The Four Corners Hole – Divulgence (1093 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: FCH
Rating: 1.95 on 29 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Jack McCallum (View user info) at 2005-11-06 20:57:22 EST
Intro http://www.ubersite.com/m/74452
Pfc. Weyms http://www.ubersite.com/m/75620
www.theholetruth.com http://www.ubersite.com/m/75708
Emergence - http://www.ubersite.com/m/76672
Women's World - http://www.ubersite.com/m/77102
Fall, 2005
Ant was in another box.
These white people were different from the ones he had known before. They had learned how to trap fire in balls of glass. They talked to spirits through little fetishes they all carried. The fetishes would howl or laugh or sing and the whites would talk to them, sometimes summoning other whites. They had replaced horses with steel horrors that roared like mountain lions and moved frighteningly fast on roads that looked like frozen rivers of dirty ice.
Like the other whites Ant had known, these ones liked their smoke. They liked alcohol. Ant could often smell both on their clothes and in their breath. They wore too many clothes when it was warm. And they loved their boxes.
They lived their lives going from box to box. The boxes had entries that could be sealed against escape, and openings barred with iron. Ant could look outside, but he could not walk in the rain or feel the sunshine or hunt rabbits under an early morning moon.
And they worked with other Navajo.
Ant liked Tom-be-gai. The man was only a few years older than Ant, and always watched over him like an older brother. Tom-be-gai was a not a good speaker, his bastard Navajo words often making Ant burst out laughing, but at least Ant did not feel completely alone.
Ant sat in his box and watched shadows move over his sleeping roll and the wood on legs. The whites called little-wood-on-legs 'chare.' They called big-wood-on-legs 'tay-bil.'
When the door opened Ant expected more of the food they forced on him, usually mush that appeared to have been gummed by an old woman they way old women gummed hides to make them soft.
It was not one of the many food collectors at the door. It was Tom-be-gai. The Navajo in white-man's clothing was with the chief named Kayn-zh, and the one whom Ant suspected was once part of the ancient enemy but had been abandoned by his long-departed people, the Anasazi.
Ant had named the man Hok'ee.
Tom-be-gai and Kayn-zh stood in the entryway and sent the once Anasazi into Ant's box.
"Wol-a-chee," Hok'ee said, putting a friendly hand on Ant's shoulder. His Navajo was harder on the ears than that of Tom-be-gai, but at least Hok'ee tried to speak like a proper human being.
In the few times they had been together Hok'ee had learned a lot of Navajo. Ant thought Hok'ee was a very capable man and he could not understand who someone so valuable could have been abandoned by his tribe.
"I have missed you, little brother. I am sad you are still trapped here. Yet I am glad I am not alone."
"One day we will hunt together," Ant said, "And then you will no longer be Abandoned. You will be part of my tribe, and we will give you a new name."
"I will wait for that day, Wol-a-chee."
*
Captain Kaines watched the two Indians greet each other, still finding it hard to believe they were from another time. Detailed medicals done on both men had revealed neither had ever had any dental work done, had never had any sort of inoculation against disease, and they had both carried parasites on and within them that were no longer a part of everyday life. They were also consistently afraid or amazed by everything they saw. If they weren't the real deal, they were taking method acting to a whole new level.
Kaines glanced at Tom Begaye. "What are they saying?"
"They're just saying 'hi,'" Begaye said.
Begaye had suggested the two Indians be allowed to spend more time together. Defense Department brass had sent in truckloads of medical doctors, one shrink after another, and lots of anthropologists, all of whom set out to prove that the Indians were play-acting toward some unknown end.
Tom knew these guys were the real deal. He felt it in his bones, and in the smirk that appeared on the kid's face whenever he spoke Navajo.
"So," Kaines said. "Now we just sit back and watch?"
"Yeah," Begaye replied. "If we just let them talk, maybe we can learn more about them. They're just too spooked by whites, hell, even by me."
Kaines moved back as Begaye stepped into the room and set a pouch of tobbaco, a cheap pipe, and a box of matches on the table. Then they closed the door behind them and went to down the hall to watch the CCTV feed.
*
Ant prepared the smoke they would share, each man saying a few words in his own language. Ant asked the spirits to fill the smoke with a magic that would make the two men friends and give them the strength to go on living in these boxes. He watched Hok'ee raise a pinch of tobacco in the air, sing a short song, and then scatter the tobacco on the floor. Ant was careful when he used the little burning stick. He had seen these before and as much as he wanted to let his chest fill with a show of bravery, he did not want to shame Hok'ee, who observed the small flaring flame with surprise and a little fear.
"We will smoke now and ask for good things," Ant said. He drew smoke into his lungs. The smoke tasted a bit unnatural, and the pipe looked like it was made by an idiot child, but it would do. He gave the pipe to Hok'ee.
"Little brother, I will ask the spirits to watch over you in this strange new world."
They sat on little-woods-with-legs and smoked. There was no need to talk. They were smoking together.
