“I would like to bring back some evidence to my superiors” He continued, “That we should not journey there again and it was said that you may be able to help us.”
Sighing again the Abbot got to his feet and slowly walked back around the desk with his hand clasped behind his back. After a moment of contemplation he turned to face them again.
“What you ask is no simple thing… it is a long and difficult journey.”
“We have a vehicle sir, from here it should take no longer then a few hours to reach Helheim.”
The older man’s brow crinkled in thought. “That would put you there after dark, the worst time to be there. That is not advisable.” He shook his head thinking again before speaking.
“If someone were to take you, it could not be tonight and it could not be an initiate. It would have to be someone who had already made the journey and knows what to expect,” he paused again.
“It would have to be a volunteer also, I could not ask anyone to travel to that place unnecessarily.”
Behind them Lucas cleared his throat. “If you have no objections Abbot I would take them. It has been several years since my last journey to Helheim.”
The abbot thought about it for a moment before nodding.
“Very well then, I have no objections. I do however have a request. I would have you take a letter to your father Fallon. If you took it to him tonight you could leave from there in the morning. That would shorten your journey and if you can travel as fast as you say then you should have enough time to gather your proof and be away from there before nightfall tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Sir!” Robert exclaimed getting to his feet and not thinking offered out his hand to be shook.
The Abbot looked at the proffered appendage and smiled before placing his hands together and bowing.
Embraced he retracted his arm and returned the gesture.
“Lucas, might I have a word with you before you leave?”
Opening the door Lucas led them outside.
“Fallon, you know the way - would you show Robert to his friends?”
She smiled and nodded, “Of Course.”
Lucas stepped back into the office and closed the door.
As soon as the door closed the smile slipped from Fallon’s face, she glared at him before stalking off down the corridor.
“Wait, did I do something?” he called after her trying to be quiet in the silent hallway.
“You have done many things. And now you have dragged more innocent people into your fool’s errand.”
“Why… Why are you so angry about this?”
“My reasons are my own.”
He followed her down a double flight of stairs and into the refectory. There were several monks sitting around the small cafeteria, Jackson and Tommy were sat with Baudoin at a table eating bowls of soup with torn loaf of bread between them.
They looked up along with several of the other monks when Fallon and Robert entered the room. Seeing them Robert stopped but Fallon never slowed down. She walked right by them and out of a side door.
“What’s wrong with her?” Tommy asked.
“They said yes.” he answered simply.
XIII
They gathered to leave about an hour later, Fallon was back and stood silent, patiently waiting. Lucas came out of one of the dormitories stripped of his armor, carrying a long walking stick and wearing a satchel slung over his shoulder and across his chest. As he walked across the courtyard towards them another young initiate ran up to him and handed him a tightly bound package of cloth and a folded piece of paper.
He bowed took them both and continued toward the others with the package cradled under one arm.
“I am ready.” he announced when he arrived.
Several of the younger monks had gathered and took turns wishing him a safe journey, he spoke to them all quickly.
Fallon led the way again as they followed the yellow road back to the truck. The journey seemed quicker going out than coming in, whether Fallon walked faster or not Robert couldn’t tell as he trailed the group along with Lucas.
“Thank you again for doing this Lucas.”
“It’s not a problem, from time to time a man must challenge himself, mentally and physically if he is to grow. And he must be reminded of what he struggles against.”
“How long has it been since you went to Helheim?”
“Eight years, three months and eleven days.”
“Wow, that’s very accurate.”
Turning his head slightly Lucas spoke calmly, his face placid. “You tend not to forget the day you see Hell.”
Ramirez had gotten out of the enclosed space and away from Greene some time before the others had gotten back so he saw them coming long before they got to the end of the path.
“Looks like we have our guide then?” He said as soon as they were close enough that he didn’t have to raise his voice.
“Ramirez, this is Lucas, Lucas – Ramirez.” Tommy said introducing them each in turn.
Ramirez held out his hand only to have it ignored and found him self being bowed at.
“So, this is our very own Rasputin.”
“Already Greene, can’t you hold you tongue for five minutes?” Robert asked.
“No, probably not.”
“Well try. Okay people lets get show rolling, we want to get back to the mountains in time for dinner.”
“The mountains? Now wait a second, what the Hell happened to Los Angeles? Isn’t that what we got this guy for?”
“We’ll be heading to L.A. first thing in the morning.”
“Yeah right, and in the morning it’ll be the afternoon.” Greene spat, his words laced with scorn.
“Just get in the Humvee Greene.” Jackson said menacingly.
Robert smiled, tall as he was, Greene still had to look up at Jackson. It looked for a second like Greene might challenge him but he backed down quickly and sauntered back over to the truck and got in.
“Okay well things are going to be a little crowded, but I think we’ll all fit.” Robert said looking around the growing group.
