by C. Mahood
“Hey, hold on, where are we going?” I tripped over some rubble I had not seen, even in this light my retinas were still huffing with me for allowing them to be so shocked. “Wait” Continuing to stumble and trip after her. The residual remnants of torchlight kept always one corner ahead. Shadows dancing on the stone as we turned corner after corner, winding deeper and deeper in to a system of vein like caverns. I only ever managed to catch glimpses of a cloak of the heel of a boot as I perused the girl ahead of me at such great speed, she must have known this route so well to be able to run this fast. I could hear the flame crackle then the sound fire makes when moved at speed, like sails flapping in a high wind on a still night. Tessa was barking as she ran, every time she lost sight of me, she could move so much faster and with much more ease. I couldn’t understand what the need was to spring. We were no longer being perused, oat least I hoped we weren't, and as far as I knew there was no reason to get where we were going in such a hurry. The farther we continued down the tunnels the thicker the air got. The aroma of urine and rot was replaced with stale urine, even older rot but a new scent arrived on the scene like gentle reminder that civilisation, or at least some form of it, lay close. The unmistakable and welcoming smell of bacon, and wood smoke. As I have said many times before, but just in case you may have forgotten after all this talk of running and sprinting, I am a big lad. So I know the smell of Bacon pretty well. This was proper bacon too, thickly sliced, aged and smoked back bacon. We were most certainly going in the right direction!
My pace had slowed now to a less that a stroll. Kicking my feet at the knees as I walked, hands on hips, eyes closed, leading back every few steps to try and catch some sort of breath and stop my heart from pounding so fast I could hear the steady flow of blood pulsing through my ear drums. My sweat was dripping onto my glasses and I had to keep taking them of to clean. I turned the last corner to see the girl and Tessa waiting by a tiny door. The door was black but had a red hand print on the front. It was a very small doorway, like the entrance to a child’s playhouse or those tiny doors into the ball pit at Ikea. Supposedly too small for an adult, but nearly every man in his 20s had tried to fit through when no one is around.
“Face on that one eh?” a finger pointed in my direction the girl was speaking to Tessa who sat at her feet looking up between her and I.
“Jesus Christ love, kept up best I could! Still made it didn’t I?” I replied, a word a breath. I had to lean up against the wall to keep my upright, grasping bricks with my fingertips behind my back so I didn’t faint.
“Look, you are only here because you saved my life, the people through this door are not good people. Trust me.” She said, nothing but harsh stares and serious tones.
“Ok, I understand, bad people inside. I’m not really sure why im here, everything is happening so frigging fast. One minute I’m arriving in Renir to find me..”
“Feck sake Mr, not looking for the life story here!” She cut me off with her finger and thumb making a pinching motion in front of my face, “This Is Rat Bottle pub, the home of the Scavengers Guild, Everyone here is on the run and no one likes newcomers. Saying that however the people in here know everything and everyone, for the right price you can find out whatever information you need. As of now my debt to you is fulfilled, I’m sure you have better things to be doing and I don’t need a fat git following me about alright? So When we go in I will inform the ones who need to know that you are here on my invitation, but then, your on your own, ok?” She had pulled her hair back again and fixed herself with her back turned to me and facing the door. “Ok deaf lugs?” She snapped,
“Yea, yea ok I get it, frig sake, I’m not simple!”
“Maybe not,” reaching out with her right hand to push to door open, “but you don’t have a clue”
A Strong gust of warm air poured through the opening gap, accompanied with the strong smell I knew and loved! Yes, mentioning it again, Bacon. Proper bacon too, none of that wafer thin crap! My mouth was watering like sponge out of a bucket! Trailing behind by only seconds came more light, then the noise. Like an echo chamber came the resonating sound of a packed bar early in the wee hours. In distinctive chattering, loud bouldering laughs, shouting over the conversations were demands of more beer or food, the language used was shocking even for my ears, well truth be told, I felt quite comfortable with it. If you were to spend a day with some of my friends your vocabulary would expand two fold!
Taking a few more steps slowly behind the girl in front of us I noticed some strange behaviour from Tessa, she was staying behind me. She NEVER walked behind me. Even on the roads when she was a puppy she would only walk behind me for a split second if a lorry or a bus sped round a blind corner. It’s not in her nature to be so scared. This time however, she was terrified. I stretched back to give her a reassuring pat on her head, she walked forward to the speed needed to keep her head resting in the palm of my head.
“Hey, um you go on ahead, I'm gona sit here a while with Tessa, she doesn't seem right,” I said.
“Ok, suit yourself!” Continuing to walk into the large cavern she didn’t even turn around just gave a flick of the back of her hand as she continued on.
“Hey pup, what’s wrong?” Tessa’s Big Brown eyes simply stared into mine, her ears tight into the side of her head and her tail in between her legs. She was making herself smaller and tight into my legs. She kept looking to me then suddenly her eyes and head snapped towards to cavern ahead of us. Her ears were pointing strait up and her body sat up from scared and crouched with her tail curled back, to sitting upright, face and ears pointed towards the cavern and her tail wagging furiously. Like Anubis from Egyptian mythology, the dog headed God. She had become suddenly alert and excited. She recognised something ahead of us and the fear she was feeling only moments before had totally gone.
