Zander Chronicles: Lost Helith

Chapter 5: Busted

I woke to the sun on my face.

The morning was different than usual. It was quiet, no plates clattering, no birds chirping and even the sound of dad notching bows in the Archery range wasn’t present. As I struggled to escape from under the bed sheets, I noticed that these weren’t mine. The striped-patterned sheets were replaced by soft olive silk.

When I finally pulled my head out of the trap that is my sheets, I panicked as my eyes surveyed the place that wasn’t my room. I faced a window where the beam of sunlight was coming from. My head felt dizzy as memories returned from yesterday; the dark figure in the forest, the sudden darkness, Alik, the plant-controlling guy, the town.

Footsteps echoed through the halls and through the door. The doorknob twisted and then then the door opened. In came Sinle, wearing a similar outfit she wore last night but only in more lively color of yellow and orange. “Ah, Zander, I see you are awake.” She said with a slight smile, “Kinow and Donnest are seated downstairs. Descend when you are ready.” Then she closed the door behind her and walked down the stairs.

I sat there for what seemed like hours. Shock and realization froze me in place. It wasn’t a dream, it really did happen. Mom and dad. They must be worried sick and couldn’t sleep thinking where I could possibly be.

   My thoughts were disturbed by the moving lump under the sheets. The lump crawled in circles, trying to find the end of the sheets. When it finally found the end, Alik appeared eyes still drowsy from his sleep which made him even more adorable. Well, at least there’s a good side in this story, and a cute one at that.

Fresh clothes were laid on the chair near the door.  I hopped out of bed and walked to the chair to inspect the clothes that I was going to wear. What hung on my fingertips was a shirt similar to what Donnest was wearing last night. I looked down on a pair of pants that looked more like PJs. These clothes seemed to be odd for me so I decided to leave them alone for now, just until I get used to this lace, assuming I stay here for a longer period of time. I sure hope not.

I opened the door and whistled to Alik to follow me. He jumped up, recoiled his wings and flew towards my direction and landed on my shoulder.

Downstairs, Donnest, Kinow and Sinle were seated at the table, waiting for me like last night’s meal. “Zander,” Sinle said, “I see you haven’t change clothing. Did you not notice the fresh clothes I have laid for you?” Her eyes were kind, and paired with her hopeful smile; I felt guilt enveloping me that I ignored her act kindness.

“No, I didn’t,” I said, trying not to show my guilt, “but thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome. Now, may you be so kind as to join us for our morning meal?” I gladly obliged.

The food plated this morning produced the aroma of juicy pork, marinated and smoked to perfection but the food on my plate was completely different.

Either it was charcoal or black stone, I couldn’t tell. A lump of black meat sat on my plate covered in brown sauce that looked like it came out of the wrong end of a dog. Because of last night, my skepticism was reduced to a minimal, but this food would make me barf it wasn’t for my wanting to be kind to my hosts as they were to me.

I cut the meat with my spoon and out came the same tantalizing aroma, but more inviting. I poke it with my fork experimentally. My stomach said yes but my taste buds said GO FOR IT! I poked it with my fork and brought it to my mouth. When the meat touched my tongue, my eyes immediately closed and almost rolled back to my head to savor the flavor more. It was the kind of flavor that’s difficult to explain. Like steak and chicken mixed together. No sooner that I started that I heard the clattering of my hosts’ plates.