The Rainbow Bridge and the Shadow of the Serpent: The Rainbow Bridge and the Shadow of the Serpent

by Sergio Pereira

  - But what the devil is this place?

  - Don’t say that name here – said the Girl of the Clouds.

  - I’ll say whatever I want. Does he live here by any chance? – Stefanie snapped.

  -Take it easy, I don’t even think he exists. But I do know that the evil he represents does. And it gains a lot of strength here.

  - There you are, Violet. We’ve found a girl more mystical than you! Are you happy now?

  Violet understood why Stefanie was so out of control, but she tried to calm her down.

  - My dear friend, she could be right. Magic reigns in this world and you’ll see we have to be more careful here.

  - But what was that?

  The Girl of the Clouds interceded:

  -From the little I’ve seen and experienced, I can say that whenever anyone has any type of good feeling near that lake, it rebels against it. It becomes very angry. And whoever is sad ends up being pulled in. Whoever enters, never leaves. I don’t know how you got out of there. But look what I managed to find, take these!

  The Girl of the Clouds was holding a backpack, from which she took two towels, as white as clouds, which shone with a pale light.

  - How lovely, thank you! But what should we do with them?

  - Put them on now. I’ve made a hole in the middle so they’ll go over your heads. It pained me a lot to cut them. They’re my last ones. But weren’t you embarrassed? Cold? A towel’s aways better than nothing.

  - I’d like to say thank you as well. And please, forgive me for what I just said. I didn’t know what I was saying.

  - That’s alright.

  Violet and Stefanie put the towels on. The touch of these on their skin was softer than the finest silk thread. An immediate sensation of comfort lulled their startled souls.

  CHAPTER XIII

  The current of choices

  - You need to be very smart to live in here. There are tunnels and caves that we must never set foot in. I’ve seen so many friends disappear that I’ve lost count.

  Violet and Stefanie were listening to their new friend. The sparse light now gave them a sensation of protection. Since they couldn’t make out much in that environment, they intuitively judged that, in counterpart, they couldn’t be seen easily either.

  - But what the de…I mean what the heck is this place? - snapped Stefanie.

  - Why did you call us humans? Aren’t you one? - asked Violet.

  The Girl of the Clouds was in doubt as to who to answer first. She thought and thought and finally said:

  - You know, I have a corner hidden away. It’s almost a den. Let’s go there. It’s safer. They didn’t question her. They followed their recent acquaintance once more. Three ante-rooms later, they were in front of a gigantic stalagmite that had joined a stalactite. They went round them. There was a small tunnel behind. They crawled ahead for a further thirty metres until they reached a chamber of not more than ten square metres in area, and at the most two metres at its highest point.

  The small stalactite on the ceiling shone like a restful lamp as soon as they entered. For its dimensions, the chamber was reasonably ventilated. A further two tunnels led to the chamber, which caused a weak air current.

  - This has been my home for a long time.

  - Thank you very much for bringing us to your home. And, not meaning to be rude, but how do you manage to live here? How do you get food and water?

  The Girl of the Clouds looked at Stefanie and replied:

  - You still haven’t realised that food is a human necessity. I live on the energy of those who listen to me. It’s the same with all music and operas. They need to be heard to be alive. I’m not entirely trapped. But, unfortunately, an increasingly large part of me remains condemned here.

  Since Stefanie didn’t understand, Violet spoke again.

  - So, you’re an opera? That’s not logical, is it? You’re a character, then?

  - Spot on! I’m the spirit of a character. I’m the actual Girl of the Clouds by Heitor Villa-Lobos.

  - But I didn’t know he’d written that opera!

  - Do you see? That’s what happens here in the kingdom of the Forgotten Operas, which many call the Imprisoned Operas.

  Stefanie saw the gleam in Violet’s eye and said:

  - I can’t believe you can understand her. What part of this story did I miss or not understand?

  Violet smiled and, not so certain, continued.

