Chapter 2 – The Unusual Ways of the Unusual
Jen and Irene walk from the little village to mine crystals.
Irene asks Jen, “Why are we going this far away from the village? There are plenty of crystals everywhere.”
“But they’re not the ones we need. There are many different kinds of crystal in this world, but the ones we use to build houses are in a nearby cave.”
“How are we going to cut them off the cave walls?”
“By using our hands. Whatever gave us these crystals in our body also gave us the ability to break apart crystals.”
“Do you know why our bodies are like this?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it has to do something with the crystals that filled the hole we all fell down. There aren’t that many answers here that we or the neighboring villages have been able to find.”
“I thought you were going to give me a better idea of this place.”
“This is all we know of this place.”
“Has anyone tried to escape this place?”
“Why would anyone want that?”
“I’m just asking.”
“No, none that we know of.”
“What are the other villages like?”
“Good people with their own way of living.”
“What do you know about these symbols in our eyes? And the flowers?”
“The symbols are spade, heart, diamond, and clubs like the card suits. These along with the type of flower you have represents your current personality. Spades represent an aggressive person who always protects what they hold dear. Diamonds are wise and plan ahead to achieve their goals. Clubs rely on karma or fate. If they haven’t been good people, then things don’t work out in their favor.”
“What about me?”
“Hearts encompass different forms of love, which include gentle and harsh love, fatherly and motherly love, and friendly and romantic love. People with hearts in their eyes can usually tell which forms of love is the best to use, and can tell which form another person is experiencing.”
“How did you find this out?”
“There are hundreds of kids like us. Over time, we saw patterns in people with these symbols in their eyes and took note of it, so we knew what to expect from them.”
“What about the flowers?”
“Unfortunately, few of us know of all the different kinds of flowers that are in people’s eyes, though they do correspond with the symbol in your eye.”
“Oh, what about the dresses we have?”
“Again, it goes with your personality. Everyone has a sort of torn dress because we rebelled against people with higher authority.”
“What’s your story?”
“I used to be part of a family who were all artists. They wanted me to be an artist like them, but I’d rather live a humbler life.”
“A humbler life? Your family was rich?”
“Yes, you can make a fortune off paintings and other drawings if they look good enough.”
“Why would you want to leave that luxurious life?”
“I wanted to be a gypsy and live with nature. Unfortunately, my family prevented me from pursuing that lifestyle, so I ran away from them and ended up here where I truly belong.”
“I would’ve loved the life you had.”
“But that wouldn’t be true freedom. This place we live in offers freedoms that few people experience above. There’s the cave over there. The sight of these crystals always captivates me.”
Irene thought to herself how her and Jen’s idea of freedom differed. Jen had everything she could’ve wanted to make her own life, but she instead wanted a poor, nature-loving life. It didn’t make sense to Irene at all.
“Irene?”
“Oh, I’m coming.”
“Are the crystals captivating you as well?”
“Yes, they are very pretty.”
The pink and purple glow of the crystals do amaze Irene especially with their unique shape, but she continues to wonder how other young people here define freedom. Jen transforms her hands into sharp cutters to cut the crystal.
“How did you do that?” Irene asks.
“Just concentrate your energy within into your arms.”
Irene does this and easily makes her arms into crystal cutters. With this, she helps Jen cut the crystals off the walls. These crystals are flexible and can attach themselves to one another with a little force. It’s no wonder now why to Irene now as to why they use these kinds of crystal to make buildings and other decorations. They make temporary baskets from the crystal and begin to carry them back to the village. Along the way, another girl like them approaches them. She has a blue dress with a blue flower in her eye with a light blue eye with a diamond in her eye.
“What do you want, Amy?” Jen says to her sounding like she doesn’t want a response.
“I see that you caught another lost soul, Jen. What’s your name?”
“Irene.”
“Irene, eh? That name means peace if I remember correctly. You’re not going to find peace here if you follow these people, however, if you follow me, you’ll find true peace.”
“You’re all talk, Amy. Just go back to your band of misfits and keep to yourselves.”
