Rules of Escape

Chapter 30 - Ana

Ana lets the air surround her, move through her hair, as she adjusts to her vision crystalizing and her mind becoming free of its usual mud.

"Evan," Ana says quietly. She hears their voices as if through water. Her friends are nearby, but not close enough to talk to.

"He knows you're here," Ro says. "They're all waiting for you. Shut me out all you want, but I know how you communicate. I can hear you and if you'd try, you could hear me, too. I'm on your side. The sooner you understand this, the better. You need me."

Ana glances at Ro. Today is a special day, Evan's birthday and Ana's chance to connect with her friends. Ro is not going to ruin it. Ana won't let her. She'll get away from Ro. That's what she'll do. She'll find a way to lose Ro.

Ana, I don't want to hurt you, Ro thinks.

When Ro communicates silently with Ana, her words slice into Ana's mind. Her words sound angry and mean. Ana presses her hands to her ears, an ineffectual attempt to block Ro's words. She glares at Ro, wanting to tackle her to the ground.

Then leave me alone! Ana thinks as aggressively as she can, crouching down, hands over her ears. She thinks hard and mean words, trying to hurt Ro the way Ro hurts her. Your words burn! You're evil!

Ana, I'm sorry. I'm not good at this.

Stay away from me! Stumbling to her feet, Ana runs to the house.

She hears a drum beating behind the house and follows its rhythmical sound. Evan will be there and maybe the drum will help her tune out Ro. Ana runs along the path beside the house and into the backyard. The drumming grows from a gentle, slow tapping, into a heavy heart beat peppered with staccato notes.

A woman sits on a log by the fire pit. Long pieces of multi-coloured material are wrapped around her like a careless sari, covering her entire body and most of her baby blue dreadlocks. Between her legs is a massive bongo drum that she is tapping out the rhythm on. Surrounding the woman are more bongo drums, a few bells, and other instruments that Ana doesn't recognize.

The woman looks up as Ana approaches. "Good, we're all here," she says.

"Ana, this is Gladys," Evan says. "She's going to teach us how to play music."

Gladys begins carefully choosing instruments for each of Evan's guests. She gives each person a brief lesson on how to play their instrument. Then she sits down and begins her drumming again.

"Ok, Eliza, start with the rainmaker," Gladys says.

Eliza slowly tips the stick she holds side to side. It sounds like light rain.

"Now you, Michael. Play the beat I showed you."

Michael begins the beat and his small bongo drum adds another dimension. In this way, Gladys soon has everyone contributing a rhythm or tune. She adds melody with a pan flute attached to a band around her neck, while continuing to play the drum. Like magic, Gladys has selected just the right instrument and degree of difficulty for each of Evan's friends. The ground vibrates with their music.

Ana holds a tambourine and shakes it whenever Gladys nods her head at Ana. It's a pretty easy job, but Ana has just arrived and Gladys has not had a chance to get to know Ana. The easy job gives Ana a chance to look around. Kazuki and Michael seem to have natural musical ability and quickly master the complicated rhythms Gladys has taught them.

Periodically, people come and go for a ride with Jesse, but as the sun gets lower in the sky, the car rides end and the music seems to take on a life of its own when the bonfire is lit and everyone joins in, playing music or dancing. Ana watches Grandpa Joe, Chantelle, and Jesse's girls dance. She watches Ro standing by herself, playing on her phone. It is mildly unsettling that Ro has not attempted to talk to, or listen to, Ana. Maybe Ana's angry words worked. Maybe Ro is afraid of her. Ana watches Ro talk to Jesse and walk away with him.

Ana touches Evan's arm gently to get his attention. Ro hasn't bothered me at all. Has she tried to talk to you?

No, Evan replies. I asked Peter to help distract her. I think Peter and Chantelle tried, but if Ro wants to keep to herself, that's great.

Ro just left with Jesse.

He's probably taking her for a car ride. He really likes that car.

I'm glad she's gone. I hope she doesn't come back and I can stay here forever.

As the first solar light blinks on, a new sound rises above all the rest. The sound is a voice, singing the melody Gladys is playing on her flute. The voice changes the melody, growing and expanding it until it is entirely different.

This new sound is clear and bright, twisting through trees, brushing the hairs along the napes of necks. It is beautiful and pure, unearthly in its depth and expanse. Not happy or sad, but everything, like a calling drawing its listeners in, embracing them. Loving. Explaining. Giving the listeners no choice but to hear.

As people start to realize the voice is something else, something not planned, something more – and incredible - they start to look around. First the dancers stop their dancing. Then the instruments slowly start to fade out as musicians look for the source of the sound. Only Gladys continues a slow, gentle drum beat to accompany the song, her eyes closed, a smile on her lips. The voice hits a note, a striking note and holds it for a few seconds, and still no one knows where the voice is coming from, and maybe it doesn't matter because it's so beautiful - who cares who the owner is? Just reveling in the fact that it is being offered, is enough.

The voice stops abruptly and when it does, Gladys stands, walks over to Eliza, and embraces her. Tears stream down Eliza's face, her freckles standing out like little islands in the rivers of her tears, and her mouth stretches wide catching the flood, a grin of triumph.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Gladys says to Eliza, "Unleashing your talent like that. You have an incredible gift, sweet heart. In all my years, I've never heard a voice like yours. Thank you for sharing it with us."

Eliza smiles at the ground, in embarrassment, perhaps.

That was great, Eliza! Ana says. I didn't know you could sing.

Neither did I, Eliza replies, freeing herself from Gladys and wiping her face with her hands. It just came out of me. Like a story in another language. It felt so good to let it go. It's this place. It makes me feel like I can do things.

We really can do things here, Ana says. This place is special.

Eliza looks up at the stars shining brightly in the crisp, clear night sky. The stars are all connected in circular, overlapping patterns. A puzzle to unravel. I felt like I was singing their song which is also our song. In the stars is a lost key and if we can find it, and know how to use it, we will be free. We will survive like we have in the past.

Ana glances at Evan. He is watching Eliza, listening intently. Eliza's words make no sense to Ana. What is Eliza talking about stars and keys and survival for?

You should live here, Eliza, Evan says. If what you say is true, then it is here that you will have the best chance of solving the puzzle.

There is a puzzle and a key to solve it. They are here. It's why this place is special, but I don't know how it all works. I'm not very smart. Eliza looks to her friends, in sudden dismay. That's why I can't do anything. I'm no good. I'm stupid!

It's okay, Evan says. You don't have to solve anything. Just be happy and enjoy yourself, here. Relax and...

It doesn't matter if you're smart or not, Kazuki interrupts, wisdom is found by asking the right questions and knowing where to find the answers. Your song was genius. You just gave us both.