by Lewis Stanek
I found a clearing and in the center of it was set a hand carve stone altar. An altar very similar to the ones used by the Druids all those centuries ago. Of course now it is all but impossible to find a Druid altar since the Romans, in their efforts of civilizing the Celts destroyed all they the altars they could find. It's hypocritical of the Romans if you stop to think about it a moment. In the grand scheme of things it wasn't that long before, that the Romans themselves took part in human sacrifice. Being recently Christianized they were now out to civilize the world.” Oswald felt himself sliding into what he called lecture mode.
“I'm sorry Clara, I'm afraid I'm getting carried away with myself. Stop me if I'm boring you.”
“Of course you're not boring me.” Clara replied taking the wet sticky rag to the sink. “But you're worrying me. That purple lump on your head and the blood on the floor doesn't make it look like everything is going great for you here either.”
“But it is going great. I have discovered what could be a Druid altar out here in the middle of nowhere. No one has ever suspected that Druids came to America. I suppose it's possible some were taken as slaves by vikings and then were brought along with Leif Erikson and later escaped and made their way here. They may started a settlement following the sparrows, but of course that is all conjecture.”
“Are you sure you didn't just stumble upon sacrifice rock and let you're imagination get carried away?”
“Sacrifice Rock, of course. You know when they talked about it in town I assumed it would be a natural outcropping of rock in the rough shape of an altar. I never imagined it would be so finely carved. It is truly a piece of art.”
“Sacrifice rock is a natural outcropping of rock. If anything is carved in it it is some fools initials. What are you talking about?”
“The altar I found today. It has been worked smooth, as smooth as glass. The are four channels carved into the top of the altar presumably to collect the blood, and those channels go to four carved stone spouts were gravity would cause the blood to flow. The blood then of course would be collected by the Druid priest's acolytes. Can you imagine it? The honored guest, the sacrificial lamb so to speak would be laid upon the altar surrounded by the priests who would be accompanied by their acolytes. The high priest would recite the incantations from the book while the second priest would raise the ritual knife high to the gods as all watched. A portal, a vortex would begin to appear above them in the sky.”
“You're beginning to creep me out here Ozzie.” Clara interjected.
“Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that this is what I have spent my life studying. I tend to get a little carried away from time to time.”
“Do you suppose that is what the Dyers did”? Do you think it could be their altar?”
“Would you like to see it? I think there is enough light left to the day that we could make it there before dark.” Oswald suggested, eager to share his discovery. Clara paused to think before accepting Oswald's invitation.
“If you're sure we can be back before dark. I'd hate to be lost in the woods at night.”
“I can almost guarantee it.”
“Almost?”
“Clara, you simply have got to see this. It is a major archaeological find. You can see it now while it is still undisturbed. While it is fresh so to speak.”
“Okay, lets go then.” Clara replied a little hesitantly.
Oswald led the way bounding out of the house with the energy and determination of a youth, forgetting his aches and pains, Running on adrenalin he led the way through the overgrown path to the clearing. He almost ran the final steps to the center of the clearing then held his right arm out to indicate the altar.
“You know, of course, that if this site is to follow the patterns of other Druid sites around the world there will be stand stones around the perimeter.”
“Do you mean like at Stonehenge?”
“Yes, exactly like Stonehenge, well not exactly. The stand stones don't need to be massive like the ones at Stone Henge, they could be quite small in comparison, but still serve the same purpose,” Oswald left the center of the clearing and began to walk the perimeter looking at the ground while Clara gazed at the altar.
“Just as I suspected, look at this Clara every twelve paces more or less a standing stone completing the circle of this clearing like a border marker.” Oswald noticed each standing stone had a hole approximately an inch inn diameter drilled in the center of it's skyward surface.
Clara looked to Oswald and replied, “Or a place keeper.”
“Exactly or a place keeper.” Oswald's eyes gleamed with excitement. “I swear if I were young again, I'd camp out here tonight, to see just what I don't know, but I'd camp out just the same.”
“I wouldn't. She replied. Who ever has been keeping this clearing clear may just come by and not be too pleased to find you here.” Oswald quickly glanced around the site and realized that just outside the clearing weeds and assorted brush stood at least knee high. There was no reason for the clearing to be free from the weeds and brush except a humans work to keep it clear.
“Oh, I see.” he replied “We'd better get going then. I wouldn't want to be found trespassing after dark.”
“I couldn't agree more. Let's get out of here.” Clara said this time confidently leading the way back to the path hurrying back to the cabin. Oswald followed behind a little reluctantly like a boy being taken home from the playground before he was ready to go.
“I could go into town and buy some cameras and motion detectors and such and mount them in the tree around the clearing. I could set it up so that if someone came into the clearing the cameras would go off and record whatever they were doing.”
“I don't now if that would be such a good idea Oswald. They would be bound to spot the cameras, and then what? Would they just leave them there for you, or would they come looking for you? I think you should leave it alone.”
