Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.4 Chapter 1

 

Finally done on 1^st June after five months of rewrite and editing and what’s more to add.

 

1.

 

The neon light on the sixth levels building was still on lighted but it lost some letters on the left. It was to read as Hotel California but the last three letters on the second word had blacked out. The area was not even in California but stacked in the middle of the rows of building with abandoned vehicles most of it stripped or burnt. It was the section of the city that nobody with a sane mind will move to there with the ongoing lockdown on the then. There was the abandoned cemetery at the rear of the Hotel. It was said to housed the deaths of the last century but rumors said it was used to bury the undeclared recent deaths. They called it Boot Hill.

The city was in a lockdown due to the pandemic but the inhabitants were not responding to it. There were spots of carnage and looting, and the enforcement officers were stretched to the limits.

It was still into the night then at 2053hrs, with the heavy droplets of rain, and the fleet of cars that was speeding down the road. The fleet was a five cars convoy and it was not taking any obstacles to stop them. The leading vehicle was a 4x4 driven by the burly driver named Glenn, and riding shotgun was his cousin, Randy. They were better known by their reputation; the Eagles for they soar in the wilderness. Nothing can stand in their way and it was seen on the vehicle body. The reinforced fender on the vehicle was dented moving the stalled cars on the path. The other four cars were Cadillac models but filled with three occupants each except car three had four occupants.

“Glenn, this reminded me of Baja 1000.” The Baja 1000 is a Mexican off-road motorsport race held each year on the Baja California Peninsula. The race was founded by Ed Pearlman in 1967 and is sanctioned by SCORE International. The Baja 1000 allows various types of vehicle classes to compete on the same course with classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs and buggies. The course has remained relatively the same over the years, about every other event being either a point-to-point race from Ensenada to La Paz, or a loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada.

“Damn! This is more suspenseful than that race.” Glenn replied with usual candor of his approach. The driver held the crew cut with the wide shoulders and tall frame encased in the casual round neck, and denims pants with the leather jacket to ensure he does not get bruised. He wore the fingerless gloves that allowed the firm grip on the steering wheel.

“You owe me twenty. The fender worked, Randy.” Glenn roared out on the new fenders that he had put to unexpected stress tests. “Now pay up. I don’t take credits.”

The twenty with the image of Andrew Jackson was placed on the vehicle dashboard. Randy was not sore he lost but was thinking of another bet to win back his twenty.

“We are one minute out.” Randy looked up from the tablet he was holding. He was off target by five minutes and it can’t be helped for the route was riddled with debris. It was due to the curfew and the riot that followed soon after it.

Randy held his hair long and billowed freely behind and his frame was lanky dressed in the red shirt, denims pant and dark leather jacket. He was not wearing any gloves but held the touch pen allowed him to plot in the route.

“I intend to make it. We have a bonus there.” Glenn replied.

“If we do deliver the man there alive.” Randy reminded the other. “We will make enough to take the break.”

A break was what they had planned. It was a hectic six months of working for the man which involved a lot of driving. The driving part was not bad, but escaping the bullets that were not in the working resume they had submitted but the money was too good to ignore. That run came from a call to clear the traffic and that was they did.

“We are there.” Randy called out. He saw the other three vehicles had stopped in a semi-circular arrangement covering the entrance and they all disembarked; all seven of them to fan out to form a protective cordon.

“Clear!” The call went out and the one in the back seat of the third vehicle rushed He went to towards the building entrance. There was the double door but it won’t open. The one who was there drew the gun from his left shoulder holster and was to shoot the door lock when it sprung open.

“You aimed that at me anymore, it will you laid out here.” The figure who opened the door looked at the gunman. It was a male figure in the nurse white uniform appeared with the gurney.

“Where is he?” The Nurse asked. The gunman motioned to the third car. The nurse wheeled the stretcher for the third vehicle. The man inside on the back seat of that car was pulled out and rested on the gurney. The nurse pushed the gurney with the man on it to the entrance. The others all rushed out from the cars to follow at the back. They fanned out at the entrance with their guns drawn.

“Simon, organized them. I am going in.” The earlier gunman then went into the building. The one named Simon assigned two others to retrieve more heavy power guns from the car boots.

Glenn saw it and went into the building. He saw the gurney moved into the elevator and was taken up but the earlier gunman was left there at the lobby.

“Danny, we got the guns.” It was Simon who approached the one who walked in first. “Here is your piece.”

Simon handed the other name Danny the Colt M14 rifle. Simon was bald headed but held a goatee. He wore the denims and shirt with the automatic on the under-shoulder holster with a Remington shotgun. The barrel was sawn off to make it more suited for gun fights. Simon held a crew cut and a thin beard. He looked at his watch then.

“2130hrs. Time for my sitcom show and I am here. I wondered if there are any TV sets here.” Simon moan on his TV show.

Danny was equally young and was dressed casual, dark shirt and pants but he had added on the waist belt with the holster the Glock 9 automatic, and the newly handed over Colt M14 rifle. He was bald headed but held a goatee.

Danny looked to the four others who had followed Simon in. They left two of their own outside as sentries. He knew them all well; they are his loyal mates; some from his father’s homeland. They are all similarly packed with the guns, there were four AK74’s and four M14’s and Simon preferred the shotgun. He was a sniper.  

“Guys, we got the ‘seanfhear’ (old man in Irish) here. He is in ….” Danny spat out his anger. “Whatever keep him safe.”

“Danny, we should be safe here.” Simon assured the other. “Just in case, we are here. The two scouts are still out there. I also called in reinforcements. They are coming over now.”

The scouts were the two guys in the lead vehicle named Glenn and Randy.

“They are not part of the family but recruited to do the driving or clear the obstacles which were aplenty with the lockdown. They are drivers.” Danny told Simon. He then saw Glenn there.

“Driver, we will take it from here. You are released of your obligation.” Danny told Glenn. The latter did not reply to Danny and looked around the lobby.

