Questmyre

by HaaJar Johnson

  While some possessed the tell-tale fuchsia hair of the Fitz; many others had the Wongswited penchant for a varying hair colors. However, the shade of their hair was apparently a non issue. Robin quickly noticed every one of them, male and female, had their hair completely shorn off so that only a hint of the bright color could be seen. Furthermore, she could not label them as Royals or Mubbins as they seemed to come in varying shades of green from light to dark.

  “Trilly! Trilly! Have you delivered the Strange Ones their breakfast yet? Is that you boy?!” Someone yelled from just outside a bright red tent. Robin turned to see a tall grass green women without hair and amazingly vibrant blue eyes step out of the tent. She continued to call for someone named ‘Trilly’.

  Like everyone else she wore worn gray short trousers and a matching tunic. She looked skinny and frail despite her tall stature. Robin watched as the boy she had seen only traces of in the corridor finally came into full view. He was no longer invisible but stood before the woman nodding his head demurely. He was about Robin’s height. His skin was a lighter shade of green than the woman’s and he had purple eyes that seemed almost magical in the way they sparkled. He too was gaunt and had shorn hair.

  “Yes mother…” Was all he said in response. She nodded then pulled him towards her to give him a quick warm hug.

  “You’re a good boy, you are, Trilly. Come inside and get some breakfast. It is Bimmy Porridge like any other day but I found a few Gulpy Raisins in the town earlier this morning so added them in for you, my love.” She smiled at his look of both surprise and wonder then ushered him into the tent.

  Robin watched with sadness at how poorly they lived but then smiled warmly at the amount of love she saw between the two.

  “Who are you?” Before Robin could turn around to confront who had spoken, they angrily added, “And what are you doing here?!”

  Robin turned to see a tall young man with dark green skin and yellow eyes, eyeing her in disbelief. Apparently she too was no longer invisible.

  As she opened her mouth to explain he yelled out. “One of the Strange Ones is here in Dunber Quarter! Come and see for yourself!” He screamed this out and within seconds everyone stopped what they had been doing. A crowd of people rushed over to surround Robin who just gaped back at them in open shock.

  “How did you get up here? What do you want?” Robin did not know who all the questions came from as she was too busy trying to think of a way to escape. Her legs grew weak and she felt as if the world were closing in on her. What had she gotten herself into now?

  The boy named Trilly moved towards the front of the mob. When he laid eyes on Robin, he quickly spoke up. “Don’t hurt her! I know her… Well…kind of. I bring her and the other Strange One food every day and I have watched her around the house. She is a nice person… she is not like the Wongswited. Believe me… I think we can trust her.” He said this then rushed to her side and took her hand. He smiled at her slightly to show her everything was okay. Cautiously, Robin smiled back at him in thanks.

  “What do you know? You’re nothing but a half-breed!” An angry dark green man yelled out. His comment received a few nods among the group.

  Trilly’s mother stepped up to defend her son. “How dare you Garath! You of all people. My son is no half-breed and any mixing that created him only made him better! At least he wasn’t born in Fitz and corrupted by the evil mind-set they teach there. I will not let you or anyone else make him feel inferior!” She stopped to look around at her neighbors and friends, “How can we ever rise up against the Wongswited if we fight even among ourselves and still stick to the backwards class system of Fitz?!” Her blue eyes blazed as bright as the blue stone surrounding them. The man named Garath stepped back slightly upon seeing the wild look in her eyes.

  “Everyone stand down!” A single female voice came from the back of the crowd and made its way forward. The woman was shorter than the rest with pitch black eyes and a round belly.

  “Last I checked… I, Garabeth, was the leader of this Quarter! I will ask the Strange One what I wish and make any decisions necessary. Trilly and Marin… I will take the Strange One to your abode and we will all discuss this privately. Everyone else, get back to work! The Planet Yur will be rising to its zenith soon and we need these stones to get as much Yuric energy as possible. Those who have forest patrol drink the Bunk liquid as dictated by our masters so that you do not blink between your homes and the forest. You know what happened to the last Fitz who got caught blinking while in town…” She let her warning drift off and watched as everyone dutifully went back to doing their daily duties.

