Chapter 6: Preposition

Inside the hospital’s intensive care unit Danica and Pan are having a conversation with the doctor about Kellens’ condition. The operation is successful and now Kellen needs to recover but that does not mean that he is already safe. Kellen is comatose and there is no exact time when he will wake up. He had a severe head injury that caused a layer in his brain to bleed resulting in him being in a vegetative state.

“Just like I said Mrs. Gaudi, a patient like your son that receives a severe head injury and is now in a coma, even if he wakes up I am afraid that there will be some complications. Most likely a patient in a comatose state wakes up in a week or months, but sometimes it takes a year, only time can tell when he will return to consciousness.” The doctor said straight to them about the possibility of this scenario, after some more explanation he left the two on the sofa.

Danica seeing Kellens’ current state can’t help but to cry helplessly, she can’t utter a word in her current stupor. She unconsciously glances at Kellen every other minute that passes.

“Let’s just pray that he will recover faster and wake up sooner.” Pan consoles his wife embracing her tenderly. He feels pity for Kellen, experiencing this kind of adversity after the incident that happened to him two years ago, then he lost all the things that he worked hard for and then this - being ganged up on a group of thugs and ending up here in a hospital bed in critical condition and unconscious.

•••••

After Kellens revelation, Hennesy and Acacia move outside to talk about Kellen’s situation after he said that he is from another world. They were still in shock about this; it is first time for them to hear that there is actually a world out there except for them.

“I never heard it before this, this is new for me too, that guy sure is surprising.” Hennesy is now enthusiastic to know the story of Kellen.

“What will you do with him? You said he cannot go back to his body, maybe the reason is that he belongs to a different world that is why he’s having a hard time to sense his corporeal form from here.” Acacia said looking at the night sky sprinkled with stars.

Hennesy contemplates for a while and said “I am not sure about the reason for his case. For the time being I will let him stay in this place and try to help him find a way to return. In exchange for my help I will ask him to tell me a story or information about the world he lives in. At this point of my life this is the only thing that interests me; to know things that is out of my knowledge.”  

Asmot heard the two suddenly said “Uncle Hennesy how can we communicate with him like you do, I want to ask him many questions too. I wonder if his world is beautiful as ours.” looking at Hennesy with gleaming eyes.

Hennesy scratched his left ear and sighed “That is the problem, if you want to communicate with him I need to translate everything you want to say, and that would be troublesome for me if I have do it every time.”

Sure enough Hennesy can use spiritual telepathy to communicate with Kellen, while the two don’t have that ability.

“If you can teach him our language, even if it’s only basic we can somehow converse with him.” Acacia knows that teaching Kellen their language is the best way to communicate.

“The thing is if he's willing to stay here for a while and will not wonder around. What do you think? I am also interested in his world on how it looks like”

“Don’t worry while he’s here you can have the chance to know him and learn things from his world. I guess it will take some time for him to return because he said that he has been hit on the head and after he fell unconscious. If my understanding is correct his physical body has received a severe injury which causes his spirit to detach from his corporeal form, usually this happens when the body is not suitable anymore for a spirit to stay there and that is what they called death. But Kellen is different, he still has a body though his body is not strong enough for now to contain his spirit it only needs time to heal. Furthermore, I assume that he has a weak soul otherwise this will never happen to him, having a hard time returning.” Hennesy explains the possibility that Kellen current situation.

Acacia nodded weakly “I think you should talk to him now,  just explain to him his situation and it’s up to him if he is going to stay here to receive our help or not.” Acacia walk forward signaling Asmot to follow him.

“Were you two going to the hill again?”

“Not this time, we’re going to hunt some Elemental Orbs in the forest. If we’re lucky we can find one.” smiling slightly as they proceed to the door.

*Sigh* ‘These two still doing that until now. What are they thinking, seeking an orb as if they can consume it.’

Hennesy enters the tree house looking for Kellen, he is thinking of a way to help him in his extraordinary situation. Kellen is looking outside the window making a gloomy face, his ecstatic feeling before he drifted to this place changed to a worried and uncertain feeling now. Kellen was thinking of the possible causes of this event himself, his family and the new job that he longed for, as he was stuck here in this unknown place helpless. He is considering that he’s experiencing what they called life after death event right now, not knowing if he will be able to return to his world - to his body.

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“Kellen.”

Kellen is deep in thought when Hennesy suddenly called him which startled him for a moment.

“I can see in your sullen face that you are worried. Don’t feel so depressed. It’s not like it is completely helpless. You know if your physical body can recover from the injury you sustained, I am sure that you can return. But you are not certain when will it happen, that is why I have a proposition for you, and I am sure it can help you.” He tries to console Kellen seeing him feel dejected.

“How? If you know a way, please help me” Kellens face brightens up a bit hearing Hennesy’s words.

“Yes, I know a way, and I am more than willing to help, but I will not do it for free.” His look shows a hidden meaning into it.

“What you mean? Do you want me to pay you or something? You know that’s not possible right?” Kellen was puzzled, dozens of questions pop into his head thinking Hennesy is up to something.

“You know it is not like that….” Hennesy give a sinister smile and touches Kellen’s shoulder which causes him to look at Hennesy stager and baffled.

“You… How did you manage to touch me in my incorporeal form?”

Hennesy laugh heartily “I like the way you react. Of course I can touch you I have strong spiritual perception, I could even kill you and take your soul.”

“You are not going to do that, right?” He was trembling in fear, if this old man can really killed him in his incorporeal body that means he will be gone forever and will never have a chance to go back to his world.

“Relax I am just teasing you. Why would I do that to you? I am just showing you my capability, this is one of the benefits of spirit cultivation. If you can able to absorb spiritual energy and strengthen your spirit it will be easy for you to return to your body. You understand?”

Kellen nodded and dropped his shoulders forward showing a sign of relief.

“You really scared me, I thought you are going to do it for real!”

“I can teach you to cultivate your spirit in exchange you will share your knowledge about your world. You know, I have been here for countless years and I have learned many things, I study many books like my life depends on it. Until there is nothing more worth learning in this world that interests me. But now you show up, and suddenly said that you’re from different world, it intrigues me knowing that there are other planets that can sustain life like ours, at the same time it fired up my interest to know more about your world.”

Hennesy is really fascinated by Kellen after knowing where he came from, this is a once in a lifetime chance to actually meet an entity like him. He explained his intentions to Kellen without hiding anything.

Kellen thought for a while, actually Hennesy’s proposition is not bad they can both learn something from each other it is like a give and take relationship. Hennesy’s proposal is also at the right timing, he is actually lost right now after he failed to return to his body. Though he still doubts Hennesy, there is no harm even if he knows some knowledge about his world.

After waiting for a while seeing Kellen in a deep thought once more, Hennesy finally breaks the silence “So what do you think, did you come up with a decision now? It is not like you are at a disadvantage, I can also share my knowledge with you about our world. We can both broaden our horizons.” He is eager to know if Kellen will accept his proposition.

Kellen faces Hennesy and looks at him seriously “Okay I accept your proposal, it’s not like I have a choice here right? And my priority right now is to get back to my world.”

He stretches his right hand to Hennesy for a handshake.

“What is this?” Hennesy was confused with Kellen seeing his hand hanging there in front of him.

“This is just a formality it means that were in an agreement now.”

Hennesy mouth curled upward and stretch his hand to do a handshake, from today onward they will be sharing their knowledge with each other.

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Just want to Thank Ulvr for his generosity to proofread chapter 6.

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