“I think I can go through it,” Diana said, surprising me yet again. “I’ve never actually tried, but I’m also apparently already dead. From what you told me last night about the Outside, I doubt the field will affect me much.”
Relief washed over me.
“Then it’s settled,” I said, turning to them all, “Are you ready?”
“Ready as ever,” said Taurus.
Taurus picked me up and placed me on one shoulder. Instinctively, I grabbed a hold of Taurus’ great curved horn to keep from falling.
“Don’t worry, little one,” Taurus said to Sophia, “when you want on just give the word and I’ll put you on the other side.”
Sophia smiled so sweetly that I actually thought of her as a real little girl for a moment.
And then the most brilliant idea came to mind.
“If Taurus is willing,” I said, “I will pass over my ownership of you to him, if that will make you happy.”
Tsaeb’s mouth fell open.
Sophia looked completely stunned and then she went wild with sweetness. She smiled up at Taurus so brightly that it melted him and then she latched onto his tree-trunk leg. In a second, Taurus already had Sophia sitting on the other shoulder.
Tsaeb just shook his head and kept his comments to himself.
“So,” said Diana as we set out into the Field of Yesterday, “did you have a dream, or some kind of vision?”
“Oh,” I said looking down at her from Taurus’ shoulder, “no, I just woke up and it came to me.”
~~~
The power of the field was more evident than the first time I had to go through it, but I fought it. I was more expectant than before. I was more prepared.
We walked a full day without incident. Other than a lot of moaning and groaning about being hungry and thirsty, and Diana needing to stop and rest, the field tolerated us. Taurus provided enough shade for two at a time when someone did get too warm and needed rest beneath him. He proved to be of many uses. Not only was he my makeshift wagon and shade for the over-heated, but he could see further distances, detecting possible landmarks and even danger before it reached us. But the most anyone saw were a few carcasses, including one of a horse and even one of a human. By the next morning, which followed a night of un-replenished rest in the middle of nowhere and without a fire for fear of attracting dangerous company, we came across another carriage wreckage.
Tsaeb, of course rummaged through it, but was not so lucky this time around. There were no jewels or gold and if there ever were, the carriage had long since been picked clean.
On day 3, Diana’s pessimism had spread to the rest of the party. Even the gentle giant was growing weary with exhaustion and concern. The field was too immense. The landmarks we were searching for could be anywhere for many miles and in any direction.
But I had more pressing matters to worry about.
The field was beginning to win its battle with me and my mortal death was creeping up more with every mile we walked. I knew I couldn’t keep both at bay for much longer. Everything was working against me. It didn’t matter that the weather was nice, or that I had a map and helpful company. The field’s curse and my death on the Outside were two powers that by themselves were forces to be reckoned with. But together, I was doomed.
When the voices of the anomalies came, I could hardly stand it, but eventually they faded, or gave up and left me alone until they would try again like a haunting in my mind that only I could hear.
Every now and then, when death was winning on the Outside, Taurus would again prove his usefulness by talking to me and shaking me to pull me back to Creation and my memories of it.
Day 5 was the day we all probably knew was inevitable.
I knew it. The rest of them had to be thinking all along that something bad was bound to happen.
“What is that?” said Diana.
Focused on a moving black dot far behind us, we froze worried in the wide open. It was coming up fast.
“I’m not sure,” said Taurus, “but looks like it’s headed our way.”
My insides began to tighten with dread.
“I hope it’s not Field Bandits,” said Tsaeb. “But then again, maybe they can help us out. You know, I’ve never seen them, just heard stories—maybe they aren’t all that bad.”
“Something tells me we won’t be that lucky,” I said.
“Looks like a carriage to me,” shouted Sophia from Taurus’ shoulder. “Yep, I’m sure that’s what it is! The carriage drivers know this field inside and out. Surely they can tell us where to find the landmarks!”
“She’s right,” said Taurus. “I think it’s a carriage, too!”
