Chapter 11: Last Fireflies
Isobel laid down on the cement of the column, the last of the smoke from the fire dissipating. She wanted to look at the stars while she told Julien about her home. He laid down as well, facing the opposite direction, his head near hers. Isobel breathed out, seeing her breath curl upwards towards the stars. It was cool enough outside for that to happen, but it was not cold enough for it to bother her. She smiled then, letting the sky transport her to a land far, far away.
"Talamaru is its own world." Isobel said again. "We do not share the same sun, moon, and stars, or any of that. Just because it is raining in the rest of Madagascar does not mean it will be raining in Talamaru. I know, that is confusing. But, like Atlantis, it was meant to be cut from everything else."
Julien nodded, folding one arm across his chest and then using the other to rest his head on.
Isobel continued on. "It is jungle. But we have a beach as well. At night, little bioluminescent specks wash up onto the shore. They are bright blue, and they light up the beach like stars. And, there are other parts of Talamaru. Places I have never been."
"How is there room for all of this, but I have never seen it?" Julien asked. "This is sounding like the Narnia place."
"Narnia?" Isobel furrowed her brow.
Julien tilted his head back to look at her. "You know, that story about the witches and the closets. And the lion, I think. Anyways, this little girl goes into her closet and there's like a whole different place all inside of a tiny closet. And also a weird goat guy. Marlene told everyone about it when she read the books."
Isobel smiled. "I have never heard this story. But, yes, it is a bigger world inside of such a small space."
Julien nodded. "Do you have a king there?"
Isobel nodded. "Yes. But they are called sheikhs. And the queens are called sheikrahs. I do not remember who ruled when I was there."
"Do they get a crown?"
Isobel smiled again. She expected this question. "Such beautiful crowns. Made of feathers and leaves and gold. Like Aztecs, I suppose."
Suddenly, a dozen glowing insects began circling around them.
"Look," Isobel whispered so as not to frighten them, "They are the last fireflies of this year. They are late."
"How do you know they are the last?" Julien's eyes latched onto the bright, buzzing fireflies.
"It is too cold for them now." Isobel said as she curled up a bit, crossing her arms over her chest. "Too cold."
The last fireflies soon flew away.
"It was a sign that they stayed so late in the year." Isobel said quietly.
Julien turned over. "Is it bad?" He was rather superstitious.
"It depends." Isobel replied. "Whatever your last wish was will be the opposite."
His last wish had been for her to want to stay forever.
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The next day, the morning sun tried to peak through the thickening October clouds, as if it wanted to watch the three lemurs crossing the park.
"We've changed a few things around the city recently, Iz." Jack said to his sister as they walked along. "You can't knock on the tree bark to get in anymore. You have to go through the path with the boulder blocking it now."
Isobel tilted her head at him. "How did you get out by yourself then?"
"Well, you can still climb up the pole from the original entrance and get out that way." Jack explained.
Isobel nodded.
"I wonder what the king will have to say to you." Julien spoke up. "And to me."
"He will be glad to see us." Isobel looked at him. "And I am glad to see him, although it was good to be out of the city for a while."
They came up to the rock that not so long ago, Julien, Jack, and the penguins had come through to save Isobel. Vines were already beginning to creep over it again. Jack removed his sword to cut away a bit at them before they could push the rock to the side. When they opened it up to reveal the tunnel, Isobel just quietly stood there for a moment. She too had come this way, as a captive.
"Come on," Jack nudged his sister kindly, "We should keep going."
I just realized that the penguins haven't really been in this story much. It's not that they aren't a part of the story, cos they totally are. They'll come back in chapter 14! And thank you, Treemist, as always. :D
