by Marc Lindsay
“Well that makes it as clear as mud. Look I don’t care as long as you clean up after your selves,” Helen said.
“We will,” Jason and Selene replied in unison. Helen was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something.
“Jason, Mr Walker rang. He was concerned when you hadn’t turned up for work today,” Helen said. Jason looked alarmed.
“Crap, I forgot all about it!” he exclaimed.
“Its fine, he heard about what had happened here and just wanted to make sure we were both okay,” Helen said.
“He also said anytime you’re ready, just come in and he would sort out your orientation,” she added.
“That’s quite considerate of him,” Selene said. Jason nodded thoughtfully.
“On a completely different subject, Selene and I are going to be here a while, is there any chance she can stay for dinner?” Helen nodded.
“We’re having tacos if that’s okay,” Helen said.
“Sounds great,” Selene replied.
“Good, I’ll give Ursula a call and let her know,” Helen said.
Jason looked about the room.
“I’m starting to think this was a waste of time,” he said with a sigh, Selene sat down on a nearby pile of books.
“You want to give up?” Jason ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated.
“Yes, no, oh I don’t know! Obviously this key opens something but it could be anything or anywhere,” he replied.
“I think we’re close, real close, like the answer is staring us in the face,” Selene said her voice trailing off.
“What are you thinking?” Jason asked, but Selene ignored him, deep in thought.
“My Grandmother sometimes says to me when you’re faced with a problem you can’t solve, view it from a different angle,” Selene said, brightening to the idea, Jason looked sceptical.
“Is this where we stand on our heads and use our inner eye or something?” He replied. Selene rolled her eyes.
“Humour me, will you?” Selene asked as she walked over to the entrance to the study. Standing in the doorway she turned and looked back motioning for Jason to join her. He rolled his eyes but did as she requested.
The pair of them were easily able to stand shoulder to shoulder in the doorway with room to spare. Selene was scrutinizing the room while Jason stood in the archway looking bored.
“What exactly are we looking for?” He asked.
“I’m not sure,” Selene said. Jason smirked.
“That narrows it down a bit,” he muttered.
“If what my Grandmother has told me about your Uncle Plato is correct, I think if he was hiding something he would do it in plain sight,” Selene said with mild annoyance.
“Maybe,” Jason replied.
“The first time you came here, what was the first thing that caught your eye?” Selene asked, watching his reaction closely. Jason mulled the question over in his mind before responding.
“The first thing I noticed wasn’t even technically in the room,” Jason said. Selene raised an eyebrow, Jason shrugged his shoulders.
“It was the brass plaque to your left,” he said. Selene cocked her head and looked at the plaque bearing the wolf’s head engraving recessed into the timber of the door frame.
“I thought it might be a craftsman signature,” Jason said. Selene studied the plaque intensely, first running a finger across the image then along the edge itself, attempting to pry it open with a fingernail, with no success.
“It’s on their good!” she exclaimed.
“Be careful, those thorns actually look sharp,” Jason said as he reached out and touched the engraving, jerking his hand back as he pricked his finger on the indentation.
“Sharp as a razor,” he said, sucking on his cut forefinger.
“May I?” Selene interjected. Jason nodded and swept his hand in a grand gesture.
“Knock yourself out,” he said. Selene placed her finger upon the wolf head and pressed. Nothing happened. She proceeded to push other parts of the plaque, each time with the same result.
“Maybe,” Selene whispered, then pressed against the thorns.
“Wait, don’t!” Jason said as the plaque made an audible click. They both watched in quiet fascination. Selene released her finger and the plaque swung open, revealing a brass inlaid keyhole.
They both stared, dumbstruck.
“Holy shit!” Jason said.
“Indeed,” Selene replied.
“How did you know?” Jason asked curiously.
“I didn’t, I guessed is all,” she said.
“Really?” Jason said.
“Really. Think about it, sometimes you have to experience a little pain in order to gain knowledge,” she said with a smile.
“You’re pretty pleased with yourself aren’t you?” he replied with a smirk. “Just a bit. Now are we going to try that key or what?” she added.
“You betcha,” Jason nodded with a smile.
Chapter 17
Jason held the key out to Selene.
“Would you like the honour, after all this was your discovery?”
“Why thank you,” she said daintily, Jason stepped to the side watching closely as Selene raised the key and carefully inserted it into the brass hole. It slid into place perfectly. She chewed anxiously on her lower lip.
“I can’t believe how nervous I feel,” she said. Jason nodded in agreement. “I wonder if this is how an archaeologist feels on the dawn of a new discovery?” Jason asked.
“Well I suppose we’re not going to find out just standing here,” Selene said with finality and turned the key. It moved smoothly in the lock despite its obvious age. Selene removed the key and looked at Jason apprehensively. They waited quietly as the seconds ticked by. Nothing happened.
“Well that was a bust,” Jason said, the disappointment thick in his voice.
