The Ether

by Laurice Elehwany Molinari

  “Where are we?” Pax asked.

  “Wherever we are, at least it’s warmer in here,” Ada said as she walked over to Vero.

  “I’m starting to wonder if we’ll ever see the green grass of the Ether again,” said Kane.

  “Don’t blame me,” Vero said, looking around nervously. “I didn’t want to come this way. It doesn’t feel right.”

  “When was the last time anyone heard their inner voice?” X asked.

  “All I hear right now is a bunch of whining,” Ada said.

  “I have a good reason to whine,” Greer moaned, massaging her leg.

  “I’m starving and tired,” X said, as he sat down on a large rock jutting out from the wall.

  “Instead of worrying about how tired we are, I think we should be more worried about who lit these torches,” Kane said.

  The group fell silent.

  Vero looked at X. Then he did a double take. “I think I’m seeing things. That rock you’re sitting on looked like it just moved.”

  “I thought I felt something,” X said. He looked down at the exposed rock between his legs.

  They heard a muffled grunt. They all stood and looked around — all except Greer who could only scoot away from the wall — and everyone was on full alert.

  Suddenly, the rock under X divided, and X fell between the moving ledges onto hard, stone ground! Massive chunks of stone began to break away from the cavern walls. The fledglings circled protectively around Greer, standing back-to-back, and they watched in horror as the gigantic rocks formed into the shape of an enormous creature. The rocks that X had been sitting on were actually monstrous feet!

  Those feet were attached to legs, the legs were attached to a torso that had boulders for arms and fingers, and above them all — a massive head!

  “Wh- . . . wha- . . . what . . . ?” X stammered.

  The creature was made out of stone and hard clay, and it stood more than thirty feet tall.

  The fledglings staggered backward and gathered even closer to Greer who grabbed ahold of Kane’s shoulder and pulled herself to her feet. Her low groans revealed how much pain she was in with every move.

  Her groans were echoed by the others — only ten times louder — when another hard-clay creature broke away from the opposite wall. Now two oversized, craggy ogres towered over the angels!

  “Maybe they’re friendly?” Greer said, though she sounded less than confident.

  “Any ideas?” Pax asked, his face tense with fear.

  No one had any.

  The first creature blocked the way they’d come in. The other creature blocked what appeared to be a doorway carved in the stone. The fledglings were trapped.

  “Fly!” X shouted.

  “Where?” Vero yelled back.

  “Up!”

  Kane and X steadied Greer as she opened her wings and rose unsteadily into the air. Then they followed her, keeping close. Ada and Pax flew to the top of the domed ceiling. Vero now stood alone, trapped between the two creatures as they closed in on him. He looked for an escape route, but saw none.

  “Vero! Up here!” Kane yelled. “What are you waiting for?”

  “I can’t just take off! I need a running start!”

  “If I can do it with a broken leg, you definitely can!” Greer shouted.

  The giant creature’s hand swatted downward, and Vero jumped to the side, his hair ruffled by the giant’s hand as it smashed into the ground where Vero had been standing just seconds before.

  “Definitely not friendly!” Greer said.

  Vero closed his eyes. Fly . . . fly . . . fly! he repeated in his head.

  Nothing happened.

  The creature’s hand smashed down a second time with even greater force. Vero danced around it. Now the golem cupped its hands, intending to wrap them around Vero and crush him into dust.

  He glimpsed Ada turning her head away, too afraid to see what would happen to him. Just as he felt the stiff clay brushing up against his body, a steely resolve came over Vero. In his mind he pictured himself as a strong, fierce angel with glorious wings. His eyes narrowed, and then he shot up into the air like a missile. He flew right past the creature’s shoulder, and he didn’t stop until he hit his head on the domed ceiling. Vero rubbed his head.

  “Yeah, I guess there’s no altitude problem in here!” X said to Vero.

  The loud grunts coming from the stone creatures bounced off the chamber’s walls. It was painful to their ears, and they had to shout to be heard.

