Bottomless- chapter 6

" Yay! You do like to play games! I knew it, told Gideon you would play THIS game!" The little scamp just kept running his mouth, and merrily trip, trip, tripping around the well. More than willing to shut it for him, I was, but it's not good to follow impulses like that, settled for snatching him up. Dodged me like a bullet, he did! Watching him with disbelief as he climbed onto the lip of the well. A sense of fate descended on me then, watching him weaving his way around the brim, carelessly. Sure that my face reflected my horror, my minds' eye took over, envisioned him slipping.
And falling.
In.
With my stuff.

Honestly would've enjoyed that at any other time, but he was casually flipping the coin again. Smiling. Took a moment for his words to sink in. "So, Tyson. Which is more important to you? The coin? Or the sword?" When it finally registered, I watched in disbelief as he purposely flipped the coin in. Then gave a piercing whistle. That was when I heard the galloping noises. Moving away. Very fast. Like he read my thoughts, my fears. Toyed with me even. I really didn't want to deal with this. Brain screaming in protest as I forced it to work quickly, I chose the Horse, hoping wells remained stationary, no matter what dimension they were in. No time to gather provisions, either, but highly aware of travelling in a moving rotisserie. My gaze turned to the south end of a north bound horse. Looking small at this point. I took off at a run.

Don't know how long I ran, but it was obvious the horse was winning. I was left watching the dust settle, hoping his tracks would stay fresh. Be my luck, a storm would blow through. As that thought rattled through my half-baked brain, a dark shadow passed over head. Awesome! This place enjoys making my worst fears come true!

Strangely enough the thought occurred to me, if I were writing a story, that's exactly what I would do.

I took advantage of this to look up. Oh please, let this be my brain sufficiently cooked to make me hallucinate. Pure Evil flowing over head. The rippling of the fabric of time, nearing the breaking point. The malevolent force pushing it almost past the point of endurance. My eyes widened as the fabric bulged downward, and the distinct sound of manaical laughter reached my ears. Never imagined evil sounding like that. Like being strained through wind, water and time. And to my amazement an aluminum quality to it, as words were forced inside my head. Echoing furtively, "Everything in the universe can be quantified, traversed, or communicated with, leaving Chaos in it's wake. Without Chaos there can be no order. Without Order, Chaos will Rule. I will rule!"

Pain radiating through me, I was knocked off my feet. I landed a few feet away. Wasn't sure where it came from. Until I heard deadly force approaching. More searing pain. Like before. Rolled to my feet, turned to see Pure Evil running at me with an intensity that didn't bode well for longevity. Watched as everything came into clear, concise focus. Watched as time slowed ,accentuated ,each movement It made. I reached for my absent sword, then took a fighting stance, this was all I had. Whatever happens next, doesn't matter. Then time resumed its natural flow, and we clashed once again. Claws raking at me, my arms flying to block attempts to shred me. Part of me observing, telling me when, where to defend, how to strike. Grappling with the creature, rolling repeatedly. Trying to survive, my world collapsing into this fight. Relentlessly It came at me, not even a moment to breathe between attacks. Don't think, just try to live.
Finally, screaming in my face," I SHALL RULE" !

Just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone, I was left blinded as the suns returned full force. Lying there, defeated, and in pain, everything seemed hopeless. The horse with sword in tow, was gone, the coin lost in a well. Why should I even bother anymore? What was the point? I was just an ordinary person. Nothing special. Not worthy of being the Champion of Time at all. As despondancy swept through me, I was confronted by my own humanity. Looking the direction the horse went, I missed the spot on the horizon. Wrapped up in my personal demons, curled up the ground, I really wanted that coin. Prayed I was back in the Student Union Store, buying those damn tampons again. Anything was better than realizing I just had my ass handed to me. Would've been better if I had been killed. Humiliation reigned supreme at this moment. Why Me?

Took a few moments to realize I was rocking, as if I were being held, comforted. I became aware of a ringing in my ears, words fluttering softly to me, encouraging me to not give up. Eventually my thoughts were nudged in the direction of why I chose to follow the horse, instead of the easier path of retrieving the coin. Despite craving the comfort of the coin. The answer presented itself suddenly to me, I cared about the horse! I also knew it wouldn't survive out here. Not without water. Speaking of water, I could use some myself. With that thought, instinct kicked back in,and determination flowed through me. My mind rumbled into overtime. Shielding my eyes as best I could, I scanned the desert-like surroundings with new purpose. Wishing I had been in the Boy Scouts, I racked my brain for any knowledge of where I could find water. Vision partially blocked, gaze sweeping across the immediate landscape. Nothing but desert, sand, and cacti.
Wait. Cacti. Something tickled. That's it! Cactus plants hold water within them! Quickly striding through the sand, I made my way to that blessed desert lifeform. Only to be confronted by the plethora of pointy needles laughing at me. Not going to be as easy as I thought. Wishing mightily for my sword, I gingerly attempted to locate a weakness in the cacti hide. No help for it, I would be paying a painful price for survival, this day. Determined to get the life sustaining fluid inside, I didn't notice the clouds building up overhead.
Couldn't tell it was cooling down in my personal, portable crockpot.

