Vanishing Tides (Caged Words)

CAGED WORDS:
Almond and Red were quiet for the next twenty minutes in which Takshak went to get them dinner all packed as Almond was not in a condition to walk and sit up in the smoky place. He felt drowsy and wished that he could sleep again in her lap where no one could reach him. It had felt like heaven to him as he didn't have as many nights when he could sleep in peace. Red reveled in the silence, smiling now and then to herself at how nice it was to have someone in her lap whose soft silky hair she could play with all along. She asked him after a long time, "Why do you have extraordinarily long hair, actually most boys don't have it..." Almond glad to get a chance to peek into those sea-deep eyes said with a raised eyebrow, "It is my only way of rebellion as it is against the college rules." The smirk on his face proved that he was clearly getting better. Red glared at the outside world separated from it by a mere fiber glass pane. Yet she felt so comfortable in her own world, the one in which she had a person she had rescued next to her....

Takshak came running towards them, "Red! Open the window. The top one's for you the other one is for Almond." Red hastily drew the two boxes inside and passed the boxes to Almond. She peeked outside and asked Takshak, "Hey! Where are you going now?" Takshak showed her a hand indicating that she was to stay inside. Red shrugged and sat down again. He had left his own box on the front seat. Red said to Almond gently, "Al, you dig in. I'll wait for dad." Even though Red's stomach had rumbles she decided to wait as it was something that brought father and daughter closer even if she wasn't his real daughter. Almond smiled and kept the boxes steady in his lap and said to himself, "I'm mature enough for handling this Red, let me also start when you do." Red asked him with a questioning look and he replied by giving a sign meaning that he would join her whenever they would start. Red was delighted that he would wait for them or else her stomach would have gone for cephalic phase of gastric digestion. Pretty soon, the car was parked near a tree and the three munched on the pizza and sipped ice tea. Almond seemed much better than the angry Almond he had been some hours ago. Only two hours more and they would reach the Mansion for warriors and a home for Red.

Almond did a bit of driving but he started feeling woozy and so had to let go. Red welcomed him into his paradise, his most secure place. Once again Takshak was at the wheel and the two warriors were asleep. He knew Red was exhausted as was Almond. His own body ached in a threatening way. Still he drove on thinking about the potential he had to bear pain, suffering and above all loneliness. It had become his companion and he had given in to his fate when news came that the Lord and the Lord's wife had perished in the fire, leaving their infant in his care along with the keys to the portal to the other world, the world of eternity. Red had brought him out of his shell. She had brought his life back and given it a purpose. And now the same thing was happening to Almond. Takshak found it hard to believe that such a weak person could actually lead a team of warriors. Red was supposed to be the Queen of the other world. Almond the future King as his origin was unsure. But this would happen only if the spirits of all the warriors from the other world could be released. All of a sudden the road became familiar and the sight of a moon filled beach made his thoughts rise back to the future. As the car stopped in front of the gate, Red continued sleeping. Almond got up, left his paradise and looked at her. Asleep and very tranquil. He stroked her face with the back of his fingers and said, "Home at last, Red." Unfortunately for Almond things did not go as planned and Red did not wake up as he thought she would. Her face tilted to the other side. He looked around searching for Takshak who came in a few minutes and said, "She'll get up only in the morning. Exhaustion - she had a shield around the two of you to prevent detection by any death warrior until we reach the house." Almond helped Takshak carry things from the car and then lifted Red in his arms and took her to the house. Takshak gave her some injection and then he took her upstairs to her room.