  “Now what do we do?” Ada asked as she dodged one of the creature’s hands. They all hovered up by the ceiling, but they were still barely above the reach of the rock monsters.

  “What are they?” Vero asked.

  “I think they’re golems,” Ada said. “They’re mentioned in the Talmud . . . ”

  “The what?” Vero asked.

  “The Talmud. It’s one of the sacred Jewish books, a companion to the Torah,” Ada said. “In it, golems are described as being crude and unthinking beings made of clay who could be brought to life by the high priests in times of great need. But I thought they were just Jewish folklore.”

  “Obviously they’re not folklore,” Kane said. He flew back against a wall to avoid a golem’s fist that was coming straight toward him.

  “Spit it out. What do you know about them?” Greer asked, her voice thick with pain.

  “Golems were created by rabbis, or holy men, to be their servants or protectors. Only religious people who were close to God could create them, although they’re inferior to any of God’s creations. That’s why they have no soul.”

  One of the golems jumped into the air and took a swipe at X, but it missed and landed heavily, causing the entire cavern to rumble and shake like an earthquake.

  “Do they have any weaknesses?” X asked.

  “They’re not very smart,” Ada shouted over the golems’ bellows. “They don’t have brains.”

  “I can tell,” Pax said. “I’m trying to read their minds, and there’s nothing there.”

  “Just tell us how to kill them!” Greer shouted.

  “The only way is to destroy them,” Ada answered. “But it’s pretty dangerous.”

  “What? What is it?” Vero asked.

  “In one version of the ancient texts, a golem comes to life when its maker inscribes a sacred word on its forehead, like the Jewish word for life. Another version claims the word is written on parchment and put into its mouth to bring it to life. A golem is brought to life by the power of that specific word.”

  “So if that’s true, then it must be in their mouths,” Vero reasoned, “because there’s nothing written on their foreheads.”

  “I guess so,” Ada said.

  “So we need to get the parchment out of their mouths?” Kane asked.

  “Yes, but in order to kill the creature, you have to read the word back to them.”

  “It sounds as simple as taking candy from a baby,” Greer said matter-of-factly. “Except these big babies could bite your arm off.”

  “Maybe we use the Heimlich maneuver and make them spit it out,” Pax suggested.

  Greer flashed him an annoyed look, “I think I see a word written on your forehead . . . it says Idiot.”

  Vero swallowed hard. This was not going to be an easy task. But why should he be the one to step forward? He’d volunteered when he grabbed Kane over the acidic pit. Why couldn’t one of the other ones do it this time? But then he thought of his crown waiting for him in heaven — the crown Raziel spoke about. He wanted to fill it up with jewels. So he bravely faced the others.

  “I’ll give it a try,” he said. “But I have no idea how to do it.”

  “We need to distract them,” Greer said, “get them to open their mouths so somehow you can sneak attack and stick your hand in there.”

  “It’s a well thought-out plan . . . except for that get them to open their mouths so somehow you can sneak attack part,” Vero said, rolling his eyes.

  They ho
vered in the air, silently. Vero had no ideas, and he could see Greer was in a lot of pain, even though she was still acting all tough. If they didn’t come up with something, and soon, they were going to start dropping.

  Kane spoke up. “Ada, you and Pax fly around that one,” he said, pointing to the smaller of the two golems, “and keep him busy. The rest of us can buzz around the other big guy so maybe he’ll open his mouth and Vero can reach in. Everyone think like mosquitos!”

  Ada and Pax flew circles around the smaller golem, while Kane and X glided around the other one. Greer started out with them, but then she pulled back, gasping. “I’m . . . I’m sorry,” she said. “It just hurts so bad.”

  “It’s okay, Greer,” Vero said. “Just stay as far back as possible.”

  The golems struck at them like King Kong swatting at fighter planes. The fledglings dodged the golems’ wild grasps, but the creatures did not tire.

  “Time for a little action!” Kane yelled. He swept down to the ground and picked up a large rock.

  “Over here!” Kane shouted, as he hovered in the air once more.

