Treasure Box

A picture of a four year old girl looking at her Treasure Box

Looking down to peek at it.

Rays of sunshine glimmering from it.

It's a small box 

but it holds her imagination

full of bright jewels, rainbows, stars, the sun, moon,

galaxies - light years away.

She is bending down to get a closer look.

Likes what she sees and opens it a little further.

The wider she opens it the brighter it gets.

She stands up straight a grown woman and holds the 

treasure box in the palm of her hand.

Self  Looks at I Am

It's a pause in the play.

It's a pause in the phone call.

The curtains have closed.

The audience has finished clapping.

The play was a success.

The actors have take their bows and retreated

to their individual dressing rooms.

       -----------

I look in the mirror and am in full costume.

I take off the painted makeup - a rub here and a rub there.

The curls are piled high on my head.

A brush of my hand and the whole hairdo is removed.

Now for the dress.

I stand up tall and it is tight fitting to the waist.

I have an attendant and she helps unbutton the back.

The dress falls in a heap at my feet.

Next is the corset.  It is cinched so tight that I can hardly breathe.

My friend undoes the laces and tosses it to the side.

I stand in front of the mirror undies and chameo.

No makeup.  No hair.  And no corset.

I'm fatter than I thought.

Oh, well, no matter there is always tomorrow.

And what will tomorrow bring says the little voice inside me.

Well, good things, says "I Am."

There's the morning wake up call to stretch and get out of bed -

breathe

and move 

and jump 

and sing.

Come on says four year old Logan it's time to hit the beach

throw the ball, huddle all four and yell -

or --

Nine year old Kyle says, "let's watch the dogs run at the races."

And ten year old Gabby is all for going to the children's museum

and making those make believe pizzas.

My husband John  with memory problems is ever the 

watcher.

And who's the New Me - It's the I Am Me - that's Who.

 

shadow

as i entered the auditorium my past and present was before me.
there were people i had known in the past who had passed on,
people that i knew today, and characters out of my imagination
were present, also guides that i had forgotten about smiled and
intuited  loving kindness.

johnny was holding my hand and the usher gave us each a ticket.
i glanced at my ticket it said one way,  i looked at johnny and i
saw that his was stamped round trip.  i wasn't afraid but puzzled.
johnny was happy and i didn't tell him the difference in the tickets.

when we finally were let in we found front row seats.
the curtains were waterfalls and the future was a dark cave.
we were handed flashlights and told to prepare for an
adventure.

the music started to play and the orchestra came into full
view.  it was mickey mouse on drums , cinderella on guitar and alice of wonderland
playing the piano.   other disney characters held different stringed musical instruments
in their hands..

then we were invited on to the stage  i morphed into a six foot waitress
dressed in a black and white uniform, with sheer nylons and three inch black pumps.

A black and white cow was forming on my back until the waitress disappeared and i
was the only cow in a cool green meadow.   Suddenly a 12 foot jolly green giant
appeared and started laughing and throwing yellow corn in the air that it rained down
all around me.  they were like golden nuggets.   he laughed so loud that the cow started
to dance. The orchestras music turned into a frenzy and then everyone in
the theater started dancing.  johnny wasn't in the meatdow with me but was watching on
the sideline looking at the whole thing as if he was amused.  he was smiling,laughing and
clapping his hands..  he seemed at home and there were people singing with him.

soon the music died down and the cow disappeared  and i appeared naked,
kneeling with my hands touching the earth.  i raised my head and johnny came into the meadow
handed me my flashlight and took my hand we entered the cave using our lights to find our way.

at the end of the cave was a town nestled among the trees.  we stood there looking at it and made out way down.  We were greeted by the residents who looked familiar and accepted us into an opening
which was made for us and made our way to our new life

Johnny looked at me and opened the palm of his hand.   he held the two ticket stubs in his hand.  understanding in his eyes.  he knew what i knew and it was all for the better.

 

chapter sixteen - Amma Madison

chapter fifteen

As the car sped into the night Cameron went
over in his mind the events of the last few days.

It was a lot to take in.

He remembered what  he had read in the file about Hannah.

