The Sun

1 (Vihaan)

Falling, swiftly, so swiftly downward into the abyss, I go. Where have I gone? What have I done? Why can't I awaken from this nightmare I have put into flight? Who am I?

His eyes open softly, and the light gently flushes into them. "Wha... Where... Where am I?" Watercolors of white and fresh corn yellow, mellow browns, and slight blues spiral around in his vision. A woman's voice speaks up, "Hello. Don't worry, everything's okay, can you see me? My name is Carmen." Her voice was tuned a perfect pitch, and was easily understood. She had an authority over her, but she also made a friendly push. He speaks, "I can't see anything. Everything is blurry." Her hand was a creamy chocolate color, he saw it as it waved like a soft tide over his eyes. The room's ceiling tiles began come into focus slowly for him.
"Give it a few minutes, you should be able to see me soon enough, in the meantime, tell me all that you remember. First, do you remember your name?" She picked up her clipboard with a few papers and a pen attached, and sat down ready to write. He heard her, so he had some clue of what she was doing. Still lying down, he turned his head towards her. Details of her soft skin came into a focus. Vibrant red enclothed her. "Uh, I'm... I-I, I don't know. I can't remember anything, Why am I here, Where am I?" He was scared and confused; his face showed it.
     Carmen realized that, and even more gently, said, "Calm down, it's okay. You're at Mt. Persaire Hospital in Respordak, also known as the Kair Center." She sounded anxious. "Respordak?", He said even more confused. Details were finally in his eyes. Now, he could see her. Her creamy chocolate skin, beautiful deep yellow eyes, and dark waving navy hair that fell down to her shoulders and further seemed to make the room warm. The room had white walls made of wooden planks painted thickly, with a single window to the right of Carmen. The ceiling tiles were white too, and had one bright tile glowing from the center. "Why am I here?" He said again and Carmen knew that she couldn't tell him; she had no clue.
He sat up and was forced into a dizzy trance that flooded into his head like a tsunami. Falling out of the bed almost, he stood up. Carmen's eyes were nervous and he stared at her. Her eyes were a faint red from exhaustion. "I need you to do something for me. Try to remember things, please. Your name is Vihaan Noal Dadaci. That is all I know of you, but I found these in your 'recyclable items' bin, and I thought you would like to keep them. They just looked important, unlike most kids' bins." She handed him a small key and a little glass marble wrapped in linen. It was clear but seemed to shimmer in light colorful rays. The key was a bronze colored and squalid. Red, the color of Carmen's short jacket, was the same as the linen. "Okay, you can put them away, now." She spat the words out quickly as to not offend him, but to rush him, for she knew who was coming. Vihaan put his newly found information and items away in his bed stand just before the door burst open.
     "Why I'm glad you're finally awake!" A taller light skinned woman with deceiving eyes seemed to glare at him. She sucked out every comfortable feeling in the room in search of some fault, and the warmth of the room left immediately. Beside her stood a short man with dark hair smiling just the same, but with a more ignorant scheme in his expression. "Can you talk?" She giggled Vihaan's way "Yeah." He said and tried somehow to sound unknowing of the past. It was finally coming back to him, quickly, but in segments. "What is your name then, sir?" He pretended to ponder on it. "I already told her that I couldn't remember." He could remember some. He had no idea why he lied, but he noticed in the way she had rushed in and scanned the room that she was not to trust. He tried to imagine the details of a past time.

I was in my room, shouting, screaming, all around. "Help me!" I screamed but there was not going to be an answer. An off-white carpet, a wooden wall, a beating door, and torn papers filled the room. Some type of thumping echoed in my ears and made my soul pulsate, downwards all the moments. The screaming grew louder, louder, LOUDER. "Stop it, please!" I begged and sobbed and... blacked out.

"I still can't remember." Vihaan stated again. The woman's expression changed and her eyes dropped in aggravation. "Okay then, well, just tell me if you do remember anything." She said just as lively as before, but more annoyed. "Oh, and one more thing. My name is Elizabeth Portair, but just call me Beth if you'd like." She had said it with a transatlantic tone of voice. Beth smiled without pleasure, half-curtsied, and left. The man nodded and went out as well, closing the door behind him.
     The warmth slowly regained its hold on the room, and Vihaan, still stumbling partially leaned against the wall and said "Carmen, who are they?" His voice raspily flowed. "The woman, Elizabeth, is the owner of this hospital and the head nurse. Stay clear of her if you can. She always seems to know things before you do." Carmen's beautiful eyes darkened more and she sighed "The short guy is Artyom, he is a pretty sweet guy. He is just strange. I have to go now, tomorrow you will be initiated into a Kair student, but until then, sleep well. Call for me if you need me. Goodbye, Vihaan." She motioned to a button on the side of the bed and left.
     Vihaan, still dazed by everything, lied down and began to think. How old am I? He thought. Standing up looking for some type of reflection, the window seemed to call for him. Outside were mountains and the sun sat behind them falling slowly. A beautiful view, a tree, large rock, and a stream further away reflecting the mountain and pastel colors of the sun and sky perfectly. Tall grasses filled the valley like area where the hospital lays. Distracted, Vihaan decided to just stand there for a while, and to take in as much as possible. Reflection Vihaan, don't forget! He spoke to himself. As he heard his voice in his head, he bent down to look closer at the window in hopes of seeing himself.
     The window showed little of what he looked like but enough to tell that he was young. At least 12 or 13. Green eyes stared back at him, and pale skin, ghostlike, glowed in the limelight. His hair was a dark brown and short. Like a chess player, he tried to intimidate his opponents next move, but all that was there was himself. Me. He said to himself. He had thought that he was older, but here he was, still fresh and full of life, but still younger than he remembered.
Adjusting his eyes again he looked back out the window into the painted canvas sky. As it swirled and swam about, Vihaan remembered more of his past.

     "Daddy, daddy, daddy, look! The sky is pretty!" I said and looked up. "Yes son, it is beautiful." He looked up with me. "Today is a very special evening too. Follow me, Vihaan." We both stood up and I, fumbling, almost falling off the rock edge we were sitting on, spoke up, "Why is today so special?" He looked soden but delighted. Picking me up he answered, "Today is a special day because it one of the 5 days made by Queen Sinneaja. She picks a particular cause and figures out how to solve it. This is her last time doing it, then a new queen will come. Today she will select 14 children that are 7 years old to train for that cause. The families whose child is selected will be put into protection and have a free life. This is only time you will be able to be picked, so we hope you will be!.. It truly is a great honor to be selected." He smiled and looked at me, confused fear in his eyes. "Son, if you get picked you'll be able to come back to us when you turn 20, okay, don't forget about us over the years." I was so overwhelmed that I didn't even notice that we were already at the car. We got in and began speeding down the highway. "I won't, Daddy."

Vihaan realized that it was getting late and the yellow sun ball finally had set behind the grand mountains, so he decided to lie down until morning. Falling asleep was as a practiced talent, and fell upon him deeply.