Freewalker (10 page)
“Y
OUR MOTHER
?”
“N
EITHER OF THEM TOLD ME ABOUT THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY DIED.
”
“B
UT YOU KNOW YOU ARE NEVER CHANGING AND ALWAYS CHANGING, DON'T YOU
?”
“T
HE
D
IRT
E
ATERS TOLD ME
I
WAS GESTATING UNTIL
I
FOUND MY DREAM-FORM.
”
“Y
OU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
?”
“N
O,
I
DON'T.
”
“I
WILL WAIT.
”
W
HILE THE RABBIT BUSIES ITSELF CHEWING A TUFT OF GRASS,
R
OAN CLOSES HIS EYES AND CONCENTRATES, TRYING TO FIND HIS FORM WITHIN THE SOLID ROCK, STRAINING TO BURST THROUGH IT.
H
E FEELS THE EFFORT, CAN SENSE HIMSELF PUSHING, BUT IT'S USELESS.
H
E TRIES TO OPEN HIS EYES BUT CAN'T.
T
HEY AREN'T THERE ANYMORE.
B
LIND AND CAUGHT IN A STONE.
P
ERFECT.
W
HY IS IT THAT EVERY STEP FORWARD PUTS HIM TEN STEPS BACK
?
R
OAN TRIES LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM THE WAY LUMPY WOULD: FIRST, HE WOULD MAKE A JOKE, SECOND, HE WOULD EXPLORE, AND THEN HE'D EXAMINE THE INFORMATION AT HAND.
F
INALLY, HE'D COME UP WITH A PLAN.
R
IGHT. WELL.
F
IRST OF ALL, THIS IS NO JOKE.
S
ECOND,
R
OAN CAN'T EXPLORE.
I
NFORMATION?
T
HE GIRLâ
M
ABATAN, SHE'S NOT ONE OF THE
T
URNED, NOT A
D
IRT
E
ATER, SHE HASN'T TRAPPED HIM, HE KNOWS IT, HE CAN FEEL IT.
P
LAN:
H
IS JOB IS TO GET UNTRAPPED.
H
E FOCUSES ALL HIS THOUGHTS ON THE SURFACE OF THE ROCK,
P
ROBING IT, PRESSING IT, PULLING IT, NUDGING IT, USING ALL OF HIS MENTAL STRENGTH.
P
AIN RENDS HIM, AS IF HE'D BEEN RIPPING AT HIS OWN SKIN.
H
IS OWN SKIN.
C
OULD IT BE THAT HE'S NOT TRAPPED IN THE ROCKâBUT THAT HE IS THE ROCK?
N
EVER CHANGING, ALWAYS CHANGING.
R
OAN CONCENTRATES AGAIN, FEELING THE ANCIENT SOLIDITY OF THIS FORM.
T
HE COOLNESS.
T
HE JAGGED EDGES.
T
HE DENSITY.
H
IS ENTIRE BEING HAS BECOME STONE.
S
TILL AND SLOW, THE WAY HE'S BEEN FEELING.
W
HAT ELSE CAN HE FEEL, COULD HE BECOME?
R
OAN PICTURES HIS HUMAN BODY, HIS HANDS, HIS FEET, HIS HEAD.
A
ND IN THAT MOMENT, THE STONE TURNS TO FLESH AND RECONSTITUTES ITSELF.
R
OAN STRETCHES OUT HIS ARMS, FEELS HIS FINGERS.
H
E'S NO LONGER THE ROCK, BUT IN HIS OWN SHAPE.
N
OT THE CLAY MAN.
H
IMSELF.
T
HE RABBIT LOOKS UP FROM THE GRASS.
“Y
OU HAVE ARRIVED.
”
“I
S THIS MY DREAM-FORMâMY OWN BODY
?”
“T
HIS IS NOT YOUR BODY.
I
T'S WHAT YOUR MIND MADE YOU.
”
“W
HY DON'T YOU TAKE YOUR HUMAN SHAPE
?”
“I
CANNOT. I AM NOT LIKE YOU.
N
O ONE IS LIKE YOU.
Y
OU ARE ABLE.
”
“A
BLE TO DO WHAT
?”
“W
HAT YOU HAVE DONE.
I
T IS ONE OF YOUR GIFTS.
C
OME.
”
T
HE RABBIT LEAPS.
I
T JUMPS SO FAR, SO FAST,
R
OAN ALMOST LOSES SIGHT OF IT.
H
E RUNS, BUT FALLS TOO FAR BEHIND.
H
E THINKS OF THE RABBIT, OF ITS SUPPLE FORM, ITS POWERFUL LEGS, ITS INCREDIBLE ABILITY TO LEAP IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
A
ND
R
OAN JUMPS, MATCHING ITS BOUNDS.
H
E'S SOON CAUGHT UP WITH
M
ABATAN, WHO WAITS BY A HUGE FRACTURE IN THE GROUND, NEARLY AS WIDE AS THE HUMAN
M
ABATAN IS TALL.
