Aboutaminutelater,ashockwaveshooktheroom,liketheoneIhad experiencedduringdinneratNewCourt,butlouder,withasimilarwaterphone-likesoundreverberatingthroughtheair.Aclearglasscontainer,shaped somewhatlikeaKool‐Aidpitcher,fellofftheshelftowardsmylap.Icaughtit withmyhandsbeforeitlanded.Itwasfilledwithatranslucentpinkishliquid andlabeled LiquorAmnii PROTEANS.Atthebottomofthevesselwasadead humanfetus,aboutaninchinlength,likeaworminabottleoftequila.I shudderedatthesightofitsbeadyeyes.ThenIheardathunderouscrashfrom theflooraboveus.
Ilookedup.TherewasthebodyofBaronCarrickfergus,smashedagainstthe bottomoftheVortex.Icouldn’ttellifthislastblowhadbeentheonetofinally extinguishhislife.Asbefore,theeyeswerestillfrozenopen.
Iturnedaroundagain,towardsthepit,andsurveyedthescenearoundme.
ParisandChesterfieldwerestillpraying.Rosenbergwasslumpedoveronhis
knees,perhapsdead.AsforLeopoldandthetrinacriainthepit,theirpresent statuswasunknowntome.ButthenIheardLeopold’svoicecomingfromthe pit.
“Youshouldlookforthebottlemarked LiquorAmnii +PROTEANS ontheshelf, Pamela.”
Yes,hesaid‘PROTEANS,’Ithoughttomyself. Soitwasn’tjustamisspelling of
‘proteins.’
Youcanuseittoputyourfeetbackonyourlegs.”
Iimmediatelylookedinhisdirection.
“How?”Iasked.“Ihaveitrighthere.”
“Comeonoverhere.I’llhelpyou,”hesaid.
Iwheeledovertothepitthroughthesludgeonthefloor,pasttheunconscious bodyofRosenbergandthekneelingfiguresofthetwoMI5agents,who remainedoblivioustoallelsebuttheirmantras.AsIapproached,Leopoldstood upfromwithinthepit,sothathewasnowvisiblefromaboutthewaistup.
Hehadtiedhishoodaroundhisleakingneck.Hisfancysuitwascoveredin revoltingfilth,thestenchofwhichIbarelynoticedanymore.Heheldoutbothof hismangledhandsinacuppedposition.
“Givemethefeetandunwrapyourstumps,”heinstructed.ButIdidn’ttrusthim.
Hewastheonewhohadcutthemoffinthefirstplace.Ijustsatthereandstared athimseverely.
“Look,you’regoingtoneedmyhelp.Youneedtoregeneratethebrokenbone thatwasremoved.Nodoctorcandothatforyou.”
Ilookedatthefeetinmylap.ThenIunwrappedmystumps,whichwerehurting again,asthemorphinehadwornoff.Also,Ihadfeltthe“phantomlimb”
sensationseveraltimesalready,butnowmyankleswerecryingoutforthefeet likealoverseparatedfromherbeloved.Thewoundswerelookinggangrenous andinfected.
“Handoverthefeet,thenpourtheelixironwhenIgiveyouthesignal,”
Leopoldsaid.
Reluctantly,Igavethemup.Heplacedbothfeetontothestumps.Icouldfeelthe fleshontheendofmyankleseagerlyembracingthecontactwiththeestranged limbs.Buthewasright.Aportionaroundthebreakpointhadbeen removed.Thetwoendsdidn’texactlymatchupanymore,andevenifmybody acceptedthemas‐is,I’dnowbeshorterthanIwasbefore.Still,itwasbetterthan nofeetatall.Iwaitedtoseewhatwouldhappen.Leopoldseemedtoliftupon onesideofhisbody,likehehadjustputhisfootontopofsomething.Thenhe closedhiseyesasifstrainingforsomething.Hegavethesignal.
“Pour!”heshouted.
Ipouredthe“elixir”liberallyontheendsofeachpiece.AssoonasIhaddone so,IfeltanelectriccurrentrunfromLeopold’sbodythroughthefeetandinto mylegs.Itrivetedhiminplace,butdidnotseemtobeharminghim.Hejust lookeddirectlyintomyeyesintenselyforthenextfewsecondswithoutmoving.
