The Mandala (part II)

[rosetto 0]

Lights danced around him spinning and spinning. He was trying desperately to focus on consciousness as thundering bolts from every direction stabbed at him. It was intensely beautiful and at the same time crisply painful. Sal had forgotten exactly where he was; who he was. He was remembering things that seemed to belong to someone else.

 

 

Red planet with a pale sky and endless rows of crops cutting across the plain; this was home. He could hear a voice calling out to him as he watched a distant sun setting. The cold was growing and he needed to get inside. There was shelter ahead from which the voice emerged. It was a female voice. He focused on the figure as he approached and then another sharp strike. In a flash, all turned black and lights burst brightly on and off. There was a sudden silence like the emptiness of space and he found himself gripping the controls of an Atmo-Shuttle zipping through a rich cloud layer. Behind him people were screaming. Some were in pain while others seemed to be trying to settle the situation. He looked down at the gauges and displays and quickly determined that the situation was desperate. The turbulence was pushing back on his grip, pulling him to and fro in his seat. Their altitude was dropping rapidly and termination was evident. He had thrusters he noticed and pointed them forward for braking as the ground was closing in. The co-pilot was busied with com-traffic. She was speaking with the commander, planet-side. Spying a clearing, a break in the endless forest, Sal pulled back and brought the shuttle softly onto the surface. A dust cloud formed at their touch-down and began to clear as he made his way aft checking the passengers as he headed for the rear hatch control. Sal's hand pushed down and the atmosphere rushed in. Black again. He was spinning and out of control. He was no longer near gravity, weightless and floating free. Flashes of light forced his eyes closed. He was again disoriented. The flashing stopped and he focused on his surroundings. It was the bridge of the El Paso and they were dead in space. Emergency lighting was activated and there was panicked cries coming over the intercom. To his left he saw Flannigan. His blood floating in free-fall, the life had gone from his body. Susan Curtis was crying and others floated wide-eyed and drained. This battle was over. It was a hard situation and he felt the weight of it tugging on his emotions and ripping at his heart. Then thunderous pounding began, like the sound of steely drums. He could feel the warmth of fire and strong gravity again. His eyes were clouded and his mind fuzzy. The spinning stopped again and he cupped his cocktail stopping it from spilling. Everyone was laughing and enjoying the show. It was evening and the bonfire lit the open area between the circled cabanas. Harry was next to him; at least he thought she was. He thought he recognized this and remembered but he was not certain. Her eyes were brighter than he could ever recall and she wore a smile that would light a world. He looked at her but his eyes lost their focus yet again and felt the spinning sensation overwhelming his balance. Sal focused his thoughts and forced himself back into reality.

 

 

He was on Zoalus in the Mandala Room. This was now! He opened his eyes and the lights around him continued to dance but he had broken the bond. He was quite aware of his surroundings. He heard strange alien chants. They repeated over and over and he picked out a rhythm of eight multi-syllabic phrases. The lights spotted on a different figure with each beat of the chant. They crisscrossed the mandala in a distinct pattern as the voices filled the room. Sal struggled to remember what had happened, what he had done to initiate this. His head was still somewhat foggy and light. He felt like he was coming down from a serious dose of alcohol.