Ch. 5

Past

Pamuya

Quietly, I crept to the doors of The Frost and lightly tapped against them. Slowly, they creaked open, allowing the smallest of glimpses into the celestial heavens. I withdrew, afraid at first but summoning all my courage, shoved my way through the walls of this prison, escaping into the light.

Where are you?

I heard him calling to me again. I had to get to him before Amek found out.

I rushed to the gardens, barely touching my feet to the heaven’s ground, so Amek wouldn’t sense my presence. I only had a short window of cover before the moon’s eye found me. A little trick Amek must have put in the sky upon my imprisonment.

There was night and day in the heavens but there wasn’t a sun or a moon to light the sky as it did in the human world. There was no need for such things in the heavens. The cosmic energy and dust that surrounded us was our light in the sky as it were.

This time, it was almost pitch black. Most likely one of the celestial giants blocking out another. The good thing about this was the fact that the heavens would be weakened. Hence why I was able to leave The Frost.

I made my way to the center of the celestial gardens and suddenly remembered The Looking Pot. There it lay, smashed to pieces, cutting off my access to the mortal realm. The images from before cutting me deep, like shards of glass, slicing through my resolve.

My heart ached. All hope was lost. I was no Amek. I couldn’t travel between dimensions without some sort of portal. Even if I did possess such a power, my time in The Frost had left me too weak.

I sank to the ground and cried like I’d never cried before. I thought my imprisonment would be the end of me but this was much worse. I was trapped, with no way to reach him.

“Curse you Amek,” I whispered to no one.

I didn’t care if I was discovered, nothing else mattered.

Suddenly my tears began to glow around me. Soon, a portal to the human world opened up and I could see the ocean below.  

It was small, but it was enough. I stepped a foot through and the portal grew wider. I stepped my other foot in and lowered myself to the ground. I stuck my arms down, dipping my fingers into the widened portal.

I could feel the wind of the human world whipping at my feet. I was so close. Just a little lower and I would be transported to the mortal realm.     

Behind me, I heard a crash and the guards sounding the alarm. They knew I had escaped The Frost. I didn’t have time to waste. I needed to leave, now.

I pushed against the edge of the glowing puddle, stretching the portal as far as my arms would allow before submerging myself completely.

I fell to the world below, feeling the wind slip between my fingers, listening to the birds chirp around me, the scent of earth and pine filling my nostrils. For the first time in a long time, my senses were alive. I could feel the heavenly energy fill my veins, my powers returning to me.

I held my hand out in front of me, summoning my staff, a long pole made of porcelain with a silver sphere on the top, celestial orbs circling around it. I waved it in the air, collecting trees, twigs, rocks and dirt before my feet, molding into solid blocks that I descended down.

Once I reached the ground, I swung my staff, returning all the materials back to their former state, as though nothing had happened. I didn't want to alarm the humans. There was only one human I wanted to see.

I closed my eyes and listened for his voice.

Where are you?

I could hear his thoughts. I turned and started through the throng of trees before me until I came to a structure. It looked like a bunch of trees, but they were stripped of their limbs and leaves, the tops cut into a sharp point. They were lined up in a tight row in a block formation. Atop were some humans circling the perimeter, most likely guarding this structure, on the lookout for intruders.

I couldn’t just walk right up to them. I could overtake them if I wanted but I had no desire to hurt any humans. I figured my best bet would be to wait and sneak into this fortress.

The two humans moved out of sight and I took this as my opportunity to run over. The structure looked solid, but I had a way around that. I closed my eyes, allowing my body to change from its celestial form to liquid, flowing down to the ground before slipping through the cracks within the fortress walls. Once inside, I materialized back into my original form.

I glanced around, seeing that there were tiny structures within the larger one. I listened for him again.

Where are you? Why can’t I find you?

I’m right here.

I spoke in his mind. I sensed him shift and I followed the energy to a tiny house in the back. I peered inside its open window but I didn’t see anything. Was I mistaken?

I turned around, deciding to check the house beside it when a hand grabbed mine.

