Weight of the World: Chapter Three

The Earthmother

Falling asleep, as I would later find out, was not in my best interest. Or rather, the method that was used, anyway.

I'd nodded off after after Trevor used his magic touch and was prompty carried into the tub. It was from there things got weirder.

I woke again in a bed, and for a split second I thought that this was all a fever induced drem. But when I opened my eyes, the world said otherwise.

The bed was in a tree. High boughs and a stern trunk held the mattress, and above me a dustybrown comforter shielded me from the light that slipped past the high leaves. It was very dreamlike, and once I moved closer to the edge and looked down, I realized it had to be.

I was hundreds of feet in the air, thousands of branches littered the trunk, blocking my clear view of the ground. The only thing I could see at the bottom was a small swing-like contraption, a square wood panel tied to a bough with rope. And yet despite its height, I wasn't afraid.

This was just an induced dream from Trevor.

I swung my body around on the matress freely, revelling in the royal canopy.I kicked the green covers off the bed and settled deeper into the spotted sheets with pure bliss. They were warm and comforting, like a warm summer day or a mother's hug.

And when I was done enjoying the big life, I decided to check out the ground. I threw my legs out of the canopy and over the mattress, pushed, and felt the air and wind against my legs and arms. The branches swayed out of my way and I landed on my feet, with a bit of a jolt, just next to the swing.

And I was terrified.

A vast expanse of absolutely nothing. The land was covered in hardened light brown dirt, cracked and shriveled as though it had never seen rain or water. I looked into the sky and saw a red-purple color, strangely similar to the necklace. And that's when I noticed someone else.

A woman, wearing a dark brown veil, like wet dirt. It lightly covered her features which I could not see clearly, along with a darkly colored dress with many layers from what I could tell. Her feet were nonexistant, in that she almost seemed like she was made of the earth as she glided toward me.

In the meantime, despite the barren landscape around me, I sat down on the swing and grabbed the ropes. As a child, we couldn't exactly have a swing, and our school didn't have a playground. I couldn't remember ever being on one, and although this one was hard against my butt and the ropes poked my hands painfully, not to mention the ghostly woman still comign toward me, I was going to enjoy it.

After a few minutes of pure silence, I heard the sound of shifting sand and looked up to find the woman was now very close to me. Behind her dark veil, I saw pristine, young features, and black hair curled in rings. She was stunning, sure, but who exactly was she?

Her skin was much lighter than my mother's, her hair much darker. She didn't have that same sculpted chin or the birthmark on her cheek, and when I looked at her I didn't feel homely or protected. I felt vulnerable, and even with her eyes closed I could sense her looking at me. Judging me.

"...Hello?" I asked bravely, reminding myself that this was just a dream. Behind her veil I saw the tiniest smirk on her face. She nodded and passed me deftly, instead positioning herself behind the swing. With a motion I didn't see, she pushed my back.

I expected to fall off the swing and hear her laugh, but remembered that pushing was how the swing worked. I flew gracefully into air, gripping the ropes tightly, enjoying the weightless feeling. Branches swayed out of the way to avoid snagging my hair, still tied in the red ribbons from my waking day. It was a bit srange to have a dream like this - a strange woman pushing you on a swing.

I wasn't prepared then when the woman finally spoke.

"Jump this time."

"What-!" She shoved harshly, hard enough to bruise, and I let go of the ropes. The shove senT me flying through the air, admiring the brutal and cracked landscape. Instinctively I shut my eyes and covered my face with my arms. I heard her again, startling close considering how high I was.

"Point to the ground, my child. Watch closely." Hesitantly I uncurled my arms, reminding myself with a mantra.

''It's just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. You can't die from falling in a dream, you'll just wake up''.

I opened my eyes and looked down at the ground, gasping. When my fingers traced over the patches of dust, they cracked and gave way to grass and flowers and weeds. I was happy about seeing them, weeds of all things!

I began to near the ground and pointed my fingers where I imagined I would land, and met the new patch of sunflowers with a dull thud. I lifted my head to see feet, and surely enough there was the woman, smiling down at me through the veil again.

"You could've given me some warning, lady." I murmured softly, sitting up onto my knees. She shrugged and kneeled down next to me.

"I wanted to test your reflexes, and they apparently very bad." Her voice was matronly, it reminded me of my mother's. That was the only thing about her that comforted me in this barren landscape aside from my new found talent.

"My reflexes are fine, ma'am. You can't just throw me into the air and expect me to do.....''that." ''I took a fistfull of grass from the ground and held it level with her eyes.

"Oh yes, I can. You would be amazed at what you can do once you open your eyes, dear."

Before I could respond, she moved a few of her dark layers and revelaed the very same necklace that the two men in the street tried to sell me. I looked back into her eyes, showing my confusion.

"You're familiar with my amulet? I've been looking to pass it onto you for years." She said calmly, undoing the clasp at the back of her neck.

"How did you....when....who...?" She held a finger up to my lips and offered the necklace to me, gleaming in her hand as though it made its own light.

Suddenly, the ground began shaking. My flowers snapped, the grass was dying. It was happening so suddenly, like someone had pressed a reset button. The necklace clattered to the dying and shaking earth. I looked into the woman's veil and saw calm fury biting her expressions.

"We're being disconnected." She said, gripping my shoulders. "Just do not forget this." She looked at the vibrant grass still clenched tightly in my fist. "I am your friend, Ramona. Trust me."

And she crumbled to dust.

--

I woke to my mother shaking me urgently. I tried to raise my head but foundmyself surrounded by.....daffodils. Pretty yellow flowers had sprung out of the bathtub. Ma and Trevor were pulling the patches of grass apart until I was free to get upand admire the shattered towels - full of holes made by furious grass.

"How did I...?" I looked to my mother, who hugged me tightly to her chest.

"I will tell you soon, Ramona." She looked up and at Trevor, who had just opened the valve on the sink.

"Prince Triton." She began, watching the sink begin filling with water. "Take us home."

Trevor - no, Triton - nodded and waited for the sink to fill up completely until it splashed over the sides. Around my back I felt her arms go limp and finally drop. My hair began feeling strangely clumpy and wet, and looking back I saw that Triton was gone.

"Mom?" I felt fear in my voice as the moisture touched my cheeks, but my mother just laughed.

"Hold your breath."

And at that moment, I submerged.