This could be either bad or good. I doubted it would be anything in-between. I knew the prices the carriage drivers charged.
The black dot moved closer. Two horses pulled an old carriage driven by a skeleton wearing a yellow robe. The horses halted just feet from us and I saw they were as dead as the driver. Flesh and hair still covered their bones, but not completely. The nice air suddenly turned sour with the stench of rotting carcass. Flies buzzed around the carriage like a black cloud and something moved inside that I could not see and really did not want to.
“What’s this entourage?” said the driver, his skeletal jaw rattling in his head. Rotting flesh covered some of his bones as if something had been eating his skin bit by bit over time. “A little lost aren’t we?”
“Actually, yes we are,” I said. “Maybe you can help us?”
The rotting skin on the corpse’s left cheek rose near his eye socket, suggesting a grin. He suppressed a laugh, but let it show in his posture. “Sure,” he answered, “but I’m not cheap.” He began to inspect my company and his eyeless face fell last on Diana. “I’ll take that one there. No negotiations. Her, or nothing.”
“Now wait a minute,” I said as Taurus stepped in front of Diana, “what do you mean no negotiations? You haven’t even heard what I need, or my offer.”
“You need a ride,” said the driver. “What else could you possibly need all the way out here? And I take it you’re the only human here, otherwise you’d be walking and that pretty girl would be up on that giant’s shoulder. The field will take you soon enough, you know, and that giant can’t run nearly as fast as my horses.”
“No, as a matter of fact I don’t need a ride. I just need directions. How much do you charge for directions?”
“Directions?” The driver seemed stumped. “I’ve never been asked that before. Where would you be needing directions to? Do you have any idea where you’re at?”
“I’ll tell you where only after we agree on a price.”
“I already told you my pri—” The driver’s jaw loosened and hung off a bit. He brought up his bony hand and re-positioned it. “My price is the girl.”
“Be ready to pound him when I give the word,” I whispered in Taurus’ ear.
I pretended to think about the driver’s offer. “Ok, fine. It’s a deal.”
“What?” Diana shouted. “Oh no, you’re not doing this to me again!”
I glared at her covertly with a ‘trust-me’ look and she backed down. I turned to the driver again. “But you have to tell me which way to go, first.”
The driver nodded once in agreement.
I held up my hands and positioned six of my fingers to make a visible map for the driver to see.
“Where are these landmarks located in this field?”
“And don’t lie, either,” said Tsaeb, holding up his finger and pointing.
The driver cocked his head sideways looking at Tsaeb. He was silent and practically motionless for longer than I thought he should be. And I couldn’t tell exactly what he was looking at.
“That’s my ring,” the driver finally spoke, “you’re the one that stole it. I remember now. I remember your voice. Yesss, it was you. I was newly dead, but I could hear you rummaging through my things and shouting.”
The horses began to whinny and snort.
/> Good or bad and nothing in-between. It was definitely going to be bad.
Tsaeb backed away. “Uhhh, no, you’ve got me mixed up with some other thief. I-I didn’t steal your stuff. I swear it.”
“You lying little pissant!”
Tsaeb ran behind Taurus.
“I guess now would be good,” I said.
Taurus went for the driver, spooking the horses and they reared up on their hind legs.
“Get the giant!” shouted the driver.
The carriage door swung open and a cluster of little flying creatures darted out. I almost fell from Taurus’ shoulder as the creatures swarmed around our heads. The creatures giggled and screamed, their screams so shrill it felt like my head was splitting in half. I cried out, gripping my ears, but trying to hold onto the horn at the same time.
“Leave him alone!” screamed Sophia.
She was on the other side, swatting at the winged creatures that were just slightly smaller than the size of her head. There had to be dozens of them and even a giant like Taurus couldn’t protect himself well enough from their razor-sharp claws and teeth. He pulled them from his face and head and squashed a few with his massive iron grip, but there were too many.
“Run!” I screamed.
