Ghost City by Christian Read

Author:Christian Read
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: supernatural, lark, fantasy urban, occult noir

v

It's out in the shed. The Lullian Device. A volvelle it's called.

Computer cats dig Lull's work. It's all code with them but I ain't got no time for that stuff. Lullian Device to a practicing occultist is a different thing to a civilian. One hears magic, the other, maths.

Column of some bright, beautiful steel. Five-foot-high, two feet across the width. Around it, mounted on it, like quoits, steel disks, flaring out six inches a side. Twelve, each a few inches apart. On each of those disks, acid or laser-etched, magic script and pattern more ambitious than a clock face. Elaborate matrices of descending circles, separated into discrete sections. In each of those sections, more magic words. More Latin and Hebrew. No clue on the Hebrew but the Latin is the names of God and Angels.

On a different disc, musical notations from before bars. The notes all squares not circles. Then up to modern-style staves.

Power cords lead into it. The whole thing shines like a chrome spider in a web. Computers up one side of the shack room we're in, linking to it, running some diagnostic or doing some calculation. Some speakers wired on to the roof. More cords and leads plugging into the column of the machine. USB ports, surrounded by holy sigils. One laptop sits away from the rest. Check that out.

Don't know what I'm looking at but it's grinding out like it's working.

One button on a page that says 'execute.'

Probably shouldn't push this. Probably should do a lot of things.

'Bettina. Can you grab me an armful of sticks.'

Cocks her head. 'You doing some magic?'

'Yeah.'

'Coo'.'

Half the reason Bettina sticks with me is she digs magic.

Never tries it herself, though.

Spend some more time looking over the machine and the shack. Back of it, behind the machine, there's a grid on the ground, measured out in copper wire. Three foot by three.

When she comes back, ask her to lay the sticks end-to-end around the shack.

'Magic circle, right?'

'Yeah.'

'I'm learning.'

'Yeah you are.'

Make another circle inside, around the machine.

Stand outside that circle, lift a palm and give it a bit of Gnosticism. Seems appropriate. A bit of Solomon.

'Ophanim, revolve and shine.

Chaioth ha Kadosh, cry, speak, roar, bellow!

Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh.

Shaddai, Adonai, Iod-Havah,

Eheieh, Asher Eheieh!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Amen, Amen, Amen.'

Finish it with the two fingers straight up, the rest folded behind the thumb. Move it in a triangle fashion. Gnostic blessing. Old school for the old school and Mully did get some learning into me.

Bettina coughs low. She's asking if she can talk to me. Wave her closer.

'What was that you said?'

'Something like prayers.'

'No, for serious.'

'Ain't lying. Invoking the holy power of God.'

'Aight.'

'Walk like I walk, lady.'

Bow and step slowly, ritually, into the second circle. She does too.

Turn it on.

In magical consciousness... finally. Some answers. Some magic. This place lights up when the Operation starts. There's nothing to see because it's all here, all... automated.

The machine starts to turn. All the discs moving at different speeds. Revolving carefully. They go transparent, which is a neat trick for solid metal.

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