Hidden

by Shalini Boland

  ‘I do not understand,’ Isik said.

  ‘Demons, my friend,’ Asil Rais said. ‘Demons.’

  ‘Thank you, Asil,’ his Grandmother snapped. ‘Whose story is this?’

  ‘I am sorry, Great Grandmother. I am spoiling your tale.’

  ‘You most certainly are. But my impatient grandson is right. They were indeed foul demons. Demons who could not stand the light of day, for the sun’s rays would kill them. Demons who lived on blood alone.

  ‘Before the city was built, they had led solitary existences, coming out at night and feeding quickly, when and where they could. They killed with no mercy, taking human blood as we take bread or water. But their lives had always been lived in secret. They were never able to live freely, but forced to roam singly or in pairs for they could not draw too much attention to themselves for fear of persecution.

  ‘Until one day, one of their kind devised a plan to give them everything they desired with no need to hide in the shadows anymore. It was a plan to signify the death of thousands of innocent humans; the humans who would follow them down into their underground lair and give them access to what they needed.’

  ‘So the travellers were the demons?’ Alexandre asked.

  ‘Yes. The villagers did not know it but they had built their own prison, their own hell. They had been duped into building a trap for themselves. Once down there, away from the sun’s protection, no one could help them, God rest their souls.

  ‘They were slaughtered with abandon, but even worse, many more were kept alive to breed and ensure an eternity of blood to satisfy the thirst of the evil ones. There is no happy ending. This is our terrible history and we ignore it at our peril.’

  ‘But forgive me,’ Alexandre said. ‘You said this is your ‘history’. Surely you cannot believe this is true?’

  ‘We ignore it at our peril,’ she repeated.

  That night, Alexandre and Isik slept in the guest quarters, above the stables. Long after Isik was snoring, Alexandre lay thinking of the chilling tale. He could hear Havva’s rasping voice in his head, recounting the ancient words and he shivered despite himself. He laughed inwardly at his fears. She has unnerved me, he thought. That lady and her tales of underground demons.

  *

  The following morning, after a lavish breakfast of fried eggs, sausages and fresh-baked bread, Alexandre and Isik prepared to take their leave of the Sahin family. Alexandre was sorry to say goodbye, for in the short time he had been there, he had already grown fond of them.

  Yusue reminded Alexandre of his earlier promise to show them his weapons.

  ‘Another time, Yusue,’ his father said, ruffling his eldest son’s hair. ‘Monsieur Chevalier is a busy man.’

  ‘I am not too busy to keep my word,’ Alexandre replied. ‘If your father agrees, we shall have a quick weapons training school in the garden.’

  Three small faces swivelled round to look at their father, eyes wide, waiting for his consent.

  ‘If it is not too much of an imposition on your time.’

  ‘Come, children,’ Alexandre held Aysun’s hand and the two boys followed behind as they walked out through the front door. ‘But remember your father’s warning,’ Alexandre said. ‘If you touch any of these weapons without permission, you will turn instantly into black beetles and be forced to live under a rock for the rest of your days.’

  A small crowd of village children gathered to watch. Isik showed them the gleaming curve of his scimitar, slicing up a cucumber with its deadly blade. He then pulled out his knife and threw it with confident accuracy into the trunk of a walnut tree where it embedded itself, quivering in the morning sunlight. This earned him a round of applause and he bowed theatrically.

  Next, Alexandre demonstrated how the musket and pistol worked. He removed the bullets and let the two boys pretend to fire them. They charged around playing soldiers and bandits until Isik said they really should head back. Alexandre picked up little Yunue and swung him around, he kissed Aysun’s soft cheek and shook hands solemnly with Yusue. Finally, he mounted his horse, alongside the Turkish guard and waved goodbye to the little household with promises to return.

  As they left the village behind, Alexandre could not believe they had only arrived yesterday evening. He felt as if he had been there for at least a week.

  ‘I am afraid we must inform the others we have failed to find the entrance,’ Isik said.