  When the ugly golem turned around, Kane threw the rock at its head. It was a perfect shot, hitting it right between the eyes. The golem opened its mouth and howled loudly. Vero flew to its mouth, but he was too late.

  “Kane, throw another one!” Vero shouted.

  Kane swooped to the ground, grabbed another rock, and dive-bombed the golem. He made another direct hit — this time hitting the back of the golem’s head. The golem roared and focused his black, lifeless eyes on Kane, who flew within the golem’s reach.

  “Watch out!” Greer screamed.

  But it was too late. The creature punched Kane with its full strength, slamming him against the rock wall. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

  “Kane!” X yelled.

  But Kane didn’t move. Now the golem was moving toward Kane, ready to stomp the life from him, when Vero, looking for a distraction, shoved his arm deep inside the golem’s nose.

  Vero locked eyes with the creature but continued poking around, reaching through the nasal cavity.

  “What are you doing?” Greer shouted.

  “I’m going through its nose to get into its mouth!” Vero shouted back.

  The creature tried to swipe at Vero but hit itself on the cheek. Then it roared in frustration, and Vero thought his eardrums would explode. But with its mouth open during that deafening roar, Vero got the chance he needed. He pulled his hand out of its nose and put it into the monster’s ferocious mouth. He pulled out a piece of parchment and then flew out of reach again.

  “Read it!” Greer shouted. She sounded desperate. “Quick!”

  Vero’s hands were shaking violently, so he couldn’t open the parchment.

  Vero could hear Pax and Ada trying to distract the other golem. But it must have realized that Vero’s golem was in need because it started toward Vero with a thunderous roar.

  Behind him, Ada screamed, “Hurry!”

  Vero turned and saw that Ada and X had flown circles around the approaching golem’s head and caused it to lose its balance. Vero saw the golem slowly tip sideways until it fell and bashed its head against the wall. The blow shook the entire chamber. Rocks broke free in an avalanche, and Vero watched in horror as the golem fell facedown and narrowly missed Kane who still lay unconscious on the ground.

  The golem landed hard. It let out a tremendous Oof! as the wind was knocked out of it, and the parchment shot out of its mouth.

  “Get it!” Ada shouted.

  With lightning speed, X dove and grabbed the parchment while the golem struggled to regain its balance. A moment later, the golem was upright again, swatting furiously at Ada and Pax.

  “Hurry up! Read it before one of ’em steps on Kane!” Ada yelled.

  X and Vero feverishly opened the parchments while flying haphazardly through the air and trying to stay aloft. Vero got his open, only to be overcome with dread. “It’s blank!”

  “Mine too!” X said.

  “It can’t be!” Ada said, and she flew to Vero’s side. Her curls flew wildly around her face as she attempted to see the piece of paper. “There has to be something on it . . . ”

  Both golems lumbered over to Kane.

  “Kane! Wake up!” Greer screamed.

  The golems were now upon Kane. Ada turned the parchment over desperately hoping she could see some writing, but it was blank on both sides. Just as the golem raised its mammoth foot above Kane’s body to crush him, Vero stared intently at the parchment in his hands.

  Please, God, let me read it, Vero prayed. Then suddenly, symbols began to appear before his eyes. And they formed a word.

  Behind him, Ada screamed, “Hurry!”

  “Emeth!” Vero shouted as loud as he could.

  The golem turned toward Vero. Greer and Pax seized the moment, and in a well-orchestrated move, they grabbed Kane. They lifted him into the safety of the air — and not a moment too soon because the golem began to crumble before their very eyes. Piece by piece, the hard clay that formed the largest golem broke off into rock chunks.

  “Read this one!” X shouted as he handed his parchment to Vero.

  Vero had an easier time reading the second parchment. The symbols quickly formed before his eyes. “Shamad!” he yelled.

  The second golem also began to crumble, creating a massive rockslide in the chamber. The rumbling noise jostled Kane, who woke up just in time to see the last one collapse.

  “Awesome,” Kane muttered.

