Immune (NaNoWriMo2014)(Wattys 2014)

4) All But One (Part 2)

How you liking it so far? Only have to write about 900 words to meet my goal, and both chapters in the double update will be around 1 to 2k words.

YES, YES, YES!

Nathan waited for his mother to leave the room before he made his move. He ran down the westward staircase, taking the steps two at a time and ignoring the railings. He was too amped for something so silly as balance to get in his way.

Miraculously, he made it to the bottom of the stairs without getting hurt, or, well, dying in general. He flung open the cabinets, the old hinges creaking in protest at his lack of care. Nathan rubbed his hands together, looking at all of the quartz jars with something akin to hunger.

Now how to I get them all up the stairs...

He clearly couldn't carry all of the jars upstairs, neither could he carry the individual spheres that contained the diseases. There were hundreds in the Influenza cabinet alone, and he wanted to take them all.

He couldn't think of any efficient way to transport the spheres upstairs, so he did what he always did when he was in doubt.

"Mother Tree. What do I do?"

To transfer the contained afflictions upstairs in an efficient, timely, and orderly manner?

"Uh. Yes."

You are the child of your mother. Surely, you know the bounds of your own body.

Nathat held his palm up to his face, flexing it outward. It turned into strands, separating and reataching itself, almost like vines rewraping on its own stem. "I have used my mother's 'flexibility' before, but I don't understand how that helps me."

Mother Nature Titiana is at one with her children. She has, in fact, nurtured nature. If you have not discovered the skill, I may show it to you.

"What is it, exactly?"

Nathan's mind filled with an image of himself, in a third person view. His hand flexed, and the tips of his fingers grew longer, more tree - like. It retracted, and instead, his arms bloated. They became giant logs of wood, large enough to defend his entire body if he knelt down.

His eyes grew narrow, more spread out as he became more tree than human. He reverted back to himself, and his hand grew again. This time, his fingertips elongated into vines, which looped and weaved in intricate patterns, froming shapes and letters, and shrunk down into his normal hand.

The vision faded, and Nathan was left in awe. He could feel the ability to do what Mother Tree had just shown him buzzing inside of his mind, as if it were there all along. Which it had; he had never noticed it until now.

He bowed towards the stairs, aiming his respectuful intentions towards the center of the tree. "Thank you for gifting me with the knowledge of how to harness my mother's side. I am forever gratefull."

In a few moments, you will be showering me with gifts. It is my pleasure, Nathanial Arret.

Nathan stepped a foot back away from the cabinet, sticking his hand out. He pulled back his fingers until only his pointer remained, and he willed it to grow into a vine.

It complied, elongating and yet somehow growing thicker. It snaked around the quartz jars, evaporating the wax seals, picking out the baubles inside. He must have wrapped his finger around twenty or so before it finally stopped growing.

He tried again, with another finger, and another, until he had cleared the entire Influenza cabinet of its contents.

With his other hand, he cleared out the Diseases cupboard. Unable to carry more, Nathan carefully trudged upstairs, praying that his mother hadn't come back into the main room. She didn't.

His hands were growing tired, and Mother Nature could come at any moment. It could look bad for him. It did look bad for him. He was holding at least fifty diferent diseases, and there was no way that he could avoid his mother's fury if she caught him.

Sensing his discomfort, Mother Tree said, Your Father is not tending to Kiyan's Altar anymore. He may not be affected by the insubstantial flow of time, and neither am I, but Mother Nature Titiana...

Nathan couldn't believe his ears. Nor his mind. Or soul, whichever she was speaking to him from. "You want me to freeze Mother in time?"

Nay, Nathanial Arret. It was merely a suggestion. I hope I have not upset you.

He shook his head, his elongated vine / fingers drooping dejectedly to the floor. "No, you haven't. I was just taken aback, is all. I can try." He closed his eyes, ignoring the strain of holding up the baubles and reaching inside of himself. Mother Nature's side jumped up, as it was active currently, and he gently pushed past it into his father's side.

It no longer felt like he had to lift a heavy grate just to pull out insignifigant amounts of energy. It was free for the taking, supplying him with whatever he needed. It was a bit overwhelming at first; he was usually only able to feel this from Mother's side. It had been a whlie since Father Time's reserves had been clear. After all, there was only one form of time. There were many different ways one could percieve nature.

He inhaled sharply, feeling it as time came to a gradual halt around him. The candleabra's flames were flickering at a sluggish pace, and the sheen off of the walls were less noticeable, becoming more stationary rather than attracting the eye with constant movement.

Unlike at the bus stop, he didn't stop just as time became muddled, confusing, and blurred. He waited until everything was frozen stock - still before he exhaled. Time remained motionless, completely freeze - framed, as if somebody had replaced everything with an identical carving.

"Is Mother frozen, Mother Tree?" Nathan asked, admiring his immobile surroundings. He hadn't been able to do that for years.

Yes, Mother Nature Titiana is outside of time. You will remain uninterupted for as long as you need to be, Nathanial Arret.

"Well, what if Father comes? Won't he try to put a stop to what I'm doing?"

He is much to preocupied with Kiyan's Altar to visit us. You will remain uninterupted.

"Okay, then." Nathan layed the baubles on the floor, in a ring around the centered tree stump. He stretched his hands, rubbing the blood flow back into them. Apparently, vines didn't have veins. "Let's do this."

If by 'this' you mean start what you were destined to do, then yes. Let us do 'this'. More specifically, you may do this.

Vote if you enjoyed! Two more updates on the way.

Words this chapter: 1135

Total word count: 8637