“I can't leave this alone, This one discovery is the crowning moment of my career. At the very least I need to photograph the clearing, the altar, and the standing stones to prove my find. I could use the photographs to illustrate my book.”
“Book? You're going to write a book about this?”
“I came here Clara for some peace and quiet to translate the Druid's book you saw at the cabin and that would have been it, but I saw the sparrows vanish above this spot, and when I came here to take a closer look I found the altar. All of the pieces are falling into place. Can't you see the importance of this find?”
“It may be all that you say, Ozzie, but I think it may be dangerous here too.”
“How could it be dangerous. The folks that used this altar must be the ones the townsfolk drove off hundreds of years ago, and the Aleister Dyer I know might be interested in the altar as an artifact, but be upset over its discovery? I don't think so. He may want some of the credit, but dangerous. I don't think so, not in my wildest dreams.”
“Maybe not him, maybe someone else has an interest in this place, someone you don't know about.”
“Perhaps, but even then I would be remiss in not recording my discovery.” Oswald could tell they were coming closer to the cabin, he could tell by the narrowing of the path.
“If I stay here as long as I might, I had better get to work clearing some of the brush away from this path.”
“Just how are you going to do that?” Clara asked. You don't look like the landscaping type to me.”
“What exactly is the landscaping type? And I'm not talking about landscaping the place any way I'm just talking about pulling up some brush here and there to widen the path. Clipping it back some so it would be easier for us to follow. In time there will be others here with me, a whole team of archaeologists and grad students helping with the dig.”
“Dig?”
“Certainly, there will be a dig. More than likely starting from outside the standing stones and working their way inward towards the altar.”
“wouldn't that ruin it!”
“”Some people might think so, But really Clara there are no Druids performing sacrificial rituals here.”
“Some people might be upset with your plans all the same.”
“Some people are upset with me just being here. You saw my welcome at Sam & Ella's, you were there.”
“maybe some people have been rude to you, but not my parents. If anyone in Dixon welcomed you to town it was them.”
“Ed and Freida have been friendly from the beginning, you're right about that, but that old couple lecturing me about the evils of the cabin and the Dyers is something else.”
“Just a couple of old farts humoring themselves telling old wife's tales. I never thought you would take it seriously.”
“Seriously, of course I took it seriously, there always is a grain of truth to old myths and wife's tales. I took it seriously and just look at what I found. The discovery of a lifetime.”
“I thought you said you found this while retracing your steps looking for a flock of sparrows.”
“I did, didn't I, they're both true. One does not rule out the other,” He said holding back a low hanging branch for Clara to walk under. “now this branch is one that simply will have to go,” He said letting the branch snap back in place after Clara had passed. The cabin was now in sight and the sun hadn't yet set, although it was drawing close to the horizon.”
“I told you I would get you back before dark and here we are safe and sound.” Oswald said smiling to his only friend in town.
“I better start home, like you said my parents are worrying about me.”
Maybe I'll see you in town. I'm going to buy myself a camera. First thing in the morning I will photograph and take the dimensions of the site and the altar.”
“You won't find a decent camera in Dixon, not one for sale anyway. You'll need to go all the way back to Sterling if you want to get a camera. If you kept up with the times you could have used you're cell phone to take the pictures you wanted today.”
“If I ever want a cell phone, I'll get one, but not in the near future. Today I'll buy a camera and some film and flash bulbs and a journal or two.”
“Ozzie, I better come with you to the store. You know what you want, but you have no idea whats available for sale out there. You'd have to go to a junk shop or an antique shop to find a camera that takes film anymore.”
“Oh, well if you want to come along, you're certainly welcome. No point in taking two cars then is there?”
“No time like the present either. Lets go now,” Clara suggested, “and let's take mine it's faster.”
“No let's take my Volvo, it's safer. You can drive it if you want. That will make it faster. I'll just keep my eyes closed until we get there.”
“Fine, let me have the keys then.” Oswald tossed the car keys to her and climbed into the passenger seat of the car.
“Wait a minute, I've got a gas can I borrowed from smiley's I need to return.”
“Are you going to fill it for the generator?”
“No, I did once and then just wasted it. I'm getting used to using the lantern out here.”
“If you will want to start using a computer for your writing and research and such, you may want to have some electricity, don't you think?”
“Oswald got out of the car, hurried to the cabin, lifted the trap door to the root cellar, climbed down the ladder, grabbed the jerry can and hurried back to the car forgetting to lower the trap door when he left.
“All set then?”
“All set.” Clara backed the car up turning as she went so that the car swung around to face the dirt road into the woods. Then they were off in a cloud of dust as they sped through the woods toward Bloody Gulch Road. Although the sun had set, it was dark along the dirt road.
“Clara, please turn the headlights on. I can't see ten feet ahead of us,” Oswald complained.
