Clementinedidn’tknowwhattosay.NotrealizingtheserioussequencesofCharmaine’sa,thebeautiescrowdedaroundandpraisedherclevernessandquickwit.Charmaiooroudofherself,thinkingshehadmadeagreattributiontoKingDimitri’sKingdom.icedthecloudedtenanceofClementine,whokoowellthejealousnatureofherfather,Zeus,whowouldbeveryangrytoknoace,simirtohisownhadbeenbuilt,andofsolidgoldatthat,muchmorepreciousandexpehanhispatheseventhheaven.IfheeverfoundoutthatithadbeenbuiltbyhisowialmetalsmithsunderordersfedbyCharmaine,hewouldbefuriousandwouldsurelyedowhhimself.Thenhersecrethavenwouldbeexposed.WhatwouldFatherZeusdotoadaughterwhoranawayfromhispacetoliveohbelow?WhatgreatmisfortunewouldthisbringtoKingDimitri’sKingdom?Clementinedidnotdaretothinkmore.Charmainehadfulfilledhermission,butatthesametimeshehadmadeafatalmistake.Butwhat’sdoneisdoneandcouldnotberemedied.Theycouldonlywaitforthingstotaketheirnaturalcourse.
JustastheworkonthestrusiteofGiantMountainwasgoingonintefullspeed,aslimsolitaryfigureappearedontheoppositeshore.Itwasthenativegirl,Deanna.alkingslowlyintotheicywateroftheke?Wheerreachedherwaist,shebegantoswimtowardstheGiantMountain.However,hergoalwasnotthemountains,butthedeepwatersinthemiddleoftheke.Havinggrownupamidthesemountainsawasnowohatshebecameaionallyskilledswimmerwhothoughtnothingofstayingierfortwo,threedaysonendwithoutgoingashore.Wheired,shewouldfloattothesurfacetorestoreventakeashortnap.Shewaslikeafishwhokneweverynookanderoftheke.Buttonightwasnotquitebusinessasusual.Deaensebecauseshewasnotjustgoingforacasualswim.Heregoalwasthedeepestpartoftheke,apceshehadneverreachedbefore,ahedepthmightbebeyondnormalhumancapacity.Hermotivewassimple:severaltimesretlyshehadenteredthergewhitefish,motherofalllivingthingsier,whoseemedtowanttoleadhertothedeepwaters,whereperhapssecrettreasureswerehidden.Deannawascertainthergefishmeanthernoharmbecauseitwasamemberofthelivingpoputionoftheke,andtherebyKingDimitri’ssubject.Shewasmerelyfulfilliiesasavassal.Curiosityfullyaroused,shedecidedtogoontheadventureofdiscovery.Ice-coldwaterstimutedherskin,increasingthebloodcircutionofherwholebody.Sheswamonquickly,hopingtogetoutoftheelongatedshadowsofthemountainsassoonaspossible.Inthedarkhesesteepcliffscrowdedaroundthekelookedominouslylikefierstersimmersedintheke,withonlytheirheadsshowingabovethewater.Billionsofyearsold,theyseemedtobegrowingoutofthebottomoftheke,lyieopoundswallowDeanna.Luckilyshequicklylefttheshadowsbehindherandswamintotheluminousmoonlight.Suddenlyshesawnotfarawayfromher,theshinyscalesofthergewhitefishsparklinguhesilverymoon,likearegalqueeninatight-fittingsequinedeveninggown,herfullbreastsasymbolofhersex.Tailswitg,sheledtheway,withDeanafollowingclosebehind.Thegirndthefishswamtowardstheheartoftheke.
