Rooms Page 11

  ***

  Rad woke with a large, rounded belly hanging over him and four inquisitive eyes looking into his. A pregnant woman and the old man from the day before were staring at the barely-healed scars on his arm. The old man placed his fingers over them and then, with the same hand, touched the stomach of the woman. Rad lay still, not knowing what to make of the gesture.

  The old man and the pregnant woman then moved away, and the woman who had given Rad food the day before, returned to look at his wounds. She placed some type of herbal paste on them, and Rad nodded his head, acknowledging a thank you for what she was doing. She did not look directly into his eyes as he did this, and that particular action created a flashback in Rad’s memory.

  During the time of his many transformations, he’d noticed other mammals using that same type of mannerism. It seemed that they had used it to maintain their space or their identity without causing problems with other members of their group. Even the faces and eyes of these humans were not so unlike other mammals. The old painter reminded him of a big-eyed marmot - the pregnant woman, a young deer - his friend from the night before, a small burrowing mammal. They bore their young and fed them the milk of their breasts. All life was connected.

  From the other side of the room, a loud cry unexpectedly echoed off the walls. Many of the women moved towards the sound, and the old painter joined them. Rad stood and looked on. The woman with the large belly had begun hollering in pain. She had obviously started labor. Rad had never seen a birth. Most of the births inside a lifeglobe took place in a sterile laboratory in birthing chambers.

  Her pain had eased a little now. Rad could sense the eyes of everyone on him as the painter walked over and touched the scratches on his arm again. Then he walked back to the woman and placed his hand on her stomach just as he had before. Rad sat down nearby. The old man seemed to want him there. The woman’s ordeal continued for some time. At one point, water gushed from her vagina. Rad thought that the baby would come with the water, but it didn’t. He watched, and every once in a while the old man came over to touch him and then her.

  There were no other men close to the woman other than the old painter and a few other young children. Rad assumed that the old man must be some type of healer or religious leader, and it was obvious that he wanted Rad to remain close by. He didn’t know the exact reason, but it had to have something to do with the scars on his arm.

  The birth seemed long and painful, with only a few moments of rest tucked in between. He wondered if she would be able to have the child. Finally, though, he could see some expansion of the vaginal area.

  There were nods of approval and words spoken. The old painter seemed to moan and chant almost continually, and the young children nearby became bored and moved on to other things. The woman’s cries had almost become commonplace when Rad began to see what he thought was a head. The women surrounding her encouraged her to push harder, which she did. It wasn’t long until a baby human dropped onto the soft rugs of fur beneath her, along with more blood and a cord that attached the baby to the mother.

  Rad was struck by the momentous nature of the event - the reproduction of life, with all its helter-skelter choosing of size, color, shape, and texture. Eons upon eons of evolution had occurred this way. But this was not happening over time. This was a minute link in that long and arduous chain, and he was there. He was experiencing the live-birth of a human being.

  The old painter walked over and lifted the child into his arms. He wrapped it in a small blanket of fur while the mother was being washed and given nourishment. She stopped eating for a moment and glanced towards Rad as the painter motioned for him to come to him.

  He held the child so that Rad could easily see it. He first noticed that it was a baby boy, and then he saw a mark on its forehead. He looked more closely and could see that it was a painting of what resembled a bird in flight. Then the old man nudged the baby even closer to Rad. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. He thought for a moment. Then he touched the scars on his arm and then the painting on the child’s forehead. Glancing back towards the old man, he knew that he had done the right thing. The old man smiled at him and nodded his approval.

  ***

  After viewing the birth, Rad lay in his sleeping area watching the fire and looking into the embers. He thought about the origins of the human race, about the lifeglobes throughout the galaxy, and about his ancestor’s journeys across space. They had been gone from Earth for hundreds of years, but he wondered, ‘Where had they actually traveled? What had the human race really accomplished?’

  In this body, this prehistoric human shape, he stared at the rock walls, the fire, and the people around him. He thought about the land where these early humans lived; the smells, the seasons, and the air were all such a huge part of their daily lives.

  Then his eyes naturally drifted back to the fire. He stared deeply into its shifting flames, and as he did, the cave disappeared - nothing remained within his sight but the colors, the warmth, and the glowing coals. His eyelids drooped and closed, but he could still see the flickering blaze in his mind as slumber surrounded him and pulled him under.

  15

  Rest

  His eyes were only slits with layered tears, acting like prisms, moving and changing the shadowy light. He was slowly becoming aware again – gradually succumbing to another change in his reality. He moved slightly and sensed his fingers resting on a smooth surface; a puff of air rustled across his face. The tears dried a little, and his eyelids opened just a bit. His surroundings were only partially focused.

  Rad closed and opened his eyes once more, doing his best to come out of the daze. The excess moisture from his deep sleep slid down his cheek, and he momentarily recalled the scene that he had just witnessed - the baby human being born.

