Underworld (Dark Passage) (21 page)

My life has always been a mess and at the point of
utter abandon then a gentle white light came. The
guilt and worthlessness I had carried for so many
years faded away and I glimpsed beyond my reality to
my ultimate destiny. That was the day the Shining
Ones told me about the Ancient of Days and showed
me how things would unfold.

That day, I saw the warrior Angels that were
protecting Jen, from the forces of darkness.
Wickedness was coming through the portal and when
I faced it head on I was able to reach deep in my mind
and find an unknown source of power. The first time
I felt the white hot light burning inside me was like an
awakening. The power that I had tapped into was
unlike anything I had ever imagined. The man in the
tunnel had told me to go back to when I was young
and I would find the answers. I had thought he meant
to go back in memories to my childhood but it seems
he had meant me to go back literally, revisit my
childhood and find the parts of me that had long ago
died.

The man in the tunnel was Bill. I had first seen Bill
Nichols on the night I found the Dark Passage behind
the bookshelves in the basement of the old house. I
would later learn it was the very bookshelf where
Maggie had hidden her journals. The tunnel led to 3
portals, one of which was the Underworld. The house
had been erected on the very place the Tree Of Life
had stood. It was the portal that remained from the
remnants of Tree Of Life that the Angels had traveled
down to protect Jen. They stood guard over the
portals. No one could have taken Jen out of the
portals unless she went willingly.

My mind is quietly reeling. The evening I saw David
in the mist comes to mind. I remember the demon’s
knowing smile and mocking words that soon we
would meet. I will never forget that moment. That
feeling of helplessness in knowing what I need to do.
I felt sheer terror but know that no one is safe until I
come face to face with death. It’s another piece to the
puzzle of my life. A puzzle that grows more complex
with each passing day.

I feel drained, empty. The answers are tied to an
underground cavern. Inside the cavern is a lake of
fire and on the other side is the demon’s lair. There is
no doubt in my mind that there I will find not only
Lisa and David but also Jen. The last conversation I
had with Jen seemed a lifetime ago. She had been
angry with me for not wanting to help Lisa and
David. When I didn’t come back she must have gone
in alone to find me.
I have no doubt Bill followed
her when he found out she had left.

My thoughts have become deeper and I am distracted
with thoughts of my friends. Consumed with guilt, I
wonder if they are still alive, and I force myself to
stop worrying. I know firsthand what can happen
when doubts creep into my mind. I don’t need to
harbor feelings that I have failed miserable yet again.
I take a deep breath to clear my mind. I will not
entertain negative thoughts. I have no choice but to
suppress my grief and keep moving forward. A lot of
things have changed.

I am strong
; and I won’t fall apart. Maybe a little
insane but Iknow what I have to do. It’s the choices I
make now, that make me who I am; not the mistakes I
have made in the past.

Chapter 13

I muster my courage and ride into the woods without
saying a word. The forest is strewn with boulders and
loose rock, suggesting that we are moving deeper into
the core of the earth. Within twenty minutes we are
descending a hill that buts up against the forest. My
mind is filled with what might lurk in the forest. I
catch glimpses of shadows amidst the tall trees and
hold my breath.

I consider riding into the barren land to our left but
we would risk being seen from the air. Should I go
into the forest and risk an encounter with the shadows
I have caught out of the corner of my eye? Dappled
light streams through the trees as we approach midafternoon and we continue forward.

For a moment I stop and stare into the forest.
Something had streaked past and I am certain it was a
person. I look away and don’t say anything. If Tyler
has seen it he isn’t saying anything so I let it go. I
know that the closer we get to the inner core of this
place the more horror we will see. I have seen the
underground cave. It is filled with fire and the smell
of roasting bodies. The image of the white man with
the crooked smile fills me with dread.

We have been riding about an hour along the forest
when I hear the branches rustle. Wind has picked up
and the sky is darkening. As ominous as the woods
seem it seems a good idea to take cover there. I turn
to Tyler as I slide off of Jast.

“We need to take cover I think. Something is coming
and I want to get out of sight”.

Tyler nods simply and gets out of the saddle. He
grabs his backpack and tosses mine over to me. He
unties the blanket that is rolled behind the saddle and
tosses it in my direction.

“Are you alright”? It’s a stupid question because
there is nothing I can do for him either way. Feeling
foolish I turn and lead Jast into the brush without
giving Tyler the opportunity to reply. The weight of
having Tyler around me is unsettling. For years I
wanted nothing more than to be free from him but
nowI’m not so sure anymore. Why do I always
hook up with people who aren’t good for me? There
is something about me and unconventional
relationships.

Jast snorted as I tied the reins around the saddle horn
and turned him loose. He trotted into the forest as
though he knew that I wanted him to disappear from
view.

“As right as I can be in this place”.
Tyler said with a
smile. I had forgotten momentarily that I had asked
him a question.

I sling my backpack over my shoulder awkwardly and
relief washes over me that he doesn’t strike up a
conversation. I give him a shy smile and walk into
the woods to find a place to hide out. I concentrate
on the sounds in the forest and soon forget about my
trepidation regarding Tyler.
The subtle beauty of the forest invigorates me and yet
I feel like it’s all a mirage. Nothing here can be truly
beautiful and this is not the place for new beginnings.
It hurts to think about Tyler throwing me under the
bus when I needed his help. The darkness that came
after his betrayal nearly destroyed me. I became a
miserable person who was a drain on everyone
around me. And yet- something good came out of the
darkness of my life. The hurt and darkness molded
me into someone who was free of pain, regret and
circumstances- I let go of all my flaws and the rot of
my former self and walked into the light. I had
become- something more- free to be who I was
always meant to be. I had been chosen. I am
different now and sometimes doing the right thing
means to walk alone. I have learned that true beauty
rises from the ashes of ruin.

