The Eye of Erasmus

by Teresa Geering

  Shasta had gone to visit Esme to finalise fittings of the dress and Erasmus decided to visit Hesper. He hadn’t seen him for nearly two weeks and he wanted to reassure himself that he was alright. He was convinced that they had done the right thing in rebuilding the house. Hesper had settled in well and was enjoying his independence, safe in the knowledge of being able to visit Shasta if he got fed up with his own company.

  As he now approached the house, the first thing he noticed was the seagull on the roof. It seemed to have taken an intense dislike to him. Every time he visited the house, the bird dived at him. On one occasion he had actually pecked the top of his head. Hesper seemed to find it rather amusing. To a certain extent so did he, but enough was enough.

  Yet again, as he approached, the bird was there watching. He had to admit it was one of the largest he had seen. He felt a bit foolish hurrying to take cover from a bird but he did so anyway, calling out to Hesper as he approached the door. It swung open unexpectedly, casting dark shadows around the room. Hesper was sitting in a chair in the far corner in the shadows, hardly visible. His body was completely ramrod straight and his head held high. He was at home in his own little kingdom. By his side was his faithful Merlin. How had he got here, Erasmus thought? He certainly hadn’t noticed him on the way up here.

  Erasmus, for the first time in his life, felt a strange feeling of fear and yet this was a young boy and a cat. At the same time he felt his energy being drained from him. Nothing like this had happened to him before. He felt weak around his knees as if his legs wouldn’t support him.

  “Are you alright, Erasmus?” Hesper asked with concern in his voice. “Would you like to sit down and have a drink?”

  “I do feel a bit tired” he said.

  Trying not to make too much of a fuss, Erasmus made his way to the nearest chair, somehow reluctant to admit how he felt. Hopefully, if he stayed still for a while he would feel better.

  Up until this moment Hesper hadn’t stirred. Now he moved with cat-like grace to get Erasmus a drink. As he watched him, Erasmus realised he was no longer looking at a young boy. The change in him was amazing and he had to admit to himself that he hadn’t really noticed.

  He only had sisters, and basically had been a loner in his pubescent years. He was aware of his own good looks but just accepted bodily changes as they occurred.

  Still unsure of his own feeling of weakness, he decided to concentrate on that, gingerly moving his legs about to keep the feeling going.

  As Hesper handed him a drink and returned to his chair, the room suddenly became incredibly dark. Hesper seemed to be surrounded by dark shadows which made him seem menacing. Through the open door he could see the sky in the distance rapidly turning black. As he looked back into the room again he noticed that Merlin was now seated in the middle of Hesper’s lap and also watching him from the shadows.

  “It looks like we are in for a storm, Erasmus. You can stay here if you like and eat with me. That way you can ride out the storm. Or, if you prefer to leave shortly, you should be back with Shasta before it starts.”

  Erasmus was starting to feel strangely uncomfortable in Hesper’s presence, so he decided to return to Shasta.

  Bidding Hesper farewell, he thanked him for the drink and left. He was relieved to note that the seagull had disappeared for once.

  As he walked away from the craggy rock, he began to feel better and stronger in himself. Perhaps I just needed the fresh air, he though to himself, and, as he reached Shasta’s house, the first large drops of rain began to fall before the storm set in. There would be many more before summer arrived.

  Hesper hadn’t moved and Merlin was still seated on his lap as before. Slowly the flames parted and he saw a vision of Erasmus and Shasta sitting beside their own fire.

  “Very soon, Erasmus,” he said to his four walls, “very soon,” letting out a heinous cackle as the seagull flew in and settled on the table.

  Chapter 22

  Finally, the day of the wedding arrived and the morning was superb. The sun competed with fluffy white clouds and won. It was by no means hot but at least it was warm.

  Erasmus was told to go to the church with Hesper and was not allowed to see Shasta until she arrived there. Merlin was confined to the house more or less, but he spent most of his time at Hesper’s house these days anyway.

  Esme had arrived to help Shasta prepare. Whilst they dressed they both discussed the prospects of the coming nuptials. Shasta was so excited her fingers were all thumbs and eventually she left it to Esme to help her to get into her dress which was a fine print of delicate flowers. As she placed her arms in the dress, it sensuously flowed over the shape of her slim body. Finally Esme placed the delicate head-dress, on the crown of her head. The hair, which had been left loose and flowing, had been brushed until it shone.

  She was ready.

  They had decided to do away with tradition as it was such a beautiful day and walked to the church. This was much to the amusement of everyone they met on the way. Shasta looked beautiful and was very popular.

