At World's End; Resurrection

Music: World's End

What a pretty sunrise.

The sun bloomed over the horizon in purple and red and orange that spread light across the skies. The wind was gentle and she could feel it tugging at her short black locks. The air was bitter cold in January's winter. She watched the sun rise over the vast blue bay. A low rumble of cars passing by made the bridge hum, as if singing a song.

Sara wore her Sunday best. When she was ready, she unlocked her eyes from the sun and looked down. The bay spread out before her, the calming blue waves pushign along little boats and big boats, freighters and swimmers. She could see the cars flying past on the Chesapeake Bridge and felt a sudden worry. What if one of those cars were her father, coming home from his late night shift? He'd beat her if he found her standing this high.

Sara took a breath. But that's why I'm here. She turned around so her back faced the rising sun, and tipped back. She fell, headfirst, watching the sun rise as she fell. She embraced the water and then everything went black.

-

Sara screamed and shot up. Her vision returned and she saw herself sitting in a tent, of all things. Her dress hung on a short rack, dripping wet, and she was covered head to toe in bandages. She heard the faint call of seagulls outside and the crash of waves against the shore. Everything hurt, especially her neck. A strange scent of olive leaves attracted her to a nearby tray made of wood. It had the most curious assortment of tools she had ever seen.

"Ah, it seems the young miss has finally awoken!" Sara yelped in her surprise and pulled the sheets up over her chest. An older man wearing what seemed to be a dress robe had the tent flap pulled back. For the moment it was open, Sara saw clean blue waves and a vast empty space beyond it. The elderly man came to her side and gave her a flask made of leather. "Here, drink. You'll feel better."

Sara glanced down at the leather bag and sniffed the opening. It smelled like leather, so she took a drink. "Ahh, hot!" she gasped for air and coughed. It was salty and hot. She stuck out her tongue and shivered.

The old man laughed. "Now there's something you don't see every day. A girl falls out of the sky in Horus region and doesn't like water!" He took the bag from her and took a huge swig from it. "Ahh, it really hits the spot. Would you like to try again, young miss?" He offered it back to her. She shook her head. "Now come on, don't be like that. Everyone's first time is always bad."

Sara hesitated. He offered it to her again. She swallowed and carefully drank from the leather bag, only to shout out again and throw it aside. The old man beside her slapped his knee and roared with laughter. "That was even worse than the first time!" Sara spluttered out.

"And she fell for it! They always fall for it!" The old man laughed and laughed and laughed. When he finally started to calm down Sara had already reverted back and was now pouting at him.

"You tricked me!"

"Ah, but you feel more better now, don't you?"

"I..."

"Come on, now, don't leave me waiting for you answer. Tell me, how do you feel?"

Sara rubbed her neck. She felt....alive, sure, but what's more was that she couldn't feel any pain. Her whole body was aching before and she felt as though more than just her head was a broken. Now she felt a strange tingling inside her. It was...warm. "What was that stuff?"

"I told you, dinnae? Water! Here, have another taste."

"What?! No way!"

"Alright, alright, I get it, you don't trust me. But I promise the third time," the old man tapped his temple with his finger. "Third time's the charm, young miss."

Sara frowned at the offered leather bag, but slowly reached out to take it. She sniffed the top again. She couldn't make out anything except the leather itself. She shut her eyes and tilted the leather bag back for a third time and...shouted and coughed and threw the bag across the room as it burned her mouth for the third time. The old man hooted and hollered with laughter, standing up to retrieve the leather bag as he did.

"Three times! She fell for it three times! Here, try again miss! I promise the fourth time you won't be throwing the bag across the room."

"I'll be throwing it at your head instead!" Sara shot back.

-

Sara took in a deep breath, feeling refreshed and energized. More than she ever had in her life. But she wasn't in Maryland anymore, that was plain as anyone could see. There was no Chesapeake Bridge, no Baltimore City, not even a single ship on the water. And it wasn't a bay, but an ocean - that was clear enough without her needing to see from a high distance. Behind her was a huge jungle-like forest, and even further beyond that was a single snow-capped mountain. Smoke rose from the peak, which only meant one thing.

"Where am I?" She said, turning around on the spot and getting sand in her shoes.

"You are on Horus Island, young miss." The older man joined her outside. He was hunched over slightly and wore a large pack on his back. "Come, let me take you to my village. I'm sure the elder would like to see you."

The village? Elder? I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore, Toto. Or anywhere near it. Sara swallowed. "Do you need help putting down your tent? I can-"

"Not to worry! That's the easy part!" The old man flicked his wrist and the tent suddenly bounced out of the sand and folded itself down in front of Sara's eyes. She held her breath and her eyes went wide as the tent rolled up and joined the rest of the old man's baggage. "Come on now, we haven't all day!"

"How the...what the...who?"

"I'll leave you behind!"

"Yes sir!" Sara rushed to catch up.

-END-