Benedict

by Jackson Bennett

  She noticed as she stood there, that the floor was warm, not uncomfortably so, but warmer than any home she had ever entered before.

  The walls that surrounded her were smooth with no sign of how they had been constructed, and as she had first believed there was no sign of a door or any windows. The light in the room came from the ceiling that seemed to ebb like a heart beating with a gentle orange glow, which like the floor seemed to add to the warmth of the room.

  She turned around the room once more looking at the walls and ceiling until she was facing the stone bed upon which she had awoken. How had she gotten here? Where was here? The last thing she remembered was entering the doorway to Fire Mountain and then starting along the pathway that led through the vegetation that was within. Beyond these first few steps she remembered nothing until she had awoken here.

  Somebody cleared their throat behind her causing her to turn sharply, and there she was confronted with a woman. She stumbled into the rock bed upon which she sprawled backwards in a un-lady like fashion, barely maintaining her dignity as she did so.

  “Who are you?” she managed to stammer whilst trying to salvage the cotton sheet.

  ”I did not mean to startle you,” replied the unfamiliar woman “My name is Rosemary and I am a close friend of Richard with whom you were travelling.”

  “Where am I?” Claire asked feeling calmer at the mention of Richard’s name.

  “You are in the depths of Fire Mountain. You’re travelling companions are no longer here as they have continued onto the ice wastes, and we decided that it would be safer for you here as the road they take is a treacherous one, and you would surely have come to harm or caused one of them to come to harm,” Rosemary replied emotion void from her voice.

  “Surely it should have been my decision to stay or go?” Claire said feeling a little anger rise in her at the suggestion that she could be the cause of someone coming to harm, a suggestion which was probably true, but no less hurtful.

  “That as maybe,” returned Rosemary “but that decision has been made for good of for ill,” she said looking Claire directly in the eye.

  “What is to happen to me?” Claire asked directing her gaze and attention to the cotton sheet as she again stood up from the rock bed.

  “It is the custom for none to leave here who were not invited,” replied Rosemary in a level voice. She paused still staring at Claire, who’s attention was once more on her “ You will be informed when your fate has been decided,” she finished, turned and started to walk towards the wall behind her.

  “Wait,” said Claire, again panic touching her voice. “What of my clothes,” she finished lamely.

  “They are behind you,” came the reply.

  Claire turned to see her boots placed atop her clothing neatly on the bed she had just occupied.

  “How... ” she started, turning back towards Rosemary “Did you... do... that?” she trailed off as she found herself once more alone.

  She stood for a few minutes staring at the apparently solid wall in front of which Rosemary had been standing.

  Finally she turned and walking to the bed she carefully unfolded the clothes that were there and letting the cotton sheet fall to the ground at her feet, she dressed in the loose fitting clothes that had belonged to her now dead husband.

  Claire spent the next couple of hours pacing the room running her hands over the smooth warm walls interspersed with sitting on the bed, imagining all manner of dreadful things that could be in store for her, from spending the rest of her days imprisoned in this windowless room to being sacrificed for the pure delight of the monsters that lived within these volcanic mountains. It was the latter that at this moment seemed the most likely to her overactive imagination. Finally she was so bored that she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes trying to picture the trees and rivers that were absent from this bleak place.

  She opened them again and sat up. Next to the bed was a small square cube of rock and placed on top was a tray with water and a plate of fruit, cheese and bread. Had she fallen asleep? If so, how long? She didn’t feel like she had slept but wouldn’t she have heard them placing the tray if she hadn’t?

  As she looked at the food her stomach growled leaving her in no doubt that she was hungry.

  Would they try to poison her? She doubted it, for they seemed to be able to come and go without her knowing, so killing her would be no problem, unless they didn’t like to get their hands dirty she reasoned.

  As if without thinking her hand reached out and plucking a juicy red apple raised it to her unresisting mouth where she took a large and juicy bite. The flavour was full and sweet and the juice ran down her cheek as it erupted from the sides of her mouth. As she removed the apple she raised her left cuff and wiped the juice away. An involuntary “Mmm,” escaped the back of her throat as she savoured the taste.

  With the first bite taken she devoured the apple and then started on the cheese and bread, which were both creamy and light in turn. Then she ate another apple, this one green and finished the meal of with a glass of surprisingly cold water. She stretched closing her eyes tight.

  She opened her eyes to see standing before her, again without making so much as a sound, Rosemary. It gave her such a fright that she nearly dropped the delicate glass that had contained her water.

  “We must leave,” said Rosemary holding forth a white hooded cloak “Put this on, we need to leave and it will protect you from the heat,” she added seeing the look of concern on Claire’s face.

  “Why do we need to leave?” asked Claire as she took the cloak and placed it across her shoulders. As she did she noted how light the cloak was and how it seemed to gleam with a silvery inner light.

  “We are in danger,” she replied, raising the hood on the cloak Claire now wore. “Do not be afraid, these women will help you.” She added pointing behind Claire. This time however, Claire did not jump for her mind was still on the beautiful cloak she was wearing.

