"This corn is…wrong."
"How can corn be wrong, Antoinette?"
She reached over and plucked an ear of corn from the nearest stalk. "Look how small this ear is? And watch this." She peeled the husk away on one side and touched the yellowed corn with her fingertips. The kernels under her fingers began to shrivel. She turned her hand over, a tiny stream of water ran up and into her palm.
"See this? This is barely a drop of water. My palm should be almost full." She rubbed the water in her hands.
"I don't think this corn isn't grown for eating. It's cut down and grown quickly so it can be used in the fall for the mazes," I said.
She nodded and we continued. Two girls rushed by us, their white Jarabe Tapatio skirts swelling up behind them showing their jeans underneath. They screamed, laughed and skidded on the dirt path, kicking up clouds of dust as they spotted a new unexplored corn row. Then disappeared into the field.
"Why are they allowed to just run off? Won't they get lost?"
I smiled at her. "That's part of the fun. It's fun to be scared…to be lost."
"Mm, if you say so."
"You don't think so? Fear generates a hell of a lot of energy you know."
"Yeah, so does love. And lust." Antoinette waggled her perfectly arched brows at me.
"Yes, but fear has a stronger spike," I said. "Like a voltage versus current thing. Though love does have that longer lasting current."
"Which makes it a superior emotion," she replied haughtily.
I looked over at Antoinette. Two thick threads of love swam around her body, moving in crisscrossing patterns up and down, creating bright flashes of light as they intersected. Love, pure love, is the most powerful force in the Fabric. I smiled at my friend.
"In the long run I agree. It has greater staying power. But emotions are just that, emotions. Not one has more value than another."
"True. But we can choose to imbibe in certain emotions, more than others. Hope, desire, passion, affection, hunger!" she growled in my ear.
I brushed the shiver from the right side of my face. "Mm hm, but some people find other emotions just as titillating." I carefully used that word just for her. "Fear, terror, tremor. Some people get a thrill out of things that go bump in the night." Like me and Dylan. I thought to myself. Antoinette is more of a romantic-comedy girl.
"You know, I find it funny that you have such a grasp on things I don't. And that your affinity is touching the aether. The purely spiritual. You'd think it would be the opposite. That I would delight in all things dark and mysterious. And you the light and sublime. Why do you think that is?"
I shrugged and nodded over my shoulder, "Ask the brain." We giggled.
Two boys this time, belted past us, skidding at an intersection, kicking up dust and disappearing onto another path ahead.
Antoinette shook out her long auburn locks. "So, why am I here?"
"For the company." I grabbed her elbow. "And apparently," I looked back to see Newton casually strolling at least twenty feet behind us, observing the corn rows as if they held ancient and nefarious secrets. "I can't be left alone anymore."
"She's just worried about you. So am I after today. You looked really shook up V. That guy could've killed you. And she's right, something weird is happening. What the hell is this symbol that keeps showing up? Does it mean something to you?"
I shook my head, "I told you, no. Not a thing."
"Well, I'm not letting you out of my sight from now on." She pulled me in closer. "At least, while you're out in public," she said, giving me a warm smile.
A high-pitched scream rent the air from somewhere in the maze to our right. One of the kids. I thought, a rush of panic flooding my system.
I broke out of Antoinette's grip and ran down the path toward the sound. Ignoring Antoinette and Newton's screams for me to stop.
I turned the first corner I found and skidded around the next. Turning left and following the sweep of open path up to the right. I could hear Newton and Antoinette somewhere behind me beating the dirt and still screaming for me. "Over here!" I yelled, but not stopping. I ran in a circle for what seemed a full minute then paused to get my bearings.
"Hello? Is someone hurt?" I yelled up over the stalks. A squeal pierced the air from somewhere directly ahead. I broke into a run again, following the path as it twisted and turned deeper away from the setting sun. I stopped at a crossroads, listening to the distance echoes of laughter, straining to call my power. I was saved the effort as I heard a nearby bubble of voices. I took off through the stalks, ignoring the painful slaps and scratches of the thick-razored corn stalk leaves. Finally emerging onto a nearby path.
"Oof!" I stumbled onto the path and into two girls. I instinctively grabbed the nearest one's arm. I recognized both of them from my friend Alicia's class. "Are you alright?" I visually inspected both of them, finding nothing bloody or broken.
"Franko came out of nowhere and threw that disgusting thing in my arms!" The brunette began yelling and pointing at the ground. I looked down on the path to see a frog, dragging one of its legs.
"You're such an idiot! Why did you throw it? You could've just set it down or dropped it. You broke one of its legs!" The other yelled back at her.
"It's gross and slimy! And it's not my fault! Why are you screaming at me?!"
"Girls." I interjected.
"You're such a girl! It's just a frog. Why are you so whiny?"
"I'm not whiny! Why do you have to be so bossy?"
"Girls!" I finally yelled along with them.
They both stopped and stared at me.
"Do you remember me?"
They both nodded violently in the affirmative.