The fact that she had special abilities that would start to take
shape when she reached her twelfth birthday.  The file said Hannah's
birthday was a month away.   it was the middle of June when he
read the file.  now it was july 1st.  Hannah would be 12 in two weeks. 

At the time he didn't understand what he read.  Hannah was
a descendant of the light bearers.  She could shape shift. That
was what the file said.  Her senses would be heightened and her
strengths would become evident under normal human stress.
There also had been an address 14 Desert mountain Road.
Cameron's thought nudged him.  he knew that place.  he had been
there a long time ago when he was a boy.   An uncertain feeling
was settling into the pit of his stomach.  he remembered he
had visited his mother there.  What did it all mean/
Who was this Dayton?  Who indeed was Monroe/   And what did
all this have to do with him?  And what was the mysterious
email he had gotten from the Black Queen.   Black Queen that
was a code name for Laura.   yes, laura.  laura was his mother
and he hadn't heard from her in years.

The email had been simple.  Come home now.


Cameron went over the events before Hannah had gotten into
the car.  Her ability to run fast was apparent and Cameron thought
he had seen a leopard in his vision as a black shadow ran past Lindsay
and him at the boat dock.    And then there were the screams of the
night more like a majestic howl than anything else.  like an animal
yowing at the night.


At first he had dismissed it but now upon reflection maybe the file he had
stumbled upon in Monroe's back office was more revealing then he first
thought.  What if Hannah was a true descendant of this clan called the
Light Bearers.  What would it mean to those close to her and how would
it effect other unknown peoples.

He shook his head and took a side glance at Hannah.  She seemed to be sleeping
and her head was resting on the side window.

"I know what you are thinking Cameron and you are half right."

"What?"  Cameron said out loud.

"You surmised right I am a Light Bearer and so are you and Lindsay.  I am here
to show you how to raise your humanity to the next level."

Cameron was stunned and said nothing.  His hands gripped the steering wheel
tightly and his knuckles shone white.

"The fact that you can read my mind shows that you are intuiting also."

She was right.  He wasn't talking.  He was listening to Hannah in his mind.

"I'm going to rest now.   I'll wake in a few hours and when I awake we will continue this
conversation."

"All right,"  murmured Cameron out loud.    He took a side glance at Hannah
and although it was dark he realized she was smiling.

Hannah shifted her shoulders and turned to look at Cameron.

He caught her eyes.  They were green and luminous in the dark.

Cameron put his eyes back to the road in front of him and the
car hurtled forward ten miles above the speed limit.

The movement in speed seemed to startle Lindsay and she sat up in the
back seat.

She didn't know the man driving the car they had only met a few hours before
and so much had happened but she trusted him.   She was 17 years old
and she was alone in a car with a strange man and her sister Hannah had
been acting strangely to say the least.

She had an uncomfortable feeling that something was nudging on her
unconscious waiting to come to the surface.

She went over the affairs of the last few months.  Circumstances had been changing.
And then she realized Hannah had been changing.

She heard Hannah in her mind.  "That's right Lindsay follow the path of your thoughts
and see where they lead."

"What was that?, thought Lindsay.  It was almost as if Hannah was present in her mind.

She turned her attention to Cameron.   "And who was this Cameron, how did he fit
into their lives and how did he know where to go?"

Cameron realized Lindsay  was awake and her attention had shifted to his area.

"It's all right Lindsay, we are going home.  Soon you will be with your friends and
family, Cameron thought.

Lindsay was wide awake now.  She didn't dare open her eyes for fear of  what she
would see.  Cameron realized he was talking to Lindsay in her unconscious.
 And Lindsay understood . She was deciphering his thoughts as they bubbled
their way towards her concious mind."

No one said nothing.  Complete silence.   Cameron had another thought more
like a realization.   it was only from the silence that the words came.  He shared
this with Lindsay and he caught her reflection in the rear view mirror.  at first
she seemed to be sleeping but then she opened her eyes and she met Cameron's
gaze.  There was complete understanding  in the glance and Cameron 's thoughts
were momentarily unsettled.   he went back to the road and the silence of his mind.
After a while he sensed the two girls had settled into a comfortable sleep and Cameron's
 mind focused on the highway and once again his thoughts went into a quiet space.

