Unison (The Spheral) (41 page)

“What’s so funny, Chap?”

“I know you.” I laughed and pointed my finger at Sephroy. “I know you.”

Sephroy retrieved an oil lantern from his cart. “Let me see you up close to get a better look. I’m real good with faces.” He shined the lantern on me. “Nope. Never met you before.” He tapped his cane on the ground. “What was that noise all about before?”

“I
know
you.”

“Heard you the last two times you said it, Chap. I’m asking about that machine of yours.”

“It’s an alarm. It went off because I know you.”

“How is that possible?” Sephroy appeared worried.

“Do you know me?”

“No, no, no. Already told you, no. I never met you before.”

“And I don’t remember ever meeting you,” I said more to myself as I continued to examine him. I detected something beyond Sephroy’s uncivilized mannerisms. Something that made me feel momentarily small. “Why do you call me, Chap? Who’s Chap?”

“You remind me of someone I knew long ago. Sometimes it feels like an eternity has passed since I last saw him.” He rested his lantern back on the cart. “When you get older, all the interesting things you’ve done seem farther away from where you are now.” Sephroy reached inside his pocket and handed me a map.

“I already have a—”

“This one includes the trade route.”

“How much?” I asked.

“It’s yours as long as you keep that alarm away from me.” He rubbed his head. “I don’t do well with noise.” Sephroy led me to my trainlet and unlocked the door. “Pull up the shades once you’re inside, so I can remember this one isn’t vacant. My memory’s not that great.”

Sephroy’s expression contradicted his statement. “Seems yours isn’t doing any better.” He sniffled loudly.

“Have we met before?”

He shook his head “Enjoy your stay, Chap.” He clutched the handle of his cart.

“You’re holding something back.”

“What are you? Some kind of mind-reader?”

“I was trained to detect deception.” I shined my lantern in Sephroy’s face. “You know something.”

“You’re right. I know every crack that’s in this tunnel and how many steps it takes to get from here to your side of the—”

“Stop evading. You know what I meant.”

“You sound sure of yourself.”

“The more we talk, the more I am.”

“Then I’ll leave now. I don’t want you to go crazy in here. Once had this man working for me. He thought he talked to ghosts.” Sephroy laughed. “He was amusing at first—then he scared me, and I don’t get scared easily. Leave now before you turn into him.”

Sephroy left, and I checked into my trainlet and mulled over my conversation with him. After further analysis, I became convinced my quest for adventure and knowledge made me idealize my meeting with him.
Sometimes a filthy Outsider with a bad memory is just a filthy Outsider with a bad memory.
I laughed and went over the map Sephroy gave me circling Littlefield, my first stop.

When I first caught sight of the stone bungalows, the COR alarm sounded. No one was at the gate or in the circle. I noticed the well in the center and yelled out a greeting. When no one came, I picked up a stick and swept it across the fence. Wilfred emerged from out of his bungalow.

“What can I do for you?” He stepped back when he noticed Shisa.

“She’s with me.” I held up my canteen when I noticed the well. “Mind if I fill up?”

“You’re welcome to enter, but no wild animals are allowed in here.”

“Shisa isn’t wild.”

Michael approached the gate and kneeled when he saw Shisa. She walked to him.

“Keep away, Michael.”

“She won’t hurt the boy,” I said.

Michael cautiously stuck his hand through the gate and stroked Shisa’s face. She licked his hand, and Michael laughed. “She’s friendly, Grandfather.”

Wilfrid smiled at Michael. “So she is.” He opened the gate and let us in.

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

“It’s tranquil time. Everyone is at rest,” Michael said.

“Where are you headed?” Wilfrid asked.

“New Athenia.”

“It’ll be getting dark soon. Bandits roam the woodlands once the sun goes down. You’re welcome to stay in our guest bungalow.”

I felt as uneasy as I had in my previous incarnation, except this time I listened to Wilfrid and stayed in Littlefield overnight. He echoed back a familiarity which I began to trust more through each passing incarnation. Upon reflection, Wilfrid was also more comfortable with me as he never asked me to relinquish my plazer.

Wilfrid shuffled his cards while I finished off my second chalice of wine.

“Slow down, Damon. Our wine is more potent than any you’ll find on your way to New Athenia.”

“Unitian wine is almost as strong.” I poured myself some more wine. “It’s impressive...almost as impressive as your hospitality.”

“Would you mind telling that to Michael. Since he was a boy, he has complained about our way of life and dreams of leaving Littlefield to explore the world.”

“He has an adventurous spirit. I saw that in him when he approached Shisa; he wasn’t afraid.”

“That’s the problem. The boy takes too many risks. To go beyond Littlefield will get him killed. He doesn’t comprehend the danger for someone his age.” Wilfrid studied me for a moment. “What are you searching for?”

“New experiences that will hopefully demolish every assumption that was programmed into me.”

Wilfrid pushed his hand forward. “I see Michael’s future in you.”

“Nothing wrong with wanting to explore the world you live in.”

