The Spaces Between (A Drunkard's Journey)

by Martin Gibbs

  “Me too.”

  He hugged me real tight. Fa was very strong. My eyes were very wet.

  “I love you, Bimb.”

  “Love you, Fa.”

  He walked away. Then he stopped. “And I want to hear the new song you wrote, promise?”

  “Promise.” I was sad. Fa was leaving.

  Don’t worry, you will be following him for a long time.

  “But he won’t see me.”

  No, no he won’t, but he will be there. Now…they are heading to the field. Follow. Step very carefully and do not let them see you!

  * * *

  I put my sutan in the hay. I went to the fields. The men were all talking. Ugly Nose was talking. The stranger was trying to talk. But Fa and Ugly Nose did not let him. They stood by the stone. I went on the ground and was very sneaky.

  They did not see me. I was quiet. The old, rotten pumpkin smelled bad. Inside the house it would be warm and I could have more of the spicy drink. Ugly Nose waved his arms in the air. I hoped he did not see me here. Would he hurt me?

  “Stop with the damned casting!” one of the men shouted. Was that Fa? “It’s a code, a secret code!” I saw Fa look around and I covered my eyes. Then Fa started counting numbers, but not 1, 2, 3. Very big numbers! I listened to each one. I sang along, but very quietly so no one would hear. The numbers were a song. Notes in the music

  “They are pretty numbers.”

  I heard the voice again.

  You must find my son. Remember the numbers!

  I put the numbers in a song. I even used the new chord.

  Fa and the others were gone. They had gone through the stone. The stone was still there, but I heard it open. It made a sound like the wagons do on the road. Fa was gone.

  Fa was gone! My eyes were wet.

  Now go inside and pack. Is your mother sleeping?

  “Yes.”

  Make her the spicy drink and add the sleeping herb. Not too much. And pack. I will tell you what you need to bring.

  * * *

  Do you remember the numbers?

  I told him the numbers. I said the numbers.

  Louder.

  I yelled the numbers. And the stone moved. Where the stone was, there was a black thing. What was it?

  It’s an opening. Like a cave.

  “Cave?” I said quiet.

  A hole in the ground, like a foxhole. Only there is a big tunnel on the other side. Your Fa is in there and he is safe. You will be safe.

  I did not want to go in. I was scared. A fox bit me once. I was by the hole. It was the part of land Fa said not to go to. I was there. I counted grass with flowers on it. There were one hundred and seventy-seven. There was a hole. I put a hand in. The fox bit me. Fa had to get me powders, but not Ma’s powders. She was sleeping.

  “I do not want to go in!”

  Now, Bimb, go into the dark—wait, do not be afraid. It is an illusion. There are lights in there. They are very beautiful lights.

  My pack was very heavy. I was scared. “I want to go home. I want to play my sutan.” I wanted to play the new chord. I thought of another one. It would sound good.

  No…Be brave, Bimb. Enter the tunnels. It will be light in there. I promise. Then you will hear your Fa and all will be well.

  I walked slowly into the dark. Lyn talked very quiet. He talked like I talked to our dog. Our dog died many years ago. He ate some of Ma’s powders and then died. Ma was just sleeping. Just sleeping.

  There was light! Blue light! I could hear Fa! He was right there. But Ugly Nose was talking, too, and the stranger talked. They are far away, but you can hear them in here a long way. Wait here for a while and make sure the stone—ah, there it is.

  The door had shut! How did it shut? I did not hear it. No one pushed on it. “How?”

  Amazing. I—I don’t know, Bimb. Everything echoes in here but the stone made no sound. Now, just wait here. I’ll tell you a tale about how these Tunnels were built and what they do. After a few minutes you can go on and listen to your Fa.

  The door closed on its own. It was very quiet. But now I was in the dark. Could I use the numbers again to open the door?

  Be brave and keep going; you will be safe.

  I went into the Tunnels. I looked back. I could not see where the door had been. How would I know where it was? “I don’t want to get lost.”

