Chapter 3 -
05/14/2017
Bulkee nodded with his eyes closed. His head bobbing against the tree branch, while I went back on the experience.
Reliving the incident was frustrating. I couldn’t be sure if an Ashendren had brought me here, and why he took me in the first place. The truth was that I couldn’t care less about what got me involved.
“I just want to go home,” I said.
Bulkee remained silent like he had gone into a trance. I watched his chest rise and fall into a regulated rhythm. I began wondering if he had dosed off.
The forest was tranquil. Only the sound from the sway of the giant leaves was within earshot. Not wanting to look lost and pathetic, I held my head high. “Bulkee. How can I get back home?”
“Bulkee! How can I get back home?” He shouted unexpectedly, repeating my query word by word.
I gaped at him, bewildered. But he stared back at me with the same look of shock, like he had seen me for the first time. He flickered the back of his hand and switched on a disdainful expression. “I’m unimpressed. Comparing with my other creations, this is insipid.”
Did he just call me “insipid”? I pinched myself to refrain from stomping off. But when I saw that he had begun to stroll away, I panicked. “I need your help. Please. I have to go home.”
“Your name is Ears, right?” He swung around and jumped onto a branch behind him.
“That’s my surname,” I replied. “I go by –”
“So, Ears. Apparently, you are not one of my MindShapes.”
“Excuse me?”
“You see. I’ve been guarding the AkxieMoreRun Forest for as long as I could remember. But besides me, you wouldn’t find another living soul here. Even the trees, the grass, the flowers are not living.” He turned in a circle with his arms up.
My gaze trailed after his fingers. The leaves and the grass were of different shades of dark green. Only a brief moment ago they had looked bright with exaggerated vividness. But in shadows they were lackluster and lifeless.
“The plants are brought into AohhoA from alternative realities. They are just here for the sole purpose of filling space.” Bulkee paused, a look of perplexity flicking crossed his face. “To keep myself occupied, I’ve learned to invent different creatures and objects from my head. They are what I call ‘MindShapes’.”
“Like imaginary friends?” I asked tentatively.
“No. MindShapes are brilliant and valid creations from my mind. Ears, you have to understand that I am an edified individual with a very special ability,” his voice deepened with pride. “I am the one who could construct characters in my head and bring them to life. Like the perpetually hungry tiger with red dragon wings!”
Bulkee leaped off the twig and surprised me by lying flat on the grass. He raised a hand and pointed to the area behind me, “You see him over there, the Red Tiger? But don’t you worry. I, the brave guard of the AkxieMoreRun Forest, have single-handedly tamed him.”
I swallowed hard and my chest swelled up, as I slowly turned around. But besides a small grassy area with a line of flowers jutting out of it, there was nothing else in sight. I turned back and stared at him. He’s not just weird. His mind is gone.
“I don’t see anything,” I said frankly.
“Of course you don’t. You wouldn’t. And you couldn’t. Only the AohhoA Seekers of the Enlightened could capture the essence of this prowess. without skipping a beat he lashed out at me. And you are not even developed yet.”
His quickness to slight me had me bite the sides of my mouth. And to say that he is enlightened? I tried not to dwell on my annoyance. But by now, I was ready to walk away and seek a way out on my own.
Yet Bulkee went on, oblivious to my irritation. “And do you know what prowess the Enlightened Seekers behold?”
I shook my head with a look of nonchalance, as I picked out a loose thread on my shorts. I wasn’t interested.
“Imajigo!” He announced anyway, accentuating each syllable like he was rolling out a precious stone from his tongue. “It is the art of channeling the course of events by inventing objects and abilities that are not perceived through the senses.”
“Like magic.” I said flatly. At this point I only carried on the conversation to be polite. My intuition told me that it’d be wise not to make enemies, when befriending them was clearly not an option.
Bulkee shook his head, frowning like I had said something distasteful. “Magic manifests through potions and spells and supernatural forces. But Imajigo is no such foolishness.” His voice deepened. “It is extracted directly from the mind that stores the source of it all?”
“The source of what?” I asked.
