Stone Walker: A Fairy Tale

Her mind screamed so loudly she thought she could feel vibrations bang against the rough cement of her prison. The isolation and abandonment threatened to drive her mad, a madness she could already feel creeping along her nerves; and, she'd been confined in this dungeon for less than a day. The small window high up in the tower was only now dimming with night. The tears had dried long ago leaving salt streaks on her cheeks and a grit behind her eyelids. Her fingers had become soft and splintered from scraping them on the solid, dark, thick oak door now shut against her mind and body. The door was the softest part of her prison enclosure, the only part not made of stone. She shivered again but refused to stay still. She felt there wasn't much time before she really would go mad if she didn't find a way out. Even a witch deserved to stand beneath the sun and moon, feel grass beneath her feet, feel the soft wind blow through her long dark hair, feel the white moon beams against her cheeks. The memories once again filled her heart with weeping.

I must get out. Let me out. she cried into the empty, dank room. In between sobs she wondered why she was so miserable, in truth, she'd been confined all her life; for her own good, she was always told. She grew up living in a large apartment within a vast courtyard on the side of Castle Mount. So what makes the difference now? Why am I so upset? Because now I have no servants, no television, no books, no friends. That's what I miss the most, my friends. They are gone. How did it happen that I can't contact any of them. She remembered old Manny Field who had that lopsided grin, pug nose, white hair and quick wit. He always shared bits of news or quick a witticism. Or Angelica who understood her most intimate female needs. Or Nancy who... Oh, what's the use. They are all gone now. Disappeared, either that or I have.

She quieted and took another look around her small prison. A cracked cinder block caught her attention. It looked roughened perhaps by some other prisoner driving a sharp item between the cracks. She grabbed up the possibility and began to scrape at the crack with her fingernails. The rough cement tore at her nails and nerves as she pulled and poked; regardless, nothing changed but a few small flea pieces of sand fell to the floor.

I will not give up, she kept repeating to herself, I must not. She rubbed her torn nails and bloody fingers on the wet stone feeling the backbreaking hopelessness of the task. She had made barely a scratch in the rock. There is no way out.

Finally, she slumped down in the far corner and bent her head in dismal admission of her betrayal and imprisonment. Yesterday day she had been running free in the courtyard and now today she was closed in forever.

How had she been discovered? None of her friends would have told. Of that she was sure. It must have been the last servant her mother hired to keep her occupied. But how did the servant know that I was speaking to people outside? Did I write it in my diary? I must have slipped up somehow. If I did write about send thoughts through the air, it would have seemed trivial to a simple servant. After all, it is such a small talent with no useful function except for her own pleasure. Perhaps there is more to it, something I don’t know yet. And never will know now. Why doesn’t she just kill me off? Impossible to understand, so she closed her eyes and eventually dropped off into a fitful sleep.

She awakened at next dawn to a tiny scraping and clicking noise. Through the dim light she could just see that the crack of the night before. It was larger now. A half inch gap showed black where she had been digging yesterday. She crawled over to the granite block and began scraping at it on her side with her swollen fingers but soon gave up. Her fingers were too sore. A puff of dust blew out from the widening hole, then another.

But when she tried to grab at the stone block with her swollen fingers she thought she heard a voice squeak out, “Stop, you’re making it harder.”

Ella sat back bemused by the sudden voice. Perhaps I am not only a prisoner but a crazy one. As she watched more puffs of powder cement fell from the hole she knew something real was happening. The crack was growing larger around the block of stone. Finally the whole block began to scrape and crunch. A damp, rotten odor blew past her face as the heavy block fell to the stone floor.

When the block tumbled out Ella stood up and shrieked. What came tumbling behind it was a huge gray rat with a long ropy tail. The rat quickly scampered to where she stood shrieking and told her to stop.

“Stop it, right now. You want to get out of here don’t you?” It squeaked at her.

Ella blinked her eyes and squeezed her nose closed at the rotten odor still emanating from the new hole but she did shut her mouth. She was sharp witted, and quickly realized there might be something to this talking mouse or rat or whatever it was with the nuts and bolts growing out of its back. No, it is made of metal, not so frightening then, just impossible. She sniffled in her tears and watched the crazy rat as it ran in a fast circle.

The rat turned faster and faster as she watched. Soon it became a blur of stale air and dirt. Then the dust turned into a tall plume. As Ella watched in awe, the swirling dust ball grew taller and taller until it became a swirling column of soft lighted dust floating in the air. Fascinated, she watched the progress of the column as it expanded from a thin line to a wider one.

