Mind Games
STICK-IN-THE-DIRT STARED UP at Arch Rock, rubbing at the turtle fetish that he wore. After a moment White Deer joined him, then Thomas, then Mani, and they all followed his example. Charmian sat atop the rock, her head drooping forward and Wabasso's flute in her lap. Her blanket had opened slightly so they could just barely see the odd little necklace she now wore; her eyes were shut, and she wasn't moving.
Thomas took a step forward, but the medicine man put out a hand and held him back with a shake of his head. He himself crept up to the rock instead, clinging to the span of the Arch and craning his neck to peer at her more closely. He waved his hand by her head, then gently poked her shoulder. Charmian didn't move.
Thomas and White Deer frowned. After a moment Thomas leaned toward White Deer and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes grew, then she cupped her hands to her mouth.
"Little girl!" she yelled.
Stick-In-The-Dirt jumped and nearly fell to the shore below. He scrambled back toward land and shot them the most furious look that he could muster; White Deer lowered her head meekly and Thomas just shrugged.
"The only surefire thing I could think of," he said.
"Is she sleeping?" White Deer asked.
Stick-In-The-Dirt shook his head. "She wouldn't pretend it, like this. She is too serious to do such a thing." He glanced back at her. "She must have gone across, then."
Thomas took a step, but again he was held back. "She is to be left alone," Stick-In-The-Dirt said sternly. "You do not interfere with a vision. We should not even be here doing this!"
Thomas's brow furrowed. "What if she falls or something--?" he exclaimed.
Mani whistled. Halfling ones. Maybe they keep watch over her?
They all looked up at the rock now, not seeing anything other than Charmian; they turned away again and sighed collectively.
"She's done this before," White Deer murmured. "I suppose she can do it again just fine on her own."
"I'm staying nearby," Thomas retorted; they looked at him and he crossed his arms with a near-scowl. "Just in case."
Me too, Mani said.
Stick-In-The-Dirt flailed his arms. "You are a MANITOU! You should know better--!" When the manitou's eyes started glowing he cringed and waved his hands. "Very well! Be that way! But do not blame me if something goes wrong!" He took White Deer by the hand and led her away, the young woman protesting as they went. Thomas and Mani continued staring at Charmian for a short while before they followed into the woods, sitting down in a hollow just beyond sight of her, to wait out however long it would take.
Charmian's senses slowly began to return, and she foggily realized that she was lying on her side against something rough and cold. She frowned to herself, then dragged her eyes open. The first thing that she saw was Wabasso's flute, clutched in her hand; she rubbed her thumb against it, and felt the smooth wood. Then she felt again the gritty surface pressing against her cheek and frowned a second time, pushing herself up and rubbing at her face. Some small bits of gravel fell to the ground. She looked at a stray piece of gravel clinging to her hand, then lifted her head.
The familiar dirt Road stretched out ahead of her, the gray nothingness drifting off to its sides.
Charmian blinked and stared at it for a moment before her memories started coming back. "The Spirit Road," she murmured; then, "The Spirit Road--!" She clambered to her feet and looked around herself. It looked just the same as it had before; she couldn't be sure if she'd landed in the same spot, or one near it, or one far away. Now that she thought of it the entire Road looked the same.
She started hastily digging in her pocket and pulled out the pouch of tobacco, scattering a little on the earth. "Hi, Road," she said again, and sensed it greeting her back, though it seemed more distant than before. She glanced around at the empty mist and then back down at the path. She opened her mouth, then decided to crouch down and place her hand against it, as if taking it into confidence.
"I'm here again," she said, unsure of what to say. "I have to do something a little different though...I'm here looking for somebody. His name's Wabasso..." She took the flute and laid it upon the Road. "Do you remember him?"
