Realmwalker

by Jonathan Franks

  -

  “Genevieve,” Gen’s dad said, “You’re awfully quiet. Everything okay?”

  “Yeah,” Gen sighed. She held her fork and pushed her peas around her plate.

  “What happened today?” her mom asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Come on, Genny,” her dad said. “If something is wrong, how can we help if we don’t know?”

  Gen was getting irritated at all of the probing. Logically she knew they were concerned and trying to help, but why couldn’t they just mind their own business? She decided the questions would probably stop if she just told them. “Jimmy and I were having ice cream,” she said. “Then he just left me there.”

  Her mom made a small, sympathetic gasp. “Did something happen between you and Jimmy?”

  “I don’t know,” Gen said. She felt tears coming again and her voice sounded thick with emotion. “We, uh…” Her dad handed her his handkerchief. It was monogrammed, “GS.” All five of them shared initials, her father Geoffrey, her mother Gabrielle, middle brother, Gregory, her oldest brother George, and herself. Gregory was away for his first year in college. It had been hard getting used to George being gone a few years before. It was just as hard getting used to Greg not being there. But with the boys gone, it freed up quite a lot of energy that Gen’s parents now heaped upon her. Three children’s worth of psychoanalysis, questions, “How was your day?”, and so on, all directed solely at Gen now. She found it a little overwhelming.

  Her dad’s handkerchief was soft and smelled clean and pleasant. She held it up in front of her nose and breathed in the smell of it. She closed her eye and a tear burned its way down her cheek.

  “Oh, Genny,” her mom said and started to get up to comfort her.

  “It’s okay, mom,” Gen said. “It’s okay. Yeah, Jimmy and I… We…”

  “Did you have a fight?” her mom asked.

  “No, not really.”

  Gen’s dad sat up straight and crossed his arms. He looked very large and imposing, all of a sudden. “Did he do something to you?”

  “No, dad,” she said in a teenager-dismissive voice. “No, both of you, just let me… Okay? It’s hard.”

  “Okay, baby,” her mom said, and settled back into her dining chair.

  Gen took a deep breath. “We were having ice cream, you know that place across the street from the hotel? Well, we saw Jim’s dad, like, making out like crazy with some woman, and then he brought her into the hotel.”

  Gen’s mom and dad exchanged surprised looks.

  Her mom said, “You’re sure it was Mr. Clark?”

  “His car is kinda hard to miss, mom. Plus, yeah, we saw them making out in the parking lot before they went inside.”

  “Are you okay?” Her dad asked. “Is there anything you want to,” he cleared his throat softly, “talk about, or anything? You know you can ask us anything at all. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  Gen made a half laugh, half cry, and rolled her eyes, then looked down at her plate. It hadn’t been that long since the last time they’d had The Talk. “No, that isn’t it. I know how that all works.”

  At this, Gen’s dad raised an eyebrow, inquisitively.

  “Y’know, in theory. Anyway, no, that’s not it. It really upset Jimmy. He started shouting about how mean his dad is, about how he never talks to Jim anymore, how he doesn’t even know him, and how could he do this, see this woman or have a girlfriend or whatever without telling him. I tried to calm him down, tell him it was okay, but he just left.” Now that she had finished blurting out her story, tears were flowing, large and hot down her flushed cheeks. Her mom did come over to her now and pulled Gen’s head into her stomach, hugging her. After a minute, Gen put her arms around her mother and hugged her back, crying.

  Her mom was cooing and being soothing, rubbing Gen’s hair and shoulders. “It’s okay, honey. He’s just upset. It’s okay. You know I’ll always hold you when you cry. It’ll be okay. He isn’t upset at you.”

  Her dad said, “He probably just needs some space. Leave him be tonight, and call him tomorrow.”

  Gen nodded into her mom’s stomach. “Okay,” she said, her voice muffled. “You’re sure he’s not mad at me?”

  “Oh, honey, what could Jimmy ever have to be mad at you about?”

