Power Of The Moons.

It was two days before I saw Harvey’s brother again, I was coming back from a soccer game, I had played in the first half and refereed for the next. Though this time, there were more people my age, to my surprise the children kept up.

I came to the main opening where the cave that led to the waterfall led; my eyes glanced over to the opening as they always did. This time, he was there, walking from the cave pulling on a shirt as he did. He was ruffling his hair up when he spotted me, I had stopped walking, and he grinned and walked over to me.

“Good afternoon.” He said holding his hands behind his back.
“Afternoon.” I looked up at his wet messy hair, “It’s…raining?” I asked.
“Like there’s no tomorrow.” He nodded. Spring rain…warm spring rain one of my favorite things in the world to walk in and enjoy, my eyes were pulled back to the opening where outside freedom was so close at hand, and the rain. I was suddenly desperate to be outside.

Without even realizing it I was walking towards the cave, he grabbed my arm, “Where do you think you’re going?” He asked.
I stopped and shook my head, “I…” I hadn’t even realized I was walking.
“Someone wants to go outside.” He said pulling out another white flower from his pocket and put it in my hand.

“Ye-no!” I corrected myself, “No.” I said again firmly. I shook his hand off my arm and marched to my room to shower. When I finished I placed the new white flower next to the old on in the pages of a book and placed it back on the shelf.

The infirmary had been a bore, no one was getting sick, and no one was getting hurt. It was a good thing, but I was also bored. Which didn’t help my wandering mind, I often found myself opening the book to take out the dried flattened flowers, I took in their smell and closed my eyes. Imagining where they grew, a meadow perhaps, or maybe in a small patch of a moist ground under a willow tree.

I miss the woods, I grew up in the city my whole life, and when the Government said there were dangerous things in the woods, and it was not safe, I never went outside the walls. Now I had grown used to being outside, I loved it.

Three days later, I couldn’t take myself any longer. I marched around the caves for hours, and then I found him playing soccer with some of the kids. Well it was more like a game of chase; he had the ball and was keeping it away from all the others.

I marched up to him, he stopped when he saw me and the kids screamed in triumph as they took the ball from him. He ignored them and came up to me.
“Good afternoon.” He greeted, pulling a flower from his pocket and held it up. I took it from him then looked at him.

“Take me.” I told him sternly.
“Excuse me?” He asked.
“Take me, where these flowers grow, take me.” I told him, almost pleaded.
He smiled, “Finally giving in?” He asked.
“Take me right now.” I demanded, my voice low.
“That’s not dinner.” He pointed out.
“I don’t care, take me right now, have your stupid dinner I don’t care, let me out.” I nearly broke down, but I stayed standing.

“But it’s raining.”
I shook my head, “I don’t care, I need…” I was shaking, whispering to him. He took my arm and we all but ran to the cave entrance. I held onto him as we walked through the dark tunnel I had only been down once.

Then I heard the deep rumble of the waterfall, and then I saw it. The grey bleak light hardly lit the cavern. Two men stood guard, and to my surprise, a wolf. It hadn’t been my imagination after all.

The wolf stood and looked at both of us, it was just as large as the other wolf I remember. Its shoulders came to waist, he stepped forward, his ears forward. “Get on.” He told me pushing me at the wolf.

“Why?” I asked.
“He’ll take you up to the forest, I’ll be there in a moment.” He said giving me another push, the wolf knelt down as I slid onto his soft furry back. He passed near the waterfall on the thin and nearly invisible rock trail then we were in the open.

The breeze hit me, I took in a deep breath as the rain drops hit my face and wet my clothes. I held on tightly as the wolf jumped up the outcropping of rocks that were also invisible unless you knew where to look.

Then we reached the top of the cliff and he trotted into the trees a little ways then stopped. I slid off his back and stood with my arms opened up to the rain and twirled smiling to myself.

Everything was silent except for the sound of the rain in the trees and a few birds calling out. The waterfall was a distant rumble, and then someone touched my shoulder. I opened my eyes, “Hi.” He greeted.

“Um, hi.” My cheeks colored slightly.
“You really do like the rain.” He mused, but he closed it eyes and breathed deeply through his nose.
“I love everything about the rain, the smell, the sound, even getting wet.” I held out my hand as a few drops hit them.

He opened his eyes, “What does the smell make you feel?” he asked.
I smiled, but saw he was serious. I closed my eyes and thought of it for a moment, “Free.” I told him opening my eyes once more.

We were both soaked to the bone, his dark shirt clung to every muscle, and his normally thick black hair was heavy and in his eyes. His green and gold eyes studied me for a moment, then he smiled, “You look even more beautiful in the rain.” He told me.

