The Vertical Plane
Page 9
KEN.
Such a jumble of thoughts. I was doing a very poor job of saving Lukas from the Crown. Thoughts of press yards, witches being burned, executions, crowded my mind at one moment, only to be replaced by a dull, empty feeling of helplessness. I wanted to help Lukas but was at a loss to know how it could be done. All I could think to do was to ask his real name over and over.
Saturday 20 April
Jaguar Drivers Day. There was a shadow over the proceedings but the smell of the racing oil and the sound of the cars on the circuit put my thoughts into a better frame. I was away with friends and the Tudors were long gone. Lukas was dead, whatever was done or undone. I looked at the sky and imagined being out in space looking down at the earth; a lonely planet covered in swirling seas of clouds. There was comfort in imagining an impersonal universe where nothing you did ever mattered.
I concentrated hard on the events surrounding me. A yellow Aston Martin won the Challenge race, the food we ate was appalling, but we didn’t complain. These are the humdrum events against which life, by and large, is set. These days are all we own.
On 21 April Lukas’s friend ‘John’ made his move:
I HAVE SPOKEN WYTH THE SHERYFF WHO SAITH YOUE ASKE HYM TO COM UPON SHORT WARNING BUTT HE SHALL COM TO MORROW THOU HAVE GEVEN TO ASKE OF THE NAYME OF LUCAS WAYNMANN FOR REASONES I KNOWE NOT HYS CALLE BE UNKNOWNE TOME I DIDST MAKE HASTE TO ASKE THYS OF HYM BUTT HE SEID HE COLD NOT SAY UNLESSE YT BE TO YOR EER ALONE HE DID SEY IF THIS BEE WHAT YT YS TO HELPE MY FRYEND THEN I WILL TAKE HASTE AND MAKE FORSE THIS MATTER TO HYM THE SHERYFF DID TELLE ME THAT YF THOU CANST SHEW THY SELVEN FOR WHAT THOU BEE THEN THOU MUSTE GYVE THE MIGHTIE POWER TO HYM AND HE WILL STE PARDON FOR OWRER FRYEND LUCAS AND HE SHALL BEGG THE KYNG HYM SELVE TO SPEKE WYTH THOU AND THY KYNG THYS BE A THYNG THAT THE SHERIFF HEM SELVE HATH NOT HADD PLEESUER OF
I have spoken with the sheriff who says you ask him to come at short notice but he will come tomorrow. You have asked the name of Lukas Waynmann. For reasons I do not understand his name is unknown to me. I hastened to ask him this but he said he could not tell unless it be to your ear alone. He said if this is what it is to help my friend then I will hasten to press the matter to him. The sheriff told me that if you can show yourselves for what you are then you must give the mighty power to him and he will request pardon for our friend Lukas and he will beg the King himself to speak with you and your King. This is a thing that the sheriff himself has not had the pleasure of.
I called the file I replied on ‘HELP’
FRYEND OF NO NAME
YOUE HAVE SEID LITTLE. I WOLD KNOWE THE CALLE OF LUCAS BUT I CAN HELP ONLIE THROUGH MY WORDES I CAN TELLE OF MANY THYNGS THES WORDES SHALL GIVE POWER TO THOSE THAT HAVE THEM
YOW MUSTE TELLE WHERE BEE THYS COMUTER? YS YT IN THY SOLAR? CAN ALL WHO PASS SEE THYS DEVISE? -------- YOW SHALL TELLE-------
KEN.
I WILL HAVE WORDES ONE TURN OF MY GLASS BIFORE NIGHT TOMORROW
Monday 22 April
Whatever problems Lukas might be facing we had to continue with our attempts to make sense of the entire business. Frank Davies takes up the story:
‘I arrived at Meadow Cottage about 7.00 P.M. My first impression was one of disappointment. There was no heavy or “spooky” atmosphere – just a lived-in feeling which was in no way extraordinary – not at all what I had been expecting during my drive down from Mold.
‘Debbie showed me a number of messages which she said had been received via the computer. My interest was drawn to the word construction which was unusual to say the least. Some of the words I could read without difficulty despite the obsolete spelling … but other words such as “wights”, “leems” and “boyste” were quite unknown to me.
‘We established a new file, checked that the room was secure and then withdrew into the living room.