"Good." I cleared my throat. "Now. You are…Emily?"
The brunette nodded.
"And Constance?" The other crossed her arms and nodded once. Good enough.
"Emily is right, Constance. Setting it down would've been the more humane action. BUT," I raised my voice seeing her protest coming, and eyed Emily, "Do not call your friend an idiot. It's not nice." Emily blushed. "Constance was surprised. And she reacted. And Constance, it's just a frog dear, not a grenade. Think before you act next time, ok?"
They both cowed and pursed their lips. "Now, please resume your fun," I said and pointed down the path.
"What're you gonna do with it?" they asked.
"I'll figure out something. Now go please." By the time they reached the end of the row, they were already laughing again.
I blew out a breath. "To be that young again." I sat down in the dirt, grabbing the frog as it tried to drag itself away from me into the field. "Alright buddy, let's see what we have here."
I called my power, letting the lines bleed. Then found the thread of time, out there, in my mind, choosing a few seconds over many. Mr. Drags-a-lot became quieter in my hands. I opened my palms and looked deep into his right outstretched leg. Fine fibrous lights shot down both sides from his hips. Billowing out in the center then tapering toward the knee. Except the right side. A small area between the lower thigh and joint was grey and listless. I'm a librarian, not a biologist. But it appeared one of his major thigh muscles had become detached at the tendon. Though the shape still looked right: fat and tapered.
I cupped the little guy into my left palm and opened my right. I reweaved, reimagined, the patterns of his tendon. The millimeters of grey area near his knee sizzled, sparkled and bowed upward. As if the incident were simply reversing itself. Making his leg what it was a few minutes ago: whole. It was a teensy thing, that frog knee, but it took a lot out of me. What can I say, it's been a long day.
By the time I was finished, beads of sweat were pouring down my temples. Finally feeling the 'click', I released the bubble in a rush and set my left hand down. He seemed to hesitate, then slowly pulled his leg up, and off he went. Flying high and disappearing into the corn.
"You're welcome!" I yelled after him.
I dusted myself off and stood, "Well, that was fun. Time to head back…" The words hung on my lips as I felt the first wave of disorientation. Looking left and right, I couldn't even tell you which way the girls went. "Shit," I said, low and tight, knowing they were still kids poking around every corner, then felt my phone buzzing in the back pocket of my jeans.
Ooops. I had four missed calls, three from Newton, one from Antoinette and a text message from Newton–"Are you ok? Where are you?"
For a person off-put by children, she had a serious maternal streak. "I'm fine." I wrote back. 'smiley-face' "Was just some pre-teen hijinks. And…are you seriously asking me that question?" As one of these girls would say–duh. I was in the maze…somewhere. "I'll meet you at the exit." I texted back. There was no point in trying to find them.
I looked up at the sky. The amber twilight glowed off to my left. That meant I was facing north. And though we could find each other by heading north and south respectively, it would add unnecessary minutes to our journeys. And the remaining light was fading fast.
I knew If I kept walking in one direction, I was bound to find one of the telltale arrows pointing the way out.
My phone buzzed again. "OK." Came Newt's terse reply. I know that wasn't at all what she wanted to say.
I chose a direction and picked up a brisk pace. Actually enjoying the exercise and relative silence that the surrounding ten foot walls provided. After a few minutes of more twists and turns, I came across an arrow. Feeling confident that I was back on track, I allowed myself to relax. Finding that the simple removal of visual distractions was peaceful. I could see only row after endless row of green and yellow corn stalks and dusk-purple skies.
I came to another narrow crossroads in the path and spotted another arrow. I turned the corner, only to be blown back by a gust of wind and dust. I stopped and coughed up a bitter bile of dust, spitting it out onto the path.
"Yuk." I wiped the grit from my eyes and continued my trek. It took only seconds for the strange change of mood to start. Unfamiliar and unwarranted emotions bubbled up from my core. Depression, disquiet, and tickles of fear began gripping me from the inside out. Suddenly the stalks seemed full of malice. I had an uncontrolled need to be free of the field. I started running.
But the further I ran, the more the feelings increased. The walls of swaying crackling plants closed in on me. By the time I reached the next intersection, I was drenched in sweat and anxiety. But it made no sense. There was no reason to be afraid. Not this afraid. Not this terrified. My hair swung in tangled knots in front my eyes as my head snapped left and right.
I'd emerged on a wide path. Big enough for a car. And long. Menacing and long. It stretched out into eternity in both directions. And it seemed to taunt me. Daring me to run but laughing at my effort. As if it knew I'd never find my way out. Ever.
And the skies…looking so perfect and beautiful minutes before, darkened. Became angry. Red and angry.
What the hell was happening?
There!
A woman appeared at one end of the path. She was young…so young. Barely a woman. Pale skin, long brown straight hair, long black dress. I took two steps toward her to ask for help and stopped. Realizing her expression was not friendly. And then the noise started.
