by J M Hart
“This one is Keter,” she said and trailed her finger down along the right pathway to “Chochmah” and moved her fingers across the inner line, creating the first circle on the left. “Binah.” She moved back to right column circle and called out “Chesed” and back to the left. “Gevurah”, then back to the right, but this time there was a circle dipped in the middle. “Tiferet.” She continued to move from right to left. “Netzach and Hod,” and passed down to a third inner column circle, “Yesod, righteousness.” Quickly, she moved down to the final inner circle, tapped it and said, exhausted, “Malchut manifestation. It’s the Tree of Life, the three-column system, the balance between mercy and judgement.”
Father McDonald said, “The channels of the descending divine light and the ascending returning light.”
Jade knelt behind Rachel, nearly placing her chin on Sophia’s shoulder so she could follow Rachel’s finger across the tablet.
“The pathway,” Jade said, reaching over and touching it, “has three symbols. I gather from what you said before, Rachel, that this one is an Aramaic or Hebrew letter. I can tell you that this symbol represents a planet, and this squiggle represents an astrological house. Look at the second circle on the middle column. What did you call it?”
“Tiferet,” Rachel said.
“Tiferet has the symbol of the sun, a planet. And this symbol,” Jade said, tapping the tablet, “represents east, and this symbol represents air.”
Rachel jumped in then. “And this says Uriel, the angel. And this one, Chesed. This says Michael. It must be the Archangel Michael.”
Jade said, “In the circle you called Chesed is the symbol for Jupiter, water and south.”
“It means mercy,” Rachel said. “Chesed is mercy.”
Father McDonald held his hand over his chest as if in pain and looked at Rachel. “We have ten understandings, starting with the divine spark, right? Then wisdom, understanding, mercy, judgement, harmony, victory, splendor, righteousness and manifestation, and there are twenty-two pathways, twenty-two letters. Ten circles, four directions, four angels — Michael, Gabriel, Rafael and Uriel — twelve planets and twelve astrological signs. What does it mean? It’s all mystical and meaningless.”
“Why are you being so negative?” Sophia asked.
They all sat quietly. The cave was suffocating. The excitement of their new discovery was quickly disappearing. They struggled to decide what to do next. They lost interest in their quest and sat lethargically, separated, until they stopped communicating.
Father McDonald took the tablet off Rachel. He wasn’t interested in the circles and lines, and flipped it over and continued searching for the meaning of the words on the shiny side. Rachel watched him for a while, then closed her eyes to sleep.
*
Casey unfolded his legs to stand up and move away from Rachel. His body shivered. Images hurried across the walls of the cave. He tried to focus, but all he could see were two children crying, and heading in their direction was a swarm of evil. The swarm scraped like metal against the walls and felt like thunder. Men screaming in pain echoed around the cave. Casey doubled over, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to block the raw images. His stomach somersaulted. He felt faint, and opened his eyes, and the cave spun anticlockwise. He held his hand out to balance against the wall. The coolness was welcoming on the palm of his hand, a single moment of relief — until every muscle in his body spasmed and cramped with fiery bolts of pain. He was frozen, unable to control his body. His mind plummeted into the darkness of the cave, and the vortex that was sucking the life out of the world was here, it was everywhere. He didn’t know how to separate himself from it. He could feel the devil on his back and the internal heat was unbearable. He struggled to scream, but like in so many of his nightmares, he was powerless to escape. Casey’s body was thrown into convulsions.
“Don’t touch him,” he heard Kevin yell.
“Sophia, is he epileptic?”
“No. I think he has connected to the cave.”
“What? Connected to the cave. What does that mean?” Father McDonald followed all the first-aid procedures, but Casey’s body jerked out of control on the ground. Kevin scrambled down to lie beside Casey and hold his convulsing body. Casey felt Kevin holding him as tightly as he could. Sophia sat by his head and closed her eyes. He was watching everything from a distance.
“That’s enough!” Father McDonald screamed. He was losing his cool. “It’s time we all went home. This has to end.” But no one listened, except Casey. He could hear him as if he was far, far away. Father McDonald began to pray.
