In Search of the Alter Dom (7 page)

Beware the scavenging female Rills: who emerge at birth of dusk.

Carrying rusty cauldrons and sharpened knives – Bitch-Rills trailing

naked tails; and the vile odour of rodent musk

Late that same Midsummer Eve night, after Caddoc Morgan’s first ordeal, when both her parents were asleep; Blodwyn quietly closed the front door behind her. The three Tartarus Hobs were waiting on the riverbank. The Tartarus Hobs were unusually silent, walking on all fours; these knuckle-walkers were keeping a low profile. The stiff ridge of bristles on their muscular backs stood erect; their dark hides glistened with sweat. They stopped regularly to test the breeze with their up-turned noses – for Tormented Taarbs grew bolder after sunset! Blodwyn felt safe under the Hobs’ protection, despite their offensive damp, rotten-dog odour.

The two Lings suddenly appear as they reached the big rock, a lovely Mayling and the smaller bug-like Sisling. ‘We must hurry,’ says the Mayling. ‘We can smell Taarbs on the higher slopes!’

Each Ling took one of Blodwyn’s hands; she felt herself rising slowly, and then accelerating rapidly. The antenna of the Sisling twitched, searching for the invisible mouth of the
Energy Band
, a mile high above the ground. A powerful pull drew them upwards. Blodwyn feels like an ant inches away from a Hoover! Instantly they were sucked into the surge of an Energy Band. Blodwyn was now flying without aid from the Lings; although she was forced to take short sharp breaths initially. Looking down, Earth was two miles below her feet! Suddenly her stomach dropped as the energy band banked steeply to the left – it was like flying in an invisible plane!

(
Energy bands
and
Prism windows
are dangerous! They sometimes reach down to Earth’s surface on warm summer evenings just before dusk. If you see the faintest shaft of pastel shimmers across a lonely wooded path or quiet lane – do not enter! Energy bands will take you to another planet: Prism windows are a gateway to a parallel world!)

To Blodwyn time seemed to hang suspended; soon they were approaching the moon! The energy band now curved down. She knew she was going to be shot out head first – a mile above the moon’s rocky surface!

“Where were the Lings?” Without warning, Blodwyn felt herself hurtling downwards – in freefall! Her heart pounded – she screamed!

“Had the Lings forgotten she could not fly?” Suddenly the Lings appeared by her face, grinning. ‘Look – Blodwyn’s flying,’ they teased.

‘I am not flying – I am falling – about to break my bloody neck!’ screams Blodwyn hysterically.

The two Lings howled with laughter. “Oh hell,” thought Blodwyn, “if I die with swear words on my lips – I will end up in Golgin Hade with Tormented Taarbs.” The hard stony ground of the moon was rushing towards her soft face! ‘Do something you pair of useless little sods!’ The two Lings again howled with laughter. Blodwyn closed her eyes – ready for impact – she knew her end would be quick!

With only time to recite the first word of a prayer before impact; Blodwyn felt herself being turned feet first, gently landing on the gritty surface of the moon. Blodwyn felt ashamed for panicking, she will have to trust the power of Lings in future.

She gazed around; there were no contrasting colours on the Moon; everything was a pale uniform sandy orange – the reflection of the sun.

‘We must go to the dark side of Rilla (the Moon),’ announces Boodi the lovely Mayling, ‘where moon-flowers grow, stay here – beware the scavenging female
Rills
!’ Before Blodwyn could speak – the two Lings were gone. “They must be teasing: Grunwalde told her…. Rills were harmless little creatures!” Blodwyn was not aware that Lings
,
unlike their fickle human Queen – never told lies!

She began to deeply regret her decision to go on this quest. She felt helpless; lost and lonely as she looked at distant planet Earth. Earth looked so tranquil, pristine, innocent, a haze of pale blue with swirls of white clouds.

Blodwyn took a deep breath; the air was much thinner on the lunar surface. Because the moon remained static, on the side that faced Earth, it was always daylight and dry. Plant life grew only on the moon’s dark-side, which was star-lit from outer-space. Nectar rich flowers emerged from the stony ground like polyps from a coral bed; to feed large, foot long luminous moon-moths. Lacking chlorophyll, all the flowers were pale pastels. The triple-hearted Lings had a high metabolism and regularly needed energy rich pollen and nectar: like humming birds.