A low buzzing sound from the east. The sound grew in intensity, rumbling and shaking the ground as it approached. I spun around to check the young woman again, she was gone.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I stared down the path toward the east, unable to take my ears from the noise and my eyes from the horizon of the stalks. A black cloud soon followed the sound, rising over the field. Gaining substance and form as it grew nearer. And then I saw the first one. A hornet the size of child's fist.
There are few things in this world that take the reason from me. And this was one of them.
I froze in place. My vision zoomed in on its face. Its black elongated eyes, creasing and studying me. Its curved and sharp mandible opening and snapping the air in two.
"Fuck," I said, loud and clear, no longer caring that I was a respected librarian and there were kids scattered throughout the maze. I turned and stumbled in the dirt, getting my feet under me finally and ran as fast as I could.
I ran and ran, through paths, winding, cutting, sharp and soft bends. As I ran, my mind tried to logically assess the situation. There were no hornets or wasps that size in the southwest. But there they were. A cloud of murderous stinging giants. I turned a corner and skidded to a halt. I had reached one of the dreaded dead ends in the maze. I flew back around but stopped. The black cloud was there in front of me, waiting, pulsing and singing a death song. I had two ways out. Through them, or through the field. But I knew, they would catch me either way.
I chose the corn rows.
Entering the nearest row, I beat the plants back with my hands. I ran as fast as I could, feeling the first hornet catch me. A vicious jabbing, injecting poison into my back. I screamed. A sharp river of pain traveled down my shoulders and arms. I prayed that I wouldn't go into anaphylactic shock. Then I'd be done. They would kill me.
I emerged into an opening. Oh no. It was James Esquivel. Smiling brightly and eating…a corn dog? Where did he get a corndog?
I ran toward him and yelled, "Run!" grabbing his hand and pulling him along the path. Whatever happened, I couldn't leave him behind. James' voice cut into my mind. What was he saying? I couldn't hear beyond the buzzing in my head, and I couldn't stop. We turned a corner and I lost my feet again. Jerking James toward me. We ended up in a tangle in the dirt. I sat up and saw him near the edge of the path. Blood was pouring down his nose into his mouth, his eyes a paralyzed confusion. I scrabbled toward him but he scooted back into the tall plants. I stood and looked down at him. The way his eyes studied me…was he afraid of me? Did I look that bad? That stung? Was I covered in hornets?
I heard another loud noise behind us and hit the path, whirling around in the dirt. Two strange figures hovered above me. It took me a whole minute to realize it was Newton and Antoinette.
"Hornets!" I screamed and pointed behind me.
From there in the dirt, cowering under a wash of emotions, I watched them. The two people that I knew best in the world. But did not know at all at that moment. Newton was not the commanding and controlled flaxen-haired Siren. She was an angel. A dark angel. Black dripping wings spread out from her sides. Golden streaks ran from her hair and danced into the air. Her eyes swirled in their sockets, ancient and dangerous.
And there was Antoinette standing beside her. Not my buxom sweet friend. But a beast, flames erupting from her chest, licking at the air. Her face, that of a formidable and angry warrior. All crimson and fire.
They were speaking to me. Their voices were those of strangers. Deep and haunting, rasping and wretched. They moved closer. I screamed and scooted back. They looked up behind me. They saw it too. They saw them.
Newton, the dark angel, stepped around me. Antoinette, the red beast stepped around my other side. Newton's blurred lips began moving. I could not hear, but could see the words, the grouping of letters, coming out of her mouth, floating into the air, into the oncoming winds and field.
The red beast placed her hands, fingers spread wide, out into the buffeting winds. The bits of dry leaves and particles of dust buckled before her in the air. A cone of rushing wind bowed under her command, protecting everything behind her, protecting us.
As I felt a speck of my sanity returning, I finally heard Newton's incantation. Her voice and power invaded my being and boomed out, washing over everything.
"Beneath dark surface, beneath the raging moon!
Set brightly to this unseemly seeming doom
Show yourself, reveal, shift and release these
I now command total and absolute clarity!"
Why were they so goddamn scary? My sisters, my friends, my family? I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the vision of black and red away. When I opened them, Newton was kneeling in front of me, her eyes large and dark, surrounded by smoke and haze, and boring into mine.
Her eyes shifted to the right, taking in James and his young bloody face. "Did you do that?" Her face, her lips, asked me. I simply stared. She shook me. "Did you do that?!" The Siren's voice scraped along my ear and pushed into my subconscious.
"Uh…" It was enough to draw me slightly out of my funk, "No. No!" I repeated vehemently. I didn't hurt him. …Did I?
The dark angel seemed to accept my answer and let me go. She towered above me, her lips began moving again. I watched as the letters slowly seeped from her hazy mouth, and I began to relax.
Nothing seemed important.
Nothing was important. What was I worried about?
There's nothing to worry about, Virginia.
Her eyes held mine. Her lips kept moving. The emotions, all that they were in the last half hour of my life, left me. And when the adrenaline finally left too, I passed blissfully out.