He had barely finished speaking when Ira did his acrobatic act and sprang up onto the roof rack.
He and Lucas shared a smile.
Things inside the Hummer were indeed cramped, Jackson had taken up his position driving with Fallon still acting as navigator but when he went to climb into the back he found Greene sitting in his seat.
They locked eyes for a second and Robert thought about saying something but decided against it, Greene had ridden in the back the whole way so far and it was only fair to change things up. He just wished that Greene wasn’t so combative, if he had just asked it would have been fine, but that wasn’t Greene’s way. He climbed back up onto one of the bench seats in the rear along with Baudoin, Ramirez and Lucas. That meant Tommy would be left next to Greene but they should be able to stick it out for the hour or so back to the mountain village.
They backed the truck up to make sure they were clear of the mine field before turning it around, once they were rumbling along at a steady speed he turned to Baudoin and Lucas.
“So what’s it like in Helheim? What should we expect?”
He looked at both of them and neither one seemed to want to be the first one to talk about it, finally Lucas did.
“I do not know how to explain everything, and for all I know it has only grown worse since I was last there,” he paused and tried to think where to begin. “Things are very different there. The buildings still stand for the most part but many have been burned to the ground by the Valagoths the ‘men’ who control things there. They ride around on horses for the most part, but they have some vehicles like this one.”
“They have walled off large sections of the city that was.” Baudoin added.
“Right, they herd people and animals through the streets together like they were the same. They… brutalize men and women for amusement, slaughter cattle in the street for food until the streets ar
e washed with blood and they leave the bodies to rot where they fall”
“It’s hard to imagine things getting worse than that.” Robert offered sadly.
“Yes, but it could happen, the way it was then happened in degrees… it is always quicker and easier to destroy than to create, the evil that men do spreads swiftly”
All Robert could do was exhale a deep sad sigh of agreement. They spent the rest of the journey in silence as they each contemplated those words and tried to picture what horrors might await them in Helheim.
XIV
Parking the Humvee in a small canyon they all hiked the last mile up into the village. Just as before the villagers gathered above them as they made their way through the narrow ravine only this time they were far more verbal and a murmur rumbled through them. Whether it was the number of extra people or simply the presence of the monk, the village was buzzing.
Entering the main courtyard in the rock several more villagers including the Father were already walking forward to greet them.
“Back so soon?” the Father asked earnestly.
His small kind smile spread across his face with joy when he saw Brother Lucas. He laughed from deep in his belly, they briefly performed the greeting of the monks and then dropping formality, they hugged slapping each others backs.
“The Abbot sends a letter for you, and a gift” he said handing over the folded paper and holding up the cloth bundle.
Taking them both the Father beamed. He peeked inside the bundle and smiled. “Excellent, we shall have a feast! To old friends and new” Looking around the sandstone chamber he called to someone standing on the upper rim. “Connor, tell the warrener to cull two more doe for dinner.”
The boy nodded and ran out of sight along the ridge. Two young women came to the Fathers side and took the bundle of food from him.
He turned and greeted the others no less warmly, ushering them all fully into camp. Others too came forward and introduced themselves and soon the villagers and the bunker dwellers were mingled together, laughing and talking.
The sky darkened into night and three great fires were lit inside the well hidden canyon. Meat was roasted and vegetables stewed, fresh loaves from the Sanctuary were torn and shared.
Small groups of small children gathered and divided up large oranges. There stories and games and laughter. There was dancing as music played from flutes, simple stringed instruments and drums.
Robert and Tommy sat with Baudoin and some others from the village, they ate from thick bowls using simple spoons and their hands.
Tommy grabbed another piece of meat from his bowl and chewed it. “Mmm, this is very good. We’ve never eaten real meat before, it tastes so strong. Is this chicken?”
One of the villagers sitting with them named Michael leaned forward and smiled. “No, this is rabbit”
Tommy stopped in mid-bite. “You mean I’m eating ‘Fiver’?”
The others stared at him quizzically, only Robert laughed. “It’s a character from a book,” he explained before describing the story of ‘Watership Down’. They nodded and smiled but didn’t quite understand.
Tommy looked at the meat again and slowly ate the bite in his hand mentally apologizing to Fiver, he just tasted too good.
“Are you going to come with us tomorrow Baudoin?” Robert asked.
“Yes” he nodded “There is safety in numbers.”
“What about Fallon, I haven’t seen here since we got back?”
“She will be ready in the morning, for now she meditates”
Robert nodded. “She doesn’t want to go, does she?”
“No.” he answered simply.
Not wanting to press the matter he focused on cleaning out his bowl. When he was done he looked around to see what to do with it but a young girl got up and smiling took it from him.
“Thank you.” he managed as she slipped away blushing.
Looking around he found all of the others. Ramirez was talking with a small group, holding out the small gold crucifix around his neck. Jackson was currently being used as a climbing frame by several small children, he had one hanging from each arm, two more on his legs and another clung to his neck and he was walking around gently trying to shake them of as they laughed hysterically.
