Zoe fell on the boy and gasped for air has he rolled onto the ground. Sweat poured down his face as exhaustion took control while his adrenaline abated. He took three uncontrollable gasps for air as his terror subsided. He had killed Thanatos.
Zoe lay motionless for a moment thinking through the events. He was only protecting himself. Why had Thanatos attacked him once he found out his name? Who had written on the wall to warn him? He was in a whirl of confusion. Then the weight of his actions weighted on him, he had killed. He had never killed anyone before. Taking the life of another, seeing the lifeless body was too much for Zoe. He started to cry, weeping bitterly.
Again he found himself alone. He thought he found a friend, only to find out that it was an enemy. The cursed place, a place of hell and demons, how was he to escape? Tears flowed as he knelt over his lost friend and foe. He wept as tears dripped from his face, dropping upon his enemy—tears of bitterness and regret, tears of loneliness and hate. Then Zoe yelled, “I hate you Hagious! I hate you! Do you hear me Hagious! I hate you!” He voice echoed into the lonely caverns of darkness and dissipated into nothingness as his body was spent with the exhaustion of many tears.
Chapter 13
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked:
who can know it?
~Jeremiah 17:9~
Zoe regained his composure, stood up and looked at the horrific sight. Blood everywhere; his hands even had the blood stained marks of a murder. He couldn’t stay here. He just couldn’t. Too look at the blood and lifeless body would be too much. He went over to the fire and retrieved the torch. He looked upon the body one last time and left to find a way out. When Zoe’s back was to the body and he carried the light with him, a twitching finger showing signs of life faded into darkness.
He chose a random tunnel as he cared not which way he was to go, anyone seemed to be of the same to him. No way was any better than the other. After about an hour’s journey down the cave, he heard mad noises. He stopped to listen. They sounded like a voice echoing in the darkness. He tried to hear what was being said, but there was no way to distinguish the words. Though the words were not distinguishable, Zoe had an eerie feeling that he knew the voice. He thought it impossible and dreaded at the thought of Thanatos being alive.
Then an equally dreaded sound was heard, a voice of which he did not know, but words he could understand. He heard a voice, “Come to me.” It was a crackly old woman’s voice. He did not trust the sound.
There were three ways he could go, one back to Thanatos, one towards the sounds of the old woman, or down a cave that he had yet to go. He chose the way he had never been. It seemed to Zoe that he no longer liked the idea of being with other people.
He walked on for some time before he came to a turn in the passageway that was leading to the left. He couldn’t see around the corner, and he knew that the light from his torch would have signaled anyone or anything of his coming. Nevertheless, he must go on as he didn’t like his other options. He crept up near the wall to peak around the bend hoping to get sight of anything before he might be seen.
He got as close as he could and stuck his face up to the point just before being able to see. He took a silent deep breath and looked around, just peeking so not to be seen. When his eyes came round the bend to see, he fell backwards screaming, “Ahhh, Ahhh!” Total fear gripped his heart as a face, hideous by all means, was peeking from the other side at him within an inch of Zoe’s face. When he fell down screaming, the frightful creature came out from hiding with a quaint smile and a slight chuckle. She was a small old lady slightly bent over, more hunched than bent. She was lively, but old and feeble. Her walk was slow as well as her speech, “My, my…a little boy…Why…I don’t know…if I have seen…a little boy…in these parts in such a long time.” All of her words were mumbled and choppy.
Zoe’s fears abated after the woman finished her long discourse. He sat up and wiped the dust off of his legs. Looking up into the woman’s eyes he saw a blazing blue sea, deep with care and tenderness. Zoe was surprised to see such love and care for him without her knowing him. He shook his head believing that he was falling into another spell. He stood up and took a step back from her fearing the things of the past to be repeated; little did he know, this woman, old as she may be, would be the one to finally show him his way.
“Who are you?” Zoe inquired.
