'Water, the divine liquid, the elixir of life. A remnant of eternal peace, unhindered sleep. But even it accumulates unused energy Released instantly in curving ripples and calming waves. However, if kept unused, beware the torrent.' And with that, the bell rang and the meager patience of the students finally dissolved to let loose torrents of joy and laughter. Mr. Fons said,'Well, that's that! Was hoping to finish this off today but anyway, I hope you all have wonderful summer holidays. And with that, he left the room. Moments later, as an afterthought, he shouted down the hall,'Also borrow a book from the library and read it during the holidays.' This announcement seemed to dampen the atmosphere slightly, but it was quickly forgotten as nothing could stop this merry- making. However, oblivious to everyone around him, was one particular individual. Staring out of the window, the professor's words were still ringing in his ears like a long, distant bell. He wished not for freedom, but for the days to pass away. He had always known he didn't belong. He hated the chaos of life and longed for peace. Most people were of social nature, never minding their own business. He, on the other hand, thought the peace of loneliness pleasing. Few thought he needed help. Most thought he was delusional. At first, he had tried to make them understand, but that couldn't have helped less. Now he just wanted to point a finger at those prowling leeches and, and'' It's useless. All this would never have happened if she were still here.
Suddenly, he was thrown off his chair but due to prior experience, managed to land gracefully on his feet.'You know, you were supposed to fall down. It ain't fun when you act like that.' He'd been expecting that. Calor, the graceless oaf and the epitome of all his troubles, well at least most. 'What do you want' I replied, wanting to get over with this as soon as possible. 'It's just that I wanted to say goodbye in a proper way.''Well, that's a first. It's a wonder you even noticed me at all.''Yeah I know, I've been improving my per, per, percept, looking power.' He replied proudly.'You've even learned a new word, bravo.''I know, wait, are you making fun of me?''To you long enough to figure out.''Well, you better watch out cause you're not helping yourself by making enemies.''So, you finally acknowledge your my enemy.'Hopelessly defeated, he made one last attempt to trip me. I quickly sidestepped it and he stumbled off. By now the whole class was empty so I decided to be on my way.
There was still a crowd outside which proved irksome and I got a few repulsive stares. I was about to leave when I remembered to get a library book so I turned around and ran towards the library. On the way, I passed the old generator room which was worn down and had cracked walls. The school was supposed to demolish it but to save money, left it be. Some say that the old generator still works.
I reached the library and was greeted by the smell of wet teak wafting through the air which gave a drowsy aroma around it. It was the only building made of wood in the entire school. The air was stuffy and I felt like I was in a forest. The reason why I hated this place. The wrinkled, ancient librarian, Mr. Geata, sat at his desk, smoking a pipe and thinking of times long forgotten. Busy with his dreams, he didn't notice me. The children's' rack was empty which I should have expected due to the school's minimalist budget. So I headed toward the school's older, archaic section. Here most books were nameless and few were of this century. The books were layered with dust and there covers worn. I wandered through the racks looking for something appealing. And suddenly, at the end of the shelf, there stood out a crimson red book. It was dwarfing all the others in magnificence and majesty. However, at the same time, gave me an uneasy feeling. I went and took it out. To the touch, it's cover felt like thick, hard leather and there was not a stain on it. His eyes wandered towards the title which read, 'Solvitis Focus'. It seemed very peculiar so he decided to delve deeper. Worst decision of his life. I opened it and a four leaved clover fell out.
Suddenly waves of memory came rushing at me. They had gone hiking. She had been with him. She had bent down to pick up a clove, a four-leaved clover. And suddenly a tree fell down on top of her. She couldn't move. He tried desperately but to no avail. A flash. He was at the highway crying out for help. None paid him to heed. Another flash. He was walking back, his anger boiling inside him, molten hot. No one had helped. He reached the site. She could see his anger, 'Calm down, everything's all right. Chill.' And with that red, hot flames leaped out, engulfing everything in their wake. Just as quickly as they had appeared, they disappeared. They had left no remnant of their being. She had gone. Yet, somehow he felt relaxed, cool. Another flash.
