Behold the Scalded

Chapter Ten

I sat in the corner of Knoques, sliding the piece of hair at the nape of my neck through my fingers and relishing in the comfort of Lilac by my side. "It was as if the vines were trying to help me." I thought back to my strange encounter at the edge of the Scalded.

"It was definitely bizarre." He nodded as he chewed his bottom lip in contemplation. His knees bent near his chest. "If only I knew what it means. Seems like another case of the unexplained."

I went on, trying to purge the confusion by speaking about it. "As soon as I left the radius, my insides were attacked. Like all my organs just stopped functioning. I don't understand why that happened."

"The worse part was when your skin..." His eyes lingered on my dark complexion, examining it.

"Yes. It reminded me of my nightmare." The red place entered my mind, the bright vivid yet skewed atmosphere lingered in my vision. Also, the words from the news broadcast. Scientists hope to understand enough about the area and its inhabitants to see what it is and if it provides any benefits to medical and environmental progress. I sat forward abruptly. "Maybe the red place is where I find answers." The idea made more sense as the thought sat in my mind. "In that place, everything is like a dream but not."

"What does that mean?" He frowned in confusion.

"It means everything that happens there may feel as if it's really happening, including pain, but it doesn't apply when I wake up."

He nodded. "So?"

"So, I can use that place to study ... them. Observe them, learn from them, maybe I will find some answers. Answers that could help us stay safe here."

Lilac's eyes widened. "See, that's not a bad idea." Then his shoulders dropped. "Wait. Are you sure this plan is safe? You know even talking about it can be dangerous."

I sighed at his concern, fully understanding. "No, I'm not sure, but we can try. If all else fails, I have my television technique."

"Ok." Lilac lengthened his spine. "If you are ready, then I have your back."

"Good." I smiled, feeling confident and secure with his promise of assistance and protection.

Usually, I had tremendous anxiety at the thought of falling asleep. Sleeping meant visiting the red place where the things that happen there was literally the stuff of nightmares. But this time, I was more curious and anticipated what I would discover. What questions would be answered?

The Scalded had a certain smell about it—like the bottoms of a batch of burnt and blackened sugar cookies—that I'm sure seeped into our hair and clothes, but the smell was something I had gotten used to. The only times I noticed the aroma were when the Scorchers were near or when I had entered the red place.

The smell of burnt molasses scorched the hairs in my nostrils, singeing it with its bitterness. Red surrounded me and it wasn't the color or the skewed angle of the room I feared, but the sound of bubbling and boiling goo in the distance.