Redhead

by Ian Cook

  Neferatu now raised his arms towards the sun, while the cacophony of drums and horns increased to a crescendo. “For Moloch!” he shouted.

  Two guards stepped forwards and loosened the golden chains, which rattled upwards. Simultaneously, the hands of the Moloch parted and dropped, like the trapdoor beneath a gibbet. The man frantically tried to grab the body of the Moloch but missed and fell screaming into the pit, his arms waving like windmills. As he was devoured by the flames, a cloud of hissing smoke and steam poured out, and the guards went wild with joy.

  Larry watched in disbelief and horror. Yet, turning towards Jim, he was shocked to see his friend’s eyes glistening with excitement, bordering on pleasure. His fists were clenched, and his whole body seemed tense with the sheer effort of trying to control some powerful inner emotion.

  “God man! What’s the matter with you?” Larry growled. He grabbed Jim’s shoulders. “Do you realise what’s going on here? It’s not some dog-fight. It’s human slaughter! Dammit, get a grip, will you.” But Jim’s eyes were dancing wildly, as if he had been taken over by some invisible force.

  Larry shook him hard. “You can’t let yourself be dragged into this! You can’t take their side! Can’t you see, something’s happening to you. Something is taking control of you. Use your intelligence, man! You’re not one of them!” Jim didn’t respond, as if completely unaware of Larry.

  Larry brought his face up level with Jim’s, so that their noses were practically touching. “Okay, okay, but what about Rebecca?” he shouted. “Rebecca! Think about Rebecca!”

  Jim’s eyes finally stopped flashing and began to focus on Larry’s face in front of him. His hands unclenched, and his whole body seemed to relax and calm. He closed his eyes, opened them again and sighed deeply.

  Larry turned to Syreeta. He was surprised to find she was hardly reacting at all. No horror in her expression. No revulsion. She seemed to be in an almost trance-like state, as if she were indifferent to what was going on. Larry shook her gently. Her eyes flickered, and her face seemed to come back to life.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s all so horrible. It’s like a terrible dream. I had the feeling something – something hideous – was trying to take over my mind, blinding me to what’s going on. It just doesn’t seem real.”

  Larry looked at her, baffled. “Come on, Syreeta, you’ve got to pull yourself together. We’re going to need your help.” Yet he could see Syreeta was still not her usual inquisitive self, still not quite switched back to reality.

  “It’s all too much, Larry,” she said. “It’s all too big. It’s no good, is it? There’s nothing here we’re going to be able to do to help anybody. We just have to let it be.”

  “That’s just what we’re bloody well not going to do,” said Larry, through gritted teeth. “Pinch yourself, Syreeta – wake yourself up.”

  He turned to Jim. “First things first – let’s get you two away from this place.”

  As the three of them looked towards the Ring again, the next victim was already being dragged towards the Moloch.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Larry said.

  They crouched and almost had to crawl back down the hill, until they were out of sight of the guards. Then they ran back to the van. Larry climbed into the passenger seat, slumped back and got his breath back.

  “What on earth happened to you both back there?” he said. “You seemed to get caught up in it all. You almost seemed to be enjoying it, Jim. And you, Syreeta, you just looked switched off – as if this sort of thing happens every day.”

  Jim looked uncomfortable. “I can’t explain it, and I feel very bad about it. I don’t like to admit this – but I seemed to feel in sympathy with the mob. I felt a sort of wave of hate against redhaired people. God knows where the feeling came from – I’ve honestly never felt that way before.”

  Syreeta looked embarrassed. “It was the same for me. I just didn’t feel any sympathy for all those people. I don’t know what it was, but I couldn’t shake it off until we got down the hill and right away from that place.”

  “What about right now? Do you get the situation now?” asked Larry. “Are you ready to help?”

  Jim seemed to make a massive effort to pull himself together. “Oh, my God,” he said. “We’ve just left them all up there. We have to stop it! Where can we get help? If anything happens to Rebecca… if that bastard Neferatu…”

  “We won’t get any help around here, that’s for sure. Anyway, we’d need an army to tackle that lot,” said Larry. “And there’s no time – we can’t even use the phone.”