I was back at the library. My mind and heart were boggled with numerous thoughts and feeling. My instinct told him to throw away the book right there and then. However, I held on. I had never understood what had happened that day. But now I knew. It was them. They had caused it. I could hear their mocking laughter and misleading pity. My mind was blazing. I wanted them to disappear. The temperature in the room hiked and then fell. I left the shelves and looked out the window. It was pitch black outside. I was amazed at how quickly time had passed. I quickly left the library. If I had been paying attention, I would have noticed that the librarian was not there.
It was foggy outside. The air was full of mist and I could barely make out the road. I reached my house. There was trash around it and the pavement was cracked. I entered and got myself a cup of tea and sat down to read the book. All I had was a lamp but it enhanced the mysterious aura of the book. The first page gave reference to some writer but it was smudged out. On the next page there was some text. It read,
'Thou is rooted to the soil,
Life flows like a stream.
Decisions are all present
Some give choice, others may not
For thou is not to decide.'
I took a sip of tea and continued reading.
'Some believe they have no place
they are not to be
The touch shows them wrong
For you are to be, others not.'
I normally wouldn't have understood such English but somehow he got the meaning. It described me perfectly. I took another sip of tea and continued reading.
'Be wary, for we bestow such power
The touch is all, all are nothing.
It courses through thou hand
Up thy fingers and out.
Such are not empty words
For the last touched is no more.'
I was sweating. My fingers were trembling from supposed new found power. I did not know what to make of this. I went to take another cup of tea. The cup wasn't there. I was famished after all that reading. I made my bed and went to sleep.
There was a fire in his room. He was desperately trying to get out. Everything he touched burst into flames. The flames were closing in. However, they made no sound of burning. Instead, he could hear water dousing fire or the other way around. He was trapped. And he woke up.
I was drenched in sweat. Sunlight was peeping through the window shades. I looked down. There were scorched holes and marks on my blanket. Each hole was roughly the size of my finger. So I had touched these places while I was sleeping. I desperately tried to find the burnt out pieces of cloth but had no success. They were gone.
I decided to go out and get breath of fresh air to clear my mind. I opened my door and found heavy smog outside so that was clearly not going to happen. I walked down the sidewalk, heading to no particular destination. I saw a shadow of someone in front of me. It was walking towards me. I peered closer. It was Calor.
I hoped he wouldn't notice me and walk off but I knew he had seen me. 'Hey, I see you've gone out for a walk. Still busy with your own thoughts or are you trying to branch out?' he sneered. 'And what are you doing out here? I thought you would be sleeping since that's what you're good at.' I replied. 'You better not act too hastily. I remember what you did yesterday. I couldn't do anything then because of the grown ups but now I and you are all alone.' And with that, he took a step towards me. 'Wow, it's a wonder that you remembered even that much' I tried as a last shot but that barely swayed him. He kept coming closer towards me. And then I lost it. My mind flared up. I had been bullied by him for so long. I wasn't going to stand down now. Not ever. My mind then suddenly cooled down. But my hands started to shake with power. 'I can see you shaking with fear, wimp' he said. And I let go any remaining bound and punched him. I knew that he barely felt anything. He was laughing. And then his eyes filled with terror. There were flames surrounding him. He let go a scream and disappeared. I never saw him again.
I quickly ran back to my house. I had cooled down and finally realized what I had done. I should never have done that. I needed guidance and a lead. I needed the book. I opened it. It read,
'Others are fake
You are true
Gaia will fall
You must rid it of them
Use the flames
Don't give them control.'
And I knew what I had to do. I was always the one. I believed that I should never have been. In fact, they were the ones who should never have been. I finally understood the dream. Don't let them use the flames. Use this power before they can use it. They must be eradicated. The humans.
