Contributed by Charles Dean Walker
An ocean of orange sparkling sand, filled Marilyn’s pale blue eyes.
Her small body buried partially in the coarse sand. Her feet painted, peaked
out. Part of her stained white dress covered, the creases made a wavy pattern.
Her jet-black hair was a rat nest. Her chapped lips bled ruby divots. Her skin
was tanned slightly brown. She coughed a puff of dust. It made a majestic cloud
like a wizard spell.
Marilyn roughly got up from the ground. Her head ached, eyes stung like stings
from wasps. Her bare feet again buried. The sand was lukewarm. The sky was
clear, the sun submerged in pink cotton clouds. “Where am I?”, she said
aloud to herself. She searched about herself. A figment in the distance mire
miles it seemed, peaked from the horizon.
“Thank God, at least I hope,” Marilyn thought. She motioned her arms to her
dress. Furrowed. She made her way for the figment. The closer she got the more
it defined its presence. A hot pink castle. “I must be dreaming!”, she
said assuredly. Soon it was in full view. A pink castle with gemstones encrusted
in each brick of the curtain wall all in a foray of colors. Strawberry red
battlements.
She found a note nailed in the curtain. It read “Here from child dreams,
brought to reality, a castle unlike any other! Left in pieces.” Marilyn felt
frustration. She crumpled the aged paper, threw it to the sea of sand. The
ground ate the paper in seconds. Marilyn walked back from the moving area.
“What the hell?”, she yelled.
The ground made an anthill sized hump, a sand waterfall drew a tubular vein. It
was only a seconds-long event. But it felt like an eternity for Marilyn. She ran
from this place into the empty horizon. Soon after running for what felt like
miles, she breathed as hard as a smoker. Coughing dry dust-filled coughs, she
took in her surroundings.
Emptiness again. Saved only by the occasional grey-horned lizard and a cucumber-green cactus. The air was humid. Marylin was full of sweat beads. It had finally
dawned on her. She hasn’t had a single drop of water. But she still didn’t
feel thirsty. Yet another question among others she’s got piled on her.
“Why don’t I feel thirsty, I’m sweating like a pig!”, She thought. All
she felt was that it was time to lie down. Her dry tanned knees softly landed to
the ground. Her torso quickly joined. Soon she fell asleep.
When she came to an old, bearded man sat a foot away in a crisscrossing form, a
light brown walk stick laid on his legs. He wore no shirt, his pants were made
of rags. His hair was big and silver-toned. Deep emerald-green eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’m friendly.” he said in a warm tone. Marilyn sat up
quickly. Her heart raced with surprise. “Who are you?” She asked. “My name
in Nathan, I’m a wizard.”, he proudly said. “Who may you be?”, Nathan
ask back. “Marilyn.”, she replied, unsure if she should’ve. “Where am
I?”, she asked. Nathan got up silent his stick began drawing N-A-T-H-M-Y-T-H.
Marilyn shot up. Her eyes read. Nathmyth.
Nathan began to walk calmly away. “Wait!”, she called. He kept going, so she
followed. She asked where they were walking, to which he pointed with a boney
finger north. Where the castle lays. The sand grew hotter now. The sun a deep
red ball beat down. Sweat ran down both heavy. Still neither parched. She looked
to her left at Nathan. His posture completely upright despite his age. “Why
aren’t I thirsty, Nathan?”, she politely asked.
Nathan kept his emerald green eyes forward to the distance. Seeing nothing.
He replied, “I used a spell of four times four, the equalizer causes your body
to function without water for sixteen days.
Once the sun rises on the seventh the spell wears off and your thirst returns as
if you’ve walked two miles.”
She didn’t fully understand, magic was too new, and she just got bombarded
with one spell. But at the same time curiosity was immense. “Can you tell me
how math magic works, Nathan?”, to which he said in a slight chuckle, “Sure,
once we reach the castle, I’ll tell you everything.” Marilyn felt pain from
her divided lips. Her fingers had dribble pelts of blood. The question in her
mind again rang, how did she get here? Nathan never told her, perhaps she
thought he too didn’t know, or didn’t hear her fully.
“Nathan, do you know how I got here?”, She said once again. He took a moment
to stop his feet. He turned his head her direction. “Yes, and you do too.”
She was perplexed. How could she know, if she’d had to ask him? Nathan
continued on. As he did he said to her, “Isn’t it obvious? Follow the
tracks in the sand!”, he then chuckled. Marilyn joined.
Soon, they came back to the pink castle. Nathan led her to a trail of flat
stones made of spotted rocks. A sheen of the sunset’s ray glistened off. A
door made of the same material was being held open.
What she saw was a giant room. Where there was a light of tie-dyed glowing.
