Chapter Eighteen
What’s the price?
“Hey, cripple!”
The loud snapping voice wakes me abruptly from my dreamless sleep. I push myself into sitting position just to see Dahlí smirking back to me. She’s holding a violet crystal lantern in her right hand and it is glowing weakly. It’s like being in a fairy land of some sorts. The things they use, I could never imagine!
She’s wearing a long slim black dress now and she looks very graceful in it despite her bad manners. Her hair is pinned up in a ponytail and it is falling down over her left shoulder.
I rub the sleep out of my eyes and give her an annoyed glare back. It took hours of crying before I finally fell asleep and now she’s here to even take that from me.
“My name is Meryl, you know. What time is it?” I ask her sleepily.
“It is almost two in the night! Now get your lazy ass out of bed,” she orders me.
I sigh deeply and swing my legs out of the bed. I put my feet into a pair of slippers I left on the floor and get myself into standing position. The nightgown falls down my legs and I really hope I don’t have to change. She leaves the room quickly as a silent reply and I force myself after her with a yawn. She seems very eager to show me something and she’s waving at me from another door I haven’t entered yet.
I didn’t explore the cave during my sleep. I kept my soul connected to my body and felt sorry for myself.
Surprisingly the door leads to another hall of rooms. What is this, a maze? I hope she won’t drag me too far. The hallways are dark and the only light comes from Dahli´s lantern. She opens another door and turns on the light inside of it. She closes the door after us and I look around the white sterile room. All the surfaces are empty from items and it looks like it isn’t being in use.
“This is our clinic,” she explains restlessly and drags me to the big container at the other side of the room.
“Well that explains the loss of items,” I joke without getting a laugh back. This girl only seems to enjoy her own pranks.
She pulls on the glass and it immediately loses its colour and becomes transparent. The sight in there makes me lose contact with Tarih and I fall down into a heap on the floor. I don’t even have to stand to see him. I put my palm onto the glass and forget to breathe for a few seconds.
It’s my Lex.
He is breathing steadily in there and he looks very healthy.
“Lila doesn’t know,” Dahlí says slowly. “I didn’t want to tell you sooner. His state was very critical and I wasn’t sure if I could save him.”
“What did you do?” I ask her breathlessly.
“A little bit of this and that,” she tells me with a smirk. “He’s fully recovered now. But this treatment comes with a price. It’s like being reborn.”
I force my gaze away from Lex’ sleeping body and meet Dahli’s sympathetic one.
“What do you mean? What’s the price?”
“His whole memory is wiped out. He won’t remember you, his family or anything he’s been through in life. It’s the cost of the treatment and it’s the only way of saving him that I know of. Maybe other worlds have better cures.”
“Rebirth,” I whisper as the tears starts falling down my cheeks. “Thank you. This is enough. Please tell me we can send him home to his family now.”
She nods and that’s good enough for me. He suffered so much in Paxia and survived for so long. It’s only fair he gets a second chance in life without remembering what he went through. I feel relieved. At least he isn’t dead. I can live with him not remembering me as long as he isn’t gone forever.
Dahlí jumps awkwardly from foot to foot like she’s waiting for me to put two and two together. I have no idea what so I just ignore her till a point where she must tell me.
“Your father knows about this treatment.”
My whole world freezes at the mention. My dead legs. My lips starts to tremble and she shakes her head at me.
“I guess it is too late now,” I add sadly.
“He didn’t want to take the risk of bringing you here. Lila wouldn’t have let him leave again.”
“Of course not,” I say sarcastically. “It’s better that I’m a freak for the rest of my life. My mom would have done anything to cure me. My dad is too scared to do the things he can.” I give Lex another inspecting look. He seems to do well in there. “Are there any side effects?”
“Memory loss and extreme well-being,” she tells me darkly like it’s the worst kind of disease.
I chuckle at her. “Lila is really pissed at my Dad, right?”
“You have no idea,” she answers me and rolls her eyes. “Well you can go back to bed or whatever now. I will visit my pet before I crash.”
I’m finally alone with Lex. He seems to be resting comfortably with fluffy white blankets under him. He is wearing white clean clothes and he looks so handsome.
“Lex, can you hear me?” I start speaking slowly. “There is so much I want to say to you. But it’s really quite simple. All I need to tell you is that I love you. I love you enough to let you go. Live well. You if anyone deserve to be happy. I will always remember your smile, your touch and every kiss you gave me. I will always remember how you saved my life and the first time I met you. Be happy that you don’t remember anything. You will always be in my heart.”