  “Come Strange One.” She motioned for Robin to follow her past a few lines of blue stone hanging on a line. The group then circled around a large pile of shining blue rock sitting in the center of the shanty town then marched straight into Marin and Trilly’s waiting red tent.

  Once inside Robin found the place was very small. However, despite its diminutive size it was made cozy with tons of worn yet plush gray pillows and two soft gray mats. In the center of the abode was a metal cooking device which had a small black pot of green porridge resting on it.

  Marin, who was apparently Trilly’s mother, rushed inside first and pulled two large gray pillows towards a short raised rectangular wooden board which passed as a table. Robin and Garabeth sat down on the offered pillows and watched as Marin and Trilly sat on their own mats across from them.

  “Porridge?” Marin offered.

  Robin was in no mood to eat and wanted to get straight to talking. Before she could shake her head Garabeth said, “No food for now. As you know we don’t have much time before our Masters expect us to begin the days’ work. Let’s get this over with.”

  Robin nodded then looked back at Trilly knowing he was the only one truly on her side at the moment. He might just be the only one she could trust. She sat nervously not knowing exactly what was at stake here. Would they hurt her, tell her hosts about her snooping or make things really easy and just throw her off the roof to her certain death?

  “What is your actual name?” Trilly asked; pulling Robin away from her morbid thoughts.

  Marin and Garabeth eyed him for speaking out of turn. He looked down duly chastised.

  “My name is Robin.” Robin said with a warm smile for Trilly once he looked back. She was glad he did not just assume her name was ‘strange one’ as most Wongswiteds did.

  “How did you know we were up here? Our Masters have gone through great lengths to keep our existence unknown… especially from outsiders.” Garabeth asked.

  “I did not know…” Robin was cautious with her words. She did not want to get Trilly in trouble and something told her if the truth be known about her seeing and following him… the young boy would have hell to pay.

  “I uh… was just exploring and had wondered what the red door was for and what was on the rooftop…I had uh… I had seen the bridges going across the buildings and just couldn’t help but get to the bottom of the mystery.” Robin said hoping they would buy her white lie.

  “And you just happened to take the steps instead of the elevator which does not even go to the roof…” Garabeth eyed Robin suspiciously.

  “I needed the exercise. I woke up last night and couldn’t get back to sleep. I’ve been hearing screams coming from the city center and moaning from the sky every night…” Robin added the last two hoping to get some insight behind the two odd occurrences.

  “Hmm…” Was Garabeth’s only response.

  “The moaning you hear is not from the heavens… it is our traditional songs of sadness…” Marin piped in.

  Garabeth eyed her pointedly.

  “What Garabeth? I mean she already knows we exist. What harm could it do at this point to tell her about our traditions?” Marin rationalized.

  Sighing Garabeth was about to speak when a young man with orange eyes poked his head in. “Mistress? There’s a uh… issue we need your help with.”

  Rolling her eyes Garabeth
stood up with a deep sigh and said, “Try not to tell her anything that could come back to bite us in the... you know what. I have business to attend to. You all eat up then I want you two back to work. As for her… send her to me in a few minutes. I need to talk to her before she returns downstairs.” With that said Garabeth stepped out of the tent. With her went all of the tension Robin had felt slowly suffocating her.

  Marin laughed as she watched Robin breath out dramatically and her shoulders sag. “She is somewhat of an acquired taste, that Garabeth. But she leads us well and really does care about all of the people in her Quarter.” Marin explained as she pulled out three wooden bowls and filled them with the green porridge. “Please eat with us. It is not much but…” She left off the rest of her comment as she dove into the pocket of her gray tunic and pulled out a few bright pink balls.

  “Yumm! Gulpy Raisins!” Trilly said as he licked his lips.