“I…Oh, yes…I am an old woman…of feeble disposition…but you must want to know…more importantly…how I can help you.” She again stumbled through her words as she had before pausing every so often. This along with her raspy voice made it difficult to understand what she was saying. Yet her eyes came to life when she spoke of helping Zoe. This in turn ignited the fire in Zoe’s eyes. He became desirous to know what she knew and to know what this whole journey was about, what all of the visions were about, and what the gods had in mind for the young boy. “Yes, my boy…I can help you…know what you want!” A smile broke on her face as she could read what Zoe had hoped for.
“Yes, that would be wonderful if you could help me! Please show me the way out of here.”
She turned and started to walk away. Zoe stood motionless, not sure if he was to follow or if she was just getting something and would be back. She slowly turned back around to see that he was not moving, her old feeble head contorted and swiveled like that of an owl looking for prey in the darkness of night. Her voice sounded out raspy and scattered, “My child…if you wish to know…what I know…you must…trust me.” Her gentle face and kind disposition reassured Zoe. He followed.
After a short time, Zoe realized the woman had not source of light. It was his torch that lit the way. He wondered how she had gotten here and how she got around. He didn’t dare ask for fear of finding out something that he didn’t want to know, or enraging the otherwise kind woman. They came to a spot that looked strangely familiar. The place looked identical to where he had killed Thanatos. Zoe became fidgety and restless. The woman reassured him as if she knew his thoughts, “There are…a thousand places…in this caverns…just as this one…strangely identical.” She added her grandmotherly smile to reassure Zoe.
The woman found her seat in the same place Thanatos had. She gingerly sat as if in great pain. When she found her final resting point, she looked at Zoe as if to say, now I am ready. She then took out from seemingly thin air an elongated bowl that looked more like a plate with ridges. Zoe wondered what magic she possessed. She put it in front of Zoe motioning for him to do something of which he didn’t know. He just sat there. She could see that he did not understand her intentions, “Boy…don’t you need…to see…what lies within?”
He stood up and bent over the bowl garbing both sides; it was empty and looked normal. Zoe was confused as to what he was supposed to see. Then the woman leapt up quickly and grabbed his arm taking a knife making a small cut. He pulled back his arm in disbelief and pain. He looked at the woman to see her familiar kind disposition. With perfect speech and no pauses, she spoke, “Would you have let me cut you knowingly? No, I didn’t suspect such; therefore I have done what was necessary. Now look into your blood and see the source.”
He looked into the bowl that contained his blood. She smeared it around with her long fingernail scratching the bottom while she smeared it. At first Zoe saw nothing that was unusual. He looked up at the woman who was looking into his blood. Her eyes came alive and said, “Look, look at that which only the gods see!”
Zoe looked down to his surprise he saw sparks and a mist forming in the bowl. Smoke arose out of his blood and filled the area where they sat. Zoe sat still wondering at the things that were happening, being afraid that something was going to leap out at him from the smoke. When the smoke disappeared, the woman and Zoe could see events that occurred, events that he experienced. Yet the events were seen through the eyes and emotions of Zoe. The events were retold as through the heart of Zoe.
They watched and saw the grave of his brother
. The family mourned over the child for many days, and upon the last day, each one in turn placed rocks on the grave. When they placed rocks on the grave, they were to speak kindness, fondness from the heart. They watched all in turn do such, yet when Zoe was to speak his heart, the old woman and Zoe saw what was in his heart towards his brother. They saw hatred and satisfaction at his brother’s death. They saw a sick joy that his brother was now gone. They saw jealousies, evil ambitions rise from his heart. Then they heard the words spoke by Zoe when he placed his rocks: My dearest brother, his heart said I hate you, his lips sounded out, how I loved you…many words of love and adoration were spoke all the while his heart spoke of evil intentions and hate for his brother. The words intertwined and danced in the air as those at the funeral heard only part of the words while Zoe and the woman heard the words spoke of his tongue and his heart.
Tears were swelling up in Zoe’s eyes realizing his evil heart, loathing his own existence. He turned away not wanting to see anymore of the vile things of his own heart. He could not bear it any longer.
