by Reja Emran
“Oh…well who cares anyway.” said Xia.
“Guys forget this BORING talk, honestly I don’t care if they put u two in hula skirts and make jump up and down a trampoline. Right now let’s eat!” exclaimed Lok, greedily eyeing the steaming platters of food in the waiter’s hand which were being carried over to the long table.
They all ran hungrily to the buffet and took generous helpings of delicious food with an array of salads, pasta and rice including a special BBQ section where they were serving barbequed chicken and lamb. Xia’s plate was stuffed with lamb, chicken, stroganoff, lasagna and at least five different types of pasta salad. Grabbing a tall glass of lemon sherbet, she followed the gang to their spot. The group sat at a small table at the corner of the hall next to a large glass window through which the entire town of Manhattan could be seen, almost the entire town.
“What a beautiful view,” exclaimed Carmine, fluttering her eyes shaded an autumn orange. “I love the city. Its lights, busy streets and colour.”
“I find it kind of, you know, cramped.”
Carmine cast a glance at Xia, raising a sandy eyebrow at her answer. Xia stopped to explain, “I mean I like the country better.”
“So do I, the hills, fresh air and not to mention the beautiful locations” stated Julian with a longing smile as she sipped water from her glass.
“Well we can discuss it with Mr. Roger. He’s coming this way” announced Lok with a groan and Xia saw her math teacher slide up to them his face as usual stamped with a frown under the bushy mustache as he eyed them with a scrutinizing gaze.
“What do you think you’re doing?” questioned Mr. Roger gruffly as he brushed back the long mane of hair from his forehead and adjusted his heavy framed glasses.
“Umm…eating” answered Xia almost rolling her eyes. If she did then the teacher would have her punished even before she began the next year of school after which he would pester her about the results of their board exams that occurred in May. Julian would get off because she aced everything except social sciences; Lok too was intelligent as was Carmine. Xia herself was quite good usually gaining 85% and was the best at mathematics but still the teacher held a special disliking towards them four and she always wondered why.
“I see. Well then enjoy your meal and good luck for your results. I do hope I get an A from each of you or else…” he left the sentence hanging in mid air as he sauntered away with a narrow glare and ignored the students who edged away from him.
“I hate that man” growled Julian her face in a scowl and she then ate her food in silence. Carmine just shrugged indifferently, Lok said nothing and Xia clutched on the fork hard, her knuckles white as she hurriedly ate her meal aware that in fifteen minutes the ceremony would begin.
***
“Okay girls lets dance!” exclaimed Ankara “Xia, Julian come here now!”
“Oh no we’re going to make a fool of ourselves” muttered Xia as she walked towards Ankara, trudging heavily.
“Take your positions!” said Ankara clapping her hands in rhythm to a soft traditional music played by a local pianist, Nina Williams, a talented girl gifted with music when God had taken away the power of her legs. Everyone loved her as she was charming and beautiful in person, always willing to help with advice or prayers.
Taking a deep breath, Xia began dancing along with the other girls. Patterns and colours blurred together in the dim light of the stage. All girls danced gracefully as their feet moved in time to the folk music. But Xia, the most graceful dancer, was uncomfortable. Her feet slipped from here to there clumsily. However, with her skill, she regained her balance and joined the others not understanding why her muscles momentarily went out of control without her thinking.
Hidden in the towering bushes, someone or something watched Xia. Its bright yellow eyes were riveted to Xia alone and sparks of unholy magic crept from its hiding place, moving invisible on the grass and circling around the girl’s feet. It smiled gleefully, revealing its pointed fangs, when the girl tumbled and the eyes sharpened in the darkness, looking like lamps. It glanced up to the moon which was appearing slowly from behind a thick wisp of clouds and fled away at the speed of lightning, hiding from sight for it noticed that someone had seen.
Ankara stood watching the bushes while fear clutched her chest and she flung forward to find the creature. The luminous moon pacified her heart and she blamed the sight on her wild imagination and then she went back and rejoined the dancing ceremony, which was going resplendently well followed by the surprise that was the presenting of golden statuette of the school symbol to honour the chief guest along with a bouquet of flowers.
