by Alexie Aaron
She pushed thoughts of the hollow away and concentrated on the preparations the men were making. The last step was the donning of the rosemary wreaths. Ted placed Cid’s around his neck, telling him, “Remember our friendship, our battles and our adventures together. You are more than a friend; you are family.” He then turned and placed a larger wreath around Angelo’s neck. “Angelo Michaels, you are a birdman warrior, but you are also the librarian. You keep the answers of the hidden world in your head. Your knowledge, you will remember in our time of need. I will always remember you as a force of good, the calm defender of the weak and Paolo Santos’s best friend.”
Mia walked forward and took the last of the three wreaths and stood on tiptoe as she placed it around Ted’s neck. “My love, my hero, my friend. You are the brains of this group. You have the knowledge to see the big picture, and you will see this as a challenge, nothing more. Come back to me is all I ask. Come back safe, bringing with you Cid and Angelo. If you find Santos, then bring him home too. Above all, remember how much I love you, and that you are a father and needed here,” Mia insisted.
Ted’s eyes bore into Mia’s as he reached out and first put his hand on her face and then to her abdomen. “I will come back,” he promised.
“Well, don’t take your time,” Mia insisted. “I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry,” Ted said, reaching down and kissing her.
Audrey wiped a tear away before she gave the last wreath for Angelo to carry. “This is for Father Paolo Santos. Put your greatest memories of the two of you together into the rosemary’s twisted stems. Bring home the friend we have lost. And come back yourself,” she added.
“I guess we have everything. Now tell me again before I put the ring on, how do we enter the portal?”
“Gentlemen,” Judge Roumain’s accented voice moved on the early evening breeze. He stepped out of the shadows and walked gracefully over to the trio. “I’m impressed. I was foolhardy to enter the dark world with only a spear and a stiletto. Of course, that was state of the art equipment back then,” he added and winked at Ted. “I see we meet again. You and your machete-holder in arms, childhood friends. A friendship that has survived so much. May you survive this. And, Angelo, your purpose is written all over you. You want to bring back Paolo. I wish you success.” He turned to Ted and asked, “Are you ready?”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“Good. Listen to my whole explanation before you begin. The ring lies where you left it. Pick it up, and put it on the ring finger of your left hand.”
“I already have a ring there.”
“I know. It will fit over your marriage ring,” Roumain informed him. “When you put it on say, Take me to where you have just been. I know it sounds simple, no incantations. But simple is best, don’t you think?” Roumain didn’t wait for an answer but continued on with the instructions, “Gentlemen, you must place a hand on his body, a shoulder, an arm, whatever you think you can hold on to as you journey through the portal that will open up. Do not let go. If you do so, you will be at the mercy of the dark world. Perhaps you will find your way out one day, perhaps not.”
Roumain took a moment for his words to sink in before giving them the next instructions. “When you are there, you will use the Light of Everest to light your way. You may also find that the wanderers on the outer ring are attracted by your light and will follow you. Be kind but firm. You can’t bring them back. They were sent there, and there they must remain. If and when you find Paolo Santos, place the wreath around him. Hopefully this will bring back his memories. He has to want to come back with you. He may be initially frightened to see you. Before you bring him back, all of you, Santos too, must drink the Water of Mu. After this is done, Ted, you simply take off the ring and leave it behind.”
“Just take off the ring?”
“Yes, don’t worry, the reaper will find it. They are drawn to it. This is also why you must hurry. The reaper will demand it if it finds you before you complete your quest,” Roumain warned. “In my experience, the bugger was waiting for me. I had to fight him off until I found the child. Reapers aren’t warriors, but they do know the terrain and will call upon others to help them in their fight. Don’t tarry. This isn’t a National Geographical Society Sojourn. Enter, find, drop ring, and return.”
Audrey watched the elegant black gentleman in awe. This was her first experience with the judge. His clothes were expensively tailored. His skin was smooth and dark as night. His eyes rested on her a moment and his mouth twitched in amusement. She heard him whisper in her mind. “Oh, but I do love redheads.” She blushed and made the mistake Mia had and looked him in the eyes.
