Echoes from the Lost Ones (21 page)

“I am here and not getting ready to tie-the-knot as I am expected at my coming-of-age. So, yeah, I know.”

“Perhaps. I shall walk you to your destination and have a friendly chat.”

She let go of my shoulder and slid her arm through mine. We walked towards my place of rest as slow as an ancient ‘dult trying to scrabble up an incline. I tried to lean away from her pressing in, but to my surprise, she was stronger than she looked and had me firmly secured against her side.

“I left young Eadgard by his quarters and returned stealth-like back to the dining area where I spied and listened in on your ramblings. Do not think me bad for this. I did so as to hear the truth of things from lips that would not open so honest whilst I remained. Marcellus is correct in his warnings to you. This place is godly and divine all right, but has other things that press upon it beyond the call of God. I will caution you, as did Marcellus. Learn from Brother Jude by all means, but do not believe or do only-onto- him. I am of late become suspicious of this and that. When you arrived I realised my fancy had substance.”

“Explain more.”

 
“I cannot just yet my dear. Know this, though, I have not seen or heard the Abbot for more than eight days.”

I opened my mouth to seek more info, but Sister Gabriel halted before the stone stairway that led to Brother Jude’s room.

“We are here. Rest and be wary. I am a friend. Believe that much,” she said, released my arm and scuttled quick as a beetle down the corridor and out of sight.

Chapter Twenty-Three

A Letting Go Of All Things Learned

Upon entering the darkened chamber, I spied Brother Jude in bed. He lay flat upon his back, a thick woollen blanket pulled up against his chin. It was red and blue and fatter than any pelt I had seen. I wondered at how he procured such a prize, wool being the most pricey of materials. All my coverings came from a lab. Processed and squished until out pops material to make all manner of coverings for bed, floor, wall and bod. The mystery of this man and place became all the more intense. I tippy-toed past his closed eyes, pulled aside the thick hanging to the place assigned for my resting.

It was sparse. With just a single chair and slim wooden bed pushed against the far wall. Above it was a plain glass window shaded with a heavy red drape. I looked around for a place to hang my clothes and saw a rod sticking out from the opposite wall with large hooks hanging from it.

My ballooned belly gurgled. I searched for a special place to relieve myself and noticed a plain screen made of wooden slats opposite my bed. I glanced behind and saw a pissing pot with a pipe attached that went out through the wall, then to my great happiness, a shower. That was when I remembered my stricken Synthbag in the Monk’s room. I needed it for my ‘blutions for sure. So I sidled back in and crawled along the floor until I spied it under a table. I stretched my arm out and pulled it to my chest. Then I pid-padded all quiet-like back to my own quarters where I sploshed and plopped until I felt all-clean.

Dry and warmed through, I ambled towards the bed and clambered in. Sleep was not forthcoming due to Sister Gabriel’s words, so I tossed and turned and thought about what she said for a bit, then nestled into the small yet comforting mattress. I shut my lids, let the blackness soothe my questioning brain, and fell asleep.

I thought that I’d just nodded off and not slept the sleep of profundity, since no dreams appeared to make all sense of things that passed. I opened my eyes and saw Brother Jude swish aside the curtains to let the daylight flood throughout my unlit chamber. His brown robe brushed against my blinking awake face and I opened my mouth as wide as an owlet downing some meat, to let out a back-throat yawn.

“Light so soon?”

“Always the sun rises when it should. I would have you refreshed and ready. First partake of breakfast. Pardon me, perhaps you refer to it as ‘first-of-day-food?’”

“Now and then, when chatting with family folk and the like. I wonder, Brother Jude, if I might bring forth grub for you to chew upon?”

“Kindly gesture, but I have a reliable source that has already fed and watered my every need. I rise before the sky gets light.”

“Perhaps later?”

“No, use the eating times to keep a closeness with your companions. Now rise, eat and return for your next lesson,” he said and left me to dress.
 

I only had one clean garment at the bottom of my Synthbag. A long black skirt made from non-nano thread. It felt all heavy and clingy against my legs. The top as well, so when I put all on, I felt as though I had got into another’s skin. Shaking off the unpleasant sensation, I hitched on my Synthbag, left my resting place, scuttled past Brother Jude, who was leaning out of the window, and ran all the way to the dining room.

