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Vishuddha (Ch. 4)

Chapter 4: The Throat

By Sweet NothingsPublished 5 years ago Updated about a year ago 3 min read
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"No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is vicious."—Henry Brooks Adams

As I walked down the perfectly paved road, I couldn't help but wonder what we were searching for. She hasn’t said a word since we began our journey.

The sound of a large oak door slamming shut caught my attention and I turned to see where it came from.

"Can you at least tell me where we're headed next?" I asked, as I walked into yet another house that looked identical to all the others we had visited.

This place seemed endless, with no stores, gas stations or playgrounds in sight, just houses. My mentor, Shaman, had explained to me that realms are always changing, expanding and collapsing, and are relative to space and time.

In the old world, religion was the center of society, but then came intellectualism. All forms of mysticism, magic and faith were mocked out of existence. It was common for people to travel to different realms through prayer or meditation, but now, few people have access to the divine energy.

As I carefully projected myself into this space-time, I couldn't help but remember that my body wasn't physically traveling, but my soul was exposed. It's important to be careful when exploring realms like this, but it's also exciting to experience the unseen.

As I approach Amaranth, I notice she's talking to a young boy no older than eight. His icy blue-gray eyes and blonde hair are dirty, a sign of how long he's been in this strange place.

"Hey kid, my name is Adrien. What's yours?" I say, trying to put him at ease.

"Cantu," he replies, his small frame making him appear timid.

"A very nice name. Do you live here, Cantu?" I ask, trying to gather information.

"No," he says, his eyes downcast.

"Where are you from?"

"Adenvale," he replies, his voice barely a whisper.

I can't help but feel a pang of worry for this young boy. He's so young and clearly untrained, there's no way he brought us here. I wonder how long he's been lost and alone in this realm.

"Do you remember how you got here? Do you know how long you've been here?" I ask, trying to get a sense of what he's been through.

"No. The lady in red brought me here," he says, his voice trembling.

I glance at Amaranth and see that her third eye has taken on the same color as the boy's. I can tell she's in a trance, probably adjusting to being in this realm for so long. I decide to pull her aside and check on her.

"Amaranth, you okay?" I ask, concern etched on my face.

"Yes, fine—I'm fine," she replies, her voice distant.

I can't help but worry about her. She's been in a trance for a few days, and I know that fully projecting can be disorienting, like jet lag on steroids. I turn my attention back to the boy.

"That's who we're looking for, the lady in the red dress. She's the one who brought us here, and she's the only one who can get us home," I say, determination in my voice.

I turn to Cantu and ask, "Do you know where she is? We've been all over this place and haven't seen anyone outside of you."

The sadness in his eyes is heart-wrenching, and I can't help but wonder how long he's been running and hiding, scared and alone.

"It's okay. We'll protect you. You have my word," I say, trying to reassure him.

I turn to Amaranth, who's grabbed a chimney brush from the fireplace mantle. I can't help but wonder why none of the other houses had fireplaces. I reach into my pocket and pull out my pocket knife, a gift from my mentor, Shaman.

"I want you to take this," I say to Cantu, handing him the knife. "It has special energy flowing through it and was forged by the Divine herself. It will always be there when you need it."

Cantu takes the knife hesitantly, and I open the door, ready to hunt down the woman in the red dress and find our way home. As we step outside, I can't help but notice how much colder it's gotten.

Just as we're about to leave, Amaranth and Cantu freeze in their tracks. I turn to see a small woman in a menacingly ragged red dress, her eyes filled with rage.

"Run!" I shout, and without hesitation, I turn and sprint in the opposite direction. As I look back, I see that Amaranth and Cantu are no longer by my side. Panic sets in as I realize they must have been captured by the woman in the red dress. I push myself to run faster, determined to save my friends and escape this realm.

science fiction
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About the Creator

Sweet Nothings

Alias Duece Lee Vizzini III

Now, Sweet Nothings, my blog is a sanctuary for love notes and human emotion. Each post is a step toward telling my own intricate, beautifully imperfect story.

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