  As she passed by people, she was constantly asking them to join her in the church and eventually she had quite a procession behind her. This was her day and she could do nothing but smile at her good fortune in meeting Erasmus.

  When they were wed they would be the perfect family even if Hesper were staying at his own house. She had already begun looking on him as her son.

  The wedding went without a hitch and hand in hand they walked back to the house where a feast had been prepared by neighbours during their ceremony.

  There was much ribald laughter and many glasses of ale were drunk by all. Shasta and Erasmus couldn’t have been happier if they had been given all the stars in the heavens as a present.

  Prior to the wedding Erasmus still considered the cave his home as he had everything he required there. Now that he and Shasta were together the cave became more of a workplace. He was still reluctant to have any visitors there and his privacy there was respected by all.

  Life set into an idyllic pattern for both of them. They entertained neighbours and friends and in turn were entertained also.

  Hesper seemed content to spend most of his time in his own house, almost recluse-like, but at the same time recognising that Erasmus and Shasta still looked on him as a son. He had changed several things in the interior rooms of late which, although to his liking, surprised Shasta and Erasmus. It gave the house a feeling of isolation rather than warmth, but they recognised that it suited him.

  Shasta often remarked that if she didn’t know better, she would have thought that he wasn’t living alone, judging by the plates in the sink.

  On one occasion Shasta took a basket of food for him and Merlin. As she approached the door she heard voices coming from inside. She recognised Hesper’s voice, but the second voice was very masculine and deep. Knocking loudly she opened the door and then called out. On entering the room it was only occupied by Hesper who was sitting reading a book. She thought it felt cold in the room and pulled her shawl tighter.

  “Hello, Shasta, you look confused. Is anything wrong?”

  “When I came to the door I’m sure I heard voices. I thought you had a visitor.”

  “No, there is only me here. Perhaps you heard me reading aloud.”

  “Oh yes, of course,” she said unconvinced.

  The voice was far too deep to have been his.

  “I’ve brought you some provisions from the market, Hesper. I thought it easier if I brought them up to you now rather than you have to bring them back after your meal with us tonight. You haven’t forgotten have you? Erasmus is looking forward to it especially now that the nights are warmer. We thought maybe we could sit in the garden afterwards or go for a walk along the beach. What do you think?”

  “Well maybe not the beach, but it will be nice to sit in the garden again. We haven’t done that for a long time.”

  “Very well, Hesper, we will expect you at the usual time then.”

&nb
sp; As she left she was convinced that she could hear voices again. She didn’t use her physic ability very much these days but she felt sure there was someone there. Also there seemed to be a faint smell of smoke in the house and yet no fire was lit.

  Looking to the roof of the house she half expected to see smoke rising from the smoke stack, but there was only the seagull which Erasmus had told her about. She smiled to herself. He looked harmless enough just sitting there.

  Clearing her mind she walked back to her own house enjoying the salty taste of the sea on her lips.

  After their dinner she and Erasmus regularly walked along the beach in the moonlight. Sitting on her favourite rock they watched Hesperus the Evening Star appear and then, one by one, the other stars joined in. She had hoped Hesper would be there tonight. There was something urgent and joyful she wished to convey to Erasmus and Hesper at the same time, the news that she was with child.

  Although Hesper already knew.

  Chapter 23

  The meal with Hesper was not at all successful. He seemed to pick arguments with Erasmus the whole evening. It began during dinner and continued as they sat in the garden.

  Shasta had decided to keep her own counsel. They both knew far more than she did on the subject. Admittedly Hesper’s knowledge of astronomy was now equal to Erasmus’, and frequently, if charts were to be drawn up, preference was given to Hesper over Erasmus. Erasmus didn’t seemed particularly put out by this as he regarded the boy as his own son anyway. He was content with his life with Shasta, and astronomy and charts were now taking second place. However in Erasmus’s mind he was still far more knowledgeable and so they would agree to disagree by the end of the evening.

  It was agreed, though, that Erasmus would collect up all of his charts of the various constellations and bring them to Hesper’s house the following evening. They would spend the evening studying them. If it got too late, Erasmus would stay the night.

  As Erasmus made his way up to the rocky crag, he felt there was a hint of rain in the air. All day it had been threatening and he got the feeling that there would be a storm before the night was out. Well, if it happened, he would spend the night with Hesper as arranged.

  As he neared the house, he noticed that the seagull wasn’t there. Perhaps he didn’t know I was coming tonight, he thought to himself and laughed.