ImmediatelyIfeltthefeetbeginningtoadheretomyankles.Iwitnessedthe miracleofnewfleshforming,justasithadwhenthecreaturethathadborrowed myfeetreformeditselfintoatrinacria.Asitcoagulated,themeatgelledintoa spongeysubstancebeforesolidifying.Duringthesefewsecondsofplasticity, Leopoldslowlyandexpertlypulledmyfeetdownaninch,sothatthemissing segmentwasreformed,goodasnew,including,somehow,theboneandmarrow within.
“Astounding,”Isaid,involuntarily,withmymouthwideopeninamazement.
Withinafewmoments,theelectricitystopped.Leopoldletgo,andthefeet stayedinplace,continuingtomeldwiththeleg.Afewsecondsafterthat,I foundthatIcouldfeelthemagain.Thesensationspreadfrommyanklesdownto mytoesasmynervescamealiveoncemore.Iflexedmytoesgleefully.
Alltheselittlepiggieswenttomarket,Ithought. Andnowthey’reallhome.
Weeweewee!
Andnotamomenttoosoon.Leopoldhadnowclimbedoutofthepit,whichI foundthreatening.Iinstinctivelyjumpedonmynewly‐recoveredfeettorun away.ButwhenItriedtotakeastep,theybuckledunderme.Ifoundmyselfon mykneesbetweenParisandChesterfield,positionedthesamewaytheywere.
Iwretchedatthesmellofthegookthatwaspoolinguparoundmylegs.
Leopoldwalkedovertoapanelofswitchesonthewallandflippedone.
Somethinghappenedinsidethepit.Thecreaturescreamed,buthisscreamtrailed off.Hewasfallingdown,alongwitheverythingelsethathadbeenpoolingupin therecess.Thebottommusthavebeenatrapdoor.AndLeopoldhadopenedit!I heardasplashaseverythinghitwaterinthedepthsbelow.
TheWalbrook,Ithought. HejustthrewthetrinacriaintotheWalbrook.
Thenthegroundbeneathusbegantoquake,andalargecrackformedinthe flooroftheroom.IdecidedthatbeggingGodformercy,whomeverheorshe mightbe,wasaprudentthingtodoatthatpoint.Ikneltandbowedmyhead,but notsofaroverthatIcouldn’tkeepaneyeonwhatwashappening.
Kyrie,eléison,Kyrie,eléison,Kyrie,eléison…Idroned.AssoonasIstarted, Paris,withoutlookingup,switchedfromArabictoGreek,andjoinedus.The soundofourchantingvibratedstrangelythroughtheair,asthoughwewere speakingdirectlyintothewhirringbladesofafan.Abreezeseemedtobe blowingdowntherampfromthefloorsabove.
Thentherewasanotherrumble,louderthantheothers.Theceilingandwalls wereallcrackingnow.TheVortexanditscontentscamecrashingdownthrough theceilingtothefloorbehindus.Weweredustedbythis,butbecausewehad ourheadspointeddown,wemanagedtoavoidbeinghitinthefacebyshardsof glass,andeverythingseemedtomagicallybounceoffourbacks.
ThebodyofBaronCarrickfergusfelldownintothepitandhittheunderground riverbelow.Thefragrantfluidsandbrokenglassspreadmorebroadly, contributingseveralmoreinchestotheoverallfloodingoftheroom.Butluckily forus,thefluidswerefallingintopitandothercracksinthefloornow.This meantthatitwasdrainingawayfromourparticularposition.
Leopoldthenchosetocomeoverandkneelinthemiddleofourtrianglewithus.
Thereheutteredhisownprayer.
“MotherRock,havemercy.Standfirmbeneathus,weimploreyou,”hesaid.
“Deliverusfromthemire.”Strangely,whileaddressingapagangoddess,he quoted Psalm69:14.Thenhewenton,mumblinginwhatsoundedlike…
Gaelic?
Elvish?I’mnotsure.
