Alone.
Whiteness surrounds me and I am alone. I have spent much of my life alone, so I am not sure why this should bother me so much. Ave. To have finally found that thing in my life that was missing, only to have it torn away again. It is not being with her, that makes the loneliness so unbearable.
"Ave!" I call out but my voice seems to go nowhere. There is no response.
Suddenly, I hear the voice of the ghost in my head. "Congratulations, you have reached the final stage. Only two may return. Good luck."
"Only two." I think. "If one is not Ave, I don't want to be the other."
Sight is coming back now. The whiteness is fading I'm also aware of other things like the fact that I'm standing. The car is gone.
"Stone!" I hear Ave call.
As senses come back, I feel the warmth of a hand clutched tightly in mine. Turning, I am overjoyed to see Ave smiling back at me.
"I thought I had lost you again." she cried, throwing her arms around me.
"Never!" I say hugging her back gently. "Not if I can help it, at least."
Reluctantly, we separate and look around at our new environment. Everything has a blue tint with an almost rippling effect to the lighting. It's like we're underwater but there is air to breathe. Behind us is a rippling wall of water. I can't believe what I'm seeing but there is a wall of water curving off to either side and arcing high above us, like an immense dome.
"Where is this place?" I ask.
"I've never seen anything like it." Ave says. "It's like we're underwater...."
Turning to the wall, I reach out my hand and touch the surface. My hand passes easily through. I can feel the cool water on the other side but when I pull my hand back in it is dry.
"You've gotta see this!" I call to Ave.
Peering through to the other side, something yellow catches my eye. It is the smashed remains of our car. Beside it, I see another car approaching in slow motion. Squinting, I can just make out the driver. It is Sebastian and he looks angry.
"It's Sebastian, Ave!" I say. "He's still in his car ..."
As I watch the front end of Sebastian's car begins to crumple. As if it has struck some invisible barrier, the car begins to fold up on itself. I watch in horror as the anger on his face turns to a look of fear and pain. I turn away quickly, but not before glimpsing the lump of bloody twisted metal that he becomes.
"Why did we survive and not him?" I ask, looking back at Ave, glad that she did not come to look when I called her. Why didn't she come?
"Ave?" I call realizing she has not answered me for some time. "Are you all right?" I watch as she begins to sway. I run to her as she falls and gently lower her down to the ground.
"Ave!" I cry. "Snap out of it! Speak to me!"
She rolls to her side, drawing her knees to her chest trembling. "No! No! No!" she cries. "No Mary!"
"Who's Mary? I ask but she doesn't answer.
Before I can do anything else I see movement in the corner of my eye. Grabbing a nearby rock, I jump to my feet and find myself confronting several armed women. One is pointing a strange box at me. Before I can react, there is a flash and my body goes rigid. "I've failed you again, my love" I think, as I lose consciousness.
...Darkness...
...Oblivion...
...
"Wake up!" a somehow familiar voice calls. "Wake up or you'll be late again."
"Late?" I mumble turning toward the wall, pulling the covers over my head. Suddenly the covers are yanked from my grasp and I tumble to the floor.
"Puella!" I cry. "Why did you do that?" Angrily I jump to my feet.
"You have to get going!" Puella shouts. "If your late again, you'll be demoted."
As I notice the light coming through the window, my anger vanishes. She is right; I really mustn't be late again today. "I'm sorry" I say. "I must have had a rough night."
Dressing quickly, I grab my work pouch and head out the door, kissing my wife on the cheek as I leave. Puella is a good wife, I think. I am very lucky to have met and married her two years ago. Now, why did I think that? I mean, she is my wife. Isn't she? My mind folds back to when ...
-Flash!-
She is my wife.
Closing the door to my home behind me, I look out upon the city. I have lived here all my life. Below me is the courtyard where I played as a child and beyond it, through the trees, I see my parents house. There is the balcony where I fell and hurt my arm when I was six. Or was I eight? My mind folds back to when I was eight...
Henry has brought me a new bug for my collection. As he goes to get a pin, I pick it up and to examine it closer. It is awesome, like nothing I've ever seen before. Golden with translucent wings, it looks like a wasp, only much larger. And that stinger, it's a good thing that it's dead...
-Flash!-
I fell from a balcony when I was six. That is how I damaged my arm.
I step from the courtyard out onto the street. My job is to the south, past the grove of Poseidon. I work with Puella's father and brother harvesting fruit for the many palaces in Atlantis. I am very lucky to have this job, I think. There I go again. Why would I think that? Of course I am lucky. It's easy work that doesn't hurt my arm. Hurt my arm? My arm doesn't hurt. My mind folds back to when I was eight...
"Careful, Malachi!" Henry shouts as he comes back into the room with a pin for my bug. Startled, I jump and the bug flies out of my hand, coming down on my left arm, stinger first. My arm begins to burn the second it sticks in me. I swat at the bug but end up driving the stinger in farther. As I scream and wail, Henry grabs my arm and pulls the bug away, its barbed stinger tears free and is still sticking in my arm. After several tries, Henry pulls it free from my rapidly swelling arm, leaving a hole that's oozing green liquid. "I'm sorry, Chi" Henry cries as everything goes black.
