The Celestial Gate

by Avital Dicker

  “Hey, I don’t swear or anything,” said the experienced Rae. “But, up there, on the peak – that’s where the headquarters are. And, rumor has it that that’s where He hangs out most of the time,” she said, looking at Yam with some concern.

  Mor tied a rope around Anise’s and Yam’s waists and then tightened the rope to his belt. Anise looked at him and thought that, legs or no legs, she felt safe with him.

  They started climbing the mountain, Rae flitting in the air around them. White clouds surrounded them and the air grew increasingly cooler. The slope was getting steeper by the minute. Anise’s breathing was heaving with the effort, and they weren’t even halfway up.

  It was difficult to find a handhold on the steep, rocky hillside. After several attempts, Yam finally managed to hold onto a rock and was pulling himself up, step by step. Then, all of a sudden, Anise heard the flapping of wings. She turned her head and, seeing a green bird with a trunk, she lost her balance. The rope was stretched as far as it would go and Anise found herself dangling in the air.

  Yam used every muscle in his body to hold onto a protrusion from the rock, but Anise’s weight was pulling down the two boys tied to her. Anise swung in the air, looking for something to grab, when the old Native American reappeared. He held his hand out to her. Anise stared, not certain whether or not she was hallucinating. Just then, Yam yelled at her from above, “Grab the branch.” She swung her body as hard as she could, gathering momentum, until she finally took hold of the branch and pulled herself back to the mountainside. From her safe spot, Anise looked behind her. But, just as before, the old msn had disappeared.

  “Hey, did you guys see him?” she asked the boys.

  “See who?” Yam asked from above.

  Why was she the only one to see the old man, she wondered. Rae landed next to her. Gratefully, Anise clung to Rae, and the two continued to climb the steep mountainside together.

  Yam was the first to reach the path where it leveled off into a very narrow stone shelf. It was almost completely devoid of vegetation. Yam carefully paced it off, step by step, finally tying the rope to the only bush he could find. Then he started pulling Mor and Anise upwards.

  By now, all four were exhausted. They sat down on the small shelf and looked down at the valley below. A very parched Rae broke off a piece of cloud and licked it thirstily. Anise and Yam followed suit.

  Mor hesitated. The effect of that odd fruit hadn’t entirely passed, so he took just a tiny piece and, before having any more, he waited a few moments to make sure nothing weird was happening to him. “This business with food – it’s really cool,” he said once he felt safe, quickly gobbling up some more pieces.

  “I wonder if Enochio has woken up yet,” Yam mused.

  “I really hope he’s still asleep because we haven’t come to the half-way mark yet,” said Mor, putting on his sweatshirt. A light rain had started falling without any prior warning. Anise gathered her hair into a ponytail so that it wouldn’t whip around in the wind that was starting to blow.

  “I think we should wait until the rain stops,” said Anise, watching a sudden gust of wind plucking off the only bush on the shelf, to which the rope was still tied. The loose rope was now waving in the wind. Yam managed to grab it at the last second and looked at Rae, who was staring ahead at something. For the first time since they’d met her, she looked absolutely petrified.

  Suddenly, they were deep in the sound of loud, flapping wings, and dark shadows were coming from the air and down the mountain. They were everywhere, leaving no opening for escape. The Orphils surrounded them on every side, hundreds of them circling above in a tight ring. Some were holding black crop-like straps that, when swung, emitted red rays. Another Orphil group was pointing long, strange-looking weapons at them.

  Five or so of the dreaded creatures jumped down on the narrow shelf and were closing in on the four friends with a roar. Anise could actually feel one of them breathing in her face. Its three eyes glittered with hatred from behind its black mask, and the Orphil continued beating its four wings with menace.

  “I thought Enochio said they’re not allowed to fly,” Mor cried, trying to outshout the wind.

  “They don’t seem to have heard that one,” Yam cried back and aimed a determined fist directly into an Orphil’s face. The creature roared and whipped its strap around, shooting red sparks in every direction.