Warmth surrounded him. He didn’t know where he was; all he could feel was warmth. A rhythmic, calm breeze of words passed through his psyche, becoming louder. He focused on the sounds. He knew that voice. I’ve got it, he said to himself, it’s Kevin. He felt an overwhelming sensation and saw a wash of psychedelic colors behind him; it was Sophia. Sounds of more voices flowed into his ears and his back began to hurt and suddenly a blinding light exploded behind his eyes. An angel took flight, and he tried to remember where he had seen it before.
9
Maze of Machpelah Cave: Hebron
Casey’s eyelids sprang open, startling Jade, and he blinked repeatedly as he tried to see. He could only move his arms slightly because Kevin still had him in a bear hug.
“K, you can let go,” Jade said.
Casey was eyeballing Shaun who had flicked on his torch. “I saw what happened when you two were kids,” he said to Shaun and Rachel as he sat up. “You had nothing at all to do with what happened. You had no idea and you have protected the world ever since without even knowing it.”
“I don’t know what you’re on about, idiot.” Shaun moved away and searched for a way out.
“We can’t go that way, Shaun,” Sophia said, helping Casey up. “We will all die before we even get close. It’s waiting for us. This battle has been foretold. We just didn’t get the text. I think they have already begun to attack us. We have to leave or we’ll die.”
Shaun spun around and faced Sophia. He had a haunting smile. “You think you have all the answers.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Stop talking like you’re some prophet. You’re not a prophet! You’re just some kid that has lost her family too. Attention seeker.”
Jade looked at Kevin and said, “I don’t feel so good.”
Jade slid down the wall and cried.
“What’s wrong?” Kevin asked, crouching beside her.
“I don’t want to be here.” Her head started to spin, the vertigo returned.
“None of us want to be here,” Shaun shouted. “Don’t you think I’d prefer to be at home? You think I’ve enjoyed being stuck with you retards. You think I want to be crawling around in this cesspool?” He spat on the ground.
Jade started to sob. Shaun walked away rubbing his head, looking confused.
“What the hell? Why are you crying?” Tim asked Jade.
“Back off, Tim,” Kevin said.
“Piss off, Kevin. I’m sick of you telling me what to do. She’s a pain in the ass.”
“Oh, the lovers are having a falling out,” Shaun said. “Could he be bi, after all? Oh Tim, what are you going to do? He doesn’t love you any more.”
“Shaun, don’t be a dick,” Kevin said, standing up.
Jade stopped crying and was looking around at everyone. Rachel was backing away from Shaun, as if she didn’t know him. Sophia and Casey were still sitting on the ground and everyone was arguing. It was only a matter of seconds before they started to get physical with each other.
Sophia looked at Casey and said, “We have to get out of this cave.”
All hell broke loose. Tim jumped on Shaun, screaming for vengeance, knocked him to the ground and slammed his fists into his face. Shaun flicked him off; Tim tripped over his own feet and fell onto Rachel.
Jade covered her ears and closed her eyes. She started to cry, feeling helpless. They’re all goi
ng to kill each other, Jade thought. One, two, three, breathe in, one, two, three, breathe out … she continued to count, chasing away the anxiety, hiding behind her hands, pressing them hard into the sockets of her eyes until she saw sparks of light. Images flashed in her mind: Sophia’s necklace, then a swimming turtle, her bracelet, her great-grandmother’s face and then her drawing of a door with a star, the Seal of Solomon, her green iron gate — that’s it!
Jade slowly lifted her head trying not to vomit. She felt drunk, her speech was slurred. “I know.” Tears streamed down her face. Maybe I’m having a stroke, she thought. This was a dream she had had all her life and now she could act on it, but she was about to blow a fuse. All her life the universe knew this day would come. The idea was profound; it wasn’t logical, a paradox. “I know,” she whispered a little louder, tilting her head towards Sophia and Casey. She couldn’t be heard over the shouting. Jade dragged her leg from under her and stretched it out slowly towards Casey and touched his foot, trying not to move her heard, afraid she would vomit.