TheheartofthekewasmidwaybetweenGiantMountainandthepacewhereallthebeautiesresided.Theclottoit,thenearershecametoGiantMountain.Inathickfogwhichcoveredthemountain,shecoulddisfiguresmovingbusilyaboutamidthebzingfireswhichreddenedhalfthenightsky.Angelscouldbeseenflyingtoandfro,andshekhestruofthegoldpacewasgoingonred-hot,atfullbst.ThergewhitefishswaminacirclearoundaspotnearbyandDeahatwasthepcetodivedownintotheheartoftheke.Afterraisingherheadhighabovethewatertoinhaleasmuchoxygenasherlungscouldhold,shenose-divedintothewater.Herabove-averagelungpowerenabledhertoremainierlohanmosthumans.Asshecarefullydesdedintothestrangeunfamiliaruerworld,anindescribablefellingoffearcameoverher,butthefamiliarfigureofthergewhitefish,alwayshnearby,bolsteredherfidenusualrockseandgrotesquesizesandshapesresembledfiercebeasts.Theyhadneverseenthelightofdayastheyweretheproductsofhugegesoftheearth’scrustmanymillions,nayevenbillionsofyearsago.Theywouldhavetowaitbillionsmoreyearsforthehuge,earth-shakingmovementtoraisethemabovegroundsurface.Butthen,itisalsopossiblethatthemovementmightburythemevendeeperintothewater.AsDeanadesdedslowlyandcarefullytowardsthebottomoftheke,itgotdarkeranddarker,ainctivelyfeltshehadetoasortofuervalley.Ablurrylightappearediance.Justasshewasabouttogoforwardandiigate,thedwindlingamountofairleftinherlungswarhatiterativeforhertosurfadinhaleorshewouldbeirouble.Decisively,shegedherdireandslowlyasded,tempivingupherurgeofdiscovery.
Assheytherepantingonthesurfaceoftheke,wavesofheatinatingfromtheGiantMountainhitherintheface.Thebzingfireshadraisedthetemperatureofthearea.AwispofsmokeflewbyoverheadandDeawasWhiteFairy,whohadetoseehowthingsweregoingandwouldthengobadreportherfindingstothebeauties.Shehadtheremarkableabilitytoassumeanyshapeshewanted,whetheritofsmoke,ageouswhitelilyorhumanform.Deanamarveledandenviedher,thinkinghowwonderfulitwouldbeifshecouldgeherselfatwillintoafish.Afterrestingawhile,Deanaagaintookadeepbreathanddiveddeepintothewater.Thistime,shewasmorefamiliarwiththeuerworld,soshemaneuveredherwaythroughthegrotesquemonsterbeasts,carefulnottodisturbthem.Thoughtheywereonlyinanimaterocks,theyseemedtopossessinordinateamountoflifeandenergy.Iftheyfoundoutshewastheretolookfortheirtreasures,theywouldbesuretopounherandswallowherwhole.Shesuccessfullyreachedtheentrahevalleyandfoundthergewhitefishpatientlywaitingforher.Wheredidthevalleyleadto?Coulditbetheentraohell?Followingherguide,sheswamtowardsthelight.Thistime,shesawclearlythelightemanatedfromarockwhichlookedlikeanopenhumanhand.Inthehandwasanenormousoystershellwhichheldasinglegiganticpearl.Fromherpceseveralfeetaway,Deanacouldseethatthepearlwasasrgeasahumanskull.Deana,whohadbeenroamingthesepearl-produgwatersatwillltheseyears,hadseenallkindsofpearls;butneveroomatchthisiexture.Afolklorehandeddownthroughturiesiribe,suddenlycametomind.Itwassaidthattheeweretreasuresinthekewhichinallydroppedfromthemoon.Thereasonwhythemoonwassoluminousirictwasbecauseshewasroamingouttherelookingforherlosttreasures.Butnoonehadeverseereasuresorknewwhattheywere.Regardlessoftheauthenticityofthisfolklore,thatenormouspearlwouldhavetakenloonurturethanhumancivilizatioed.JustasDeanareachedouttotakethepearl,theoystersuddenlyclosedupandDeaherstoreofoxygendwindlingdangerously.Soshehadtoresurfaceagain.
