defervescence

He was walking toward her, bare-chested, a Japanese black wrap covering his lower body only slightly darker than he; the hilt of the sword gleaming in the sun, swinging alongside as he strode toward her. His face looked peaceful and she began to think this was a merciful end as he gracefully drew the sword, towering over her. "You need to sleep, but first you need this" she heard him say, knowing only a friend, as old as he was to her, would she let get this close. She was sure she heard the long steel blade sliding out of the sheath, almost like the sound of water over rocks. The vision of him blurred as he approached her and she could feel her head being lifted. Soon it would be over and she couldn't find regret it in her anywhere, she let her eyes close. Swallowing hard, she thought there were pebbles in her throat. She tried to swallow once more then tried to speak, but the river was flowing and she decided drowning was just as good. She seemed to cool from the inside out with each breath, the water in. Her head felt light and she began to hum. She heard his laughter as if in another life and then she was floating, her legs and arms bobbing like paper things, soon wafting down into a heap.

Standing atop a mountain the sun shone brightly on her, the swaths of farmland on the near vertical slopes created a patchwork, as if a giant quilt had been draped over each peak. Looking around she could see the small town below here and the Amazon River winding off to the South. A small dark-skinned barefoot boy in brightly colored clothes walked up to her and smiled. She smiled back and tried to speak, but could not find her voice.
"Tienes sed?" he asked in a small and steady voice. She nodded yes and he disappeared like a breath into a stone doorframe, the scent of sweet plantains as if air, and reappeared moments later with a small cup of dark liquid. She bowed toward him taking the cup and let her eyes close as she did this, falling into the liquid.

She felt warm, all over, and only when the breeze began to make her dry again did she open them to find herself looking down a soft wooded path at a person in a distance, a woman.

She was still so thirsty and found it hard to swallow. Maybe the woman would have some water to share. Hum staggered forward and when the breeze blew again she felt an ice cold chill. Her clothes were soaked through and she began to tremble trying to warm herself. The light was taking its leave and she tried to call out to the woman to slow down; she would never be able to catch up. A small cough escaped her tired throat and the woman stopped, but didn't turn. Hum's vision began to swim and her lids dropped like small stones.

The scent of sweat and something familiar made her lift her head and she felt an arm around her waist, helping her walk. "C'mon babe, just a little farther" was the voice soft, warm and familiar. Hum began to weep from a place deep inside. She was not alone, the woman who once showed her all the possibility in the world held her securely now, sitting her down on a nurse log. Hum felt a deep sense of longing rise up in her, making her weak, and without turning her head at all, she knew it was Daria.

"Why did you go?" she heard her own voice croak, barely a whisper.
"You didn't need me anymore, you know that" Daria said matter-of-factly as she wiped the sweat from Hum's brow and set her pack behind Hum to prop her comfortably so she could pull some water.
"I wasn't done, we weren't done; you showed me so much and..." Hum trailed off, knowing this was the weak part of her, off-center and small.
"You are so much stronger now and that strength came in the wake of my departure. You know that. You wanted, and I wanted, but our paths diverged and you didn't want to accept that. I understand. Hell, I didn't want to leave you either, but it was written in the wind. I still love you, but I don't need to tell you that." she said sweetly as she held the water to Hums dry cracked lips. Hum knew it was true, but the ache inside her from the excision of that connection was like a wound that never quite healed. She wanted to protest, but deep down she knew it was futile, false and instead she reached out and placed her hand on Daria's chest, resting gently over her beating heart.
"Is that why you're still out here? Are you trying to find him?" she asked. Daria smiled and kissed her gently on her forehead, like a splash of water to a fire.
"I know where he is. I'm trying to find my own way now. Have you found the beautiful princess yet?" she smiled radiantly. The question was serious but still silly sounding from such a strong, bold woman.
"She doesn't exist. I've stopped looking" Hum stated quite plainly.
"Good, you'll put out your own light looking and then how will she know it's you?" Daria retorted. Hum laughed, a deep sound vibrating through her ribs, it hurt her chest and her throat, but she laughed all the same. "I miss that laugh" Daria said wistfully as it filled her. Hum wanted to say that she didn't need to, but she knew better and their time was short now. Hum took her face in both hands and uttered 'a mountain keeps an echo deep inside itself, that's how i hold your voice'. She said it with a certainty Daria has never heard in her voice before. She kissed Daria lightly on the lips and as she pulled back Daria whispered "I knew you would find yourself. I saw it in you. And she's out there, closer than you know".
"Maybe" Hum whispered back and then let go of Daria and turned away. The sky went black and the rain began to fall. Hum walked for what felt like a very long time. The wooded path became an open field which fell to concrete. The buildings sprouted up around her and the noise filtered in slowly; a garbage truck, a fire engine siren, people talking loudly over the din. She was shivering and her head began to ache when she realized she was lost. How could she be lost? This was her home, wasn't it? As she shuffled down a street looking for a subway, she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise up. She stopped and looked around. Everything felt familiar, but still she knew she hadn't been here before... not yet. The wind kicked up and the chill ripped through her.

"Hum. Hum girl. Shit" he mumbled to himself watching her shiver in her bed.
"How's she doing?" Szu asked peering over his enormous shoulder.
"Not much better. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't just take her to the..."
"no" she whispered through parched lips.
"damn girl, you were starting to scare me" he said turning back to her and smiling.
"thirsty" she mumbled, never opening her eyes. He wrapped one large arm around her as if she were a small child and not a woman at all, and sat her up. She sipped from a warm glass of water that had been by the bedside. "What time is is?" she asked.
"About 1 am. how you feelin?" he asked sitting back and relaxing a bit.
"I think I need some new pj's" she said pulling a soaked t-shirt off her chest, "but I think my fever broke" she said. He pulled out a thermometer and a minute later said "98.9, close enough”.

“Close enough” she whispered back still washed in the memory of where she’d been.