  ‘I think we should look for ourselves, before we head back to disappoint them.’

  ‘That was not the plan.’

  ‘No, but how far is ... What is the name of the village?’

  ‘Zelmat.’

  ‘How far away is Zelmat? My father knows we may be away for a few days. We could use the time wisely and there is nothing to be lost by looking.’

  ‘It is almost on our way back, not too far from camp.’

  So instead of heading straight back, they took a detour and rode towards the village that Havva Sahin had named in the legend.

  Alexandre realised he was enjoying himself. It was like playing at detectives, finding clues to solve a mystery. It made a welcome change from the prod, prod prodding of sticks in the ground and trying to find non-existent entrances at the back of caves. He did not believe he had ever before felt this sense of purpose and excitement, not since he was a child playing make-believe games with his friends. Today he felt alive.

  They rode hard and the morning sun burned hot. They were forced to stop several times for the horses to drink and to splash their own faces in the welcome streams which bubbled along the way. They reached the outskirts of the village by midday and found a shady spot to sit and share the large packed lunch that Nuray Sahin had pressed into Alexandre’s hands before they left.

  The cavern was supposedly situated to the south of the village. It should be somewhere close by. Alexandre itched to start his search, but he knew he could not deny his companion rest and a meal first. He ate quickly, not even tasting the food. He was too wrapped up in thoughts of discovering the entrance. At last they remounted their reluctant steeds.

  ‘I know, girl,’ Alexandre patted the mare’s neck. ‘It is hot and you are still tired, but you can rest again soon.’

  After several fruitless hours searching back and forth along the fast-flowing river that cut through the valley, Isik rode up to Alexandre.

  ‘My friend, I know it is disappointing, but maybe we need to accept it is just a legend and there is no cave. Or that it has indeed been lost to time.’

  ‘It must be here,’ Alexandre’s eyes narrowed in frustration. ‘The place was named. The location was specific. It must have been based on something.’

  ‘Let us rest for a few minutes,’ Isik said. ‘I will light a fire and make us coffee and we will talk of what is to be done.’

  ‘No. Please let us keep looking for a while longer. It has to be somewhere.’ Alexandre looked away across the land to the small figures in the distance, moving about the vineyard terraces. ‘We should head away from the river. Over there.’

  The Turk sighed and gave his horse’s flanks a gentle kick. He said nothing, but cantered off in the direction Alexandre had pointed. Alexandre followed.

  They found nothing. No caves or columns. The land flattened out and became less rocky and more desert-like. Alexandre stopped and jumped off his horse. He kicked the ground in frustration, sending dust and stones skidding up into the air. He picked up a pebble and hurled it with all his might. He remembered doing something like this as a child – sending smooth round pebbles skimming across The Seine with his father.

  He bent down and picked up another stone, rubbing his thumb across the polished warmth, before sending it spinning into the distance. Why were these stones so smooth? What had polished them like this? One usually found these sorts of stones in a river … Could that be the answer? Could it really be as simple as that?

  ‘The river!’ he shouted.

  Isik headed over towards him.

  ‘Isik!’
r />   ‘What is it, my friend? Are you well?’

  ‘I am fine and I think I may have solved the mystery of the missing cave.’

  Isik wrinkled his forehead.

  ‘These pebbles are round and smooth.’

  The Turk’s frown deepened.

  ‘I am not mad,’ Alexandre laughed. ‘Do you not understand? They are river stones. I think this used to be a river bed. But the river is no longer here.’

  Isik did not change his expression.

  ‘I think the river must have changed its course or perhaps been diverted closer to the villages to irrigate the fields. Can you not see? The cave was in the valley, but the river was diverted there … and so now the cave is underneath the river. I am sure of it.’

  ‘I do not know about that,’ Isik said.

  ‘I am right,’ he insisted. ‘You will see. I will prove it. Did you say there were five columns? Five ... what do you call them? Fairy chimneys? There are many of them in the area and I have seen how tall they are. The columns could now be protruding from the surface of the river. We must look.’

