The Adorned

by Elimelec Gonzalez-Roman

  Chapter

  28

  Comprehending the Irrational

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  In interior of the Jefferson Building brightened significantly...

  A new coating of wall paint: A much brighter crème color and the marble-tiles on the floor were light blue and white. And now the long hallway had doors, with thick black numbers over the door’s arch; no more of this randomly opening sliding door: real doors, like the ones inside our townhouse!

  There was plenty of activity too: I saw a bunch of female teachers roaming from room to room, an elderly lady wearing round spectacles, pushing a big brown cart full of textbooks, and young girls following teachers and caretakers alike… again, not a single male presence.

  “I am really happy you got to witness this before you leave Sam… everything is turning normal again.” Ms. William muttered, “And now… we’re looking for rooms 27 and 28. Come.”

  I followed her clacking heels down the hallway. I noticed her nodding her head and smiling warmly to each individual person that passed by: I felt a bit misplaced, I kept a smile on my face but I felt so deprived and ashamed for some reason. My face burned and I kept inching closer and closer to Ms. William; I felt due to just leap forward and grab her around the waist… was this fear?

  Every step we took felt like throbbing weights pressing down against me, I felt so confined that I was about to just scream at the top of my lungs.

  Muttering words smothered together, faces smeared with one another, those same haunting and staring blue eyes embracing me with awed gestures, even a couple of gasps…. When I finally heard Ms. William say something about a room I literally moved past her to enter so quickly that I knocked heads with some random girl loafing over my male presence that I didn’t even notice standing in front of the door. Grrah!

  “Ouch! Hey watch it!” The girl yelped.

  She shoved me back and I landed in Ms. William’s arms.

  “Oops, sorry!” My voice cracked.

  And what made her prone to just stand in the middle of a doorway and drool over my invisible aurora of male dominance: but then again, the door was closed, so if this girl wouldn’t have been my head’s target… perhaps the door was, and that would have brought even more embarrassment.

  I rubbed on my nose.

  “Please excuse us.” Ms. William said.

  She went about and Ms. William took my hand and we entered classroom 27.

  Ms. William faced me and pulled a handkerchief from her purse, “Relax Sam, look at you, you’re breaking in to sweats dear. There’s nothing to fear about any of this, just breath; these are normal kids as you are.” Ms. William explained as she wiped the sweat off my forehead with her silky soft handkerchief.

  I nodded. She was right and I knew I was acting this way, but I just didn’t know why either; it was natural, and overwhelming my wits of self-control and reason. How could I holster something so humanly impossible to uphold as this? Was my medication wearing thin, or was I becoming ill to my utmost necessity of consuming that drug?

  I grimaced and shoved my hands in my pocket.

  Gold streaks of sunlight pervaded through the now vigilant windows, blanketing my eyes with the bright reflection bouncing off the white tile. The room was decorated in a different kind of fashion; the walls had big maps, on each desk a large globe, and on the ceiling, little miniature airplanes, and, I think, space ships and shuttles.

  The teacher, of course, a young beautiful female with round glasses, golden blond hair tied in a ponytail, and elegantly dressed in a one-piece, pink flower dress, was already shaking Ms. William’s hand politely. Her crystal blue eyes glazing with the beaming sunlight caught sight of me and grinned.

  “Pleasure to make your acquaintance Sam. I’m Cassandra Mullen, and I will be your History and English professor.” Ms. Mullen said.

  I hesitated. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if I was choking over the fact that there were girls outside the door staring inside; fascinated that they’re seeing me, a boy for probably the first time? I turned away before my infused disarray of mal-content yelled curse words to drive these fiends away.

  I grinned and nodded to Ms. Mullen.

  “Well here’s a small list of what we’ll be learning in class.” Ms. Mullen explained to Ms. William, “There’s only three other students accompanying Sam in this course, and I’ve already met them all: sweet and kind…”

  As she continued I couldn’t help but admire and lose sight and track of what she was mumbling about. My attention was glued to this small globe; it was a round map, but not an area was defined on it. No names, no nothing, just a rough surface splatter of paint, impersonating what was once a map. I ran my finger across a large green blob, and then followed my finger to a blue streak that ran down until it branched into two blue streaks. I followed the right branch as it made way to an even bigger blob of blue: The Ocean.

  My thoughts bloomed to life as I imagined that day when I took sight across the ceaseless array of perpetual water, glimmering like shards of sprinkles, and painting its portrait with a gingery sunset.

  Ms. Mullen cleared her throat.

  I averted away from my daydream and stared at Ms. Mullen who was grimacing at my lack of interest.

  “As I was saying; we’ll learn a lot of literary terms and read plenty of poetry. You’ll enjoy the class Sam, I’m sure you will.” Ms. Mullen said overjoyed. “Do any of you have any questions for me?”

  “Sam, sweetie: do you have anything?” Ms. William said.

  I shook my head and moved to the door.

  Ms. Mullen giggled, “Well, obviously not! So I will catch you when classes begin in the coming days.”

