True Heroes (71 page)

titanic hands crawling and tilling the dark ground while gaining none.

Campe watched while the groans of Zeus’ prisoners howled

as the gate closed,

and Kaneis was locked within.

“Kaneis looked beyond them and moved swiftly into further shadow.

As his feet walked, his hand pinched crumbs from the bread,

now a fourth of his original loaf,

and fed himself

until the massive torch at his back became a dim star.

“On the fifth day of travel,

he approached a lit altar with a weeping woman,

unbound but unguided,

and he spoke eagerly:

“‘Dear woman, do you have a husband from Aeneid?’

“Her wails continued as she spoke:

“‘I had one that left me for the glories of war,

and who now leaves me to this pit.’

“Kaneis dropped to his knees and lifted the chin of the wailing maiden,

speaking fairly to her crippled soul:

“‘This man that kneels with weary legs is named Kaneis,

and he brings great news.

Hades will allow me to take your place among this altar

and to free you from this unwarranted torment,

but you must walk from this place

with your heart empty of guilt.’

“The wife looked up with bitter contempt:

“‘What does my husband owe you?

What could he owe you in such an amount

that your life would be worth risking to come here?’

“Kaneis spoke lightly again:

“‘Nothing, my lady.’

“She swallowed her tears to ask again:

“‘What great favor brings you here?’

“Kaneis gently laid the sword at his waist next to her sitting frame

and spoke:

“‘Something wrong has happened,

but your husband,

cowardly as he is,

could do nothing through his haze of fear,

so it has fallen to me to right what has been wrong.’

“The tears of the wife no longer fell,

but her spirit remained shackled as she spoke:

“‘I would be back here soon, would I not?

Death is a swinging pendulum;

Hades would find me again.’

“The Man of Nowhere spoke quietly:

“‘Though you would be found again,

your time would be longer,

and come sweeter,

than ever before.’

“Her small hands gripped his,

callous and worn,

and she spoke with a caring tone:

“‘You have doomed yourself,

to come here for nothing,

for a single life.

There is only me living,

and only your torture,

and yet you have come.

I wish now that my love had been pledged to you

for it would be the only comfort you have in a place such as this.’

“Kaneis gently caressed the back of her hand

while soothing words escaped his mouth:

“‘I would deserve no such honor.’

“The wife stood on shaking legs,

feeling a softness in her hand,

and seeing from the altar’s light

the remnants of a once-mighty loaf

handed to her by the kneeling man.

“Her clutch tightened around the food

as her voice disapproved further:

“‘You would have me travel on

while your life cannot find end soon enough,

and yet there is no reason!

Such a cause must have such a reason!

Is it that you have come for love?

I would lay beside you for eternity for this journey!

Is it that you are in league with some God?

They would throw your life away!

Is it glory?

Because I will be the first to sing this song!

Tell me what there is to gain.

Or has your life simply lost its way?’

“Kaneis stood to her level,

and as she cradled his face with one hand,

his eyes closed and a gentle whisper escaped his mouth:

“‘It is not that my heart is cold,

or my world is split,

or that my feet will travel no more.

It is that I have found

through my endless march

a path I must travel alone,

and where your warm hand

cannot reach.

Farewell, farewell

to all that is light

although I will miss you so.’

“Her hand,

shaking with gratuitous feelings,

forced the bread into her eager mouth.

She felt the strength return to her legs

and walked from the altar quickly.

“As her body blotted the lone star in the distance,

Kaneis sat heavily upon the altar stair,

seeing red eyes pierce the darkness

that would surround him furthermore.

From the emptiness,

the voice of malice spoke:

“‘My highest regards, Man,

as this journey would have taken a lesser

crashing into cowardice.

Tell this God of your name.’

“Kaneis,

his eyes closed and his chest gently heaving,

stood again to face the darkness,

and spoke:

“‘I am Kaneis,

of nowhere,

my Lord Hades.’

