INITIATION ULTIMATE, Chapter 20.2: Narrated by Saphara

A bittersweet farewell is what Saphara must now witness as she says goodbye to the Initiate who has helped her the most.

The sky has brightened once Attenti and I make it back to the medic tent, two exhausted and dehydrated thirteen year old kids who have traveled throughout the nighttime with neither drink nor rest.  My legs feel like heavy weights, and my shoulder cramps from Attenti's weight upon it.  He can hardly put any weight on his injured ankle without giving a little moan, although he spares me his usual complaints.  We're in the same boat, and he understands that.  And our situation could be worse, for we could be like Rede and Talaimai...

 

            "Saphara!" a tired but excited voice exclaims as we near the tent.  "Attenti!"

            "Looks like the boy is hurt, Warleader," a voice points out.

            "Well?  Medics, what are you waiting for?  Go get him.  But no surgery.  I assume you understand my policy on this now?"

            “Yes, sir.  We won’t ever do it again, sir.”

            I strain my eyes to see the person who had called Attenti and me.  I’m thoroughly certain that my name caller is my brother.  There’s someone standing in front of me, but suddenly my surroundings are blurry…  Attenti shakes my shoulder a little with his arm.  “Let’s keep going, Saphara. One more step, we’re almost there…”  Yes, one more step…  I take a step forward, then another, then another…

 

            Attenti parts the tent flaps and we limp inside together, where I lower him down on the ground.  Immediately, medics swarm him and bring him to a stool, where they begin wrapping his swollen ankle with white bandages.  I hear him groaning in pain as they touch his bruise, and his groans make me want to sit down.  I’m not feeling too well, myself…  My head swims.  Vision rapidly declining, darkness fills my periphery and begins spreading toward the center of my blurry eyes.  I mumble for assistance, but all the medics are too busy attending to Rede and Attenti to hear me.

            “Saphara doesn’t look too well,” a weak, worried female voice says.  Is that Rede?  Is she okay?  I blink, looking in the direction of her cot, but my eyes have already become too blurry to make out images.  Suddenly, I feel my body sway, and I wince as my cheek hits the earthen ground.  “Ohmygosh…oh no…,” Rede’s voice wails, “Saphara!  Help her!”

            I feel the Exodus roll out of my hands, and I blindly grab for it.  “Grab the Exodus!” I cry before my senses fade into darkness.

 

            When I come around, I’m lying on a cot.  My mouth has been pried open, and one of the medics is holding a spray bottle full of water.  Still unaware that I’m conscious, she sprays the inside of my mouth once, raises my head, and then closes my lips.  Is this how they hydrate unconscious people?  I wonder to myself.  Doesn’t that put me at risk for choking?

            Rede’s the first one who notices I’m awake, and she calls for the medics to get me some water.  “I’m sorry,” she says from her cot beside mine, eyes apologetic.  “I’m sorry that because of me, you were harmed.  I never wanted that to happen.  I told Talaimai to stop you, because I sensed something would happen, but he refused…”

            Sitting up, I brush the hair out of my eyes and look through the propped open tent flaps.  The sky is even brighter than before, and the sun’s rays shine through the trees.  It has to be around evening, so why hasn’t Rede left for home yet?  “Why are you still here?” I ask, ashamed of the rasp in my voice.  I bring the medic’s canteen of water to my lips, trying not to think about if it was used before.

            “Guilt,” Rede says ruefully, looking down.  “Both you and Attenti were dehydrated, you worst of all.  I think that’s why you fainted…  You were both also exhausted, and I don’t think Attenti has slept this long, yet.  Look at him.”  She points to the opposite end of the medic tent where Attenti lays on a third cot, his head burrowed within a pile of mangy blankets and his strained ankle wrapped up in thick bandages.  His arms are curled up to his chest as if he’s hugging a stuffed animal, making him look young and vulnerable.  “I wanted to make sure that you both were alright before I left.  I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself otherwise, knowing that I left two kids who had put themselves in danger for me.”

            “I’m glad we did it, though,” I say, looking at Rede’s tired face.  She looks so much worse than before, bags under her eyes and a slight tremble in her arms.  “I mean, I don’t think I’d be here without you and Talaimai.  Your support means a lot for me, and I’m glad that you’ve taken care of my brother for all these years.  I owed it to you.”

            Rede gives a sad smile.  “Well, I’ll miss you all.  I wanted to stay until it my time ran out here, because… well…  It just makes me proud to be a part of something bigger than myself, you know?  I like living in this sort of society where its effort that defines an individual, not resume, age, or social class.  And, you heard what Talaimai had told me before he sent you both out, but I love him, too.  You and Attenti… you both feel like family to me, as well.  Leaving would feel like a part of myself has been ripped away, but I’ll see you all again.  I know I will.  You’re all capable of excelling here.”  A dreamy look fills her eyes.  “One day when we’re older, we’re going to have a reunion.  You, me, Tal, and Attenti…  We’ll all eat until our hunger has been satiated, and we’ll do something unforgettable.”

            “I’ll look forward to that every day I’m here,” I reply, marveling at the future picture.  “We’ll have to buy a lot of ice cream… Doesn’t that sound delicious?  With all the heat here?”

            “It sounds wonderful,” Rede agrees.

            “Ice cream,” slurs Attenti.  He burrows himself deeper within the blankets, still sound asleep.  Rede and I share a smile.

