R.E.M.: The Hidden World (9 page)
Read R.E.M.: The Hidden World Online
Authors: Corrie Fischer
A ball of flames flew through the air with a life of its own. It appeared to land on trees in the distance. Another moment raged on and a separate ball of flames was suddenly heading straight towards them. Renee was just about to run for cover; but, somehow, the woman traveled the ten feet towards her in a split second. She grasped Renee’s hand and let out simple instructions. “Stand strong.”
Stand strong? This woman is insane….we’re about to be roasted humans…
Renee squirmed for freedom and the woman immediately released her hand. Renee bolted toward the bottom of the hut. She assumed the fetal position along the ground, terrified of what was about to come next. She closed her eyes and braced for impact.
Ms. Morrison made her way through the halls of the
old school. Almost nothing changed since she attended there herself so many years ago. The same gray lockers she employed as a child still surrounded its sides. Their worn metal exteriors had clearly seen better days. Despite their rough condition, Ms. Morrison normally found their structure and consistency to be rather comforting. In this moment, though, they felt more like raging storm clouds. Her stomach started to churn. A fear of failure rose within its acidic chambers.
What if he denies my request?
Ms. Morrison was disappointed with herself for even having the thought. After all, Principal Herbert never failed her in the past. He was always supportive of her decisions and concerns. She knew she should feel her typical confidence as she approached his office door. She didn't. Fear violently rose within her as sweat beaded on her palms.
I have not been this afraid since…
The door swung open, nearly smacking her directly in the face. “Oh, Ms. Morrison, I am so sorry. Are you ok?” The older man’s voice was comforting as he expressed genuine concern for her. Ms. Morrison half expected someday he would ask her to fulfill his shoes, when the time came, of course. Now was not the time for thoughts of succession though; she came here for a purpose.
“Yes, I am fine, thank you.” Composing herself, she gathered her inner strength, took a deep breath and proceeded with her request. “Actually, sir, I have something important to discuss with you. Do you have a few moments?” She wondered if he heard the waver in her voice. In her mind, it was all too obvious.
“Sir? Oh dear, I know when you use that tone without children present, it must be a serious matter. Absolutely, I can spare a few moments, come on in.” He politely held the door open for her and took a step back, allowing her a more reasonable amount of space to pass him. As Ms. Morrison stepped through the door, her hands were shaking. She so desired to be completely honest with him regarding her concerns.
I cannot risk my entire career over this.
The thought locked in her resolution. No, she would not tell all, but hopefully her logical points would suffice to alter the principal’s decision. “Take a seat, you are no stranger here.” A gentle, welcoming smile stretched across his face as he took his seat across from her. He could likely sense the cloud of anxiety surrounding her.
The oak desk separating them seemed to stretch a mile long. The small office started closing in all around her. Ms. Morrison shut her eyes for a moment, silencing the anxiety of a million thoughts. Collecting herself as much as possible, she opened her eyes and proceeded with her intention. “Well, sir, I will get straight to the point. I would like to request the cancellation of next week’s field trip.” The words came out more composed than she expected. She straightened her posture in the chair, a small sense of pride rising in her, granting her some relief from the gripping hold of her apprehension.
“Why?” Principal Herbert was clearly confused. He always knew her to enjoy getting the children out of the classroom and into ‘real world’ environments.
“I feel it is far too dangerous. I realize there will be several assistants and parents there; but, nevertheless, this is the infamous Hacker’s Forest. In light of what happened several years ago, I do not feel it is a safe place for my class.” Her resolution was absolute; yet Ms. Morrison could not definitively disguise the twinkle of fear in her eyes.
“Oh yes, it was certainly a very tragic event indeed.” The principal leaned back in his chair, clearly deep in contemplation. “I was told that you knew the child.” He added, looking her directly in the eyes as though studying her response.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
Ms. Morrison wished she could revert to a child-like state and run. Instead, she maintained her composure, as much as possible. “Yes…we....we were friends.” Pain filled her at the memory. Her mind still held so many unanswered questions about the events surrounding the death. She determined long ago that what she wanted to believe was true, but doubts still arose in her. Her emotions were charging up like a ticking time bomb.
“I am very sorry, Ms. Morrison. I wish you would have come to me regarding this sooner.”
“I tried! I meant to….I mean…” She felt silly for cutting him off. It was becoming all too apparent that her emotions were getting the best of her. “I am sorry, sir, please continue.” She lowered her head in submission; the feeling was likely similar to the one her students experienced when she lectured them.
