Reflection Page 10

  “Yes,” I reply, wringing the water out of my long hair.

  “How is it on your planet when someone like me wants to date someone like you?” He’s treading water and splashes a few drops at me.

  “Well, you’d ask me to go out with you. We’d go to a movie or to dinner. Then we would hold hands and eventually we would kiss. I would tell everyone that you’re my boyfriend, and you’d tell everyone I’m your girlfriend.”

  “That is all?” he asks, with a scurrility that makes me a little nervous.

  “Okay, what are you getting at?”

  He pulls himself onto the ledge next to me, and the water runs down his blue muscular body and drips from his long braided hair. My stomach leaps into my throat and I almost choke.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” I lie. “Now what were you going to say?”

  “Here, it is different. We are chosen for union.”

  “You mean like you and Anneeta?” I reply, looking away.

  Takoda takes my face in his hands and gazes into my eyes. I melt, of course, but at the same time, I’m a little angry the thought of her ruins my fantasy.

  “My heart does not belong to Anneeta. What I feel for you, I have never felt for anyone. You make me believe I can do anything. When I am with you, I am complete.”

  Tears roll down my cheeks. We kiss. He lays me back and with his body next to mine, I can feel his heat. As it engulfs me, it warms my mind and spirit.

  “I love you, Journey,” he whispers. “I have from the first moment I looked upon you at the market. I loved it when you couldn’t talk and your face turned red.”

  I roll my eyes and smile and he caresses my cheek; my body trembles at his touch. “But we need to talk,” he says in a serious tone.

  His look is somber, and I’m afraid all of this will end as quickly as it started.

  “I need to explain something to you,” he says.

  “Okay, what is it?”

  “Here, things are different. When males approach adulthood, they go through a change called Kupatanna. It can be very painful.”

  “Have you gone through it yet?”

  “No, but I will in several of your Earth years. If I do not have a partner when I do, well, sometimes we can die.”

  “Okay, you have my full attention now, explain.” I need to know what he’s talking about. There’s no way I’m going to lose him now. If he’s not sincere, then this is the strangest come-on I’ve ever heard.

  “Our bodies are similar. We have most of the same organs. We breathe the same air and eat the same food. But our reproductive system is different. Men in your race do not change. I will change.”

  “Change? How, exactly?” I ask, thinking about the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

  “It’s nothing you can see. I’ll look the same. But my body is readying itself for…”

  “Okay, enough said,” I reply, not wanting to hear more.

  “I want you to be my partner.”

  “You said they won’t allow that!”

  “Yes, it is forbidden,” he replies. “But I want you.”

  All kinds of crazy stuff starts flowing through my head. Would I have to have sex with him or something like sex?

  “What would I have to do?” I ask, stuttering. “Exactly?”

  “Just be with me,” he replies, with a look of expectation. It’s almost as though he’s sure I will tell him no, that I’m not interested. But I am interested. I feel protective of him and will do anything to keep him safe.

  “Yes,” I say, with as much confidence as I can.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes,” I say again, placing my hand on his face for reassurance.

  “Journey, you will never know how much this means to me.”

  “I would do anything for you.” I whisper, “I love you.”

  He rubs my cheek and kisses me tenderly on the forehead. “I’ll explain more later. And…thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” I reply, wondering what in the world I just got myself into.

  That night we eat in silence, but we sit together. It seems Takoda wants us touching all the time. But I don’t mind.

  After we eat, I use the facility. The bathrooms are not next to the bedrooms or the main living areas in this city. They have running water that flows continuously. Everything’s carved from the rock. A slow stream falls from a small hole in the wall into a rock bowl. A constant pool to wash ourselves. I allow the cool running water to hit the back of my hands. I’m concerned about what I promised—to be Takoda’s partner. What will my father say when he finds out?

  Takoda’s lying in bed when I cross the garden. As I crawl into my sleeping bag, I notice he’s zipped the two together.

  “Takoda, I’m a virgin!”