  Robin laughed at his reaction. He pulled three wooden spoons from a small basket near the table and dipped them into each bowl.

  “Eat up! We don’t have much time before our day of labor begins.” Marin said with a hint of both sadness and exhaustion.

  As the three began to eat, Robin could not help but think the porridge tasted absolutely horrid. It was like cement paste. Even though she had never eaten cement she was completely sure that is exactly what the porridge was like. The Gulpy Raisins on the other hand were like morsels from heaven. She did not know where they were from or what they were but they had to be the sweetest taste she had ever experienced.

  “What is a Quarter?” Robin found if she spoke enough she would not be expected to eat the horrible porridge as quickly.

  “A group. When we leave the tent and the Planet Yur begins to shine you will clearly see the other Quarters on each roof of each building in Wongswited.” Marin said in answer.

  “And each Quarter has a Commander. Just like Mistress Garabeth. She’s our commander.” Trilly said with his mouth full of porridge.

  Robin looked at the edges of the tent and saw a number of black ceramic pots with golden dirt and beautiful plants. Each had purple trunks with succulent green leaves. A few even had brightly colored exotic looking flowers sprouting from them.

  “Real plants…” Robin breathed aloud. She had not seen any living foliage or trees since she had left Fitz and climbed up the Nommo Tree.

  “Yes. That is the one plus to being forced to live on the rooftops. We have direct access to the life giving planet Yur. You will see tons of trees and plants growing in each Quarter. They are our one true pride.” Marin smiled as she traced her dark green hand across an exquisite looking orange and blue flower sprouting from a nearby pot.

  “Sometimes we are lucky enough to find fruits in the forests and bring the seeds back to grow them. That doesn’t happen often but when it does we have a celebration!” Trilly said happily. It was apparent from the smile on his face that he was thinking of one such festival in his head.

  “Yes… we Fitz love to Party. We had tons of parties back in Fitz. But here…the Wongswited are a serious and industrious people. They don’t like music, the arts or parties. They are more focused on technology and business. We are very different; the Fitz and the Wongswited.” Marin said sadly.

  “How is it the Fitz came to be here? And why are you all hidden away and treated like servants?” Robin asked the main questions which circled about in her head.

  “We…the Fitz you see here on the rooftops of Wongswited… have a number of different origins. Some you see… usually the older ones, were forced here… by the Fitz under the sea. Either having been convicted of crimes or being ostracized, they were forced up the Nommo Tree to their supposed deaths. Instead of dying, they just ended up in this land of the purple babies who had been forced away. Others… like my son Trilly… Are first generation Fitz-Wongswiteds. He was born here. His father was Fitz but of the…um… serving class back in Fitz. Here, as we all live side by side… things are different. At least for some of us. I had no problem loving one of the fairer colored Fitzians… others like Garath; whom you saw earlier, stick to the old Fitzian way and wish to force the lighter Fitzians to separate Quarters. There is talk they have even started a movement to do just that. To me it is just plain crazy to be treated as we do by the Wongswited then even among ourselves hurt one another…” Marin grew quiet as her thoughts overtook her.

  “I totally agree with you Marin.” Robin said and smiled at her reassuringly.

  “And as for your last question… We are not treated like servants at all. We are considered full out slaves for the Wongswited. That is why they force us to drink Bunk Juice. It keeps us invisible so they don’t have to see the wrongs they have done to us.” She looked down sadly as memories seemed to sweep through her head.

  Robin cleared her throat softly to bring Marin back to the present. With a sad smile she continued speaking, “Most of us Fitz here, work in the forests during the day. We drink the Bunk by law and travel invisibly beside Wongswiteds in the town then make our way to the surrounding Forests. It is there that we collect the blue Akwo stones.” Marin explained.

  “No one dares go deeper than the edge of the forest though. There is a legend that horrible monsters live inside those forests… they eat people!” Trilly said with a shiver as he finished eating his porridge. When he was done he stared at Robin thoughtfully.

