Livvy looked around and nodded. Yes, there might be more yellow.
“I still can’t believe this,” said Min.
“I’m not sure, but I think I can see through you a bit,” said Livvy.
“Oh, wow,” said Min, staring at her. “I think you’re right.”
“Here,” said Livvy. “I’m going to try and touch you.”
“Okay,” said Min, holding her hand out.
Slowly, Livvy moved her hand closer to Min’s, extending her index finger. They both stared as Livvy’s finger appeared to make contact.
“That’s weird,” said Min.
“It’s like I’m wearing a glove,” said Livvy. “It’s almost like I’m not touching you.”
She pushed Min’s hand and moved it.
“Well, I felt you pushing,” said Min, looking down at their hands. “But it’s like there’s something between us.”
She pushed back.
“Yeah,” said Livvy, feeling the dull pressure of Min’s hand.
They looked at each other and Min giggled, making Livvy smile.
“Sorry,” said Min. “I know I should be more serious.”
“Well, speaking of more serious,” she turned to look at the lake.
“Oh, right,” said Min.
As they entered the water, they held hands.
“I don’t know if we really need to hold hands,” said Livvy as they waded in.
“No, but I’d prefer if we did,” said Min, as the water started to swirl.
In moments they were in the underworld, tumbling out of the fountain and into the plaza.
“Good grief,” said Min, standing. “I don’t recognize this at all.”
“Me either,” said Livvy.
The downtown district was gone. She looked above and was reassured by the sight of the spiraling clouds.
“Where are all the temples?” Min asked.
“Temples? What temples?”
“The temples of the village. That’s where I always start.”
Livvy looked around at the white landscape.
“You mean, you don’t start in the temples?” asked Min.
“I’ve never seen temples at all, or a village. I always start downtown,” Livvy said, looking around.
“You’re kidding,” said Min. “Like downtown L.A.?”
“Well, kind of. Like downtown anywhere really.”
“So, you’ve never seen this before?” Min asked.
“Never.”
The undulating ground stretched out white in every direction, fading into the milky distance. Small hillocks and depressions in the ground cast indistinct shadows but there were no buildings or any other type of landscape features.
“This must be what it really looks like,” said Livvy.
“This?” said Min, disappointed. “It’s nothing.”
“Exactly. You see a village and I see downtown, something that works for each of us, something that we’re familiar with or comfortable with, something we can navigate.”
“I never thought about what other shamans were seeing,” said Min, looking around.
They stood silently for a time and then something seemed to be moving on the horizon, something erratic.
“Oh good,” said Min, suddenly smiling. “Here he comes.”
As it grew in size, Livvy realized why its motion had seemed strange. It was a bird flying toward them, but low. As it grew closer, it grew larger as well. It was a great white owl. It flared its wings and stretched out its talons, landing on the nearest white mound. As it stared at Min, it bobbed its head at her a couple of times.
“This is Kam,” said Min. “My spirit helper.”
“Hello, Kam,” said Livvy.
Its great round eyes slowly blinked at her and it turned its round face back and forth between them, as though it couldn’t quite believe what it was seeing.
“Yeah,” said Min, going over to it and stroking the front of its throat. “I was kind of worried we might not find each other, what with all this,” she gestured at the strange undulating landscape. “But, no worries.”
Min stopped and turned to Livvy.
“I’m sorry Livvy, I was so worried about me. Do you think your helper will come?”
Livvy pointed to the sky.
“It’s already here,” she said.
Puzzled, Min looked up at the sky. Kam looked upward also.
“I don’t see anything,” she said, shading her eyes. She looked back and forth. “Is yours a bird too?”
“No, it’s lightning.”
Min stared at her.
“Lightning? But…” She looked back up at the swirling cloud pattern. “I thought that was a legend.”
“A legend?” asked Livvy, surprised. “Why would you think it’s a legend?”
“Well, I don’t know. I mean, I just never heard of any real shaman having lightning as a helper.” She looked back at Livvy. “I thought it was supposed to be super powerful and stuff like that.”
“Oh,” said Livvy, thinking about the uncontrolled lightning. “Um, I suppose it is.”
“I never thought I’d meet a lightning shaman,” said Min, regarding Livvy differently.
“Well,” said Livvy, uncomfortable with the awe in Min’s voice. “Maybe we should have a look around. We might come across something more familiar.”
“Right,” said Min. “I almost feel like I’ve never been here before.”
The clouds above continued to swirl, providing no direction.
“It looks like any way is as good as another,” said Livvy.
Min looked at Kam, who seemed content to stay put. She looked at Livvy and shrugged. Without a client, their spirit helpers provided no course.
Livvy decided to head along the line that Kam had come from. As she and Min headed up and down the tiny hills Kam took to the air, circling and watching. Livvy glanced back a couple of times to make sure that she could see the fountain. Like the surrounding landscape it had turned an amorphous white, but the water spouted fairly high and stood out radiantly blue in the new surroundings.
“Our feet don’t make any noise,” said Min.
Livvy looked down as they walked. Min was right. She could feel her feet connecting with the ground but there was no sound. For a few seconds, it was so disconcerting that Livvy thought she was deaf.