  Two women approached her from either side and introduced themselves as Phoebe and Grace. They were both stunningly beautiful women but Phoebe had a shock of red curly hair and Grace’s hair was silver and well kept. They each took an arm and Phoebe said “Try to remain calm, this may feel a little strange,” and with that the ground seemed to melt beneath her feet.

  Claire grabbed the arms of the other women as the temperature began to rise and they sank into the floor. The last thing she saw was Rosemary, passing through the solid wall of the room.

  Claire held her breath as her head sank beneath the stone floor and the rock closed in above her.

  “There is no need to hold your breath dear,” said Grace in a motherly voice “we are able to create air from the rocks that we pass through.”

  ”Who are you?” Claire ventured taking a gulp of air.

  “We are Lava Women,” responded Phoebe “perhaps you have heard of us?” she added raising an eyebrow.

  Claire glanced from one woman to the other. “Ahh,” was all she could manage. The two women chuckled to themselves.

  For several hours they travelled thus, Claire holding on to the two women and the women’s other arm blending with the rocks to manipulate them, for they had told Claire that they needed this kind of contact to change the rocks in the way needed to generate oxygen Claire was breathing.

  Throughout their journey Claire asked several questions, most of which they said they were not allowed to answer but from the ones they did she was able to glean that they were going somewhere called Sanctuary where the rest of their people would meet them and where most of her questions would be answered. Where this sanctuary was and who would answer her questions they would not say.

  Finally they left the rocks and emerged into an open cavern. The ground solidified under their feet and Phoebe and Grace released their grip of Claire. Claire looked out over the vas
t cavern and could not believe her eyes as the myriad of creatures appeared before her. She had believed all of them to be stories that had been invented to cover the fact that a man had been drinking or to scare children into not entering forbidden places that were naturally dangerous, as had been the case with the well in the village that she had grown up in, which was said to have a huge snake at the bottom of it that liked nothing more than to eat children.

  As each group of beings, for that seemed the best way to describe them, appeared they seemed to congregate together in different areas of the cavern. Grace explained that this was because although as a people they got on well and co-operated, they all had their own separate lands within the vastness that was Fire Mountain.

  Suddenly everything went quiet and all eyes turned towards what she had been told was the main entrance around which were clustered groups of Ant Men and Bears who Grace explained were guards and were as intelligent as she was. In the doorway barely discernible from this distance was a man in black armour.

  “Benedict,” whispered the women around her. But the voice that drew her attention was Rosemary’s, which she hadn’t heard since leaving the room below Fire Mountain. Claire looked at her out of the corner of her eye so as not to draw attention. From what she could see Rosemary was looking at Benedict with a quizzical look in her eye.

  Benedict’s attention was drawn to them maybe because of the chatter between the women. As he began to approach them, Claire shuffled behind Phoebe and Grace, for this man walked with the same confidence as that of the men who had assaulted her.

  As he came to them all the women around her bowed as one, and she followed slightly slower, and they said, “We are honoured.”

  Benedict returned the bow saying “As am I.” Almost before Benedict had finished talking Rosemary stepped forward. “Did Richard find you?” she asked a slight anxiety in her voice.

  “He did,” replied Benedict stiffly “he saved my life.”

  “Sounds like him,” replied Rosemary with a smile on her face.

  After he paused he continued “It cost him his own,”

  “What... No,” she responded clasping her hands to her face and then she cried. It was the same cry Claire had let out at the loss of her husband Jack, it was one of utter loss and sadness.

  The women around her crowded in trying to sooth her.

  Benedict stared at Rosemary whilst she cried stern and stiff limbed. Then he spoke with an emotional edge. “He spoke of his love for you at the last. He said not to morn him,” then there was silence.

  Rosemary stopped crying and returned her gaze to Benedict’s, starring, saying nothing. Then she wiped her eyes. “Did he?” she asked that quizzical tone back in her voice.

  “He did,” replied Benedict, this time no sign of the emotion that had been there seconds before.

  Again Rosemary just stared at him then wiping her eyes again she said, “This is Claire,” and turned to point at her.

  Claire’s breath caught in her throat, for she had not expected this. Then she remembered to bow saying, “I am honoured.”

  “As am I,” he returned bowing.

  ***

  As he bowed, the scene before her changed. Gone were the cavern and the dominating figure in black armour. They were replaced by the inside of a tent the fabric coloured blue. In the centre of this tent stood a man, thin of waist yet broad of shoulder and tall. He had grey hair down to his shoulders that was well kept and thick held back with a silver circlet. His face was a hard one, yet in his eyes was a kindness. He was stood in front of a brazier next to which was a boy asleep and curled up under furs. The tall man had a log of wood in his hands, and was staring at the sleeping figure. “Sleep well Reece, sleep the dreams of the innocent,” then he opened the brazier and added the log to the flames. Then he straightened up and seemed to stare straight at her.

  She realised after a while that he was staring at nothing like people did when they had many thoughts on their mind.