“Hades’ deep laugh rang to the edges of Tartarus,

and the crackling embers from his mouth

could be seen from his crooked smile

as he spoke:

“‘Thus spoke Kaneis:

from nowhere did he spring,

but the only thing any man has to give

he gave without pause.

As you did succeed,

Tartarus will be kind to you.

Your story will never reach Earth;

Nobody will hear of your name,

or your journey,

or your bravery,

and only when they meet me from the Styx

will they learn the lesson that you bestow.’

“Kaneis laughed as loudly as man could,

the echo bouncing against the unseen Titans

and men amongst him before he spoke:

“‘I thank you for this punishment,

as each man would try to live the life I have,

and that is not the way man is supposed to live.’

“Hades grumbled lowly,

but received only a tired smile

from the face of Kaneis.

“And so it was:

the man that stood for no flag,

fought for no man, woman, or child,

and abandoned his everlasting self

became what the world needed most,

and fought for what mortal man saw the least.”

---

              Everyone stood up and applauded except Caleb, who was staring intently into vacant air through his one good eye. Alice used the back of his hand to clap, allowing their contact to be maintained while every bit of her appreciation spilled right next to everyone else’s. David placed his hand tentatively on Benny’s shoulder after the poet had bowed a few times, and asked with a wide smile. “Benny, that was your best work so far, but you said it was going to be about someone in the group.”

              Benny looked up before darting his eyes back to the floor. “It was.”

              Everyone chuckled a bit and looked around. “Who was it about?”

              His eyes rose up as Caleb’s did. “Caleb.”

              As all eyes focused around Caleb and all mouths were slightly agape, Caleb could feel his hand be squeezed a little tighter as he gave Benny a slight smile and a noticeable nod.

Chapter 18

             
“Let’s do one-on-one time now.” David looked over towards Alice and pointed two fingers at her and Caleb, respectively. “Talk here,” he mouthed.

              Alice grabbed Caleb’s hand as they both stood and walked across the circle before anyone else could rearrange. ‘What idiocy is this?’

              ‘It’s another conference. Why are you in such a foul mood?’

              ‘I’m healing you the rest of the way after this little debacle.’

              ‘It was two weeks ago. Get over it.’

              ‘And yet you’re happier than ever! You have no pride, still.’

              ‘You’ve got to tell me what’s really eating at you.’ Power lashed against the side of his head. ‘Thanks for the headache.’

              ‘Leave me to my shrinking corner, then shout your silly questions from an opening plane and see if your widening intellect can’t deduce the logic of my anger.’

              “You’re mad because something that wasn’t yours was taken away,” Caleb whispered as they sat down. “Pride has no volume.”

              “Did you say something, Caleb?”

              His head upturned to David. “No, sorry.”

              ‘Yes, he wants to call you a worthless coward! A writhing stain that is trying to snatch away what is his while displaying the dominance of what is yours.’

              ‘Simmer down.’

              “Mr. Whitmor, Ms. Dorrel, thank you for meeting with us.”

              “My middle name is Krysta, with a ‘Y.’”

              Dyllo looked sideways at her. “Indeed so.”

              “You never told me your middle name.”

              Alice squeezed his hand and turned to lock eyes. “I just did. You never told me yours before and I can’t tell you something if you don’t tell me something, now can I?”

              “Actually, yes you can.” He smiled and flashed power in one eye. She smiled widely.

              “His is Daniel.” They both turned to Mr. Dyllo. ‘The eternal smile on her face is showing. Don’t you dare give him the satisfaction.’ “In any case, there is a reason David and I would like to talk to you both today.”

              “Yes, it’s been a while since you two have graced us with your presence.” David pushed at his glasses and cocked his head. “I was half-expected to see a wedding ring on your hand when you came back.”

              ‘Her smile finally twitched.’

              “We decided to have a little Valentine’s time to ourselves. Caleb needed to think before that, so we barely left the apartment.”

              “He went to work. Joy says he’s never absent and has only been late once.”

              “Yeah, that time was my fault….”

              Caleb smiled and scratched his nose.