Now“motherrock”isanotherwayofsaying“motherlode,”andsimplyrefersto themainveinamonganycollectionofundergroundoredeposits.ButIampretty surehewasprayingtotheMagnaMater,theRockCybele.YetIsupposeitcould betakeneitherway,consideringwhatwassubsequentlyrevealedbeneaththe groundonwhichwewerekneeling.
Thenallatonce,therewasasharpjoltfrombelow,andthegroundallaroundus collapsed.Everythingwasgoneexceptforasmallcircle,abouteightfeetin circumference,aroundwherewehappenedtobekneeling.ButIdidn’thavetime toappreciatethemiracleofbeingsochosenforpreservation,becausetheceiling camedownontopofus.
Yethereagain,mostofitseemedtosomehowj
ustfallawayfromus,intothe immeasurableabysssurroundingus.Notallofit,however.ThelastthingI rememberbeforeIlostconsciousness,justbeforeapieceofmasonryhitmein thehead,wasseeingthreelargeyellowcirclesdirectlyabovemeinthelightblue morningsky,arrangedintriangularformation.Inaninstanttheycoalescedinto oneyelloworb,whichimmediatelystartedbleedingandfelloutofthesky.This leftacircleintheskywhereithadbeen,appearingasanindigofieldstudded withwhitestars,whichthenimmediatelyopenedlikeawindow,revealinga hugeeyethatstaredbackatme.Itblinked,andIblackedout.
Chapter25:Albion’sAeon
Thelightofthisstarsurpassedthatofalltheothers;itsbrilliancewasineffable anditsnoveltywassuchthatallthosewholookedatitwerestruckwith astonishment.
Thesun,moonandthestarsformedachoirroundthisstar.
–St.Ignatius, EpistletotheEphesiansOkaynessisnotonlyaconceptthatis relativetothesituation,butonewhich,quiteoften,wheninvoked,teeters dangerouslyonthevergeofbeingmeaningless,threateningtorenderimpotent thedramaticimportofanythingwhichprecededit.Therefore,whenLeopold Black/ThomasWeir,havingpulledastoneawayfromtherubblethatburiedme, asked,withadisfiguredhandextended,ifIwas“OK,”Ididnothavean immediateresponse.
Iopenedmyeyes,butastheybegantoadjusttothelightandtofocuson Leopold’sface,Irememberedonceagainhowhehadtrickedmegetting involvedinthisnightmare.Itriedtomovemyfeettopushoffwhateverwas weighingonthem,cuttingoffthecirculation.ThenIrecalledthattheman standingovermehadactuallysawedthemoffthepreviousnight.SoIdecided justtoclosemyeyesagain,thinkingthatmyfeetwerestillgone.
Itwasn’tuntilIheardParisandChesterfield’svoicesamidstacacophonyof sirensandcaralarmsalsothatIopenedmyeyesagain.Thenitcamebacktome: howmyfeethadbeenrestored,andhowthesmallpieceoflandwestoodonhad somehowbeensparedfromwhatseemedatthetimelikeboththecollapseofthe earthandthecollapseofthesky.Parisliftedapieceofthedigitalceiling,with itshexagonallightgrid,upoffofmyankles.Myfeetwerereallythere!What’s more,Icouldmovethem!Itwaspainfulandthemuscleswerestiff,buttheydid respondtomymentalcommands.Isatup.
ThenIheardthepieceofceilingthatParishadjustthrownoverhisshoulderhit bottom,afteranextendeddelayandwithasplash.
Asplash? Ithought. Why?Andhowfardowndiditfall?
Atfirstmyeyesfocusedonthethreemendirectlybeforeme,whowereall staringbackatmewithconcern.Theyalllookedworseforthewear,dirtyand badlybeaten,butsurprisinglyunfazedconsideringthecircumstances,especially thewoundsIrecalledthemhavingontheirnecks,underneaththehoodsthat werestilltiedaroundtheirnecksastourniquets.
