CHAPTER 18: (TIME)
“Look Kai, you don’t even know if it was a vision or just a dream.” I hear Adam saying in the other room. I look at my bedside clock. It’s only 6am. I get up and head towards the door quietly listening in the small crack of the doorjamb. I’ve been finding myself eavesdropping a lot lately. I know that it’s not right but Kai strikes me as being a bit over protective. Sometimes I need to be in the know. I can tell when I’m around him that he’s consistently playing the protector role. He isn’t a fountain of information around me, especially when it comes to things that are dangerous or could hurt me.
Kai’s voice is very low and I start wishing I had a glass or something to hear better. “Keep it down Adam... Look, I have been having these visions long enough to be able to decipher the difference between a premonition and a dream. This was not a dream.”
“Okay, I understand Kai. It would be much better if it were just a dream... So you saw the fight between Emma and Kao. She lost?” Adam says in a volume that I’m sure is not as quiet as Kai would have liked.
Kai gives a sad shaky sigh. “No, she did not win. She’s not strong enough Adam. I’m not sure if I even know anyone strong enough or fast enough to beat a Night Marcher. Even if she were to train for a year I don’t think she would have a fighting chance.” I can hear Kai pacing. I get a little nervous that his footsteps might be heading toward my room. “I can’t let him win. I can’t let her be taken by them. I don’t have a choice Adam.”
“Kai, you always have a choice. You need to really think this through. We don’t even know how this sacrifice thing works. We don’t know if you would even be an eligible candidate. You can’t die. Would they even be able to take you? If the Night Marcher spears you in the heart, you will just heal within minutes. It may not work.” Adam is pleading with Kai. I’m sure he doesn’t want to lose his best friend. I know if it were Kaylee I wouldn’t let her do something like this for anyone.
“I don’t care Adam. I have to try. I cannot let her just die! I will not!” Kai says harshly towards Adam. I’m sure he’s not being rude to Adam he’s just passionate about what he’s saying. His tone drops to a gentle and pleading tone when he continues. “I love her. I know I shouldn’t say this but I love her even more than I loved Heleya! I can’t lose her.” His voice nearly breaks when he says the last part.
I gasp, and pull away from the door completely taken back by his confession. He loves me more than Heleya? How? We’ve known each other for such a short period of time. I think back to when he told me that he had had visions of me for years. I guess in a way he’s known me for a while.
I know I need to hear the remainder of the conversation so I move back to the door to hear Adam talking.
“Well, then, we better get some advice from some of the elders first. Maybe they will have more knowledge. Although, this is unchartered waters as you are the first human that we have ever known who is basically immortal.”
“Then we will. First thing in the morning once Emma’s safe in training we will talk with them.” Kai says.
I rush over and get quietly back in bed. I hear the front door to the house open and shut. Adam must have headed out. A few minutes later my room door quietly opens just a crack. It stays open for a moment and then quietly closes again. I guess Kai was checking on me. I didn’t dare move though. My heart is beating so fast, I try to will it to calm down. I can’t let Kai sacrifice himself for me! I’m scared though. He said he had a vision of me dying. I don’t want to die. I’m a teenager after all; we don’t even contemplate death until we are at least twenty-one! Even though I’m scared of dying I still wouldn’t allow him to take my place, no way!
I lay in bed for the next hour. I obviously don’t fall back to sleep since my mind is running faster than a freight train trying to figure a way out of this mess. Some way that would keep us both safe. By the time that Kai comes in to wake me up I’ve decided one fact. I will not let Kai sacrifice himself for me no matter what. This means that I need to kill Kao before Kai has the chance to offer himself as a trade.
We are both silent throughout breakfast and throughout the walk to the Dojo. When we get to the door I turn to give Kai a hug. Our hug is longer than normal as if we are trying to hold onto each other for dear life. Kai pulls away first and gently pushes a strand of hair away from my face. He looks deep into my eyes and says, “Emma, I love you.” He says it so strongly and surely that I feel as if I might say it back.
I don’t, I just lean up and kiss him passionately on the lips.
“Goodbye, Kai.”
“I will see you after class,” Kai says.
I have never focused so hard in class as I have today. Master Chuck even commented on how I must have found my ‘mana’ today. I am determined to soak in all the advice, skill, and training that I can right now since this will be my last class. I have come to my final decision. I will sneak out and find The Night Marchers tonight.
Kai is waiting for me when I get done. I wipe a towel across my face and take a deep swig of water. Kai meets me by the door, “You looked really hot today Emma.”
I blush wondering how long he had been watching me try to kick butt. “Thanks, I feel hot!” I say while fanning myself with my hand.
Kai gives a small laugh and takes my hand. We walk back to his home slowly each knowing it’s only a matter of time till our fate is out of our hands.
I take my usual shower and notice someone has done my laundry. It kind of makes me a bit nervous that someone else, whom I don’t know, washed my ‘unthinkables’. I get dressed, towel dry my hair and head out to the main room. Kai is waiting for me on the couch. “You’re so beautiful, you know that?”
I blush taken off guard by his sentiment. I don’t have makeup on and my hair is a mess. It’s utterly sweet of him to think I’m beautiful now! Kai comes up and runs his fingers through my wet hair. I’m going to miss his sweet gestures so much. My brain tries to wander off to my upcoming battle but thankfully I don’t get to think about it too long when his lips find mine.
