cycle.
I was expecting them to be panicking because the Senti had caught up to us, but was surprised to see them laughing and smiling. With a push off of my knee, I stood up to see what everyone was looking at
, and it was a sight to see.
A middle-aged woman patted me on the back and pointed out the window. She smiled, “You see that? Not in my 30 years as a photographer had I had the chance to see a wild flock of Giant Slate in the desert. Marvelous.”
Moving across the dunes like a pod of dolphins, were these giant Slates! They were docile and wild, not created by the Senti. The resemblance to whales was astonishing. She went on saying they jumped in and out of the sand effortlessly, thanks to simply using the forces of gravity and momentum to pop in and out, as well as relying on each other to push the pod. Their turquoise bodies reflected the glare of the sun magnificently, casting different shades of blue across the sands. There was a soothing 'swishing' sound as they entered in and out of the dunes, like shooting a basketball through a net. They were singing to each other too.
“What's the purpose of them being so big? They must eat quite a lot,” I asked the photographer.
“That's the thing, Slates don't eat! They get their energy from the sun and radiation from the planet. These Slates clean the desert up by combing it as they move across it. Pretty neat huh?!” she cheered.
“Yeah, that's awesome!” I replied enthusiastically.
It was great to have something for us to take our minds off what had happened recently. It sure was something I would remember for years to come. To see such huge creatures glide through the sands helped remind me that not all Slates were our enemy. Maybe they were even looking over us as we crossed the desert.
As a smile grew across my face, my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer. Each time I went to sleep, I worried I might have another dream about Barzakh, but was hopeful of such occurrence. Maybe each dream got me closer to figuring out what he was trying to tell me and how I could help him. So with a few flutters of my eyelids, I drifted into the milieu of the mind.
While I was asleep, I wasn't visited. It was good my brother let me rest because my body needed to focus on healing and not a potential nightmare. This burden was wearing on me, but knowing Yessa was safe made me breathe a little easier. As far as her and I, only time would tell what would happen.
The only thing I knew was that no matter what, the moments we spent together would always have an impact on my heart and that I would never forget how beautiful she treated me. She made me realize how beautiful life can be when you are with a woman you really love.
Moonlight and commotion woke me up. It was the middle of the night, and the cycle had stopped. I rubbed both of my eyes and got up to stretch. The loading door was open and most of the people were gathered outside, so I went to see what was going on.
A breeze of cool, dry air passed through my hair after I stepped out onto the sand. Like the Grasslands near Mylintus, the night sky was truly a treat in and of its own. Stars glittered the night and the moonlight glittered in the sands. People had gathered around to stretch and make sure everyone was doing okay. We'd been sitting in these vehicles for most of the day, so it was good for us.
I saw a group of people playing Brave-Ball in the distance, and I wanted to jump in so badly but my wounds told me I'd better not. Zon, Argenta and Roya were leaning on one of the cycles talking to each other, so I went over to see how they were doing. They were mid-conversation.
“So, by morning you think?” Zon asked Roya.
“Yes, these sands are like veins in my body. I know them, they are a part of me,” she replied.
“Hey everyone!” I sang as I joined them.
“Hey Strafe! Are you feeling better?” Argenta asked as she grabbed my shoulder.
“Yeah, thanks,” I nodded with a smile, “How about y'all?”
“I am fine now, Zon is a little cranky though,” Roya ribbed.
“Hmmm. Falling out of a building did not help assuage me,” Zon joked back. He ran both of his hands through his hair.
“If only you had wings, that wouldn't be a problem,” Argenta smiled.
“That's true Argenta,” I commented.
We talked for a while and they had told me we were expecting to reach the Dream Islands by the morning but everyone needed a break from the cycles. Zon looked to have a slight limp in his step. Argenta took her leave to check on Rousseau.
Roya whispered in my ear she wanted to ride with me for the rest of the trip. While I was still uncertain from what had happened earlier between Yessa and I, having someone close right now was a good thing and could help take my mind of the pain.
“So, Roya, how did you end up so high in the tower?” I asked her.
She looked at me and curled her lip. I could tell it would be uncomfortable for her to talk about. Bending her knees, she picked up a handful of sand with both hands. When she stood up, the sand was in the shape of a pyramid.