That's where he was where nothing meets something when suddenly Monroe entered his mind.

Monroe whom he had left in a coma after he Cameron had sneaked out of the
 hospital before anyone could question him about the accident.


  T

chapter fourteen

Madison woke to the sound of the alarm clock that was
next to her bed.

When she opened her eyes she stared for a moment at the
hands of the clock.  They were white and luminous and stood
out against the dark background of the square green plastic
clock on the small  brown table beside her bed.  the time was
five o'clock. she closed her eyes and took in a slow deep breath.

the next time she stirred was five minutes later.  she peeked through
closed lids.  the sun was coming up and she  could see the gold
orange peeking through the slats of the shuttered white clapboard windows.

For one fleeting moment she forgot where she was.  She shut
her eyes tight and thick black lashes draped closed lids.

She murmured, "Dayton"  and for a split second felt a moment of comfort.


Dayton would soon be here she thought and the young woman let her mind
roam for a few seconds before she pulled the faded lavender sheets back and
pulled well toned legs over the side of the bed.  The young woman let her toes
do the searching for her slippers.

The towns children called them hermit slippers.   They were brown leather with criss
cross straps.  They were  old and worn and her good friend Laura confided in
her that that townspeople were calling  her the holy abba hermit of the mountains
and she had the worn slippers to prove it.  

She had tried in every way to remain ordinary and keep the hermitage at a low
profile and had almost succeeded until about a year ago when a man had been
brought to the hermitage by one of the townspeople.

When Madison had questioned the driver whom she recognized as Miguel one of
the locals as to why he had brought the young man to her he had said she and
this place had helped  his cousin with his problem and it was the only thing he
could think to do.  He went on to explain he had had found him in on the outskirts
of the reserve where dessert meets mountain.   it seemed the man had abandoned his car and
Miguel found him a mile from his vehicle unconcious and delerious.  miguel had surmised
the man's car had run out of gas and the man had abandoned his vehicle in search of help.

of course Madison welcomed the young man and he had stayed for a two month hiatus.  \
When the young man regained his strength and the decision was made to leave he thanked
madison profusely and said his stay at the hermitage was one of the happiest times
he had experienced in a long while.   He hated to leave but he had to get back to his
life and straighten some things out that dealt with his business.  he was an entrepreneu
and deatt in the export and export of books to third world countries.  He told Madison
his name was Brian Anderson and when Madison questioned him what he was doing
in the dessert he explained that he had gotten lost and before he knew it he was out of gas.   

That was eight months ago and since then more than an unusual amount of people had
 been coming to the hermitage seeking something that they felt was missing in their life.

Laura met Madison met in in the main praying room and the women and men already
assembled stood and bowed as the two women entered the chapel.

All assembled wore gray tunics cinched by a beaded roped belt.  Madison was the first
to enter and bowed before the altar in front of her and took a seat in one of the long wooden
pews.   Laura did the same and sat behind Madison.

They started their day with a half hour of meditation and shafts of light shone through the roof
and fell on the group below.

Afterwards they would have a choice of breakfast of scrambled eggs, hot or cold cereal
and a beverage of juice, tea or coffee.  Then it would be time for morning work.

Madison's job was to tend to the garden.   She had a green thumb and talked to
her flowers .  they grew vibrant in color under her tutelage and the guests as well as the
inhabitants of  the hermitage could be seen meandering the paths and sitting in the chairs placed in
different positions talking quietly, reading, or in a meditative state.

Many of the guests were  advised to write in their journals and keep a running story of
 how they were feeling and what they were experiencing.

Most came to the hermitage because they heard that there was help here.  help in the
form of cancelling out chattering minds, controlling their thoughts and getting a grip
on lives that were somehow out of balance.

Some left.  some stayed.  and some came back for a visit.  there were contributions
that went into the main treasury and Laura took care of that.

Madison had last heard from Monroe on Sunday.  It was now Tuesday.  And there was
no more contact.  Madison was getting worried.   The children should have been
here yesterday.  And Dayton - well, dayton by now must know Monroe was her father.

