Secretive Faces

"Shamballa," I said the second I woke up. The morning light illumiated the land, and I sat up and put a hand over my eyes. I groaned, my stomach turning. My nightmare was scaring me again, and I knew I was going to get sick. But where to crawl to? I stood up and began to slowly walk back to the tree. As I knelt down to get sick, I began to think about my nightmare. It had a meaning, and this Shamballa place was going to face extreme peril if I didn't do anything. I thought about the voice's answer: "Behind the mirror lies Shamballa". As I was getting sick, I wasn't even focusing on the contents that were leaving my mouth, I was focusing on debunking the riddle.

What mirror? Where can I find this "mirror"?

When I was done, I stood up and gazed out to the town below me. "Here I come," I whispered to myself as I brushed myself off and started to town.

 

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Once I got to the middle of town, I noticed a couple of things out of place. One was that there was very few people around. It was just me and a group of young girls looking at a map. The other thing was that there were signs posted everywhere about a carnival.

 

Carnival.

 

That's when something inside me clicked. The sick rocket scientist in Al's dreams...it had to be Alfons! But then I wondered what the "sick" part was. I mentally analyzed the dreams Al had told me about.

 

Sick....rocket at carnival...when I cough up blood, I know I'm gonna wake up....

 

So Alfons coughed blood? I was wondering why when I felt someone tap my shoulder.

 

"Good morning, Ma'am. You lost?"

 

A kind looking officer was looking at me. "Oh? Me? No, I know how to get back home. I'm just thinking about something is all," I answered, trying to not sound like I was up to anything. The officer looked tired. His black hair was all tucked under his hat, but still some bangs were in his eyes. His eyes had bags under them, and they were clear even behind his spectacles. He had a few strands of a potential beard as well. But his whole body seemed to ache. "Well, Ma'am, you'd better get back home, the carnival is going to set up soon. Where do you live? I can give you a ride there," he offered. I smiled. "Oh, it's within walking distance. Alfons' house isn't that far."

 

"Alfons? The rocket scientist?"

"Yes sir. I don't really live there, just visting."

"Are you his girlfriend?"

 

This surprised me. I couldn't even see Alfons and I together in any perspective. I remembered the moment he winked at me, and how I had been awfully repulsed. "No sir. Not at all. Just a friend," I answered. The officer got a confused look on his face.

 

"A friend of Alfons? Did you meet him at rocket school?"

"No sir. I met him two years ago. During the air attack."

"Ahh, I see."

"I'm not even here to visit him, to be honest."

"Really? Is he lending you lodging?"

"No sir. My friend...the one I'm visiting....he lives with Alfons."

"Wait...Edward?"

"Yes sir."

"He's such a shut in. I didn't know he had any friends."

 

I smiled at this. "Oh, yes sir, him and I have been friends since we were both 6 years old," I said proudly. The officer got a gleam of...something...in his eyes, and a sly smile spread across his face. "I can walk you over. I need to talk to you anyways."