“W
HAT'S DOWN THERE
?”
“E
MPTINESS.
”
R
OAN WALKS, FOLLOWING THE JAGGED RUPTURE.
I
N THE DISTANCE, HE SEES A STORM PUMMELING WHAT APPEAR TO BE IRON STATUES STRETCHED ACROSS THE GAP.
H
E MOVES FORWARD, FIGHTING WIND AND LASHING RAIN.
H
E CAN MAKE OUT THE HANDS OF THE METAL STATUES GRIPPING ONE SIDE OF THE FISSURE.
T
HEIR FEET ARE BURIED IN THE OTHER SIDE.
T
HE FIRST STATUE'S HEAD PIVOTS SLOWLY ON ITS NECK.
I
TS LIPS CURL SWEETLY UPWARD.
I
T'S
L
ONA.
“W
E KNEW YOU'D COME.
”
“A
RE ALL OF YOU HERE
?”
“E
VERY SINGLE ONE,
”
SAYS ANOTHER IRON CHILD.
R
OAN SEES HIS FACE.
“B
UB
!”
“H
I,
R
OAN
!”
YELLS
J
AW, AND HIS VOICE IS FOLLOWED DOWN THE LONG LINE BY
G
IP AND
R
UNK AND
J
AM AND
D
ANI AND THE OTHER SEVEN CHILDREN OF IRON.
“I
HAVE TO GET YOU OUT.
” R
OAN REACHES TO PULL
L
ONA UP BUT SHE SCREAMS.
“N
O
!”
A
LL THE HEADS OF THE IRON CHILDREN TURN SLOWLY TO
R
OAN.
“W
E HAVE TO STAY,
R
OAN,
”
SAYS
B
UB.
“I
F WE LET GO, IT'LL JUST GET BIGGER,
” G
IP TELLS HIM.
“S
O WE CAN'T LET GO,
”
ADDS
R
UNK.
“G
OT HERE JUST IN TIME,
” S
AKE PITCHES IN.
“W
HO BROUGHT YOU HERE
?”
“N
OBODY,
” L
ONA REPLIES.
D
ANI NODS.
“W
E JUST CAME.
”
“W
E KNEW WHAT TO DO,
” B
UB SAYS.
“W
ASN'T HARD TO FIGURE IT,
”
SAYS
J
AW.
“T
HE CRACK WAS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER,
” G
IP PIPES IN.
“A
ND BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER
!”
SHOUTS LITTLE
D
ANI.
“W
HY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME
?”
“H
APPENED TOO FAST,
” J
AW SAYS.
“W
E COULDN'T WAIT,
” B
UB ADDS.
L
ONA'S EYES SHINE IN HER FACE OF IRON.
“N
OW YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE, SO DON'T BE MAD,
R
OAN.
”
R
OAN'S FACE SOFTENS.
“I'
M NOT MAD.
I'
M NOT MAD AT YOU AT ALL.
” B
UT TURNING BACK TO
M
ABATAN, HIS GENTLENESS TURNS TO FURY.
“W
HO DID THIS
?”
T
HE RABBIT TWITCHES ITS EARS.
“T
HOSE WHO EAT
D
IRT FIGHT TO CONTROL THIS PLACE.
T
HEIR BATTLE HAS MADE THE
R
IFT.
I
F IT IS NOT STOPPED, THE
R
IFT WILL GROW.
T
HE CHILDREN WILL BREAK AND BE LOST.
T
HIS PLACE, YOU CALL IT THE FIELD OF DREAMS, IT WILL BE FORSAKEN AND WE WILL CHANGE.
T
HIS VAST EMPTINESS THAT LIES BENEATH THE CHILDREN WILL OVERTAKE US.
”
R
OAN CONSIDERS HER WORDS, THE FIRST ANYONE HAS SPOKEN THAT HELP MAKE SENSE OF THE SITUATION.
W
HAT CHOICE DOES HE HAVE BUT TO TRUST HER
?
“W
HAT CAN WE DO
?”
“E
ND THE CONFLICT.
”
“H
OW
?”
“I
DO NOT KNOW.
T
HIS IS THE STRUGGLE WE FACE.
” A
SHUDDER RUNS DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE RABBIT'S LONG BODY; ITS PINK EYES DART AWAY FROM
R
OAN'S.
“T
HERE IS A PLACE THAT CALLS FOR YOU.
”
R
OAN TURNS BACK TO THE CHILDREN.
“G
O,
R
OAN, GO
!”
SHOUTS
B
UB.
“R
OAN, GO, GO
!”
THE OTHERS CRY, ONE VOICE ECHOING AFTER THE OTHER.
“W
E KNOW YOU WON'T FORGET US,
” L
ONA SAYS.
“W
E'RE STRONG
!”
HOLLERS
B
UB.
“S
TRONGER THAN YOU THINK
!”
YELLS
J
AW.