Selene was just about to reply when a faint clicking sounded from within the wall. This was followed by more mechanical sounds emanating from behind the book shelves. They followed the noise along to the other side of the room. They looked at each other expectantly. The shelf to their front started to edge forward from the wall. The sound of cogs, hydraulics and air escaping was clearly heard. Jason and Selene carefully stepped back, watching as the shelf completely shifted from the wall and came to rest on the brass railing encircling the room with a metallic click. The section of shelf then began to roll along the railing around the room, finishing neatly at the entrance of the study, completely blocking any chance of exit from the room.
Where the shelf had been now stood an entrance into a secret passage, one that was completely obscured by darkness, Jason tentatively stepped forward, followed closely by Selene. Slowly they entered the passageway. Jason groped his way along the wall until his eyes grew accustomed to the dark.
“See if you can find a light switch,” Jason instructed. They both felt along the walls clumsily.
“I think I’ve got it,” Jason muttered, barely uttering the words as the room was illuminated.
“Whoa,” Selene muttered. They looked around their location. It was easiest the smallest room in the house, narrow but long. Down the far end was a plain timber door. The room was sparsely decorated with only a table and a pair of chairs inside Spartan in their presentation. One wall had been dedicated to all manner of news clippings, photos, drawings, scribbles and other varieties of weird trivia concerning the town of Perigord. Jason’s first thought was of a crime drama where the detective has all his information pertaining to a case pinned up for easy recollection.
Both Jason and Selene walked toward the wall. As they moved something shifted underneath. Before either one of them could react the shelf that had revealed the secret chamber rolled back to its original position, subsequently preventing them from leaving. Jason looked at his feet, then up at Selene, sheepishly.
“I think it was a pressure plate, sorry,” Jason said.
“Wasn’t your fault, besides hopefully that
door at the end leads somewhere, preferably out,” Selene muttered. They continued to investigate their surroundings. On the other side of the room were shelves containing books and a variety of strange artefacts and items?
“What do you think of all this?” Selene asked puzzled.
“I’m not sure,” Jason replied, studying the information on the wall. He tapped a picture roughly, centre of the wall with his index finger.
“See this picture here, it’s of Heinrich Perigord,” Jason said.
“I am from Perigord you know,” Selene replied dryly.
“Well, all these other things clippings, photos and scribbles all have lines drawn toward his picture,” Jason explained.
“What, you think they’re somehow connected?” Selene asked.
“Exactly,” Jason said excitedly. Selene looked at some of the clippings and notes.
“It can’t be, look at this one,” she motioned for Jason to look. “It’s a headline about a missing person dated 1981. That’s only thirty two years ago. Heinrich died well over two hundred. One missing person from the early eighties and this town’s founding father could hardly have any relevant connection,” Selene argued.
Selene left Jason who had started to take pictures of the wall using his cell phone and walked over to the shelves on the opposite side, she began hunting amongst the items laying there, eventually picking up a large brown leather ledger. Flipping through the pages she came upon something of interest.
“Listen to this. Your uncle has marked a passage in this book concerning the harvest festival,” Selene said.
“What have you got there?” he asked curiously. Selene held up the ledger and showed the cover to him.
“It just says Perigord and it has that image of the wolf stamped on it,” she replied.
“What does it say about the harvest festival?” Jason said, taking a deep breath.
“What doesn’t it say about the festival? I mean it goes on and on,” she said flipping through its pages for emphasis.
Jason looked at his watch.
“I hate to put a damper on this, but it’s nearly dinner time. We better get out of here before mum suspects something’s up,” Jason said. Selene threw him a look of shock.
“You’re telling me that you have no intention of informing your mum about your very own bat cave?” she said in a mocking tone. Jason grimaced. “Kind of. Does that make me a bad son?”
“The worst,” Selene nodded. “I think it’s time we try that door now,” she added.
The door at the far end of the room led down a long flight of steps and through a narrow passageway. Jason led the way using the light from his phone to illuminate their footing.
“That light would have been useful earlier,” Selene commented.
“Hindsight’s a great thing, isn’t it,” Jason replied. They continued on, eventually arriving at a wall with a steel ladder leading up.
“I’m dying to see where this leads out,” Selene whispered. The ladder led up a tight square shaft, which was closed at the top. He pushed against the opening and after a few seconds of straining, the cover cracked and light flooded the shaft. Jason scrambled out and then assisted Selene from the hatch. Once clear they looked at their surroundings. They were in a room, about six foot square and three foot high, small windows and a tiny door.
“This is some serious Alice in wonderland shit. Where the hell are we?” Selene questioned. Jason was silent as he looked at the hatch from which they exited.
“I know exactly where we are. It’s my tree house,” Jason said with a smile.
Selene watched Jason climb carefully down from the outside of the tree house.
“Your house rocks,” she stated.
“I’ve lived in worse, that’s for sure,” Jason joked as they both dusted themselves off and made their way up towards the house.
“What are you planning on telling your mum?” Selene enquired.
“Nothing yet, until we can piece together exactly what my uncle was up too,” he replied.
Helen was in the process of serving dinner when Jason and Selene walked in, the kitchen heavy with the scent of Mexican cuisine.
