‘Alright,’ I said. ‘We’ll go back. If you’re both so worried about it, then I don’t want to go down there either.’
We walked to the clearing where the cars were parked, and called everyone back. Pony and I told them about the track. Well, I was sharing what we’d found, and every time I mentioned the track, Pony said, “No”!
‘I wonder what’s at the end of that trail?’ said Ann. The curiosity in her voice was unmistakable.
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Pony and Dog wouldn’t even let me look down it.’
‘No doe down ther,’ Pony said, shaking her head, backing me up.
‘I think we should,’ said Ann.
‘I don’t know about that,’ Deb promptly said. ‘Jo, didn’t Vila say we needed to talk to the Man of the Trees?’
‘Yes…’
‘And, didn’t she say he wouldn’t talk to us unless we told him she’d sent us?’
‘Well, yes…’
‘Then I say no! We shouldn’t go wandering around strange places if we’re not even sure they’re the right places. Maybe there’s a reason we need to talk to this Man of the Trees first. I don’t know. Do you?’
‘No…’ I said, looking at the others. All except Ann were nodding their heads in agreement.
Ann was about to say something when Sue spoke.
‘I’ve heard of Vila, and none of it’s good. She practices trickery, but she’s also a powerful Seer. Why do you think she tends to her Garden of Men so well?’
After a moment of silence, Sue continued.
‘They’re her source for food.’
‘They’re her what?’ I asked.
‘She feeds on their energy,’ Sue said as if we should’ve all known that.
I found myself wondering how someone could eat energy, and what would it taste like? I noticed Ann looking down towards the path we’d found, and saw Deb holding her by the arm.
‘Anyway,’ said Sue, bringing me back to the conversation. ‘I’m getting off track. If Vila said Ann needs to talk to the Man of the Trees, and he’s supposed to be here, then why don’t we stand in the middle of the car park and call him out? I bet you could do it Ann… Though remember, this could also be a trick.’
‘Good idea,’ I said about calling him out. ‘It’s so simple; it might just work!. Try not to make it look like we’re peeping in windows though. Okay?’
‘That’d be embarrassing,’ laughed Deb. ‘The Point’s peeping toms is what we’d become known as.’
I was having a quiet laugh to myself about Deb’s comment; then stopped because that really would be embarrassing, and only funny to those who are not my friends.
‘Before we go,’ I said, ‘you all seem to have taken everything we’ve told you, everything we’ve seen and done today, very well, and nobody appears surprised or shocked by any of it. Why is that?’
‘What?’ asked Sue, without making eye contact with me. I could hear an uneasy exhaling of breath and shuffling of feet from the others. I didn’t know what they were hiding, but I’d had enough, and wasn’t going to get side-stepped again.
‘Well, like you Sue,’ I continued. ‘You were more curious about what the creature looked like than scared that there was a creature out there who eats humans. I’ve told everyone here what happened to Bob, and yet no-one is upset or even shocked by it? I’m still getting very visual, terrifying flashbacks about the incident. Then there’s Pony. Have any of you seen a real ghoul before… anyone? Nothing! See how I might have questions? I’ve just finished telling you all that Ann’s a god, and it’s like, okay, what’s for dessert.’
‘We’ll talk later,’ Sue said breaking through my rant. ‘Right now, I think it’s important to concentrate on finding the Man of the Trees.’
‘It’s fucked up is what it is,’ I called, as I shook my head and walked to one of the edges of the park.
I watched the others walk to different spots around the car park in silence. Ann stood in the middle. I wasn’t in the mood for participating, but apparently, the idea was if anything happened, one of us might see it. The last two cars left, probably because we were all walking around them… and not because of my yelling.
‘Maybe I should’ve got a lift,’ I sulked to Brain.
‘There, there Josephine. All in good time.’
‘What the hell does that mean?’ I asked, but he went quiet again.
‘Jo?’ called Ann.
‘What?’ I snapped and saw the others all looking at each other with concern. Thank goodness for a full moon, and no tree cover, otherwise none of us could see anything.
‘What’s my god name?’
‘Athêna, goddess of war,’ was my curt reply.
