“You’re kidding,” said Peter. A look of both wonder and surprise spread across his face.
The sudden sound of Peter’s voice was startling. Jack had begun to lose himself in the story. Answering Peter was a welcome distraction.
“No, I’m serious,” said Jack. “At first I thought it only reminded me of the ‘real thing’ back home. I mean, how’d it get there if it was, in fact, the same shed?”
Peter smiled and started to say something. But he stopped himself, telling Jack to continue, and what he wished to say could wait until later. Peter motioned for him to continue.
“Are you sure?’ asked Jack. ‘I know this all sounds crazy, but I swear I’ve been honest with you. Completely honest. Do you still want me to continue this way, to be so detailed and graphic?”
“Yes I do,’ said Peter. ‘I realize sharing some of this is painful for you. I appreciate what you’re telling me more than you know.”
“Okay, then,’ said Jack. ‘I walked over to the shed, my curiosity wouldn’t let me just turn around and forget about it. Its stacked stone walls were painted white and the roof was made using wooden slats—just like Grandpa’s! Even the spots where the roof had recently been repaired were the same! I thought of how Grandpa refused to tear the goddamned thing down, keeping it functional even if it didn’t look right anymore as it sat up against our farmhouse, its worn wooden doors usually locked tightly with linked chains and padlocks.
“I walked around it. When I reached the front, I found the only difference between Grandpa’s shed and this structure—although, I’m sure you’re already realizing what is later revealed to me—that I’m talking about only one structure. In place of the old padlocked doors was an open space with a counter, and a few feet behind the counter were rows of shelves filled with ceramic dishes and pottery. It was some kind of shop!
“A cheerful girl in her late teens was waiting to greet me from behind the booth’s counter. ‘Well, hello, Jack!’ she said. ‘I was wondering when you’d find time to stop by here!’
“‘What an amazing place this is, indeed!’ I thought to myself. It seemed everyone knew my name and yet I was still meeting folks for the very fist time. Strangely, though, I felt totally at peace in this person’s presence. It was different from the warmth I’d felt from Genovene. It was more like meeting a long lost friend.
“‘It’s so nice to see you, Jack,’ she told me, and then reached over the counter and extended her hand for me to shake. ‘I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to this moment!’ Her smile seemed so natural. To me she was absolutely beautiful, with hazel eyes and dark auburn hair that flowed in ringlets as it framed her dimpled face. A small patch of freckles dotted both cheeks, and with the laced up dress she was wearing, I thought she looked like she’d just stepped out of a Grimm’s fairy tale and into the village.
“‘Hi...it’s nice to meet you, too,’ I responded, trying hard not to stare, but unable to resist. ‘What’s your name?’
“‘My name’s not important at the moment, but very soon you’ll know who I am,’ the girl replied.
“The feeling of familiarity was growing stronger by the moment. I knew her from somewhere else, I was certain of it. But, since it would be impolite to keep staring at her, I glanced around the booth instead. It was set up as two separate rooms with the counter and its merchandise located in the front of the structure and a smaller room in the back.
“As I said a moment ago, everything on display was created in ceramic clay—splendid stuff that appeared to have been painted by hand. Their elegance and simpler beauty stood out sharply in contrast to the gold and crystal vessels I’d seen so far.
“‘If you’d like to take a closer look at anything you see, just say so,’ the girl said, before she turned and walked into the back room. ‘I’m extending to you the special privilege of coming behind the counter.’
“Once she disappeared, I heard the squeaking noises of a pottery wheel spinning in that other room. I was completely enraptured with her, but in a safe way. Despite her earthy beauty, there wasn’t a physical attraction. Rather than a sexual longing, I simply wanted to know this person, to speak with her and learn all about her. What about specifically? I didn’t know yet. I just felt compelled to do this.
