The Forgotten Eden (21 page)

“
The warmth and softness of her being enveloped me as she returned the tightness of my arms’ grip with her own. Flesh and blood and not the cruel illusion I feared. She loosened her hold on me and placed her hand under my chin, raising my face up to hers. Glistening eyes released a pair of small imperfect streams onto her cheeks while she fought to control her heaving chest.

“‘
Where have you
been
all this time?’ I asked, struggling to keep my words from speeding out of my mouth. ‘Where’s Dad? Boy, Grandpa and Jeremy will be so happy! I can’t wait to tell—’

“‘
Shush-h-h!
’
she interrupted me, her trembling index finger pressed against her lips as she motioned for me to be quiet. She shook her head, still sobbing in her joy. I broke down again as well, my shoulders shaking to the point I would’ve collapsed had she not tightened her grip to support me until the overwhelming swell of emotion ebbed.

“
She gently directed me to sit down again, which I did, though I didn’t allow her to leave my tear-blurred gaze. Mom brought her chair closer to mine, and she dabbed my eyes with a handkerchief she pulled from her dress, stroking the side of my face, perhaps admiring the boy she’d missed seeing grow up.

“
This had to be real. Regardless of all the strangeness I’d experienced,
this
was different. But despite the reality of my mother’s presence sitting next to me, an underlying incompleteness mired the event. A terrible feeling of sadness was also present. The very air around her held within it a condemnation of impending doom, despite any intentions on my part to make this permanent.

“‘
I’ve longed for this moment, Jack!’ she said. ‘I’ve dreamed of it for a very long time. So much I’d love to share with you...to tell you. But, there isn’t time.’

“‘
What do you mean?’

“
I hated the way she said this. The unpleasant feeling in the air grew heavier and more oppressive.

“‘
You
don’t have time, son,’ she told me. ‘Listen close and I’ll quickly tell you what you need to know.’

“‘
You mean the dinner, or feast that’s being held in my honor?’

“
She laughed nervously.

“‘
Heavens
no, I wasn’t referring to that at all,’ she said. ‘Yes, I’m aware of it, and we’ll get to that in a moment. What I’m referring to is the fact your grandpa—
my
father—is very worried about your whereabouts as we speak. He found out you weren’t with your friend Lee about twenty minutes ago, and he’s berating himself for not keeping a better eye on you—especially after last night.’

“
My mouth dropped open. ‘How’d you know about that?’

“‘
Genovene isn’t the only one around here who knows where you’ve been and what’s going on around you,’ she said. ‘As a matter of fact, this is the only time since you first saw the talisman yesterday she hasn’t known your thoughts and exact whereabouts. They’re hidden from her now, but only for a short while. She’ll soon discover you’re here.’

“
The sordid implications of my mom’s words hit me full force. Images of my dick inside Genovene’s mouth flooded my mind….
What did she think of that?
More important, what did she think of
me
.

“‘
My son, you were overmatched without any chance of resisting her,’ she assured me. ‘Genovene can be physically as beautiful and seductive as any male will ever encounter. Remember the cookie you ate? You never realized it was laced with a powerful aphrodisiac…. I’ve always been proud of you, Jack, and
nothing
that happened today changed that.’

“
I smiled weakly, staring down at the floor and still very much ashamed. At the same time, I felt grateful that the person I’d always hoped would be proud of me actually was.

“‘
Now, listen closely,’ she continued. ‘You think Genovene’s your friend, I know. But, you’ve been given other clues about what she’s really like. Clues about the nature of this place as well. Remember the box in the temple—those voices you heard?’

“
Yeah.

“‘
Urei
lied
to you!’ Her voice choked with emotion, I thought she might start crying again. “It wasn’t a game or some amusement! Those voices belong to spirits…people just like you and me who’ve been lured for centuries to this trap. There are hundreds of other boxes like it in the village, each with the souls of Genovene’s victims trapped inside!’

“
What she said chilled me to the bone, like an icy breeze had just blown into the room. Despite my reluctance to believe it, my mother’s words rang true. From deep within, I felt Genovene’s capacity for cruelty and wickedness just as clear as I immediately knew the innate goodness of the woman sitting next to me.
How in the hell would we ever get back home?

“‘
Sudden warmth radiated toward me, and my mom forced a wan smile.

“‘
Don’t be afraid,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a plan. If you hadn’t made your wish at the pool in the garden, I might not have been allowed to intervene.’

“
She sat up straight, arching her neck and tilting her head slightly, listening. She then grew serious and leaned closer to me.

“‘
Jack,’ she whispered, ‘Genovene’s coming out of the temple. She’ll start looking for you in earnest within the next few minutes.’

“
I’m sure my eyes grew wide, as I completely forgot all about the starting time for the feast. I pulled my watch out again, noting the time was 2:57 pm. Surprised, I brought it closer to my face. Genovene’s warning echoed in my head, and I was about to be on her shit list!

“‘
Jack
, please
pay attention!’ my mother scolded me, letting her voice rise above the whisper she spoke with a moment before.
‘
Heed everything I’m telling you! You
must
flee from here and follow the golden road out of the village. Take the same path you took in getting here and you’ll get back home. You’ll have to trust me that you’ll be protected. Do not, I repeat, Jack,
do not
stray from the path or you’ll make our task so much harder!