  We will know when we return. You will be with Fa then, most likely.

  “Truly?”

  Truly. He said it funny. Sometimes he said things funny. Fa said that people sound funny when they lie. Was he lying? No, he would not lie. I was helping him. I was in the Tunnels!

  The Tunnels of Woe…

  Chapter 7 — Tunnels of Woe

  Your Grace, the Tunnels are completed. It has taken all told four hundred years and six Ages to complete. We have lost hundreds of men. Great-grandchildren of the original workers are now making the final touches. Mages have installed the lights. These tunnels, as much effort as it has taken to build, are only to be used by a Few. They will provide a direct route to the sacred Temple of M’Hzrut. May Sacuan bless us all and protect us.

  Adel Forshen, from a letter to High Cleric Bertrand

  Zhy’s Fa told of the Tunnels. Tunnels of Woe. I thought we used a woe in the fields. He said no. That was hoe. I did not know the word woe. He said it was a scary word. It meant sadness. But sadder than sad. Very sad and painful. I was scared. But he said they are called that to scare people. He said nothing is scary in them. The blue lights were pretty. There were lights all the way. It was a long tunnel. I could not see the end. Blue lights all the way. Into the big dark place I could not see.

  They go a very long way. Farther than you will realize. There is—something about them I think. Already you seem to be walking much faster than you should.

  “I don’t understand.” People said things. They used a lot of words. Words I knew. But when they said them, I did not know what they said.

  Must be magic or something. You are walking at a good pace, but it seems faster, somehow. You will make very good time.

  “I’m not walking fast.”

  You don’t have to. You just…I’m sorry I can’t explain it very well.

  I nodded my head and walked slow. The floor was stone. But it did not feel hard. I looked up. There was stone. It was wet. Water dripped. I should be scared. I was not scared. Fa was ahead. I was safe.

  Must be springs above. It will probably be wet the whole way. Look, there are little streams on either side of the path. I’m sure it’s great water. You will not have any problems with water. Maybe dump what you have now and just fill up in the streams. When you have to go up, fill one canteen.

  I nodded my head. I tried the water and it was very good. The blue lights were pretty.

  See? I told you that you would be able to see.

  I could see far ahead. Fa, the stranger, and Ugly Nose. But only shadows. They were very far ahead. I could hear them. I waited for a long time before I dumped my water. They had to be far ahead, Lyn said. Very quietly I poured out the water. From all the canteens. I filled one canteen. Only half way. The water was very good and cold. Better than the water I had brought. Our water tasted like metal.

  Probably iron in your water.

  “Iron?” How could iron get in water. I would see it. It would sink!

  No, not iron like that—very small pieces, so small you can’t see.

  “Oh.” I coughed in my throat. I still did not understand, but Lyn was nice. Ma had said the word “patient” once. He was like that. Like Fa.

  Quiet, now, you have to be very quiet. If you can hear them, they can hear you. Hold up a bit, you’re a little too close. Like I said, you seem to move faster than usual down here.

  “I will be,” I said very quiet. I could not hear myself I said it so quietly.

  Very nice. He was quiet. I think he looked around using my eyes. He liked to do that. Zhy’s Fa missed the world.

  Amazing. Amazing, he said. I never
knew the Tunnels existed. Why would something so big and complex be built for only a small number of people?

  The Lights were pretty. We were the only ones who used the Tunnels?

  No, but not many more than us have used them, that is for sure. Something like this could save the countries of Belden and Welcfer a great amount of money in transportation of resources and goods. Imagine the food! People would never starve!

  How many people have used them? Why only a few? I did not understand. Fa said all people should eat. No one should not eat. Not if they were smart or poor, he always said. Lyn used big words. I still thought people should share. Ma said people should share. When she didn’t cry. People should share. Why were the Tunnels here?

  It makes no sense. I never put any faith in these Holy Orders, and I never even thought there was an ever after—well until I died. He laughed. I did not know why they laughed. People laughed a lot. I think they laughed at me.

