Read Online Unison (The Spheral) by Eleni Papanou - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Eleni Papanou
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Woman.
I placed my plazer on the floor and kicked it aside.
Old Woman inspected us for a few moments and holstered her weapon. “You sound like a reasonable Unitian,” she said to Wade and laughed. “Don’t think I ever said that before.” She pointed her finger towards me. “Don’t confuse my good cheer for camaraderie. If either of you start preaching the Sacred Oath, you won’t be welcome any longer.”
A large dog with long golden hair ran out, almost knocking us over.
“Don’t be afraid. My Shisa wouldn’t hurt even the tiniest ant,” Old Woman placed her thumb and pointer finger as close together without touching.
Wade entered the cabin. I wanted to leave, but my vision kept me its prisoner.
Old Woman and Wade went through their introductions, but I was more interested in the living space. On the eastern side of the main room was a large open panoramic window with a stunning view of the mountain we first spotted on the forbidden side of the ridge. As I admired the scenery, the shutter closed.
“Impressive.” Wade said.
I turned around, and Old Woman had a remote control in her hands. “A good way to get attention.” She reopened the shutter.
I pointed towards a large opening in the back wall. “What is that for?”
“It’s a fireplace. I use it when I don’t have enough power stored to run the electric.” She looked at it solemnly. “That happened only once…and it was so many years ago.”
The wall opposite the window had shelves filled with sculptures of strange creatures. I picked up a figure of a human with an elephant head. The body had four arms and a prominent belly.
Old Woman touched the trunk with her wrinkled pointer finger. “Ganesha.”
“What does that mean?”
“The Ancients that worshipped him believed all the universes of past, present, and future existed in him.”
“At the same time?” I asked, intrigued over how that would affect my precognition.
Old Woman seemed confused by my comment.
“Did they believe past, present, and future happened all at once…within the same space?”
“The builder of this cabin would’ve laughed at your question,” she said. “I inherited this cabin from him.”
Old Woman surveyed the room as though admiring a palace. She fixed her gaze on a picture of an older man and young woman, standing in front of the cabin. “Torrin was a brilliant engineer. He never concerned himself with unearthly conjectures.” She laughed. “Typical scientist.”
Torrin seemed familiar; I’ve seen him before but had trouble discerning from where.
“A trip to New Athenia might hold the answers you seek,” Old Woman said.
“Where is New Athenia?” Wade asked.
“Across the old tunnel. The journey is long but well worth the effort.” Old Woman opened a drawer in her desk and removed a folded sheet of paper. She handed it to Wade. “I can transport you over…if you’d like.”
Wade unfolded the sheet. “It’s a map!” He held it out towards me. “I knew Nasia wasn’t hallucinating.”
I walked over and examined the map that showed territories on the eastern side of the tunnel.
“Before the Great Cataclysm, people lived in different parts of the world and had their own languages and customs,” Old Woman said.
Wade pointed to a highlighted spot on the map that read, New Athenia. “What would I see here?”
“The heart of New Athenia is the Alexandrian Repository. It preserves the histories of all known Ancient races. My first visit profoundly affected me. It expressed a reality greater than Unity.”
“I want to go,” Wade said. “When can you take me?”
“Go there, and you’ll end up dead like Nasia.” I tried to seize the map, and Wade pulled it away.
“You’ll be fine,” Old Woman said. “The scourge is a lie.”
“Master Tyrus was right,” Wade said.
“How can you trust an Outsider over—”
“I’m not going back.” He examined the map. “Made the decision before I left Unity.”
My vertigo
I placed my plazer on the floor and kicked it aside.
Old Woman inspected us for a few moments and holstered her weapon. “You sound like a reasonable Unitian,” she said to Wade and laughed. “Don’t think I ever said that before.” She pointed her finger towards me. “Don’t confuse my good cheer for camaraderie. If either of you start preaching the Sacred Oath, you won’t be welcome any longer.”
A large dog with long golden hair ran out, almost knocking us over.
“Don’t be afraid. My Shisa wouldn’t hurt even the tiniest ant,” Old Woman placed her thumb and pointer finger as close together without touching.
Wade entered the cabin. I wanted to leave, but my vision kept me its prisoner.
Old Woman and Wade went through their introductions, but I was more interested in the living space. On the eastern side of the main room was a large open panoramic window with a stunning view of the mountain we first spotted on the forbidden side of the ridge. As I admired the scenery, the shutter closed.
“Impressive.” Wade said.
I turned around, and Old Woman had a remote control in her hands. “A good way to get attention.” She reopened the shutter.
I pointed towards a large opening in the back wall. “What is that for?”
“It’s a fireplace. I use it when I don’t have enough power stored to run the electric.” She looked at it solemnly. “That happened only once…and it was so many years ago.”
The wall opposite the window had shelves filled with sculptures of strange creatures. I picked up a figure of a human with an elephant head. The body had four arms and a prominent belly.
Old Woman touched the trunk with her wrinkled pointer finger. “Ganesha.”
“What does that mean?”
“The Ancients that worshipped him believed all the universes of past, present, and future existed in him.”
“At the same time?” I asked, intrigued over how that would affect my precognition.
Old Woman seemed confused by my comment.
“Did they believe past, present, and future happened all at once…within the same space?”
“The builder of this cabin would’ve laughed at your question,” she said. “I inherited this cabin from him.”
Old Woman surveyed the room as though admiring a palace. She fixed her gaze on a picture of an older man and young woman, standing in front of the cabin. “Torrin was a brilliant engineer. He never concerned himself with unearthly conjectures.” She laughed. “Typical scientist.”
Torrin seemed familiar; I’ve seen him before but had trouble discerning from where.
“A trip to New Athenia might hold the answers you seek,” Old Woman said.
“Where is New Athenia?” Wade asked.
“Across the old tunnel. The journey is long but well worth the effort.” Old Woman opened a drawer in her desk and removed a folded sheet of paper. She handed it to Wade. “I can transport you over…if you’d like.”
Wade unfolded the sheet. “It’s a map!” He held it out towards me. “I knew Nasia wasn’t hallucinating.”
I walked over and examined the map that showed territories on the eastern side of the tunnel.
“Before the Great Cataclysm, people lived in different parts of the world and had their own languages and customs,” Old Woman said.
Wade pointed to a highlighted spot on the map that read, New Athenia. “What would I see here?”
“The heart of New Athenia is the Alexandrian Repository. It preserves the histories of all known Ancient races. My first visit profoundly affected me. It expressed a reality greater than Unity.”
“I want to go,” Wade said. “When can you take me?”
“Go there, and you’ll end up dead like Nasia.” I tried to seize the map, and Wade pulled it away.
“You’ll be fine,” Old Woman said. “The scourge is a lie.”
“Master Tyrus was right,” Wade said.
“How can you trust an Outsider over—”
“I’m not going back.” He examined the map. “Made the decision before I left Unity.”
My vertigo
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