Youth's Dew

Chapter 29

Heif

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask Joven, who is just sitting at his office desk staring out the window; completely zoned out.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "I mean I guess so. Everything is awesome with Pann, but I feel different or maybe just agitated. I'll be glad when Winter Solstice is over, and my stress levels can come down."

"OR, you could have told your wife about the forgotten tablet and warned her?" I remind him and start a staring competition with Joven, "like I told you to do three months ago."

"No, good golly no, I freaked out on her the one time she asked to go," Joven says. "Hey, out of curiosity, are we fully stocked on elixir? And, are the storage areas secured?"

"Yes, we have enough to supply everyone for a year, and you had me lock them up last week. What's going on Joven? You're starting to alarm me, has your Vision seen anything?"

"That's the problem, Heif, I've seen nothing, and that's never happened before," Joven slumps his shoulders.

Finally, I get him up and we start home. I say good-bye to him and head to my home in Hanno vicinage. This time tomorrow, all of this will have blown over and we will be laughing about it over pizza.

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Pann

Joven came home late last night and went right to bed, claiming he had a headache. So, no chance to tell him of my plans for today. By the time I awoke, he had already left for the office for a couple of hours of work. That should be just enough time to get to the Forbidden Cave and back, before Joven gets home.

Going to Joven's side of the bed, I retrieve my original wedding ring and put it in my pocket and head out the door. Luckily, I don't run into anyone and make it to the Forbidden Cave with five minutes to spare.

"Hey Pann!" Jean waves her hand, "here I am, are you ready?" She looks at my left hand and starts to become nervous, "did you forget the ring?"

"You silly," I say and pull the ring out, "it's right here." And I open my palm and let her see it, but keep it close to my body, not wanting to take any chances of dropping it. The intricate designs swirling in the ring, with gems of amethyst, rubies, and emeralds encrusted make for a sparkling attraction. Jean looks at it for so long, it felt like she may ask to wear it, so I quickly slip my gold band to my right hand, and slide my antique wedding ring on my left hand.

"Oh good," Jean relaxes. "Let's go, before someone sees us."

Jean and I head toward the Reflection Room and then veer left, to the entrance of the Forbidden Cave. I feel a mixture of dread and excitement as I take my first step into the darkened tunnel. I smell the faintest hint of jasmine, and Jean and I go farther into the tunnel. We can just make out pictures drawn on the walls of the tunnel. Now, about 6-7 feet inside, squinting our eyes we can make out what looks like ancient native American drawings. The dew on the walls of the Tunnel, make the images blurry. One section catches my attention. Having taken a class in college on Native American History, my parents insisted, these drawings are very similar to the Iroquois Tribes.

Seeing one painted sketch that's looks oddly familiar, I lean forward placing my left hand on the glistening wall and get in close.

Whoosh!

A whirlwind of air comes streaming at us, from deep in the tunnel. Immense pressure slams into my body, causing me to momentarily lose my breath.

A giant wind also comes up from the bottom of the tunnel, swirling around my feet and then upwards, lifting my hair and clothes off my body. I struggle to keep my body covered. The once dense, dark tunnel is illuminated and the drawings seem to come to life. Not in a way where they move, but the color is transformed into a neon type paint and the pictures look agitated and very angry!

Very, very angry!

We need to get out of here, NOW!

Turning I reach for Jean's hand, and realize she's moved to the mouth of the tunnel and the wind hasn't even disturbed a hair on her head. Peace surrounds her, while I'm swirling in a wind tunnel with the air force of a tornado!

"JEAN, RUN, RUN!" I yell and try racing to the mouth of the cave. My feet are weighted down, as if I'm being held back. Looking around, no one is around me, but I feel hands grabbing at me, trying to pull me by my arms back to the rear of the cave. I struggle so hard, what's wrong with me? Not knowing what else to do, I begin yelling for my husband.

"JOVEN!"

"JOVEN!"

"Come to me! JOVEN." As I get his name out one last time, my throat is silenced, I can say nothing. Pushing, pulling, I feel myself being pressed into the stone floor.