Remember More

Chapter 12

REMEMBER MORE

CHAPTER 12

The spot they were standing in was like every other spot in the vast network of tunnels they had been working through the last hour. This particular section was about three feet by eight in finished limestone, but there was nothing else, no distinguishing features. No marks, no signs, no etchings on the wall. Nothing. Just smooth, finished stone.

Yan looked to John. He was rubbing his head again. "Sir? Is it bad?"

John nodded. He had his eyes scrunched up tight. "It's getting worse. It's like there's a knife…" He pointed to his eyes.

"Maybe we should take a break." She crouched down beside him. "Maybe you should try meditating on it."

John nodded. He stopped rubbing his temples. Wincing for the pain, he shifted in his seat and placed his hands out in front of him, putting his palms together to get ready.

Yan rose to her feet. Her flashlight was still blinking away like a happy firefly. She tried turning it on and off a few times.

John settled in and sat still. He closed his eyes. He concentrated. He let out a long breath through his lips for cleansing.

In his mind, he reviewed what he had already committed to memory, the drawing that Yan had made for him back at the hotel when they first got there. He could see it now, the long line of acupoints that went from his foot all the way up and into his eyes, the Liver meridian, or by its other name, its Wu Xing name, the Pathway to the Gate of Wood. He went over this in his mind and then he put it away.

He called forth his qi from his abdomen. He directed it down through his legs first, then his chest and then all the way up past his neck. He made it circle around his face and tried to find the proper openings behind his eyes. This was the problem area. This was the spot that he had always gotten to before, and then got stuck and had to quit.

As he exercised the energy behind his nose and near the back of his head, the pain behind his eyes eased and he felt better. But the more he meditated in this area, the more he became aware of how blocked he really was. The locked door was again staring him in the face, taunting him, laughing at him, challenging him to open it finally and be free. But it was too difficult. Just way too difficult. He should stop…

No. He frowned. He must get through. He must try harder…

No. Not that! Don't try harder! What was it that Yan said? You have to try hard to not try hard…what?!

Relax…

Just think of your breathing…in…out…in…out…

From the outside, Yan could feel John heating up. She backed away a step. His face was getting red. What remained of his hair was standing on end and there seemed to be vapours rising up and out of his skull. Even his eyes seemed to glow behind their lids and…

Voices.

Same voices from before.

They were still in the distance, but it was definitely them. The same men. And they were coming this way.

Yan slid over to John's side. She went to touch him on the shoulder but she stopped.

She stood up straight again.

But the voices were getting nearer. The sound of their boots.

She flicked her head over her shoulder and down the tunnel. She gazed back down at John.

She crouched down beside him. She bit her lip. Reaching out her fingers, she touched him on the shoulder but just with the tips. "Sir…"

John frowned but he said nothing. Concentrate…concentrate…