  He laughs. “We will not, how do you say, have sex. Now that would get us into trouble. But I can love you and you can be mine—for now anyway.”

  With a sigh of relief and feeling a little presumptuous, I sink into his warm embrace. His body is hot, very hot, and I wonder if he’s coming down with something.

  “Explain this Kupatanna thing,” I say with a yawn.

  As he talks, I’m soothed by his voice. “Kupatanna starts between the ages of eighteen to twenty Earth years. It only happens to the males of our species, when our system is ready.”

  “And how old are you?” I ask, wanting to know how long I have until I must perform— something.

  “Seventeen of your Earth years,” he replies. “Or three of our generations.”

  “What happens to you?”

  “If we have a partner, it is easier. They can pull the heat away from our bodies and make the transformation easier.”

  “So I just hold you? I can handle that,” I say, as my eyes close on the world around me and sleep pulls me away.

  • • •

  I awake to a very quiet room and know immediately that something is wrong.

  “Takoda!” I yell, but hear no response. I jump out of bed and dress quickly.

  There’s no Takoda in the garden. Something terrible has happened and I have to find him.

  “Takoda!” I yell again, but still no reply.

  My first thought is the bathroom, but he’s not there. I run into the street, again there’s no sign of him.

  My God, where is he? Could the Nomaddas have gotten him? I start running as fast as I can down the street. I forgot to take the time to put on my shoes. The tiny rocks cut into my feet as I run. But I don’t care. All that matters is that I find Takoda.

  “Takoda, where are you?” I scream with panic.

  The swimming pool is just up ahead. My feet are bleeding and as I turn the corner, I slip on my blood. I scream as my hip hits the cold stone floor. My breath’s knocked from my lungs and it takes me a few seconds to recover. I try to stand, but realize that I’ve really hurt myself. Then I see him. He’s rolled into a tight ball in the shallow end of the pool.

  “Takoda!” I yell, but he does not respond. “Takoda, are you hurt?”

  I crawl over to where he’s floating against the side of the pool. His eyes are red, and I can tell he’s in pain. Without thinking, I roll into the pool and wrap my arms around him. His body’s on fire. It’s almost too painful to touch him, but deep down I know what he needs.

  “My God, Takoda, it’s the Kupatanna isn’t it?”

  Takoda looks into my eyes with a searching I can’t explain. I know he needs me. His arms wrap around me and it’s all I can do to not scream. The heat radiates from his body into mine. I cannot think, I can barely breathe. We remain like this for several hours before the heat begins to fade from his body. As the last little bit of energy leaves him, he screams and the sound echoes through the ancient city. His cries are as loud and scary as the first scream we heard when we arrived. With this one scream, I realize that the Swetaachatas are related to the Nomaddas.

  I have to get him out before he drowns. It takes all my strength to pull him from the water. I struggle, but even
tually I manage. Panting to catch my breath, I try to decide how in the world I’m going to get him to camp.

  “Takoda, we have to go back,” I beg, hoping he’ll respond. But he doesn’t.

  My feet are throbbing. With no other options…I cry. I’m deep inside a cave, with bleeding feet and a sick partner. I have no idea how long this Kupatanna is going to take. As much as I know, it could take weeks, even months. So with nothing else to do, I cry.

  Takoda’s still running a fever. As he trembles in my arms, I try to get him to respond. I just know he’s dying in my arms.

  Takoda screams again and as his cries echo through the chamber, several creatures in black robes appear in the entryway. At the same time, another high-pitched scream echoes from somewhere else inside the ancient city. The cries are so loud I have to hold my hands over my ears as I balance Takoda on my legs. When the screams finally stop, I pull Takoda higher onto my lap. He’s now as cold as ice and all the color has drained from his face, which is now a dull light gray, no longer the bluish-green I’ve come to love.

  “Get away from us!” I yell to the things. “Go away!”

  My tears flow and I can barely see. But I’m not letting go of Takoda to wipe my eyes. My hands are locked tightly onto the man I love, and I will protect him with my life.

