One thing I notice is that all the corners in the house are rounded and because of the curves everywhere, it looks alive. In the left corner there’s a small kitchenette. The countertop is made of mother of pearl and it drops seamlessly into the shape of a sink; no metal is used for the basin and a tap is entirely absent. Instead, a small fountain lies in the middle of the sink. I walk toward it and instantly the fountain starts spewing, ready for me to drink. Strange… I didn’t turn it on.
With my nails, I tap on the counter to test the hardness of the pearl since I know this to be a delicate material. The top feels as hard as granite but is less cold.
Next to the sink stands a stove with three round indentations on the top. Above the stove, several round pots hang on the wall and I slide my fingers over each one. The indentations on the stove fit the sizes of the pots like a puzzle. Inside the stove, a small fire burns but I see neither logs nor a gas line. Above the sink hangs a little wheel filled with fresh herbs, and right below dangle two clay cups. The cabinets are made of a dark polished wood and are smoothly carved into crafty shapes. A charming wooden dinner table and two chairs complete the kitchen.
The Didelian campgrounds look very different by daylight, and I hardly recognize the location. The Arena stands on the edge of a humongous field and borders the Flambeau Forest. The building is breathtakingly beautiful and now I can really see what material it is made of and what the dimensions are. The structure takes up the space of a large football stadium. On Unraveling Didelis I heard it accommodates around 50,000 visitors.
Everybody I know watches the television program Unraveling Didelis on the Discovery Channel. During this program, various experts from a range of disciplines try to debunk the Didelian mysteries by using the knowledge of physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Illusionists help out with the tricks that remain unsolved by the team. No one can confirm the theories of Unraveling Didelis, but the experts sound pretty convinced themselves. This is the sixth year of the show and it is still the most popular TV program of the moment. Today, I will probably be able test some of the theories myself, which is a bizarre realization.
The large stone building is an interesting combination of a Roman Arena and a Rococo Cathedral all the while maintaining a surprisingly modern, yet majestic, appearance. The dominantly used stone is light beige and looks smooth; it almost looks as if it shimmers in the sunlight. All parts of the Arena are individually decorated with special stone carvings, statues, and mosaics. Every ornament is uniquely designed, and everything together forms a uniform art piece. The window frames are made of colorful tiles combined with translucent gems. From the top ridge of the Arena, large creatures that vaguely resemble the gargoyles of the Notre Dame, look down on us. Their large examining eyes, long sharp ears and chaotic wild manes that wrap as flames around their heads, give them a playful, demonic look. Different colors of light shine from the large lancet arches that go around the Arena.
Three small towers in different heights give the building a dazzling medieval touch. The towers are heavily decorated with colorful rocks and all have a polished roof made of pearl-like material. Unraveling Didelis states the towers are used by the important Didelians who watch their own spectacles from up there.
“Do the Didelians watch the show from those towers?” It is my first question and I surprise myself by it. Swaying Swenron looks up.
“Ah no, those towers have ceremonial purposes.”
“Oh.” He’s being completely honest. I never expected the Didelians to give away information so easily. Ceremonial purposes… I discovered Unraveling Didelis’ first error.
The sky behind the Arena has a dark grey shade and with the low temperatures this week I think we can expect snow, though it’s early for this time of year. Birds circle over the Arena as if to check whether there will be a hiding place for them to avoid the snow.
Chapter 6
Flambeau River State Forest, Wisconsin
October 27th 2014
Mine
In the back of the cabin, a large oval bed is half hidden between two bulky green trees that grow opposite each other. These humongous living tree-trunks make an unexpected bed frame. From the closest branches a white silk curtain with bright golden stars drapes down and separates the bed area from the rest of the house. I walk toward the bed and move the curtain. The sheets have the same pearl color as the countertop and shimmer brightly. On top lies a spread of white furry animal skin. The mattress fits perfectly between the two tree trunks. It looks as if they grew around it, and perhaps they did… It’s the most remarkable thing, that being inside doesn’t seem to harm the growth of these trees in the slightest; they are blossoming and there are no dead leaves visible on the bed. It’s all magical.
Looking to the left I inspect the cabins, which seem larger than I remember. They’re built with dark wood and have small windows all around. The entrances are adorned with a beautiful overhang adorned with magical wooden carvings from which the lanterns are suspended. These lanterns, all in different colors, sway back and forth in the wind of this wintery autumn day. From every lodge, a small trail of smoke escapes through a little chimney.