  They are not laughing at you.

  People laugh at me. It makes me sad.

  Far ahead, Fa was asking questions.

  “So how were these all made? And when?”

  “It took a very long time, several Ages, in fact, to complete. The early leaders of the Holy Orders felt they needed a way to quickly move to and from the Temple without having to go overland or the more dangerous route across the ocean to Welcfer. So they started building these Tunnels. It’s funny…they call them Tunnels, but it is just one single route north to south.

  “The basic idea was agreed to immediately, and funds were found for it. But going through solid rock, underneath villages, through mountains…it was an enormous undertaking. Even after all of that knowledge, the Orders still found the money. Or, took it through increased tithes and so forth.”

  And THAT is why I never went to Temple, after…after…she died.

  “Do you talk to her?”

  She—she wanted to be gone permanently. I have a few last things to clean up, and I will be gone forever, too.

  I did not understand. But the others kept talking. Listen to what they say, it is very important for me to learn of all this—I never knew of it.

  “And secrecy had to be preserved,” Ugly Nose said. “To get through the rock, I understand, you needed mages, but you needed to be sure they would hold their tongues. It was a very long and tedious effort.”

  “Indeed. It is quite amazing, with all the generations that have come and gone, that the average Beldener has no idea these exist. Except for you.” The other man’s voice was different. It was not mean. But it sounded cold. It sounded like the water. Like the cold water here.

  Fa laughed. “Our family has lived on that farm since the beginning of time, it seems. Always we are asked what the stone slab is for. And always we say it was left by Wights to guard their burial site. No one goes near it at that.” I liked it when Fa told stories. I wish he would tell more. I liked the Wight story. He told people ghosts came from the rock. If you got too close, ghosts came. He told me it was not true. There were no ghosts. But he told people that. So they would not dig, he said.

  “Are you a ghost?” I said very quiet.

  Not really, no. I’m—I’m on a different plane. Only between the notes, and now…Please, Bimb, listen!

  I listened.

  “But you did not answer the question, Fanlas.” Fa’s name was funny. I called him Fa. People called him Fanlas. I could not spell it. He was only Fa. Why did Ugly Nose call him Fanlas? “How did you come to know the purpose for the stone and what was beneath?”

  “My Fa told me and his before him. If anyone was to share with anyone—even our family—we would be torn limb from limb by the eldest mage at the University. Even Bimb, for Sacuan’s sake! I told no one.”

  “That is accurate,” Ugly Nose said.

  “And these lights…are they always on?”

  Ugly Nose talked. “No. They will dim slightly when there is night above. I would hope that is the case. We will need to rest, for this is a long journey, even if it should be level and dry. Well, drier than up top, with all the autumn rains. It will still be damp in here, however, like a castle basement—” Or a dungeon, Lyn said. He laughed when he said it. It was not scary. Ugly Nose still talked. “Good thing we brought thick blankets. We will need them on the hard ground.”

  “We sleep in the middle of the trail?” Fa asked.

  “Indeed,” the young man said. “But I’m fairly certain we are the only ones in here!”

  “Yes, we are,” Ugly Nose said. He said it funny. Was he lying? Who else was here?

  Does he see you? No, he can’t. If he could, why wouldn’t he say so?

  I hoped nothing scary was in here. But Fa was there. He could run fast. He could save me. I loved my Fa. He was so far away. But he was here.

  “It will be hard to sleep in this damp, but I’m sure we can manage,” Fa said. Fa slept in the rain once. He said he was tired. He had worked all day and night in the field. It was before the storm. He had to beat the storm, he said. When he was done, he slept there in the field. On top of turnips. No coat or blanket, he said. It rained all night. He slept. Fa was strong.

  “Yes, it is moist and musty, and it will take getting used to. I’m sure we will be tired enough to sleep. It is a very long journey. But there is water. Listen.”

  I listened too. Drip-drip-drip. Three drips. Then more. Drip-drip-drip-drip-drip-drip.