  -

  The next morning, Saturday, Gen was startled awake by her phone ringing. She shook her head and brushed her hair out of her face. She had been having a very intense dream about being stuck in a train station with Jim, who wouldn’t speak to her, but all of the signs and announcements were in Spanish, which she didn’t speak. Then she kept yelling that she should have taken Spanish instead of French because then she’d know how to get to Miami, and all the while Jim wouldn’t speak to her...

  She rubbed her eyes and looked for her phone. She hadn’t put it back on the cradle. The phone was blaring at her. She saw it on her desk and picked it up. The ringer was set to Loud again. “Ugh,” she groaned, and answered it. “Hello?”

  “Hey,” Jim said.

  “Jimmy!”

  “He didn’t come home last night.”

  “At all? You mean, he stayed there in that hotel with… with her?”

  “I guess so,” said Jim.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” She heard him sigh. “I’m sorry, Genny,” he said. “I shouldn’t have run away. I was just so mad and upset…”

  “It doesn’t matter if you were mad or upset. You shouldn’t have left me there like that, I was afraid you were mad at me.”

  “No! I wasn’t mad at you. But I remember one time I was really mad, but not at you, and I smashed your snow fort. I didn’t want to do anything to upset you,” Jim said.

  “My snow fort?” Gen asked. “We were, like, seven years old then.”

  “But you remember it,” Jim said.

  “Well, yeah.” Gen saw his point now. “But leaving me there, all alone, not knowing if you were angry with me, not knowing if you ever wanted to speak with me again. Just leaving me crying on the sidewalk, that upset me, too.”

  “Sorry,” Jim said quietly.

  “Come to your window,” Gen told him. She looked out of her window, and saw Jim open his blinds across the street. She waved at him. He started to wave back, but they both saw Jim’s dad’s car driving up the street. “Go talk to him,” Gen said.

  “Yeah, I’m going to. I gotta go.” He hung up.

  The phone rang immediately after. She answered it. Before she even said, “Hello?” Jim said. “I’m sorry.” He hung up again. His blinds dropped closed.

  She flopped back into bed and grabbed her old love bunny, a large and very worn pink stuffed bunny. It had been as big as she was when she got it. She was three years old and her mom bought it for her when she had her appendix removed.

  Gen wrapped her arms around the bunny and wondered if she should cry, but not really feeling like it.

  -

  When Larry came into the house, Jim was there waiting for him in the living room. Larry nodded at him and started to walk around him, but Jim stepped in front of him.

  “Where were you?” Jim asked. His hands were freezing and shaking, and his chest was a block of ice, cold bands of fear and anger wrapping around his ribs. He had never confronted his dad before. Not about anything serious, anyway.

  “Out.”

  “Yeah? Out at the hotel? With that woman?”

  Larry’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Sounds like you already know where I was, then.”

  “Yeah, I was across the street having custard when we saw you guys. You looked really well-acquainted.”

  “Look, what I do is none of your busi--”

  “It should be!” Jim yelled. “It should be my business! I’m your son, and there’s no one else! Mom’s gone and you just… you just…” The anger was bubbling out of him. “You just fucking left me, too!”

  Larry smacked Jim in the face. Jim’s cheek stung and his ears rang. He straight
ened up and glared at his father. Larry started to step around Jim the other way, and Jim stepped back into his way.

  “Don’t you walk away! We’re talking about this!” Jim yelled.

  “I have nothing to talk about.”

  “You left me alone here all night! How was I supposed to know something didn’t happen to you, too?”

  “You’re obviously very upset,” Larry said. Jim heard his dad’s work-voice and yelled back at him.

  “Oh, no, don’t you use your meeting voice on me!”

  “James Lawrence Clark, you step back right now.”

  “No, dad, not until you actually speak to me!”

  “We’re talking right now, aren’t we? And isn’t it fun, you all yelling and full of disapproval. You have no idea what --”

  “No!” Jim shouted. “I don’t have any idea! Because you never talk to me! I can’t remember the last time we were in the same room together for this long!”

  “Your birthday,” Larry said, quietly.

  “What?” Jim yelled.

  “It was your birthday, last year. We went out to dinner and barely said anything. That was the last time we spent any time together.”

  “That was almost a year ago!”

