Symmetry

by T M Caruana

  I snapped my helmet in place whilst Hunter unloaded the snowmobiles with ease. Everyone got ready to begin the journey to the top. The snowmobiles engines began to roar as I straddled over the black leather seat behind Hunter’s back. He questioned whether to go ahead with a thumb up and received the same response from everyone else and then signalled for them to follow him. By the time we had driven for a good ten minutes up the half snow, half ice covered mountain I began to feel numb in my fingers and legs. It was freezing and the cold wind whipped my face.

  “Hunter, I’m really freezing, I can no longer feel my fingers,” I whined, as I tried to clench them back to life.

  Hunter’s breath indicated a deep sigh that couldn’t be heard due to the engine’s noise. My powers must slowly be coming back to me because I could feel he didn’t like what he knew he had to do. The engine noise dulled down as he slowed to a halt to await Tarus and Leo. He held out his hand to stop them.

  “Leo switch place with Susy,” he commanded.

  Leo obeyed without arguing and hurried with nimble steps to avoid getting wet.

  I could tell Hunter was annoyed. He didn’t wait for Tarus before he quickly continued up the mountain.

  “Hello my beauty, don’t be shy, hold on tight,” Tarus said charmingly with a charming smile as I sat behind him.

  His body warmed mine, although not as much as it warmed my heart. I pressed as hard as I could against him to absorb as much heat as possible and noticed that I had already stopped shaking. Tarus had stayed behind while I got on the snowmobile, and now we were far behind the others.

  “Hold on! This will have to go fast so we can catch up,” he warned, before stamping on the gas.

  The snow smelled fresh; a mixture of ice mixed and Tarus’s aftershave, which I recognised from earlier. It made me smile nostalgically. The chill in my body was gone and I closed my eyes to enjoy the moment. Life felt pretty safe and sound right now.

  Almost at the top I could hear snowmobile engines from behind us and I turned to look back. Tarus and I were the last ones of our group so the followers weren’t one of us. There were two snowmobiles following us, driven by a larger man and a smaller one. Their features were to obscure by clothing or helmets for me to make them out. I wondered if they needed help since one of them held out a hand. It was dusk and difficult to see. No – what now? He pulled a gun and pointed it straight at us.

  “Tarus, there are two men chasing us and one of them is aiming a gun,” I screamed in panic towards Tarus.

  Tarus turned his head back to weight up the seriousness of the situation and increased speed as he attempted a zigzag motion. He managed as many zigzags as you could accomplish with a clumsy snowmobile without losing distance. A shot was fired and hit the snow no more than three metres from us. Tarus increased the speed to the maximum possible.

  “Think force field Susy, think force field,” I repeated to myself as I tried to concentrate on creating a force field over us, but the bumpy journey and panic made it impossible.

  The goal wasn’t far away. I could see the lights shining down from the two stars that crossed just over the mountaintop. I took a deep breath, we were in the right place; this is where the portal was. Now the question was whether we would get there on time and alive. One more shot echoed off the mountain and hit the back of the snowmobile giving a loud popping sound. I screamed in fear, but no response came from Tarus. He was calm and collected with his goal in sight. As I looked forward, I could see Hunter using the power of his strength to carry Leo over his shoulder. All plans had changed. Tarus wouldn’t be able to transport him and it would take too long before he and I arrived. If they waited for us, they could risk being shot.

  “Don’t wait for us, I’ll take Susy, go in the portal. NOW!” Tarus shouted to the others.

  Two by two they disappeared into the portal until Samuel was the only one waiting for us.

  Tarus grabbed my waist and jumped off the snowmobile in a single leap without stopping it first. He took my hand and we ran together towards the lights. The situation had suddenly changed and I couldn’t bear to think what might happen to Samuel if only Tarus and I went into the portal. I couldn’t imagine what would happen in the portal if we travelled with two stones. Which one was worse? I had to make a choice; we were getting closer to Samuel and the portal. I panicked and at the last minute I grabbed hold of Samuel’s jacket to drag him into the portal with us.