  “It still worries me that we are underneath tons of solid rock. Even villages!” Fa was excited. He had a nice voice. He was nice. Fa could talk to anyone. One day he talked to an old woman. She talked about knitting. Fa can’t knit. Ma can’t knit. We buy our clothes. Fa talked to the old woman. She had three and one-quarter cups of spicy tea. Four logs burned in the fire. We had spicy drink. And Fa talked about knitting. He liked people. People liked him. They called him Fanlas. I wanted to laugh again, but Lyn stopped me. Your Fa is your Fa, regardless of his name.

  “Yes, that can be quite unsettling, but there has never been a cave-in in the many years this tunnel has been here.”

  “We should have brought our horse and cart!” Fa laughed.

  “Yes, but eventually the Tunnels narrow and you would be stuck,” the other man said.

  “There is something else, with that,” Ugly Nose said. “The ancient builders added something—well—special, to the Tunnels to ensure the passage would not be as taxing as going over land. True, we will be covering countless miles on foot, and we will be completely exhausted when we are done. But the exhaustion will be only a fraction of what we would feel walking that distance above the tunnels, even on flat ground.”

  They did not speak for a long time. Drip-drip-drip. I followed and counted the drips. In one minute there were seventy-six.

  Chapter 8 — From the Dark

  Diving like so many seagulls, our twisted threads swoop and swirl. Up, down, around, in and out and around. Oh it is with me thus! I dart and dash. I live and love. I breed. I kill. You at once know me and at once you cannot. Beware! For I am everyone and I am no one.

  Seer Zher’wen, IV Age

  An ancient man arranged runes on an equally ancient oak table inside of a lonely, desolate farmhouse that itself clutched desperately to life in the middle of a field of rotting pumpkins. Tan, desiccated hay lay in random piles in the field. The small house around him was rotting as well. Built of cheap pine, it was no bigger than the common room of a small village inn. The floorboards were warped and numerous knots had given way, exposing black holes on the uneven floor. There was a hearth, but it was small, and the rock and mortar covered with soot. A small fire smoldered. The walls were warped with age but had most likely never been built square. The roof and hearth seemed to be the only solid, durable structures of the house, and even if the walls would fall, the roof would lie in the rotten grass in a single piece, atop the stones of the large fireplace. The most valuable item in the house, including its structure, was the oaken table—the man had refused for decades to sell the pie
ce of furniture; it had been made by his grandfather.

  The old man who sat at the table was in a similar condition as the house. He had passed perhaps eighty summers, an age that was far beyond what most Beldeners were given. The fingers on his antediluvian hands were twisted by disease and over-use.

  He deliberately slid the runes around the table, until they formed a discernible pattern. Nodding slowly, he drew a small rod from his pocket and pointed it as close to the direct center of the pattern as he could muster. The wand, for that is what it truly was, looked to be made of some sort of amber glass. It was wide and smooth, only a few inches tall. The wand shook ever so slightly in his worn-out grasp, but the magic within still awoke to the spell.

  A golden, shimmering image arose from the center of the table and spread out a few inches and upward a foot. Eventually, it coalesced and glowed, forming the image of a demon.

  The image was wobbly and faded in and out, but still the old man thought the visage of the demon was droll and ridiculous. It looked nothing like the masks worn at festivals with the over-exaggerated lips and broad eyelids. This image of the demon was almost perfectly round. The “face” was nothing more than a single row of teeth and a single glowing eye. Wisps of a smoke-like substance dripped of its form.

  The man laughed softly. No wonder demons took on human form when they finally gained entry. Anyone who looked like this would be immediately struck down or burned. He knew demons could infest human beings with a certain ease, providing that the host was susceptible—and as old and tired as he was, he was nearing that dangerous stage. Although, he noted with a slight smirk of satisfaction, the demon would be hard-pressed to find another host to jump to should he become possessed. But what if the demon transformed...? No, he buried the thought. It would still need a human host for that.