  Two of the creatures inch toward us. I can’t see their faces because of their hoods. But their hands show me they’re not human, nor are they Swetaachata. They’re thin, bony and black. They must be the Nomaddas. My fear of being dinner rings through my head and I scream.

  A warm hand touches my shoulder and instantly I feel as if someone has given me medication. My pain and fear subside and my heart beats at a normal rhythm. There’s no reason for me to scream anymore. I’m not sure how, but I know we’re safe.

  One of the creatures examines my feet. Two others pick up Takoda, and lift me. They’re taking us back to our camp. As they lay us on our sleeping bags, one tends to my feet. It cleans them, puts medicine on them, and bandages them. Another brings us some fruit, and leaves some food on the floor by our bed. They also leave water in a jug and as they walk away, I can see another wiping the blood that dripped to the floor from my cuts. The last one lingers, but before leaving, it nods to the right.

  I lay in silence for hours just staring up at the ceiling. I keep my hand on Takoda, waiting for him to die. It’s hard for me to comprehend exactly what’s happening to us. Could those creatures have been the Nomaddas? Why didn’t they hurt us? The longer my mind wanders through the strangeness, the sleepier I get.

  In my dream, I’m enjoying the pool with Takoda. We’re splashing each other when the screaming starts. I grab Takoda to protect him from the evil creatures. But the screams get louder; I realize they are not in my dream. They are from Takoda. I pull him in close. Wrapping my legs and arms around him, I can feel the heat flowing from his body.

  “Takoda,” I whisper. “I’m here. I love you. Stay with me. Please don’t die, Takoda. I don’t want to live without you.”

  His grip is firm. Again, the wave of heat penetrates deep into the inner core of my being. I close my eyes and relax into his strong embrace. My mind wanders and when I open my eyes, we’re standing next to a sea of green. The heat’s gone and so is the pain. The ocean’s calm and the sky emits an eerie cast. But I feel safe. Takoda takes my hand, and we walk along the beach. We don’t talk, because we don’t have to. I can understand everything he’s thinking, and he can understand me.

  Takoda takes me in his arms and he kisses me so tenderly our hearts melt into one. The love we share is intense and takes my breath away. We are now one soul, where we breathe each other’s breaths, and we feel each other’s hearts. Our love becomes us, and we become our love.

  A vision flashes through my mind. I watch as Takoda grows. It starts from his birth, he learns how to walk, ride a bikeAhis first day of school and more. I know everything about Takoda, how he feels about Anneeta and how he loves me. I know he wants to union with me. He desires for me to bear his children.

  I don’t want to let go. But I can hear him telling me everything is okay, and I can release him now. It’s painful and I feel cold and empty. I release Takoda and allow him to regain control of his private thoughts.

  My eyes hurt as I try to open them. Every muscle in my body aches and my hip feels as though it’s broken. I’m shocked to see everything’s the same.

  “Takoda?” I whisper. “Takoda, are you okay?”

  A couple of moments pass before he answers. When he speaks, my body relaxes.

  “I’m fine,” he whispers. “I need water.”

  I struggle to sit up. My head’s spinning and my stomach wants to heave, but I resist the urge. The only way I can reach the water the Nomaddas left for us is to fall to the floor. As my knees bang against the hard rock, I want to scream as the pain shoots through my body. But I hold back. The water’s cool and wonderful and I gulp, allowing the liquid to soothe my sore throat. It takes all of my strength to pull myself up to the bed.

  As I sit next to him, Takoda lays his head in my lap and I help him take a few sips. He’s cool to the touch so I know the fever’s gone.

  “Is it over?” I ask, stroking his forehead.

  Takoda nods and takes a few more sips.

  “That was pretty intense,” I say, leaning over and kissing his forehead as the pain echoes through my body. But I’m not letting Takoda know I’m hurt. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

  We remain in bed for the rest of the day, and Takoda sleeps most of it. We gratefully eat the fruit the creatures left. But I have to limp to the water fountain a couple of times to refill the jug. Slowly, we recuperate. Takoda keeps a tight hold on me. Every now and then, he’ll lean over to kiss me and tell me he loves me. Even though I’m in pain, I never want this time to end.

