The Renewal

by Joseph Ferguson

  Chapter 6

  When they arrived back at the hotel Treyson took his new found sword to his room putting it under his bed. He thought about going to sleep so he could avoid thinking about the vision of the woman at the lake. He decided instead to go down and have a few ales to drown out the images from his head. The usual patrons had already started to gather at the hotel's pub when Treyson arrived. A Loretta Lynn song was playing on the jukebox. The flat screen was on in the corner, but no one was giving any attention to it. Big John was already behind the bar serving drinks and conversation, dressed in his cowboy get up. Treyson sat down by the three old men who were in a discussion about the lake; apparently Big John had already been talking. One of them with a big grin on his face looked at him and said, "John tells you've met our fair mermaid of the lake?"

  "Yes, I guess, if that's what you want to call her, she didn’t look much like a mermaid. She told me her name was Elaina," he said with a quick glance at Big John.

  "Well, tell us what she told you," said one of the other old men sitting there.

  "She said something about the earth going through a renewal and something about uniting a sword and a scepter," he answered him, though discreetly.

  Not satisfied with the answer the old man continued his questioning, "So you’re not her prince, huh?

  His eyes on Big John now as he spoke, "no I'm not her prince.”... "How much did you tell them, anyway? Did you also tell them about the sword I found?"

  "No..., but you just did," Big John's words turned to laughter in which Treyson did not see the humor.

  "You found a sword. What kind of sword? Can we see it" the questions came from the three old men.

  "It's up in my room because I don't want to show it down here," he said with a whisper.

  All three stood up in unison saying, "Let’s go have a look."

  Big John motioned for them to sit while telling them, "He will bring it down after it clears out little later." He served up ales for everyone including Treyson who gulped it down with an "ah" afterwards. He slid the mug back to Big John asking for a refill while getting stares from the others. "I don't think I ever got your names," he said while looking at the three older gentlemen.

  They popped up sequentially saying their names and then sitting back down, "Nevin", "Dunkin", "Clyde". It was so comical to watch that Treyson was tempted to ask their names again. Nevin has a large scar over his left eye and Dunkin's nose was pointed, but it was Clyde's smile that was contagious making him unforgettable.

  "Come on McAlister tell us what the mer..., I mean Elaina said to you," Nevin said urging.

  "Yea, every detail and leave nothing out," Dunkin followed up.

  "We are all old friends here, we can take it," Clyde said as his smile seemed to grow.

  "Ok fellas, I will tell you but I can hardly believe it myself. She said that I must take the sword I found and reunite it with the Scepter of Gao in order for magic to return to the earth. If I fail, technology will rule the world and we will continue to deplete the earth of its natural resources." He looked at their listening faces; even Big John was wide eyed so he continued. "She said I have three months after the renewal begins to complete my quest and if I succeed it will allow healers to employ magic to restore the earth."

  "That's it, surely there was more," Nevin said feeling cheated.

  "Yea and what's a renewal anyway," Dunkin added?

  "You sure we can't have a peek at that sword," Clyde with a toothy grin?

  "I'm not sure what the renewal is, she said I will know when it happens," Treyson said then added, "I will bring it down in a bit."

  He decided he would change the subject by challenging Dunkin to a round of darts. Three games and two ales later he realized why darts is a favored Scottish pastime, and that Dunkin could possibly have played professionally, but denied it. It was getting late and he was feeling the effects of the three ales and would have gone to his room to sleep it off, but Clyde reminded him of his promise to bring down the sword. The bar had mostly cleared out leaving just a couple watching the television. Treyson stumbled to his room and crawled under the bed to retrieve the hidden sword. The hard cold wooden floor felt good, easing the slight dizziness the ale had given him. His hand clutched the sword as he drug it and himself out from underneath the bed. The image of him cutting himself on the hand and bonding with the sword rushed through his mind. It prodded his thoughts like an urgent request until he dropped it on the bed and wrapped it up in the top blanket.

