Book One In The Ahh-Ness Of Things Series: April & Donnie were once inseparable, but now almost six years have passed since she left NYC. What if April O'Neil could set the record straight, once & for all! The only girl down enough to chill with the...
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We walked deep into the tunnels under the city. In silence, but hand in hand. I thought about how he had objected to me making any plans with the kids. It was as if I had written up my own epitaph, all these things; I couldn't take it back now. As we walked further into the darkness, now into underground caverns & otherworldly corridors; I considered the universe in which he lived his life. How he was of two very different worlds, mentally & physically. Just as I was a physical hybrid of Utrom & human being, with no way of ever being truly aware of how my body & my mind was different from either; he was equally both a part of the human existence & the watery darkness of these catacombs. He was always of an elevated mind, seeking philosophical highs, filling his inventory with the nuances & intricacies of human life. Gushing over science & technology. Yet as we walked in these places where humans could not survive; he was sure footed. He could see into the darkness with eyes that allowed him to adjust to pitch blackness with clarity. He could smell the presence of other creatures near by & hear & feel the vibrations of the city above us, to find his way. I stumbled on the broken path & as he turned to guide me; his eyes were reflecting the LED light of my watch. It was if they were blotted out. I hadn't seen this in years, it was a second set of eyelids to protect him & enhance his vision in the water, or deep darkness; as we had come into. I could only barely make out his form, inches from me, & the sheen of his white eyes. It was even more arresting, as his face was still swollen & only one of his eyes was fully open.
"There's more light up ahead, do you got it now?"
"No. I can't see where my feet are."
"Can I carry you?"
He didn't wait for me to answer. He picked me up as easily as if I were a child & held me securely to his body. It was so familiar & I was more confidant than a less knowing person would be, that he would not drop me. I wrapped my arms around his neck & as I felt him gain ground, assuredly stepping through a narrow passage. He covered my head in his hand, to protect me from brick & limestone outcroppings in the decaying walls. I laid my face against his neck & felt his body work through the surroundings. I could feel him breathing & the blood traveling through his pulse, where my cheek lay on his skin.
Soon enough we came to an almost well lit opening & he placed me down steadily onto my feet. I stared out at an underground pond, illuminated by photo algal blooms. The water was full of calcium & lime, like it was thick, creamy blue slurry; lit from below. The organic light ever so slightly cast the illusion of water rippling across the facade of the low ceiling. There were luminescent lifeforms all around us in the darkness, bugs & water critters, that darted back & forth in the still pool & along the stone walls like tiny fireflies. I had the privilege of seeing natural beauty, down here before; but never quite like this. I was in awe, I had no idea where we were, but it was breathtaking. In the quiet blue light, all of my senses were dulled. I could barely breath from the vacuum the natural mausoleum created, the dark shadows closing around me, & the encapsulating walls & ceiling created deafening silence. I felt a though, if I spoke it would boom back at me. I became aware that I could hear our very breaths & I turned around to face my only source for self preservation in this beautifully, unforgiving domain.
