Activity

Abirami

The glass spoke of allowing the dance, providing food, and then having to reveal your worst regrets.

The food part sounded alright, but revealing ones worst regret? Was that the castle’s form of payment for services rendered?

I shrugged. I could see it being problematic for some here. No way Ku would be willing, but I had already owned up to my worst regret… well, at least, I’d apologized for it. They’d forgiven me, even if I’d never live it down myself. I’d always hold it as my deepest regret. A life-long reminder. Never to come close to doing it again. I’d been so reckless. Stupid. Even if it had been our only way out.

“I can tell you my worst regret now,” I said, the others glancing my way. “Doesn’t matter much either way. Almost two years ago, now, I did something very foolish in an attempt to save my family. I was able to save them, but the cost afterwards was too high.”

Their faces were blank and open. Of course they didn’t know what I was talking about, but perhaps my little testimony could help them not to fear this ‘regret’ payment thing.

“You all know, well… most of you know…” I glanced at Isaias before continuing, “that I can transform into animals. On my world, we call those types of abilities essence abilities. It’s…” I’d never tried explaining it to someone… “-it’s like a separate part of you that’s connected to something outside of you… like the true form of the animal I transform into. ‘s the best way I can describe it.”

They looked totally confused.

“Anyway, my essence went out of control. I lost all memories and the essence controlled me completely, and I lashed out, like a wild animal.”

“Hmm, like the old stories in the Scriptures? When old king Nebuchadnezzar became like and lived like an animal?” one of them asked.

“Um, I guess.” I’d never heard of this old king Nebuchadnezzar guy, but if he became like an animal, then I guess it was very similar.

“My deepest regret comes from that,” I said. “I lashed out and hurt my family. The ones I loved. Then I ran from them and was away from them for… a very long time.”

“That’s rough.”

“They went through a lot of very hard times while I was away, and I wasn’t able to be there for them.” A tear came to my eye, and I blinked it away. “I don’t ever want to go through that again.”

They were quiet. It was understandable. I wouldn’t know how to respond to myself if I had been in their shoes.

We walked quietly into the room where the stage was, and the girls put something over their lips with a small cylindrical container. It was strange, and I wanted to say something, but decided it was a cultural difference, so I remained quiet.

Still, why anyone would want to put something on their mouth that changed their lip color to something that looked like a bee had stung it was beyond me. They were pretty enough before, but now their lips stood out, like someone had put a spot-light on them, but only on their lips.

Would they ask me and Isaias to wear something on our lips too? Was it some sort of dancing tradition or rule? I hoped not.

Ophelia walked over to the stage and didn’t turn toward me, and I sighed in relief as she put the strange cylinder away.

The rest of us meandered up to the stage as well, then we started to practice.

I couldn’t remember the order of what I was supposed to do, and what I could remember, I honestly didn’t understand what it was I was supposed to do. It had been like she was speaking a foreign language when she described the dance to us.

Oh well. From what I could tell, I was to walk around all fancy like, pick her up, spin her around, set her down, and then…. who knows. I guess I just had to play it by ear from there.

They seemed to enjoy standing on the tips of their toes. Was it because they wished they were taller? Did the dance require height? I was so confused. But they were the professional dancers, and they were so dainty and graceful. I wasn’t about to ask. I just hoped I didn’t mess things up for them.  But, well, after all, they asked me to join them, so…. here goes nothing….

I stomped out after them, then remembered they had me practicing on my tippy-toes too, and raised myself up onto the tips of my toes.

This hurt! How did they do it so much! And still keep their balance! Respect!

My soles fell to the ground numerous times as I vaunted across the stage. Jade’s glances were tinged with frowns. I knew I was doing it wrong, but that’s what practices were for, right? She came at me, her body brushing up against mine, and my cheeks burned. Too close.

I stepped back while realizing might be where she expected me to pick her up. Her body leaned over into mine, and I feared if I didn’t catch her, she would fall.

Not knowing what exactly to do, and fearing I might hurt her, I placed my hands under her arms, as I would when playing with Setti or picking Gouyen up (Gouyen is a one-year old).

My elbows were locked in place, sweat falling from my face. Was I doing it right? I’m sure I wasn’t doing it right. Jade was frowning at me, her arms out like a swan.

She was in the air. I was holding her up. Now what? Oh, spin. My feet were flat on the floor again. I needed to be on my toes, but I didn’t know if I could with her in my hands. I spun, one step over another, until I had turned all the way around.

By the time I came back to my original position, Jade was no longer angled with her arms and legs out, but was vertical in my hands, her arms crossed, her eyes shooting glaring darts into me.

“Put… me… down.”

I set her down and backed away, and hand rubbing the back of my neck. “Sorry.”

Jade sighed. She stomped forward, put a hand on my chest and pushed me to the back of the stage.

“Just watch Ophelia and Isaias. You need to do what they do.”

 

 

 

 

hehehe… hope that will do for now. lol. Have fun with that! …. and I will come back for Ku soon, hopefully.