“The source of imagination,” he flashed a grin. “Imajigo is a term that refers to all possibilities derived from the source of imagination. My special Imajigo Trade is called Bionic. It’s the ability to create MindShapes, which are categorized into either objects or creatures.” What he said was actually fascinating. I liked the idea of bringing imagination to reality. But then again, I was still skeptical and I controlled my facial expression, not revealing my growing interest. “So for a moment, I thought that you were just one of my MindShapes,” Bulkee went on, “But you’ve exposed your difference. You are a creature from one of the alternative realities.”
I wouldn’t consider myself a “creature” but I seized the opportunity to remind him once more of my need to return to my so-called “alternative reality”.
“Right. To return to your reality,” He nodded. “You would have to go through the Apogee Course, the sacred tunnel that connects you to all alternative realities beyond AohhoA.”
“I’ve heard the term ‘Apogee Course’. The speaker on the phone mentioned it.” I murmured, talking to myself.
Not having heard me, Bulkee carried on. “The tunnel, like I told you, was once created by the Ashendrons using Mocirium. But after their defeat, the originators confiscated the passageway and placed a seal on it. The key to the seal is only allowed for the use of the royalties. So to engage the Apogee Course you must obtain permission from the great King Wuiet of AohhoA.” He said, twirling his hands as if making a salute.
“And how do I find King Wuiet?” I asked.
“It’s a good question but the answer to which no one is entitled to know except for the King himself. And he has just left his kingdom.” Bulkee shrugged for not providing a more satisfying response.
“Just left? And no one knows where he is now?” My heart began pounding fast.
“No one but King Wuiet himself, like I said,” he corrected me, eyes blinking like he was annoyed. “The legend goes that all of the Kings only rule AohhoA up to a point. They decide on the precise point to renounce their kingships and forever retreat to a reality outside the realm of perpetuation. So King Wuiet is to forsake his royalty without consultation with or direction from no one but the sovereign himself.”
Not capturing all of his lengthy explanation, I was at least clear about one thing. The King who could get me home was no longer reachable. “Why wouldn’t he tell anyone where he had gone to?” I insisted.
“It’s best that the King’s disappearance is sudden and his whereabouts hidden. Only that makes it a perfect opportunity for the Prince to claim crown.”
“Wait. There’s a Prince?” My eyes widened. “So has the Prince been trying to overthrown the King?”
“Oh, no! Not a usurp,” exclaimed Bulkee. “It’s the tradition that when a King willingly relegates his sovereignty, he makes an exit. At that point a Prince will preside over AohhoA. But the Prince has to first prove that he is worthy of the duty. You see. When King Wuiet decides to leave, he removes the seal to engage the Apogee Course. But this act disrupts the status quo and the kingdom enters into a phase called the Period of Chaos.”
“What is that?”
“It’s an unsettling phase in which everything is subject to change. The Period of Chaos starts at the King’s departure. And it lasts through thirteen cycles. Each is marked by the rise of the sun. The Period of Chaos is volatile in nature and it opens a window of opportunity for the Ashendrons to reclaim the key to the Apogee Course. And possibly to take their vengeance.”
“Do the Ashendrons kill the Prince?” I interrupted him, fearing that I too will be subject to their violence.
“No, of course not.” Bulkee cut a glance at me like it drained him to explain things to me. “No one dies in AohhoA. Like I had said, this is a place of eternity. No one ever dies. Since the gory battle, the originators removed the concept of time to preserve peace. And upholding peace means that everything remains unchanged. Good or bad. The Ashendrons have turned into monstrous creatures that are tormented by their own greed. But they don’t die. They are just isolated in Twatt.” He explained, “But after the King’s departure, they will try to launch attacks. And the Prince has to defeat them before securing his position as the new ruler. And that’s why no one is to know the King’s whereabouts. The Prince has to fight on his own and attest that he is fit for sovereignty.”
I listened without further interjection. But something didn’t seem quite right.
By now Bulkee had grown excited, sounding fanatical. “There is nothing else more perfect than the King’s sudden abdication. It’s the ideal chance for the Prince to make known his capability. To attest his dominance and prove that he can independently defeat the invaders, and that he can manage the most unforeseen tasks in the most predicable state of being, such as the timeless AohhoA.”
