“Wha”? But I know how to do that.”
“Not really. Come, you must learn to suck deep and keep the air inside for more than you can bear, then let it out in controlled gasps. Do as I do and try not to faint.”
He placed my hands upon my ribs and told me to take a breath. I did and he set about aiding me in how to keep it in and how to let it out so that I could manipulate its force. A mechanical and simple thing that was anything but easy to achieve. I had to suck through my nose whilst blowing through my mouth, and vice versa, all at the same time.
After many failed attempts and what seemed like four moon passings, I made some progress. The dizziness and dryness of mouth lessened and I was apt enough in its execution to make a soothing song for longer than it took to walk the corridor and climb the stairs to this chamber. And all done in one great breath. So caught up in my exercises was I, that I did not notice night had fallen.
“What is next?”
“Patience, little missile. Enough for today,” Brother Jude said and lit some big candles on his desk.
“Enough? But…”
“The hours have sped. It is quite dark and time for you to eat.”
“So riveted was I in all this discipline that I have forgot the rumblings that jumbled in my belly.”
“Go now and see your friends. I’m sure they will be glad of your company.”
“Will you not partake and join us all? I have a strong desire for you and them to make acquaintance.”
“I am a solitary soul and do not find the company of others to my liking. I remain here and Brother Dominic brings food.”
“Shame it is, though. I know Wirt would be impressed.”
“Perhaps soon you can invite him here.”
“Greatly news, I would relish the act,” I said and opened the door.
“Stay as long as you wish. I shall be asleep when you return. Remain quiet and slumber in the chamber behind the arras,” he said and pointed to a long embroidered pelt that hung from the ceiling. “My bed is there. As you can see it is far enough away from yours. Fear not.”
“I won’t. Sleep well Brother Jude,” I said and left.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Know Who Your Friends Are
I skipped down the stone stairway, through the long corridor to the place of sitting down, or the dining room, as it was known. Pausing by the entrance I searched the room for Wirt and the others. At the far end, sitting at a great table, were my companions, and Sister Gabriel. She was gesticulating in an impressive fashion and all but Marcellus was attending to her every word. He sat head down, supping from a bowl. I marched quickly over, all eager to relate my experiences with Brother Jude.
My progress was halted by the most scrummy smell. It was hard to describe because I had never smelt the like before. If pressed, I should say that it reminded me of spring or summer when the wind brings the scent of possibility and growth. My belly yelled to be filled and I followed my nose to a counter laid with the most delicious food. I threw all manner of tasties onto a plate and hurried over to where the others sat.
“Adara, welcome. Come sit and feast with us,” Eadgard said.
Down I plunked.
Sister Gabriel turned her head towards mine and sighed. “Ah, I can tell by the glow upon your cheeks that you have partaken of a rare experience. I too had such a look the first time I felt the presence of the Onetruegod. I am pleased for you.” She placed her soft hand upon mine and patted it. I smiled, pulled away and set about reducing the grub on my plate to nothing.
“Adara, what happened to ye up there in the abode of the mystifying monk?”
I swallowed the last remaining morsel and replied, “Wirt, I learnt to fly.”
“Metaphorically speaking I suppose,” Eadgard said.
“Nope, I left the ground and hovered. Brother Jude made it so. Then he schooled me in how to make my breath last for longer than any can imagine.” I had hoped for some expression of wonderment from my friends, but all they did was stare at my countenance with a look of dumb.
“Sister Gabriel has recounted such yarns. She has entertained us so that we did not yearn for ye as much as we ought.”
I confess to feeling glum at Wirt’s remark. I wanted them to be all impressed and eager to hear more. I sensed from the sound of munching that was not to be the case, so I gulped down a veg and said, “Glad to hear such news. I will be gone for longer still and it is goodly to know that you be with someone who can make the moon and sun’s passing go with speed.”
