by William King
When she returned we had very little to say to one another, everything had in fact already been said, and if all went well we would have the rest of our lives to talk, and if not, then it would make no difference to neither of us.
A sudden thought that came to me brought me to the abrupt realization that neither of us were rock climbers, and caused me to ask, “Elizabeth have you ever climbed a mountain before?”
“No Mason, I have not,” she casually replied.
“Then that makes two of us Elizabeth, but I suppose it is too late to be thinking about that now!”
“Mason, you are right about that,” she said with a grim expression. “I am going to scout around a bit to see if I can find the best way to the top. If you get into any trouble, fire one shot from the rifle and I will be here as quickly as I can.”
“Elizabeth please be careful.”
“No worries Mason, I will be back in no time.”
She had no sooner left and vanished out of my sight when I got the jitters. Every time I had the feeling that something was about to happen, it usually did, and I was having one of those awful feelings right now. I was hopeless to do anything about it except wait until Elizabeth returned, that is if she did return.
The sun was starting to set behind the mountain and darkness was slowly creeping in when I really began to worry. I made up my mind to go out and look for her when I saw her working her way towards camp. I was so relieved to see her alive and well and said, “Elizabeth, have you got any idea how long you have been gone?”
“Yes Mason and I am really sorry, but just wait until you hear what I have found.” She said with something more than a little enthusiasm. “I found the perfect way up the mountain.” I walked almost half way up, and what do you suppose I found?”
Very enthusiastic I replied, “You found your uncle Laurence’s secret hiding place, didn’t you?”
“No Mason, I did not find my uncle’s hiding place. However, what I did find was equally as interesting. I found your alter within a stone circle, and Mason, it was just the way you had described it to me. The way things are looking to me my uncle must have been into witchcraft, black magic, voodoo, or whatever you want to call it.”
“Elizabeth, if your suspicions are right then we have been looking for the wrong thing.”
“Mason, I am beginning to think just that.”
Suddenly the drums started beating again. This time the sound was lower and had a kind of forbidding tone. I felt as if something bad was about to happen, and this was definitely one of those times that I would see in a horror movie when something awful had happened.
“I wonder if my uncle Laurence got into this awful mess all by himself, or if he had some help from the natives? I think it would be wise if we camped here tonight and got an early start in the morning. Before we got halfway up the mountain darkness would engulf us, and there is no telling what evil forces are lurking up there, ready to take us by surprise.”
I replied, “Exactly what I was thinking Elizabeth. I could not agree with you more,” as I readied myself for bed.
However, I found out a few hours later that sleep would be next to impossible for me to get tonight. I was very restless, and having reoccurring dreams about the alter, the naked native tribal dancers, and to make things worse, the drums began to beat so intensely that it split right through my head like a machete blade splitting into a piece of jungle vine. However, Elizabeth slept right through it all, leading me to believe that the sounds of the beating drums existed only within my own mind. Nonetheless, by now I was fighting with myself. I had this strange compulsion to go up the mountain to find the altar. It was crazy because I knew I had no personal desire to even go there.
I got up and placed more wood upon the dying fire, although the temperature had to be well into the mid-eighties with even higher humidity, but I still had chills throughout my body as if I were freezing. The impulse to go to the altar was getting stronger and stronger by the minute, and I soon realized that Bastelet was the cause of this ghastly impulse, that evil bitch was calling me towards the altar so she could sacrifice me, and her hold on me was getting stronger by the minute. I began to pace around the fire, and was so distraught that I broke out into a cold sweat. I quickly began to pray out loud, “Please God deliver me in this time of great need oh Lord, deliver me from those who want to destroy me and condemn their soul straight into the depths of Hell.”
I knew that my faith was strong so I kept on praying, and slowly my mind and body was being released from her deadly grasp. With the breaking of dawn, I was more determined than ever to destroy her sacred place on this island, so she would never again be able to sacrifice another innocent life, at least not from that spot. I awakened Elizabeth and we prepared for the climb up the mountain. I told her about my encounter with Bastelet and said, “Elizabeth, I know for sure that Bastelet can be destroyed, but only through our faith in God.”
“Oh Mason, I have known that from the beginning, that is why I brought these.”
She walked over to her sleeping bag and pulled out two amulets made from some sort of unknown material and said, “These amulets should help us fight off Bastelet’s evil spirit, so let’s get on our way.”
The sun’s rays were just beginning to rise over the mountaintop making the entire mountain range shine, giving it a spellbinding appearance. I wondered how something so beautiful could conceal something so sinister. I knew deep down within my heart that Bastelet could not be a part of this mountain, but rather a parasite that had somehow managed to infest it with her vileness.
“Elizabeth, how far up the mountain is the sacrificial altar?”
She looked up the mountain and stood silent for a moment, then pointed as she said “Mason do you see that small bunch of trees with the large boulder just to the right of them, about halfway down from the top of the mountain?”
“Yes Elizabeth I can see them.”
“I found the altar hidden between them, in a small clearing.”
