for Everett and Xavier
The whale neared the pale blue surface of the tower, and Flash was hypnotized by the light dancing along its wall. Facets on the crystal obscured the view inside, though Flash thought at times that he could see something moving within it. Dark shapes seemed to follow the whale as it floated by.
Soon, they met up with one of the spiraling staircases, and they followed it up. The dark forms also ascended on the inside of the mountain. Was it their shadow piercing the translucent mineral? No, the light source was wrong for that.
It reminded Flash of peering into water, trying to glimpse fish in a lake, but always having the sun glint right where he wanted to see. They weren’t always visible, and Flash could not be sure they were actually there at all. Until they reached a landing with a cavelike opening, and two people bounded out of the tunnel, waving their arms above their heads. They jumped up and down without regard for the height. No railing protected them from the sheer drop that dwarfed the height of the castle balcony.
At first, it looked like a distress signal, but as they got closer, he could see this was a dance of joy. Flash waved back and called out to them.
Careful!
They only laughed, and continued to jump, mere inches from the precipice.
Flash Meridian! It’s Flash Meridian! they sang.
And who are you? he asked.
Don’t you remember us? asked one.
How could he remember us? the other retorted. He is our ancestor!