Sister Gabriel, who was not eating, looked around at the others, at their disinterest in all things concerning me, and said, by way of placating my look of peeve, “Come tell us more.”
“I would not weary you with the reciting of it?”
“Not one bit.”
Sister Gabriel nudged Wirt’s elbow, he dropped the food that was on his fork, looked at me and then at her. “Aye, I would have ye tell and then some.”
“So would I, my dear. Brother Jude is elusive and conjures up much speculation. I know some things, but would know extra of the man.”
“And you Marcellus? Would you revel in the telling of my tale?”
Marcellus had not moved all the time we spoke. He swirled his spoon around a bowl of something that must once have held a tasty hot broth. At my words, he dropped the metal scoop and sent some of its contents splurting across the table. He raised his head and stared into my eyes. “If you want tell story, tell. We care not much. We care about journey which you appear to forget.”
“What journey?”
“The one you do not recall.”
Something stirred in my noggin. My bro-bro’s face appeared for a sec then vanished. “I do recall, Marcellus, I do. Neither I nor the others have forgot. It’s just that, well... Brother Dominic has explained why we are to linger.”
“We do not wait in ease like rest. We itch to be gone. We trust no one,” Marcellus said and looked at Sister Gabriel who returned his gaze with a raised eyebrow. I could not help but notice how intensely she stared at him.
“Sister, if I may make an inquiry?”
“Ask me anything, Adara.”
“Why is that you pursue Marcellus so?”
“Do I?”
“Most assuredly so.”
“Then I do it without conscious knowledge.”
“Then we would sooner not have gaze.”
“I am a curious person by nature and merely without malice I assure, have peeked. A natural reaction to an oddity.”
“We are not considered odd amongst our own.”
“Well said, good Marcellus. Let that be an end to any discomfort caused by the spirit of inquiry,” Eadgard said.
Sister Gabriel gave a lopsided grin and positioned her large green eyes at Wirt. “Ye can cease yer glarings in my direction too. I have a liking for ye but that may pale if ye continue scrutinising so.”
“My, my, I have never met with such sensitive males. I may have to go about in blinkers from now on so as to not offend your delicate feelings.”
Sister Gabriel stood and folded her arms. She made a clicking noise with her tongue before nodding her head three times. “So this is the state of things. I will speak only when spoken to from now on. If you require certain knowledge’s that only I possess, then you may come to me. I’ll not seek you out. Goodnight. May the Lord be with you.”
“And also with you,” Eadgard said and nodded his head in her direction.
“Oh yeah, and also with you,” I said closely followed by Wirt but not Marcellus.
“Will you not bid me a simple goodnight?”
Marcellus looked at Sister Gabriel. He made a sigh then said, “Also with you.”
Eadgard pushed his plate away, slapped his tum and yawned. “I am weary for sure. As you all look to be.”
“Brother Dominic has prepared a dorm for the three of you to share,” Sister Gabriel said and both Wirt and Marcellus frowned.
“Do not make such faces. Our weariness
will outweigh any misgivings we have about sharing the same place.”
“Well, if you are ready to take rest then follow me,” Sister Gabriel said. “If not, the room is at the end of the first corridor you met when you entered, through a recess and on the right. There is a name upon the door. Saint Francis. You should be able to find it well.”
“I shall follow willingly.”
“Good. Wirt?”
“I will abide longer and chat with Adara.”
“And you Marcellus?”
“We will stay.”
“Then I shall see you all when the sun rises, if you wish it.”
“Goodnight to you all,” Eadgard said and left with Sister Gabriel.
There was a lack of conversation for what seemed an endless period. Then Wirt took a great sigh and put his hands behind his head.
“What a passage of time we have undertaken. I cannot quite focus on the details of the things I have seen and done and…eaten.”
Marcellus slapped the table and let rip a loudly guffaw. Wirt and I did too. I felt the tension-filled air, lift as Wirt wiped the tears from his eyes and took my hand. I was glad to feel his tender grip and could not help but smile at his wordless comfort.