Not having Mia’s gifts, she floundered in the warm dark water until his soft hand drew her out. She stood naked and frightened.
“Do not fear, dear sweet Audrey McCarthy. You are judged to be a loyal friend and a fierce warrior. Take your time and learn your new profession. Soon you will be comfortable standing beside the others. Do not let this job consume you. Seek out the pleasures of the flesh, and enjoy your time on earth. And then, come and see old Roumain before you move on. We will have a fine time, I promise you.”
It took but a second. Audrey once again felt the cool night air and solid ground beneath her. She took a few breaths to calm her and, more importantly, to push down the lust which Roumain had stirred.
She saw that Ted had entered the gate followed by Cid and Angelo. Mia tried to follow, but Roumain nodded to the driver, and he put a light but firm hold on her arm. Audrey moved to her and linked her arm through Mia’s. “We’ll face this together.”
“Thank you,” was all Mia said.
Ted found the ring just where he left it. He picked it up and waited for Cid and Angelo to attach themselves to him before he put it on and said, “Take me to where you have just been.”
Mia saw a cosmic tear form behind Ted. It opened and, in doing so, pulled Ted, Cid and Angelo into it, and as it closed, the trio was gone.
“Do not let them wait long,” Roumain instructed the driver. “Stephen Murphy will keep a vigil. Take the ladies home and guard them,” he instructed. “Ladies, until next time,” Roumain said, sweeping his hat off his head and bowing. “I bid you adieu.”
He backed into the shadows and was gone.
Mia looked around and saw Murphy standing beside the grave where Ted found the ring. “Are you going to be alright by yourself?” she called over to him.
Murphy nodded, moving his axe to his shoulder.
“Thank you,” Mia said and let herself be guided back to the limo.
“Ladies, may I recommend a stop at the market before you go home?” the driver suggested. “Perhaps some glossy magazines, junk food and sundries to past the time?” he said opening the door.
“Do you have a name?” Audrey asked as she climbed in after Mia.
“Of course, everyone has a name,” the driver said and closed the door.
“You noticed he didn’t tell you his name,” Mia said, trying to get comfortable inside.
“Oh, I noticed.”
“Shall we do as he says? Perhaps stop for a girly-girl video too?” Mia asked, her voice trembling.
“Yes, I’m in the mood for a shallow, delightful romp. How about you?”
“That would be fine,” Mia said and settled back.
The window between the driver and them closed. They felt the car move forward.
Mia twisted her body and watched Murphy standing sentinel in the graveyard until he was out of sight.
“It’s okay to cry,” Audrey said. “Fears and tears not only rhyme but belong together.”
“That sounds very wise. You make it up?”
“No actually, it was some advice my battered-wives counselor said once,” Audrey admitted. “It works. It got me through the hell I was living on earth, Mia. Perhaps it will help your feelings of not being able to help Ted through what is to come.”
The tears had already started to fall. Mia sat back and closed
her eyes, willing each teardrop to give Ted strength.
Chapter Twenty-two
Once when Ted was five, he found himself trapped in a basement during a power outage. He had ventured down, looking for his missing unicorn Battle Beast when the Wichita area was hit with a massive power outage. He found his way up the stairs and into the grey light of the house. This, now, was more extreme than that. Not only was it pitch black, but there was no concept of up or down. They arrived spinning. It took Ted, Angelo and Cid a few moments to align themselves with each other. But for all they knew, they still could be upside down or walking a right angle to whatever deemed itself to be the surface.
Angelo uncovered the light. Ted made the error of looking at Angelo at the time. Blue dots of massive proportions danced before him. Cid reached out and pulled Ted’s arm down.
“I was defending myself against the large blue amoeba trying to consume my face,” he explained.
“Dork,” Cid said.
