October 30, 2014

Chapter 1 - Hestia and the Vestals

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The Alcove
Chapter 1
Hestia and the Vestals


“Welcome to The Alcove”

That gentle, clear voice pulled me back to reality –if it was reality– and as I lifted up my head trying to find the source of the voice, I fixed my vision upon a lady standing few meters away from me. She was… red… yeah, red. That was the best definition I could give at that time, as I saw her in a long red linen dress with long scarlet hair, a pair of expensive looking red colored high heels, red lipstick and make up, alongside with amber-red nails. She was beautiful, no doubt, with a gentle and welcoming smile.

Her red figure was on a huge contrast with the space I found myself in, dragging all attentions toward her. The space –not exactly a room– was so white it felt like an endless horizon of brilliant light. It was not endless, though, I could see edges of the space far away in my vision, shaping the space in my mind as a huge chunk of a perfect rectangle. However, it was not that perfect either, one side of the rectangle was not there, leaving a blank space –as if intentionally showing what was out there, nothing–

I tried to understand my situation, and I cannot help to think if this place was heaven, if I were in a sort of ‘waiting room’ before I would be judged for what I did. It would make a lot of sense if I were. I was dead –no doubt about it– and I was suddenly clothed in white robe, in a white room. Is it not what heaven seems to be associated with? Nonetheless, I simply cannot believe if I was in heaven. I didn’t know why, there was just this question lingering within me about this 'heaven'. Then, I realized that what grew was not just my body, but my mind as well. I would have never questioned the existence of heaven –even until I was dead– since I was still a kid then, blindly believing what was set in stone for me.

Just how was it possible for someone to suddenly grow so much? Wait, before that, how did I even get here in first place? I wanted to know, I needed to know.

*Chuckle*

Amidst the tumultuous voices in my head, a chuckle was heard. It was the red lady. I didn’t understand why she seemed amused, there clearly was nothing happening in this room outside from me –probably looking dumb– thinking of my situations.

“Forgive my manner.” The lady said with a smile, half apologetic half amused, which she quickly shifted to an apologetic smile. “Please call me Hestia." She continued, now with a friendly smile. “First of all, thank you for the flattery, and no, this place is not heaven.”

What?

I was sure that I hadn’t even spoken yet –let alone flatter her– and she suddenly said that the place was not heaven, which I was wandering about a moment ago.

“Like I said, this place is called The Alcove.” Hestia continued on, seemingly uncaring of my puzzled face. “This place is, like its name suggest, a recess. Not of a room, but of parallel dimensions. This place exists within reality, and at the same time being outside of the reality. So you were actually quite wrong in there, it was not intended to show nothing out there, this place is nothing.”

I was very sure that she could read my mind.

She chuckled again, this time a bit lighter. Was it because of my expression –a mix of fear and confusion– or was it because that she can really read my mind? “I cannot read your mind.” She said, which I cannot fully believe. “I can only grasp your feeling, which is more than enough to understand what you truly think, most of the time at least.”

Hestia pointed her finger to her left –my right– and as I followed her finger, my vision was led to a burning hearth. How come I didn’t notice it before? I realized that it was because of the flame; the flame was neither red nor blue. The flame was white, binding completely into the overall palate of the room.

“That flame is the ‘link’, as you might have put it. That one is connected to a kid drowning under a night sea, which was you, was he not?” I would have thought that she was kidding, but she explained with a smile that somehow prove that she could not be any more serious, further strengthened with her mention of a drowning kid –me. “We call these flames the Ignis Vestae.” She continued with the same smile, and then pointed three other hearths, each marking the edge of the room as if being the dots that connect this whole rectangular space. “Or Vestal, if you so prefer.”

I did not care about these hearths. Her mention about me drowning seemed to evoke something in me, my ribcage felt as if it was going to be broken –again– and I think I didn’t conceal it from my face –nor mind– that well.

Hestia’s smile changed for a split second to one of compassion, which she quickly changed back to the professional, warm smile as she resumed her explanation with a clear, semi-dramatic voice: “Reality is similar to a polished gem with many facets, with infinite stories in each facet. Each of these Vestals is connected to one particular facet of reality, unknown to other facets of reality.”

I thought I understood her explanation, thinking that it was about parallel realities or alternate dimensions.

Then, without being able to confirm my theory, Hestia said a statement that –even after this odd day– would be the most unbelievable statement in my life.

“You are an echo of four Vestals here, born from me who acts as a catalyst of each individual reverberation. Four sounds with flickering will to live” Now she had a proud smile on her face that lasted a full second before she resumed, like an artist looking at her masterpiece. “You are an amalgamation of four souls.”