by J M Hart
“What are Platonic solids?” Joe asked.
“Shapes. Geometry. Like a tetrahedron — it looks like a pyramid, a hexahedron better known as a cube, and they connect with the different elements of earth like water, air, fire. All of this is within the flower of life.” Jade stopped talking, looking around at the faces staring at her. She let go of the locket, smiled at Sophia apologetically then quickly looked down, nervously twisting the napkin in her hand. Her face grew redder by the second. “Anyway, that’s all I know.” Jade settled back next to Kevin without looking at anyone, and started to chew the ends of her long hair.
“That’s all!” Tim said. “What are you, a walking Wiki? I thought K had the smarts, but you, you’re good.”
“Tim, don’t,” Kevin said.
Touched by Jade’s insights, Sophia was moved and grateful for her knowledge. She herself had never thought to seek that knowledge, which now made so much sense. “Nice, Jade,” Sophia said. “I’ve always been protected. It’s a tall order, preservation of all. We might just have to go there, to the center. Where the virus began,” Sophia said.
“Do we have to build an ark?” Tim asked.
Callie ignored Tim and said, “What do you mean ‘the center’?”
Jade started talking at a hundred miles a minute. “The Middle East, Jerusalem, the spiritual center where it all began. It’s also where the virus started, like Sophia said. We have to go back to the beginning.”
Sophia sat on the floor quietly, uncrossed her legs, re-crossed them lotus-style, and massaged her toes. “When we left Joe’s cafe I was completely freaked; it was so surreal. The monsters we encountered can only be described as demons, stinking of garbage. It was an abomination of earthly creatures, it was beastly and they transformed back and forth into giants, and then into millions of tiny black demons. I have seen them around the heads of the infected too. I think we have been seeing the same thing.”
“You’re right on the money,” Tim said. “We saw the same thing happening with the giants as we fled the city; they were vile. That’s what chased us.”
Daniel lifted up his cup and took a sip of, probably cold, tea. “You two aren’t related?” he said, pointing to her and Amy.
“No,” Amy said.
“Is anyone going to eat that last piece of cake?” Kath asked. She looked at Tim. “You’ve had three.”
Amy’s attention was fixed on Sophia. “What do you mean? Are you saying we have to go to Israel? That’s the last place in the world you want to be right now,” she said, looking at Casey. “We don’t even know if anyone is still alive over there. The virus infected so many at the very beginning.”
“Even if it were true, there is no way of getting there,” Terry said.
Joe moved his large frame in his seat and pulled a pillow from behind his back, tucking it by his side. “I have to say, if we are supposed to walk there, we will find a road. One will open up for us. If we have to fly, then we will find a plane, and the same if we need to sail. You have to be certain it’s a journey you’re willing to take.”
Sophia smiled at Joe, and looked deep into the energy of the room. It wasn’t well lit, which highlighted each person’s iridescent aura. She could feel her energy changing. Casey was looking at her strangely. Amy’s book was resting in her lap and it had a soft pulsation and Sophia’s vision started to blur. Everyone began to fade. Her body felt heavy, a tickle formed in her throat. Her face was itchy, crawling with hair; she felt six-feet tall and smelt of fur and ale. Stars filled her eyes. Her mouth moved and a deep, raspy male voice, distant and foreign to her ears, said from her lips: “Disease seeped through the bowels of Gehenna. You have the key now find the lock, and lay it to rest upon the golden rock, the heart of the gatekeeper, the guardian of the underworld. No end or beginning to face the heavens and the emerald heart will glow and light will be returned. The Emerald Tablet must be returned.”
Sophia’s throat was sore and dry and she needed water. She could feel the spirit backing away. The sensation of her face and the smallness of her head and body returned; her arms felt light. Sophia strained to open her eyes. They were glued shut. “Water, please,” she said between tingling lips, happy to hear her own voice.
