Shaman, Healer, Heretic (24 page)

“You mean aside from the Sumerian monster?” Livvy said.

“I’ve never seen it,” said Min. “SK says most shamans don’t, but that’s not what I meant.”

Livvy looked into her eyes. She had considered Min at the start and then decided she might not have enough experience. After a day of being turned down, and even dressed down, Livvy realized she was starting to feel desperate.

“I’ll try it with you,” declared Min.

“Think about this, Min. Are you sure?” Livvy asked, looking from Min to SK.

 
“Yeah, I think it might be fun,” Min said. “SK must be for it or he wouldn’t be helping you, right SK?”

“Something like that,” he said slowly, looking at the two of them.

“The thing is…well, I have no idea what to expect,” said Livvy.

Livvy searched SK’s face but his look was non-committal. He wasn’t going to get involved in shaman decisions.

“Why didn’t anybody else want to help?” asked Min.

“Everybody’s got their reasons,” Livvy said, sighing.

“Were they afraid?”

That surprised Livvy. She hadn’t sensed that anyone had been afraid, except possibly for Carmen. Then again, Carmen probably always seemed afraid.

“No, I don’t think they were,” Livvy said at last.

“Well, count me in,” said Min, finally seeing the plate that SK had set in front of her. “Oh, I love Chinese food!”

WITH MIN LYING on the couch, Livvy stretched out on her mat on the floor. She looked up at Min. “Anything else you need?”

Livvy had used the extra parts from Mamacita and finished wiring the goggles while Min and SK ate. Nervous and excited at the prospect that she was actually going to try a joint visit to the Multiverse, Livvy had decided to skip the food. When she’d finished the wiring, she and Min had lit a few candles and turned off the other lights in the room. Min also lit sandalwood incense.

“No, I think I’m set,” Min said, looking at the goggles. “Just put them on and hit the switch like usual, right?”

“Yes,” said Livvy. “If there’s a problem or if you just don’t want to do it or it’s just too weird or something, then stop and come back.”

“Okay,” said Min, relaxing back onto the couch.

Livvy turned to look at SK, who was sitting on the floor next to her.

“All right?” she said.

“Sounds good,” he replied.

“Okay,” said Livvy, putting on the goggles, glad that her hands weren’t shaking. “See you on the flip side.”

She turned on the goggles.

“See you,” she heard Min say, and then the click of her goggles.
 

• • • • •

The Middleworld was different. Livvy didn’t see any spirits or ancestors, although that seemed to be the norm lately. It was the quality of the light that was different somehow, muted. Somewhere behind her, there was a flash. She turned to see Min materialize in the light. It had worked!

“Livvy, is that you?”

Although it was Min’s voice, it had an echo.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Livvy said, her own voice seeming strange.

“Oh, wow,” said Min. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you.”

“Well, we’re definitely both here, but this isn’t normally what the Middleworld looks like to me.”

Min slowly surveyed the landscape.

“Yes,” she said. “I see what you mean. It’s a different…color, I think. There’s more yellow.”

Livvy looked around and nodded. Yes, there might be more yellow.

“I still can’t believe this,” said Min.

“I’m not sure, but I think I can see through you a bit,” said Livvy.

“Oh, wow,” said Min, staring at her. “I think you’re right.”

“Here,” said Livvy. “I’m going to try and touch you.”

“Okay,” said Min, holding her hand out.

Slowly, Livvy moved her hand closer to Min’s, extending her index finger. They both stared as Livvy’s finger appeared to make contact.

“That’s weird,” said Min.

“It’s like I’m wearing a glove,” said Livvy. “It’s almost like I’m not touching you.”

She pushed Min’s hand and moved it.

“Well, I felt you pushing,” said Min, looking down at their hands. “But it’s like there’s something between us.”

She pushed back.

“Yeah,” said Livvy, feeling the dull pressure of Min’s hand.

They looked at each other and Min giggled, making Livvy smile.

“Sorry,” said Min. “I know I should be more serious.”

“Well, speaking of more serious,” she turned to look at the lake.

“Oh, right,” said Min.

As they entered the water, they held hands.

“I don’t know if we really need to hold hands,” said Livvy as they waded in.

“No, but I’d prefer if we did,” said Min as the water started to swirl.

In moments they were in the Underworld, tumbling out of the fountain and into the plaza.

“Good grief,” said Min, standing. “I don’t recognize this at all.”

“Me either,” said Livvy.

The downtown district was gone. She looked above and was reassured by the sight of the spiraling clouds.

“Where are all the temples?” Min asked.

“Temples? What temples?”

“The temples of the village. That’s where I always start.”

Livvy looked around at the white landscape.

“You mean, you don’t start in the temples?” asked Min.

“I’ve never seen temples at all, or a village. I always start downtown,” Livvy said, looking around.

“You’re kidding,” said Min. “Like downtown L.A.?”

“Well, kind of. Like downtown anywhere really.”

“So, you’ve never seen this before?” Min asked.

“Never.”

The undulating ground stretched out white in every direction, fading into the milky distance. Small hillocks and depressions in the ground cast indistinct shadows but there were no buildings or any other type of landscape features.

“This must be what it really looks like,” said Livvy.

“This?” said Min, disappointed. “It’s nothing.”

“Exactly. You see a village and I see downtown, something that works for each of us, something that we’re familiar with or comfortable with, something we can navigate.”

“I never thought about what other shamans were seeing,” said Min, looking around.

They stood silently for a time, and then something seemed to be moving on the horizon, something erratic.

“Oh good,” said Min, suddenly smiling. “Here he comes.”