  - Stefanie, I think our saviour is trying to say that many operas are made prisoners here. I just don’t know who would do such an evil thing, or why.

  - Bravo! Bravo! How long I’ve been yearning to hear or say that word. Bravo! Bravo! Bravissimo!

  - My God! – the Canadian exclaimed in a spasm of indignation.

  - Stefanie. See how many things we’ve experienced. It could really be true. But I don’t understand who would do this.

  - The Fairy Queen of the Forces of Oppressive Music. The Tyrant Fairy Queen. The Queen I do not serve.

  Violet trembled at the mere mention of that name.

  - It’s not possible. How?

  - Who’s that?

  - She’s much worse than the one you met at the Danse Macabre.

  - My God, we’re doomed.

  - Hey, no despair. But not too much hope either so that we won’t be noticed. She has good-feeling sniffers.

  - What the heck kind of psychological game is this? I’ll collaborate, but I want to understand.

  - I’m going to tell you the little I know, ok? It doesn’t exactly happen like this, but it’s a good way of explaining. Music exists long before it’s composed by someone in some kingdom. It’s like the water of the universe in space and in the most diverse worlds. It might not have a specific form, because water has no form. So, some composition takes place and part of this water begins to have a structure. When the music is good, hearing it is like drinking healthy water.

  - That’s incredible!

  - Even more incredible is that when music or opera is sublime, the characters take on a spiritual form of life to inspire people.

  - Like the fairies in fairy tales? Is it like believing in fairies in the story of Peter Pan? This time, it was Violet who was surprised by Stefanie’s words. She was astonished.

  - That’s right. It’s more or less like that as far as I know. And I also know that this Queen is far worse than the queen in the opera that I’m part of. I actually think that the queen in my opera was her step-daughter. So much evil is not possible!

  - But why don’t you run away? – asked a very angry Violet.

  - I don’t really know why. Not me or the others. Once we end up here, we don’t see a way out. I’m not sure it’s worth it.

  - So, you don’t know why or how you wound up in this awful place? How is that possible?

  - Funnily enough...I’ve never thought about that When I come to think of it, I don’t know if I know, but I suspect I do.

  Violet interrupted again.

  - Did you say there were other operas?

  - Lots of them, there are mostly only operas here. I think so anyway. But look, I’ve heard that this is not the Tyrant Fairy Queen’s only prison.

  At the mention of that name, a cold shiver ran up Violet’s spine, starting at her coccyx and ending at the beginning of her neck. Stefanie didn’t understand a thing, but just by seeing her friend’s facial expression, she was overwhelmed by fear. The Girl of the Clouds continued:

  - The secret of living is not to lose heart. But being too cheerful doesn’t work either. They have sniffer moles constantly tracking any happy element. But that doesn’t matter now. What are your names?

  - Stefanie.

  - Violet. Very pleased to meet you.

  - I’m the one who’s pleased to meet you. I’ve always wanted to speak personally to humans and now I really am doing this. Whoever could imagine that it would be here, forgotten in this hole, that I would see my dream come true.

  - You know I love your author, Villa-Lobos? One day I
’d love to see you in a real theatre.

  - This opera is incredible. If you want, I can tell you about it. Goodness, it makes me so happy to tell someone. Did I say the word ‘happy’? It’s not a word that’s allowed in this kingdom. Well, I’ll tell you. Once upon a time…

  Stefanie found that conversation improbable and it couldn’t have been more illogical. Utter nonsense. But she decided to stay quiet and copy Violet by sitting down.

  The towels they were wearing as improvised clothes were woven from threads that didn’t exist on earth. In fact, as in the story of the opera The Girl of the Clouds, their threads were woven from moon rays. The softness of their touch was very comforting and they kept out the cold totally. Only their feet were frozen.

  However, that was not the main problem. Stefanie’s left big toe was going black, indicating that there was an infection winning the war against her immune system. It hurt, but the foot owner’s tiredness was much more intense than the pain. So, she was soon asleep. Violet too. The Girl of the Clouds was left talking to herself, while each of the other two had their symbolic, revealing dreams.