-Flash!-
The fall from the balcony broke my arm and my parents called a physician. Nothing else happened.
Quickening my step, I enter Poseidon's Grove, admiring the tiered fountains as I pass through I turn towards the eastern orchards. What beautiful eyes!, I think, passing by a somehow familiar looking noblewoman. Have I seen those eyes before? My mind folds back...
-Flash!-
I don't know her.
Opening my work pouch, I pull out my gloves and put them on as I enter the orchard.
"About time you got here!" comes a call to my left. It is Puella's brother standing with her father. They are both smiling back at me, not angry at all that I am late. I am very lucky to have... ENOUGH! Why do I keep thinking things like that?
A movement in the tree above catches my eye, and a young girl jumps down. She runs to me and gives me a hug around the waist. It is Puella's little sister. She loves to climb trees. Loves to climb trees... My mind folds back.
I see a young girl with pretty eyes fall out of a tree.
-Flash!-
It was only Puella's sister.
As the child releases me to run back to her tree, I pick up a basket and head down the row of trees that is currently being worked. Puella's family all have green eyes, I think. But her eyes... Ave's eyes!
-Flash!-
Puella's eyes. My wife's eyes.
No! Not Puella! Ave! Puella is a lie! All this is a lie!
Everything comes crashing back now. I remember everything. That noblewoman! That was Ave! Dropping the fruit basket, I run from the orchard, back up to the grove where I saw her.
"Ave!" I call. "Ave! Where are you?"
Then, suddenly, she is there as I round a corner, almost colliding with her. Her beautiful eyes stare into mine and for a second I am lost. For a second she seems to know me. As her lips part to speak, I spread my arms to embrace her and...
Everything is crooked and I realize I am on the ground. I look up to see Ave standing over me, fury in her eyes. Then I see something worse, lack of recognition. She doesn't know me. As her lady servants pull her away, I am roughly pulled from the ground by two of her guardsmen. Well, one is a man at least, the other is a woman but a guard none the less. Seeing the recognition in her eyes, I realize she is one of the women who captured when we first arrived.
"Well, it looks like someone's reprogramming didn't take." she says, gripping my arm firmly. "You don't want to mess with your lady friend anymore. Her memory of you is gone. She's got a new life now. She's going to marry Prince Carel, this very night.
"Ave, marry?" I protest, pulling away. "She's in love with me!"
"Not anymore." She says pulling a box from her side. "Let's get you back to the clinic and see what went wrong with your treatment.
As I recognize, the box from my first capture, my arm blurs, plucking it from her grasp. Turning it towards her and the other guard who is backing away, drawing a sword, I press the button on top. There is a flash and they fall to the ground.
Everyone else has ran away and I now stand alone in the grove. What am I to do? Ave doesn't know me anymore? Her memory, her love for me erased? I know I should run before more guards come but without her, I am nothing. Without her I don't want to live.
Maybe she can recover her memory, I wonder. I did. But I know my mind is different than most people. Just like my reflexes and my left arm. They all a side effects of my body fighting the venom from that dead bug that my brother Henry had brought home. A bug that we later learned was a tracker jacker, a genetically altered wasp that still had enough venom in it dead to almost kill me. And it would have, if my brother hadn't made a deal with the doctors and merchants in my district. In exchange for medicine and food for me until I turned twelve, Henry agreed to volunteer as tribute in the place of their children should one have their name drawn. No one expected it to happen so soon though. He had to volunteer that very year to save the miller's son, Alan. My parents blame me for his death, to this day.
"Stone?" calls a woman's voice from behind me, breaking my daydream. I turn to see Puella and her family standing there watching me.
"Get back!" I cry, wiping the tears from my eyes. "I know it's all a lie. We aren't married."
"I know" she says. "We want to help you. But we have to go before the guards come."
With nothing else to lose, I go with them. As we travel, I learn that Puella and her family were pressured into going along with the deception. For the common good they were told, though they did not agree. They had a plan to get me back with Ave and out of the city.
"But she doesn't know me anymore." I explain. " And after the way she hit me back there, I'm not sure I stand a chance at winning her love again."
"Ah, that." she says. "I have an antidote that will restore her memory, if administered soon enough."
"That's wonderful!" I exclaim, hardly daring to believe it. "But why are you helping me?"
"I have my own reasons." Puella says blushing slightly.
"She's in love with the prince." her brother explains. "He's been coming by the orchard personally for the last few weeks, checking on the peaches. He seems especially interested in Puella's peaches."
"That all changed when you got here." Puella says, glaring at her brother. "I don't know if he really loves her or it's just for the common good. I really don't care. I just want you both out of here."
Satisfied that we have the same goal we collect the antidote and set out to rescue Ave.
Disguising ourselves as servants we slip into the palace and work our way into grand hall where an endless line of tables are being filled with more food than I've ever seen. Off to the side, Ave waits with her procession before the door that must lead to her prince and soon to be husband.