  Isik rode with Alexandre back towards the village of Zelmat.

  The river ran deep and wide with a steep pitted rock face on the opposite side. Alexandre stared hard at the unbroken surface of the river, willing himself to see the tops of the five columns poking out. Nothing. They kept up their search all afternoon.

  ‘It is dark, we should set up camp,’ Isik, the voice of reason, broke through into Alexandre’s thoughts.

  ‘You are right,’ he sighed.

  ‘We can try again tomorrow morning,’ Isik said.

  ‘Thank you for humouring me,’ Alexandre said tiredly. ‘You must think me a fool to keep hoping.’

  ‘Not at all. As long as there is life, there is hope.’

  *

  The following morning, as dawn spread its soft yellow light across the river, the two men resumed their search. They searched all day and Alexandre was grateful to Isik for going along with him even though it was obvious he had no faith in this quest.

  Now, late in the afternoon, they had travelled far beyond the area where the cave was supposedly sited.

  ‘Very well,’ Alexandre said. ‘We tried, but I finally agree with you, Isik, my friend. There is nothing here. Let us retrace out steps and head home.’

  They reined in their horses and turned around, heading back along the river in silence. Alexandre sat low in his saddle. He suddenly felt very tired and thought he would suggest stopping to make camp. They could return to the site tomorrow when they awoke.

  ‘Alexandre.’

  Dispirited, Alexandre was slow to respond.

  ‘Alexandre, could that be something?’ The Turk pointed to a spot near the middle of the river where two stones protruded from the water. Alexandre jumped off his horse and peered across. He threw his hat onto the river bank, stripped off his jacket and shirt and undid his boots.

  ‘I must protest,’ Isik said. ‘If you are going to do what I think you are. It is far too dangerous. Your parents would cut my throat from ear to ear if anything happened to you and I would not blame them.’

  Alexandre grinned at the worried-looking Turk. ‘I do not think you could have picked two people less likely to do what you have just described.’ He clapped him on the back and started walking upstream. Then, he dived into the icy cold water.

  ‘Mind the rocks!’ Isik shouted.

  The water flowed steadily and it would take a strong swimmer to navigate the current. Alexandre let it take him downstream whilst he tried to make his way to the centre of the river.

  Very quickly, Alexandre reached one of the protruding stones and clung to it, trying to get his breath back. The freezing water and the strength of the current had shocked him, but he also felt exhilarated and refreshed, excited that this might actually be it - the discovery they all hoped for. He waited until he had his breath again and then he plunged beneath the surface.

  Chapter Eleven

  *

  At ten on the dot, Travis’ rusty yellow van roared up the driveway and came to a gravelly halt outside the house. The horn finally brought Maddy and Ben out of the house. Ben got in first and Maddy squeezed in beside him, so all three sat up front.

  ‘Wish you’d tell me where we’re going, Mads,’ Ben said.

  ‘Yeah. Where to, Maddy?’ Travis asked.

  ‘Any 4x4 dealerships around here?’

  ‘Serious? You wanna test drive one for a laugh? I don’t somehow think they’re gonna let us do that.’

  ‘Yeah they will.’

  ‘If you say so. I don’t think we’ll have much luck, but it’s worth a go.’ Travis nodded his head.

  ‘Are we getting a jeep, Maddy?’ Ben asked.

  ‘Might be.’ Maddy nudged him playfully.

  ‘How old are you then?’ Travis asked Maddy. ‘If you don’t mind me asking.

  ‘Sixteen.’

  ‘Then how are you going to …? I mean, you’ve got to be seventeen to drive and if you haven’t got a licence, then ...’

  ‘That’s where you come in. You’ve got a licence so you can test drive it and tell me what you think. Then, when I find one I like, I’ll be able to drive it around at home.’

  ‘You’re going to buy one?’

  ‘Pretty much.’

  ‘Do you know how much a brand new 4x4 costs?’

  ‘Not really. But I don’t really care about the money side of it.’

