ASRAN SERIES- ACROSS THE BORDER

Chapter - 40

“I am sorry, all these things that are happening around us made my mind go blank and I uttered those words without thinking.” Sussan held Brenda’s hands and told her in an apologetic tone.

“Sussan, I know you never meant to say it in that way. So, do not stress yourself. Maybe, as my mom said earlier we need to concentrate only on finding out if the Ashes Lord is actually on our planet or not. It would be our most important priority right now as once we find him, I believe we can get more information about our unknown enemy,” Brenda said to her.

“That’s true. Let’s catch some sleep and tomorrow morning, we will travel north and explore that area. I don’t know why but I am getting a feeling that the Ashes lord is very close to us.” Sussan said and then held Brenda’s hands and told her, 

“I am really sorry. If needed, I will go to Asran and make every possible effort to stop this war.” She declared.

As Cathy heard that she became happy and pushed Brenda aside. She then said,

“Sussan, you are the best. You know when to apologize and even take a step back. Also, at the same time think of a solution even in such a difficult situation. Unlike someone, who is only good at eating and nothing else, you are the best.” 

Cathy proclaimed and knocked on her daughter’s head with disappointment. Sussan gave an awkward smile and then looked at Brenda’s red face.

She shook her head and signaled her to control her anger. Brenda huffed and puffed and then stomped her feet on the ground. She then announced, 

“I am going to sleep inside the dome.”

“Who said, you could sleep there? It’s mine,” Cathy argued and tried to stop her from entering the dome she created.

But Brenda was so fast that Cathy could not stop her on time. After reaching inside, Brenda tried to close the door of the dome and said, “Mom, you can sleep under the stars tonight.”

“How can you ask an old lady to sleep outside? Don’t you have a heart?” Cathy complained and tried to push Brenda out of her way.

“Then how can you keep insulting me from the time you saw me? Don’t you also have a heart?” Brenda asked her and pouted her mouth.

“Alright! Alright! That’s enough! You both can sleep inside the dome. Anyway, it’s too big and can accommodate you both,” Sussan came between them and stopped them from fighting with each other.

“But… are you not sleeping inside the dome?” Cathy asked her.

Sussan pointed at David, who was standing near their tent and waving his hands at her.

“He already made sure to put up the tent for us. So, I will be sleeping over there.” Sussan informed them.

“Oh! I thought I could try to unmask a set of memories…” Cathy said in a low voice.

“Mom, didn’t you always say that we cannot rush out on things like unmasking memories? You have always told me that we need to wait at least a week before we could try the next session,” Brenda asked Cathy.

As Cathy almost got caught in her lies, she could only smile and said, “Look, David is now impatient… You better go before he loses his temper. Anyway, it’s already late and... Moreover, we need to wake up soon to check on the Ashes lord.”

Sussan nodded her head and walked away from there. Once she was out of hearing range, Cathy glared at Brenda and said, 

“Can’t you mind your own business? Why do you have to interfere with whatever I say?”

“But mom, it was you…” Brenda tried to reason with Cathy that she was not in the wrong this time.

But Cathy then spoke in a stern voice and made her stop talking. “You better behave and this is not your husband’s home to act however you want. Now if you are not quiet then you leave me with no choice but to kick you out from here.”

All Brenda could do was bite her lips to control her emotions. She could not understand what her mother was thinking. She simply mumbled, “Whatever” and went to sleep in one corner of the dome.

 She suddenly missed her husband, James, and her son, Robert. She could not find out what they were doing now and it made her feel helpless. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

“You should have thought about this before running away from your home,” Cathy commented and rotated to the other side to avoid facing Brenda.

“...” Brenda did not even have the strength to argue with her mother any longer.

She pulled the blanket on top of her head and shed silent tears. ‘I hope tomorrow we find the Ashes Lord and sort out everything. He is the most powerful next to Asran's ruler. If he could sort this problem and stop the war then we can all go back home.’ She thought and a means of wish got enthralled in her heart.

When Sussan went near David, she noticed that he was not looking good. She touched his forehead and asked him, “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“I don’t know why, but I am having a feeling that something big is going to happen tomorrow,” David said while staring at the sky.

“It’s so unsettling that I am unable to breathe,” David rubbed his chest and told her.

Sussan took out a calming potion from her infinite pouch and handed it to him. David looked at her hand but did not take it from her.

“There is not much left after you gave some to Brenda. Keep it, you will need it later,” David said and entered the tent.

Sussan wanted to insist that it was fine but then she knew that he would still not take it from her. It had always been like that, as he hardly or never consumed any of the potions she prepared.

She let out a long sigh and put the potion back inside her infinite pouch. She then entered the tent after him and saw that David had already gone to sleep.

She laid down next to him and slowly asked, “Are you awake?”

“Mmmm…” Other than a hum she did not get any response.

“Why did you not come when I woke up earlier? We had been talking about that plant that resembles the miracle plant. If that plant is really Ginnewl then we have a chance to stop the war,” Sussan said.

“Mmmm…” She heard one more humming from David and nothing else.

“If you are sleepy then I would not talk anymore,” Sussan said and placed her arm on top of him.

David lifted her hand and turned towards her side. He then looked at her with sleepy eyes and said, “I am sorry, I want to talk to you too but I am too tired from all the adventures we had today.”

He then held her chin and lifted her head. He gazed deep into her eyes and said,

“Also, I did not come earlier because I thought you had something important to talk to Brenda. After you came out of the dome, you directly went to her instead of me. I wanted you to sort everything with her as she is your best friend."

“Thank you! Also, we talked about how Ash…” Sussan wanted to tell him about the Ashes Lord but then David kept his finger on top of her lips and said,

“Shh… That’s enough for tonight. Keep something for tomorrow as well. We have a long life and it’s not going to end right this minute. Now, close your eyes and sleep. I know you will need rest too…” 

He then patted her shoulders and drifted off to sleep in no time. Sussan closed her eyes but then sleep did not come over her immediately.

She recalled all the things that had happened after she left the border. She worried about her children who were across the border. 

‘I hope they are doing ok and Peter found out where Elly is!’ She mumbled and gripped her dress with shivering hands.