The Book of All Things

by David Michael Slater

  “Do you know why he didn’t, well, kill you?” Dex was wondering if there was something about them both that got them spared.

  “I am not knowing,” Azir said. “I was no longer with the talisman, but he left me to be and disappeared in a darkness of freezing and stench. Perhaps he was satisfied with the scroll.”

  “Have you always had the talisman?” Daphna asked.

  Azir nodded. “They gave to my family long ago, the talisman. For protecting us.”

  “Then this scroll,” Daphna concluded, “it was known to have something to do with Lilit, or something of interest to him.”

  “Yes,” Azir confirmed. “But if you are wanting to learn if I have ever been reading the scroll, I cannot. It is written in a language long forgotten by those except being on the highest levels of the Church. Perhaps it is your language. Though I would not be total honest,” he added, “if I am not saying my family has for long years believed it is telling of where the children of Lilit were imprisoned by God.”

  “The children of Lilit?” the twins both cried.

  “The six-hundred and sixty six,” Azir said. “I am amazed you are not knowing this. You are testing me.”

  Dex, Daphna thought, turning to her brother. That’s what Lilit wants with the Aleph—to find its children! But Brother Joe gave him another way!

  Dex looked at Azir and asked, “Does anyone believe they’re underground?”

  Daphna shuddered. We saw them! she thought. We saw them just born! We saw them taken away! A sudden stab of revulsion and fear punctured her peacefulness. She could feel it draining like water through a hole.

  I’m not afraid, Dex thought.

  But Daphna knew he was.

  “It is presumed to be so,” Azir replied, unaware of the second conversation taking place. “Perhaps because you are so young? You are being in training, no?”

  “When Lilit was here,” Dex said, ignoring this, “he read something, out loud, Al-something. ‘Allah,’ maybe? He read it from the scroll. Did you hear him?”

  “I am sorry, no,” Azir admitted. “I was thinking only of this.” He produced the talisman from his pocket. It was moon shaped, but also jagged—the other outer edge of the original disc. The old man handed it to Dexter, who looked down at the letters raised on its surface.

  “You can’t read it?” Azir asked when he saw Dexter’s eyes screw up. Dex could see the letters all right, but of course he couldn’t understand them. “But it is one of your own!” Azir cried. “Semangelof!”

  “What do you mean, one of our own?” Daphna asked.

  Azir was now looking quite distressed, so much so that he began to back away from the twins. “But the manna tea!”

  Daphna tried to look as reassuring as she could.

  “Azir,” she said, raising her hands as if to show she was unarmed, “our names are Daphna and Dexter Wax. Who do you think we are?”

  “You are Angels of Death!” he cried. “I have been praying for you!”

  CHAPTER 10

  open arms

  Before the twins could react to Azir’s declaration, a siren wailed outside. It wasn’t the siren of police cars, as far as they could tell. It was more like a citywide alarm, like the kind they’d heard signaling air raids in old newsreels.

  Dex and Daphna looked to Azir as whatever was left of their calm washed away. But he looked disturbingly calm, as if the authorities had somehow been alerted to his distress and were marshalling every resource to settle his nerves. The siren was joined by many others now—these certainly on moving vehicles. But this had no effect on him, either.

  “What’s happening?” Dex asked.

  But Azir just nodded as if all his questions about the twins had suddenly been answered. He didn’t even react to the sound of windows shattering inside the temple.

  Daphna reacted. “What’s going on?” she cried, grabbing up the Aleph from the bench beside her and getting to her feet. It was foolish not to have looked for it the moment she’d woken up. She tottered a moment, but found enough strength had returned. Dex got up, too, a bit more wobbly, but able as well.

  Another crash came from the temple, so Daphna stepped gingerly out of the office. Azir made no movement at first, but then followed. He only nodded again and said, “Perhaps this must to be the way.”

  Dex moved to follow, but turned back a moment to grab a handful of those seeds from Azir’s tray. He stuffed them into his pocket, then hurried as best he could into the temple.

