Hours of Songs

Chapter 3: Death May Lie in a Cup

Glazed Eyes. That is one aspect I have just come to realize. One commonality among everyone who is up here on the mountain is that everyone's eyeballs are not visible. It is there, but it is barely visible. Functioning as normal, they have clear vision.

While I was by the lake, I saw my reflection and did not seem to find anything amiss about my facial features. My eyes were not glazed. This is why only when I started to pay attention did I notice that everyone's eyes had little to no visible eyeballs. I wonder what everyone sees when they see their reflection.

I stare at the tall uniformed guard looming over Lim and me. His glazed eyes were the ones that jolted my realization that everyone here but me has glazed eyes. I ascertain that I might be the only one who notices eye abnormalities.

Am I the only one who can see these glazed eyes?

“Ah, the two young ones in here in Maica. Come with me and I'll take you to the others around your age group. Don't be rebels," the guard says. He might be, what I assume to be our kidnapper.

“Hello," says Lim to our kidnapper.

At Lim's greeting, he takes us both in.

I say nothing.

In class yesterday, our professor and retired staff of the national police force told us that criminals are always prepared to fight. Moreover, they usually have a weapon on them.

I stare at our kidnapper's legs. They are wide enough for him to launch a kick. He is ready to kick. Judging by his age being in his fifties, I can take him on without a weapon. I do not think Lim can fight him.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Officer Joseph Hank. You can call me Officer Joe. For almost trespassing, I have to take you in."

“Where exactly?" I ask.

“Follow me," he commands.

“We're here to explore," I smile. “We haven't broken any rules and I am interested to find out more about the handsome selection of fruits available here."

“Yes, if you go by the lake there are a variety of trees bearing fruits that I'd think you'd enjoy," he replies.

I have to get him to leave Lim and me or we would have to come back again without anyone noticing us.

“Ah, yes, fruit would be great," I smile and nod.

This exchange of pleasantry with this so-called Officer Joe has given me a different viewpoint of this mountain. The word “officer" has made the scenario more structured.

“Are you the security here?" I ask.

“Oh, no, I'm one of the ones transported here a few weeks ago. We have made an authority structure based on the earlier ones who have arrived. For instance, an agreement has been reached, whereby no delegate from our green pasture would be permitted to leave the boundaries set. You may come in with me to meet with the board to declare your arrival on this mountain and to reach an understanding of the rules here."

This could be the kidnapper or simply a man taking advantage of the situation.

“Besides," Officer Joe continues, “Our board is against the bringing in of any resources from outside these premises. It is also our consensus that we do not want any random person residing outside of our area of green pasture to be associating with us and taking our resources. There is no resource external from these boundaries that we have set up that we would want and or need."

He and this “board" have been out there in that mysterious forest, which they are forbidding us to explore. In a sense, we are kept within these boundaries by these unknown people who have been transported here. This is if they were transported to this mountain and not being a chameleon to blend in with those whom they have kidn*pped, for who knows what reason.

Officer Joe states matter-of-factly, “You can both come with me if you are done with this exploration."

Lim and I look at each other. We both signal a mutual consensus in following Officer Joe to meet the board, lest there be trouble.

“I've been here for five days and I haven't been asked to meet the board until now," questions Lim.

“You were overlooked," he blatantly replies.

My jaw drops as I look at Lim's response of total fury on his face. Lim is being mocked.

We follow the guard to a white tent overlooking the vast green pasture where everyone sleeps. I am guessing that the real reason why Lim was not noticed or not called was that he was not about to cross over to f*******n territory. Now, they need to find out who these rebels are and tame them. This is if they did not falsify their context.

The tent is guarded by two lower-ranking guards. They are holding wooden spears. It was unguarded when I met Lim.

“Officer, is everyone from Citiland or somewhere else?" I ask as we walk past the guards.

“No specific," he whispers.

His hairy hands abruptly pats Lim on the head. It freezes to a halt when Lim abruptly turns to look behind him, then up to Officer Joe's glinting eyes.

The heat from my glare must be really strong. Joe turns and threatens. “Got a problem?"

“Yes, everything is an issue now."

“Look away, Pierre Ray," he demands.

“Although we have been taken captive, do not a***e us," my teeth gritted.

Lim gasps. Then, looks at Joe's palms. He does seem to want to touch him more. Still feeling my stare, Joe pockets his right hand and the guard standing by on the left and right each open the tent's entrance from their respective positions.

As we enter, the red and blue spirits that were there this morning when I first got here fly around the tent's ceiling.

At the far end of the room, right across the entrance, is a bearded man with white and grey hair all over his face. He drinks from a wooden cup.

Officer Joe removes his right hand from his pocket, points to the wooden cup, and says, “That is water from the lake, boys. Water is delivered to us regularly. We have men for that," he points to the men around the tent.

“Welcome to the two young men. I am often referred to as President Bear Cane," the man opposite us has finished his drink and is welcoming us to what seems like his exclusive tent.

“We would also like to thank Joseph Hank for bringing the two young men to our acknowledgment!"

The whole tent burst into applause. They are the guards, servants, and probably other people from the pasture.

“Introduce yourselves," commands Officer Joe to Lim and me.

Lim and I stare at him point-blankly.

President Bear observes the situation, stands up, and lifts his cup with his right hand.

“I would like to offer our new guests a toast. Please hand them each a cup of water from the lake."

They are bringing Lim and me into the tent to poison us. Unfortunately, Lim does not think it is poison. I know it is poison. There is no way the water is normal. However, there is no concrete evidence. It just does not feel right to be zombie-like and head for the water.

Lim smiles at the servant who gave him his cup as if he had just won a trophy. He drinks the lake water every day.

I nod at the servant and stare at the lake water that I am about to take. Immediately, I see red spirits flying out of the cup. This is a confirmation of the abnormalities of the water. Surrounding me is an abundance of blue spirits.

Either I die drinking or die not drinking.