068: The Supra-Reality Rift
The Rift separates us from the combined mind of Binah and Chokmah. The veil is drawn between the enlightened mind state of Pure Thought and Emotion. The twin paths of Severity and Mercy cross the Rift, but the way is guarded and protected. The demon Khoronzon watches over the Abyss, ready to snatch the unwary -- the unprepared initiate who has not girded themselves properly against the monster of the Rift. His is like Goya's Saturn, ready to devour his own children, the very progeny who seek to discover the true reality on the far side of the Rift.
Neither of the twin paths is easy, both have their traps and snares. They are not wide paths, broad boulevards down which you can hurl yourself in the hope that your resultant velocity will be enough to carry you across the Rift. The path is narrow, twisted, the roadway marked with craters and crevasses. You can stumble, fall, and even break your ankle in a crooked hole. There are skeletal memories along the path, other magicians who have caught their legs in the cracked pathway and been unable to free themselves.
There are tiny parasites who live on the breast of Khoronzon. They have no eyes or ears and their noses are but raw slits on the flat faces. They can smell the fear and the panic of a astral traveler who has found themselves trapped on the path. These parasites have short, stubby wings that carry their burr-covered bodies through the hot air which boils off the Rift. They float like bloated bats on the thick breeze, their blank faces quivering as they taste the air for the scent of fear.
I watch them feast on a struggling magician. They attach themselves to his spectral form, the tiny burrs on their thick flesh adhering them to his gossamer form. There are mouths on their abdomens, bleak slits filled with cracked teeth which stretch and burrow into the struggling magician's astral form. His soul breaks and bleeds, white smoke drifting in a thin line. Two of the parasitic creatures lap at the trail of fading spirit milk, their tongues as equally ridged as their skin.
It doesn't take long for the parasites to devour the astral visitor. There is nothing left of him but a dim outline, a polygon composite like a black and white vector drawing. The parasites, too heavy to fly now, drag themselves back to the edge of the Abyss where Khoronzon waits for them. The intelligent fire in his eyes watches me.
I am afraid of Abyss and its keeper. I am afraid of what lies beyond the hazy veil which hangs across the Rift. I am afraid of losing myself in the Pure Reality of the other side. Khoronzon knows this, knows that I do not have the strength or the skill to evade his grasp if I try to cross the Rift. His fiery eyes dance with glee.
-Jump- his eyes tell me. -Make the leap.- The fires twist hypnotically. -I will catch you.-
I have no doubt he would.
writing
This is a reasonably comprehensive list of my published work, both virtual and physical.
THE MISFIT LIBRARY
I am Nine of Thirteen, one of the members of the Misfit Library, a writing collective which puts out a quarterly journal of our respective work. We are scattered across the globe and determined to change the face of the planet one story at a time. The link above will take you to Misfit Central where you can acquire copies of the journal as well as read exclusive online material.
SYMBOLIC
I wrote a column for OPi8.com's Transmit blogs: journals of the new dark underground. SYMBOLIC tracked the novel I was working on, referencing the process and the research materials which mad up the backbone of the work. In addition, SYMBOLIC busied itself with ruminations and considerations on the nature of language and communication. And a wee bit of mythology. The first 100 entries of SYMBOLIC can be found here on this site as well as at OPi8.com.
LITERARY REPRESENTATION
I am represented by Scribe Agency as my literary agents. Please contact these gentleman if you have any queries about my work.