When Hok'ee jerked and his face twisted into a dark mask, Ant realized that the only spirits they had drawn to them with the smoke were evil ones.
*
"Christ," Kaines said, turning away from the television monitor and grabbing the nearest phone. "I'm getting a medic in here now. Goddamned additives in the tobacco are probably poisoning—"
Begay reached out and hit a button, disconnecting the open line. "Wait," he said.
Kaines let out a single chuff of laughter. "Sergeant, we can't screw around here. If one of these guys dies on me Major Barrow will cut my balls off."
Begaye looked his superior officer in the eye. "Wait. Please, Cap. My people smoke peace pipes and put on shows for the tourists now, but there was a time when that stuff meant something. When I was a boy I once saw my grandfather go into a trance during a dance and swallow a hot coal he picked out of the fire. Then he laughed and danced some more. I've always told myself it was just a trick he played... but with these two here... let's just wait."
Kaines hung up the phone. He was out of his element here. "It's both our asses if you're wrong, Tom."
Begaye nodded, eyes on the screen. "Understood."
*
Ant heard a new voice come out of Hok'ee. He saw the man's throat moving, the broad chest rising with each breath. He also saw the whites of Hok'ee's eyes and saw how the man's arms dangled, the fingers twitching madly.
"Little one..."
Ant felt his skin grow cold. This was the voice of a man drowning, a garbled, liquid, terrifying voice. He imagined the spirits of all of his forefathers standing behind him, a wall of mighty Navajo giving him strength.
"Who are you?"
Hok'ee's mouth gaped like the mouth of a dying fish flopping on a riverbank.
"I am Estay Hashkett. I am Mah-ih. I am Coyote. I am spirit. I am the hole in the ground."
Only a great spirit could have created such a hole, Ant thought. A spirit with the power to strike him dead. He decided to close his mouth and listen... but Coyote was a trickster and any good he did was usually unintentional, so Ant had to be very careful.
*
"Mah-ih," Sergeant Begay said in wonder. "This is bad."
Kaines and Begaye shared a quick look, and then turned back to the monitor, letting the four cameras hidden in the young man's room record what was to come.
Begaye whispered breathlessly as he tried his best to translate what he was hearing.
*
The voice said:
Many lifetimes ago, great ages before the time of this reed upon which my wind blows, there was a thing that turned the land cold and dark and left men and animals dying in numbers beyond your counting.
All of the spirits were angry with the ways of men... Sky and water and earth, and the spirits of every animal were made sad by men and their warring, wasteful ways. All of the spirits agreed to wipe man from this place and start over.
All but me.
We spirits fought and argued for a long time. Finally I struck a bargain. I would punish all living men. I would ruin their water and air and land. I would kill the plants they ate and drive away the meat they needed and bring a long winter to the world. I would do this until most of them were dead, and only the strongest and most humble remained.
I made this thing happen. I tore apart the land and threw foulness into the skies. Men and rabbits and buffalo and birds and fish and corn and every other thing began to die.
This punishment went on for more winters than there are rings within body of the greatest tree. Then I let things become as they were, and men had to fight to survive.
I thought men would have learned from this.
They have not.
Once again all of the spirits have called for the death of man. Once again I have held off this punishment. I let my terrible power grow again in preparing to rend the land, but this time I struck a bargain with the others.
If I created a hole, and asked an entire tribe to sacrifice themselves that the rest of The People may survive, would the other spirits see that man was worth saving from destruction?
The other spirits said yes.
I created the hole, a hole in all the times of The People. I searched for a strong people and found the Ah-nah-sa-zih. I told the Ah-nah-sa-zih to throw themselves down the hole, that life may continue on the earth. Most of the Ah-nah-sa-zih died deaths that will be remembered by the spirits until time comes to and end... but not all of chosen died. Some ran away from saving The People. They hid from their old ways and remade themselves as new people.
Again the spirits argued with me. They said man must die.
This argument lasted more winters and summers than there are heads of corn in the widest field.
Finally, I said... if I can get just a small number of The People to give themselves to the hole, could man live on?
How many? The spirits asked this of me. How many?
Four, I told them. Four more of The People.
The spirits had seen how self-serving man had become. They thought this would never happen.
And so the hole remains. My power to destroy everything grows. If four more will step into the hole, then that power will go away, and all of The People will live on.
If I have my four.
Now I leave this to you, little one. This reed upon which I blow has proven to be unworthy. Look on him and see what I can do. Look on him and see what you can stop from happening to The People.
*
The speakers carrying the guttural voice to Kaines and Begay could not adequately reproduce the scream that came out of the Indian who had been speaking. The room filled with white noise, and as the man on the monitor began to burn, Kaines and Begay leaped out of their chairs.
*
Ant watched smoke come out of the man's mouth, watched it waft up from the man's anus. He asked his fathers to take care of the spirit of Hok'ee, if any spirit remained.