I smirked with a snort, “Whatever.” I turned and started strolling through the trees and green grass. “Do you want me to take you to the flowers?” He asked, I stopped walking and nodded my head at him.

“Good.” He took my hand and led me in the other direction. We walked for a quarter mile or so before, we stopped where the river below waterfall curved. There was a small opening of willows and lush green grass, underneath the willow trees were groups of white flowers springing up around the ground.

“It’s like I imagined.” I said looking at him.
He smiled, “Come on.” He helped me down the steep rocky hill and then pulled me under the willow trees and picked a flower and gave it to me.
I smiled, “I already have a few of these you know.”
“And I’ll keep giving them until you want me to stop.” He told me.

I looked up from the flower, “What’s your name?” I asked incredulously.
He started to laugh, “All this time, saving my life, and talking to me, you don’t even know my name?” He laughed again, the rain shaking from his hair as he did.
“No, I’m surprised as well, all I know about you is that your Harvey’s brother, I hardly know anything about you.”

He took a deep breath, but still grinned, “My name is Mason.” He bowed sarcastically, “At your service.” He stood up and smiled, “I guess I never thought to introduce myself.” He rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed.

“I never thought to ask.” I told him. He shrugged and sat down against the trunk of the tree. The rain was warm, and so was the temperature outside, it was great to be in fresh air again.

He looked up at me and patted the ground next to him, under the cover of the willow trees the rain was less, but still pouring. I shrugged and sat down next to him I pulled my legs up.

“It’s a nice name.” I said turning my head to look at him. He looked down at me, “Thanks.” He grinned.
“You don’t look too much like your brother.” I noticed, Harvey had dark brown hair, not black, and he had blue eyes, not green.
He shrugged, “We are half brothers, Harvey’s dad died when he was little, then my dad married our mom and well I was born.” He shrugged, “But he’s looked after me like any normal brother.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes then he stood up.

“Come on.” He stood up and held out his hand, “What?” I asked.
“We need to be getting back.” I frowned, “So soon?”
“It’s wet out here; I don’t want our only doctor catching cold.” He helped me to my feet, “But I promise, I’ll let you come here again.” I nodded and he led the way back to the cliff.

The white wolf that I recognized from the first night was waiting for us at the cliff, though this time he was smaller than he had been when I had first saw him. He lifted his head as we came closer and got his feet. He let his tongue hang out when he saw me and he wagged his tail.

His blue eyes seemed happy to see me; I held out a careful hand and stroked his fur, “Hello.” I smiled rubbing his ears, he let out a relaxed sigh and leaned into my hand and hung his tongue out even more. I laughed, “He has a funny personality.” I smiled at Mason.

He nodded, “I know…” He was giving the wolf a warning look and the wolf gained composure and lowered himself so I could get on his back. I held on tightly as he jumped down the cliff side, the rock was wet, but the wolf balanced perfectly without slipping and then trotted behind the waterfall.

I rode him all the way down the dark tunnel then I slid off him, then he turned and left back down the tunnel. Mason came a minute later shaking out his hair followed by Dave who was pulling on a shirt.

“Hi Dave!” I said happily waving; he looked up at me with a smile, but then looked at Mason and left without a word.
“Huh.” I said watching Dave leave, “I wonder what’s up with him…”
Mason was watching him too, he shrugged then looked at me, “Come on, you need to change into some dry clothes. The caves were cooler than the outside temperature, which I guess is why they had the crystals, which sparked a question, “What are these crystals?” I asked Mason as we walked to my room.

He shrugged, “We aren’t exactly sure really, all we know is that they were here and that they produce heat and light. So we use them.” He opened my door for me and I walked into my room.

“Blue!” I said surprised she was shutting the closet door and jumped a foot and turned, surprised. “Oh! Hi Rory!” She grinned walking up to me, “You’re soaked to the bone what have you been up to?” She said looking from me to Mason, noticing he was wet to, “Wait never mind.” She held up her hands, “I don’t want to know.” She shook her head with a smile, “Well I’ll see you later!” She grinned and walked off giving Mason a wink and he nodded once in a return.

“What was she doing in here?” I asked staring at the closet.
He shrugged, “I don’t have a clue.” I raised an eyebrow, “Whatever, I’m going to take a shower and change, leave.” I ushered him into the hallway, but he stopped be from closing the door.
“Just a moment.” He said, “Dinner is at eight.” He told me.
“W-what?” I asked surprised.
“That was the deal.” He told me.
“I know, I just didn’t expect tonight.” He shrugged, “Eight, I’ll…um send someone over shall I?” He smirked then shut the door. I let out a sigh and for a moment thought of Damien, I missed him. I couldn’t deny that, he had taken care of me and cared for me, and he was dying. Yet here I was, enjoy life as if nothing was happening. I opened my closet, to my surprise nothing was missing, and nothing was different.