“I’m famished,” Selene whispered to Jason. Helen looked as they entered. “Ah good timing I was just about to call you both for dinner” she remarked, as they all sat down to eat.
“So what exactly have you two been doing all this time?” Helen asked, Jason looked quickly at Selene and then his mum.
“Not much. Selene, and I have been sorting through Uncle Plato’s books, that’s all,” Jason stated, a little too hastily.
Chapter 18
Selene and Jason lay on his bed, discussing what they had seen in Plato’s hidden chamber. The detailed notes, pictures on the walls concerning cosmic radiation, lunar calendars, chemical analysis, mineral compositions and finally, about the continued existence of Heinrich Perigord.
“I can’t believe how complex and in depth your uncle’s research was” Selene said in amazement.
“I can’t believe my uncle still believed Perigord was alive,” Jason replied. “All this complex information, what was he hoping to accomplish?” Selene asked shaking her head.
“I don’t know but maybe the answers lay in that journal,” Jason added. “By the way how is your grandmother going with the translation of the other book?” he asked.
“It’s funny you should bring it up. I asked her about it this morning, hoping I could bring it over with me,” Selene said.
“But?”
“But, she was still working on it. She said that not all of the passages were in German, some were in other dialects as well,” she relayed
“Well I’m in no rush,” Jason replied.
“Ahem.” Both Jason and Selene looked up to find Helen standing in the doorway. “Jason, I think it’s time you take Selene, home it’s getting late,” she stated.
“Good idea, we can finish this at school tomorrow,” Selene said.
They walked along the path up toward her house.
“Thank your mum again for dinner,” Selene said politely.
“No problem,” Jason replied. “I’m going to the library after school, do you want to come with me?” Selene gave him a thousand watt smile.
“You betcha,” she replied. They were now standing on her doorstep when the front porch light suddenly flicked on.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Selene said earnestly, and then before Jason could respond, she gently kissed him on the cheek.
“Goodnight,” Selene whispered and disappeared through the door. Jason stood there a moment, stunned by her actions. The kiss had been warm against his cheek, her hair had brushed against his neck, smelling faintly of vanilla and spices. He closed his eyes and exhaled with a smile, before turning and walking away, a light spring in his step.
As Jason exited from class, Selene snuck up behind and threw her hands around his face covering his eyes.
“Guess who?” she asked. Jason froze in his tracks, a smile appearing under her hands.
“Um, Hector. No wait, Tiberius,” he replied deadpan. Selene burst out laughing, releasing her grip and spinning him around.
“Wouldn’t that be a funny sight?” she giggled, and after a moment Jason chuckled as well.
“What are you doing for lunch?” she asked. Jason thought it over.
“My usual spot,” he replied.
“Good, we can continue with the journal, if you have it on you,” Selene said.
“Dammit I left it at home,” he said in frustration.
“That’s alright, we can do it after school,” Selene replied.
“After I dropped you off last night I went back down into Plato’s library and tried to piece together the information on the walls.”
“Did you come up with anything?” Selene asked, her interest piqued.
“As a matter of fact what I was able to dig up will blow your mind,” he said with a grin.
During lunch they sat under a large tree overlooki
ng the school’s sports oval, eating sandwiches and pouring over Jason’s notes. Selene pointed to a passage he had written down.
“Is this correct? You’ve written that during the first Hunter’s Moon of the new millennium a cosmic event will unfold at the edge of our solar system that will awaken an unstoppable army,” Selene stated. “That’s some heavy shit. How does he propose it would happen?” Selene queried.
“From what I could surmise, Uncle Plato predicted that a supernova would occur within the next two weeks, it’s subsequent radiation playing a pivotal part during a ceremony conducted at that precise moment, allowing that person to raise an unstoppable army,” Jason said breathlessly.
“Oh is that all,” Selene quipped.
“My big query is how he would know that it would happen during the festival?” Jason said.
“Well this is probably news to you, but here in Perigord everyone knows that the Harvest festival is held every thirteen years during the Hunter’s moon,” Selene replied matter of fact.
“And what makes this moon so special?” Jason asked.
“Well it’s when the sun, moon and earth are all aligned causing a lunar eclipse,” Selene said.
“And the moon turns red, how does that work?” Jason asked. Selene thought it over a few seconds.
“We discussed it in class once. It’s caused by the suns radiation passing through the earth’s atmospheric gases. They are more prevalent this time of year,” Selene said.
“And this only occurs every thirteen years, right?” Jason asked, Selene nodded.
“Then maybe the mixture of the sun’s radiation and that from the supernova will influence this ceremony my uncle was talking about, creating an army of super soldiers,” Jason concluded.
“Do you think we could find out any more info on this ceremony or the supernova?” Selene shrugged.
“I don’t know but we are in a school,” Selene stated. And without further explanation, Selene grabbed Jason and dragged him off.
Chapter 19
Ms Gaia the science teacher was sitting in her classroom alone and eating her lunch, in-between mouthfuls humming an odd tune. She was just in the process of taking a bite when Jason and Selene burst in.