“I will…”
Amy transforms her arms into cutters.
“But not before I scratch that pretty face of yours.”
Jen transforms her arms as well.
“Stop this Amy!”
“What? It’s not like anyone dies down here, right?”
Amy charges at Jen and the two clash. Both seem evenly matched until Amy transforms her legs into cutters as well and slashes Jen’s face with it. She then backs off as Jen touches where she is cut.
“Be thankful I didn’t cut off your head and repurpose it,” Amy says as she changes her limbs back to normal, “Those crystals you carry aren’t the only kinds of crystal that could be used for other purposes.”
“Get out of here!” Jen says as she propels one of her cutter arms at Amy, but only scratches Amy’s arm. Jen’s arm impales a tree behind Amy.
“You do have some spirit in you. I’ll leave…for now. Remember what I said, Irene. Go to the red crystal part of the forest. That’s where you’ll find me.”
Amy leaps up into the air and leaves. Jen gets her arm from the tree it went into and it automatically attaches itself.
“Will your scratch heal?” Irene asks.
“Eventually, like all wounds,” Jen says as she touches it.
“What did Amy say when she said that the crystals we carry aren’t the only kinds that could be used for other purposes?”
“As you can see, we can use our bodies to morph them into whatever we want to. We might use them as temporary building materials or use them for other purposes like fighting or games. Don’t pay her any attention. She and her group of misfits are against the freedom this world provides.”
“So she’s rebelling against rebellion?”
“In a way, but she’s still wrong. We should get back to the village. There’s an anniversary at the capital city today.”
“Anniversary?”
“For the discovery of this world and our colonization of it. It’s going to be fun.”
Once Amy and Irene get back to the village and drop of the building crystals, they and the rest of the village, go to the capital city called Agartha.
The city has dozens of beautiful statues and buildings decorated with many kinds of crystal. It seems like years of effort went into this city because of how big it is and how detailed the art is. Hundreds of people are here along with many kinds of animals. People don’t seem to eat or drink anything here, which gets Irene to realize that she isn’t hungry or thirsty.
“This is a world free from hunger and thirst?” Irene asks Jen.
“It took you long enough to realize this. Isn’t it wonderful?” Jen responds.
“It is.”
Irene’s eyes fix on a humongous castle in the center of the city.
“Is that a castle?” she asks.
“Yes, it is.”
“I thought everyone here was free from rule?”
“We are. Our rules here allow everyone to be free, but we still need an enforcer, so if someone like Amy tries to ruin it, they’ll be punished.”
“Punished how?”
“You’ll see. Now come on, the queen is coming out soon. We should go to the castle now to get the best seats.”
“Queen?”
“Queen Sharon. She’s probably been here the longest out of everyone here and one of the wisest. She has a heart in her eye like you.”
“Really?”
“Really. Hurry! Everyone’s going to the castle now.”
Jen and Irene hurry to the castle and get seats close to the balcony where Sharon is going to appear. There are guards with crystal spears, shields, and swords around the perimeter of the castle with some of the most elite-looking ones at the gate. Once Sharon appears on the balcony, the crowd cheers until they are quieted down when Sharon raises her hand. Queen Sharon’s colors are red and black. She definitely looks like a queen because of her dressy hairstyle and dress.
Sharon begins her speech by saying, “I’m so glad that everyone’s here on the anniversary of our discovery of this world. We were all under the harsh, ruling thumb of the people above ground and this place gave us the freedom we all craved. I was a poor girl whose family left me in the dirt because they couldn’t afford to keep me. Alone and sick, I wandered the world until I fell down a mysterious hole that transported me here. Seeing the freedom presented to me by fate, I quickly took to exploring this world to understand it and conquer it. Eventually, other young people like me came here and we established this city along with other villages for people live in independently. We protect your freedom from those who want to impose their own freedoms on you. Live out your life the way you want to here. Start your own kingdom, be your own rulers, but don’t infringe the freedoms of others or you will reap the rewards of your foolish actions.”
