Never as it Seems

Shark searches for the one person he believes can help him solve his problem, but there are no straightforward answers in this village siolated by mountains... and one hill.

She who lives on the top of the hill is the one you seek. She holds a glorious magic like no other. Surely if you go to her she can solve your problem.

Or so Shark had been told, though, the village head had conveniently left out information on the exact location of the hill.

Since then, Shark had spent his days asking of the location of the hill on which he might find “the one who held magic like no other," but it seemed that every villager gave him a different answer and not with just slight alterations. The location of “the one who held magic like no other” seemed to be radically different to every villager.

A dreamy young woman told him, "She of eternal greatness you will find upon what no person has ever touched before."

An old man informed him, "The benevolent lady you seek is not on the hill per se, but you will find her as you go over the hill."

And a scruffy man said, "She of the most wondrous beauty does not live on the hill, you will find her when you hit the rock bottom on the other side."

Not only was every answer different, but none gave even the slightest hint as to where “the one who held magic like no other” actually lived or to what hill was used as a reference point. No matter how he thought about it he could not imagine many places that no one had ever touched and the ones that came to mind were impossible to reach. It was for that reason that they had never been touched.

By the third week in the village he was sure they were all fooling with him and he set out again in search of the neighboring village. It wasn't far and Shark prayed to whoever or whatever might receive his plea that its people would have more sense.

The neighboring village was a one day journey and when Shark arrived he could have sworn he had never left for it looked identical to the previous. Even the villagers had the same snow white hair and tanned skinned. Yellow-green seemed to be the only eye color they had. However, Shark learned long ago never to judge a book by its cover and he set about to gather information once again.

“Who?” The noodle merchant asked when Shark casually struck up a conversation with him.

“A girl or a woman who lives on the top of a hill. I hear she has magic like no other and I seek her help.”

Suddenly the merchants eyes grew wide with fear. “Oh no, you don’t want help from her. She wields terrible magic. She can kill with only her fingertips and set a curse upon you without saying a word. Let her be and she will not strip you of everything you hold dear, but if you disturb her she will not let you go free. I suggest you see the village doctor in her stead.”

“Thank you good merchant, but I do not believe this is a matter that a simple doctor could handle. I apologize for disrupting your day. Good day to you.” Shark tipped his fedora hat and turned toward the village inn in hopes of some more useful information.

However, he received a similar response from the innkeeper. “You mustn’t seek that witch,” she warned. “She is bad news. I am surprised you have not heard of her dark magic.”

“Please Miss. It is important that I see her regardless. Perhaps you have some information on her whereabouts.”

“I do. You seek she who lives upon the hill. She holds a terrible magic like no other. Surely she will curse your family.”

“I thank you for your concern, but I have no family to be cursed. Please, where may I find the hill?”

“You must walk to the other side of the mountains, but be careful that you do not take the right path otherwise you will be lost.” The innkeeper excused herself to take care of another customer’s business and left Shark to contemplate the impossibilities of walking over the mountains that isolated the two villages from the rest of the world. At the very least these mountains existed and the inn keeper seemed at least rational if not a little melodramatic. However, the mountains had no pathway that led to the other side.

“I’d like to walk to the yonder side of those cliffs,” Shark mentioned to a bartender.

“It’s not possible to walk, but you can take a ferry through the mountain rivers.”

“Thank you dear Miss,” Shark said in a sigh of relief, “How may I get a ride?”

“I’ll give you a ticket for free. Since I have free passes every so often. Though, if you don’t mind me asking, for what purpose do you want to travel so far from the village?”

“I seek the one hold holds magic like no other. I need her assistance.”

The bartender hissed. “Do not go near her. She is deadly and she will curse your homeland.”

“Thank you good woman, but I am willing to take the risk.”

“Then take this charm with you. It will protect you.”

Shark took the green stone and with a tip of his fedora hat left for the ferry docks. What kind of woman is she who is a goddess to one village and a demon to the other? The villages are so close yet so different in belief and rationality.

The mountains peaks drifted by as the ferry was pulled by the downward current. Shark, the captain, and one other-who lay asleep on the ferry bow dressed in long black cloak-were the only people on board.

After many hours the ferry came to halt against a grassy shoreline. Shark was shooed off the ship and the ferry returned to the village. The cloaked person remained on the bow. Not moving. Shark paid no mind and instead faced the mountains in front of him and behind him and to his left and to his right. No matter where he looked there was nothing but mountain.

“What is this? Where is the hill?” No matter how he looked at it, Shark only saw towering mountains, save one that was slightly shorter than all of the rest. Though nonetheless, it was still a mountain.

“Well fine, I’m stuck here anyway until the ferry returns. Might as well try to see what I can see,” Shark said to himself, but even as he spoke he began to laugh silently to himself, for right in front of him there was a sign.

It read: this is the right path. And there was a large arrow accompanying it which pointed obviously to Shark’s left.

Out of curiosity he walked to the back of the sign and read the same message with a large arrow again pointing to his left.

“Well now, I suppose they want me to take the wrong path don’t they,” he said with a fairly certain nod, his fingers stroking his chin as if he were in deep thought. He began his trek up the only unlabeled path which seemed to be not much of a path at all.

The sun remained to Shark’s left as he climbed. Be it evening or morning he was not sure, but only because he did not care. What had caught his attention was the small house that seemed lodged into the side of the runt mountain.

It was a cute little house. Not large or intricate, but small and homely with a brown roof and white walls. “Now this is quite literally making a mountain out of what I expected to be a mole hill.”

