TONDER Chapter 18

The cave air infected our noses with staleness and must, reminding me of the wet smell of dirt after a spring rain. The temperature seemed to even to a tolerable temperature cooling to the constant ground temperature and providing relief of the summer heat. We had placed ourselves in a single file line as the passage had narrowed restricting our method of moving abreast and placing Elder Lewis in front while Reverend Malcolm maintained the rear. Elder Lewis moved surprising well, giving me the impression that he was not making this journey for the first time although still cautiously placing each step upon the earthen floor. Speaking in echoed whispers Reverend Malcolm began from the back of the line in a breathy cadence.
 

“Mr. Abel, I am so glad that you have come back. I feared that we would not meet again and that this gift you possess might possibly be wasted. Can you tell me…am I marked?” 

“Reverend Malcolm, Mr. Abel is not here for your amusement nor is he a freak on display at a circus sideshow. He is here to fulfill the wishes of Tonder whatever they may be or dispel the myth. I will advise you to open your mind and close your thoughts.” 

“It’s o.k., Elder Lewis I am not offended by Reverend Malcolm asking questions. Pastor, I can tell you that you are not marked and I would venture to say that you will not be marked. I have yet to see a man of the cloth marked except for a few of those television evangelists. I am going to assume that evil fears a man of the cloth; it would only make sense.” 

Reverend Malcolm’s words were quick and confident as his voice raised above a whisper and reverberated throughout the caverns ahead. 

“Don’t be so quick to assume the principles that you speak of, Mr. Abel. I feel that a man of the cloth is as susceptible to evil as any man; am I correct Elder Lewis?” 

“Reverend Malcolm, I have been a servant of God for most of my long life and I believe that a true man of clergy…” 

Reverend Malcolm spoke loudly and sarcastically as he halted in the wet mudded chasm. 

“Save your words old man. You know what I am talking about.” 

I stood confused as my heart rate increased. I turned to face Reverend Malcolm in question of his accusation. 

“Reverend Malcolm, I would also like to know what you are talking about; so why don’t you…?”

“He knows what is going on, Mr. Abel. Ask him! How else would he be able to lead us through this cave unless he knew that he could keep us here? The only way that he could do that is by controlling the evil around us. Take a look around you Mr. Abel and see where our Elder Lewis; your Father White has led us!” 

Together we stood each on his own defense against the other as we posed within this widened opening of the deep cave, ours eyes widened as Elder Lewis appeared unaffected by the ranting of Reverend Malcolm. The old man held tightly to the lantern as he wobbled to balance himself within the flickering orange glow. Our torsos and above were all that were revealed to the other as the light seemed to cut off at our waists leaving us wading in darkness.

“Reverend Malcolm, your accusations reflect no merit upon me. I have led Mr. Abel into this cave to teach him of what it is that he possesses and what possesses him. You have chosen to come along by free will and may exit at your leisure.”

“Yes, you would like for me to go, wouldn’t you old man? You do not know Tonder! You only know of evil which is why you have taken the form that you assume now! I came along to protect Mr. Abel from you as I have known about you for some time! Mr. Abel, take the lantern from Elder Lewis and you will see!”

“Reverend Malcolm, you are making a dreadful mistake. Mr. Abel, do not be fooled by the deceit of evil as it wears many masks and many faces. Listen with your soul and it will guide you. Now gentlemen we seem to be in a predicament.”

Reverend Malcolm shouted toward me without taking his glaring stance away from the old man.

“Mr. Abel, take the lantern from Elder Lewis and do it now!”

Turning to the old man, I extended an upward palm and spoke calmly and evenly.

“You’d better just do as he says Elder Lewis. You did seem awful anxious to get me into this cave and you do know a lot about Tonder that you haven’t told me. So, I’ll be taking your lantern now.”

“As you wish Mr. Abel…may you soon find that of which you are looking.”

I reached out into the center of the light to accept the lantern form the trembling extended arm of the old man while he made no effort to neither combat me nor protest the accusations. He simply stood before us expressionless as if awaiting a fate that was expected to be bestowed upon him by his accusers. Reverend Malcolm’s cynical commentary remained directed to the old man.

“Let’s go, Mr. Abel, and leave this demon to his fate but we must move quickly as the evil around us is growing stronger by the moment.”

