Girl, There’s A Better Life For Me And You
Raven
5th of November, 1975 — Fireworks At The Town Moor
“Sorry I couldnae get sooner. The train was late.”
“Divvn’ worry. I coped.”
Raven would never admit it but she was glad Bingo had finally made it here. She needed the help and guidance of the more experienced member.
“What is this anyway?” said Bingo looking around him. They were in an excited and happy crowd on the Town Moor. A massive bonfire was burning away in the distance and the fireworks were soon to be let off. The local mobile traders were making a massive profit off the annual event and were, even now, hawking their wares and food to everyone interested and not interested.
“So tell me what happened.”
Raven told him. She knew this question was coming and had rehearsed it, so it was quick and succinct without leaving anything of importance out.
Bingo quickly absorbed the information. “He’s over there,” he said, pointing the direction. Raven nodded and started walking. She had known where Mr Harbinger was ever since he left the pub. Walking in this crowd was easy as everyone in their way automatically pulled away. Raven was weird enough but a full-blown punk with height and muscles and piercings and pink spiky hair was a different kettle of fish. Nobody wanted to be close to them.
“There’s more I don’t recognise though,” said Raven.
“The Norse gods?”
“There’s more with them now. I don’t recognise the new ones.”
“Which are the Norse ones?”
Raven stopped and put her hands to the side of his head while putting her face as close as possible to his. It was difficult because of his height and his facial piercings. She had to go on tippie toe to achieve the effect. Raven’s height ensured she was unused to looking up to most people.
Some of the young females taking care to give them a wide berth thought this was cute and looked closer. Once they did they saw past the orange spiky hair and the piercings to see the man properly. His height and muscles but mostly, the confidence radiating from his presence affected them. They then looked properly at Raven, assessing her, wondering if he was attracted by her height, wondering if they would have a chance. Platform boots would fix any height issues he might have, so, no problem there. Nobody made a move though, the crowd was too much for their confidence. Some of them resolved to look out for him as the event progressed. Maybe the weird lassie wouldn’t be there then.
“Go’ it,” said Bingo. “Yer right. There are more gods there now. Odin and Loki are obvious but the other twa are different. They’re no’ Norse. That’s definite.”
“Should we split up and keep you as my backup? They already know I’m here.”
“They’re gods, Rave. If we can detect them ye can be sure they already know we’re here. Best we gae together. Gie me a minute tae see what’s happening. Just in case.”
Bingo stood still, eyes closed. Raven marvelled at the speed and economy of his actions. She had to take a half-hour in private to do the same.
“Right. Let’s gae an’ introduce oorselves an’ see what happens”.
“Elizabeth Jennifer. Glad you could make it.” Loki was still obnoxious. Raven ignored him. Odin and the other two smiled greetings at them.
“You’ve brought reinforcements?” said Raven. “Why?”
Odin laughed. “Elizabeth, this is Vishnu and Mohini. They’re new colleagues, not reinforcements. We’ve just met.”
“Pleased to meet you,” said Vishnu. Mohini smiled a greeting at them. All was lovey-dovey between them. Raven didn’t like it but smiled a greeting anyway. It was always best not to annoy gods of any stripe. They weren’t rational. Mohini offered everyone some sweeties, which they all took and sucked.
Raven saw Bingo do a funny little bow with his hands clasped together in prayer mode. ‘Of course, he knows what to do,’ thought embarrassed Raven. She needed to unembarrass herself.
“How’re you feeling now?” she asked of Mr Harbinger who accompanied them.
“I’m getting over it now. Vishnu and Mohini helped a lot.”
“Good. This is Bingo, by the way.”
Mr Harbinger had had too many weird things happen today for Bingo’s appearance to faze him. He instantly held out his hand. “Mortimer Harbinger,” he said in traditional.
Bingo shook the proffered hand. “Mr Harbinger.”
“Right,” added Odin. “Now we’re properly introduced, let’s go and get a good place to watch the fireworks.”
They all sauntered over closer to the epicentre. Bingo nudged Raven and head nodded towards Mohini’s feet. Raven looked and frowned. Those feet were in sandals. Bare feet in sandals. This was Britain in November. It wasn’t raining now but it had been and the ground was clarty. She and Bingo were wearing boots, as were the crowds around them. Even the Norse gods were wearing boots. Raven checked and so was Vishnu. But Mohini chose to look pretty. Raven castigated herself for just now seeing her feet were clean. More godding psychology for her to learn. Was there no end to all this? Bingo didn’t seem bothered though. He was now chatting to Mohini as though they’d known each other for years.