            “Should I wake him up?” I ask.

            Rede shakes her head.  “Let him rest.  He deserves it.”

 

 

***

 

            “I’m waiting no longer,” Tal declares as he enters the tent, coming to kneel beside Rede.  “It’s been long enough, and I’m not waiting until dark to send you up into the skies.  It would be too dangerous for you, and waiting that long will only worsen the venom’s effects on your leg.  Can you even feel the effects yet?”

            “My leg is still numb,” Rede says, her eyes wide in anticipation.  Just a moment longer here, they say.

            Talaimai looks satisfied with her response.  “That’s good.  If we send you up now, then hopefully your leg will stay numb until you reach the United15.”

            “I suppose you’re right,” Rede says, tears in her voice.  Her breathing picks up as she swings her legs over the side of cot, standing up with support of Talaimai.

            “Hey,” he says, all emotions in his voice disguised in a monotone, “It’s for the best.  It’ll be alright.”

            “I hope so,” Rede says, clinging to him as if she will never see him again.  I remember how she had told me of her skiing competitions in a land where the snow never melts.  A miserable thought arises, what if she never sees him again?  What if she lives so far away that her dream of a reunion will never happen, and she will never see any of us again?

            “Rede, Tal, wait for me,” I shout, sprinting out of my cot.  I remember Attenti, and I rush back to drag him out of bed before Talaimai and Rede get too far away.  Whatever happens, I know that he would want to be there to witness it.

 

***

 

            “All Initiates, clear the way!  You heard me; we’re activating an Exodus here.  Unless you want to be crushed, I’d suggest you move,” Tal broadcasts.  The sky has darkened considerably by the time we made it here, but not to the point where we can’t easily see where we’re walking.  Currently, we’re in a field surrounded by dozens of Initiates, all harboring curiosity in their eyes.  Why are they curious?  Is it because they recognize Talaimai and Rede?  Is it because they know of Rede’s bite wound?  Is it because they don’t know what an Exodus does and are eager to find out?

            “What’s he talking about?” Attenti asks nervously, using a walking stick to support his ankle.

            “I don’t know,” I reply.  “When you were sleeping and he was talking to Rede, he said something about sending Rede up into the skies.  I don’t know what that means, but I think it will be a sight to see.”

            “Oh, right!” Attenti exclaims, perking up with realization.  “It’s the rockets!  My brother said that the Initiates return to the U15 in rocket-like machines!  Can’t wait to see this…  It should be awesome!”

            “Yeah, but then Rede will be gone,” I say gloomily.

            “Still,” Attenti insists.

           

            We watch intently as Talaimai pushes the sides of the Exodus inward.  The sphere’s hemispheres separate, revealing a glowing green screen in the center, and Talaimai gives the Exodus to Rede.  Return home?  It asks both aloud and on screen, and two possible answers appear:  ‘Yes,’ and ‘No.’ With a quaking hand, Rede presses ‘Yes,’ and waits for the next question.  Please insert returning Initiate’s fingerprint, the Exodus requests, and Rede does so quickly.  After processing the fingerprint, it asks, Are you Rede Arwain, Seventeen Years of Age, #5733547?  ‘Yes,’ Rede selects.  Do you feel comfortable saying that your value of ‘Guidance’ has been proven, and are you comfortable testing for this?  Yes.  Will you need medical assistance upon returning to the United15?  Yes.  Please place Exodus device upon flat ground, twenty square feet away from any people, including yourself, or large objects.  When you have done so, press, ‘Ready.’  Ready.

 

            We all back away from the Exodus.  Talaimai and Rede embrace for the last time, looking into each other’s eyes with sadness and hope.  In the fading light, I can see the tears in their eyes, and I try to hold mine in, too.  I will miss Rede a lot, I know I will.  And Talaimai will, maybe even more than I will.  I’m still worried about what changes will take place once Rede has gone…  My worries are momentarily stifled as Talaimai brings Rede closer to him, and I see something happen that I’ve never seen in real life before:  a kiss.  As it is happening, a small, silver rocket-like machine settles behind them, and two doors slide open.  You have one-hundred twenty seconds to enter, a robotic voice advises, and the large number ‘120’ projects onto the rocket with green light.  Initiating the countdown.  120…119…118…117…116…115…114…113…112…111…110…

            Rede and Talaimai pull away from each other, and we all take the time to thank her for everything she has done.  Attenti wishes her a safe trip home, and I tell her that I won’t forget what she has taught me, and that I’ll take care of Talaimai for her.

 

            30…29…28…27…26…25…24…

            “Let’s go, Rede, before your time is up!” Talaimai encourages.  He supports her as they rush in the direction of the silver machine, hurrying her inside.

            “Farewell, Rede.  I’ll miss you,” I can hear him saying from a distance.

            “See you!” I shout so that she can hear me.  “Thanks, Rede!”

            “Bon voyage!” Attenti hollers.

 

            Talaimai rejoins us as we watch Rede take off into the sky.  The blue light emitting from the rocket reminds me of “The Day of Many Lights,” where Handal and I told stories on the rooftop as we watched the Initiates depart to the Initiations, although now it’s just the opposite.  Instead of Rede going to the Initiations, she’s going home now, and we gaze into the sky until her light fades from sight.  Good luck, Rede, I whisper as stars replace the bittersweet blue glow.  Farewell.