  Violet’s were clearer, with a consistent sequence. Exactly because of this they are easier to relate and, who knows, even interpreted with a reasonable level of accuracy.

  In her dream, Violet was in a hotel on one of her trips with her parents. It was in a small town in the countryside. There was a vast sea next to mountains, which penetrated fjords very close to the town. Something inexplicable, as happens in dreams.

  You just had to follow a road that led to the town limits and then continue on a two-way road that cut through densely wooded hills until a steep descent appeared that led to the beach. There was no sand, but lots of pebbles. It was a different beach to those she was accustomed to. Even so, she thought it was lovely.

  In this dream, she was cycling alone. She wanted to go back to her parents. But in that dream, she also felt a fairly intense anxiety because it seemed she had no control over her actions. She wanted to go back, but she was always pedalling forwards. She only stopped when she came across a travelling circus big, where faded coloured incandescent light bulbs adorned the entrance and the old canvas that covered it. At the circus entrance, she jumped off her bike, which fell and broke into two as soon as it hit the ground.

  - Drat! How am I going to get back? What now?

  Not knowing why, Violet was compelled to go inside. The seats had been constructed from demolition planks. The public filling them didn’t seem to be having fun. They were just watching in silence, with no reaction.

  A man, probably the circus owner, was conducting a low-class show. Firstly, he was mocking any adult or child who was not paying attention to the show, and then leading them into large cages, strong enough to hold tigers,

  - And now ladies and gentleman! The most exciting part of our show! Let’s send all the music that hasn’t been a good girl to the music boxes. I said a good girl. Everyone come with me now. To the music box! To the music box!

  In her dream, Violet felt very sorry for the songs and music being led to the boxes, which opened up to swallow them as soon as each one got near. The audience also repeated the words “to the music box, to the music box”, but without showing any emotion.

  - Ladies and gentlemen. Pay very close attention, let’s forget them forever. Let’s have you in the music box.

  Now Violet was very angry. But she felt there was nothing she could do. So she decided to leave and ask for help. She was going to report it to the police and call her parents to deal with the injustice. Outside the circus, she couldn’t find her bicycle. Someone had stolen it. But what good was a broken bike? She needed to get back and she didn’t know how. At that moment, she saw a star shining brighter than the others in the sky.

  At the same time, the word hope came into her mind. She uttered it several times and a feeling of hope filled her soul.

  - Hope! Long live hope!

  She shouted in her dream. She began to run back. She was flooded with so much energy that she ran as if she had wings on her feet. The kilometres that separated her from the hotel were eaten up in seconds. She soon got to the room where her parents were sleeping. She shook them to wake them up.

  But the person who actually woke up was Violet. She didn’t see the Girl of the Clouds. She’d left. She was no longer there. Beside her, Stefanie was asleep and dreaming her nebulous dream. Her facial expression was one of pain. The probable cause was in the infection, which was gradually invading her foot and reaching her ankle.

  - This is not good at all. How long have we been here?

  She spoke quietly so that nobody would hear. Still tired, she thought about going back to sleep. She gave up. Worry about her friend didn’t allow her that luxury. Doubts and more doubts troubled the mind of the girl who was just thirteen. She needed to find a way out. But how? Where? Going out alone through those underground caves or labyrinths full of tunnels, chambers and antechambers would be sheer folly. But to stay where they were would be to embrace a slow death.

  She thought about waking Stefanie, but she felt that, perhaps, it would be better to leave her as she was. Perhaps the dream was a temporary relief for her. She arranged the towel to cover her friend better.

  Then she sat beside her and stayed there like a pensive statue. Suddenly, she got a shock.

  - Hey, you’re awake then?

  - Hey, you. Where did you go? I was worried.

  - I went to find good water and food, didn’t I? I know that humans need these things. But I didn’t find any.

  - Speak quietly. She’s still asleep. Look at her foot. Poor thing! I’m very worried.

