Journey to Psitharis

Chapter 42

Forty-two

I couldn't make it back to Psitharis for a couple of days. My reality was a complete mess. Mom, when she wasn't at work, avoided the both of us like the plague. It made it easier for us to plan out how to send those letters to have her out of our hair; not to mention how pleasant the peace and quiet had become. My mind was racing with fear and apprehension. I spent most of my time worrying about my sister, not wanting to put her into the same position I was in. It didn't seem right to endanger her now that she was on my side. I was almost out of school; she had three more years to go. I just couldn't make her a pariah. It was a lonely life, and a social butterfly like Aurora wouldn't survive it. In the end I took her letters to mail on Wednesday so they would reach their destinations by Friday. If for some strange reason I was spotted, at least her hands would be clean in this entire scheme. Once that was done I felt like I could breathe again. Aurora was safe, and didn't have to suffer the pain of being my sister for once.

When I got back to the woods the urgency that had fueled our mission got a lot stronger. It had been six days by their count, and we were running dangerously out of time. "Where were you?" Roland demanded. "We have to complete the mission as soon as possible."

"Back off, Roland. I'm quite aware of the need for expediency." He stepped away in shock. I wasn't in the mood to hear from him the warning that was already screaming in my brain. I felt as if I stood on the switch tracks of several fast-approaching freight trains, and no matter which way I turned I was doomed to be hit by one the freight trains that faced me from all sides. There were too many people relying on me, their happiness or desolation depending on my actions. My sister and an entire world that existed in my head now all looked to me. I had to save them all: Aurora, Donla, the Counsel, the Exceptionals, and hopefully somewhere out there Osmen and the childhood version of my father who remained lost to me.

"As you wish, your highness." Roland didn't hide his hurt, bowing because he knew too well how much that gesture irritated me.

"I don't suppose I need to tell you not to do that." I marched on, not waiting for a response.

It took a half day's hike to arrive at the mouth of the tunnel, most of which was spent in complete silence. I didn't want to talk much and Roland didn't feel the need to volunteer conversation. Once or twice guilt almost convinced me to apologize, to say anything that would relax the tension, but I was angry and every bad scenario that had been running through my head for the past few weeks drove me to the point of paranoia. And by the time we reached the tunnel, the strain was tangible.

At first Roland looked about, as if he was unsure we had reached our objective, but upon further inspection we finally found the first signs of the dilapidated tunnel. There were rocks covering the entrance, and by the look of the moss growing on the stones before us we knew the tunnel itself had remained untouched and forgotten for quite a while. There were no footprints, no clever attempts of cover-up; it was just an abandoned tunnel. The hike had eaten up all of our time together, so it was up to Roland to remove the obstruction and get the tunnel ready for us to venture forth. Before I left we scoured the immediate area to check for threat of soldiers, but most of the regiments we had seen were on the other side of the mountain, some heading for Dream Land itself. If we were going to end this war we had to act quickly. If anyone had been in this area, it had been so long ago and long before I made my first reappearance here. Finally, here in the peace and quiet of a dying wilderness, I felt the need to clear some matters up.

"Roland, look. I'm sorry. It's just that time is running out. And now I have all the stuff with my sister to contend with and..."

"What is happening with your sister?" I didn't expect him to express interest in my problems in the other world. It was a touchy subject for us for some reason. Roland had very little interest in the people who took me away from Psitharis. When he asked it was almost shocking.