“Mr. Abel, I assure you that I am not the demon in your presence as Reverend Malcolm suggests. Question our accuser and the answer shall present itself, but act quickly as he is correct; the evil is awake and around us. You must go quickly.”

My head began to spin and my chest raised and fell with the rapid breaths of anxious anticipation.

“Shut up, both of you! Maybe you’re both evil! Maybe we are all evil; I don’t know! I just want out of here now!”

Reverend Malcolm’s voice lowered into a dronish whisper.

“Mr. Abel… your lantern. Hold your lantern in the direction that we came…there is something there.”

As instructed, I raised the lantern to cast light upon the cave wall behind me. As if embedded or possibly growing out of the orange rock wall a small demon-like creature sat perched as a bird within a recess of rock. Judging from his legs that folded under him should they be fully extended may present him as no more than four feet tall. He sat imposed; chameleon-like and blended such that it was difficult to tell where the creature stopped and the wall began. Its feet gripped to the earthen ledge that supported it into bird-like talons sharpened at the ends. I could only make out three toes upon each foot of the beast with its human like appendages as well as what seemed three elongated fingers with similar hooked claws. The monstrosity of its deformed yet sculpted face encased blackened eyes which reflected the light as a polished marbles within their depths. The beast resented the light. It covered its face as the lantern pierced the darkness, making its body flat against the cave wall and rendering it virtually invisible save for the rounded contours of it body. Spiked teeth gnashed, sounding as they were coated with sand, each time that the light seemingly threatened the creature. I stood trembling before the beast as it pressed it body further into the cave wall desperately avoiding the light. My attention was locked on the demonic creatures until Elder Lewis griped my sleeve tightly.

“Mr. Abel, you must move quickly out of the cave. The evil is awake and your time is short. Move quickly!”

“Do you see, Mr. Abel? The old man is one with the beasts; that is why he lured us down here to your death! They are all around us!”

A mild hissing began to reverberate upon the air as the dynamic filled my ears, growing louder and more random. I circled slowly while holding the lantern straight in front of my body to find that the walls were covered with multiple perched creatures, each clinging to the deep recesses of the cavern walls. The reaction was consistent with each; as the light approached each, it tried to avoid it yet once dark the demons seemed to grow out of the rocks. Still circling with the lantern protruded as a weapon, my trembling voice ricocheted from the recesses.

“Elder Lewis…Father White…, what do I do?”

Elder Lewis maintained a calmed and lowered volume while looking directly at me.

“Mr. Abel, you must leave immediately.”

My shouting to Elder Lewis was left unanswered as I swung the lantern into the direction that I remembered him last to find his bloodied body lying on the floor being picked at by the red stained talons of three demons that had overtaken him easily. They scattered back to their respective holes as the light broke their feast leaving the body of Elder Lewis abandoned to the cave floor. I lurched in the direction of the old man’s corpse dropping to my knees.

“Elder Lewis!”

Reverend Malcolm spoke excitedly and rushed. His voice was salty.

“Be careful and don’t be deceived, Mr. Abel, he is fooling you to draw you in! Move away from him and let’s get out of here!”

Backing up, a pain raced from my lower leg causing me to spin while shining the light in the direction of the pain. One of the beasts ran from my feet as it hissed and withdrew into the darkness leaving a puncture wound into my calf. Blood raced warmly down into my shoe as Reverend Malcolm and I were pushed closer together by the enclosing demons shortening their distances as darkness encased them and retreating as the light halted their advance. We found ourselves standing over the now mangled body of Elder Lewis as I swung the lantern crazily toward the swift-footed demons.

“Reverend Malcolm, what do we do?”

“You are the chosen one, Mr. Abel, do something!”

Within my mind a voice spoke to me. It was a familiar voice from my childhood and from recent dreams. It spoke to me in the same whispered, broken dialogue that had haunted me; urging me, coaxing me.

“Wake up Chaser, much to do…”

“Are you…are you, Tonder?”

“Tonder, yes. Busy, Chaser. Want life; listen. Good, good Chaser. Feed evil good. Feed it, Chaser. Tonder, yes.”

“I don’t understand! What do I do?”

“Who are you talking to, Mr. Abel? Please get us out of here!”

The voice continued to me yet unheard by Reverend Malcolm.

