She lets go of me and hugs Alex, continuing to mutter something and sob periodically. My eyes meet Alex’s confused gaze.
В«And when did we become such close friends, why are they worried about us?В» you can read aВ mute question on his face.
I am both moved and alarmed by this reaction of BeBe. After all, we are rivals in this game. After her, Planck comes up to us and shakes Alex’s hand for a long time:
«We thought you were lost in the jungle. Even discussed whether to send a rescue team. But it’s simply impossible to find someone in these forests at nightfall.»
Having exchanged pleasantries, we approach the table. Other people expresses their relief and rejoice at our return. Blonda chirps happily with Alex, which surprisingly annoys me. Only the athlete Runner sits silently. After aВ while, he breaks down and interrupts the general noise:
«It is, of course, good that everyone is there. But the task hasn’t yet been completed, and my stomach is humming. Maybe these two have something to add to our findings?»
Suddenly, aВ deep sense ofВ shame pierces me: for the whole day with Alex, with all our misadventures, IВ never remembered Leeloo. My unmerciful consciousness paints her inВ all colors among the dangerous dark jungle. InВ panic, IВ look for aВ tree inВ the twilight and breathe aВ sigh ofВ relief. Leeloo is still sitting beneath it, her head bowed over the tiny figures, and does not even turn her head inВ our direction. IВ give myself my word toВ talk toВ her after the general meeting.
We sit down at the table and start discussing the day. Alex and I are the first to present our findings and detail the circumstances under which they were discovered. As if by tacit agreement, we don’t mention personal acquaintance with the coordinator’s force, and also in every possible way avoid the details of tomfoolery at the waterfall. We share a secret, and it makes me feel both shame and joy at the same time.
Joleo and BeBe found aВ green bottle ofВ liquid. On the way, Joleo was constantly talking about the stars, celestial bodies and the mysteries ofВ the Universe. At the same time, he was dreamily looking up at the sky and showimg something toВ his companion, who nodded her head with excitement, although, ofВ course, she did not see anything there and understood almost nothing from the clever terms ofВ the astronomer. So they found the bird, which inВ aВ strange way hovered above the ground and did not move either toВ the right or toВ the left. The players were standing with their heads raised for about 5В minutes. The bird still did not move, which seemed extremely unnatural. BeBe was the first toВ see the thin wire connecting the stuffed bird toВ the upper branches. Taking aВ closer look at the tree, the researchers noticed aВ red Antakarana symbol and aВ white box hidden inВ the grass right under the stuffed bird. It was about the element В«AirВ», which became clear from an accompanying note, similar toВ those we discovered inВ our findings:
«You don’t notice it at all,
AВ synonym for В«nothingВ»
But life cannot exist withoutВ it.
You only then appreciateВ it,
When it’s completely fading out.»
Blonda then happily tweets about how Angel first discovered the bottle. Runner is looking at the guy with the angelic face sullenly, but doesn’t interrupt the girl. From the expression on the athlete’s face, it becomes clear that Blonda’s story is extremely unpleasant for him, and Angel’s presence on the team enrages him even more.
В«We were walking along the sand coast, and Angel was the first toВ notice that the huge boulder had an unnaturally rounded groove. OfВ course, sea water could have carved it, but still we decided toВ check it out. And so, when the next wave came and covered the stone, the water stood for some time inВ aВ round recess, and then began toВ slowly go somewhere deep into the stone, making an unusual hissing sound. So we discovered that the boulder, or rather its skillfully created and believable model, consisted ofВ two parts. Inside was aВ bottle ofВ light blue liquid and aВ note with aВ riddle:
«It’s quick and sharp, it’s meek and brash,
It can be full and hollow…
It’s human and alien at the same time
What makes it uneasy toВ follow.
It filled the world with voices and essence,
But at the sameВ time
It’s guarding cherished peace
With its mysterious many-voiced silence.В»
Angel smiles modestly and blushes slightly at the girl’s delighted story:
«We are talking about the element «Sound’. Besides something caught our eyes in all these little notes…»
«Wait,» Blonda interrupts him impatiently, «I haven’t told about the last find yet!» she makes a meaningful pause and looks around everyone present, «I found the second bottle of water, or something blue. Could you imagine, we met Magnolia tripetala along the way?!»
She looks at the players so triumphantly and conspiratorially, as if this Magnolia should cause us wild delight. Instead, Blonda sees only puzzled looks. Realizing that this doesn’t mean anything to those present, she sighs and explains further:
В«Well, or inВ simple terms, Magnolia three-petal. It is simply impossible that such aВ tree can grow inВ the tropics. Its natural habitat is the southeastern part ofВ North America, from Pennsylvania toВ Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi. InВ addition, this plant can be grown artificially inВ the Botanical Gardens. The humid hot climate ofВ the tropics is definitely not suitable for it. Why are you all looking at me like that? IВ graduated from the Faculty ofВ Biology before starting toВ work inВ the fitness studio.В»
IВ catch myself really looking at this girl with open mouth. Indeed, inВ this place we simply have toВ forget about prejudices. It is somehow strange toВ hear such scientific facts from aВ beautiful long-legged blonde.