Butthenmyeyesadjustedtotakeinthesurroundinglandscape.Afewfeet behindthementhatstoodinfrontofme,theearthdroppedoffintoanabyss,all thewayaround.WithhelpfromChesterfield,Istooduptogetthefullpanoramic view.Itriedtogetclosertotheedgeofourislandofsafety,buttheothers
insistedI“shouldn’tlookstraightdownrightnow,”becauseitwasscary.They alsosaiditwouldbedangerous,sinceitwasstillquitedifficultformetostand withoutusingChesterfieldasacrutch.SoIlookedaroundus,whichwas shockingenough.
Weweresurroundedbyavastchasmintheground,which,fromthesoundofit, wasatleastpartiallyfilledwithwaternowandquicklybecomingfuller.The entiresitehadvanished—thewholeofBucklersbury,andeverythingaroundit, fromQueenStreettoLothburytoGracechurch,allthewaydowntothebanksof theThames,inaperfectcircle.RosenbergPlaza,theWalbrookBuilding,St.
Stephen’s,NewCourt,theBankofEngland,theBullionAssociation,Mansion House…theywereallgone.
Iturnedtothesouthandsawtheriverunobstructedinfrontofme,witha waterfallpouringdownfromitintothedepthsbeneath.Thereitjoinedupwith theWalbrook,whichwasnowopentothelightoftheSunonceagainand rapidlyforgingabrandnewmouthforitself.Thecollapseoftheearthbelowhad causedthreebridgestofalltherealso:SouthwarkBridge,theCannonStreetRail Bridge,andLondonBridge.
ButofcourseyouknowaboutthesinkholeinLondonthatformedsuddenlyon Eastermorning2018,creatingapreciselyroundholeintheearthahalf‐milein circumferencerightnexttotheThames—exceptfortheestimatednine‐by‐nine plotoflandthatwefourstoodupon.Yousurelyknow,then,thatthisanomalous spindleofsoildisintegrated,whilewewatchedfromaboveinawe,assoonas therescuehelicopterliftedthelastofusupoffofitssurface.Iwondered,of course,if
itwasourprayersthatpreventedusfrombeingsubsumedby“themire,” ala Psalm69:14,asreferencedearlierbyLeopold: Delivermeoutofthemire,and letmenotsink….
Therefore,Igavethanksaccordingly,silently,with Psalm40: Hebroughtmeup alsooutofanhorriblepit,outofthemiryclay….
Ifyoualreadyknewaboutthesinkhole,thenyouundoubtedlyknowaboutthe Herculeaneffortsthatweremadetorescuealltheothercasualtiesofthis catastrophe.AsIwritethis,theyarestillworkingtodamuptheriver,pumpthe wateroutofthehole,andfillitinwithconcrete.It’sthelargestconstruction
projectinLondonsincethebuildingofRosenbergPlaza,whichnow,ironically, musttakeastepdowninhistorytobecomethesecond‐largest.
ThePrimeMinister,enthusiasticallyembracingtheBrokenWindowFallacy,has praisedandtakencreditfortheeconomicstimulationthishascaused.Butthe realstimulushascome,ofcourse,fromtheuniquenewelementthatwas discoveredwithinthedepthsofthechasm,andfromtheworldwidesovereign debtjubileethatwasnegotiated,beginningthefollowingWednesday,during talksbetweenG20headsofstate,theInternationalMonetaryFund,andtheBank ofInternationalSettlements.
ExpertsinKarstTopographyandwatertablesciencetoldthenewsreportersthat thiswasadisasterwaitingtohappen.Thelandwasalreadyinherentlyunstable becauseofthenetworkofundergroundrivers,which,theysaid,afterlying dormantforoveracentury,hadbeenpartially‐re‐activatedinrecentyearsby state‐sponsoredenvironmentalscientistsaspartoftheLondonRiversAction Plan,whichRosenberghadbraggedtousaboutatdinneronFridaynight.Thus theundergrounddevelopmentthathadtakenplaceintheinterveningcenturies sincetheseriverswerelastactive—everythingfrommilesofsubwayandservice tunnelstomulti‐levelbasementsinmassivebuildings—contributedtothe weakeningofthefoundationbeneathmanyofthestructures.