“I guess so.” I shrugged. “But what happens if the Ashendrons do seize control?”
“No. That’s not happening. Absolutely not.” Bulkee replied, more firmly than I thought was necessary. “The Prince will attain victory. And once he does and claims the crown, he will have the Ashendrons back to Twatt. As simple as that.”
“How do you know for sure that the Prince will defeat them?” I insisted. I didn’t want to come off like I was challenging him but I just couldn’t curb my curiosity.
“Well, it’s a tradition. The Prince, like all Princes, is expected to succeed and ascend to throne. That’s just how things should be. It’s the tradition.” He emphasized but offered no further clarification.
I realized what was unsettling to me. I had found Bulkee’s explanation contradicting. If victory was just part of a tradition, what was the point to join the battle? Attesting his dominance for what? I wondered.
I almost let off my question, if it hadn’t been what Bulkee said next. “Listen, you’d better get going, because the victory of the Prince marks the end of the Period of Chaos. And at that point, the Prince is entitled to reset all functions of his newly conquered kingdom. He might keep AohhoA the way it has been. Or he might retune it to his preference. But either way, you won’t get back to your reality. Because if he is unaware of your entrance, his decision will not factor in your existence. You understand? You have to find him before he attains victory. Or you might be trapped in here forever!”
Forever? The seriousness of my circumstance shot up a pang of anxiety. Flustered, I managed to ask, “How do I find the Prince?”
“He should be in the Floating Palace right now, preparing for the battle.” Bulkee replied, pointing with his small hand, “See it up there?”
Through the canopy of leaves that covered most of the sky, I caught strands of sunlight casting down. But other than the glares, I didn’t find anything else.
“The Floating Palace sits inside the sun,” Bulkee explained. “It’s accessible only at dusk when the sun lands on the Endless Sea. So once you get to the Endless Sea at sundown, you should be able to find the Prince inside the Floating Palace.”
“How much time do I have before he resets everything?” The question slipped before I knew it.
“Time? That I wouldn’t know.” Bulkee scoffed, “Not many habitants here know or can even comprehend the concept of it. Like I had told you, time records change and we don’t have change. The concept of time has been preserved by a special society called ‘AohhoA Timekeepers’.”
The name invoked a great sense of unease in me. “AohhoA Timekeepers? What do they do?” I asked.
“They ‘keep’ time, meaning that they safeguard the status quo and prevent any occurrence of variation from it. They ensure that residents of AohhoA live in perpetuation.” Snapping his fingers, Bulkee looked straight at me. “In any case, our perpetuation is marked by cycles that make up the Belt of the Sunpath. At each turn of a cycle the sun sets onto the Endless Sea. Because the Period of Chaos has thirteen cycles, you must get to the Floating Palace before the end of the thirteenth cycle. You understand?”
“Before the end of the thirteenth cycle.” I repeated. The situation sounded as inconceivable as what I had to do undoable.
“And if I’m not mistaken, you must have arrived at the first cycle, which is the most volatile one due to the King’s sudden departure. You should make haste because there are only twelve cycles left.” He said, urging me to hurry on.
I thanked him with a rushed farewell and began eying for a path. When I glanced around, however, my throat dried up. In just a brief moment, the forest had changed again. The grass had spurted so tall that it covered the ground completely, leaving no discernible trail. The plants, already overgrown, appeared like monumental industrial buildings, casting patchy shadows of leaves that swayed with the wind like the ungroomed hair of a madman. The gloom seemed to foretell some dark truth behind my abduction and the danger of my journey ahead.
Where do I even start? Breaking out in a cold sweat I rubbed my thumb and index fingers together to ease the dread.
It was then I heard Bulkee say. “Well, I've always thought of meeting the royalty myself. I have an important request to present to him.” He bounced off the tree bark. Straightening his back he raised his chin and lifted one eyebrow. “And I should have no doubt that you are feeling extremely grateful right now for you will be accompanying the most revered guard of the AkxieMoreRun Forest to greet the Prince of AohhoA, should I?”
Surprised by the sudden change in Bulkee’s attitude I drew in a breath and replied. “I would be absolutely honored.”
