Timelock

by R. G. Knighton

  “Make sure you hold on tight, I’m not going to do this twice.”

  Ransun ordered then nodded to his crewmates as one of them placed a thick leather gag into Timut’s mouth for him to bite down on and not break his teeth or bite off his tongue when the pain became intense. They tightened their grip on his remaining limbs and braced for the convulsions as Ransun strapped the injured arm to a bolted down chair then carefully placed the red-hot iron onto the damaged end of the arm to cauterise the blood vessels. Timut screamed and gargled as he thrashed about, rocking his head from side to side, desperate for release but the men were stronger, holding him in place while his flesh sizzled and popped from the intense heat. The men gagged as the air filled with the smell of burning skin, some of which melted like grilled cheese, sticking to the iron in long strings as Ransun lifted it away, placing the iron in a sea water pail that fizzed from the sudden intense heat. Opening the door to clear the smoke, Ransun inspected his handy work and satisfied with the charred and sealed remains he quickly unfastened the arm and dipped the sizzling stump into the molten pitch. Timut convulsed again but weaker this time and released an almost inaudible wail that faded as he passed out completely. The tarred stump was quickly doused in cold seawater to harden the substance and then wrapped a vinegar soaked bandage to the elbow.

  Several hours passed and Ransun managed to lower Timut’s fever with a regular wipe down with a cold wet cloth and boiled water laced with more morphine to drink. Periodically he eased the pressure from the tourniquet until he managed to remove it completely. It came as a relief for the old sailor as no bloodstain seeped through the bandage signifying his success. Standing up and stretching his tired frame as another crewmate came into the room to stay with Timut allowing Ransun some well-earned rest.

  The next day Ransun called on Timut and was pleased to see his fever broken and looking much better.

  “I wish to thank you for saving my life.”

  Timut began, trying to sit up but the pain in his arm made it impossible.

  “Just glad to be of service. I’ve brought you some more medicine to ease your pain but use it sparingly or your body will grow accustomed to it and the effects will wear off.”

  Ransun passed a small cup of opium-dosed liquid to Timut then closely examined the bandage for signs of leaks of gangrenous odour. Finding no signs of either and feeling very pleased with his work he addressed Timut once more before he left.

  “I am not the only one who helped save you, if it wasn’t for Balthazar’s quick thinking in stopping the flow of blood you would have bled to death long before I could have done anything.”

  Timut nodded quietly and vowed to himself that he would someday repay Balthazar for saving his life.

  Later that day the wind dropped again and patches of sea fog moved in. Yeshua waited around on deck for a service soon to be held for the dead sailor. He daydreamed that the ship was flying through the clouds as the fog drifted lazily across the deck and that the becalmed ocean lay a thousand cubits below. Placing his hands together, Yeshua could feel a great warmth of energy surge through his body, and when he spread his palms out towards the fog it moved away like smoke caught on a gentle breeze. Delighted by this revelation Yeshua turned around to try again, only to see Toomak standing only a few paces away, watching intently.

  “I bet you think you are so special, don’t you young prince?”

  She mocked as she idly ran her fingers up and down the amulet’s chain that hung around her neck. Yeshua dropped his head in embarrassment unable to understand what had just happened.

  “I was just messing about that’s all.”

  He mumbled, blushing at talking to a girl, even if it was Toomak.

  “You really have no idea do you?”

  She questioned, but before he could answer, Balthazar called for everyone to assemble on the main deck for a service, allowing Yeshua to barge past Toomak and join the growing crowd.

  The service was brief, with Balthazar skirting around the whole incident, and it ended with the crew offering a toast of wine to say goodbye. Fifteen minutes later Joseph and Balthazar sat in Joseph’s cabin discussing the day’s events after leaving the crew to finish off the amphorae of wine when they heard yet another commotion up on deck and they ran to see the latest incident.

  Drunk and drugged from the wine of which he had had far more than his fare share. Icarus climbed the main mast using only his bare feet and hands and now sat with his legs dangling either side of the yardarm. He wore only his loincloth and sat jabbering to himself ignoring the shouts from below as Joseph joined Balthazar and the others on deck. They all stared up at Icarus as he wafted in and out of view as the mist floated about him before disappearing completely into the drifting fog.