Blues, reds and greens shown the way to the right stairway. The floor was cold
grey stones.
“Wow, it’s beautiful.” she said. Nathan gave a smile. “Thank you, it
took forever to have this built in!”, he said proudly. She shot back, “Why
did you have this built in?” He led her up the stairs, then decided to
answer. “In my youth, I had a strange idea, and I loved it so much, I ran with
it. So to keep things afloat I turned this into an attraction!” They walked
to a door painted licorice red. He opened it for her like a gentleman. She
looked at him. “What happened here, why is everything broken?” He frowned.
Then replied, “Twenty years went by and a great drought happened, leaving very
little water in the area. The customers were too hot to stay and risk
dehydration. Soon they forgot this place exists.”
This saddened her, as did him. There wasn’t much to this bed chamber. On the
left was a bed with a purple blanket and a pillow with a yellow sheet. The right
had a mirror with a candy apple green chair. And a table with chipped golden
paint.
a small silver fan on the roof, and a fluffed orange carpet. “Interesting
choices.”, she said. Nathan ignored the remark. She felt the softness of
floor, it was heavenly compared to the course ground of outside. She sat on the
bed. Comfy. She was surprised, she’d thought it would feel hardened by aged
material. Clearly, she’d forgotten what beds truly felt like.
“There’s purple slippers under the bed, please feel free to wear them!”,
Nathan said kindly. He was happy beyond his days to finally have a guest. He
knew where the town next door was, as fate was to have it, Nimiria was just a few
hours over from where Marilyn had fallen from exhaustion. Nathan went there all
the time to just have human contact, and the essentials. Though as he’d
explained he was still forgotten. The town’s people saw him nothing more than
a hobo.
Marilyn looked to him. “How did you find me, Nathan?”, she asked curiously.
He looked down at her through the door. “I was walking back from town today,
and happened to find your trail. Luckily! You were still alive. I saw you
running and shot the spell at you. Then I found you lying in the sand.” He
explained. He could see she was rightfully confused but also exhausted.
“You’re a very odd man, but I’m thankful that you saved me.” She said.
“Yes, well, I think you should rest, goodnight Marilyn.” He said hiding the
hurt of being called odd. He knew it was true, but it still hurts him deep down.
Nathan walked further down the hall. The pink paint becoming more chipped ‘til
at the end of the five-foot hall, was bare grayness. The brown-molded door clung
to rusted hinges. The knob shown only a third of the bronze shade. Nathan opened
it slowly. His room was twice as large, being that it was the master bedroom.
His belongings were neat and pristine. A wardrobe of oak wood stood proudly
three feet away from the foot of the bed. His dress attire folded over nicely on
the fool’s gold bars. The bedding was the same colors as Marilyn’s. Besides the
bed were two modest tables on either side. Though it was the left that held a
false silver lamp with a tan shade. A gold picture frame that held Nathan’s
mother and father. His mother on the left, father on the right, an’ him in the
middle.
He walked in shut the door, now the room was pitched black, but he’d memorized
where to walk. He’d sat on the bed and switched on the lamp. The glow was
pleasant on his eyes. He grabbed the picture frame to see him and his family.
His mother wore a sea foam green dress, complimenting her natural blonde hair.
Her milky white right arm held young Nathan. Who wore a black dress shirt. He
held a picture of a pink castle standing in green grass, which was just crayon
swiped diagonally. His chestnut brown hair combed to show the white streak of
scalp. His father wore a light blue suit with a white under shirt. The suit had
medium black buttons. His left hand on Nathan’s right shoulder. He too had
chestnut hair.
Nathan’s wrinkled eyes speck tears, as he put the picture in place. Memories
of his mom and dad were still tough on him, even in his senior years. He got
back up to unfurl the blanket and sheet. Then lied down. Soon he was asleep. His
dream like a child’s storybook illustration, shown his mother and father.
Sick. Their skin pale, his mother Cathrin’s eyes green eyes blurred. As was
his father David’s deep blue eyes. Cathrin looked at him and said, “We love
you.” Then all was silent. Nathan’s sleeping eyes produced a single tear.
The morning sun rose above the continent as a red ball. Humid again in Nathmyth.
Marilyn in her chamber awakened softly by the noise from the other side of the
door. Nathan was fixing them breakfast. Marilyn saw fresh clothing on the foot
of her bed. It looked as though it were a ocean blue square.
A note left on top, with fine hand writing.
“Good morning, I found you fresh clothes to wear!” - Nathan.
She got out of bed, got the candy apple green slippers from under the bed.
Grabbing the clothing at the bedside. Then walk out the chamber door, at the
end of the stairs, the clanging of plates could be heard. In the middle of the
main section was the kitchen area.
