Saga:-Journey to the sunrise
Arc 2:- INDESCRIBABLE STEPS
Chapter->29
-->The door
Zarita paced through the shallow shoreline as she held tightly onto the brooch given to her by Hein. Her eyes scanned A door in sight, further than reach but reachable.
The door reminded her of something.
It reminds me of—of the letter. The letter I stored in my drawer once, that if I ever forgot what made me myself as an adult, I'd glance over it and remember myself. To avoid regrets and live life.
When was it? How was it? I've forgotten its content.
She walked with her hand flowing back and forth as her hair set sail with the gales. She looked back as the door was near.
Clatter!
The Brooch fell on ground behind her leg. The tinkling sound reached her ear as she looked down. Her body moved towards the brooch, she took one step back. Bending and picking up the brooch. She attatched it again.
I wonder, is it a brooch? Or a badge? Should I call it an emblem? No, that's way off.
Her intuition jolted throughout her body as a creepy sensation went down her spine rejuvanating her body straight. Cold breeze passed by her left ear as she left out a visible warm breath. She looked back towards the door.
Th‐the door. "It's.." the door.
It was far away, out of her reach, as if the land, the very ground itself stretched further away the moment she looked back. She clenched the brooch as she starting running towards the door. While adjusting the brooch it fell behind again. She was nearly halfway through it. The brooch was just behind her, two steps.
She looked back, knowing the result might be the same. She wanted to cross-check, as they say—curiosity killed the cat. The air was crippling, as she looked back and instantly picked up the brooch turning again. The door was double the distance it was before. She clenched her fist, patted her stomach leaving out a deep breath.
I can do this, just don't look back. Don't lose anything. She ran as hard as she could.
Huff! Huff! Phew! She stood there resting her hands on her knees panting as the brooch fell down.
Tinckle! Clatter! Tinckle!
It fell behind her shoe. The area was veiled in darkness. I can't waste any more time I have to go! She looked towards the door as she thought—If I take one step back I go double-the -distance.
She ran towards the door trying tp reach it's handle before the darkness engulfs all of it. Hein's face flashed over her mind. I...I'm sorry Hein. Her steps halted, then moved again towards the door. Fist clenched and tight, toe twitching and muscles getting sore.
Thud!
She smakced her fist on the door, finally standing in front of it. Just the door knob and she'd be on the other side. She tried digging her fingers in the door but every ounce of magic has been striped away from her the moment she entered this realm.
Her fingers rested on the door knob, cold, made of steel. The biting cold gave her a sense of fear and comfort. She looked back while holding the knob. The broch was in her sight. Fifteen steps away.
["See...this is for you. I learnt it from the books I'm reading magic from and the material found here...this is for good luck.
"Good luck?" Myale crouched in front of Hein. The hazy memory was crippling away.
"If it's for me that's enougn. I'll cherish it." Zarita made a pinky promise with Hein. "Cherish it forever." Hein remarked]
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Zarita crouched, her eyes wet. As she picked up the cold brooch in her shivering hands. Clenching it in her hands, closer to her face. Her burning eyes were finally sensing comfort. Her hands started trembling softly as she didn't wanted to look back just sit there for a long, long time.
With a creeping feel, she forced her feet on the ground pushing up standing straight as she looked back. The door wasn't visible! far away from her. She started running, supressing her mind and emotions.
Panting supressed so did her fear. The dark vapours scaring her soul obscuring nearly the whole area. Her mind was going dizzy slowly drifting in her head as she pressured her whole self and focused. Running towards the door on the endless steps. The indescribable distance was truly behemoth.
There was only one way to reach the end. To be injected with the very essence of running, the WILL into her muscles as she nearly shutted her brain down. Every ounce of pain travelleing through her muscle fibre like a little shock.
I can do it. I have to do it.
The dreams took over her mind while her body was running.