When Takshak returned he saw Almond sleeping in a sitting position. He did not want to wake him up but his footsteps woke him up. He asked Takshak, "Why did Red have to make a shield around the two of us? When I am supposed to shield the warriors?" Takshak smiled as he separated Red's bags from his own, "Yours is a windshield. You still have to learn to detect death warriors. She knows how to do that very well." Almond nodded and got up to pick his bags. Pretty soon he was heading towards his room which was across Red's. He had the key in his hand, quivering with excitement. Almond unlocked the door and pushed the heavy door open and into a huge room. It had two more doors towards the inside one lead to the bathroom and toilet while the other led to a smaller room. It was a strange room. Though it looked like a study, it probably wasn't because of the decks of different switches and electrical gadgets, a small laptop. He wondered why he would be provided with these things. Except that he was a mechanical engineer, he didn't need these things. He did not have any idea about the advanced way Takshak had planned to fight. He shrugged and shut the door quietly. The main room was huge with a television set, a refrigerator, a lovely bed with so many cushions and pillows. It was one of the best bedrooms he had ever imagined. Red dreamt about a blind girl who told her that she was feeling very cold. Red tried to communicate with her and comforted her by saying that she could always share her own blanket, though Red didn't know why she said that. The girl started giggling and said that her lover had arrived and he was as warm to her as the fire and then she saw herself and Almond sitting in a very green place under a tree as the leaves fell over them. She saw them both happy. All of a sudden the whole place became dark and it became difficult to breathe. Gasping and choking Red departed from her dream. She heard her father's gentle voice,
"Red honey, wake up. Won't you like to show Almond around the beach?" Red eased and counted backwards to relax. She woke up groggy eyed and feeling a bit fresh. She flipped open her mobile to see her missed calls and messages. There was a message from an unknown number. Her forehead furrowed as she looked on. It read - 'Thanks for helping me reach out to you. I will be meeting you soon.' Red was visibly stunned. What was the connection with her dream and that message? She did not speak out but Takshak asked her anyway, "What's wrong Red? Tell me truthfully." Red shook her head and walked towards her bathroom. She shut the door behind her as she turned on the tap. The water foamed out. It felt soft on her hand. Her eyes looked heavy. She remembered Almond's words and smiled to herself. After an hour or so Red was all dressed and went down for breakfast. She had to go and help Takshak in making the egg omelet and the cutlets. Red saw that Almond had already laid the table for breakfast. They met in the hall and Almond smiled at her, "Oi! How are you feeling?" Red returned his smile and said in a low voice as she passed him, "I thought I was to ask you that...." She had decided not to tell Takshak about the message until she herself did not receive any further indication of invasion in her dreams. Almond followed her into the kitchen where he saw Red sitting on the counter top and teasing Takshak about his burnt omelet. He did not feel like interrupting but he had to, "Uh... excuse me. Could I get the spoons and knives and forks?" Red still teasing her father handed the stack to him. Almond felt a bit out of place in that household. Takshak told him on cue, "Hey, Almond! What are you doing all spaced out? Don't you want to try your hand at making sandwiches?" Almond felt the discomfort leave as he responded cheerfully, "Sure thing! Let me inform you I am a very bad cook...." Red said mockingly, "As if we are any better!" Almond helped Takshak arrange the mashed potatoes on the buttered bread. He felt like a bird out of its cage, not too free, not too caged. His feelings, his experience clashed in him even as he tried to accept the mansion as his home. It was a honey sweet feeling but a bit of pepper was there because of the fact that he was totally new to that place. The mansion was named the Flame Mansion as the first lords of the army of life had left it as a safety hide out for the future occupants. It looked fiery in the evenings, those evenings when each brick and each particle would set itself ablaze to signify war. Almond was sitting at the table when he once again started feeling dizzy. Red who had been looking at his long, untied flowing hair noticed him sway and said, "You're still weak from yesterdays transfer, aren't you Al?" Almond shook his head and replied, "Yes probably. Excuse me I think I need to catch some rest. I do not want to be a trouble for you both." Almond bowed slightly and stood up to go, when Takshak called out, "Don't lock your door from inside. I may have to leave for sometime today, just in case you both need each other's help...." Almond nodded and quietly went up the stairs to his and Red's wing - the east wing. The west wing was for the two youngest warriors. The north wing was for Takshak and the south for the other two people. Almond looked at his door; Red had written 'Almond Ato' in decorated font in a golden color, contrast to the brown - scarlet doors. He opened the door, feeling his need to let go of the thoughts clogging his head, on the rise. Almond looked at the beautiful bed covers and the bed spread. Kicking off his room slippers, he dug under the bed covers and immediately fell asleep. He saw a strange dream. It was very pleasant still he found it odd. There was Red, sitting in a garden of roses and he was there too sleeping in her lap. All of a sudden he felt that she was in trouble and when he looked up, she wasn't feeling well. All the roses had converted to poppy flowers. Sleeping in a poppy field could kill and he knew that. With Red beside him they flew off to some other place. He did not know where. Almond hid from Red a thought he felt was a fact. He wanted her to know how much he cared for her, how much and since when. Red wanted to tell Takshak about the message and how someone from her dreams could possibly get her mobile number.

Right after breakfast Takshak left the house owing to some office work. Red cleaned up alone in the kitchen and decided to pay Almond a visit. As she walked up the stairs she wondered if it would be alright to wake him up in that condition. Still she climbed upwards to the east wing. She saw his door was slightly ajar. Red cautiously stepped inside. The room was cleaned and a shampoo smell prevailed predominantly in the room. She walked towards the bed and called out to him. He stirred and turned towards her side. His hair, like ripples on a lake fell softly over his face. Red sat down on a bean bag and started talking to him, not knowing whether he was awake or not, she assumed he was asleep, "Al, dad went off to office. As always, I've no company. Even with you in here it's a bit lonely," Red drew up her knees and hugged them as she rocked herself front - back to comfort herself. She continued, "Well you see, when I came to know about me being a warrior, I was a bit stunned. I became so introvert but then dad said I had to be positive. He said that there were more warriors of my level and that it was up to all of us to find the portal to the other world. You are two years older than me; don't you think you should know how to make omelets better than me?" Red giggled to herself and unexpectedly got back a response, "Hey Red! Ever wondered why you are special to me?" He answered his question without Red having to do anything, "Because it's not the number of days I met you but the number of days that I missed you. I'll always be there for you. You must promise that you'll never let go and keep hoping and..." Red kissed his hand and spoke softly as she stroked his forehead, "I promise." At least one bird flew out of Almond's cage....