“The counter itself was wooden with a latch that allowed the countertop to be pulled up in order to let someone enter and leave the booth. It was slightly taller than my mid-section, so instead of lifting it, I bent down and slid under it to the other side. A lot more pottery and other items were stored underneath the counter, including a small silver box with a scene skillfully etched onto its face depicting a trio of angels descending upon the earth from heaven. The wings of the angels were inlaid with tiny sapphires and diamonds, and the eyes were emeralds. This was the only thing I readily saw that compared to the extravagance throughout the rest of the village.
“‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’ the girl called out from the back room.
“‘Yeah, it sure is,’ I agreed while continuing to examine it. I especially liked the way the jewels made the wings appear as if they were in constant motion. ‘It’s very beautiful.’
“‘Why, thank you, Jack! It was a gift from someone very close to me,’ she said. ‘Come on back here for a moment, and bring the little box with you.’
“I went over to the doorway that led into the back room and peered inside. The room was completely bare except for a spinning wheel with a large lump of clay sitting upon it, and a pair of wooden chairs. There was also a small door next to a narrow window, which let in minimal light. The pretty girl sat upon the chair nearest to the wheel and she motioned for me to come and sit down in the other chair across from her.
“As soon as I sat down her appearance began to change. It was subtle at first, but as I stared at her in shock, the changes in her appearance became more dramatic and profound. She was aging before me and she was filling out somewhat as well. It was like watching one of those age progression programs you see on TV for missing kids. Less than a minute later, the beautiful young girl was still beautiful. But she was now twelve to fifteen years older and possibly twenty pounds heavier. I was sitting face to face with a person previously known to me only through photographs.
“‘Mom??’ I couldn’t believe it! It was too good to be true, and for a moment I feared I’d stepped into some cruel illusion in the village. But the love exuding from the smiling woman sitting across from me, along with the strong feeling within my gut, told me this person was indeed my mother. As improbable as it seemed, here she was, very much alive and no longer a ghostly image in my head.
“‘Mom!!’ I cried out with joy, unaware for the moment I might damage her eardrums. She seemed unaffected by the loudness of my rapture. Only the emotion itself touched her and she smiled broadly with tears welling in her eyes.
“Unable to resist the urge, I stood up and she stood up to meet me. After hesitating only for an instant, this woman—my mother—and I reached out for each other in the kind of embrace that only two people separated for an unbearable length of time could ever understand. I buried my face in her shoulder, unable to control the waves of emotion that shook my soul to its very core. I released the burden of sadness and longing I’d carried with me for as long as I could remember in racking sobs.
“The warmth and softness of her being enveloped me as she returned the tightness of my arms’ grip with her own. She was flesh and blood and not the cruel illusion I feared. To further confirm this, she loosened her hold on me and reached her hand under my chin to raise my face up to her own. Her eyes glistened as they released a pair of small imperfect streams upon her cheeks while she fought to control her breaths heaving within her chest.
“‘Where have you been all this time?’ I asked, struggling to keep my words from speeding out of my mouth. ‘Where’s Dad? Boy, Grandpa and Jeremy will be so happy! I can’t wait to tell—.’
“‘Sh-sh-sh!’ she interrupted me, her index finge
r trembling as she motioned for me to be quiet. She was still smiling, but now shook her head as she sobbed in her joy. I broke down again as well, my shoulders shaking violently to the point I would’ve collapsed before her had she not tightened her grip to support me until the overwhelming swell of emotion ebbed enough for me to regain control of my balance.
“She gently pushed me away from her, motioning for me to sit down again while the tears streamed down her face. I sat down again, although I didn’t allow her to leave my tear-blurred gaze as I did so. My mother brought her chair closer to mine, and as we sat together she dabbed my eyes with a handkerchief she pulled from her dress, stroking the side of my face softly, admiring the boy she’d missed seeing grow up.
“Like I said, I knew this was real. Regardless of all the strangeness I’d experienced, this was different. But despite the reality of my mother’s presence sitting next to me, there was an underlying incompleteness to the event. It was as if some ominous feeling of sadness was also present and determined to keep it so. The very air around her held within it a condemnation or sentence of impending doom, despite any intentions on my part to make this complete and permanent.
