“Sanoj be honest with me. There are people up there, right?”
“Meow.”
I knelt beside him, “I thought so. Remember what to do? I will not abandon you. Even if they take me away, you run. Got it? I’ll be coming right back, no matter what. Do not fight them. They will not kill me.”
Sanoj laid beside me as I started a fire. He started licking my hair, grooming me. It reminded me of my mother scratching my head. It was nostalgically soothing.
“Want to hear something?”
Sanoj tilted his head up as I pulled my mother's flute out of my bag. I played the melody my mother used to play me. Having one hand made it difficult. Sanoj still watched in awe.
“Meow.”
“You should hear my mother. She used to…” I got choked up.
I put the flute down and held my tears back. Sanoj licked my face.
“I’m fine, you big dummy. Come here.”
I held Sanoj close. Sanoj read me very well. As I continued the melody, Sanoj tilted his ears up to listen. He seemed to like the tune. Once the song was done, I felt sleepy.
“You keep first watch. If you get sleepy, wake me up.,” I slept that night with Sanoj in my arms. He nudged me awake midday with the sun shining through the black trees. Luckily, no nightmares.
“Alright, I’m up. I’ll make some food for us then go to bed, OK.”
“Meow.”
“Yes, it will be meat. We still have one beef stew left. I don’t know what you can eat, other than meat, so I’ll have the tomato soup.”
My body shivered at the thought of eating tomato soup. I cooked up meat stew along with the my ‘meal’. I cut out the top can, so that it could bubble and cook at a regulated temperature. Since I had opposable thumbs, I held the can so that Sanoj could eat. Then I had my share of tomato soup, I plugged my nose and downed the entire can quickly. Disgusting, even when I’m starving. Why would anyone make this? Sanoj smiled at my misery.
“You find this amusing, don’t you? Try a little. Even if your body can’t digest it, this small amount won’t kill you.”
I gave Sanoj a small taste of the tomato juice left over on my finger. Sanoj’s face cringed immediately.
“Gross, isn’t it?”
“Meow.”
“Yea, join the club.”
I waited for Sanoj to sleep. I read more of the journal. Before I began reading, I mentally prepared myself by taking a huge breath.
‘April 27th, 1575
Salan is making me nervous. He is always meeting up with Tras in the washrooms. I’m beginning to believe he is aware of the cameras and is plotting something against me. He took Cassiella in there too. I told the doctor this information, but he said, “I’m worrying too much. Salan is a young man with few friends. He’s going to get attached to Cassiella, and people have needs when going through puberty. Salan isn’t bright enough to plan an escape anyway.” I liked the doctor; he was a man I could trust. Very few people wanted me here, but that’s because I worked them harder. I expect results, and I don’t care if people’s feelings get hurt. We stocked the storage room with weapons for the auction show. There is a weopon for each of their fighting styles. In the meantime, I need to keep pushing these kids. You can’t spell sympathetic without pathetic.’
“He was the only man he could trust. The boss’ son was much dumber than the boss.” I whispered to not wake up Sanoj.
If the original Leader survived, I probably wouldn't have made it out of there. There was no further mention of the auction. I closed the journal and tucked it in my pocket. The book was hard to read as it gave me flashbacks. Its frustrating that the auction’s location wasn’t mentioned.
After Sanoj got a decent sleep, I packed up and nudged Sanoj awake. I made sure to get plenty of rest as I needed as much aura as possible.
“Alright hang onto me. I’m going to speed up this climb.”
“Meow.”
“Grip your claws into my back, and I’ll bend down more so you stay balanced.”
Sanoj did as instructed and hopped on. I gritted my teeth as the claws dug into my back. At least Sanoj could heal my wounds. The pain made me tighten my grip on the bag.
“Hang on tight.”