The crowd cheers for her. Irene cheers along with her but can’t help but feel uneasy. As Sharon is looking at the crowd, she catches Irene in the crowd and silences them with the raising of her hand.
“You there with the heart in your eye,” she calls down to Irene, “What is your name?”
“My name is Irene.”
“Lacey told me we have a new citizen. As you can see Irene, I have a heart in my eye as well. Girls like us are rare in this world believe it or not. Come up to me. I’d like you to join me up here in my castle.”
“Can my friend, Jen, come too?”
Sharon sees Jen who introduces herself.
“Unfortunately, no because I only want to talk to you since we share common characteristics. She, however, will be gifted whatever she wants for being your friend.”
“Go ahead, Irene. I’ll wait for you back at the village after I get my reward of course,” Jen says.
Irene is escorted by the guards into the castle. The interior of the castle is somehow more beautiful than the city with its specially made designs, artistry, and color patterns. Once Irene is lead to Sharon’s room, Sharon motions the guards to leave the two alone.
“Greeting Irene,” Sharon says with a bow of her head.
“Greetings to you too Queen Sharon,” Irene says with a full bow.
“You don’t need to be so formal. I may be queen, but I’m not your superior.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s no big deal. I understand the status a name like queen implies. Tell me, Irene, why did you run away from the world above?”
“I wanted more than what my parents presented to me. I wanted to be free to do what I wanted.”
“And what do you want to do?”
“Anything other what they told me I could do.”
“Vague, but understandable. This world offers many more options than the world above. I think you’ll find what you’re looking for down here and make this world even better. That’s what girls like us with hearts in our eyes do.”
“Do you know of any other girls like us? I haven’t seen many people with hearts.”
“A few, but they’re scattered. I’ve heard of a few that have left this world, which is a shame.”
“Jen mentioned people getting punished here.”
“You don’t need to worry about that happening to you. Hearts have a record of having clean records.”
“That’s a relief, but how exactly are people punished?”
“Do you know that people here make themselves into the opposite gender? Some even turn themselves into animals.”
“Ok, but what’s your point?”
“We turn them into something different as a punishment.”
“Something different?”
“Anything living we can turn them into. I’m sure your imagination will do the work for you.”
“What about things like building materials? Jen said we could use our bodies as a temporary building material.”
“Their limbs could be used as building materials, but not their bodies or heads.”
“So I could be walking on limbs right now.”
“Not in this castle or even in this city, but maybe a village.”
“I thought you couldn’t die here.”
“You can’t. We put a spell on those we punish, and they happily accept their punishment. You may have seen a few without knowing. Maybe it was an animal, a tree, or a fish.”
“This is a terrible way to punish people! Using their limbs as a building material is one thing and forcing them to live as something else is…equally as awful! I can’t even put it on a scale of appalling things it’s so out there!”
“Calm down Irene. These people tried to take away the freedom of the people of this world. This was the only way to keep everyone happy and free.”
“I don’t know about that. It’s just too much to imagine happening to a person.”
“How about you get some rest. Tomorrow, I’ll show you the beauty of this world that you haven’t seen yet. I’ll also show you the kinds of freedoms we offer and why we protect it. I already have a room reserved for you.”
Irene quietly exits the room while looking back at Sharon who’s giving an uncomfortable smile that’s trying to be reassuring. The castle guards lead Irene to her room and close the door behind her. Irene opens the window to see the night sky of this world. The crystal forest lights up the night sky and color it with their unending variety of colors. It eases Irene and allows her to calm down. A crystal crow lands in her window. Its eyes are swirly as if it’s under a spell.
It says, “Hello. Are you upset?”
“Are you or were a person? A human like me?” Irene asks it.
“I was but then I became a bird like I always wanted to. It’s great!”
“Is that what you really wanted?”
“Of course, why?”
“Sharon didn’t do this to you?”
“She suggested it and that’s how I realized my dream. She’s a great ruler, isn’t she?”
“Sure. I’m tired, so I’m going to sleep.”
“Good night and sleep tight,” the crow says before flying away.
“Good night.”
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