-
“Are you sure that you are ready to leave?” Lila asks worriedly.
“What’s the point of staying when you don’t want to tell me anything more about Paxia until I return next time?”
We are standing in the clinic and Lila now knows about Lex. She doesn’t mind sending us both back to where we belong. She looks truly sad about letting me go.
“I just hope your Dad will help you find the key. He can also make it harder for you to return. Be firm about it. I wish you the best of luck.”
I wish Dahlí could be here to wave goodbye, but she stated during lunch that she has more important things to do like keeping a whole world intact. She already wasted enough time on our love story. She is just acting all tough and I don’t mind it. She has a heart made of gold under all those layers of rock.
It feels amazing to return back home. I can’t wait to meet my family again. I missed them so much! All time in Paxia made me appreciate the small things in life, like a clean living standard, real food and neighbours who doesn’t want to eat you.
I will also miss other things, like my time with Lex and Tarih. I will be stuck in a wheelchair again.
At least I’m not completely paralyzed.
“I will bring back the key to you, Lila,” I promise her. “I’ll never stop no matter how long it takes.”
She picks up something from her pocket and holds it up for me to take. It’s a necklace. It is a brown leather string with a dark purple crystal globe shaped pendant sitting in a golden holder.
“Twist the globe a few times and it will bring the power of Paxia to you. Use it wisely as Tarih will travel far to reach for you.”
I accept it with a thankful smile and put it around my neck. I pick up the bag with healing fruit and hang it over my shoulder.
“I guess I’m all good to go now,” I tell her and give Lex a last glance.
I’m not sure how life without him will turn out, but I must endure it. I’m still young; I will fall in love again. My heart is broken so it can’t break again. It’s a bittersweet decision, but what else can I do? He won’t even remember me!
“You will drop down in different spots in the city. Have a safe trip.”
I watch as Lex disappears first and then I feel the Diala power grip me strongly. It’s like being struck by lightning. The power radiates through my body, but it’s not painful. I feel weightless for a few seconds, but I know exactly what second I leave Paxia because I lose control over Tarih.
I drop down onto hard ground with a grunt. I hear slamming of breaks and a silver coloured car stops just in time to not run over me. Talk about déjà vu. I cover my face with my hands and my heart is beating hard as the driver opens the door and rushes up to me. It is freezing cold, colder than I remember it should be.
“Holy shit!” I hear a man curse. “Are you alright Miss? You just fell down from the sky.”
I slowly remove my hands from my eyes and the vision that greets me doesn’t like look home. This place is so light, so sparkling with colours and beauty that I forget about what just happened. Even the sky is white with all the colours of the rainbow running across it.
Is this Earth?
“Yes,” I whisper shocked when he pulls out his phone to call for an ambulance. “I’m alright. Maybe you can drive me home?”
I muster a smile and he puts his phone back into his pocket, glad that he didn’t injure me. He looks to be almost thirty, with kind blue eyes and an overweight body. He’s wearing a thick winter jacket. I’m used to seeing starved people. The sight of him makes me smile genuinely.
“Can you get up or do you need help?” he wonders, eager to help me. He reaches out his arm and I grab onto him.
“I’m paralyzed from waist down,” I tell him honestly. “There was a car accident… Yes, carry me please.”
I close my eyes as he lifts me up. The world is blinding me. It looks like heaven and I’m just on a road in a more quiet part of the town. No other cars are in sight. He puts me gently into the car and makes sure the seatbelt holds me up to keep me safe. He wraps a blanket over my body and it’s thick and warm from the heat in the car.
Earth smells different too. It’s a lot cleaner and more serene. It’s like having all the candies in the world under my nose. I’m mesmerized by it. Too bad it’s so cold here though. I wouldn’t mind it to be a lot warmer.
“Where do you live, Miss?”
I give him my address and I can see how he is cold-sweating.
“It’s alright,” I say to calm him down. “You didn’t hurt me and I’m completely fine.”
He drives me home in silence. He turns the heater to max to my relief and it warms me up a bit. I keep my gaze at the view outside the window. It’s like each thing has its own sparkle. It must be my Paxia eyes. Will they focus back to the human ones? If so I hope it won’t take several months.
I feel a thrill of excitement when he steers the car into my street. All the houses are so familiar, but I keep my eyes glued at our house down the road. I wish I had Tarih so I could see them already. Not having Tarih makes me blind and vulnerable. The world is so still too, like it is flowing. I didn’t know how much power I put into holding against the gravity in Paxia. It’s kind of relaxing to be like this.
