He wanted me to grow.
A crowd of villagers have gathered at the front steps of the pyramid, chins raised, their eyes pointed up at the same spot, that sealed, grey door that must lead to what my father said was the Furnace.
Their faces are painted. Red, black, and white streaks line their cheekbones. Feathers of all the colors of this world sit on top of their heads. The bottom of the crown is made up of thin, mechanical robot bones. They know of their origin, and they’ve been waiting for me to unlock the end of this place.
This is a story that needed to be told. It’s not just my story. Not just Kalxor’s either. It’s their story too.
We’re all characters here.
Suddenly, they turn their heads, facing in my direction, and the sound drops away. Instead of hearing the wonderful rhythm of the natural world, I hear nothing except the soft hum of silence.
One villager nods his head and says, “It’s time. Go.”
I swallow and inch forward, but suddenly, I’m too scared to move. It’s as if my limbs have stopped working. Every step I take feels like I’m walking in quick sand. My heels drag, and my calves lock.
My heart is racing.
“Ava,” the man says. “Do not be afraid.”
But I’m terrified. The world I thought I wanted is right in front of me, yet I can’t reach it in fear it’ll turn out to be the same one I left.
I don’t want to feel the same emotions. I don’t want to have to continue to go to those support meetings, to stare in the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen, and hear terrible stories about other families. I used to think those stories and people used to bring me some comfort, but now I see that I was using it as a crutch.
What I wanted was someone to think I was worth a damn.
“I can’t do it,” I say.
I collapse onto the ground, fingers digging into the dirt below. I breathe and tremble, shaking my head.
“I just can’t,” I reiterate.
The man walks up to me. Slowly, he kneels to my level. “You know you must. Eventually, this place will disassemble. It will become a different version of itself. Epochs will pass, and we will change. But you are infinite. Your love is what will save us all.”
Inhale. Exhale.
“But what if I’m too weak?” I ask. “What if I’m not what you think I am?”
The man’s eyes shift toward the trees above. There’s a sadness in those eyes, a sorrow that can only come from knowing who he truly is.
“You are strong,” he says. “And brave. You came into this world without even flinching. Do you really think someone like you can fail?”
His words bring me peace. I can feel my lips twitch into a short smile. In a way, it’s almost like I want to hang onto pain because I’m so used to holding onto it like a shield. But this man, as strange as he is, is right.
I’m stronger than I give myself credit.
But what about Kalxor? He is nowhere in sight. I left him behind with my father’s cruel guidance.
Will he be joining me?
“I need Kalxor with me before I go,” I say.
The man stares into my eyes. “Have faith he will find you again,” he says.
My stomach twists into knots. I thrust my palms around my navel, groaning. “But what if he doesn’t? How can you be so sure he will?”
“Love, genuine love, always finds a way,” he says.
I nod and wet my lips, knowing he’s right again. I can feel the courage building in my chest, a fire that soon won’t be able to be extinguished. So many times has our love crashed into roadblocks that I thought we might be over for good.