Chapter 2.. ^_^
“ Arghhh…ouch..” uttered weakly by Changmin
He felt a sting of pain from his head and touches it. He saw blood on his hands.
“Damn!” he shouted.
“What the heck happened?” Changmin wondered.
He tried to remember what had happened and the last thing that he could vividly remember is that he was falling on the crack while the winged lion watched him fall down with the fierce eyes. And after that, he just found himself helpless on this unknown place with a bleeding head.
He wandered his eyes to where he is now. But the only things that he could see are leaves, bushes, and trees. The sounds of the birds chirping can be heard clearly. He looked up and saw a bright blue sky.
“What the heck. Where am I? He once again asked himself.
Changmin gathered himself around and stood up. He examined himself thoroughly looking for any casualties he had from the fall aside from his head. Fortunately he found none. But, he looks ridiculously wasted.
“Dang, if the others saw me like this they would probably be laughing their ass off,” said Changmin with the tone of self pity.
“I better find the others. Bet they are already worried for me,” Changmin said.
He walked and walked with no definite destination.
“Are there only trees and trees and trees here?” he said irritatingly.
He has been walking for hours and he couldn’t seem to find people, he can only find insects and …trees. He sat upon a rock under the orange tree leaves.
“Damn, no food, no water. How can I possibly survive?”
Suddenly something caught his attention, specifically his sense of smell.
“Hey, wait. Do I smell food?”
Changmin abruptly stood and followed the trail of the smell. Oh yes, when it comes to food Changmin can certainly smell it though he is a hundred feet away from it. And by that ability Jaejoong called him “ Maknae the Dog”.
And finally, he has found the source of the smell.
“Oh yeah!” he snorted. His stomach was now reacting to the smell. It’s now making sounds- sounds of hunger.
He found the root of it all under a big tree. He can see the smoke from the cooking finding its way outside the gap of its branches.
“Wow, the tree is cooking?” Changmin puzzled.
He went closer to the tree to see why there was smoke .Just as he was about one foot from it, he heard someone.
“What are you doing here?” with a small quite eerie voice. It was squeaky, the sound that can be compared to that of a small child. Changmin turned around and saw the source of that voice. He stepped back but he fell down when he stumbled upon a rock.
It was a small man, with a height of just over a human’s knee .Its face like that of an old man- wrinkled. He has a beard as white as snow and is wearing red pants and a white tunic with colorful accessories hanging on his neck. His eyes are round which can be compared to a cat.
“Wha.. what are you??? , he was so scared he can’t even pronounce the words with clarity.
“What are you doing here?” the creature inquired. You must not be here. You…you HUMAN!” the little creature shouted more like of a demand than a question. Its minute hand pointing at Changmin. Its eyes full of anger and fear.
“I don’t even know why the heck I’m here.” Changmin retaliated with fear.
“Augustus!” shouted by another little creature that came out from the tree. It was a she, Changmin presumed. It was wearing a green skirt and something that looks like an apron for the top. The she-creature is holding something that looks like a small spoon so small that it looks like a toothpick.
Changmin could no longer move from his spot. His body froze from all these shocking creatures that are talking and standing right in front of him.
“What are you doing?” the she creature asked the he-creature called Augustus.
“You are not supposed to talk to him,” the she-creature said.
“But, Enya I didn’t mean talking to him. I saw this human trying to sneak at our home,”Augustus reasoned.
“I don’t mean any harm. I happen to smell something good from your place. And, I couldn’t help but to follow it because I’m too hungry,” Changmin said to the small creatures.
But, it was not enough to prove his good intentions. The creatures were not satisfied. Their faces were still flagged with suspicion and doubts.
“Why are you here?” asked Augustus.
“Well, I don’t really know why I am here. The only things that I could remember is that I was following this winged lion in the forest and then the ground started shaking and it split then I fell on the crack and the next thing I know is that I’m here.” Changmin narrated.
It seems this reason was more valid enough than his first and the creatures are partially convinced. They whispered at each other. Changmin remained frozen at his position.
“So you were following the winged lion? I guess, you are an accidental passer,” said Augustus.
“Well sort of…I guess so,” Changmin answered.
“Well, do you happen to know the way home?”Changmin inquired.
“I know a way back from your world,” said Augustus
“Really!?” he quickly got up not even bothering the numbness of his body.
“Can you help me go back to my world? Please, guide me, ” Changmin uttered with plead.
“Well, I will help you go back. We don’t want you here either,” said Augustus.
Sounds good but it somehow stung a pain on Changmin’s side. It makes him seem like an intruder- an unwanted and useless person on the creature’s world. Thus, he was a threat to the balance of their world.
“Ahmm..Mister Augustus. If you don’t mind can I ask for something first?” Changmin inquired with shyness.
“What is it human?” Augustus replied.
“Well, you see….”
A familiar sound was heard. Changmin scratched his head with his right hand and the left on his stomach.
“I see. Don’t worry young man. You can first eat before you travel with my husband,” said Enya.
“Augustus, my dear, let us first let the young man eat. His body seems really needing it.”
Augustus just nodded his head in agreement and the couple creature guided Changmin to their little home- under the tree.
Changmin is a tall man and he had a hard time squeezing himself in entering the narrow pathways of their home. He could not go further under so they decided to bring the food outside.
“I’m so sorry for giving you burdens,” Changmin said shyly to Enya.
“It’s okay young man. It was not your fault that you came to this world.” she said assuring Changmin while serving him food.
Enya served the food on somewhat a coconut shell. Serving Changmin food on ‘their’ bowl wouldn’t be enough- imagine the size.
“I understand that it must have been hard for you,”she smiled.