It was not like any lobby of a hotel. It was bare except for the two plain wooden coffee tables; there was the long counter with the phone, and on both sides of the lobby were the three sets of brown settees that were a mix of three- seater and two seaters with yesterday’s magazines; ‘Guns and Ammo’ and ‘soldier of fortune’ with copies of ‘Forbes’ and ‘Daily Bread’ for the ones who needed to find better reading there. Danny walked to the counter and picked up the phone. The lift to the upper levels was on the extreme right of the counter and there was a stairs exit there too.

“Hello, how is my father?” Danny asked on the phone and his reply was this.

So I called up the Captain
"Please bring me my wine"
He said, "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969"
And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say

“Damnú” (Fuck in Irish) Danny hung up. He looked at the clock there and it was 2147hrs. He knew the drill. You stayed in the lobby unless you are wounded. 

And if you are a member of the club. 

Its exclusive to the select few. 

Who pays well above the regular rate.

 

Dante Book 1 Canto V Scene 3

 

Scene 3

 

“Love. Real love.” Francesca replied. “I knew I was not to have Paolo but it hurt so much to be denied that. It was one day when a friend loaned me the book on King Arthur. In it was the tale of Guinevere who loved another knight while she was wedded to the King. The knight was Lancelot. He fought next to Arthur, lent his sword, and was wounded by the enemies not of his but the King’s. Lancelot had one dream, that was to be with Guinevere but how could one take on another’s man’s lover. It was a long quest, and finally, they took the plunge themselves. It as if we were standing before the high cliffs and knowing only by leaping to their death could they remain united.”

“I shared the book with Paolo. There was a place where we will meet. We were alone, reading it aloud, and so many parts of the book seemed to tell of their love. It was inseparable, and we held each other hands. His was warm like mine. He had hard hands then. I caressed it and asked if I could kiss it well. He nodded and I did that to his hands. He then held up his hands to my face.”

“Your face looks sad. Will a kiss make it smile? Paolo had asked. I wanted to say no but the words stopped at my lips. I could only look into his eyes, and he knew my answer. We kissed, and the book was forgotten. We read no more that day."

“It was our fate, I guess. We knew that only a cruel death awaits us but what’s deemed to be crueler was to be denied our real love.” Francesca confessed her sacrifice. “I had to give up on my vows, my beliefs in God’s punishment and above all, stepped to the sins of adultery. I was a good girl raised by a strict family.”

“The winds may have separated us here but the bonds of our love transcend the punishment here. I am still in love with Paolo. Every time, I reached out for a hand, I hoped it was Paolo.”

“I pray you, Francesca.” Dante bowed his head. “Paolo will be you one day.”

“Do for me and also the others out there. They are all sinners like me, but not all of us were to suffer the guilt of it. Some of us had no choice. The ultimate sacrifice was our soul to be banished here.”

“Whom have you met?” Dante asked. “Give me their names and when I can, I will seek forgiveness for them.”

“There is Cleopatra. She was wedded to Caesar but she belonged to Mark Anthony. There are many like myself but we await when judgment day recedes and we can be wholesome again. There is also Helen of Troy. She was fought over her love or her body. Paris did love her but did the Greek King. Are we to be barter like the animals or the boundaries of state?”

“I must go now. I feared I may lose Paolo if I stayed on. I will whirl and twirl in there until I find my true love.” With that Francesca stepped off the opening and was soon enveloped by the winds. There was only Dante and Virgil there with the hovering orb.

“How do you read this, Dante? Since we sat here, I wondered if you are a man of words with the passion to record the events that you experienced or perhaps the traveler here to explore and learn. The realm of Hell and Heaven are two diverse entities to take on a journey. Perhaps I was wrong to bring you here?’

“Francesca is passionate, certainly capable of sin, and certainly guilty of sin, but she represents the woman whose only concern is for the man she loves, not her immortal soul. She found her only happiness, and now her misery, in Paolo's love. Her love was her heaven; it is now her hell.” Dante gave his view. “In Hell, sinners retain all those qualities for which they were damned, and they remain the same throughout eternity; that is, the soul is depicted in Hell with the exact characteristics that condemned it to Hell in the first place. Consequently, as Francesca loved Paolo in the human world, throughout eternity she will love him in Hell. But, the lovers are damned because they will not change, and because they will never cease to love, they can never be redeemed. Dante represents this fact metaphorically by placing Paolo close to Francesca and by having the two of them being buffeted about together through this circle of Hell for eternity.” An adapted passage from https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/d/the-divine-comedy-inferno/summary-and-analysis/canto-v )

“Francesca is not perhaps truly representative of the sin of this circle, and "carnal lust" seems a harsh term for her feelings, but the sin here is a sin of incontinence, weakness of will, and falling from grace through the inaction of conscience. I can relate to her plight. I was like once but the years of reading told me the boundary of it. I did not step off the cliff.” Dante concluded. “We all have a choice. I included and what we choose, will be ours to let others judged in the afterlife.”

Dante then wept out his emotions. Virgil reached out to touch Dante but he could not feel the other. He was after all dead. He looked at the orb.

“I hovered inside of you. It was my way to get close to you.” The orb replied. “You can be close to Dante. All you need is to be with him. Be his conscience or at times the skeptic. He needs it.”

It was then winds funnel in with ferocity as if it discovered a new passage and when there was none, it sucked everything out including Dante and Virgil.

Dante screamed out his voice and then he felt darkness.

And silence.

 

 

 

Dante Book 1 Canto V Scene 2

 

Scene 2

 

“God, what madness have I step onto?” Dante was in the realm of darkness, and yet he felt pulled by the winds that he could not see. He had clasped onto Virgil for a companion but the hold was not tight. He could not see but felt the noise there was worse than that of a stormy sea. It was a myriad of lamenting, moaning, and shrieking yet sickening to the ears. He saw glimpses of souls being swept by the winds.

