Chapter 131: A Grand Performance
Elián;
"So... are we going to talk about this Premodial thing or...?" I question Elien in the silence of my mind, but I’m met with silence.
A few minutes ago, he was rambling nonstop, and now he’s just going to ignore me??
"Elien, I know you can hear me, don’t ignore me now! We’ve been sealed up in this hut with nothing to do. You’d better start responding, or I’ll bore you with a run-down of the History of the United States!" I rant out loud in annoyance, not giving a shit anymore, and just then, a guard opens the door and pokes his head in.
He stares at me with a concerned face, and I smile at him while batting my eyelashes. He eyes me suspiciously before stepping back out and shutting the door behind him.
"Or... I can make them think I’m crazy, and then we’d get locked up and you won’t have any choice but to..." I begin again in my mind, and he finally speaks.
"For light’s sake, Elián. Can’t you sleep or something!?" He whines, and I smile, finally glad that I got his response.
"I’m not sleepy. Let’s chat. Come on!! What else do you have to do?" I reply, and I hear him sigh.
"Fate was really messing with me by getting you stuck in my body." He answers, and I grin.
"Now. Back to the Primordial topic. Explain it to me." I request excitedly as I adjust myself on the bed, and I hear him groan.
"I don’t know much about Premodials. Before now, I used to think they were myths. I never even linked the strange full moon abilities to them. This is just as new to me as it is to you." He replies, and I pout.
"But if... if we’re Premodials, we need to know what that means for us, yeah? Our powers and you know... stuff." I reply, and he hums in agreement.
"Okay. Nice chat. Can we..." He begins as he tries to resign to the back of my mind again, but I stop him.
"So let’s talk about other things."
"Like what, Eliàn!? Why can’t you keep quiet for a few minutes?!" He whines like I’m the most frustrating child on the face of the earth, and my jaw drops.
"Jeez! I’m trying to lighten the mood, but you make it seem like you grew up in solitude. When people are stuck together, they usually chat. Especially when they’re stuck in the same head." I reply, and it goes silent.
I stare in silence as I wait for his response, but I get nothing...
I’m about to start rambling again when he speaks. His voice is softer and much... sombre this time.
"I did grow up in solitude." He says, and my heart skips a beat.
"When you’re living in caves and have no idea exactly how people interact with each other ... you learn to stay away. To be silent and... unnoticed." He adds, and my smile fades.
Images of that night when his Father threw him out of their home replay in my mind, and my heart breaks.
-Once you leave here... Go to the Jade River. Walk as far as you can into it. Till light leaves your eyes... till breath leaves your lungs... and till you leave this world.-
His Father’s cold words ring in my head, and my previous excitement vanishes.
No wonder the auctioneers said he had no friends, family, or record. How could he have any when he spent years... on his own.
"I’m used to silence, Elián. Having someone to talk to and relating with another person... It’s all... new to me. Aside from my Father, I... only got to know one other person." He whispers further, and my gaze falls to my hands as I imagine the kind of pain he must be in.
We might share the same body... but I never really feel what he feels. The only time I ever felt what he felt was when he got angry at Rhydian.
The day he made me say all that shit that made me get beaten half to death. He must be carrying so much hurt and loneliness, and I never even noticed that.
"After you... after you left your home that night... Where did you go?" I question softly, and once again, he falls silent.
"Can we please not... talk about this. I don’t... I’m not ready for this conversation..." He replies, and my heart sinks.
He’s still hurting from it...
He... he hasn’t gotten over it yet.
Who will, though? His father was so cruel and vicious... I can bet that he never even bothered to look for Elien after he kicked him out.
Almost reminds me of how eager my parents are to get rid of me.
Maybe the goddess put us together because in truth... we’re more alike than we care to admit...
"Elien?" I call softly, and his voice responds with no trace of the usual bite it always has.
"Yeah?"
"I... may not know a lot about you, and... you may not know a lot about me either. It also probably doesn’t mean anything to you... but... if you ever need anything... If you ever need someone to be there for you... You can count on me. In the real sense, we’re all each other’s got, aren’t we?" I speak honestly, and there’s silence.
I hold my breath, wondering if my words mean anything to him, and then his voice replies gently.
"Thank you. Also... I don’t know your story... but I’m glad you’re here. I... I felt like I was drowning before you arrived. Thanks for making me laugh... and feel again." He replies, and a smile splits my face.
I’m about to respond when a shirtless little boy rushes into the room.
I sit up in confusion as I stare at him, and he grins wildly at me.
"Drums!" He suddenly shouts, and I watch with wide eyes as two other boys rush in with a drum between them.
All three boys smile at me, and I look at the door in confusion, wondering how they got past the guards.
Why would the guard let them in?
"Rattles!" The first boy calls again,
And two smaller kids who look about three years old rush in. One boy and one girl.
They stand beside my bed, grinning, and I just blink at them and the instruments in their hands that look like locally made shaking rattles.
"Dancers!" The first boy yells again, and I sit upright.
What is going on???
Four girls who seem to be about eight years old or so rush into the hut in a single file.
I blink at them as they line up at the foot of my bed.
"Singer!" The first boy yells again, and a girl who looks older than all of them walks in elegantly.
She stands at the corner of the hut, and I stare in confusion at all the children in the room who are gawking at me with massive smiles.
"And a one, and a two, and a one two three!" The first boy shouts, and suddenly there’s a cacophony of sounds.
Drums, rattles, laughter, and so much excitement.
"What... is going on??" Elien questions in my mind, but I remain silent and stare at the kids.
I don’t understand what this is supposed to be, but the excitement and happiness on their faces make me want to wait to find out.
The little girls who are swaying their hips and arms back and forth are grinning like this is some presidential performance they’ve been preparing for their whole lives.
This is adorable...
I can’t help my giggle as I watch the children dance.
Suddenly, the eldest girl who’s been standing in the corner walks forward, and I blink at her as the others go silent.
"Get well... soon..." She sings, and I raise a brow.
"Ahhh-ahh-ohhh" The rest of the children sing after her line, and it dawns on me.
They set this all up to wish me well?
"We want to see you eat food." The eldest continues, and now I’m grinning from ear to ear.
"Ahhh-ahh-ohhh" The children chorus again, and I chuckle.
"We love your beautiful smile."
"Ahhh-ahh-ohhh"
"We love your soothing scent."
"Ahhh-ahh-ohhh"
"So pleaseee, Master Elián... Get... well..." She continues, and this time they all join in.
"Soooooon. Ahhh-ahh-ohhh"
I start clapping in excitement, and just then, the first boy yells again.
"Finishing surprise!!"
Koda rushes in wearing a straw skirt. The children circle him, and he stares at them like they’re about to force him to do something he doesn’t want to.
Why does this look like a plan that backfired on him?
"Final surprise!" The first boy growls at Koda through gritted teeth, and Koda jerks a bit in shock.
He looks up at me with defeated eyes, and I’m forced to bite my lips to keep from laughing.
I raise a brow as he places one hand on his hip and the other on the crown of his head.
He starts swaying his hips, and he goes round in circles, and my eyes widen.
I can not stop the vicious laughter that erupts out of me at the sight.
Everyone pauses as they turn to look at me, but I can’t stop laughing.
"Eliàn, not so hard. You’ll rip your stitches!" He calls in worry, and I hug my stomach as my laughter ascends. As much as I want to stop laughing, I can’t.
The child starts laughing as well, and Koda just stands there at the foot of the bed with a small smile on his lips as he stares at me.
I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.
"Mission accomplished," Koda says to the children, and they start cheering and jumping in excitement.