  On the floor in front of the altar, in the midst of stained glass shards, was a chunk of concrete with a twisted metal rod sticking out of it. Another lay a few feet away. From outside came the sounds of furious shouting—words neither Dex nor Daphna understood, though the violence behind them was unmistakable.

  “Please,” Daphna said, “what’s happening?”

  “The people,” Azir explained, “they are upset with this tower made into Jerusalem. This holy place will receive anger, and for that I am being very sad.”

  As if on cue, several more windows exploded. The twins ducked as chunks of concrete rained down around them.

  Daphna’s knees went weak, but something Azir said had struck her. “Made?’ she asked. Maybe it was just Azir’s awkward English. “They only just started the tower in Israel, right? We read that in the paper just this—Wait a minute! What day is it?”

  “August the 8,” Azir said.

  “Another week!” Daphna cried.

  There was an ominous pounding at the door, pounding made with metal objects. But it did not give way.

  “We need to go,” Daphna declared. She held the Aleph up for Azir to see. “We can help get you out of here.”

  “No,” Azir flatly declared. He showed no interest in the little silver book. “If you are not angels to send me to my Rest, these men outside will be happy to be doing so.”

  “But—” Daphna cried, suddenly furious, “you don’t have to die!”

  Azir only looked at Daphna. His eyes said all there was to be said on the matter. He began shuffling toward the door.

  “I will help them,” he said. “Perhaps they will not be destroying so much the—”

  “Wait!” Daphna called. “Look!” She opened the Aleph, letting the indescribable light fly free. “We can take you to your Rest!”

  Azir stopped in his tracks. His large eyes seemed to bulge even further from their sockets. He came back and looked into the light, mesmerized. But after a few moments, he turned away.

  “You are false angels,” he said. “I will be choosing of my own path.” He shuffled toward the door once again, which was being beaten like a drum.

  With her free hand, Daphna pulled Dex toward the light, afraid to wait a moment longer.

  “Wait!” he called to Azir, holding her off. “The talisman! Can we have it? Wait, Daphna!”

  Azir stopped again. He put his hand into his pocket, then turned back to the twins. His mouth opened—he looked alarmed—but at that moment, an explosion blew the door down. Through the smoke that poured in, a group of men was visible.

  Azir greeted them with open arms.

  A grenade sailed into the temple.

  The twins did not see it land.

  CHAPTER 11

  there in the light

  Before the twins could react to Azir’s declaration, a siren wailed outside. It wasn’t the siren of police cars, as far as they could tell. It was more like a citywide alarm, like the kind they’d heard signaling air raids in old newsreels.

  Dex and Daphna looked to Azir as whatever was left of their calm washed away. But he looked disturbingly calm, as if the authorities had somehow been alerted to his distress and were marshalling every resource to settle his nerves. The siren was joined by many others now—these certainly on moving vehicles. But this had no effect on him, either.

  “What’s happening?” Dex asked.

  But Azir just nodded as if all his questions about the twins had suddenly been answered. He didn’t even react to th
e sound of windows shattering inside the temple.

  Daphna reacted. “What’s going on?” she cried, grabbing up the Aleph from the bench beside her and getting to her feet. It was foolish not to have looked for it the moment she’d woken up. She tottered a moment, but found enough strength had returned. Dex got up, too, a bit more wobbly, but able as well.

  Another crash came from the temple, so Daphna stepped gingerly out of the office. Azir made no movement at first, but then followed. He only nodded again and said, “Perhaps this must to be the way.”

  Dex moved to follow, but turned back a moment to grab a handful of those seeds from Azir’s tray. He stuffed them into his pocket, then hurried as best he could into the temple.

  On the floor in front of the altar, in the midst of stained glass shards, was a chunk of concrete with a twisted metal rod sticking out of it. Another lay a few feet away. From outside came the sounds of furious shouting—words neither Dex nor Daphna understood, though the violence behind them was unmistakable.

