Frosted Dreams (NaNoWriMo2020)

Kanalima kūmākolu

Hika probes the skin of her throat, feeling for the ice that should be splitting her skin. It isn't there, nor is the blood that should be seeping down. She can feel the ghost of it, the heat on her skin, but there is nothing there. Just smooth skin. There is a soft crashing sound from behind her as something thuds against the ground and Hika turns, smoothing her hair.

She squints through the grayness of wherever she is, trying to make things out. Water is lapping against a shoreline close by to her, and there is the dark shape of something blocking the source of light . . . wherever it is in this place.

Hika tries to light a star and frowns when nothing happens. No, that isn't true. Her hair brightens. Now that she can see, she finds herself face to face with someone familiar. She winces, and waves slightly.

"Um, aloha, 'Anakala Kanaloa?"

He's gaping at her, uncaring about the woven baskets strewn all over the misty ground. "Hi'ilani? What are you doing here?"

She bites her lip. "Um. Probably what it looks like?"

He gives her a flat look, but she can see the turmoil in his eyes. "If you're here, it means that you're . . . that you're dead. You can't be dead, Hi'ilani. You can't be!"

"Why?"

"Because you shouldn't have been doing anything that could have gotten you killed!"

"To be fair, there has been a lot of crazy things happening recently. It isn't really my fault." Her voice softens as she adds beneath her breath. "Or his."

Kanaloa thankfully doesn't notice the last thing she said and just stares at her, still in disbelief. "What could you have possibly been up to?"

"Um . . . stopping Ragnarok and an insane norse god?"

Kanaloa groans. "You were just supposed to meet the other pantheons, Hi'ilani. Not get yourself caught up in their affairs!"

Hika winces. "Sorry?"

Her uncle signs. "Come on, let's get this all figured out. Perhaps there is a way to return you to your body."

He reaches for her arm, but doesn't make contact. It should have, but his hand seems to pass through her instead, as if Hika isn't even there. He frowns at her in confusion.

"Hi'ilani, what are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything." Her tone rises at his look. "Really, I'm not! How would I, why would I be doing anything?"

"Your hair is glowing, and it's getting brighter by the second." He pauses. "Your skin is beginning to glow as well."

Hika looks down. He's right, her skin is shining, faint light coming from within. It almost makes her skin look like dark amber when sunlight shines through it. As she stared down at her skin, it begins to become translucent. Each hint of light that brightens her skin is in turn another tiny level of translucence to her skin. She looks up at her uncle, fear in her eyes.

"What's happening?"

He reaches for her again, but his hand passes straight through, just like it did before. He tries to reassure her anyways.

"Don't worry, Hi'ilani. You'll be okay."

He keeps speaking, but she can no longer hear him. The world around her keeps brightening and soon she can no longer even make out her uncle's features. When all she can see is blinding light, fear begins to set in. Flickers of red, orange, and gold begin to filter in, swallowed up by the light. Heat pulses against her skin, wrapping her and soothing her. Hika can't help but feel her fear ease and disappear, burned away in the flames.

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Kanalima kūmākolu = fifty-three, when counting

aloha = hello

'Anakala = uncle

What do you think happened? Why is she becoming transparent? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out