“This is not like you, Ms. Morrison. Now, I know you have personal, logical reasons for your request. Unfortunately, I have already sent out all the permission forms and assistant requests. I have not had any complaints or comments from parents expressing any form of worry. Instead, the response has been extremely positive. We have several volunteers offering to assist with the journey, including Danny’s father, Mr. Whitfield. I hope his presence, that of a police officer, will help ease your discomfort.” He could see the disappointment in her eyes. “If you would like to sit this one out; I would have no issue approving the time off request for you.” He paused a moment, examining her expression. Then gently placed his hand over her own resting on the desk. Ms. Morrison was looking away now. She attempted to distract her mind by staring at the books on a shelf to her left. She noticed a small tiger figurine resting on the top shelve. She examined it closely, allowing old memories to momentarily pour in. The principal continued on. “It has been over a decade, though, since that tragic loss. I know if you choose to, you can overcome this terrible fear of that forest. I will support you either way though.” The principal was absolute as he removed his hand and bound it with its mate. His fingers intertwined with each other as he held them to his chest. His sternness threw Ms. Morrison off guard. He always seemed to want the best for her though.
Perhaps he is right…maybe I need to push past this. After all, if something happened and I was not there…
No, she would not allow that train of thought. Lifting her head back up to look at him directly, she finally responded to his implication. “I cannot allow my class to go without my guidance. I will still lead the field trip.” The words sucked the strength out of her and she pulled all her inner resources avoid a breakdown. She stood up and approached the door like a zombie, eager to escape the office.
The principal’s voice caused her to stop dead in her tracks. “One more thing, please do not refer to it with the old name. It is the Elder Woods now.”
“Yes, sir.” With that, she rushed away before he could speak another word. Defeat filled her.
She could see nothing, but felt her body
rushing down a smooth surface not unlike a playground slide. It turned and twisted so many times she could not keep track of the direction she would be facing.
I think I’m going to be sick.
Bile rushed to the forefront of her mouth. Emily held it in and maintained her cool. Finally, she reached the bottom with a forceful plop straight onto a gravel surface. “Ow! You couldn’t have let some soft grass grow here at least?” Her irritation was blatant.
Ethan shunned his giggling. He was clearly on the verge of making some undoubtedly rude comment when he paused and composed himself. “I’m sorry about that. Some food should certainly help you feel better though.” Something about his smile now seemed completely pasted.
What is going through his head? If he wanted to make a rude comment, why not proceed? He owes me nothing…instead I owe him for assisting with my injury, if anything…..unless he has some other reason to impress me….hm…
Ethan helped confirm Emily’s suspicions as he reached out a hand to help her.
“No, thank you, I am perfectly capable.” Emily struggled to push herself up with one good arm. It was certainly not the most flattering sight. Nevertheless, she managed and stood to her feet, sweeping away the mess of her now tangled black locks.
Again, Ethan appeared to suppress a torrent of laughter. “Perhaps after we get you some nourishment, would you like to meet my stylist? She is excellent in matters of hair and will give you a more manageable look.”
A more manageable look? Who the hell does this guy think he is?
“What exactly are you trying to imply about my hair?” Now Emily was truly on the defensive. She may have her insecurities, but she always adored her long, dark hair.
Ethan must have sensed the fighter in Emily and realized it was time to back off. “I meant no offense. It is simply that she can do wonders to even the most lovely of hairstyles. Nevertheless, we can certainly proceed through the tour of Luthania without a visit to her.”
Emily’s stomach grumbled loudly again, reminding her of the current necessity of her tour guide. “I am sorry; I am just extremely hungry. Will you please lead me to the food and we can discuss other aspects of the city later?” Emily put on her cute face and tried to seem as genuine and innocent as possible.
“Absolutely! Right this way.”
He bought it. Ha. Time to eat!
It was now Emily noticed the scenery surrounding her. In front of her rested the white, relatively plain house. Only something about it was different. The music that so loudly expressed itself from the speakers stopped entirely. In fact, the poles where the speakers rested were gone.
What the hell…how on earth is that possible…they were right here.
Emily could not wrap her mind around the concept. She was just about to question Ethan when she realized he was already several feet ahead of her. She jogged to catch up to him. Everything else about the scene remained the same. Emily looked back to her left to ensure the glass house was still there too. It was, but there was no sign of the mysterious red haired woman. As they continued ahead, the gravel path transformed into a cobblestone road.
