Doctor Who_ Bunker Soldiers - Martin Day [85]
But I could not bring myself to touch the fallen object. Every time I looked at it a shiver moved up and down my spine.
Petrov turned to me, glowering. ‘What is the matter? Are your hands too fine for this piece of heaven?’
Some of the men at his side chuckled, revelling in the big man’s bravado.
‘No hands are too fine, nor too coarse, for heaven,’ I said. Goaded by the accusing eyes of the others, I stretched out my hands and touched the casket.
Suddenly I was transported elsewhere, a dream more real than life itself.
Before I could even begin to puzzle over what was happening to me, I became aware that I was falling, fast. Wind tore at my eyes and face and fragile limbs. My stomach surged, my mouth was ready to scream – but any sound was ripped away by the awful descent.
Clouds flew past, then dark skies, and moons and planets and suns, then heavens and lands undreamed of. Then heat, then impact – then my eyes opened again to see hel itself. Creatures of war set about each other with grim determination – settlements uprooted like flowers, soldiers crushed in a moment. Everything was defiled, everything was teetering on the brink of the endless abyss.
I turned, and saw angels of light, saw salvation and security and the promise of protection. I ran towards the calm and implacable face of God, and away from the grinning visage of the Evil One.
Then I stumbled, fell, dream unfolding on to dream, and fell once more into the night sky, fel through noonday suns and the celestial spheres, through constellations and arcs and the very machinery of the universe.
I fell, but now I fel with the angels, and saw testaments of salvation, of the destruction of all evil things.
I found myself back in the clearing. Less than a moment had passed.
I withdrew my hand swiftly, as if scalded by the casket.
‘Still hot?’ asked Petrov, with genuine concern.
I shook my head, trying to find the words. A vision... ‘A prophecy!’ I wanted to say more, much more, but my voice was parched, as if from a long journey.
The trapper passed me a skin of water; and I drank greedily.
‘What did you see?’ asked Petrov impatiently.
‘I saw. . ‘ I paused, striving to gather my turbulent thoughts. ‘I saw a war in heaven. Yes, I fell to earth with Lucifer himself – the war was everywhere. Heaven, earth, hell. It mattered not. Only the battle mattered.’ I took another swig. ‘But the creatures I saw, the angels... They promised protection. They spoke of the end of the battle, the end of war.’
Petrov smiled. ‘It is a good omen, as I thought.’
A man nodded. ‘We must consult Alexander. His wisdom will help us understand this sign.’
Petrov laughed. ‘Of course... But is it not clear to any man with a clean soul and a hardy spirit? This casket contains an angel, released to us to give us hope!’
‘The cathedral,’ added the trapper quietly. ‘We must take this to the cathedral.’
Petrov nodded. ‘A holy creature belongs in the house of the holy.’ He turned to me, mindful of my vision, my insight into this great and awful gift from God. ‘What say you?’
I could not help but turn away from the casket, disturbed by what I had seen. ‘lf Alexander agrees, then, of course. I am sure the city authorities can arrange transportation.’
‘Nonsense!’ growled Petrov. ‘We will all play our part, and deliver the angel ourselves. But first, we will celebrate, and thank our Maker.’ He clapped me on the shoulders. ‘We do not find the coffin of an angel every day
– still less are we blessed with an insight into the very heart of God.’
I nodded mutely.
We began to drift away, to make plans to transport the casket to the cathedral. I allowed myself one last glance back into the clearing. As I did so, a shadow fell across the sun, and the coffin fel into darkness.
XX
Deus absconditus
The siege of Kiev was swift and brutal.
The great Mongol army swept down and around the city, encircling it with grim precision. The cavalry moved in ordered units, ensuring that no Russian would escape the carnage.
Behind them came the lumbering siege engines