It was full of the hominids we had seen the day before, but I noticed that some ‘dult males wore the same kind of plaid skirt that Wirt and his kin wore. I spied my companions standing at the food area and sped keenly towards them. The smell of warm grub and hot beverages filled my senses to capacity. I quite forgot what I was thinking for a time. Eadgard was the first to greet me by a hardy slap on my shoulder, followed by a huggle from Wirt and a serious nod from Marcellus. I was about to blab about Sister Gabriel’s cryptic chittle-chat when I saw her approach.

“A new day. Praise the Lord. All still alive and well and engaging in a healthy appetite.”

“The grub is the best I have ever eaten for sure.”

“I suppose it is, Adara. City food is mostly processed and lacks the flavour and texture of the real thing.”

“I was none the wiser as to such foodstuffs before I began this adventure. Now that I have tasted such wonders I do not think I can return to the consuming of my previous synthetic fare.”

“I pray you never need to.”

“We are curious as to meaning in that phrase.”

“No meaning, Marcellus, I merely desire young Adara to always eat the most delicious of food.”

“Not possible when we continue mission. Must needs eat reconstituted and processed grub. No access to fresh.”

“Quite so, Marcellus, quite so. Pardon my error. Perhaps, though, you might wish to eat less of this fine cuisine and begin to acclimatise yourselves to the more bland foodstuffs that you will be feeding on when you do resume your quest.”

“I think not, Sister,” I said and snorted in the scrumptious aromas. “The day will be long and full, I must fuel my bod to get through it all.”

“More of same for us too. We become weary of it. Your absence, Adara, we notice much.”

“Do not be fraught, Marcellus. You shall not miss Adara. I will show you books to engage your mind and set your curiosity to tumble and twist,” Sister Gabriel said.

“You have piqued my interest, at least, good Sister. I am sure Wirt and Marcellus will thrill to your revealings also.”

“They will to be sure. Now I must go and select tomes of curiosity whilst you chitchat and catch up. Perhaps, Adara, we will enjoy your company at some juncture. There is a book, which may prove most enlightening, and I would wish you to share its wisdom. Perhaps at mid-morning prayers, which Brother Jude must needs to undertake, you may slip away and join your friends in the library?”

“You intrigue me greatly. I shall be there.”

“Good, good. Until later all,” she said and left at a most rapid pace.

We piled our plates, sat opposite a group of plainly dressed folk and set to gobble up our break of fasting. I noticed that the other hominids that frequented the place had a look of far away in their eyes. They ate without passion and did not partake of chat. There was no confab from us either and I observed a stiffness of body from Wirt and Marcellus. I attempted to engage them in talk, but they did not respond and stared hard at their food.

“Do not mind them, Adara, they did not sleep well,” Eadgard said. “We share one quite small room. The beds are shoved close together and every out breath could be heard. I fear that my snoring may have contributed to their most disagreeable mood.”

Wirt snorted. “I hope yer lessons march on a pace. I do not relish the prospect of lying down with these two windbags for much longer. It was like sleeping with Wolfies.”

“We not make noise like beast,” Marcellus said.

“Ye do. Not as loud, but at a pitch that fairly grates upon the ear.”

“We put up with twitching and turning from you. We not complain.”

“Really Marcellus? Ye just did.”

“Not so.”

“Did.”

“Not.”

“Calm, calm. It is always a test when those not acquainted are forced to share such confined space. Let us now make a pact to attempt to repose in a quiet and serene manner.”

Wirt and Marcellus looked into each other’s eyes and did not blink. Eadgard sighed and shook his head. I leaned close all conspiratorial and whispered, “What do think these other non-godlys are doing here?”

At my words all turned their attention upon the fems and males that were eating silently on the other table.

“They do not look a friendly bunch. Not one has made an effort to commune with any of the others.”

 
“Maybe spies. Adara, look around. Much here of interest. Much here defy rules. Much here mystery. Also, books. Sister Gabriel know more than she tell.”