  He thought for an instant. “Okay, let’s see what the compass is doing.”

  He laid it in the palm of his hand. The needle swung one way and then in the opposite direction, without settling.

  “It’s still fluctuating,” Jim said.

  “What’s going on?” asked Syreeta. “Would you mind explaining what’s happening?”

  “The earth has lost its magnetic field – it’s completely disappeared,” replied Jim. “And you know what that means? That means the solar radiation must be pouring in – and there’s nothing to stop it.”

  “That’s it!” cried Larry, his eyes suddenly glinting. “Of course! That must be where Neferatu’s power is coming from! Solar radiation! He’s somehow using it to do whatever he wants!” He banged the dashboard repeatedly with his fist. “There must be something we can do!”

  “If it is the solar radiation,” said Jim, “the only way to stop it would be to create another magnetic field – at least around here.”

  Then a look of determination spread over his face. “Do you know, Larry, I think I’ve got an idea.”

  CHAPTER 79

  Jim clicked open the glove box and fumbled inside. “Where’s the map? Where’s the map?” he demanded, scattering most of the contents.

  Larry calmly took the map out of the door pocket and passed it to him.

  Jim tore it open. “We need to find a stream.” He stabbed at the map. “Here, here. Just by Maeshowe.”

  “Why do we need a stream?” asked Syreeta.

  “To try and create and a magnetic field around it,” said Jim. “If we can pass enough electricity through the water, it should set up a magnetic field around the stream. You know – like passing electricity through a copper wire. I just hope it’ll be strong enough to cut down the solar radiation at Brodgar – and stop Neferatu.”

  Larry and Syreeta gave each other worried glances.

  “Electricity? Where do get electricity from?” said Syreeta.

  “The generators,” replied Jim. “We’ve got generators in the back of the van. Look – I know it’s a long shot, but we have to try it. There’s no alternative I can think of.”

  He started the van, sped away from the Ring and, three minutes later, skidded to a halt on a grass verge next to a small stream. It was largely overgrown with grass, but water tumbled through it.

  Jim jumped out of the van. “We need to get the generators out and link them up,” he shouted, opening up the back of the van.

  Larry helped him get the first generator out. “But surely the electricity will just earth into the ground?” he said.

  Jim climbed into the van to get the second generator.

  “Not if we can increase the conductivity of the water enough. If we can manage that, the electricity will run through the water rather than the soil.”

  “And how do we do that?” asked Syreeta, looking mystified.

  “We put salt in the water,” said Jim, pulling the next generator to the door of the van. “We’ve just passed a bin of road-salt further down the road. Can you two go and fill the van up? But before you go – I need help getting these last generators out.” Together the three of them lifted the remaining generators out and on to the grass.

  “We’ll need some shovels from somewhere,” said Larry.

  “I think I saw a gravedigger’s hut at the kirk, just by Maeshowe,” said Syreeta. “We could try there.”
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  “Good idea. We’ll see you in a minute, Jim,” said Larry, as he got into the driver’s seat.

  Now alone, Jim looked at the six generators for a moment, then hauled them together in a line, the last one next to the stream. After what seemed an eternity to him, the van swerved to a halt back at the stream, and Larry and Syreeta jumped out.

  “I was right,” said Syeeta. “We found a couple of spades in the hut.”

  “Then can you two start shovelling the stuff into the stream?” said Jim. “I just need to connect the generators together, then we’re ready.”

  Larry moved the van upstream from the generators and as close to the stream as he dared. Syreeta handed him a spade, and together they began shovelling the salt into the water.

  “I’m going to start the generators,” called over Jim. One by one, they roared into life. He carefully picked up the live wire attached to the generator nearest to the stream, slid down the bank and stuck it into the water. “Keep an eye on the compass,” he shouted.

  Larry stopped shovelling and checked the compass. “Nothing yet,” he called out.

