The Problems of Another World

Some Other Place

Izzi was standing in the middle of a vast open space, a kind of mossy grass covered the ground, vines climbed up and stretched out almost forever, as if forming the hull of a massive vessel. She reached out and touched it. It was like a metal. On the other side the vast emptiness of space. She let out a sigh as she turned around. All around her was an intricate lattice-work of vines and hardened sap. This place would come to be known as 'Home'. She began to get a glimpse of the enormity of the vessel she was inside of, when she looked behind her and saw the mountain, and three roads leading to various places from where she was standing. The path to the left of the mountain led to a forest and path to the right leading to a lake. The lake was calling to her but the forest had a voice all its own. There were structures all around the three geographical features. Each seeming to come from a different alien race. Some in better shape than others. Some were just built better than others. All of them were still standing. She began walking to the nearest structure. And when she blinked her eyes, she was standing before it

Hannah's worry began to grow entangled with Izzi's own worry, like a nagging feeling that something is wrong, only to be beaten by Izzi's powerful curiosity.

But the worry quickly took back over when she heard a faint "h...e...l...p... m...e..." It came from the forest but she was so unreasonably far away that it felt like a 2-day walk. She began walking toward the forest and before she knew it, she was at the edge of the forest whose trees towered over her at a gut-wrenching height. The voice didn't let up. "Help me...."

It sounded like a dying being trying desperately to get some help before it's too late. Had Izzi not hit the button today, the being may not have survived.

After what seemed like only a few minutes she came upon the sound. It was emanating from a small creek where it was being blocked by rather large fallen tree. Izzi reasoned that if she could remove the log that it might be the help that is being asked for. As if in agreement the river babbled "help... remove". Izzi grabbed a length of sturdy vine wrapped it around the part of the log in the mouth of the river. Then threw the vine over a nearby tree branch and hoisted it up until it flipped out of the mouth of the river. A rush of sound that is only ever been heard in the depths of a distant isolated forest.

Then the babbling really began. Whole words coming out like the splashes of river rocks. Some loud and thunderous others barely registering to the human ear. It began babbling loudly about the mountain cave missing a certain stone to allow its propulsion. And quickly and quietly about the impurities in the lake that can be cleaned by a certain plant in the forest. It spoke of exact quantities and exotic locations. Through all the noise Izzi heard one that caught her attention. It was the part about a Pan-cultural, Ultra-dimensional, communication apparatus designated "ZYG". So, she spoke "help me find ZYG." Izzi openly pleaded to the stream.

It responded with a near unanimous "In a cave at the base of the mountain and at the bottom to the lake the levers must be pulled simultaneously." while quiet babbling repeated important information like "In the cave of marble to the right is the lever." and "By the entertaining choral swim fast for it approaches slowly."

All the necessary information was repeated until Izzi stepped away and the noise of a gentle stream returned. She reeled at the complexity of the task ahead of her. Her head began to ache. She figured that if this doesn't work and they became stranded, Renner would understand.

And almost as if it was natural to her Renner occupied the same space and time as Izzi. "...she's fine." Renner finished as he took a step out. He turned around to face her and with a big grin and a giant bear hug said "I was just telling them you were fine." her relief was amplified by Hannah's realization that Renner was "winched" and that means that she's alive, for now.