Читать книгу Aqueous Passage - Krystyna Faroe - Страница 10

Willow walked within the sanctuary that was hers, breathing the smell of calming scents, surrounded by drapes of subdued coloured cloths that gave her room a feeling of peace. A faux charade to how she really felt. She could not dismiss the disquiet, the feelings that had disturbed her for a long time, even before Oak had left, before the camp had become troubled. She had tried to push her unsettled feelings aside, had shown the clan her serenity and hidden her fear. She’d momentarily broken down in Fern’s presence but had pulled the falling pieces of doubt back and returned to being the spiritual calm of the clan. She couldn’t keep up the pretence anymore, she couldn’t guide the Woodlanders and balm their worries at the loss of their leader without facing the fear that had bothered her for so long.

Her eyes swept the room and stopped at the door. She blinked several times in quick succession and bit her lower lip. Her mind was undecided but her body was not. She walked toward the outside door. Her hand stayed for a while hovering before she opened it wide to face the multitude of colours that swam through the air. It should have been black, dark as the moonless night is normally but it was not. Orbs of light floated through swirls of colours, muted colours not bright, not red nor yellow, mixed hues of brown and purple; male and female energies, blue and black with rainbows of green that showed sorrow, death and trepidation. The souls of the dark matter were telling her she needed to fear, that pain and grief were to come. It was time for her to find out why.

They left her abode of harmony and calm, drew her into the darkness, and obediently she trailed behind them. Wandering through Elanclose forest following the orbs she left behind the camp of the Woodlanders. She drifted a brief gaze over her shoulder as the camp receded into the lightless evening. Her body was trembling, her anxiety was overwhelming, her lips quivered, tears were sprinkling her cheeks at her dread of what was to come but she kept on. A light within a purple eddy weaved around her and she felt her distresses subdued, another light swirling within a vapour of brown wrapped about her pulling her upright before it left leaving her feeling resilient and determined.

She smiled, they were helping her, they were not here to hurt her. Her step was more pronounced now, eager to get to the spot she was being enticed toward. One after the other her feet moved upon the ground, the crack of breaking twigs created tremors that tore through the night air and she wondered why she was not afraid of the beasts. The beasts that would have sensed her, smelled and heard her a long time ago, where were they in this dark evening? The night was perfect for them to find a kill, her perfect for them to attack, susceptible and helpless for the creatures to prey upon.

She listened for them but everything was quiet, all she could hear was the swish of her dress as she moved. It was as if she was not upon the planet itself anymore but floating in the dark matter with the particles that were drawing her with them. They were all she could see, everything else was blurred. She should have felt dizzy, her focus always on the movement before her but she wasn’t, her head was clear, like the sky above her. In a dreamlike state she followed until the colours wavered before her and she realized it was time for her to stop.

She gazed about her, noting that the auras had surrounded her, that they had expanded above her as well as in front and behind. Slowly turning her head she took in all of the colours. The lights were gliding through one another, through the trees. They were dark matter and not subject to solidity, they moved freely and travelled anywhere. She watched the colours mash together and separate, the manifestation of light swirled through bushes and the bark of trees. The colours enveloped the objects they passed through giving them the illusion of movement and animated life. Her mind was in awe of what she saw, surprised. She felt privileged, proud that she had been chosen for communication, that she was special and should be thankful to them.

She knelt down and sat back upon her calves. Sweeping her head slowly around her she softly mouthed, “Thank you.”

The lights halted in their movement and descended upon her. The barrage upon her body was deafening, even though no sound dispersed the quiet of the night. Transcending through her from her centre up through to the top of her head they all flowed as her body went into spasms again and again. Her heart rocked against her ribcage as if it were being pulled up and out. Her mouth was wide to scream but no cries were emitted. Her organs jolted everywhere to the point she felt sure they were no longer in the place they should be. It was then she became aware that her physical body was not important and she left it, her soul moving with the orbs. As floating particles they all moved together swimming in an ocean apart from the earth’s crust.

She could see her body still upright sat in the same position, her head thrown back and her hair flowing behind as if the wind were carrying it but there was no wind. The apparitions were still moving into her, jarring her body momentarily as they passed through, her hair constantly caught in their perpetual movement.

She didn’t feel shocked, afraid or concerned, she felt serene and happy, free of the ties that solidity carries. In fact how could she feel? She wasn’t flesh and blood anymore. How wonderful to move unhindered by anything, constantly surrounded by…by what? Other souls? She was smiling, how could she? How could it be when she wasn’t physical anymore? She could sense a multitude of smiles around her as they garnered her feeling of happiness and she felt the turmoil and troubles drift away like broken branches flowing downstream. With exhilaration and joy she soared higher above the trees into the dark, the orbs following her as a comet’s tail.

Sweeping and plunging she moved through the cool night air, not feeling the prickle of the chill that the evening cool off was giving. She found she could move with such speed that she was already at the camp and dove down toward it. She hovered momentarily and swooped through the building walls, over the sleeping bodies that lay in each. Most looked content whilst they slept but others tossed and turned disturbed by their dreams.

Passing through one building she stopped above a restless child, immediately she passed through her, and as soon as she did Savannah stopped wriggling and laid still in a deep slumber. Willow knew Pine’s daughter missed him terribly, as did Lily whom she now realized was quietly sobbing in her own bed. Her clan were afraid, for the first time since the Devastation they were unsure. They no longer carried the fight to survive; they all feared terrible things were to come and they were already giving in to defeat. She realized that they had known just like she did but she had been too distracted to see it, because she had been caught up in her own feelings of torment. She hadn’t lessened the sadness they were feeling, she had only helped mask it and that made her feel ashamed.