“What do you think you’ll find on your adventure?”

“I spent most of my life in one place. I want to be open to every possibility and see as much as I can in my lifetime.”

“And you think the only way to fully experience life is to move around like a—” Wilfrid’s eyes widened. “Nomad.” He lifted up his deck of cards, reshuffled them and set down the top card.

“Ace of diamonds.” He smiled. “Occurrences like this don’t happen by chance.” He laid down thirteen more cards. “Ace of hearts, ten of diamonds…” He closed his eyes as he lifted up another card. “Seven of diamonds.” He placed it on the table, face up and peered at me. “Damon.” He appeared to think for a moment and then slammed his fist on the table. “Nomad!” He looked at me with widened eyes. “You are Nomad.”

“Spelled backwards, yes.” I laughed at Wilfrid making such an issue over the spelling of my name. “One of my teachers warned I’d be tossed out of Unity and live the life of a nomad if I didn’t learn to focus my attention. I had trouble sitting still in my early years.”

Wilfrid pointed to the seven of diamonds and then at me.

“I’ve been expecting you, Nomad.”

I lifted a brow.

“For the past twenty-eight turns of the winter's longest night, I’ve seen the name, ‘Nomad,’ before falling asleep. You are to lead us.” He stood and bowed.

“Please…sit down,” I said while wondering why I once desired this kind of treatment.

“Wherever you go, we will follow—”

“Whomever you think I am—I’m not him.”

“This cannot be a coincidence.”

“Life is filled with coincidences. Whenever you search for meaning in something, you’ll find it.”

“This is more than my imagination. I’ve had many dreams come and go, but the one with Nomad keeps repeating. Your arrival here today is—” Wilfrid squinted his eyes. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.”

Wilfrid smiled. “No. This is no coincidence.”

“I mean you no disrespect. You’ve been generous with your hospitality, and I’m grateful, but your dream has nothing to do with me. I only stopped here to rest before traveling on to New Athenia.”

“The cards never deceive me, but go to New Athenia…if you must. Perhaps our time has yet to arrive. In the meantime, you’re welcome to join us for our feast.”

We walked out to the circle, and my stomach almost leapt out and raced ahead of me when I saw the food already placed on the table. After Wilfrid recited his prayer to the Sky King, I devoured three platefuls of Genevieve’s venison stew. By my fourth glass of wine, two men grabbed their guitars and played some of their music. The songs were simple, but they spoke to my hands that picked up my violin and bow to accompany the duo. The villagers clapped their hands in rhythm, and women laughed like schoolgirls when the men pulled them up to dance. Between the food, wine, music, and women, I was feeling as carefree as I had during my first two years at University. The comparison was dispiriting as it made me think of Wade, who would’ve by now been dancing and captivating everyone with his charm. As the celebration continued, my grief dissipated and was replaced by a euphoric drunken jollity. I wanted more of it, and imbibed as much atmosphere and wine until the last person left the circle.

“You’re going to sleep well tonight.” Wilfrid grinned. “I have never seen someone do so much celebrating in such a short span of time.”

“I’m trying to make up for all your parties I missed,” I slurred.

“I think you caught up tonight. Do you need help back to your bungalow?”

“I need help…but not for that.” I laughed and staggered back to my bungalow. A few minutes later, Genevieve showed up at my door with a blanket.

“My father says you might be needing this.”

“Thanks.” I let go of the door frame, which I held for support and almost collapsed.

Genevieve helped me up and when I looked at her, the moonlight and wine blotted out my inhibitions. I kissed her, and she responded until I tried to unfasten her dress. She stepped back, and I pulled her towards me. We kissed but when I again attempted to pull down her dress, she pushed me and ran out. Shortly afterwards, Wilfrid barreled into the room with his finger pointed at me. “You were speaking the truth; you’re not Nomad. After tomorrow, you’re no longer welcome here.” Wilfrid shook his head. “I hope your travels impart some wisdom on your lost soul.”

Wilfrid left me alone, and I stayed up most of the night attempting to figure out why he was so upset. The relationship between an Outsider woman and her father was a foreign concept to me, and I couldn’t identify anything disrespectful about my actions because all I knew about male and female relations stemmed from Unity. My analysis of the encounter led me nowhere. It didn’t seem worth the effort to continue, so I left it alone. Tomorrow, the village would be a memory, and I’d be off to New Athenia.

CONDUCTOR

A
fter my first performance with the Orchestra, Lidian invited me out to his favorite bar. Several shots of whisky later, he had almost every patron laughing at his self-depreciating tales of his Unitian past. He was infamous for inadvertently insulting women when he was nervous and once got slapped in the face by a female server at a blue-level satiation center. Whatever he said in response led her to pick up a plate of pasta and empty it over his head. Everyone at my table clapped and jeered at Lidian who bolted up from his seat.

“You think you’re all so privileged, but you’re nothing but a bunch of slocking sleeve-worshippers,” he yelled out without his usual stuttering.

“Would you like your server to bring you a bib?” one of my colleagues had asked.