  “It was truly a pleasure meeting you Cassandra, we’ll see you soon.” Ms. William said.

  “The pleasure is all mine.” She replied.

  “Hurry on children, hurry on please!” A rowdy lady yelped across the hallway, “There’s nothing to see: quit clogging up the hallway!”

  I grinned. Her auspiciousness wasn’t as effective as she had planned; since her eye contact with me was as awing as the rest of the other females wandering up and down the narrow hallway.

  I followed Ms. William and we entered the room across twenty seven: to room twenty eight.

  Ms. William lurched and squinted, wiping the imaginary sweat from her brow, “What a walk Sam, my oh my!”

  I grinned at her sarcasm.

  Ms. William opened the door for me and I walked in. She followed, closing it and then moving next to me.

  This room was darker than Ms. Mullen’s. The blinds were slid over the windowpanes and an overhead projector had letters writing themselves on the big black monitor on the far end of the room, opposite to our entry.

  The room was vacant, all desks unoccupied, including the teacher’s desk that was bare, not a textbook or any form of writing utensils.

  The monitor was typing: Welcome to Ms. Jessica Amber’s class of Mathematical Algebraic Calculations; unfortunately she’ll be absent in today’s introductory period. Please note that though her absence you may still AITEXT her via her IM-Systematic System. Thank you for showing up and we’ll see you when classes begin.

  Ms. William sighed, “Well, apparently she’s not here, so… let’s go get some food and buy you some new clothes... you’ve outgrown your pants!”

  She shuffled my hair.

  “Perhaps a haircut too… it’s a bit too shaggy.”

  “Ugh, no thanks on the haircut... but I’m up for shopping and food!” I replied with a triumphant fist held high. To be honest, I didn’t care much, but I did want to just get out of this place; all this female presence was overwhelming me. Not just that, their staring eyes and dropped jaws are a bit spooky… if I have a nightmare filled with blue eyes floating about I will scream!

  After leaving the overly cramped Jefferson Building, which was quite the relief for me: the outside was as vacant as normal; not a soul out here in the courtyard except for Ms. Willi
am and myself.

  I didn’t mention anything to Ms. William, since I know she’d probably come up with some believable excuse, and I didn’t really want to hear her lie to me… so I just kept it to myself. And I knew there was something wrong, I just had this hunch: returning to the old ways of functioning seemed a bit futile and irrelevant, especially since they changed in the first place because of this unknown period known as the Dark Times… I guess that’s what Dr. Harris mentioned.

  Nevertheless, with his capture, meant I wouldn’t get to know anything about those times… damn Oliver for taking him away. Just remembering that day made my blood boil, I should have done something, I should have stopped him, at least help Dr. Harris. But what drastic action could I have done to have bent that conclusion? I was powerless.

  “You seem awfully quiet sweetie.” Ms. William said.

  What to say?

  “Hey Ms. William can you tell me more about the Dark Times?” I said.

  Ms. William stopped and faced me, her brows slumped, and lips pursed. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms.

  “If I could, I’d tell you Sam, but I’m not in my power to do so… and even if I did give you a small hint, it’s illegal. And surely the Council would be barging on our door immediately after even muttering anything.”

  Her voice was sharper; she was obviously afraid. I knew the only person I could ask anything of this would have been Dr. Harris or perhaps Oliver, who I haven’t seen in quite some time now.

  Wonder if Rebecca knows anything of it. I failed to ask; but I have this strong feeling she might know more than I.

  The sidewalk felt like it would never end. Painting perfect, square, townhouses with the small yard and archway fence kept on repeating itself, over and over and over… Ms. William’s clonking heels, her hands securing her purses strap dangling by her side, and her golden blonde hair smoldering with the sunshine.

  She maintained her perfect posture: chin up, erect, and feet moving at the exact same pace; never staling or slowing down.

  Why was I noticing all of this? I couldn’t bend my attention towards anything else but all these uncanny perfections, and it was aggravating me.

  The plaza came to view finally… and then the liveliness irrupted to life. As we approached, my eyes caught sight of this luxurious restaurant with an outside patio full of tables and people eating tasty looking treats and meals. The whiff had my stomach roaring.

  “I know you’re going to have dinner with Rebecca, but if you’d like we can grab a quick bite over in that restaurant there. My co-workers tell me it’s quite delightful. It’s called: The Prestigo!” Ms. William said.

  “Sounds good!”

  The compulsive sound of verbose chatters smothered together like the faces streaming along and around Ms. William and I. We continued through the crowds of woman and young teenage girls, goggling at the sight of me… and then out of the blue, I actually caught sight of another male, other than myself… however, he was bald and wore this stiff black suit: Council Officer, I classified quickly.

  There must have been this hidden aurora surrounding this officer, or statue, since not a single woman or young woman goggled at him like they were at me: he was like invisible; yet his black beady eyes monitored thoroughly ahead.

  Ms. William stopped.

