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 a 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, a deep sense of shame pierces me: for the whole day with Alex, with all our misadventures, I never remembered Leeloo. My unmerciful consciousness paints her in all colors among the dangerous dark jungle. In panic, I look for a tree in the twilight and breathe a sigh of relief. Leeloo is still sitting beneath it, her head bowed over the tiny figures, and does not even turn her head in our direction. I give myself my word to talk to 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 a green bottle of liquid. On the way, Joleo was constantly talking about the stars, celestial bodies and the mysteries of the Universe. At the same time, he was dreamily looking up at the sky and showimg something to his companion, who nodded her head with excitement, although, of course, she did not see anything there and understood almost nothing from the clever terms of the astronomer. So they found the bird, which in a strange way hovered above the ground and did not move either to the right or to the left. The players were standing with their heads raised for about 5 minutes. The bird still did not move, which seemed extremely unnatural. BeBe was the first to see the thin wire connecting the stuffed bird to the upper branches. Taking a closer look at the tree, the researchers noticed a red Antakarana symbol and a white box hidden in the grass right under the stuffed bird. It was about the element «Air», which became clear from an accompanying note, similar to those we discovered in our findings:
«You don’t notice it at all,
A synonym for «nothing»
But life cannot exist without it.
You only then appreciate 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.
«We were walking along the sand coast, and Angel was the first to notice that the huge boulder had an unnaturally rounded groove. Of course, sea water could have carved it, but still we decided to check it out. And so, when the next wave came and covered the stone, the water stood for some time in a round recess, and then began to 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 of two parts. Inside was a bottle of light blue liquid and a note with a 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 to follow.
It filled the world with voices and essence,
But at the same time
It’s guarding cherished peace
With its mysterious many-voiced silence.»
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:
«Well, or in simple terms, Magnolia three-petal. It is simply impossible that such a tree can grow in the tropics. Its natural habitat is the southeastern part of North America, from Pennsylvania to Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi. In addition, this plant can be grown artificially in the Botanical Gardens. The humid hot climate of the tropics is definitely not suitable for it. Why are you all looking at me like that? I graduated from the Faculty of Biology before starting to work in the fitness studio.»
I catch myself really looking at this girl with open mouth. Indeed, in this place we simply have to forget about prejudices. It is somehow strange to hear such scientific facts from a 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 of paper on the table and gives Angel a triumphant look. The guy just smiles modestly and looks away.
«How ridiculous is human in belief
To know everything about this Phenom!
He received his sight thanks to it, no doubt
But, as before, he’s blind to its secrets, so multi-colored.»
«So, a fitness trainer? Do you prefer to deal with oak trees in gym instead of oak trees in nature?» Alex asks. In response, she laughs coquettishly, which makes me angry and I scold myself for it.
Yu chops 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»:
«In 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.»
All players are really excited, this becomes clear by the gambling gleam in their eyes and the heated discussion of the theses of one or the other participant. We plunged headlong into the puzzle, like children, forgetting about food, rest and the dangers of the past day.
«Yes, we are all crazy about adventures of this kind,» I think to myself with surprise, «what can bind us closer than this almost unhealthy passion?!»
Meanwhile, Planck sums it up:
«Despite our relative success, there are still only six elements on the table, and the seventh is missing for the task completion and a hearty dinner.»
«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.»
«We were analyzing» Planck replies calmly.
«And