you could leave, but where you goin’ ?
“You Could Leave, But Where You Goin’?”
10 x15.5 inches ✧ Medium: Chalk pastel on brown paper
The transporters were trained to wait for hours, after all this decision wouldn’t come easily to all. She didn’t have scales like I thought she would…no claws either i’m not not sure if she was different from the rest or took on this form to ease my mind. She held her anticipation in a smile offering me the orb off her finger. You know for all the shit i’ve gotten myself into i’ve never seen an Oro this close. “ Dear” she tried to say warmly “I know you carry true pain, your eyes are like that of your mothers…. don’t you long to be with her again?”
My eyes stayed fixed. Anyway I could only hear half of what she was saying, her words a fishing line my relief from sorrow her bait. “Dear” she urged cutting through my thoughts. “Consume this orb and let it return the favor, after all sweet child we are only taking your form really, how true is it to you ?”
My eyes downcast fixed on the Oro her words came in parts to me like a message delivered through radio static. “You will live as these beings here” she continued “free and true” I could feel the jewels from my hair dance by my ears their song whispered warning. “Live” and “Free” wouldn’t be the words I would use for these now creatures, void of form no longer bound to our reality they had no reservations about entering the portal.
“ Careful of those who offer you freedom at their fingertips! True freedom can only be given to yourself.”
My mother had told me this.
See when you consume an Oro just as the translator hissed at me it then consumes you, taking your fleshy self into its delicate shell. What is left is your essence some call it spirit, I haven’t found a word that fits yet. I think theres way to much exposed. I couldn’t tell you all the uses for these Oro’s I know i’ve seen them exchanged not during the cover of darkness… no the moon still casts light, but in dark places it can be hard to make out which is right and which is wrong.
Since my mothers Oro had been shattered I wondered if those who took her forever had stood on this same plane. Those who consumed the Oro of their own volition were seen to be mad. “ THIS ISN’T THE WAY TO GET HER BACK !” I heard Ewe’s voice eco in my mind. This finger offering still pointing at me her words rang “you wont be like us anymore….. please those portals lead to everywhere! You know you cant trust those transporters Adoba sure you cant leave, but where you goin’?”
Her words began to fade, my eyes still fixed on this strange fruit
“ Aaaaadddooobbbaaa” the translator whispered hearing my name fall from her lips reminded me now more than ever of its meaning….
hope and need.
Names and meanings: Adoba - Hope & Need