  My body was thrown with a thud down on the ground on Pixi. I had lost my balance due to the portal’s force, but before my eyes could focus on the cave the new world, I heard a roaring scream. It was an insane howling scream that echoed around the inside of the cave. Tarus was screeching with pain.

  “Tarus!”

  I ran to him where he lay on the ground, writhing back and forth.

  “Three people went with one stone, damn…damn…damn,” Hunter lamented, walking back and forth as always when he was stressed.

  His face creased in compassion as he saw Tarus still screaming and curling up on the ground. Normally, he had little sympathy for Tarus, but it was evident he wouldn’t wish this torment on anyone.

  “Michael, do something! Can you heal him?” Hunter asked, apparently unsure. Michael looked down at Tarus questioningly.

  “No…ah, don’t touch me. I’ll be fine!” Tarus shouted stubbornly still in agony.

  The screams cut deep into my heart and I felt helpless and hopeless. What had I done? A better question was why were they hesitating, why didn’t Michael heal him?

  “You will die if you don’t let me help you. You have to choose and make it fast; you don’t have much time left.”

  Michael shook his head at Tarus’s pride.

  I was convinced that it wouldn’t have mattered to Michael if Tarus died or not, but he must have understood how much he meant to me.

  Tarus lay defenceless with the blood rushing through his veins faster than his heart had capacity to function and most of his bones were probably like a gravel pit. I could tell from how the bones moved, as he writhed in pain, that his body didn’t bend naturally in the way it should.

  “Tarus please, you mustn’t die, everything is my fault, please don’t die,” I appealed, looking into Tarus’s eyes.

  “Ah!…ah!…never Michael…no…not for life,” he murmured from between the screams.

  The screams lessened and Tarus drifted into unconsciousness, his body stopped twisting.

  “What’s happening?” I requested in panic whilst my tears rushed down my cheeks.

  “He has gone into the unconsciousness before death.”

  Hunter’s sorrowful expression from Hunter made me realise how close to death Tarus was and I flipped. I couldn’t believe that he would let himself die before he lowered his pride to receive help from Michael. What reasons or consequences were more important than his life? More importantly, I needed him.

  “Michael, heal Tarus now whether he wants to or not, we won’t leave him to die like this!” I ordered him without respect or concerns, just by instinct, an instinct from my heart.

  Michael threw himself on his knees beside Tarus and held his hands over his heart. Everyone stood silent and waited.

  “This can take days. Come, let me take you home to the castle,” Hunter whispered, most likely afraid that I would have to witness Tarus’s death, if it was too late to save him.

  Moreover, he was probably eager to tell people about my homecoming.

  “No, I’ll stay here with him until he is better,” I insisted.

  <><><>

  The wait was long, even though to me, time was of no importance. There was no other place I had to be. For a week I sat at Tarus’s side whilst Michael continued with the healing process. I barely slept and didn’t eat at all. Towards the end of the week, my attention was drawn to an elderly man sitting on a rock ledge inside the cave. I wondered who it could be. He had been sitting there ever since we came and hadn’t moved more than to correct his body when it had been still
for too long. But as usual, I had a lot of questions and the man’s identity had to wait.

  “Michael, why didn’t Tarus want to be healed?” I asked, breaking the silence after the seventh day.

  “A wound can never be truly healed and the forces flowing into Tarus create a link to me. If I should die, my healing power transferred to Tarus ceases. It means that his pain and sores will reappear. In this way I become a burden to him, someone he must protect in order to protect himself. It’s not desirable for a person from Medi to heal another from Bomi. We’re not exactly friends, as you may understand.”

  I could hear the anguish in his voice, but he also seemed relieved that I had finally started talking. Michael hadn’t dared to say a word and had waited for me to be ready to start talking again.

  “Why are your people not getting along?” I asked curiously.