“I am to be pulled away,” Dante called out.

“Hold on!” Dante heard the words but not the voice. He then felt a hand grabbing his left hand and was pulled by it. He had held onto Virgil’s hand with his right hand, and there he whisked the other with him. The arm that pulled Dante was firm and soon he found himself inside a small opening of the solid wall.

“Squeeze in. The winds may not take us here.” Again, Dante heard the words but not the voice. His concern then was Virgil who was still outside holding hard onto Dante’s right hand. Dante reached out with both his hands to pull Virgil in.

“He won’t it. We are…” Dante ignored the words and force his arms to abide by his request. Soon, Virgil was at the opening, and it was a tight fit.

“Tucked in your legs, Virgil,” Dante told the other. “We ain’t out of the woods yet.”

“Fools, you are. Now we may be …” The words came out of the darkness while Dante and Virgil squeezed the body into the tight cavity that their only solace from the winds. It was as if they were perched on a narrow gap on the side of the cliff, and below it was the deep fall to death. As if death had not swallowed them yet.

“It’s tight like a flowered lady.” Virgil found humor at that moment.

“Damn you to the fires of Hell.” The words came out once more but within the confines of the cavity, it sounded more like another soul albeit a lady perhaps.

“Who are you?” Dante asked. “Damn, where can I get light in here?”

“I know.” It was Virgil who answered him. Virgil reached into his tunic and withdrew the orb. H3e activated it and the red light came on. It was faint but, in the darkness, it was the light.

And Dante then saw who had rescued him from the wind.

It was a lady.

“My name is Francesca. Francesca Da Rimini. I am stuck here for my sin.” The lady was covered in the off-shoulder night gown and her hair was untidy then as if she had not brushed it for a long time. “Pardon my looks, but it has been ages since I arrived.”

“None took, my lady. I am Dante and he is …Virgil. We are here to …”

“It’s been ages since anyone spoke to me. I was with … my lover, Paolo. We are sinner of lust.” The lady burst out in tears. Dante would have offered his comfort but his movements were restrictive. “We…”

“Do tell me in your words, Lady Francesca. I will not judge but I will try to find you one with the rightful judges.” Dante assured the lady.

“There is no justification in the judgment. I was judged when I arrived here. The one who stood with the tail had sent me here to be condemned for my sin. All we had done was …love.” Lady Francesca spoke. She paused and then spoke of her plight.

“I was young and was wedded to Paolo’s brother, Gianciotto who was deformed in the physical body. It was an arranged wedding with the exchange of coins for the vow. I was never consulted nor was I given the chance to speak to Paolo whom I truly loved. The marriage was a sad affair, and I was unhappy. I could see Paolo was the same. We see each other but forbidden by the vows I had taken; it was hurtful to be together.”

“Love can be painful but to be denied it, like me was a bliss.” Virgil cut in. He had denied himself the throes of love and steered his life with the research of life.

“Pray to ignore the other. If he sounds out once more, I will toss him off the opening here.” Dante cautioned Virgil. “Do continue.”

“It was inevitable. Our love consumed our fear. I went to bed Paolo one night and the nights after that. It was bliss. We were happy until Gianciotto found out. He caught us in the act. It was shameful then. I knew that I had sinned. I asked for forgiveness but Gianciotto was beyond that. He killed Paolo, his brother with the sword. He then looked at me. His words sting for eternity.”

“A whore you have become. Nothing in you will ever be mine. Carry your sins to your Hell.” Francesca uttered those words. “He then killed me. I died on Paolo’s chest. We arrived at the Underworld together and was sentenced to here for our sin.”

“Damn the idiocrasies of the Judges. Don’t they understand love from forced devotion?” Dante was furious. “I had preached on the subject of lust many times. There are many forms of lust. This was not lusting. It was love.”

“Spare me space here, Dante. I will add to your reasoning. She did commit lust when she bedded her brother by marriage. There is another word for it…. incest. They were wrong.” Virgil braced himself if he was to be shoved off. He was not then.

“Was it? Abraham married his sister Sarah (Genesis 20:12), Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19), and few others.” Dante defended the relationship.

“And the Book stopped it at Leviticus 18:6-18. It was before that a consummation of needs.” Virgil was careful with his words. “But let us focus on lust for now as the sin. Lust is a disordered desire for sexual pleasure where the pleasure was sought to by itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.” (https://manhoodjourney.org/the-deadly-sin-of-lust)

“Were they?” Dante asked. “There was love.”

“And vows that they are to hold.” Virgil looked at Dante. “Tell me, Dante. Did you lust after Beatrice? Even when she was the Empress.”

Dante hesitated to reply and finally did.

“I love her as Francesca had for Paolo. When she was wedded, I was upset. I …”

“You joined the Priesthood to preach but you could not be accepted into it. You were asked to leave for some of our sermons were … enticing to be heard. So, you left to join the Volunteers.” Virgil recalled Dante’s memory. “Did lust drove you to it?”

“How could you…Yes, it was but my lust was an overpowering urge to forget her. It was a strong desire of my mind to forget.” Dante defended his action.

“Yet you came when I told you it was Beatrice who asked of you. Do you still love or rather lust after her? Would it sadden you that she called on you as a friend and not as a lover here? She still holds her vow to the Emperor.”

“She is dead. What does it matter to her vows? It was a living vow and not she is dead.” Dante again defended Beatrice.

“It remains to be seen, Dante.” Virgil reminded the other. “We are here because you wanted to see Beatrice and when you do, ask her.”

“What made you break those vows?” Dante turned to Francesca.

 

 

Dante Book 1 Canto V Scene 1

 

Canto V

The Second Circle; Lust

Scene 1

 

Lust in word as a noun stood for strong sexual desire. In the context of the Book; It was texted as a strong craving or desire, often of a sexual nature. Though used relatively infrequently (twenty-nine times) in Scripture, a common theme can be seen running through its occurrences. The word is never used in a positive context; rather, it is always seen in a negative light, relating primarily either to a strong desire for sexual immorality or idolatrous worship. In secular literature, the word indicates only a strong desire. (https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/lust/).