  “Please,” Daphna said, “what’s happening?”

  “The people,” Azir explained, “they are upset with this tower made into Jerusalem. This holy place will receive anger, and for that I am being very sad.”

  As if on cue, several more windows exploded. The twins ducked as chunks of concrete rained down around them.

  Daphna’s knees went weak, but something Azir said had struck her. “Made?’ she asked. Maybe it was just Azir’s awkward English. “They only just started the tower in Israel, right? We read that in the paper just this—Wait a minute! What day is it?”

  “August the 8,” Azir said.

  “Another week!” Daphna cried.

  There was an ominous pounding at the door, pounding made with metal objects. But it did not give way.

  “We need to go,” Daphna declared. She held the Aleph up for Azir to see. “We can help get you out of here.”

  “No,” Azir flatly declared. He showed no interest in the little silver book. “If you are not angels to send me to my Rest, these men outside will be happy to be doing so.”

  “But—” Daphna cried, suddenly furious, “you don’t have to die!”

  Azir only looked at Daphna. His eyes said all there was to be said on the matter. He began shuffling toward the door.

  “I will help them,” he said. “Perhaps they will not be destroying so much the—”

  “Wait!” Daphna called. “Look!” She opened the Aleph, letting the indescribable light fly free. “We can take you to your Rest!”

  Azir stopped in his tracks. His large eyes seemed to bulge even further from their sockets. He came back and looked into the light, mesmerized. But after a few moments, he turned away.

  “You are false angels,” he said. “I will be choosing of my own path.” He shuffled toward the door once again, which was being beaten like a drum.

  With her free hand, Daphna pulled Dex toward the light, afraid to wait a moment longer.

  “Wait!” he called to Azir, holding her off. “The talisman! Can we have it? Wait, Daphna!”

  Azir stopped again. He put his hand into his pocket, then turned back to the twins. His mouth opened—he looked alarmed—but at that moment, an explosion blew the door down. Through the smoke that poured in, a group of men was visible.

  Azir greeted them with open arms.

  A grenade sailed into the temple.

  The twins did not see it land.

  CHAPTER 12

  what day it is

  Before the twins could react to Azir’s declaration, a siren wailed outside. It wasn’t the siren of police cars, as far as they could tell. It was more like a citywide alarm, like the kind they’d heard signaling air raids in old newsreels.

  Dex and Daphna looked to Azir as whatever was left of their calm washed away. But he looked disturbingly calm, as if the authorities had somehow been alerted to his distress and were marshalling every resource to settle his nerves. The siren was joined by many others now—these certainly on moving vehicles. But this had no effect on him, either.

  “What’s happening?” Dex asked.

  But Azir just nodded as if all his questions about the twins had suddenly been answered. He didn’t even react to the sound of windows shattering inside the temple.

  Daphna reacted. “What’s going on?” she cried, grabbing up the Aleph from the bench beside her and getting to her feet. It was foolish not to have looked for it the moment she’d woken up. She tottered a moment, but found enough strength had returned. Dex got up, too, a bit more wobbly, but able as well.

  Another crash came from the temple, so Daphna stepped gingerly out of the office. Azir made no movement at first, but then followed. He only nodded again and said, “Perhaps this must to be the way.”

  Dex moved to follow, but turned back a moment to grab a handful of those seeds from Azir’s tray. He stuffed them into his pocket, then hurried as best he could into the temple.

  On the floor in front of the altar, in the midst of stained glass shards, was a chunk of concrete with a twisted metal rod sticking out of it. Another lay a few feet away. From outside came the sounds of furious shouting—words neither Dex nor Daphna understood, though the violence behind them was unmistakable.

  “Please,” Daphna said, “what’s happening?”

  “The people,” Azir explained, “they are upset with this tower made into Jerusalem. This holy place will receive anger, and for that I am being very sad.”