What the creature was and where it had come for was unknown but all that was certain was the darkness it had bought with it, darkness purged with evil.
Chapter Two
~Close bonds Shattered~
Up in the cave, the aged man watched the altar glowing dimly against the darkening sky. Fear seized him momentarily as he stood with his gaze transfixed on the spot, as his eyes dilated and the image sharpened. Limping up to it with incredible swiftness, he touched its smooth polished surface running a long finger over the carvings. He jumped up startled, the Annoxonum had been discovered. Racing to the cave he gathered his weapon and fled to the dense forest, his heart surging with terror for he knew what had discovered the Annoxonum but at least the wait was over.
For now.
***
“Mr. Roger was so upset with the indifference we showed him that he shouted at Lok just for dropping his spoon and Lok finally threw pudding on the floor in anger or maybe because he was trying to irritate Mr. Roger but Ms. Ankara intervened naturally and then…” Xia chattered away aimlessly suddenly stopping as she realized her mother said not a word to her and she felt that her Asra’s attention was some where else. “Mom? Why are you so quiet? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing dear” muttered Asra with a sigh “its late that’s all. I’m just tired.”
“Yeah, it’s midnight” stated Xia looking wearily at the luminescent crescent not convinced by her mother’s answer but knew better than to pursue the questioning. Suddenly her thoughts drifted back to the dance ceremony and she frowned trying to understand why she tumbled. “Mom you know what? When I was dancing I felt so uncoordinated with my muscles. I kept slipping and I think I say some yellow eyes watching me. But then the next second they disappeared. Mom what are you doing?” she exclaimed for Asra had screeched the car to a sudden halt and had whipped her face towards Xia with anxiety etched all over it. Barely noticing that she had avoided a ditch by a narrow inch and that the car was teetering on the right.
“What did you say?” she asked sharply.
“Nothing, I just said that I thought these eyes were watching me but it must have been a trick of the light or something. I mean I must be having hallucinations.”
“What else did you see?” said Asra her voice sharper and then seeing her daughter’s confused face she added more gently. “Did you feel anything?”
“No I- I felt like there was this fear in me. Maybe it was stage fright but I don’t know Mom. It was weird, the feeling” replied Xia clearly remembering despite her drowsiness that during the dance when she tumbled she felt terrified of something. She felt heavy and disorientated for a few seconds. Asra said nothing to this and she reversed the car, a Ferrari that they won when Asra entered in an international contest of Museum exhibits. It was not the latest model, probably a few years older.
Asra stopped the car as she turned down a lane and parked in front of the house before leading Xia into the house as she was walking around with her eyes half opened.
“Xia, go to sleep now” said Asra gently as she flicked on the light of the lounge, “today was a busy day.”
“Yeah” answered Xia absentmindedly, “Good night.”
Xia climbed the stairs slowly and approached her room. She wore her nightgown after scrubbing away the makeup and slipped into the warmth of the bed curling like a
cat under the covers. Not before long she was fast asleep barely noticing the chill that had developed in the house even though it was summer.
“Good night, my child” whispered Asra as she stared at the stairs clearly worried and afraid for some reason, “Father now I turn my attention to you.”
Asra curled up on the sofa the lights still blaring above her and first dialed the number of a friend of hers known as Jacob who ran several errands for her.
“Hello, who is speaking?” said a firm masculine voice slightly weary as it was twelve at night or later.
Cradling the telephone in her lap, Asra bent back and closed her eyes as she answered. “Jacob, it’s me Asra Jones. I need you to get the earliest plane tickets possible to China for tomorrow for me and my daughter.”
“China tickets for tomorrow? Why?” asked Jacob clearly disturbed at the news, “Is something wrong?”
“Not at all. I have some pending matters there. By the way Jacob, please inform the Manhattan Museum that I might not return indefinitely but will call.”