  “Because of jealousy that my people have had for years about the power of the fire-rose. There is only one and it’s made of rose-gold. A rose whose owner can use its magic to sprout love, if you use the ashes it emits. Too much ash leads to an overdose of love and obsession.”

  His voice had no theatrical tone this time and the story had no life when he couldn’t use his hands to gesticulate.

  “I thought people on Medi managed love more superficially than the other, well, you know the purpose of your sermon that there are so many beautiful flowers,” I teased trying to lighten the mood.

  He looked ecstatic at my little joke, which showed my hope and that I had become strong enough to handle a deep loss, if it were to come to that.

  “On Medi we want to use the ash for healing purposes which together with our forces, are strong enough to heal a broken heart. The legend tells of a man who used the rose on a woman who was overcome with love for him. When the woman found out that his heart had always belonged to another, it broke her heart in two. Without knowing the whereabouts of the fire-rose, there was no cure and she was forced to live her life with a broken heart without hope of love. It was a shame that we didn’t have the rose in our possession, for then we would have been able to heal her. But the rose has been hidden on Bomi for years and no one has been able to find it,” he explained.

  The story reminded me of Vic’s. I sat quietly in thought.

  “It’s alright now, he’ll be fine. You can take a break and join the others for a while. I promise to take good care of him and I’ll give you a shout if he wakes up.”

  He lowered his voice, maybe worried that he had spoken inappropriately. I shot him a worried glare.

  “I promise, he’s fine, you can go,” he repeated more firmly.

  “There is the exit behind the waterfall.”

  He pointed with his head without removing his hands from above Tarus’s heart.

  A glimmer of light shone into the small cave at the end of a pool of water that poured in from the waterfall at the opening. The sound of the waterfall roared higher as I approached to step through to the outside. The stunning vision of the world’s beauty swept before my eyes, as they readjusted from the gloom of the cave. I had never seen anything more beautiful. The colours were somehow more vivid than on Teli. The sky was as blue as a sapphire, the grass like a bed of emeralds and the mountains seemed to be made of amber. The waterfall played over the glimmering crystals amongst the stones at the creek’s edge. The stream led to a magnificent castle on the slope of a high mountain where pine trees and silver birch trees hid the peak.

  Honoured that my loyal companions were camped outside the cave it brought a tear to my eye. They hadn’t abandoned me. They seemed to genuinely care about my wellbeing despite their tough attitude. I walked cautiously to the open fire, and sat down on a log next to Hunter.

  “I thought you would have gone back to the city,” I confessed with my eyes focusing into the crackling fire where the heat from the flames warmed against my face.

  “They can wait, they have been waiting for nearly thirty years so they can wait a few more days,” Hunter grumbled.

  “How else would you have got to the castle? Would you have walked?” a voice sarcastically questioned from behind me.

  I jumped and turned towards the familiar voice, seeing Leo in the creek. His rested his head on crossed arms against one of the rocks, whilst his lower body was beneath the surface, making strong paddling movements from the beautiful metallic blue fin.

  “If you are ready at dawn I will collect and prepare the horses. Lance is on Angi still so you can use a regular horse for now,” Hunter said enigmatically.

  He must have known that I wouldn’t have a clue who he was talking about so he doubtlessly expected that I would ask. But I had heard a creaking sound from the woods and was curious about what other beautiful creatures existed in this world and decided to look around. I excused myself and began to stroll towards the edge, through bushes, beautiful flowers and bright berries.

  A bit into the woods, I saw a figure amongst the trees. I felt unsure, but not afraid, but crept loser. There was a little girl, playing and talking to her doll. Why was she out playing so late? Perhaps the dangers of Teli didn’t exist here on Pixi and a little girl in the dark was therefore no strange sight. To my dismay I was proved completely wrong as I saw a dark man grab hold of the little girl and start running deeper into the woods. I was devastated and, without thinking, I took up the chase after them. The poor girl must have been terrified.