Deanaburstoutofthewaterbreathinghard.Usingherhands,shewipedawaythewaterorperspirationfromherfadraisedhereyestowardstheskies,wherethewest-boundmoonseemedalmostreadytoslipbelowthehorizonintothewater.Thefoghavingrapidlydispersed,shecouldclearlyseetheGiantMountain.Thebzingfirehaddieddowernskywasbrighteningaremainingangelswerefppingtheirwingspreparingtoreturntotheirheavenlyhome.Utterlyexhausted,almostcolpsingwithoverexertion,Deanayonthesurfaceofthewatertorest.Howswiftlythenighthadgonebyshethought,depressedbythefactthatinspiteofadozenorsotripstothebottomoftheke,shewasnooalingupthetreasure.Thenaturalbarrierswerereallyformidableaewastoolong.Bythetimeshegotthere,shehadexpendedalotofenergyandusedupmostoftheairinherlungs.Thenarrowuervalleyhadtobenavigatedcarefullyandslowly.Insuchdeepdarkwaters,shemustnotcollidewiththejuttingroeithersideofher,fortheslightestmistakecouldbefatal.Whenevershegotothepearl,eithertheoystercloseduporsheoresurfaoreair.Afteradozenorsoattempts,shewastiredanddisced,butwasalwaysbuoyedupbythehopethatshecouldtakethatenormouspearlwithherainthenewlystructedgoldpace,shiningtherelikeahmoon,anaturalilluminator.WheneverDimitrigavebahere,thehallwouldbeillumiwomoons,oheskyandoneihehall,thetwoplementingeachother,famystidmiraculoussight.Thinkingso,shedecidednottogiveupthateasily,buttomakeasttry.
Whileshewasresting,thergewhitefishtiohovernearby.Itrockeditsbackather,asiftryingtounicate.Suddenly,anideacametoDeana’smind.“Whydon’tIattachmyselftothefish,grabholdofitsfins,aakemedowntothebottomoftheke.”Asaninhabitantofthewaters,ithadbeenequippedbiologicallytolivedowninthedeep.”Thefishseemedintuitivelytoknowwhatshewasthinkingof;boththegirndthefishappearedtohaveetoataderstanding.Holdingontothebigwhitefish,Deanadesdedquicklyintothewater.Thisideawasreallyfantastic.Thequickagileandstreamlinedmovementsofthefishquicklybroughtthemtothebottomofthekeandsuccessfullyapproachedtheuervalley.Astheygotothetreasure,Deanasawthattheoysterenandthepearlythere,givingforthitsluminousglohevigintoysterseemedsuspiciouswhehemapproagandwasabouttocloseupwhenDeanamovedquickaslightningandwithbothhandssnatchedtheenormouspearndhuggedittoherbreast.Shehadfinallysucceeded!Heartbeatingfast,shefeltlikeshoutinginjubition,butatoncerealizeshewasstilluer.Shewarnedherselftokeepcalmatthisfinalstageofheradveheslightestmistakecouldcauseirreversibledamagetobothherselfandherpearl.gherpreciousloottightlytoherbreastwithonehand,sheheldontothefinofthefishwiththeirndfishsoohesurfaceofthewater.Whensheresurfacedthistime,shefoundthattheskieswerebrighteningwiththeflushofdawn.Inthelightfog,theprofileofthegoldpaceroseawesomeandmajestic,itstroofcouldbeseenshimmeringingoldenmagnifice.Deanawassohappythatthestruhadbeenpletedinthespaceofanight.However,shewastootiredtomoveahebigwhitefishcarryhertoshore.Hereyelidsfeltsoheavyshecouldhardlyfindtheeoopenthem,butshecouldhearthebeautiescallingouttheirwelefromtheshore.