“Your mood has lightened since the departure of Sister Gabriel, Marcellus.”
“It has. We have feeling she not as good as she would make us believe.”
“Why do you say such a thing? She has been more than civil to us. Maybe a little rudely towards yourself, but methinks it is because she finds you so fascinating.”
“Not sure true. We be careful of such scrutiny. We must not be found out.”
“But you are with us on this journey. Others will see you.”
“True, but won’t be of consequence. We at war with enemy. Matters little if they see face before die.”
“Marcellus, ye bring us down to reality with yer words. We are at war for sure and must not be diverted from our goal.”
“We not sure of Wirt, now we certain. He solid, he true, he trustworthy above all.”
“Do you consider me to be one of honour too?”
“Will see. Used to, not much now. Singing? What purpose?”
“This I am doubtful on. I used to know, or thought I did, but after my time with Brother Jude, I am thinking there is a plan afoot and that I am to be more than a part of it. So do you, I believe.”
“Careful not forget mission. Careful to stay true. Careful to stay as are and not as others want to make you.”
“Adara is true and good and brave and would never give us cause to think otherwise,” Wirt said and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back not greatly certain that I could live up to Wirt’s kind words. A fuzziness spread throughout my body and I let go of Wirt’s hand. He let it flop at his side and let out a sigh. Marcellus yawned and I did too, then we all smiled. I struggled to stand, so fatigued I was and needed to pat my cheeks to clear my head.
“It is late, so late. I must to bed dear Wirt and Marcellus. Sleep sound and happy both,” I said and left them to wander to their own place of lying down.
The corridor was not as well lit as before. The brightness was replaced with an amber glow that was not at all displeasing. It made a mood of serenity creep through me and I began to understand the appeal of this higher than high-up place. There was no sound at all except the soft padding of my feet upon the stone floor. I stopped to stare at a pelt hanging on the wall. It was made from woven straw and had coloured shapes streaked through it. At first, I thought they were all-random but on closer scrutiny became aware that they depicted a strange and gruesome scene.
“The stations of the cross.”
I jumped at the sound of Sister Gabriel’s voice. It cut through the stillness like a raptor screech at the dead of night. She placed her hand upon my shoulder and I felt her grip tighten. “There are more of these on each wall. They tell the story of the BabyCheesus all grown and condemned to death. There is great beauty amongst this tragic tale.”
“Um, yep if you so say, Sister.”
“You cannot see it because you are not initiated in our great faith. You Citydwellers believe in only tech and being clean. I have seen, I have witnessed. There is more to life than making newones and scrubbing floors.”
“Duh-uh, I know.”
“Do you, Adara?”
“I am here and not getting ready to tie-the-knot as I am expected at my coming-of-age. So, yeah, I know.”
“Perhaps. I shall walk you to your destination and have a friendly chat.”
She let go of my shoulder and slid her arm through mine. We walked towards my place of rest as slow as an ancient ‘dult trying to scrabble up an incline. I tried to lean away from her pressing in, but to my surprise, she was stronger than she looked and had me firmly secured against her side.
“I left young Eadgard by his quarters and returned stealth-like back to the dining area where I spied and listened in on your ramblings. Do not think me bad for this. I did so as to hear the truth of things from lips that would not open so honest whilst I remained. Marcellus is correct in his warnings to you. This place is godly and divine all right, but has other things that press upon it beyond the call of God. I will caution you, as did Marcellus. Learn from Brother Jude by all means, but do not believe or do only-onto- him. I am of late become suspicious of this and that. When you arrived I realised my fancy had substance.”
“Explain more.”
“I cannot just yet my dear. Know this, though, I have not seen or heard the Abbot for more than eight days.”
I opened my mouth to seek more info, but Sister Gabriel halted before the stone stairway that led to Brother Jude’s room.