I saw it all right, and just knowing that it was there, and what it had represented made my blood run cold. I felt violated and defeated just knowing that Bastelet had been watching the turn of events in my life since I was born, dominating them without me even knowing what was happening. In addition, the events in Elizabeth’s life had been carefully monitored as well, and she never once had a suspicion about what was going on. How in God’s name could this have happened to the both of us? We continued on our journey, carefully making our way up the mountain. I knew just what had to be done once we got there, and with the help of God Almighty himself, I would destroy Bastelet’s sacrificial altar. That would at least give a little peace back to these hallowed grounds.
I wanted to hurry, as my feet seemed to want to break out into a full sprint, but a voice kept repeating in my head, have patience Mason Williams, all you expect to find is waiting for you.
I listened as Elizabeth tried to calm the pack mules as they had been unsettled by something and refused to go any further. A cool breeze unexpectedly whipped up bringing in a few clouds just to the north of us.
“Mason, I think we are going to get hit with a down pour, and it will not be long before the storm reaches us.”
The weather had been hot and muggy for the past few days, and I should add without any rain. It was most unusual because there had been hardly a day that went by that it had not rained on the island since we arrived. I had not realized it at the time, but that had marked a series of very unusual things that had been destined to happen to us on our journey to what seems to be to the darkened depths of Hell. We had almost reached the halfway point when I felt something strange happening to my body. It was as if I had been caught up in some sort of tractor beam, which was pulling me towards the altar. I stopped for a brief moment to catch my breath, just hoping that it was just the high altitude and that it would pass, but unfortunately its strength only increased as we drew closer.
I continued onward, up the side of the mo
untain following closely behind Elizabeth, not knowing what was going to take place once we arrived at the temple. The wind began to steadily pick up, fiercely blowing through the valley like a hurricane, and bringing with it what seemed to be the moaning sounds of the dead. My body soon began to tremble with fear. Elizabeth also began to sense that something was terribly wrong, as she had quickly stopped and looked in every direction as if she was looking for something specific. She looked directly at me and said, “Mason, there is just a few hundred feet between us and that altar. I will ask you one last time before it’s too late, do you want to continue on into the darkest depths of Hell, or turn back?”
“Elizabeth, I know exactly what you are thinking, but we have been through this before. I would rather be dead than to live under the control of some evil force as a walking Zombie.”
She smiled at me and said “Mason, I just wanted you to know that you do have a choice, and I would completely understand if you wanted to turn back.”
“Elizabeth, I do not know if you noticed, but we have already passed the point of no return. There is no other way except straight up the side of this mountain to that temple. We have already cast our ballets and made our decision a long time ago, and we will keep moving forward until the very end.”
The two of us climbed our way up the side of the mountain with a closeness that could not be matched. The strength and bond we had together could never be broken by anyone, living nor dead. Once we made it to the temple, we knew quite well that Bastelet might just get her way, and enslave the both of us with her evil, taking our souls and turning us into Zombies to walk the Earth tormented forever. We stood directly in front of the temple and its sight was awe-inspiring, for what I am witnessing had been made by the Gods, and not by the hands of man. Bastelet had only used this place for her rituals and blood sacrifices, thus her reason for coming here, but she could never take away the allure that the Gods had already created.
“Elizabeth,” I said not letting my eyes leave the altar of the temple, “I cannot in all honesty destroy this place that the Gods have created for all to see. We must find a way to destroy her, and save this Holy place so that others might one-day stumble upon it and gaze upon its beauty just as we are doing. Oh, Elizabeth one other thing, I have been thinking about the strange message that I took as a warning from your mother and aunt. I believe that it was not really a warning at all. I believe that they were referring to this temple. That is what they both had meant when they told me to see everything not only for what it was, but for what it might later become. I feel certain of it now and maybe they did mean things that could possibly be a danger to us, but mainly I think they had the temple in mind.”
The next thing that happened gave us our answer. It was the strong scent of roses that filled the air, and we did not have to wonder any longer.
“Elizabeth, we have been shown just enough to get us here. However, nothing has been revealed to us on how to remove Bastelet’s evil influence from this temple.”
To my astonishment, I heard a voice say, “All in good time Mason, you will find a way.”
Elizabeth replied, “I think that they have done a very fine job at bringing us this far, now all we have to do is sit back and see what happens next.”
“Elizabeth that is going to be a lot easier said than done. Besides we cannot just sit back and do nothing.”
“Mason, I do not plan on doing nothing. I am going to find a place to make camp, and if you are willing, I think I can find something for you to do as well.”
I laughed and said, “Lead on woman.”
We found another small clearing not too far from the temple where Elizabeth decided that we should set up our camp for the night.
“Mason, I am going to gather some branches so we can build a fire, and if you like you can go unpack our belongings.”
“Elizabeth, just one thing, please do not wonder off too far.”
“I won’t Mason, I promise, we have come too far to get careless now.”