“‘
Genovene will try and convince you to stay here, and I know you’re still struggling with a sense of obligation to her.
Don’t
give in to that feeling, my son! You
mustn’t
do it, no matter what she tells you. This feast is
not
for you, son. Rather,
you’re
the feast!’

“
She paused and looked down at the ground. When she raised her head back up, more tears streamed down her face.

“‘
They plan to sacrifice you to Talusha, the blue demon of Karachi,’ she continued, struggling to get the words out. ‘I know…I know you saw the bubbling and burning thing when up in the temple tower. You caught a glimpse of Talusha’s essence…. To please him, they plan to give him your heart. They’ll spend the rest of their celebration eating what’s left of your body, after first sending your spirit into a box….
You
saw the altar, right? And also the knife lying next to the box, as well as the empty space in the middle of the celebration table?’

“
I nodded that I had, gripped by terror.

“‘
Genovene and her tribe consider you a fine prize,’ she explained, ‘and they’ve had their eye on you since you were an infant. Why this is so isn’t important enough for us to discuss right now. Just be aware that your soul’s energy would serve them well if they captured it through your sacrificial death.’

“‘
Jack!... Oh,
Jack!!
Where
are
you??’

“
Genovene was searching the courtyard and we both froze in silence. A couple hundred feet away, her plaintive voice sounded faint. But a moment later her calls grew louder. She headed toward us.

“
I looked at my watch again. The time read 3:02, and I’d already fucked up her feast’s start time. There would be hell to pay for sure….

“‘
Jack,’ my mother whispered,’ we only have a moment longer. Hand me the box, please.’

“
Trembling, I gave her the silver box and she turned it around so that the angels faced me.

“‘
Open it gently,’ she instructed.

“
I did. Inside the box lay a gray colored oval stone with a sword carved onto its face. The sword bisected a star and a circle, with smaller designs carved beneath them.

“‘
Go ahead and pick it up,’ she urged.

“
I did as she asked, and held the stone within my hands.

“‘
What I’m about to tell you now is of the utmost importance, Jack,’ she said. ‘Keep the stone with you, and for God’s sake don’t lose it! On the left side of the main gates to the village as you leave this place, you’ll find a golden lion’s head protruding from the crystal wall. You must insert this stone into the lion’s mouth in order to get out of the village. You got that, son?’

“‘
Yes ma’am,’ I said.

“
The stone was light and carried some warmth with it. I placed it inside my other pocket to keep it separate from my watch.

“‘
Jack??
Come out wherever you are!!’

“
Less than forty feet away, Genovene sounded worried…and a little pissed. In panic I stood up, compelled to leave the booth. My mother grabbed my arm, urging me to stay put with her in the back room.

“‘
Wait!!’
she whispered harshly. ‘Genovene isn’t what she seems! Nor the village and all of the wonders you’ve seen on the way here today…. Not in a permanent sense. They’re superimposed on your world, son. Again, there’s no time to explain. But I’ve brought something that’ll enable you to see her as she really is, to see what she truly looks like in her natural state.’

“
Her hands shaking, Mom pulled out a small red satin bag with a leather strap from her dress. She opened the bag and poured out a gray colored dust on my head, which tingled as my scalp absorbed it.

“‘
This mixture is made from the charred remains of Genovene’s victims,’ she said. ‘May it reveal the deception and the truth about her, for she is far crueler than you could ever imagine. I just pray you escape without experiencing her wickedness!’

“
She began to weep, and I reached out to comfort her.

“‘
What
a poor way to treat someone who has taken the time to
arrange a special dinner for you, Jack!!’
Genovene cried out. Her voice sounded different…deeper. And like she’d gargled a bucketful of sand. ‘As the guest of honor you‘re now
way
past rude!!
Come out from there
now-w-w!!!
’

“
Neither of us could see her from the back room, but I saw her shadow in the afternoon sun, stretching across the floor through the doorway to the front room. She had changed.

“
In place of the gorgeous girl I’d spent much of the day with was this tall gangly thing. A slender spine-like tail whipped back and forth behind it. I started to scream. My mother covered my mouth and spun me around and dragged me over to the very back of the room. She then opened the small door and shoved me outside.

“‘
Stay on the path, Jack!’ she pleaded. ‘Be very brave in spite of what you’ll see. No matter what happens, we’ll all be with you—
remember that!!’

“‘
Mom!!!
’
I shouted, poking my head back through the doorway. ‘Why ain’t you following me
out here? You’re coming with me, right??
Hurry!!
Hey,
come on
, Mom
!!!
Get out here before it’s too
—”

“‘
No
,
Jack!!’
she shouted, interrupting me. ‘I
can’t
be released from this place unless you make it out of the village alive!
G
et out of here—run!!!

“
Bewildered and confused, I stood just outside the chest-high doorway, but only for a moment. A loud crash came from the front, along with the sound of splintering wood and delicate ceramics crashing to the floor.

“‘
Mom!!!
’

“
I tried desperately to re-enter the small doorway. But I was thrown out this time, landing on my ass as the door slammed shut.

“‘
Run, Jack!!!
Run, now-w-w!!!
’
she screamed from inside the room.

“
Reluctant, I obeyed her order, knowing I didn’t have any time left to wait. I offered a fervent prayer for her deliverance while sprinting along the row of juniper trees, trying to get to the staircase that led down to the plaza as quickly as possible.”