“Look!” the woman yelled out pointing at the images appearing. Zoe returned his gaze upon the bowl hating his own flesh. He saw within it his wanderings after his parent’s death. His thoughts came forward, thoughts of indifference about their death. His blood revealed the pain suffered was for his own inconvenience and his own suffering, not for the loss of his parents. Shame swept over Zoe as he looked up at the woman who had seen his deepest shame. He shook his head in denial.
Again the woman yelled out, “Look, see your own heart.” Many evil thoughts and desires were revealed. One after another, wickedness bound up in the child came forth, displaying his true heart in the bowl of his own blood. Zoe could take it no more; he swung his hand hitting the bowl knocking it to the ground, spilling his own blood, shouting out, “How can this be? How?” Shaking his head with disbelief, he felt empty and alone.
“Your blood does not lie. We have beheld your heart of hearts and know the truth. Your wickedness is before you. What say you?” He could say nothing but shake his head in despair knowing it was all true. The woman then let out a shriek and fell over to the ground dead. Zoe was shocked wondering what was happening. Then before his eyes, worms came from the ground—thousands of worms. They quickly devoured the woman’s flesh and bones in a matter of minutes before the boy’s eyes leaving nothing as evidence that she was even there.
This was too strange for the boy. He has things revealed about his heart and then the woman is devoured by worms right before his very eyes. Did any of this happen? He wondered if anything were real anymore. Was life real; were the gods real? What was he to do? He picked up the torch and started down a passageway that looked the least threatening.
Chapter 14
A little grit in the eye
destroys the sight of the very heavens,
and a little malice or envy
a world of joys.
~Thomas Traherne~
Zoe went on down the passageway for a short time before he came to a heavenly place, a place filled with extreme beauty. The passage was a huge cavern that had the appearance of open air. There were various moons in the sky and stars in the distance, huge trees reaching up into the heavens. Meadows of grandeur and pastures of wild flowers spread before his eyes. Beautiful animals that were living in harmony surrounded streams and waterfalls. Zoe took a deep breath and felt peace, a peace that surpassed his understanding.
In the midst of this beauty, he saw a little girl sitting nearby in a field of low growing flowers. He walked peacefully, almost with a skip, to her. She had long golden hair matching her flowing golden dress with white lace. As he was looking at her profile, he noticed her hair pushed behind her ear. He had never seen a creature with pointy ears, and yet the rest of her looked like him. He was not afraid as her disposition was of grace and peace. As he approached, she looked over to him with a beautiful smile. She motioned with her hand for him to join her being genuinely grateful that he had come.
Zoe sat down next to her watching as she continued to make a daisy crown with the many daisies surrounding her. He sat in silence as she smiled and said nothing while she continued to work. Zoe looked at her. For the first time, he saw a girl and was struck by her beauty, her extreme beauty. He was overwhelmed by new emotions that he had never felt before. While Zoe was in the midst of his new emotions, she had finished her crown and beckoned for Zoe to lower his head. He did. She placed the crown of daisies on him and leaped up. She stood over him, reaching her hands down for him to grab. Zoe didn’t hesitate; he grabbed both her arms and gently pulled himself up.
He spoke first, “My name is Zoe.” He spoke as if to question her for her name, waiting for her reply.
Her angelic voice proclaimed, “A crown, a crown of daisies for Zoe, King of the Yellow Forest!” She ran as if one with the wind and spun around allowing her golden hair to blow gently in the breeze.
She was not far off when Zoe let out in a whisper, “Wait.” He knew that she would not as she was free like the animals, not being contained. He followed to see where she would go. He was led up over the hilltop to the next valley which was just as beautiful as the one they had left. She found a resting place sitting down, waiting for him to join her. Zoe ran to her falling into a ditch that was not there. He hit the side hard with eyes opened wide in surprise. Dirt flung everywhere stinging the core of his eyes. He felt great pain, but refused to let out with any tears as his eyes watered slightly. He looked up and around him and found that his vision was blurred. The beauty that was before him was gone as the dirt in his eyes destroyed the very sight of the girl and the valley before him.