After reassuring Jacob for a few minutes that there was no emergency she dialed the home number of Julian Adam realizing that she should tell him that Xia and she would come tomorrow to say goodbye.
“Hello, Adam?” asked Asra as someone picked up the phone from the other end, “It’s me Asra.”
“Hello Asra, what’s up?”
“There is something important I have to tell you. Xia and I are leaving for China tomorrow to meet my father.”
“Your father? But he- isn’t he in…”
“Yes I know. But I have to go.”
“Do you need me to come along? I do a similar background as you do. My daughter is the replica of my late wife; she will be able to enter the lands.”
“No thanks Adam. I just hope I’m wrong. I can’t relive the pain. Anyway I’ll drop by tomorrow and please call the school and tell them to mail me the result of Xia in China. I’ll give you the address of our hotel and the statement of entry. Adam if you can, inform the Sullivan family and ask them to come over to meet as at your home.”
“Alright Asra. Come over tomorrow and take care. Goodbye.”
***
An inhumane roar echoed in the silent forest. Great masses of trees towered above, blocking the beam of moonlight. Ching Annox Lee, the old cave man, walked softly on the moist soil, treading noiselessly on the fallen leaves. Intense rustling sounded from behind a tree. Ching whipped around facing the thorny bushes, his sword rose.
“Who’s there?” he boomed, his voice echoing.
Instantaneously, claws sprang from the air and dropped nearly a foot away from Ching, who remained still. The features of the creature were hidden in the darkness. It glanced at Ching momentarily with its fiery yellow eyes and snarled, baring its fangs which were drooling with saliva.
“Axhelius” said Ching in repulse.
“Yes” replied the dark creature emitting a throaty whisper, “I’ve returned.”
“You were banished Axhelius when you turned evil. How dare you show your face here?”
“Yes, you know me Ching, I had to return” the creature whispered icily its eyes only visible as its body was clothed in darkness and shadows. “The one thing I adore doing is watching the fear drip all over you and the stench. I revel in it.”
“Why do you come here foul monster?” questioned Ching, afraid he knew the answer for he felt the altar come to life after a long time and felt the unfolding of the prophecies.
The creature released a sort of scratchy laugh at Ching. “Don’t you know, the Annoxonum has been discovered,” it snarled, “The Annoxonum shall not escape my clutches. We all know that this one is the most important. The one of the prophecies, am I not right Ching?”
“You already betrayed your nobility, your friends most of all you deceived Kashya!” snapped Ching his dark eyes glistening menacingly in the moonlight and the long beard tangling with the leaves and sap of the trees through which he had climbed.
The creature of the night snarled again before growling and in the shimmering rays of the light, the claws flexed and teeth glinted like small sword ready to kill. “You cannot stop me.”
“I shall kill you before!” exclaimed Ching angrily, raising his sword a bit higher to emphasize his words and hid the fear he felt from this fallen creature.
“We shall see,” the creature answered with a cold growl at him.
“Who? Axhelius who is the Annoxonum?” asked Ching now with more sharpness to his tone as he demanded the answer of the creature.
“You’ll know Ching,” it said as it jumped over the bush and disappeared into the hazy distance no longer cloaked as moonlight shone on the glossy black mane of the panther. “Let’s say you’re your paths will cross soon enough.”
Ching remained startled staring into darkness. Who? He asked himself.
***
Xia’s door creaked open gently and Asra stepped inside. Xia’s eyes opened sharply and she saw her mother in front of her.
“Xia” whispered Asra “are you awake?”
“No I’m talking in my sleep” muttered Xia sleepily, “what’s wrong? Why aren’t you asleep?”
Asra sat next to Xia and hugged her lovingly. In the pale moonlight Xia saw her mother’s shimmering, tear streaked face.
“Mom, you’re crying?” asked Xia touching her mothers wet tears more alert now.
“Honey, I want to tell you something” said Asra with a painful effort and the words were slurred.