He rolled his chin complacently in a half circle before he moved onto my left shoulder. “Let’s get going, “ he bid. “I am going to lead you out of the forest. But you must close your eyes and listen to my instructions,” he said. “I will tell you where to go, where to turn, and when to stop.”
The idea of rummaging through entangled vines under oversized plants without sight was not appealing to me. Before I could object, he said, “I know my way around here. And I have ways to avoid the hidden dangers. But do you? No. So you are better off following my direction. Just stay attentive to my words.” He becked with the back of his hand. “And don’t try to peek. You might get snared in the branches, like a fruit fly caught in a spider net.”
Spiders were my worst nightmare. I swallowed hard, shutting my eyes along with the dreadful image of being trapped in a spider net.
“Shoulders back. Chin up. Walk straight. Skip two steps. Small puddles on the ground. Jump up with your knees bent. Make a left here. Walk faster. You are crossing over tree roots.” Bulkee directed me, occasionally describing our surroundings as we moved ahead.
Initially, I had to fight the urge to open my eyes. But without sight, I became more aware of signals from the rest of my five senses. I detected a change in the smell of the forest. I tasted the warmth of the air. I trudged through the wet mud. And I focused on the rise and fall of Bulkee's tone as I began to feel at ease. Finally I started to run, the leaves brushing against my arms and the breeze teasing my face.
“Now stop.” Bulkee said and I felt a tap on my shoulder, “I want you to take a deep breath. Hold it. And jump forward as far as you can,” he told me.
I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t think twice about his directive. The jump that I had taken was in fact a dive. I plunged like I had leaped off a cliff. My heart raced to my throat almost escaping me. The shock had me scream but I forced my eyes tightly shut. A splashing sound shot into my ears and I came into contact with something soft like a plushy cushion.
I began to slide. Fists clenched tightly I waited before coming to a stop and hearing Bulkee say, “You may now open your eyes.” When I did, I found myself atop a heap of leaves amongst piles after piles of foliage that took after small scaled mountain range. But no longer were we inside the forest. The sun casted its bright streaks everywhere, revealing what lay ahead of us.
“Where are we?” I asked Bulkee, stunned at the view before me.
“The Pocket of Origination!” He announced.
Reliving the incident was frustrating. I couldn’t be sure if an Ashendren had brought me here, and why he took me in the first place. The truth was that I couldn’t care less about what got me involved.
“I just want to go home,” I said.
Bulkee remained silent like he had gone into a trance. I watched his chest rise and fall into a regulated rhythm. I began wondering if he had dosed off.
The forest was tranquil. Only the sound from the sway of the giant leaves was within earshot. Not wanting to look lost and pathetic, I held my head high. “Bulkee. How can I get back home?”
“Bulkee! How can I get back home?” He shouted unexpectedly, repeating my query word by word.
I gaped at him, bewildered. But he stared back at me with the same look of shock, like he had seen me for the first time. He flickered the back of his hand and switched on a disdainful expression. “I’m unimpressed. Comparing with my other creations, this is insipid.”
Did he just call me “insipid”? I pinched myself to refrain from stomping off. But when I saw that he had begun to stroll away, I panicked. “I need your help. Please. I have to go home.”
“Your name is Ears, right?” He swung around and jumped onto a branch behind him.
“That’s my surname,” I replied. “I go by –”
“So, Ears. Apparently, you are not one of my MindShapes.”
“Excuse me?”
“You see. I’ve been guarding the AkxieMoreRun Forest for as long as I could remember. But besides me, you wouldn’t find another living soul here. Even the trees, the grass, the flowers are not living.” He turned in a circle with his arms up.
My gaze trailed after his fingers. The leaves and the grass were of different shades of dark green. Only a brief moment ago they had looked bright with exaggerated vividness. But in shadows they were lackluster and lifeless.
“The plants are brought into AohhoA from alternative realities. They are just here for the sole purpose of filling space.” Bulkee paused, a look of perplexity flicking crossed his face. “To keep myself occupied, I’ve learned to invent different creatures and objects from my head. They are what I call ‘MindShapes’.”
“Like imaginary friends?” I asked tentatively.
