Chapter 33. The tunnel of death
The rumor that there is a stranger has spread around quickly, the warriors of the desert and the followers of the other war religious orders drew up to the tunnel. The Stranger was sitting on a stone. There were about a few dozens of people, lying around him, calmly but with the weapons in their hands. The Stranger spoke quietly and smoothly, not like other preachers who are skilled to transfer from angrily shouts to a whisper, from curses to tears.
“Brothers, the time of horror and fear comes, the time of troubles and diseases. The time when people lose their heavily protection and become the booty of the Alien people, who know no mercy or compassion, the people that you can’t stand against. We will rush to appeal to the Heaven, but it won’t listen to us, for we refused His Voice at a certain point. We killed innocent, shed blood as if it was mere water, indulged in lust and nasty things. We chose our god: Money; but this god has no power when the trouble comes. The real God, the Lord of life, we refused him, killed his servants and chased him away. The Prince, who brought us all a hope, was killed and his testament was trampled. And now the time of the court and justice comes and this is the time of sorrow. But God is merciful. We will repent, while we are alive and, probably, He will have mercy on us, He will give us protection and will accept us in His dwelling place.”
The warriors silently listened to him. Some of them nodded as if agreeing with him.
“I see you know what you are talking about,” the elder of the community turned to him, “and there is a power in you. But are you ready to pass our trial? Can you pass through the death tunnel?”
“Why test the power of somebody else and endanger each other?” the Stranger tried to persuade them. “Are you searching for a sign? You are searching for a sign because your hearts are silent, your eyes are blind and that’s why you turn to the ancient books and look through somebody’s eyes.”
“The ancient books are the revelation and teaching to the future generations. Isn’t it so?” objected the elder.
“The ancient books are the experience of the ancient’s and it’s very useful for us, I don’t deny this. But can a man become full just by reading cookery recipes? The revelations are directions but not the final destination. Learn God, be sincere and kind and then He will be opened to you, He will protect and lead you by your hand. You don’t understand the prophecy about the ‘entrance’ and ‘exit’ correctly.
You expose the dreamers who think that they are prophets to a death danger. It is not right. The Prince would never have something like that in his mind.”
“So we will check if God leads you by your hand or you are just pulling the wool over our eyes. If you survive, we’ll believe you. You die, and we will pray for you. It’s doesn’t matter if we understand the prophecy correctly or not. The tunnel like life is full of traps: you can’t remove them but you can avoid them. You speak very well. It’s impressive but can you do more than just speak? We don’t trust the words. I repeat: if sent by the Prince, you’ll escape unhurt, but if you are a mere dreamer, then the tunnel will become your grave. A man, who sincerely thinks he is a prophet, but who isn’t a real one, is a false prophet and he has to die. ”
“Has anyone ever tried to go through the tunnel?” asked the Stranger. He understood that it’s impossible to persuade people that trust only in their signs and codes.
“After we have explained that this place is mined nobody even tried. You said that you are sent by the Prince. Don’t refuse your words. You saw our faces, you know the place, you can’t just leave,” the elder looked at his weapon with some meaning.
The Stranger felt his throat squeezed, he felt fear: there is no way back.
“I can’t show my fear to this people. They are like predators: as soon as they feel the blood, nothing can stop them. As soon as they feel the fear, they will get into a fight. The only law of theirs is the strength. I need the Wind so much but my fear doesn’t let it come. I do need the Power!” he prayed and tried to remember: “The sword of truth is in my hands.” A slight hope showed up, he listened: no, wrong code. Suddenly the Stranger remembered the desert and the three travelers... and felt the Wind blowing. “The Alien people! I have to hold it. I will not be afraid and I will be protected.”
The Wind grew stronger. “It’s time!” decided the Stranger.