  I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and to my surprise I found that they were pretty quick. A root on the ground tangled with my shoe, making me fall. I hit my knee on a rock and scraped my elbow over the pebbles, but it didn’t make me give up. I quickly got up and continued the chase. The man was much faster than me and got further and further away. The branches of the trees whipped in my face and I was getting out of breath. I had been running for a while, but didn’t stop until I reached a high hedge of bushes with rosehip fruits. They had beautiful white flowers, but also large sharp thorns. Over the hedge and its branches and leaves, I could see a fort of sand-coloured stone with four round towers.

  I saw the man carrying the little girl under his arm up the long stairs to the fort. Who were these people? Once they were inside, I wouldn’t have a chance to save the girl, but at least now I knew where the man had taken her. Perhaps Hunter would be able to rescue her. Before I could turn around to start on my way back to the others, a hard blow to the back of my head knocked me unconscious.

  <><><>

  The light was strong as I opened my eyes, but my vision was blurred. I could only make out a red cloth with yellow stitching. My arm was held down by something else warm touched the wound on my elbow. I waited a few more minutes until I could see clearly. My body lay comfortably in a wide bed adorned with a red roof of fabric with a yellow lining, which must be what I had seen as I opened my eyes. A white cotton sheet caressed my body, with a yellow embroidered N over the middle. A woman, who by her appearance didn’t look like she originated from Pixi, was sitting at the edge of the bed padding my sore elbow with hot water on a cotton ball. Her cocoa-coloured fingers carefully wiped over my sore skin. The yellowish eyes, which resembled Michael’s, looked up at me when she noticed that I was stirring, but she continued to dab the wound. My head ached as I attempt to sit up.

  “Hey!”

  The woman almost shouted at me and pointed to the pillows, indicating that I was supposed to be lying down.

  “The men are crazy sometimes, you received a hard blow to your head, you’d better not get up yet,” she said.

  Her authoritarian behaviour didn’t match her cute look with her tender eyes hidden behind the black shoulder-length curls. Surprised by her sharp voice I lay down without objection. After bathing my elbow clean of dirt, she tucked it under the covers, as caring as any nurse. She moved the chair and the table with the hot water closer to the end of the bed in order to extract my leg and began to clean the wound on my knee.

  “Welcome to the Rosehip Garden,” she said politely and smiled as she soaked a
nother cotton ball. “You’re not from here, I haven’t seen you before.”

  The woman commented clearly from her rosehip-coloured lips. I was unsure if it was a clarification or a question. The beautifully decorated room was deceptive as the metal bars shielding the door indicated that I was a captive. If I was in captivity, it was probably best if I didn’t talk too much. The door to the bars hadn’t been closed after the woman had entered. Those who held me prisoner didn’t seem too worried that I would sneak out…depending on what kind of woman sat next to me of course. The woman may have powers that were so strong that I wouldn’t have any chance to dodge her and escape.

  “Am I a prisoner?” I demanded indicating the bars.

  “Wouldn’t want to call you a prisoner, but my master wants to know who you are before he meets you, to decide your fate,” she murmured as she concentrated on cleaning out the gravel from a deeper cut in my knee.

  The words sounded frightening despite her easy manner. Would someone decide my fate? Maybe I would be hanged or shot, depending on their traditions here.

  “My name is Katrona,” she introduced herself.

  I wasn’t going to be fooled; again it sounded as if the woman was trying to fish for information, so I just nodded with a fake smile.

  “Sooner or later, you must speak, if you want to get out,” she warned before she tucked my leg back under the covers.

  She picked up the bowl of water, took the cleaning items, closed the bars behind her on the way out and disappeared out of the room. The woman had been cleverer than I had assumed, but I would be smarter than her. Whispers were heard outside the door. She was talking to a man with a rough voice.

  “Well, who is she? One of Net’s followers?” the voice enquired.

  “Maybe. I don’t know, she didn’t speak. Give her time, she’s received a blow to the head,” the woman begged.

  “Then she’s your responsibility if you want to play mother,” the male hissed impatiently.