Blodwyn suddenly felt conspicuous and vulnerable standing in the open. She felt uneasy – shrouded by an eerie cloak of silence! She was tired, due to the thin air, and beginning to feel cold, a chilly wind had picked up. She walked towards a line of small hillocks in the distance that were in semi gloom on the edge of the moon’s dark side; she needed to find a safe warm place to rest out of sight.

Blodwyn was confident the two Lings with their keen sense of smell would soon find her. She began to see bones gleaming in the poor light. Bleached skulls of dogs, cats and several badgers lay around the moon’s dusty surface, their empty eye-sockets following her movements: they grinned – mocking her passage! Blodwyn knew something was very wrong – no set of bones were complete, they were scattered – broken as if picked over! She took a closer look. All the bones had cuts or teeth marks on them!

Continuing, she noticed the remains of some animal freshly butchered! Only the skin, bone and blood-soaked fur remained; framed on a crimson stain. Blodwyn knew that these animals had unwittingly wandered into the mouth of a low reaching
Energy Band
back on Earth! “But who was butchering them? Surely not the harmless little Rills!”

Blodwyn tightened her grip on the stout staff and continued toward the hillocks; she had to find safe shelter as soon as possible.

After half a mile she stopped to catch her breath, the thin air was exhausting. In the distance, she saw the unmistakable outline of a modern hang-glider, its tattered sail flapping in the chilly wind. She did not intend to inspect its owner’s remains!

Greater horror awaited her. A few paces ahead on a fresh glistening red backcloth – lay a new blue tracksuit stained and torn – an expensive mobile lay nearby. Blodwyn stopped stunned! This was not a distant event: it was like now! The mobile was still on – a desperate, futile call for help! Blodwyn stared mesmerized at the mobile – it rang!! Blodwyn’s heart stopped: she jumped back! “How could she answer – what could she say to the responder – of the desperate call?”

Increasing her stride to remove herself from the scene and the still ringing mobile, Blodwyn reached the small hillocks. She found they were the raised edges of moon craters.

Finding a small depression at the side of one; she made herself comfortable. Sitting down with her rucksack on her lap, she took out a blanket and pulled it over her legs for protection from the chilly wind. Blodwyn tried to console herself with the thought that the owner of the mobile was dead before he or she arrived on the moon surface. But logically knew dead people do not make distress calls! She decided to go home – as soon as the Lings returned; there was something dangerous here!

Blodwyn was about to check the contents of her rucksack, when a strange noise startled her! The noise came from the other side of the crater wall. She froze and listened, trying to analyse the sounds that were becoming more frantic! The sounds could only be described as shuffling; sometimes punctuated by stamping, accompanied by the odd grunt and squeal. Blodwyn Jones was not a girl to sit tight and hope for the best – she had to know the sounds’ origins – afraid as she was!

Getting up as quietly as possible and firmly gripping her staff, Blodwyn tiptoed towards the edge of a large rock. Instead of looking over the top and breaking the skyline; she slowly popped her head around the side of the rock. Blodwyn’s eyes widened as she saw the creature responsible!

Three meters away she saw a giant rodent biped over a meter tall, its back to her. Because of the creature’s long naked tail and the size of its swollen plumbs, she knew instantly – it was a giant Dog-Rat! The giant rodent was practicing swordsmanship, totally unaware of her presence; she was down-wind of the Dog-Rat. The rodent’s long body ended in a pair of extremely short bandy legs. The Dog-Rat began wrapping its long hairless, naked tail around its waist and tying it in a knot. “Surely, this overlarge rodent was not a harmless little Rill, described by Grunwalde – it was armed – besides rats were vicious!”

This creature had to be another species – not a
Rill
? The Dog-Rat wore an old battered, wide brimmed cavalier’s hat with three tattered white ostrich plumes. On its chest was a much-dented copper breastplate; the child-sized type one sees in museums. A leather habergeon and scabbard hung from the Dog-rat’s rounded shoulder: below the waist the rodent was naked.

Nearby was a plastic shopping bag from a popular superstore; next to it neatly placed a new pair of expensive white trainers!

‘On-Guard!’ The Dog-Rat cried out in a high-pitched staccato. Backward and forward the Dog-Rat went – lunging and slashing with its sharp looking saber at an imaginary opponent.

Every now and again, the rodent stopped; sniffed the breeze and looked up as if checking for danger, while scratching its behind.

Being downwind – she could smell a musky whiff of Dog-Rat. Nevertheless, how long could she remain undetected? Rats have keen noses; to retreat now could prove dangerous! Besides, she needed information, news of the
Alter Dom,
while she remained here.