Shark rapped loudly on the door three times as he spoke to himself. Moments later there was hurried footsteps from the other side. “I’ll be damned,” Shark said, “this must be it.”

A woman more beautiful than Shark had ever laid eyes on opened the door. Her hair was black as the moonless night. Her skin was paler than the snow on the mountain tops. Her eyes were the color of magic, a deep majestic purple.

“Hello, traveler. It’s been a while since I’ve last had a visitor. Please come in,” she sad in a smooth melodic tone that made Shark fairly certain this was the woman he had been searching for.

After setting down a cup of steaming tea at the table where Shark had been offered a seat the woman asked, “Now dear traveler, what is it you have come for. It is not often one comes to my home simply to share a cup of tea with me.”

“That is quite correct,” Shark began, “though I must say I would not mind trekking up this mountain again just to see you once more.”

“You flatter me,” she replied, “but this path you walked to my home is not a mountain but a hill for it is shorter and rounder than all the rest.”

“It certainly is not a hill, for I have seen my fair share of hills in my day and they do not reach near so close to he sun,” Shark objected.

“What you say may be true to you, but a hill is simply a natural rise in the surface of the earth that is smaller than a mountain. To the villagers who have seen nothing but these mountains, this mountain that is smaller and rounder than the rest is a hill. All things in life are shaped by personal experience and collective agreement. The villagers have collectively agreed that this here elevation in the earth is simply a hill.”

“That’s insane,” Shark demanded, “people cannot simply decide what a hill is and what a mountain is. Especially not simple-minded villagers as those.” Shark did not intend to become so agitated, but the villager’s isolated world seemed so unreal it was almost insanity.

“Did you not just moments ago tell me what you thought a hill was?” She questioned, “Who is to say your definition is stronger than theirs? What makes you so much more powerful?”

“Most of the world would agree with me. The villagers are insane!” And that’s when it hit him. Most of the World? A solid collective agreement to decide the definition of...everything.

“Why are they insane?”

“Because,” Shark said slowly, now realizing his misconception, “they are different.”

She nodded slowly as if approving of Shark’s uncertainty. “Now, young traveler, what is it that you come to me for?”

“I came to you in search of the purpose of life,” Shark said his confidence fading, “but now I realize you cannot help me for I see you hold no magic at all, but I do have a question for you.”

She nodded and waited for Shark to continue.

“What do you do for the villagers?”

“I am a doctor. I help those who I can. I do not use the magic you seek, but my magic lies in my ability to understand the science of a human body and to manipulate nature into useful medicine. To some villagers it is magic. To me it is my purpose for being.”

“When you helped people of the closest village-”

“I arrived at a time of famine and drought in that village. It was coincidence to me, but enough to seem as a curse to them. The farther village was in greater prosperity and experiencing a mild winter when I arrived.”

“Snow,” Shark said aloud, “you helped a woman after a recent snowfall. When she was in need you arrived upon untouched snow. And also to a man who was struggling with the weakening of his body, when he was going over the hill, if you will. And to man who felt like he had hit rock bottom. That is when you helped these people and that is where they see your magic.” It wasn’t so much of a question as it was a realization.

She smiled at Shark’s understanding.

“One more thing. You said you have found your purpose. Perhaps it is not a lost cause to ask for your assistance in finding mine.”

“Young traveler, you are still so young. I have made this my purpose in life, changing my attitude to fit my lifestyle. I cannot help you find yours.”

“I see. Thank you for your time.” Shark left with a tip of his fedora hat. He took the right path in order to return to the shore where the ferry awaited him.

As he boarded he noticed again the figure on the bow of the boat. He walked curiously to its side and said a quiet “Good day,” mostly to the river below.

The cloaked figure looked up and the hood fell back revealing the face of a young lady. She too was beautiful as the woman on the hill-who did indeed hold a magic like know other, a great wisdom and the hand of an experienced doctor.

This woman behind the hood was beautiful in a different way. Her eyes were filled with potential hope of a greater life not yet lived. However, her face was dull, no doubt from spending many a night on the river with no company.

“Why is it that you sit up here?” Shark asked.

“I am waiting,” She replied.

“Waiting for what?”

“I am waiting until my purpose in life arrives.”

Shark was stunned for a moment. At first he angry at this lady’s ignorance, that she would actually think her purpose would just find her, and then he was angered by his own premature judgment for moments ago had he not just learned that life is shaped by experiences and background? Who was he to say that purpose would never find a girl upon the bow of a ferry boat?

He then said, “I too have not yet found my purpose, but I am searching for it. Perhaps I will not find it where I expect it or perhaps I will never find it, or perhaps I will make one for myself someday, but for right now my search for it has brought me to many great places and I enjoy the experience of searching.”

After a brief moment the girl replied, “Perhaps you would like someone to search with, for I may discover purpose while waiting or I may not, but I do not think a change in my life will be a wrong choice, if not a right choice.”

“In which case we will call it a choice that has been left open for you. I would love to make your acquaintance. I am Shark.”

“I am Stone.”

Author's Note

Please let me know if there are obvious grammar problems and otherwise just give me your thoughts. What was interesting? What wasn't quite right?

Reviews

[J.A. Marquez]

For some reason the fedora doesn't settle well with me. Anyhow, the story is good. There are a few misplaced words here and there and at times the flow seems just a tad disjointed. With more buffing this seems like a gem. I don't know if you plan on doing more or if you did more, but I would develop the character of the woman on the hill a bit more. She just felt rushed to me and I liked her. Good work.