HOLES IN THE FABRIC: Bk 1 The Weaver Prophecy

Chapter 7 The Taniwha and The Cavern of Lights

Ezzy and Marcus had returned home. At the reserve in Westmere the morning light landed gently upon the grass and the trees. The sound of cars crossing the Auckland harbour bridge buzzed in the air like a thousand locusts breaking the solitude. A jogger slipped through the gate and out the other end of the park, without ever noticing anything other than his own heart rate and performance.

An old man, slightly stooped, his buttons done up in a criss cross so his shirt gathered in the wrong places like the folds of skin on his face, emerged from his house. Every few minutes his eyes escaped his control and rolled about a little. The smile he had on his face was beatific and caused people to smile at him rather than run away. He sidled out his door, right on the parks entranceway and went for his normal morning walk to the tree at the top of the cliff. He loved the sea breeze on his face. He went down the path and up the hill, then stood at the top by the Pohutukawa tree.

Below on the sands was a girl making her way down the path with her dog in tow. Her braided hair was as smart and as shiny as her new pink boots.  As she reached the park she bent down and undid the leash. Her excited dog disappeared in an instant, down the side and onto the sandy mudflats. She followed behind slowly, her mind in another place already living the day ahead.  She went down the ramp, onto the sand, and stood under the giant Pohutukawa tree growing out of the bank.

The dog's black and white tail stood straight up like a snorkel as he swam along the narrow inlet of water that flowed through the mudflats out to the sea. He was swimming towards the gulls on the little islands of sand. Fat chance he was coming back soon to his owner. The girl grinned and moved closer towards the water's edge. "Arrrgh, mud!" she grimaced, unhappy at getting her boots that dirty. 

Along the beach by the stone wall a couple were deep in a passionate groping embrace. The girl saw them and shook head in disgust- but continued to watch fascinated.    

Further along, past the rock wall, were the million dollar homes that were hidden from the road, behind passworded gates. But their shiny faces were exposed from this position; pointing out to the sea and the sun, their fat bellies absorbing as much of the view as they could. Private jetties were carefully positioned on the beach. In the middle of these was a giant modernist structure of glass that had not stopped growing until it was bigger and better than the rest. It's high ceilings and grand designs contrasting with the mudflats below. Every room had a view from behind protective glass. Locals named it the "The Spider". The peak of the roof was its little head; the giant metal beams that formed its structure were the legs, and they joined together in the middle with glass skin.

The gulls cried out and the sky filled with their beating wings. The girl looked up, her dog had never scared them like that before? Shivers went up her spine and the hairs on her arms stood erect in goose bumps. She moved right to the waters edge, looking for him. Her gut wrenching in protest. Panic began to flutter in her chest.

The old man at the top of the cliff was staring out to sea. Out in the harbour a swell was gathering. Unusual for this quiet sleepy tidal bay.

 A deep sonar hum sounded across the bay, steadily ascending in pitch until it crescendoed into a piercing shriek . The old man placed his hands over his ears but the sound sliced through the skin of his hands like a knife through butter. There was no escape from it. He yelled out in protest.  Then it stopped. Silence. The Cicadas held their breath, the birds dared not move, the flies hid under the flax and the gulls pulled their wings over their heads. A gap formed in the nothingness.

 From beneath the giant swell a giant head burst out. It was the Taniwha. It's purple eyes were filled with iridescent patterns shimmering of terrible misfortunes. The Taniwha's eye took in the old man where he stood, the young girl at the waters edge and the couple in one instant.  It's eyes rotated around and fixed on the old man. The old man's mouth fell further open and the saliva came out the sides of his mouth in rivulets.  The skin on his arms crawled with an energy that made him tremble, yet he could not stop watching.