  Balthazar ran to the foot of the mast and began to climb up himself to attempt a rescue, when Icarus let out a bone-chilling scream and blood rained down onto upturned faces below. As the mist cleared, it revealed the gruesome sight of Icarus hanging upside down, held only in place by his left foot that was tangled in the ship's rigging. His neck had been ripped wide open almost severing it from the rest of his dying body that jerked and twitched spewing jets of blood in a large arc across the mainsail and forcing everyone to run for cover who stood directly below. One of the crewmen started to climb hand over hand up a rigging rope to try and help only to crash heavily to the deck when the rope mysteriously snapped under his weight. Ghoulishly the captive audience returned and watched as the poor man’s life swiftly drained away. Yeshua looked about him at the shocked faces only to see Toomak smiling. In her hands, she held a straw doll that any small child may carry but as she was his about his age she seemed much too old for such a toy. The doll's head bobbled sideways, barely connected on to the rest of the body as she clutched it tightly and twisted its torso. This was mimicked by the convulsions of Icarus, whose body danced like a child’s puppet on a string. When the macabre jig ceased, his free leg twisted and poked out at an impossible angle to the rest of his body and his two arms dangled limp and lifeless either side of his head, that was now entirely drenched in congealing blood exaggerating the scream that still remained on his face. Balthazar slid back down to the deck and joined the others after finding it impossible to climb as the mast as it was now slick with the helmsman’s blood. It was obvious the man was dead so Balthazar untied the main halyard and slowly lowered the yardarm to retrieve the body of his dead friend. Before the sail could be lowered a cubit, Icarus suddenly sprang into life and danced once more, slipping his foot from out from the rigging. His body plunged, painting a grotesque abstract as it rolled down the mainsail then landed with a sickening crump onto the deck below, detaching the head completely which first bounced then rolled to the feet of Toomak who rather than being repulsed by the blood and hideous visage, tucked her doll into her smock and picked it up while gazing curiously into the face of this poor dead sailor. Balthazar stormed over and had to restrain himself from cuffing Toomak with the back of his hand as he snatched the severed head from Toomak’s fingers and carried it back to be placed with the rest of the body.

  Balthazar fell to his knees and straightened out the twisted remains while he waited for a length of sailcloth to be retrieved from below decks that would be used to shroud the dead sailor for burial at sea. He then placed a coin in the dead man’s mouth to pay for his journey to the afterlife. When he crossed the broken arms over the dead man’s chest a small stone fell from Icarus’ hand onto the deck. Balthazar recoiled in horror as he instantly recognised it as one of the black stones that Toomak held in her hand on the day Icarus stopped her from throwing them into the sea. Looking around for the girl, he spotted Toomak standing in the queue of passengers waiting to head below deck. She stared back at him grinning and Balthazar watched in horror and revulsion as one by one she placed her fingers in her mouth and sucked clean the blood of his dear dead friend.

  A sombre mood hung over the crew for the rest of the day and the passengers understandably
stayed in their quarters allowing the grieving process to take place. In order to wipe away the memory of the tragic accident, Balthazar ordered the decks to be scrubbed clean and the mainsail to be replaced. As this took place, the remaining crewmen hummed a lament as Balthazar sewed the length of sail cloth around the dead man’s body and added two cubits of heavy chain to the package before sealing it tight.

  At the setting of the sun, everyone gathered on deck to listen and pay their respects as Balthazar gave the eulogy.

  “I have known Icarus for over twenty years. We met when I sailed from port to port as part of a travelling circus. Icarus was part of the crew on the boat we chartered. The first thing he helped me with was how to overcome seasickness and from then on, we became the best of friends. Everything I know about the sea I owe to this man, whom we say farewell to today. He had no family and his mistress was the sea so it is fitting that Icarus should return to the waters he knew so well and called his home. He didn’t care for any religion in particular but as you all know was the most superstitious sailor I have ever met. I don’t know what caused this tragic end to his life but I will not rest until the truth is revealed. Nevertheless, for now I bid farewell to a fine sailor, mentor and a man I was proud to call my friend.”

  Balthazar nodded to the two crewmen who held onto one end of a broad plank of wood on which the body lay, with the other end resting on the rail of the ship. In unison, they raised their end and the shrouded body slid swiftly off the end and plunged into the sea. The last sign of any disturbance to the water was a few bubbles rising to the surface.

  Balthazar choked back the fury rising up as he spotted Toomak smiling as the body hit the water’s surface and had to be restrained by Joseph and three of the crew from picking up the child and throwing her into the sea to join his dear friend.

  That night Balthazar felt the murmurs of unease and fear running through the crew and decided to report to Joseph who had also come to the same conclusion.

  “We must offload the family at the nearest port or we’ll have mass murder on our hands.”

  Balthazar told Joseph. This was not an easy thing to say as Balthazar took personal pride in his perfect record of delivering everything placed in his care, including passengers to their designated destination in excellent condition.

  Joseph looked under his eyelids at Balthazar’s use of the word murder and his mind raced trying to come to any other conclusion but sat back in his chair, resigned to the fact that bizarrely Balthazar was right and it was the only thing to do.

  “As soon as the sea fog lifts, chart our position and head for the nearest port even if it means retracing our journey but not a word of this to anyone. Just say we need vital supplies. As soon as we reach port, you can instruct the men to unload every last item of their belongings and I will refund their money. As for now, break out an extra amphora of good wine; say it’s a toast to Icarus that should ease the tension a little.”

  Balthazar’s mood lifted at the instruction and nodded silently before leaving Joseph alone with his thoughts.

  That evening Balthazar said a silent prayer of thanks as the wind finally picked up and the fog lifted revealing a clear view of the star filled heavens. Balthazar plotted the ship's position for the first time without the aid of Icarus and was relieved to find they were only a few leagues from the shores of northern Gaul. With a fair south-easterly wind, they could be rid of Toomak and her family by the morning.