She wasn't certain if the Road answered her or not, though she thought that she sensed a slight affirmative. "He should've come this way," she said, and took the flute back. She fiddled her fingers. "I came here to get him back," she said, and peered at the Road as if expecting it to respond. "I know I'm not supposed to be here doing that...but it's really important. The Island depends on me bringing him back."
She waited. She didn't feel anything this time, and frowned a little bit. Was the Road being...indifferent?
Well...the Road doesn't depend on the Island...so of course it wouldn't have any reason to worry...
She tucked the flute and the tobacco away and had to make herself not scuff her foot against it. "I know it's your job to try to keep me from heading this way," she said. "So just so you know...I'll try not to take it personally if you trick me, because that's just what you're supposed to do. Just...try not to do anything really bad...okay?"
No response. Charmian sighed to herself. Well, it had been worth a shot.
"Guess I'll...see you later, or something," she said uncertainly, and, making sure her pack was on straight, started walking.
She had gone about twenty minutes or so, the Road winding left and right and left and right, before her brow furrowed. "How long is this thing...?" She winced. "That's right...four days to get there. Four days? Ugh." She fiddled with her strap. "What if I have to go to the bathroom...?" Then she rolled her eyes. "Duh, I'm a spirit, I don't HAVE to take bathroom breaks! Sheesh, the things one thinks about when one's temporarily disembodied..." She stared at the Road, then looked around herself. "You'd think it could at least be a little bit scenic...this is almost borAAAGGHH!!"
Her foot went out from underneath her and she toppled from the Road, only remembering to grab hold of something at the last minute. She grasped onto the clumps of grass along the Road itself and glanced down to see where she had almost fallen. She expected to see the same odd mist, yet somewhere far below it she could make out vague shapes apparently swimming around, and when she stared at them in surprise they lifted their heads and roared. They looked like giant snakes with horns--!
Charmian yelped and dragged herself back up onto the path, gasping for breath. She got to her feet and started running, hoping to get away from that stretch of Road as quickly as she could. It was quite a while before she convinced herself to slow down before she could fall again, and even then she walked extremely carefully, keeping her eyes fixed on the Road this time.
"You already tried that before," she said, a bit reproachfully; but the Road didn't answer. She sighed and adjusted her pack, just to give herself something to do, before continuing in silence.
She eventually lost track of the time, unable even to tell how far she'd traveled by looking back, since the Road twisted and turned constantly, and she could never see behind herself more than perhaps fifty feet or so before it vanished into the mist. She looked ahead, and saw only more mist. Her fingers fiddled and she bit her lip, hating how monotonous everything was here.
How can somebody walk this thing for four HOURS, much less four DAYS--? I think I'll go crazy before I ever reach the Spirit Land--!
"At least it's easy so far," she murmured to herself, then looked up and saw that it forked ahead. Curious, she picked up her pace and came to a halt at the fork, the Road continuing into two trails now, one leading...left, and one leading right.
Charmian glanced at the trail on the left. It looked much the same as the one that she had previously been walking. She looked at the one on the right, and saw that it was littered with large boulders and fallen tree branches, a dead tree practically blocking the entire path some distance ahead. She frowned.
"Always take the most difficult path," she recited, then shrugged. "Well, that one's pretty obvious." She turned right and started walking, picking her way over the rocks and carefully climbing over the fallen tree. She heard a soft hissing noise behind her, and turned her head just in time to see the lefthand path fading away into the mist, as if it had never even been there. Her face brightened, and she slid down from the tree.
"Piece of cake!" she exclaimed, dusting her hands. She stepped around the rest of the boulders. "I know I can handle harder than this."
And I KNOW I shouldn't have just said that...
She walked on for a while before the Road forked again, this time into three trails. She paused to examine each. The middle one was about the same, with a boulder here and there; the right one went up an almost impossibly steep hill, and the one on the left looked as if it were disappearing into water. She pondered her choices, glancing between the left one and the right one.