IN Mark 6.22, King Herod was attracted to lust, and so was James 1.15; Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/read/eng/KJV/Jas/1/15/).

That was in the ancient texts, and in the later generations, the term sexual was dropped out. It was replaced by the word; strong desire. A desire that became an obsession to need it. It may not be love as the underlying reason, but other perverted needs. It did however mean that if it pursues into it will lead to destruction, not of themselves but the other in the works.

Dante had these thoughts on his lips but Virgil was ignoring him. Their journey was silent until they reached a huge wide dark wall, not of solid materials but elements. They could hear the loud howls inside the darkness resembling the strong winds that sink sea-faring ships.

“Do we go in or …” Dante's question was cut off when he found himself dragged in by what may appear to be a tail.

A rather long tail it was.

“Who are you?” Dante was bound by the long tail that went around the body the ninth time before it released its hold on the living soul. He looked at the one who addressed him.

“I am Dante and here …on a self-exploration.” Dante looked to the one that held the frame of Man, who was standing on the huge boulder yet he held a long tail that trailed to the ground. He had one the diadem on the head that resembled a crown.

“How did you get to be here? Here is Hell and only the dead could pass.” The one who guards the entrance spoke. “I am to check to where they are to be sent in Hell.”

“Then you are Minos. The one who judged the sinners.” Dante recalled his reading on the Underworld.

Dante read that King Minos, the legendary ruler of Crete. He was also the son of Zeus, the King of the Gods. This was Greece myth. King Mino's victory was by the Greek god Poseidon, and from Knossos (or Gortyn) he gained control over the Aegean islands, colonizing many of them and ridding the sea of pirates. Upon his victory, he prayed to the sea god Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull as a sign of the god's favor. Minos was to sacrifice the bull to honour Poseidon, but owing to the bull's beauty he decided instead to keep him. Minos believed that the Gods would accept a substitute sacrifice. To punish Minos, Poseidon made Minos' wife Pasiphaë fall in love with the bull. The monstrous Minotaur was the result.

As the unnatural offspring of a woman and a beast, the Minotaur had no natural source of nourishment and thus devoured humans for sustenance. Minos, following advice from the oracle at Delphi, had Daedalus construct a gigantic labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. Its location was near Minos' palace in Knossos.

Upon the death of the King, he was made the judge to whoever enter Hell. He was given the tool which was a tail that will bound itself to the soul and by its rounds of bindings, it will denote the level of Hell the soul was to be sent.

“I cared not what you may know of me but you do not belong here.” Minos glared at Dante. “Only the dead may go past me.”

It was then Virgil stepped forth.

“And yet he must go there to get to where he belongs,” Virgil told Minos. “Do you defy those words? Charon did not. He was allowed across the river.”

“Does he belong here? No, he is not. He is not dead. he has to return to the living world.” Minos was insistent. “If he persists he will go mad.”

“When was it said that only the dead may pass here?” Virgil asked. “Before you do reply, remember this from Proverbs 18:21; the tongue has the power of life and death. And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

“I don’t understand.” Minos was humbled by those words.

“Your words may send him to a fate worse than Hell when all he was to ask was the passage through,” Virgil replied. “Can you imagine him wandering in Limbo without a destination? Or to return to the world of living to recapture the horrors of its time and time again? You were a King once. Did you not commit those sins I had spoken? Did you not commit your half breed to the labyrinth, and be doomed there?”

“He was not …human.” Minos challenged back. “He was banished there.”

“Did he die like one? He did. He was killed by another human. Did he pass you by? He was a sinner for his slaughter of the innocent lives.”

“He did not. I had them sacrificed to him. I …:” Minos bit his lips then.

“John 9:1-3 when asked of the man blind, the words said was It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Virgil raised the issue towards Minos. “How can you judge when you should be judged? The Minotaur hold your sins.”

“You annoy me with your words. I cannot…” Minos gave up.

“So shall we pass on for it will not be you that can determine to where he shall go?” Virgil pulled Dante by the arm to move forward. The duo stepped into what was to be named the Second Circle.

 

 

Dante Book 1 Canto IV Scene 3

 

Scene 3

 

The walk was short and to the surprise of Dante, what was a listless terrain had then a clump of trees and was soon to be seen the huge castle. It was surrounded by a river that looked like a moat around it.

“This is most unusual. Is that a medieval castle? It must be ages ahead of your time?” Dante looked hard at the high walls of the castle.

“Castles are not new to us. We have castles then.” Lucan answered Dante. “But this castle is different. It housed greatness.”

The group approached the castle moat and then drawbridge was seen. It was lowered then and the group walked in. Dante was surprised that he was to walk past seven more gates with high walls before he reached the inner part of the castle. It was the small stream there unlike the wide river he encountered outside. Beyond the stream was a meadow and there were others seated there.

“Come meet greatness, Dante,” Homer told him. “There sat the great names that you may have read now meet them in person, rather their souls.”

“Cicero; Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher and Academic Skeptic.” The one addressed was dressed in the plain frock worn by Roman Consuls. The Roman looked over and frowned. “He is not too delicate towards strangers.”

“Seneca; Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work, satirist from the Silver Age of Latin literature.” Homer saw the other held the same expression. “They are … bah, I disliked them all. But not these few for they gave me questions to ponder on.”

“Socrates, Plato, and the master of those who know, Aristotle.” Homer motioned to the three figures standing by the bed of roses.

“Brothers and fellow poets.” Homer pulled Dante towards them. “This is Dante. He had arrived.”

“Dante, the one we have waited to meet for so long. Welcome to the Underworld, or rather a Limbo. We here become the great minds that only this place could hold us … together or rather if we move, we may create revolutions or even uprising to the realm.”

“Do see before you?” Aristotle then turned to the other two companions. “May I tell Dante here of our …world? Crappy place but I liked it.”

