Heritage of New Heaven

Chapter 20

Rose

It never occurred to me how big the lab complex was. Four levels down and along countless hallways to a sliding door that looked exactly the same as every other one in the entire building, however big it was. In the elevator, that had music that made it feel very movie cliché, I pestered Robert with questions; where were we going? Not telling. Was E coming with us? No, not today. How big are the labs? Not very big, the labs themselves are small but the complex doubles as many other things not just a lab. Where are we going? you already asked that.

And then down the hallways I pestered him to tell me where we were headed; where are we going? still not saying nothin'. Please can you tell me where we are going? no. Pretty pleeeease? The physical appearance of the please does not make me want to tell you. Whyyyyy? Cos, I said so.

And then I gave up.

That doesn't mean it wasn't worth it though. When we finally stopped at one of the sliding doors Robert covered my eyes with one hand and opened the door with the other. Where his skin touched mine felt like live wire. I was very aware that if I leaned back even the slightest bit I would fall into his chest.

I heard the door slide open and almost fell backwards despite myself, the sudden overwhelming sense of water in front of me was strange and yet welcoming at the same time. Like I had been missing a piece of myself but hadn't known it, and now it was back. Robert took his hand away from my eyes, I blinked in the sudden light. In front of me is a pool. Its not like anything I've seen before, for one its huge. For another it looks like its been taken out of a Roman city. There is a stone pillar archway above me and there are intricate tile mosaics on the bottom of the pool. But that isn't the most amazing thing about the pool, at the end of the pool farthest away from me, the pool just drops off into the forest behind the beach.

All together it is beautiful.

I walk forward, kick off my shoes and stand on the first step with my feet in the water. It feels like its humming with energy, energy that's ready to be used.

'Do you like it?' Robert asks me

I turn around and raise my hand slowly, I know the water behind me is following my command, and with a flourish I ark it over myself and down onto Roberts head.

'I think I could make do' I say with a smile as Robert glares playfully at me through a trickle of water still running down his head.

I dry him off by pulling my hand back towards myself, the water flies off Roberts clothes and I pool it in a bubble around my hand. He smiles in thanks.

Robert comes forward, shrugs his shoes off near mine, and steps into the water next to me.

He pushes me in.

'goddamn it Robert!' I screech at him when I break the surface, 'and I just dried you, of my own choice might I add, next time you will have to beg. I'm going to get you for that'

He smiles 'anywhooooo, before you get anyone else wet, I thought you might like some swimmers. You know, for swimming?' he says innocently

'there is no point in swimmers now, my clothes are already drenched' I say as I make the water lift me onto the edge of the pool Moana style. 'but I suppose I could, you know, dry off and change'

And I do I 'pull' the water out of my clothing with a wave of my hand. It pools on the floor.

'Where did you put the swimmers?' I say looking around

'They are in the pool shed' he replies waving vaguely toward a Roman-looking establishment off to my right. I walk over and open the door, I turn around before I go in and call back to him 'what are you wearing? do you want me to bring anything out?'

Robert turns around, 'nah I've already got them on' he says puling his shirt over his head. My eyes flick immediately to the scar on his chest, the anomaly on a perfect landscape, the same anomaly as my own, I feel my cheeks grow hot. Before he can gauge my expression however, I walk into the shed and shut the door.

I lean against the closed door and scold myself, your being stupid, stop it. Its then that I get a good look at where I am. The room is large and is lit by a skylight in the roof. I move forward and find that the entire room is filled with shelves of towels and swimming togs. On the back wall are several wet suits and surf boards. I don't know who wears all this stuff but its definitely more than enough to supply the O'mya family. I look through the swimmers 'till I find one that suits nicely.

The pattern is baby blue and has different shades of green in it, so it looks a bit like the ocean. The swimming togs are full piece but have one large triangle cut in each side, so it is almost two piece but not. The neckline is normal and has a blue lace that, matches the togs, around it, but I can see the top of the moon on my chest and the last of the yellowy bruise around it.

As I leave the little building a don't bother with a towel, I have my own ways with little things, like getting dry.