‘At 8.00 P.M. a noticeable drop in temperature occurred which lasted some two or three minutes. The coldness did not seem to be due to any air movement, though there must have been some as the fire was burning gently in the grate. After a few minutes the room temperature became comfortably normal again.
‘On returning to the kitchen we observed a new message on the computer. The message was from someone calling themselves John and it told us that the sheriff had put Lukas into prison, apparently for communicating with us. Debbie appeared to be genuinely concerned at this turn of events.’
TIS NOT FIT YOUE KNOWE MY FRYENDS NAYME YF THOU CANST GYVE NO REASONE FOR WY THYS BEE YOR ASKYNG HOWE CANST YT HELPE HYM PREYE THE SHERYFF DOES ASKE THAT THOU SPEKE TO HYM WYTH THY SELVEN SHEWN TO HYS EYE FOR THY PURPOSE RATHER THROUGH THE COMUTER WHICHE HE HATH NO SIGHT FOR ELLES THE COMUTER MUSTE BEE TAKEN TO LUCAS IN BOWGHTONE PRYSUN OR NANTWHICHE IF HE BEE THYR NOWE TO SHEW HE SPAKE TROUTHS BUTT TIS NOT ETHE TO MOOV THY DEVICE FOR YT SEEMS TO MISAPERE WHEN ENY HAVE TRYD ONLIE WHEN LUCAS BEE HERE DOES YT SHYNE AS SOLYD I CRY THY TELLYNGS TO POST
JOHN
It is not right that you ask for my friend’s name if you can give no reason for why you are asking. How can it help him? The sheriff does ask that you speak to him in person rather than through the computer, which he can’t see. Otherwise the computer must be taken to Lukas in Boughton prison or Nantwich, if he is there now, to show that he spoke the truth. But it is not easy to move the device as it seems to disappear when any have tried. Only when Lukas is here does it appear solid. I beg a quick reply so I may go to him.
The response hedged around the obvious problems. I wanted to talk to the sheriff, and I left the following message:
MY GOODLY FREEND
THOU MUSTE LISTEN WELL THE DEVICE CANNOT BE MOOVED. I CANNOT TELLE FOR WY BUT I LOVE LUCAS AND WOLD NOT LIE TO THEE. YF MY SHERIFF CANNOT SEE THE COMUTER THEN BRING LUCAS TO THYS PLAS SOE THAT YT SHYNE AS SOLYD THEN THES THYNGS BEE SHOWN AS TROUTHS THER IS NOUGHT TO FEAR BUT MUCH TO GAIN YF THEE FOLLOW MYNE BIDDYNG. LUCAS IS A GOODLY MAN WHO DOST ROT IN THY PITT BUT GOOD FREENDS HYS CRIME YS UNKIND TO US WE CAN PASS THE DAYS IN IDLE TALK WITHOUT FEAR LUCAS CAME UPON A GREAT MYSTERY AS INNOCENT AS A CHILD. WE ARE OF TYME TO COM MEN AS YOURSELVES WE ARE NOT DEMONS OR GODS BUT MEN WHO ALSO SEE THYS MYSTERY AND ARE CONFUS THYS IS NOT A THYNG TO PUT A GOODLY MAN IN THY PITT FOR BRYNG HYM HERE AND BE NOT AFFREY FOR THES WORDES ARN AL THAT I HAVE THE STRENGTH TO BRYNG BEFORE YOW. ONLIE GOOD CAN COM TO ALL WHO SPEKE IN WAYS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO MYNESELVE
KEN
My reply was sharpened by my desire to help. We saw some hope if he could persuade the sheriff to bring Lukas back. Offer a man power and you offer him corruption – any damn thing to get Lukas back. I felt it most keenly as it was I who had caused these events by firstly allowing then encouraging the communication.
23 April, late evening.
Something had worked. The next message was from Lukas, he was back.