“No. MindShapes are brilliant and valid creations from my mind. Ears, you have to understand that I am an edified individual with a very special ability,” his voice deepened with pride. “I am the one who could construct characters in my head and bring them to life. Like the perpetually hungry tiger with red dragon wings!”
Bulkee leaped off the twig and surprised me by lying flat on the grass. He raised a hand and pointed to the area behind me, “You see him over there, the Red Tiger? But don’t you worry. I, the brave guard of the AkxieMoreRun Forest, have single-handedly tamed him.”
I swallowed hard and my chest swelled up, as I slowly turned around. But besides a small grassy area with a line of flowers jutting out of it, there was nothing else in sight. I turned back and stared at him. He’s not just weird. His mind is gone.
“I don’t see anything,” I said frankly.
“Of course you don’t. You wouldn’t. And you couldn’t. Only the AohhoA Seekers of the Enlightened could capture the essence of this prowess. without skipping a beat he lashed out at me. And you are not even developed yet.”
His quickness to slight me had me bite the sides of my mouth. And to say that he is enlightened? I tried not to dwell on my annoyance. But by now, I was ready to walk away and seek a way out on my own.
Yet Bulkee went on, oblivious to my irritation. “And do you know what prowess the Enlightened Seekers behold?”
I shook my head with a look of nonchalance, as I picked out a loose thread on my shorts. I wasn’t interested.
“Imajigo!” He announced anyway, accentuating each syllable like he was rolling out a precious stone from his tongue. “It is the art of channeling the course of events by inventing objects and abilities that are not perceived through the senses.”
“Like magic.” I said flatly. At this point I only carried on the conversation to be polite. My intuition told me that it’d be wise not to make enemies, when befriending them was clearly not an option.
Bulkee shook his head, frowning like I had said something distasteful. “Magic manifests through potions and spells and supernatural forces. But Imajigo is no such foolishness.” His voice deepened. “It is extracted directly from the mind that stores the source of it all?”
“The source of what?” I asked.
“The source of imagination,” he flashed a grin. “Imajigo is a term that refers to all possibilities derived from the source of imagination. My special Imajigo Trade is called Bionic. It’s the ability to create MindShapes, which are categorized into either objects or creatures.” What he said was actually fascinating. I liked the idea of bringing imagination to reality. But then again, I was still skeptical and I controlled my facial expression, not revealing my growing interest. “So for a moment, I thought that you were just one of my MindShapes,” Bulkee went on, “But you’ve exposed your difference. You are a creature from one of the alternative realities.”
I wouldn’t consider myself a “creature” but I seized the opportunity to remind him once more of my need to return to my so-called “alternative reality”.
“Right. To return to your reality,” He nodded. “You would have to go through the Apogee Course, the sacred tunnel that connects you to all alternative realities beyond AohhoA.”
“I’ve heard the term ‘Apogee Course’. The speaker on the phone mentioned it.” I murmured, talking to myself.
Not having heard me, Bulkee carried on. “The tunnel, like I told you, was once created by the Ashendrons using Mocirium. But after their defeat, the originators confiscated the passageway and placed a seal on it. The key to the seal is only allowed for the use of the royalties. So to engage the Apogee Course you must obtain permission from the great King Wuiet of AohhoA.” He said, twirling his hands as if making a salute.
“And how do I find King Wuiet?” I asked.
“It’s a good question but the answer to which no one is entitled to know except for the King himself. And he has just left his kingdom.” Bulkee shrugged for not providing a more satisfying response.
“Just left? And no one knows where he is now?” My heart began pounding fast.
“No one but King Wuiet himself, like I said,” he corrected me, eyes blinking like he was annoyed. “The legend goes that all of the Kings only rule AohhoA up to a point. They decide on the precise point to renounce their kingships and forever retreat to a reality outside the realm of perpetuation. So King Wuiet is to forsake his royalty without consultation with or direction from no one but the sovereign himself.”
Not capturing all of his lengthy explanation, I was at least clear about one thing. The King who could get me home was no longer reachable. “Why wouldn’t he tell anyone where he had gone to?” I insisted.
“It’s best that the King’s disappearance is sudden and his whereabouts hidden. Only that makes it a perfect opportunity for the Prince to claim crown.”