  Larry stared hard at Jim.

  “Well, kids aren’t supposed to go a year without talking to their parents!” Jim yelled. “Gen’s parents talk to her all the time!”

  “Oh, little Genny,” Larry said, sarcastically. “You getting yourself some of that?” He asked snidely. “‘Cuz you sure could use it, calm you down some.”

  Larry saw Jim’s face, disgusted and bitter, so he changed directions. “And what do her parents have to say to her, then?”

  “I don’t know!” Jim shouted back at him. “Stuff! Whatever parents are supposed to say to their kids! How am I supposed to know what parents say to their kids? You used to have something to say, back when mom was still alive!”

  Larry’s temper flared again. He puffed his chest and broadened his shoulders, leaning forward toward Jim. “Your mom wanted a family, you little shit,” Larry said, low and menacing, and took a step toward Jim. “This single dad bullshit wasn’t part of the plan, or there would be no you.”

  Jim’s mouth fell open and all the color had left his face. He spun around and tore off up the stairs.

  Larry’s heart fell. He ran up the stairs after Jim, heard Jim’s door slam closed and lock before he reached the top of the staircase. He went to Jim’s door. “I’m sorry. Jimmy, I’m sorry. I was angry. I went too far, and I didn’t mean it.”

  There was no answer. Larry leaned against the wall next to Jim’s door. “She’s just a woman from work,” Larry said. “We’ve gotten together a couple of times, but it’s nothing. It’s nothing serious. She’s just a woman from work.” He stood up straight and faced the door again. “Jim? Look, Jim, I’m sorry.”

  “Fine, dad.” He heard, softly, through the door.

  Larry sighed. Put his hand on Jim’s door, then went to the master bedroom. He flipped on the shower and stripped down. He brought his fingers to his nose and he could still smell Andrea Leeds. As he slid the shower door closed, he heard the front door slam shut. He put his forehead against the tile shower wall. “See ya, Jim.”

  chapter 20

  Herron and Ivy were the center of attention in Choon, the capital village of The Rainforest. It was hundreds of feet tall and spread over acres, with buildings on the ground, built into the tremendous tree trunks, into and around the high branches. Occasionally, there were wood and rope bridges connecting various platforms, but most of the buildings stood by themselves.

  They’d arrived in Choon about midmorning after two uneventful days through The Rainforest. At first, Ivy had been jumpy, had the dagger out and ready, listening for any sign of threatening noises or creatures. Herron kept telling her to relax, that there was no sign of danger, but both days, she had a difficult time relaxing.

  Once they arrived in Choon, they were brought to Leev, the chieftain of The Rainforest. He was an imposing-looking fairy, taller than Herron, with wild blue hair, shaped into place with some sort of paste. His hair looked very hard and Ivy had to keep reminding herself not to simply reach out and touch it. He was deeply tanned and, like most of the villagers here, shirtless. He wore a neckpiece of some sort of wooden tubes, interlaced with animal bones. He was very gracious and hospitable when he found out that Ivy was from The Meadows, and positively doted on her when she said it was her first journey out of her Realm.

  Herron informed Leev about the tears under the Heart of The Meadows, and The Caverns having vanished. Leev was grave in his reply, saying that the Heart of The Rainforest, too, had a pool of tears when they went to tap the Heart a few days ago.

  “And what is your plan now, Herron?” Leev asked. He had a thick accent that Ivy found to be very charming.

  “Sovereign Nai requested that we travel to The Winter Kingdom and talk to Sen. He’s supposed to be a very skilled seer and he might be able to help. She also said he’s very knowledgeable about the Hearts.”

  Leev nodded. “I have heard of this Sen. I don’t envy your trip, though. You still have several Realms to cross through before you get to The Winter Kingdom. What is your route?”

  “We’re thinking of crossing The Rainforest into The Desert, cutting across the short edge to The Loch, then up the length of The Loch to The Falls, over The Falls, and up The River the rest of the way.”

  “Sounds like the fastest way.”

  “Sovereign Nai was very clear about us getting to The Winter Kingdom as soon as possible. I was hesitant to venture into The Desert at all, but it’ll shave a couple of days off of our trip,” Herron said. He glanced at Ivy.