*
Casey was frozen to the spot, watching the rage unfolding amongst them. Emanating from within the walls of the cave were dark angels. I can feel them. They were being smothered by the evil that was surrounding them. Suddenly he felt something brush against his foot and instantaneously Jade’s emotions merged with his. The nausea was overwhelming and he vomited, his head spinning, Jade pulled her foot away and the spinning sensation stopped. He moved towards Jade. She was trying to say something, but he couldn’t hear her. The energy was becoming thick like soup, it was hard for him to move. With all his strength he clapped his hands together and it was like releasing a mini atom bomb. The cave was momentarily filled with light and everyone was thrown back against the wall, winded and struggling for breath. They all looked at each other, shocked and embarrassed. Father McDonald dropped the tablet and Casey scooped it up and stuffed it in Kevin’s backpack.
“What?” Casey asked Jade.
“I know where the secret entrance is.”
Sophia shuffled on her backside closer to Jade and touched her knees.
“Don’t move me or I’ll be sick,” Jade said.
Sophia crawled over and started rubbing her back.
“Stop.” It was too late. She dry retched.
Jade moved her hand towards Kevin. Casey watched him slide his hand forward till their fingertips touched; liquid energy travelled between them, embracing them as one. He balanced her out. She looked up at him with an exhausted look. Sophia stood up and Kevin sat in her spot facing Jade. He closed his eyes and she opened her mind to him. They looked like one soul. Casey was in awe and he felt amazed and privileged to be seeing this. He looked at Sophia and smiled, knowing she too could see. Casey was a mixed bag of emotions right now and grateful for his new friends; they all seemed overwhelmed.
*
Everyone had their eyes on Kevin as he sat behind Jade, cradling her in his arms and crossing his legs over hers. Casey could see ripples in space opening up behind Kevin. He tilted backwards holding onto her like a scuba diver dropping off the side of a boat. They merged into the membrane, out of the cave, disappearing into the coolness of the rippling mirage.
Casey was the first to follow, practically landing on top of Kevin and Jade who were still huddled together on the ground. Kevin looked up just in time to see Casey hitting his nose on a green iron gate with a golden star. Kevin was still holding Jade, and Casey believed they wanted to stay in the embrace longer than was strictly necessary.
It was night and hard to see. The air tasted salty as if near the ocean. Casey looked to see what was beyond the green bars and the stone courtyard opposite a window. On the left wall was an ancient carving of a maze. He picked up the shiny new padlock that was nearly as golden as the star: the Seal of Solomon. Kevin and Jade began standing up, patting the dirt off themselves. He noticed the gentleness Kevin had towards her. He pushed stray strands of hair off her face, and gently rubbed the side of her arm. Casey smiled, turning away to focus on the maze that was beyond the gate. He saw something move in the shadows behind the window. A loud male voice, not far from them said, “Ti … kee .. ah!” followed by a bellowing that pierced into the dark of the night. Casey jerked, the horn was blown again, and it ignited every molecule of light in the atmosphere. It cut deep into his soul, and it echoed far into the sky. He spun around towards the horn and saw hundreds of lit candles being held towards the heavens. Tim crashed into Casey, twisting him at an odd angle, pushing his face back into the gate. He saw a shadow moving out of the corner of his eye again. Everyone poured through the opening, piling up against him and the green gate. He wanted to laugh at the situation. This is probably what it’s like in a mosh pit. Casey’s face was pressed against the smooth cool star, and he felt centered. There was none of the frenzy of a music concert. He had a sense of wellbeing, peace and harmony within the world. Maybe I should become a spiritual teacher. He wanted to remain like that forever. If anyone was watching, it might have appeared quite funny to see them all piled up together. Rachel was the first to step aside.
“I know this place,” she said. “This is the Cave of Machpelah. This is the gateway for the light to enter into our world. It’s the resting place of the world’s greatest sages.”
“We cannot enter!” Father McDonald said.