  The wind seemed to be focusing on Anise, swirling around her body, making it hard for her to stay upright. Two Orphils looped their straps around Rae, who screeched with terror. Mor whacked an Orphil on the back with his backpack, but the wind caused him to stagger backward. Sand flew into his eyes and he fell down, unconscious.

  Anise lost all sense of time. The wind sucked all the air from her lungs, then lifted her in the air, flipped her upside-down, and shook her like a ragdoll. The mountain disappeared from view and through the dust she thought she could see clouds. Falling fast, her body hit the water with a sickening thud and she went deep. Not again…, she thought. But now, the rope around her waist twisted around her feet. She tried to free herself but, having no air left, she stopped fighting and started to sink. At the last moment, strong arms gripped her. Yam unwound the rope around her legs and pulled her to the surface where Anise greedily gulped at the air.

  Mor, carrying a semi-conscious Rae on his back, was climbing the bank. He lay Rae down on the cool ground and felt her clothing, which remarkably had stayed dry. I don’t understand anything anymore, he thought. Nothing makes any sense here. He looked at the large lake, into which dozens of steaming waterfalls emptied, and the black basalt cliffs surrounding them on every side. He was unable to see the sky. “I think we’re inside the mountain,” he said.

  Anise coughed up some water and, exhausted, leaned against the black rocks. Rae opened her eyes and sat up, looking around in despair, a fat tear rolling down her cheek.

  “Never again will I fly past these cliffs,” she whispered.

  On top of the cliffs, Yam could make out armed Orphil sentries patrolling the perimeter and guarding the site.

  “I think we’re in some sort of way station,” he said.

  Rae nodded in agreement. “Nobody ever leaves here,” she said. “From here, you get sent right back.”

  “Back where?” Anise asked, but Rae shrugged.

  “Wherever they decide,” she finally mumbled, saying no more.

  “I still don’t understand who they are,” Mor sighed.

  Rae swallowed her saliva. “From the little I know, God gave the Orphils the right to stay here because He believes in free choice. So He gave them a last opportunity to prove they can change. Only, I think that instead of taking advantage of that chance, they’ve been overcome by evil. It wasn’t supposed to be like that,” she said quietly. Many things aren’t supposed to be the way they are, Mor thought.

  No one spoke. Anise scanned the black cliffs over and over again. We were so close to meeting Him, she thought with despair. There must be a way out, some exit. But it seemed as if the enormous basalt blocks formed a perfect seal above the lake.

  “I don’t see a way out of here,” said Yam reading her thoughts. “Look – they stay up there and don’t even bother coming down because there’s just no way out.” The four leaned against the black cliff without uttering another word.

  Anise tilted her head back. There was nowhere to go. Tired, she closed her eyes but immediately opened them again in surprise. The old man was standing on a cliff across from her, signaling her to come closer. Anise rubbed her eyes in disbelief, but unlike earlier times, this time, when she looked again, he was still standing there.

  “Look,” she said, pointing at the old man.

  “I don’t see anything,” an indifferent Yam replied.

  “Neither do I,” said Mor, lying down on the rock.

  It wasn’t the time to argue with the boys, because the
old man started walking away. Anise hesitated. The only way to cross the space lay through the lake. She got up and started to walk down to the water.

  “Anise,” Mor called, but she ignored him, and walked into the water.

  “Her mind is gone. She’s forgotten she can’t swim,” Mor muttered.

  The water had already reached Anise’s waist, but she kept going, her eyes tracking the strange old man.

  Mor became annoyed but got up and followed her. Yam, too, decided to join, thinking, What the hell is she doing? Then again, it wasn’t as if they had anything better to do, and he had no intention of staying back with the mercurial Rae. For her part, Rae hurried to fly behind them, taking care not to get too close to the water. She was so repulsed by this place that she couldn’t stop shaking. In the last two days, she’d come close to drowning not once but twice. That was enough to last her several lifetimes.