“Well, it’s as good a time as any to check our equipment,” Ted said shutting his eyes, still trying, unsuccessfully, to stop the blue dots. “Ted here, over,” he whispered.
“Angelo here. I can hear you and Cid breathing, over.”
Cid moved away from Ted and said, “Cid here, I can hear you both.”
Ted felt encouraged. He doubted that anything of the earthly dimension would work wherever this was. He was overjoyed to be proven wrong. “Try the range meter, Cid.”
“I see three blips: two behind us approaching quickly, one in front of us moving away.”
“Let’s follow the lone blip. I have a feeling that blips moving together have to be reapers. Remember, this place’s punishment is to be alone for eternity.”
The trio jogged in the direction of the lone blip.
The darkness was no longer oppressive. When he first arrived, Paolo felt it bearing down on him. He sunk to the ground and huddled, hugging his knees for a while. He felt dizzy, and he felt he was losing his concept of who he was. He took his fingernail and dug into his arm. Without light he couldn’t be sure, but his objective was to score Paolo S into his arm. It didn’t hurt, and he worried that in his nonphysical state he might be doing nothing more than going through the actions without the bloody result. “P is for Paolo, and that’s good enough for me,” he sang using Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster’s song as the basis for his tune. His voice sounded hollow, and it bothered him that he might actually not be making any noise whatsoever.
If this was Hell, it surely lacked the biblical accoutrements he assumed would be here. It wasn’t Heaven he was huddled in. That he was sure of. No light. “No light means the dark world.” The place the deer-women sent the dangerous evil souls that refused to move on, the souls who preyed upon the human populace, the unholy, so bad, that Hell didn’t want them. These were to be his neighbors unless he found a way back to the earthly plane.
“Does this mean I’m dead?” he asked the darkness. Receiving no answer, he puzzled, “Does it mean who is dead?” he asked, forgetting what P was for.
~
They were in line at the party store. Mia understood why it was dangerous for her and Audrey to stay the night at the graveyard. If there was reaper activity, she or her friend could easily get pulled into the void to be used to barter for the lost ring. There was no defense against the spectral hands. Salt, silver and iron had no effect according to Burt’s reference book. Being oxygen-rich, the reapers could regenerate quickly in the earth’s atmosphere.
Susan Braverman walked by, carrying something that appeared to be smoking.
Mia’s face must have shown alarm because Susan stopped and explained, “Dry ice for the church picnic. It’ll keep the ice cream cups cold.”
“Phew! For a minute I thought your bag was on fire,” Mia confessed.
“You silly girl. Have you never see dry ice before?”
“I can’t say that I have.”
“Well, Pete’s been selling it for years. It’s used for cooling down just about everything. It’s so cold, it burns the hands, so you need mitts to handle it. Go on and get yourself some. Pour some water over it, and watch it smoke,” she suggested.
“Maybe I should,” she said smiling. She turned to the driver and asked, “Do you think that stuff could be shaped?”
“I suppose you could, if you have a workshop full of tools, shape it. You want to sculpt it? I’ll get you a block, and we’ll take it back to the farm,” he offered. In his mind, he was keeping the sensitive’s mind off of the hollow. Mia, however, had something else in mind.
~
Ted was within sight range of the blip. They found a woman who dragged her foot as she walked. Angelo shielded the light until they had not only passed her, but put in some distance from the female wanderer.
“A cluster of five blips up ahead to the left. A lone one to the right,” Cid called out.
“We go right,” Ted said and increased his speed. “Are we still being pursued?”
“That would be yes,” Cid responded. “But we are putting some distance between us and them. The blips aren’t too concerned that we may actually escape is my guess. Uh oh.”
“Explain uh oh?” Ted said, moving from a jog to a run.
“The mass from the left has joined the two and is in pursuit of us.”
“They must sense the ring,” Angelo said. “It calls to the owner. He may have enlisted other reapers.”
“What happens if a reaper finds us?” Cid asked.