I bit my lip so as not to expose my late night encounter with said nun and sat back. Marcellus’s words gave me over to thoughts of doubt and anxiety.

“Now, Marcellus, try not to cause concern where there is no foundation. Adara, Wirt, these people most likely are here on route to somewhere else. As are we and we are not spies,” Eadgard said.

“You sure?” Marcellus said and Wirt pushed his plate away.

“Ye are full of accusations about others. Maybe ye are a spy?”

“Calm again, please. Such rumour only causes distress. Free you mind from such thoughts and finish you grub. Adara? May we have the pleasure of your company at mid-morning?”

“For sure and certain of it.”

“Need you to go back to Brother Jude?”

“What? Oh, yep. That I must. Ta for the reminder. Wirt, Marcellus, it would be a great relief to me to know that you will not clash again. Can you agree on that?” They folded their arms and looked hard at each other. Then slow as slow they relaxed their rigid demeanour and nodded their heads. I took my leave and headed towards the room of learning, not quite as enthused about my lesson, as I had been earlier.

I clip-clopped up the winding stairs with less vigour than before and not knowing why, hesitated before opening the door. I thought I heard Brother Jude speaking with someone else and lingered discreetly until he finished. When no more noise emitted, I walked in expecting to find Brother Dominic, but to my amazement he was alone.

“Adara, here you are. All fed and fresh to learn?”

“Keen enough.”

“You seem distracted. Has there been an occurrence?”

“Nope. Just that I imagined you engaged in blab when I stood outside.”

“No. Perhaps I mumbled some thoughts out loud, but as you can see, I do not have a visitor.”

“Quite so. I must have mistaken what I heard.”

“It happens. Now, shall we proceed?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Now you will breathe with continuous air and make the sounds that disturb and soothe, depending on the pitch you choose.”

Brother Jude set me to task and I spent many long moments standing, sucking in air, holding it in my cheeks, blowing it out whilst breathing more in and so on, until I made the action so smooth that I no longer could tell the difference between breath coming in and breath going out.

All a-woozy from the rush of oxy to my brain, I leant against the wall before continuing. Brother Jude smiled and nodded his head saying, “Good, good, good. You learn fast and well. Mind not the dizziness, it will pass with practice. After your midday meal, we will make sound out of this continuous breath.”

A loud and resonant bell chimed and Brother Jude pressed his finger to his lips. “Quiet now for prayers. You may go. Return when the second bell sounds.”

I bowed, not knowing why, except that it seemed the right thing to do, and left. My descent down the stairs was faster and lighter of foot than the previous ascent.

When I reached the library I was surprised to find it inhabited by other folk. Some monks and fem monks sat a table, heads bent, rocking back and forth and muttering words in an ancient tongue low and barely audible. I searched the room and was pleased to observe Wirt, Marcellus and Sister Gabriel sitting round a table attending to something of interest in a book that lay open before them. I spied Eadgard hunched over another tome, with a look of absolute concentration upon his face. So engrossed were all four, that they did not notice my approach.

“All hi and hi again,” I said and spread my arms across the shoulders of Wirt and Marcellus. They jumped up and knocked back their chairs, creating a flurry of movement from Sister Gabriel, who faster than a bolt of lightning, snatched the book from the table and hugged it to her chest. Eadgard too stood, brushed his book onto the floor and placed his foot upon it.

“Calmly chums. It is only myself come as requested.”
 

“Adara, ye nearly stopped me heart.”

“Not intentionally, Wirt. Why so skittish?”

“The book we are perusing is not for the eyes of all.”
 

“Continue on.”

“Book holds answers. Book explains many things. Things we thought one way, discover is other way. Hidden. Truths obscured, answers obtained.”

“To what?”

“Come, Adara, sit with me. I shall reveal more.”

“Sister Gabriel,” Eadgard said and picked up the book he was standing on, “might it be better to keep our learning’s quieter.”

“Quite so,” she said and took the tome from his hand.

Another loud ringing put an end to our conversation. Just when it was becoming all-full of interest and intrigue. I noticed those that wore religious garb stop their chanting, rise and shuffle out as though an invisible hand pushed them from behind. The more I saw of this place, the more I became wary.