APOCANGELICA Wild Beasts

Chapter 6

 "Yesterday it seemed as if I was there to grasp the meaning of life... what we all seek, and that is there in front of our eyes, but we are too blind to see it."

"And did you grasp it?"

"No, it slipped through my fingers like a breeze."

"That's a very poetic image, Ada."

"Sometimes not doing things, gives the impression of not having lived... don't you think so Doc?"

"Well that's an interesting point of view... tell me more about this reflection of yours."

"I think... I think of how much time I have spent here at the clinic. I think of what's out there; and if I will ever get out of here to do all the things I want to do."

"You must not be discouraged Ada, we are working on this: to allow you to get out of here as soon as possible, and to do so with full mastery of your mind."

*

Ada was walking towards the pond that she had discovered during her later trips in Pangea, right before those disturbing angelic figures had appeared to her. She had renamed it the little crystal pond and it was a lovely mirror of crystal clear water surrounded by musky rocks. A lively small waterfall poured into it, covering with its roar the hum of the insects. All around there were an incredible variety of trees: birch, horse chestnut trees, sycamores, elms, poplars, maples and even palm trees and willows.

Every time she arrived in Pangea, Ada would appear somewhere different but, just as Eddy had pointed out, it was never far from the hill surrounded by the thick forest. In the vast stretch of green grass, interspersed with huge solitary trees with lush foliage, over the hill and the mountain further away from the hill, there were different points of reference that Ada used for orientation. There was the Tower, with the rock formation from the walls that was so steep that it seemed a stone tower in ruins, there was the Crystal Lake at the edge of the thick forest that surrounded the hill and there was a pile of stones where she had met Eddy the first time. Today she happened to appear next to the stone tower and so she knew that heading up the hill, but keeping on her left, she would arrive straight to the little crystal pond.

She liked to feel the grass tickling her hands and so she walked slowly on the tall soft turf, holding her palms open and facing the ground. While enjoying the hot sun that warmed her skin and the cool breeze that caressed her face she arrived at the pond.

The placid and inviting blue waters gave her a deep sense of well-being and tranquility that was completely torn apart by the arrival of a gust of cold wind that hit her on her neck making her shiver. She turned around alarmed.

"We meet again, little girl."

It was the same voice from the other day. It was the same individual. Belonging to the Luminous Inquisition. So their presence was not an isolated case, their presence was now a constant in Pangea. This lush land that had welcomed her with its peace and tranquility was no longer her own personal world. These outsiders could also come whenever they wanted and for as long as they wanted. Pangaea was no longer a refuge.

The painful feeling of defeat was replaced by the more urgent consideration that, as Eddy had predicted, they were there, they had found her.

"All right," she said to herself, "There is nothing I can do: since they have arrived, I will have to go" and she closed her eyes.

"Oh No you dont!" said the one who seemed to be the commander of the group grabbing her by the arm with such force that she let out a groan of pain."You will not go so easily as last time."

"What do you want?" Asked Ada frightened.

"Now you will tell me where you are!" he said while squeezing her arm with more force to emphasize that she was helpless.

"I am here, in Pangea," said Ada while trying to set free her arm.

"Cute... I mean in the Kingdom: where you are?"

"Why you are interested," she asked naively but just to save some time because, after talking with Eddy, she knew the reason very well: they wanted to track her down in the Kingdom and kidnap her.

"I will ask the questions little girl. Where are you? In a city? On an island? And what year is it there?"

"Stop stop. I will not say anything!" cried Ada desperately.

"We have other ways of finding out, a little more invasive and certainly unpleasant for you but in the end, little girl... you will tell us everything" and so saying he put his other hand on her head. He closed his eyes and whispered strange words.

Ada felt faint and passed out.

"Wake up sleepyhead!" Marta, the dark skinned nurse, with her deep voice and her motherly but determined ways, snatched her suddenly from Pangea."Now's not the time to be a beautiful sleeping princess: do you want to skip breakfast? Come on!"

Ada opened her eyes suddenly, her heart was beating a thousand miles an hour. The familiar room with white walls replaced in an instant the green savannah flooded with sunshine.

"And while you're there, make your bed this time, miss" added affably Marta "because the doctor has determined that you are perfectly able to perform these tasks yourself. Hurry up because today we are going to serve pancakes!" she concluded, closing the door behind her.

Ada stared at the door in a daze. Her heart seemed to want to jump out of her chest, but gradually the beats slowed down as she realized the narrow escape. She got up drenched in sweat, heading for the shower and trying to dispel the sense of oppression that still clutched her chest like a vise.

*

Stormriel grinned triumphantly."We have the position of the Forgetter in the space-time continuum," he announced to his soldiers and then to himself, "I dont know how you managed to leave, little girl... but get prepared to receive a visit that will change your life forever."

He turned abruptly toward his subordinates and said, "Samarniel! Arange for her recovery! Don't go too heavily on her but neither too lightly!"