Claustrum Chap. 9 A Goodbye Dinner As they reached the crowded dining hall, everyone turned to see Lady Lizbeth and Lord Gillium as they walked in. They walked over to their table drowned by bows and nods from every single male and female in the place. John could not helped feel a little out of place, and even uncomfortable, not only were all eyes towards them, but it seemed that they were looking at him also. As he walked by a young woman, his eyes where frozen on a face, Where do I know her from? He wondered, he knew the face, but yet, he could not place it. The young woman stared at him, her eyes danced to a flirt full song, yet the rest of her face was cold and beautiful. John could not take his eyes of her, he was mesmerized by her beauty. She then turned her face to look at Lady Lizbeth, Thank God, Thought John, A little more and I would have fallen in love with her. They reached their table and Lord Gillium and Lady Lizbeth stood in front of their chairs. Lord Gillium raised his arms as if to quiet down everyone. �Thank you, thank you� he exclaimed nodding his head �You are all to kind, for this humble servant� At this everyone began applauding and cheering at him. John looked over towards Lady Lizbeth, that stood on the other side of her father, she to was applauding, he raised a brow A little to humbled, maybe? He thought, his mind questioned the whole thing, yet his hands followed the rhythm of the applause. As John looked over the packed dining hall, he wondered where everyone had come from, it seemed that this night, there was people here that were not even prisoners. At this, Lord Gillium raised his arms again, braking the loud boastful crowd. �I want to welcome our neighbors and inmates, to this wonderful event,� Again the crowd cheered and cried out together �Blessings on us! Blessings on us!� John was a little confused, This can�t be a normal dinner, He thought. At this in the center of the dining hall walked in a group of male and female dancers, the sound of drums began to beat, and a strong male voice began to sing. John was mesmerized by the sound of the mans voice, the room too was mesmerized, the group of dancers, moved from one placed to another, dancing to the beat of the song, now here then over there, one on top of a table, the other teasing a man. Then a red hair woman stood directly in front of John. Again John was trapped by her eyes. Time stood still for John and the young woman, she seemed to move from one place to another, yet no one else was moving, only the sounds of the drums and the strangers voice could be herd. I am keara, John�s seemed to hear the voice of the female in his head. Am I going nuts?, he thought. No you are not loosing your mind, we can speak in this way. Keara danced and moved around from place to place, yet her eyes did not loose contact with John�s. So how can you communicate in this way. John asked. We are in a musical trance, and we can communicate using our minds, or telepathy, as some like to call it. John began to have a cold sweat, he knew that if this was possible, he would have to keep his secret locked in the darkness place of his brains. What secret? Keara asked. John froze at the thought. Don�t you know it�s not nice to be in someone else's mind? He asked. I am sorry, but we were communicating and your mind wondered of to other thoughts in the process. You are right I am sorry. He responded. She smiled and winked at him. Where do I know you from, He asked. I asked my self the same question, I feel I know you, yet I cannot remember. Johnathan could not get used to using his mind to communicate and again it wondered of You are very beautiful, he thought. Keara giggled, why thank you I am glad you think so, she responded. �HRUMM� John grumbled, I cannot get used to this mind talk nonsense. It is very overwhelming for some, specially newbies, you have to train your mind to answer with out thinking, and only think what you wish for others to know, it takes time, but you will get used to it. How often do you use this telepathy? John asked. Pretty much at every reunion, or gathering, here this type of music is played, or it can be used to retrieve information from enemies also. She responded. Well you pretty much ask the person what you wish to know, and once they think about it, it will be revealed. That seems to easy, John could not believe that this could be done, if only they had something like....he stopped thinking, he realized what he was doing. See, you learn fast, She said as a smile came into her face Let�s see, what is your favorite color? She asked. Blue, John responded with out hesitation, this bothered him But how can you control your mind not to think of something that you are asked? You have to relax your mind and focus on something, I focus my mind on darkness, this will help me not to respond to quickly, she responded. Go ahead and ask me something, anything you like. Do you find me attractive? John asked, his face gave a mocking smile. After a few seconds, with out a response from her, he asked Are you Jealous of my relationship with Lady Lizbeth? He figured that when she concentrated she could not focus on his mind, so this would come to a shock to her. �Of course not!