Awakening

Chapter 40

"The Father"

"One... two... three... one... two... three... a million... is that number right?" a figureless voice echoed.

"Hello? Who's there?" Caliope asked, focusing on that voice.

"One... two... who? A million... a billion... no, it's more... a legion..."

Silence. She had seen too many horror movies and heard too many stories about that single word to overpass its meaning. The voice went quiet, yet she was still unable to see where it came from. She rubbed her eyes and all she could see around her was a thick path in a jungle-like scene. She didn't remember how she got there, but she knew it was for something important. Her eyes focused on the far end of the path and all she could see were more trees. She turned to the opposite side and found just the same.

"One... two... billions... but always back at one..." the voice resumed it's counting.

"Where are you? Who are you?"

She could hear her own heavy breathing as she moved a few steps towards one side of the path, after two more steps, her legs were heavy. She pulled off something she had around her, a coat perhaps, she wasn't sure, and she just knew she felt lighter without it. She let it hang on a branch at the side then continued walking a few more steps. Her legs felt heavier and she grew more tired. As she stopped walking, she looked behind her and got caught in surprise as the piece she left hanging on the branch was out of sight. She rubbed her eyes again and tried to find it. There, at the far distance, something seemed to be about to fall to the ground.

"This can't be... what is happening?"

"You don't belong here... who are you? One... two... three... four?"

"I am not a number... I have a name..."

"A name? What's a name?"

"Something people use to refer to you, to call you, do you have a name? Where are you?"

She could hear the voice close to her, but not from a particular place, instead, all around her. There was a moment of silence and she waited.

"Ah... names... yes, names... I have one, I think... oh yes, a name... come... meet me at the end of the path... is it a path? Yes, a road... meet me at the end..."

"Where is the end?"

"You are halfway there... half? Or just the start? One... two... just a little more and you will reach it..."

Caliope took a deep breath and continued to walk towards the direction she was heading, if the voice was right, she was only going to give a few more steps before reaching the place he mentioned. But her legs were almost dragging, she felt like she was walking kilometers rather than just meters. She took a break to recover her breath, rubbed her eyes and sighed.

"You are here..."

She opened her eyes and found herself in the edge of the path and the beginning of a field. She gasped, the field in front of her was so familiar. At the distance a dark figure was standing near some ruins. He was far, but she knew the voice came from him.

"Hello... name..."

Caliope walked a few more steps and saw with surprise as each inch became a mile in its own. With three steps she was almost in front of the voice's source. It was a man, no doubt, and he was tall, a large cape covering his body, long beard and rough long hair as grey as the sky. He had his back at her and she remained still for some seconds. He got quiet, waiting for her answer.