Post by Helix on Nov 6, 2012 23:13:52 GMT -8
Habhara woke up in a hammock tied to palm trees, surrounded by lush jungle to one side and a sandy beach on the other. It was fairly windy, swinging him back and forth and creating choppy waves on the shore. At first, everything seemed normal enough, but when he got on his feet, he realized how sore his body felt, especially his back and wings. It had also felt like the last thing he did was fall, but he couldn't figure out why.
"Looks like they roughed you up pretty bad," another garuda said. He had been standing nearby the whole time and Habhara hadn't noticed him. He turned, still a bit tired, but recognized the creature.
"Brother! What do you mean, they roughed me up? What happened?"
Darshak frowned. He was five years older than his brother, and was a lot more grounded than Habhara. "Look, I know you're not allowed to tell me what you've been up to all these years, but there's no need to pretend. I've been worried sick that you wouldn't be back."
"No, I promise, I don't remember a thing. How long has it been? Where did I go? I don't ever remember leaving home..." he looked down at the ground, trying his hardest to figure out what was going on.
"Twelve years brother! And you don't remember a thing? All you ever did was go on and on about helping these people, saying that the best place to go was that asylum for those poor sick creatures."
At the word 'asylum' the memories began to rush back. Implanted memories, to be sure, but they felt real enough that Habhara felt all of the emotions. Remembering the shifts at the sick beds, seeing the smiling faces of the patients, the peaceful cafeteria, the bright windows and picturesque island. But he also remembered the poltergeists that tortured him in his sleep, that haunted the hallways at night, and the constant fight with them. He had left because he agreed to be charmed with a spell that would let the poltergeists follow him offshore, and returned back home so that the patients wouldn't have to suffer.
Habhara fell to his knees, Darshak quickly responding by grabbing his shoulders to stabilize him. "Habhara! Hey listen, they told me you'd be feeling sick for some time. You really need to get back inside. I have Aaniya cooking supper for us."
"Sorry, this is all pretty shocking right now. Aaniya? Oh how has she been? Any reason why mother isn't cooking tonight?"
Both brothers were sitting on the sand now. "Habhara...they've both passed while you were gone. Mother passed three years ago, father nearly nine years ago. They didn't allow correspondence to the Asylum to send you the news. It was so frustrating."
Habhara's mouth gaped and his eyes widened, welling up with tears. "Oh no...no no no. I had never meant to...if I had known I would have come back sooner, I would have tried to help them instead of all of those strangers..."
"Look, don't beat yourself up. The village took good care of all of the processions. I've even kept the ashes, so we could spread them when you came back. Should you have come back dead, well. It's not something I have to think about anymore, luckily."
They sat there silently for several minutes, looking out to the ocean. It was mid-afternoon and the sky was bright and clear. "Come on, let's go. You've been missed, especially by your nieces and nephews."
Habhara smiled a bit and nodded. They both got up and headed into the jungle, quickly shrouded by the greenery.
"Looks like they roughed you up pretty bad," another garuda said. He had been standing nearby the whole time and Habhara hadn't noticed him. He turned, still a bit tired, but recognized the creature.
"Brother! What do you mean, they roughed me up? What happened?"
Darshak frowned. He was five years older than his brother, and was a lot more grounded than Habhara. "Look, I know you're not allowed to tell me what you've been up to all these years, but there's no need to pretend. I've been worried sick that you wouldn't be back."
"No, I promise, I don't remember a thing. How long has it been? Where did I go? I don't ever remember leaving home..." he looked down at the ground, trying his hardest to figure out what was going on.
"Twelve years brother! And you don't remember a thing? All you ever did was go on and on about helping these people, saying that the best place to go was that asylum for those poor sick creatures."
At the word 'asylum' the memories began to rush back. Implanted memories, to be sure, but they felt real enough that Habhara felt all of the emotions. Remembering the shifts at the sick beds, seeing the smiling faces of the patients, the peaceful cafeteria, the bright windows and picturesque island. But he also remembered the poltergeists that tortured him in his sleep, that haunted the hallways at night, and the constant fight with them. He had left because he agreed to be charmed with a spell that would let the poltergeists follow him offshore, and returned back home so that the patients wouldn't have to suffer.
Habhara fell to his knees, Darshak quickly responding by grabbing his shoulders to stabilize him. "Habhara! Hey listen, they told me you'd be feeling sick for some time. You really need to get back inside. I have Aaniya cooking supper for us."
"Sorry, this is all pretty shocking right now. Aaniya? Oh how has she been? Any reason why mother isn't cooking tonight?"
Both brothers were sitting on the sand now. "Habhara...they've both passed while you were gone. Mother passed three years ago, father nearly nine years ago. They didn't allow correspondence to the Asylum to send you the news. It was so frustrating."
Habhara's mouth gaped and his eyes widened, welling up with tears. "Oh no...no no no. I had never meant to...if I had known I would have come back sooner, I would have tried to help them instead of all of those strangers..."
"Look, don't beat yourself up. The village took good care of all of the processions. I've even kept the ashes, so we could spread them when you came back. Should you have come back dead, well. It's not something I have to think about anymore, luckily."
They sat there silently for several minutes, looking out to the ocean. It was mid-afternoon and the sky was bright and clear. "Come on, let's go. You've been missed, especially by your nieces and nephews."
Habhara smiled a bit and nodded. They both got up and headed into the jungle, quickly shrouded by the greenery.