Soitdidn’thelpthatRosenberg,incollusionwithsomefriendsinthe CorporationofLondongoverningtheCity,decidedtore‐channelthe undergroundwatersonthesly,withoutpermission,restoringtheWalbrookto fullcapacityyearsaheadofschedule.Waterhadsincebeenpoolingupincaves thathadbeen
formedbytheundergroundriveroverthousandsofyears.Allittookwasa seismicjolttogettheprocessgoing,thoughnobody’ssurewhatcausedthat.
Englandisfarawayfromtheworld’smajorfaultlines.Butthemotionofthe tectonicplateselsewherecanstillcauseregionalcompressionthataffectsthe island.Therehadn’tbeenanotherearthquakewithitsepicenterinLondonsince 1750,andtheonein2018wasunrelatedtotectonicmovement.
However,manyearthquakeshaveaffectedLondonthroughoutitshistory.
SupposedlyoneinthefifthcenturyleveledtheTempleofApollothatisrumored tohaveoncesatbeneaththepresentlocationofWestminsterAbbey.Other
earthquakeswiththeirepicenterselsewherehavebeenfeltespeciallyinthat placemanytimes,oftenaccompaniedbystrangelightsseennearthecathedral.
Onesuchearthquake,whichtookplaceonApril6,1580during“Easterweek,”
originatedintheDoverStraightsandinspiredthefollowingpoembyJames Yates:Ohsuddenmotion,andshakingoftheearth, Noblusteringblastes,theweather
calmeandmilde:GoodLordthesudden rarenesseofthething
Asuddenfearedidbring,tomanandchilde,Theyverelythought,aswellin fieldasTowne,Theearthshouldsinke,andthehousesallfalldowne.
Wellletvsprintthispresentinourheartes,AndcalltoGod,forneuerneedewe more:
Crauingofhimmercyforourmisdeedes,
Oursinfullliuesfromheartfortodeplore,Forletvsthinkethistokendoth portend,
Ifscourgenerehand,ifwedostilloffend.
Anotherearthquake,whichoriginatedinCanterburyonMay21,1382,was associatedinthepopularmindwithasynodcalledbytheArchbishopof CanterburythattookintheBlackfriarsareaoftheCityofLondon.Thepurpose wastocondemnthehereticJohnWyclyffeforhisdoctrineontransubstantiation.
Wyclyffeeventuallydiedofastroke,stillamidcontroversy,buthewaslater excommunicatedin1415.HisboneswereeventuallyexhumedbyPopeMartin V
in1428toremovethemfromconsecratedground,thenburnttoashesand dumpedintotheRiverSwift.
WiththeLondonearthquakeand“aftershocks”of2018,itisthoughtbysome thatachemicalreactiontookplacerightunderneaththe mithraeum,wherethe RosenbergPlazaalembicsystemconnectedwiththeWalbrook.Ibelievethisis accurate.ThiswastherealreasonwhytheLondonstretchoftheThames,allof
London’sundergroundrivers,andmuchofthelocaltapwater“turnedtoblood”
foratime.Itwasn’tbecausetheredMoonhadfallenintotheriver,althoughthis isobviouslyconnectedonthemythopoeiclevel,oneofthemanymeaningful coincidencesthatoccuralongwithasupernaturaleventofthismagnitude.Tests confirmedthattheredstuffinthewaterreallywaslargelyblood,alongwith otherhumanbiofluidsonewouldexpecttofindwhensewageleaksintothe watersupply.Buttheyalsofoundmanyrarechemicalsnotnormallyfoundin traceableamounts.
OfficialsadmittedtothepublicthatRosenbergrestoredtheWalbrooktoobtain thevolumeofwaterheneededforthe“bizarre”and“illegal”scientific experimentstakingplaceinthebasementofRosenbergPlaza.Theyclaimthathe wasattemptingtocreate“redmercury,”asolidformoftheelementrumoredto exist,andtobeusedinthecreationofnuclearbombs,butwhichisquite possiblyjustfictional.However,several“real”(setupbyintelligenceagents) terroristplotshavebeen“foiled”thatinvolvedattemptsbythecriminalsto purchasewhattheybelievedwouldberedmercury.
Genuflect Page 39