A6: The Water

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four

Chapter Five

A6 was so startled by the voice, she wanted to turn and run. But her legs would not move. The voice was pleasant and young. Quite young, she guessed. A6 looked down at the out stretched hand and wondered if it was really meant for her. She looked at her own hands in surprise. They were clean. There were no scars or cracks on her skin.

The small hand waited there patiently. A6 looked around. There was no one else.

"If I am dead," she thought, "what harm could there possibly be?"

So A6 headed for the young hand who beckoned to her. The pond that surrounded the tree was shallow. The water was filled with dazzling sparkles and A6's bare feet felt glorious in the cool, clean water. About five steps through the water she reached the soft, warm hand, which led her into the canopy of the immense, shimmering green willow tree. The foliage was so dense that the owner of the hand was completely hidden for a while. After a few more steps they came into the open. The shelter of the tree was filled with shadows. The hand with its owner left before A6 could properly see its face. A6 couldn't make out the trunk of the tree. It seemed still quite a ways off. A few trickles of light pierced through the shadows on her hands and clothes. When A6 looked up she gasped.

Stars! It was the night sky. She looked behind her for the entrance but there was nothing. No leaves. No canopy of green. Not even the pond with sparkles. Without the branches or the tree, A6 wondered what was making the shadows.

Before A6 had too much time to wonder at this new change of scenery, she felt the gaze of someone behind her. She turned around and could just make the outline of a figure in a cloak about ten paces in front of her. In the shadows it appeared to be a young child. As the child stepped closer A6 realized the figure was taller than a child; taller than she was.

"Ankita, we have very little time and I have much to tell you with many lives in the balance, so listen very carefully, for I will not be able to repeat myself."

The cloaked figure was a young man, she could tell now. She felt the urgency in his voice and understood that she should be listening with the same urgency, but all she wanted to do was go back to the garden and drink in the warm sun.

"Who is this cloaked figure and why is he disturbing my most perfect afterlife?" she thought. "And who is Ankita?"

"You are Ankita," the figure replied, "And you are not dead. Please, try very hard to listen and remember. If you only knew how important this is."

Completely startled that the figure knew her thoughts and particularly that she might not be dead, A6 stepped closer. She could make out his green eyes. Light seemed to be buried deep within them because they shone.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

The figure was silent for a moment. Then he removed his hood. His camel-colored hair fell to his shoulders in a heap of waves and curls. His eye brows were pulled together with worry and fear.

"No, we've never met. Please let me explain. We must go to the water. There, you will understand more."

The young man turned slightly to the right and began walking away. A6 followed. Before too long, they came to the edge of the sparkling pond. This time, A6 was sure the sparkles were caused by the stars, rather than the sun. The young man sat down, right at the edge. The mysterious shadows made it difficult to tell if they were in a garden or forest. She carefully sat down opposite the young man, and waited for him to speak.

He sat still, staring at the water. He seemed to be reading something in the pond. Curious, A6 followed his gaze and when she looked very closely into the water, the sparkles began to dance and she saw other shapes moving in the pool.

As she continued to look, she saw a small girl with very thick brown hair and freckles. There was a small house with a garden. There were other children too, laughing and playing in the garden. A beautiful woman came to the door of the small house and all the children rushed to her. Inside the house a bearded man was laughing and telling stories to the children. Then, he gently helped the small freckled girl carve a bird out of wood.

The scene in the water changed. The small freckled girl was crying outside. The beautiful woman was slumped over the bearded man, wailing. The house was burning. It was dark outside and the other children were being carried off by shadows. The freckled girl ran to the woman. But the woman did not see her. The girl screamed, but the woman did not hear her. Finally, the shadows came and took the small freckled girl away too.

The scene changed again to a dark place. A room or a cave. There, in that dark place was a man. Sitting on a chair. Or maybe a throne. The man was looking down at something. Below the throne was a very small hole, covered with glass, like a window. Little, by little, the opening grew until the light reached up through the darkness and touched the face of the man sitting on the throne. It was unlike any face she had ever seen. Dark. Angry. Miserable. Evil. He was waiting for something. She could tell that the man wanted to get out through that window very badly.

She also knew that she would do anything to keep that from happening.

The images faded and the water was crystal clear. There, staring back at her with wide eyes, was the freckled face of a young woman, whose thick, long, un-kept, brown hair was falling all around her. As she reached up to touch her face the image in the water did the same.

"So, now you begin to see."

A6 turned to the young man and stared into those emerald eyes.

"Who are you? Why have I been brought here and shown these things? How do you know my name?"

"My name is David. I have brought you here to remind you of who you are. You have been shown these things to bring you back to life. You were able to come here because of your memories. They are very important.

You are needed. Now, listen very closely," the man quietly continued. He sighed, lifted his eyebrows and smiled weakly.

"You will be shown more as it becomes necessary, but in order to protect you, I must tell you only what you need to know at this time." He sighed another sigh, but this time his brow furrowed, making his young face look ancient.

"You are not dead. But the others at the camp believe you are dead. They have taken your body to edge of the ice field. They will leave you there for the wolves. But the wolves will not find you. You will wake up alone. Wait for the sun to rise and follow it east until you come to a river. Follow the river until you come to a small village. On the west side of the village you will find a forest. Just inside the forest is a house. You must go to this house. There you will find Soondra. She will help you.

You must get there as quickly as possible. It is extremely important."

"Please, I need to know more. What happened to my family? Who is that man in the dark room?"

"I realize this is difficult. Please believe me, many lives are in danger, including yours. You will come to understand everything in time. In order for this to happen, you must follow my directions exactly. You must tell no one your true name. Those you can trust will already know it. If, for any reason you get lost, look up to the sky. Your winged friend will help you, when he can."

The water in the pond began to rise. Though it was still dark, A6 felt the water climbing up her ankles. She quickly stood up and, concerned, saw that David was sitting in the rapidly rising water.

"Do not worry Ankita. Remember, east toward the river. Follow the river to the village. West of the village to the forest and Soondra."

If A6 had any dignity or honor at this point, she let it all go. Her feelings took over and she plead with David:

"Please, David. Don't go. I don't want to be alone again. I'm confused and afraid."

"In the end, you will master all your fears. Today, begin with just one. Remember, you are needed, and you are not alone."

The water roared and rose. David's bright, green eyes were growing fainter until they were just sparkles in the water. A6 was now struggling to keep her head above the water. Her legs began to feel numb. Cold crept up into her arms and head. She looked up at the sky. It was black, not a single star to be found. Shivering, she stopped struggling and let her body slide under the inviting water. Now, even the sparkles and shadows were gone.

Everything was black, so A6 closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she gasped and sputtered. Instead of the expected water rushing into her lungs, cold, biting, rank air filled them. She lay flat on her back, which was very cold and sore. She brought her scarred, cracked hands up to her face and covered her eyes and head.

"No," she thought. "Please let me be dead." She lay there, hoping, praying for death until a warm light touched the arm covering her face. Gingerly she moved her arm and saw a sliver of orange light, rising in the east. She covered her face again, in despair, and did not move.

Then she heard a piercing cry. This time when she looked just above the rosy blur, there on the horizon was a streak of brown. Slowly she propped herself up on her elbows, then turned on her hands and knees.

Shrieeeeek!

The bird was getting closer. With tremendous effort she lifted her body up until she was on her feet. Then she began to move those feet, one after the other, toward the bird, to the east.