The Edge of Reality

Chapter 3: Astrio

And with that being said, my path was set. My days to follow were spent in solitude with Monohan and Agni, and I began to read the literature on the shelves because they told me I now knew enough to appreciate them. They were lengthy works of speculation and theories about the other world, and exact length to go through to get there. Although much of what was written seemed extreme, I drank in every word of it. Agni would often walk by the study while I was in there, glancing in to check on me and smiling to see how heavily I was studying. She and Monohan both praised my efforts in the path. Often, the three of us would take walks through the park, but one day I decided to go out alone. It was refreshing to go down the familiar path without them holding onto my arms as we went, and I enjoyed the heat of the afternoon against my skin as I walked down the same sidewalk I had come down the first day I appeared. I was just thinking about this as I noticed a young boy begin to fade into existence a few feet from where I was standing. I had seen plenty of people appear, but not yet a child. I watched as the blur slowly took shape, until his slender fingers shifted into place and the fine brown hairs on his head were individual from each other. He looked afraid and something in me stirred as I saw him sitting there alone. There were no other people in sight, who was going to take care of him? Then I realized it. Other people took in new individuals, why couldn't I? Without giving my resolution a second thought, I walked over to him and sat down in the grass.

"Hi there," I said tenderly. "My name is Tesha, what's yours?" He stared at me in an awe-like shock, his electric blue eyes contrasted against his pale skin. He couldn't have been more than 9 years old.

"I-i..." he stuttered. I was amazed that I was getting to be part of his first moments alive. "I'm Astrio."

"Astrio," I repeated. "That's a wonderful name. I see you're all alone. Is it okay if I take care of you?" I wasn't sure how to ask that question, and it felt awkward coming out of my mouth. But I already loved him and I knew that I needed to be there for him.

He nodded silently and continued to stare intently at me as I took his hand and helped him to his feet. I waited patiently for him as he tested his legs and looked around at the glorious nature around us. As he walked in step with me back to the house, I told him all about the comfort of the place we would be living in, and he shyly started to talk with me as well. His voice was very quiet, but I was charmed by him. As we walked through the front door, both Monohan and Agni were waiting.

"I can't believe you went out alon-," Agni started, before noticing the young boy by my side. Her eyes went wide.

"Who is this?" Monohan said, his voice a mixture of surprise and conflict. It seemed he didn't know whether to be furious or happy.

"This is Astrio," I said. "He just appeared a little while ago, and I thought I could take care of him."

Agni rushed over to us, and embraced the boy. "Yes, WE will take care of him. Astrio, I am Agni and this is Monohan," she gestured over to where he stood with his arms crossed. "This is your new home and we will raise you and take care of you, okay?" Her words dripped with honey, but I felt like they were pushing me out. I may have had only appeared a few weeks ago, but I knew how to take care of him.

Astrio looked away from Agni and back at me, confused. "I thought Tesha-" Agni cut him off right away.

"We take care of Tesha, and now we also take care of you. That's how it is going to work."

I was hurt, but I smiled at him to let him know it was okay. I was determined to still take care of him, even if it was alongside my own caretakers. The four of us walked inside, but Monohan led me straight to my room as they showed Astrio around the house. And then it was decided for me; that was that.

During the time Monohan and Agni insisted on taking Astrio away from me to spend with them, I continued to make my way through their library. I began to wonder who these other believers were. Most of the novels either did not have author names or were too worn to understand. I hadn't met anyone outside of our house, but I knew that the others following the path were far and few between. I asked Agni one afternoon, and she told me it was time for me to meet some new believers. I hadn't thought about it before, but this was my first time leaving the house beyond the park and I was excited. Monohan drove the four of us in a car to a building about 10 minutes away. I stared out the window as I watched the suburbs quickly turn to cityscape, rural land and then what looked like suburban shopping areas. When Agni noticed me looking, she chastised me.

"Don't look for too long, there are horrors out there that no one should see."

I didn't know what she was talking about- the world looked beautiful and interesting. Surely there were bad things out there, but it couldn't all be bad. Regardless, I listened to her because she was so much wiser. I noticed Astrio shyly peek out the window several times, but I decided not to say anything. Within a few minutes, Monohan pulled into a small parking lot littered with a few other cars. The building we walked into was stark on the outside, but within it was a beautifully furnished library. A few people were reading or talking in corners of the building. Agni led Astrio to a group of children accompanied by their guardian adults, and Monohan directed me towards a young woman studying alone at a table in the library.

"This is Murtvika," he told me. "She is 23, but she appeared a few weeks ago just as you did. She dedicated herself to the path right away, and has already made great strides in her learning and teaching others as well. I think you two will get along."

The woman looked up at me and smiled. She was very pretty, with long dark hair and hazel eyes. I went over and sat across from her at the table.

"Hello, my name is Tesha," I said brightly.

"Hi, I'm Murtvika," she smiled. "I hear you also appeared a short time ago. Welcome!"

"How did you know?" I said curiously. Had she been told I was coming?

"Many of us following the path stay in communication. It's important for us to be close because we have little other support, you know?" I liked learning this- it had gotten a bit lonely staying with only two adults for so many weeks. "It's good to have you here," she continued. "Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one my age who understands how important this is."

"I know what you mean," I said, grateful to have a connection with someone- I felt like I could talk to her. "You're the first person I've met who also believes." She was also the first person I'd met in weeks, but it didn't seem appropriate to say so. The two of us talked for a long time, about the book she was studying, about the path, and about the world in general. Even though she had been around for about as long as I had, it seemed she was already much further along in her closeness to the path. I felt a little stupid not knowing as much as she did, but she respected me as an equal. As a friend. When it was time for me to leave, I wrote down her phone number so that I could call her from Monohan's phone. On the ride home, Astrio slept as I told Monohan and Agni about our conversation and they seemed thrilled that I was studying with her.

"Murtvika is very wise for her age," Agni said. "You should aim to be like her." That statement made me a bit uncomfortable, as though I weren't as good as the woman I considered friend. I decided not to say anything, because I was afraid that they might confirm my self-doubts. I would just have to learn to be better.

"She invited me to have a lunch date tomorrow," I said. "And she has a car, so she can pick me up."

Monohan and Agni shared an uncomfortable look before responding. "We don't know if we want you going out into the city without us yet," Monohan cautiously said. There are bad things out there that you cannot protect yourself from yet."

"I'm not stupid," I said, getting a little upset. "Lot's of people are doing just fine. And Murtvika is on the path."

Agni sighed. "You are not 'lot's of people,' you are part of a special people. But I will let Monohan make that decision for you."

Monohan was quiet for a long time before he spoke. "You may go. But do not try and presume you are allowed to do things without first talking to us. We are trying to protect you because we care about you, be careful and always listen to us."

"Yes," I said quietly, excited yet defeated at the same time. "Thank you."