Fever Hole and your heart stopped, what did you feel?’
’I felt nothing. I dreamed I sat outside the gates of Jerusalem, and they would not let me enter. It was but a dream. I do not believe that I am trapped in this village for ever.’
’Nor are you. But you must trust me, and my knowledge. I will know when you have broken the thread, when you can exist without the Stone. Have faith in me, Jon.’
’But my wife . . .’
’If she loves you she will wait. And you say she has power to see great distances. Build your strength.’
Day by dreary day Shannow worked - chopping wood, carrying water, scything grass for winter feed. And the Autumn passed before the freezing northerly winds piled snow against the huts. Night after night Shannow sat with Karitas, listening to his tales of the New World’s birthing. He no longer knew nor cared if Karitas was telling the truth; the images were too many and too kaleidoscopic to contain. He listened much as he had when his father told stories, his disbelief suspended only for the telling time.
Yet though Karitas maintained he had lived long before the Fall of the world, he would not speak of his society, its laws or its history, refusing to answer any of Shannow’s questions. Strangely, Shannow felt, this gave the old man credibility.
’I would like to tell you, Jon, for it is so long since I spoke of the old world. But I have a fear, you see, that one day Man will recreate the horrors of those days. I shall not be a willing party to it. We were so arrogant. We thought the world was ours, and then one day Nature put us in our place. The world toppled on its axis. Tidal waves consumed vast areas. Cities, countries, vanished beneath the water. Volcanoes erupted, earthquakes tore the world. It’s a wonder anyone survived.
’And yet, now I look back, all the clues were there to see -to warn us of impending disaster. All we needed was to be humble enough to look at it without subjectivity. Our own legends told us that the earth had toppled before. The Bible talks of the sun rising in the west, and of the seas tipping from their bowls. And it did. My God, it did!’
The old man lapsed into silence. ‘How did you survive?’ asked Shannow.
Karitas blinked and grinned suddenly. ‘I was in a magical metal bird, flying high above the waves.’
’It was a serious question.’
’I know. But I don’t want to talk any more about those days.’
’Just one small question,’ said Shannow. ‘It is important to me.’
’Just the one,’ agreed the old man.
’Would there have been a black road with diamonds at the centre, shining in the night?’
’Diamonds? Ah yes, all the roads had them. Why do you ask?’
’Would they have been at Jerusalem?’
’Yes. Why?’
’It is the city I am seeking. And if Noah’s Ark is on a mountain near here, Jerusalem cannot be far away.’
’Are you mocking me, Shannow?’
’No. I seek the Holy City.’
Karitas held his hands out to the fire, staring thoughtfully into the flames. All men needed a dream, he knew. Shannow more than most.
’What will you do when you find it?’
’I will ask questions and receive answers.’
’And then what?’
’I shall die happy, Karitas.’
’You’re a good man, Shannow. I hope you make it.’
’You doubt I will?’
’Not at all. If Jerusalem exists, you will find it. And if it doesn’t you’ll never know, for you’ll look until you die. That’s how it should be. I feel that way about Heaven; it’s far more important that Heaven should exist than that I should ever see it.’
’In my dream, they would not let me enter. They told me to come back when the wolf sits down with the lamb, and the lion eats grass like the cattle do.’
’Get some sleep, Jon. Dream of it again. I went there once, you know. To Jerusalem. Long before the Fall.’
’Was it beautiful?’
Karitas remembered the chokingly narrow streets
’I felt nothing. I dreamed I sat outside the gates of Jerusalem, and they would not let me enter. It was but a dream. I do not believe that I am trapped in this village for ever.’
’Nor are you. But you must trust me, and my knowledge. I will know when you have broken the thread, when you can exist without the Stone. Have faith in me, Jon.’
’But my wife . . .’
’If she loves you she will wait. And you say she has power to see great distances. Build your strength.’
Day by dreary day Shannow worked - chopping wood, carrying water, scything grass for winter feed. And the Autumn passed before the freezing northerly winds piled snow against the huts. Night after night Shannow sat with Karitas, listening to his tales of the New World’s birthing. He no longer knew nor cared if Karitas was telling the truth; the images were too many and too kaleidoscopic to contain. He listened much as he had when his father told stories, his disbelief suspended only for the telling time.
Yet though Karitas maintained he had lived long before the Fall of the world, he would not speak of his society, its laws or its history, refusing to answer any of Shannow’s questions. Strangely, Shannow felt, this gave the old man credibility.
’I would like to tell you, Jon, for it is so long since I spoke of the old world. But I have a fear, you see, that one day Man will recreate the horrors of those days. I shall not be a willing party to it. We were so arrogant. We thought the world was ours, and then one day Nature put us in our place. The world toppled on its axis. Tidal waves consumed vast areas. Cities, countries, vanished beneath the water. Volcanoes erupted, earthquakes tore the world. It’s a wonder anyone survived.
’And yet, now I look back, all the clues were there to see -to warn us of impending disaster. All we needed was to be humble enough to look at it without subjectivity. Our own legends told us that the earth had toppled before. The Bible talks of the sun rising in the west, and of the seas tipping from their bowls. And it did. My God, it did!’
The old man lapsed into silence. ‘How did you survive?’ asked Shannow.
Karitas blinked and grinned suddenly. ‘I was in a magical metal bird, flying high above the waves.’
’It was a serious question.’
’I know. But I don’t want to talk any more about those days.’
’Just one small question,’ said Shannow. ‘It is important to me.’
’Just the one,’ agreed the old man.
’Would there have been a black road with diamonds at the centre, shining in the night?’
’Diamonds? Ah yes, all the roads had them. Why do you ask?’
’Would they have been at Jerusalem?’
’Yes. Why?’
’It is the city I am seeking. And if Noah’s Ark is on a mountain near here, Jerusalem cannot be far away.’
’Are you mocking me, Shannow?’
’No. I seek the Holy City.’
Karitas held his hands out to the fire, staring thoughtfully into the flames. All men needed a dream, he knew. Shannow more than most.
’What will you do when you find it?’
’I will ask questions and receive answers.’
’And then what?’
’I shall die happy, Karitas.’
’You’re a good man, Shannow. I hope you make it.’
’You doubt I will?’
’Not at all. If Jerusalem exists, you will find it. And if it doesn’t you’ll never know, for you’ll look until you die. That’s how it should be. I feel that way about Heaven; it’s far more important that Heaven should exist than that I should ever see it.’
’In my dream, they would not let me enter. They told me to come back when the wolf sits down with the lamb, and the lion eats grass like the cattle do.’
’Get some sleep, Jon. Dream of it again. I went there once, you know. To Jerusalem. Long before the Fall.’
’Was it beautiful?’
Karitas remembered the chokingly narrow streets
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