“It is you,” he spoke softly. I inched closer, coming face to face with those clear, blue eyes, pale skin and dark tresses, framing his beautiful face.

I reached out to touch him but our time was short lived when a bright light descended upon us and I began to float away.

Present

Annalee

I woke with tears streaming down my eyes but it wasn’t my sadness I was feeling, it was hers. A memory from before that perhaps Pamuya didn’t want me to remember. That maybe she herself didn’t want to remember.      

I couldn’t imagine loving someone so much you’d do anything for them and then to have it all go so horribly wrong. The pain swirling inside was more than I could bear.

“If we’re going to coexist, we have to be able to talk to him, without trying to kill him,” I spoke aloud.

If I wanted him dead, he would be. She spoke in my mind.

Then what do you want?

Silence.

This wasn’t the first time I had posed this question. Although it was more to myself than to her. But now, having seen him and felt what she felt, felt what he felt as well, it was clear they had unfinished business and I wouldn’t be able to sleep again until I resolved their conflict.

After the assembly, the headmaster instructed me to take anger management classes as well as for me and Ayden to clean the gym before classes.

So I got up and put on some sweats with the school logo on it, and prepared to head to the gym. When I got there Ayden was already standing outside, leaned against the side of the building. He was looking at his phone but I caught the shift of eyebrows lifting up into his hairline. He sensed I was there but he was pretending not to. I didn’t know how I felt about that but judging from the twisting knots in my stomach, I didn’t like that.

I didn’t know much about Ayden Smith. Other than he was in the astronomy club, he played sports but wasn’t a big athlete, his parents had one of the libraries named after him, and he was in the advanced college track courses. So I wouldn’t be seeing much of him during my regular day. Maybe I could use this opportunity to find out what happened between him and Pamuya.

“Hey.” I waved.

He looked up, shocked at first but then he blinked away whatever thought he had and replied, “Hi.”

We stared at one another as if we were the only two people in the world. There was hope and love and sorrow swirling in his eyes and I wondered what he saw swimming in mine. I felt like a tornado was whirling inside me, a mix of elation, confusion, but also hope. Maybe Ayden could finally help me solve the mystery of Pamuya and I could finally find some peace. Or at the very least, learn to control my powers.

Realizing neither one of us had said anything in some time, I cleared my throat and offered another apology. “Sorry about yesterday. That wasn’t me. That was her. And I didn’t mean to do that, so I hope you can—“

He held up his hand to stop me. “You don’t need to apologize. Either of you. I shouldn’t have called you out like that.” He pocketed his phone before stepping off the wall.

Immediately my body stilled and Pamuya took over my hands, flexing her fingers, preparing for a fight. As if sensing my trepidation, Ayden took a step back, holding his hands. And I felt myself relax.

“Sorry. I’m just–I’m Ayden Smith.” He extended his hand to me.

I stared at his stretched out hand. It was just a handshake. It wasn’t like Pamuya would possess me and body flip him again? Right?    

When I looked up, Ayden was standing close in front of me. So close I could see all the different color blues that danced in his irises.

“Whatever she does to me, rest assured, I can handle it. I know you’d never hurt me.”

I couldn’t be sure who he was speaking to from the last part, but if I had to guess, it was to her. Slowly but surely, I regained control of my limbs and was able to place my hand in his, firmly shaking his hand.

It was as if all time had stopped and we were transported to the middle of the cosmos. All around us were moments from our shared past life. His lifeless body lying limp in my arms as I breathed life into him, our first time meeting. His arms around mine, us swaying to nothing; my lips against his, sharing our first kiss; us lying in the glow of the moonlight, limbs tangled in each other; and that last one, my body, lying there bleeding out, dying in his arms.

I yanked my hand back, shaking the images from my brain.

“What was that?” I asked him.

But before he could answer me, the doors to the gym opened and out stepped a large, muscular woman with dull, auburn hair with skin so dry, you could use it to kindle firewood.

 She was wearing the school colors; a gray sweatshirt with burgundy track pants and white sneakers. I was glad I came prepared. Ayden on the other hand was not. What with his crisp jeans and dark blue button down polo, who was he trying to impress?