The bungalows have wheels and drive from location to location. They are known to navigate flawlessly and yet, no drivers have been spotted, which has caused a lot of speculation in our world. They drive at about 25 miles an hour and are estimated to carry up to 60,000 pounds. The cabin-vehicles can’t possibly carry the entire weight of the stone Arena; therefore, no one knows how they move it between locations. This is just one of the unresolved Didelian enigmas for which even the Discovery Channel doesn’t have an answer. It’s strange to know all these meticulous facts about the Didelians just by watching a TV show. I hope to learn more about the Didelian mysteries that have kept the viewers speculating for decades. Perhaps I will discover what gives the Didelians their powers… A small tingle of pride runs through my spine. Here I am, the first westerner ever to be included in this group of extraordinary beings…
A dresser with a large mirror braided between branches stands next to the bed. Instead of seeing myself in the mirror, it reflects the forest outside. It’s the only space for clothes in the house. I look from my bags to the dresser, back to the bags. I guess the Didelians do not have many belongings. Luckily, the books I brought will have a designated location. At the end of the bed, a few branches of the tree have grown into a perfect shelf.
Finding a location for my favorite silk scarf my mother gifted me on my 18th birthday, has priority over everything. I take it with me everywhere I go. I now carefully hang it on the branches, so it forms a little curtain behind the pillows. It matches perfectly. The cabin makes me laugh. It’s almost modern looking but with a dominant touch of Didelian.
I look in Swenron’s direction. If it is true Didelians that can read minds, I have to be careful. My thoughts might sound like those of an overwhelmed groupie. Swaying Swenron is now walking with my luggage and doesn’t seem to notice my loud mental adoration of the camp. He walks past me, winks, and carries my bags toward the bungalows with visible ease.
I stop my thoughts. The truth is, I don’t know why I am here and what the intentions of the Didelians are. Luckily, Swaying Swenron has been very friendly. Will it stay this way? I have three months to find out, and three months is a long time.
From behind the cottages, grey smoke rises and the entire camp smells of burning wood. Combined with the freezing air, the thick bulky clothes I wear, and the sight of wooden lodges, my winter-feel is complete. I look at Swaying Swenron and wait for instructions. He smiles and points toward a cabin on my right.
“Yours,” he says.
Mine? It is hard to imagine having my own cabin. Yet, there it is, in the outer ring of houses. The door stands wide open and Swenron disappears inside. He reappears without my bags. It’s definitely mine.
“Rest a bit, Naran. This afternoon someone will come for you.” After delivering this message, Swenron pats me lightly on my shoulder and walks off.
“Thanks,” I say softly. I wish I could act with more enthusiasm but I’m still processing the entire situation. Stupefied, I stare at the bungalow with my belongings inside. It’s so beautiful, so… Didelian. I’ve heard, read and seen so much about these homes. No non-Didelian has ever been inside. Now I have my own! I give a little jump of excitement and then guide Luna into the Didelian house that has been prepared for us. If the Didelians are trying to punish me for trespassing, they have an interesting way of doing so.
Inside, the cabin is minimally furnished. I take my jacket off while Luna does a thorough study of her new home. She sniffs every corner, licks the floor here and there, bites some fabrics and makes sure she doesn’t leave a single crevasse unheeded.
Traveling isn’t new to me. In the past I moved to several different locations for projects. I graduated with honors from The Biochemistry Program at the University of Minnesota and ever since, my career has taken off. I’m good with math and formulas and graduated young with exceptional grades. Since then, I have participated in several high-profile projects for large pharmaceutical companies. My references state I’m ‘inventive and have a refreshing way of reasoning’. Even though I’m not sure I deserve this, I have become a desired lab employee. After having worked on projects in big cities in Europe, Asia and throughout the USA, I decided to settle down with Luna in Minneapolis, close to my parents. Ever since, I have been doing what I like the most: being a couch potato, reading books after work and staying at home with the dog.
While I unpack my bags, I become slightly nostalgic. I realize I’ve missed moving around. But today I am more nervous than I have ever been. I’m about to immerse in a completely new culture. I guess I have no clue what to do to ‘blend in’. At least when traveling for work, I was able to do research on the various cultures I moved into. Here it’s slightly different. I’ve gotten all my knowledge from magazines and television. In fact, I know very little about the people I’m going to meet.
Luna seems to have no trouble accepting her new home; she is rolling on the soft pelt in front of the fireplace and rubs her belly into the fuzz. I decide to follow her example and to take Swaying Swenron’s advice to take a nap. Going to new locations with new people demands energy; I’d better have some. While sinking into my soft pearl sheets, I once more realize how blessed I am. This time I can’t thank my degree in school nor my work experience for the opportunity. Drowsy, I think about how Psyrah got our tickets.