Chapter Seven Conquest of Chimera

Chapter Seven

Conquest of Chimera

Chimera: The World Below

  It never occurred to Kian that their ‘egg home’ was a space ship. However as soon as he and Kia shared their last kiss on its balcony and swooped into the cloud quilt it zipped up and out of sight in typical U.F.O. fashion. They glanced back and caught one last glimpse of it just before it sank into the blue.

  “And that is that,” Kian yelled against wind just as they disappeared in the cloud.

  Suddenly fog blind they slowed their descent and tried in vain to pierce the swirling veil of pin prick water droplets that swarmed them like bees. Kia turned to look at Kian but could barely see him.

  “Take my hand Kian,” she yelled, slapping at the swirling gray wall separating them.  

    A smile bent her lips as his strong heavy hand grabbed hers. Relief washed over her as he drew her into his arms. Perfectly assured he would never let her go, she retracted her wings, letting him fly for the both of them.

  Only now did she fully appreciate how large and muscular his new body was. She never felt so safe.

  “Don’t worry Kia if we hit something I’ll take the brunt of it. Don’t worry.”

   “I’m not,” she whispered in his ear.

   Suddenly a heavy gust of wind blindsided them. It caught Kian’s left wing and sent them spinning out of control. An ear splitting sound like that of splintering steel cut through the air an invisible razor that sliced right through them.

  They grunted in agony. Light brighter than the sun flashed over them. It stole their sight, stunned their bodies, struck them senseless, retracted his wings and knocked them out of the sky.…

   Someone saw the beast tumble from the great storm. Whereas the sensible people, those who had enough wits to get out of the rain and stay safely cuddled in their homes until all danger had passed, did not.

  But then, the sole witness was one of those who did not mind the wind and the rain. Lightning bolts however were another matter. The wind made the clouds fly. It made the tree -tops sway. It sent dead leaves dancing over the Great Forest Sea. It was a joy to behold especially from just below. They liked the wind. Lightning however, was a terror they all dreaded. Death comes from the sky. That was the first thing the Olders taught. Now Penelope knew why. Penelope was the one who saw the strange beast fall out of the storm.

  She had never seen such an odd creature, only heard descriptions. All the animals died out a long time ago, or so the Olders taught her; apparently, one was hiding in the sky. How she did not know. Oh well the lightning got it.

     She had never actually seen any kind of animal, how could it not be strange to her. Well this one was dead, just like the rest. It bobbed and rolled in the water like a water logged tree limb, good for nothing but gawking and poking, which she was going to do, right after she swam to the shore and found a long study stick. She was not about to actually touch it. However, she could not simply swim away and tell her parents. They would just sink it in some secret place and she would never see it again.  

   No, she found it and she was going to poke it  and gawk at it until she was finally bored, then she’d tell her parents what she found in the sea, but not what she saw fall out of the storm. They need not hear that. That would just buy her trouble. Never buy what you do not want. It is a waste. The Olders taught her that as well. And she listened and she learned. She was a good girl, a curious girl, but a good girl. 

  After sloshing around the shore for a while, Penelope finally found her stick, a spindly green pine limb, probably a Ferrins throwaway. They only used the best pine needles for their structures. This one did not meet their standards. Who knows why? Ordinarily, she would take it down to the grotto for green stew, but not this time. Death would be on it soon. She would never feed her family death, never.

   Stick in hand she swam back to the center of the lake, where she had left the dead beast.  However, It was moving! It was alive!

   “Help me,” she heard a man’s voice pleading. She saw no man only some pink hairy thing splashing and bobbing in the waves.

   Fear and curiosity played tug of war with Penelope"s will.  Then a female voice touched her heart.

   “Kian, Kian, I live.”

    Penelope dropped her stick. Death would not touch it today. But what was touching her. She had to know. She must know. Gently kneading the water, she eased up on them, ready to dive at the first sign of threat.

   “What are you?” She asked careful to maintain what she hoped would be a safe distance.

  “What am I?” Kian demanded, “What are you?”

  Penelope dove out of sight then resurfaced further away. “There are no animals,” she said trying to sound defiant, but only succeeded in sounding like a scared little girl.

  “You’re a mermaid?” Kia’s voice was weak, but her eyes sparkled with delight.

  “Kia, it’s alright, she not going to hurt us, are you sweetie?”

  “My name in not Sweet Tea, it is Penelope, daughter of Sondra and William. You speak our language. How is that?”

  “Doesn’t matter, Penellope, my wife is hurt.” He lifted her right arm ever so gently.

 “A lightning burn,” Penelope said backing away at the nasty sight of Kia’s flesh charred to the bone.

 “Can you help?” Kian asked just before Kia drooped limp and lifless in his arms. “No, no,” he yelled as he drew her slack body up close and kissed her drooling lips. His entire body quaked with grief; tears burned their way down his cheek, dripped from his chin and spattered on Kia’s pale glistening cheek, even into her gaping mouth.

 “She is dead.” Penlope said, surprised by the sadness she heard in her voice. “I am sorry.”    

  “Sorry, sorry,” Kian glared at the sky and screamed, “This is what you wanted?”

   Suddenly the waves began to tremble. Penelope looked up, fearing another storm was about to break. The sky was blue. There was no storm. But the sea still trembled. Kian arms began to shake, Kia’s body was convulsing. He stared down at her.

   Penelope overcome with wonder, swam up to them, her emerald eyes wide with wonder. Now she and Kian's attention were fixed on Kia. Neither were prepared for was about to happen. The horrid gaping burn wound began to slowly close. Charred black skin and flesh peeled away, sloughed off by new pink healthy tissue. 

   Kia’s back arched up as she sucked a deep breath and slung her now perfectly healed arm around Kian’s shoulder. “Kian, thank you,” she sighed.