Genuflect

by Tracy R Twyman

  Icouldn’tseewhereitwasleadinguntilRosenberggottothetopanddrewhis harpe.Hethenusedittoflipopenahatchdoorabovehim.Torchlightand

  someominouspianomusicpouredthroughtheopening.Heholsteredtheblade andclimbedup.

  Rosenbergputhistorchthroughtheopeningfirst.Someoneaboveplayeda triumphantseriesofnotesonatrumpet.Thenawhiteglovedhandcamedown fromtheotherside.Rosenberggrabbeditwithhisfreehandandallowedhimself tobehelpedup.Afewsecondslaterweheardhimbellowingloudly.

  “HailtotheLions!”

  Thencameareplyfromachorusofvoicesabove.

  “Hail,Father!”

  Weallwentupthroughthehatchaswell,exceptforMilesandPhilippine.

  Milesgrabbedthegirlbythearmandnudgedherwithhisgunbackdownthe stairs.Thenhemotionedformetosqueezepasthim.WhenIemerged,Isawthat wewereinthe mithraeum.Milesshutthedoorbehindme.

  Wehadcomeoutofaholeinthefloorinthesoutheastcorneroftheroom,near thealtar,whichwasarecreationofanoriginalfeature,asIrememberedfrom readingtheplaquesondisplayearlierthatday.Itwascoveredbyaboxonthe floor,madeofstoneandaboutafoothigh.Thearcheologistswhofoundit thoughtthatitmusthavecontainedritualparaphernaliaofsomesort.Butnow theboxactedasaportaltoalowerchamber,withadoorthatcouldbepushed openfrombelow.Milescameupfrombehindmeandshutthedooraswellas theboxlidassoonashewasthrough.

  Isawbeforemeasmallcrowdofabout40people,someadults,somechildren, andallmaleasfarasIcouldtell.Theyallworeblackrobeslikeus,andmasks likethosewornbyseveralofRosenberg’sfriends.Thereweremeninlion masks,meninravenmasks,meninRomansoldierhelmets,andyoungboys agedseventotwelvewearinglinenveilslikeCrispin.Eachofthesetypeswere linedupinarowtogether.

  Theonesinthelionmaskswereusinglargecensersonchainstowaftuswith incenseasweeachemergedfromthebox.Theveiledboyswereallagainstthe wallontheleft,makingmusic.Onesatatapianointhecorner,playingthe

  sombertune,rightnexttotheboyholdingthetrumpet.Againsttheoppositewall wereboyssingingdolorouslyinLatin.

  ButonlyRosenbergworethelibertycap,Wetzelhadtheonlysunmask,and onlyConsiviaworethechampagnecorkhatwiththeclownmake‐up.Also, nobodyelseworethelaceyblackveilthatPhilippinehadbeenwearing.

  However,there were severalpeopleinthecongregationwhowerewearingblack veils,justnotoflace.Theseothersweremadeofleatherwitheyeslitscutout, justliketheoneIhadseenonthepeoplewhoslaughteredthebullbeneath StratfordHouse.Buttherewasonechange:someoftheleatherveilswere markedwithawhitewaxingcrescentmoonsymbolinfrontofthemouth.Others weremarkedwithablackwaningmoonsymboloutlinedinwhite.

  ThesemustbeLeopold’sButchers,Ithought. Iwonderwhytherearetwo differentkinds.

  EachofRosenberg’sfriendstooktheirplaceinfrontoftheircorresponding groupsofcongregants.LeopoldstoodbeforetheLions,andMarciatheSoldiers.

  Wetzelstoodinthemiddle,in‐betweentheSoldiersandtheLions.Oneofthe SoldiersgrabbedmyarmandpositionedmeinfrontoftheRavens.

