Villain in the Canvas

Chapter 7

As the deadwood falls on the fire, it rolls down the center of a smoldering inferno. Embers spark and snap around me but I hardly give notice. The mounting cold hindered my energy and ability to care.

My brother sits across the flames from me, recollecting his day, the play by play. I was only half-listening, the rest of me attempting  to understand how I got here, had the Cusp been the dream, the hallucination?

"I was staring into that stream for at least two hours, hypnotized by it, the riddles I heard in the gurgling water. The colors swirling and glittering, everything connected. You don't always feel that in everyday life, it's easy to overlook."

He had no idea the connection that existed at the Cusp, way beyond the effects of any drug or location he could try here. I look over to the stream, now so conventional after experiencing the Cusp's luster and animation. Everything here seemed muted in comparison, it existed alone and disconnected, a pronounced abyss between all things. The only warmth here was from the blaze of burning the remains of trees.

Patrick was prepping a cooking rack as he continued, "Yea, afterward I climbed up on some of those big rocks up there on the ridge and just sprawled out on them. Then the images hit full force and I freaked out. I swore I was going to fall off, even lying feet away from the ledge. Like some force was going to lift the slab and shake me right off."

He glances over to me spacing off, "You doing alright man? Haven't said shit since I told you we expected you last night."

"About that, when was the last time you spoke to me?"

"Last night man, you were getting close, about to lose reception, a bit drunk and anxious about something but that was it. You sure your ok man, even now you look so lost?"

"Yea, sorry, just having some post drug amnesia. You know, trying to piece together a timeline of what happened. Where is Ron, Andrew, and Gabe?"

"Oh yeah, guess you forgot that as well. Ron and Andrew went on an endurance trial today, left first thing this morning. Ron always herds us out at first light" he replies.

"Shit, that's right, it is Andrew's turn, what is the focus of the trial?"

"Combo of physical and mental endurance I believe. He has his work cut out for him. I bet Dad has a refined snare with his name on it. He hates how easily Andrew escapes his traps."

"Fuck that, Andrew could work himself out of any known knot, what could Ron possibly do to subdue him at this point?" I ask.

"His favorite, hallucinogens. I can see him trying anything to take Andrew out of his comfort zone. The only chance he has is trying out some new concoction of his..."

"I bet he kicks ass, drugged or not. I remember my first mental endurance trial. You don't really know what true loneliness is until you spend the night alone, no light, technology, or anyone to talk to, just Ron waiting in the shadows."

He uses his knife to finish racking the bark off a small sapling, "Me too, hell that was scary when we were young. To think we almost have fun doing it now."

"Speak for yourself, I never considered having to dislocate my own shoulder to reach a sip of water after several hours a good time"

"Aw, come on, I bet you appreciated that drink of water once you got it, never tasted better" he laughed.

"Except turned out it wasn't water, some bitter shit that made me hallucinate. Drank the entire bottle I was so thirsty and didn't give two shits, made getting lose a bit of an errand, that is until Gabe accidentally stumbled upon me."