The Only Hope

Book 1: Chapter 16

“I understand it now, having spent time in the crazy bin. I can see how a normal fully sane human being could lose their mind in that-that-that place. I was strapped to a bed. The room… was all white, and I was alone… With nothing to occupied my mind other than my own thoughts. I was in there for what? Less than a mere 48 hours, yet-yet I could feel… feel my mind slipping from my grasp every second I was laying there, bounded. It was horrible. I never want to go there again… Horrible, just plain, horrible.”

Pabu jumped onto my lap, and I smiled. I petted his head, and sighed. He rubbed his head up against my neck, and I smiled. The day was cloudy, and cool.

“I thought we had it bad, your story seems even worse.”

Bolin handed me a glass of watermelon juice, and I took it with a weak smile. The sun was just coming up, and we had both gotten a few hours of sleep, if any. I had come up here for some alone time, and found Bolin instead. Not that I minded, may I add.

“Thanks, it was. I felt like a mad woman, singing to no one, screaming and struggling, and-and the vision…”

“What vision?”

I looked at him, my eyes wide.

“I saw her. I saw him, dancing a horrible, pain-filled sonnet… My grandmother, it must have been from her. I have nothing special about my being, other than her. It had to be her.”

“Zabri!”

I stopped talking, and fell back to my knees. In my rant I had risen up, my eyes scanning the Bay around the island that I could see from the meditation pavilion. My chest rose, and fell quickly, as I stared down to my juice.

“I-I’m-I’m sorry. I-I-I don’t, I can’t fathom, I just, it’s all, I-I-I-I think I should go.”

I sat my cup down, and stood quickly, hoping I didn’t trip over my own feet as I quickly rushed down the hill.

Sitting at lunch, I was over joyed to see Korra recovering well; she was eating a ton. Yet keeping my body up for over 24 hours, I hadn’t slept that night, was catching my body. I found myself nodding off, my hands rested in my lap, my head falling every few seconds. I would push it back up, in hopes to weigh off the black darkness that worked to consume me. But I failed, because the next time I was awoken it was to someone shaking me gently.

“Secret tunnel and die!”

I was greeted by everyone at the table, staring at me. I cleared my throat, and glanced down to my hands.

“Sorry, I-um, sorry.”

I pushed some stray hairs back, my hair hanging freely around my face for one. I glanced back up, as everyone went back to what they were talking about before.

“Korra, let me get you more tea.”

“Oh, thanks Mako.”

After lunch, Tenzin went off to a council meeting, and Bei Fong stayed on the island to protect Pema and the kids, though I doubted they needed protection. Tenzin had yet to see his little ones in action, and I made sure they knew how to kick but if needed. But then again, they are just kids.

I was outside; practicing some moves with my glider I was still shaky on, when loud booms filled my ears. I froze, and turned my head to look over my shoulder. I could see the city skyline, buildings going up in flames, air crafts flying dangerously low to the high building tops. I stood frozen, chill bumps rising high all over my body. Bei Fong and the kids stood behind me, they had been taking a walk, frozen too. To my left I heard footsteps, but didn’t turn to see who they were. My glider was tight in my grip, as my hot breath shook from my lips.