"Heights, or water." She looked back. "Water, or heights...I don't have much of a problem with either. So...which one...?" She then spotted something looking like a large eel or snake slithering through the water over the lefthand path, and shivered, making a face. "Ugh...I guess I get this one, too."
She reluctantly headed left. The water that she put her feet into was cold and slimy, and she grimaced the entire time she walked through it, feeling strange equally slimy things brushing against her legs as she walked. She made a point of not looking down at them and hoped that the Road wouldn't drop out from under her. Just as soon as she thought this, it did just that, and she yelped before splashing beneath the scummy water. She popped up immediately, gasping and sputtering, and started paddling frantically to reach the Road where it rose from the opposite side. She pulled herself onto dry land and commenced hastily rubbing the scum off of her clothing and out of her hair.
"Ew ew ew ew!!" she cried, spotted one of the eel-things curled around her ankle, and let out a scream before kicking it off. She started running again and the Road quickly resumed its original appearance, so she walked along now, rubbing her wet arms and scowling.
"Didn't need the water again, thank you!" she grumbled.
She resumed walking, rubbing at her arms even more as the Road grew colder. For quite a while it went on like this, dreary and monotonous, and she wondered how long she had been walking so far. Her thoughts drifted as she tried to remember what little she actually knew of this place.
Stick said the four days might be short or long. Did he mean that time passes differently here--? Like the difference between the Island, and the mainland--? If so, then how do I really know when I reach the end...?
How will I even know what the end LOOKS like...?
This thought unsettled her a little; if the Road was going to trick her, it only stood to reason that it would try something like that. She hoped it was in a good mood.
She looked up, and sighed when another fork came into view. "At least make it original," she grumbled as she slowed, looking from one side to the other. She frowned. Both trails looked much the same.
"Well--now what do I choose--?" she murmured in puzzlement. "I always kind of figured it'd be EASY to tell which one's more difficult--after all, how else am I supposed to take the most difficult path!"
She took a step toward the left one, stopped, then turned to the right one. Stopped. Chewed her lip and scratched her head. "Maybe the most difficult one is hidden--and that's why it's so difficult...?" she thought out loud, and searched around the fork for another trail, yet found none. She let out a frustrated noise. "At least make it visible or something! It's rather like cheating if you don't let me see where it is!"
A faint voice called from the righthand path: "Charmian...?"
The hair on Charmian's neck stood on end. She lifted her head and peered toward the trail, her skin suddenly cold. That voice...
"G...Grandma...?" she just barely managed to whisper.
"Charmian!" another voice called; she recognized Yellow Turtle's voice, and had to keep herself from chattering. She took a step toward the path and craned her neck forward. Two vague shapes appeared in the mist far ahead, and one held up its hand as if in greeting.
"You made it back!" it called. "I was beginning to think you would not find the way again!"
"Yellow Turtle...?" Charmian said in a faint voice.
The shape nodded, but the mist around them was so thick that she couldn't be positive; yet it sounded like him. "I've been watching over you," he called. "I could hardly believe that you would attempt the same thing twice! Yet here you are!" He gestured at the shape beside him. "I know I said that you were not meant to see her...but she's a persistent one...you cannot speak long, as I know you have important things to do, but I can allow you to speak with her for a moment, before you continue on your way. You still have quite a way to go, along the Spirit Road."
"Charmian!" her grandmother's voice called, and she held up her hand as well.
Charmian stared at the two of them, her eyes starting to blur. "Just for a minute--?" she echoed, taking a step toward them. "Then I keep going--?"
Yellow Turtle nodded. "I don't want to keep you away from this for too long. If you stay, your spirit might get lost. You do not belong here just yet. And I know you wish to find Wabasso."
Charmian sucked in a breath. "He did come this way--?"
Another nod. She thought she saw him smile, though his image was so vague that she couldn't be positive. "If you hurry, you can find him. But you seemed so unhappy about your grandmother..."
"Your dreamcatcher, Charmian," her grandmother's voice said. "How is it...?"