I got busy unpacking, and a few minutes later as I looked up I noticed that the wind had blown the trees right in front of our camp site sideways, just enough to where I could have sworn that I saw an opening. I kept telling myself that it was only my eyes playing tricks on me, but as I kept watching I saw the opening again. I was determined to find out what I was seeing. However, I would have to wait until Elizabeth returned to camp. I had everything unpacked by the time Elizabeth had returned to camp. I could not wait to tell her about the opening that I thought I saw behind the trees, but I had managed to keep my enthusiasm hidden until after she had finished making the fire.
“Well Mason, it seems that you have found a place for everything.”
“I believe so!”
“Mason, would you like to share the reason for being in such high spirits right at this particular moment, just after being in the serious mood you were in when I had left.”
“I thought you would never ask. I am not a hundred percent positive, but I think just behind that clump of trees there is a cave. It could turn out to be your uncle Laurence’s secret hiding place, and in the perfect location too. It was about as close to the temple as he could have gotten.”
“Ok Sherlock Holmes, you might indeed be right, as these mountains are notorious for having caves.”
Elizabeth was trying her damnedest to pretend that she was not the slightest bit interested, but I could see the excitement building up in her eyes as she casually asked, “Mason do you want to go check it out?”
“Do I want to check it out? Hell, ya I want to go check it out. I have been waiting here impatiently for your return so we could go take a look. It has been all I have been thinking about ever since I saw it.”
“Well then, what are we waiting for, let’s stop wasting time, and go take a peek at the cave that lies just behind those trees.”
The cave was not far off at all. The distance from our camp to the trees was approximately two hundred feet, but I was so excited that it seemed like we could not walk fast enough to get there. The vines hanging down from the jungle canopy turned out to be so thick that I decided to go back to camp and get one of the two machetes. I retrieved the machete and when I returned Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. I was panic-stricken and started screaming out her name as my body trembled with fear, wondering if she was hearing my calls. Then suddenly Elizabeth appeared out of nowhere and said, “Mason what in God’s name are you screaming about?”
I threw my arms straight up into the air and said, “You send me back to camp to get a machete, and when I return you are nowhere to be found, and then have the nerve to ask me why in God’s name I am screaming out your name. You are the most impossible woman that I have ever met in my life.”
Yes, it was true that I was scared, but at the moment I was angrier with her than anything else. She pulled me gently into her arms to comfort me and said, “I am sorry Mason, if I would have known what you would be thinking if I had not been here when you returned. I would have never left, I swear. I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me for scaring the hell out of you.”
“Elizabeth stop being silly, I could never hate you. I believe that you will find that my forgiveness is a simple thing because I love you no matter what you might do.”
“Mason, I hope you still feel the same way towards me a hundred years from now.”
The moment passed and the look on her face had changed to that of excitement, kind of, like when a small child finds a great treasure. She tightly held my hand and said, “Come see what I found inside the cave.”
We walked over to a hidden entrance, which was just barely wide enough for me to pass through and walked approximately fifty feet inside and there it was, we had found Elizabeth’s uncle Laurence’s secret hideaway.
I cautiously looked around and noticed that the place seemed dormant, as if it had been waiting for Elizabeth to bring the life back to its solitude. We saw nothing of a scientific nature at the moment, but we knew without a doub
t that this had been Laurence’s secret hiding place. As we looked around, we found a shelf that contained numerous books on witchcraft and sorcery, along with strange amulets. I saw something strange that caught my attention that was partially hidden behind some of the books on the shelf. To our amazement, it was a beautiful Challis.
“Elizabeth, I would have to say that in spite of your aunt Cassandra’s love for your uncle, he seemed to have had an insurmountable ocean of loneliness that constantly fought him for self-control. I wonder if that loneliness had ceased to exist with his death, or had he been condemned to walk this planet without rest, like Bastelet and the others, and by chance, or by their own choice come to walk the halls of the Blackwood Manor, and your parents other Manor in Dripping Springs.”
Elizabeth looked up in total surprise and said, “I had never pictured my uncle Laurence as being so lonely. My uncle had been a very self-contained and strong willed man. However, I must admit one thing. Unlike my father, my uncle Laurence was a sensitive man, where on the other hand my father was a proud and arrogant man. My uncle Laurence had been well respected and had many friends.”
Elizabeth paused for a second and with a questioning look on her face said, “Except for one person who was Bastelet. She stated on more than one occasion that he was a weak and silly man. Mason, you do not suppose that at the end Bastelet had taken my uncles soul to do her evil bidding?”
“I could not be sure Elizabeth, but it is possible since Bastelet has a tremendous amount of supernatural power, and I think you would agree with me that she is quite capable of doing pretty much anything to attain whatever it is she might want.”
We were suddenly surprised and completely caught off guard as Bastelet’s voice filled the cave with her evil laughter, echoing throughout the weary cave as she spoke these words, “The more you learn the closer you become to your own death. I will tell you this only once, and if you can figure out its meaning I will spare your lives and give peace to your damned souls!”
