Dance of Life: The Belief Chronicles: Book One (Chronicles of a Planet's End)

by Tatiana Beller

  He stood up and went into his bedroom. He opened a drawer and took out a series of expensive watches. Then he opened the closet and one by one removed the clothes from the hangers. He took out a duffle bag and placed all the clothing within it, added the watches in an inside pocket of the bag, and then added the shoes. He did the same thing with his shoes. When he was done, he grabbed the bags of stuff and took them into his car. It was an expensive car, and it would have to go. He needed to appear as the regular guy. He needed to become the man who found God, and God gave him a gift.

  He made a quick stop at the rental office, giving them a thirty-day notice he would be vacating the premises. Then he returned to the car and drove into the city. He made a stop at a thrift store for some charity and handed everything over. Tristan expected to feel grief, but there was nothing but joy. He then took his car to a dealership and exchanged it for a cheaper SUV. It did have four-wheel drive. That was important. Finally, he went out into the suburbs and found a small house with a backyard suited for barbecues.

  The first step was done. Tristan hired the movers and went to find new clothes and a haircut. Long gone were the fashionable clothes and expensive lifestyle. He cut his hair short, almost military style. He bought a cap that would become his signature look. He drove to an outdoor store and bought some camping gear. A young woman was at the counter. She was cute, but he would have never given her the time in his previous life. He needed a witness, and she was just the type.

  “Where are you going to camp?” She asked.

  “I was thinking of heading towards Joshua Tree,” he replied. “Do you know any good hikes up there?”

  "Yeah, I've been there a bunch of times," she said. "Let me take a map out, and I'll show you."

  “What’s your name?” He said casually.

  "Kaitlin," she said, smiling. He could tell she liked him. The look was working.

  "Perfect," he said. "How about I take you out to dinner when you are done with work, and you can give me ideas of where to hike?"

  She laughed, “That’s bold. Okay. I’m done at eight.”

  “I’ll pick you up,” he said as he grabbed his stuff and walked out of the store.

  He took the stuff to the car and drove back to his new house. He dropped off the things and went off again. By the time he went to pick up his date, he had added a grill to his new house and had most of his furniture moved over. Tristan signed up for a local gym and even got himself a library card. He arrived back at the outdoor store on time. Kaitlin was waiting for him outside, having changed into cute athletic clothes. She was built with muscle. Tristan noted that she probably didn't wear or own too many dresses and had never had the money for an expensive brand.

  He stepped out of the car and walked up to her.

  "Hey!" She said, smiling. She did a lot of smiling, which was unnerving. Tristan rarely dated women who seemed cheerful. She probably was used to going to sports bars with possible dates. He tried to remember if he had ever been to a sports bar. Probably with Tom. Kaitlin would be a Tom kind of woman. Tristan had to be much more like his brother Tom.

  "Hey," Tristan replied. "I was thinking of Thai. Is that too foreign for you?"

  "No, I love Thai. That's great. Besides, they have lots of gluten-free options, and I am so Keto." She said as she walked to the car and stepped inside. "Wow, a new car."

  Tristan tried to not react, but couldn’t help it, “Yeah, I just traded in my luxury convertible.”

  She laughed again, “You are so funny. So, do you like camping much?”

  Tristan thought of following Geoffrey through the desert and his complete misery, “Yeah. I don’t get to do it much. Work.”

  “Tell me about it,” she said. “My boss is a bastard. Of course, I want to be an actor or a stunt double, but it takes time.”

  “How long have you been in Los Angeles?” He asked.

  “Two years,” she said. “I moved here from Tennessee.”

  “I thought I detected an accent.”

  “Don’t,” she laughed again.

  Tristan looked at her sideways. She did have a pretty smile. Her teeth had benefited from braces. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were also brown, but large and expressive. Her hands were a mess. Obviously, she had never heard of a manicure. There were calluses. Tristan had never seen a woman with calluses on her hands. He wondered briefly what it would be like to make love to a woman whose fingers felt like sandpaper.

  She noticed him studying her hands, “I spend a lot of time at the climbing gym. Have you ever gone?”

  “No.”

  “You have been hiding under a rock,” she replied. “What do you do?”

  “Computer stuff. Networking. Programing.” He said.

  “Nice! I was never into computers, but I am sure it earns more than retail.”

  They arrived at the restaurant. Tristan spotted it in a strip mall near his house. He'd seen it had some decent reviews from locals, but would never qualify for a five-star meal. As they sat down, Tristan ordered something and hoped it would be eatable. Mostly he watched her eat. He listened to her chat. It was a new experience. He knew he had no intention of hurting this woman. He didn't need her hurt. Tristan wanted her to see him become someone else.

  At the end of dinner, he took her back to his place. As he lay next to her later that night, he realized Tristan could not think the last time he simply had slept next to someone else. There was something pleasant in the experience. She was lovely, and so very different from anyone else he had ever taken out on a date. Two weeks later, he asked her to come with him camping to Joshua Tree, and she agreed.