  They swooped down and landed on the crumbled rocks, exhausted. Greer flew to the ground with a rough landing and sat down hard. Her leg was bent at an awkward angle in front of her.

  Vero clutched the parchments tightly, but they began to wither until all that remained was a tiny lump of dust in the palm of his hand.

  As they caught their breath, Ada asked Vero, “Did you ever study Hebrew?”

  “Me? No.”

  “You shouted the word emeth to the golem. It means ‘truth.’ And shamad means ‘destroy.’ ”

  Vero shrugged.

  “When I looked at that parchment, there was nothing there,” Ada said.

  “I didn’t see anything at first either,” Vero said. “But then it was like lines appeared and then the symbols, and I could read them.”

  “But I didn’t see it,” Ada said.

  Vero couldn’t explain how the symbols hadn’t been on the paper at first, and then suddenly they were. Looking around, he felt the intense scrutiny of the other angels. He couldn’t read their thoughts, but he knew what they were thinking. Freak.

  21

  THE BLACK MIST

  After the destruction of the golems, the young angels surveyed the damage. Unfortunately, the golems had collapsed right in front of one of the exits, so they had only one possible choice for making their escape — another small, dark, claustrophobic tunnel.

  “It’s not too small,” Vero said, holding a torch near the opening. “And it seems like there’s enough room that one person can help Greer. But there’s definitely not enough room to fly.”

  “I’ll help her,” Kane said.

  “Ha,” Greer said.

  “What?” Kane’s perplexed look made Vero chuckle.

  “I think what Greer is trying to say is that you’re not in much better shape than she is,” Vero said.

  Kane’s normally dark hair was plastered flat with red and gray dust from the rocks. He had dried blood on his cheek from the cut on his nose, and his upper lip was split. All of their faces were covered with dust, and their lips were cracked and chapped.

  “Let’s see where this tunnel leads us,” X said, pulling another torch off the wall. “Hopefully to a hot shower.”

  Vero and X took the lead, holding their torches out in front of them. The others followed close behind, and Greer leaned on Kane for support. Worn out, they all walked in silence. Vero glanced over his shoulder. Greer was grimacing with every step.

  “
Everything we’ve gone through so far was supposed to be one huge training exercise,” Ada said, breaking the silence. “What lesson do you think we’re supposed to learn from the golems?”

  “That we’re resourceful,” X said.

  “And pretty smart,” Pax added.

  “We outsmarted two brainless creatures,” Greer pointed out. “Think about it: How smart does that really make us?”

  Kane chuckled, “Good point.”

  Vero noticed they were now walking through a low-lying mist, about shin deep. “Hold up,” he said, raising his arm to signal that the others should stop. He shuffled forward while fully expecting to hit something. But after taking a dozen steps without bumping into anything, Vero relaxed. “I guess it’s okay,” he said. The group continued on ahead.

  Soon, the fog grew denser, and it was now up to their waists. Within two more steps, it swirled all around them, thickening and getting darker. They breathed it in, but it had no scent. It filled their ears, but it was silent. It filled their mouths when they spoke, but it had no taste.

  “You know what? Maybe we weren’t supposed to learn anything from the golems except that we shouldn’t have been in that cavern in the first place,” Vero said. “It never felt right going that way. I went against my inner voice. And now that I think about it, I feel like ever since we rescued Kane, we’ve been getting farther and farther away from God.”

  “What?” Kane asked sharply. “So this is all my fault?”

  “Yeah,” Vero answered. “Pretty much.”

  “Why don’t you do me a favor and not talk to me anymore!” Kane yelled.

  “With pleasure!” Vero yelled back.

  “Shut up, Vero. I think we’ve all heard enough out of you and your special voice and your special ideas!” X’s raised voice echoed through the tunnel.

  Pax tripped and bumped into Ada.

  “You’re such a stupid klutz,” Ada said.

  “Why don’t you whine about it a little more!” Pax shot back. “That’s all you do!”

  How could Vero have been so thankful for these other fledglings just a short time ago? X said it himself: Vero was special! He didn’t need them. He didn’t care about them. Why should he?