“I agree with the holy man,” said Rachel. “This gate, the one with the star, is Jacob’s resting place.”
Jade put her hand on the star, and started to weep again. Her emotions were in overdrive. She wasn’t sad, Casey thought, she was the complete opposite; she was full of joy and excitement as if she had drunk ten red energy drinks.
“This is my door,” Jade said. “I have been dreaming of this door all my life.”
“That’s incredible,” Kevin said. “And you have never been here before?”
“No, never,” said Jade. “It’s been a frustrating enigma. See over there,” she said, pointing to the far right-hand side where a three-dimensional maze was carved into the wall. “That is the key to unlocking the passage that will take us directly where we need to go, I am sure.”
“Did you dream of it too?” Sophia asked.
“No, but I just know it is. I have no logical understanding as to why or how I know, but I just know. Oh shit, I’m sounding like you guys.”
“This is a holy place,” said Father McDonald. “We can’t desecrate it. God wouldn’t want this.” He held the bars in his hands and began to pray. “Forgive our trespasses …”
Most of the people holding the candles, behind them, were facing away from them and concentrating on their connection to the light of God. Casey was in awe of the proceedings. He didn’t think he had ever seen a mass of people so peacefully uniting for a common cause. There must be thousands of uninfected people. Casey could only see a small portion of one side, but it felt as if he was in the middle of a packed stadium. He turned back to the gate to see Shaun take the padlock in his left hand and start to pick it with his right. Father McDonald put his hand over his and said, “You can’t, son. This is the way of thieves. There must be another way.”
*
The wind picked up Rachel’s hair and moved it across her shoulder. The golden candlelight, the symbols of peace, saturated the desolate terrain. Buildings were missing chunks of their walls. My mother might be in the crowd, she thought. Rachel stood on her tiptoes, searching. All the men were dressed in white, while the women were on the opposite side and strangely dressed in what could only be described as their “best”. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen her mother or brother. She figured they must have given up searching for her a long time ago. She had told her brother her intentions and made him promise not to tell their mother that one day she would return with the artefact their father gave his life for.
Rachel saw Kevin out of the corner of her eye as he dropped his head. She turned to watch as he closed his eyes, breathing deeply in. The stone wall protecting the to
mb of Jacob became concealed with a vapor-like mirage. Kevin opened his eyes and stepped through. Tim, Shaun and Casey followed one by one, disappearing into the moving liquid. This was fantastic; she couldn’t believe what Kevin could do. She had never seen it before.
It was strange seeing Shaun after all this time. He was more handsome than she had imagined. She had never stopped believing he would come back for her. There was something magical woven tightly within the tragedy, for he has become so hardened and filled with pain, but still he fights, she thought.
The moonlight was reflected in Jade’s eyes. Rachel was mesmerized by Jade’s bracelet — it was glowing. The etchings were rising up from the bracelet and the shapes were like letters from the Emerald Tablet. Father McDonald hesitated in front of her before going through the mirage, and he crossed himself, asking for forgiveness as he stepped across the threshold, followed by Jade. Rachel couldn’t take her eyes off the bracelet. Am I the only one seeing this? She stood there for a few seconds watching the bracelet disappear and reappear on the other side of the locked gate. Rachel stepped into the membrane and followed. She turned back to peer through the gate, looking at the mass of people. Nobody seemed to notice them moving inside Jacob’s tomb.
The maze looks a lot bigger on this side.
“Maybe we just need to find the right pathway and push it in, to activate a door,” Tim said.
“It would have to be more complicated than that,” Jade replied. “Otherwise it would have been discovered lifetimes ago.”
Tim and Kevin slid down the wall and sat on the ancient stones and patiently waited. Rachel and Jade got closer to the maze. Both of them started running their fingers over the patterns.
“The markings were rising up out of the stone. They were geometrically at specific points representing the four elements,” Jade said.
“It looks very much like Hebrew, but it’s not,” Rachel said. “I think it is, like on the tablet, the Aramaic language.” She studied each letter and interpreted as best she could. “These represent the beginning and the division. There are twelve lines in the maze.”