Greene was harder to find, he had found his way onto the upper level and was sitting alone watching everything going on below. Their eyes met and Greene shook his head disapprovingly as he slipped a piece of meat into his mouth.
As he looked away he noticed Fallon standing alone in the shadows.
“Excuse me,” he said standing up and walked over to her. “You’re not enjoying the celebration?”
“What is there to celebrate?” she countered not meeting his gaze.
“I’m sorry if the Father is making you do this. If you would like I could talk to him, thank him and explain that we do not need to endanger any of his people.”
“No.”
He waited for her to continue but she didn’t.
“I – We all appreciate your help, we certainly didn’t mean to cause so much trouble. We were just supposed to look around and try to figure out things up here. There weren’t supposed to be any zombies, sorry, ghouls… there wasn’t supposed to be a Helheim.”
She shifted from her place against the wall and looked at him. “You talk too much.” she said as she turned and walked further away into the shadows.
He just stood and watched her melt into the darkness, he had never seen anyone so beautiful and yet so angry. Even Greene wasn’t as driven as she seemed to be, he was just bitter and conceited. Whatever dark storm raged in her was much more than just petty greed.
Slowly he stepped back out into the firelight, the feast was winding down, the music had stopped but people still talked, their voices mingling loudly.
As Robert rejoined the group Baudoin stood and showed them where they could freshen up and lay their sleeping bags to be out of the elements. With full stomachs and tired bodies they lay down and fell almost instantly into a deep, restful sleep. They would need it, none of them knew it yet but tomorrow was going to be a very long day.
XV
Morning came with a frost making Robert glad that they had been able to sleep in the mouth of one of the cave openings inside the sandstone village. Hot underground springs fed by the San Andreas fault deep underground vented warm air up through the labyrinthine complex and made it almost too warm to be inside their heavily insulated sleeping bags.
Slowly, one by one all of the members of the team that would be traveling to Helheim gathered in the middle of the courtyard. A woman Robert recognized as the young girl who had taken his bowl last night at dinner was hard at work over an iron plate suspended over a low fire.
As he got closer the smell of cooking eggs grabbed him and squeezed his stomach, maybe it was the fresh mountain air or the adventure of just being on the surface instead of being buried in his hermetically sealed home, but he had never felt so hungry.
He walked over next to the fire and inhaled more deeply.
“Wow, that smells incredible!” he said. Almost immediately he gut voiced a loud agreement.
The girl laughed sweetly. She scooped some of the scrambled eggs onto a plate along with two thick slices of fried tomato and offered it up to him.
He took it and smiled. “Thank you…?”
“Gaia,” She said softly.
“Thank you Gaia,” he said and retreated to sit with the others. He didn’t know whether it was his familiarity for the girls he had grown up with in the bunker but, so many of the women here were exceptionally beautiful. He stole a glance back at Gaia and caught her looking away.
“Ah, we have come to root of it then.” A deep voice resonated from behind him.
He glanced up, seeing at the Father standing, smiling.
“I’m sorry?”
“You’ve come to steal our women.” He said adjusting his robes and sitting next to him.
“Oh, no sir, I didn’t mea
n anything -”
The Father laughed heartily. “Love is a force of nature Robert, we cannot restrain it or control it. Not in ourselves or others. Like lightning it strikes where and when it wants.”
“Yes sir, I wasn’t… I wouldn’t… I mean not now.”
“When it wants.” The Father smiled. “Safe journey my friend,” he said offering out his hand. “I hope that you find what you seek and return safely.”
He clasped the older mans hand. “Thank you.”
As the Father stood and walked away, Robert followed him with his eyes and he spooned more eggs into his mouth. They melted there like smooth, thick ambrosia. There were so many things that they had missed out on over the last century, they had ways of replacing lost nutrients, the essential vitamins and minerals of life but there was no replacement for flavor and texture.
He didn’t know what plan if any there was in place to get chickens but on the list of things to do once they had transitioned above ground, getting chickens and eggs had to be right at the top.
He took a bite of the tomato and had to stop. They had tomatoes in the bunker, but not like this. It had to be something about how they were grown he thought, perhaps something in the preparation as well but it seemed like more than that. Growing things in the ground made them taste different. Forcing himself to slow down he tried not to finish his food too quickly.
Across the courtyard the Father stopped and was talking to Fallon and Ira, the young boy was visibly upset, shaking his head, beating his chest and pointing away over the mountains.
Fallon and Father both shook their heads in return and tried to talk to him but he pulled free of the Father’s hand on his shoulder and dashed away playing spider up one of the walls and out of the main chamber.
“He wants to go with us,” Baudoin said beside him. “But he is too young. That is no place for a boy”
Long Live The Dead Page 8