“What Mom?” Xia prompted half afraid. Maybe her result came out early and she failed or maybe the papers were lost. She hoped for the latter.
“Xia, honey, we have to go to China…probably forever.” Asra broke off and turned her face as it had turned red. She sniffed once and then was watching her hands in the darkness.
Xia stared openmouthed at her mother, shocked.
“China?? Mom, w-we’re le-leaving!” she stuttered “but my friends, my life is here…” Xia could say no more as tears streamed down her face like rivulets and a heavy weight fell across her heart. Maybe she could have dismissed it as a joke but her mother was too serious and sincere to make a cruel joke.
“Xia, you have to understand, we absolutely must go to China. I can’t explain it but I have this feeling, a mother’s instinct, I guess.”
“Why Mom, why?” said Xia hurt with loss wiping the tears away hurriedly so her mother couldn’t see them.
“That can only be answered there…”
Xia was afflicted with heavy sobs and she clutched her pillow helplessly. Asra, feeling her pain, hugged her daughter tightly and soothed her till she fell asleep.
Soon after, the sunlit room awoke Xia and she gazed around. She remembered last night’s conversation and the agony was still fresh in her mind. Staring at her tear stained pillow she prayed with all her heart that the trip would end, that she didn’t have to go back and leave behind her life. Her mother broke through her thoughts when she entered the bedroom.
“Hey,” said Asra “get dressed my dear, breakfast is ready.”
“OK Mom” choked Xia “five minutes.”
“Okay dear, take your time” smiled Asra but it was a painful smile, a forced smile, a smile filled with compassion and understanding. Gone were the routines of begging for sleep. Now the house loomed with a distinct darkness as Xia touched the walls remembering all the times she took this life for granted. It was beyond her imagination that she would ever abandon this house or this city to live, forever someplace else.
Five minutes later Xia bathed and was dressed up. She had her hair pulled into a black ponytail and her black outfit reflected a solemn mood. It was almost as if she were mourning.
Asra bustled in the kitchen making pancakes and along that she stuffed clothes in an already cramped suitcase. Accessories were thrown around along with other items. Her eyes were red with crying and heavy circles outlined them showing she was awake all night trying to ignore the loss by work.
“Yes Mom” said Xia as she fiddled with her food. Normally she devoured pancakes but now it no longer lifted her mood. Finally she swallowed her pancakes, chewing slowly as if in pain and the chocolate syrup had no taste.
“Done Mom!” she exclaimed as she raced towards the car shortly followed by Asra who had thrown on a red dress and her black hair were in a messy bun.
***
Deep sorrow filled sobs engulfed Julian’s house. Lok and Ankara sat despondently at the break of the news. Julian and Carmine sobbed repeatedly hugging one another along with Xia while Asra stood with Adam eyeing the miserable atmosphere. Hours crept by slowly and finally it was time to go.
“Don’t forget us,” said Carmine hugging her tightly and Julian pulled her aside for a moment to give her a hug which seemed eternal and a smile of encouragement which elated Xia for the fraction of a second. Julian whispered gently in Xia’s ears, “It may be the last time we see one another but I know it is not. It can never be.” Then Xia’s best friend whisked away into a corner, unable to control her emotions which burst forth before she ran out from the entrance unable to say goodbye again.
“See you Xia, you were a cheerful girl and I hope that we meet again. Keep in touch.” said Lok shaking Xia’s hand and managing a bare smile. He too looked really sad, his hair disheveled and eyes red but still he managed to stay strong as he wrapped an arm round Carmine’s shoulders as she had hid her face in her hands.
“Xia, we’ll meet again I hope,” spoke Ankara through a forced smile “till then keep us in your heart as we will keep you in ours.”
Xia nodded and hugged everyone once again and during this Lok slipped a package in her pocket which turned out to be a small book on Friendship in which all three: Julian, Lok and Carmine had signed with a small tearful note of goodbye. She trudged out towards the door with her mother and waved her hands in a final farewell her eyes no longer teary as they had all dried to leave an empty hollowness in her heart.