WHITE SWAN

She looked up at the beauty of the chandelier right above her head. Alvah took her to one of the most beautiful mansions she has ever seen from twenty years back. She thought they’d be visiting a place that’s just of the same year.

“Alvah...” she whispered.

“Yes?”

“I thought we’re going into a gathering of Jinni’s?”

“We are. This is the last gathering of all the Jinni’s on earth.”

“The last?”

“Yes.”

She looked around and noticed how the living room seemed so quiet. She sees no one as they ascended the stairs.

The time travel they did was long and exhausting, but perhaps because of the elixir she took just this morning, she wasn’t feeling squeezy anymore. Unlike the previous travels they’ve done to accomplish parts of her training.

As soon as they were on the top of the staircase, they were welcomed by a long hallway. At the end of it was a door with two guards waiting. She noticed Alvah taking off the hood of the white cloak she’s wearing, and she did the same.

The theme was simply all white. It’s the year 2002, and typically, it wasn’t a generation that’s too unfamiliar for her.

“So Jinnis still existed on this year?”

“Well, I exist on your year, right?”

“Yes, but you said this is the last gathering of all the Jinnis. I’m assuming they are gone now?”

“Well, yes. You’re right.”

As soon as the door opened, a bright room filled with white cloak wearing guests.

“They thought of calling this party, white swan.”

“Thus, the feathers on some of their heads?”

“Yes.”

Alvah took off her white gloves and placed it on the small pouch she was bringing and started descending on the small staircase towards the middle of the ballroom. The room was huge with an exquisite bar in a secluded corner.

There’s a band playing on the makeshift stage hitting the guests with the most popular RnB songs of the year.

“Let’s mingle.” Alvah handed off a glass of champagne to her.

She takes it and takes a sip, slowly swaying with the music that was filling the dance floor. Alvah chases after one of the party’s guests as she settled in the bar facing one of the bartenders.

“White swan. It’s defined to be a very certain event with an easily estimated impact.”

She turns to her right and finds a young man, in around his early thirties with a glass in hand that looked to be of rum. He oddly seemed familiar. But she thought to herself how that could be impossible.

“I’m sorry?” her brows arched as she stares at the man who looks very confident while sipping his concoction.

“I can’t help but overhear what the woman you were talking with was saying. White Swan.”

Charlie looked around her trying to look for Alvah.

“Don’t worry, I don’t bite.”

She smiled nervously at the man who’s randomly talking to her. Then she takes a deep breath and eased herself.

“I’m sorry. I just don’t know if I’m supposed to be talking to anyone at this party.”

“Well, you aren’t mute, are you?”

She shook her head.

“Then you have all the right to talk to anyone you please.”

“Okay.”

“Now, white swan.”

“Certainty. That’s what you said right?” she smiles.

“Yes. That’s right.” He smirked at her smile, “But I think I love Black Swans better.”

“What’s a Black Swan?”

“The exact opposite. An unexpected and unpredictable event that causes a huge impact to anything or anyone that surrounds it.”

“Like you? A black swan?”

“Well, what makes you say that?”

“Because you seem unexpected. Uncertain. Yet you are capable of changing those things in a single conversation. And that smile.”

“You’re smart.”

“Thank you, though I don’t really think I am.”

“So why are you hare?”

“Just accompanying a friend. I’m just he plus one.”

“I see. Do you find this party interesting?”

“Well, I haven’t really been to so many parties. So, it’s really hard to say.”

“Lancelot, someone’s been looking for you.” A man standing tall behind him started to speak.

“Lancelot?” she inquired.

“That’s me.”

She wondered if that’s the reason he looks familiar.

“Well, white swan, I better go.”

“Thank you for keeping me occupied I guess.”

“Now, I hope you’d think of your kind of swan. A white swan of certainty? Or a black uncertain swan?”

He leaves without any other thing to say while Charlie was left with utter shock. His name is Lancelot. And she can’t help but remember the man she’s been talking to for the past few days.

Well, it might just be a co-incidence.

Then slowly, the music started fading. She turns to the stage where a woman, dressed in the most provocative white gown incomparable to anyone else in the venue.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to invite everyone to join us downstairs for the ritual. “She raises her glass before she stepped down the small staircase set-up for the stage.

Then swiftly, everyone in the venue stated to wear the hoodies they have in their cloaks.

Charlie was told to adjust so she did the same thing. She covers her hoodie over her head and followed suit as each of the party guests started to walk past the bar and into a corner where everyone started turning to.

As she walked along with them, she notices someone wrap their hands around her arms as well.

“Just observe, okay? No need to ask questions, I just need you to simply go with the flow. We can talk later, alright?

She nodded in response to Alvah’s instructions. Swiftly walking side by side with Alvah as they soon turned to the same corner everyone was turning to.

That same corner soon led to a stairs leading to a descending part of the entire mansion.

It all felt like she's being baptized to be a part of a cult. And as much as she wanted to laugh it out, she can't.

That's why they call it a ritual.

Soon, everyone who were in the party came into a full circle.

The same woman speaking on the stage just a few minutes ago stepped in the middle and started speaking.

"Tonight, we celebrate life and the strength given to us as those that's supposed to maintain the balance in the entire world. We celebrate as well, the need to nurture newborns amidst our daily constant. Please step forward."

A few of the so-called newborns stepped into the inner circle.

Just in time that the woman would speak again, someone pushed her into the inner circle and stepping back out was too embarrassing. 

She stayed in the circle as each of the Jinni's surrounding them hold each other's hand. 

"Nuqadim lakum alyawm mawalidana

Natlub mink manhahum alsalahiaat alati yastahiquwnaha

Likhidmatik wataeish almuhimat alati ladayk kulu wahid minhum"

Their chants chorused across the entire room. It was too neat, too clean. There were no symbolic things surrounding them, no impractical paraphernalia’s, just pure heavenly color. White cloaks, steady chants and strong hands holding each other.

As the chant goes on, small specs that looked like orbs of light started to appear on top of the newborn’s heads. Curios as they are, they lift their heads, smiling at the graceful lights starting to dance on top of their heads.

Then, each of the lights stopped in front of each one of them. Soon, each one of them started to join their physical body that each of them soon looked like they were glowing. Their bodies absorbing the orbs, super charging them.

She smiled at the sight of her own hands glowing like it has just absorbed an unfamiliar phenomenon. The were lights that were white, almost getting blue.

Slowly, the lights subsides as she feels herself getting light. Then, like everyone else, her mind went into a sudden slumber.

Her body falls into the ground not knowing what happened next.