  “Try more salt,” yelled back Jim.

  Larry dumped another large load of salt into the water, and leaned on his shovel to get his breath back. He checked the compass again and shook his head. “Still nothing, Jim.”

  “Let’s try something else,” said Jim, picking up a cable attached to the generator furthest from the stream. “Larry – take this and stick it in the water downstream. That should complete a circuit. Just don’t electrocute yourself!”

  “Hold this a minute, Syreeta,” said Larry, handing the compass to her, and he ran down to the last generator. He carefully picked up the cable, holding it well away from himself, and pushed it into the water.

  As Larry stood back, Syreeta studied the compass.

  CHAPTER 80

  Neferatu was wild-eyed as he continued to shout his commands. Not a single red-haired man now remained; every single one had been sacrificed. Dark smoke and steam billowed from the pit, the fire overwhelmed by so many bodies. Neferatu paused as he peered into the pit.

  “Keep the women until last. They can suffer. We’ll take a child now, a nice fat child to get the fire going again.”

  The guards picked a plump boy, aged about eight. In a frenzy of fear and panic, the child grappled wildly with his captors, kicking out and biting the hand of one guard, who yelped and momentarily let him go. In the confusion, the boy twisted round, freed himself and hurtled towards the edge of the Ring before the other guards could stop him.

  But he never made it out of the Ring. Inherkhau caught him by the arm, and half-carried him back, squirming, to the Moloch, to be dumped at the bottom of the ladder.

  For Rebecca, this was too much to bear. She ran to the boy and swiped Inherkhau’s face when he tried to stop her. The guard’s face contorted with rage. Grabbing the boy and wrapping her arms around him, Rebecca turned to face the rest of the oncoming guards.

  Neferatu was unfazed. “How convenient. I was coming to you next, anyway,” he said.

  Poking the two of them with their spears, the guards forced first the boy, and then Rebecca, up the ladder towards the platform.

  Neferatu looked up at them. “Ah yes, I’ve waited so long for this moment,” he gloated.

  Then Inherkhau clambered halfway up the ladder and jabbed his spear into Rebecca’s leg, forcing them both on to the platform.

  Rebecca screamed at him and stood defiantly, teetering at the edge of the platform, her arms once again around the terrified boy. Neferatu ordered Inherkhau to use his spear again and force them both into the middle.

  As she turned to face the mob beneath, the boy cowered behind her, clutching her legs and hiding his face in her shift so that he did not have to look down.

  Taut with sheer terror, Rebecca felt all the fight in her ebbing away. She looked around desperately, faintly hoping that someone might suddenly come to their rescue. But there was no one.

  The guards were now gathering in front of the pit and starting to relentlessly chant, raising their spears up and down in time to the drumming. The ear-piercing, tuneless screeching from the horns was deafening.

  Uncontrollably, her mind started to race backwards. How had she had got into this mess? Why did she have to get involved? Neferatu had already tried to kill her twice before – so why hadn’t she tried to protect herself? Was this it? She didn’t want to die – she longed to live the life she would never have. She felt powerless, as if her life had been taken over and driven by strange events and emotions outside her control.

  Then she looked down and saw Neferatu standing there, a sneering, scornful smile on his face, relishing his moment of triumph.

  A flood of pure contempt surged through her. Who was he to treat her in this way, with her royal blood, the blood of Cleopatra running through her veins?

  She no longer wished to look at him. A sense of exultation took over from her contempt. Lifting her chin, she gazed defiantly and imperiously over the waters of the loch and into the distance.

  CHAPTER 81

  Larry went over to Syreeta and eyed the compass in her hand. “It’s just floundering, Jim,” he called out. “Is there anything else we can do?”

  But Jim didn’t respond. He was staring into the distance at the Odin Stone. Larry and Syreeta turned together to follow Jim’s gaze and stood dumbstruck, rooted to the ground. The Stone was starting to glow a delicate blue colour.

  At first, Jim thought he was imagining it, but then the blue light started pulsating. After a few seconds, it grew strong enough to bathe the whole area around the Stones in blue light.