  Yeshua now kept as far away from Toomak as it was possible on board a ship and always tried to be near someone at all times in case of a chance meeting. This worked perfectly until late that night. Following the funeral of Icarus, Yeshua cautiously crept from his bunk and up onto the deck to relieve himself over the rail at the stern of the ship. When he had finished he dropped his smock and turned to return to his bunk only to jump at the sight of Toomak again staring at him less than ten feet away.

  “There must be something wrong with you if you like staring at people taking a pee.”

  Yeshua snapped, embarrassed at the thought of what Toomak had just watched.

  Toomak remained silent, just staring unblinking. She seemed to be looking through Yeshua rather than at him.

  “Are you listening to me?”

  Yeshua snapped angrily at her lack of response but keeping his voice in check at this late hour. Toomak turned away and out of sight as she headed down the steps towards Josephs’ cabin.

  “Where do you think you’re going? I’m talking to you.”

  Yeshua asked as he ran to catch up, only to find that Toomak had disappeared into thin air. Yeshua looked frantically around, and finding nothing he ran and carefully opened Joseph’s cabin door to tell him what had happened only to see Toomak emerge from out of a far wall and walk right through Joseph’s desk before disappearing through the opposite wall into the bed-chamber. Yeshua dashed across the floor and tore open the door to see Toomak standing over Joseph, holding the amulet and muttering under her breath in a repeat of when his attack occurred a few days ago. Yeshua ran to the bedside and tried to push Toomak away but instead of a flesh and blood resistance, he passed straight through her body and fell to the floor. Unable to move Toomak, Yeshua ran around the bed and grabbed hold of Joseph, trying to wake him, but to no avail, he remained unconscious so Yeshua took hold of his arm and physically dragged his uncle from his bed and onto the floor. Undeterred, Toomak walked right through the bed and continued her chant. At this point, Joseph had begun to shudder with white froth collecting in the corners of his mouth and his eyes rolling back in their sockets. Terror turned to rage and acting on instinct, Yeshua pointed both arms at Toomak with his palms held vertical like he was pushing a heavy object then yelled,

  “In the name of all that is holy I command that you go back and return whence you came, you creature of Lucifer.”

  Toomak screamed then wailed like a banshee as her image contorted its shape and imploded, sucking all the available air from the room as it rapidly spun on its axis and disappeared like water down a plughole. Joseph immediately opened his eyes, surprised to be laying on the floor with Yeshua looking down at him. There appeared to be no physical damage and Joseph quickly regained his composure as he listened wide-eyed to Yeshua’s tale before offering his reply.

  “You must tell no one of this or use your gift in the public eye. It is obvious Toomak is possessed with an evil spirit and able to control those around her. We must be rid of her as soon as we can before her evil can cause any more harm. The crew are terrified and if they also find out you have powers, even if used for good intent, I may not be able to guarantee your safety. Balthazar, as we speak, is plotting a course for the nearest port where everyone in her entourage will be removed from this ship but you must tell no one as all our lives will be in danger.”

  Yeshua agreed and hugged his uncle tightly around his neck before returning to his own cabin where he remained awake for the rest of the night thinking about his powers and what was to come.

  Next morning the mood of the crew lifted at the sight of land and by midday, the massive ship dropped anchor in the bay off the port of Portus Namnetum. As the ship was too big for the tiny harbour, Balthazar ordered two of the crew to a small rowboat that had been lowered over the side, with instructions to return with a vessel and crew big enough to carry all the people, goods and chattels belonging to Toomak and her family. In addition, to procure fresh food supplies for the rest of the journey. Within three hours, the crewmen returned with a small single masted ship that he brought alongside and secured it fore and aft before climbing up a rope ladder to the deck of Balthazar’s much bigger vessel. The crew quickly transferred the fresh food and wine, and carried out Joseph’s order to throw all the old supplies overboard as he believed that Toomak was somehow responsible for the contamination of the food.

  Balthazar waited on deck while Joseph spoke to Hajer and Psyom in his quarters regarding the situation and what was to happen. Balthazar smiled to himself as he heard Psyom s
cream and storm from the meeting quickly followed by Hajer who remained his usual placid self. Joseph emerged flushed and angry but managed to maintain control in front of the crew as he explained under his breath to Balthazar.

  “Damn that infernal woman, if you don’t get her off the boat immediately I will throw her overboard myself.”

  Balthazar smiled to himself as he turned away and gave the order to remove all of Toomak’s family, servants and belongings and put them on the adjoining ship. With the task complete, the family emerged and quickly transferred to the waiting ship. As the ropes were loosed and the ships drifted apart, Toomak arrived at the rail holding her amulet. She appeared to say something then tossed yet another stone into the sea. The crew watched horrified as the water around the splash zone frothed and bubbled as a shrouded body bobbed to the surface. A skeletal hand was already poking through a tear in the cloth and in its grip it held the stone. The other hand tore open the stitching from the inside and the bloated half-eaten face of Icarus floated out. It rolled repeatedly in the surf, blinking its eyes while opening and closing its mouth animatedly. When the bubbles ceased the body and head sank back into the depths leaving not a trace. Joseph looked back at the other ship to see Toomak and Feriluc laughing hysterically at the horrified look of Joseph and the crew.