  EB26392

  Journal 1

  A month had passed, and Emily was happier than she had ever been. Geoffrey was an excellent companion. It was hard to help him do so many different things he had taken for granted before. The caretaking of the homestead was a challenge. She could now manage all of it on her own. She even managed to understand more of the wildlife, and her curiosity was growing about the planet itself. They had gone to study the flying monsters. She drew several versions of the animal and added all sorts of notes on their behavior. The planet was full of bird-like creatures. It had some lizards and also different kinds of mammals. Emily tried to understand more the similarities in structure from the animals here to the animals on Earth.

  Her knowledge of the Earth's geography and the political and social movements around the globe was becoming rather impressive. She was impressed with her own skills. School was not her thing, and yet she loved learning. Geoffrey enjoyed lecturing to an agonizing degree. The faster she learned, the less he had the need to lecture. It made her happy. He was patient. Geoffrey did not mention their deal while going through his daily actions slowly, calmly, and with difficulty, but he never complained.

  Emily couldn't ignore his pain. Every evening, she slept curled up next to him, with his arms around her, promising herself it would be their last day together. Every morning, Emily was sure she just couldn't let him go. At the end of the day, she would see the profound exhaustion in his face, and her heart would break. Then he would lay next to her in bed and just talk. He would share stories of his life, and she would open up more about her life. They would laugh. As soon as the light went off, she felt him next to her, and it felt perfect. She knew she wasn't ready to be alone.

  It was night, and she had woken up with a sound. At first, she couldn't figure out what it was. She turned instinctively towards Geoffrey and realized that he wasn't there. Panic hit hard as she jumped out of bed and followed the sound out of the house. She was running barefoot through the dirt and grass towards the cabin. She pushed the door open and saw Geoffrey on the ground, his hand covered in blood. He was screaming in pain, his body shaking from the tension. She ran past him to the bathroom and got some water and towels. She came back and covered his hands in the wet cloth. She got him to a sitting position trying to figure out how to help him settle down.

  Carrying his w
eight against her shoulder, she managed to get him standing. The screaming had stopped. She took him to the back bedroom of the cabin and forced him to lay down on the bed. She laid next to him and held him until his body stopped shaking. Once she felt he was asleep, she sat up in bed and watched him. Her heart was broken. She couldn't even describe the level of pain. For the first time, she saw herself clearly and realized she was utterly selfish. He never complained, yet his life became harder and harder.

  Emily wondered if it was cultural conditioning that made her so desperately fight for life. She spent her life so profoundly alone, it felt wonderful to find a man willing to be with her. Geoffrey had been the perfect boyfriend if Emily didn't dwell too much on the lack of intimacy. Oddly, as much as she desperately wanted him, there was an emotional intimacy that felt profound. She touched his face, gently feeling the need to remember his every detail. Emily was frightened; she would eventually forget him. She hadn't known him for more than a few months, and her life was a thousand times better because he had been part of her life.

  When the sun came through the window, Emily had decided.

  The desert extended ahead of them. Tristan and Kaitlin held a backpack on their backs and looked purposefully at the landscape. It was amazing. The cacti spread out ahead of them, as the rocks lifted up against the very blue sky. They had arrived at the national park the day before. It was their day of hiking. Moses went into the desert to find enlightenment, and Tristan would do the same. Kaitlin chatted as Tristan prepared for the inevitable. He had tested his newly found skill before heading out on this journey. He had discovered two things. The first was that while the injuries healed, they hurt. The second was that it was oddly relaxing to hear the never-ending chatter from Kaitlin.

  She took him rock climbing at the gym. It was a new experience. He had not been terrible at it. Tristan convinced her he was ready to climb on this trip. It would not be that difficult of a climb, and she was rather spectacular at it. He looked out into the distant mountains and realized that he was probably an hour to the gate. The image of Emily crossed his mind. Emily and Geoffrey were the most absurd couple in history. Would they be playing house on that weird planet? Would that flying beast finish them off? Tristan realized he cared. The moment he thought of the creature, he thought of the cave on the rock cliff, and then he thought of her. Agandana. The most profound craving came over him. It took over every inch of his senses and made him want to ditch everything to go find a way to get back to her.

  He fought his way out of the addiction. He had survived doing hard drugs for years without becoming an addict because he was an addict of a different kind. Power and the self-control necessary to achieve it were his addictions. If he focused on the glory of violence or the power over another person, the desire for a substance went away. Agandana was no different. The fish woman could wait. He had other priorities.

  He felt the small callused hand in his. He looked down and saw Kaitlin's bitten nails, and the damaged skin from climbing and smiled. This was his reality now, and he would make a splash. It would be epic.

  “Ready?” He asked her.

  "Yes, it is a pretty easy climb. You'll have fun. Trust me." She said, and started walking, assuming he would follow.

  He knew it wouldn’t be fun, but he was ready.