Charmian's chest started hitching. She took another step forward--then halted. She blinked, and her vision cleared--the mist cleared a bit as well, and it did look rather like Yellow Turtle, and her grandmother. Instantly her brain started railing at her.
A TRICK! Isn't this the most OBVIOUS trick in the book--? Bringing me my grandmother! Yellow Turtle said HIMSELF that I can't meet with her until MY time comes!
But...it can't be THAT big a trick, can it...? He's trying to hurry me along...if it were a trick, wouldn't he try to stall me...?
THINK! What would Yellow Turtle even be doing here--? He's in the Spirit Land! And so is Grandma! This is the Spirit Road--they left this place a long time ago! I CAN'T meet them here! They're not even real--take the LEFT path!
Her eyes welled up. "Sorry, Grandma," she murmured softly. "I can't come see you...maybe another time."
"Charmian...?" The shape that looked like her grandmother slowly lowered her hand, and her smile faded, her brow furrowing slightly. Yellow Turtle looked equally perplexed; Charmian turned away from them with a heavy heart and started walking left.
"I'm sorry," she called again as she went, hating the bitterness of the words in her mouth.
As she set foot on the lefthand path, she heard Yellow Turtle's voice again: "You made the right choice, Charmian. Spirits be with you."
She gasped and her head jerked up. She glanced back at the righthand trail, but it was already fading away into the mist, leaving her again standing by herself on the Spirit Road. She stared in that direction for a very long time, trying to figure out what had just happened.
Did he just...congratulate me? Or...was it the Road...? Why would it do that...?
She shivered and tried to shake the feeling off, then sighed. That had been three tests so far, and apparently she was headed the right way. She did have to wonder what would happen if she did end up taking a wrong turn, though...
A few more times the Road split into two or three, and each time she had to pause and weigh her options before taking whichever path seemed most difficult. When one of the paths featured a giant bear with slavering teeth, she could hardly stand heading that way, until telling herself that it would disappear as soon as she approached, which it did. She stared behind herself at its vanishing image as she walked on. Gradually this place was starting to become more tolerable, though she still didn't much care for the thought of being here for days. She hoped Stick-In-The-Dirt's suggestion had been correct.
A few other times she had to stop to rest, though she wasn't getting nearly as tired as she'd thought she would. Perhaps physical strain didn't exist on the spiritual plane. She rolled her eyes and got to her feet; she'd never had reason to think such odd thoughts, before today. As she went she sensed the mist growing fainter around her, the air growing brighter; even the chill now hanging over the Road began to fade, and she walked a bit faster, looking around herself.
The end!--am I near it--? Already--?
She crested a small rise, and came out to stand atop a little hill in the Road; sure enough, the mist faded completely, and she found herself staring out over a vast expanse of field and forest and wetland, a waterfall descending in the distance and a peaceful river winding by. Deer and elk wandered about in the fields, and birds of various colors flitted about among the trees. She took in a breath and could smell pine needles and flowers; when she shut her eyes she felt the warmth of the breeze against her, and let out her breath.
It looks just like the land near where Yellow Turtle was...
A soft, faraway noise caught her attention, and her eyes opened. She furrowed her brow in confusion over why it should unnerve her so, until she at last recognized the sound of flutesong. Her heart started thudding.
A flute--!
She took a step onto the path leading down into the valley. "Wabasso--?" she called aloud, uncertain whether he could hear her or not, if it was even him. Yet the flutesong sounded just like Wabasso's. It abruptly cut off as soon as her voice echoed over the hollow, then she saw something come walking out of the woods. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw Wabasso's face, and she started waving wildly.
"WABASSO!"
He lifted his head to look up at her. "Charmian--?" he exclaimed, then his own face lit up and he started jogging across the valley toward her. Charmian laughed and waved the entire time that he ran, and by the time that he was coming up the hill toward her, panting for breath, she was jumping up and down excitedly.