“Look over there,” said Min. “Is that your kachina?”
Livvy jerked her head up, sighting along Min’s arm. Although far away, the top of his headdress was visible above one of the low dunes, heading in their direction. Livvy jumped and waved a hand.
“Over here!” she yelled.
High above, Kam let out a cry as well. She looked up and saw him circling higher, as though drawn up by hot air currents. When she lowered her gaze, she realized that Min was no longer at her side. She looked back and Min had frozen in place and was looking up at Kam.
“What is it?” asked Livvy.
“Something’s coming.”
Kam cried out again.
“And I don’t mean the kachina,” said Min.
“I think we need to get out of here,” Livvy said.
An enormous screech filled the air.
“Run!” Livvy yelled, although she needn’t have.
Min was already running but the wrong way.
“No, Min, this way!”
The shrieks were growing louder. Kam cried up above. Min looked at Livvy but never stopped running. Livvy waved as she ran in the direction of the fountain.
“This way,” she yelled, but Min couldn’t hear her.
She checked the clouds. They were streaming in the direction of the fountain, the direction that she was running, but Min didn’t know to follow them and had also become disoriented in the white landscape. Neither of them could see the fountain but it had to be close. They hadn’t gone that far. Unfortunately, if Min kept on her track, she was going to run right past it. Livvy veered off and headed toward Min.
Up above Kam cried and Livvy
looked up to see him beating his wings furiously, also headed in the wrong direction. That was why Min was off course, because Kam was off course. Then Livvy saw why.
It had been gliding, a dark but growing spot against the clouds, but as it flapped its enormous wings, she realized what it was–Tiamat. It had never occurred to her that Tiamat could fly, despite the great wings and eagle head, but she flew well—and directly at them.
Livvy fought down the paralyzing fear and ran hard. She crested one of the small hills and saw Min and also the fountain, but the kachina was nowhere in sight.
“Min,” Livvy yelled at the top of her lungs. “Min,” she yelled again through cupped hands. But as Min began to turn in her direction, a bone-jarring screech filled the air. Min collapsed.
“Min!” Livvy screamed.
As she turned her face to the sky, it took every ounce of will power not to look at Tiamat, who was nearly on them. Livvy reached a hand upward.
“Wind.”
The clouds boiled and a sudden wind nearly knocked Livvy from the hill. It had come with such abrupt force it surprised her. She looked back up to the sky as a loud clap of thunder pealed. Tiamat was looking at her, trying to change course but buffeted by the gale. Livvy looked back to Min, who had gotten up and was looking around, confused. Livvy waved both arms and finally caught her attention. She pointed at the fountain. Min looked in that direction but couldn’t see it from the depression where she was. Livvy pointed again, emphatically, and this time Min waved and headed in that direction.
Livvy rushed down the slope of the hill, losing sight of Min and the fountain. An enormous screech filled the air again, blurring her vision, rattling her eyes with its intensity. As she crested the next hill the fountain was below her but Min was nowhere in sight. She turned around frantically.
“Min!” she yelled into the wind. “Min!”
But the words were whipped away by the gale. Min could have been standing next to her and not heard a sound.
Where was she?
She looked up to the sky. Tiamat was getting nearer, even in the gale. Then she saw Kam, a tiny white speck compared to Tiamat, as he went sailing past her. He was nearly tumbling in the wind, completely out of control. Livvy knew, though, that if she backed off the wind Tiamat would be on them.
Livvy ran up the small hill in front of her and finally spotted Min, who had also seen Tiamat–for the first time. The terror that accompanied that sight had frozen her. Beyond Min, Livvy could see that Tiamat had managed the impossible and was starting to land.
Oh no. As soon as Tiamat was on the ground, the gale would be useless. Livvy watched in disbelief as Tiamat slowly lowered her head against the wind, sank, and gently touched down. As though in triumph, she raised her beak to the sky and shrieked.
Min knelt on the ground now, with her hands over her ears. Livvy flashed on her own first encounter with Tiamat and how it had paralyzed her. As she watched, Tiamat furled her wings and hunkered low against the gale, to Livvy’s left. The fountain, reachable if she ran directly for it, was to her right. Min knelt between the two. The choice was clear. As the ground began to shudder, Livvy charged down the hill to Min. Just as she reached her, the shadow of Tiamat covered them. Min screamed as Livvy grabbed her from behind.
“Get up,” Livvy yelled. “Run!”
She jerked Min off the ground, even as it seemed to tip and shake with Tiamat’s approach. Livvy started to run, dragging Min with her, heading into the gale. Finally, the fountain came into sight. Livvy half turned to look behind her, still dragging Min. A light was coming from Tiamat’s eye.
“No!” she screamed, remembering the white circle of heat on her chest.
Suddenly, Kam swooped from the sky, lunging at the eye. Tiamat, caught by surprise, ducked her great head and snapped her enormous beak at Kam, who flitted chaotically out of reach.
“Kam!” Min screamed, breaking free from Livvy’s grip.
“No, Min!” she yelled.