Finally it must have reached a pinnacle of growth because it belched an opening down its side from the top to the bottom. A tall, pointed man stepped out and on to the stone floor. His hand held what looked like a mirror that he shined at the column. Dust particles fell into it when he opened it and when he closed it up like book the column was gone. She saw that he was the same height as she was, but he was wearing a pointed hat made out of metal that made him look taller. His eyes were blacker than night beads and his nose was so small it seemed almost missing. His arms that stuck out from a loose gray gown, were stringy and small. He looked strange because his head was much larger than it should have been. He was in such odd proportion that she began to giggle.

He glared at her with his face bent sideways and his black eyes bulging in her direction. Then said, "That's all the thanks I get for rescuing you."

"But you haven't rescued me." Ella giggled again.

“Well, I might help, if you cooperate. If you can stop laughing long enough.”

“Oh, I am sorry.” Ella would have giggled the harder, but she was too polite. So she caught herself up quick. She did want to get out of here. Maybe he really could help.

“Who are you?”

“Call me Sidney.”

“Well, Sidney, how are you going to rescue me? I am not a rat.” At that the rat ran up Sidney’s robe and snuggled into a pocket. She managed a tight smile. Then she looked at the small hole left from the stone block that had fell to the floor, “I don’t think I can fit through there, do you?

“No of course not. Not only are these walls thick but you are buried about a mile below ground in one of the oldest castles in the world. So far down that if you took the stairs it would take a half a day to get to the top.”

“But there is a small window on the east wall. Look sunlight is starting to shine in now.”

“That window is not real. It is an illusion, one of many. Long ago, the window's purpose was to make the captive believe they were in here longer than actual. By manipulating the window, the keepers could control the time sense of the prisoner and increase the torture effect.

“Oh’ was all Ella could say as she looked back up to the bared window high over head. It still looked like a real window to her. “Then how will we get out of here? Fly?”

“Well, not through that window for sure. Actually, you are going to get us out of here. That very small talent of yours is a lot bigger than you think. It will be our means of escape.”

Ella felt exasperated at his words. “Don’t you think I have tried to escape? Can’t we get out the same way you came in?”

“Trust me, you couldn’t squeeze inside. That is my talent and too hard to explain. You lack training. Your mother knows the power of your talent. That is why you are down here. It didn't show up until adolescence, did it?”

"I don't think so. But why doesn’t she just kill me?"

“If she had killed you without expert planning every one of your friends would have felt your absence. Your mind would have abruptly quit sending the mental signals from your psyche. As it is, even though you can’t communicate with other people, they can still feel your life essence. The thread isn’t broken.”

“And if it was to break?”

“Then there would be eye opening questions. Right now the people are willing slaves, later after a few revealed facts were revealed, perhaps not so willing.”

“But why did she do it? Put me down here, I mean."

“Don’t you understand yet?” Sydney's head bent to the side again as he glared and threw his hands down in a motion of exasperation. "Only queens can send their minds out to other people and nations. You my dear, are a queen. Your ability is a threat to her position as the head of this kingdom. All this time she thought your talent was inert or genetically missing because you never gave any evidence of your ability. Until now, that is. Why did you?”

“Why did I what?”

“Let people know you could send thoughts to other people.”

“But I didn't, I don't know how she found out. I was never sure why but I always knew to keep quiet about it. I never told anyone. Only the people I talked to knew.” She added, “I guess maybe I wrote something and one of her servants found it.”

Her mind was running fast trying to keep up with this new understanding he was throwing at her and everything he told her made sense, but it still didn't get them out of here. “Ok, so lets get out of here, lets go. Get me out of here.”

No, not me, you. You already have the talent; you just don't know it. You will walk us out of here. I'll hold on to your waist so you can take me too.”

Ella felt sudden exasperation at Sidney for giving her hope and then taking it away again. "That is stupid. If I knew how to walk out of here, I would have by now." She stomped her foot down hard on the stone floor. "You are a crazy man."

Sidney heaved a great sigh, "Let me explain. This is a very convoluted castle. It was built as a maze, a second insurance against escape. The most desirable avenue would be up but that easy route is deceptive. And blocked.”

"Hump. Yeah under a mile of stone."

