Arthur Turner and the Elevator Of Time

The Seiche Conductor

C h a p t e r F i v e ~ The Seiche Conductor

Arthur woke just a few hours later. If he had not been so determined to find

Marion, he would have slept from his weariness far into the next day.

Standing up, was the first thing he did that night, and the hardest. He was

already having another weakness spasm. He legs were shaking, and his

breathing was short. He struggled to stay awake. This was the worst time for

this to happen to Arthur. Even though it barely slowed him, it wearied him

more than normal walking.

The first thing he did, was begin calling again for her. Perhaps she had

walked while he was asleep and was closer to him now. Nothing much came

of that. All he could hear was the echo of his own voice.

Arthur ran back and forth from where he began, to the stairs, and even

further. But nothing came of it.

The sun was going down, it was nearly dark. Arthur was worried for Marion.

He was scared of what dangers might be there for her, wherever she was.

His anxiety was ruining and exhausting him. He knew he could not do this

for much longer. If Marion was anywhere it was nowhere he had looked.

Arthur stopped to catch his breath, and leaned against a gate clutching the

bars with his eyes closed and his head bent down.

"I have to find her." He said, panting.

When Arthur opened his eyes, he saw for the first time, what lay behind the

gate. It was the same pasture that Marion had seen. He was surprised at never

noticing it before till then. It didn't seem significant then, but it was the only

place he hadn't searched.

Arthur leaned in closer and looked out. And then he saw it. He saw her! Only

for a quick moment, far to his left.

There she was walking out from a near by gate. His heart leapt out of his

chest and he nearly shouted for her. But then she was gone the next moment.

Arthur's heart sank deep. This time he held back his emotion and kept back

his tears. But he struggled to. He swallowed constantly to stop himself from

sobbing. He couldn't speak.

Where was she? How had she disappeared?

"She's there." He managed to say.

"I'm going to find her." Arthur took a deep breath. Now he could breath much

easier. His strength was slowly returning.

Arthur decided without a second thought, to enter the pasture.

Wherever she was then, she got there by passing through a gate, so Arthur

thought he might arrive there as well, by a different gate. This would have

been the case, but then Arthur turned the lock the opposite way Marion had,

and so Arthur was bound for a quite different place.

The lock clicked, quite hard, and then the gates opened. Arthur ran through,

beginning to call for Marion, but he was stopped short when he found

himself walking through a stone bridge. Arthur stopped walking.

"Marion?" He said quietly.

Arthur looked around him. The bridge on which he stood, was made of

stone. It wasn't much like a bridge in fact, it looked more to Arthur like a

wall. It looked old and… then he looked behind himself. It was a very long

bridge.

It spread over mountains and mountains, and over hills, where he could no

longer see it.

Arthur looked down the side, and sure enough, he was standing on Great

Wall of China. And as he now could see, to the right it never ended, but to

his left just a few feet away, the wall came to an end that stood on a beautiful

beach.

Arthur walked back and forth, checking every turn, to make sure it was real.

It took some time for him to believe it.

Walking back to where he had first entered, did not return him to the gate.

There was no way out.

Arthur was extremely surprised by this. (As of course anyone is, and would

be.) It wore off quickly although. As this was strange, even greater was his

missing Marion. So instead of standing there in awe for hours, and looking

around wondering how it had happened, Arthur merely found his way off the

Wall and onto the beach.

For some reason, there it was dawn, and the most beautiful dawn Arthur had

ever seen. The sun was just barely showing itself from behind the sea. And it

lit up the waters with a miraculous beauty.

The sea itself, Arthur had never been to. Its beauty was amazing to him. The

sound of the waves, rushing back and forth slowly. The air was fresh and

indeed it was the beginning of a new day. Arthur loved the view.

He wondered why not everyone on earth spent each morning there, seeing

now how beautiful it was. The only people he saw there were few. Arthur,

had in fact not noticed them until now. And they were not walking down the

beach, or wading in the water as normally people would be.

No, each person there was seated down in black chairs forming half an oval

near the edge of the shore. And there, just in front of them, was a man. A tall

man. Standing there with a long black cape that split down the back, and

dark hair that was far too crazy to describe, holding a long baton. And just in

front of him were two rows of people, seated down facing him, each holding

different instruments.

The music that played was fantastic. Arthur had never heard anything like it.

It seemed to find his very inmost self, and demand all his emotions. He felt

he was inside the music. It was an overwhelming moment for Arthur.

The music was alive. So much so, that Arthur found himself walking across

the beach to sit down and listen. This was not, however, distracting him at all

from finding Marion, but it was a magical thing that drew him to listen.

So there he sat. Watching with amazement the man conduct beautifully the

even more beautiful music. It began dark. Its beat was captivating, the

violins kept it sounding alive.