Kam dove again at Tiamat, who was ready for him this time. As he neared her unmoving head, she whipped her tail through the air and flicked him away. Kam was hurled into the distance as Tiamat turned her attention back in Livvy’s direction.
“Kam!” Min screamed and Tiamat turned her eye toward her.
A faint circle of light appeared on Min’s legs.
Livvy looked up to the sky, stretched up her hand and tilted her head back.
“Lightning,” she whispered.
She felt the arc pass over her. In moments, there was a crackling explosion and the smell of ozone. The concussion of the blast knocked her backwards. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Tiamat had backed away and raised up on her hind legs, shrieking and buffeted by the wind.
In her panic, Livvy had missed Tiamat entirely and nearly brought the lightning down on herself. But where was Min? As her eyes darted around in a frantic search, a horrible thought filled her mind. Had the lightning landed on Min?
No! There she was, next to the crater that the lightning had created, but she wasn’t moving. Oh gods, no, please no! Livvy rushed to her and turned her over. Although her face and chest were red, she was alive. Her dazed eyes looked up at Livvy. There was no time for relief, though. Livvy grabbed her arms and started hauling backwards.
Tiamat looked at the crater and then up to the clouds, as if watching for another strike. It was just enough time for Livvy to make one last push. She pumped her leaden legs afraid to stop even when she hit the fountain with her back. Although her hands and arms screamed in agony, Livvy clutched Min to her chest and shoved with her legs. With a final heave, her back scraped up and over the lip of the fountain. As Tiamat screeched, Livvy and Min tipped over the edge into the water.
The blackness swirled around them but surfacing in the black lake of the middleworld was taking too long. Still holding Min, Livvy struggled in the dark water not able to tell which way was up or down. She felt Min being pulled away, tried to tighten her grip. Her arm felt like it might be pulled from the socket and her fingers seemed about to break and finally, she couldn’t hold on any longer. The darkness had closed in.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
IN THE REAL world, Livvy’s body spasmed. SK clenched his phone so hard the plastic cracked.
“Come on Livvy,” he muttered. “Come on.”
“Clear,” said Joel, as his partner raised his hands.
Again, her body jerked upward.
“I’ve got a steady pulse,” said Joel, as Livvy sucked in a huge breath of air.
“Thank the gods,” said SK, closing his eyes and exhaling.
He had called 911 the minute he realized that something was going wrong on the other side. Livvy seemed to alternately hold her breath and then breathe heavily. Min was doing the same. By the time the paramedics showed up Livvy had just stopped breathing, although Min seemed to be doing better. Then, Livvy’s pulse had started to get thready.
“Livvy,” said Joel. “Livvy, can you hear me?”
She opened her eyes with great effort.
“Yes,” she managed to croak, her lips parched.
A fireman came through the open front door, rolling a gurney.
“Right over here,” said Joel’s partner.
Although Min had seemed all right when they checked her vitals, she was unconscious, as though she were deeply sedated. A couple of firemen had already transported her downstairs.
As SK watched, the emergency crew moved Livvy to the new gurney, which was now collapsed to ground level.
“On three,” said Joel’s partner. “One, two, three.”
SK came up on the tips of his toes, subconsciously helping them as they lifted her over and set her down.
“Is she gonna be all right?” he asked, once they’d finished.
“I think she’s going to be fine,” said Joel as he packed up.
“SK?” Livvy squeaked, as the gurney was raised with a metal ratcheting sound.
He quickly moved to her side and looked into
her eyes.
“Hey, you” he said.
“Min?” she asked, trying to raise her head.
“Min is all right, but unconscious.”
“What happened?” asked Livvy, laying her head back with a thump, not having enough strength to keep it up.
Joel placed a blanket over her and started securing the straps.
“Your friend here called 911,” he said. “I think you went into ventricular fibrillation right after we arrived.”
“No, I mean…”
But there was no time for her to finish the question. They were on their way out.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
BY THE TIME they reached the emergency room Livvy was wide awake, but wished she wasn’t. Not only was her head throbbing, she was getting more worried by the minute.
“Where did they take Min?” she asked SK.
“Upstairs but I don’t know where.”
“Is she all right?”
“I don’t think so,” he said honestly.
He looked awful, tired and, Livvy realized, scared.
“All right, let’s go,” she said, sitting up.
Her head felt like it could split.
“Oh,” she said, holding a hand to her temple.
“Could you just sit back for a minute?” yelled SK. “You nearly died an hour ago.”
Livvy sat back, staring at him.
“I don’t know what I would have done if the paramedics hadn’t shown up when they did,” he said, his voice shaking. “What in the hell happened over there?”
Livvy took in a long breath and slowly exhaled.
“It was strange,” she began.
Then she recounted the interaction with Min and the encounter with Tiamat and the struggle to get back to the real world. SK listened and nodded stiffly.
“You were breathing heavy, both of you,” he said. “And then you started twitching. That’s when I started to get nervous.”
He ran a hand over his face.
“I checked your pulse,” he said, looking at her wrist. “It was erratic. Min’s pulse was slowing. That’s when I called 911. Then I pulled off the goggles.”
Shaman, Healer, Heretic (Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman) Page 18