I
S THIS THE FATE
R
OAN SAVED THEM FOR
? T
HEY SEEM TO KNOW THIS IS WHERE THEY BELONG
. N
OT FOR THE FIRST TIME,
R
OAN WONDERS WHO THESE EXTRAORDINARY CHILDREN REALLY ARE.
A
ND THOUGH IT FEELS WRONG TO LEAVE THEM HERE, IT'S OBVIOUS THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO FOR THEMâNOT HERE, NOT YET.
“P
ROMISE YOU WILL CALL FOR ME IF YOU NEED HELP
!”
HE SHOUTS.
“W
E PROMISE
!”
THEY ALL CRY AT ONCE.
R
ELUCTANT TO LEAVE,
R
OAN WAITS FOR THE RABBIT TO LEAP AWAY, THEN FOLLOWS HER TO THE EDGE OF A VAST EXPANSE OF WATER
. M
ABATAN JUMPS, SAILING ONTO AN ICE FLOE
. R
OAN DOES THE SAME
. A
S THEY BOUND FROM FLOE TO FLOE, THE AIR BECOMES STIFLING
. T
HE WATER AROUND THEM STEAMS
. I
N THE MIDST OF THIS ROILING, FOAMING SEA, THEY ALIGHT ON A JAGGED ROCK.
M
ABATAN POINTS OUT THE NEXUS OF A WHIRLPOOL.
“T
HIS IS THE WAY IN.
”
“Y
OU FIRST.
”
“I
T DOES NOT CALL FOR ME.
”
“D
OES IT MATTER
?”
“I
T WILL HOLD ONLY THOSE TO WHOM IT CALLS
. I
WOULD NOT SURVIVE THE PASSAGE.
”
“B
UT
I
CAN
?”
“Y
ES
. I
T WOULD HOLD YOU, WHETHER YOU WERE CALLED OR NOT
. Y
OU ARE A FREEWALKER,
R
OAN, YOU TRAVEL WHERE YOU WILL.
”
“I
S THAT PART OF MY GIFT
?”
“S
OME OF IT.
”
“Y
OU SEEM TO KNOW AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT ME.
”
“I
HAVE SPOKEN TO THE CHILDREN,
I
HAVE FELT YOU
. Y
OU KNOW MORE ABOUT YOURSELF THAN YOU WANT TO KNOW.
”
S
CANNING THE RAGING WATER,
R
OAN EXPERIENCES A STRONG APPREHENSION THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BENEATH THE WHIRLPOOL, SOMETHING THAT IS DESPERATE AND THAT WANTS HIM.
“T
RUST WHAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU,
” M
ABATAN URGES.
H
E STARES INTO THE MAELSTROM, THE WATER SWIRLING DOWN INTO AN INFINITE DESCENT
. T
HE EYE OF THE VORTEX DRAWS
R
OAN IN, TUGGING ON HIM, COAXING HIM TO SURRENDER.
C
ASTING ALL DOUBT ASIDE,
R
OAN YIELDS TO THE INEXORABLE PULL AND JUMPS
. C
AUGHT IN THE CURRENT, HE'S SWEPT IN ENDLESS CIRCLES, TOSSED AND DRAGGED AND SPUN AS HE'S DRAWN DEEPER INTO THE EDDY
. H
IS LIMBS ACHE, THE CURRENT THREATENING TO RIP THEM FROM THEIR SOCKETS
. B
UT JUST AS HE PRESSES HIS ARMS TO HIS SIDES, HE TOPPLES INTO A VOID.
A
S HE SPIRALS DOWNWARD, HE HEARS SINGING, A CHOIR OF MEN'S AND WOMEN'S VOICES
. H
E RECOGNIZES THEM IMMEDIATELY.
T
HE VOICES OF
L
ONGLIGHT.
O
N THE
D
AY OF
R
EMEMBERING, AT THE
F
IRE
H
OLE, THE ENTIRE VILLAGE WOULD COME TOGETHER
. H
IS FATHER WOULD SPEAK OF THE VISION OF THE
F
IRST
O
NES, AND THEN THEY WOULD ALL SING
. M
OURNFUL SONGS, SONGS FOR A WORLD LOST, SONGS FOR THE INNOCENT DEAD.
B
UT THIS SONG IS DIFFERENT
. T
HIS SONG HAS NO WORDS
. R
OAN SEES THE EXPLOSIONS, THE FIRE, THE SKULL-MASKED INVADERS.
R
EMEMBERS SLIDING WITH
S
TOWE THROUGH THE ICY WHIP-GRASS.
A
ND THEN, THE GLIMMER OF A MEMORY HOVERS AT THE EDGE OF HIS CONSCIOUSNESSâAN EERIE RUMBLING SOUND, LIKE HUNDREDS OF VOICES HUMMING IN UNISON
. T
HE PEOPLE OF
L
ONGLIGHT LIFTING THEIR VOICES, WHILE THEIR VILLAGE BURNED.