 All these murmurings and thoughs Madison mulled over and kept close to her heart.
In a short time her family would be reunited and things would again change of that
one thing Madison was certain.

The lunch bell rang and Madison joined the rest of the retreatants on the way to
12 o'clock lunch.

If things fell in right it could be her last lunch at the hermitage.

She saw Laura coming from the opposite end and she waited for the young woman
to reach her.

"How are you,?" said Laura.  The hint of concern etched in her voice.

"I'm fine.," said Madison. 

"Really," said Laura.

"You know me too well," said Madison.

Laura laughed.

Madison continued.  "we have been through a lot you and I."

"Yes," said Laura.

"This is a big day for you too," said Madison.

Laura breathed in a long deep breath.

"yes, it is, "said Laura.

"Lindsay is coming home."

"I hope she can forgive me," said Laura.

"if she is anything like her mother she will understand."

"But all the lies," said Laura.

"We have been through a lot," said Madison. 

"we lost our children for ten years, Madison."

tears wet madison's cheeks.  "Yes, i know."

Lindsay was only 5 when she left. 

"It was for the best Laura.  The trespassers burnt down
our home.  your husband perished in the fire.

"Yes," said Laura.

"The children will understand.,"  said Madison.  She uttered
the words with more conviction then she felt.

The two women stopped in front of the big hall,  they held each other's
hand and walked up the steps and through the lunchroom doors.

When they came out they knew the afternoon was going to
be unlike any other they had experienced in a while. .

chapter thirteen

Monroe slowed the car to a slow pace and pulled
over to the shoulder.

He shut the motor off, pulled out his wallet and  found
his driver's license.

He rolled down the window and saw a policeman approaching
in his sideview mirror.

"Remember Dayton, let me do the talking."

Dayton said nothing but shook his head up and down.

The officer approached the driver side and shone the flashlight
in Monroe's face.

"Driver's license please."

Monroe handed the officer his I.D.

"Where r u headed Mr. Monroe?"

"We are just going over to the next town.  Picking up someone
at the bus terminal."

"Well, do you know you have a tail light out?"

Monroe had checked the car before he got in.  Something he always did.
There was no failed tail light to his knowledge.
All he said was, "No, sorry I didn't know that.  I'll get it fixed right away."

The officer shone the light on Dayton and then back on Monroe.  "Let me
see your registration."

"Dayton, open the glove compartment and get the registration."

Daytong had his hand in mid air when another officer knocked on the passenger
side window.

The officer made a rolling motion with his hand which Dayton intuited to mean to
roll down the window.

Dayton took  a look at Monroe and a thought of knowing passed through his mind.

"Watch your step," said Monroe.

Dayton rolled down the window and the officer stepped back.

"Let me see your license."

Dayton pulled out his wallet found his license and gave it to the officer.

"Hey, Mac yelled the officer over the top of the roof of the car.  Looks like
we got a doctor here.

"Yeah," said the officer from Monroe's side.  "Looks like  I got me a chief of police."

After that all Dayton remembered was the muzzle of the gun from his side and a blinding
light.

He turned to look at Monroe but the man's face was blank and then he slumped over the
wheel.

That was all he remembered.  He lost consciousness.  Another driver passing by
saw the car on the side of the road and heard the blaring horn and called 911.

The ambulance arrived and both men were transported to the nearest hospital
which happened to be thirty minutes from the next town.

In the ambulance he heard one of the interns say, "looks like the older gent has had
it."

He leaned down and Dayton felt a needle go in his chest.  "This one has a fighting chance."

Dayton awoke in a room.  He heard the din of voices surrounding him.  When he opened his
eyes no one was there.

Amid the swarm of voices Dayton thought he recognized Monroe's voice.

"Change of plan, kid."

"What do you mean?"

"it seems the intruders know that we are traveling to see Madison."

"how r u doing this?"

"you mean talking in your mind?"

"yes."

"it's part of our heritage.  we can all do this."

"what do i do next," said Dayton.

"You weren't hurt bad,"  said Monroe.
"It's only a flesh wound to the head.  You will be fine."