  ConsiviaSpringholewenttostandbehindthestonealtar,andRosenbergstoodto theleftofit.Itwasnottheoriginalshortandnarrowaltarthathadbeen displayedinthe mithraeumearlier.Itwasamuchlargeroneofroughlyhewn stone,thewidthofaman’slengthwhenhorizontal,andIrecognizeditfrom Wikipedia.Itwastheonefromthechurchnextdoor,St.StephenWalbrook, famouslymadetoresembletheoneintheDomeoftheRockinJerusalem.The latterwas,bytradition,theplacewhereAbrahamalmostsacrificedhisson.It wasalsosaidbyJewstobethe“EvenHa‐Shitiyah,”the“foundationstone”of theuniverse,fromwhichcreationradiatedoutwardathebeginningoftime.

  Behindthealtarandthepriestesswasablackcurtain,attachedtoacurtainrod thatraninacirclethroughouttheroom.Ihadn’trememberedseeingthatlast timeIwasinthere,sotheymusthavesetitupjustbeforetheritual.Allofthe informationalplaquesandotherdisplayitemsI’dseenearlierhadbeenremoved.

  ConsiviabeganwavingherarmsaboutandchantinginLatin,makingan invocationofsomesort.OneoftheRavenspulledthecurtainaside,revealing

  the

  ancientstone taurtoctony,nowtheonlypieceofartondisplayfromtheoriginal mithraeum,mountedonthewallbehindthealtar,justasinthedaysofold.

  Consiviaturnedandfacedmedirectly.

  “Cryphius,haveyouanydispatchfromtheMountoftheGods?”

  Thiswasatest,Iknew.Again,theywantedmetoprovemypsychicabilities.I triedtoclearmymindsothatIcouldhearthatsamestrangevoicethathadtold meaboutthewardroberoom.

  Tellmewhattosay,Iaskedmentally.

  Tomyrelief,areplycamequickly. BringforththeBulloftheWorld.Giveits bloodandseedtotheVirginmyQueen.

  Irepeatedtheselinestothepriestess,andthensherepeatedpartofitaswell.She shoutedtothebackoftheroom.

  “BringforththeBullandtheQueenofHeaven!”

  Atthatmoment,oneofthetwodoorsactingasthemainentrancetothe mithraeum swungopen.Amanwithawaningmoonveilledablackbullona ropethroughthedooranddownthewheelchair‐accessiblerampintothetemple.

  Thebullwasdrapedwithlaurelcrownandaredtasseledscarfonitsback.On topofthisPhilippinerodeside‐saddle,herveiledheadslumpedinfrontofher.

  Whentheygottothealtar,twowaning‐moonButchersgrabbedthegirlandslid herdownfromthebull.Allthreethenwenttostandwiththerestofthe Butchers.AnothertookthereignsfromMiles,whowalkedbacktothefront doors,nowclosed,andstoodbeforethem,facingthealtarwhileholdinghisgun outinfrontofhimasbefore.ARavencameandstoodnearthealtar,holdinga modiusfullofgrain.ThenConsiviaspoketomeagain.

  “Now,Cryphius,comestandbeforethealtar.”

  Ihesitantlysteppedforward,trembling.ALionbroughtforthoneofthecensers, nowburneddowntonothingbutsmolderingcharcoal.Shestuckherfingerinthe

  ashesanddrewacirclebetweenmyeyes.Thensheputadotinthemiddle.

  “Nowwithyourmind’seyedoyouseewhatisinstoreforyourownnear future?”sheasked.

  Again,Icouldn’t seeanything,butIheardananswerfromtherobotvoice,with averydisturbingmessage.

  Thisisgoingtohurtalot,itsaid.

  “Ohshit,”Isaidasthefloorbeneathmyfeetgaveway.Ifellthroughthetrap doorandintoastonepit,landinghardonbothlegs,whichbothsnappedon impact.Iscreamedasmybodycrumpledbeneathme.Bonesstuckoutofboth ankles.Bloodpouredout.Imoanedandcriedpathetically.Ishookand convulseduncontrollably,goingintophysicalshock.

  “Wh‐wh‐whatareyougoingtodotome?”IwasstutteringbecauseIwas hyperventilating.

