Nausea and Nostalgia

No matter how composed you could look, being treated as an outcast does hurt.

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Chapter (13): Nausea and Nostalgia

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My head was being hammered into the core, and mischievous fairies had mistaken the pit of my stomach for a trampoline. I groaned under my breath swabbing my palm along my forehead and eyes.

 

"Aseel," Adam weakly said from his seat.

 

"Yes?" Aseel seemed to have been caught off guard, because calling people by names sounded like forced compliments through Adam's voice.

 

"When is this machine going to stop?"

 

"Um…soon, I think." Her eyes shifted between the foggy road and the electronic map on the driving panel. "The city borders are not very far from…" she traced off upon hearing his suppressed groans, "What's wrong? Are you getting sick?"

 

"I am not sure, but it feels unpleasant."

 

"Well, duh." Nara's voice entered, "Definitely carsick, "she concluded the medical case, "Wow, you're even wimpier than Jad when it comes to that." So much for Adam being her cool, handsome icon… When it came to sarcasm she wouldn't hold back, "Cars make some people sick, but they're absolutely more effective than camels and horses were." There she goes with unnecessary philosophies. Nobody mentioned anything about animals for transportation.

 

"Machines and electricity were forbidden in our city." Ah, that's what she meant. They must have used animals then. Wait…they had no machines? Then how the hell were they described to have been so invincible? In what way was a non-industrial city a threat to other territories?

 

His voice had traces of nausea and his blue eyes lost some of their blue shine in nostalgia. What actually happened to Adam's home? People had once mentioned an earthquake that crumpled the beautiful, prosperous city hidden in the mountains and swallowed it in rage.

 

"You guys had no machinery at all? You mean you've never been inside a car before?" Aseel half-exclaimed. That's not the scariest part, I thought, he'd probably not recognize what a phone or a light switch is for either.

 

Soon my eyelids betrayed me and weighed down my head, Nara laughing at my slightly open mouth when my head hung backwards. I didn't care. I had been sleepless and stifled by a foreign atmosphere and unexplained events that made me involuntarily cuss and almost lose my head.

 

The radiator had already caressed the air inside with a kind touch compared to the winter outside the glass, but there was a chilly draft seeping from somewhere… I slightly shuddered, my cheek nestling closer against the warmer shoulder on my right. Yes, warm…and stroked with fresh jasmine…

 

"We're here! We're at the city borders!" Aseel yelled.

 

The vehicle came to an abrupt stop and I jumped in my place, realizing the shoulder I had been leaning on for…a while. Maybe if he had dozed off we would have been kind of even, but it seemed he hadn't winked the whole time, his gorgeous blue eyes mutely giving me an unreadable side-glance as my cheek departed his shoulder. I lowered my head hiding the reddening color invading my features. The faded scent of fresh summer jasmine lingered. Man, why didn't I unconsciously lean on Miriam's shoulder to my left?

 

"Juveniles crossing the city borders alone? This is dangerous."

 

Even the spot where we stood was searched thoroughly, and we would get suspicious glances once we opened our mouths to exchange the shortest phrases. Translation: You don't f**k with these guys. A solid looking woman in her late thirties known as: Captain Zed, received us near a cubicle and a search point. She had a chubby stature and face, friendly almond-shaped eyes that were stiffened by whiplashes of time, and chestnut brown hair-lots of it- bundled behind her neck. She and six other men were dressed in military suits and equipped with common laser pistols.

 

"Your luggage and clothes will be searched as well," she said, "And I need to see your pass cards--hold on," There was a suppressed, out-of-tone beep coming from the woman's pocket. She quickly pulled it out and impatiently punched a few buttons and she sighed weighing the device hopelessly in her palm as the wobbly red light and beeping died, "The useless thing. Never stops freezing, right when we need the signal."

 

"Move." Adam walked past me, his eyes observing the transmitter and the blue in his eyes emitted a neon-blue light. The woman's eyes curiously shifted between the boy and her device, but she was not afraid, finally staring back at the black cover with a steady red dot of light and pushed a single button, "Did you just use shawada?"

 

"..Probably." He told her, hesitant at her unclear response tone.

 

"Radiant!" She placed a hand on one hip and turned over the device in her palm with a grin, "We should hire more people like him around here. What is your name?"

 

"Adamant. I've helped you. Let us pass in return. I'm running out of time."

 

"Alright, that's a convincing exchange, but uh… where are you kids going?"

 

" Actually we were sent on a missio--" I cleverly explained, instantly getting cut off by Aseel,

 

"W-We are Madam Kamar's guests of honor. She's performing solo tonight." she put on the best formal smile an introverted teenager with glasses could wear.

 

Solo? The witch sings? Oh, yeah, I remembered.

 

Aseel eagerly sighed in admiration, "She's mystical, with pretty night-black hair and light grey eyes that remind me of the moon! She has a smooth low singing voice and lots of magic."

 

"Ah, the Black Guardian of the lodge with the enchanting voice?" Captain Zed didn't smile, but she sounded interested, "I think I've heard of her wh--

 

"Splendid!" one of the men laughed in disappointment, "You let them use a witch's name as a pass card?" he shook his head in bitter regret,

 

"N-No, no," Aseel innocently stammered, "You see, we have our pass cards right…" She uselessly fumbled in her backpack, "here…" She left them in the backseat pockets, I remembered.

