THE CAVE: From shadow to light

CHAPTER V - Lost in your eyes

CHAPTER V
Lost in your eyes

We are swimming in this mini natural jacuzzi, the water is at a perfect temperature, the sound of the falls is reasoning, it's soothing, the view that surrounds us, so beautiful, I'm living in a dream ... Ali takes some distance a little, curious to explore the rock faces of the cave up close, surely in order to make an archeological discovery? Scared to stay alone when I am, I discreetly follow his traces, to not stay too far.

- Alia, look, someone draw something.
- What is it ?
- Look, it's like animal
- Uhm... It looks like a giraffe, right ?
- Yes, or a panthere
- Or a Bengal cat
- *fear comes on his face*

This change of facial expression does not reassure me at all, what happens suddenly? Ali ? Is he ok ? He's eyes are like paralyzed, staring at something behind me. I'm starting to freak out but I'm unable to turn around to understand what makes Ali suddenly so rigid. The water starts to bubble, like a real jacuzzi this time, but does not get hotter, when suddenly, Ali is as if sucked in, he disappears, in front of me, I scream his name but nothing helps, no one answers and the water keeps bubbling, I panic, I can not move, as if paralyzed by fear and doubts.
It's the emptiness, it's all white...
I open my eyes, Ali is there, lying next to me, unconscious, we are on the ground, dry, and not in the water as in my last memories. I feel dizzy, heavy, It hurts all over my body, as if I had just run a marathon several kilometers long. But.. where are we?
- Ali?... Ali!!!! Wake up!
- Uhm....

He's alive! That reassures me, but too many thoughts are racing through my head right now all at once, what happened? Why were we unconscious? Why aren't we wet if we were in the water a few seconds ago? What were those bubbles? I want to go home!

- Where are we ?
- I don't know ! You tell me where we are, you know this country better than I do, right ?
- I've never been here.
- Well, neither have I...
- I need water
- I wish I could give you some but there's nothing around us
- Okay, get up, I will drive you back to Muscat.
- I have a feeling that it's not going to be as easy as you think Ali....

Two figures appear in front of us, tall, imposing, each one holding in their hand a long stick as tall as they are, standing in front of us without pronouncing a word.

- Who are you? What do you want? Ali, ask them what they want!

He speaks to them immediately in his native language, an attempt to communicate, but none of them answers, they continue to stare at us, as if they wanted to eat our souls, their eyes are deep, their faces are not visible, they are covered with a black turban that starts from the top of their head and covers their faces letting only their blue eyes appearing, and also, they all wear black and large clothes, I am afraid, I am intrigued, I am confused, am I dreaming? I pinch myself in hopes of waking up, but I'm still there, they're still there, and Ali too is still sitting next to me, when they suddenly take a few steps back, a lady, a beautiful lady, of unparalleled beauty never seen before, slender, with extremely long black hair reaching her ankles, but of a silky texture, dressed in a dress that shows a lot but not too much in the same time, at once sexy, but reserved, a sweet floral scent surrounds us all as she walks the floor in our direction, her beauty, truly, I am sick with jealousy and attracted at the same time, this is not me, she is dangerously perfect, she is everything that is beautiful in a human, everything that is beautiful in a woman, she is the epitome of flawless, unparalleled beauty. Fear left my body as soon as this woman showed up, as if she reassured me. I throw a furtive glance to Ali, who is himself omnibulated by this creature. I think it is a first for him too, it seems to be seen because of how his face expresses both surprise and love at first sight.

- Welcome to my country, you are my guests, I have been the ruler of these lands for several centuries, do not be afraid of them, they will not do anything to you without my permission, they are only here to watch over you. Come on, get up, a meal has been prepared in your honor, I will give you new clothes to prepare you for this precious buffet.

- Uhm... Nice to meet you, Queen... Your Highness?
- Call me she, just call me she.
- She... well weird but okay.. her. How exactly did we get here? What kind of kingdom is this exactly? I think I've never heard about it even though I was good at geography at school.
- You're a very curious woman Alia, I'll tell you more once we're around a meal.
- How did you... You know my name?
- I know not only your name, but everything about you, since I've been watching you for a long time.
- Well, it's scary now...
- *Laughs* Don't be afraid, it's okay.
- I mean, I have reasons to be afraid now, and even before now actually.
- I know, everything that happened is quite intriguing for you, please follow me, you and your friend.
- My friend? Ah! Uhm, Ali! Yes, come on Ali, let's go.

Indeed, I wouldn't go anywhere without Ali, I don't know him more than that but, I still trust him more than these people who are scary and mysterious to me.