I extended my aura up through my legs halfway up the side of the mountain. Then, I reached up to the top of the cliff with an aura created from my right nub. As soon as I clutched the top, I retracted the aura from my feet. Halfway up, and already I was 75m high. I had to do the task slowly for Sanoj’s sake. My battery life was depleting at a dangerous rate.
My grip was slowly fading as I went higher and higher. Once at the edge of the mountain top, Sanoj hopped off immediately. I slung the heavy bag on the ledge. My aura had depleted, and I quickly gripped the edge with my left hand. My body was soaked with sweat. I struggled slowly to get my other leg over. Sanoj bit down on my hand and yanked me over.
While on my back I panted, “Let’s never, ha-do, -ha-that, again…”
I rolled farther away from the edge and grabbed the bag. Then, I peered around. We were 150m high. Even from this height, there was only the Black Forest behind us. The silver top of the mountain reflected the sunlight and made me squint. It took awhile to adjust since black leaves didn't surround me. I continued to move forward. There was about a one-kilometer distance to the other side.
After a short walk, we saw a sea of glowing lights. The light was so intense they made it through the black tree branches. People below, from this height, they were like ants. I strained my eyes to observe them. All of them had bat wings extending from their backs. We had found civilization.
There were no lights at ground level, only among the branches. I found ramps leading up to the houses. This must have been for non-flying creatures. Only children with undeveloped wings used them. There were not many other races. What worried me was there weren’t any Felis’. Black armored Minyades guards stood at the bottom of the ramp. There was only one ramp on the outskirts that face us. It must have been a safety precaution. The houses closer to the bottom ramp were made of black wood, they seemed cheaper and smaller. More compact as well. The ones in the distance had color and more expensive. They were larger and more spaced out. My legs buckled and my exhaustion outweighed my curiosity.
“Alright let’s take a break and make a fire here. In the morning, we’ll go down to meet these people. I need to eat to regain some energy.”
I checked the bag; there was only tomato soups and water.
“Hey want some more tomato soup?”
“Meow.”
“Yea, me neither.”
“Meow.”
“I’m not the one who grabbed it. I thought that the Leader would have better taste in food.”
“Meow.”
“It’s a long story. Drink some water for now. I’ll find some meat for you later, OK? Also, if they come up here, wake me up. Sanoj nodded.
“I wish there was a place for you to hide if they come up here,” I said.
Sanoj’s ears reminded me of something important. The fact there were no Felis made me adjust the makeshift hood. I could not afford to get firewood near the civilization. The wind was strong and the night grew cold without protection from the trees. Since the sun had set, we had no other option. In my exhausted state, I searched for wood over the cliff. I went along the outskirts so the civilization wouldn’t notice me. We were stranded until I had enough aura to get to the surface below. The drop was 100 meters to civilization. The height got steeper the more I backtracked. I couldn’t afford to be confronted now. I found a decent amount of wood growing out from the mountain side. It was 25 meters below. Extending my aura, I took the small branches, just enough for tonight.
The dense trees near the Minyades civilization would shroud our presence if confronted. The fire would give away our position so I put it behind the edge. There would still be smoke, but we needed it to keep us warm.
“You have first watch. I would get rid of the fire as a precaution, but it i
s freezing up here. The temperature must be -15C. I need to sleep to recover aura as well. Three hours should be enough to rappel down the cliffside. Down is easier than up.”
Taking out the tomato soup, I popped open the can, then grudgingly put the soup onto the crackling fire.
“Meow.”
“One song then I gotta go to bed.”
I took out the flute and played a harmony. In the end, I calmly fell asleep with Sanoj over top of me. His fur and the fire kept me warm. I soon woke up to the sound of Sanoj growling.
“What is it Sanoj?”
There were two black armored Minyades with spears. They had a scowl on their faces, not exactly welcoming. The armor they owned seemed to have holes in non-vital areas. I sprang up and motioned to Sanoj.
“Get behind me Sanoj.”
“Why have you come into our territory Felis? Bringing a Bastil is strictly prohibited. You are invading our territory,” stated the guard.
