Bottomless-chapter 5

Once more I am confronted by those distant images of chaos. Terrifying in it's familiarity, yet again, I stand here frozen, unable to move, bound by a sense of traversed quantification. But how can that be? I am merely here as a witness, but a witness to what? Almost as if I am watching what has already been, but has yet to be. Don't want to look, yet I can't stop. Again that feeling overwhelms me. Someone is beside me, but I can't turn my head to see who. My attention is drawn once more to the clash of metal in the distance. Why can't I see it clearly? Who are those people? Why is this so important? Everthing is so far away. Finally I break free! I can move! I have to get there! Then the blinding flash of light, and the pain.

The pain as I hit.
Oh man, what did I hit?
How far up was I?
More pain, as something crashed into me.

What was dream, what was real? Couldn't tell where the dream ended, or I began. Not sure I wanted to. Stomache heaving, head aching, eyes burning, pain everywhere, I knew I had to look. But like last time, I was reluctant. It's never good when I do. Realizing I'd landed on my side, I peeked out. Strange, this place looked a lot like the side of my trunk. But really bright. Why didn't that make sense? Closed my eyes again. Must be the drinking. Yeah, drunk. Just need some sleep. Here was good. Just gonna close my eyes. Sleep. Could someone stop spinning the world? I wanna get off. Not doing my stomache any favors.
What's that noise?
Almost like, slow, deliberate, chewing.
Was that a bite?
That was really close to my ass.

As these thoughts tumbled through my mind, my instincts finally kicked in. I lurched forward, found the trunk, hard, painfully. Were those stars? When I could see past the pain, I couldn't see past the glare. What the hell? Desperate now, I needed to know what that chomping noise was! Feeling the sweat pour off me, the tremors set in with a vengeance. Didn't help that I was blinded by light, in imminent danger of being eaten. I scrambled to my feet, pulled that trunk open, grabbed the sword, and whipped it around. That helped me regain my equilibrium, and bravado. So I challenged," Who's there?" Ok, not my brightest moment, but it is what it is. No reply, other than chewing. Circling the tip, I forcefully repeated myself. Act like you know what you're doing. No need to give it up you don't remember. Rinse. Repeat. The soft nicker almost didn't register past those thoughts. Shadows passed overhead, and I could see momentarily. Couldn't believe it. The horse. Looking very amused. I don't know which emotion hit first. Relief, or disbelief. But it packed a powerful punch. I sank to the ground, running my finger around that coin. Aimlessly. No thoughts, just glaring at the horse. Surprisingly, it didn't burst into flames.
Temper 1/ Patience 1.

Eventually, the shadows crept forward, and I was able to see. Desert like, very little grass, so horsey had better learn to ration soon. Shielding my eyes, I managed to look upwards. No wonder it was so bright. Not one, but three suns. Very hot, too. Need to find water fast. Dehydration's deadly here. Amazed by the color of everything. But where's the water? Big problem, very quickly. Nothing but desert. Not just me I was responsible for, either. So much for sleeping. That would be death. In a nutshell.

I tallied up what I had. Me, the horse. One trunk, complete with sword, coin, and sheet. Plus the armour. Perfect! I looked at the horse. At that the horse stamped it's hoof, and blew at me. I swear a bubble came out it's nose. Packed it all up. An hour later, I threw the trunk down in a fit of anger.
Temper 2.

I swear it laughed at me. Beast moved everytime I got the trunk up there. " Look, Horse, we need to go. Find water, food, shelter. You got that?" The horse shook his head at me. Then kicked the trunk. Hard. Broke it in half. Scattered my stuff in the sand. I just stared. Did the horse just rebel? Couldn't deal with this. Not yet. Sobering up, but that was still too much. Blankly I knelt, began to pick up the sword, got lost in the coin again. It calls to me. Was it glowing? How could you tell in this light? Next thing I know, the horse knocked me on my face. Standing, I gathered the stuff, trying not to think about how much time had just been lost. Were the suns setting? Might be for the best. I bundled everything together, used what was left of the trunk to mount the horse. Didn't even notice that it had stood still while I climbed on. I was that bemused by the coin.

