Vanishing Tides 8 (Lost Hope)

LOST HOPE:

Cleo’s cell rang at half past mid – night. Seeing Sherry’s name on the cover he picked up immediately, in spite of the blinding light from the night lamp. He answered her, "Say, what’s up?" Sherry did not seem sleepy when she said, "Nothing much except that I’m getting bored." Cleo frowned as he said, "Bored! You, getting bored? No way! Anyways, I was sleeping. I guess you wanted to say something?" Sherry replied, "Yes, Don’t you think Takshak seemed oddly sad today at dinner. He has his secrets. But it is a true secret only for Red." Cleo said after a thoughtful while, "Red will be broken the day she comes to know. We’d better keep it to ourselves. But we’ll take care, right?" Sherry said, "Yes we will. Fine I’m glad you said that. See you tomorrow morning in the balcony. Love you." Cleo said softly into the phone, "A lot…. Good night." He heard the phone give a click.

Red fumbled in her bed covers for her alarm clock. It went on ringing as she groped around for it. Finally switching it off, she went for her balcony – weather check, she called it. It wasn’t as bright as it should have been for five thirty in the morning. She walked around her bed cleaning up the heap of quilt and bed covers she had left. Her thoughts moved along with the songs her stereo played. She had a remote control for her stereo, the air conditioner and the door to her room. The song was a soft one and made her want to sleep again. Red looked longingly at her clean bed but gave up the idea of going to sleep again. She then decided to go for the main balcony that looked out to the sea. Maybe Almond would be there. He was not there. Red walked towards his room and knocked at his door. No response she tried to knock harder and saw that the door was not locked from inside. Pushing it open she stood in his room. He wasn’t on his bed. Red was in her dressing gown. She tip-toed further inside and saw him lying on the ground. She smiled when she thought of him having a nightmare and toppling off the bed. She squatted down next to him and tapped his head, "Hey Al! Rise and shine! It’s almost six. Wake up." Almond did not want to look into those sea deep eyes and talk as if he knew nothing about her fate, her father’s fate. He pretended to sleep. She sat down on the ground stroking his forehead. She stopped a second later and thought to herself, "What in hell am I doing sitting in his room like this?" She glanced at Almond who was still asleep. She said to him, "Listen, I think I know you are awake. I’ll be waiting at the balcony, with our morning coffee. If you think you’ve had enough of troubling me, join me…." Almond heard her leave closing the door behind her. He opened his eyes. He had to regenerate faster if he wanted to be of any help to Takshak and the house. Last night when Takshak had left him in his room, he was unable to sleep. For the first time he thought he had to use his powers to bring back someone he admired but Takshak himself had forbidden him from doing that. Of course he would meet his wife and finally be set free; what about Red? How would she feel about the fact that he had told everyone his true purpose of living but not his own daughter? She would be devastated. To the core. He felt a shooting pain up his spine throbbing in his head. He had thought too much. "Relax", he told himself. After about fifteen minutes, Almond came to join Red. She smiled when she saw him. The coffee was standing on the side table. The foam was not as good as before but it would do. Almond had trapped Takshak’s secret behind those gates. He was glad to be able to cross the chasm that had appeared in between him and Red. He had created it so it was his duty to cross it, alone. Almond felt weak, his shoulders refusing to support that head. He wanted to fall back and sleep. Somehow he had to. Red said, gazing at the distant horizon, "Hey Al! if you are not feeling well, if you are in low spirits tell me please. I might be able to help you; if you want." Almond amazed she had figured out his condition even when he tried to hide it the best he could said, "Uh… No. It’s just that my soul takes weeks to regenerate. It takes its toll. Red, I uh…. Nothing." He closed his eyes and went off to sleep not knowing Red shifted closer and started stroking his hair. She removed a silver ribbon from her hair and tied it on Almond’s loose ponytail that she had made even as her hair rolled down.

Takshak was very tense and in a hurry when he came for breakfast. He was wearing a tie and an executive suit. Red came down followed by a sleepy looking Almond and asked him, "Dad what is with the dress code?" Takshak said after hurriedly gulping down a glass of milk, "Tess and Zhi shall be arriving in two hours at the airport and I’ve to go receive them." Cleo piped in between as was his habit, "My lord, if you will allow me, may I accompany you, please?" Takshak nodded with his mouth full of food and said later, "Any specific purpose my boy?" Cleo gave a shy smile and said, "I’ve to buy some things for all of us. These people gave me their lists, so I thought…." Takshak allowed him to come with him. The list included a deodorant for Sherry, a face wash for Red and Almond’s shampoo among other things. Takshak and Cleo left in half an hour.

