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Chapter 15
"That's it," Mark said, looking at the boulder before them. "I remember our guide telling us that the women used to climb to the top and pound their food there."
"Didn't you guys take a picture on it or something? It looks familiar."
"Yeah, we did actually. Come on. Let's see what he's left for us here." Mark made his way to the other side of the rock, his back towards the majestic waters of Yosemite Falls. Don followed suit and waited for his friend to have safely reached the top before climbing up after him.
Mark was looking around wildly. "Damn it, there's nothing here," he exclaimed, frustrated.
"Is this the only place where the Ahwahnee did their pounding?"
"No, there are other places, but this is the most noted one. The others surely haven't lasted as long as this one."
Don absorbed this news quietly and settled himself down to sit and think to see if he could remember hearing anything about this from his guide. Mark continued to pace nearby, muttering to himself. He took another turn, a bit too sharply and lost his balance, falling towards Don. Quickly, he was able to break Mark's fall and Don held his friend who obviously wasn't mentally there at the moment. Mark was shivering like crazy and his eyes had glazed over in fear and pain. "It's freezing!" he whispered. "He's hurting her, Don… Something about purification… A whip… My skin! Ahh! Stop touching me! It hurts!" Mark struggled against Don's grip but his friend held tight for fear of having the both of them falling off the rock.
Slowly, Mark regained control of his body and Don backed off, eyeing his friend to make sure he was all right. Mark's sharp eyes locked with Don's. "He's waiting for us. His purification of her body is half over. He requests our presence for the final part. When the earth's heavenly sister leaves no shadow on the ground, the bride will await the groom."
There was no need for an explanation on this hint. "Midnight tomorrow at Bridalveil Falls."
Mark nodded in affirmation. "He's making us wait one more day."
"I hate waiting," he spit out bitterly.
"Well, we can't do anything about it right now. I just hope Mel can last that long."
Don's eyes narrowed slightly. "What happened exactly?"
"Well, you saw me pacing. And then I guess what happened next was Mel was able to break free momentarily to get in touch with me and call for help. He intervened, saying we'd reached the spot sooner than expected. That was why there was nothing here. So he just gave the message directly and cut me off, sending me back here."
"That it?"
"I think so, why?"
"It looked like Mel took over your body for a moment there or something. You were screaming in pain as if it was actually happening to you."
"To be honest, I wouldn't have been too surprised if that had actually happened. I've heard about it being done before and frankly, she took hold of my mind so strongly…" Mark looked at his companion as they slid off the rock and started their way back to the hotel. "Why? What are you thinking?"
Don shrugged. "I don't know. That must have been one hell of an experience."
"You don't really think about it that way. You just go with the flow. Don't fight it or you'll just get shadow lost."
"Shadow lost?"
"It's just a term I heard along the way somewhere. You don't lose your shadow literally. Your soul, spirit, whatever you want to call it gets lost because it's separated from your body and there's no way you can join the two again."
"That sounds like a horrible way to die."
"It is and unfortunately, a number of good people have gone that way."
"That's very comforting."
"You asked."
"And I'm almost sorry I did."
"Better you know now than have to witness it and wonder what just happened."
"That's true, I guess…"
"Cheer up. It rarely happens anymore."
Don kept a shut mouth. A faint wave of sickness passed through him quickly. Great, what now? He didn't have to wait long for an answer.