Ep 20 - The Show Part VI
Flambeau River State Forrest, Wisconsin October 24, 2014
<Naran and Psyrah are watching the Didelian show. Need to catch up? Find the previous chapters here: Table of Contents >
Suggested Music for this Chapter:
The entire Arena stares upward into the sky with the anticipation of what is to come. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, flaunt and waver, and stars twinkle brightly in harmony. One of the stars in the sky seems to get brighter and bigger, and it looks as if it is slowly falling. Whispers float throughout the Arena. We are all fixated on that one star. And indeed, it is coming closer. Its light becomes brighter, and it lowers faster and faster. Once it hovers right over the Arena, we see a ball made of mirror-like material that scatters light all over the audience and the inner circle. Two individuals, wearing long, white cape-like coats, balance on the top of the sphere. Underneath the capes, their bodies are minimally dressed; the man is wearing pants that reach right over his knees, held together on the side with leather laces. The woman wears a one-piece outfit that is open around her core so that we see her belly and part of her back.
They are Kai and Idum again, the main performers. The black paint around their eyes gives them the appearance of dark angels. They both have toned muscles and strong bodies.
The sphere lowers slowly, and as it enters the arena, it illuminates the tree that was coaxed to life by the giant magnifying glass and then it stops, hovering about fifteen feet above the treetop. The spotlights are beaming on it, and their lights become scattered.
Music starts. The two sit down cross-legged on the sphere that is barely large enough for both their bodies. A deep silence sets in, and the two look at each other continuously. A sting of jealousy goes through me. What if I could be her? Looking at that man? Then I smile. Just imagine me on a sphere hovering in the air. I would have draped myself ungracefully over the ball, holding on to what I could grab, just to stay alive. I would probably have pulled Kai off the ball in my panic.
Next to me, Psyrah is visibly in awe. She is sitting straight up with eyes wide open so she doesn’t miss a single movement.
Idum and Kai unlock their gaze, stand up, and lean into each other. Their bodies are entirely glued together; each curve fills the empty spaces of the other. They slowly turn around and press their backs together. Then they start walking forward, and the globe rolls gently with their movement. They perform a balance between their feet and the rolling ball. Kai and Idum now take even more distance and only their hands remain connected in the middle, behind their backs. The spectacle is a synchronized dance while the globe moves fast and fluidly in different directions now.
Then Idum and Kai turn around, face each other, and continue the dance. Kai picks Idum up and holds her over his head, where she pushes herself up into a handstand. Kai throws her into the air, and she lands on his hands facing up. He spins her around faster and faster while spinning the globe at the same time. Then he drops her, and Idum lands on her feet on the globe. Then they pull each other close, into an intimate embrace, and continue the dance without losing physical contact. They slide around each other while the lights projected from the globe cover them in thousands of shimmers. They look like two young lovers exploring each other’s bodies. Suddenly, the globe rolls over, and Kai and Idum fall with it. Kai’s feet stick to the globe, and he dangles upside down. He catches Idum in her fall, and they both swing under the silver sphere. Idum uses Kai’s body like a trapeze, and in midair, the two roll around and over each other.
The audience holds their breath; the sight is frightening and thrilling at the same time.
Suddenly, Kai lets go of Idum’s hands, and she spools through the air. As she descends, she grabs a large branch of the tree and swings herself on top. Right after, Kai drops, and with his hands, he grabs the branch on which Idum stands. He forms a ladder for Idum, who now climbs down and drops herself on to the ground. Once on the ground, Kai lets go and lands on his feet in the circle of women and wolves.
Inside the shiny globe that still hovers in the air, bright flashes of lightning become visible. Suddenly, a huge lightning bolt shoots out of the bottom, where only a minute ago Kai had been hanging. Massive thunder roars through the Arena. The lightning hits the tree, and with a small explosion, the trunk splits into two. The tree catches fire, and Kai, Idum, the women, and the wolves move backward. The eagles screech, fly up, and disappear into the night sky. The glowing jellyfish, all at once, swim toward the flames and throw themselves into the fire. There, where a jellyfish hits the flames, green sparks burst upwards. The fire becomes larger, and the entire tree is aflame. From where we sit, I can feel the heat on my face.
Kai walks toward the fire. He gets extremely close, and I cover my face with my hands. Kai sticks his hand in the fire and pulls out three small flaming fireballs which he holds in both hands.
He speaks to the balls and the flames change color; the balls turn red, yellow, and green. Kai juggles with them and when the colors combine, they create all kinds of fun mixed flames. Unexpectedly, Kai throws them toward the mirrored globe from which the lightning came. A loud hissing sound fills the Arena. The globe catches fire, and flames in different tints rain down on the tree. The hissing gets louder, and with a deafening explosion, the burning sphere splits in two. From its core, thousands of bright blue flaming butterflies spread out over the entire Arena. Some disappear in the night sky, while an entire cloud of burning butterflies moves toward the audience. I’m not sure whether their wings carry real fire or not, which confuses me.
A huge butterfly approaches Psyrah and me, and I duck while Psyrah sticks out her arm, on which the butterfly lands. When it closes its burning wings, the fire extinguishes. It’s a normal looking butterfly now, with shimmering blue wings. I look around, and I see people everywhere holding out their hands as butterflies land on them, and laughter spreads throughout the audience. The tree in the circle turns into smoldering colorful coal, and I see how the women and the wolves leave the Arena through the performers’ tunnel next to where Deeri is still standing quietly. The butterfly on Psyrah’s hand spreads its wings and lights up again. Synchronous with its entire burning family, it flies up toward the sky, and they all slowly disappear into the dark night.
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