Frac stirred.

"Oh, thank The Great ONE," Raziel said, "C'mon Frac. Are you alright?"

Bright light stung Frac's eyes. "Is that you Raz? Where am I?"

"You're on the beach. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so. I feel a little hazy, like when you're awaken in the middle of the night. How'd I end up on the beach?"

"I really don't know. I was waiting by the shaft where you went down--like you told me to. After a while Rau came, said that you were fine and started telling me about hut-building. I guess that was Rau's job at one time, or maybe still is, I don't know. Anyway, I must have fallen asleep on Rau--kinda rude, huh?"

Frac thought, "Yeah, sure it was Rau's talking that put Raziel asleep."

Raziel continued, "I woke up, noticed the Day-Torch had traveled far to the setting direction--over the Great Swamp. I started shouting down into the shaft, but nobody answered. After shouting for you for several minutes, I ran down here--and found you. So, how long were you down there? What did you see? What's down there?"

Frac almost started blurting everything, "I was down there for just a short while--I think--or so it seemed," Frac's eyes diverted to the ground, "I really don't remember all that much. I think I passed out after a while," Frac looked back up to Raziel, "I don't know how I got here."

"You don't remember leaving?"

"Nope. Last I remember is looking into Dagon's eyes, and I passed out. They must have brought me out on the Underwater Wind."

"So where are they?"

"I have no idea."

"They just dump you? Nice friends," Raziel said, but Frac wasn't sure if Raziel said it sarcastically, or if there was a tint of jealousy. "So, c'mon, what was down there?"

"It was alright, nothing to brag about," Frac said, but Raziel wasn't quite buying that, so Frac told Raziel about the ride down the shaft, the head bump, about different kinds of fish, and about the light that just seemed to be there. Frac also said that the waters made you feel exhilarated, and then left out everything else.

"That's it?" Raziel asked.

"Could be more, but don't forget--I hit my head pretty good, and then fainted from Dagon--so there may be more--that I don't remember," Frac answered, eyes diverted from Raziel's.

"What's that?" Raziel asked, pointing to a scar on Frac's arm, "That wasn't there before!"

"I don't know, I think I gashed my arm going down, too."

"It's healed though, well, scarred. That is weird!"

Frac got up, and the two of them began walking back toward the village. "Raz, do me a favor--don't tell anyone about this."

"What! This is best bragging someone like us could have."

Frac looked down to the ground, "I just don't want to have to explain any of it, especially to Pronoia."

"But, that was the whole reason you did this, to be the first one in the Underground Pool--not an adult," Raziel said, looking with concern to Frac, "What's going on? Why the change of heart? What happened?"

Frac didn't say anything, just kept looking at the ground. They walked in silence. As they approached the village, youths started pointing toward them, a few running into the village.

"Way to go!" one youth yelled.

"Frac did it," another shouted.

Several youths began cheering and waving. Several more ran from the village to greet Frac.

"In answer to your request, I won't mention it," Raziel said sarcastically.

Continue.




© 2001 John Gnotek