The day she returned home early and surprised her brother by sneaking in the room. The day she was crying as her brother pampered her and she slept on his lap. The day she gave up on her blanket so her brother won't shiver in cold. Even though both of them fought in daylight, hating each other, teasing, fighting, and even mistakenly hurting. And reconciling at night, treating each other's wounds. Cooking food together when their parents were out of the town, the day she made a puppet doll for him in his school competition.
"Oii! Don't ever leave me okay." Her brother's words echoed in her mind. Scyures and Hein's faces appeared in her eyes that had lost it's luster.
....
After running for unimaginable amount of time, Zarita was subconsciously dreaming while her body was running on it's own. Her bones had crippling cracks in them, her heart was beating on it's last pounds. Her lungs had nearly given up. Red bloodshot face with numb pale hands.
As the door was in front of her. She came back to senses and fell onto the ground. Her breathing was violently increasing as she could hardly feel anything her neck to spine trembling. Her limbs numb and supersensitively wobbling and trembling as she couldn't even bring herself to cry as the torture of the after effects continued for nearly an hour.
After her body calmed a little she just rested there, scratching the ground with her crippling nail tips, smacking the ground.
"Hahahaha..." laughing to vent the pain that she couldn't stop. The horror of the sight could traumatize one forever. She coughed, coughed harder than ever as nearly her organs spat out. She stood up, her leg shaking back and forth like a disjointed robotic leg. She gripped on the knob and twisted it.
God...please have mercy. I tried as hard as I could. This hell was something I never...ever want to even imagine anymore. I beg of you to erase these memories. Oh god!
This place feels like it will strip away me of my soul.
She pushed the door open as slowly specks of golden light came in. On the other side was a land stretching far away. The field with golden tall wheat endlessly in the sight, glowing with golden luster of the sun.
She walked through the door, her hollow-felt bones crippling as the moment her feet landed on the wheat cluster. The door vanished as her second leg also forcefully stepped on the land. Her body instantly emitted large amount of vapours for nearly five seconds until her fatigue disappeared and she recovered. Her mind was cooling down as warmth cleared her tension, thirst and apetite. She fell on ground the soft wheat crops caressed on her face, the tears fell down.
Just a little more, and then I'll be back united with others. I'll rest all day, I won't move a single finger. I'll make Hein massage my shoulders, maybe make Scyures make some food—I might help. Make Lanmyth take us all to a cozy trip. I want to return back now, I can't go back but I want to- Oh god. I..
She punched on the ground taking the breath inside as she stood up, taking out her brooch. Alinging it with the sun as rays beneded behind falling on ground gracefully, a smile drew over Zarita's face. Every ray carried a stretching divinity.
Beautiful, pretty, gorgeous...I love this.
She giggled and plucked out a leafy part of the wheat crop and folded it while walking slowly. A step at a time, like a joyous lady, she hopped here and there gently. Recovering her mind bit by bit.
Soon in her sight came a tent, a big house sized tent. She had forgotten she was in hell. As only thing in her mind was that she had promised her brother to take him to a circus once as her body was attracted to it already. She slowly, taking her time walked towards it. Ocasionally walking near a tree to kick on it or peel of a small part of bark and fold it for satisfaction.
There was a sight of something. Golden hair under brimmed hat. Hidden face, a man in a double-breasted coat with yellow turtle neck underneath.
A gold-rimmed cane with simplistic design. A sudden glow from the brooch came, Zarita looked at it feeling calm warmth. As she looked again he was nowhere to be seen.
Who was he?
She walked towards the circus tent, looking here and there to catch the signt of the man again.
The red and white, striped tent was dark from inside but shining lesuirely with luxury. On top of it's hat was a small red patch of cloth wavering from the smooth wind. Zarita peaked inside as something suddenly surfaced in her.
The darkness she had forgotten was coming up, but the contrasting sunshine had neutralised it.
I made it here, I'm in good shape and size. I have to move forward without falling into another illusion. This is hell not heaven.
The calm yet angry expression of her with the charm came back again over the fading exaggerrated easiness. She clenched her wrist, brushed her brooch and stepped in.