  “Will your protégé be ready for a trip across The Desert?”

  “I’ll be sure she is.”

  Ivy’s attention had wandered, but snapped back into focus when she realized they were talking about her. “I’ve heard of The Desert. Isn’t it supposed to be fairly dangerous?”

  Leev started nodding and Herron started shaking his head.

  Herron spoke first, “No. Well, yes, but don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of food and water, and hopefully we won’t run into any sandrunners or vipers.”

  “Vipers, like, snakes?” Ivy asked.

  “Yes.”

  Ivy made a face, then asked, “What are sandrunners?”

  “They’re lizards. They’re known for how they run across the sand.” Herron put his hand upright and wiggled it side to side in fast s-motions. “They’re blind, but they can hear for miles. They spit a paralyzing venom and swallow their prey whole,” Herron said, thinking maybe he should dial back his descriptions of various local wildlife upon seeing how wide Ivy’s eyes had gotten. “It’ll be fine.”

  Leev laughed a deep and hearty laugh. “You’re in good hands, girl.”

  Ivy gave Leev half a crooked grin, trying to fake some of the confidence she felt like she was lacking. Leev laughed again.

  “You will stay in Choon tonight.”

  Herron nodded, but Ivy asked, “Weren’t we supposed to be trying to make good time?”

  Herron said, “We won’t reach the border by dark if we leave now. We’ll rest here, restock our supplies, and we’ll head off in the morning. If we leave about dawn, we’ll get to The Desert a few hours before nightfall, which is a decent time to be traveling through there.”

  “Chieftain,” Ivy began, “What were those teams of fairies doing out there?” She gestured vaguely in a southerly direction, where she had seen several fairies and some odd-looking animals tethered together, performing some form of labor.

  “In the southern fields? Come,” he stood up and brought Ivy to a balcony that faced in that direction. Herron stood next to her.

  She could see them a ways away, a dozen or so fairies driving furry, tailless rodents. Now that she had a good look at them, she thought the animals were pulling some sort of plows. “Are they farming?” She asked.

>   “Yes. Plowing, right now.”

  “What are those animals?”

  “Fox squirrels,” Leev replied. “They’re not very fast, but they’re strong for squirrels. We bob their tails so they don’t interfere with the plows.”

  “You cut their tails off?” Ivy asked, horrified.

  Herron turned away, clearly trying not to smile. Ivy glared at him, then turned back to Leev.

  “Yes, girl,” Leev explained. “We do it then they’re still in the litter. We raise them on ranches. They’re good as both work animals and as food.”

  Ivy nodded slowly, gathering her thoughts and working through her mild culture shock. She was amazed at how different life was here, how different the land itself was, but also struck by how similar it was. They had a chieftain, were warm and welcoming, and they, too, farmed for food. “May I see the farms? See, I’m a farmer, myself, back in The Meadows. I have a way with plants - that’s my gift.”

  Leev smiled broadly at her. “Of course, girl. Let’s go.” Ivy walked over to her pack and started to pick it up, but Leev said, “Nonsense, girl. Please, your belongings will be safe here.” Herron nodded at her, so Ivy shrugged and followed Leev down to the southern fields, Herron trailing them.

  When they reached the fields, she saw that the fairies were plowing in a spiral pattern rather than the regular rows she was used to. She could feel life within the field. Whatever they were growing was strong.

  Leev made a gesture to one of the farmers, who flew over to them. “Chieftain?” He asked. He also had a strong accent, like the chieftain. Ivy smiled at him. “Miss,” he nodded his head to her.

  “Vine, this is Ivy. She’s a visitor from The Meadows. She has some questions for you.” He turned to Ivy. “The Walker and I are going to talk for a while. When you’re finished, girl, you may return to my hut.” He pointed at it so Ivy was sure which one it was.

  “Thank you, Chieftain.” He made a slight bow to her, then Herron and Leev took off. Ivy turned back to Vine. “Vine?” She smiled. “I’m Ivy.”

  “Ivy,” Vine said and grinned. “Funny.”