Changmin took a spoonful of the food which the little ones cooked. He examined it first. It seems like porridge but with chunks of meat and vegetables. He no longer prolonged his agony and ate it. After some chewing and gnawing he said to Enya, “This is good! Really! Delicious!” He continued eating the food and finished the whole bowl of it in just a nick of time.
“Ahhh……that was really good,”Changmin relieved and more than satisfied.
“Thank you very much!” Changmin said happily to Enya.
“No problem young man and thank you for the praise,” replied Enya.
“Come on! Human! Let us go and we have a long way to go,” said Augustus.
“Yes sir!” Changmin replied
Changmin waved goodbye to Enya and he went off.
On their journey Changmin saw remarkable creatures that he wouldn’t even have imagined could exist. Fishes that could fly, snakes with two heads, frogs with 4 eyes and what the heck…….fairies.
What made him most fascinated is the river that changes its color, from blue to yellow to white.
He was so fascinated that he didn’t even take notice how far they have come.
“Ahmmm…excuse Mr. Augustus,” Changmin inquired while they were walking.
“What?” Augustus said
“What is the name of this world?”
Changmin’s face was curious. He wants to know everything about their world.
“Our world is named by our creator”, he replied
“Your creator?”
“Yes.”
“Does this mean that this world was created by someone?”
He was shocked to know that they know who their creator was. Unlike he’s world- the earth, whose creator remained questionable.
“It’s not that we have seen him/her,” Augustus said.
Changmin looked intensively at the little one.
“All we know is that this world was created by someone who is powerful”.
“This world, human, is called Pandora”
“Pandora…what a beautiful name,” he whispered to himself.
Finally, they have reached their goal. Changmin saw a cave. Outside it are trees with leaves of different colors- like a rainbow. Big boulders on its top and vines that hangs covering the entrance to the cave.
“There, human. That’s the way back to your world” pointing to the cave.
“Are you sure? I’m going to enter that creepy and dark cave?” Changmin uttered with fear and doubt.
“You do not have any other choice. That’s the only way that you can pass.”
Changmin has no other choice. And he was also lucky enough to meet this creature and help him. Being an intruder in this unknown world. He walked towards the cave but before entering he thanked the little creature.
“Thank you, Augustus for helping me”
“There’s nothing to be thankful for. I don’t want someone like you in this world and its better off your gone,” replied Augustus not looking at Changmin.
“Ahmmm..one last question” Changmin said.
“What are you creatures called?” he asked.
“We are called thumberlains” he replied.
“Thumberlains,” Changmin whispered
“Another one, do you happen to know what that winged animal is called?” inquired Changmin
“You are full of questions young man,”Augustus told him
Changmin smiled scratching his head childishly.
“It’s a Felthera,” Augustus answered.
“Oh, I see. Thank you,” Changmin told the little one.
The Thumberlain turned its back and set off to go back to his home.
Changmin entered the cave without hesitation. He wanted to go back on his own world, the world which he originally belongs to.
He walked without visibility not sure whether if on the other side he can see light or none at all. After a few more steps it was total darkness. Changmin became nervous. He cannot see anything not even a small spark of light. He can only hear his uneven breathing and fast beating of his heart. But still, eagerness prevailed and triumph over fear. He continued walking and finally, he can see a light. It was growing as he walks towards it. He walked fast …..He ran as fast as he could. He reached the light and finally he was out of the cave. The light he saw was the light from the house they were staying at.
He examined his surroundings he was on the river bank. He turned around expecting to see the cave he went through but none he found instead, he saw trees and bushes.
“What the heck?” he said to himself
He remembered his injured head and once again touched it. He could feel a bulk and blood has dried. He took a glance at his self and yes he still looks wasted. He ran towards the house, straight to their room. He was hoping that people would be looking for him but, all the people inside the house are peacefully sleeping like nothing happened from what Changmin was expecting.
“Impossible, I must have been gone for almost a day. They must have been looking for me. What’s happening?” he asked himself.
There in the room, he saw Jaejoong sleeping. He was on the same position when he left him. He glanced at the clock. It was five minutes past midnight.
He recalled that he went outside exactly at midnight.
“Dang, so does this mean that I was just gone for five minutes?” he wandered.
He was confused but there was a feeling which was very dominant at the moment. He was happy. He totally loved what had happened to him. An adventure which no else could ever imagine, he smiled.
He quickly changed his clothes. He did not want the others to take notice of his “wasted look” when they wake up. After changing he went back to his bed and the smile of happiness did not left his face.
“I’m such one lucky guy,” he said to himself proudly.
He went to sleep and drifted on his stream of unconsciousness. Dreaming about the Thumberlains, Felthera and the unknown world he has been to, Pandora.
Changmin wants to go back. He wants to once again witness its admirable existence.
************************
Morning….7:00 am
Everybody was awake and is eating breakfast on the riverbanks. But Changmin was still nowhere to be found
“That boy’s getting a bit lazy these past few days,” said Yunho biting a loaf of bread.
“He likes sleeping. You can’t really blame him we are on the countryside and the feeling of some relaxation is just too perfect.” Micky said
Jaejoong is standing on the river side taking pictures of the view. Changmin suddenly tapped his shoulders causing him to be startled.
“What the?!” Jaejoong shouted.
“Oh Sorry Hyung, I didn’t mean it,”Changmin said with a sorry tone.
“You’re giving me heart attacks Changmin,” Jaejoong said with his hand on his chest.
“Oh sorry, I made you worried for the second time”, Changmin said
“That’s okay Maknae, no matter how many heart attacks you give me it’s okay as long as you can say sorry,” Jaejoong said with a wink.
“Hahahaa…..so you think you can handle more?”
Changmin looked at him with a serious face.
“What do you mean by that?”Jaejoong asked
Changmin replied a smile at him and Jaejoong became more puzzled.
That look on Changmin’s face made him nervous but he can smell something far more exciting.
To be continued….