I put up my arms to indicate that I wasn’t a threat.
“I’m Salan; this is my friend Sanoj. We just seek refuge, we mean no harm to you or your people,” I announced calmly.
“You can’t trust outsiders who associate with a Bastil. Crona you kill the Bastil, and I’ll take the boy into custody,” stated the guard.
“You will leave my friend alone. He is not yours for the taking,” I said sternly.
I had very little aura left, so I had to make a run for it. I flared my aura as a warning. Then, I grabbed Sanoj with my left hand. The bag didn’t take priority in that situation.
“If you do not listen to reason, then we will take you in by force,” said the guard.
I got an idea. Men like these cower to a higher power.
“Then why is your superior standing behind you, angry?” I asked.
“What?” questioned the guards.
They both glanced back, and I used my black aura to sweep them off the cliff. Quickly, I jumped off the cliff with Sanoj in my other hand. I fell at a fast rate. Grappling would take too long, so I had to improvise. I imagined that I had the wings of a ginormous bird. My right nub and my left leg acted as wings. I flapped as hard as I could, but my aura worked in intervals. My aura was depleting, and I did not have the grace of an eagle. It was like a candle nearing the end of its wax.
Both guards were making a beeline for us in the sky. They were approaching at a fast speed. I glided down with Sanoj’s claws digging into my left side. I got down to 25m, and other members of the tree civilization gazed at us with curiosity. When I was about to hit the ground, I felt one of the guards’ tackle me. While Sanoj stuck the landing, I toppled down with the guard. The second guard went for Sanoj with the intent to kill. I was still pinned. Sanoj dodged his spear attack and growled, ready to fight back.
“Remember what I told you Sanoj!” I shouted.
With one final stare, Sanoj disappeared into the trees. Sanoj was far too fast and camouflaged to be found. The other guard was too late to see where Sanoj went, even with his echolocation. I let out a sigh of relief. Their attention went back to me. The guard turned me over and tried to place me in handcuffs. My aura was too weak to fight back. He seemed confused since I had no hand to cuff.
“Hey this kid has no hand, what should I do?” asked the guard.
“Knock him out and take him in for questioning. An Abundan can take a hit,” said the other.
I heard a wind up from the back of my head. There was a sudden sharp pain and everything went dark.
15- A Man’s Best Friend
“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
My head ached, and my vision worked in intervals. I was dragged to a room. They sat me down on a wooden chair. There was a dim light that hung over my head. The table was metallic. Both guards left the room and shut the door. The room had the same eeriness of the facility. When I became fully conscious, I started to notice more of my surroundings. The walls were cemented and had cameras on each corner. Eventually, I stood up and approached the door. Before I could get close, a voice came out of a speaker.
“Step away from the door and sit back down.”
I did as the voice asked. A man entered the room with a suit and red tie. He had big bat wings and was quite tall. Must be a Minyades. The man sat down in front of me. His face seemed sympathetic. Then he began to speak.
“My name is Mr. Gram, pleased to meet you.” He stuck out his right hand for me to shake. I showed him my nub. “Left it is,” he switched to his opposite hand for me. “The guards didn’t tell me you were a teenager. Why were you in the Black Forest? It's dangerous for a kid your age.”
He seemed genuinely concerned for my well-being. I had to convince this man to help me. Sanoj was in trouble, and I didn’t want to lose him too. I pursed my lips and began to speak. The moment I took off my hood he seemed startled.
“As I said to the guards who arrested me, my name is Salan.”
“Salan? The same Salan who disappeared after the hanging? From the country of Faslow, right?” asked Mr. Gram.
“How did you know where I came from?”
“Those guards are completely clueless. They didn't inform me of this at all.”
“Where am I, specifically? All I know is I’m in Atral.”
“You have been taken in from the outer regions of Atral. I will escort you immediately. Let me just make a few calls.” He stood up to leave the room.