The other two men laughed at the selection of the word by Aristotle. They heard of the word from some passing souls who once swayed the world with his music until his death at the peak of his performance. He had said that life was crappy unless he was entertaining the audience.

“Let me give you the list of ‘metic’ (Greek for non-residents). There is Julius Caesar with Alexander the Great and Saladin. Nasty blokes, pardon the pun there. Another term I picked from another leader; Churchill was his name. He went on though as if we were both huddling in the bunker while the enemy was bombing the outside.  I could put up with his speeches but not with his cigar-puffing. I had put up with the opiate addictions that I have seen in those slanty eyes Mandarins but tobacco had me retched badly.”

“There is …” Dante was past listening and raised a question towards Aristotle.

“You wrote on the soul in theory then? Tell me what inspire you?” Dante looked at the man he considered as his idol. He then drew back and apologize. “I do apologize if I was too abrupt.”

“Abrupt? I like it more as keenness to know. Yes, I theorize on the Soul. I was offering a view to a question that was there among the learned, namely how precisely it is that the soul, which is agreed to be in some way or other responsible for a variety of things living creatures; in us too as the living person do and experience, also is the distinguishing mark of the animate.”

“The soul accounts for change and rest in the particular case of living bodies. The relation between soul and body is alike to the relation between form and matter: an ensouled, living body is a particular kind of in-formed matter. I lend form to our life. I lend my theory in my works on Anima.”

“The passage of De anima, Aristotle introduces a further distinction between two kinds of mind: one passive, which can “become all things,” and one active, which can “make all things.” The active mind, he says, is “separable, impassible, and unmixed.”

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristotle/Philosophy-of-mind.

“I had the liberty of discussing my theory here with many esteemed guests; some left but some stayed still pondering the theory. Till now, I have not the answer I want. Or the questions to take me forward.” Aristotle sighed. “I had a lifetime to do it but it was not enough.”

“Are you telling me my task here may be also be fruitless?” Dante asked.

“No, my young learner. You ought to go on. Don’t be taken in by my journey. I have a different motive to yours. I will say yours is more …. endearing and needed to have a conclusion.” Aristotle reached out to pat Dante’s left shoulder but the hand passed him.

“Oops, I forgot. I exist only in the form of soul, and it's not solid to touch you.” The master of those who know replied. “You must journey on. You have seen us at the First Circle now; it's Limbo and the next one as I was made to know it’s call Lust. A most unusual name but in the mind of the living, it’s one of the sins.”

“Those of you who choose to remain here in Limbo as part of the sin on unresolved issues in the mind. If you had resolved or acknowledged them, then you would had move on to face judgment but you wouldn’t. Hence all of you stayed on here. I can see that but my mind still ponders on your decision to remain here. Nothing is abstract not to have an answer.”

“If the answer can be found, it would not be abstract at all.” Homer replied. “We sought our answer by our methods and not driven or given to it. Do understand our plight. Please move on your journey. Your issues are not abstract but available through your mind.”

Dante was to ask more but Virgil asks to move on.

“We have a long journey ahead.” Virgil then appeared to be fatigued but insistent to move.

“Virgil, I know how you may be here but how much did you learn? Was any of these souls ever moved on after being here?” Dante asked.

“There was once. It was called the harrowing of Hell. It was an event when the almighty as it was named came and took some souls away.” Virgil replied. “I was not here then. We have to move on. Our new path will take us to the next Circle of Hell.”

“Lust.” Dante was to ask more but Virgil had moved on.

 

 

Arthur II Book IV Chapter 20

 

20. 

 The Corbenic was not much of a sea vessel; it was more like a boat used in coastal fishing. It was moored at the jetty at the coast.

“The Corbenic at last,” Ferrin called out. “Only the invited can see the boat. Come with me. We can board her now.” Ferrin invited the trio on board with Percival still holding onto the wrapped Grail. “Do be careful when you step on. Some of the planks may be loose or missing. It had been years since we last sailed.”

“Will this …. boat take us to Sarras?” Lord Bors voiced his concern. “I have traveled…”

“On bigger boats that this but the Corbenic may be different to them in many ways. It was built by King Solomon and it sailed on its path.” Ferrin walked to the helm and looked to the double sails on the boat. The sail cloths were still folded up there, and the crow nest was what it was; filled with bird droppings. He approached the steering wheel rather large for the boat and felt the accumulated sea salt and dust.

“You had been idle for far too long, my dear. We are to return to Sarras now. Be ready, my dear.” Ferrin gripped the wheel and the boat then vibrated at the touch. The vibration spread throughout the boat from helm to stern and then into the hull before it went up the double sail poles and the sails unfolded. On the sails was the sign of the holy cross.

“We sail then to Sarras,” Ferrin called out.

“We have not stocked up the food and drinks and ….” Lord Bors called out but the boat had left the jetty.

“Don’t you worry about that, Lord Bors We will reach there in a short time.” The boat took to the sea and then a portal appeared on the surface in front. The portal was a shimmering field that soon engulfed the boat into it. Inside the portal, the journey was not on the surface of the water but afloat inside a myriad of shades and designs with huge faces that looked at them.

“The first Apostles of Jesus are looking at us. They are curious to know about you. You are the first trio to hold the Grail after so many years.” Ferrin smiled. “They know the heart. Grail well, but you will only when it reached Sarras.”

“Ah, there is Judas. He is forgiven for his actions but not his sin. Thirty silver coins he was given and now he remained forever counting the coins in his possession. He may reach twenty-nine and then he will forget the count and resumed again. It’s his penance for his sin.” Ferrin explained. “Why twenty-nine and not another number, you may ask.”

“Like all Man, we harbor more than what we are given. It will be our nature to ask for more, demand for it, fight for it, and even kill for it but when will it be ever enough?” Ferrin smiled. “We are all God’s creation but in Man, he took out that virtue.”