  There was an eagerness from those standing near the bar to see the sword; he could read it on their faces especially Clyde’s wide grin. He dropped it on a table in front of them, and then grabbed the ale that was resting at his place on the bar, drinking it down in hopes of silencing the voice of the sword. He heard oohs and aahs as they uncovered the etched brass scabbard and Nevin said that it was definitely an ancient Scottish sword. Clyde said they would know for sure if they could see the blade while his thumb kept flicking the release button to unlock it from the scabbard. Not wanting to touch it, yet wanting to get it over with so he could take it back to his room; he held it at his side with his right hand and flipped the locking mechanism. He drew the sword with his left hand, noiselessly, except for the echoing in his head "bond with me, you are the rightful heir". They all stepped back as he brought it up in an arcing motion, its blade emitting a faint blue tint as the etched name MacAlistair became evident. Treyson laid it on the table to stifle the continuous voice tormenting him, then walked around the bar and refilled his mug. He was already feeling the effects of the previous ales so he grabbed some chips and sat on the stool at the bar. He leaned on his elbow munching while watching his new friends pour over the sword turning it about as they studied its markings. Clyde lost his smile when he used his thumb and checked it's sharpness with an "ouch", attesting to the sword's razor edge.

  "So where you going to keep it when you get home," Nevin asked?

  "Probably my living room wall if Sara lets me that is if I can get it through customs" he answered. Saying her name reminded him that he needed to charge his phone so he folded a napkin making it stick out of his shirt pocket so he wouldn't forget.

  Dunkin thought for a moment then said, "how about you wrap it up and mail it to yourself from here?"

  "You don't think anyone would try to steal it, do you," he questioned?

  "Nah, insure it for a lot of pounds, they will keep track of it not wanting to part with a lot of cash," Dunkin replied.

  "You mean euro's not pounds Dunkin," Clyde said getting his smile back.

  "I think I will try that," Treyson said as he picked it up by the hilt and quickly sheathed it hearing again those words in his mind "Bond with me, make me your blade". He put the scabbard back through his belt trying not to touch the pommel.

  He looked back at the bar to order another round of ales, one more before heading to bed, but Big John wasn't there. They heard him call to them to come and check out the television and listen to this news report. They were the only ones left in the bar as it had gotten pretty late. The volume was turned up while he stared intently up at the flat screen while they joined him. "What's going on," Treyson asked?

  "It sounds like some type of plague in the middle east," he answered.

  "They are always fighting amongst themselves, more like some type of chemical weapon," Dunkin spoke up.

  "They say they might have it contained to the Dead Sea area," Big John added.

  "We are far away from there, even if they don't, it will take a while to reach Scotland," Nevin spoke with a shaky voice.

  They all returned to the bar where Big John sat up a round of ales, "one more before bed," he said.

  Treyson drank it down hurriedly tired from the day of sword hunting and fishing. The woman at the lake and the sword speaking to him was also wearing at him. He said his good nights before telling Big John not to wake him up in the morning he was going to sleep in. Big John had a look of disappointment on
his face, probably wanting to get an early start to fishing, Treyson thought, causing him to laugh out loud. His walk towards the exit looked as if he had too much to drink stumbling once but catching himself on a table but knocking the nut tray onto the floor. He looked back at his Scottish friends, they were pointing and laughing. Treyson chuckled in spite of himself as he picked up the tray leaving the nuts, standing up and staggering to his room.

  The first thing he did was put the phone on the charger after taking the napkin from his pocket. He decided to shower in the morning when he was a tad bit soberer and hopefully with no hangover. He took the sword from his belt tossing it on the bed, but not before accidently rubbing his fingers across the handle. He heard the words though this time they seemed urgent as it spoke, "you are heir to the MacAlistair blade, make it yours now!" It was either the alcohol or the sword that gave him the courage to go through with it as he unlatched the blade pulling it out. He put point first touching the floor holding the hilt with his left hand while taking his right hand palm flat, down the blade cutting it deep allowing his blood to tint its sharp edge. For some reason the alcohol staved off the excruciating pain that should have accompanied it. He heard it speak again, "now grab the hilt!" with his bloody hand he grabbed the sword's handle, lifting it up in an arcing motion bringing it above his head just short of the ceiling, then hearing it speak again, "I am yours." His head was spinning, his hand ached and suddenly very sleepy. Wrapping his hand in a tee shirt he lay on the bed and was out like a light.