Blodwyn decided on a bold confident approach, familiar with the nature of rats. She did not wish to seem naïve or vulnerable to an opportunistic rodent – whose nature was to prey on the weak!

From an early age Blodwyn had learnt that all males responded to flattery; especially from a female. Males seemed to lack the mental attributes to know whether the flattery was sincere or not.

Swordplay over, the large Dog-Rat now began doffing its plumed hat and bowing low, to an imaginary audience. If it was not for the sharp looking sword and the size of the rodent, the spectacle might have been humorous.

The oversized rodent then began un-tying its hairless tail from around its waist: scratched itself again and farted! Sheathing its sword the Dog-Rat adopted a hunched-back pose. He proceeded to limp around an imaginary stage, in a dramatic way, often turning to an imaginary audience; baring his sharp teeth in a sly, hammy smile. The Dog-Rat began quoting Shakespeare, albeit out of context and incorrectly

‘This is the winter of my discontent…..a pox on the house of York, says I. Now here’s the rub…..methinks, I knew that powered tart and in her chambers – I nimbly capered!’ The large Dog-Rat then took several dramatic bows to imaginary applauses.

Blodwyn slowly rose to her feet, placing her stick against the rock within easy reach – just in case! Blodwyn cleared her throat loudly.

With rat-like swiftness, the creature spun around adopting the ‘on-guard’ position – its blade pointing at her heart! The Dog-Rat’s thin lips curled back exposing gleaming teeth in a ratty snarl! The creature quickly covered his rodent nakedness with his cavalier’s hat.

“At least the giant Dog-Rat had a sense of decency, in the presence of a lady,” she thought.

The rodent’s black, popping, beady eyes regarded Blodwyn with curious hostility.

‘Please forgive my intrusion Noble Sir,’ says Blodwyn in a voice all sweetness and light; accompanied by the most theatrical of curtsies. ‘I could not help but admire your skillful swordsmanship and etiquette – not forgetting your masterly performances of the Bard – Shakespeare.’

These excessive compliments took the Dog-Rat by surprise and seemed to take a while to sink into the rodent’s brain. The large rodent took two steps closer – the musky dog-rat odor stronger now.

Lowering the sharp glinting sword, the rodent saluted Blodwyn. However, she noticed the Dog-Rat never once took its popping, black, glinting, rodent eyes off her!

A short awkward silence: while the creature looked Blodwyn over. She knew she had to keep the Dog-Rat off balance, with feminine charm.

‘What fine amour and sword,’ Blodwyn says with exaggerated admiration.

Blodwyn’s compliments aroused the rodent’s macho needs to boast. ‘I killed over fifty brothers and half brothers for ownership – don’t you know!’ the Dog-Rat answers.

‘Really!’ Blodwyn replies: with am-dram, wide-eyed admiration.

‘Yea – killed and ate every man Jack – says I,’ responds the Dog-Rat.

This information was bad news! ‘How marvelous!’ exclaims Blodwyn.

‘You say marvelous – heroic says I,’ answers the Dog-Rat. ‘Red meat is scarce on Rilla – we cannot waste it.’

‘Indeed not,’ she answers, ‘what a good idea to eat your own family!’

Blodwyn felt the Dog-Rat’s black beady eyes studying – assessing her! Blodwyn watched a large flea scurry across the Dog-Rat’s nose unmolested. She wondered if this large, repulsive rodent before her was indeed a ‘harmless’ Rill or another species – damn that lying cow Myfanwy!

Blodwyn did not trust this giant rodent, despite all its fine manners. “A dog rat is always a dog rat,” she reminded herself. She also began to wonder if it had been wise to make herself known to this potentially dangerous rodent! Blodwyn knew she had to keep the giant rat’s mind occupied with flattery. ‘You speak so eloquently, Noble Sir.’

‘Ah, the King’s English,’ answers the Dog Rat, then with a snigger. ‘Every time a
Terasil
speaks on Earth a brother rat is listening – learning, becoming wiser, harder to catch – don’t you know?’

Blodwyn had to find out discreetly, if this creature was indeed a
Rill
.

‘And how did you ‘
Rills’
become so big – so strong?’ Blodwyn asks.

‘Thin air of the moon favours large lungs – which in turn favour a large body to contain them – and a large body, is in need of a large stomach! Says I.’

The Dog-Rat was a
Rill
! But were the Rills the butchers? ‘And a large stomach – demands a large amount of red meat!’ Blodwyn adds.