  ButofcourseIknewwhatwascoming.Moreorless.Thepitwasaboutsixfeet deep.Itwasroundandsmall,barelybigenoughtositin,exceptthatinfrontof metherewasahallwaythewidthofaman,whichIcouldnotseetheendof.I couldhearwellwhatwasgoingonaboveme.Asmysobsgrewquieter,Consivia beganintoninganincantationaboveme

  “SpiritoftheWorld,comeintothebodyofthishornedcreature.Acceptthe grainoffering!Eat!”

  Iheardthebull’shoovesscrapingagainstthestonefloor.Ihearditsnortasit mostlikelybegantoeatthegrain,probablyoffereduponthealtarinthestyleof theGreek Bouphoniaritual.Thatmeantthe“hunters”wouldnowbesneakingup behindit.AndifRosenbergwasplayingtheroleofMithrasinthissyncretistic ritualwhichtheyhaddevised,thenitwasprobablyhislancethatwoulddothe slaying.Iheardthebulllowing,whilemenwereshoutingandgrunting.ThenI heardthevoiceinmyheadagain:

  Closeyour
eyes.

  Iobeyedtheorderasthebull’sbloodcamepouringdownuponme.Itwasa kosherslaughter,soittookafewminutesfortheanimaltobleedout,during

  whichtimeIcontinuedtoheargrunting.Thiswasfollowedbyaloudgaspof exaltationjustastheflowofbloodwasslowingtoahalt.Thistoldmethatthe traditionofsodomizingthebullwhileitdiedwasbeingcarriedoutbysomeone inthegroup.

  NowIdon’tknowwhatwastheworstpart:thesoundsthepoorcreaturemadeas itdied,thefeelingofthedisgustingoozedrippingonmyface,orthehorrible stench.ThoughtsofMadCowDiseaseandintestinalparasitescametomind.But noneofitdistractedfromthepaininmylegsformorethanafewseconds.I wipedthebloodfrommyeyeswiththesleeveofmyrobe.ThenIlookedupand sawConsiviastaringdownatmefromabove.

  “Nowyouhavebeenbaptizedwithablood niptron.Youshouldbeabletosee moreclearly.”

  Quitetheopposite.Notonlywastherestillsomebloodstuckinmyeyelids, cloudingmyvision,butmyeyes,alreadyswollenfromcrying,werealsostarting toitchandstinginreactiontothebacteriaintherawblood.

  ButIwasn’ttheonlyonecrying.Philippine,whoseonlyknownpersonalitytrait washerloveofanimals,wasbecominghysterical.Shewasundertheinfluence ofthepoisonedbirdfromdinner,butshewasstillherself,andshewasbeing severelytraumatizedbythesightofthis(although,Isuspected,notatallforthe firsttime).However,shewouldnotremainherselfformuchlonger.

  Consiviabegananotherinvocation,evenastheknivesoftheButcherscouldbe heardrippingintothebull’sflesh.

  “VirginMother,QueenoftheNight,comehitherintothevesselofthisfemale bodythatstandsbeforethisaltar.Comeforthandacceptthebollocksofthis bullock,theWorld.Takeintoyourmouththesacredgermofsecularliving.

  Feast!”

  Theroomabovemesuddenlybecameilluminatedwithanewlight.Itwasnot torchlight,butasoftblueglow,likenaturalmoonlight.Ittraveledfromthe southwestsideofthetempletothealtar,floatingovertheapertureaboveme alongtheway.Isay“floating”becausewhenIfinallygotalookatit,Isawthat ittooktheformofasphere.Whenitpassedovermeandontothealtar,Iheard

  Philippinegasp.

  Ithenheardyowling,likethatofacat,andthehissingofalizardorasnake.

  Thiswasfollowingbygurgling,ravenouschewingandswallowing.Thegoreof thebull’sseveredtesticleswasundoubtedlybeingpouredintohermouth.

  Iheardmorerippingoffleshwithknives,andthecrackingopenofbones.

  Thentherewasarattleofchains,andmuffledscreamsfromthegirl,sounding humanagain.Afterthat,therewasamomentofsilence,justlongenoughforme tohearthefaintsoundofaninsectstridulating.Ilookeddirectlyinfrontofme.

  Therewasascorpion,blond‐coloredandaboutandinchandahalflong, standingabouttwofeetfrommydisfiguredlegswithitspincherprone.