Then it faded deep and emotional, it was so rich to Arthur. In fact, it was not

just this way for Arthur, it was also this way for every single person there.

Each one, had a look on their face, that made them look as if they were in

another world. They were dazed. Almost like crazy people. Little did they

know the true enchantment that grasped them.

All they saw was the music.

The conductor then started to move his arms about just a little faster. And

then faster. His hands now were moving about franticly matching each other

in a pattern. Like a mad man. His hair now flew about, matching his

craziness. The wind blew. His cape flapped about. His Baton quickened.

Then the music changed. It became louder. Much louder. As if it was carried

by a different thing than the instruments.

The players noticed this, and though they were also enraptured, they became

confused, and each stopped playing, but the music continued. And now even

louder.

The conductors baton now shone with brilliant blue that sparkled on the sea.

Then the waves began turning in and out faster and faster. The tide

quickened. The waves were rushing back and forth, just as the music did.

Going with its sound, suddenly, in just one moment, the sea rose up all

together forming a large wave that lifted to the heavens and beyond the

clouds.There it stood, still carrying the music. Then it leapt forth with great

speed, rushing towards the crowd. The conductor still moved about, still

commanding the water, the music still playing, even darker now.

Just above Arthur was a great wave.

It did not touch one hair on his head. Nor any one else there. Instead, it

continued farther, never retracting, never lessening it's speed, or the music. It

spread out, though none could see, from far below, to the clouds, cutting

across only the great Wall. This was all it cut down. When the waters reached

the stone, just quick as anything, from all around, it gathered the waters,

stretching it to a thin point, stopping for barely a moment. Then, it collapsed

forward, deepening into the wall, ripping through each stone, cutting it deep,

leaving nothing but pebbles on the ground. The waters continued onward.

There it spread, terrifying all who saw it, as it destroyed every square inch of

the great Wall. So quickly, that in nearly a quarter hour, the whole great Wall

of China was a great mound of wet dirt on the ground.

Arthur, sat there, along with everyone who could hear the music, staring into

the sky, like they were each tied down and could not move. And they did not.

Barely a breath was released from them. And there, the conductor did not

stop either. Not until the exact moment the waters met the stone. It was then

he jerked around, revealing ugly features and a sense of weariness in his

eyes. He had a dark shadow that fell beneath his face and stretched near his

mouth. Like a shadow not changed by the sun. Or a darkness not defeated by

any light. His eyebrows curled in the most unusual fashion, far bigger than

his own eyes. His hair continued to be more crazy from the front. And now

his cape was caught by the wind blowing about with his hair, wet as the

waters themselves.

That moment, he took one large gesture, releasing his hands as far back as he

could, pausing a moment, just as the water did. Then throwing his hands

forward even further. With this, the waters descended. His hands now rested

at his side. He struggled to breath, and he clearly had anger infecting him

deeply.

Arthur, now was released from the spell. He and all others, their eyes

blinked, and their color returned slowly. It took them all a while to remember

what had happened. Even who they were. Arthur, remembered quite quickly.

Marion was the first thing in his mind, which woke him as quickly as

anything could. The conductor stared at the each one of the people. Arthur

felt a shiver down his spine, when his eyes met the conductor’s. There, the

music continued, and so most of the people there, got up to look at the

amazing wave that devoured so much. Others went to help the few that were

on the wall when the wave had torn through. But Arthur stayed.

Arthur had never believed in magic.

He never had any reason to, there had been none he had ever seen except for

in Marion. But now the two things that could be nothing other than magic

was the elevator, and this man. They were connected some how. Therefore

Marion could not be far.

Arthur observed him closely despite the wave hovering over him, and the

chaos that surrounded him. He was deep in thought, struggling to breath. He

had sweat all over himself. His anger continued to grow.

The conductor’s legs now nearly collapsed beneath him. He tripped over,

dropping his baton, catching himself by a chair near by. His face almost

looked like it was beginning to break, and then he would begin crying. But

his face only got darker. He got back up again. Looking back one more time,

(and leaving his baton) he limped off, and disappeared into an alley.

Arthur slowly got up. His mind was still struggling to believe all that had just

happened. It was quite amazing to him. What that man seemed to be able to

do was quite spectacular. His intentions though, Arthur could tell were not

good. And now one of the most amazing things in Earth’s history was now

destroyed by a giant wave. It was unbelievable. Believing it was all a dream

would be more logical, but impossible, considering the reality of everything

that came of it.

Arthur's fist thought was to tell Marion of it, as soon as he found her. So

Arthur got up and walked to the baton, to show her, as proof. When he

picked it up, he now saw it really was blue. But not in color. There was a

wind of dust that blew around it and surrounded every inch, in a vibrant blue.

Arthur supposed, and was right, that this was magical as well.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Arthur put it in his jacket.

