Page 82 of The Space Traveller's Lover
CHAPTER 36
OBLIVION
You are Rothwen’s great dilemma, the kind he has never faced before.
As Shaillah returns to her smartroom, she goes to her balcony to contemplate the beauty of the starry night sky, the stars and constellations as seen from Rom-Enjie. She looks towards Earth’s location, but she can’t discern even the Sun. She zooms in on that particular patch of the sky with a thought-command, focusing on a yellow, ordinary star and then on the third of its orbiting planets.
She had thought she had freed herself from her past, but Earth’s serene and captivating image confirms otherwise. “My world—so distant and yet so close, so humble and yet so beautiful,” she murmurs, letting all her nostalgic feelings take over her mind.
But soon, the thoughts of impending doom and destruction come back like a black whirling cloud, whizzing around her head, taking hold of her reasoning.
Why do I feel so uneasy?she asks herself.Something is troubling me—something way dark. I must go and talk to Zula, she will help me clear my thoughts.
She knows she still has time before sunrise, but she hurries out of her room and into the space-tunnel, taking her into the quasi-reality chamber, the gateway to Zula-Or’s realm.
She sets up the four-dimensional coordinates in her mind before jumping into the dark abyss as the swallowing mist of swirling particles revolves around her. Even before the city’s images come into sharp focus, she is nearing her destination.
As she reaches the contour of Zula-Or’s spiky tower, she touches the bright circle on the wall with her index finger. She launches herself forwards, disappearing into the undulating mirror and transcending into the virtual tunnel.
Zula-Or is already waiting in her ethereal gemstone garden by the shimmering lake. The wise lady holds her head high in an expectant pose, sitting on her regal chair under an elaborate crystal chandelier.
As Zula-Or makes out Shaillah’s silhouette getting sharper through the bubbling haze expanding in front of her, she leans forwards, her face beaming with a broad welcoming smile.
They blend into an emotional embrace, feeling the warmth and the uplifting energy of their presence, excited that they can share the same time and space again, albeit for a short time.
“Welcome, Shaillah, look at you!” Zula-Or cheers, holding Shaillah’s hand and making her body spin around. “You look fantastic!”
“It’s been such a long time since we last spoke, my dear lady. I’m sorry.” Shaillah bows, holding her palms together as a sign of respect.
“Don’t worry, my child. Time is not something that bothers me, as you know,” Zula-Or replies in her usual soothing honeyed tone as she leads Shaillah towards the glittering lakeshore. “The most important thing is … the moment, the realisation. It’s great having you here now.”
Shaillah got to admire and respect Zula-Or as the wise lady patiently guided her through her journey into the Rom-Ghenshar world. Zula-Or was always there for her, to listen to her fears and self-doubt, to break the barriers of her self-imposed limits, and to help her learn to be bold, curious, and daring, the Rom-Ghenshar way.
“Today, I’ve had a dark premonition.” Shaillah’s quivering voice unveils her uneased disposition. “It made me feel—” She gazes upwards, her eyes fixated on the prickly branches hanging over her head. “It made me feel as if the whole world came crashing down on me.”
“Is it because of your impending journey? Or is it because of something else?” Zula-Or sharply asks.
But Shaillah doesn’t respond, her eyes still fixated on the intricate branches over her head, deep in thought.
“Oh, how silly of me. Why am I asking this?” Zula-Or says in a self-reproaching tone. “Rothwen, he is so unpredictably harsh—”
“It is not about him!” Shaillah snaps as she starts walking impatiently by the lakeshore.
“You will learn the hard way, but you will learn,” Zula-Or warns, walking alongside Shaillah while peering into her face. “He is taking advantage of your inexperience. But you must not fall, not even a slip. Be strong, and you will prevail. That’s always been my dictum.”
“It is not about him,” Shaillah repeats dismissively.
All the while, Zula-Or can perceive a subtle, albeit repressed, cry for help.
“I went through the same distress, the same. And I don’t want you to suffer as I did. That is why I gave you the Quark-Star diamond, the energy giver, our token of strength and courage … because I knew it was not going to be easy.”
“And I thank you so much, my dear lady!” Shaillah gratefully replies, firmly holding her diamond as Zula-Or cuts across her pace, making her suddenly stop.
“Don’t take his mood swings seriously. Don’t let it blur your mind,” Zula-Or says while softly stroking Shaillah’s forehead, trying to soothe her with a gentle reassuring gaze. “You’ll soon grow out of it. You’ll be stronger and wiser, like a true Rom-Ghenshar.”
Shaillah nods with a broad smile as she acknowledges Zula-Or’s words. “You are right, Zula. Why should I even consider worrying about Rothwen? It’s not for me to be distracted by those weakening feelings.”
“Ah, that’s my girl!” Zula-Or gloats, lifting Shaillah’s arms while stepping back, leading her around the elegantly drooping branches.
