Whisperers

  I couldn’t be sure.

  The dragon circled ever closer in our direction.

  I looked over at Nia.

  She was completely taken by the creatures on the water.

  I cringed and fell to my knees as the doof-doof took me off guard.

  It no longer had any rhythm.

  Just came and went as it pleased.

  I looked up.

  It was heading straight for us.

  No.

  It was heading for the creatures on the water.

  I could clearly see the head.

  It had at least four eyes in the front.

  It looked like a dragon, but then again.

  It was too ugly and scary too care what it was.

  It didn’t seem like something good.

  Why would it be on fire.

  The flames literally burned as if they came from its skin.

  Or they were burning right on top of its skin, never hurting the thing.

  I tried to call to Nia as the thing was about to stab its razor sharp tail into the back of the orangey creature.

  “Sherwin!”

  Nia sounded scared.

  “What? What’s wrong?” I asked confused.

  “You were screaming...” Nia seemed confused.

  “I don’t know. But we are here.”

  Nia points in front of her.

  I turn my head in the direction she was pointing.

  We were at Lake Tranquillity.

  Nia helped me up.

  Did we only just arrive?

  x

  Nia let go of my hand and stepped closer to the lake.

  I looked around.

  It was dark.

  Only the blue light about us.

  You could see the flames consuming Protected-Dreams-Forest.

  To our far left.

  No fire had reached the opposite bank though.

  Except for the few spots of fire along the hill.

  Behind the tiny cabin.

  They didn’t seem to pose any threat.

  Not at the moment.

  Yet.

  Uhm.

  There were bright lights hovering above the lake.

  Fireflies.

  Nia stared in wonder.

  I felt suddenly dizzy.

  I managed to keep my balance though.

  I walked over to Nia.

  She hushed me before I could speak.

  She pointed with her finger to the trees on the other side.

  I saw it too.

  An orange head poked around the tree trunk.

  Then it hid quick.

  Slowly it put out its orange foot then its thigh.

  More of the torso.

  Till it finally emerges fully from behind the tree.

  It glances quickly to its left.

  Then right.

  The head movements swift.

  Almost as if it didn’t move at all.

  The eyes were clearly green.

  They were sort of angular.

  It didn’t look human.

  But it was definitely not an animal.

  I could see the small nose.

  Above the thick.

  Yes thick.

  Orange lips.

  It was unusual.

  But it fit the creature perfect.

  The lips sort of blending with the edges of the translucent wings.

  It looked like real feathers.

  One fell to the water surface as it swiftly ran on top of the water.

  Feet ever pointed.

  The feather was the only disturbance.

  Causing small ripples in the quiet waters.

  Like the thing was lighter than the feather.

  Or was it perhaps floating in the air.

  But how?

  The wings flapped sporadically.

  Not like something that was hovering.

  The creature then stares at Nia.

  She gasps.

  The creature looks away quick.

  Vanishes.

  Nia makes a shriek noise.

  Like she just felt something crawl down her back.

  But immediately she starts smiling.

  Then giggling.

  Until she starts laughing uncontrollably.

  She fell on her back.

  She was in stitches.

  “Stop! Stooo…ooop!” Nia laughed.

  Immediately she starts laughing less.

  But still giggles as she gets back onto her feet.

  “Wow!” She says breathless.

  That was amazing.

  “What was?” I asked.

  Before she could answer.

  The blue head emerges from the water.

  It looks around.

  Cautiously.

  Then lifts the rest of its body out the water.

  Water flowing like mercury off its skin.

  It looked amazing.

  You could clearly see that it was wet.

  But now like it was never under the water.

  It looked at Nia.

  Suddenly she gasps again.

  This time she however closes her eyes and starts turning around in one spot.

  I didn’t understand what was happening.

  I looked over at the purple-bluish creature with its strange wings.

  It seemed to be dancing on the water.

  A slow waltz.

  I looked over to our left and fell to my knees as I anticipated the doof-doof in my head.

  But there was nothing.

  I looked over across the tree tops.

  I could see the blue sphere.

  The top of the tower.

  I saw as it shattered and started falling to pieces.

  I anticipated the doof-doof.

  Again.

  Nothing.

  I saw as the red dragon started hovering ever closer towards us.

  I only assumed it was a dragon.

  Big thing with wings.

  Fire coming from every part of it.

  I suddenly understood.

  We didn’t have much time.

  I rushed over to Nia.

  She was still in a world of her own.

  I tried to stop her, but all she did was take my hands in hers and started waltzing with me.

  I tried to stop her.

  Again.

  But then I saw it.

  We were right above the water.

  Below you could see the fish as they seemed to be dancing along.

  The tiny yellow specks like they were making sure that should Nia trip, they would catch her.

  Like a net.