Our guide had gone now. There was only one direction to go from here, going back was not an option. It took a few moments before the metaphorical light bulb appeared above my head and the alarm bells rang. I looked at Tessa and it was as if we were both thinking the same thing at the same time! Sarah? I become so clear now, Tessa’s behaviour, It was how she acted when her black Peugeot 107 pulled into the driveway, when she returned from work. Tessa would have both paws on the windowsill, excited to see her mummy arriving, mouth open and tail going a dinger! Her head would click back and forth from the window to the door of the living room until Sarah walked in. She was doing this right now. “Tessa, stop! WAIT!” Without warning the dog tore loose from my grasp and darted into the crowd, a bark followed after a few seconds, then a cheer, then laughter and another bark. I edged further in, now the doorway was behind me.
On the other side of the door lay a massive room. Like walking into a church. Through narrow wooden doors, a thin hallway that opens up into a massive cathedral shortly after. The celling was rounded. Thin grey stones placed in a circular dome overhead circled around us. They met strait walls standing still circular and four metres high. Every few feet there was a lantern burning, hanging from its brass brace, inches from the stone walls. In the middle of the room was a deep pool. It looked like an old Roman bath. Square with steeps down into a darkening pit. The water was a lime green but turned a darker shade with each steep deeper it went. Like a colour chart from the paint and hardware shop. The middle of the pool looked like a black square. There was wooden decking walkways that ran the whole circumference of the cavern. A Single pillar of light came from the middle of the dome above It was a low yellow glow, the sound that echoed underneath the chatter was from above our heads. It was very clear that we were bellow the streets of Renir. The light coming from above leaked through a large, metal weaved grate. I could hear footsteps above moving in every direction and see shadows dancing on the dome as people above walked past and over the grate.
The light pillar was fading thinner as the sun had set a while ago now, but I had noticed lamps lining the streets on my arrival. Surly they would be lit now and illuminating
the narrow spaces between the buildings. There were wooden handrails that ran parallel to the wooden walkways. Ropes hung from the ceiling, in what I thought was random intervals but on closer inspection I could see hammocks hanging, some occupied but mostly empty. They hung at different heights. Some close together, some apart, some directly above others and others hung solitary and away from the others. I heard another bark. I made my way around the walk way. There was no one in the pool at the moment but the green coloured water underground and directly above a rain grate, didn’t seem the most inviting or relaxing swim I could imagine. At the far side of the cavern was where all the activity was happening. A large group, with backs turned had gathered around something stood on a raised part of the decking. There was a large collection of wooden barrels, crates, boxes and sacks of grain or rice or something, hoarded under the raised platform. The steps were only about four steps high but I couldn’t see past the men standing with their backs to me facing and cheering at whatever was happening up ahead. I made my way towards the stairs. Another bark, I was about to ascent the first wooden step, stick with years of beer spills and other liquids I would rather not imagine. Pushing past and between the crows came a black and white nose, wet and black, the mouth was open and a large pink tongue was hanging from between white blunt teeth. Brown eyebrows hovered above large brown eyes. They were looking directly into mine and beckoning me forward. I reached out to touch her head but she was gone again. I bounded up the stairs, shoulder charging my way past the crowd into the centre of everyone’s fascination. There was a large curved bar. Made from two doors placed on top of four wooden, cube shaped crates. There were tankards some full, some empty, and some that tested your mental outlook or positivity. Leading over the bar was a burley man, mutton chop facial hair, bowler hat. Dirty Cream apron and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up far past his biceps. Tattoos of Sea creatures, boats and wolves ran the lengths of his arms and hands.
He met my gaze with an almost toothless grin and pointed his eyes towards the floor at the front of the bar. My eyes drifted down, both excited and nervous of who or what I may find. My heart longed with all of it;s fibers, that my eyes would send the news it had been longing for. My heart wanted to see my wife, IT wanted to see Sarah. Where the crates met the floor I could see a tail wagging, two paws were planted on the wooden decking and the other two were on the lap of the owner of two small shoes. Shiny black shoes. On Tessa’s head rubbed small fingers through her fur. Those fingers were ringed and attached to small arms. Following the arms towards the face my heart sank and cut communication from my heart. There was no long blonde hair I had been hoping for, no hourglass figure and ruby red lipstick smile. Instead was a ginger beard and a flat cap, accompanied with a yellow toothed grin.
“Ah, bout ye mucker! Wondered when ye would turn up here!” Came a familiar voice, not the one I was hoping for but a very welcome one at that.
“Abe, Jesus Christ, Thank God it’s you!” I gasped out, exhausted from the blood rushing through my body overtime on account of my heart getting as excited as a fat man seeing cake for the first time in a week. Tessa was sitting contently with her paws on Abe's knees she was almost his height as he crouched to pet her. His clothes were new. I had noticed that he wore the same garb as many of the men and women in the room.
