The Creature and the Spy

4: The broken tea cup



Araki did turn into human when he wore the same necklace. Maybe I would turn into an underworld creature if I wear this necklace the priest gave to me.

I still have trust issues and doubts about the existence of that priest. My father knows him however, I think that would make him a bit less of a suspicious character.

I drove my car to the house, parked it there, then left immediately. In order to be less suspicious, I have to leave all things that would make me obviously human. I left my phone, too, thinking electromagnetic waves might be detectable for a local.

That priest added that in order to get into the underworld, I can use the portal Araki showed me, since that's the portal both of us know. Not all Ilalim homes have portals, the priest said. If Araki has one, it means he must be special, like he's a high government employee or he's a politician, or he's a researcher. Well, Araki is a doctor, maybe he's a researcher. Or maybe, he's an agent. I don't know with that man.

But what if when I use his portal I get inside in his cottage and he's there? What would I say?

I continued taking the forest path anyway. The sky is getting darker and darker. The fireflies are getting visible. The forest is giving me a nice feeling, just like before, but the irrational love isn't there. I'm glad.

Araki's tree is still the same. It's large, dark, and scary. I wore the necklace, feeling something magical seeth through my limbs. I feel cooler, like my skin is being ventillated. My veins feel different, I don't know why, but I can feel my breathing more. Did I suddenly feel enlightened?

Haha. That's funny.

I put my palm on the tree's bark. I imagined it opening. I'm trying to feel the connection with the tree. I'm trying to connect the tree to myself.

However, nothing's happening. Is it because it's not my tree in the first place. Araki did once said their trees are very personal. The seed came from the government, but they planted the seed, they grew it, they took care of it, and so the tree responds to them.

The trees are then, very special portals. They're not just doors, they're like pets. If this is the case, how can I make this tree respond to me?

Is there a certain spell for this? Do I have to feel emotional for this tree, too.

Struggling at the first step of my missions is never new, honestly.

I paused for a while to think. Araki usually holds the tree with his palms, and then some orange light would cover the tree, and then he would step in first then tell me to follow him.

I placed my palm on the tree again, and recalled all the little details of what Araki did. He would close his eyes, and so I did. I closed my eyes and the recollection of memories became more vivid. In my mind, I saw Araki holding his tree. At the second time that he lead me through, he was trying his best to look serious, but I know he was holding a slight nervousness. He set his black orbs of eyes unto me, and tried to calm himself down by smiling at me. It was a beautiful smile, I thought back then.

I was just done crying my eyes out because of the replaced or missing memories of Araki. I remembered having to sit down under the tree till sundown just to clear my head. I remembered the majestic forest, the living creatures, and the mystifying beauty of the night. It was wonderful.

And then Araki came to view and I thought everything I missed the last few days was this weird grey creature. The smell of garden soil.

The smell I miss... Up until now.

A strip of light exploded from my palm that is still holding the tree. The light grew bigger until a large oval shaped light appeared under my hand. Not thinking twice, I jumped unto the light.

My feet made a thud sound when I landed on a wooden floor. I adjusted my eyes to the dark, but it didn't take long because there are slits of light through the window. I opened the window only to see a brightly colored land, which was once a dark and gloomy country. The artificial sun is shinning on top of that mountain, whatever that mountain is called. The government palace also stands on that mountain.  That's where I'm headed.

I checked my own appearance. The first thing I looked at was my hands and arms. They are grey. There are random red veins all around the surface, but they're faint and quite cool.

I continued inspecting myself, from head to toe, and concluded that I am quite an attractive Ilalim citizen. Well, this is bad. I don't want to get attention as much as possible.

I did shoot up some centimeters of height, but based on the Ilalim citizens I've seen so far, I'm in the small scale. But I did shoot up. That reminds me, does that mean my something shoot upsome inches, too? All my life, I've been complaining about my size because it's not as big as Geddy, and the bitch is saying that his 4.3" ain't that big. So what am I? Goddamit.

So I slid my fingers under my shorts to look at my boo boo, and there I realized that I should focus on my mission.

Like, come on. Haha.

Haha.

I'm a very smart and capable man who don't need no big boo. I closed the thing immediately, and with disappointed smile, I strutted through the small kitchen area which would lead to the small living area.

Araki's place is really small. Only the necessities thrive here, but I like it. The simplicity, the minimalism, and the atmosphere. The place is probably the homiest place I've ever been.

I wandered my eyes around the house. It's still dusty. It seems like no Araki is greeting me in this place, because it looks like he left about a year ago based on the thinkness of the dust particles. I saw a dish on the sink. It was really irresponsible of Araki to leave a dish, but I never knew Araki that way. He's a very organized doctor.

Without much thoughts, my feet brought me in front of the kitchen sink. The slits from the window helped my see my steps, and the slit of the window right beside the sink let me observe the only dish that was in there.

It was the tea cup I threw at Araki.

Flashbacks clouded my head for a moment, especially the moment when I threw this very ornament. I was angry at Araki for lying to me that I threw the first thing I laid my angry hands on. He bled, he was hurt, and his face showed guilt. I was hurt with what I did, too, but the feelings of betrayal was a lot more overwhelming. After that, I ran away from his cottage. I used the passport he gave to open the portal, and after closing the portal, I threw the passport away.

I was that melodramatic, but there was not a day that I do not feel relieved from finally having my real feelings back. I hate Araki still.

I closed my fist. I used that bodily movement to drag my thoughts back to my mission.

Breathing heavily, I walked toward the Araki's wardrobe to get some local costumes. His robes are big, but there is a smaller robe in here. I used that, thinking it probably belonged to his sister.

But I remember him saying that his sister was a lot bigger and muscular than him since she's an engineer. Maybe this belongs to his mother, who, by the way, was another larger woman for being a mechanic.

Maybe he has a little brother, or a secret love child, I dunno. This robe, however, fits me perfectly.

I went out of the cottage, trying my best to look normal. The citizens aren't that many yet since the country's revival hasn't been that long. I don't have much people to blend in with, so I need to be careful.

As I made my way to the mountain, I glanced back to the cottage, thinking why the portal let me in when all I did was remember how Araki did it.

I was remembering Araki, that's all.

[A/N: vote, comment, and follow.
And thank you for all the votes for book 1.]