Arthur, from where he stood, could now see the conductor again. From a

very small slit between two buildings, somewhere in the darkness he stood.

Arthur couldn't tell what he was doing but he knew he must find out. He

MUST find Marion.

Before entering where the conductor was, Arthur reached into his jacket and

pulled out his glasses. (Arthur always put them on when he was nervous)

He straightened them, took a deep breath, and then walked forward.

Arthur's only intention was to find out who this man was, the one thing no

one else seemed concerned about at the moment. The man, however, saw

Arthur following him now, and believed he might be trying to attack him. So

he quickened his pace. Now the darkness hid him completely. Arthur

continued walking, knowing he still was somewhere there.

Arthur disappeared, into the crack, loosing all sight. Nearly tripping many

times in the process. As he got farther, the two walls tightened against him.

With each step, the walls closed him in tighter and tighter. Either the

conductor was incredibly small, or he took another route somehow. Arthur

now was completely stuck. Had he been any bigger, he would not have made

it the first inch. It was then that his glasses, being squished against his face

that lay flat against the wall, fell off onto the ground. Arthur froze. He heard

them shatter.

"No!" Arthur said quietly. Arthur nearly began crying again. His glasses were

nearly the most special thing he had ever owned, and now they were broken,

and Arthur couldn't even see, or fit enough through to pick up their remains.

Arthur turned back. This, of course was not easy. He did not turn around

completely however, instead he was forced to slide backwards as much as he

could, until he had much more space. Arthur paused.

"If I could see, I'm sure there is a way he went out." Arthur mumbled to

himself.

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a flashlight. Hitting it a few

times, it finally shone and Arthur now could see much clearer. In fact, he

blamed himself for never noticing the side of the wall that was a clear

opening. He also could see to his left, his glasses. There were a broken pile

on the stone floor. Arthur could have probably, and might have, found a way

to retrieve them. But he had no time, and there would be no use. It was hard

for him to leave them there. But he did. Forcing himself to forget about it

and not look back.

On he went, through another passageway, this time much less narrow, and

now he could see. As he walked further, he saw he was nearly out of the

alley. He could now barely make out daylight shining through. And the

sound of people walking the streets filled his ears. The wave must have

retracted into the sea, he thought. What an amazing sight that must have

been.

It was here Arthur stopped. Somewhere he had missed something. The man

was there, he knew it.

Arthur thought for a moment there was nowhere he could have gone. No way

out. The most he could have done, if he could, was somehow use magic to

hide himself, perhaps. As Arthur thought this, he suddenly felt a strange

presence behind him. Arthur turned slowly to his left, shining his flashlight to

reveal what it was. As Arthur did this, he saw at first it was a metal object.

With a black rimed down the center, just a bit higher, it had a light shining

down on him. It was an elevator!

"What?" he said.

Arthur, for some reason, was amazed by it being there. He didn't know why.,

but it took his breath away for a quick moment, hoping mainly, that perhaps

Marion was inside. He didn't waste a moment. Arthur dropped his flashlight

immediately and began prying the elevator open. Arthur spent all his strength

on this. Every inch of him felt pain, and he was weak, too weak to open it. It

didn't budge. Arthur let go, trying to catch his breath. Just as he was about to

try again, (and believe me, Arthur would not have stopped) the doors opened.

Arthur had not noticed a button he had just accidentally nudged that said

"push me".

Arthur was greatly relieved, neither did he wait one moment to enter. Arthur

stood there, sweating out of anxiousness, as the doors shut much too slowly

for Arthur. Then the noise was heard, and it rocked and turned. Arthur's

patience was wearing thin. The next minute it stopped, and the doors opened

again. Arthur ran out in haste, with much hope in his heart. Arthur now found

he was running straight through a gate just like the one he had entered

through. He was back!

Arthur couldn't force away a big smile.

He turned every corner, he ran past every gate. There at last, he found his

way back to the stairs he first fell off of. Arthur had only then thought to look

up there, perhaps she had returned while he was away. Arthur ran to the

steps, and began climbing. Arthur fell many more times than at first, each

time he was caught by the stairs. Arthurs heart beat quickly, faster and faster

with each step, his smile widening. There at the top, Arthur climbed into the

room. It had not changed a bit. The windows were still there, the door was

still hanging open. But no one else was there. Just Arthur, all alone.

Arthur had often felt this way. Marion was always to wonderful to spend

time with him, so he knew that once he found her, she would return to her

work, and he to his. His loneliness would only grow, and his love for her

only get even more splendidly greater. His one thought, was that if he was

going to spend any time with her, he would first have to make sure she was

safe. So Arthur waited. Seated in a chair that was near a wall in the corner.

He did nothing but sit. He never slept, and never moved from there. He knew

Marion would return. Just soon enough.