  “We have to make sure we drink enough Bunk or carry an extra vial with us during the day. If any of us are found blinking during the day they are sent… deep into the forest…to our deaths…” Marin said sadly.

  “I am just happy my little Trilly was made a house servant. He does not have to worry overmuch about the hardships of forest work. Right Trilly?” Marin smiled proudly at her son although her eyes still looked quite sad and empty.

  Trilly just nodded despondently. “Too bad it wasn’t the same for dad… he was one of those who blinked…”

  Robin looked at Marin and watched her drop her head in a gesture of defeat. Her shoulders began to shake slightly as she struggled to hold back her tears.

  “They sent him into the forest…” Was all Trilly said as he collected their bowls and set them aside. His hand accidently touched Robin’s as he took her bowl. He paused and looked her directly in the eyes.

  “I wish I were your color… Then maybe my life would not be so hard…” He said with a small smile then continued cleaning up.

  Robin just stared at him dumbfounded. She did not know how to respond to such an odd statement.

  “Come now you two, the Planet Yur is rising.” Marin said as she led the way out of the tent. Robin and Trilly followed behind her. Robin watched in awe as the Red and purple sky turned even more red as the large Ruby colored planet made its way from the horizon and high above the city.

  The blue stones on the ground and hanging on the lines glowed brightly in response and Robin began to notice the tons of flower pots and potted trees littered across the large expanse of the roof. She had never seen any place that sparkled so magically.

  A thought came to her as she tilted her head backwards and stared up at the red sky for what seemed like the first time in ages. “But what about the Blue Storms? I was here during one of them. How did you all survive that with just cloth tents to protect you from the sharp stones?” Robin looked around her at the flimsy tents flapping in the breeze.

  “What storm?” Trilly asked without thinking. Slowly something dawned on him and he was about to open his mouth once more. Marin, however, stopped him in his tracks.

  “There are no storms… there are only revolutions…” A single tear fell from Marin’s eye and she sniffled.

  “I’m sorry, I honestly don’t understand.” Robin said softly. She did not like to see the sweet mannered mother look so bereft but felt helpless to make her life better in any way. What could Robin possibly do to help on such a grand scale, she wondered.

  “The stones did not come from the sky, we threw them down in protest. I
n protest of what the Wongswited do to-” Trilly’s next words were lost as Marin placed her hand over his mouth softly.

  “That is enough Trilly. Let us find Garabeth and get Robin back where she belongs…” Marin looked at her son pointedly. With a sigh he nodded and let her lead the way.

  Robin wanted nothing more than to continue questioning them but also did not want to add to their burden. She turned her attention back to her surroundings. As the sky lit up she noticed several wooden planked bridges making their way from the black painted edges of the roof and off towards numerous directions.

  With the light of Yur shining bright, she quickly saw where those bridges led. One after another, each rooftop became visible to the eye. Each seemed to come alive as the blue stones glowed brightly with the light of Yur. Within seconds the colorful tents and busy people of Fitz began moving about.

  “Wow…” Was all Robin could say as she let it all sink in.

  “Is she ready to leave then?” Garabeth’s stern voice came from just feet away.

  Robin turned to see the Commander flanked by two tall young men. Both guards wore the same drab gray outfit as the rest of the Fitz. One’s eyes were red and the other had an extremely long nose and pert pink eyes.

  “I…uh…” Before Robin could respond a loud drumming noise came from far away.

  “Oh no…. oh no….!” Someone cried out just a few feet away from them.

  “This late in the morning?” Marin whispered in fear.

  Robin was about to ask what everyone was talking about when she heard a collective moan come from one of the other roof tops. The sound was breathtakingly sorrowful. It was at once a song and a cry. The sound was soon echoed from another direction, atop yet another roof.

  Moments later Robin watched as each of the Fitz stopped whatever they had been doing. Some stepped out of tents and others dropped Akwo stones to hang their heads back and howl their song of sadness to the heavens above.

  “What is going on?” Robin began to back away looking for a means of escape as it appeared everyone had gone loony.