«We checked all around, but couldn’t find anything resembling the desired object. Runner was angry that we were losing time, – by these words, she throws a devastating look at the athlete, – then again it was Angel who drew attention to the strange glare on the tree trunk, where, according to all logic, there should be a shadow from the branchy crown. But the intricate play of light and shadow was the key to the solution! So we discovered a cavity in the trunk of the tree and took out a bottle of blue liquid. And guess whay? We have the element Light!»
With these words, she lays the crumpled piece ofВ paper on the table and gives Angel aВ triumphant look. The guy just smiles modestly and looks away.
В«How ridiculous is human inВ belief
ToВ know everything about this Phenom!
He received his sight thanks toВ it, no doubt
But, as before, he’s blind to its secrets, so multi-colored.»
В«So, aВ fitness trainer? Do you prefer toВ deal with oak trees inВ gym instead ofВ oak trees inВ nature?В» Alex asks. InВ response, she laughs coquettishly, which makes me angry and IВ scold myself forВ it.
Yu chopsВ in:
«I also have something. I took this yellow bottle out of a burnt tree, which, most likely, was hit by lightning. From the text of the note it becomes clear that it’s about the element «Fire»:
В«InВ the hearth, so calm and humble,
It gives you light, comfort, and food, and warmth,
But there is no enemy more dangerous and destructive:
It knows no mercy, if you piss him off.В»
All players are really excited, this becomes clear byВ the gambling gleam inВ their eyes and the heated discussion ofВ the theses ofВ one or the other participant. We plunged headlong into the puzzle, like children, forgetting about food, rest and the dangers ofВ the pastВ day.
В«Yes, we are all crazy about adventures ofВ this kind,В» IВ think toВ myself with surprise, В«what can bind us closer than this almost unhealthy passion?!В»
Meanwhile, Planck sums itВ up:
В«Despite our relative success, there are still only six elements on the table, and the seventh is missing for the task completion and aВ hearty dinner.В»
«Oh really?» Runner remarks caustically, «What did you or Martha find? You didn’t have to go that far and strain for the stupid colored bottles.»
В«We were analyzingВ» Planck replies calmly.
В«And how is this supposed toВ help us fill our empty stomachs?В» the athlete is not appeased.
«Well, we really didn’t find anything, but we have some thoughts on using these, as you put it, „stupid colored bottles“. Martha, tell them about your guess!»
Surprisingly, in Planck’s speech, I do not hear any aggression or sarcasm. I am amazed at the dignity with which the elderly man reacts to the attacks of the insolent young Runner.
The small, bony woman shyly adjusts her spectacles on the bridge ofВ the nose, tucks aВ lock ofВ silvery hair behind her ear and clears her throat.
В«Just now, Angel was trying toВ explain what was strange toВ him inВ the texts ofВ the notes.В»
«I wanted to pay attention to how natural phenomena are constantly opposed to a person,» Angel is embarrassed, «it’s just not clear which side the organizers are on.»
В«Well, certainly not on the side ofВ good,В» BeBe sighs theatrically.
«We all noticed it,» Alex intervenes, «in riddles the elements prevail over man and demonstrate his insignificance and dependence on nature. It’s clear, however, that Water and Fire give life until they get out of control and destroy entire cities. Without Air, a person will die in a matter of seconds. Life is born from the Earth, which feeds a person and supplies oxygen, but he goes there after his death.»
«The same is with Sound and Light, although they fall out of the general picture a little,» Angel continues, «Light allows a person to see and yet it keeps many secrets and mysteries, for example, in the dark or under water. And this is also a kind of opposition to natural forces – after all, many animals see perfectly under such conditions…»
В«And then what do you think is wrong with the Sound?В» Runner asks defiantly, looking down at poor Angel.
«The guy is right,» Planck comes to his rescue, «the human ear is able to perceive only sound waves in the negligible range from 16 to 20 kilohertz. Everything below is called infrasound, everything above – ultrasound. Not audible to us, their help many animals communicate with each other.»
«For example, whales and elephants – with infrasound, and bats and some birds – with ultrasound,» Blonda looks at Runner with hostility, as if saying: «Get off Angel.» And I again catch myself thinking how unnatural to receive such explanatory comments from the mouth of such a beauty.
«And yet I still don’t understand how something that we know very well without organizers can help us. Namely, that man in the face of nature is nothing,» BeBe exclaimes emotionally.
Martha is shining all over her face, no longer able toВ contain her triumph:
«And here is our guess. What if all this is not about opposition or exaltation of man over nature, but, on the contrary, identification? Not the struggle is demonstrated, but that man is a part of nature itself? In other words, we are talking about chakras – a teaching widely practiced in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism…»
«And also in Tibetan Buddhism! It’s not for nothing that Antakarana symbols are found at the site of each find,» BeBe exclaims in amazement.