So what had Blue been doing in here? I grabbed some clean clothes and carried them to my bathroom, took and shower then I grabbed the doctors’ old journal and flipped through the pages. Then I found the article.

When the moon of green shows brightest, it is then we are the strongest. I have taken many test from many different subjects during this transfiguration. Though I have yet to find a cure…I hope soon though I may find a break through.
I must make a note, the last full moon. A man, Harvey was able to grow far larger than any others. He was able to channel and control the moons radiation, and heal far faster…

The journal entry trialed off like an unfinished thought. I sat quietly in front of the fire, thinking. The full moon, Harvey being able to control the radiation. What did it all mean, and the other entries that seemed to make no sense. I flipped back a few pages where there had been a diagram and sketches. They were blood cells that much was clear, but the steps after that made no sense.

Nothing I had ever learned had showed me this sort of diagram. It was normal mutation, or disease, or sickness. I didn’t recognize any of it, half of me thought the doctor was mad, but the other half was curious as to what he was researching.

There was a knock on the door and I jumped up. I quickly put the journal on the shelf and opened the door. “Hi!” Blue said cheerfully. She came in without waiting for me; she was carried loads of things wrapped in plastic in each hand in a way that it would not hit the floor. She threw them onto the bed then turned to me.

“Um hi Blue.” I said shutting the door, “Can I help you with something?”
“Nope I’m here to help you get ready! Mason sent me over.” She grinned.
I raised an eyebrow, “Get ready?” Blue nodded grabbed the nearest plastic bag. She fussed with the plastic for a moment then pulled it off to reveal a dress. My eyes instantly widened.

“Oh no!” I yelled nearly snarling, “NO WAY!” I shook my head. “That wasn’t apart of the deal.”

Blue shrugged, “It’s what he wants…and if he doesn’t get what he wants….” She trailed off.
“…he might not let me outside…” I let out a sigh, “Fine.” I said grudgingly, “but just this once.”

She smiled and threw me the first dress and started on the plastic of the next on. I went to the closest and undressed and slid the dress on then walked out. “Well?” I asked. It was a black dress, simple and it went past my knees. The neckline was straight across, not to revealing.

Blue tapped a finger on her lips, then shook her head, “Nope.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Just no, trust me.” She pushed another dress into my hands, “Fine.” I groaned turning back to my closet.
“Toss the other dress out when you get it off!” She called when I shut the closet door. I slid the dress of and threw it out the door then slid on the next dress and came out. It was a light blue with a green swirly design than didn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason to it. “Nope.” She tossed me another dress.

The next one was a deep purple with several layers that got lighter until the top layer was nearly invisible with one strap that was on my right shoulder. “Nope.” Blue shook her head, again throwing me another dress.

It went on like this for an hour, black dresses, red, blue, purple, yellow, orange, white, green, Finally Blue picked out a deep blue dress with white tendrils running along it like water. “That’s the one!” She proclaimed, “It looks great.”

“Why this one, it doesn’t seem different than all the rest.” I looked down at the dress.
“Just trust me.” She chimed, “Just trust me.”
“Alright fine, so what now?” I asked rubbing my arms a little.
“We get your hair done, and make up. Come on.” She picked up a small bag I hadn’t noticed before and headed to the bathroom. I followed silently behind. She made me sit down and she started to pull out make up.

“Alright, you’re hair isn’t too long so we’ll have to get creative.” She said brushing out my hair.
“We?” I asked.
“Well, ok me.” She grinned. She tried several things but shook her head every time muttering, ‘no not this time’ or ‘not the right feeling’ she finally decided on a simple lightly curled due with a simple white flowered comb in my hair. She put on light blush, some eyeliner, and light mascara.

“Perfect. All done.” She smiled putting everything back. I had to admit, it was real nice. “Where did you learn all of this?” I asked her playing with a curl.
She shrugged, “It’s just one of my talents I guess.”
“Umm, so do I get a coat, because I’m getting a little cold and I think it will be worse out there.” I said lightly rubbing my arms.

“Nope. No coat.” She shook her head, “You let him give you his coat.”
I opened my mouth to protest and point out that I didn’t even like him but there was a knock at the door and she hopped off to answer it.

“OH Rory!” She called, “Someone here for you!” I sighed, looked myself in the mirror one last time and then stepped into the room.