“‘Oh, how I’ve longed for this moment, Jack!’ she said. ‘I’ve dreamed of it for a very long time. There’s so much I’d love to share with you...to tell you. But, there isn’t enough time.’
“‘What do you mean??’ I asked indignantly. I didn’t like the way she said this. The unpleasant feeling in the air grew heavier and more oppressive, which in turn filled me with dread.
“‘You don’t have time, Jack,’ she told me. ‘Listen closely and I’ll quickly tell you what you need to know.’
“I wasn’t sure what she meant by this. She seemed to sense my confusion and raised her eyebrows in anticipation of my questions that were sure to come.
“‘You mean the dinner, or feast or whatever it is, which Genovene says is being held in my honor?’ I asked.
“Surprised at this particular question, she laughed and said, ‘Heavens no, son. I wasn’t referring to that at all. Yes, I know all about that, too, and we’ll get to it in a moment. But, what I’m referring to is the fact your grandpa—my father—Is very worried about your whereabouts as we speak. He found out about twenty minutes ago you weren’t with your friend Lee, and to be quite honest, he’s berating himself for not keeping a better eye on you—especially after last night.’
“My mouth dropped open. ‘How’d you know about that?’
“‘Jack...Genovene isn’t the only one around here who knows where you’ve been and what’s going on around you,’ she said. ‘As a matter of fact, this is the only time since you first saw the talisman yesterday she hasn’t known your thoughts and exact whereabouts. They’re hidden from her now, but only for a short while. She’ll soon discover you’re here.’
“The sordid implications of my mom’s words hit me full force. Images of my dick inside Genovene’s mouth flooded my mind, and I was mortified now much more than before. ‘What did she think of that?’ I wondered. More important, though, was what she thought of me, her son.
“‘My son, please understand that I’m also aware of the truth in the situation you found yourself,’ she assured me. ‘Genovene can be physically as beautiful and seductive as any male will ever encounter. Remember the cookie you ate? You never realized it was laced with a powerful aphrodisiac. As a result you were overmatched, without any chance of resisting her. I’ve always been proud of you, Jack, and nothing that happened today changed that. Please understand this.’
“I smiled weakly, for the moment staring down at the ground and still very much ashamed. At the same time, I was truly grateful that the person I’d always hoped would be proud of me actually was.
“‘Now, listen closely,’ she continued. ‘You think Genovene’s your friend, I know. But, besides the ruthless seduction we’ve now discussed, you’ve been given other clues about what she’s really like. You’ve been given clues about the nature of this place as well. Let me start with things you’ll easily understand. About the box in the temple—those voices you heard?’
“Yeah, what about them?
“‘Urei lied to you,’ she said. ‘That was no game or amusement. Those voices belong to the spirits of people just like you who’ve been lured for centuries to this trap. Besides the first box and the one you saw placed near the pyramid’s steps, there are hundreds of other boxes like it in the village, each with the souls of Genovene’s victims trapped inside.’
“I was horrified by what she told me. Despite my reluctance to believe this about Genovene, my mother’s words rang true. From deep within me, I felt Genovene’s capacity for cruelty and wickedness just as clearly as I somehow knew the innate goodness of the woman sitting next to me. I suddenly felt panic, for I had no idea how we were going to get back home.
“‘My mom smiled compassionately, and the warmth from her being radiated toward me. ‘Do not fear,’ she said, ‘I have a plan. If you hadn’t made your wish at the pool in the garden, I might not have been allowed to intervene.’ She suddenly sat up straight, arching her neck and tilting her head slightly as she listened for a moment. She then grew serious and leaned closer to me. ‘Jack,’ she whispered, ‘Genovene’s coming out of the temple. She will start looking for you, in earnest, within the next few minutes.’
