Activity

He sat at his workbench, measuring vials of bubbling substances and writing notes upon notes upon notes in a sketchy, but elegant, script. The desk was cluttered with documents and knick-knacks, jars and lots of different pens. It was the only place in his little haven that he allowed himself to get unorganized. He wiped his brow with a handkerchief, for the shed was overly hot. He had built the shed for himself, not caring what it looked like on the outside; only about what was on the inside — his equipment, his books, his inventions. He had built it so he had a place all to himself. And he needed to invent and install an air cooler. It wouldn’t be too hard anyway.

He stood up and walked over to one of his shelves and picked up a large, leather bound book covered with dust he hadn’t bothered to wipe off. Turning the crusty pages, he finally found what he was looking for and had looked at a hundred times already. But he would never find it, would he? And did he really want to do this? How would he even test it?

I am doing this for the good of the people. Waynot doesn’t really know how to run a country. He is falling into that trap all leaders fall into: greed. I’ll be helping all of Banerow. I’ll be saving them. And Waynot will still be High-ark. I’ll just be the one behind it all. Just like I’ve always been behind it all… Always in the shadows, always in the back…. Oh, Ahlee. Why did you go? I loved you. You were all I had left. Even the Waynot I knew is gone. You at least understood and loved me to the last, you at least encouraged me and kept me on the right path. Would you agree to this? I’m sorry. Please, just forgive me.

He sank back into his bench and put his elbows on the desk, and his head in his hands.

I want to do the right thing, but I’m so angry at him. I just keep festering. He dis-acknowledges me and pushes me aside and–and isn’t the brother I remember. Not anymore.

Wylo raised his head and poured a clear, fizzing liquid into a bottle containing a slightly bluish gel and watched as they mixed together and made a thick bubbling fluid. He sighed, because, even with all of his knowledge, he still wasn’t quite sure how he was going to make it. Or that he even wanted to make it. He knew the laws of their world, how matter mixed with matter to make miraculous things, and how the Creator had imbued the world with those properties — but how could he find the right properties? How….

And do I even know this is what I need to do? 

Yes. I need to do it, and I’ve already gone over the reasons.

Wylo poured himself over the experiment again, but his mind was elsewhere. He would have to travel far to get the things he needed. He knew what he was making would be the best way to accomplish his purpose. There would be no legal challenges, no explaining anything, no controversies. He would control his brother, and in the process save his people and make Banerow a better place.

He was so engrossed in his studies, flipping through ancient tomes and fiddling sometimes with this little project or that, that when he next looked up, he leapt to his feet.

What?

A jumble of green and brown undergrowth clustered at his feet. Tall trees towered overhead, their branches entangling with each other, and through which he could faintly see a bright blue sky. The air was humid and steam rose from the ground. It had just rained. Wylo stared. What had happened — if it actually had happened — was not scientifically possible. By no laws on this earth was it possible. But, then again, was he on his earth? Wylo could not wrap his head around it. So he decided not to. He would go back to working at his experiment, and if anything else drastic happened, it would have to come to him. Besides, maybe if he lost himself in his work again, he might get back to his den.

***

Another long post. I just get carried away.