Casey was on his feet and soon held a glass to her mouth. “What was all that about? There was the spirit of a hooded man with a ginger beard enveloping you. I have seen him before, like when we went through the basement wall, but there was something else. What was it? I know, it was one of those canvas paintings, Amy. His portrait is in one of the old trunks in the basement.”
“He could be my great, great, great-something grandfather, the owner of the book of Splendor?” Amy said.
Sophia waited for her eyes to open, and listened to the adults murmuring around her. Fresh smells of sage filled her senses, and her chest rose as she drew a breath into her belly. The familiar sound of Father McDonald praying was soothing. Everyone talked amongst themselves, eager to know what was happening.
Jade spoke up. “Trance mediumship.”
“Have you seen it before?” Amy asked.
“I have seen it once, a shaman channeling the spirits of my great-grandmother’s tribe. I have seen shadow dancers getting in touch with the inner wolf to tame it and I have seen coming-of-age ceremonies where the participants consumed potions to induce a trance state. But they were all controlled by a gifted elder. No offence, Sophia, but you are what, fourteen, fifteen?”
Casey hadn’t moved from Sophia’s side. “How are you feeling?”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Heavy, like I have been in a deep sleep.”
Callie raised her voice slightly over the others. “What happened to you? Are you, or were you, in any pain?”
“No, no pain, just really weak and distant.”
“Has this happened before?”
“No, nothing like this.”
“Did you hear what was said?”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand what it means?”
“Yes and no. Something was taken off a statue that has to be returned. Behind my eyes, I watched a slideshow of images while the man spoke.”
“How do you know it was a man?” Callie asked.
“I could feel the size of his body, and I could smell his fur coat. He had a beard that made my face itch. He seemed kind, but firm and ancient.”
“What were the images you saw, can you tell us?”
“I saw a picture of a statue deep underground, in a cave, I think. Over its chest was a cavity where a breastplate of armor belonged, and on it was dusty gemstone of different shapes. Then a beautiful huge old door with many locks, all closed. There was a rotten stench, a whirlpool of dark matter. It was the same as Joe’s cafe. There was a sense of sand, lots of it, with thousands of people in white standing in silence holding candles as a horn was blown. The plate must be returned before the last horn blows. I think we have to return the breastplate. Each image was charged emotionally with either agony and anguish, or hope and joy.”
“Do you have the tablet?” Kevin asked.
“No, I have no idea what or where it is.” Sophia looked at Jade. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Oh, nothing.”
“Yes, you are. I can see your cogs turning,” Kevin said.
“Please tell me,” Sophia said.
“There is a tablet called the Emerald Tablet. It contains text that is thought to give those that possess it the ability to move between different dimensions, different worlds. It was believed to contain the knowledge from Abraham, and it was passed onto Moses and so on. Egyptian mythology puts it in the hands of Thoth. In Greek mythology, Hermes — thought to be the reincarnation of Thoth — was called ‘Thrice Great’ because of the three parts of his ability: the wisdom of the whole universe, alchemy, and astrology and divine influence in humanity. The mention of the Emerald Tablet pops up and appears in numerous cultures and was apparently studied by Isaac Newton, I think, who thought it to be pure ancient doc
trine so he studied the scribe to understand this physical world. He believed the writings revealed secret techniques to influence the stars and the forces of nature. I’m not sure, but I think I read that his translation is housed in King’s College Library, Cambridge University. But if that’s the case, how can it have been removed from a statue in the Middle East. I can definitely jumble up things I have read, but —”
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Father McDonald said.
“I’m lost,” Tim said.
“Well,” Jade told him, “basically, it means it’s instrumental in maintaining the balance and structure of the universe, and the removal of it, from wherever it was, has caused the virus and an unbalance within our society. Thoth was thought to stand between good and evil. If he was, the statue that you saw, Sophia, could be his. He kept the balance between this world and the underworld and had the power to heal.”
Sophia witnessed Jade’s aura pulse with excitement. Everyone else seemed confused.
“Also, I have been thinking about an equation: S = k log W.”
“What does it mean?” Sophia asked.
“Entropy,” Jade said.