  Itriedtoscootbackawayfromitusingmyhands.ButIwasalreadyprettymuch upagainstthewall.Itstartedrunningtowardsme,andIclosedmyeyes.

  ThenIheardafootstep,andacrunch.Iopenedmyeyesandsawoneofthe Lionsstandinginfrontofme,holdinganironringfullofskeletonkeysina disfiguredoldwhitehand.Hehadstompedthescorpionbeneathhislightbrown leathercaptoeOxfordshoe.

  “Leopold?”Isaid,justastheonerousmusicstartedupagaininthetempleabove me.

  Helookedupwardsthroughthetrapdoor,atnothing,thenlifteduphismask briefly,revealingtheexpectedfamiliarfaceofthedeviousoldconman.He winkedatme,thenputthemaskbackdown.Hekneltdownbesidemeand pulledoutasyringe.Iscreamed.

  “No!”IturnedawayfromhimasfarasIcould,andtriedtowrenchmyarm awayfromhimashegrabbedit.Heheldtight.Hewhisperedinmyear.

  “Bequietandstopstruggling.I’mtryingtohelpyou.Nowbestill.Idon’twant tohurtyou.”

  “I’malreadyinagony!”Isnapped.

  “That’swhyI’mgivingyoumorphine,”herepliedthroughclenchedteeth.

  Mystrugglesubsided.WithinsecondsIcouldfeelthattheinjectiondidindeed containopiates,amelioratingmysuffering.Iacceptedit.

  Maybethey’llchopmeupandeatmebitbybitwhileI’mstillalive,Ithoughtto myself. Atleastwiththedrugsitwon’thurtasmuch.

  Islumpedbackandallowedmyselftobedraggedwithoutstruggleseveralfeet downthedarkhallway.ThenLeopoldpickedmeupandheavedmeintoachair.

  Itwasawheelchair.

  Heblindfoldedmeagain.Ifeltthechairdraggedbackwardssomedistance.

  Thenheturnedthecorner,andwasabletoturnthechairaroundsothathewas pushingitforward.Ifeltusgoinguparamp,turningandturning,forseveral minutes.

  Thenwestraightenedoutagain,wentacrossahallway,andstoppedinfrontofa door.Leopoldtappedonitninetimes—sixshortonesandthreelongones.The dooropenedandIsmelledtheincense.TheGothicorganmusicplayedandthe boyschantedinLatinaswerodedownthewheelchairrampofthe mithraeum’s properentrance.Atthebottom,heremovedmyblindfold.Themusicstopped.

  Consiviaaddressedme.

  “Cryphius,youhavebeenhobbledtopreventyoufromrunningaway.Foryou areaslavetous.Youwillnowbesetforthbeforeyourmaster,towhomyou shallgenuflectinobeisance.”

  “HowamIsupposedtogetdownonmykneeswhenIcan’tevenstand?”Isaid, quivering.

  ButevenasIspoke,Ravenswereliftingmeupandplacingmeonmyknees.

  Ihadtofallforwardonmyhandsandholdmybrokenlegsupbehindmewith greatefforttokeepthemfrombearingweightagainsttheground.

  “Thatjustmakesiteasiertofallonyourface,”saidRosenberg,behindhismask ofMithras.Henowstoodinfrontofme,andinfrontofthealtar,nowdisplaying theevisceratedcarcassofthesacrificedbullsplitdownthemiddleandcracked

  open.Despitetheincense,whichitselfwasanunpleasantsmell,theroomwas stillfullofthemostgod‐awfulstenchfromthedeadanimal.Rosenbergstated hisdemand.

  “Doyoupromisetoservemewithoutreservationhenceforth,todoeverythingI ask,tosubmittoeveryhumiliation,whilealsoofferingmeyourbest effortsonthetasksIsetforyou,givingmetrueandcompleteinformationon everyquestionIlaybeforeyou,andacceptingapriceworsethandeathifyou failinthis?”

  “Yes,”Isaidinacrackedvoicefullofdesperation.

