Read The Secret City of Abundance :: Chapter 10 Creating a Plan

Effie was stunned, standing there meeting this beautiful young woman, probably the same age as Effie, but with a presence she had never seen before. Here stood a goddess as far as Effie was concerned. How can she be so fit?! She is so healthy and strong looking! Is that a snake tattoo?? A snake was often a symbol for the Xatro, they were an order of people that fought back against the king Artruous who had originally banned reading. They kept written copies of important books or passages to keep them alive. The soldiers under King Artruous burned any paper or literature they found.

“Effie? Hello?” Melanee asked again. “You okay?”

“Oh, sorry, ya I’m fine. I just… I have never seen anyone like you.” Effie stammered. “I mean that you are amazing!”

Melanee laughed and gave Effie a knowing smile, trying to be modest. “I’m not that great, I promise. It’s more the new world you’re in I am sure, that can be a lot to take in. I have traveled to your side of the world probably more than anyone else here, and I can say it's nice to finally meet someone who can travel this side of the barrier too, that’s pretty amazing. I haven’t had company before.”

Standing in Melanee’s residence, with art adorning every free space, Effie was overwhelmed at the idea that people like Melanee existed. She wasn’t sure how she felt. Part of her wanted to fan girl out over every piece and item. Part of her wanted to scream that it wasn’t fair she had only known hardship when this place seemed to have endless opportunities. But for now, she was too excited to let the anger or jealousy have a voice. There was still so much to learn of this new place, there would be time for anger later.

“Well you make yourself comfortable and I’ll make lunch. Then we’ll try charting how you got here to see how we can get you back home.” Melanee paused before she left the loft, “If you want.” Melanee left down the ladder, leaving Effie in her swirling thoughts about what would be next.

How do I get this place to help my people? I am not even sure if I’ll be allowed to stay without being caught and kicked out, or worse. I’m sure I broke laws coming here uninvited. Rose and Cole are helping, but they aren’t telling others, Melanee seems to be able to come and go but she also seems like the only one. Are these people trapped here? Are the rich nobles allowed to go outside the barrier or do they just not want to leave? And most importantly how do I learn any of these answers without risking being found out and caught?

I will have to gain as much knowledge as I can, from Cole. He seems willing to talk to me, maybe I can learn how to garden like him, create our own garden and feed everyone. But… I am sure this awesome place is kept secret for a reason. They control the food. Keep it for themselves.

Effie could feel the jealous part of her becoming her focus, and decided it best to redirect to how she can help. Food. At the very least, if I could get 1 piece of food out of here, with seeds included, I could at least guarantee they would never starve. She hoped for something hardy, that would be filling and easy to harvest. But she would have to see how the week went, how well she could plan for anything because she still wasn’t sure of the way out of this place. How does Melanee cross without climbing the crazy tall barrier?

Effie couldn’t stay still in a room waiting for answers, she needed to see things with her own eyes and learn as much as she could in the days she was allowed to stay in the city. The loft was the nicest place she had laid her head, for a long while though, and as she thought of all the important questions needing answers and how she would find out her future here, Effie’s eyes felt heavier than she had realized. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

While asleep she dreamt:

The sky was so bright blue it was hard to look at. A river flowed smooth and calm, light danced off the water. There was a tree stretched over the water, holding itself up over the edge suspended. Everything felt so soft and carefree. She wasn’t stressed or running away like her usual dreams. Just everything bright like springtime, and sweetness in the air. The warm feeling lasted through her dream, and as she woke up.

Feeling so rested, Effie could not believe how good she slept. Without any fears or cares, just peacefully knocked out. The image in her mind, of the river all calm and the colors so bright stayed with her as she went out of Melanee's loft and to the kitchen to see what was for lunch. She wasn’t sure why but her sleep and dream recharged her spirit and mind, Effie felt amazing.

“Hey you’re awake!” Chimed up Melanee from behind the kitchen island, smiling over a pan with steam rising up. “You look great! Must have needed a nap, you aren’t staring at me like I just fell from the heavens anymore.” she teased with a laugh.

“Ha ha ya I for sure needed it, I feel great. I didn’t realize how much I needed it after everything.” Effie pulled up a barstool to the front of the island to watch Melanee cook. It seemed to be a veggie stir fry with some kind of sauce, whatever it was smelled amazing.

“Rose packed you a bag, its on the table, after we eat we can go through it and see if there’s anything we should add, it’s probably a long journey back to where you’re from. How long were you traveling for to get here?” Melanee dished out the food onto plates as she talked, handing a plate to Effie.

“I am not sure. I was in the river for what seemed like forever, but I was knocked out for some of it, so who knows how far I went. But after I made it out of the water, I guess 5 maybe 6 days. I never found food but I found water.” Effie said between big bites of veggies. Trying to eat it quickly because it tasted so good but also trying to slow down to not always look like a starving person as she ate.

“Where were you going after the river? Did you follow it back towards where you had come from?” Melanee asked, intrigued.

“I thought south would be the safest direction. I couldn’t follow the river, it was not a straight line and it was so winding. With the many branches of the river, it would never take me home. But South was probably the safest place to get my bearings and figure out a plan.”

“South…hmmm… Melanee said as she pulled down a large map from above them, hanging from the loft floor. It showed so much land, and pin points. It was so vast, Effie’s mouth dropped. It was obviously notated with places Melanee had gone or wanted to explore. Names of Cities and ruins dotted the landscape.

Effie dropped her fork and jumped up to the map, looking it over closely. Searching for anything familiar.

“Here we are.” Melanee pointed out a city, City of A. it noted. It had a circle drawn around it, with vast nothing to the north of it then tall mountain peaks, then cities and ruins west of the circle, east was the sea, and south of it was a cliff with water crashing down it, then again vast nothing. “Not everything is on here, this is just what I have seen. I haven’t been north of here. If you are north of us, it could be past those mountains, which I have never crossed. I don't know anyone who has gone North. I will have to look into what I can, see if anyone knows what could have been there. Maybe we’ll have to chart it ourselves.”

Effie looked over the map as much as she could while Melanee spoke. She wasn’t sure what any of the city names said but she saw how many Melanee had seen. She was impressed with her voyage’s leader. She felt very hopeful she would get back to her friends.