The other three cleaned the place up and went to have a look in the west wing. It was different from the other wings as there was only one bedroom for both the warriors. It was sweet and child-like. The walls were painted in vibrant colors. The beds were made. Dresses arranged. All that was supposed to be there for the twin brother sister pair was present. Almond looked pathetic with his messy hair and drunken gait. Red told Sherry to wait while she took him to his room. Almond was sulking in a corner when Red approached him to say, "Al, it’s not good to strain yourself. You’d better go to sleep." He pushed away her hand and yelled at her, "Leave me alone, I can take care of myself. LEAVE ME ALONE!" Red shrunk backwards as he struggled to control himself. Something was wrong with him. Red thought that he was possessed. How could that be when the barrier was up again? Red shouted for Sherry, "Sherry where are you?" She heard hurried footsteps and Sherry arrived behind her. She asked, "What’s wrong?" Red explained unable to hold back her tears, "He’s not well. I’ve been telling him from the morning to get some rest. He did not listen to me. What are we to do now?" Sherry said trying to be calm, "Let’s get him out of here. I’ll read him if possible and say what’s wrong with him." Red edged closer to him. She knew he could be very violent but he was sick and needed help. Red said trying to get him to calm down, "Al, everything’s fine. Do you want to go to your room? Al…?" Almond seemed to be in a bit of pain. He staggered and tried to run past the north wing to reach his bedroom. He could lock himself up and try to regenerate. It was taking longer than usual to kick in. He was unable to figure out whether his soul was regenerating or not and because of this, it had started leaking out of him, depleting with every hour. Everything was a daze as he strained his eyes to look through his hair. The wall paintings were trying to close on him. The carpet from beneath his feet seemed to slip faster than he could walk. He had to get away from Red or he would absorb her soul to prevent himself from bidding his soul a sad good bye. He lurched forward with all his strength and tripped just as Red caught him from behind. He struggled to free himself and by mistake hit Red hard. In spite of that she held him tight not letting go of him. He felt his knees unlock and his legs give way as he fell backwards with Red behind him. The last thing he saw before everything went black was Red, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears and blood from her lips. Like an idiot he had hit her face. He whispered, "Forgive me…." His body went limp as Red fell over him shaking and crying all over. His nightmare had just begun. Her ribbon still entangled in his hair, something he failed to notice. Sherry said gently, "Almond has lost his ability to regenerate. On top of that, his energy is failing him by the minute." Red looked up, her tear strewn face shining in the sun, "What happens now?" Sherry shrugged and said, "It’ll deplete until a bare minimum amount and his soul will wait until he can start regenerating again." Red shrieked, "No way! How is that? It’s his power how can it leave him just like that?" Sherry put a hand on her head and replied, "Circumstances, unwillingness, a feeling that he had nowhere to vent his feelings culminated in this condition. We must take him inside. He wanted to get there, right?" Red nodded and wiped away her tears. Sherry waited with an unconscious Almond as Red went to fetch a stretcher from the first aid room. They carried Almond to his room and laid him on his bed. Tears like jewels studded his eyes. Red shook him in vain. She wanted to help him when she saw Sherry concentrating, "Red, you can’t reach him. His soul is not here." Red nodded as she fell on her knees, crying.

Takshak returned home with the two in tow. Both the children (they did not want to be the youngest in there but still…) were tired by their journey. Both were almost sixteen and both looked older than their years. Sherry waited calmly for them while Red prepared the lunch for all of them. She was worried about Almond but had decided to give him his time. She thought how good Sherry was at handling things. Why were things so unstable with Red and Almond? In a matter of three days both of them had suffered so much. What else had they to face. Which life was better – with or without Almond? Why did death warriors attack them that night? How were they to cope up with these situations? What was it with each of them falling sick alternatively? Was it some sort of a patterned syndrome or something? Almond! Why did he push her away every time she tried to help him? How reckless was she supposed to be? She wanted to scream and yell and die. When would everything become normal? Life was dancing on unknown tunes and both Red and Almond were having a hard time following it.

P.S. Hey Kirin thanks... you give me great encouragement!!!