She said thank you, but I’m sure she meant, “how embarrassing is it to not even know my own name”. She waited until the cars were gone before calling out the Man of the Trees. I saw the red tail lights disappear into the darkness.
‘There goes my last hope of escape,’ I thought watching them leave.
‘I am Athêna, goddess of war,’ Ann called, drawing my attention back to what we were doing. ‘I have been sent to speak with the Man of the Trees. Make yourself known.’
There wasn’t any movement where I was, not that I was really looking. Other than Ann, the only sound I could hear was an old mopoke in the distance.
‘I call on the Man of the Trees. Make yourself known,’ Ann demanded.
Del made a noise, and we all looked to her.
‘Sorry, just a rabbit.’
‘Make yourself known,’ demanded Ann, who was sounding impatient. Her demand was so forceful it lifted my fringe, and shook a few leaves, as her breath flew past me.
‘Here,’ called Sue pointing to a large tree to her right. ‘I’m sure I just saw that knot move.’
‘I am Athêna. Make yourself known Man of the Trees,’ Ann said, as she walked to the knot.
There was nothing. No movement and no noise. If it weren’t for the moonlight, we wouldn’t have been able to see anything at all, so it was possible Sue was mistaken.
‘I swear Ann, I saw that knot move,’ Sue said touching it with her index finger.
We’d all gathered around the tree, and were looking at the knot waiting for it to do something. But nothing happened.
‘Are you sure?’ Ann asked. ‘It wasn’t that rabbit again was it?’
‘No it wasn’t the rabbit,’ Sue said, ‘and yes I’m sure that knot moved.’
‘Touch it, see what happens,’ I said, still feeling sulky.
‘I already did that,’ said Sue.
‘I don’t know about that,’ said Del. ‘What if it isn’t the Man of the Trees, and that knot turns into a huge mouth with big sharp teeth and takes a bite out of you?’
I’m pretty sure we were all looking at Del with strange expressions on our faces. I was wondering what movie that was from, before realising it was completely possible.
‘Maybe Ann has to touch it,’ I suggested, offering minimal assistance.
After a few moments of head nodding, Ann reached in and touched the knot with her index finger, but nothing happened. We were about to go back to our positions around the park, to try to call him out again, when a booming voice rang out from the knot. It scared the shit out of us. Well, more them than me, I was already on my way back to my corner.
‘What right have you to bother me. Be off with you, and get that hound away from my tree.’
Almost everyone let out a scream and jumped backward. Someone nearly pushed me into another prickle bush as they rushed to stand with me.
‘Yeah! Bring it on,’ I quietly muttered.
‘I am Athêna!’ said Ann, who’d remained remarkably upright through it all. ‘I’ve been sent by Vila to undertake a mission of great importance. You will assist me.’
‘Have you tried sayin’, please? Maybe ask for assistance, and not just demand it. That might work,’ I said, trying to help in my own way.
‘The mighty Athêna, goddess of war demands
an audience with me?’ The tree scoffed. ‘There’ll be no help for thee,’ said the tree, who then let out a thunderous laugh.
‘What makes you believe the goddess of war requires an “audience” with something as lowly as you?’ Ann continued. ‘My asking was purely out of respect for Vila’s wishes. I need nothing from you that I cannot get for myself.’
‘What are you doing?’ I asked as she walked over to stand with us.
‘I’m not bowing to a freakin’ tree,’ she said. ‘That’s what I’m doing. Did Vila say I absolutely had to speak with him?’
I looked back at the tree and noticed the knot was now facing us.
‘All she said was you need to talk to the Man of the Trees,’ I said dispassionately, ‘because he’d tell you how to find the five-headed dragon.’
‘Humph, I’ll be back,’ Ann grumbled and made her way to the tree.
‘Vila said you know how to find Tiamat,’ she said.
‘I can do that, but not for you, you may go back, and commune with the moon,’ said the Tree.
‘Why not for me, and why would I commune with the moon?’ Ann asked. ‘Is it because I won’t bow down to you. It’s not going to happen I can tell you that for nothing Man of the Trees… more like, Knot of the Trees!’
I didn’t know what Ann was trying to do, but it looked like I was going to have to talk to the Tree before he got up and walked away. It was that type of night.