As it grew in size, Livvy realized why its motion had seemed strange. It was a bird flying toward them, but low. As it came closer, it grew larger as well. It was a great white owl. It flared its wings and stretched out its talons, landing on the nearest white mound. As it stared at Min, it bobbed its head at her a couple of times.

“This is Kam,” said Min. “My spirit helper.”

“Hello, Kam,” said Livvy.

Its great round eyes slowly blinked at her, and it turned its round face back and forth between them, as though it couldn’t quite believe what it was seeing.

“Yeah,” said Min, going over to it and stroking the front of its throat. “I was kind of worried we might not find each other, what with all this,” she gestured at the strange undulating landscape. “But, no worries.”

Min stopped and turned to Livvy.

“I’m sorry, Livvy. I was so worried about me. Do you think your helper will come?”

Livvy pointed to the sky. “It’s already here,” she said.

Puzzled, Min looked up at the sky. Kam looked upward also.

“I don’t see anything,” she said, shading her eyes. She looked back and forth. “Is yours a bird too?”

“No, it’s lightning.”

Min stared at her. “Lightning? But…” She looked back up at the swirling cloud pattern. “I thought that was a legend.”

“A legend?” asked Livvy, surprised. “Why would you think it’s a legend?”

“Well, I don’t know. I mean, I just never heard of any real shaman having lightning as a helper.” She looked back at Livvy. “I thought it was supposed to be super powerful and stuff like that.”

“Oh,” said Livvy, thinking about the uncontrolled lightning. “Um, I suppose it is.”

“I never thought I’d meet a lightning shaman,” said Min, regarding Livvy differently.

“Well,” said Livvy, uncomfortable with the awe in Min’s voice. “Maybe we should have a look around. We might come across something more familiar.”

“Right,” said Min. “I almost feel like I’ve never been here before.”

The clouds above continued to swirl, providing no direction.

“It looks like any way is as good as another,” said Livvy.

Min looked at Kam, who seemed content to stay put. She looked at Livvy and shrugged. Without a client, their spirit helpers provided no course.

Livvy decided to head along the line that Kam had come from. As she and Min headed up and down the tiny hills Kam took to the air, circling and watching. Livvy glanced back a couple of times to make sure that she could see the fountain. Like the surrounding landscape it had turned an amorphous white, but the water spouted fairly high and stood out radiantly blue in the new surroundings.

“Our feet don’t make any noise,” said Min.

Livvy looked down as they walked. Min was right. She could feel her feet connecting with the ground but there was no sound. For a few seconds it was so disconcerting that Livvy thought she was deaf.

“Look over there,” said Min. “Is that your kachina?”

Livvy jerked her head up, sighting along Min’s arm. Although far away, the top of his headdress was visible above one of the low dunes, heading in their direction. Livvy jumped and waved a hand.

“Over here!” she yelled.

High above, Kam let out a cry as well. She looked up and saw him circling higher, as though drawn up by hot air currents. When she lowered her gaze, she realized that Min was no longer at her side. She looked back and Min had frozen in place and was looking up at Kam.

“What is it?” asked Livvy.

“Something’s coming.”

Kam cried out again.

“And I don’t mean the kachina,” said Min.

“I think we need to get out of here,” Livvy said.

An enormous screech filled the air.

“Run!” Livvy yelled, although she needn’t have.

Min was already running but the wrong way.

“No, Min, this way!”

The shrieks were growing louder. Kam cried up above. Min looked at Livvy but never stopped running. Livvy waved as she ran in the direction of the fountain.

“This way,” she yelled, but Min couldn’t hear her.

She checked the clouds. They were streaming in the direction of the fountain, the direction that she was running, but Min didn’t know to follow them and had become disoriented in the white landscape. Neither of them could see the fountain but it had to be close. They hadn’t gone that far. Unfortunately, if Min kept on her track, she was going to run right past it. Livvy veered off and headed toward Min.

Up above Kam cried, and Livvy looked up to see him beating his wings furiously, also headed in the wrong direction. That was why Min was off course, because Kam was off course. Then Livvy saw why.

It had been gliding, a dark but growing spot against the clouds, but as it flapped its enormous wings, she realized what it was–Tiamat. It had never occurred to her that Tiamat could fly, despite the great wings and eagle head, but she flew well—and directly at them.

Livvy fought down the paralyzing fear and ran hard. She crested one of the small hills and saw Min and also the fountain, but the kachina was nowhere in sight.

“Min,” Livvy yelled at the top of her lungs. “Min,” she yelled again through cupped hands. But as Min turned in her direction, a bone-jarring screech filled the air. Min collapsed.

“Min!” Livvy screamed.

As she turned her face to the sky, it took every ounce of willpower not to look at Tiamat, who was nearly on them. Livvy reached a hand upward.

“Wind.”

The clouds boiled and a sudden wind nearly knocked Livvy from the hill. It had come with such abrupt force it surprised her. She looked back up to the sky as a loud clap of thunder pealed. Tiamat was looking at her, trying to change course but buffeted by the gale. Livvy looked back to Min, who had gotten up and was looking around, confused. Livvy waved both arms and finally caught her attention. She pointed at the fountain. Min looked in that direction but couldn’t see it from the depression where she was. Livvy pointed again, emphatically, and this time Min waved and headed in that direction.

Livvy rushed down the slope of the hill, losing sight of Min and the fountain. An enormous screech filled the air again, blurring her vision, rattling her eyes with its intensity. As she crested the next hill the fountain was below her but Min was nowhere in sight. She turned around frantically.