  Then he felt the need to move his arms and legs, and he involuntarily stretched, attempted to breathe more deeply, and rose up on one elbow. It became suddenly obvious that his body had not had enough rest, and he lay back down again and allowed himself some time. As he did, his hand brushed up against the leather book and the sphere lying nearby. He gathered them close, protecting them between his hand and thigh, and thought again of the moment when he’d believed that both had been lost. Knowing they weren’t helped Rad give in to his need for rest. He closed his eyes and drifted off.

  ***

  There was a gentle nudging. Rad felt someone tenderly grasp one of his feet and was aware of them speaking softly and laughing. His eyes opened slowly and attempted to focus. He rubbed away the sleep and then noticed two large figures in front of him in the vestibule of his survival shelter. As he came to, he was again aware of his nudity, his surroundings, and the presence of Tal and Simon. He was obviously back on R-131. A slow smile crossed his lips. It was so good to see his friends and to be home.

  Tal was the first to speak and chastised Rad, saying, “You worried us, again. You’ve been gone for weeks.”

  “Uh…sorry… How’d you find me?”

  Simon jumped in and said, “Shee was just as worried as we were. She helped us get some survival suits and then provided us with a satellite image of your location. Are you okay, Rad?”

  “I’m alright. I’m just tired and hungry. Thanks for coming out to check on me.” Rad was actually very grateful to see them and have their company.

  “Here’s something to drink and a bit of food we brought with us. Careful, drink slowly. The way you’re eating you must be starved.” Tal was extremely concerned.

  They all sat, ate, and talked about the survival shelter, the weather that day, and other simple things. It gave Rad a chance to recover, but then Simon couldn’t wait any longer and asked, “What’s been going on, Rad? What have you been doing out here?”

  How could he begin to explain? He simply said, “I think I’ve just played the second level.”

  Both Tal and Simon’s eyes grew large as they glanced at each other and knew that they’d better get Rad back to the lifeglobe
so that he could recover. He’d have time to tell them more later. But Simon couldn’t keep his mind off what Rad had just said. ‘The second level, my god, what could it have been?’ By looking at Rad, he knew, it must have been incredibly difficult.

  ***

  Upon his return, Rad again slept for hours and awoke to the constant, soft humming sounds within his sleeping area that originated from the lifeglobe’s oxygen systems. He called out, thinking that Tal or Simon might still be there, but he was alone. He rose up and glanced out the circular window near his bed and caught sight of one of R-131’s moons popping up over the horizon. The thought struck home that he had actually been out there – outside – for a little over two months. He had lived in his survival shelter most of that time, had been in a cave without any type of protection, and had experienced a Room like no other.

  Next to his bed, Rad noticed the leather book and sphere. He reached out and touched them, but left them where they were. Too much had happened. He needed to pull back for a time.

  Standing slowly, he walked into the living area of his flat and stared through his other outview toward the Center of the lifeglobe. It was busy with people. They were animated, as they were most nights. He remembered how it felt to meet friends, talk, play the latest Room, and simply enjoy life. But, although he could relate, he had absolutely no desire to join them tonight, no need to walk from one sheltered enclosure to another.

  He walked over, picked out his favorite meditative music, sat back and simply stayed in the moment remembering the deer, the bird, the baby, and feeling, once again, the wonder of it all.

  ***

  Rad was able to wake up quickly the next morning and get out fairly early. He’d eaten, slipped on some clothes, and decided that he wanted to talk to some of his friends in the governing council about Brit and Shee. He was very curious about them. ‘Where had they come from? How long had they been on R-131?’

  As Rad neared the offices of the council, some people recognized him. They edged their way closer, and one of them asked, “Sorry to bother you, but are you Rad?

  “Yes.”

  “We’re players, and we’ve heard that you played the second level of the Old One’s Room. Is that true?”

  It was obvious that Simon had already begun sharing what had happened with some of his friends and other Room players. The rumors were spreading fast. He knew that many people had either heard about it or knew someone who’d played the Room. Interest and curiosity about it were spreading.

  “I have, but I’m just recovering.” He hoped that would be enough to gain him some time and freedom from questions. It had been such a personal experience that Rad simply didn’t want, or need, to share it with a lot of people.

  “We understand, but could we talk to you later about what happened? Simon’s our friend, and he said you might not mind.”

  Rad couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. Simon just couldn’t help being spontaneous, but Rad wished he could have kept it to himself for a while longer. “I’ll let Simon know when I feel like talking about it. Check with him in a few days.”

  “Thanks.”

  Rad proceeded to the council building and went inside to the records department and asked to talk to Lowry. She was a friend of his, and even though he wasn’t a member of the council any longer, he thought she would give him access to some of the personnel records, if he asked.

  “Lowry. Hi.”

  Lowry turned and recognized her old friend. “Rad, where have you been? Rumors have been spreading like crazy about you. We’ve been wondering where you were?”

  “I’ve been outside the lifeglobe. I wanted to spend some time on my own experiencing what it was like out there.”

  “It’s so dangerous, Rad! I don’t think I could ever stay out there very long. You never know!”