  I can’t explain.

  It formed patterns on the water.

  Nia seemed to experience it differently.

  “Can you feel the water, Sher.”

  She said as she closes her beautiful doe eyes.

  “It’s like I’m dancing in the water.”

  She tries to explain.

  “Without any resistance. But I can feel that I am wet.” She sounded strange.

  I was not experiencing any of this.

  Just that I was dancing a waltz with Nia.

  On top of Lake Tranquillity.

  It was a beautiful place.

  Especially here.

  Here most of the lilies grew.

  Here I swore I saw a live gnome once.

  Nia disagreed and said that it was an elf.

  I didn’t agree with that though.

  I suddenly saw the fire in the distance and remembered the dragon.

  Before I could speak, Nia stopped dancing and we hovered for a moment on top of the water.

  She was looking in the direction of the castle.

  She could finally see what was happening.

  We were on the grass by the lake again.

  Nia held her hand to her mouth.

  “It’s all almost gone.”

  She was basically talking to herself.

  “Yes,” I said.

  Not sure to feel sad or glad.


  For Nia’s sake.

  I mean.

  “But why?”

  That’s all she asks.

  I went to stand next to her.

  Doing my best to ignore the dragon that was fast approaching.

  Nia was oblivious to it.

  It seemed.

  “I think I understand.” I try to find the words.

  “It is the only way to make me forget, I think.”

  I said to Nia.

  Not sure if what I was saying was correct.

  I have misunderstood so many things.

  Before.

  Why could I be so sure now.

  “Forget? Why? How?”

  Nia was like one that didn’t remember what happened inside the castle.

  I didn’t understand it.

  Uhm.

  “Out of sight, out of mind.”

  That’s all I could muster.

  I finally understood what that meant.

  Only with this out of my sight.

  Would I be able to move on.

  It needed to be removed from my memory.

  Literally be erased.

  So that I could never dream about it again.

  It was the cause of the headaches.

  The loud doof-doof.

  It was being chipped from my brain.

  So that no traces may remain.

  That’s how I understood it.

  More of His grace.

  Yes.

  “It is for the best.”

  I told Nia.

  She seemed satisfied with what I told her.

  I looked across her shoulder and saw as the dragon started swooping down.

  I try to warn her, but Nia notices something by the lake and runs over quick.

  I turn and look too.

  I was not sure what Nia was seeing.

  I looked back at the red dragon.

  How could Nia not see it.

  It was huge.

  I could see it clearly as it stops flapping its gigantic wings and just darted sort of straight down.

  Increasing in speed.

  Tail going ever rigid as the pointed sharp point protruded from the tip of its tail.

  It was going to kill the two creatures that were playing on top of the water.

  I ran over to Nia and jumped her flat on the grass.

  Trying to shield her from the flames.

  It seemed to be burning fiercer as the dragon was about to strike.

  Suddenly.

  From nowhere.

  Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la! Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la! Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la!

  Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la! Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la! Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la!

  Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la!

  The dragon started flapping its wings wildly.

  An awful squeal came from it.

  More and more.

  The fire like it was suddenly burning hotter than before.

  You could see the white flames leave its skin.

  Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la! Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la! Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la!

  Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la!

  Tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la!

  It sounded like trumpets, but also as if it was singing coming from all directions.

  I could however only make out the tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la.

  The dragon squealed more.

  Lost control and crashed straight into the lake.

  It continued to squirm and squeal, till it just disappeared below the water.

  It didn’t sink.

  It was completely gone.

  No traces of it left.

  Nia pointed to the lilies and says.

  “Can you hear, Sherwin.”

  I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to hear.

  Still only the tra-lala-lal-lal-la-la-la rang in my ears.

  “It sounds like Ave Maria.”

  Nia seems to listen to be sure.

  I listened too.

  “No.”

  Nia sounded sure.

  She took me to the lake’s edge.

  We sat down next to the lilies.

  I could hear them now too.

  They were singing.

  They were also responsible for the noise that stopped the dragon.

  I was sure of this.

  I listened.

  They were singing… Ave… Marnia.

  xi

  “Ave Maria, Sher,” Nia sits quietly and listens.

  “Ave Marnia,” I argued.

  We stared at each other for a moment.

  Neither of us could really tell.

  It was in the way the lilies changed their voices that made it difficult.

  Though Nia was not a Catholic, she did enjoy listening to that song.

  She loved the story of Mary and Jesus.

  She would always volunteer to be Mary whenever the church Sunday school put on a Christmas play.

  Guess that’s where all the parlour queen business began.

  Umf.

  Uhm.

  Nia…

  I remembered why we were here.

  Yes.

  We didn’t have much time.

  Nia was not aware of this.

  I realised more and more what was happening.

  The red dragon.

  Uhm.