  As if on cue, several more windows exploded. The twins ducked as chunks of concrete rained down around them.

  Daphna’s knees went weak, but something Azir said had struck her. “Made?’ she asked. Maybe it was just Azir’s awkward English. “They only just started the tower in Israel, right? We read that in the paper just this—Wait a minute! What day is it?”

  “August the 8,” Azir said.

  “Another week!” Daphna cried.

  There was an ominous pounding at the door, pounding made with metal objects. But it did not give way.

  “We need to go,” Daphna declared. She held the Aleph up for Azir to see. “We can help get you out of here.”

  “No,” Azir flatly declared. He showed no interest in the little silver book. “If you are not angels to send me to my Rest, these men outside will be happy to be doing so.”

  “But—” Daphna cried, suddenly furious, “you don’t have to die!”

  Azir only looked at Daphna. His eyes said all there was to be said on the matter. He began shuffling toward the door.

  “I will help them,” he said. “Perhaps they will not be destroying so much the—”

  “Wait!” Daphna called. “Look!” She opened the Aleph, letting the indescribable light fly free. “We can take you to your Rest!”

  Azir stopped in his tracks. His large eyes seemed to bulge even further from their sockets. He came back and looked into the light, mesmerized. But after a few moments, he turned away.

  “You are false angels,” he said. “I will be choosing of my own path.” He shuffled toward the door once again, which was being beaten like a drum.

  With her free hand, Daphna pulled Dex toward the light, afraid to wait a moment longer.

  “Wait!” he called to Azir, holding her off. “The talisman! Can we have it? Wait, Daphna!”

  Azir stopped again. He put his hand into his pocket, then turned back to the twins. His mouth opened—he looked alarmed—but at that moment, an explosion blew the door down. Through the smoke that poured in, a group of men was visible.

  Azir greeted them with open arms.

  A grenade sailed into the temple.

  The twins did not see it land.

  CHAPTER 13

  light of her life

  The moment her brother was out of the light, Daphna forgot about him.

  Her mother was there.

  She’d emerged—or perhaps separated—from the light. Her eyes were yellow green gems gently reflecting the amber light.

  Daphna had no eyes, but
she wept. She had no legs, but she ran. She had no arms, but she threw them wildly around her mother.

  And her mother, light of her lost life, embraced Daphna back, wrapping her round with two massive feathered wings.

  CHAPTER 14

  a really good time

  The line was moving into the castle at a snail’s pace. Dex looked around, unsure of what to do. He saw a little Internet café just down the street on his side, so he decided to gather a little information before doing anything rash. Rash. As he dodged the crowd along the way, he remembered contemplating how to get inside Dorian Rash’s bookshop, how impulsive and hostile, how self-absorbed and utterly clueless about the world he used to be. It was like thinking of someone he used to know, someone who lived in a world he used to know.

  Dex didn’t have any money, but it didn’t matter. The place had been abandoned when everyone inside stampeded out to look up at the Space Needle. Dex simply slipped through the gawking throng in front and entered the shop. He found a computer still logged on by the front window, and he sat down at the table there, relieved to be able to read the screen. It was open to a news site.

  It was August 9th. Just one more day lost.

  Dex scanned the headlines, which were mostly about the situation currently taking place right outside. The old woman had described things well. Two high schoolers in Portland, who’d previously been stabilized by the Stopgap vaccine, had died, and the news sparked a massive flight that overran the National Guard at the Oregon-Washington border.

  Dex looked back at the kids’ names: Teal and Aubrey Taylor. The Aleph had just shown them being put into an ambulance at the Arts Center. They must have been going to OHSU.

  Dex felt a moment of regret for the girl Daphna had such problems with and experienced another unnerving sense of time lost. He hoped Teal and her brother hadn’t suffered too much. Since they’d looked so much like Daphna and him, Dex suddenly thought of the Taylors as alternate ‘thems,’ and how easily he and Daphna could be in their place.