“Wait. There’s a Prince?” My eyes widened. “So has the Prince been trying to overthrown the King?”
“Oh, no! Not a usurp,” exclaimed Bulkee. “It’s the tradition that when a King willingly relegates his sovereignty, he makes an exit. At that point a Prince will preside over AohhoA. But the Prince has to first prove that he is worthy of the duty. You see. When King Wuiet decides to leave, he removes the seal to engage the Apogee Course. But this act disrupts the status quo and the kingdom enters into a phase called the Period of Chaos.”
“What is that?”
“It’s an unsettling phase in which everything is subject to change. The Period of Chaos starts at the King’s departure. And it lasts through thirteen cycles. Each is marked by the rise of the sun. The Period of Chaos is volatile in nature and it opens a window of opportunity for the Ashendrons to reclaim the key to the Apogee Course. And possibly to take their vengeance.”
“Do the Ashendrons kill the Prince?” I interrupted him, fearing that I too will be subject to their violence.
“No, of course not.” Bulkee cut a glance at me like it drained him to explain things to me. “No one dies in AohhoA. Like I had said, this is a place of eternity. No one ever dies. Since the gory battle, the originators removed the concept of time to preserve peace. And upholding peace means that everything remains unchanged. Good or bad. The Ashendrons have turned into monstrous creatures that are tormented by their own greed. But they don’t die. They are just isolated in Twatt.” He explained, “But after the King’s departure, they will try to launch attacks. And the Prince has to defeat them before securing his position as the new ruler. And that’s why no one is to know the King’s whereabouts. The Prince has to fight on his own and attest that he is fit for sovereignty.”
I listened without further interjection. But something didn’t seem quite right.
By now Bulkee had grown excited, sounding fanatical. “There is nothing else more perfect than the King’s sudden abdication. It’s the ideal chance for the Prince to make known his capability. To attest his dominance and prove that he can independently defeat the invaders, and that he can manage the most unforeseen tasks in the most predicable state of being, such as the timeless AohhoA.”
“I guess so.” I shrugged. “But what happens if the Ashendrons do seize control?”
“No. That’s not happening. Absolutely not.” Bulkee replied, more firmly than I thought was necessary. “The Prince will attain victory. And once he does and claims the crown, he will have the Ashendrons back to Twatt. As simple as that.”
“How do you know for sure that the Prince will defeat them?” I insisted. I didn’t want to come off like I was challenging him but I just couldn’t curb my curiosity.
“Well, it’s a tradition. The Prince, like all Princes, is expected to succeed and ascend to throne. That’s just how things should be. It’s the tradition.” He emphasized but offered no further clarification.
I realized what was unsettling to me. I had found Bulkee’s explanation contradicting. If victory was just part of a tradition, what was the point to join the battle? Attesting his dominance for what? I wondered.
I almost let off my question, if it hadn’t been what Bulkee said next. “Listen, you’d better get going, because the victory of the Prince marks the end of the Period of Chaos. And at that point, the Prince is entitled to reset all functions of his newly conquered kingdom. He might keep AohhoA the way it has been. Or he might retune it to his preference. But either way, you won’t get back to your reality. Because if he is unaware of your entrance, his decision will not factor in your existence. You understand? You have to find him before he attains victory. Or you might be trapped in here forever!”
Forever? The seriousness of my circumstance shot up a pang of anxiety. Flustered, I managed to ask, “How do I find the Prince?”
“He should be in the Floating Palace right now, preparing for the battle.” Bulkee replied, pointing with his small hand, “See it up there?”
Through the canopy of leaves that covered most of the sky, I caught strands of sunlight casting down. But other than the glares, I didn’t find anything else.
“The Floating Palace sits inside the sun,” Bulkee explained. “It’s accessible only at dusk when the sun lands on the Endless Sea. So once you get to the Endless Sea at sundown, you should be able to find the Prince inside the Floating Palace.”
“How much time do I have before he resets everything?” The question slipped before I knew it.
“Time? That I wouldn’t know.” Bulkee scoffed, “Not many habitants here know or can even comprehend the concept of it. Like I had told you, time records change and we don’t have change. The concept of time has been preserved by a special society called ‘AohhoA Timekeepers’.”
