Liquid Diamond (36 page)

When the following day was almost past and the sun only a few hours away from setting, Natalia and Catalyst still lay in their beds sleeping. Anastasia was watching the time and now she had to wake them. Brushing the hair from Natalia’s face and with a gentle whisper, Anastasia told Natalia to wake up, then left her room and called out for Catalyst.

“
Young man, get out of that bed right now!” rang Anastasia’s demand.

With a huge smile on her face at the sound, Natalia began her day happy.

“
It's not breakfast, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it just the same,” said Anastasia as Natalia and Catalyst sat down at the table and started digging in.

“
Wow! Anyone watching the two of you eat would swear that food is something you’d never had before,” said Anastasia. She handed them both a napkin and waited for them to finish.

“
Are you full now, Natalia?” asked Anastasia after everything had been cleared from the table.

“
Yes I am, and thank you!” replied Natalia grinning broadly.

“
Okay, good. Now Catalyst, it's time to take Natalia back to the portal,” ordered Anastasia, and with a hug and a kiss Natalia said goodbye to Anastasia.

Walking towards the wooded maze, Natalia could feel tears beginning to swell in her eyes. Shoving her glasses on wasn't enough to hide from Catalyst what he too was feeling, but it was enough to bring her some comfort. The glowing dusk lit the evening sky, surrounded by the most beautiful blue.

“
They’re more of a daytime creature, Natalia,” lied Catalyst, trying to hide the fact that he knew why she had put them on.

“
Be that as it may, I'm not taking any chances,” replied Natalia as she wiped her eyes.

“
Well those glasses and the night don't really work together. How will you see?” asked Catalyst with a smart-mouth tone, just hoping.

“
I'll simply put you to use,” replied Natalia in a smarter-mouthed tone of voice as she took Catalyst by the arm.

“
You may as well climb up then,” said Catalyst as he pointed to his back.

“
Not this time, Catalyst,” said Natalia still holding his arm as they walked into the maze. In almost no time at all, at least it seemed that way for Natalia, they were on the other side heading towards the portal.

Reaching the cave that held the beginning of the Liquid Diamond River, Natalia looked at the glints from the diamonds dancing across the cave. She quickly dismissed the hope of taking anything but the memory with her.

“
Catalyst, while I've been here, you've kept a lot of things from me, and that's just like lying. So while I'm gone there's something I'd like you to think about – a girl’s heart is only as good as the truth that fills it,” said Natalia, hoping he would understand.

“
Natalia, it's getting late for me and I really should be getting back so...” said Catalyst, holding his hand out towards the portal encouraging Natalia to jump in.

“
Wait a minute, Catalyst, how will I know when it's time to come back? I know your mother said she will reach out for me, but how will I know?” asked Natalia, wanting to make sure she didn't miss it.

“
I can't explain it. You’re just going to feel pulled somehow...you'll just know,” replied Catalyst. Giving Natalia a hug, he pushed her backwards into the Liquid Diamond and smiled as he watched her sink.

#

Natalia was not afraid. She enjoyed the sensation of floating through the tingling Liquid Diamond only to pop out the other side all too soon. She landed on the very spot she had been pulled from, and as she stood there looking into her own eyes she fell on her butt.

Confused by what she was seeing, Natalia could only stand up and walk over to her other half. She just couldn't figure it out, and with a feeling not so much of curiosity as instinct, like two halves of a magnet pulling itself back together, it was with wonder that Natalia l looked at herself and how much she had grown. She felt her hand connect with the girl standing in front of her and as her flesh, blood and bones painlessly filled the empty spaces left behind from their separation, the pain from two minds filled with two sets of memories fighting for the same time and space made Natalia drop to her knees. She cried out in sorrow and confusion.

After a few minutes the pain eased. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to gather herself as she felt the memories begin to settle and make sense in a very strange way.

#

On the other side of the portal, Catalyst was thinking about when she returned. Natalia would most certainly be older and bigger than he would be, and as he stood looking at the Liquid Diamond portal he began to think,
“If I crossed over for just a minute and then came back, I would age just enough to keep up to Natalia, maybe, if I didn't stay longer than that.”

“
Hmmm, okay then, one minute and back here,”
mumbled Catalyst, deciding he didn't like the idea of Natalia’s age and size going to her head and making her think she would be able to tell him what to do.

With a deep breath and just as he would dive into the water, Catalyst dived into the Liquid Diamond River. In the middle of what would normally be considered a great dive, Catalyst popped out the other side upside down because he didn't know you come out the same way you go in.

Realizing he was upside down, Catalyst flailed his arms as he flew through the air and landed on his back. Natalia was laughing at him. He just lay there for a moment before he realized where he was and why he had come. Then Catalyst rose to his feet as fast as he could.

“
How long have I been here?” asked Catalyst in panic as he looked at the new and surely improved Natalia Cherkasskaya.

“
About ten seconds, but why are you here?” asked Natalia, hoping the reason was to make sure she was okay.

“
You'll see,” replied Catalyst. He counted the seconds in his head as he waited for the right time, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, and having learned his lesson the first time Catalyst jumped back into the portal feet-first, landing safely on the other side.

#

Catalyst ran his fingers across his face, feeling the change that was taking place. In anticipation of seeing the new him, Catalyst turned to the Liquid Diamond River.

“
Wow, wait until Natalia sees this,” said Catalyst, knowing she wouldn't have anything on him now.

#

Stepping out of the cave into gently falling snow and leaving the portal behind until it was time for her to return, Natalia noticed how everything seemed so familiar but in a new way. The path that had confused her in the first place was now no harder to follow than the sidewalks she used to get to school. The new memories she had gained since she had been away seemed like a movie being played in her head, one watched long ago and forgotten. Knowing that nothing had really changed, she now had a sense of peace inside the new her.

TO BE CONTINUED...