Many cacti needle stabs later, I sat there triumphantly with a hunk of cacti in my hand.
And no juice.
Crap.

Then the skies opened up. First a few drops of water hit me. Teasing me with its wonderful wetness. Making me lick my lips in fascinated anticipation. Then with a vengence. At first I was glad of it's refreshing appearance, quenching my thirst, cooling me. Until I felt it trickling inside my boots. This sensation momentarily puzzled me. You'd think with all that sand just lying around it would be absorbed immediately. Realizing I was standing in the middle of a quickly rising, roiling stream. Perfect. A flash flood. Could it get any better? Out in the open, encased in metal, and the tallest target to boot. Not too mention that metal is not conducive to swimming.

Scrambling toward the highest ground I could find, despite that I was the resident lightning rod already, I didn't want to be caught up in the flash flood that quenched my thirst. Stripping off the armour, I stood in my all together. Torn between the frustration of watching the trail wash away, and the cooling sensation of the rain. But it wasn't long before I began shivering. The rain that I had welcomed just minutes ago, had turned it's back on me. Figures. Nothing else to do but put the cold metal armour back on. Better than nothing.

More walking, only now wandering aimlessly because the trail was washed away. Head down, feet dragging through the now mud, raindrops losing momentum, the puddles slowly draining away, I nearly failed to notice the horse. Walking towards me. Looking as soggy as I was. I could almost swear it was mumbling to itself. Walked up to me, halted. I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, mounted and off we went. Grabbing My sword, not letting it go. Irony struck me, the suns were setting.
Didn't take long to reach the shack. The old man looking worried, and the boy, dipping himself into the Well. Didn't pay much attention to what the old man said this time, wasn't in the mood, but the boys antics were drawing my attention. Think the Old Man said something about me being okay, not knowing that thing could reach into the Sacred Voids. Or something like that. Temper rising, I leapt off the horse. I was going to teach that little scalawag a lesson. Realized he was saying he almost had it. Felt him slipping as my hand grasped his ankle, the suddenness pulling me forward as his balance was lost, feeling the Old Man desperately grabbing my waist as the weight of the armor became too much for us.

The clanging of the sword against the Well, as we slid deeper inside, and eventually the side giving way, and tumbling in. The three of us, all still gripping the other, and it hit me, how could I have missed it? The reason they looked so familiar to me. They WERE me.
Then we were one, and the familiar words tickled through my mind, the vortex swirling around me yet again.

"Bottomless, Eternal, Deeply Sublime
Five Lessons you'll learn, eventually with Time.
Destiny calls, You're Fate you must keep,
The Mind is Ageless, Fathomless, Deep.
The Well will reveal the Champion Entwined,
Bottomless, Eternal, Deeply Sublime."

Head hitting something solid. Stars again. Sounds of giggling. Feeling arms surround me, lifting me roughly. Hearing someone say, "the cab's here." Practically being carried out and thrown in.

Someone beside me. Too disoriented to care. Being dragged out, and up some stairs. Familiar smells hitting my senses. I was home. Being dumped onto my bed. Soft feminine voice. Come here darling, let me talk to you a minute.
Laughter.
Oops, out loud.
Damn.
Darkness descending.

Waking up, the first thing my eyes see, draped over my chair. The Armor. The Sword across it. And the coin softly glowing from its carved niche. Home Sweet Home. Complete with the tremor in my hand. Stumbled to the bathroom, heaving for all I was worth. Please let this have been a nightmare. Stripping for the shower ended that hope. Revealed the souvineers of battle. Including where my head hit the bar.

Once again, I sit here to record these events in my journal. Tremors worse now. Realizing how unfit I am to be the Champion of Time. Reliving my pitiful attempt to fight Pure Evil, wondering how I survived. Learning a few things about how Self is formed. How much we define, interpret ourselves, by our experiences. How badly I failed when it came down to the line.

I wish I could say, that by looking in the mirror, I could see the Champion with in. But it's not that easy. When I look, all I see is an unkempt boy, drowning in his own ignorance, blithely facing each day with a sense of invincibility. I blink then, and see all my mistakes and imperfections mocking me in the form of the Old Man. Then my own face, staring back, wondering who I really am. How do I put this part of me back together?
Not easy under normal circumstances.
Still, I'm left to wonder,
Why me?