"Wabasso!" she cried; as soon as he reached her she threw her arms around him. "I've been looking for you! I can't believe I walked for four days!"
He pulled back slightly. "Four days--? You mean--you walked the Spirit Road?" he asked, brow furrowing.
Charmian nodded cheerily. "It kept pulling these little stunts on me but it wasn't that bad."
Wabasso made a face and rubbed at his head. "This is quite easy for you to say! You would not believe the horrid things it made me go through! I knew it would be difficult, but--I would never wish such choices upon even my worst enemy!"
Charmian laughed. "I'm sorry...it tried tricking me too...but it's over now." She smiled and held up the flute that she herself carried. "I heard you playing it!" she said, and he lifted his own flute. "I can't believe you were so easy to find! Though I really should stop saying things like that..."
Wabasso's mouth twitched. "Yes, I suppose I agree...I thought the same thing many times as I came here, and every time I did, I regretted it!"
Charmian's smile faded and she lowered the flute. "Wabasso, I'm..." He tilted his head to peer at her questioningly when she trailed off. "I'm sorry I didn't help you," she at last said, in a small voice; he blinked, then his eyes softened. He reached out to touch her shoulder.
"Charmian, there was nothing you could do. I understand this. I do not blame you for one thing, ever."
"Still...I could've been more careful...so you wouldn't have had to protect me..." Her eyes watered.
Wabasso knelt down in front of her. "Charmian! I protected you because you are my friend. If you wish not to be my friend, then you have waited too long. You are my friend now, whether you like it or not." And he smiled from ear to ear.
Charmian couldn't quite suppress a watery giggle. She tucked the flute away and rubbed at her eyes. "I came to take you back to Arch Rock," she said, and gestured at the Spirit Road. "'Bozho and the others need you. We can't fight Chakenapok without you. And..." She trailed off, then had to take in a breath. "And I don't think 'Bozho can go on, without you. He misses you...I can tell just from his eyes. I think a part of him died with you."
Wabasso's own eyes went damp. "He misses me this much...?" When she nodded his stare drifted toward the ground. "I should never have left him so young...all of the time he spent without me near him..."
Charmian reached out to take his hand. "Come on!" she exclaimed. "I'm not sure how we get back, but I'm sure we can figure something out! He'll be waiting for us, I just know it!"
Wabasso lifted his head and his face lit up. He nodded and took a step forward to stand beside her.
"Very well! I would love seeing 'Bozho again!"
Charmian paused, staring up at him. Her brow furrowed slightly, then she slowly let go of his hand. He turned to look at her in puzzlement as she took a step away from him, chewing her lip.
His own brow furrowed again. "Charmian...? What is it...?"
She continued staring at him, then shook her head, as if in a daze. "This...is too easy," she murmured. "Finding you here...just like that...and you wanting to come back with me...it's way too easy. It tricked me with that bear, and with Grandma and Yellow Turtle...I rather assumed it would try this trick, too..."
Wabasso's look of confusion grew. "Charmian--what are you talking about? Were we not to head back to Arch Rock...?"
She shook her head. "The real Wabasso would want to stay here," she said softly. "His spirit's been here for a while...I have to convince him to come back with me. Spirits get lost in the Spirit Land, because they don't want to go back home." Her eyes darkened. "You want to go back home way too much!"
He blinked a few times and stuttered. "But--you said that you came here for me," he stammered. "Why are you looking at me like that--? I like this place, but I love 'Bozho so much more--of course it's no contest, where I want to go--"
Charmian shook her head one last time. "You're not Wabasso," she stated flatly, and turned back to the Road. "This isn't the Spirit Land, and it isn't the most difficult path." She started walking back to where the mist had started to thin, looking around for an alternate route.
She heard footsteps on the gravel path behind her. "Charmian--!" Wabasso cried, and his voice almost stopped her--almost. "Wait! It's--of course it is difficult for me to leave here--but anything for 'Bozho! Charmian...?"