  Behind the man in the corner of the tent was a shadow; dark and menacing that was growing as she watched the scene before her. As the shadow grew, the man and the boy began to shine, the man only slightly but the boy with brilliance.

  The shadow dominated the scene now and the man turned around towards it “surely he would see it,” she thought to herself. But he seemed not to, and then he walked to his bed amidst the shadow, which grew darker and completely engulfed the tent extinguishing the two points of light. Then it seemed to touch her with coldness like the middle of winter, touching fear to her heart.

  ***

  Then it was gone and she was looking at the cavern and Benedict in black armour.

  Benedict was staring at her intently. What had happened? She was about to ask when Benedict said “Keep her safe,” looking at Rosemary. The he turned and walked away leaving her mind reeling. Then Rosemary followed, catching up to him and talking quietly. She stopped and he continued walking into the vastness of the cavern, watched by the now stationary Rosemary.

  Rosemary turned and came back to them “Come we all need to rest,” she said as she passed Claire and the others, then she headed back into the small caverns behind them that had been claimed as home by the lava women.

  Claire followed, flanked by Phoebe and Grace who seemed to have become her body guards even more so since Benedict’s statement about keeping her safe, for they walked closer and seemed more on edge then they had done before.

  When they reached the back chamber there was a bed set up for Claire, the same as before, rock with cotton sheets and furs.

  “This is where you will sleep,” said Rosemary pointing at the bed. “Phoebe and Grace will stay with you.”

  “Where will they sleep?” asked Claire gesturing to the two women either side of her.

  Phoebe took her arm “Do no concern yourself with us, for we do not require beds,” then she placed her finger to Claire’s lips as she saw the question forming in her eyes “You do not need to know why, only that we don’t,” and with that Rosemary left them.

  “Get into bed and try to get some sleep, you could be in need of your strength before these days are done,” said Grace guiding Claire towards the bed.

  Claire went unresisting as she was indeed tired, and climbed beneath the covers, again snuggling into the duck down feather pillow that seemed to embrace her head. Then she took one last look at Phoebe and Grace who were now stood by the entrance like guards, and looking at her like a couple of hens looking at their chicks. “Goodnight,” they said together, “Sleep tight,” added Grace.

  “Good night,” replied Claire. Closing her eyes she lay there a while listening to the noises coming from the chambers beyond, and then she slipped into the darkness of sleep.

  Phoebe and Grace watched her until her breathing slowed and they knew she was asleep, then they merged with the rock either side of the entrance until they looked like an impression of the women they were, jutting slightly from the rock and just as solid, as they drew energy from the rocks themselves.

  ***

  Claire awoke in a ravine

  He was running. He didn’t seem to know where or from what but he knew he had to get away or he would die.

  He was running up a ravine, bare and dry with no vegetarian to be seen. The dust he kicked up as he ran clawed at his throat.

  Behind him she could see darkness. It had been there for some time this she instinctively knew, but she felt certain that it was about to catch him.

  The ravine narrowed and came to a sudden dead end. The wall of rock in front of him was so steep and shear it prevented escape.

  He turned with his back against the wall and prepared to face the nameless beast behind him. In his right hand he held a sword of shinning silver with strange symbols on it. In his left hand was a red velvet bag, which rattled as he moved it.
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br />   Around the corner there came a shadow, vast and full of hate, for it seemed to grow with malice with every inch it took. There was no definition to this shadow but she knew it was here for him.

  He took a deep breath and resigned himself to his fate, but she knew he would go down fighting

  Out of the corner of his eye he caught a light, he turned his head and he stared right at her. She held out her hand and said “Come with me I will see you safe. Quickly we do not have much time.”

  The bag in his left hand began to rattle as he raised his hand to hers.

  ***

  Claire awoke sweating and the icy feeling still in her heart to find Phoebe and Grace looking over her each holding a hand.

  “Are you alright child?” asked Grace with a worried look on her face “you were screaming and thrashing around.”

  “I had a dream,” Claire began “of a man pursued by a dark shadow.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” said Phoebe, patting her hand, “these are dark times and they affect us all.”

  “But it felt so real,” she said quietly.

  “I know,” Grace put in, placing her hand on Claire’s shoulder, and then they were all quiet. The silence lasted for some time until Claire broke it. “Where is everyone?”

  “They are at a meeting that will determine our actions in the coming days,” said Phoebe becoming erect in her posture. “You do not need to concern yourself with it,” and again there was silence. Next to the bed again on the table was food, so feeling hungry Claire tucked in eating slower and with more etiquette then before.

  The silence was broken when Rosemary and the others returned. “They are fools,” she said gesturing to the people in the chamber beyond. “They stay and hide, whilst our fates are decided by those beyond these walls. We go with Benedict,” she said gesturing this time to the lava women around her “We, more than any of the others were once of them and cannot stand-by and let them die.” She then turned to Claire “You will stay here with Grace. The rest of us get ready to depart,” then she and five others melted into the ground and were gone.