*
When Kaines and Begay burst through the door they saw the young Navajo watching the older man burn. The overhead sprinklers came on and a local alarm began to ring. Then a louder siren began sounding outside.
Something was happening at the hole.
By the time Begay darted into the hall and returned with a fire extinguisher, cooked meat was falling onto the floor. Blue fire danced along exposed bones.
"Jesus, Tommy," Kaines said, covering his nose and mouth. "His bones are burning. He's being cooked from the inside."
They hustled the young Navajo out of the building, rushing him to the infirmary in case he was hurt.
It was early evening as they stepped outside.
Perimeter lights were on, solders were rushing by, and a thunderous rush of noise was coming from the hole.
Churning vapors were flowing up out of the hole. Soldiers were maintaining a broad perimeter, men in gas masks edging closer with hand-held sensors.
A soldier stopped Kaines and Begay from getting too close.
Ant watched the power of Mah-ih and wondered... was Coyote trying to save The People just so he would continue to have playthings for generations to come?
"We have a few dead over there, Captain," the frightened soldier said. "There are gases coming out of the hole."
Four thick white plumes were rising up out of the Four Corners hole and spreading overhead.
"Volcanic gasses," the soldier said.
User Reviews
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-04-28 03:41:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-11-10 00:23:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
HAHAHahahahah!
Lurkers: http://www.ubersite.com/m/62072
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-07 11:20:04 (#)
Ranking: 0
9 reviews, 270 hits.
Next installment...
The Four Corners Hole - The Lurkers
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2005-11-09 19:09:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
impressive.
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2005-11-08 12:13:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
yes....
Submitted by hcp28 (user info) at 2005-11-07 22:00:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This was quite awesome. Please write more. However, I can't decide if I'd rather here this or Allah town. Damn you jack damn you.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-07 21:50:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Sparxicus (user info) at 2005-11-07 19:26:03 (#)
Ranking: 2
Don't you hate it when you mean to give something +2, but then forget too? Yea me too.
--
No worries.
Rad the Envious would have come along and dinged me eventually if I stayed at a solid +2 for too long. Glad you enjoyed the read.
Submitted by Sparxicus (user info) at 2005-11-07 19:26:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Don't you hate it when you mean to give something +2, but then forget too? Yea me too.
Submitted by Sparxicus (user info) at 2005-11-07 19:25:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Be warned... I blew my wad writing this over the last few hours, and I haven't got the gas left to spell-check.
------------------------------
Heck, I blew my wad just reading this! Great stuff here.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2005-11-07 19:16:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-07 17:11:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-11-07 16:57:07 (#)
Ranking: 2
Have you ever seen Koyaanisqatsi?
--
Wasn't that the name of the old drunk Cree who used to hang around my old high school? The cops busted him at least once a week for taking his joint out of his pants and saying, 'White man smoke, make peace.' Crazy old fuck.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-11-07 16:57:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Have you ever seen Koyaanisqatsi?
Submitted by houseman (user info) at 2005-11-07 12:33:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Great as usual Jack.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-11-07 12:10:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-11-07 12:03:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent as always
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2005-11-07 11:46:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2005-11-07 11:32:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This got Run To The Hills stuck in my head.
I'll indulge you...
RUUUUNN TOOOO THE HIIIIILLLLLLLS
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-07 11:24:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-11-07 09:55:52 (#)
Ranking: 2
Now, the resolution is a little foggy...does the Coyote want four more regular people to sacrifice themselves, or four more of the Anaszi people? Since the hole exists across time, could the sacrifice happen any time, or should it be present day?
--
Four of 'The People' means four people of Indian blood.
As to the second question, it will be resolved (I hope) in the next installment.
If I can find my notes.
And decipher them.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-07 11:20:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
9 reviews, 270 hits.
Next installment...
The Four Corners Hole - The Lurkers
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-11-07 09:55:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Many lifetimes ago, great ages before the time of this reed upon which my wind blows
-- that was a great line. I had some trouble following who was who at the beginning, but it all came back to me. Now, the resolution is a little foggy...does the Coyote want four more regular people to sacrifice themselves, or four more of the Anaszi people? Since the hole exists across time, could the sacrifice happen any time, or should it be present day?
Submitted by horse87 (user info) at 2005-11-07 09:22:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2005-11-07 09:03:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-11-07 07:10:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It's good, great in fact, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others.
Submitted by AllyJeans (user info) at 2005-11-07 06:57:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2005-11-07 00:35:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
damn, now everyone's going to want begay bud
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-11-06 22:11:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by stardamage (user info) at 2005-11-06 21:12:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Jesus, Jack. I love this thing you're doing.
Submitted by yeahthatme (user info) at 2005-11-06 21:05:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I love this series.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-06 20:59:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Fuck. I don't think the full name of the pic appeared. It is-
Navajo Sand Painting "Coyote End."
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-11-06 20:58:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Be warned... I blew my wad writing this over the last few hours, and I haven't got the gas left to spell-check.
Enjoy.