  13

  NOMADDAS

  THE ALARM on Takoda’s timekeeper wakes me from my sleep. At first, I’m not sure where the noise is coming from, but I eventually recognize the beeping. I have to roll over to push the small button on the band around Takoda’s wrist, and the excruciating pain shoots through my body. It’s morning and everything aches, especially my hip.

  No matter what I do, no position is comfortable. The bathroom seems miles away, but I have to get there. I put all my weight on my good hip and limp my away across the garden. Every hop is an agonizing nightmare, and it seems like forever before I get there.

  I splash cold water on my face, and take a couple sips from my cupped hands. Tears streak down my cheeks as the pain echoes through my body. My feet are a little better, but I’m concerned about my hip.

  I turn to leave and run right into one of the creatures. I’m too shocked to move, scream or cry out. The creature places one hand on my shoulder and the other onto my injured hip. As soon as it touches me, the throbbing is gone. I feel weak and sore, but the intense pain no longer racks my body. After a few moments, the Nomadda releases its grip and takes a step back. Cautiously, I straighten my body and place my weight on my injured hip. There’s no pain. There’s no other way to explain it.

  I smile. “Thank you.” Without thinking, I nod my head to the right.

  The creature nods. For reasons I’ll never understand, I reach out and pull off the hood. A bald and black face is smiling at me. The Nomadda looks somewhat human, frail and old at the same time. Its eyes are amber, huge and beautiful, and its nose and mouth are small, too small for its large head. I need to know who these creatures are and why they’re here. Perhaps they’re all that remains of a forgotten race of people.

  I reach out my hand and touch its cheek. Its skin is cold and damp, almost leathery. But as soon as our skin makes contact, our minds do too, and all my questions are answered. I have to give all my concentration to the images that flash through my mind. This creature is trying to tell me something important.

  Images of the city teeming with people working, playing or living their lives. Then the world becomes dark, and I
see the people sick and dying. The suffering is horrible, and I feel the evil that was inflicted upon this city. After the illness, the offspring are different. The sickness changed their DNA. They will never be healthy again.

  Others fear them and no one tries to make contact. Instead, they’re hunted, tortured or killed. The atrocities inflicted upon them are unspeakable. My heart hurts and I want to help. The creature breaks our connection and steps back. I smile and it nods to the right, turns and leaves. I’m left alone trying to sort out the visions just shared with me. Now what will I do with the knowledge?

  As I walk across the garden, I see the Nomadda has again left us some fresh fruit, but this time they also left a hot stew. As soon as I see the food, I realize how hungry I am. I pull out some bread and cheese, and cut up the fruit. With plates in both hands, I sit next to Takoda.

  He rolls onto his back and opens his eyes. The color has finally returned to his face. He looks so much better, which is such a relief.

  “Food?” he asks.

  “Here, have some warm stew and bread,” I say. “And I made hot tea.”

  “You are wonderful,” he replies taking a bite of the warm meal.

  We eat in silence. I use the fountain to rinse off the dishes. When everything’s tidy and neat, I pull out my cell phone. My father picked it up for me just before I left for this Trial. I plug in the little speakers and search for my favorite music. The fifties and sixties oldies but goodies reverberate off the rock walls. The tone sounds deeper, richer. I join Takoda on the bed and he smiles. When an old strolling song, Kansas City, comes on, I jump up and dance.

  “What is that wonderful sound?” he asks, rising from the bed. He’s quickly getting his strength back and seems more like his old self.

  I laugh as I swing my head around and yell, “Music—join me.”

  Takoda gets up and stretches. He tries to dance with me. It’s obvious he too can’t allow the wonderful beat to go unnoticed. We have fun just jumping around and flailing our arms. We laugh and play through a couple of songs before our energy gives out, and we fall onto our sleeping bags panting. He wraps his arms around me and snuggles his face deep into my hair. We remain silent as we catch our breath.