The name invoked a great sense of unease in me. “AohhoA Timekeepers? What do they do?” I asked.
“They ‘keep’ time, meaning that they safeguard the status quo and prevent any occurrence of variation from it. They ensure that residents of AohhoA live in perpetuation.” Snapping his fingers, Bulkee looked straight at me. “In any case, our perpetuation is marked by cycles that make up the Belt of the Sunpath. At each turn of a cycle the sun sets onto the Endless Sea. Because the Period of Chaos has thirteen cycles, you must get to the Floating Palace before the end of the thirteenth cycle. You understand?”
“Before the end of the thirteenth cycle.” I repeated. The situation sounded as inconceivable as what I had to do undoable.
“And if I’m not mistaken, you must have arrived at the first cycle, which is the most volatile one due to the King’s sudden departure. You should make haste because there are only twelve cycles left.” He said, urging me to hurry on.
I thanked him with a rushed farewell and began eying for a path. When I glanced around, however, my throat dried up. In just a brief moment, the forest had changed again. The grass had spurted so tall that it covered the ground completely, leaving no discernible trail. The plants, already overgrown, appeared like monumental industrial buildings, casting patchy shadows of leaves that swayed with the wind like the ungroomed hair of a madman. The gloom seemed to foretell some dark truth behind my abduction and the danger of my journey ahead.
Where do I even start? Breaking out in a cold sweat I rubbed my thumb and index fingers together to ease the dread.
It was then I heard Bulkee say. “Well, I've always thought of meeting the royalty myself. I have an important request to present to him.” He bounced off the tree bark. Straightening his back he raised his chin and lifted one eyebrow. “And I should have no doubt that you are feeling extremely grateful right now for you will be accompanying the most revered guard of the AkxieMoreRun Forest to greet the Prince of AohhoA, should I?”
Surprised by the sudden change in Bulkee’s attitude I drew in a breath and replied. “I would be absolutely honored.”
He rolled his chin complacently in a half circle before he moved onto my left shoulder. “Let’s get going, “ he bid. “I am going to lead you out of the forest. But you must close your eyes and listen to my instructions,” he said. “I will tell you where to go, where to turn, and when to stop.”
The idea of rummaging through entangled vines under oversized plants without sight was not appealing to me. Before I could object, he said, “I know my way around here. And I have ways to avoid the hidden dangers. But do you? No. So you are better off following my direction. Just stay attentive to my words.” He becked with the back of his hand. “And don’t try to peek. You might get snared in the branches, like a fruit fly caught in a spider net.”
Spiders were my worst nightmare. I swallowed hard, shutting my eyes along with the dreadful image of being trapped in a spider net.
“Shoulders back. Chin up. Walk straight. Skip two steps. Small puddles on the ground. Jump up with your knees bent. Make a left here. Walk faster. You are crossing over tree roots.” Bulkee directed me, occasionally describing our surroundings as we moved ahead.
Initially, I had to fight the urge to open my eyes. But without sight, I became more aware of signals from the rest of my five senses. I detected a change in the smell of the forest. I tasted the warmth of the air. I trudged through the wet mud. And I focused on the rise and fall of Bulkee's tone as I began to feel at ease. Finally I started to run, the leaves brushing against my arms and the breeze teasing my face.
“Now stop.” Bulkee said and I felt a tap on my shoulder, “I want you to take a deep breath. Hold it. And jump forward as far as you can,” he told me.
I was so caught up in the moment that I didn’t think twice about his directive. The jump that I had taken was in fact a dive. I plunged like I had leaped off a cliff. My heart raced to my throat almost escaping me. The shock had me scream but I forced my eyes tightly shut. A splashing sound shot into my ears and I came into contact with something soft like a plushy cushion.
I began to slide. Fists clenched tightly I waited before coming to a stop and hearing Bulkee say, “You may now open your eyes.” When I did, I found myself atop a heap of leaves amongst piles after piles of foliage that took after small scaled mountain range. But no longer were we inside the forest. The sun casted its bright streaks everywhere, revealing what lay ahead of us.
“Where are we?” I asked Bulkee, stunned at the view before me.
“The Pocket of Origination!” He announced.
