Chapter Twenty Six. It's Complicated

It's Complicated

"Why is it complicated? It is a simple question," said Derby to a thoughtful Umpa. "Where is Jeninqua?," he asked again. "You told her to feed the dragon. She sacrificed herself to the big red lizard who swallowed her whole. My dragon Richard then huffed and puffed and blew out the black marble."

Derby's excitement level was elevating as he seemed a little hot under the collar. He continued. "I've been drugged, tricked, beat up, held as a prisoner in a dungeon, seduced, disfigured, been reduced to stubbed tail of a powerful dragon. Please, just give me a simple answer."

"If you want such a simple answer, then why do you write such a complicated story?," asked Umpa.

"I'm not writing anything," Derby assured the fat man. "There's already too much for people to read. Besides that, people don't really read anymore. They want to watch videos. They want distractions so they don't have to admit their addictions. And their distractions have become another addiction! So please don't insinuate that this adventure is one of my making!," blurted a frustrated Derby.

"And what about Zol?," prompted Umpa. "Was Zol an adventure of your making?"

"Zol was a story about a culture of people who had become addicted to their electronic devices!," answered Derby.

"Exactly!," replied Umpa. "And who was the hero?"

"Derby," affirmed the author.

"And who is Derby?," peppered the smiling Buddha.

At this Derby cooled off. He knew he was no match for his new teacher. Besides, he came to learn, not to argue.

"And the marbles?," asked Derby. "The black and white. They seem to change. One moment Jeninqua is a white marble but then she's a white mouse which had swallowed a black marble. And the energy of them in my hands," he continued to probe. "At one moment when I rub them together they generate heat which I wasn't able to tolerate. Then another time they were cool and made my hands feel as if they were submerged in a spring of fresh running water."

"Shall we take this one step at a time dear boy?," asked Umpa lovingly.

"Yes," agreed Derby. "What happened to Jeninqua?"

"She and you are still in the white marble with Scontandia and Jade," said Umpa simply.

"Then why do I seem to be here, in your delightful forest sanctuary?," asked Derby.

"You are not confined to your body my boy. Did you think you were your body?," taught Umpa. "I assure you that you are not a body of flesh and blood, but that you sometimes occupy that beautiful body. You chose your body. You've manifested your body. Your body is you. But you are not your body."

"I am not contained between my hat and boots!," quoted Derby from Whitman.

"Exactly!," confirmed Umpa. The robust teacher continued. "Now Jeninqua. She's different. But we need to go slowly into this part of the story. This is where things get complicated. But let me tell you this. It is not improper for you to love her. You deal with too much guilt about that my boy."

"How do you mean that Umpa?," asked Derby.

"What?," started Umpa. "You don't admit feeling guilty about your desires for Jeninqua? As a married man. As a family man. You scooping her up with your erect firm dragon so that she and you were one entwined soul, with her breath on your cheek and her legs around you? This doesn't make you feel guilty?"

"Now who is making me feel guilty?," asked Derby excitedly. "Who is painting a picture of lust and deception?"

"You were driving that dragon my boy," said Umpa.

"Then why do you tell me that I shouldn't feel guilty?," asked Derby.

"Thank you," said Umpa. "We're making progress. Because she's not what you think. And that red dragon was more than just your sex wand. Follow me back to the house. I have something to show you.