Seeing that I am beside myself, Puella has me stay with her father and brother who are helping fill the tables, while she grabs a chalice of wine and pours in the antidote. Setting this on a tray, she heads over to Ave.
"Would my lady like a drink while she waits?" I hear her ask.
"Yes, thanks." Ave says, taking the chalice. But as she brings it to her lovely lips, I am so focused on her that I'm not watching what I am doing and trip over a case of wine that has just been delivered. "It's him!" she yells as I scramble to my feet.
Before I can run, I am surrounded by guards and hauled out of the room. "Ave!" I call as we turn into a stairwell. I can only hope that she takes that drink, but what then? I've ruined everything again.
I sit alone, in a cell now, trying to think of a way out of this. I'm not sure how long I've been in here but it seems like forever. Ave is probably married by now, somewhere above me while I rot in this dungeon.
A commotion outside the door brings me to my feet. There is a scream and the sound of more struggles. Finally, it is silent and the door opens. Puella looks in and motions me to come out. She doesn't look right.
"What's wrong?" I ask, running to the door.
"I'm sorry Stone; there was another guard that we didn't notice until it was too late." Puella says, not meeting my eyes.
As I leave the cell, I see Ave small form, lying in a pool of blood.
"No!" I cry, throwing myself to her side. "Ave! Ave! Oh, God no!"
Pulling her to me, I cradle her head in my lap, my tears spilling down on her. Weakly her eyes open. Her mouth opens and she silently mouths the words, I love you, before stopping, never to move again. I watch as the life goes out of her eyes. I've lost her, she is dead.
"No!", I cry, pulling her to me.
Glaring through tears at Puella I yell "Please! Is there anything you can do? It can't end this way!"
Glancing at her father who is shaking his head, she says. "The healing springs in the temple of Poseidon. Legend says they can heal anything including death."
"It is forbidden!" her father shouts, stepping forward.
"Only, if we get caught. With the wedding here the place is probably deserted." she says. "You guys go back up and convince them that nothing is wrong. Tell them her ladyship needs the bathroom just a bit longer." Looking at me she asks "Can you carry her."
Remembering my unsuccessful attempt in the desert, I am not sure. Standing, I lift her up and she begins to slip from my left arm.
"Try it this way" Puella says, pulling her around so she lies over my shoulder.
"I think that will work." I say. "Let's get going."
All I can think of is the lifeless woman that I carry. Is this miracle possible? Can the waters of this spring bring her back to me? I dare not hope. I don't remember much of our trip to the temple other than we made it without incident.
Lying her gently into the pool of the spring, I pray that it will work. I glow erupts from the fountain of the spring and glides across the pool towards us. It surrounds Ave and seems to be absorbed into her. With a gasp she sits up suddenly.
"Stone!" she cries. "I thought I'd lost you!"
"I did lose you!" I cry, grabbing her in my arms. "Oh, Ave! You're back! Really back!"
"I'll never leave again! I promise." she says, touching my cheek. We both stare into each others eyes, drinking in one another.
"I hate to interrupt and all, but we really need to get out of here." Puella calls from the doorway.
Hand in hand, Ave and I leave the pool and run to her. As enter the hallway, a familiar voice stops us in our tracks. "Well, well. Trespassers in the holy temple and desecrators of the springs as well from all the water dripping from you." Spinning around, we are stunned to see Jojo standing there, all decked out in temple robes.
Launching ourselves at him, we hold him while Puella gives him the antidote. As recognition finally comes into his eyes, we let him go.
"My memories! They tried to take my memories." he says angrily.
"We've got to go before someone else shows up." says Puella urgently.
Only two may return, I think. What am I to do with Jojo?
"I can help you." Jojo says. "This way, a secret passage."
"Can we trust him?" Ave asks.
"Look, I've still got all the memories they gave me, plus my own now thanks to you." he explains. "Let me show my gratitude. This passage will lead you all the way to the outer gate."
"I don't know." says Puella. "It would be easier if he's telling the truth. With everyone after you we may not make it otherwise."
"Don't worry Stone, I know what you're thinking, only two." He says grinning. "But I don't want to leave. Not now, with my mind back. I'm in a position of power here. And the sky's the limit. You come back in a few months and I'll be running this place."
Footsteps in the distance make our decision for us. So, following Jojo, we run for the passage.
True to his word, Jojo leads us all the way out of the city through his secret passage. Bidding us farewell, with a promise to restore the memories of the other tributes, Puella and Jojo head back leaving us once again in front of the curving wall of water. On the other side, we can see the door again, shining brightly through the rippling wall.
Ave starts to back away, her anxiety building. I grab her and pull her to me, staring into her eyes. "I love you" I say.
"I love you too." She says. "But Stone, I can't ..." but she is cut off as I lean into her, kissing her firmly on the lips.
Still kissing, both barely aware of anything else, we step through the wall of water and are whisked through the door as it slams shut.
We head home victorious. And no one had to die this time.
Well, no one but Ave at least and she got over it.