“We are here. Rest and be wary. I am a friend. Believe that much,” she said, released my arm and scuttled quick as a beetle down the corridor and out of sight.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A Letting Go Of All Things Learned
Upon entering the darkened chamber, I spied Brother Jude in bed. He lay flat upon his back, a thick woollen blanket pulled up against his chin. It was red and blue and fatter than any pelt I had seen. I wondered at how he procured such a prize, wool being the most pricey of materials. All my coverings came from a lab. Processed and squished until out pops material to make all manner of coverings for bed, floor, wall and bod. The mystery of this man and place became all the more intense. I tippy-toed past his closed eyes, pulled aside the thick hanging to the place assigned for my resting.
It was sparse. With just a single chair and slim wooden bed pushed against the far wall. Above it was a plain glass window shaded with a heavy red drape. I looked around for a place to hang my clothes and saw a rod sticking out from the opposite wall with large hooks hanging from it.
My ballooned belly gurgled. I searched for a special place to relieve myself and noticed a plain screen made of wooden slats opposite my bed. I glanced behind and saw a pissing pot with a pipe attached that went out through the wall, then to my great happiness, a shower. That was when I remembered my stricken Synthbag in the Monk’s room. I needed it for my ‘blutions for sure. So I sidled back in and crawled along the floor until I spied it under a table. I stretched my arm out and pulled it to my chest. Then I pid-padded all quiet-like back to my own quarters where I sploshed and plopped until I felt all-clean.
Dry and warmed through, I ambled towards the bed and clambered in. Sleep was not forthcoming due to Sister Gabriel’s words, so I tossed and turned and thought about what she said for a bit, then nestled into the small yet comforting mattress. I shut my lids, let the blackness soothe my questioning brain, and fell asleep.
I thought that I’d just nodded off and not slept the sleep of profundity, since no dreams appeared to make all sense of things that passed. I opened my eyes and saw Brother Jude swish aside the curtains to let the daylight flood throughout my unlit chamber. His brown robe brushed against my blinking awake face and I opened my mouth as wide as an owlet downing some meat, to let out a back-throat yawn.
�
��Light so soon?”
“Always the sun rises when it should. I would have you refreshed and ready. First partake of breakfast. Pardon me, perhaps you refer to it as ‘first-of-day-food?’”
“Now and then, when chatting with family folk and the like. I wonder, Brother Jude, if I might bring forth grub for you to chew upon?”
“Kindly gesture, but I have a reliable source that has already fed and watered my every need. I rise before the sky gets light.”
“Perhaps later?”
“No, use the eating times to keep a closeness with your companions. Now rise, eat and return for your next lesson,” he said and left me to dress.
I only had one clean garment at the bottom of my Synthbag. A long black skirt made from non-nano thread. It felt all heavy and clingy against my legs. The top as well, so when I put all on, I felt as though I had got into another’s skin. Shaking off the unpleasant sensation, I hitched on my Synthbag, left my resting place, scuttled past Brother Jude, who was leaning out of the window, and ran all the way to the dining room.
It was full of the hominids we had seen the day before, but I noticed that some ‘dult males wore the same kind of plaid skirt that Wirt and his kin wore. I spied my companions standing at the food area and sped keenly towards them. The smell of warm grub and hot beverages filled my senses to capacity. I quite forgot what I was thinking for a time. Eadgard was the first to greet me by a hardy slap on my shoulder, followed by a huggle from Wirt and a serious nod from Marcellus. I was about to blab about Sister Gabriel’s cryptic chittle-chat when I saw her approach.
“A new day. Praise the Lord. All still alive and well and engaging in a healthy appetite.”
“The grub is the best I have ever eaten for sure.”
“I suppose it is, Adara. City food is mostly processed and lacks the flavour and texture of the real thing.”
“I was none the wiser as to such foodstuffs before I began this adventure. Now that I have tasted such wonders I do not think I can return to the consuming of my previous synthetic fare.”
Echoes from the Lost Ones Page 16