“I’m sure my eyes grew wide, as I completely forgot all about the starting time for the feast. I pulled my watch out again, noting the time was 2:57. Surprised, I brought the timepiece closer to my face, confirming what I saw was accurate. The words of Urei and Genovene echoed in my head and I realized I was about to be in a world of serious shit!
“‘Jack, please pay attention to me!’ My mother scolded me, letting her voice rise above the whisper she spoke with a moment before. ‘Please heed everything I’m telling you! You must flee from here and follow the golden road back out of the village. Then, you must take the same path you took in getting here, in order to get back home. You’ll have to trust me that you’ll be protected. Do not, I repeat, Jack, do not stray from the path or you’ll make our task so much harder!
“‘Genovene may try and convince you to stay for the feast, and I’m aware of the fact you’re struggling with some sense of obligation to her. Don’t give in to that feeling, my son! You mustn’t do it, no matter what she does to try and convince you otherwise. Son, this feast is not for you, but rather, you’re the feast!’
“She paused for a moment and looked down at the ground. Slowly, she raised her head, looking back into my eyes again. Tears were welling once more in her eyes. ‘They plan to sacrifice you to Talusha, the blue demon of Karachi,’ she continued. ‘I know you saw the bubbling and burning thing when you were up in the temple tower. Well, you caught a glimpse of the essence of Talusha. To please him, they plan to give him your heart. Then, once that’s done, they’d spend the rest of their celebration eating what’s left of your body, after first sending your spirit into a box. Did you not see the altar on top of the pyramid, the knife lying next to the box at the foot of the pyramid’s steps, and the empty space in the middle of the celebration table?’
“I nodded again to confirm I did, now gripped by terror.
“‘Genovene and her tribe consider you a fine prize,’ she explained, ‘and they’ve had their eye on you since you were an infant. The details as to why this is so are not important enough for us to discuss at this time. Just be aware that your soul’s energy would serve them well if they ever managed to capture it through your sacrificial death.’
“‘Jack! Oh, Jack! Where are you?’ The now familiar voice interrupted, calling out to me.
“Genovene was searching the courtyard and we both froze in silence. She was at least a couple hundred feet away from us, and her voice was faint. But a moment later her calls grew louder. She was moving toward us.
“I looked at my watch again. The time was now 3:02. I was late to the celebration feast and definitely now an official member of Genoven
e’s shit list. I absently placed my watch back into my pocket as I again turned my attention back to my mother and her instructions.
“‘Jack,’ she whispered,’ we only have a moment longer. Hand me the box, please.’
“I gave her the silver box and she turned it around so that the angels faced me directly.
“‘Open it gently,’ she instructed.
“I did. Inside the box sat a gray colored oval stone with a sword carved onto its face. The sword bisected a star and a circle, with smaller designs carved beneath them.
“‘Go ahead and pick it up,’ she urged me.
“I did as she asked, and held the stone within my hands.
“‘What I’m about to tell you now is of the utmost importance, Jack,’ she said. ‘Keep the stone with you, and for God’s sake don’t lose it! On the left side of the main gates to the village as you leave this place, you’ll find a golden lion’s head protruding from the crystal wall. You must insert this stone into the lion’s mouth in order to get out of the village. You got that, son?’
“‘Yes ma’am, ‘ I said. The stone was light and carried some warmth with it. I placed it inside my other pocket to keep it separate from my watch.
“‘Jack!! Where are you??’ shouted Genovene.
“I guessed she was now within forty feet of us, and I could hear the anger in her voice. In panic I stood up, for I felt compelled to leave the booth. My mother quickly grabbed my arm, effectively restraining me from doing that. She told me to stay put with her in the back room.
“‘One last thing,’ she whispered. ‘You need to keep in mind that Genovene isn’t what she seems to be. Nor is the village and all of the wonders along the path outside the village. They’re real, but not in a permanent sense. They’re superimposed upon your world, Jack. Again, there’s no time to explain this more clearly right now. But here’s something that’ll enable you to see Genovene as she really is, to see what she truly looks like in her natural state.’
The Golden Talisman Page 17