‘Please,’ I said with a sigh, walking towards the tree. ‘Athêna does need your help, and Vila said you were the only one who could.’
Ann murmured something and moved back to stand with the others. I watched as she began to dig around in her bag. I shuddered, remembering nothing good ever comes out of that bag.
‘Hmm,’ said the Tree. ‘Now you interest me. Tell me your name; I shall help thee.’
‘My name?’ I asked. ‘Why do you want my name?’
‘Because I will not help thee, until your name, you tell me.’
‘All right, it’s Josephine Marlin, happy now?’
‘I will help with Athêna’s quest, if you can pass just one test.’
‘Of course, why not!’
I looked at the girls and didn’t know why he would want me to pass any test. We weren’t there for me, we were there for Ann, and I’m no good at tests. My friends though were keeping something from me, and I’d begun to wonder if I’d have to go somewhere on my own to complete his test. That made me feel a little happier.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, ‘You want me to what?’
‘You are more interesting than Athêna, tell me your name, we’ll keep it between us, to other’s I’ll never say if you choose to play,’ said the tree.
Dog growled, walked to the tree and cocked his leg.
‘How dare you defile me you bag of fleas,’ he boomed at Dog, then brought a thin branch down and took a swipe at him. ‘You shall respect me, The Man of the Trees.’
Dog jumped the branch, then walked back to stand at my feet, where he sat growling at the knot. Pony’s arm dropped over my left shoulder as a reminder she was still there. I looked at the girls to see if there were any suggestions, but I saw Ann had the despatulator in her hand, and it looked like she was cleaning her fingernails with it.
I had no idea what the hell Del was doing; she looked like she was off somewhere on a brain-scape in Hawaii or something. Deb was biting her nails while watching Ann clean hers. Sue was the only one looking at Pony and me, and I felt a lot more at ease talking to the tree, than seeing the worry in her eyes.
Just when I felt I was all alone, I heard an audible sigh rise from the group, then I heard the familiar drag of feet carve through the gravel as Ann began to walk towards me. I wanted to say, “Pick your feet up” but instead turned to see her swinging the despatulator at her side.
‘It is I,’ she said, ‘Athêna who seeks your audience. What is your interest in my friend?’
The tree didn’t respond. The knot became still, and I was left wondering what to do. I wanted some time to myself, so I’d be happy to take his damn test, but I didn’t want my friends to know I wanted to do it. Pony and I walked back to where the girls were. Dog sat perfectly at my feet, looking at Ann and the tree. Dog let out the occasional growl.
‘What if I agree to the test?’ I pretended to ask; I’d already decided to do it if it got me away from the others for a while. ‘It can’t be that hard, can it?’
‘No Jo, you can’t,’ said Deb. ‘We thought we’d lost you in the forest. What if he sends you off somewhere by yourself?’
‘I agree, what happened in the forest wasn’t ideal, but I did make it, and I was able to fight off that creature by myself,’ I said.
‘Yes, you did, but we had to pull the vines off you,’ said Ann, as she rejoined us. ‘They’d choked you until you passed out, and if we weren’t there, they would’ve killed you.’
‘Alright,’ I said, ‘what about this. I agree to the test so long as Pony stays with me. Pony’s glow lights the path ahead, and she’s pretty good in a fight. Also, the forest vines didn’t like her touch.’
I looked around for someone to back me up, but no-one looked like they thought it was a good idea. Due to my lack of general interest in how they felt, it was out of charity that I asked once more for their opinion.
‘What do you reckon then? We still have to find out where Tiamat is and how to defeat him.’
‘I don’t see that we have much choice,’ said Del. ‘See if you can take Dog with you too. I don’t think he’ll leave your side anyway.’
‘Right! You’re all agreed then? I’ll do the Trees test,’ I said, walking away before anyone tried to talk me out of it. I wasn’t in the mood for negotiation.
Apart from a couple of uncertain grumbles from behind, no-one came up with a better idea by the time I’d reached the Tree. It’d been quiet since he took a swipe at Dog.