  - My goodness.

  - Now do you get it? Your help was so good, wasn’t it? Can you see? I was really worried.

  - You need to get away from here as quickly as you can.

  - How?

  - I don’t know.

  - OK. Now you’ve done it! I’m worried sick. She’s very bad.

  - That’s not the problem. The truth is that I don’t know if any opera has ever managed to escape.

  - OK. I’ll rephrase the question. Has there ever been a human here who managed to find their way back and get out?

  - Not as far as I know. As for the operas and their characters, the more forgotten they become in their Kingdom or in others, the more they turn into porous stone.

  - How awful! But you’re intact.

  - I think it’s because I refuse to be sad. Whenever I remember my friend Corisco, who wants to become a sun ray, and the Variable Wind and my friend the Moon, I feel so good that something stops me from going to the great chamber where the operas or part of their characters turn into cursed porous stone.

  - Great chamber?

  - Yes. It’s where the Tyrant Fairy Queen convinces us that it’s no longer worth thinking of our missions.

  The Girl of the Clouds stood up. She went to one of the corners. She looked far away and then continued:

  - I must be so insignificant to her, that her sniffer moles have forgotten about me. I don’t like that. I want to be remembered and inspire people’s minds.

  A slight gleam appeared in Violet’s eyes. It was the same gleam as when she thought she might have an idea.

  - You said the great chamber, didn’t you? Can you take us there? Can we be there without being seen?

  - Of course. I do this nearly always just to kill time. It’s really dull not having anybody to play with. Talk to. Not even being heard. Shall we go, then?

  - Yes. It’s much closer than you think.

  - Will it definitely be safe?

  - Only if you stay quiet. Not a peep.

  Violet hesitated. What should she do about Stefanie? Wake her up or not? She felt that if her friend woke up alone, she might go crazy. So, with great difficulty she brought her out of a deep sleep. Her friend woke up complaining about the pain in her foot. Now, besides being black, it was swollen. And the swelling was as far as the beginning of her shin.

&nbs
p; - Come on my friend. We have to find a way out. Come on, we have to do it.

  Pain took away a little of the ballerina’s ability to reason, but even so, she followed Violet. They left by another tunnel on the opposite side from the tunnel they had used to enter. It also had considerable luminescence on its walls, enough for them to proceed by crawling in Indian file.

  The Girl of the Clouds went in front, with Violet and Stefanie behind her. Thirty metres later, the tunnel ended on a slab, some ten metres from the floor of a gigantic underground chamber. It was immense. The ceiling must have been two hundred metres high and no one knew exactly how wide it was.

  It was more illuminated than the other wings and chambers in that subterranean kingdom. Another lake also dominated its centre. It was filled by waters from the lake above, which arrived there by means of tunnels and cracks in the rocks.

  They say that its depth passed the limits of what would be sensible when diving into the entrails of the planet. In other words, the waters in it ran slowly to a deeper kingdom, where the light never reached. They say that at around 1200 metres down, a dimensional portal existed and from there its waters went to an empire of eternal darkness.

  Crawling to avoid being seen, the Girl of the Clouds, the Girl with the German Piano and the ballerina lay at the edge of the stone slab, as if it were a balcony without a parapet and peeped at what was happening below.

  Once in every lunar cycle of the fifth moon aligned with the other moons, and dominating the entire celestial dome, a malign ritual, with intentions and consequences that went beyond those dark limits, took place. They were witnessing the beginning of a demonic ceremony.

  The floor of the great chamber was irregular, though in some parts it actually looked as if a bulldozer had flattened it. The lake that dominated the centre did not even occupy one third of the whole area. Another impressive detail was that an arched bridge of soapstone rose above the lake, uniting one side to the other.

  Near one of the ends of the bridge, more and more slabs of stone extended on different planes. On the third level, a stone throne stood in front of a type of altar. On this altar, stamped onto worn out grooves in the rock, there were three symbols painted in red and this paint really was what it seemed to be.