Secret Places and Hidden Things

Chapter Twenty-Two

Michael was surrounded by rabbits.

Jack was in the solarium listening to Elliot's stories of the world outside the helm. Jack usually found Elliot and Michael in the solarium if he went looking for them. Sometimes they would talk, and sometimes they would just sit and watch Michael as he created things in the air around him. If he was in an abstract mood, it would be colors and sounds, bending and winding into each other in impossible ways. Other times it would be flowers and leaves, even whole plants and trees, growing up and around each other before snaking back into the ground or bursting into oblivion with a shower of colorful sparks. Michael loved flying creatures, especially, and the solarium was always alive with birdsong—sometimes from birds so strange and alien, Jack could only wonder where he'd gotten his ideas.

This time it was rabbits, though, if they could even be called that, hopping around them eating the clover.

"Michael, where did these animals come from?" Jack asked, watching as a rabbit attempted to eat a rock, its small eyes going large as it choked briefly.

Michael looked around. "I don't know," he said. He looked as if he'd suddenly discovered a new set of arms.

"You don't remember making them?"

Michael shook his head. "I can't make anything alive."

Elliot looked over. He'd been sitting by the creek, tossing bits of corn to the fish. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Have you ever tried?" One of the fish jumped after his hand as he turned away, walking over to where they were.

"I suppose not," Michael said. "I've never thought about it before."

Jack realized he'd never actually seen Michael make animals. He was always surrounded by them, so Jack had assumed he'd made them somehow. They were usually smaller creatures, but once Michael had passed him in the hallway sitting on the back of a great Elk. As Jack had stepped aside, a whole herd had moved around him, singing their low songs and snorting.

Michael looked down at one of the rabbits, and it looked back at him wiggling its nose, flattening to the ground like it had been spotted by a predator. In a sudden movement, it turned and ran, jumping into the air as a flat, blue-green light erupted around it. It melted into nothing, disappearing with an electric fizzle.

"I guess that's where they go," Elliot said.

Suddenly, the rest of the rabbits followed suit, jumping into the same spot in the air and disappearing without a trace. Michael seemed naked without them.

"Why don't you give it a try," Elliot said, his voice rising with intrigue.

Michael looked around him. "What should I make?" He plucked at a few sticks and dead leaves on the ground.

"You're the creative one," Elliot said. "I don't know."

Michael looked over at Jack. "Show me one of your drawings, Jack."

Jack pulled his sketch binder out of his pocket and opened it to a page at random. On it, he'd drawn a plant-like creature, with long roots for legs and twisted, branch-like arms.

"Oh, I like that one. What would you call it?"

Jack flipped the book around and looked at the picture. "It's kind of knobbly like a potato, isn't it?" He searched his memory for an appropriate name. "I don't know," he said. "I don't really make them, I just find them in the lines."

"Let's call it a gnome," Elliot said.

Michael laughed. "Okay, I'll make a gnome."

"A gnome? Really?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Well you weren't coming up with anything," Elliot said.

"It's a gnome now, we can't take it back," Michael said. He took the sketchbook and set it down next to him. Looking at the reference, he dug up a bit of the clay by the river and started sculpting. His handiwork was crude, but after a bit of molding the clay began to take on a life of its own. First it stretched out its arms as Michael pulled on them. Then it lifted up a leg as Michael modeled a foot and fell over onto its back when he stuck it on. Michael began poking leaves and grass into it, and it rolled around laughing, trying to fend off his fingers. In just a few minutes, it was done. Michael wiped his dirty hands together and the excess clay peeled of in a long sheet. The gnome picked this up and swirled it around its shoulders like a cape.

It had a strange and lovely face, with large green eyes and an overly wide smile. Its hair had a rainbow of earthy colors in it, fading in and out like the walls of a canyon. It was slim and small, and covered with living plants, almost like fur. It looked nothing like Jack's drawing, but it still looked familiar. The gnome giggled and ran off under a bush, watching them carefully.

Jack picked up his sketchbook and paged through it. After a while he came upon a drawing that looked just like the gnome. "Look at that," he said, handing it to Elliot.

"Interesting."

Michael pulled it down to his level and looked at it upside down. "Ah, there it is. Is this one a gnome too, Jack?"

"I supposed they're all gnomes," Jack said. "I don't think I invented them, though. I've seen statues of them all over the helm."

"Oh right!" said Elliot. "I think you told me about a hallway you saw—"

A sudden splash made them all jump. They looked over and found Marelle crouched by the side of the stream, her foot stuck in the mud. The gnome was running off through the main entrance to the solarium, giggling madly.

"Cursed thing!" Marelle yelled, yanking her foot upward with a loud squelch.

"Oh, hello Marelle," Elliot said.

She snorted loudly and walked off through one of the side doors without looking at them, her shoulders tensed and her head low.

"What do you suppose she wanted?" Jack asked.

Elliot just shrugged.