  Reaching the door he called out and walked in as usual. Hesper was sitting in his chair waiting expectantly. He had a strange, almost serene, expression on his face.

  “Hello, Father.”

  Erasmus stood completely still. It was such a normal statement to make but, coming from Hesperus, it was........well he wasn’t sure. He was surprised, flattered even. Hesper had only ever called him Erasmus. Many times he had asked him if he would like to refer to him as his father but Hesper had remained steadfast. So Erasmus had accepted it.

  This had been a spontaneous remark, said with some degree of warmth, but the eyes looked cold and defiant. Erasmus had noticed this before but assumed it was just something that came along with puberty. However the words were said and he hoped to improve their relationship tonight. This was one of his prime reasons for being here.

  Hesper offered him a drink and they cleared the table ready to place out all the charts they had.

  For a while they seemed to get along amicably enough and then Hesper challenged something Erasmus had drawn on the chart. Knowing he was right, Erasmus argued the point fiercely. The discussion got more and more heated.

  Suddenly the threatened storm broke and rain began to beat down mercilessly as if to add weight to the argument which had now developed.

  “You cannot be right, Father,” said Hesper suddenly calming down. Erasmus looked at him.

  “Why do you suddenly refer to me as ‘Father’, Hesper?” said Erasmus also changing tact.

  Out of the corner of his eye Erasmus caught sight of Merlin sitting in the corner of the room watching the exchange.

  “You are my father, Erasmus, and I can prove it.”

  Fortunately there was a chair close to Erasmus. He sank into it. First he looked astonished and then started to laugh until his sides were fit to burst.

  All the while Hesper stood his ground. He was now standing over Erasmus, his hands grasping the sides of the chair. As Erasmus stopped laughing and looked into his eyes once again he felt fear. The boy seemed to have grown out of all proportion. His voice now seemed to roar. Erasmus started to feel weak again and in need of air. The room suddenly closed in on him and his head began to swim.

  “How am I your father, Hesper?”

  “You are my father; Shasta is my mother.”

  Erasmus was stupefied. “Your mother? How can she be your mother?”

  “You will kill us, your wife and your son. You love us, yet you will set fire to our house, this very house, out of jealousy while we sleep, and you will leave us to die. You will do it. You have done it. You will not do it again.”

  Hesper stood watching him for a few moments and then he drew himself up to his full height, towering over Erasmus.

  “I can prove I’m your son, Erasmus,” he said and, turning, he indicated the small blemish at the base of his spine that he had been born with. His mother had called it his little star.

  “I know that it’s identical to yours because I have seen it when you have been bathing. I always ensured that mine was covered at all times. As for time travel, yes, we can both time travel. I am your son, remember? You have travelled from the past. I have travelled from the future which is the past.”

  Suddenly there was an almighty crack of thunder which brought him back to the present. The rain was still beating down on the roof relentlessly.

  Hesper roared out loud “You were born by the storm and now you will die by the storm, Erasmus.”

  Erasmus felt the colour drain from his face. He tried to leave but felt powerless to do so. His whole body felt weak. Somewhere in the recess of his mind he realised that Hesper was draining the life from him.

  “There will be no point in you fighting me, Erasmus. I have been slowly draining your energy for weeks. That’s why you are unable to time travel anymore. Now you know why my body healed and, yes, your friends were right, it can only be put down to fate. Your energy is the only thing that I want from you now that you have given my mother a child and I shall be reborn. You will not have the chance to destroy us again.”

  As he grew weaker, Erasmus screamed “.... No....!”, but it was carried away by the storm.

  Hesper scooped up Merlin in his arms and shouted for the heavens to hear “I am Hesperus, the omnipotent one,” and with that he disappeared before Erasmus’s eyes.

  Erasmus screamed out the name of his beloved Shasta and fell to the floor.

  Chapter 24

  Shasta loved to walk along the beach under the stars she had so many times wished upon. Now, kneeling against the rock, the tears streamed down her face as she held the limp form of her beloved Erasmus.

  She had found him here when she had gone to search for him. How he had got here she would never know. She tried to understand what he was saying but could only make out that he had been trying to get back to Hesper, his son. His head was cradled in her arms and his breath was coming in short gasps. She would never know.

  As she held him in her arms his human form began suddenly to change. Starting with his lower limbs, he became a slithering mass of rotating fluid-like substance, which began to blend with the algae and rocks.

  Here he would stay protected by the elements until in another time a young girl would once again unleash the vortex that would forever be Erasmus the Omnipotent.

 

 

 
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