“Do you see this Yoichi? Strafe?” she asked as she held out the sand in front of her. We both nodded. “I was brought up to the top of the tower by someone who had been hunting me, Faiz. He was one of the warriors sent to kill Falco and bring me back to the islands. When I fought against him, in the tower, I beat him. I carry his weapons now,” she pointed to her ears, “I can break the cycle, this cycle of detriment toward women in my tribe. I must go back and help them understand how I feel,” Roya explained as she slowly let the sand fall through her fingers.
“Does this mean, you risk death in order to do so?” Zon asked.
“Yes, this is true, but maybe there is another way. Maybe I can convince them by letting women live their dreams, they can better live theirs as well,” Roya decided as she tilted her head down.
“We'll be right there with you Roya, I promise,” I praised as I rubbed her back.
She smiled and patted my hand as she said goodnight. There was a look of sanguine across her face as she grabbed a blanket and went to sleep. I scratched my head and wondered what had happened to her.
“You should be mindful about understanding her dilemma,” Zon commented to me as he began to walk away, “She suffers worse than you know.”
“Hey, wait!” I stopped him, “What do you mean?”
Looking to the moons as he paused, and then turning around to face me, he explained, “There was an ancient explorer from my country, Fukuzanza, who traveled the world thousands of years ago, but his accounts are still cherished by my people today. In one of his travels, he mentioned witnessing what had happened to a Lady who was negligent of her duties to her tribe. Her entire family was slaughtered in front of her before she was killed too.”
“But, there has to be a way, a way to make them understand,” I lamented.
“The truth is Strafe, since she was not brought to justice in the tribe, more than likely her family took the fall. They may all be dead because of her actions,” Zon grimaced.
Shivers ran through me like there was a cold breeze; the thought of such brutality was horrifying.
“All of that because she loved someone,” I said, looking to the sky.
Chapter 10
Yessa
It felt like an unstoppable force had just met an immovable object. Strafe was always on my mind, from the moment I met him, up until the moment I lost him. Before this all happened, Strafe was funny, cocky and carefree, but he always had a good heart. Now, when I saw him again, his whole character had changed. He seems focused, determined and even a little edgy at times. Who could blame him for what they did to us.
I grew up with Strafe and Gain in New Santa Barbara. My father was in the U.S. Air Force and my mother was in the Argentinean Army. They had met while my father was stationed abroad and clicked right away. We would occasionally move from place to place, but after my father retired when I was ten, he moved us back to his hometown.
When I was thirteen I met Strafe, flying drones in the park. At first, I thought he was cocky, too much so, as he would challenge anyone to a race. He would always win too; racing for trading cards and video games. It all changed one day though, when I stepped up and asked him to race me.
“You?! No sweat!” he said with a smile that could light u
p the room.
The truth is though, it just gave me a reason to talk to him. He was pretty popular, being one of the top aces in our town, but everyone's jaw dropped when I beat him. After our race, as the crowd dispersed around us, he walked over to me. He complemented me as he shook my hand, “Where the heck did you learn to fly like that? Who are you?”
“I'm Yessa Sosa, and you'll never forget the day that I beat you,” I declared.
“Whoa ho! Hot stuff eh? I didn't catch what you wanted if you won. Usually I trade cards but I've never had anyone beat me,” Strafe confessed with his arms open.
I looked him in the eyes and said, “I want to take you to take me on a date. That is my reward.”
I almost laughed at his reaction, those big wide eyes, “Hmm! You must be able to see the future because I was going to ask you anyway, not to get out of paying or anything!”
“No, I knew that I could win and it just so happens that I'm free this Saturday,” I proposed.
From there on out we were inseparable. Going through high school and college, travelling across the U.S., flying together, it was some of the best times of my life. I'd always felt that girls were entitled to ask a guy out just as much as they could ask out a girl. Men and women are in this together and I didn't want him to be with anyone else.
I met Gain shortly after Strafe and I'd been going out for a while. He would go from girl to girl to girl, just like his jobs. He didn't have the direction Strafe did, but he was always there for him, like a brother. I'd always felt there was something off about him though, which worried me. But, my friend told me, “You have to let boys be boys sometimes.”
After college Strafe wanted to take a break from piloting to work on the canyon project back in New Santa Barbara, and after he fell into the water my life became a living hell.
The Federation dragged me into Eternia and they put me into the Slate Internment Camp. I became a slave, waiting to be experimented on. It was awful seeing what people would do to survive, stealing, fighting, even killing each other for a piece of bread. One day an old man tried to steal my water jug but Grey stepped in between us and scared him away. With no one else to turn to, I leaned on him to help get me through living in that awful tower, but I still thought of Strafe.