Chapter 32 - The Source Of All Dreams

Sigh...

I'm getting dead tired and sleepy. My eyes are starting to get heavy and I can't stop yawning...

What's with the almost endless walking and biking in this journey...?

"Elisa... Are we there yet...? Khoohk."

"Just 10 kilometers more and we're almost there. Khoohk."

Good thing I don't know numbers too well.

"Turn right, Lionel. Khoohk."

"Aye, Aye, Commander. Khoohk. Uhmm... Are you sure this is the right way? Khoohk."

"I'm the navigator. Khoohk. You're the biker. Khoohk. We can't stop, we can't rest, and we can't waste any more precious time! Keep pedaling! Khoohk."

"Aye, Aye, Commander! Khoohk."

She's a tough taskmaster!

After two hours...

"Uhmm... Elis? Khoohk. Am I still going the right way? Khoohk."

Silence...

"Uhmm... Elis? Khoohk."

I looked at her... She has fallen asleep...

Huh...

Even if she's a little bit violent when we first met, and kinda tomboyish, now that I've got a closer look at her, I must say... She's kinda cute...

I like the strength she shows, even though she's sick. I admire her courage. I wish I was like that too. I like her hair, it's short, raven black, and fly-away. I like her big green eyes and her pale white skin. She has her own unique charm... With the full moon up in the sky and me biking over the bridge, this starting to feel kinda romantic...

Wait a minute...

What on freaking earth am I thinking...? I so tired, I'm not thinking straight. Why am I so easy to have a crush on every girl that I met...? But that's not the point. No... That's not the point at all...

If she's asleep...

OH MY GAAASH!!! Is this the right way?! Are we lost?! Are we going in circles?! Stop, Lionel! Stop! Calm down! Calm down! We can always look at the map right?

I carefully took the map from her hand...

OH MY GAAASH!!! What am I thinking?!! I don't know how to read in the first place! How can I even read a map?!! ARGH!!! What am I going to do?!! Stop, Lionel! Panicking does absolutely nothing! I got this! Everything's gonna be alright! All I need to do is wake her up...

I looked at her again...

ARGH!!! I can't wake that sleeping beauty! She's exhausted! She pulled that bulky oxygen tank all day just to save me! She also needs to rest or her sickness will get worse...

My heart started to race. Am I going to fail our mission...?

No.

I must never let that happen! Focus, Lionel, Focus! I can still do something...

I placed a blanket on Elis so she wouldn't be cold. Man, I love that convenience store. They got everything! Stop it, Lionel! STOP! I'm such a scatterbrain! I need to focus! FOCUS!!!

After five minutes of thinking...

I decided to start biking again... What other choice do I have? This is better than being stuck and doing nothing...

As I reached the end of the bridge, I saw a glow, a weak glow, far away from the trees... The kind of glow you see from rare fireflies...

I've never seen a glowing tree before...

As we got nearer to the trees, the glow became brighter. After a few moments, the glow surrounded us. It's a bright blue-green, glowing dust. It's really beautiful... The whole place looked so dreamy... Wait a minute... Could this be the triffid pollen?!!

"Where are we...? Khoohk."

Yes! She's finally awake!

"I really don't know, Elisa. Khoohk."

"Uhmm... Am I still dreaming...? Khoohk. Or everything just looks so magical... and dreamy...? Khoohk."

"You're awake, Elis. Khoohk. It's the triffid pollen. Khoohk. They're glowing. Khoohk."

"Amazing... Khoohk. It's also possible that they glow because of the moonlight... Khoohk."

"Elis, Is this the right way? Khoohk."

"Hmmm... Khoohk. Let me see... Khoohk. Yes. We're going the right way. Khoohk."

Thank goodness.

"Actually, we're here! Khoohk!"

(Lionel's thoughts: WOOHOO!!! FINALLY!!!)

We stopped at the entrance. She read the sign.

"IRIS CITY'S ENCHANTED GARDENS NATURE PARK PRESERVE - IT'S MAGICAL! ENTRANCE FEE: 50 PESOS"

"Huh...? Khoohk."