MYNE GOODLY FREEND I KNOWE NAT WER ME CANS START TO EXPOWNE MYNE MISHAPPS BUT TIS SOE GOODLY ME CAN HATH YOWR TREWE WORDES OONSE MOORE WHICH ME DIDST THYNK NAT TO HEERE AGAYNE ME DIDST TTHENK MYCHE O WOT YOW HATH SAYD AND ABOUTE MYNE LEEMS BOYSTE FOR T’BE THIS VERYE MATEER THAT ME DOST FEER FOR MYNE LYF THY SHERYF HAN FORFEND MYNESELVE LEEVE OF MYNE HOUSE AN ME ART ACHOKEND BY THY SHERYFS MEN WHO BE TO EECHE ENTREE BUT HEM DIDST APREVED THAT ME BE LEFT TO MYNE OWENSELVE THER BE NE OUGHT YOW CAN DOE FOR WY I HATH TAKEN SEAL TO YOWR TYME AND HATH REKENYNG METHINKS YOW ARN A HISTORIE BOKE THAT HATH ITS FRONTE AN BAK SKYN JOYNANT WE ARN EECHE A SYDE IN IT THY BOYSTE COMES NAT FROM MYNE NOR YOWR TYME BUT FROM GOD AS BE A GYE FOR SOM PURPOSS WE BE OF GOD BOKE ME CAN SEE WOT IS TO COME AND WOT HATH BEENE YOW CAN SEE OONLY WOT HATH BEENE WEN THY BOYSTE DIDST COME THER WERT A VERSE ON’T THAT SAYD ME WER NAT TO AXE OF YOWR UNKYND KNOWYNGS FOR THY LEEMS BOYSTE WILT BE NAMO TWAS O MYNE TUNGE MYNE FELAWE PETER COLD NAT HATH HAD MYNE SCRIT SOE TREWE AS BE THIS WER METHYNKS THEROF YOW KNOWETH NAT PREY ME HATH TOLDE MYNE SHERYF THAT THOGH ME HATH SEENE YOW MANYE TYMES AND BE IT YOWR SWETE MAYDE YHOW CAN NAT AFFRONT SPEEKE WYTH HEM NOT MYNESELVE ALS AN NE HADDE EVER BUT ME SAYD YOW BE O STRANGE DEVYSYNG AN APARAUNCE THAT T’WOLD AGASTE ANY WIGHT TO
SEE HENNE ME THENK AN TOLDE HEM T’BE NON TO WYSE NAYTHERLESS ME STILLE TO APAYE HYS AXYNGS BEFORN MYNE SEVENTHE DAYS ME KNOWES NAT WHOM DIDST BIWREYE AND ACCUSE MYNESELVE BUT YOW ME KNOWE BEEST MYNE TREWE FREENDS WHO ME DOST HATH MUCHE LOVE FOR YOW WOLD NAT DOE THIS TO ME AN RYP ATTWAYN THY AFFYR WE HATH METHYNKS YOW KNOWE OF WOT MYNE FORTUNE BE BUT I KNOWETH NAT WOT YOW CAN DOE MYNE GOODLY FREEND THYR MUSTE BE SOME WAYS OF YOWR TYME THAT CAN HELPE ME FROME MYNE FATE FOR ME SEE OONLY THY INIQUITEE AN COLD TEMPER OF MYNE CROWNE ABOUTE MYNE NEKKE YOW ART NOWE MYNE TREWE FREENDS WHO BE MYNE HOPE
YEA ME BE ALDE BUT ME HAN SOE MANYE AXYNGS OF YOWRSELVE FOR MYNE BOKE WHICHE BE ALLE ME WANT BEFORE ME DOST GO TO MYNE GOD PREY YOW LOOSE MYNE SCRIT FOR ME FEER MYNE SHERYF MAYE AXE FOR WOT ME HATH SAYD UNTO YOW
YOWR HELPELISS FREEND LUKAS
My good friend, I know not where I can start to describe my misfortunes but it is so good that I can have your true words once more which I did not think to hear again. I have thought much of what you said and about the box of lights for it is this very matter I fear for my life. The sheriff has forbidden me to leave my house and I am guarded by the sheriff’s men who are at each door but he agreed that I should be left to myself. There is nothing you can do because I have communicated with your time and here are the consequences. I think we are a history book that has its front and back pages joined together. We are each a side of it. The ‘boyste’ comes not from my time nor your time but from God, as it were a guide for some purpose. We are in God’s book. I can see what is to come and what has been. You can see only what has been. When your box came there was a verse on it that said I was not to ask about your unnatural knowledge for the box of lights will be no more. It was in my language. My fellow Peter could not have done the writing so true as this was. I think you do not know about this? I have told the sheriff that though I have seen you and your sweet maid many times one cannot speak with them, nor can I either, and never had. But I said you are of strange description and appearance that it would frighten any man to see you, I told him it is not too wise. Nonetheless, I am still to satisfy his demands before the seventh day. I know not who betrayed me and accused me, but I know you are my true friends for whom I have much love. You would not do this to me and betray the trust we have. I think you know what my fortune is but I know not what you can do, my goodly friend. There must be some way of your time that can help me from my fate for I see only the iniquity and cold temper of the law around my neck. You are now my true friends who are my only hope.