The young maiden ran to his aide helping him up from his humbling position. She helped brush him off and then kissed both of his eyes. Before she had done this everything was blurry and unrecognizable. When she kissed his eyes, his vision was restored, and he could see the beauty once again before him.
Zoe smiled, “Thanks!”
The young elfin maiden smiled back, “The hatred in your heart, the jealousies that spring up from within, has caused you to lose your crown!” She picked up the crown placing it back on his head, “You must not lose all the joys of the world over the pain the gods bring your way. Life is about hurting; Zoe there is not a creature upon the land that goes a lifetime without sorrow; don’t let the distress of your heart blind you from the joy that belongs to us as well as the pain.” She paused for a moment as if alerted to something, something of danger. “Zoe, he is coming!”
“Who is coming,” he hadn’t the slightest idea as to whom she was referring to.
“The one that died by your hands; he is coming. Run Zoe; Run!” Her words were so forceful Zoe got to his feet and started running as fast as he could from the place. He never looked back at the beauty of the girl that was his first infatuation.
When Zoe reached a tree in the distant fields he stopped placing his hand upon the trunk. He was breathing heavily hunched over slightly from the exertion of his efforts. He looked back to see no one, not even the young maiden. He wondered if she were wrong, or if she might have gone to slow him down in the opposite direction. He was about to go back, when he heard a voice, “Well, lookie here, you are a boy are you not?”
Zoe jumped back being greatly startled having seen no one. “Where are you?” Zoe asked as he still could not see anyone.
“Up here in the tree.”
Zoe looked up and saw a boy sitting in the limbs. “Well, of course I am a boy; aren’t you?”
“Why yes, but I have never seen another. I was beginning to wonder if I were the only one.” Zoe looked around thinking the boy was being silly. Zoe was still a little anxious at the words of the maiden. If she were right, he wanted to be ready. The boy spoke again, “You know he is coming.”
Zoe looked up at him in shock. “How do you know?”
“I just know. He is very mad, very mad. He is looking for you. Run, run away as far as you can. Run!”
> Zoe again took off running. He was passing three people in the field where the tree was found. Zoe was about to stop and talk with them to see if they could help him find his way out until they spoke, “He is close, run before he gets you, run!” Zoe redoubled his efforts. As he ran many people of all races and colors came out calling out to him, “He is coming, run! Run!” The words echoed in his mind as he ran. Thousands upon thousands came as if he were in a race near the finish line being cheered. They were lined up as far as the eye could see and their density became as wide as the eyes could now see. The only open space was the path Zoe was running. Chanting, echoing, “Run, He is coming, run. He is close.”
Zoe ran, coming up over a hill finding no one in sight. He turned around and everyone he had seen vanished within seconds. He knew this was impossible, yet there it was. He also realized that the terrain he traversed had changed from the beauty he had first seen to a dull-gray, evil landscape that brought fear to his heart. He had not noticed this change because of the droves of people cheering him onward. Now he was alone and he wondered if Thanatos was near.
He didn’t have to wonder for long as he saw Thanatos coming up over the hill in the near distance. Zoe squinted his eyes to make sure that his eyes were not deceiving him. Thanatos was moving toward Zoe with purpose. He didn’t wait any longer. He turned to run again.
As he ran he seemed to be confined to a particular path as the terrain had turned rough. Zoe didn’t want his enemy catching up, so he went with the least resistance. He came around a bend in the corner that was leading up hill. The bend also was surrounded by rocks on all side which came to a dead end. Zoe became fearful knowing that his pursuer was close behind. He turned around waiting anxiously for the villain to come, but he never did. Zoe became anxious to face his foe. He had even designed a strategy for attack and for defense. He had some rocks handy to throw, but the time seemed like it would never come.
Where Dragons Haunt (The Diaspora Book 1) Page 8