  ‘Wow.’ Travis breathed out. ‘I didn’t realise you were loaded. I mean, I know you’ve got a big house and everything, but mummy and daddy must give you a lot of pocket money for you to be able to buy a car just for riding around the garden.’

  ‘It’s not like that,’ Maddy said, her mouth hardening into a thin line.

  ‘We haven’t got any parents,’ Ben said.

  ‘Oh no! I’m really sorry. I’m such a big mouth,’ Travis said, pulling over near the end of the long drive and glancing across at them. ‘Sorry. That must be rough. Do you live with your grandparents or something?’

  ‘We live on our own,’ Ben said.

  ‘Ben! He doesn’t need to know our life history.’

  ‘No, I’m just the chauffeur.’

  ‘Okay, I’m sorry. This was a mistake. I think we should go back home.’ Maddy opened the van door. She and Ben could walk back.

  ‘Chill, Maddy,’ Travis said. ‘You don’t need to tell me anything if you don’t want to. I’m happy to help out.’ He paused. ‘Sorry about the chauffeur comment, I was just being a twat. And I’m really sorry about your parents, I’m a nosy sod. Just tell me to shut up, okay?’

  Maddy calmed down a bit. ‘It’s alright. It’s fair enough you want to know what I’m doing. You are the one helping me. But, Trav, can we just have fun today, with no questions? Please?’ She looked across Ben at Travis and put on her cutest smile.

  He smiled back. ‘I can’t say no to you, can I.’

  As expected, they were met in the showrooms with either suspicion or dismissive glances. Three young kids in band t-shirts, rocking up in a battered transit van, didn’t look likely to get the sales staff any commission. But Madison had brought a bank statement with her to prove her loadedness, should she need to.

  They went to three different dealerships that morning but none of the vehicles were quite right.

  ‘They’re all a bit poncy,’ Maddy said, disappointed. ‘I want something that’ll go through streams and forests and up and down the valley, you know. Not a show-off car to pick the kids up from school in.’

  ‘Okay, Mads, I think know what you’re after,’ Travis said. ‘You should’ve told me earlier. Here I am, thinking you want a girly jeep that looks pretty.’

  ‘No, I want something tough.’

  Travis drove straight to a huge out-of-town dealership, where Madison instantly fell in love with huge, square Land Rover Defender on the forecourt.

  ‘Yes!’ Ben said, bouncing up and down on the seat. ‘That’s the one from To
mb Raider. Cool.’

  She chose an enormous green station wagon and, at only five foot two inches tall, she almost needed a ladder to climb up into it.

  Travis laughed. ‘I think it might be a bit small for you, Maddy. Maybe a Sherman tank would be a better size.’

  ‘Ha, ha.’

  ‘What do you think?’ the salesman asked. ‘It’s really built for off road, so if you want to book an appointment you could test drive it the way it’s meant to be driven.’

  ‘No need. I love it. Does it go up steep hills and through water and stuff?’

  The salesman started talking to Madison about forty five degree angles, torque and throttle control.

  ‘So that’s a yes then?’

  ‘Yes,’ he agreed.

  ‘It’s perfect. Can I have this one?’

  ‘Yes, we can have it built for you in this colour.’

  ‘Built? How long will that take?’

  Travis interrupted. ‘You should have it in blue to match your eyes.’ He blushed the instant he’d spoken.

  ‘You big softy,’ she teased. ‘Well, seeing as you’ve been such a star, I’ll take your advice and have a blue one.’

  ‘Izmir Blue?’ The salesman said, pointing to a Land Rover of such pale blue it was almost silver. ‘That colour is available to drive away today.’

  ‘That is the exact same colour as your eyes, Maddy,’ Ben said.

  ‘That’s the one then. Can you deliver it?’

  ‘Certainly.’ The salesman cracked his first smile.

  Madison left the sales office having spent just under thirty grand. She couldn’t believe her extravagance but she felt fantastic.

  It was now two o’clock.

  ‘Lunch! Please, Maddy. Me and Ben need food don’t we, mate?’