No, that isn't what is stopping you. It is the layers of plutonium sandwiched in between the ceilings and walls in numerous places. You need to feel our way out, slowly, but we may not have much time. She may detect my presence or your movement. So let’s begin.”

“Sure. How?”

“Follow my instructions exactly until you get the hang of it. Face north and send your mind out until you feel a barrier.”

“Ok. Yes! I do feel something stopping me. That’s why I couldn’t contact any of my friends, isn’t it?”

“Yes, not import. Now face west and try to feel the barrier there too.”

“Ok, now what?”

“Now South, then East and tell me which direction has the most space before you hit a barrier.”

Ella did as she was told and pointed west. “I think that direction. But can’t you do it too?”

“No, I can’t or I wouldn’t have come down here in a rat. Now I am going to hug you and we are going to think very hard about moving West. How many feet of space do you think before the barrier?”

“About ten feet.”

“Then we will both imagine ourselves nine feet west. Put the thought inside your mind as if you are already there. You will jump us nine feet.”

“Jump?”

“Yes, jump.”

The tall man hugged his arms around her waste and she around his chest as they both imagined nine feet through rock. Suddenly Ella felt herself inside a very confined space with dank rotting air. She let go of the tall man and took a breath but then was sorry. She closed her mouth again and tried to squeeze her nostrils shut but it was already too late. Powder dust that had been laying inside the walls for thousands of years had just been stirred up by their bodies and now hovered and clung inside her throat like glue. She coughed and then wished she hadn't.

“Don’t worry about the dust, it's only dead rats and other vermin.”

Ella shuddered and wanted to throw up, but there wasn’t time.

“Next time, don't stop. Check in every direction and then jump where you find the farthest opening. Oh, don't forget to check up and down too.”

She nodded but realized she didn’t need to actually turn her whole body in each direction. That she only send needed to push her mind around her to check out their next destination. East, she pointed with her mouth firmly closed.

“So it went for a number of directions across, ups, and downs until they stopped in a small garden filled with flowers boxes arraigned amid green grass with a few wooden benches lined against the stone walls. The blue sky shone through a glass ceiling above them. Here Ella gave out with a sigh of relief. Must be near the top. She decided to sit down for a short rest. The mental strain was weakening her effort.

Sidney sat next to her on the bench and seemed as out of breath as she did.

“Are we almost out of the castle now? I can’t feel any of my friends yet.”

“No, we are in an enclosed courtyard. The glass ceiling is fake just like the window was.”

“Oh.” I am so tired. How long will it take.”

Sidney suddenly took her face in his hands and turned her towards him. “I didn’t tell you before because you might have become too frightened to try, but this is a very dangerous mode of travel we are undertaking. So dangerous we may never get out.”

Her eyes bore into his as he spoke and she could sense real fear for her in his eyes.

“It is possible,” he added, “That you could accidentally jump us inside solid stone. Also there are other prisoners in cells and they could be dangerous. I can’t vouch for their sanity after years of confinement. Do you understand?”

She nodded that she did.

“Then let us continue.”

They stood together and hugged. Soon they moved South, East, and up. They kept up this pace for a long time only stopping when they had to. Once they stopped in a room full of antique furniture covered in plastic that looked like it had been there for a thousand years. One stop put them underwater and gave then the illusion they were drowning, they quickly got out of there.

Then they stepped into a cold, damp cell that was occupied. A man was singing and humming to himself while swaying back and forth with a sing-song motion. He was very close and grabbed at Ella’s hand before she could move away. “Help me, help me, Please help me.”

Ella couldn’t help herself. She knelt down next to the ragged man and hugged him. "I am sorry. I can’t help you right now. I am trying to get out myself."

“Can’t you take me with you?” the man pleaded, “Please take me out of here.”

Ella looked at Sidney, "Can we?"

The thin man looked at them with such sad eyes that nether of them could refuse. So he joined their huddle before they jumped again.

They met a few more prisoners as they worked their way upward in the castle, some sane and some not so sane. Ella didn’t know if they were criminals or political prisoners but she took pity on each of them regardless of they weren’t crazy. Soon they had quite a large huddle jumping between the cinderblock walls of the castle. It was getting more dangerous with each addition because Ella had to make sure that each space they jumped into was big enough to hold them, ten in all. She had to take many detours and odd turns but gradually they moved towards the top of the castle.

Eventually they stood in a large anteroom of silver polished stone walls and floors. Deep red velvet curtains hung down the huge windows with pulled to the side with gold tassels. The sunlight that poured from the windows looked very real.

