Elements

Chapter 8 - Canada

On the other side of the door, I almost walk into Zanna. The hut is a lot smaller than I originally thought. Inside The stone walls surround a spiral staircase. The landing is half the size of the hut yet still not much room to stand in. If no one were on the stairs, three people might be able to stand comfortably. The stairs, however, are quite wide, allowing space for two bodies side-by-side. Eli and Zarco are both standing, waiting on the landing. Zanna and I take the gentlemanly hint and walk ahead. The stairs spirals in two full circles, ending in a big open room. It is quite a shock as I wasn't expecting a brightly lit room. I don't really know what I was expecting though.

There are many paintings hanging on the red walls, all of various kingdoms and realms. On the left of the room, there is a map covering most of it. Half of it shows the layout of the world below us and the other side of various unseen realms like our's in the sky. Our realm is drawn in a light blue and white, the red map being the fire realm, another white and black for the ice realm and green, the nature realm. On the big Earth map, the realms are pointed out, labelling all the different entrances to them. The water realm is also drawn out in the oceans on the Earth map. With one big kingdom name standing out 'Atlantis'.

Across the room on the right is the information desk, a man standing behind it, his head down. Filling the open space are many shelves creating aisles which are filled with souvenirs, food and clothes. There are three other people in here. Two of them, a man and a woman, on the right, looking at food. The other is a man by the information desk.

I walk straight to an aisle of souvenirs. Zanna walking over to the left to check out some clothes. Eli walks straight to the info desk, the other man leaving through a big, black door on the back wall. The man at information desk looks up and takes the money Eli placed on the counter.

The souvenirs I am looking at are all about Mehco, each containing its symbol. There are mugs, bracelets, flags and even sandals, all brown with the infinity symbol represented proudly. There are so many things ranging from useful household equipment to silly toys and decorations. I turn to the other side of the aisle and something catches my eye. It is a big floating cloud about the size of my hand with a circle indent in it. I look at the boxes which contain more of them and see that a mug is supposed to be placed on it. I turn around, grab a brown infinity mug and place it on the sample. The cloud bounces slightly yet doesn't drop the mug. Impressed I look round for Zarco to show him but can't see him. I take walk to the end of the aisle and turn left. As I walk to the wall I look down three aisles spotting Zanna in one of them. When I get to the wall with the map I see Zarco crouching staring at the bottom of the map.

"Whatcha looking at Zarc?" I walk closer to see him looking at a small island.

"Just reading all the strange names of these places. Like this one is called Oos-tray-lie-a and this one New Zee-a-land." His mouth looks uncomfortable as he tries to read them. I bend over and see a big island and two smaller islands. The names of both bolded. It is only now I realise that the map is moving. The waters around the islands swaying in their currents. There is a kind of light white that resembles the movement of the wind. In some places, it is dark and looks like rain. The map must be in real time, showing the real weather and seasons.

"Zarc, I'm not so sure that's how you pronounce them." But how am I to know. I walk past Zarco who is still reading out names and laughing at them. My focus is in the middle of the map, 'Atlantis'. In the centre of the ocean right of the place named U.S.A, is the name. There is a big castle with a city around it. It is brightly coloured, thinning out the further it spreads. I look lower down the map.

"Look at this one Zarc. It's called South Africa, like na-duh, I wasn't going to call it West Africa no was I?" I laugh pointing at the tip of a rather large piece of land. Zarco laughs, shaking his head. I turn around looking for Zanna. She's two ailes away, Eli approaching her. She sees him, greeting him with a side hug as he nears. I nudge Zarco, pointing at the two of them. It's still weird to see them together and I know Zarco can sympathize with my feelings towards them. He makes a slight noise as he mimes gagging, Zanna and Eli both turn their heads. Zarco and I duck behind the shelf as quickly as we can. I take a breath, grab a book from the bottom shelf and stand up.