Shrooms of Benares by Robert Jeschonek

Author:Robert Jeschonek [Jeschonek, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pie Press

Two hours passed with no contact from Naima. Against her wishes, Father Obregón stayed the course, charging through the wilderness toward her camp.

As his hoversled glided through the fungiscape, he passed the usual parade of wonders but was only dimly aware of them. He wound his way through a forest of massive chanterelles, their pearlescent scalloped lobes blossoming in spectacular fashion...but he didn't really see them. He skated over a field of waist-high fairy ring mushrooms, their curled skirts uplifted like delicate ivory pinafores...but he couldn't appreciate them, either. Same for the procession of filmy lavender veils rippling through the air like magic carpets over red-orange fungal spires.

All he could think about was Naima and what he could do to save her. He wracked his brain, trying to sort out what had happened, struggling to latch onto a solution.

Suddenly, his head buzzed with an incoming call. He jumped and nearly swerved the sled into a wall of crystalline lattice lichens in his hurry to open the line.

"Naima?" He said it aloud and in his mind at the same time. "Are you all right?"

"You didn't do what I told you." She sounded weary but not angry. "You're still coming, aren't you?"

"I don't think there's anyone else left on Benares," said Father Obregón. "It's down to the two of us."

Naima didn't say anything in response to that.

Father Obregón rubbed his eyes. "Have more of the creatures arrived?"

"I've lost count."

"Have they communicated with you? Have they said anything?"

"No," said Naima, "but I think you were right. I think they're waiting for you."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because they're all facing in your direction," said Naima. "None of them are looking at me anymore."

"I wonder what they want with me." Father Obregón stroked his bearded chin. "'EAT GOD,' they said. Do they think we're actually eating our God during communion? Maybe they want a taste for themselves."

"By eating those of us who've eaten God?" said Naima.

Father Obregón steered out from under a looming cloud sheep. "Attaining divinity by consuming the flesh of those who've tasted the divine. It makes sense."

"Then what about the non-Christian settlers?" said Naima. "They didn't take communion."

"The beings don't distinguish between different faiths, maybe? If one human takes communion, by extension, they think we all do it?"

"Okay," said Naima. "Then why are they waiting for you?"

"I generate the host and wine." Father Obregón gazed out the cockpit canopy as the hoversled swooped over a bubbling lake of yeast. Ever-shifting geometric patterns flowed over the surface, multicolored interlocking shapes dancing like a kaleidoscope. "Maybe they want all the God for themselves. Every last bite."

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.