"What about you ?" said Dayton.

"It will be touch and go for awhile.  I'll eventually be okay,
but I'm going to be in a coma for awhile."

"You have to get to Madison and fulfill your destiny."

"I can't leave u here."

"You will wake up, get out of bed and follow your instincts.
You have them Dayton the instincts and intuition of the clan.
You will find Madison in the dessert and at the land level of
the mountains."

Dayton had more questions, but when he called Monroe's name
there was no reply.

Dayton opened his eyes.  And a doctor stood over him.

"Mr. Dayton,  my name is Dr. Samuel,  you have been hurt in
some sort of an accident.  The police are here and would like
to ask you some questions."

Dayton nodded his head.  And two men dressed in plainclothes
stood before his bed.

"Sir, do you remember what happened?"

"No. well not exactly, replied Dayton."

"Well, what is the last thing you remember," said the taller of the two men.

"Well, we were pulled over on the shoulder and the next thing I remember
was this loud band followed by a blinding light and I lost consciousness.
I remember waking up in the ambulance.   And now Dr. Samuel telling me
there was some sort of an accident."

"Sir, what about the gentleman with you?, said the shorter of the two.
"We are trying to keep a lid on it but he is the chief of police one town over
and he has been shot in our jurisdiction.  He is in a coma.  Anything you
can tell us about this situation would be helpful."

"No, no, I don't remember anything."

"That's enough," said Dr. Samuel.   The patient needs rest he is getting
agitated.  He needs to sleep."  And with that Dr. Samuel pushed a syringe
into Dayton's arm.
 

When Dayton awoke the room was dark.  His head hurt   And when he felt
his forehead there was a bandage encircling the top of his head.   He knew
in that instant he had been shot.  And he remembered Monroe telling him
that he had to leave the area.

He knew Monroe telling him this he just couldn't remember seeing the
older man and talking to him.

Dayton sat up in the bed.  The room swirled around him.  He held on to the
sides of the mattress and closed his eyes and breathed in deep.

"Okay, this is it," he told himself.

He mustered up enough strength and walked toward the window.  He looked
out into the darkness and saw the parking lot below.  He surmised he was on
the second floor of the hospital.

Dayton walked over to the closet.  Empty.

He sat down on the green aluminum chair next to the sink and collected his thoughts.
 He remembered  Monroe said, "that it was only a flesh wound.

Dayton stood up and looked in the mirror.  One black eye and a bruised lip.  He
undid the bandage and let the gauze roll to the floor.   He splashed some water on
his face and stood and stared at the reflection before him.  He looked into his eyes.
A lot had happened since yesterday.  A lot he didn't understand.  But he knew he
had to get to Madison and the girls.  He had to warn them.  He wondered if
Madison didn't already know.  After all she was her father's daughter and they
seemed to have this innate ability to know when things were happening.  As a
matter of fact Dayton began to think he had this ability too.

"Go, now," said Monroe in a clear voice.  "Go now."

"Yes, I will go now, "said Dayton.

Daytong headed for the door and turned the knob.

The door swung open an inch and Dayton peeked out.

There was no one in sight and as he took a look down the
corridor he could make out a night nurse at the desk.

"Good, she is a way's down."

Dayton looked in the opposite direction and saw the liit up neon sign.

Dayton took in a deep breath, opened the door and walked down
the corridor towards the sign marked Exit.

realto theater

emily's meditation took me to the rialto theater
first the theater was in a little one town main street
then it morphed into a theater on the boardwalk
always it was small
and then it became a theater in a busy city
with cars driving by and people milling around
in a busy neighborhood.
there was a lot of noise and frivolity going on.

finally it merged into a neighborhood
the neighborhood theater
where on Saturday afternoons herds of
kids would flock to this one theater
you would see them coming from all corners of the
neighborhood and the streets crisscrossed and intersected.

The writer in you compared it to a swarm of ants leaving the
anthill and moving rapidly to their next destination.