Polished wood shined gently from the sun.
“Nathan, where is the bathroom?”, Marilyn called. “There’s a door to
your right!”, he called back. Years of living here has given him a third eye
to know where a person is, just by the sound of their voice.
He was wearing dress pants and a suit, both a deep jet black. A milky white
undershirt shown partially throughout the placement of the maroon buttons.
Nathan sat at the table with a plate full of two sunny side eggs, a slice of
wheat toast, with a light butter spread, an’ four vegan styled bacon strips.
His sliver fork broke the yokes like a hot knife to warm butter.
The bright yellow wave flooded the toast an’ bacon. Then he took a small lite
silver knife, and the fork together, an’ sliced it all into a mesh of white,
yellow, an’ brown.
His fork full, he slowly tasted the mesh. A cascade of salty, sweet, an’ silky
smooth texture an’ taste, were better than he’d hoped. Though his
expectations were low. Nathan had of habit of this. Better to start minuscule
and be pleasantly surprised. However, this was only for food. Nathan was starved
for human contacts outside of his home, especially when most believed him a
foolish liar.
The thing he understood better than any Nymirrian, was that Nathmyth is part of
the same land, that time has taken its toll on the memory of the elders. But
Nathan still loved these people! Marilyn was now at the top side of the table.
Her food left the plate fast. The excitement of Nymirria made her giddy as a
child. In fact the whole world had this effect on her. What she believed was
that Nathan knew nothing about her. But that would soon prove false. Truthfully,
they both keep secrets from one another. Because the truth is too painful to
bare.
“You must be excited!”, he said with a slight laugh. Marilyn smiled with wide
eyes. He could tell it was an mutual agreement. “So, how do you like the
clothing? I know it’s not the best attire for a long walk. But I obviously
didn’t expect any women or men to be here.” He explained. She wore a ocean
blue dress, light yellow socks, and tanned sandals that bound her toes
comfortably with a weed shaded bind. “No, no, they’re fine!”, she said
understandingly.
“Nymirria is only a mile away, it’s a very easy trail too! Once you reach the
end, you’ll see the sand and grass line perfectly.”, he told her. He took
the dishes away. Marilyn got up and walked towards the door. Opening it, to a
world fully alight. The humid air hitting all at once. Her first steps out were
nonetheless exiting.
Soon he joined her, leading her towards her original trail. It didn’t take
long to reach where she’d awoke from yesterday. The indent she left looked
like a pack of pups had gathered round for a nap. The trail continued
northbound. Before they continued, they’d decided to take in the scenery. The
skies were a blue ocean, mixed with cotton clouds with a pink shade. They looked
almost solid. The sun at their backs was egg yolk-yellow.
The North was a clear plateau. Saved only by the feet printed indents. Without
much time they carried onwards. Nathan leading with Marilyn a few steps aback.
He wondered what had been going through her mind the day before, but from
what’d he’d gathered was, that even she didn’t know. Either that or, she
wasn’t telling him everything, something he didn’t blame too much for. After
all he is a complete stranger.
Marilyn on the other hand wondered what he was thinking. Could he know her
already? No. Surly it was, that he was wondering about her mind. Truthfully, she
only could glimpse figments. Something about this desert, and a chosen person.
Or people, she was still too tired to piece it all.
She never was a morning person. Still the optimism for the many wonders this
continent held, force a visible smile. There’s a question that stuck for her,
what is the name of the continent? “Nathan?”, she asked. “Hmm”, he
quickly countered. “Do you know the name of the continent we live on?”, she
asked embarrassed. She knew how moronic she sounded. But if he knew how
sheltered she’d been for the past twenty years. Suddenly the childish
questions, an’ child-like nature, would make sense.
He thought to himself a moment, how doesn’t she already know? Then answered,
“It’s Nathgren.” She liked the sound of it. “What does it mean?”,
she asked in a pleasant tone.
He without thought answered. “Well, in plain English it translates to Land Of
Green!” She thought that was interesting considering what Nathmyth looked
like. “How do you explain the desert then?”, she asked curiously. This
question stung Nathan. Because of his past youth. His family lived here, until
the sickness. Damn the sickness! “I’m sorry, but it’s too painful to
answer.”, he told her. Marilyn felt bad, the last thing she wanted was to
cause pain.
“Nathan, I’m sorry.”, she said in a shameful tone. He hated this. He knew
she meant no harm. “It’s alright, I know you’re just a very curious
person by now.”, he said with a fake laugh at the end. There now was a mutual
silence between them. Until they reached a fork in their road. On the left was
the line between Nymirria and Nathmyth. Then there was more sand going on for
miles more. A place Nathan had never visited, nor knew the name of.
“Well, here we are. Which way would you like to go?”, Nathan asked her.
