by Chris Smith
As James approached the tunnel he saw something moving at its entrance. With each step he felt increasingly uneasy, to the point where he began to doubt his decision to chase the Shadow into this underworld. He paused for a moment. He held up the mask. The image of the rotting withered corpses adorned with their beautiful faces crossed his mind. He pushed it away and carried on.
Halfway to the tunnel’s threshold he realised that it was teaming with some sort of reptilian life. All the creatures seemed to be moving in a circle around the walls of the tunnel, giving it the illusion of a glistening black whirlpool, its movement sucking James into its depths. He heard in the background of his mind, almost unnoticeable, a hostile hiss. When he reached the tunnel’s entrance the cyclical movement abruptly stopped and slowly its walls began to reveal the threshold’s guardians. James froze halfway through his stride. In front of him were hundreds of black snakes, coiled, ready to strike. Slowly he brought his feet together. With a wall of fear blocking his path forward, James waited.
‘Don’t worry, they’ll let you in’ said Grandpa. He walked through the mass of serpents as if they didn’t exist. ‘However,’ he added, turning back to James, ‘once inside, they will attack if you attempt to escape and go back. The only way out, once you are in here, is via the mask, or by facing the King and winning back your light.’
This was the point of no return, thought James. He managed to force a swallow down in spite of the dryness in his throat, and it seemed as though every cell in his body was screaming at him to flee. His limbs felt like lead. James knew that once he took these next few steps his life would be different forever. One way or another, he would leave this place a different person. He mustered his resolve by whispering to himself, and then he took a step forward. The snakes hissed aggressively so he stepped back again.
‘Are you going to be scared all your life,’ asked Grandpa.
Shocked by the tone of the old man, James stared at his face. The snakes created a living frame around his silhouette. Grandpa smiled.
‘Okay, just this once.’ He waved his hand. The vicious creatures withered back against the tunnel walls, allowing James safe passage. Grandpa was still smiling when James reached him. He looked back at the snakes. They resumed their guarding of the tunnel. James had no doubt in his mind that they would strike, without mercy, if he turned back.
‘Follow me,’ Grandpa said.
‘But I can’t see.’
Almost all the light had vanished from inside the tunnel; even the mask had lost its sparkle. James couldn’t see a thing apart from the stars in Grandpa’s eyes. He trusted those eyes; he would follow them anywhere.
‘Let's see now…here, this will help.’ James saw a smirk on his grandfather’s face as his eyes flashed. The old man’s face was lit up for a few seconds before dual bolts of lightning flew out from his sockets. The electrical discharge hit the mask in James’ hand. The explosion sent a shock right through to his bones and the mask flew out of his hand, spinning through the air with a blinding radiance.
‘Christ Almighty!’ James cried. ‘That bloody hurt. Couldn’t you have warned…?’ The sight of the mask spinning in the air and changing its shape, interrupted James’ protests about the pain. The mask collapsed into a small diamond of light. The light’s exactly like mine, like that stolen from my eyes, James thought. The little star flittered through the air towards him. For a brief moment James thought it was going to fly into his eyes. But it stopped a few feet short. The glow from the star acted as a beacon in the tunnel, allowing James to see a few feet ahead. He felt better, safer, and more in control.
‘James, this light will guide you; follow it, wherever you are led. Regardless of the danger, follow without question.’
‘But, you’ll be with me, right?’
‘We will meet again before you leave. But this is your path James, the one you are meant to follow.’
‘But Grandpa, the mask, what if I need it?’
‘Reach out your hand.’ He pointed to the dancing light. ’But be careful not to touch. Reach out slowly. That’s good.’
Only inches from James’ fingertips, the light transformed once again into the brilliant mask. Its warmth touched him through the cold. Pulled by an invisible power, his fingers kept moving forward.
‘Take your hand away—now!’
James withdrew his hand. As he did, the mask snapped back to the twinkling light.
‘I told you not to touch. Be careful James; make sure you are ready. Make sure you have decided, accepted the consequences. Once you make contact, the light is gone for good. The mask will attach to your face. The decision is final. There is no way to reverse your choice.’
The knowledge that the mask was at hand to save him made James feel safe. With the tortured faces imprinted on his mind, he decided he would only use the mask if he was in desperate need, when all hope had deserted him.
‘Come, let’s walk and talk a bit. I’ll tell you what I can about the journey ahead.’
Feeling comfortable and safe, James walked beside his grandfather’s spirit. They followed the light, without question or fear, into the darkness. It was like walking in a deep fog, the light managing to break into the blackness for a few meters ahead of them. The tunnel walls, rough and rocky, contrasted with the worn smooth cobbled stone path. James struggled to keep up with the old man; his feet kept slipping on the smooth stones. Thousands of people must have walked this path and worn them smooth, he surmised. The idea of others travelling this same path added to his sense of security.
After a while they emerged from the blackness of the tunnel onto the top of an escarpment. James shielded his eyes while they adjusted to the burst of light. He squinted, looking down into the valley below. Gradually his eyes adjusted. Deep down, a blanket of mist hid what lay at the bottom. His eyes wandered across the valley, lingering on the odd rock poking its head out through the cloud. They were then drawn to a mountain in the distance, scanning the slopes until they reached what appeared to be a temple sitting proudly on the top. Formed into the shape of a perfect dome, the building stood out against the rugged landscape. Its surface appeared to have something painted on it in dark colours. Over the top of the temple the sky glowed with the radiance of a sunset. Magnificent rays of light from the sky directly above him ran in rivers to the temple. The little spark of light jumped in front of his eyes. It jittered in the air with an anxiousness that surprised James. It was as if the temple were calling it home.
‘So, James, would you like to know what lies ahead?’
Torn between knowing or not, James paused. What Grandpa might say to him scared him. But he needed to know and understand the challenges ahead. Right then, he understood his mother. Is this what she’d experienced, waiting for the specialist’s diagnosis? Did she want him to tell her that her son was mad? Maybe that day in his waiting room hadn’t been that easy for her, he thought.
‘Yes, please tell me. Is that where he lives?’
‘James, you will need to navigate your way through this dangerous underworld’ Grandpa began. ‘This is the realm of the King of Shadows, and that is his palace: his shrine, temple and home. As you steer your way through this place you will meet his servants, his terrible creatures. He owns them, controls them; in fact, he created them. So take care, my boy. But, enough of that, it’s not all bad news you know.’
Grandpa slapped James on the back, but his hand passed straight through him without touching him.
‘Oopsy daisy. I tend to forget once in a while you know. The thing is James, these nasty beings guard secrets. These secrets will help you, a sort of gift if you like. Anyway, you’ll discover them along the way and when you’ve faced all there is to face, and entered his palace over there, the King will find you. Or perhaps I should say you’ll find him.’
Chapter Seven: The Sound of Maggots