They continued to proceed further into the city. Emily could not believe her eyes. She allowed her mind to let go of the strangely disappearing speakers. Instead, her fascination was now fixated on the scene in front of her. On the left, there were three townhouse-like structures stuck together. Their bricks were worn and the window dressings had to be a century old, if not more. Beyond these, a very modern skyscraper stood towering above the city. The strangest distinctive factor about this structure was its lobby. Like the house, it was composed almost entirely of glass and she could see directly in. There was only a single desk that stood in the middle of a pure white room. A woman sat there rapidly typing away on a lone computer. Elevators were tucked away in the corner of the floor but, beyond that, it was blank. There were no decorations, no other people, just the one woman working away at her desk.
That’s certainly odd.
“Ethan, what is that building…”
HONK!
Emily jumped out of the way as a convertible passed directly through her recent path. The vehicle’s occupant continued at his accelerated speed, headed straight forward, as though nothing happened.
“That was rude!” Emily yelled, half hoping for a reaction. The driver most likely didn't hear her as he continued on his path.
“Are you alright?” Ethan grabbed her good arm and pulled her to the side, close to an entirely different type of structure. Emily’s eyes examined the building thoroughly. It was not unlike an upscale apartment complex. Taking a closer look, Emily realized the structure actually looked like something transported directly from New York City. As a matter of fact, it looked almost identical to a building she saw on a post card some years before.
That’s freaky…
She continued to stare at it for some time. The bricks that comprised it looked brand new and large windows and balconies lined the side facing them. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you. The cobblestone here is not only for individuals on foot, but also for traffic.” Ethan’s voice drew Emily from her trance.
Just then she looked down by her feet at the stone surface below. She was shocked to notice there was absolutely no definition in the road, no painted lines, just a consistent array of stones mortared together. These directly stretched from one building to another. “How is someone supposed to know where it is safe to walk if there is no sidewalk?” Emily was now befuddled by this odd new discovery.
“Well, generally citizens of Luthania are not so inconsiderate. That gentleman, unfortunately was….well, transferred from another town. He has not been very willing to adjust to our customs.” Ethan’s face went blank and he stared ahead, as though watching something intently. Emily followed his gaze and only caught a glimpse of a white outfit and black hair disappearing around a corner.
“Who was that?”
“Huh, what?”
“The woman that went around the corner, who was she?” Emily could tell there was importance to this matter and eyed Ethan’s reaction carefully.
Ethan hesitated a moment, as though caught in a trance, his expression was completely blank. “I don’t know. Anyway, follow me, we are almost to the cafeteria”
“A cafeteria? That’s where we’re going?”
That hardly sounds like a date…
Emily was almost disappointed, but felt she should be relieved. They continued ahead for a few moments before arriving at a city square of some sorts.
“This square gets busy intermittently; so please stay close.” Not a moment after Ethan stated the words, traffic appeared out of nowhere. Lovely cars rushed by every corner, convertibles, luxury trucks, all of the finest makes and models. Every driver matched their vehicles. Expensive sunglasses, designer purses, stylish clothes, and perfect hairstyles were the theme. Not only was it reoccurring, but it was without exception. There were certainly older, classic cars passing by as well, but they were all restored to nearly perfect condition. There was not a single clunker to be found. Emily pictured her ’97 beat up bug driving amongst them. With peeling paint and a broken tail light, it would certainly stand out like a sore thumb. A question then began burning in her mind but she was uncertain how to ask in a proper manner. “Um…”
“Yes?” Ethan’s footsteps stilled, as he braced for whatever question was about to arise.
“Is everyone here….well…rich?” Ethan immediately burst into laughter. After several seconds, he composed himself. Emily regretted even asking the question.
“Did you hear nothing of my explanation earlier?” He did not wait for her to reply. “This place can fulfill all your desires. Whatever you may want, you can have it here.”
“So, let me get this straight. If I want an Italian race car, I can just have it? What’s the catch?” Emily did not believe in free handouts. Her father always reinforced that one must earn whatever they seek to gain. His wisdom on that particular topic was undeniable.
“Exactly. As a matter of fact, if you would like, we can go pick one up for you from the Auto Supercenter after lunch.” Ethan’s words were direct, no bullshit.
“Are you serious?? There is no catch, no work I must do first?” Emily was flabbergasted.
“Absolutely not….If you choose to become a citizen of Luthania, there will be occasional tasks, such as mine to mend wounds, but those are based upon your experience and desire.” Ethan smiled brightly, proudly as he spoke the words. “Now, come on, the cafeteria is just over there.”