Remembering the last time, I hoped the horse would know where to go. Felt bad because I was the one supposed to be caring for the horse. Don't know if it was my drunken stupor, or just pure irony, but here I was "riding through the desert on a horse with no name." It was too much. Laughter. At first just a few bubbling giggles and a hiccup or two. But then as I started singing the song, I laughed harder and harder. This was just too rich. I hate to say it, but I sang myself to sleep.

I woke up when the horse dumped me on the ground. I would have said I slipped off, but it was making that weird chuffing noise again. It was joined by the laughter of someone else. Wait a minute? Someone else? And joined in the laughter? I don't think I like that. Then I heard the sweetest sound in the world. The sound of water. Gurgling, deeply and contentedly. Sweet, sweet water. I just listened for a minute, then my thirst overcame anything else. I sat up and looked for the source. Of course. A well, what was I thinking. Sitting in front of the well was an old man. All unkempt hair he appeared to be. Just watching me, with a very curious gaze. Eyes looked familiar, but I couldn't place them.
Then the laughter again, high pitched, shrill, but so full of life, I had to smile in return. I turned my head to see who had such a marvelous laugh. Encountered a young boy, sitting on the back of the horse. He was unkempt also, and again familiar, but I chalked it up to his resemblence of the old man. Must be his grandson. Or what ever it was called here. Grinned cheekily at me he did, then winked. "He has a name, you know."

"Who? The Horse?" I asked.
"Yep!"

Laughter trilled from his small form again, and I smiled, waiting. But all I got was more laughter. And that chuffing noise. Finally I asked, "So, are you going to tell me?" "Nope," he chirped. "He doesn't want you to know yet." To which my jaw hit the floor. Provoking the old man to laugh now, and speak for the first time, "Run along now, and feed the horse then, while I tend to our guest. Rising, he handed me a cup of water. Much needed water.

"So you are the Champion of Time. Or you will be. If you heed the Five Lessons of the Well." He said this so smoothly, I almost missed the hint of humor in his voice.
"What do you mean, will be? I already am, right? I was summoned. Didn't get to choose! Fought that thing already..." I sputtered to a stop, when he held up his hand.
" Yes, you have done all those things, and more. Yet, you have done nothing. I repeat, Yet. Until you have learned, and heed the Five Lessons, you will not understand. Until you understand, you cannot prevent the disruption of time."
Wait, did he just say I had not prevented the disruption of time? So what the hell had I been doing, then?
Good question that. Beside the point though.

What about the old man that died so I could prevent it? The village people that had so little, but gave so freely? All that pain, I know I didn't imagine that. And the lady. The Beautiful Lady. No one else saw her. But she was so real. I hate to admit, but I sulked. None of what he said made any sense. I had done that, and more? But I had done none of it? How was that even possible? Too much to deal with right now. I was hungry, hot, thirsty, and hung over. Basically I just wanted to go home! Even wanted the stupid Tampons if Leilani was there too. Would've stomped away, but there was nowhere to go, so sighing defeatedly, I asked what exactly were these lessons.
He laughed at me.

Should've known it wasn't going to be that easy. He told me that it was best to eat, rest, and let the lessons come as they will. Already I had encountered them repeatedly. But obviously I had yet to recognize them. Great! But I let it go. I was hungry. And that fool horse was already eating. Or did that make me the fool.
Wasn't long before I was sitting there with a plate of something in my hand. Didn't look like anything I recognized. Thought about asking what it was, um, maybe not. If I knew, I might not eat it. Resembled runny eggs, already wasn't doing me any favors. I just took the piece of burnt toast, sopped some up, and shoveled it in. As quickly as possible. All the while the old man was staring at me expectantly. Choking down the last bite, I grabbed my cup, gulped it down, washing out my mouth. When I lowered it again, I found my plate filled again. Oh No, I just couldn't. I was still hungry, but that was foul! Looked at the old man, he looked back. "You ate so quickly, I figured you were still hungry, so I filled you up again. Have at it! Does an Old Man good to see someone enjoy my cooking so much! Especially when all I usually have for company is that young scamp out there. He does nothin' but complain." What could I do after that? Gritting my teeth I suffered through another plateful. Though this time I had to go slow, and pretend to be enjoying it. Making small talk all the while.
Ever have one of those days?

