Elysium (part one) : Sara’s Awakening

Sara awoke, she wiped away the frosty dew that covered her face, and opened her eyes. It took her a few moments to adjust to the whiteness, and there she was. She had no recollection as to how she got here, her mind felt blank, other than for one overwhelming thought. The thought of him, could he be here?

Sara stood up, and surveyed the area. The snow fell heavily around her, but through the blizzard she could see silhouettes of hills in the distance. Sara felt the emptiness of the space around her, it felt void of anything tangible. There was no noise, other than for the whisperings of the snow storm. This world she had entered appeared white, pure and untouched, was she the only one here?

The snow fell against Sara’s icy skin, a cold numbness streamed through her fingers. Not dressed for the situation, wearing just a t-shirt and jeans, Sara knew she could not survive for very long, so she started walking. However she did not know why she was here, or where to go. Was it possible to be lost if you didn’t know where you were going? Perhaps, but anything tangible was a start. The hills, they seemed to be the only real things in this snowy void. Sara could vaguely see the shape of hills in the distance, but the snow made it impossible to be clear. She closed her eyes for a moment, and wished that the blizzard would calm. She opened, as the last sheet of snow fell and rested calmly on the ground. Now there was silence and the snowy whiteness of the void around her.

Sara could now make out a path leading toward the nearest hill, she stared intensely at the form in the distance, and noticed another shape atop it. The shape seemed to be that of another person, here in the void, could it be that someone was watching? She trudged toward the hill that did not seem as far away as she’d expected, as she got closer, the hazy shape of another standing on top of the hill became clearer. She ascended quickly, curious to see who else was here with her. As she reached the top the figure stood in front of her, she could see it clearly staring back.

However, the figure didn’t belong to another person. It was the form of a man, made from snow. His segmented spherical body rested awkwardly together, all the spheres had not been placed centrally, giving him an odd stance. It appeared he could topple at any moment, the prevention of which due to a finely crafted umbrella, propping up his midsection. Sara stared into his eyes, triangular pieces of Obsidian, which felt somewhat out of place. His mouth; a snapped length of Juzu beads, hanging in a downward arc, gave him somewhat of a sad expression. The charm from the beads had been pulled away and placed centrally above the Obsidian. Giving him what appeared to be a Third eye, which suggested an esoteric nature to the sculpture. Although externally his body was grounded and motionless, internally there was something more…consciousness, an enlightened being.

Sara stared intently at the charm, a vivid blue colour achieved by many strands of thread, as she did she could hear a voice. Although there was no movement from the Juzu beads, she knew to whom the voice belonged.

“Well met, Sara” the words became clear in her mind, “Karma seems to have brought us together this day”. The mystical voice had a tranquil tone, which made Sara feel relaxed; content as she was no longer alone in the void.

“Have you been expecting me?” Sara hoped this was the case, “How do you know my name?”

“You told me sometime ago, when we traversed the gap between the Yin and Yang. We sat on the back of Ao Qin, and discussed the fall of the Shang Dynasty and how we both appreciated the Cubist movement of early twentieth century”. The voice cascaded through her mind, but she had no recollection of anything she was being told.

“I’ve never been to either of those places”. Sara replied, “And I don’t know what an ‘Ao Qin’…”

“He is the Dragon King of the South Seas” The voice interrupted, before she could finish her sentence. “Then perhaps it was that we met at some other time, in this life or another, and that is how I know your name”.

“Do you know why I am here then?” Sara hastily changed the topic to avoid further confusion, “Do you know where I can find him?”

“This is your world Sara. Maybe it is I, who should ask you, how I came to be here, trapped in your realm?” The voice seemed to be talking to her in riddles she could not understand.

“My world…what do you mean?” Sara replied bewildered at what the voice was telling her. “I don’t know how I got here, this is not my world”

“I have been here for eternities inconceivable, meditating atop this hill in solitude” The voice replied, “We have met before, this I am most sure. You have kept me here in your realm, you are aware of your power to bring that which you conceive into existence here.”

“I…then the snowstorm, did I make it stop?” Sara stared in awe, could she really have such powers out here in the void. “How can I do such things, I don’t understand.”

“Because this is your world Sara, you have been here many times, maybe you just don’t remember.” The voice once again sent its calming words flowing through her mind. “Anything is a possibility for you here. You could conceive the finest dresses, sturdy Inuit boots or the warmest of overcoats...”

Could this be possible, Sara thought. Was this void really her own? She closed her eyes, wishing for Inuit boots and a thickly padded overcoat. She opened her eyes as a feeling of warmth spread through her body, she was now adorned in that she had wished.

“I told you this was your world Sara, I am merely an inhabiter here, the person you seek and your intended actions are beyond my contemplation.” The voice seemed less calming this time, instead it sounded more solemn. “Could I ask one thing of you, for all I have offered you in our meeting this day?”

“Yes” Sara replied, she knew that granting one request was the least she could do for this wise being.

“I have been meditating on this hill for eternities inconceivable, I ask that you set me free, let me leave your world and attain the freedom that I so desire”. The voice seemed more solemn than before, Sara felt sympathetic toward whomever this wise being was, trapped inside the snowy form in front of her.

She nodded, knowing how to achieve this request without need for direction. She reached out and pulled the umbrella away from the snowman’s midsection, there was a brief moment; Sara had one more chance to stare into the Obsidian eyes and hear a faint ‘thank you’ sail across her thoughts. Then the snowman toppled…soon a mound of formless snow lay heaped on the ground in front of her. There were no voices to be heard, all that remained were the charm; which Sara slipped into her pocket to remember the encounter, and the string of Juzu beads which lay atop the pile of snow in an upward arc.

Marc. B