  Howisthisabargain?Ihavenochoicesandnothingtonegotiatewith! I thoughttomyself.

  Rosenbergthensteppedasidefromthealtar,andtwotorch‐bearingLions steppedouttoshinetheirfierylightsaheadofmesothatIcouldseewhatwas onthegroundinfrontofit.Therewasabloodypileofmeat,specificallyastring ofintestines,nowjustafootawayfrommyface.ThenRosenbergspokeagain.

  “Herearetheentrailsofthesacrifice,sittingintheexactstateinwhichtheyfell fromthevictim’sbody.Withinthebowelsofthisbeastyoushouldbeabletosee thelocationofthekeystoneweareseeking.Canyouseeit?”

  TheRavensraisedmeupacoupleofinches.Ilookedattheguts.Icouldn’thelp butnoticethatthemannerinwhichtheywerearrangedresembledthetrefoil spiralstaircaseofthebuildingwewerein.Andrightinthecenterofthepile,at theendofthehose,therewassomethingredandshinylikearuby,itsbright glowvisiblethroughtheslime‐coveredflesh.Iswearitlookedlikethe Supermanlogo.

  “YesIcanseeit,”Isaid.“Canyou?”

  Helookeddownatthepileofintestines.Hewassilentforawhile,breathing heavilybehindhismask.Thenheatlasthelookedatmeandspoke.

  “That’swhatIhaveyoufor.Canyourememberexactlywhatyouseehere?

  We’llneedtousethisinformationlateronintherites.”

  “WellIdon’thaveaphotographicmemory,ifthat�
�swhatyou’reasking,”Isaid.

  “Whydon’tyoutakeapicture?”

  Hesaidnothingforamoment.

  “Yousaidyouwantedaccuracy.I’minpainandonmorphine.You’dbesttakea picture.There’sacellphoneinthepocketofmyjacketunderneathmyrobe.It mightstillhavesomejuiceleft.”

  Rosenberglaughedatthat.

  “I’lldoitmyself,”hesaid.“Butthankyouforremindingmeaboutyourphone.”

  Hereachedintohispockedandtookouthisownphone,thentappedthesideto openthecamerafunction.Heframeduptheshotandactivatedtheflash.

  Inthedarkcave,thesuddenburstoflightwasblinding.

  “Ravens,removethelady’sphonefromherjacket,please,andopenupthephoto gallery”hesaidtothemenholdingme.

  TheRavenonmyrighthikedupmyrobe,andfumbledinmyjacketpocketfor thephone,unnecessarilysqueezingmyrightbreastintheprocess.

  “Stopit,youpig!”Iobjected.Rosenbergchuckled.Sothendidseveralothers.

  “MissAuger,genuflectionisultimatelyasignofsexualsubmissionmadeintoa societalcustom.It’sanevolutionaryvestigeofourwildbestialancestors.

  Theanimalsdoitwhenevertheyloseafight,orwhenevertheydon’tevendare tofight.Itwasfirstpracticedbyhumantribesconqueredinwar,toobtainmercy fromthevictors.Thenitwasmadeageneralsignof“respect”fromslavesto theirowners.WhydoyouthinkMuslimsputtheirassesintheairwhenthey submittoAllah?”

  TheRavenwiththephonehelditoutinfrontofmewhilehispartnernowtook controlofbothofmylegs.

  “What’stheswipecode?”theRavenwiththephoneasked.

  “It’sthesignofJupiter,”Ianswered.

  “Huh?”hesaid.

  “It’slikeanumber4,”Isaid.

  Hetookoffhiswhitegloveandtriedtodrawa4withhisfingeronthecoverof thephone.Itdidn’twork.Sohetookoffhismaskandsquintedatthephonein thetorchlight.IsawthatitwasDrexella’spimple‐faced,greasy‐hairedson, Dennis.

  Iputallofmyweightonmylefthandandreachedouttodrawtheswipecode onmyphonewithmyrighthand.Igotinatonceandthenhastilyputmyright handdownagainsothatIwouldn’tfallforward.Evenwiththemorphine,the musclestrainfromhangingthereandthepainfromtheinjurywasunbearable.