  They arrived at the rock face, and Kaitlin gave directions. Tristan listened half-heartedly. He put on the right type of shoes. Tristan looked at his delicate feet, encased in the leather, and felt ridiculous. Kaitlin turned towards him and adjusted his harness, getting much more personal than he expected, but enjoying every minute of it. Then she stood up and kissed him gently on the lips before turning towards the rock. Like a monkey or a goat, Kaitlin climbed. Once she had set up the first piton, she attached the carabiner to it. Then the rope went through, and she motioned for him to follow.

  Tristan climbed. And he climbed. If he were honest, he was miserable. A nice chair next to a pool in a five-star hotel was so much more his style. The worst was yet to come. He kept looking upward, knowing that if he looked down, he would ultimately lose his nerve. It was terrible. The only pleasantness was watching Kaitlin's butt moving up the cliff. She was an expert and could see she wasn't even out of breath. If he calmed his heart enough to listen, he could hear her chatter as they climbed.

  They turned towards the side of the cliff, which stood between two rock walls. It was an easy climb based on the guidebooks and the expert above him. It was still high. The level of difficulty determined by the number of holds and places where they could rest. Kaitlin was getting close to the top. It was almost time. Tristan knew he had to wait until she had gotten to the top, and then he had seconds. It meant that for the next couple of meters, he would have to climb with little assistance from the ropes.

  He loosened the harness a little and then got out a small knife. It had to rip enough so that his weight would do the rest of the job. He dared to look down. It was so high that no one could possibly survive a fall. He closed his eyes and prepared for unbearable pain. He opened them long enough to see Kaitlin reach the top, and then he screamed. He unhooked the harness and pulled hard, hearing the expecting rip. He heard Kaitlin scream as he felt his body floating through the air.

  Breakfast was quiet. Emily helped Geoffrey get back to the house and settled him in a chair while she made him breakfast. Geoffrey looked awful. His hands didn’t entirely heal, and the other injuries looked gruesome. She placed the breakfast in front of him, and he picked at his food. She ate hers quietly, trying not to cry. Her efforts failed. She had not slept, and the exhaustion and grief made it so much worse. He took her hands in his.

  “It’s okay. I know it looks bad, but this isn’t the end of the world. It will be fine. I promise.” Geoffrey said. “I don’t want to see you like this.”

  Instead of helping, it made the situation worse. Emily stood up and walked out of the house, trying to regain some control. She felt his arms come around her, and she turned towards him and held on to him for dear life.

  “I don’t have to leave yet, Emily. I can stay with you for as long as you need me.” Geoffrey added.

  Emily pulled away and looked at him. She kissed him hard and felt him respond to her instantly.

  She moved away, took a deep breath, so her voice would be steady, “Geoffrey, I made you a promise, and it is time for me to fulfill it.”

  “I thought…” he said before she interrupted.

  “I know how to run this house and the computer upstairs. I know what I can and need to know to do this. I can’t see you suffering just because I am afraid to be alone.” She said.

  He stood and watched her. Tears fell freely down his eyes. He tried to speak. Geoffrey saw there was nothing he could possibly say.

  “Trust me, after weeks of your lecturing, I am ready for a little peace and quiet.” She said jokingly.

  He smiled, “I think you will be the most spectacular one of us.”

  He held her for a long time, not wanting to move.

  “I am sorry to do this, but then we better discuss some practicalities,” Geoffrey said and took her upstairs to the computer.

  The rest of the day was spent preparing funeral arrangements. It was done in almost silence. They both knew the end was near, and neither was willing to touch the subject. Emily knew that she wouldn’t change her mind. Her fear had trapped him in agony for much too long. It was enough. She refused to cry. It was the end of a spectacular life, and the end would be celebrated with as much passion and joy as the many years he had lived.

  At the end of the day, Emily sat holding Geoffrey’s hand, looking at the sun set over the planet. Geoffrey was watching the last sunset he would ever see. She leaned against him and held him hard against her. They stayed unmoving until the two moons came up, and the double shadows filled the space. Then they stood up. Geoffrey put on some music and took her in his arms. They swayed quietly. Finally, she stepped back.

  “It is time,” she said.

&nbs
p; “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she replied. “Are you?”

  “This is but another spectacular adventure,” he replied, smiling.

  Emily stood alone in her room, looking at her naked body. It was odd that for so many years, the body had brought her nothing but pain. She hated it so bitterly because it had been her worst enemy. Those feelings were gone. She knew that she was stepping into a whole new life. It was this body that would allow her to give the man she loved the gift he most desired. She put on a silk robe and crossed the hallway to face him.

  The door opened as she was about to touch the doorknob. She saw Geoffewy perfect as always, and knew at that moment, she would love him with the deepest part of her being for as long as she was alive. Geoffrey would not be forgotten. She was the other half. He was a part of her, and no one would know her as he did. He led her gently towards the bed. The moment he kissed her, her body met his with a passion and desperation. She knew without a doubt that this is why she existed up to this point. The woman reborn after this moment, was prepared for a new life. This was the moment that made her be exactly who she was. There was no fear, no regret, no anger, or desperation to keep him alive. Her whole body was filled with a love she never dreamt existed.