“Speak English, people. We’re not all intels,” Tim said. “My head’s hurting.”
“Entropy,” Callie interrupted, “is a measurement of disorder or randomness. Order to disorder. Move from an ordered state to disordered states. Life is filled with entropy.” Callie took a breath.
And Jade jumped in. “Making order from chaos; it’s exhilarating. Entropy is a measure of molecular randomness, or disorder. The second law of thermodynamics, any spontaneous process increases the disorder of the universe and —”
“There she goes again,” Tim said, rolling his eyes.
“Sorry, it’s just stimulating,” Jade said and stopped talking.
“Never apologize for who you are, Jade. It is exciting. Where are you going with this?” Kevin said.
Sophia saw Jade physically start to fatigue. Her brain had used up so much energy, she needed more. Sophia nudged Casey and whispered, “Give her a zap, she’s exhausted.”
Casey, wide-eyed, said, “No, I’ll hurt her.”
“No, you won’t,” she whispered back. “I promise.”
Casey looked into Jade’s ethereal body and rubbed his hands together. He clapped and coughed, thinking it would somehow disguise his intentions.
“What the hell are you clapping at?” Tim said. “You scared the shit out me. You’ve got a sonic boom for a clap, mate.”
Kevin cracked up, Casey smiled and Sophia had to turn her head, to disguise her laughter. Jade stretched and her aura expanded, rippling into Tim’s, giving him a static shock.
“What is the reactive state?” Jade continued with a surge of energy. “It is a state of being. A person’s actions or thoughts without pause. A negative thought while in a negative state can trigger natural disasters – like when someone gossips or is jealous – a reactive state is a negative state of being that creates a reaction upon the collective human soul and the planet. We can change a negative effect into a positive state — sort of like the butterfly effect — we have a negative right now, so how do we change that negative to a positive one? By being proactive and actively changing the effect; that is, by reversing the negative action or creating order from the disorder. This doesn’t make any sense to you, does it?”
Callie continued, so Jade could catch her breath and slow down. “Yes, it does. But you can’t eliminate chaos. The Big Bang is the most ordered state and entropy was at its lowest. We can’t go back to the seed. You can’t reverse a butterfly flapping its wings.”
Jade jumped back in again. “Well, why not? We can go back to the chain of events that started this current mess and create a better outcome for humanity. Or at least put back what was removed, making the statue whole again — order from chaos. K may be able to create windows in time,” Jade said.
“K, enlighten me, buddy. What are they talking about?” Tim said.
“Return the missing artefact that unleashed hell. Change undesirable to a desirable,” Kevin said.
“I’m tired,” Tim said.
“I’m sorry, you’re losing me too. Windows in time?” Father McDonald said.
“The way I see it,” Joe said, “is that we have lots of chaos and we can choose how we will shuffle the broken pieces to create balance and harmony. Forgetting science for a moment, we need to bring back the smile on people’s faces, the love in their eyes, the gentle touch of the wind and to see the crystal colors of the light. As Sophia said, we need to have certainty.” Joe looked up to the ceiling and said, “We beseech you, God, with the power of your greatness help us undo this entanglement.”
“Amen,” said Father McDonald.
“I’m way too tired to keep this conversation going,” said Terry. “How about we get some sleep and maybe we will find some answers in the morning.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Amy said.
“Jade,” Sophia said as everyone started to move, “you’re right, we have to make a change. Your thinking has been the reason why you’re here. You have been searching in your mind for a way to find your mother and she has a burning desire to heal the world of this virus.”
“Thanks, Sophia,” Jade said. The floodgates opened and Jade’s eyes were shiny with tears, but she didn’t let a drop spill.
Sophia tasted a change in the air and sat down on the edge of the lounge. She screwed up her nose in concentration and watched everyone stretch and yawn, agreeing it was time for bed. Joe was already on his feet helping Father McDonald, and Tim was telling Kevin his head hurt from all the thinking. Sophia stood up next to Casey. Suddenly the lights began to flicker, pulsating. She looked at Casey and he wanted to take her hand.