“I've got these woods memorized, I know them like the back of my hand.” Clara bragged as she turned on the lights.
“Thank you,” Oswald replied, relieved that the lights were on, but now that he could see just how fast they were traveling, he wished the lights were still off. Once out of the woods and on Bloody Gulch Road, Clara picked up speed.
“So where do you want to shop? There is a Best Buy in Sterling, but there is also one of those big discount stores, A Walmart I think, it might be a Costco or something. it's been awhile since I've been there.” Clara prattled on happily as Oswald sank into his seat, praying silently that they would get to their destination alive. Looking out the back window Oswald saw nothing but the gravel dust the car left in it's wake. Each bump, each little pot hole they hit jerked Oswald closer to the realization, that he should not let Clara drive on the way back.
“So Ozzie, where do you want to shop?” She asked again.
“Anywhere, Clara, just get us there alive.” Clara laughed.
“Get us there alive, of course I will. Are you trying to say something about my driving?”
“Now that you mention it, you are driving a little fast.”
“Don't worry about it. There are too few cops around here to bother stopping a local speeder someone from out of town, yeah they'll nail him with speeding and whatever else they can think of. Impound your car and everything.”
“That's just it, Clara this is my car, an out of towner's car. What's to stop the sheriff from stopping us?”
“Nothing, but once he sees its me, if he's in a good mood, he'll let me off with a warning.”
“And if he's not in a good mood?”
“If, he's not in a good mood, he'll find some way to ticket you for allowing me to drive without a license.”
“What? You don't have a license?”
“Nope it was suspended three month's ago.”
“That's it! Clara, pull over, I'll drive the rest of the way.” Bloody Gulch road met Galena, and Clara slowed to a stop and the turned left.
“Don't worry about it Oswald, I was just yanking your chain, my license isn't suspended. I haven't even had a ticket yet this year.” Clara gave Oswald a wide youthful smile that warmed his heart. Once on Galena Road which is paved and although Clara continued to drive a speeds uncomfortable for Oswald the ride was now smooth and no longer was dust cast up behind them. Oswald took a deep breath, settled back in his seat and closed his eyes, and tried to relax and enjoy the rest of the ride.
The gently setting sun cast long shadows across the landscape as they entered downtown Sterling. Oswald thought of returning to the library to ask if the librarian had found anything else out about local myths and legends, but he thought better of it, better to wait until he was alone and could spend as much time as he needed to research what was available at the library. For now buying a camera is the mission for the day.
“The better stores are not down town, we need to go a little further to get to a good discount store. Best Buy, probably would be our best bet for electronics,” Clara said. Oswald noticed, now that they were in a town Clara remained under the posted speed limit.
“I think there is a Best buy a few miles ahead, it won't be long now.”
The sun had set and the street lights were on. After only a few nights alone in the cabin, Oswald had almost forgotten how reassuring street lights could be. He felt somehow safer and more at ease, now that he could see the signs of modern civilization surround him. He was glad to be here now with Clara next to him.
Up ahead an immense electrified sign announced the presence of a Best Buy. Clara slowed the car, turned into the parking lot, found an open space and parked the car.
“Safe and sound,” She said shutting the engine off and handing the keys back to Oswald.
“Safe and sound, indeed,” Oswald agreed as he climbed out of the car. They walked together to the double glass doors opening to the wonders within the discount giant. To the left stood major appliances of all makes and models, beyond that flat screen televisions from the smallest hand held televisions to those flat screen televisions larger than home mo
vie screens of decades ago. Oswald could see that this store contained far more than cameras.
“where do we go?'' Oswald asked bewildered with the options before him. He realized he had spent far too much time in the ivory tower of academe and far too little time out in the world.
“Follow me,” Clara said confidently, leading Oswald past the computer department on to digital cameras. Clara waved to get a salesman's attention. A young salesperson, little more than a teenager came to the counter.
“Can I help you?” Before Oswald could think of what to say or open his mouth, Clara replied.
“My friend here wants to buy a camera.”
“You have come to the right place. We have just about anything you could want from beginners cameras for children to those for experts,” He said with a wave of the arm across the counter where he stood.
“I just need something I could use to document” Oswald started, but Clara quickly interrupted.
He needs something to take high quality photographs that can be saved directly to his computer and easily incorporated into his documents. This must give him professional quality results, but be easily used. We don't want too high of a learning curve here. Something along the lines of point and click with professional results is what we need.”
“I couldn't have said it better myself.” Oswald agreed.
“I think I have just what you want,” The clerk said brightly. The salesman slide open the back of the counter and took out a selection of digital cameras. He went on to describe in great detail the advantages and disadvantage of each model. It was all gibberish to Oswald, he would trust Clara to choose a camera for him. He would make better use of his time buying himself a new computer. A laptop would be appropriate given the location of his project and his work.