I leaned forward, “Before you go, I have a friend. His name is Sanoj. I need to find him before your people do.”
“This was the Bastil, correct?”
“Yes, Sanoj is the Bastil. I told my friend to run and hide from the guards to be safe.”
“Good, those animals are banned from setting foot here, and your friend Sanoj would have been killed. You can discuss terms in the hearing.”
“It might be too late by then!” I shouted.
My aura showed my anger. He can’t die, no matter what. One of the guards walked in, and Mr. Gram indicated for the guard to go back inside.
He turned to me, “Now is not the place or time. I’m sorry, but this is all I can do. Tensions have been running high recently. The previous riots in Faslow have dropped the global market. All of the other countries are feeling the effects of poverty.” He grabbed my shoulder to reassure me. “I won’t let anything happen to you that is unjust, don’t worry. That I can promise you.”
I tilted my head down in frustration and his face changed.
He pointed to me, “How did you get that massive bump?”
With my adrenaline pumping, I had forgotten about the knockout. I felt the welt that formed.
“One of the guards couldn’t arrest me with cuffs because I don’t have a hand. So, he knocked me out.”
Mr. Gram left the room in anger.
He slammed the door behind him and shouted, “HE IS JUST A BOY. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?”
“We couldn’t arrest him so...” detested one of the guards.
“GET OUT OF HERE! BOTH OF YOU! BUNCH OF FUCKING MORONS!”
He must have been a man of power because I heard both men leave quickly. It took 20 minutes until he came back.
“You are taking the train to the capital, Aday. I will be your escort. Don’t do anything violent. I’ll try my best to get your friend back.”
I had no other options but to agree to those terms.
“OK, let’s go as fast as possible. Who wants to meet with me?”
“All 12 of the council members. News reporters are flocking to this area, so let's get out of here. The media is unreliable.”
“Why? Shouldn’t they tell the truth and listen to reason?”
He couldn’t stop laughing as we walked out of the room.
“What’s so funny?”
“Your progressiveness doesn’t match reality.”
We made our way
through the police station. As we started to exit the police station, people looked at me differently. Not out of sympathy but out of distrust. Racism was, unfortunately, more consistent than people, a safety net for the stupid. For when their world falls apart, people show their true colors. In a weird way, for me it was nostalgic.
“Reminds me of home,” I smiled.
“What?” asked Mr. Gram. He glanced around and immediately understood. “Ah well, the Felis have been banned from our country. We did a great disservice to your kind in the past. There is nothing I can do about the faults of my ancestors.”
“Why are they not allowed?”
“It has to do with the Great War and that Bastil friend of yours doesn’t help. Those creatures live long and are feared even today. Can you understand your friend, Sanoj?”
“Yes, I can! How did you know?”
“The Bastil’s have a gene pool related to the Felis. They are close on a DNA scale like how Humans are to apes.”
“But people can’t communicate with monkeys.”
“Well, that’s not true. Plenty of gorillas can use sign language and communicate with zookeepers. However, a Bastil’s intelligence is much higher. Higher than dolphins and probably higher than those two guards that arrested you.”
I was beginning to like this man. He talked quick and seemed to have a vast amount of information.
“What do you do, as a job?”
“I’m a lawyer. I practice in defending clients who have been accused of a crime.”
“What are my crimes?”
“Bastil association and illegal trespassing. Don’t worry I’ll can negotiate, plus you seem like a good person Salan from first impressions. The law isn’t always right. Being from Faslow, I’m sure you’re aware of that. The law is made by people, and people are flawed. My job is to point out those flaws. There is also a client to lawyer confidentiality agreement. So, if you did anything wrong in the past, you can let me know on our ride to the hearing.”
I paused for a moment and stopped moving. A hearing, last time I went to one of those my mother died. How could I trust him? I started to move away, no not like last time. They’re going to kill me. Flashes of my mother’s hanging came back to me.
Untold Deception Page 20