The fireworks were worth the effort of coming. They all oohed and aahed through the display until, at last, it finished. The crowds around them began to disperse.
“So, what happens now?” asked Mr Harbinger, somehow understanding it was all going to end soon.
Raven interrupted. “He’s not goin’ to them.” This was a statement backed with everything she had. Mr Harbinger felt the force in his head. Raven felt Bingo move closer to her in backup.
“If I have a choice, I’ll go where Vivien is,” said Mr Harbinger, back straight, ready for anything.
Odin gave a tight-lipped smile before speaking. “I’ve been doing some digging on your behalf, Mr Harbinger. Your Vivien is definitely not with them.”
Mr Harbinger was uplifted at this news. “She’s with you then?”
It was Ram who took over now. “No, Mr Harbinger. Vivien is with us.”
Mr Harbinger’s eyes went wide and he tried to feel out Raven’s mental assessment. He was relying on that. And there it was, astonishment. He didn’t feel any acceptance though.
“I don’t want to be offencive, but I find that difficult to believe.”
“I understand, but what I say is true as I’m sure Odin will verify.”
Odin nodded and Mr Harbinger felt Raven’s acceptance.
Ram went on, “Vivien transferred allegiances a few months before she unfortunately died. She lived near one of our few temples in this land and became enamoured of one of our subjects here. She converted and married him.”
Raven’s acceptance was enough for Mr Harbinger. He really didn’t know exactly what was happening here so he was playing the odds relying on the only thing he was sure of.
“All right then, can I join you?”
“You can, Mr Harbinger, but let me explain our ways before you make an irrevocable decision. You see, we believe in reincarnation,” he noted Mr Harbinger’s acceptance of the term, so continued. “And your Vivien has already transitioned to her next incarnation.”
Mr Harbinger’s face dropped. “We believe in each individual soul making its own journey. It’s very possible you will never contact her again until the end of time when everyone will be as one.”
Mr Harbinger struggled to say anything.
Vishnu continued. “You are very welcome to come with us, as long as you know the score. I suggest you look deep inside yourself and decide based on that and that alone.”
“Do you know where she is now?” Mr Harbinger was still trying to get close to his love.”
“Yes, we do. I will tell you if you really want to know but I do advise against it. If I do, Vivian herself will also be informed and that will affect her own journey.”
Again, Mr Harbinger paused for thought. Eventually, he said, “I can’t see how Vivien would know if you told me, but, even so, she would want to know, if possible. Please tell me.”
Ram gave a sad little smile. “Your Vivien is here with us, now,”
Mr Harbinger stared at Raven.
“What, me? No. Can’t be.” Raven didn’t have anything else to say.
Ram continued. “No, Mr Harbinger. He nodded to Bingo.
“Wha’ me?” Bingo exclaimed. “Nae, it cannae be.”
“That’s the whole point of reincarnation, Mr Harbinger,” said Mohini. “It’s for each individual to make their own journey.”
Mr Harbinger thought while they all ignored his tears. “In that case, I’d choose Valhalla, but I’m not a warrior.”
“Yes, you are,” said Odin. “You defeated four daemons without weapons or training purely with your honesty and character. Of course you’re a hero. Did you think we’d stick with axes and swords and shields?”
“Or hammers,” Loki muttered quietly.
Odin gave him a good ignoring. “There are many interesting weapons around now, including the mind. We accommodate all heroes.”
Loki grinned and interrupted. “You may like this, Mr Harbinger. I’ll restore your soul just before you go. That will ring alarm bells on both sides. They have a strict agreement, you see, not to damage souls. So the alarm bells will ring when your soul magically reappears just before you go. Each side will blame the other and think the other has you. And, for the topping on the cake, the adversary will realise what the Evans’ did in the first place.” He smiled. “He stands by the agreement not to damage souls and they’ll really get it then.”
“You can restore my soul?”
It was Odin who answered. “Scandinavian engineering, Mr Harbinger. We’re really very good at what we do.”