Numerous weeks have passed. I have been using the power non- stop. It has never failed me. I have eradicated this society. I plan to spread out even more. Other nation, other continents. I'll not stop. Sometimes I look back and feel that I'm a maniac. But the book always guides me. I've become addicted. I am now making anything I see disappear. Now I believe I should read more of the book. Is this my final task, or is there more? I turn the page and see that some extra page has been hastily inserted. Most of this page has been smudged out. However, some of it I can read.
'...World falls, the flame reigns'
'No stability, No humans'
No matter...
All the doing of this book
...Reader beware, you are the source'
You..the...fuel.
Stop before it's t.. late'
This was confusing. Unlike the others, I couldn't understand it. I need more info. I decide to go to the school. I need to search this up.
The road to school is empty, all my doing. I enter the school and walk towards the library. There is no security guard. I find the library locked. I know the keys are in the staff room. I walk towards it. I pass my old classroom, which is empty and void. As I enter the staff room, I see a shadow. How can that be? There shouldn't be anyone left in this neighborhood.
'I've been expecting you' the shadow said. 'Who, who are you?. The shadow came closer and to my relief, it was just Mr. Fons. 'You haven't given your book report yet, everyone else has already given it.''What do you mean? How are they still alive?' I asked, bewildered. 'What do you mean? Are you alright? You haven't been coming to school for the past few days.''You, you must be lying. No, it's not possible. You found out. Yes, yes you found out. And you're trying to stop me. I won't let that happen.' I said, still in shock. With that, before he could react, I sprang forward and touched him. And waited. Nothing happened. 'What are you doing? Behave yourself Mister.' he shouted and then he looked down. 'Wait, is that book what I think it is? The Solvitis Focus? But how? he said, clearly astonished. 'What do you mean?' I replied, now very frazzled. 'Yes, I should have known. Foolish me. This book only targets the weak of mind or more appropriately, detached.' he said to himself. 'What are you talking about?' I shouted, losing my temper.
And suddenly his image blinked and flashed out of existence. After a second, he came back.
'I'll have to be quick. Your touch is affecting me. I'm sorry you had to deal with it. Let me guess. This book told you that you are the one, a part of this world and the other is not from this plane of existence.' he said. 'Yes, more or less the same.'I replied, now cooling down. Another flash, this time being gone for longer. 'Well, let me break this to you, kid. They are not really gone. Those who you have touched are still here. It is you who is losing focus. You are being ripped out of the stream of time. The book is full of lies. The touch gives false power, false hope. In fact, each time it is used, your essence is diminishing. You are slowly becoming void. 'How do you know all this?' I said, hoping this was not true.'I've read the book. It is an incarnation of evil.'
This news hit me like a stone. All the hope, the energy was sucked out of me. I crumpled down to the floor.' So, so all this for nothing. I knew that I should never have hoped. I never did belong. It is not my place, not my time.' I sobbed. 'Everyone always has a place and always has a time. And this is your place and time. Times may get difficult and fantasy and fact may interchange but you will know what to do. You must know what to do. To keep your place in the river of life. Your dream showed you the flames. You can overcome them. If you don't, you will be absorbed.''So, what do I do to stop this?''Go back to the library keep the book back and say these words 'Voi liekit kulutta minut'. May you succeed.' And with that, his image flickered off and disappeared. I got up and left the room. Unseen to me his image came back. 'And may you kindle the flames.' And he disappeared.
I walked down the silent hall. I had never noticed how eerie it was without people. I started running. As I passed the generator room, I saw there were flickers of light inside. But I didn't care. I ran into the library. The air was dry and stuffy. I went to the shelves and chanted the words. I was about to keep away the book when something hit me. How did Mr. Fons know about my dream? He may have read the book but he couldn't have known that. On instinct, I opened the first page of the book. Where it had been smudged, it was written, 'By- Portier Fons. I should have known. There is no hope. And suddenly the wall burst into flames. I had used my part of the bargain, my touch. Now it has come to claim its part, me. The flames came forward and consumed me. I blacked out.
I woke up with sunlight shining on my face. The air was fresh and cool. And suddenly someone came forward and smiled at me. It was her. Finally, peace at last.