Yes, I am old but I have so many questions to ask you for my book which is all I want before I go to my God. Pray you destroy my writing for fear the sheriff may ask what I have said to you.
Your helpless friend, Lukas
Deb was alone when this message came. She felt upset and replied immediately with a few words of comfort, saying she’d fetch me as soon as possible.
Perhaps it was the feeling of responsibility I carried but this communication moved me almost to tears. These were the words of a man in fear for his life, a man brave enough to face the future and speak out. He would be a condemned man if we did nothing. More than anything, this message had a heart, a soul of its own. It was no scholarly joke.
15
27 April
Lukas was writing throughout the day and into the evening. He didn’t seem to be holding up too well, the messages were becoming funereal. It was desperately exhausting for us too. One message said, in part:
MYNE FELAWE PETER … ALAS WOT CAN BE DOON I CAN NAT EVEN TAKE YOWR HOND BIFORNE MYNE SENTENSE O WANHOPE ME WOLD HEER YOWR WORDES BIFORNE ME BIDDS MYNE GOODLY PETER FARWEL LONGE LYV OWRN OXENFORDE
LUKAS
YOW SAYD YOWR TYME BE 1985 METHOUGHT YOW WERE ALS FROM 2109 LYK YOWR FREEND WHOM DIDST BRINGE LEEMS BOYSTE PREY
My fellow Peter … alas, what can be done? I cannot even take your hand before sentence of death. I must have your words before I bid farewell to good Peter. Long live our Oxford!
Lukas
You said your time is 1985. I thought you were also from 2109 like your friend who brought the box of lights, pray?
I looked at this little communication with open mouth. Deb and I had to sit down and look at it over and over. He thought that we were from the year 2109? We’d written our date to him in February, I reminded myself, but had repeated it only a few days ago. Was he suddenly aware that he was getting not one but two futures? Who had he been talking to on the ‘leems’? What was the verse he referred to in his message of 23 April? We read it all again. Even if Lukas was sometimes hard to follow, this section was impossible to misinterpret. From 2109? No, he must be hallucinating.
But we pursued the impossible. Had he too received the poem, the first message, which had been forgotten in recent months? A similar one? We watched or rather waited for a message from ‘2109’. We weren’t confident of a response, as there had been no hint of another communicant until now.
‘Apart from the poem!’ said Deb.
‘Well, that rubbish isn’t much of a future,’ I muttered. But I was intensely curious about it and, carried away by this feeling and suspending all critical faculties, I stepped into the confusion with a message of my own to ‘2109’. In case it was all part of the hoax I used what I thought was a very tongue-in-cheek greeting. It was a bit Star Trek:
CALLING 2109–
I wrote to Lukas at the same time, telling him about the poem and offering to type in what it said if he wanted. I wanted to see the poem he had received. And in my thoughts these preposterous communications were flung out into a vortex and the one spun upward and the other, more sure in its travel, spiralled into the past.
An hour later, each was answered according to its nature. On the screen from an unsigned source to Lukas:
FREEND
YOW MUSTE REKEN FOR THY VERS FOR THYS SHALT BE YOWR HELPE
I CAN SEYN NAMO
From this same source we too received a few words. Words that were far more unsettling than anything received so far because however we looked at it we decided we were being used.
