Page 119 of How To Take Down A Cult At The End Of The World
He laughs and has to brace his hands on his knees. “I did. Holy hells, I think I’m going to be sick.”
I rush forward to help him but in the end Jaak doesn’t get sick. After another minute of standing together and looking out at Acheron, he takes my hand and leads me towards the settlement.
“Let’s take a closer look. The settlements of my time were smaller than that one. I want to see how they’ve changed.”
We walk along in silence to the settlement. I mostly watch Jaak while he looks out at the landscape around us. A bird flies overhead and Jaak watches it with a boyish grin on his face. My heart melts at the sight. He looks so much younger here. Freer.
We enter the town and see a marketplace up ahead of us. I smell cooked meat on the wind and grab Jaak’s arm.
“We have to go check that out. It smells great.”
“The food is good here. Let’s go.”
We get a few looks from people as we walk through town. Our clothes make us stand out but not as much as I would have thought. The people around us are dressed colorfully, the women in dresses and the men in loose fighting pants and tops. Note to self: recon the clothing before we teleport.
I’m making mental notes on what we should wear for next time when I see something in front of the bustling marketplace that makes me stop.
“What’s that?” I ask and point at a statue. It’s a boy standing with his arms outstretched like he’s protecting someone behind him. For just a child he looks stern, immoveable. We walk up to the statue and see coins at his feet. There’s so many they blanket the ground entirely at the statue’s feet. There’s all colors and kinds, some are so old they’ve rusted and their faces are worn away.
“I don’t know. A god, perhaps. We had our own statues of the deities we made offerings to in our settlement’s gathering place. I see that hasn’t changed.”
We move to leave and I stop to give the statue a last look in time to see a boy rush up with a handful of coins. He drops to his knees and begins to drop them one by one at the statues’ feet. He’s halfway through when he looks up at us. He tilts his head and gives us a once over.
“You’ve got no offering. Why?”
My brain short circuits because I didn’t think of that. I have nothing on me. “Uhhhh, that’s a great question.”
“Will this work?” Jaak asks, holding up a gold coin. It looks old, ancient, the edges beveled and thick.
The boy’s mouth drops open and he nods vigorously. “A coin of old? You must have traded someone well for that. It’s more than enough forHe Who Stands.” He must know we’re in need of guidance on what to do next because he points at the othercoins and tells us. “Go on then, toss it to him and think of what you hold most dear.”
“And what will that do?” Jaak asks. He gives the statue a curious look. “What is he the god of?”
“He Who Stands is not a god. You’re a visitor if you don’t know that. I figured as much.”
Jaak nods and flips the coin he holds in his hand. “You’re right, we are. Can you tell us about He Who Stands? Why are there so many coins here?”
“Because a coin was the offering he gave to save the world,” the boy says and holds up a coin as he speaks. “In the time before, we were visited by a cruel and hungry god that meant to devour us. All was lost until the youngest of the tribe came forward and offered all the riches he owned to the god. For him it was a single coin.”
Beside me Jaak goes still. I don’t have to look at him to know he’s in shock. “And then what happened?” I ask.
“The god took the boy because he was pure of heart. The boy’s soul and heart were stolen as the price to save our home. We honor his sacrifice here, in all the villages they honor him. The best celebrations are in the city.”
“Do you remember his name?” I ask the boy.
He looks away from the statue and gives me a ‘what the hell look’. “No of course not, that’s why he’s called-”
“He Who Stands, right,” I say and look at Jaak. He’s staring at the statue. I swallow hard and wave to the boy. “Thanks for sharing that with us. We will remember it and bring more offerings next time.”
“Remember. One for everything you love. Then He Who Stands will keep it safe for you.”
“Got it. Thank you again.” I grab Jaak’s arm and lead him a few feet away from the boy and the statue. I want to cry watching the boy drop the last of his coins at the statue's feet. For all theyears that Jaak was lost he wasn’t lost to his home. They honored him even after they forgot his name and I know they’ll keep on doing it long after we’re both gone.
I slip my hand into his. “It’s you,” I whisper and look from the statue to Jaak and back again.
Jaak looks away from the statue and towards me. Our gazes meet and I see what he doesn’t say. The heartbreak, the longing, but most of all the peace. I understand it because I carried the same pain until Jaak changed everything. There’s tears in his eyes when he smiles. My beautiful husband looks so beautifully whole at this moment. I’ve never seen anything so breathtaking, and I don’t think I ever will again.
“That’s you. They never forgot you.”
“No, they didn’t.” He raises my hand and kisses the back of it. “No matter where you are or where you go. Home never forgets you.” Jaak puts his arm around me and I turn into him. Together we stand and look at the statue for another minute. When a new worshipper comes with coins to lay at its feet Jaak turns to the market, but not before he pauses to add his own coin in offering.
“What did you think of?” I ask him.
“You. It’s always you, my heart.”
Ahead of us stretches the whole day, an eternity, the freedom to explore his home or any other place we choose before we return to the place that’s become all our own.
No matter where we go I know my home will always be with him.