“It’s not me,” he said.
They were all drawn together, reducing the space between them and found themselves standing still in the middle of the room. Amy still had hold of her book and it became illuminated. Sophia saw Kevin’s head turn towards Amy. He must be sensing it too, she thought. Sophia’s necklace, hidden by the depth of radiance from Amy’s book, now surged with light. She hadn’t noticed it ever come alive before. It felt buzzy, effervescent, against her skin. The room became animated, filled with whispers and fogged images.
Father McDonald said in a soft voice, “The dead. The fragile curtain between the living and the dead is dissolving.”
The power in the room intensified. Shadowy phantoms appeared. The energy of the ghostly forms was compressing, and they almost looked solid, physically alive, although with the absence of consciousness. No different from the infected, the only difference being that these bodies were long dead. Nobody spoke and Sophia felt confused, vulnerable and alarmed, almost stunned by the apparitions. The distance and aloofness she had felt in her visions had turned into foreboding; she felt mortal amongst the ghosts and became aware of her love of life. The smell of a flower, the touch of the wind, sun on her face, and laughter — they are heaven, she thought and looped her pinkie with Casey’s. Slowly, the energy dropped and the phantoms and shadows faded and so, too, the circle of light that united and protected them vanished. The world is dying, becoming the promised living hell. Since the removal of the Emerald Tablet the veil has been lifted and the dead must be rising.
“This is the third time this has happened,” Casey said, “and it’s getting stronger.”
“Are we safe?” Sally asked. “Why has God forsaken us?”
Father McDonald took Sally’s hands in his. “He hasn’t forsaken us, Sally. He brought us together to help one another.”
“We will be safe,” Sophia said. “There is an angel watching over us, battling on a higher realm for our victory. Down here, this is our battle to overcome.”
Terry yawned, rubbed his eyes and put his arm around Amy’s shoulders. “Let’s get a few hours’ sleep and talk about this in the morning.”
Callie hugged Kevin, Tim and Jade. “Look after e
ach other,” she said.
“I can’t go to sleep after that!” Tim protested as Callie let him go.
Kevin headed up the stairs with Jade and Tim, watching his mom and dad walk across the foyer to their room saying their good nights. The door closed quietly behind them. Sophia heard the faintest click as Joe helped Father McDonald wearily up the stairs.
*
The ghosts had tried to touch him. He was burning up so much his shirt clung to his body. Shaun lay still on the bottom bunk listening to squeaky old stairs as everyone ascended to their rooms. He rolled over on his side, facing away from the bedroom door and listened to Kevin, Casey and Tim enter the room. Without turning on the light, they changed, ready for bed. Shaun was glad he was no longer alone. Casey was talking about caves, green armor and flying creatures. Shaun was feeling shaky, anxious. Their jabbering about caves and statues frustrated him. His stomach tightened, aching. “Will you assholes shut up?” he said, with clenched teeth. The sound in the room was reduced to whispers and shuffling, and ruffling of sheets as they climbed into bed. Shaun searched his mind for something to focus on and the image he conjured was a good day at the beach with his parents. They had built a sandcastle and they were creating a moat and tunnels around it.
His eyes darted back and forth as he drifted into sleep and dreams of falling into one of the tunnels around the sandcastle, and the sand starting to collapse around him. The ocean was rising and streaming into the moat; he ran, looking for a way in and found an entrance under the castle. He climbed some stairs and reached the top expecting to see the ocean and his parents, but he saw a barren landscape with mountains of sand in the dead of night. One single light was shining in the distance. He looked back down the stairs and could see the frothy ocean water rising up. He couldn’t go back, only forward. He walked across the sand towards the light and it never seemed to get any closer. It was moving from side to side. It was a lantern, held by somebody, guiding him. It appeared to take hours, but the sun didn’t rise. There was movement under the sand and occasionally, if he stopped moving forward, he started to sink. Where am I? It feels familiar.