�, she responded in a regular voice then quickly covered her mouth. That is not fair, she exclaimed. I am sorry, but I thought I begin my training now, he said. Well you learn to fast for my own good, we better change the subject. For your own good? But why what do you hide from me? She Closed her eyes and turned her face, she danced a little faster around the room and John seemed to be waking from a dream, little by little the people began to move in slow motion, and moving a little faster as the seconds when by. John looked at Keara and she glanced back at him, Wait! I am sorry! He exclaimed I was just messing with you!. Those are games I do not like to play, she said. Again, I am sorry. What is your name anyways, she asked. John, Johnathan Baird. He responded. Well it is nice to meet you John. Can you tell me what is being celebrated here? He asked. This is a celebration that is given to the Goddess Ursena every year. More like a ritual, thought John. You can call it what you like John, but do not let the Goddess hear those thoughts, she will smite you where you are. At this comment, John groaned again, he did not like the thought of being able to read ones mind. Can the Gods read inmates minds? He asked. Yes, they can read the minds of anyone within the world of Claustrum, but they have to be withing sight and be able to make eye contact, as a matter of fact you have to be able to make eye contact with anyone to to do telepathy. Well thats good to know, I was getting worried that just about anyone could read my thoughts. He said. There are worse things than mind reading, you know. She assured him. What can be worse than mind reading he thought. There are some that can freeze time and do evil things, while everyone is frozen. How could that be bad? I think it would be good in sorts, he asked. Well you see, there are some perverted minds out there, they could rape you, within a second, and all you would feel is the pain, you would not be able to know what happened or who did it. This thought did not even come across John�s mind, I forgot there is an evil world out there I am sorry for your pain. I did not say anything about me being raped. She responded. You right, again I am sorry. Anyways, these events happen regularly here in Claustrum, with so many Gods, there is always something going on. Do people even see this gods? Oh yea, they show them selves often, I believe we may even have one visit here tonight. She responded. Well thats going to be a different experience, I guess. He thought. It usually is for newbies. She replied. Can you tell me, is everyone here a follower of this Goddess? Not necessarily, some are agnostic and others just come for the food and partying. She answered. She will appear in the center of the room and glance at everyone, and be sure that when she does this she will be reading your thoughts, Ursena is not a Goddess that will destroy you, but she will do something even worse to you, if she finds her self against you. The thought of her being able to do anything to anyone angered John, to him it did not matter if they were inmates or not, this should not be able to happen. This is a prison world John, and they are the ones that control it, the governme.... I know, I know, I�ve herd it before, he interrupted. But someone should be able to do something about it, no one in the real world is willing to look at this, to let the people know? He asked. Be careful John, those words can get a man killed in this world. But let me tell you something, there is a group of people that are fighting against this, I cannot tell you who they are, they will more then likely contact you, word travels fast here what ones intension's are, so again be careful what you do or say. Thank you Keara, you have been helpful, he responded and I hope to do this with you in the future. He said. Same here, and it is time for us to get out of this trance, my mind is getting weak. She gave a small smile at him, closed her eyes and disappeared behind a man. The room began to show signs of life, here and there people began moving and finally everything was back to a normal speed, John looked around the room and people were laughing and clapping with the rhythm of the song. Even John�s hand were clapping to the rhythm of the music. Several hours passed and the merry laugher of people could be herd through out the hall, John was feeling a little lonely, he had not talked much to anyone since he had that conversation with Keara. Lord Gillium sat at his left, but he seemed to be in a trance also. He glanced over to Lady Lizbeth and she would catch his look more times than he felt comfortable doing, I wonder if she to can read my mind at this moment, he thought. As he glanced around the room he caught the face of Keara, sitting in a back corner of the room, he focused on her and tried to talk to her, but with out success, all the communication he got was a smile from her mouth. The music died down and a quietness came over the whole room, John looked around the room and saw that everyone was still and without movement. As if time had frozen, Keara, is that you? He asked in his mind. �Keara, has spoken well of you John� a voice was herd, but John could not see anyone. �Who are you?, why Can�t I see you?