Chapter3ReturnofKingDimitri
Inthefierysuheyoungmancamebatheballfield,bounghisbasketball.Theclear,crisp,staccatosoundoftheboungballpassingunderDimitri’swindowwokehimfromhisreverie.Theyoungmanhadexhaustedhimselfontheballfieldandnowhiselongatedshadowapaniedhistiredfootstepsonthewayhome.Butafteragoodnight’ssleepandasumptuousmeal,hewouldbere-energizedtheday.Freshandeager,hewouldberunningaroundandpyingagain.Suergyandunworriedhappinessbelongedonlytotheyoung,atraitworthyofenvy.Awakenedfromhisdreams,listeningtothebouheball,Dimitrithought,“Thisyoungmanisusinghisbodyinmotion,shootingthebalccuratelyintothebasketfromanyangle,whileIusemybodyieofstillness,venturingintotheinnermostrecessesofthemindanddiggingforthetreasuresburiedinmybrains.Althoughmybodymayseemstilndmobile,mybrainisactive.LetmeliveoutmylifethisretendingIamatoolofimagination.Isn’tthatagoodlife,too?Listeningtothedisappearingsoundofthebasketball,Dimitriraisedhiseyestowardsthewindow.Hestillretaiinymorselofhissight,enablinghimtodistinguishbetweenlightanddarkness.Itshouldbedusknow,hedecided.Bowinghishead,hefoundthecigarettewasstillbetweenhisfingersahatithadgobyitself.Inhismind,lifewaslikeacigarette,burningwhileitturoashes.Couldthesuddeinguishmentofthecigarettemeanthattimehadnearlystoppedtoo?No.Noonecouldstopthepassageoftime,healmightyGod.Theultimateendoflifewasdeath,anirrevocabletruthnoonecouldeverge.Herelithiscigaretteandpuffedaway.Suddenly,hisgastromicalsystemwashitwithatremendoushunger,likealong,rtrainsweepingbyoraightrailstowardsacertaiination.
Drivenbythisstronghunger,Dimitriputouthiscigaretteirayandslowlymadeforthekit.Hisslowclumsymovementswerelikethoseygraybearientlyawakenedfromhibernationandwanderingaimlesslyaboutthewilderness.Enteri,Dimitriopenedhisrefrigeratorandtookoutaofsh,whichheproceededtoopenandrolloutotable,separatingthedoughintoseverallumps.Hethenkneadedeachofthelumps,shapingthembypulliolongstripsandrollingthemup.Hismovementswerenecessarilyslow,ashecouldonlyrelyonhisseouch.Extremehuackedhisgastronomicalsystem,likethertrainsweepingbyhtrails.Whatistheultimategoaloflife?Isitdeath?Hedarednotthinkmore.Heworkedonsteadilyandslowly,hisimagefromthebackresemblingargegraybear.Dimitrisettheovenatapproximately425degreesandturon.Thegraybearactallyawakenedfromhibernationworkedtofindafortablecave.WhatdidDimitriworkfor?Wasitfortheultimategoaloflife?Hetihhiswork,liningtherolledupdoughlyinabakingpanandputtingitioven.What’ssobadaboutusioolofimagination?Isn’titwonderfultoliveoutlifelikethis?Havihewholeafternooncoopedupinhisroom,Dimitriwaogotothelobby,wherehemightmeetotherresidentsandwhileawaysomeloime,socializingandchattingwiththem.Hefumbledhiswaytothedoor,whichheclosedafterhim,leavinghisextinguishedcigarettebuttiray.
Dimitrithoughtoftheominousnewsheheardthatm.Theelderlycoupleintheapartmentoppositehim,werebothdiagobesufferingfromcer.Theywerenice,kindpeoplewhoalwaysgreetedhimcheerilywhehemstrollinginthehallway,helpingeachotheralong.Passingthedoorofhis-dhboralwaysbroughthimapangofremorse.Thelittlegirlwholivedtherewithhergrandmother,wentonvacationonedayaherpets,twobeautifulgoldfish,withDimitri.Hefedthemeverydaybutdidnotkogethewater,sotheydiedduetockofoxygen.Whenshecameback,shesawhertwobeautifulgoldfishfloatingier.Theyhaddied,butnotbeingabletosee,Dimitrikeptonfeedingthemeveryday.Turningtheer,hecametotheapartmentofMrs.Washington,whohadastrokeandalsosufferedinsomnia.Sheliesawakeatnightandsleepsduringtheday.Iernoonshecouldoftenbeheardlogherdettingreadyforbed.Atduskshealwaysdrewhercurtainsasifshewasafraidthefierysuhitsvividrayswoulddisturbherdreams.Carsspedby,noisypedestrianspassedunderherwindow,butamidthesechaotidsofabusydowntownarea,shesleptlikeababy.
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