  Anise was careful to stay close to the edge of the lake, walking beneath the cliffs where the water was shallow. The old man led her along the cliff to the other side of the lake, until she could climb out of the water. But once she had and looked back up at the cliff, the old man was gone.

  Mor was worried about Anise who, looking frantic, was now rushing up the rocks, shouting something indistinct. Suddenly, he lost sight of her.

  “Anise!” he yelled, getting out of the water and hurrying where he last saw her.

  “There’s a passage here,” he heard her voice coming from behind the black boulders.

  The old man reappeared in front of her. He was kneeling over one of the rocks in the cave where she’d followed him. He was holding his hand out to her.

  Mor arrived breathless with Yam on his heels. “How did you find the cave?” Yam asked, looking surprised.

  Quickly, Anise whipped her head around looking for her guide, but the old man had once again disappeared. Something glittered on the rock where he’d last stood. Anise approached and picked up the object: a leather medallion inscribed with symbols. She put it around her neck and smiled at Yam. “I had the feeling it was worth coming here,” she said mysteriously.

  “Look, there’s something on the wall,” Mor said, aiming his flashlight at the cave walls. In the light, they could clearly see the unfamiliar symbols. Anise grasped the medallion and looked at the symbols on it: they were identical to the ones on the wall. I wonder what they mean, she thought.

  “Where did you get that, Anise? It looks like a calendar,” said Mor, examining her new-found medallion, but Anise was too preoccupied with the rays of sunlight making their way into the far end of the cave.

  Rae, too, must have noticed the light at the end of the cave, because she suddenly leaped up and started to run to the exit, all three behind her.

  At the opening of the cave, they stopped to take in the view. At their feet lay a broad valley, its center occupied by an exquisite-looking city whose gilded temples glittered in the sun. Enormous pyramids stood near the temples. The city’s broad avenues teemed with activity. Women and children dressed in colorful clothing scurried gaily about. Between two buildings, Anise could see a group dancing to the beat of a drum. Mor looked at the huge murals decorating the structures. “It’s the lost city,” he whispered. “It’s the Maya. They found the eighth gate.”

  The four climbed down the narrow steps carved out of the rock winding down the steep mountainside to the city and entered the main street crowded its entire length with stalls. Some older children were playing with bows and arrows just beyond. Anise stared at a young woman gracefully carrying two infants bound to her body. An impressive-looking woman with long, white hair, wrapped in colorful cloth and holding an infant in her arms, came walking down the street toward them. She stopped in front of them and gently held her hand out to Anise. “They’re waiting for you,” she said with a smile.

  Chapter 30

  Morning rose on the hastily assembled military base on the Hebrew University campus, the light penetrating the windows and momentarily blinding the exhausted parents. The officer shook their hands, inviting them to sit around a set table in the middle of the room. He motioned to a soldier in the doorway, saying “Before we go on, there’s someone here you’ll be glad to see.” A moment later, the door opened again and a pale, thin Yoav appeared in the doorway.

  Amalia, unthinking, ran toward him. They held one another for a long moment. The officer smiled and cleared his throat. “I thought you’d be happy to meet, but the truth is that Yoav is here for another reason as well,” he said.

  Puzzled, Amalia tried to free herself of Yoav’s arms, but he wouldn’t let go and led her to a seat at the table.

  “I’m sorry to be a killjoy, but every minute counts,” the officer continued. “We’ve received information about three adolescents – a girl and two boys – who match the descriptions of your children. They’ve been seen wandering around in the tunnels under Jerusalem.”

  Everyone started to talk at once.

  “Just a minute, I’ll answer all your questions,” the officer said. “We’ve uncovered a whole network of tunnels. It may be simpler just to call it an underground city. The tunnels go everywhere underneath the Old City. The problem is that terrorists are using the tunnels to stage attacks and transport arms. But something seems to have gone wrong because some of the explosives went off inside the tunnel. And, now, I’m getting to the main point. The good news is that the children are alive and seem to be unharmed.”

