It had not taken long for Magnavius to gather the materials required to destroy the wall.
Explosives had already been used at the dig-site and so proved surprisingly easy to obtain. When more was required than the men would sell him, Magnavius simply offered them more money.
Gaining private access to the wall was most difficult, as those workers were amongst DuCroix’s inner circle. Magnavius had ingratiated himself amongst them, spending nights pretending to drink ya, while he told them, repeatedly, that it wasn’t fair that foreigners should sweep in and claim ownership of Nacreevian artefacts.
This was true, of course, but Magnavius didn’t care. He only cared about his orders—he only cared about breaking the Wall of Tet…
“Ptjar!” Magnavius yelled. “Ptajr!”
DuCroix stood a few steps away with one pudgy hand outstretched. Behind her stood his travelling companions, Alice and Chisholm; the first looked outraged, the second disappointed.
Magnavius was holding a detonator connected by wires to other explosives he had attached to the wall.
“Please, Magnavius,” said Alice. “You don’t understand, the wall—”
Magnavius, wild-eyed, held up the detonator in his hands. “I’m going to open it up,” he said. “I’m going to open it all up.”
“Why you..!” Alice started forward fit to punch Magnavius right in his face, but Professor DuCroix stopped her.
“Leave now,” said DuCroix. She did not take her eyes off Magnavius. When nobody moved the professor repeated her order as a loud, short bark. One by one the workers retreated.
Magnavius grinned. Now there were only four of them.
“I don’t know who put you up to this,” said DuCroix. “But you must understand–“
“No,” said Magnavius. “You must understand.”
They all saw now that the changes Magnavius had undergone were more severe than they had first realised. The skin across his face looked stretched, his eyes wild and bloodshot. Perspiration dripped down his chin.
“The wall…” Alice began. “If you break it something terrible will happen.”
“You don’t know what’s on the other side,” said Chisholm, voice cracking.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” said Magnavius, quivering. “I know exactly what’s behind the wall.”
“No, Magnavius,” said Alice. “Please,”
Magnavius thumbed the detonator and the dig-site exploded.
Behind the wall was
Explanation:
This is the conclusion to my short story Wall of Tet, which touches on the theme of colonial exploitation.
Trivia:
Behind the wall was
Links:
The Shrine of Insanity 