  It was Larry who broke the silence. “My God, the stream must be running under the Stone. The electricity has energised it, somehow.”

  “It could be the silicon in the rock making it act like a light-emitting diode,” said Jim. “The electricity must be dissociating the silicon from the silica – the quartz crystals.”

  “If you say so,” said Larry.

  As they watched, the Stone grew steadily brighter and brighter, and the pulsating increased.

  CHAPTER 82

  Behind Rebecca, the boy buried his head deeper into her shift, and she held his hands tightly as they stood on the scorching platform. The heat was starting to penetrate her thin slippers, and she shifted from foot to foot.

  Below them, Neferatu turned to face the sun, stretched out his arms and closed his eyes. The noise of the drumming and ancient instruments became ear-splitting. He took in breath, ready to make the command that would complete his task.

  Then, suddenly, the noise faded. A horn squeaked, and there was silence. Neferatu opened his eyes. Everybody was looking in the same direction, towards the Odin Stone.

  The pulsating light became more and more dazzling, until it grew into a huge sphere of brilliance, turning into what seemed like a gigantic light bulb. The light was so strong that new dark shadows formed behind the other four Stones, obliterating the long shadows caused by the sun.

  As the throbbing light rose higher and higher into the sky, Neferatu’s outstretched arms dropped to his sides and he, too, watched, transfixed, with the others.

  The ball of light now seemed to become alive. While everybody watched, darker areas formed inside it, only to dissolve away and reappear in other parts of the ball. The darker areas formed indistinct shapes, which momentarily became solid. Then the shape of, what looked like, a leg formed, only to become a bone which changed into a pumping heart. Blood vessels formed like spaghetti, a staring eyeball floated around for a second and became a set of teeth. It was as if the components of a body were being created haphazardly, without any relationship to each other. Slowly, the various body parts fell into place and appeared to solidify, eventually forming the shape of an animal.

  The head was the first part to be recognisable. It had a long, curved, pointed snout, and the ears stood upwards, with little tufts at the ends. The eyes were slanted in the Egyptian style
and glowed like red neon lights. Behind the ears, its lank red hair hung back over the shoulders. Next, the trunk, arms and legs became distinguishable; but it stood upright and was attired in a white loincloth. The skin was a murky white and covered with orange-coloured down. The last thing to form was the fork-ended tail, jutting from beneath the loincloth and thrashing about in the air, like a serpent with a life of its own.

  The grotesque apparition began to look around and take in the scene. It then turned its giant form to face the Ring of Brodgar.

  At the sight of the monstrous figure, Neferatu’s expression changed completely. His face darkened, and he shook with a mixture of abject fear and pure hate. “Damn you, Seth!” he cried.

  As if in response, the god opened its gigantic mouth and roared. A blast of wind swept over Brodgar, rocking the stones in their foundations.

  At this, Neferatu fell to his knees and raised his head to the sun. “Horus! Horus! Where are you? Where are you?” he pleaded.

  Immediately, a black dot appeared in the centre of the sun. It grew rapidly in size, taking shape as it did so. Within seconds, as if projected down by the sun, a dark cloud of ever-changing shadows enveloped the Ring of Brodgar. The shadows grew in intensity, taking the form of a colossal human body, standing with its feet on either side of the Ring. But its head was that of a falcon. It was Horus, god of the sun, and it stared with contempt at the Seth animal.

  Seth put his head back and roared again into the sky. High above Stenness, large black rain clouds formed and swept across the heavens, blocking out the sun. Lightning flashed across the darkening sky. The rain fell as a few light drops at first. Then it seemed as if celestial floodgates had opened, and the rain cascaded down.

  Neferatu looked around forlornly. His followers had fallen silent, water dripping from their bodies, their hair plastered to their heads. Rebecca and the boy stood drenched on the platform, the Moloch cooling rapidly. Below them, the embers in the pit hissed and turned black. Clouds of steam billowed up around the two lonely figures.