Oh right. Me. I mean her. I mean us? 

“You’re late,” she informed us before stalking off.

“I guess that’s our cue to head inside. Shall we?” He turned on his heels, opening the door for me.

“Thanks.” I smiled nervously and led the way, with him following close behind. But not too close. Although I could sense his eyes on me, roaming all over my body. I wondered what he saw when he looked at me. Was it me or her? Maybe I’d get a moment to ask him later.

Once inside, we stood in the middle of sleek, wooden floors with burgundy padding covering cream colored walls, beneath two basketball goals, a high ceiling made of class and of course, bleachers in the back. 

“Alright delinquents,” the angry lady barked. “I’m Coach Mayes. And for the next hour, your asses are mine and you do whatever I say. Understood?”

I nodded. I glanced over to see if Ayden had nodded but I found his eyes on me, stealing glimpses of me.. Crimson hues flamed across his cheeks once he realized he was caught, turning his gaze away.

“Uh hmm,” Coach Mayes cleared her throat. “May I continue?”

I nodded again. I didn't dare look at Ayden.

She walked over to a cart filled with wonky, misshapen balls and grabbed one before dropping it to the ground, where it landed with a loud, yet deflated thud. “I want air pumped into these balls and when you’re done, come find me and I’ll give you your next set of orders.”

But I thought–but I quickly shook the thought off. I didn’t want to upset this woman any further. I just wanted to do what she said and get out of here.

“Good.” The coach nodded. “Remember to come find me when you get done. Now get to it.” And with that she stomped out of the gym and left us alone.

“Well, we better get to it.” I walked up to the cart and grabbed a smooshed up volleyball. “Where is the air pump?” I looked around for one.

“We don’t need an air pump.” Ayden grinned, grabbing a flattened sphere, pressing his palms together, with the ball in between, before releasing it, a newly pumped ball.

“Wow. How did you do that?” I asked, amazed.

“You can do that too . . . I’m sorry, I never quite got your name.”

“Oh.” Now it was my turn to blush. “Uh . . . It’s Annalee.”

“That’s a pretty name.” He smiled at me. I only blushed more. “But like I was saying, all the powers I have, you have too. You–Pamuya–were the one who gave me my powers.”

“I see.” I contemplated his words.

“You don’t remember?”

“My memory is a little fuzzy. Seeing as how I’m no longer alive.” Pamuya’s voice slipped through my own, dripping with disdain. I tried to shake her away but she was having none of it. “If I recall, Ayden.” She pushed my feet forward, invading Ayden’s space, closing the gap between us. He didn’t flinch but there was some concern etched on his brow.

Pamuya stop. I tried to yield her but it seemed she wasn’t listening to me.

“You were the one responsible for my demise.” She continued, standing toe to toe with her ex-lover. “And you want to know if I remember? What is it that you hope I’ll remember? Hmm?” She placed my hands over his, gripping tightly. I tried to loosen the grip but to no avail. “Because I will never forget the night your hands stabbed me with that spear and drained the life from my body.” And with that, she popped the ball he was holding.

“Pamuya, I–”

“Spare me your lies.” She whirled around, storming towards the exit, but I stopped her.

No. We–I still have a job to do. And I intend to finish it. Understood?

Fine. She yielded and gave me back control of my body.

“Sorry about that. Where were we?”

I turned back towards him but he had his back towards me, his shoulders drooped. I heaved a sigh. I–Pamuya really did a number on him. I could feel the guilt and the shame weighing heavily on him but something deep, deep down in my gut told me he wasn’t truly at fault. For someone who looked at Pamuya the way he did couldn’t have done what she was accusing.

“Ayden–”

“Let’s just get back to it. Wouldn’t want Coach Mayes to find us slacking off,” he said over his shoulder.

With that, he was closed off to me. All because of her. Well, because of me. If I had better control of her and my powers, I could have prevented this. But there was no sense in crying over hurt feelings. Maybe tomorrow I could try to approach him and maybe Pamuya would calm down enough to let me.