9: Chains of Cleansing

Though it was obvious the spec was moving its movements seemed futile. Suddenly the vastness of wastelands became apparent. How far was this mystery? Searching for some defining features among the boulders and canyon walls, there were none. She could find not a single shadow or single point of light once again. Taking her eyes off of her new discovery she was suddenly very aware of a new aura in would-be sky above. Slowly creeping from another undefined location was a grey aura about the entirety of lighted above. Soon enough a familiar scent was in the air. A new scent in this place.

Very quickly did the sky come from a white and blue to an unsettling grey to black. Somehow from no explanation her world around maintained the same visibility. Still this scent. If only there was knowledge for it, almost as the snow from the mountain but less predictable. “It’s time to come inside!” yelled her mother from behind the screen door when it began sprinkling. “But mom! I love the rain! Just this once?” she begged. “Fine, but only for a bit, and if you see any lighting come strait inside young lady.” her mother finished. Catching drop after drop on her tongue, she was almost intoxicated by the air. The odor of purity that the rain brought calmed her to her center. Any fears she had were gone as she skipped through the gutter in a river of rain. Every drop washing away into peace.

“This is new.” is all Heresy solemnly stated nodding at her. It was then the wind didn’t begin. Instead there were flashes of bright light that flared first directly above the wary travelers, then in front of them a ways, then further and then further still before repeating the entire process. The air was electric, but still eerily quiet. Taking the queue, She began following the trail into the valley and away from the mountain from whence she came. “Do you think this is wise? The wind has guided us to present, what makes you so sure this light is our new guide?” asked Heresy, refusing to move from the base of the mountain.

She continued to follow the patterns in the sky which began to bring her closer and closer to the moving rock. The closer she came the heavier the air became. Closer and closer, until the air was so dense it had no other choice but to burst. Suddenly from everywhere it came. The rain. It was almost immediate that her view of what lay ahead faded into a dark blur. Looking up to her guiding light she could only see Darkness and a vertical river falling on the canyon. Behind her She could almost make out the faint screams of Heresy but this was drowned out by the thunder of the water striking everything at once. Faster and heavier came the rain. Her black dress grew heavier and heavier.

Stopped dead in her tracks she saw him again. Barely visible in the onslaught from the heavens was the blind man. The water was washing away his dirt and filth and yet it remained on him as much as it came off and stained the ground around him. There was no wind now, but his tattered robe still waved with such force it cracked the air at times. Unable to take her eyes off him didn’t stop him from being next to her before she could know he wasn’t still in front of her. On her left he stood hunched slightly forward, he had something to say again. “Let it go. Bath and absolve all that was.” he whispered in her ear as she turned to look at him and saw nothing. He was gone again.

“How could you? I waited for you for two hours! And you were to busy doing what? Making out with that new guy from school again?!” She was mad now very very mad and also disappointed. There was a bitter taste lingering on her buds. She was sitting in her bedroom now, on her bed, holding a phone in one hand and a teddy bear missing an eye in the other. “Who told you that? That’s not true! I hope I never see you again!” slamming the phone on her bedside table, she dove into her pillow.

She was overwhelmed by his presence and the rain. If she had been crying she couldn’t tell, the rain hid her tears well enough. Regrouping she began putting one foot in front of the other. Stumbling a bit at first but finally regaining her composure. With every step she took the rain subsided more and more, giving way to the grey sky and the cyclical light steering her journey now. Soon enough the rain was no more leaving little more then damp gravel and a few puddles. Closer now was the creeping object she sought. There were finally definitive features, it was not a single object but now the smallest silhouette of a large figure being followed by an even larger boulder. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of splashing of water and thud of feet behind her. Looking back it would seem Heresy had decided to rejoin her quest. Following him was the howl of the wind coming back in full force.