Finally that interminable meal was finished. My stomache rebelled mightily. I needed to be alone. Really alone...Too much to drink, too much to eat...nasty, greasy, runny, whatever it was. I needed privacy now. My head was aching. Unbearable, unrelieved heat, even at night. I just wanted to be sick, then sleep. I wandered outside to the well, found the bucket and pulled some water up. Splashed my face thoroughly. Never liked getting sick, but this is one time I would have gladly just let it happen. No such luck. I slid down to the ground in defeated misery, and put my head in my hands. Quickly lifted my head again. Still too much spinning going on. Is that even still possible this much later? Leaned back against the well. Now that brought some relief. Cool, comforting, timeless, familiar. Why familiar? Becoming restless, I returned inside, losing myself in the coin. Lulled my miserable self to sleep that way, clutching the sword as if it were my sole reality.

Once more I am confronted by those distant images of chaos. Terrifying in it's familiarity, yet again, I stand here frozen, unable to move, bound by a sense of traversed quantification. But how can that be? I am merely here as a witness, but a witness to what? Yet I realize I am more than a witness. It's almost as if I am watching what has already been, but has yet to be, and if I can just reach out and part the veil, I could see clearly. But I don't want to look, yet I can't stop. I know what is coming. Again that feeling overwhelms me. Someone is beside me, but I can't turn my head to see who. My attention is drawn once more to the clash of metal in the distance. Why can't I see it clearly? Because of the veil. Who are those people? Why is this so important? Everthing is so far away. Finally I break free! I can move! I have to get there! Then the blinding flash of light, and the pain.
　
Bright light, piercing in its quality. Winking quickly in and out of my conciousness. I flinched in expectation of the now familiar pain that always follows. More brillaint flashing. No pain. Something wasn't right.
Did I just think that?

Silence broken by the trill of laughter, I'm not alone. The young boy standing just out of reach. Eyes blurred from lack of sleep, over indulgence, or both. No way to tell. What was he doing? What was causing that damned flash? I put my hand out, to assure myself that my stuff was still there. My hand came up empty, causing my alcohol abused brain to clear. Completely. He had my stuff. The brilliant flash was him flipping the coin by the window. Stood there just grinning, waiting.
"I like Games. D'you like games? Wanna play a game? Gideon said you wouldn't. But how can anyone not like games? Games are so much fun! We talked a lot about you last night, we did. Wanna play a game? C'mom then! I'll start. This'll be fun!" Shot around the corner, and he was gone, just like that. With MY sword ,and MY coin. Anger boiled up inside me. Little shit! Those're mine! Thinking back to the village, mind replaying broken fragments of instants. A moment of clarity, I knew what to do. I would show that little cretin. I concentrated as hard as I could, and willed the sword and coin into my hand. Where they rightly belonged. Nothing happened. So I tried again. Repeatedly. Temper rising to dangerous levels when nothing happened, I punched the wall.
Found the pain.

Didn't solve the dilemma, but it did bring the old man running. "Why isn't this working?!" I yelled at him, as if he knew even slightly what I was talking about.
"Because we are in a Sacred Void. Neither here nor there." I stared at him as if he had lost his mind. He's the one who lives here, and now he's telling me that we're nowhere? My eyes crossed trying to process that one. " I will explain further as you don your armour, for I think you might be needing it, if only to keep it close to you. For I see that little scamp has been beguiling you to play." With a chuckle he sat himself down.
" It is true, we are neither here, nor there. There are many Sacred Voids. Above, Below, Before, Beyond, Beside, Within, and Without. I cannot explain exactly what each one is, but some Sacred Voids cancel out the Will that you need to call upon, to wield that Ancient Power. It is a learning process that you will come to understand fully, through time and maturity. This I promise."

How he sat there calmly making promises, while I rushed around putting the armour on, and why I believed him so readily, I have no idea. Especially in this heat. Maybe it was the ring of truth to his words. Maybe it was the sincerity and familiarity in his eyes. Or it could simply be, that I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew him. Made me less likely to doubt his words. No time to dwell on it though, had to catch that litle imp. Still angry over that stunt, taking off with my shit. If he only knew the price that had been paid. The frustrations and pain. The sacrifices made, willingly paid. Sneaky feeling the old man did. I shot out of the room, driven to regain my sword and coin. Only to be brought up short by that trilled laughter once again. He hadn't gone that far, was in fact, standing right outside.

Just waiting.