Hours of Songs

Chapter 8: There is a Plot

Pops takes in the picture of my devouring lamb meat in the dusty cavern.

A while ago, I was led from the intersection. We went through the right passageway that leads us out of the cave and to the part of the forest where Pops hunts for the game. It is a hidden part of the cave. There was no need to pass the narrow route and alert Lim Tow of our departure.

This is the first meal I have had since we got here. For our drink, we obtained drinkable fluids from the nearby sycamore trees.

As Pops chews on his lamb, I continue my story of how I arrived in Maica. A small fire between us.

“Yeah, the next thing I knew was I woke up on a green pasture," I explain.

“You were on your bed when you closed your eyes, right?" Pops inquires.

“Yes, Pops. Before I slept, I left my pens and books in my study area. I was halfway through researching for my thesis. The concern is time. I have worked hard and I do not know when I can come and finish the project."

“You can forget about your project right now. The most important thing is surviving in Maica. Look. You might not live here. Your refusal to drink the lake water might cause your death. The best-case scenario, is by some magic you pop back home, alive, and all that is left is for you to fail your exam. However, you make it back home and are alive."

I shrug.

Pops laughs. “That's life," he declares.

Amid our conversation, I think about Lim. Being left alone, it might be concerning as time goes by. I try to bring up this subject matter, but not a word of concern can be uttered out. Pops reminds me that Maica could be my permanent home. The topic takes precedence.

“Take it as Citiland is the past. The whole career path is over. Try to live in the present and make it worthwhile."

My jaw drops. This is not civilization and not where I grew up. Furthermore, there is the whole issue of the lake water.

“I need to inform you, Sir. It has not been a day yet. I woke up and found myself here. There is time to head home to Citiland. Anyway," I try to change the subject and use a more strategic method. “Have you ever tried to leave this mountain?" I ask, reheating the meat.

While Pops answers, I chew.

“After a long while, you will recognize that there is only enough time for survival and getting used to this place," Pops explains.

“I have been wondering. We did not see you by the entrance. How did you appear behind Lim?"

This has been bugging me for some time now. Thinking of Lim, I am not too concerned about loneliness. He told me that he was always alone in Maica.

Pops shrugs. He is evading the question. It would be for his protection. I decide to change the subject.

“Pops, can you tell me more about your people's origin?"

Pops shrugs again. He has been looking uncomfortable at letting me in on information about his life. However, he has been helpful in terms of helping me survive.

“You are in my territory. When the time is right and if you are deserving, you will be given more information about who I am. I am willing to share with you resources," he answers defensively.

I guess I have no choice, but to be under the care of this mysterious man. So far, there have neither been red nor blue spirits to indicate either safety or danger.

Seeing my look of dismay, Pops opens up.

“When I arrived in the cave, I heard very heavy boot steps within the passageway heading towards the fire."

They are Lim's footsteps. I do not walk heavily.

“I headed to the direction of the visitors– Unwanted visitors, which means you and Lim who I have not known of then," explains Pops.

“I see."

“There are animals or insects that sometimes find their way in here. However, I was shocked by the sound of boots. Only this cavern is unkempt. The area where Lim sits waiting is not too bad."

I realize that the sound of the twig's c***k might have been an animal or an insect. There was no human in sight when there were sounds of life.

The last bit of lamb meat makes its way into my mouth.

“What do you usually do out there, Pops?" I ask.

Pops allows for a moment of silence and stares at the lamb bone in my hand.

“Do you know why they forbid you from entering this forest?" highlights Pops.

I lean in and am ready to absorb. “Why?"

Pops gives a degrading smile towards the ground. It is for the people who lead the k********g by the pasture.

“The forest and the land beyond are the real Maica," answers Pops. “Beyond us is a land filled with resources. Now, the pasture offers resources. However, they are mostly orchestrated by President Bear's men. That is not the real Maica."

Good thing I escaped, I think. “What's everything?" I inquire.

“You'll see."

“I don't get it."

“When you stay within the boundaries of the pasture, you are obligated to drink the lake water and sleep by the lake water," reminds Pops.

This is strangely abnormal. From what I have gathered, people have been transported one by one. Today, there are seventy of us. All seventy of us are required to drink from the lake water.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of heavy boot steps. This is what Pops heard from the entrance. The echo of heavy boots walking resounds louder and louder.

Lim is getting closer.

“Lim," I point out to Pops.

He looks at me with an expression that he already knows and nods.

“I still need more information about the lake water," I whisper loudly to Pops.

Pops gets up as Lim's boot steps draw closer. He motions me out of the cavern to head towards the left passageway.

I understand what Pops wants. He does not want Lim in this particular cavern.

Pops motions for me to walk in front of him. He walks behind me without halting, signaling me to keep moving forward.

We meet Lim midway in the center passageway after the intersection.

Behind me, I can already feel Pops' eyes turning into daggers. He stares at Lim with defensiveness.

“Oh, it's you, Pierre, what's going on?" greets Lim.

“Nothing. Why aren't you by the fire?" I ask.

Then, lean forward to whisper loudly so Pops hears, “It's rude to walk about in someone's home."

This is to mitigate further explorations from Lim here.

“Okay, just checking and exploring. There's been no news for what seems like…" pauses Lim. “Hours," he emphasizes.

I chuckle. Lim was all alone.

“It's not funny," says Lim irritatingly.

“Right," I reply.

Pops places pressure between my shoulder blades with his index finger and I move forward, closer to Lim. He wants us out of this passageway.

“Oh, we are moving back in that direction?" Lim asks wearily while staring at the direction he just came from.

I nod.

We kept walking and walking with Pops behind us, passing by the space where Lim sat waiting, back into the narrow passageway. Very soon, we are at the entrance of the cave. We are being pushed out.

Before we leave, Pops cautions us.

“Do not tell anyone about this cave. Keep everything you have seen here a secret. It is for your safety."

I turn to look at Pops.

“When can we come back?" I ask.

Lim looks irritated. He never had a chance to dialogue with Pops. During this period, he has been waiting for my conversation with Pops to be over. Moreover, he knew that I probably ate something with Pops.

All he did in the cave was spend time alone in the wide-open space where the crackling fire source was located. Okay, I kind of feel bad.

When Lim turns to walk out, Pops places a cloth filled with lamb meat in my left palm.

“For your dinner," explains Pops in a whisper.

Pops initiates an awkward hug and whispers, while Lim turns to look away from us and to the route out.

“I have something for you in the bag too. Don't let Lim know."

I have to check later when Lim is not watching.

As we head out to the forest, I take one last look at Pops' eyes. They were the only ones apart from me, who I had seen, with clear eyes.

Lim and I stop in our tracks and watch Pops enter the cave, his home.

“Where are we going then, Pierre?" asks Lim.

Pops said everything is in the forest and beyond. We should be able to find shelter here.

“To find shelter of our own," I declare.