«According to the belief of Buddhists, a person has a physical and spiritual origin, and the etheric double is an exact duplicate of the physical body. In this double there are psychic centers – „chakras“. And those multi-colored liquids with which we are dealing, personify mantras, because each chakra has its own color and element!»
«Of course, it’s obvious! Martha, you’re a genius!» I am surprised that this simple thought did not occur to me earlier, because I also did my homework and studied everything related to Tibet. Probably, I was confused by Zhang Kiang’s phrase that the game has nothing to do with Tibetan culture. How then to explain what we are dealing with now?
В«Then why these stupid little notes with no less stupid riddles?В» Yu sounds surprised.
В«ToВ designate which element corresponds toВ each ofВ the colors and toВ demonstrate the close connection ofВ the human principle with the forces ofВ nature inВ order toВ lead us toВ the idea ofВ chakras,В» Martha concludes.
Inspired by Martha’s hunch, the players vigorously discuss their next steps. We have an idea of the chakras more-less. The elements Earth, Water, Fire and Air don’t raise any questions. It’s more difficult since we are talking about such a complex concept as «ether» – a special medium that fills the world space. But what would our world be without Sound, Light and Thought?
В«The last one we miss,В» Angel finishes the common thought.
В«Even knowing all this, we are still doomed toВ starve?В» Runner grumbles.
There is aВ silence inВ responce. He spoke out loud what each ofВ us fears. Even if the riddle is solved and we figure out how toВ put it into practice, we still miss the seventh element Thought.
Suddenly Joleo, overshadowed byВ aВ guess, jumps toВ his feet and chatters excitedly:
«Wait! All other items were found in specific places: „Earth“ in the earth, „Water“ in water, „Air“ in…»
В«We get it, go on,В» Yu interrupts impatiently.
В«Even Sound and Light are relatively material concepts. Is that so, Planck?В» Joleo is addressing the elderlyВ man.
В«Absolutely. The first is mechanical vibrations inВ any environment, and the second is electromagnetic radiation,В» he confirms.
«That’s it! The stone hiding the Sound element made hissing unnatural sounds, and the glare of light on the dark tree trunk pointed to the Light. But Thought is immaterial. It cannot be hidden in a specific place, because it is born in a human’s head!»
«In simple terms,» BeBe learned to understand her new friend quite well during today’s short trip, «we ourselves will create the Thought element by mixing colors!»
Frankly, I am amazed at this unexpected solution. There is undeniable logic in the words of Joleo. But what if it’s still a mistake? Time is rapidly coming to an end, and we have no other idea.
В«If we are talking about the seventh chakra, then it should be purple,В» Martha notes and nervously adjusts aВ lock ofВ her hair.
В«Well, this is known even from school: toВ get aВ purple color, you need toВ mix red and blue, that is, Earth and Light,В» Alex reflects.
В«W-w-which makes aВ certain sense if we consider the Earth and Light as the first creations ofВ God,В» Joleo suggests, suddenly stuttering.
All this sounds confusing enough and makes you strain your brain to assemble the pieces of the puzzle. We have four elements that make up the basis of life, as Maestro intended: Earth, Air, Water and Fire, and three etheric elements: Sound, Light and Thought. But the final one is a mixture of Earth and Light… Anyone’s brain will boil from this.
«At least worth a try. What are we losing? Here’s what I want to show you: take a look at this table, what do you see?» Planck is full of impatient anticipation.
В«Antakarana, the most powerful symbol ofВ the healing ofВ Tibetan monks, we all did our homework,В» Runner grins.
It suddenly dawns on me what Planck wants toВ say.
В«Grooves! Seven grooves form sevens, which meet inВ the center, and then diverge along the three legs ofВ the table,В» IВ exclaim, В«we just need toВ pour liquids into them inВ the correct sequence from the first chakra toВ the seventh!В»
Planck has already neatly opened one ofВ the bottles and is carefully sniffing its contents.
В«Judging byВ the specific smell, it could be some kind ofВ chemical compounds. IВ assume that when they are reunited, they will react. Unfortunately, there is no way toВ determine what exactly these substances are, which means that aВ chemical reaction can be unpredictable. Therefore, it will be better toВ move away from the table quickly as soon as the fluids are inВ the grooves,В» he warns.
«And merging them together, You’ll become a little clever,» Yu quotes.
«You’ll still your hunger through awareness», I like even more,» BeBe exclaims happily.
We surround the table and carefully open the bottles in the certain sequence. At the same time, Martha loudly comments on Alex’s actions, who, by a common decision, pours liquids from the bottles into the corresponding grooves:
Red – 1st chakra – element «Earth» – the lower part of the human body
Orange – 2nd chakra – Element «Water» – gastrointestinal tract
Yellow – 3rd chakra – Element «Fire» – abdominal cavity
Green – 4th chakra – Element «Air» – chest
Blue – 5th chakra – Element «Sound» – hearing, blood
Blue (indigo) – 6th chakra – Element «Light» – sight