Tearing upwards she left the building seeking darkness and the dotted skies. Blots of stars were welcome blemishes upon the blackness of night. Moving faster and faster, she travelled quickly toward the place she had left. Dropping in a dive once more she pulled up above her body and hovered. There she waited until she was surrounded by the other particles of light. There were so many that they gave the illusion of daylight in the forest. She could clearly see the twists in the bark of the trees; the textures rising and falling, the different shades of brown intersected with black and grey, patches of green and white lichen following their curves.

She could sense confusion but wasn’t sure if it was from the others or herself. She had to open herself up to them, she needed to understand but she wasn’t sure how to communicate. She struggled at wondering what she should do until it happened, not through her trying but just from her letting go. So many thoughts bombarded her, so much that it was difficult to understand. Like riding a tidal wave, she wavered, working through the flashes, the bounce of colours and shapes. Slower, slower she replied. When eventually the pictures become clear, the visions horrified her.

Her first was of Blackthorn bleeding upon the forest floor, she felt his pain, and agony and his hope that Oak at his side would help him.

The sight was quickly followed by Fern being pulled into a boat her face fearful, her kidnappers gloating. Willow sensed the crude thoughts of Fern’s captors and felt shocked and disgusted.

The vision leaped to Oak fighting a huge boy before an open door looking out over an evening sky, the airship gently rocking them. The huge Citan’s thoughts became hers. “Kill him, kill him.”

When Fern appeared in a gold dress Willow was thankful and surprised as she hardly recognized her. Willow was happy to see her looking so beautiful but the mood was momentary as a square shaped man picked Fern up and threw her over the side of the ship. Willow watched her fall, saw her hit the cold water, become submerged and arise gasping for breath. She felt fear for her as Fern swam up and down the side of the ship. Fern turned to see the envillion fish heading toward her.

The vision jumped back to Blackthorn laid upon the floor with an outstretched hand holding the leg of the large Citan boy as he grappled with Oak. Moving awkwardly Oak and the Citan continue battling, eventually falling toward the open door. Willow was struck with panic at the drop they are heading for as they skid to the opening.

The image blurs to Fern desperately kicking at the fish as they snap at her tearing her dress, catching hold of her hair. Willow is overwhelmed with terror; screams though she knows she is not. A body falls from the ship; sinks below and surfaces; a boy treading water for a moment staring forlornly into Ferns eyes, mouthing words Willow cannot hear until he plunges deep into the water toward the advancing fish. Willow wanted to shriek in dismay but the vision is gone and now it is Oak and the Citan sliding down the ramp trying to grab a hold of anything that can delay their fall. Finally succeeding they cling to the ridges of the ramp whilst looking down at the darkened land far below.

She’s back with Fern once more can see her silently screaming as she clings to a rope that is being pulled up out of the water. Watches Fern as she rises and gazes down at the swirling water below, she sees what is left of the boy who dove in to save Fern and is filled with terrible sorrow and horror. The image fades and she sees the ramp door closing as a button is hit, watches Oak and the Citan scramble to their feet in safety standing before other Citans and Aviatilians. The visions become quiet, gone.

It wasn’t over, she received the last vision with more vividness than the others; it was clear, purposefully given to her at the end and she understood the reason.

She saw Sequoia hunched over, alone in the dark. She could feel his pain but also horrendous fear and guilt. His face wet as he slowly moves his hand across his cheeks, his eyes are hollow, hopeless, and as sightless as any blinded creature, but she knew he could see everything; it was his will to live that was lost. Now she knew why she had been in a state of despair for an extensive amount of time. Their original leader had been suffering for a long while and she had felt it all along.

She was about to move down to her body again when another vision blasted before her. It was of another Citan but this one wasn’t on board the airship, this one was moving away from the Citan city. He was leading a band of others; they were armed with axes and knives. They carried nothing else except flasks of water at their belts. Their faces grim, their leader determined, she sensed danger. They carried no bags of food upon them, leaving her to guess that their journey was to be a short one, and she knew exactly where they were heading.

Immediately she sought her body, rammed into it without further thought and gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of her by her action. She gulped several times, coughing in between, whilst her lungs felt like they had been sliced by a knife. Gasping she tried to stand but staggered forward to a tree. The apparitions lit the way before her, giving her light so she would not stumble into anything. She swallowed as if she had a small potato stuck in her throat. The pain was surprising; her sensations were now tenfold as she fell to her knees again, and collapsing she rolled to her side pulling up her knees as she rocked herself rhythmically concentrating on just her breathing. Releasing her legs she felt her breathing becoming normal. Her tear filled eyes focused once more upon the spectres. They were no longer moving but still.

Rising slowly to her feet she raised a hand to say she was alright. She doubted she could speak at the moment but that didn’t matter, her communication with them hadn’t been through words. There had been no need for words as she had sensed emotions, anguish, pain, fear, torment and despair. She blinked her eyes when she remembered the distraught face of Sequoia, he would die soon without help but what could she do?

Walking in what she believed was the direction to the camp she began to move. To her surprise the orbs were no longer in front of her. She turned around and saw they were behind her. Were they not going to help her get back? Striding towards them she almost felt angry, felt they were abandoning her in her time of need, but as soon as she approached them they moved away. Following them she felt a small burst of frustration. They picked up speed until she found she was running to keep up. A smile slowly spread as she realized she had been going the wrong way, they were leading her home.