“I thought it was the apple that made us greedy. Adam and Eve were contented until the Serpent induced them to do it.” Lord Bors spoke of what he was told. “I am of the faith too.”

“Typical of Man to place the blame onto others when he held no control on his failings.” Ferrin smiled. He saw the annoyed look at Lord Bors. “Unfortunately, so do mine. We have our dark sheep too.”

The Corbenic then shuddered in its sail and the portal soon emerged for them to emerge at sea once more.

“Welcome to Sarras, Knights,” Ferrin called out. The sight that befalls the knight was a huge city by the coast with towering structures and the array of ships there at the port. The Corbenic docked at the jetty and then knights disembarked there. A solitary figure wrapped in the layers of silk and gold approached the knights and Ferrin.

“Welcome to Sarras. I am your Ship Inspector. You will pay your docking fees, the …Here is the list before you come in.” The Inspector handed over the list. “Don’t hurry, for we have a feast going on. The Minotaur King will not be delayed.”

“Minotaur King?” Ferrin was taken aback. “What happened to the House of God? And the faith?”

“Halfling, you are either mad or a rebel. The House of Gods had ceased to exist for a long time. We are now in the era of the Pagan Gods. We worship the Minotaur and the Dragons. Now, pay or leave. And if you stay, stay quiet on your words of God. Our God exists in what we call them now.”

It was at Camelot when Arthur rode his horse to be at the helm of the army he was to lead towards Normandy. He counted fifty over local Lords and Chiefs with an army strong of over two thousand soldiers, including knights.

But among his trusted knights, only Belvedere and Tristan faced him. He looked at the druid who explained to him then.

“The others are away. Percival, Galahad, and Lord Bors are still on the quest.”

“And we bear no news yet?” Arthur asked. The druid shook his head.

“Lancelot….” Merlin was cut off.

“Lancelot is no more my knight. He is banished.” Arthur said. “I am told that Master Meleagant rides for me to hunt the two for their sins.”

“I will plead with you, Arthur. Do not fight Lancelot. He may be your savior to the realm.” Merlin looked at the one he made King.

“Don’t be the fool here, Druid. This realm was made by me. No single knight can claim to it as long as I am King. I need to ride. My realm will expand to across the sea.”

“Then there are the other knights…”

“The Green Knight and Mordred will guard Camelot. Mordred will be my assigned liege during my absence. And do ignore Gawain. He is a coward, unlike his dead brother. Lamorak is ill and will be resting.” Arthur looked to the army. “Have them clear the Sarmatians on my return.”

“Arthur, it’s unwise to hold another war here when you are not around,” Merlin said.

“I am the King, and the knights will defend Camelot should there be war,” Arthur told the druid. He then called on his army to march to the coast.

His departure was seen by Mordred from the wall opening at the castle in Camelot. The young knight walked to the round table and looked at the seats there.

“Thirteen seats it was and the numbers have dwindled for those who are allowed to sit here.” Mordred smiled. “Do you agree with me, Sir Erec.?”

“I do agree, my liege.” Sir Erec stepped from the corner holding the goblet filled with mead. He took to the seat marked for Percival. “This table will once more be filled by knights that are worthy to serve….”

“Me as their King. I will be crowned King Mordred of Camelot. The one to depose Arthur.” Mordred roared.

“And you will need an adviser or two by your side.” The voice was feminine. Mordred turned to look and saw the two ladies; one in the dark shade and the other crimson red.

“Who are you? And how did you come in?” Mordred asked.

“I am your mother, Mordred. Allow me to raise the veil over your memory.” Morgan approached the knight. She chanted the spell and waved her right hand. Mordred felt a sudden push inside his head and then he held his hands on the table to steady himself. He then looked up and greeted his mother.

“Mother, it’s nice to have you back.” Mordred bowed to his mother. “And who…”

“Your aunt, Morgause Le Fay. We are here to protect you from the others.” Morgan looked at her son and then Erec. “Do you serve my son or ...”

“I am his to command.” Sir Erec bowed to the lady. “As I am yours.”

“Your mind spoke to me of your anger with Percival. You harbor ills feelings towards him for he is the knight of the table and you are not. You also felt that he had taken your lover too.”

“Yes, my lady. Lady Angharad is my desire and she loves him. I will kill him before I claim Lady Angharad.” Erec confessed.

“Love is an evil potion on many.” Morgause cut in. She looked at the round table. “You need knights and I know some who may be convinced to join you. Give me time and I will get your knights.”

Time passed when you are pre-occupied with the tasks. Percival and the others have found refuge in a House of Lord. The owner of the house covertly continued the practice of his faith.

“Our faith followers have dwindled over the years. When Joseph took the Grail to your land, it left a huge gap in the followers to stay with us. We had to explain that the removal of the Grail had nothing to do with them but there were the others who surfaced to move their hearts and mind. We have fought back for ages but without a symbol to hold their vision, we failed.” The owner of the house lamented on the failures. He was the fifth generation to stay in the faith.

“Why have they felt the loss?” Lord Bors questioned back. “My father and his father then, all had worshipped the Pagans but I was brought up to see the true path to God. Our vision of God was the cross in the chapel and at our home. You have it here too.”

“We do, but we needed a more visible tool. The Grail returned to Sarras may turn their faith back to the correct path.” The owner explained. “It’s the will of the people to see the miracle that was once here. May we see it?”

Percival who had never let go of the cloth then approached the small congregation to unwrap the cloth. He took the layers of cloth apart and it is never seen to end. The more he pulled at the cloth, the Grail remained hidden. He was baffled by it but the more he unwraps he saw not the Grail.

“Let me do it.” Lord Bors took over and the result was the same.

“Worthy Knight, you may try now.” Lord Bors referred to Galahad who had drawn the sword from the stone. “Show us the might, Galahad.”

“I am a humble knight, Lord Bors.” Galahad felt the hilt on the sword that he had drawn. Finally, Galahad took over. He held the wrapped cloth and looked at it.

