Author`s note :
Originally I didn`t plan to use song lyrics in this chapter but since I`m always listening to music when I write,those two songs seemed to fit in.
„Congo“© Genesis and „If I Never Knew You“ (from the Pocahontas soundtrack)© Stephen Schwartz.
Chapter 10 :
Jim was lying in his bed when he suddenly heard a loud banging on the door.He quickly opened it,secretly hoping that it was Dolphy,but instead he was face to face with Carren who immediately grabbed him by the collar.
„Okay,Hawkins,where is she!?“ he snarled menacingly.
„What?Who?“ asked Jim as he noticed Rakitan,Lenaro and the three alien girls standing behind Carren.
„You know who I`m talking about.Your ex-roommate.She has disappeared and I have the feeling that you know where she is now.“
„Dolphy has disappeared?“ meant Jim shocked and stared at him.
Carren got angrier.
„Don`t consider us as stupid,you freak!Nobody has seen her since the lessons and a big part of her stuff isn`t in her room anymore so tell us,and I mean instantly,where`s she gone!?“
„She`s...gone?“ whispered Jim hesitantly.
This couldn`t be.What had those jerks done to her that she was running away now?Why didn`t she come to him,why...He remembered what he had said to her when they were together for the last time,a few weeks before.What was she possibly doing right now?
Carren raised an eyebrow at Jim`s absent-minded look and pushed him out of the doorframe to make sure that there was really nobody else in the room.
„Well,Hawkins,you`re quite lucky.It seems that you in fact don`t know where that girl is.“
Jim suddenly passed by Carren to the wardrobe,grabbed his jacket and headed for the hallway.
„Wait!Where are you going?“ demanded Carren loudly.
Jim turned around and glared at him with determination.
„I`m gonna get her back.“
„No,ya won`t!“ he yelled as he grabbed Jim`s shoulder. „Remember the deal?You`re not allowed to be together with her!“
„Right,but I won`t let anything happen to her and I`m gonna find her whereever she is so get out of my way!“ he snarled darkly.
„You stay here!“
None of them knew how but suddenly Jim`s anger turned into unbelievable strenght and although he was still hurt he managed it to knock Carren over and sent him tumbling on the floor.He crashed there with his head first and with such an heavy impact that he lost consciousness.While the alien girls shrieked in shock Lenaro tried to attack Jim but was grabbed by somebody behind him so he wasn`t able to move.
„Rakitan?Hey,man,what are ya doing!?“ he yelled dumbfounded.
„Jim,go get your friend back!“ Rakitan shouted.
„I knew you`re a traitor!“ snarled Vivian in a high voice and went towards him to rip him with her long claws but was tripped up by someone so she landed with a loud thud on the ground,too.Jim smirked at her.
„Usually I don`t beat females but you`re not necessarily what I consider feminine.“
„Rakitan,let go!“ yelled Lenaro again.
„Go,Jim,I dunno how long I can hold him back!“
„Thanx.“ said Jim before he started running down the hallway.
The sun was already setting and dark clouds began to appear in the sky as Dolphy and Morph wandered away from the Interstellar Academy.She didn`t exactly know where she should go but she remembered some of her classmates talking about an ocean ,only some miles away from the academy.The way there was much longer than she had expected and it got even worse as the sky suddenly darkened completely and it started to rain heavily.
„Great,that`s just what we needed.“ meant Dolphy sarcastically.
Morph transformed into an umbrella to protect her from the rain but it didn`t last very long until he was shivering and sneezing uncontrollably.Dolphy stopped walking and opened her backpack.
„Thanx Morphy but I don`t want you to get ill.Come in here,that thing is water-resistant.“
The little shapeshifter squealed happily and flew into Dolphy`s backpack without hesitation.She continued her way and was fastly soaked to the bone.The weather got worse and worse until she couldn`t see where she was going anymore.After a while she started muttering to herself,desperately trying to make out where she was.
„The ocean must be here somewhere,it has to-Woa!“ she screamed as she suddenly slipped down a muddy precipice which was made soggy by the rain.
„Arrgh,damnit!“ she cursed loudly and tried to stand up but landed on the wet ground again.
When she looked at it she noticed that it wasn`t the same kind of ground like that she had walked on for the last hours.This one here consisted of fine sand instead of rocks and small amounts of grass although it was a huge bunch of mud right now.That meant one thing.Dolphy took a few steps forward through the opaque air the rain had caused until she could see the left-overs of some waves coming nearer and disappearing again.