“Chaser, know! Feed evil good! Tonder, yes!”

“What do you mean, Tonder? Help us!”

“Mr. Abel, is Tonder here?”

“What does it mean? Feed evil good? What do you mean?”

The voice did not answer but turned over repeatedly in my mind as a hamster on a wheel. I tried to understand the instruction as the fear mounted with every breech of the lighted circle that Reverend Malcolm and I maintained. I looked downward at the broken, tired body of Elder Lewis; his face buried into the cold earth and white zucchetto mounted atop his head. I repeated the words.

“Feed evil good.”

I reached downward toward the zucchetto of Elder Lewis, taking it between my fingers as I balanced to maintain the squatting position I assumed while fending away the demons. The gruesome beast continued their hissing and attacking only to find themselves hurled back into the darkness by the luminance of the lighted lantern. I grasped the skull cap within my palm and inspected it quickly, again repeating.

“Feed evil good.”

I found nothing in the zucchetto as I extended my arm to lay the beanie back upon the fallen priests head. As I dropped my eyes away from the demons and onto Elder Lewis’ head, I noticed that the white beanie concealed a second zucchetto as it rested on his own head. This skull cap was fitted as the beanie covering the crown of his head except this cover seemed to be silver and metallic. I reached out to inspect the chrome zucchetto to discover that it was adhered to Elder Lewis’ skull. Nervously, I twisted the silver cover until it fell loose under my open hand. I handed Reverend Malcolm the lantern and raised the silver crown into my hand and carried it into the light. Beneath, fragments of skull and brain matter dripped onto the floor as I studied the contents. Reverend Malcolm questioned me nervously.

“Mr. Abel…what are you doing?”

“Feed evil good, Reverend Malcolm, feed evil good.”

Casting my empty hand into the open portion of the priest’s skull, I clung to the warm matter as it squeezed out through the spaces of my fingers. I raised the matter into the air and above my head and proclaimed loudly toward the demons.

“By the power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I compel you back from where you came!”

I tossed the brain matter into the direction of the demons causing several to turn away into the darkness of the cave and out of sight. Their hissing turned to an angered multitude of screams as if being burned alive while their oversized tongues protruded and retracted from their beastly mouths. Making no attempt at combating the onslaught, the demons cast their eyes away from me and raised their boney arms to shield their glowing eyes. Beneath their hissing I could hear them repeatedly whispering my name as if cursing me and my torrid aggression. Reaching into the grotesque cover filled with the dead priest’s brain matter; I squeezed the oozing contents within my palm before again hurling it toward the retreating evil before me. With each cast the sorrowful beasts retreated into the darkness; still whispering and taunting yet exiting my rampage. I repeated the motion again and again until the demons dissipated leaving Reverend Malcolm and me alone over the mangled body of Elder Lewis, while grey matter speckled the sleeve of my shirt and raced down my forearm. Reverend Malcolm and I stood there emotionless save for the feelings of awe that had overtaken the two of us. My actions were not those of my own as I felt guided by something larger and more powerful. Reverend Malcolm spoke to me in an almost childlike manner.

“What have you done?”

“I saved our lives don’t even….

“How did you know to do that? Was it Tonder?”

“Yes, Tonder spoke to me. Said to feed evil good and this made sense and it worked.”

“But Elder Lewis was evil, Mr. Abel!”

“I don’t get it either, but I felt that I was supposed to do it. I guess that Tonder guided me.”

“Praise be, Mr. Abel! Truly you are a child of Tonder!”

I knelt before the mangled corpse of Elder Lewis, discovering the small pyx in his open palm. I retrieved the pyx and held it to my heart before placing it in my pocket. I whispered low and inaudibly to the fallen priest.

“I am sorry, old priest. I am sorry.”

Reverend Malcolm and I left the tattered body of Elder Lewis bloodied upon the cave floor as we hurriedly retraced or steps back to the entrance of the cave constantly watching over our shoulder and prepared for further contact. We rushed out of the mouth of the cave to find ourselves engulfed by the darkness of night. The air was now thinner and more forgiving than the air within the chasms as Reverend Malcolm and I raised the beam and secured it across the door, sealing our safety. Collapsing into the night grass my body relaxed into the dew and still night as Reverend Malcolm lay next to me upon his back inhaling the night.