“You are on your journey home but the people here in Sarras need your light. This was once the home of Joseph. Show us that light.” Galahad then took his turn to unwrap the Grail. With the flip of the hand, the cloth revealed the Grail. He held it up for all to see.

“It’s the Grail.” Everyone went on their knees.

Soon after, Percival stood on the jetty at Sarras to wish Lord Bors a safe return to Camelot. Lord Bors had stayed with Percival and Galahad for some time and reckoned his task was done.

“Someone had to tell Arthur of the events here. You may continue with Galahad in the quest to send the Grail on its final part of the journey back to the Holy Land.” Lord Bors bowed to the other knight.

“Lord Bors, I have spent much time here with you and learned that you have reformed as a Man. You are now ready to face your sins and repent from them.” Percival had during the stay learned more about the faith and had renounced his previous way of life. He had hidden the spear at an undisclosed location so that it will not be used again.

“I think you have yourself but I feel that among the three of us, Galahad is the worthiest of us. He was rightfully named the worthy knight for he now served a higher order. Galahad had himself like you. Both of you have found a purpose in life.” Lord Bors smiled.

“Yes, I will remain at Sarras as the protector of the City while Galahad will continue on the final journey to return the Grail to its rightful place. Percival said.

“I will return the sword he entrusted to me to the Lake, as promised” The sword from the stone was handed to Lord Bors to be taken back to Camelot.

“Please do. Sadly, the sword has brought him hardship. His brother, Gaheris dead by the sword and Gawain was also by the sword. He regretted stopping Gawain from taking the sword to avenge the death of his brother.” Percival sighed.

“Yes, a most unfortunate incident. He did not mean to strike his brother at all but the sword has its own life. Gawain will be the last life it will take.” Lord Bors had the sword from Galahad wrapped in the cloth that was once used on the Grail.

“God goes with you, and take care. Have it return to the Lake for the ladies to keep it.” Percival wished the knight one last farewell.

“Sire, the Corbenic awaits thee,” Ferrin told the departing knight.

 

Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.3 Chapter 14 (Finale)

 

14.

I stepped into the shuttle and saw the one other there. It was Dickson alone with Huginn. The droid was damaged with half its tentacles missing or bent at the wrong angle. I did not see Muginn and assumed the worse had happened. The droid was at the side like a ragged doll. I looked at the one without the team mates. He saw me and shrugged his shoulders.

“They did not want to come.” Dickson told me. “I …”

I was not to listen to the coward. I had stepped out of the shuttle when I heard the communication unit buzz out.

“Tiffany, get out with the shuttle. I am staying with my sister here. We have to complete the task assigned.” I hurled the expletives and then roared for the reason,

“There is the honor in our life. We are doing it now. Our life journey will complete with it.” Hirohito replied. “Bushido is realized in the presence of death. This means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death. There is no other reasoning.” (Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai)

I wanted to rebuke but my tears came to my eyes. I was to take the next step when the Captain told me he was opening the hangar doors. It was either I could run like a droid to the exit at the end or get inside the shuttle. The last option was a cold death in space. I rushed back to the shuttle and slammed the rear door shut. I saw Dickson strapped in and looking green. I climbed into the cockpit and powered the shuttle. I got it powered up and saw the doors opened. The issue with a hangar doors opened in space if you are not strapped in, you get sucked out.

I turned the shuttle and then we were off.

“Hey, did I tell you that the one you named Hagar. He went back to the engines to help Benz.” Dickson spoke from the rear. I ignored the rantings of the coward and pilot the shuttle away. I then did a turn and watched TF9-99 took the re-entry to the moon surface. I saw the heat that was scaling the hull and prayed it hard that it will stand. I saw until it was past the atmosphere and then turned to the system onboard system for the report.

“Ship at thirty thousand feet with its shield at zero point seven. Trajectory is on course for the coordinates updated. It will impact at five seconds.” I heard the system countdown, and then when it hit the zero impact number, I saw the mass of flame below on the moon surface. “The ship is destroyed.” \

“Computer, run a scan for life scans including droids.” I called to the system. I was hoping the other droid had climbed in before we took off.

“One organic and two droids.” I got the reply. I was relief but not for long.

“Don’t react, Navigator. I can move very fast.” It was Dickson and he had stepped up to my seat with the blaster leveled at me. “Keep your hands on the console.”

“You are a droid, Dick.” I spoke to the one named Dickson. “What is your design?”

“Military grade IV, and I was designed to assimilate with the organics.” Dickson replied. “My reference M-GIV-007. I am programed to kill and I will do it.”

“I believe you so.” I kept my hands on the console. “Before I terminate you, tell me of you task.”

“I was brought in the disguise as a Researcher. I came on board with the last batch of Marines. I had downloaded the files on the aliens, and was to leave before the base went into a lockdown. I took on the second command to stay put and even fought the aliens. I had fresh data and initiated the call for extraction. I had to set up the decoy and selected the Lieutenant. It was all arranged but you had to drop the container. The rest you may know.”

I had to move fast.

“Huginn, hold the droid.” I called out. The droid though damaged had charged at the military droid from the rear before it grabbed the droid with its remaining limbs. Both droids fell to the rear,.

“Shuttle, open the rear door.” I called out.

“Opening…” The ship tried to counter my command but I overrode it.

“Code Hotel California Eagle.” It was Hirohito’s idea to call it that. The rear door slid open and I heard the shot. It was not at me or the ship but on Huginn. My droid malfunctioned but it limbs remained shut. It was then anything not secured was sucked out through the rear door.

“Ship atmosphere compromise.” I heard the ship calling out and I turned the shuttle to starboard. I heard the loud noise of a huge object being sucked out. I had the shuttle turned and saw the military droid in the void of space with Huginn still on its back. I knew Huginn was in shutdown.

“Sorry old pal.” I leveled the shuttle cannons at the droids. The projectiles scattered the droids into fragments.