 

"Even young children like you find their ways through lies that guiltlessly. What is wrong with people nowadays? What has our world come to?" He seemed to be the only one who dared to interrupt the captain, but she reacted smoothly. I didn't like that man, he eyed Adam strangely, strolled around us too consciously, and we all felt uneasy. Miriam huddled closer to my sister, their palms connected. Was he afraid one of us would suddenly snatch out a bomb out and yell something about power to the people?

 

"Shush, Fareed," the captain's voice was jaded, "you always overreact and find ways to make the world seemed swarming with conspiracies. They're only children."

 

The other men carefully cornered our vehicle, some of them communicating through serious looking radios. This was going to take long…I yawned. I just hoped I wouldn't suddenly drop asleep right there. Things were already sluggish and suspicious.

 

"Say, you with the blue hair," the woman squinted her eyes at me.

 

"Hm?" I suppressed the next yawn and batted the drowsiness out of my eyelashes.

 

"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

 

"I-I can't recall if you have, ma'am."

 

"Show me your pass card," I turned towards the car, "No, wait a minute, wait a minute--What's your name?"

 

"Jad Ayman."

 

"Ayman? Esra Ayman? Are you a relative of hers? Oh, wait, aren't you her first son?"

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"Ah, and this young lady here?" the woman's lips curved nostalgically, Nara conceitedly smiling back, "is she your sister?" she nodded, "I've known you two since gurgles and diapers. Oh, that Esra, I've missed her." her voice was now delighted by the blood link discovered, "That naïve, odd, do-gooder, who also makes the best apple jam and apple pie in town."

 

The last line was undeniable, the aroma of my mother's apple pie could be recognized a few meters away, and the sugary apple topping and spongy crumbs underneath would melt in your mouth. Man, I just realized how hungry I was. My mother even made friends with the people at the edge of the city. Nothing to be proud of, still a good credit…Can we go now?

 

There was a beep and the woman's delighted smile faded; her face became formal again and her ears against the device were absorbed by the somber male voice on the other end. It was probably an urgent call. "…Yes, sir… luckily, the transmitter has been repaired…I'll-I'll be right there." Where was she going, I was getting scared. "Fareed, it's a code Neon-red again. I leave these children to you. Kamal, Salem, you two come with me." She turned to Adam with a genuine smile, "And, thanks for the spell, boy."  He briefly nodded. And with that the she disappeared behind the office. Fareed's eyes shifted towards Adam and his lips twitched in a smile. My senses strangely protested.

 

"Look here," The white carpet of snow was trampled and soiled, crunching under his long bottle black boots, "We've got a new specimen." his voice was inquiring with an unwelcoming tinge. Sarcasm? Couldn't he at least wait for his Captain to completely be gone? "Light blue eyes, white hair. You're one of those wizards that once hid in the mountains, aren't you? You people were never allowed to cross our borders. How did you get into town anyway…?"

 

Adam's calm blue gazed past and through the man, newly falling white flakes accompanying his silence. The man repressed an offended frown. For your blue eyes' sake, Adam, say something.

 

"Weren't you all exterminated a year ago? Swallowed by God's wrath and all?" He was not investigating. He was provoking Adam into using his magical palms again.

 

"No." Adam said.

 

"No, I'm serious. I mean, what are you, a lone survivor? You're gonna…" he shrugged slowly swarming around the younger boy, "find a gentle girl, one who accepts beasts, repopulate and bring your civilization back to life? Just guessing, though." Okay, what the f**k? Add a side-dish of stupid assumptions to that racism, "'Cause if you are, the boys and I had better be alarmed. I mean, don't take it personally, we did rejoice when you all just disappeared, but we're not the bad people here. God showed whose side he had already taken, mountain boy. You have--" "Alright, just stop." Aseel interrupted with an acidic fervor, "Captain Zed did not mention anything about racism being part of the search. We're in a hurry here--"

 

"The captain has never given direct orders to let you pass, did she?" How sneaky. She did not have to say it literally…wasn't she too happy about remembering  mom's apple pie to keep us iced up here, I rubbed my arms with my numbing hands, "And I am not a racist. I'm a man of truth."

 

"Yes, you are being a racist and it's hurting my friend."

 

"Hurt? Is it true? Oh, that doesn't sound good, are you going to wail your mountain spells at me now?" He wringed his eyebrows at Adam, "He doesn't look hurt, my dear. I doubt he doesn't even know what emotions are. He's the illegitimate heir of Satan."

 

I glanced at Adam. No matter how composed he looked, being treated as an outcast is painful. Adam was arrogant, callous, and stubborn, but he did have feelings. He saved me once before. That was enough proof for me.

Author's Note

I had been on hiatus for an eternity, but now I'm back with new chapters. Aand the story goes on!

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Amazing chapter. I need to come back and read the complete story. I like the discussion and new characters in the story. I will come back on Wednesday and read the complete tale. The storyline is getting stronger and better. A excellent chapter.
Coyote

[Rikkevi Rue]

I like it so far! YOu write so well...but maybe I should read the earlier chapters!

[J. R.]

This is a really interesting, thoughtful read.