The Last Scale - Chapter V.

Tereza Končelová

The journey seemed long and monotonous. The almost constant visits of my chubby-cheeked companion were the only exception. Occasionally she was accompanied by another of those with colorful clothes, a notebook in his hands, but a friendly expression on his face. Now that they had convinced me they had saved my life, I was showing them more trust than before. After some time I allowed them to touch me, even to take pictures with the one-eyed machine. Cassandra, what my companion was called, told me that it´s name was a camera and that, except for the unpleasant, dazzling flash, it wasn't dangerous at all.

Soon I began to understand the colorful ones´ hierarchy. Josh, the one who triumphantly proved himself with the document on the day of my deliverance, was their head. Strict for appearances' sake, but in secret, a sensible and caring man. This action rested on his shoulders, and as I was told, he was respected throughout the whole organization. He rarely visited me, mostly for observation. Britney was tall and slim and had a beautiful, strong voice. During our journey, I could notice how close she was to Josh when they came to see me together once. They kept touching each other, as if they were afraid they would otherwise stop breathing.

From time to time she went to my bathtub to see Cassandra, and sang to me on that occasion. I've never heard anyone sing before. It's something incredible. As if her voice had suddenly turned into a crowd of consecutive, perfectly matching sounds. It is one of the human ways to transmit information without using words. It may not have been the most precise one, but it worked with emotions better than any sentence ever could. It was telling a story that had taken me somewhere beyond the solid wall of recognized reality, guiding me through the new, unexplored corridors of the maze of feelings. I often let myself lull to sleep with these melodic tones, but once they ceased, my consciousness awoke again and demanded more.

The last one of them was called Alexander. He was quiet, tongue-tied, and for some strange reason I felt nervous in his presence. Cass claimed he was driving, allegedly putting the entire place, the machine named van, in motion. He looked too gaunt for how strong he must have been to move something that big and heavy, but I didn't ask.

Cass spent most of the time with me. She controlled my vital functions and seemed to like me the most of them all. She often told me about the world outside, the world I know when my adventure is over. "One day we will have to say goodbye. Then you will recognize the endless waters that glitter in the golden-red shades when the sun sets. The horizon, a place where the vault of heaven ends and your homeland begins. Plenty of pleasant, dark, warm places. And your kind!"

"My kind," I repeated with difficulty. She nodded.

I looked away thoughtfully. "Why... Rescued?" With all my strength, I remembered the appropriate expression and pointed at myself.

"Why did we save you?" A sudden question surprised her a lot. "We wanted to help you. You may not be a human, but you surely have the right to live. No one of your race deserves to suffer." A low, downcast sigh came out from her throat. "Unfortunately, most of humanity doesn't understand. It only sees it´s comfort. Those who do not speak do not feel, they stand for it."

"But... I speak."

She smiled pleasantly, adding the grunting sound she presented to me as a laugh to her typical expression of joy. This time, however, it didn't sound as heartfelt as usual. "We told the management, but you seem to be the only one. No other mermaid tended to imitate or understand our speech." She carefully touched my hand and, after a moment of hesitation, held it in hers. "You are unique in everything you can, Ignis."

Did it mean that my relatives, those I should have resembled, like people resemble each other, were in fact someone completely different from what I was?

Edited by DV