  Sual couldn’t stop her sudden tears. My children are alive, she repeated to herself. My children are alive! Amalia buried her head deep in Yoav’s chest. Theo, feeling he’d been given a second chance, wiped his damp eyes. He looked at Sual joyfully who smiled at him through her tears.

  The officer coughed. He was clearly uncomfortable. “The thing is that we think the children have a sort of map of this underground city,” he said.

  Theo couldn’t hold back his laughter. “Are you really trying to tell me that the whole state, with its sophisticated intelligence capabilities, is dependent on three kids who somehow got their hands on some map?”

  “That’s right,” the officer answered with notable embarrassment. “Mr. Consul, I’m sorry to say, but we’re in a state of emergency. We have well-founded fears that the tunnels are booby-trapped. There are enough explosives down there to blow up half the city, and we must have a map of the tunnels so we can insert our sappers. This means that, at this point, your children are the key to saving the city.”

  Sual stood up. “So all that matters to you is the map. Not the children,” she said angrily.

  The officer shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Look, my job is to protect all the inhabitants of this country. Without the map, we cannot neutralize the tunnels. If the tunnels explode, it could obliterate Jerusalem,” he said earnestly. “Because we found you near Mercy Gate, I think there’s a connection to Yoav’s painting of Mercy Gate. The problem is that we’ve racked our brains and still can’t see the connection. Here is where we need your help.”

  “The greater problem is that if we help you, we’re liable to risk our children’s lives,” Sual retorted.

  The officer looked at her long and hard, and finally nodded in agreement.

  The ensuing silence was tense. Nobody knew what to say. Finally, they all looked at one another.

  “We’ll help you,” said Amalia, speaking for all three parents, “but on one condition.”

  The white-haired woman led the three teens along the broad main street to the large palace at its end. On either side of the broad steps stood a gilded statue of a phoenix. A golden crown set with precious stones rested on one phoenix’s head. From its open beak, its long red tongue spat water into a pool. All four climbed up the steps to the marble-floored entrance hall.

  On seeing the old Mayan smiling at her from the staircase, Anise’s mouth dropped open. His tattoos gleaming, he motioned for them to join him
.

  The hall they entered now was different from anything they had ever seen. Deer galloped in paintings and lions roared in murals. Anise looked with astonishment at the hyraxes gaily hopping from one picture to the next.

  The scent of incense wafted through the room whose floor was covered by an embroidered rug heaped with soft cushions. With a generous sweep of his arm, the old Mayan motioned for them to join him. They sat down and he poured them all tea in dainty glass cups.

  “Are you God?” Anise asked shyly.

  The old man burst out laughing. “Oh no, I’m not God. And God only knows it’s an impossible job, repaid only with ingratitude. I really wouldn’t want to be in His shoes,” he said, lighting up a long pipe.

  “You’re Mayan, right? And this is the lost city,” asked an excited Yam.

  The old man smiled and sipped some of the hot tea. “You know that no mortal ever entered the gate. Until today, that is,” he said slowly. “You’re safe here. The Orphils cannot enter. We have our own protection,” he calmed Rae, whose purplish hue had yet to come back to her cheeks. “Look, it’s possible to enter in two ways,” he said, offering the pipe to Mor. “And nobody comes without a reason.”

  Mor had never smoked, but he didn’t want to hurt the old man’s feelings, so he took the carved pipe and inhaled lightly. All of a sudden, the room started to spin. He closed his eyes and saw Sual picking up the one-year-old Mor in her arms. Mor could feel her calming body warmth and her kisses on his cheeks. He smiled blissfully. Then the picture dissipated, and Mor opened his eyes.

  “You know, it wasn’t all terrible,” said the old man mysteriously adding, “and we choose what to feel.”

  For a second, Anise thought the old man was looking at her.

  “So, wait, are you the king of the Mayans?” Yam didn’t want to drop the subject.

  “We don’t have a king. We don’t believe in monarchies. We believe in tolerance. We have no property, and this palace isn’t mine. I serve the people. When they need me, they come to me for help.”