“They’ll take the ring, and we’ll be either stuck here or tossed deep into the dark world as a punishment,” Angelo answered. “I don’t think it would be a good thing either way.”
“The seven blips are gaining on us,” Cid reported.
The three started running faster. Ted and Cid fought to maintain their footing when they felt themselves being lifted up.
“Steady, gentlemen, I don’t how long I can do this,” Angelo said. He had hung the sealed jar of light on his necklace. His wings had ripped through the back of the cashmere suit of clothes. In unison, they moved the trio away from the seven reapers in pursuit.
The jar of light swung back and forth, illuminating the ground below. Ted thought he saw something. He reached up and steadied the jar.
“Down there!” Ted said, pointing. “Land, Angelo,” he ordered and explained, “I see a man dressed in black. There was something white at his neck. It could be Santos.”
Angelo glided downward. Once they contacted the surface, they ran towards the huddled form.
“P is for… P is for…” the man repeated over and over.
Angelo pulled the wreath he carried out of his bag and placed it around the huddled man on the ground.
“P is for Paolo, and that’s good enough for me!” Santos shouted and stood up. “My god, I can’t believe my eyes. Angelo, Ted and Cid, what the… Sorry, bad habit I picked up from Mia. How did you get here? How did you find me? How long have I been gone?”
“All will be explained my friend. First, take a drink of this – careful, not all of it. We have to share it between us four. We don’t have much time,” he said, handing him the jar with the Water of Mu.
Paolo drank a portion and handed it to Cid. Cid drank and handed it to Ted. The last to drink was Angelo who had moved in front of the group, sensing the arrival of the reapers.
“Ted, now!” he called as the mass of hands came spinning out of the darkness towards them.
~
Murphy eyed the approaching ghost with suspicion.
“Excuse me, sir, but I’m lost. I was heading for St. Louis…”
“Missouri?”
“Is there any other St. Louis?”
Murphy looked at his Confederate Civil War garb and said, “Guess not. Go that direction. Keep the sun on your left in the morning, in front of you in the heat of the day and on your right before it sets. You’ll get there by and by. It’s changed.”
“War changes everything.”
“Where hav
e you been?” Murphy asked the battle-worn man.
“Buried behind a house up north. New owners decided to dig a swimming hole.”
“Why were you buried up there?” Murphy asked, curious.
“Musket ball to the temple. That’s all I know.”
“I didn’t think…” Murphy swung his axe just in time as the persona of the solider fell away and only a pair of hands remained. He connected with the outstretched hand first. It went spinning into the overgrown hedge. He kicked out with his feet, and pushed the other hand back a yard, preparing another swing of his axe. He sliced through the hand and spun his body around just in time to miss the punch of the returning hand.
He maintained his ground but was tiring fast. Fighting the hands was like swatting flies; as soon as he dispatched one, the other arrived. He had figured out too late that it was a pair of reapers instead of the lost soul he thought he was talking to. They must have been sent there to block the opening and to search for the missing ring. His wakeup call came compliments of the History channel’s presentation of the Civil War in Illinois. There was no battle this far north. When he figured that out, he attacked immediately. But even with his advance knowledge, he was only barely holding his own. Both the reapers now had a hold of him and were dragging him backwards.
“Get your fucking hands off of my friend!” Mia shouted.
The hands stopped. One of them raised a finger and pointed backwards.
“Yeah, you! You let him go or you’re going to have to do your job with prosthetic fingers,” Mia growled.
Murphy twisted away and dropped to the ground as Mia fired both barrels at the hands. It wasn’t salt that stung and shredded the reapers; it was ice, dry ice. The frozen carbon dioxide, with temperatures hovering at minus seventy-eight degrees Celsius, acted against the oxygen-rich spectral hands of the reaper. It hurt. There was no getting around it, with the exception of liquid nitrogen, this was the coldest product Mia could have loaded into her shotgun. She knew it would only work once. She knew the moment the projectiles of dry ice accelerated through the chambers, her shotgun would begin to corrode to the point of nonuse.