Taurus went for it, running with long lumbering legs. The ground shook and rumbled beneath him. In the midst of the bedlam, I heard Taurus roar with pain and scream out something about his eye. There was a lot of blood and I saw one of the creatures buzz past with Taurus’ eye latched in its claws.
Sophia had changed forms and stood between Taurus’ horns as a hideous, hairy monster with gangly teeth and razor-sharp claws of her own. She swiped at the creatures as they swarmed him, cutting many of them down.
“I want my ring back!”
The voice was behind us, mixed with fast and heavy hooves. Davis, the carriage driver was right on our heels.
“Hurry!” shouted another voice. “Get on!”
That voice was familiar. I could not see much.
“I’s knew it was you, Norman!” said the voice. “Field Bandits are a’ comin’! Hurr’yup!”
“Gorg!” I yelled.
I could see Gorg’s carriage out ahead. Tsaeb and Diana were already on it, waving at us from the open door.
“It’s Gorg!” I shouted again, exultant in the middle of all the frantic screams.
We made it to Gorg’s carriage. Taurus was bloody, but to one as big as him, they were just flesh wounds.
I was smiling until I saw Gorg close up.
He was dead, too. As dead as Davis and so were his dirty white horses. The stench was the same. The cloud of flies was as bad. But Gorg was still a welcome sight nonetheless.
“They got you too?” I said.
“Yep,” he answered with that familiar rattling sound in his jaw. “But you’s betta hurry and get on. Them snakes are right on yer tail!”
Davis made it just as Sophia and I were getting on the carriage, me on the front with Gorg.
“Ain’t got no time fer this,” Gorg said to Davis. “They’s comin’ from that way.”
Davis kept looking back. It was apparent he was nervous and even what was left of the flying creatures retreated back into his carriage. One bit Taurus’ ear lobe and giggled before flying off. Taurus swatted at it like a fly.
“I want my ring!”
I pushed my head through the window behind me. “Give him the ring, Tsaeb! Now!”
Tsaeb opened the carriage door, took off the ring and tossed it at him. Davis caught it in mid-air and slid it down over his long, bony finger.
“Better get moving, then,” Davis said to Gorg.
He snapped the reins and left quickly.
“It’s good to see you, Gorg,” I said, “and I’m sorry that we have to skip the catching up, but I need you to take us here.”
I held my fingers up again.
“Do you know where these landmarks are?”
“O’course I know where that is.” Gorg reached out his skeletal index finger and pointed at my hands. “Them’s all big rocks, ‘cept that one there.” He touched my solitary finger, the Center of Eden. “Not far from them rocks is that one there. It’s a old tree stump. Bigger ‘round than yer giant friend there, I bet.”
My giant friend. I couldn’t leave Taurus alone in the Field of Yesterday. Like Diana’s boat, there was no way he was getting on Gorg’s carriage. I was miserable suddenly. I looked up at Taurus and felt even worse. His face and neck were bloody, skin was missing and shredded around his ears and throat, and he was missing an eye. Worst of all, Field Bandits were on their way.
“It’s alright, Norman,” said Taurus, “I can handle myself. Maybe I can hold them off, slow them down to give you more time. I’ll find my way afterward.”
Sophia jumped out of the carriage. She was in the form of a little girl again, now wearing the torn curtain Gorg had draped over his box window, as a dress. “I’m staying with you,” she said.
“No, you’re going with them,” Taurus demanded. “I might not be able to fight them off if I have you to worry about.”
Now it was Sophia’s turn to be miserable. She stood with one arm limp at her side while the other held the dirty fabric up and around her body. Taurus pointed once and reluctantly Sophia stepped back into the carriage. It was a serious moment that not even Tsaeb would ruin by mumbling insults or making fun.
“I’ll send Gorg back to find you once he gets us there,” I said. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” Taurus replied, “I’ll be fine. Just watch after the little one for me.”