KEN, DEB, PETER
WE ARE SORRY THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU ONLY TWO CHOISES
1) THAT YOU EITHER HAVE YOUR PREDICAMENT EXPLAINED IN SUCH A NON-RHYME WAY THAT YOU MAY HAVE INSTANT UNDERSTANDING BUT CAUSE WHAT SHOULD NOT BE TO HAPPEN, OR
2) TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU THREE HAVE A PURPOSE THAT SHALL IN YOUR LIFE TIME CHANGES THE FACE OF HISTORY, WE, 2109, MUST NOT AFFECT YOUR THOUGHTS DIRECTLY BUT GIVE YOU SOME SORT OF GUIDANCE THAT WILL ALLOW ROOM FOR YOUR OWN DESTINY. ALL WE CAN SAY IS THAT WE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME GOD, WHAT EVER HE, IT (?), IS.
‘It is a hoax. They can’t even spell!!’
‘But,’ Deb kept saying, ‘we aren’t doing anything different from what we do for Lukas. I just sit quiet, or we go out for an hour.’
I didn’t listen, I was incensed by just reading the nonsense in front of me. It had echoes of the poem in that it began with an address to three people (Nic Bagguley’s name had been replaced by Peter’s). Talk of Purpose and History; talk of Destiny! Bullshit! If my universe was anything it was random, meaningless, absurd even. I could not square with Destiny. Not any old destiny at that … ‘a purpose that shall in your lifetime change the face of history’. Rubbish! Who was writing this? Not me. I was ashamed, so ashamed, even making a note of it. Immediately I wanted to hide this material, wipe it out, but without denying Lukas it was impossible. He mentioned them. I didn’t need this sort of complication. Lukas in trouble and some wacko from nowhere going on about ‘destiny’. I was getting a rotten headache just thinking about it. I had to get back to thinking about Lukas. We wanted the verse from him. The waiting went on and Lukas came up with it at about 10.00 P.M.
MYNE GOODLY FREEND HERE BE MYNE VERS BUT METHYNKS YOW WILT HATH NON SENSE OF THYS THYNG ME DIDST WRYTE IT FOR RECORDE
FONGE WOT BE TREWELY YOWRS THO BE IT YOWR CONFUCIOUN AFORNE T AFFECTS TO A WIGHT WHO MAYE BE O ADVERSITEE
MANYE A YERE AGON SYTH YOWR DAYE THYS KNACK BE NAY SUGG
ESCIOUN BUT REVERS TO THAT AN AUNGEL OF GOODLY VENTURE FOR THEYM WHO SHAYNE WHOSOE BE YOWR COLOR AXYNGS OF GRETE KNOWYNGS AFROME THY THREE THAT DOST SHYNE WHO ALBEIT YOW HATH EYD WILT CAUSE THY LEEMS BOYSTE TO BE NAMO SIKE CONVEY BE YOWR CORRECCIOUN
FOR A LYTE DEETH BE NIGH FOR A WITE O A FREENDE WHOTH CHOYS THY FOULE MAN MUSTE SEE THY KYNG TO TELLE HEM OF THY CAT THAT DIDST AFRIGHT A MOUSE AND REMEDY YOWR SYK
ECH O YOW MEN THAT HATH REKENYNG ME BEEST OUT O DOUTE THAT YOWR PREYRS SHALT BE ABYDED SO THAT YOW MAYE TEACHE WYSDOME UNTO THY FOOLYSCH BEWAREY MYNE FREEND FOR YOWR LUST THY PUDDYNG MAYE BURNE
ME WILT WRYTE AMOROWE ME BEEST NON TO WELL
LUKAS YOWR LOVYNG FREEND
My goodly friend, here is my verse but I think you will make no sense of this thing. I wrote it for a record.
‘Take what is truly yours it be to your confusion before it affects a man who may be in trouble [or danger?].
‘Many a year ago since your day. This knack [device?] is not incitement to evil but the opposite of that, an angel of good fortune for those who shine, whatever be your motive [?] questions about important matters from the three that shine who, nonetheless [?], you have seen, will cause the box of lights to be no more. Such conduct shall be [?] your correction.
‘For an easy [?] death is near for a friend of a [wise man?] who chooses [?]. The foul man must see the King to tell him of the cat that frightened a mouse and cure your sickness.
‘Each of you men that have understanding I do not doubt that your prayers shall be answered so that you may teach wisdom unto the foolish. Be wary, my friend, of your lust. The pudding may burn.’
I will write tomorrow. I am none too well.