Two hours later I sit down with Dr. Nu and his family to a meal of nature’s food. Dr. Nu and his wife Naveen dig right into the shredded carrots, onions, and sliced Cani. His daughter Kintin who is my age, and son Purity who is a year older than us, stare at the food. Kintin’s black hair looks like the tip of it has been dipped in some form of red dye. It swings over her face and masks the confusion I glimpsed. Purity looks at his sister and together they pick up a piece of Cani, a naturally spicy green that sends a wave of flavors in my mouth. They bite a small part, chew, and before I know it they’re shoveling the food down their mouths.
I enjoy my carrots and onions and listen to their moans of pleasure. My stomach flutters with joy as I gauge the levels of excited chatter. I did this, for the first time, I put laughter in their voices and it isn’t at my expense. The feeling is so overwhelming that I put my food down and just smile.
A hand lands on my shoulder, I look up into Kintin’s deep soft brown eyes. She smiles so wide I wonder if it’ll ever end. “You’re amazing, Saved. Thank you,” she says.
My face pricks with heat. “I’m glad to help. But, seriously, it was all Dr. Nu,” I say pulling myself together, but what I can’t really grasp is the fact that she is still touching me.
She removes her hand, the space feels so bare, and continues eating her food. “I’m sure it was. Dad’s a little crazy.”
“Hey.” Dr. Nu smiles. “I can’t help it if I think the Seers are blind.”
They all laugh. “Don’t speak ill of our spiritual leaders, Nu,” his wife Naveen says. “They have saved many lives with their guidance.”
Dr. Nu winks at me. “You’re right, I’m sorry,” he says. “But I won’t apologize for having the opportunity to sit at the table with my family over a nice chewable, delicious meal. The Seers can put me in the ground for disobeying them if they want to, but they can’t change the fact that I’m the happiest man alive.”
“You should have been a writer, Dad,” Purity says. “Then someone other than us can endure you’re sappiness.” Dr. Nu smirks and tangles his son’s hair. They laugh and remain eating, I can’t help but join in, and listen as Dr. Nu, and Naveen tell of stories of extravagant meals. They speak of savory pieces of animals of the sea. Sugar, that sweetens, made delectable deserts. Dr. Nu loves noodles. And Naveen loves chicken in a sauce called bourbon.
Dr. Nu rubs his belly and pushes away from the table. “Alright friend and family, I have to at least get two hours of work in, before they report me.” Dr. Nu bends down and kisses Naveen. They stare into each other’s eyes for a moment. Then he heads to the door. “Love you guys, please stay out of trouble.”
“Bye Dad,” they both say as he walks out. As soon as the door is closed, Naveen removes our plates and flips the table over until a board appears. Half of the board is brown and the other half shows a very beautiful picture of part of a woman’s face.
Purity rushes to the cabinets and disappears inside. After a few seconds he pops out with a can the height of half of his arm, and sits down at the table.
“What’s this?” I ask as they look at it intensely.
“It’s a puzzle,” Naveen says. “I design them, and then we spend our days rebuilding it.”
“The seers don’t allow us to do anything but meditate, sing, or air dance. Sometimes we don’t want to do that, so we stay in and hang out,” Purity says.
“We can’t tell Dad, because he has a hard time keeping things to himself,” Kintin says.
“I love him to death, but he’s too much of a sharer,” Naveen says smiling.
“How does it work?” I ask them.
No one looks at me like I’m mad, or out of touch. They all begin to try and explain it to me at the same time. After everyone laughs, Naveen tells me all I have to do is match the pieces with their edges until the picture is finished.
Kintin takes ahold of my hand just as I begin to connect two pieces that might match. “Come on, we can do this later,” she says pulling me out of my chair. “I want to show you something.” Purity and Naveen never look up from the table as Kintin drags me out into the newly familiar world.
“Where are we going?” I ask her. We race out of the sliding doors, and head up the main spiral stairs.
“You’ll see. How long are you going to stay with us?” Kintin asks.
“I’m not sure yet,” I say, not telling her that I don’t really have a place to go.
“Are you a boy or a girl? Dad told me not to ask, but I want to know.”
Again I avert my gaze from her probing eyes. Is she mocking me? No, I turn my head and see softness and wonder. “I’m both.”
Kintin beams, takes my hand, and drags me through another sliding door. We enter and she crawls into a tunnel to reach the fire light on the other side. I look around while apprehension grips my chest. “Saved?” Kintin calls. I uncover my courage and crawl into the black hole. When I reach the end I stumble out.
We are in a room with glass windows on the ceiling placed in circles. All along the walls are drawings of islands, boats, clothing, and more. The array of curved lines suggests each drawing was created by a different hand. Kintin laughs in the corner as I walk around in wonder.
Blue skies, tall grass, water falls, animals swinging from trees, and more are depicted on the walls. “What is this?”
“Some are visions people see while meditating or dreaming,” she says. “Many of the air testers return from the surface swearing they saw an island with the clearest sky.” Kintin walks in a circle, her eyes stay on me. “The seers say they are hallucinating from the poison, but I think they’re telling the truth.” Kintin takes my hands. “Will you take me there?”
I nod my head without thinking. “If I come across an island, I’ll come back for you.” She squeals, jumps up and down, and then wraps her arms around my neck hugging me tight. She’s so soft and beautifully designed that my arms automatically enfold her. This I can get used to. Kintin draws her head back and our eyes lock. Her lips part. What I could do next I’ve only seen by spying.
“Kintin?” A deep voice pulls us out of our thrall and saves me from showcasing my amateur skills. Kintin jerks away from me and smooth’s her clothes down.
“Roark?” She says to the massive boy with sandy brown hair. He peddles over to her side. “Saved wanted to see the drawings of the island.” She laces her fingers into his. “He’s going to find it Roark, and he promised to take us there.” My stomach sinks. No, I promised to take her there. I move away from the boy’s glare, and from her masculine wishes. For a moment I thought she accepted me, but of course in the end I have to be either or.
Roark glares at me. “Are you trying to take my fiance from me?”
I hold my hands up to the sides of my face in a show of innocence. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” My foot hits the opening to the wall. “I should be getting back now.” Something pushes me hard in the joint behind my knee, it buckles, and I fall onto my face.
“Roark, leave him alone,” Kintin cries out just as oversized hands pull me to my feet by my shoulders.
“It’s your first day so I’ll go easy on you,” Roark says. Another boy around his size comes into view laughing and egging his friend on. “I’m the leader around here. This is my turf.” He points to Kintin. “She’s my turf.” Roark turns around to smile at his friend and then throws a sloppy punch that I easily block. I knock his hand down and sock him in the kidney. He yelps and falls to the floor clutching his back. His friend runs towards me throwing his arms in a wild cycle, I push them out and execute a double open handed punch into his chest. He flies off his feet and lands on his back.
Kintin is standing there ogling. I nod at her and then duck out of the opening. Mama made it mandatory for every living being in Garden Home to learn how to protect God’s world. Mama says the flesh wishes superiority and devious tendencies. She says we do not walk that path, but we must defend our home. According to Dr. Nu, my body is my home, so I must defend it. Too bad Roark and his friend didn’t take the time to get to know me.
As I walk down the stairs back to the village. Purity leans on the wall thumping his hands to some form of beat.
“Roark, bothering you?” He asks when I get near. His muscular shoulders and slim waist are tantalizing in his black see through nit top, and black fitted pants. “I saw him and his sidekick head up there.”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” I say.
Purity grins. “Dad sent me to give you a quick tour before we call it a night,” he turns around. Brown eyes consume me. “That’s if you’re not too tired.”
“No.” I pause to look deeper. “After you.”