„The ocean.“ she whispered to herself,wishing the weather would finally get better so that she could see it clearly.
At this moment thunder began to let tremble the earth and bolts of lightning brightened up the scenery for just a few seconds.But it was enough time for Dolphy to make out a small cave where she was save from the rain and the sea.She had to duck to get into it but now she had a place she could stay at.Only now she realized that her jeans-jacket was completely soaked and full of mud,just like her trousers.Although it was quite cold she decided to take off her jacket,in the state it was right now it couldn`t do much to warm her anyway.Dolphy opened her backpack and motioned for Morph to come out.The pink blob looked around to get aware of its surroundings but as it heard the thunder outside becoming louder it frightened flew in Dolphy`s lap.She patted the little shapeshifter reassuringly and told him there was nothing to be scared of.Thunder and lightnings were something that fascinated her,they always made her feel peaceful in a weird way...well,as long as she was somewhere inside.To calm him down,she gave Morph a chocolate cookie from out of her bag and while he ate it greedily Dolphy took her discman she had brought with her from Earth and listened to some CDs.
He didn`t know why but he had this strange feeling that he was heading in the right direction. Dolphy had told him once about the oceans on her home planet and how she loved them.The planet the Interstellar Academy was located on had an ocean,too,so she simply had to be somewhere there.At first he had considered going to the nearest village but then he remembered that Dolphy didn`t like being among strange people and going to a lonely place would fit much more to her character.He fought his way through the pouring rain and thought about what she was doing in this moment.The only thing that calmed him a bit down was that Morph was with her so she wasn`t completely alone.
„I`m gonna find you,Dolphy.“ he muttered to himself. „I`m gonna find you.“
After a while Dolphy was through with all of her CDs except one.Her parents had sent her this one some days ago and she hadn`t had the opportunity to listen to it yet.She put it in her discman and heard the music start.
„You said that I`d put chains on you
But I don`t think that`s really true
But if you wanna be free from me
You gotta lose me in another world...“
„Super.“ thought Dolphy sarcastically. „Just the song I need now.“
Morph was still lying in her lap and dozing as he suddenly raised his head and stared at the opening of the cave.He heard something in the distance and dashed off outside like a flash.
„Morph,wait,where are you going!?“ yelled Dolphy upset and went after him.
It had finally stopped raining and bright stars were shining on the night sky but the little shapeshifter was nowhere to be seen.Sighing heavily Dolphy crouched back into the cave and cuddled her legs to her chest,hugging them with her arms while she kept listening to the music.
„Into my heart you came and gave a whole new meaning to
my life
Into my world you brought a light
I thought it never would go out
Sell me to the Congo
I`m free to leave
There`s always somewhere anybody can leave
Sell me to the Congo
You have to believe
You can do it if you wanna just do what you`re
pleased...“
„Dolphy!?Dolphy,where are you!?“ shouted Jim as he had finally reached the coast.
He called her name a couple of times but didn`t get any sign of response until he saw a pink flash storming straightly towards him.He yelped in surprise as the little blob hysterically licked his face.
„Morph!“ said Jim cheerily. „Do ya know where Dolphy is?“
The shapeshifter nodded ecstatically and transformed into an arrow to show him the direction before he motioned to follow him.
In the cave Dolphy got fed up with listening to the songs and put her discman and her CDs back into her backpack.She leaned back and stared against the stone wall in front of her.
„Welcome to the boredom.“ she muttered to herself as she suddenly noticed Morph coming back to her and pulling on a strand of her hair.
„Morph,what-„ she managed to say and followed him out of the cave.
She nearly yelped in shock as she saw who was standing in front of her.
„Hi,Dolphy.“ said Jim shyly with a relieved look on his face. „I`m glad you`re alright-„
„What are you doing here?“ interrupted him Dolphy coldly.
He thought for a moment about what he should say but didn`t find the right words so he just told her what he was feeling right now.
„I missed you...and I was worried about you when I heard that you had run away.“
„Yeah,of course,and now you wanna make me go back to my wonderful friends so I can get completely insane.Has Carren given you that order?“
„Nobody has given me any order!On the contrary,he tried to stop me from searching you.“
„Oh,so now you expect me to squeal in happiness and thank you for rescuing me,huh?“
`That`s not gonna be easy.` thought Jim while he sighed heavily.