"Is this fake, too?" Ella whispered to Sidney.

He shook his head to motion that it was not fake and held his fingers up to his lips to signal silence. Suddenly, each person in their group was aware of the danger that faced them for they could hear the queen’s voice vibrate against their nerves from the opening into the next room. Her shrill voice sounded angry as if she was lashing out at someone in the audience hall.

Quickly Sidney stepped to the forefront and pulled out his mirror book then set it on the polished floor. “A change of plans,” he said.

He set the mouse down and it jumped into the mirror. A large box rose grew up from the mirror. Sidney opened a small door in its top then put his arm inside and pulled out a long gleaming sword. This he gave to the first man they had rescued. Then he pulled out more swords, and knives. "No guns. Too loud," he whispered. When everyone had been handed a weapon the box collapsed and he pocketed the mirror and mouse once more.

Then turning towards the arched opening and red curtain that blocked the doorway, he motioned the group towards the other room and the queen.

The prisioners were all willing to go, ragged and bony, they were determined to put up a good fight. Ella held a sharp knife with a long blade, but back so she could go into the room last. She was weary of her mother’s tricks. Sidney led and with a nod of each head they marched towards death or victory.

When Ella stepped into the audience hall the first thing she saw was the queen, tall and thin, wearing a long black gown that made her look like a vampire with her red lips and the blood red necklace hanging from her neck. She was walking back and forth in front of thousands of people who lay bowed on the floor, their round backs making a bubble pattern across the immense floor and screaming at the red coated guards who stood at attention.

The prisoners she had gathered lay bowed on the floor before her. Sidney too.

Suddenly the queen stopped pacing and stood silent still facing her audience. All sound had stopped. The stillness was absolute; not a hair moved out of place from any person in the room, those bowed or standing as solders. Everyone stayed as if frozen into stone, held against their will, stuck in agonizing poses as they faced their queen in adulation.

As Ella’s bare foot stepped to the polished stone and made a soft squeak. The queen noticed that she wasn’t still like the others. She grinned her loathing. Her wide red lips smirked across her face. Then she laughed out loud and said, “I have been waiting for you, dear. Come here to me.”

With those words Ella felt her mind squeeze tight into a narrow beam or thread that led to the queen. She felt compelled to move forward, one slow step at a time she agonizingly stepped forward until she faced her maternal nemeses. She hid the fact that her mind was still free.

“Bow down to me.” Her mother demanded. "Like the rest of my servants." She swung her arms out in full display of her audience.

Ella bowed her head down as the queen said, but she kept her arm with the knife hidden at her side.

“Lower, lower.” The queen screamed at her. Get on the floor like the others.

Ella did as she was bid and lay down on the floor but with her face towards the high ceiling instead of towards the floor.

The queen kicked hard with her shoe at her daughter to make sure she was frozen like the rest of her admirers. Ella felt it and blinked. The queen bent her head down to check. “You should have stayed in your cell. Now you will die.”

At the words Ella’s mind angered, but she pushed it down. Wait for the right moment. Keep the mind still like your body, she said to herself as she lay beneath the queen. She lay on the polished floor staring up at the ceiling and hardly dared let a breath escape out of her mouth.

The queen, bending even further downward, grinned close into her face.

That was when Ella struck. “No you will die.” She yelled and swiftly raised her hand holding the knife. In one swift thrust upwards she felt the knife sink deep into her mother’s throat. The queen turned white as blood poured from her throat, then she fell to the floor dead.

Ella’s mind suddenly widened and she could feel her friends running towards the castle. The other people were released from the queen's mental hold all at once. The sense of sudden freedom was breathtaking. But not for long, solders jumped at them from both sides of the hall. This was when the swords became most useful and Ella wanted to help but was suddenly drained of all strength. She was concerned for her group that was now surrounded by red coated solders, but surprisingly the people who had been struck prone on the floor also rose up to attack the solders. With their help, the battle was short and quickly ended.

Sidney danced around with Ella as a thousand people clapped and shouted for joy. The people who knew they were captives hated the queen and they proceeded to tare her body apart with their bare hands and throw the pieces out the window for the carrion to eat.

After the battle was finally over, Ella laughed and sent a kiss with her mind and promised to never use her mind to control anyone. She promised all the people that they would remain free always from that day forward. The legend of how she saved the kingdom and of her walk through the stone castle grew far and wide; she became known as The Stone Walker.

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