“It’s that house,” I tell the kind man and he stops the car outside my home.
I can’t believe I’m finally here. I thought I’d never get a chance to see it again. I feel nervous. Do they think I’m dead? I sure hope not! I wouldn’t blame them if they did.
The man helps me out of the car and carries me quickly to the front door and press on the bell. I feel like rolling my eyes. This is my home; I can just walk right in if I want to. Well not walk, but it’s just a figure of speech!
It doesn’t take long before my Mom opens the door. I think we’re both as shocked. She looks like I remember her and just a little bit more tired. She turns pale and stumbles backwards. It’s a bit weird to see my mom sparkling white too.
“Mom,” I say slowly. “This man helped me home. Isn’t that nice of him? Will you let us in?”
She nods and takes a few steps back to let the bigger man pass with me in his arms. He puts me down in a chair in the kitchen and turns towards my mom.
“Good day ma’am,” he says politely. “She just fell down from the sky without jacket or anything. I really hope she’s alright.”
“Thank you!” Mom finally pipes up. “I don’t know how to pay you back.”
“No, I don’t need anything!” he speaks up quickly. “I’m late for work so I really have to go. Take care Miss.”
He leaves the house and Mom falls crying down onto the floor next to me. She clings onto my arms and I let her lose it for a little bit. I can handle a crying Mom, I just don’t like it.
“Meryl, my Meryl! Where were you?” she sobs. “We looked everywhere for you.”
“It’s alright, I’m home now,” I try to soothe her.
“Keith found your wheelchair at the park, tipped to the side. It was so horrible!”
I look around me with a frown. The house is too quiet. Where is everyone else? I feel like slapping myself when I look at the time. They aren’t home from school yet. Silly me.
“Can I have it? My wheelchair,” I ask her. I need to feel independent in some way.
“Well, yes, of course!” she rambles on and runs to my room to fetch it.
It’s a bit awkward. Mom spends the next hour hugging me before the others come home from school. Keith drives around to pick everyone up after what happened to me. She manages to give me something to eat at least and I welcome the dry sandwich she gives me.
“You’re so thin,” she whispers.
“Mom!” I moan. “I’ll be alright.”
“Jake says you were taken to Paxia.” She trembles over the words before she can ask me the next thing. “Is it true?”
“Yes,” I answer her without hesitation. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s out looking for you. He’s rarely home since you disappeared. He did everything in his power to find you.”
She looks sad. No wonder she is so tired when Dad left everything to her. Does it mean that the key really is lost? Dad must have been trying to find it for seven months now and he was my best clue to where it is! Will I ever find it? Will the portal to Paxia always be open to torture humans forever?
My Dad finally got punished for his sins though and he deserves it.
The front door slams open and I hear Jill’s high pitch voice. I missed it so much.
“You’re an idiot Keith!”
“Picking you up last doesn’t make me an idiot,” he mocks her back.
“Mom!” I hear Timtim shout excitedly as he runs into the kitchen without taking his winter shoes off. “Merry!” he breaks out in a loud scream and throws himself all over me and climbs up into my lap.
I get wet kisses all over my face and I can’t help but giggle at his excitement. It’s so wonderful to see him again. The cold hand around my heart lets go from the grip a little bit.
“It’s nice to see you again too, Timmy.”
Keith, Jill and Elle runs into the room and the whole thing becomes a tear dripping reunion. I have never been squished by so many hugs before and I notice quickly that my brother and sisters aren’t glowing like the rest of the world. They are half-paxians just like me. It makes me wonder if they will live on Earth forever.
I roll away to my room as quickly as I can escape from them since they are all talking at the same time and it is giving me a headache. I stop at my door and a grin spreads over my face when I see the note I put on it so many months ago.
The door is still open and everything in my room is on the same spot as I left it except…
“Mom!” I rage loudly and roll up to the shelves and starts tossing the trophies down. “How many times must I tell you that I don’t want to see them?”
The time in Paxia didn’t change my point of view on that matter. The whole family is crowding my room and Mom is picking up the trophies.
“I didn’t know if you were coming home again,” she says shamefully.
“Keep them in your own room. Can I get a few minutes for myself?”
They agree to that unwillingly and leave my room. I throw the last trophy on the floor and pull myself up on the bed. It’s good that I insisted to live like a paralyzed in the house in Paxia. It would have been hard to get used to all this again otherwise.
It feels good to be home, in my old bed. I know I will miss a certain someone during night though. I must get over him. Poor Lex. I guess it will take longer for him to find his way home. I hope he makes it.