The Great Wide Somewhere

Chapter 4

"You don't seem as afraid as last night," he observed as he moved closer at a slow, tentative pace.

"You don't seem to be inciting fear like you were last night," I acknowledge. "What is your name?"

"You have one in your mind."

I dipped my face at the shame of my mental use of the word beast.

"Beast," he offered.

"You don't seem like much of a beast once you step from the shadows," I apologized.

"My name is Adan."

"Are you alone here, Adan? I haven't seen anyone else?"

"You haven't been looking very hard," he murmured to himself. "Yes, I am the sole inhabitant of this planet."

"You managed this castle by yourself, with no help? The feast this morning?"

"I would not say with no help."

"Well, I don't need that much extravagance for meals," I chided. "I do not care for waste."

"Nothing will go to waste, and perhaps the extravagance is only in your mind."

His riddles were chafing me, begging me to lash out in annoyance. "You promised to teach me about your planet and the Universe that appears to revolve around it."

"You promised to share as well. I have already shared my home, my food, my study," his hands filtered around the cozy room. "I believe you should share first. Tell me of your planet and your voyage here."

As much as I wanted to argue, he was right. He had been nothing, but a hospitable host, despite me being a captive in his world.

"You seem to know so much already, including of our books," my hand motioned to Don Quixote, but as it did, my eyes stalled, noticing that where I was sure I had laid the book, now held a copy of The Great Gatsby.

Adan had caught my ponder and stifled a smile that piqued something deep within me.

"I have studied your planet, your Universe. I can understand why the race would be so self-centered when you find yourself with little companionship from your neighbors."

It was a forgiving sentiment that we did not deserve. Perhaps if we were still stalled in the 21st century with no knowledge of the civilizations that lay beyond our star, but that had been shattered when we made the leap into space.

"I grew up in a small village. We all live in small towns now. The air in the city is much too acrid to spend any length of time," I explained. 

"And your family? Your planet is a tribal people. You cluster in packs." He settled into an overstuffed chair and motioned for me to follow suit.

I settled in across from him with the soothing cracks and pops of the fireplace separating us. "I am an only child. My mother passed when I was young from lung cancer. My father raised me, although he identified it more as corralled me."

Adan smiled at my joke as his eyes wandered through his own memories. His dark eyes did not seem as daunting as they first had. They were still pitch black, but they had a depth to them. They called to me like the caves near my home would. They were filled with unknown secrets.

"And you chose to explore because?" He prodded as his mind returned to the room around us.

"I have always been a searcher. I craved to know more. As a child, I always came home covered in dirt from chasing bugs or exploring the nearby forest. When I wasn't out learning what I could of the known, I was reading. I love books."

"Mmhmm, I gathered that." His eyes flickered around the room in a way that made me feel the space was as new to him as It was to me. His curiosity flared as his eyes scanned the books lining the wall.

"May I ask a few questions now?"

"Of course," he said with a nod.

"How come I can understand you? We have encountered many languages, and none have matched so well with the tongues of my planet."

"I am well-versed in many languages. It is part of the role of this planet; to understand."

"Is that why you also have Earth novels amongst your shelves?"

"The role of the planet," he nodded dutifully.

"Tell me something of you?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Why are you here alone?"

"The allure of this planet can be overwhelming for most. It takes a special being to both grasp and..." his words dropped out. "to grasp," he altered.

"The vegetation here seems to be much more lively than on my planet. The emory plants seemed to have intellect and feelings."

"Your plants are not alive?"

"No, they are, but they do not react the way yours seemed to."

"Perhaps they do, and you do not notice," he cocked an eyebrow to me, causing a laugh to pull from my lips. The reaction pleased him, twisting his face from a placid mask to a smile, perhaps not a smile but a joyful grimace.

"You seem to have a deep respect for nature."

"Only a fool would not respect what came before them and will live on long after them."

"Will you read some of these to me? They look fascinating, but unfortunately, I am not as well studied in these languages as you."

"These are not all books you know?" He puzzled at me.

"No, of course not. I have only been on Agathe for a year. I have not come across nearly as many civilizations as are represented here."

He nodded and reached for a nearby shelf without lifting from his seat. He glanced down at his selection with focused interest. "This was a favorite of mine as a child." He seemed please with me despite the choice being his.

As he read, I became entranced by the parting of his lips, the motion of the bones beneath his rough hands as he flipped the pages, and the tender flow of his voice. It was a beautiful fable of distinguishing need from want and duty from selfishness. It made me think of home. My father, struggling forward after the loss of his beloved wife for me. Even Luke came to mind, his easy, friendly demeanor despite the stature of his family. But mostly, I clung to Adan. This was Adan's tale.