Christopher's Song (Indefinite Hiatus)

Chapter 13

As they lay snuggled in their sleeping bags in the two-man tent, the wind that blew through their clearing seemed to sigh out the strains of Christopher's Song. Lying side by side with their minds open and unguarded, the boys shared a dream that lent urgency to their quest.

The two were lying on their bellies under the cover of trees on the edge of a clearing. They squinted to peer through the dissipating mist of early morning. Across a stretch of beautifully manicured lawn, they saw a low flowering hedge. Beyond the hedge men in long flowing robes, reminiscent of the clothing worn by monks in times past, tended a garden or hurried down worn paths towards a cluster of buildings in the center of the compound. Most had a hood over their heads as though to protect them from the elements, but some worked with their heads bare, their cowls hanging unused on their backs. Absolute silence reigned. No one spoke even a word of greeting. No friendly banter passed between the gardeners.

One of the gardeners stood and shaded his eyes under his cowl, peering towards the forest as though looking for something. Laying down his hoe, he walked to the well just inside the hedge, lowered a bucket and pulled it up. Taking a dipper, he brought water to his lips as he stared intently in the direction where the boys lay. Suddenly he dropped the dipper and as it clattered against the stone and fell into the well, he swept his arm up and pushed his hood back, even as he leaned toward the hedge.

Daniel gasped, the sound loud in the silence. He quickly clasped his hand over his mouth, eyes darting about expecting someone to come in reaction to the noise. But no one came. The man by the well began to shake his head back and forth emphatically as though saying, "No, no, no."

Ethan, Daniel pathed excitedly. That man is Dad.

Maybe, Ethan replied. It looks like him, but something is not right. It's as though he can feel our presence and is telling us no. I think he wants us to go back.

Can you hear his thoughts? Daniel asked.

No, Ethan admitted. I just feel emotion, strong negative emotion.

Just then the man by the well convulsed violently as though his body had been hit hard from behind. He fell toward the hedge and when he reached out his hand to steady himself, he jerked it back as though burned. Putting his hand in his mouth, he sank to the ground beside the well and curled into a fetal position as though afraid.

Two men in some sort of uniform suddenly appeared, walking briskly from a small outbuilding. They walked up to the man lying on the ground. One nudged him contemptuously with his foot and for the first time the sound of a human voice invaded the tranquility.

"Get up," a sneering voice commanded. "You have been here long enough to know the rules. Sloth won't be tolerated. You stand too long by the well, and you get the mental nudge. Touch the shield, and you get a shocking reminder of who's the boss."

Leaning over, the spokesman hauled the cowering man to his feet.

Ducking his head in submission, the gardener shuffled back toward the field, but the whole time he was shaking his head from side to side.

The uniformed men laughed in derision. "That one's turning loony on us," he said scornfully. "He'll not last much longer if he doesn't stay away from the shield."

As the guards walked away, a gentle breeze began to stir. As it sighed in the trees over where the boys lay, it sang their father's lullaby but somehow this time rather than being soothing the melody was ominous.