His hand locks behind my wet hair pulling me even closer to him. Then in one swift motion Kai picks me up and takes me to the couch. He sets me down while never breaking the kiss. His kisses move down my neck sending shivers down my body. He finds my ear and I stifle a small giggle. Kai breaths into my ear his phrase from last night, “Aloha No Au la ‘Oe.” He says it with such desperation almost as if he knows deep down that this is our last night together. Pain slices through my heart as I think of never seeing Kai again but I push the pain and fear down deep and just allow myself to be in this moment. He slowly kisses each part of my face, my forehead, my chin, the bridge of my nose. Then he plants one last soft kiss on my lips and pulls himself away.
His breathing is heavy as he sighs deeply, “I have a meeting in five minutes.” He bends his forehead down to where I can’t see his face.
I brush his hair back and take his chin in my hand. My brain is still a little dizzy from our kiss and the volts of electricity running through my veins. “You better go then; they’ll be waiting for you.”
Kai hesitantly stands up and stares back down towards me. His features grow soft as his hand comes down on my cheek. “I love you Emma, I always will, no matter what.”
I smile back at him and place my hand on his. “Kai, you mean so much to me. I’m so thankful for all that you have done for me.” My eyes implore him hoping that he can truly understand how grateful I am for him. He smiles, kisses me on the cheek and then too soon he is headed out the door.
I forgot to ask how long Kai would be gone. I sit on the sofa letting my fingers trace the outline of the pillow. I am extremely nervous, but I need to end this, tonight. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Opening them with a new determination. It is time. I go to Kai’s room and open up the bag I always take with me to the Dojo. There in the bottom of the bag curled up inside of a towel is the Ihe I took from Master Chuck. I feel a little bad about it, but I didn’t know where
else to find what I needed. I grip the deadly weapon and take a few practice swings. I place it back in the bag; along with a few other things I’ll need and head out. I finger the shells along my necklace as I place it inside my shirt. A piece of Kai I think as I leave his home.
I take the tunnel down to where the brick walkway lies. Trying to stay within the shadows hoping to conceal my identity. Unfortunately being at least two feet taller than anyone else makes it practically impossible. I walk quickly looking around the cave walls for some telltale sign of an exit. There has to be some sort of door around here somewhere; I doubt the Menehunes dive through the canal every time they want to leave. I walk down the direction of the river and follow it along until it comes to a dead end. I look all around and scan the walls for anything that might be an exit. I see a small crack in the wall; kind of like the one where Kai’s door to his bungalow lies. I check and make sure no one is looking then slip into the crack meeting instantly with a staircase. I breathe a sigh of relief as I begin climbing the stairs.
The climb is ferociously tiring and I have to stop a few times to catch my breath. I finally reach the top and look at the door that has appeared in front of me. It has a strange sign that has some writing I don’t understand scrawled on it, but it is made in the colors of red and white. A flash of memory pops into my mind as I think of the universal color for an exit sign. Yanking on the handle I find that it’s locked! I gasp. A lock. How could I have not thought of this! I pull as hard as I can to try to unlatch the door, but it won’t budge. I sit on the top step with my head in my hands. Think Emma, think. When I lift my head up I hear keys rattling against the door on the opposite side. I hurry over to the wall and try as best as I can to blend in. Hopefully when the door opens they won’t look back and see me. Also, I hope it doesn’t open all the way and squish me; the door seems heavy duty! The lock finally turns as the door opens carefully. In walk two Menehunes giggling to each other. They are so consumed with one another they don’t even glance in my direction. I come swiftly behind them and catch the door before it closes, then sneak out. The rush of fresh air comes at me full force. I breathe in deeply forgetting how wonderful the night air feels and smells in Kauai. I begin walking forward only to find myself breathing in a breath of sheer terror. There is a huge drop down, and when I say huge I mean mammoth! From the looks of the location we are high up on the side of a cliff. No wonder it took me so long to climb the stairs! I look to my right and see a footpath going down. There’s also one on the left, but that is going up. I decide to take the left path so I could get my bearings straight as to where exactly I am. I want to get back to the path where I had the first run in with the night marchers. Hopefully that will get me close enough to find them again. I pull the bag up higher on my shoulder and get climbing.
The climb is absolutely terrifying. There is a small footpath, no larger than two feet wide that I have to maneuver around. I try to look straight forward afraid to look down. I inch along the side of the cliff willing it to end soon. Within five minutes I am at the top of the cliff overlooking most of the island. In the distance I can see storm clouds rolling in and I pray that they don’t bring any rain.
I scan the island looking for clues as to where the place might be until a waterfall comes into view. I know there are quite a few waterfalls on the island, but I could swear that none were this large. I try to imprint the memory into my mind as to where it is by finding visual points that could help me along the way.
The sky is almost darkened by the setting sun and I try to hurry so I don’t get stuck on the side of this cliff when it’s completely pitch dark. In my haste, I slip on some of the rocks just enough to send them soaring over the edge. I forget to not look down as I gather my footing and watch the rocks spiral downwards into a would-be abyss. I suck in a breath of air as I focus my eyes back on the trail ahead. Mind over matter Emma, mind over matter; I have to keep reminding myself.
Thankfully I make it down the cliff just as the sun has breathed its last ray. Opening my bag I pull out the flashlight I found under Kai’s kitchen sink. I forgot to check to see if it worked, and am utterly relieved to find the light shining brilliantly when I switch it on. It is so spooky out here in the middle of the night. The sounds of wildlife are immediately apparent as I find a decent trail that looks to be going in the direction of the waterfall. A deep throaty pig sound, probably that of a boar, rings in the distance. It’s frightening to be out here alone, away from the safety of Kai, but I know that it has to be done. That thought alone is what keeps me moving. I grab my bag and descend onto the trail.