Sixty-nine

" Mason," Enid shouts, and slaps him hard enough to leave a white imprint on his mottled skin.

Grappling at the floor I close the short distance between us, grab his ankle and look at Enid," You need to go before he comes back," I rasp, dragging Enid's attention to me. She raised him, he is like a son to her, and I'm...I still haven't figured that out.

Teary-eyed, Enid looks at me, little sobs crowd in her throat but she swallows them down and presses her lips together, " I'm sorry," She says with enerving calm, and grabs the blade that hangs loosely out Mason's hand. I'm stunned into a mindless stupor as I watch Enid raise the blade and swipe it across my cheek. The feel of the blade cresting my skin is nothing compared to what I'm feeling inside. Agonising pain cuts deep, deeper than anything I've ever felt in my entire life. She meant the world to me and treated me like a daughter but in those moments I realised that it was all an act. Maybe. Or is she just acting out of hurt, realising what I've realised long ago? This wouldn't have happened if I didn't exist.

I slip into the pocket just as the blade nicks at the skin of my neck, and I find myself in the heart of Zareen, still holding Mason's ankle but no Enid.

Blood drips down my cheek, the gash she'd is made deep enough to cut through muscles. It will heal, but it will leave a nasty scar.

Ripping a slip of fabric out of my top, I press it against my cheek hoping to staunch the bleeding.

White light suffuses acting more like ambient light, and I look around trying to find the source. It sits in the middle of the room encased in what appears to be glass, and it seems to give off the illusion that it flows both ways.

It connects the ceiling with the floor with no apparent source. It's not blinding, it feels soft, gentle and warm.

Mason's leg twitches in my hand, and I drag my eyes to him to see if he is showing any signs of waking up. I know for a fact that he is not dead, but Enid must've lost her mind when she saw him lying down motionless.

After all, she is a mother in every sense of the word, and I'm the cause of all this.

The reason why others are suffering. Her reaction is confusing but also natural.

Slowly, I let go of Mason's ankle, and rise to my feet, my body temperature dropping slowly as I make my way towards the pillar of light.

There are no markings around it. The room bears no furnishings of any kind. It is an empty room designed only to house the pillar. It is the reason why Zareen was built here, it wasn't put there randomly.

Curious, I slowly brush my fingers over the smooth surface of the glass, watching the light as it flows both ways. Even up close I can't see if there is a source, or it just exists by divine intervention.

I won't even pretend that I understand any of it, but it is fascinating nonetheless.

A wisp of light creeps out of its confined space, curling around my finger. It feels like silk against my skin, and at the same time fuzzy, carrying a slight warmth as it travels up my arms. Its heat spreads with incredible speed throughout my body and it feels like a loving brace or the gentle caress of a lover. It's comforting and protective, offering a glimpse of the peacefulness I so much crave.

The wisp of light travels upwards on my hand fluidly, and then it sinks into my skin, giving out a faint glow. I don't pull away nor disturb it. I guess we are shaking hands in a sort of way. It wants to get to know me and I let it. I bear no ill sentiment towards it or anyone that I know. I have nothing to hide.

It continues its journey until it reaches my chest and it settles there. I pull at the hem of my top with my free hand and watch as it swirls around looking for something.

In the absence of light, darkness prevails and I'd like to think that I'm a little bit of both.

The warm ball of light in my chest slowly begins to recede, retreating into its confinement, until there is none left.

Mason stirs, groans and then falls silent. He'd taken the brunt of it. The effects of the power surge have hit him harder. Guilt slowly settles in my stomach, like a ball of lead, weighing me down and I can't help but look at the pillar of light looking for answers. I won't find any, but I try nonetheless. It's human nature and I'm partly that, so I succumb to it accepting it as a part of my reality.

Little tendrils of light begin to bleed into the floor, spreading around like a carpet, it's light brighter but not unbearable. It splits around my feet, avoiding me and continues to spread until the entire chamber is covered in it.

I look over my shoulder and watch it as it creeps over Mason, shrouding him in a blanket of light until he disappears out of sight.

I try to remain calm, and not worry. It didn't hurt me so it won't hurt him either. I don't know why I feel so trusting when I've spent my entire existence questioning and doubting everything around me.

Slowly the light seeps into his body, just like it did with mine, and I wait. It moves slowly, and to some extent, I'd like to think that it is sentient.

As soon as it has done what it wanted to do, it slowly begins to recede, returning to the glass case, just as slowly as it left.

When Mason takes a deep gasping breath I hurl myself to the floor, discarding the blood-soaked cloth. The light parts around me, just as kneel next to him. His eyes flutter open, he blinks a few times to clear the haze in his vision and looks around the room.

" Whiteheart," He mumbles under his breath, and I know he is speaking of the pillar of light standing sentry in the room.