Marilyn took a moment to look about herself. Nymirria was full of deep green
grassland, with twelve-foot oaks as far her eye could take her. The trail’s
dark brown dirt path cutting a clear divide. A few flat rocks strewn about in no
particular pattern. Then there was the right path. More sand. Leading to the
place that concealed her for twenty years. She knew now wasn’t the time to
head “home”, it was time to learn and grow. With immense conviction, she gave
her answer.
“Nathan, I want to see Nymirria!”, Nathan looked at her, lightly smiled,
then said “Alright, left it is!”
As they took their first steps together out of the desert, the air was much
cooler, less humid, and above all much more bearable. Birds chirping was heard.
A song that gave a sense of tranquility. Nathan an’ Marilyn continued down the
trail. Within hours, they found the town of Nymirria.
As the road went on, buildings shaped like doghouses, peaked through the woods.
One was a big red barn, with an aged sign that read: Beagle Farm. As they
finally entered the small town. A wave of howls could be heard. A lone tricolor
brown, black , an’ white beagle.
Came running with reckless abandon to see the strangers. A young man wearing a
grey shirt, dark blue shorts, and grey shoes, came following after. “Bagels,
get over here boy!”, he called. Bagels let instinct take full control. These
people were strangers, and this was his home!
The dog stopped three feet from the two, howling his head off. Marilyn thought
he looked cute. Seeing his big floppy ears move up an’ down with every jump.
Really sold the cuteness for her. Nathan was annoyed however.
Hearing thousands of hounds howling in unity. Really made his ears bleed. But
this was of course the closest town he knew of. The other road looked like it
could take days. So, he gritted his teeth, and dealt with it.
After all farmer Bert and his wife Bird, were the kindest to him. They also had
the perfect way to silence the dogs. There’s nothing more a beagle loved, than
food. Bert has been doing this for thirty years now. He’s even had the perfect
amount of food calculated to a T!
Jackson finally reached Bagels. He kneeled down on one leg. Grabbing the
dog’s red collar. “Hush boy! It’s okay. It’s just the hobo and his new
friend!”, he said while petting Bagels’s ribs.
This always calmed him.
“What’s his name?”, Marilyn asked sweetly. Jackson looked up at her with
his brown eyes.
“His name is Bagels, an’ I’m Jackson!”, he answered nicely back.
“It’s nice to see you Jack”, Nathan said. Jackson waved at him. Then
motioned his hand to follow him home.
Once there, the hounds were much more quiet. They’re too full to care about the
world outside the giant wight fence. The barn was the size of an air carrier.
The actual house was only two stories high. It looked like a doghouse. Orange
painted walls. A big yellow door. Four windows, two on the first floor under the
other two on the second floor.
Four elongated rocks made steps to the front door. Jackson led the way, Bagels
behind, ready to be first inside. The door made a light creek as it opened.
Stairs to the bedrooms above were visible on the left. A map of Nymirria hung on
the wall slightly tilted. The floors were barren. As were the walls. Bagels ran
to the living room. “Come in.”, Jackson said.
The map caught Marilyn’s eye. The bottom in bold black letters read Nathgren.
The shape of the continent was an isosceles triangle. Nymirria was on the south
side of the map. Next to it in the East was the town Spark.
Then the west held her home Colled. What really puzzled her was the lack of
Nathmyth. All she saw was a river then green to represent more grass. Then it
came to her. Nathan was too hurt to tell the full truth.
The living room was plain. A single blue an’ pink rug. A fireplace, some
family photos and a blue couch. Bert sat in the middle. He was a bit of a big
man, average height, bald headed. He wore navy blue overalls a tanned shirt, and
black boots. His eyes were the same color as his son’s. “Ah, hello Nathan!
Who’s your friend?”, he said in a garbled voice.
Nathan answered, “This is Marilyn, we just met yesterday.” Marilyn waved
her left hand with a smile. Bagels sat next to Bert on his left. Jackson sat on
the floor, back to playing with his action figures. “Get on the flood
dog!”, Bert rasped. Bagels jumped down and lied down next to Jackson. The
boy petted the dog, to calm him.
“Where’s Bird?” asked Nathan. “She’s out gathering groceries,” Bert
replied. Marilyn walked over to Jackson, lightly moving Nathan away. She kneeled
down to ask Jackson about the dog’s name. “Hey, Jack, why did you name your
pet?”
“Dad remembers better than I do!”, he said focused on his toys. Bert was
delighted to tell the story of Bagels, as he was of all dogs. He moved himself
up on the couch to be more comfortable. Then he said in his raspy voice.
“Come sit by me, both you an’ Nathan, I’ll tell you!”, his eyes shut
with a smile.
