The Gold People: Archetypal Worlds, #2

By Michael A. Susko

After an earthquake, an archetypal land opens for Meggin, Stephanie, and Beam. There, they encounter a dog-like Sphinx, who becomes their guide and remains their ally even after death. The three are challenged to solve the riddle of how to save the Gold People, who have been swallowed by a giant snake, and to stop more sacrifices demanded by the Wormsak. The ending shows us the way in which fantasy can pour into reality.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: AllrOneofUs Publishing
• Release date: Aug 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201947378

Michael A. Susko

The author, an independent scholar, has degrees in Philosophy and Counseling Psychology. For many years, he taught a college course on Indigenous symbolism with an emphasis on imagery found on stone and in the landscape. Having experienced gifts from the Indigenous related to sites that Native Americans inhabited, and having studied their narratives, he offers this work.

Book preview

CHAPTER I

Sphinx and the Green -rimmed World

It started one afternoon when cousins, Beam and Stephanie, were visiting their friend Meggin. The house was perched on a hill in the country, and they were in the basement playing  Zelda, Breath of the Wild. Meggin was thinking it would be better to be outside, while Beam was totally absorbed in the game. Stephanie had agreed to play to please the others. When they were halfway through–––no one caring much who did better––the stairs shook and everything went dark. Crashing noises followed, and Beam screamed, It’s an earthquake! followed by Meggin shouting, Over here! There’s a way out!

Half of the basement had collapsed, the half with the stair end, and an opening on the other side had appeared. It did not look inviting to enter. (They had wondered why the opening had appeared there and decided later it had something to do with the house being built near ancient Indian mounds.)

That was a good size quake, Beam remarked. We’re lucky no one’s hurt.

Still, we’re trapped underground, and we’ve left our phones upstairs, said Stephanie. Who knows what’s happened to our parents. They will be traveling home about this time.

Strange, said Meggin. Did you hear something? I thought I heard a muffled voice from the opening.

I didn’t hear anything, said Beam. It must be an aftershock of the quake.

No, someone’s calling, said Meggin. It seems distant. The opening must lead to a cave underneath ... it’s like someone is trapped there.

We’re the ones trapped, Beam corrected. But I’m worried about the other half of the basement caving in. Maybe it would be safer to go into the tunnel.

It’s totally dark, said Stephanie. There should be help coming....

I think Beam is right, said Meggin. Who knows what shape the house is in above us. For some reason, she grabbed her backpack, although nothing was in it.

They stepped into the tunnel, and Meggin heard the call again. It’s not much further, she said, following the wall with her hands. After a few steps, she exclaimed, Light, there’s light! The others hurried forward, surprised to see a dim light reflected against the stone.

It means there’s a way out, Beam surmised. We should be able to surface soon.

They went around three or four bends, the light becoming stronger after each turn. Everyone became speechless as the tunnel emerged onto a hillside into the open day.

Where’s my house? asked Meggin, looking around. We just went a little way.

All around them, a brightly lit plain was punctuated by smooth green mounds and rimmed by a distant low wall.

This is very different, said Beam. Yet, this looks like where we were.

It’s like part of the picture was erased by a time warp, Stephanie ventured.

I don’t think we need to be that fantastic, said Beam. There was a quake. We got disoriented, we’ve surfaced somewhere, and lost our sense of direction.

There was no clue to where or when they were, except that things felt different. The morning sun cast golden rays into a thin layer of fog, and the temperature was warm, as if the sun was embracing them. They felt much lighter and happier, and for the moment, no one worried about the lost house.

It is good to know the sun is still here, Stephanie remarked. Wherever we are, it can’t be so bad.

Let’s look around, said Meggin. Maybe whatever was calling from the tunnel is around here.

Let’s go to the top of one of the mounds and get our bearings, suggested Beam. One of these hills must have been where the house was.

They were out of breath when they reached the top of a mound, still misted by fog. What’s that? they voiced together.

In the center of the mound stood a golden statue of an animal.

It looks like a guardian animal of an ancient temple, said Stephanie.

But no temple... I don’t see anything to guard, Beam observed.

Maybe the mound is the temple, and it guards the land, guessed Meggin.

From what? asked Beam. Look! The whole land was becoming covered by a mist, such that they only saw other green tops of mounds piercing through like islands.

I don’t know how a fog could get thick so fast, wondered Stephanie. But it didn’t seem the group much, for the fog had a wonderful golden tint, which was not threatening at all.

I’m not a statue, they suddenly heard a voice object. It was the animal, which was gold, except for a dark muzzle, black-tipped ears, and a tail.

It spoke! cried Stephanie.

"I’m not an it, either."

He looks like a large dog or a wolf, said Beam, still responding as if the creature had not spoken.

I am before wolf and dog, the creature went on. But I am at your service and will allow you to name me.

The three were flabbergasted when they fully realized that this animal-statue was speaking to them.

It is the custom for people to name animals in this land, the creature went on, rustling his fur such that light appeared to sparkle from it. Even as his mouth moved, and his body shook, his legs remained rooted, as if still part statue.

How about Sphinx? asked Meggin.

Good, said the creature. I rather like history. Tell me where you wish to go.

Oh... we wanted to know the way back home, to my–– began Stephanie, but Meggin interrupted.

We were in an earthquake, trapped. Someone was calling us from a tunnel which appeared in the basement. We found our way out, but my house has disappeared. Maybe you can help explain things....

Sphinx’s legs unfroze, as if a spell had been broken and she said, Come with me. He bounded down the mound toward the low encircling wall, and the three youths followed.

CHAPTER II

Vibrations

The wall-rim was further than they thought, and when they reached it, it was low enough to look beyond. The cover of clouds had lifted, revealing more rolling hills, some forested and others topped with a rough sedge. In the distance two black birds soared, but there was no other sign of life.

Something feels eerie, said Stephanie. It looks untamed beyond. It feels like it would be safer for us to stay within the rim.

Meggin pointed. Look, a road! The grass and weeds have all but covered it, but it must lead somewhere.

"I