Loki added more. “Plus we could do with some proper gambling as well. With your talents, you could set up a full-time bookies and lay proper odds as well. Heroes will go for that in a big way.”
Mr Harbinger looked at Raven for reassurance. He trusted her. She nodded acceptance. He nodded and collapsed.
Raven caught the body. “Treat him well,” she ordered after laying him reverentially on the ground and closing his eyes.
Mr Harbinger’s body disappeared and, at the same time, the bonfire flared up again as if someone had dosed it with petrol.
Raven looked at Odin. “You didn’t?”
“It’s fitting.”
Raven nodded, pleased, and looked around. The crowds still walked past them but nobody saw what happened. ‘They really are blind,’ she thought.
“Well then, that’s that,” sighed Raven. “Now what the fuck’s happening with you lot?” Bingo’s focus increased.
Mohini smiled and touched Raven’s arm. Her smile was exquisite. It excited Raven and they all felt her struggle to damp it down.
“Do not worry, Raven. We are new to this land and Odin and Loki are graciously showing us around. We like your Guy Fawkes’ Night very much.”
Vishnu interceded. “It converges nicely with our Diwali as well.”
“What?” said Bingo before Raven could say the same thing. “Guy Fawkes’ Night is basically political. Nothing at all to do with Diwali.” Raven agreed, well she knew she would once she found out what Diwali was.
“Didn’t you notice,” said Odin, “Diwali falls around the same time as Guy Fawkes? And Guy Fawkes is close to Samhain? These aren’t coincidences. The solstices are the times when we, all of us, have more power in this world. The people may think Guy Fawkes is about, well, Guy Fawkes, but it’s really a subconscious urge to celebrate the specific season. Bonfires have been happening around this time all around the world for thousands of years now.”
Raven only had eyes for Mohini now, but she still noticed Bingo nodded at this. Great. Something else she had to learn. She was sick of learning and wanted to do magick.
Raven noted Loki was uncharacteristically silent during this exchange. She knew automatically he wasn’t cowed by it. He was absorbing information. Plotting. Not impinging on these new gods’ consciousness too much. He was a good boy now. Raven knew his history and shuddered. A thought suddenly came to her. Would these new gods physically aid the Norse gods in Ragnarok? What are the jötnar doing right now? Are they angling for support as well? Who with? Or was Odin trying to create a stronger barrier against the Christian gods? After all, he’s a political god most of all.
There was a loud cawing from above them and the gods all looked up.
“It’s time to end this,” said Vishnu. “I’m sure we’ll meet again.”
Both Vishnu and Mohini bowed, their hands in prayer style bows. Odin and Loki bowed their standard bows and Vishnu and Mohini were not there any more. Odin turned to Raven and Bingo and bowed to them before leaving the same way. Loki was gone as well but nobody saw him leave.
Raven looked round and saw the moor was nearly empty now. No one was staring at them except three or four young girls in the distance and it was obvious what they wanted. She was certain no one had seen anything amiss the whole evening.
“Ye wantin’ to stay over?” she asked of Bingo, deliberately not saying anything about reincarnation.
“Sorry. Got tae be back for an early start.” He thought a while. “And there’s time. I’ll pass if ye dinnae mind.”
“Sure. I’ll walk ye to the station.”
They arrived five minutes before the train to Edinburgh departed.
Bingo smiled at Raven. “Okay then. See ye soon.”
Raven nodded. “Ye know what I want to know?” She answered her own question. “Why did Odin make all that effort with Mr Harbinger? I can’t understand that.”
“Didnae ye see?”
Raven shook her head.
“As far as I can tell, he impressed the hell oot o’ those Indian gods wi’ his efforts, especially when he undertook tae find Vivien’s whereabouts for Mr Harbinger. They were his focus all along. I bet he was responsible fer directing him to their domain here when he left the Even Stephen as well.”
Raven frowned. “Ye think?”
“Aye. And ye need tae work on yer emotions more.”
Raven blushed. Bingo saw that through her makeup. They hugged and bingo got on.
Raven turned and left. She wasn’t so soft as to stay and wave him off.
Bingo sat down and suddenly bent over, his head full of pain and anguish. The attack left as suddenly as it started. ‘All right Raven,’ he thought. ‘Ye made your point. Ye’ve made a lo’ o’ progress sae far.’