„Listen,I know that what I have said has hurt you very much and I wish there was a way to undo it but I had no other choice!“
„There`s always another choice,Jim!And by the way,what are you talking about!?“
He grabbed her firmly but gently on the shoulders and looked her deep in the eyes what made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
„Carren forced me to do it.He has threatened with doing something terrible to you if you and me had stayed together.“
Dolphy`s eyes lit with realization but it quickly faded into anger again and she pushed herself away from Jim`s grip.
„If that`s really true,then why didn`t you tell me!?I thought we were friends!I...We had found a way out of this.I trusted you!“ she yelled on the verge of tears. „All the things I was afraid of,being rejected,dissapointed and used just like a dumb thing,the reasons why I have trouble getting friends...you confirmed all of these fears,are you aware of that!?“
Jim couldn`t say anything and ashamed stared at the ground.Not having gotten an answer Dolphy turned her back on him and gazed up to the stars.After a while he found the strenght to response.
„I`m sorry,I just wanted to protect-Aahh!!!“ he suddenly cried and collapsed.
„Jim!“ yelled Dolphy and ran to him.
„No problem,I`m alright.“ he forced himself to say and tried to stand up but failed to do so.
He pressed his hand on his ribs,did his best to suppress the pain and closed his eyes.
As he opened them again he saw Dolphy extending her hand to him.He took it gratefully and without saying a word she helped him carefully into the narrow cave.Jim leaned against the cold stone wall and watched her sitting down as far away from him as possible.He sighed dejectedly.
„Dolphy,I-„
She raised her hand as a sign for him not to say anything else.
„Tomorrow,Jim.We`ll talk about it tomorrow.“ she told him and lay down with her head resting on her backpack and closed her eyes.
She wasn`t in the mood for talking right now.Too many questions and emotions were welling up inside her and she just wanted them to go away,she didn`t have the strenght to face them.Deep in her heart she knew that she still loved Jim and that`s what made here even more confused.Could she really trust him after he had threatened her in such a mean way?But if he really told her the truth then he was in fact just protecting her from Carren although she didn`t realize it.And what would happen when they came back to the academy?Before any other questions appeared in her mind she fell asleep,not giving them the opportunity to let them bother her anymore.
Jim gazed at her with weak and sad eyes.What was he supposed to do?He had seen it in her eyes that she didn`t trust him.How he wanted to fall asleep,too,and escape from those downcasting feelings but he couldn`t.Therefore he envied Dolphy and Morph who was lying in a little corner and snoring quietly.After a while Jim felt that it was getting colder and guessed it was already midnight.He could hear the soft noises of the ocean,the waves fighting their way up to the beach and then withdrawing to where they had come from.Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed something moving.It was Dolphy who trembled because of the coldness.She put one arm around herself and pulled her legs slightly to her chest in order to warm herself up.Jim watched this and without thinking about himself took off his jacket.He quietly went to her and covered her with his jacket,smiling as he saw the peaceful look on her face.Being above her he slightly leaned forwards until his cheek was touching hers.His body heat gave Dolphy a safe and comfortable feeling although she was soundly asleep.
She relaxed while Jim was the one who was trembling now.Not only because of the icy air but also because he feared that he would possibly never get a return to this embrace.Would she ever want him to touch her when she was awake as she did before?Would she ever be able to love him like she did once?Sadly he let go of her and sat back at his place.While imagining what would happen on the next day he finally fell asleep.
Dolphy turned around as she suddenly realized that there was something lying on her.She sleepily opened her eyes and recognized Jim`s jacket covering her as replacement of a blanket.Looking at Jim she saw that he was quivering.She didn`t know why she was doing that,maybe it was just weariness,but as if it was a familiar reflex she slowly crawled to Jim,covered both of them with the jacket and lay her head on his chest.It lasted just a moment until she was asleep again.Jim leaned closer to her and a content smile appeared on his face.
If
I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be
And if
I never held you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me
In this
world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
So dry your eyes
And I'm
so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you
If
I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true
I'm so
grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you
I thought our love would be so
beautiful
Somehow
we made the whole world bright
I
never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us where these whispers in the night
But still my heart is singing
We were right
If
I never knew you
If I never knew this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be
There's no moment I regret
Since the moment that we met
If our time has gone too fast
I've lived at last...
I
thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright
I
thought our love would be so beautiful
We'd turn the darkness into light
And
still my heart is singing
We were right
We were right
And If I never knew you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Empty
as the sky
Never knowing why
Lost forever
If I never knew you
To be continued...