The Elephant Gate

Kevin felt a strange sense of disorientation, as his body was swirling in two different directions at once. His arms felt leaden and numb. He had merely a moment to feel fear before the familiar, frightening darkness swept over him.

From the dark, he became aware that he was breathing heavily, as if he had run a marathon, and his body felt almost paralyzed. He heard a soft thunk to his right.

When he tried to open his eyes they revealed a vaulted wooden ceiling, festooned with cobwebs and dust. As his breathing slowed, he became more aware of his surroundings; a floral scent drifting in the clean air, the light touch of a breeze raising goosebumps on his arms.

He tried sitting up, and was almost comically surprised at his success. He was recovered rapidly from, well, whatever happened to him. Finally he was sitting, slightly hunched with his hands resting on his t.h.i.g.hs. The sun had slipped past the horizon, the sky deepening through dark orange towards deep blues and inky black.

It appeared he was in some sort of gazebo, but it seemed long abandoned. There were twists of pink flowery vines clinging to the poles, a thin layer of dust everywhere. He looked at the floor, but the only footprints were a small pair, like that of a child or woman, walking to the bench where he sat, and then walking away. Even these had already been slightly filled in by powder.

He rubbed his foot experimentally, and brown wooden floorboards shown through. Just where was this place? He looked around for clues, familiar objects, anything that would tell him where he was.

He placed his hand on the bench's armrest, and felt a faint bumpy indentation. Brushing away the dust, he saw two sets of initials surrounded by a crude heart. He reeled at the touch as what seemed like a bolt of lightning struck through his head.

Childhood memories came flooding back, of this very building, of playing in the garden, with a little girl and a brown and white dog.

"Surikiyia..." the wind whispered, and he saw a face, laughing, pouting, crying, smiling. Surk'ya!

It was real.

He bolted upright, the wood beneath his feet groaning as they accepted the sudden weight. He was back in Pra'dee! But it looked decrepit and disused from his faint childhood memories. Was anything still the same? And how many years had passed since he was transported back to his own reality.

The ground felt firm under his feet, and when he found the faint stones that marked the old pathway, he felt marginally better. As he walked towards the palace, he wondered how many years had gone by. If it was the same as back home, than Thadchai Dad would be close to his 50's. And he was twenty-five now. Would anyone recognize him?

His footsteps slowed as he reached the last overgrown hedge before the palace would come into view. He was oddly reluctant to see what was there.

He took those final steps. When the palace grounds came into view, his jaw dropped with shock.

The building was still there, all white stucco and black roof tiles, but the grounds were vastly different from his memory. Several layers of tall fencing surrounded the immediate grounds. There were uniformed men with dogs patrolling in between the layers. Automatically he hushed the dogs with his mind as he scanned the perimeter.

There were gun emplacements at opposite sides of the palace, and the building itself glowed with a patchwork of bright lights illuminating the surrounding area. It was clear the building was under siege.

"Who is there! Stop!" A voice cried out behind and to his right. He whirled around to see a soldier stand some distance from him, rifle level at his head. He automatically stood still and put his hands up.

The soldier walked closer. "Who are you? Do you have a pass to be here? Why are you dressed that way?" The language was guttural; the questions were asked one after the other, giving him no time to answer. He licked his lips nervously.

"I…I'm looking for King Phuna."

The soldier sneered.

"He is long gone and deposed, sentenced to death if he ever returns. If you are one of his followers, prepare to be interrogated. Turn around and put your hands on your head!"

Numbly, Kevin complied, unable to think of any other action through his spinning mind. The kingdom was peaceful when he was here. There must have been a coup d'etat. What happened to the royal family? What happened to Suri? His adoptive father?

He realized that the soldier hadn't said another word since he turned around, so he cautiously peeked over his shoulder. The rifle was on the grass, the soldiers eyes wide and beseeching as another man dressed in full black stood behind him, his arm circled around his neck. The figure gave a short twist with his other hand, and with a sickening snap, the soldier's head lolled sideways and he slid to the ground.

Kevin stared at the dead guard for a moment before looking up at the hooded figure, now aiming the rifle directly at him. It was a wordless moment, both staring until the man lowered the weapon slightly.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" This voice was familiar, and shot straight to his heart.

"D…Dad? Thadchai Dad?" Kevin could feel the man's eyes boring through him even as the rifle slowly lowered. With his other hand, the man pushed back his balaclava to reveal a shock of white hair and a weathered face that Kevin knew well.

"Is that you Kevin? Have you returned to us?"

Unmindful of the rifle now dangling and pointed down, Kevin made the few steps to the man and enveloped him in a bear hug. "Dad! You're alright."

The man put his free hand around Kevin and pulled him close. "Welcome back, son."