“Warriors of the desert!” he exclaimed. “You have overtaken the authority that you weren’t given, and you will be responsible for that. I am not afraid of you, His Power is with me. Your weapons have no strength; your hands will not be able to hold them. I will pass through the tunnel and after that you will bury your weapons deep inside the send and will go to the Hermit, the man of peace and kindness, for your weapons have no use in the upcoming war and it will only lead to destruction. You will want to buy off but the money will become like sand in the desert. You think that your faith will save you and that God will not leave you? But you are not protecting the faith. It can’t be protected by mines and tortures. You say that you are the only ones who have the truth? Is it in the desert? But is the truth just saline land and thorns, rocks and sands? Isn’t it everywhere, and mostly in our souls? You say that fasting and washing away cleanse our souls. But can famine and water cleanse the heart? Fashionable models exhaust themselves by hunger, prostitutes soak in bathtubs and Jacuzzi but this doesn’t make them righteous. You say that you have seen miracles in this desert? May be, I won’t argue. But what is a miracle? A rare phenomenon? You had the honor to be in a special zone, and you, leaning on your weapon are telling about your anointment? A man, who has lived his whole life in a grotto, who is used to cold stones, darkness and who comes out to the light and sees the sun…will he be surprised by its qualities. But this is only in the beginning because later on he will get adjusted to this just like you got adjusted to the desert and its miracles...”
When seeing the Stranger surrounded by warriors, the Soldier took a few seconds to slap himself on his chest, shoulders and belt: it was a mere reflex in front of armed people, but he didn’t even have a knife with him. He fell flat on the ground and looked into the sky.
May be there is still some hope, and the miracle will happen again and they will come out of this alive. He raised himself and slowly came down the hill and as soon as he stepped on an open area, the warriors have taken aim at him.
“I am not armed! Don’t be nervous!” he shouted. “I came to my friend.”
Two warriors jumped up to him, one put the gun to his temple, the other one kicked him with his gun between his shoulder blades.
“This is my friend. Take your weapons away!” demanded the Stranger.
The elder nodded and the warriors put their weapons down.
The Soldier gave the Stranger a hug and whispered into his ear,
“Let’s go and let’s do it fast. The Seer is waiting for us about two hours away from here.”
“No, my friend, I can’t leave. I have to pass the death tunnel,” and he pointed to the dark entrance.
The Soldier peeped into the dark corridors and got scared, an unconcealed fear showed on his face.
“This is the death tunnel. It’s mined, full of traps. They won’t give you a mine detector, will they? I doubt it would even help. They are the desert sons and we are on a truce with them, they demanded to exchange this tunnel to stopping the acts of terror. May be they will let us go? Let’s leave this place!” begged the Soldier.
“Why don’t you want to come with me? You are the mine searcher. Your skills are especially for this. Let’s go together, step in step,” persuaded him the Stranger, but he already saw the Soldier seized by fear, not sure about his strength, broken down, and so, he will lose.
“We will die there, we don’t have special equipment, and you can’t do it in the darkness by touch, I don’t even have a flash light with me! We won’t even see the mine wire. I can feel one mine, may be two but not more than that. The warriors of the desert use charging and discharging mines. You have been in the army, yo
u know what it means. It’s silly to die like that. The Seer can help us get into the City; he is with us now, just as you wanted. This is a great miracle,” whispered the Soldier.
“Time can’t wait,” intruded the elder. “Are you coming with him? We have an agreement: he passes through the tunnel and we go to the Hermit. If he doesn’t pass it, we will pray for him.”
“What Hermit are you talking about?” exclaimed the Soldier. “No one can pass through this tunnel. Please, let him go, begging you, he doesn’t know what he is talking about.”
The desert warrior looked at him with despise. The Stranger stood there stunned. He rejoiced when he saw the Soldier: here is the help.
And again everything went not as he thought it would.
“I counted on you. I thought you could feel the trap,” he said with disappointment, still trying to persuade the friend.
“No, Stranger, there is death there. I can see it. The one will get on a mine, the other will die. We can’t go there. There is death, I can see it. It’s our death.”
“You are right. I will meet you in the City. Go. Just do it,” said the Stranger in a deep voice and turned away. He didn’t expect this blow.
“I can’t watch this. Please, forgive me. God protect you! I am leaving, the Seer said so,” hardly keeping his tears whispered the Soldier and started moving backward.
“You can’t leave. You’ve seen our faces,” said the elder.
The Soldier looked at the warriors. He had a thought: it’s better to die with his friend, than from the bull of these jackals. But the Stranger intruded:
“Leave him alone! This man is not dangerous for you. I am responsible to my words. I will pass the tunnel, just let him leave. The agreement is still in force.”
“Go!” he told his friend sharply. “God protect me.”
The chief of the warriors gave a sign to his team, and the Soldier was allowed to leave.