The three of us reached the tree without further interruption by the others. I was afraid of what might’ve lay ahead, but when I get a sulk up, there’s just no talking to me… and I thought my friends should’ve know that about me by now. Pony stood with her arm around my shoulder and Dog sat at my feet growling.
‘Oh goody,’ said Brain. ‘A ghoul, a dog and a sook set out on an adventure… sounds like a lead into a bad joke. Let us hope it is not Josephine. You will regret your sulking as you always do, but now is not the time to hold a grudge… Josephine? Josephine?’
The Test
‘Hello? Man of the Trees?’ I asked trying to ignore Brains attempts to ease my mood.
‘Ah,’ said the Tree. ‘Will you take my test, to complete Athêna’s quest?’
‘I will complete your test,’ I said, looking back at my possible ex-friends who were standing around watching on. ‘I have one stipulation, Pony and Dog must accompany me, or else I cannot test for the Tree.’
‘Yep,’ said Pony. Dog just growled.
‘Hmm,’ said the Tree, thinking about my terms. ‘I agree, but there’s one caveat I need. If you complete my test, for me to help in Athêna’s quest, you will tell me your name when you return to rest.’
‘I’ve already told you my name,’ I said and was starting to get annoyed.
‘If you had already told me your name,’ said the Tree, ‘from this test you could abstain, because you are playing my game, tells me you do not know your name.’
‘OK,’ I said, sending my friends what I hoped was a brave look, and not one that said fuck you all, as I shrugged my shoulders. ‘Where do I go, and what do I do, how long will it take to get back to you?’
‘In a small cavern near a babbling creek,’ said the Tree, ‘lies a banshee’s Keep. Those souls who frequent my domain, feed me with their loves, and pains. A banshee steals those pains that are mine, knowing I am rooted to earth and vine. All I can do is watch and cry, as she moves through the sky, catching those souls on sensual waves, then locks them far and away, in her Keep, out of my reach.’
�
�Hoard’s them she does, in a crystal blue, an Amphora that is corked, with a black stone wedge, magically hewn, which is for me, and not for you,’ the Tree continued. ‘It is not far from this place of amour, but I am unable to grasp what is mine anymore. This is the quest you must take, you will bring me the Amphora of Souls, and don’t be late.’
‘This quest is not just for I,’ said the Tree. ‘It is a quest for you, and for me, and what’s mine. When you return, you will tell me your name, and I shall show you the way to Tiamat’s cave. If you fail, all lives that depend, will fall by the hand of Athêna, your friend.’
‘How do I get to the banshee’s Keep?’ I asked, still wondering what he was on about with my name. ‘How long will it take, a moment, an hour, a week?’
‘Time will be lost for a seeker who is true. What does it matter to someone like you? It might take a week, or even three, but the sands of time do not fall for you, or for me,’ said the Man of the Trees.
‘So when I enter the banshee’s keep, time for all, shall sleep?’ I asked.
‘That is what I said, but hurry now, or your friends will end up dead,’ he said and looked like he was enjoying himself. ‘Time will stop for you and for I, but for them it shall be but a blink of the eye.’
‘Very nice Josephine,’ said Brain. ‘You know how to rhyme, in time, for the Tree.’
I laughed to myself as Brain fell into rhyme too. Looking up at the tree, I was impatient to see if he was correct in telling me time would stop once we entered the banshee’s Keep.
‘How then do I find the keep?’ I asked. ‘And does the banshee sleep?’
The Tree said nothing, he merely reached out with the same branch he tried to swat Dog with, and pointed to the pathway Pony, and I’d found earlier. The one Dog didn’t want to go down.
‘I’ll see you when I get back then,’ I said. ‘First I must tell my friends.’
Walking back to tell the others, we were only going to go down to the creek to find an Amphora of Souls; I’d decided to omit the part about the banshee. I mean, how hard could it be?
Taking Pony’s hand in mine, I patted the side of my leg to make sure Dog knew I was leaving. As we neared the old leaf, twig and gravelled path, I turned back to look at my friends one last time. I have to admit I wasn’t looking forward to coming face to face with a banshee, but the time thing was intriguing. Both the time away from my friends and the time stopping part of it.
Josephine Marlin and The Alternatives Page 18