  “Nia,” I felt as I moved from behind the tree and saw her from across the water.

  I saw him too.

  There, with her.

  They didn’t see me.

  I ran forward quick.

  Sure not to stir anything.

  If they were to be aware of my presence, it would all be lost.

  I circled around for a moment then looked at her.

  How could I not.

  Nia.

  Fair Lady.

  My Fair Lady.

  She is beautiful.

  With the khakis hiding her well in this blue light.

  Who could ever miss that face.

  It was just too bright.

  The hair.

  Like a light in the dark.

  Those doe eyes.

  Dark orbs.

  Shiny blue velvet in this light.

  She looks straight at me.

  I was caught.

  That was good.

  Perhaps now I could get through.

  I hid as well as I could then stood right next to her.

  He was thankfully staring towards the castle.

  “Nia,” I said.

  She just stared out over the lake.

  I resorted to tickling her.

  She reacted to that.

  She started laughing and then fell to the ground.

  I tickled her under her feet.

  She was very ticklish there.

  It didn’t work.

  She just laughed on.

  Wasn’t aware of me.

  Tickling her.

  I tried again.

  “Stop! Stooo…ooop!”

  That’s all she screamed.

  He looked.

  Almost at me.

  I slowly slip into the water.

  The water was cool.

  It was only with Nia in it.

  That it went warm.

  Depending on the distance away she was from me.

  It would get hotter.

  I was not sure why.

  But I think I understood that too.

  I swam past all the fish that gathered to get a glimpse of the Queen.

  She was regularly at the lake, but this was the first time we got here at night.

  I swam to the surface, then slowly hid again.

  Nia was still giggling.

  She was holding her stomach.

  Then she sees me again.

  He does too.

  I could not carry on hiding like this.

  I would have to try and speak to them both.

  I started waltzing.

  Nia was an expert by now.

  She insisted we do ballroom dancing together.

>   She liked it a lot.

  I went with because it got me one-on-one time with Nia.

  Constant grab of the hip.

  Rub of the thigh as you wait for the count.

  Hand resting on shoulders.

  Palms together.

  Warm.

  Those were moments I would treasure.

  It were the only times that we held each other like that.

  Nia danced with me.

  She wasn’t aware of this.

  How could I get through to her.

  I decided to draw her into the water.

  Perhaps if she felt the heat, she would notice me.

  We went down.

  The water was immediately hot around me.

  I could feel my skin like burning plastic was falling onto my skin.

  Nia didn’t notice a thing.

  She just smiled broadly at all the fish around us.

  Nia sure did love the water.

  And she loved fish.

  I still have no idea why.

  Apparently fish have personalities.

  I’m sure my sweetpea was right.

  Umf.

  None of this was working.

  I tried to make him be aware of what was going on.

  I climbed up the tower quick and waited.

  He would show his face.

  He was out for my blood.

  I stood and watched as the fire came ever closer.

  The vygies were no longer cheering.

  Nor was the guineafowl ordering everyone about.

  He was looking for his Queen too.

  I felt the sadness it felt.

  Where was Nia.

  How could she just disappear like that.

  I saw as the red dragon poked his head through the tower.

  Shattering the blue marble.

  I saw as the small faces cried for Nia too.

  The seemed bewildered.

  Confused almost.

  I felt an intense, hopeless emotion as they scattered through the air.

  Was filled with inertia.

  As I saw the small things in the bubbles try to resist the fall.

  I focused again.

  The dragon was now completely out.

  The four eyes seem to stare off in different directions.

  Thin layers of see-through skin sporadically slither across the catlike irises.

  The scariest was the tiny holes around its entire face.

  A slimy liquid oozed from it.

  It seemed to cover its entire body.

  The skin almost like very flexible leather.

  The dragon a deep red colour.

  It had streaks of blue where there seemed to be razor sharp scales.

  It seemed to be able to move as well.

  The best would be to jump on its head.

  That was the only safe place.

  No ooze and no sharp things.

  Only the bucket like curve of the skull.

  With the three sharp horns.

  At an angle to the back.

  I hoped that the horns wouldn't have some poison of some sort.

  I stared at Lake Tranquillity.

  I hoped that I would be in time.

  I secured the box with the police belt.

  Lord, be with me.

  As the dragon spread its wings.

  I jumped on.

  It was so big, it didn’t seem to notice me on its head.

  The view from it was spectacular.

  Though my heart ached at the sight.

  The fire was now almost about to circle the lake.

  There was not much time.

  If we were to make it, we would have to go now.

  The dragon circled closer.

  I stared back at the tower as it toppled to the ground.

  Tortoises hiding in their homes.

  The guineafowl relentlessly asking if anyone had seen Nia.

  Seemed he was unaware of the castle that was slowly starting to crumble.