  “It wasn’t so bad. Uh…Lowry, I was wondering if you could help me?”

  “Sure. What’s up?”

  “Recently I met two people that I’ve been curious about. One’s name is Shawn O’Reilly III and the other, well, I never knew her last name, but she worked in maintenance for the council. Her name is Shee, spelled S…H…E…E. Could you look them up and tell me where they came from?”

  “Rad, I shouldn’t, but for you…come with me to the back of the office. We’ll do it quickly.”

  It took about twenty minutes. Lowry checked and rechecked the records. There had never been an individual by the name of Shawn O’Reilly III on R-131, but she had found Shee’s name. Her last name was Holloway. She had worked on R-131 for a while but was now on permanent leave.

  With Brit, Rad could completely understand why Lowry couldn’t find him in the records. He had been living under the radar and outside the lifeglobe for over a year after all. With Shee, he wondered about the a leave of absence, but then the memory of seeing her in the cave with Brit came back to him. Both of them must have some connection with the Old One’s Room.

  Looking back at Lowry, Rad said, “Thanks, Lowry. I really appreciate the help.”

  “You’re welcome, Rad. I was wondering, could we get together sometime now that you’re back? We could catch up. It’s been a while.”

  “It has. I’ll get in touch with you soon.”

  “I’m looking forward to it!” she said.

  As Rad walked out the door, he thanked her again and left the office to walk and think. As he did, he passed many people who looked his way and seemed to talk quietly to each other. He knew they were probably talking about him, but it wasn’t difficult to ignore.

  He kept walking towards the Center, popped into a small pub and ordered an ale. He kept going over everything in his mind. It was difficult to actually believe that it had happened, and yet he knew it had. The experience was still fresh in his mind, especially the old woman’s eyes. It was eerie that, as he thought of her, he also remembered Zeer and couldn’t help feeling that there was some kind of connection between everything that had happened to him, the Old One, and Zeer. There had to be. After all, it was Zeer who had given him the leather book, and it was shortly after that when she’d disappeared.

  The ale finally began to take over. Rad relaxed and quietly contemplated what he might do next.

  ***

  He spent several days recovering and finally talked to Tal and Simon about what had happened during his time outside the lifeglobe. They both were incredulous, but Simon, as Rad and Tal had expected, was wide-eyed and so taken in by what he’d heard that his questions were seemingly endless. Rad answered most of them until Tal finally put a hand on Simon’s shoulder and said that he thought that Rad probably needed a break. Simon stopped, but they both knew he could have gone on…and on.

  But there was one question that Tal needed to ask. “So, Rad, what’s next?”

  “I really don’t know. I think I’d just like to live normally for a while. Do some things with the two of you and a few other people that I’ve promised. Maybe just have some time to myself to try to put all this in perspective.”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Tal threw in.

  Then Rad remembered something that he wanted to add and said, “Simon, I was wondering if you could keep this to yourself for a little while. Please don’t tell anyone else, okay. People have been treating me like some weird creature. I don’t mind sharing all this with the both of you, but really, I just want to take it easy for a while.”

  Simon shrugged and admitted, “It won’t be easy, but sure. I’ll keep it to myself for a few days, but you have to realize, Rad, others want to know. This has become quite an event here on R-131.”

  “Thanks, I understand, but I really do need some space.” Simon indicated that he grasped Rad’s meaning, and Rad knew that he would try. But, he also recognized that it probably wouldn’t be long before Simon would begin spreading the word again. It was hard to keep something like this to yourself on a lifeglobe.

  16

  Questions

  The natural rhythm of Loon inched its way towards da
ylight. Soft rays began to spread through the forest just touching Zeer’s window, and she could hear the rolling sounds of Sholar in the distance. She’d been on Loon long enough now for it to begin feeling like home.

  She rose up on one elbow and looked out. The entire front of her living quarters was transparent. It was like waking outdoors, yet she was warm, content, and secure.

  Towards the rear of her sleeping area, a backlight began to glow in unison with the sunrise. Transcendent, radiant music, with touches of ocean rhythms, forest winds, soaring birds, and evening dot-bugs eased her awake and brought a smile to her lips. It was music that had been written by one of the great composers of Loon.

  As she listened, she was thinking about how happy she’d been since arriving at the Learning Cluster. It had been her first real home on Loon and was where she had met many of her new friends. It was also where she had gained much of her knowledge about Loon and its people after her work with Landree. However, she now needed to decide which Cluster she would join and how she would give back to the culture that had brought her to Loon and had so enriched her life. It was time to make that decision, but some other questions had been gnawing at her. She had to find a way to answer those first.

  ***

  The meeting took place in the spiritual center of the Learning Cluster. Fawn, Landree, Brit, Dominie, and Shee were there along with other members of the Circle. They were all very excited to have found someone like Zeer – someone who had been able to adapt so well to their culture and to their planet. It was a great accomplishment for them and for their people. It was also the first step in a much larger project that had been discussed for years.