“You got him safe enough then Tara?” Abe spoke with his head turned to the left. Sitting at the bar behind him was our guide. She had chugged a pint already and was making good on her second. Foam dripping from her chin and she chugged and chugged until she slammed the tankard with a hollow metal sound, upside down. “Well I wouldn’t say Easy boss, but got him here fair enough, he can handle himself all right. Helped me with a pair of bruisers on the way too. The others are probably still looking for someone with a skirt like that.” She gestured to my kilt, much to the amusement of the revellers around us.
“Hold on a friggin minute.” I protested, putting my hands in front of my face like I was about to start the Macarena. “She called you boss, and you sent her to get me? You knew I would be coming? What the bloody hell is going on Abe? My mind is totally melted here.” Another chorus of cheers and laughter went up. Pints held high and a hard slap from a one eyed, putrid smelling, hobo almost knocked me off my feet. “You gota help me out here buddy, It’s a bit much to take in, u know what I mean like?”
Abe chuckled and patted Tessa, letting her know to return to her master who was getting worked up into a bit of a tizzy. “Come on over, have another drink.” The room returned to a more normal state now. People turned their back and broke off into smaller groups of threes or pairs. The interest turned away from us and back to normal conversation. Abe stood up and jumped onto a high stool with his back now to me at the bar. He turned his head slightly in my direction and beckoned me forward again with the flick of his cupped hand. “mon over lad, share a drink.”
“ABE FOR FECK SAKE!” It burst out of me like a bubbling geezer on the Iceland flats. So much pressure and confusion had built up. I yelled it, like, really yelled it, growled it almost. Tessa was tight into my legs, curling round her feet in her over submissive, collie like way. Also in true Tessa fashion, her bladder opened and she peed all over my bloody shoes. Its always troubling when you feel a sudden heat on your toes. The room fell deathly silent. Not a sound was made. Again all heads had turned to face us. The air was thick with anticipation. You could have cut it like a warm knife through whipped cream. The room felt deaf. An involuntary belch came from a few rows back and an old greying man gave an embarrassed and nervous shrug after a few angry glares. I knew in that moment that Abe held some sway among these people. I knew I should have apologised immediately, but my hot headedness once again got the better of me.
“Im not going to join you for a bloody drink, I’ve just been chased by a fat prick with a face of a pig, Stabbed his mate in the God damn eye, pulled backwards into this stinking crap hole, chased this prat through tunnels too low for any man..” Tara kicked her stool back and took a step in my direction, her hand on her blade. Abe put his arm out in front of her and stopped her in her tracks. She obediently waited but without removing her hand from the hilt. I really should have stopped there, did I? no. “Not to mention waking up yesterday in the bloody sea, climbing a friggin cliff, bumping into a crack pot talking to himself, having to sing for my supper then wake up, hungover and traipse to this god forsaken city. I have no idea where I am, I don’t know anyone, I’m starving, cold and wearing a bloody skirt AND I still have no idea where my god damn wife is!”
Silence.
More silence.
A distant muffled cough.
Silence broken. “Ok son, I can see and hear clear as any that you’ve been through the works. Believe me I know. We have a lot to talk about.” Abe said calmly, his voice low and soothing. My blood was still on the hob however and bubbling over.
“You don’t know Abe, I will do anything to get her back even if it means ripping your ginger, smug, luchorpán head of your ancient shoulders to spill out the answers out I will!” I screamed this, veins popping in my forehead and my neck and spit flying from my lips with every word. That seemed to get the reaction I knew it would but secretly hoped it wouldn’t. Tara and leapt from her stool. I was grabbed from behind and my arms were pulled back rendering me helpless, I kicked out but Tara rolled past my feet and had pulled her self close to me. Her blade cutting my skin. Her face in mine and eyes like a hawk focusing on its next kill. She turned her hair to Abe for a nod to make the kill, he however just smiled. “Tara my dear, I wouldn’t be so hasty to cut this one. You really have no idea who you are threatening do you?” Her blade lowered slightly and the grip around my arms loosened slightly. I tried to wriggle but I was still held tight enough to be unable to move.
“You really wouldn’t want to be known as the girl who cut the Dia now would you?” Gasps went up as the word fell from his lips. A Smug smile appeared on his face as he gestured towards me. Tara spat and kissed her lips
“Ha, this is the Dia Abe? You must be drunk, the man can hardly run or fight!” She mocked, looking me up and down.
“Ah but that is irrelevant, trust me, it was his words that I found, His words that lead me here, his words that birthed all of you.” My captors instantly backed off. I fell to my feet. This was strange because I hadn’t even noticed I was lifted off of them. Abe walked over to me and grabbed my shirt pulling me up. He couldn’t help me the whole way to my feet as he only made it to my waist. The crowd backed up even farther. Faces dropped and turned white, like they had seen horns appear on my forehead. I have always been a bit of a show off, I’m a drummer for God’s sake, the loudest one at any gig, but this kind of attention made me feel uneasy. Everyone looked scared of me. Tara had dropped her blade and held both her hands over her mouth. She kept walking backwards, past Abe and tripping slightly over the stool she had kicked back moments before. Like the story of Moses parting the sea I parted the drunken sea of thieves and rogues as I made my way to the bar with Abe. We sat like freaks at a circus, or so it felt. For a long while before anyone spoke.