I hated that I had no other choice but to leave my giant friend in this terrible place. A big part of me almost changed my mind completely and told Gorg to instruct us which way to go instead of taking us there. But I’d be an idiot to pass up this opportunity. I knew there would not be another one and the dangers of the field far outweighed everything. But time was the most pressing matter of all, even more pressing than the Field Bandits that were apparently coming up fast.
The sun would begin to set soon and the darkness would disadvantage us some more.
“Thank you, Taurus,” I waved him goodbye.
Gorg snapped the reins and the carriage pulled as it set off. I could hear Sophia crying in the back, but they were angry cries rather than childish sobs. Children don’t usually use the F-word three times in one sentence and threaten others with mutilation if something happens to her friend. I believed not only her threats, but also her ability to carry them out. Thankfully, Tsaeb did good to keep quiet and not ridicule her.
It was awkward to see Gorg so...dead. Undead. But nothing else about him seemed to have changed. He still butchered the English language with fine precision and managed to comfort me with his darkly spirited personality. It was like being at the bar with a father’s older, alcoholic friend. Gorg said everything the way he thought it, blunt and salt-coated. He stank, made vulgar comments about the ‘ripe broad in the back’, and meant them wholeheartedly. But he was harmless. He was just Gorg, the now dead guy, who was really immortal and wanted out of his curse as much as the next person.
“I thought you said if the carriage goes off course, it stays off course,” I said during one of our many conversations.
“I’s been off course since them bandits ‘tacked an’ keeled me.”
I was so exhausted. I couldn’t distinguish between the effects of the field, that whole dying thing and simple fatigue. All of them were affecting me in some way, but I was worried about which was at work harder than the others.
If it can just hold off for a while longer, I thought as I stared up at the night sky. I had been thinking mostly about death and at any time I could be completely without memories and they would never come back. Can’t you prolong it? I said to the Devil in my mind. You sent me here to do this and look how close I am. Surely you can keep me alive out there long enough to finish in here. Was the Devil listening? Probably. But the Devil never answered and f
or some reason, I was glad for that. The last thing I needed right now was confirmation that there was nothing the Devil could do to stop my death. The Devil was not God, after all. I needed all the hopeful thoughts I could get, even if I knew deep down that they were useless.
But so far, I was still alive and I was a hair away from becoming one of the most famous men in the history of the living world. Well, the most famous man that no one would ever know what I did.
How does that work, exactly? I thought, leaning farther back against the box seat of Gorg’s carriage. I began to think about all of the reasons why I was doing this. Sure, I wanted to be the ‘hero’. I wanted to do something that no one else in the world, living or dead, had the opportunity to do. But why exactly? I plucked every reason I could from my mind: importance, fame, recognition, praise, the one good deed that would rival all others, the chance to fight against evil. There was one thing that all of my reasons had in common though and that was that none of them would matter at all after the deed was done. This was not like winning the Nobel Prize, or being the first man on Mars. I was not going to get to stand on a stage and give the speech of my life, or radio back to planet Earth and my famous quote be printed on the cover of Time magazine along with a picture of my proud smiling face.
The only thing I thought I might get out of this was that I was securing my place in Heaven. But was I really? Could I be sure that God even wanted me there? Maybe God planned to send me straight to Hell anyway, just for falling for the Devil’s tricks and going through with this in the first place. And as I thought about it more, I laughed aloud. Gorg was too busy telling me about how the Field Bandits got him, to notice. I’m probably beyond the point of forgiveness. I practically work for Lucifer! I smacked my leg with my hand.
“What are you laughing about?” Diana asked from the carriage window.
“Nothing,” I said. Nothing at all.
“What the fuck?....”
--
THE CARRIAGE ARRIVED AT the three rocks by morning. Gorg got down from his seat. Those inside stepped out and I gazed ahead at the other three quite visible landmarks. The giant solitary tree stump was the hardest to see, but even at a distance it was raised from the yellow grass just enough to be visible.
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