Reading: "The Azimuth Principle" from the novel Evenfall of the Helical (A.Glass 2022)

 

“Hello”

“It’s Anina”

The door buzzes, Elva enters the shop as the noise of the street dissipates, the door locks behind her. Looking up the narrow staircase, lit only by single hanging lamp, she climbs the stairs. Breathing in the fragrance of Alpinia and Cardamom.

Reaching the first level, which is an open space, lined with bottled herbs, with it various inscriptions in Chinese. The right hand side wall adorned with a mass of small boxes, with a ladder perched in front. Residing in this loft space, is a gray headed man, facing West of the interior, sitting crossed legged, in front of small alter, his back turned to Elva.

“Witch of the Northern Azimuth,” the man says.

“I prefer to not have that title, Master Shen,” she replies, staring down at the man, who stands, turning around, he faces Elva.

“Of course, a title is nothing more than words and words are just sounds…” The man of Asian appearance walks towards where an iron cast tea pot sits, he pours the contents into two small ceramic cups. Handing one to Elva, who takes it with her left hand.

“Thank you,” she says.

“...And sounds can either be helpful or become useless noise. But, you are either or not. The tea, Oenanthe Javanica and Panax Ginseng...” With his free hand he points at the small bottle of Vodka Elva is holding. “...Eliminates Alcohol toxicity. Sit.” He says, pointing to a pillow opposite the one he was sitting on. Placing the tea next to pillow, Elva removes her shoes and sits down.

She sips the tea, to which he also reciprocates.

“Ah, very nice. So, I presume you have seen Mary, upon your returning to your Northern Azimuth?” Master Shen asks

“Yes, after three years I've returned. It was good seeing her again,”

“She is very powerful, very disciplined. Did she give you the answers you seek?.”

“Only questions...” Elva replies, sipping the tea. She holds up the cup “...Needs Vodka.”

“But where is the bottle?” Master Shen asks, as Elva looks at him with a smile. Peering down at her left hand, to which the bottle is no longer there, she looks down at the wooden floor boards to the left of her.

“Parlor tricks,” she says, turning her head eyeing the bottle of Vodka which is sitting on a table, next to an array of bottled herbs at the top of the stair case. She had placed it there herself, when she entered the room.

“No tricks, the mind is easy distracted, particularly when it is preoccupied. Even for you.”

“Yet, you can freeze time...” She sips from the tea once more. “...Or at least, appear that you can.”

“I am an old magician, a mentalist. But it is you, that can enter the dreams of others. That, I cannot do.”

“A gift and curse...” Elva replies, looking around the interior of the space, aware that Master Shen is a traditional Chinese herbalist and medical practitioner. As she studies the objects that surround them both, from measuring scales to strange and exotic herbs. “...I returned to hell three years ago.”

“And?” Master Shen closing his eyes, sips the tea.

“I came from that place, was it necessary for me to enter it again?”

“Who said you have left?...” Master Shen turns his attention to the window to the far side of the loft space, overlooking Russell street. “Ah, the rain...淹死的人不为雨所困扰...” Master Shen says, as he calmly sips from his tea, as Elva eyes the Vodka bottle sitting on the table to her left, to which she leans across with her left hand, lifting it up, she unscrews the cap, having a swig.

“...Witch of the Northern Azimuth, born of the antinode. Receiver of the heretical. Succubus. You should know the proverb?”

Elva doesn't respond to the question, standing, she bows in a respectful yet detached manner at Master Shen who remains sitting.

“I didn’t come here for answers.”

Raising his right index finger he points at Elva. “Then I ask. Do you have any questions?” Master Shen replies in his Gong-An prose.

Without immediately answering, staring at the man, who is unperturbed of Elva’s power. She looks into the darkness to her left side.

“My mother was a whore.”

Master Shen says nothing. As Elva, places on her shoes and leaves Master Shen's loft. Walking down the stairs, she opens the door, stepping out into the rain. Turning right into Little Bourke Street, she ventures into the heart of China Town, staring ahead, nearing one of the lane ways that conjoins with Little Bourke Street and Lonsdale Street, staring up at a paper montage that portrays the right side of Buddha's face, the other half hidden, its eyes closed in contentment. She walks up a lane way, as the rain persistently falls over her, looking up at the dark sky, leaning against a brick wall. She has another sip from the bottle.

Elva, closes her eyes.

“He who is drowned is not troubled by the rain,” she says aloud, reciting Master Shen's proverb.

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"The Azimuth Principle"  from the novel Evenfall of the Helical 

(A.Glass 2022)