� he asked. As he finished saying this a female figure appeared in the center of the room. There was a glowing to the entire body, John covered his eyes, the brightness of the light made him sneeze. �achoo� �God bless you!� the woman exclaimed. �Oh wait, I am a God� and she laughed at her own Joke. John chuckled at the joke, and focused on keeping his mind blank. �What are you hiding from me John?� She asked with a suspicious look in her face. �So we can talk normally and you can read my mind too?� he asked. �Yes, that is right� �Why do you need to read someones mind?� he asked. �Everyone here has something that will either help me fight other Gods or something pltted against me� she replied. �Have you talked to everyone here?� �Not quite, but I am getting there, see I have all the time in the world� she answered. John looked about the whole room, everyone looked as if a small statue, what good will it do to read a mind, when you think you are a God, he though. �Well to know what is in someones heart, you know that were your mind is thats were your heart is also� she gave a little smile at that comment. �Now where have I herd that comment also?� he asked mockingly. �Do not Mock me John, this is my world and I am all powerful here.� She then raised her hand and a glowing light flashed from her hand and surrounded John. He dropped to his knees, he could not breath, his whole body ached, he then was lifted into thin air, a shock came all over his body, his arms drooped and his head fell back, he had passed out from the whole experience. John awoke, his whole body ached as if beaten severely, again he was in the same room where he had laid some days ago, to his side sat Lady Lizbeth again, he glanced over to her and raising his head said. �How long this time?� She laughed at the comment �it seems that you have a mouth on you, at that rate you will never will leave the House of Rest John� �Well there are somethings that I do not agree with, and it seems that when this happens, the world falls on me� he replied. �Well, this time you have done it, Father cannot help you this time, as a matter of fact he is forbidden to even look at you� �I cannot believe how much power she has over your family� he muttered. �She has no power over me, but I must keep her wishes if I wish to see my father� she explained. �and another thing John� John turned and sat up on the side of the bed. �Well what is it?� he asked. �She has branded your forehead� �No way� he exclaimed, Lizbeth handed him over a small mirror, he looked at his face and there on the forehead mas a mark, the mark of a snake. �a snake?� �Yes that is the symbol of betrayal given by Ursena� she answered. �Well and how is this going to help me� �John, that is a curse and people will curse you and mock you and turn from you, if they do not, they will also receive the curse of Ursena up on their foreheads.� she explained. �Impossible!� He exclaimed. �How can she tell who helps me or not?� he asked. �Through the serpents eyes, they watch those who come near you� �Well thats just great!� he exclaimed. �Believe me John, we have to get this removed from you as soon as possible� At this John realized his face was normal looking again and the color of his skin and hair were that of his real life �What- what happened to my disguise?� he asked. �That is part of the curse John, you cannot alter your looks until you have removed this curse� �How can I remove this curse?� �You Must ally your self with another God, or submit to Ursena and beg for her forgiveness� �Well where do I start looking for another God? I am not bending my knees to an enemy� he muttered. �You must roam Claustrum, until you have found one� she answered. �What about me going to the Hall of Justice and learning a character class?� he asked. �Well thats pretty much out of the question, since no one will help you� �Why do you help me?� he asked. �These where instructions given to me by her, she watches me at the moment� she explained. �Can she hear us also?� �No, she cannot� She answered. Me and my big mouth, I need to learn to keep quiet, he thought. �You must be going John, here is a pack, it has everything you need, I will suggest you go north� she said as she handed him a pack. �What am I to find that way?� he asked. �Well you must find someone to help you remove that symbol from your forehead� John thought for a moment, then he stood and place his sack across his shoulders �I guess I should get started my Lady�. Lady Lizbeth stood and walked towards him and gave him a hug, �John remember that the Gods here are human and make human mistakes� she then ran off and left him alone in the room. He walked to the door and turned around one more time to make sure that he had not forgotten anything, then he closed the door.
Copyright © 2009 Mathew Hamm |