“Valhalla…” I sighed and closed the rear door.

It was then the song played on the shuttle

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis

For the rarest of moments, I sang along with the song.

Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.3 Chapter 13

 13.

I had blasted like four of them buggers before I saw the mother. I had described them at the close range, they are freaking horrendous to look at. It will be in my nightmares for some those sleepless nights.

“Shoot the head!” Sergeant Booker had joined me on the left side. “Gaping at it won’t kill it.”

I had leveled my rifle to add to the shots fired by the Sergeant. The huge alien head burst out when our combined shots took off the right side of the head. It went down on its limbs and formed an obstacle in the corridor. I was then pushed by the Sergeant who had overtaken me to climb onto the dead mother and used that vantage point to shoot at the smaller aliens that were everywhere in front of us on the walls and even at the ceiling.

“Shoot them, Navigator.” Sergeant Booker called out. I took on after him but he had jumped ahead. I saw others had followed me and was running the corridor.

“They are retreating.” Tom called out when he pass me. I had reached the flooring of the corridor and looked down at it. The gooey mess on the flooring was on boots and some on the leggings but it did not burn through. That was good but the flooring was slippery.

“Watch me go!’ Jerry had run forward and then slide on his feet while shooting at the aliens. He reached the end and then stopped.

“It’s the Mother fucker!” Jerry turned to retreat and was impacted through the back of the head by the huge mother alien when its front right leg slammed into Jerry’s head.

“You bastard!’ Tom had rushed forward with the rifle firing. He emptied the clip on the huge alien bringing it down to the flooring but he was overwhelmed by the smaller ones. He was soon buried under the hordes of the aliens.

“Damn you, Tom.” Sergeant Booker had stepped away from the carnage, and went for the opening at the corridor to the hangar.

“Move it all of you. We could be next.” Sergeant Booker ran for the shuttle. I was close behind and followed by Benz, the Lieutenant, and Dickson. Hagar had run on ahead and was calling for the droids which were on the deck of the ship. I saw only Huginn and assumed the worse had happened to Muginn. Hagar got the rear doorway opened and the team went in but not the Sergeant.

“Lieutenant, take the flight. I am going to our fighter craft.” Sergeant Booker detoured off. I grabbed the Lieutenant to stop her joining the Sergeant.

“Leave him be. We got other tasks.” I called out to the Lieutenant and she hesitated. I was to push her in when Hirohito called up from inside the ship. It was his cue for us to get in. The Lieutenant relented and we climbed in. It was all works then. I took my station and then the ship went up when the hangar doors slide opened. We flew upward to the skies.

If only I knew then, or suspected it was so.

The Sergeant had reached the other ship and climbed into the cockpit of the ship. He was not going to check the system for he knew the ship was not able to fly. It was under maintenance to repair its flight engines, and that was on hold during the attack. He knew the ship was loaded with a full rack of missiles, and that was what he was aiming to use. He armed the missiles and then navigated the ship to move on its wheels to face the storage area. In there was the fuel cells and engine parts with the extra missiles.

“Say my goodbye to you now.” Sergeant Booker flipped the cover on the switch to fire the missiles. He leaned forward to check the trajectory path when he was attacked by the small alien in the cockpit. The alien rushed at the Sergeant who had blocked the attack with the left hand, and then grabbed the tentacle before he tossed it to the rear. He then grabbed the joystick on the console to aim the missiles. He pressed the trigger and watched the missiles streaked off in sequences. He heard the alien in the ship retreated with loud shrieks.

“Eight ought to do it.” The eight missiles streaked out. The missiles impacted there and the subsequently triggered off the fuel cells. The explosion was huge and spread to the lower levels. The flooring at the hangar collapsed and buried the lower levels.

On the ship TF99-9, Hirohito looked at the consoles when the ship pierced the atmosphere. It was getting dicey with the heat exchanger compromised but he had to get past it. He called out to Benz.

“How are we doing?”

“I am relaying he shields to the starboard where the heat is most intense. I have re-connected the coolant there.” Benz was rushing to the engines section at the rear. He had seen the sparks there and needed to get that fixed or they will be dropping back to the surface. He crouched there and examined the plating there. He saw the crack and knew it will go if he does nothing on it. He took out the sealant and applied it generously there.

“You will hold or I will see you ….” Benz swallowed his words. He was overly concerned to be upset at the ship machinations. He did not see the bolt that flew out with the impact on his left shoulder. He fell down holding his wounded shoulder. The bolt had gone right through and the blood was flowing there.

“Benz, are you alright?” I saw the drop in pressure on the engine and called the Engineer.

“Ja. I will fix the pressure.” Benz pushed himself up. He staggered to the area where the bolt had ripped off. He saw the damage was more extensive and moved back to his console. He recalibrated the power distribution and got the ship soon spewing its thrust to get clear.

“Ja, it’s done.” Benz replied to me. He then placed his hands on the console to steady himself. The blood was still flowing. There was a medical kit near him but he ignored it. He knew that his journey was to end.

“Ja, Tiffany.” Benz addressed the ship by its given name. “We may retire together.”

At the bridge, I heaved a sigh of relief when we hit past the atmosphere. Hirohito was into action and looked for the cargo of ours. He sighted it and piloted the ship towards it.

“Hagar, secure the link. We are going to get the cargo to be delivered.” Hirohito called out. I was out my station and rushed to the Engines. I saw Benz seated on the flooring with his right hand over his wound. I grabbed the medic kit and crouched by the recalcitrant German officer.

“Nein, don’t waste your effort. I am past the need to live on.” Benz stopped me. “Let me go with the ship.”

“Benz, we are not done yet. I will get you to the Shuttle. I will get you out.” I reached the Engineer but he was not moving. He pushed me away.

“Go and leave me alone. I still have to get the engines ready for the next re-entry.” Benz looked at me. “Do leave me now. Take the others to the shuttle.”

It was not a choice.