  “Groom’s Hall was renamed to Coalastar, right over there.” She pointed ahead.

  I stared briefly; I didn’t really care about the name change, or the fancy new flashing label, but I did however wonder if Laura was still there. That blond haired girl I saw the first time I came here last year: ever since then Ms. William has just bought me random attire, just because… I am doing what I’m doing right now, drawing attention.

  I glared back at the Council Officer, he stared right back. I couldn’t budge, petrified. I don’t know what it was, but all of a sudden the area surrounding him was ablaze. His black beady eyes turned glowing in a shade of cerulean blue. His face crumbled off and Oliver’s face unmasked…

  The ground trembled in steady motion with the vibrant lightning strike. The dusk sky was alit with perpetual flashes of lights, accompanied by the thin layers of misty rain.

  I stood bemused, I didn’t know where I was, why I was there: this sudden strike of amnesia had me twittering off course to different unknown realms in my mind; because even though I didn’t recognize, I somehow felt that I’ve been here: experienced this very portrait.

  Perhaps déjà vu… no, no it couldn’t be; what in all my inept thinking could make me believe that I can holster theology, or even be accountable for my own superstitions and believe that somehow my dreams and nightmares could be connected to my ongoing cycle of daily affairs?

  I pushed forward, the mush soil slipping through the slits of my toes, watching the cold, gooey mud pass over my feet, and then feeling the ominous, yet inhabiting and welcoming perfection, of this wet mist wash over my face and trickle down to my soaked clothes.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I saw something behind my eyelids: an image of him, Dr. Harris, but this time, he had those strange, fake, looking glowing eyes: and then Oliver came into picture, they shook hands.

  Dr. Harris nodded politely, his face cheerful.

  Oliver nodded back and out of nowhere he presented Dr. Harris with some brown envelope: it was sealed, I don’t know why, but the detail on the seal looked exactly like the one that’s nestled beneath my mattresses.

  Dr. Harris turned to some invisible crowd… facing me, and gave me a wink…

  I opened my eyes and found myself staring across a glittering ocean. The oceanic breeze tickling my nose with its salty fragrance; the sandpapery sand beneath my feet, and the roar of the ocean waves crashing over the land.

  “Hi Sam.”

  The voice was familiar to me. I turned and saw Dr. Harris walking towards me. But his face was a lot more aged than what I remember, this time he had that bushy beard again like the first time I met him.

  “Dr. Harris!” I couldn’t hold back my roar of relief. The chains holding my doubt about his whereabouts and safety lifted off my shoulders… the guilt, washed away like the running waters smoothing the surface of the sand.

  “So I’ve read in your profile you seem to be having strange dreams about the future. Am I correct?” He said.

  I nodded. I wasn’t thinking this reunion would become some psychological debrief. And how did he know about this? I’ve never once, since last years’ odd finale, told him anything about my enduring nightmares.

  “Do you believe that the nightmare you had before your release from the Consolation Chamber was believable enough to have been an actuality, or do you think it will happen in the near future to come?”

  I thought about it; it’s been almost 3 years since I’ve had that vicious nightmare about the horrid execution. I tried to envision it again but I couldn’t find it anywhere in the jet-black archives of my mind: out of all the people, Amy bloomed into my thoughts.

  “I don’t know.” I replied, “And am I psychologically ill or something?”

  “No, you’re not at all. You’re healthy and your vitals are beyond the exceptional standards. You’re a bright child, brighter than I’d ever imagine anyone being.”

  I was confused again.

  “What is this, some kind of test? I mean, I don’t know what is happening Dr. Harris… I don’t even know why I’m here, at the beach! I was just in a forest and now here? What’s happening to me?”

  “Well, somehow you suffered from a random faint that left you here. In the desolate space between mind and soul; perhaps the spiritual aspect of a human being: the part of the body that scientists or researchers can’t venture into.

  There are many unanswered questions and I’ve sought them Sam, I’ve sought and sought, and I’ve come short to find any form of resolution… I need you Sam, you have something that I’ve been searching for; and it’s in your mind. But I can’t say anything here, and it’s too complicated for an i
nept mind to comprehend. So all I will tell you now is that: I am safe, Sam, I did escape, and I will seek you. Now awaken…”

  The Council Officer kept his sight on me: he grinned, and then continued his watch.

  I stood there, motionlessly trying to decipher what had just occurred in that… I didn’t really know what to explain it as: Vision? It felt so real, too real; but here I am still standing in the same spot I was before I had it. And Ms. William stood near the Coalastar door waiting on me to come.

  Could time have stood still? Is there some form of illogical and un- theorized cause to a put a stop in space-time continuum to just freeze itself in a climactic moment?

  I had to go speak to someone about this; I needed some form of knowledge to comprehend my visions, because this wasn’t the first. Dr. Harris or Oliver why can’t either of you appear like you both use to? Why am I here again, this even more deprived than I’ve ever been… Rebecca was my only consolation right now and I must seek her; I must see her now.

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