A Peculiar String of Bizarre Dreams

Chapter 36: Ready to Assemble

After my strange rendezvous with the ocean, the world around me blurs again. Hazy minutes go by and then quite abruptly, we come to a halt.

Silence is heavy in this realm. The wheeled rays glow eerily around me as I climb down steps and find my feet on the dark loamy ground again. Instantly, a myriad of sights and sounds crudely invades my senses, overwhelming me after the overpowering silence.

I trace its source to a glowing hollow in the ground, a huge well-lit crater. A carnival of sorts seems to be in full-bloom inside it. Hundreds of tents stand pitched at various distances and innumerable pointy creatures seem engaged in perpetual activity.

L4R4 takes my hand like a child, and guides me towards the natural indentations in the crater, which form a wide staircase leading in. I let her guide me while I gape at the sights around me like an enraptured tourist.

I first spot a creature spin in mid-air so fast that I almost puke with the vicarious motion-sickness. Tinier pointier creatures, who I assume are considered children around here, jump and cheer for the spinning adult in their midst.

"Faster! Faster! Faaaaster!" They squeal and laugh with ecstasy around him.

I then look around with mad gluttony as delicious smells engulf me; I'm unable to discern the flavours but my stomach growls. L4R4 continues to lead me deeper into the crowd.

"Where are we, L4R4?" I yell at her through the noise. Most creatures here have a distinct lilt in their voice and it feels like I'm stuck in the middle of a choir ceaselessly immersed in singing.

L4R4 turns to look at me with her deep purple eyes and replies, "Plutonia," after a second too long with an affective dose of pride.

I chuckle as I let her pull me towards the Bijou Maven. Her slender fingers and delicate pale hands feel soft and cool in mine. While back on Earth, scientists argue over the planet-ness of Pluto, here I am in a realm which sounds just like it. Plutonia could probably be an undiscovered planet, for all I know. But it's definitely not Earth, it's got more than a single moon and sun.

We stop right at the entrance of a large navy tent. Dark red curtains drape over its opening. L4R4 raises her index finger at me to indicate that I should wait a minute or a moment or something. So I wait, and she enters the tent. I don't hear a sound from the inside. But that could be because it's shockingly noisy around me. Thousands of children run about the carnival, hyped up on goodness knows what. I see a group of them holding hands and running along in a chain. They seem to be mimicking the rays of lights with their giant white wheels.

L4R4 finally peaks out the side of a curtain, "Are you ready to assemble?" She sings to me.

I nod at her even though I'm not ready to assemble anything. I am, however, ready to go home. It feels like I've been away for aeons. Quite possibly, several years have already gone by since the last time I was home. Dad could now be an old white man with crinkly skin, sitting on our faded blue couch, hoping I'll soon come bouncing down the stairs to eat lunch with him. The thought tickles me and I shake it off with a rueful smile.

L4R4 pulls open the velvety curtains wide enough for me to enter the tent; she leaves through the same opening as soon as I'm in.

It is jarringly bright inside the tent and the space is surprisingly constrained. Small starlight bulbs hang from the ceiling. A curious little creature sits in the center, with his pointy feet crossed under his gown. Unlike the other creatures, he is dressed in black and has black hair. It is carefully braided with white bands holding the knots together and flows down his narrow shoulders.

"I've been waiting for you," he says in a voice as smooth as L4R4's and I think how their voices could sing the sweetest songs together, coated with unparalleled harmonies.

I suddenly feel the need to do exactly as he says. A dark smoke slowly begins to cloud the tent and my vision fogs up. But his sharp voice reaches me clearly, unaffected by the growing haze inside the tent. My mind blanks out and I am filled with calm.

"Come closer, dear girl. Hand me all the gems you have. In return I will give you a stone that surpasses them all in its powers."

Yes, that's it. I must have this gem. All the others I have are not mine to keep, they are his.

My hands reach for Sachelle and I hear him earnestly shout, "Snap out of it, Jemma. He is not the Bijou Maven you are looking for."

Sachelle's warning rattles the trance temporarily. I involuntarily grab onto the sapphire around my neck, it feels cool in my grasp. 5OR0W waits for my obedience in a detached manner. His dark eyes remain unchanged; his red lips remain frozen in a thin line. 

"Why would I do that?" I finally respond with quiet confidence. "I traveled across realms to get those gems. I'm here for one more and if you cannot give it to me without a trade, I'll find another way."

"I'm only willing to make this particular trade," he enunciates with irritation. The smoke inside now feels thick with malicious intent; and the twinkling lights on the ceiling seem to have dimmed down, increasingly darkening the tent.

"Well, I guess I'm not ready to assemble then."