man who could not be killed part 3 - Earth and Sky

Gods it was cold. Following the trail in the snow. Then I saw the blood. Dammit it was mine. I grabbed my cell and with numb fingers dialed Ernesto. I couldn’t afford to lose conscoi………….

GABRIEL/BETH - Chalice speaks to you in whispers.

So cold………

He was the definition of solidity, as if no other form of matter could define him. She was his complimentary antonym. Ethreal, intangible

RONIN – I am a fortress.

GABRIEL – Castles isolate.

Parry, dodge.

GABRIEL – And all eventually fall under siege.

As part of this I got to describe thr training. I'll do it in three words. It ain't easy.

Chalice will tell you what she can of her champions. My teacher was Gabriel Cross and his wife Beth. Gabe was strong, surly, mean and gifted. He always told me.

GABRIEL - You got the hands of a pianist, too bad you got the ears of a stone.

RONIN - Don't have the makings of an artist.

GABRIEL - Then all you'll ever be able to draw is blood.

He was a jazz musician and everything came from him in waves of geometric improvisation. Beth ,his wife, was the devout one. They split the tasks of my education. He taught me the blade and she taught me to see. Gabe had the titanium balls for a black man to marry a Jewish girl against both their families wishes in the 1930's. Beth could lay down a beating as well as any. As a team of hunters they were forthright and meticulous. But beth always the more spiritual one always called me to her"golem". I was always more mehcanical in my faith a construct of clay and rage. She knew from the first day that I loved them. But knew I would never admit it. Except in prose where I could chalk up any sentiment to scotch.

Smoke wafted through their brownstone in Harlem. SHe respecting my gift for language and bearing teeth for my lack of self discipline.

RONIN - I was beginning to think my name was big ugly white guy.

Parry - ripost - hit - dammit.

GABRIEL - I'll just call you high yellow.

Then Beth would train me.

SHe whacked me on the back of the head. I used to think that it was Hebrew for Affection.

GABRIEL – GET UP!!!!!

BETH - If you die because of your recless abandon.

RONIN - That's hurtful.

She lands a punch to the solar plexius.

BETH - Which hurts more? You sholudn't be throwing around your metaphors like that.

GABRIEL - The boy invites disaster.

BETH – You can’t rely on fortitude, there is also agility.

I continued.

RONIN - If I die.

BETH - When you die. be specific.

RONIN - WHen I die. It better not be because of carelessness.

BETH - Carelessness is cowardice of planning.

RONIN - SO when I die.

GABRIEL/CHALICE – GET UP!!!!!!

BETH - Don't bother to haunt me. Ghosts are easy to ignore.

Well some are anyway.

RONIN - I'm gutted that you said that.

She tipped her head and looked up at me with those big brown animae eyes, drawing a steel Hibbon Claw lightly across my engorged stomach.

BETH - Be glad I gutted you with words.

There was a kiai. Then I lost consciousness.

The training and basic information takes about a year. Wisdom takes longer. After one too many raps to the head he'd gently yet forcibly grab my by my once ample hair.

GABRIEL - Your head although you don't use it for a damn thing, is only good for a hatrack if you keep giving it to me.

Then I lost consciousness.

They introduced me to Emma and knew that she was the one person I couldn't bully, fight, outthink, or fuck my way passed.

GABRIEL - Some day you'll learn.

BETH - I just hope we'll be around to see it. Oh the mockery that would ensue.

RONIN - Alot of mockery?

GABRIEL - Mockery, In buckets and barrels, flooding the lowlands and filling the gullies.

RONIN - You wound me.

I said jokingly. Then I lost consciousness.

Rince and repeat.

GABRIEL/CHALICE/BETH – GET UP!!!!!!!!

I awoke to Ernesto and Calico. The safehouse. Calico was curled up ficklely at th foot of the Bed.

ERNESTO – Big Dumb ass Viking. You are a bitch to carry.

CALICO – He’s been complainy all night.

ERNESTO – And you don’t complain.

CALICO – I’ve accepted my divinity.

RONIN – I don’t mean to blaspheme then. But where is the girl? I don’t even know her name.

ERNESTO – You speak six languages and you don’t speak Spanish.

CALICO – Same reason he doesn’t read Harry Potter, false non conformity.

RONIN – Good to see you too Kitty.

ERNESTO – You lost her, It’ll be daybreak soon. We can search for her then.