"I'm sorry," she called again, not looking back lest what she might see make her want to stop again. The longer she took, the longer it would take her to bring the real Wabasso back. "But you're not the Wabasso I'm looking for."
The sunlight and warm breeze and pine scent began to fade. "Charmian...!" Wabasso's voice cried, but even it faded into nothingness, and once she had topped the small hill and gone down the other side, Charmian spotted a small rutted trail leading left, and took it, wishing that she had noticed it before. Maybe the Road would resort to hiding its trails. She would just have to keep her eyes open and look more carefully from now on.
Don't put anything past it now, she thought sullenly. First Grandma, now Wabasso himself--this Road will try any dirty trick in the book! If it's willing to make me think I reached the end of it, then it'll do ANYTHING to mess me up. Don't put anything past it--just pretend it's Chakenapok, if that makes it any easier, and keep your eyes wide open!
"I doubt you can do anything much harder than that, Road," she mumbled as her feet thumped against its surface. "Making me think I've already found Wabasso...when I've got who knows how many days left to walk...really clever. But I know better, now."
She heard a hissing, roaring noise ahead, and jerked to a halt, gasping and glancing up. The Road split into three, two of its trails muddy and mucky, dead trees clawing at the mist surrounding them; the third trail, that in the middle, roared with a fire burning out of control, and even as she looked, a shape appeared in the midst of it, stepping out of the flames and halting to stare right at her. Charmian's eyes widened.
Chakenapok smiled at her in the same way that he always did, and held up one hand. Flames leapt to life around his fingertips. "Hello, Mainlander," he greeted.
Charmian stared at him silently, heart thudding hard, then sucked in a breath and let it out. Her anxiety died away with it and she just glowered at him while she crossed her arms.
"Hello, Chakenapok," she muttered.
His smile grew. He gestured with his flaming hand from left to right. "You have another choice to make, it seems," he mused. "To go left, or right...or down the middle?" He grinned and his eyes glittered yellow. "My, my...whichever shall you choose...?"
Charmian rolled her eyes. "Duh," she said in exasperation. "I've been through this already! If I haven't been tricked or scared off just yet, I hardly think YOU'RE going to do the job!"
His mouth twitched, sharp teeth peeking out from between his lips. "You are so certain of this...?"
"Of course," she snapped. "As soon as I walk down your path, you'll disappear! Because this is another trick of the Road, and you're not the real Chakenapok!"
He laughed to himself and lowered his flaming hand somewhat. "You wish to find this out for yourself, then?" he inquired, politely enough.
She shrugged and scowled. "Why not!" She started walking toward him, giving him a black look as she went. "I have to tell you, though, that the next time we really meet, you won't be in such a good mood then!"
"Oh, really?" he replied, holding his hand out in front of himself so the flames started leaping outward, straining toward her. "What if I were to tell you that this is the next time--?"
"Whatever."
His crooked grin deepened. "You are really willing to take the risk, Mainlander, that I might not be bluffing for a change...?"
She stuck her tongue out at him and even hopped forward challengingly. "And you're willing to take the risk that I might not fall for your stupid bluff, for once--?" she retorted, and to prove her point she stepped right forward into the fire, feeling its heat wrap around her even as she strode ahead to directly face him. She halted just inches away and glared into his face; he raised his eyebrows as if impressed, and she was the one to smirk this time.
"See?" she said. "Called your bluff. POOF!"
His look of impressed surprise lingered but a second, then his smirk returned, and his eyes started glowing brilliant yellow. He lifted his flaming hand.
"Not quite," he corrected her. "You cannot call a bluff--when there's no bluff in sight."
Charmian blinked, then opened her mouth. Then let out a scream when he thrust his hand against her chest, the flame searing through her and immediately surrounding her spirit stone.
"Poof!" Chakenapok exclaimed--and laughed.
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