(Lionel's thoughts: That is so shady.)

"Grab your stuff Lionel. Khoohk. Let's go. Khoohk."

"Wait a minute! Khoohk! How about the entrance fee? Khoohk."

"It's midnight so it's free. Khoohk. Let's go. Khoohk."

"O - Kay..."

(Lionel thoughts: Where did you get that rule?!)

"I had no more money, nature reserve. Khoohk. Please make an exception. We're gonna save the city. Khoohk."

We entered the nature preserve... Why do we forget to bring the most important things? We forgot to get flashlights, but because of the glowing triffid pollen, the whole forest is dimly lit. We don't need them anymore.

Man... The whole place is beautiful...

"It's like... We're walking in a dreamland, Elis... Khoohk."

"Yeah... It's magnificent... Khoohk."

We continued to walk through the worn path of the forest. As we went deeper, the blue-green glow became brighter. There's no more doubt about it, we're on the right place!

After a few minutes, we finally reached the end of the worn path...

We stopped dead on our tracks.

Elisa fell down on her knees.

"Lionel... Khoohk. I'm so sorry... I made a fatal mistake... I underestimated our enemy... We'll need a bigger grass cutter... Khoohk."

There's a vast field of triffid flowers in front of us... As far as the eye can see...

The whole flower field is glowing, pulsating. You can see the pollen floating, glowing, glittering in the cool, gentle wind. It's a wonderful sight! It's like watching so many fireflies flying and dancing in the air!

The bright blue-green glow of the pollen, the yellow Tryffyd flowers, the blue night sky, the soft yellow moonlight, and the black mountains far away... It's just so beautiful... It's like... the land of the fairies and all other magical creatures...

You'll never suspect that this place is the source of all the people's nightmares.

"You need to start now Lionel, Khoohk, before dawn breaks. Khoohk. Humans can only survive for one day without water and food. Khoohk."

"Can we even make it...? Khoohk."

Her voice choked, trying her best to fight back tears.

"We have seven hours left... Khoohk. I'll think of something. I'll figure this out... We still need to try! Khoohk."

I turned the grass cutter on.

"I'll do my best, Elis! Khoohk!! We'll save as many people as we can! Khoohk!!"

"What are you doing...?"

"Huh...? Khoohk. Is that you, Elis...? Khoohk."

"No. That's not me. Khoohk. My voice is not high-pitched... Khoohk."

"Over here!"

We turned to our left...

"OH MY GAASH!!! KHOOHK!! WHAT IS THAT?!! KHOOHK!!"

I was so shocked, I was taken aback!

"Welcome, Lionel and Elisa."

(Lionel's thoughts: How on earth does it know our names?!!)

"It can talk?!! Khoohk! It's talking to us!! Khoohk!!"

"Of course I can talk, Lionel. And I'm talking to you, silly kids."

Gosh... What is this... thing?

It has a flower head, a bud; a yellow bud. It has a white face with two black, button-like eyes. It has no ears, nose, or mouth... But it can still hear and talk to us... You can feel the mocking smile in its voice...

It has a body, but it's so thin and it's color green. It has long arms and legs, but its hands are leaves and its feet are white roots buried in the ground. It's taller than us, and it looks as though it's floating because of its slow swaying movement caused by the wind...

"It's the Queen of all Tryffyds! Khoohk! I can't believe it! Khoohk! It's a sentient, highly-intelligent, fully-evolved, organic life form!! Khoohk!! They're smarter and evolved faster than I've thought!! Khoohk!! It can already speak and understand our language!! Khoohk!!"

(Lionel's thoughts: Ha...? What did you just say...? Those words are very hard to understand, Elis!)

"Lionel, if we cut that thing, Khoohk, we'll stop the source! Khoohk! We'll save everyone! Khoohk!"

"Really, Elisa? Really? What? Are we in a movie or something? HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! You make me laugh, silly girl! You can never save everyone! It's not that convenient!"

"?!!"