I combed the area and find a dense bank of brush
growing wildly alongside a few old growth trees. It
seems a good place to lay low for a while until my
uneasiness passes.

An eerie silence permeates the air, and I call to Tyler,
trying to keep the alarm out of my voice. I sit here
waiting for him and listening sharply. I finally see
Tyler approaching and motion for him to hurry.
Silently he makes his way over and follows me into
the bushes. We crawl under the dense brush and pull
the dark blanket from my saddle pack over us. I am
surprised to hear Tyler’s rapid heartbeat and make it a
point to keep a few inches between us. We remain
still and scan the barren land that stretches out before
us. The silence is deafening and I can sense
something moving in our direction.

A strong wind comes from nowhere and dark clouds
roll onto the skyline. From a mile or so away I can
just make out a patch of red light. There is a large
group of horses and riders making their way toward
us. In the middle of the light I can see dark shapesalmost manlike in appearance. As they close the
distance between where we are hiding I see dark
figures streaming with fire walking alongside the
humans. It appears to be a procession of demons with
their human captives.

Groans of suffering come from the procession and as
it grows closer I can smell the stench of death. There
are black horses with demons riding them. The
demons look much like people only their eyes burn
with rage and their features are distorted. Heat seems
to radiate from their bodies and yet they do not burn.

The massive war horses they ride have burning eyes
and when they snort it sounds like the roar of a
wildfire. They physically have the appearance of
horses but I have the feeling they are a class of lower
level demons.

The animals seem to have not only keen intelligence
in their eyes but also something evil. Froth falls from
one animal’s mouth as it tosses its head and strains to
move at a faster pace. The demon riding it pulls
sharply on the reins and blood mingles with the froth
that falls to the ground. Sharp spurs bite into its side
as the demon pulls the animal back. Blood drips from
the wounds and the animal snorts in defiance. The
massive horse half rears and tosses its head in
frustration.

The sound of a whip snapping, followed by a scream,
draws my attention away from the horse. The
procession is about a quarter mile away now and I can
see the human captors walking in the middle of the
demon guards. There is dust being kicked up at the
end of the procession that appears to be coming from
something being dragged. There are two horses with
ropes tied to their saddles, dragging what appears to
be, a man.

Is this just an illusion or is this man alive? I have
always thought that when someone died and went to
hell they were only spirit- and yet it appears that this
man has a physical form that stirs up dust. Perhaps
the dead are not only spiritual beings but also have a
physical form and energy once they reach the other
side? Is death simply a veil of illusion? Tom had
told me once that people never die. They just move
on to another place.

The truth is out there, forgotten over the centuries and
probably closer than I ever imagined. It is beyond the
constraints of time and part of the light. The blinding
light that comes from the source of power. The trees
above rustle as the wind picks up and a blast of heat
warms the cool air of the forest. I shiver despite the
warmth as a loud boom erupts in the distance. The
ground trembles with a mild earthquake and I reach
instinctively for Tyler.

“I’m sorry for everything Ivy. I wish there had been
another way”.

I
blink in surprise. “What do you mean?” Tyler
turned his head to look at me. He rested on his arm
and stared thoughtfully for a moment. He looked
drained and exhausted as if he had been up for many
days.

Where is this going?
I think to myself. Tyler has
been keeping secrets from me for years and all of a
sudden he wants to unburden his conscious. Why
now? It’s strange how people think they can undo the
past with a few words. So here it is. The explanation
I had been waiting for all this time.

He looked gloomy in the shadowy light. He looked
like he did when I had first spoken with him years
ago. Flashes of that horrible day crossed my mind. I
had been riding on the golf course before the green
keepers started work for the day. I was riding too fast
and didn’t see the hole until it was too late. My horse
came crashing down and snapped his leg. I had been
thrown over his head and slid over the damp grass
creating a huge mess. It was illegal to ride on the
green but I thought it would be fun to do it before
anyone was around. I hadn’t thought that my horse
could be killed or even considered getting caught. I
was in deep trouble and also had to find a way to put
my animal down. I was desperate and didn’t know
what I would do. Then he rode up on his own horse
and dismounted to help me up. His hair was falling
messy across his face that day and he seemed unsure
of what to say to me. That same look is in his eyes
now.

“
It was the day we had planned to go to Saltys. I was
late getting home from work and was in a hurry to
shower so I could pick you up. I had thrown my keys
down in a hurry and couldn’t remember where I had
put them. You were waiting for me at the library and
I didn’t want to keep you waiting. I had the perfect
night planned out and had a surprise for you”.

I stopped for a moment as though searching for just
the right words to say to me.

 

I was walking by the study and heard voices inside. I
stopped to listen and heard them talking about you”.

 

I blinked in surprise. “They were talking about me?”

He nodded and then continued his story.
“There was
something urgent in the words and I put my ear
against the door to hear them better. Then I heard a
commotion inside and the door was jerked open. My
father stood there and behind him I saw my mother.
There was a man I had never seen before sitting on
the sofa facing the fireplace”.

“How did you know it was me they were talking
about?” I said.

Tyler put a hand on my arm and continued.
“At first
they said nothing but there was something odd about
the way they looked at one another. The sun was
blazing through the window but it was quite cold in
the room. My mother and father glanced at each
other and then at the man sitting on the sofa beside
her. The man stood up and gestured for me to come
into the room. When I had crossed the room he bade
me to sit in one of the chairs facing the sofa”.

Tyler’s face looked hollow and he appeared stressed.
He looked away for a moment- a faraway look in his
eyes. “Tyler?” I said. Tyler met my eyes and then
turned away for a moment. I couldn’t help but notice
the angle of his jawline and the way his hair fell
messy across his face.