  In Jerusalem, twin girls Esther and Elisabeth, awoke unknowingly immune to a deadly germ, a day after celebrating their twenty-first birthday on their father’s yacht in Tel-Aviv. Esther stepped into Elisabeth's room tossing her wet towel at her head as she still lay in her bed, telling her to get up. Elisabeth stared up at Esther with tears in her eyes, "Why do you want to be so different from me, we are twins you know."

  "Just because I dye my hair red does not mean I don't like being your twin. I'm just tired of all the blonde jokes," Esther said with a little chuckle.

  "Ok then did you have to straighten it, too. We look so different now," she paused looking at her then spoke on, "even your dress is more Americanized since Dad gave you his old Chevy Nova." She wiped her tears with a fresh hanky from the box.

  "Look I love being your twin, but right now I want my own identity, even if a little American. Besides it's nothing to cry over," Esther said while leaning down and touching Elisabeth on the cheek.

  "That's not why I'm crying. I had a bad dream. We were all alone in a desert and we couldn't find our way home," she said with a sob.

  "As long as we got each other, it will be ok. Plus it was only a dream. Now get up, mom said last night that she wants to leave early," Esther said with a giggle as she pulled the blanket off her sister. Elisabeth let out a little scream and threw the box of hankies at Esther.

  Their mother had promised to take them shopping today for their birthday. They were laughing at a joke that Elisabeth messed up while trying to tell it when they went into their mom's room to wake her, but her bed had not been slept in. They found their mother lying face down on the bathroom floor in a puddle of pink water and with what looked like vomit. Though her clothes were damp her body had become rigid and her skin was starting to shrivel. Elisabeth fell to her knees with tears streaming down her cheeks, and then softly began singing while touching her mom's cold hand. It wasn't a known song, but one she would make up as she went along, something she had done since she was little anytime she got scared or angry. "Mother, mother you were still so young. What is this that has happen to you? “Esther rolled her eyes as she listened to her sisters chanting. “Your daughters’ hearts are hurting now, but we shall see you again someday." Esther called for an ambulance, but with no answer. She quickly dialed the police headquarters with no answer there either. She punched in her dad’s number, but it went straight to voice mail, he probably forgot to put it on the charger like normal, she thought. She grabbed her sisters arm pulling her towards the door, "come on you can chant later, something is up," her intuition kicking in.

  Elisabeth was sniffling and wiping her tears with her hand, "but mom told me it was the plague, didn't you hear her?"

  Esther stared at her for a moment then spoke, "she's dead sis and dead people can't talk. We need to get to dad, he will know what to do," Esther lead her sister through the door and to the car. "I will drive." She opened the passenger door and stuffed her reluctant sister in, then got in the driver’s seat. She started the car then glimpsed the neighbor’s three Siamese cats lying on their side patio in awkward positions. She told her sister to sit still as she got out and ran over to check them out. The cats lay on dampened concrete and they too were starting to shrivel up. She ran back to the car, tears now starting to stream down her face, "we need to get to dad, something's wrong." She sped down the driveway and spun out on to the highway. Elisabeth was the first to notice that there was no other traffic or any people at all. There was smoke billowing skyward in the direction of the airport frightening them both even more. They passed a car on the highway that had pulled over awkwardly with the driver slumped forward. Elisabeth flipped the radio on, hoping to get some answers but only heard dead air. She scanned through all the channels finding a couple of music stations and a few prerecorded talk programs. A military helicopter flew over them giving them a brief moment of hope as they watched it fly erratically, then crash into a newly built housing complex. Esther sped up as the explosion was deafening and as fire engulfed the whole complex causing Elisabeth to scream.

  After merging onto the highway they saw stopped cars littering the road ahead, Esther would have to slow down to try and avoid a crash. The people in the cars were all slumped over, they presumed all were dead. Elisabeth shouted for Esther to stop, saying she had seen a small child sitting along the road crying. She came to a screeching halt beside a police car that had rear ended a white passenger bus, all were dead. After getting out of the car Esther followed her sister to the spot where she had seen the boy crying, but he was gone. While they walked back to their car it began to sink in of the devastation that had transpired last night. "Dad will know what to do," was all that Esther could say to ease Elisabeth's sobbing. Stunned silence filled the car as she drove to Tel-Aviv.