On this sunny afternoon the streets were filled with children four years
old and up to 13 years of age flocking to their neighborhood movie house.
the older kids would hurry the younger ones along and you could see
older siblings holding the hands of the younger ones as everyone made
a bee line for the neighborhood movie house.

once there u produced your nickle and went through the revolving doors
got on line for your popcorn and candy and soda and then proceeded
to find your seat or if you were lucky you had one of your friends
hold a seat for you way up in the front row while you bought the goodies.

on this particular day the sun shone brightly and once inside it took a few
moments for your eyes to adjust to the darkness of the theater.
you found your seat and settled in.  once in awhile the exit door opened
and a loud holler would go up from the kids in the audience as they realized
one of the neighborhood kids had let one of their own in and the kids would
 hurriedly disappear into the darkness before the usher running down the aisle
could catch them with their roaming flashlight.

we were all sitting in our seats chattering about the morning events when the
flicker of movement on the the screen would catch our attention and a hush
would fall over the crowd.   first there was the star spangle banner and then
the black and white news and then the cartoons.  this day was different though
you could smell it in the air - something more unrecognizable.  the smell of
buttered popcorn was disappearing.  your nostrils flared and you felt the tug
of a memory as it stirred in your imagination.  - what was that, you said.

oh, yes, your sense of smell recognized the pull and you breathed it in deep.
the new element to the mix of the inside of the rialto theater was fresh air.
at this moment things started to change.  under your feet instead of the
worn carpet you could feel the movment of  grass growing and your
feet inadvertently did a tap dance. The grass moved passed your ankles
and started to tickle your lower leg.where it stopped.  your seat took on  an
odd  circular shape and molded your rear end into a comfortable position.
you looked to your right and trees were  growing right before your eyes.
The foliage didn't stop increasing and your eyes followed their growth as it
slowly inched up the theater walls and then finally the tile roof  disappeared
and the sky could be seen above you.  the canopy was now a calm blue and
the clouds were cotton fluffy.  you reached up your hands to touch and your
fingertips came back with a white foam.  You touched them to your lips and felt
a taste of sweet marshmallow. .

you were pulled back to the stage of the theater where movement on the screen
was detected and you understood the movie of the day was about to begin and
that  your perception of the day's events were changing.

You held on to your little brother's hand and sneaked a look at his face.
you thought he would be scared.  but, no to your surprise he was grinning from
ear to ear a look of total adventure etched on his young features.
you concluded he didn't know what he was in for and you realized he should
 have been frightened.  He squeezed your hand and turned to look at you.
it was a look of reassurance and pure joy.  come with me he said and enjoy the ride.
the words weren't spoken they just formed in your mind.

the stage opened before you and you saw that it was any street you wanted to go down.
there were avenues you had visited before.  and there were streets you had never been
on.  you saw them all with your mind's eye.  you looked around the movie theater
with everyone else in it.  you saw children of the world just like yourself settling in
getting ready to enjoy the main feature.  you looked again at your little brother and
saw that he was relaxed,confident and happy.  you squeezed his hand and he
squeezed your hand back twice,  that was your cue that he acknowledged your
presence and he was secure in your being there with him.  it was then that you
shifted your shoulders adjusted your back to the contour of the seat and sat back
deep in your seat,. breathed in the fresh air and let the ride begin.

Chapter Twelve

It had been ten years since Madison had seen Dayton and the
young woman was full of many anxieties.

Did Dayton still love her?.  .
.
Would her daughter who was now 12 ever forgive her mother
for sending her father and young daughter into exile that many
years ago.

She reasoned it was for their benefit.  There was no other choice.
At the time there were those who sought to destroy them..  Those type
of people still existed.  The danger was still there.   She had sent her father
to look after them.  Dear Monroe he was such a treasure.  He had
been faithful all these years and had looked over her husband and
daughter to make sure no harm came there way.

She remembered with a smile how Monroe had told her he had accepted
a position as a lawman in this small town.  There had been a chuckle
or two between them.  Because Monroe loved police work.  Not
that he had done any in real life.  He had always worked in the lab.
Forensic scientist that he was.  But he had aspirations and the fit
of chief of police and forensic psychologist had been a good one.
And in that position he was able to keep a handle on Dayton and
the two girls Hannah and Lindsay.

And indeed what about Lindsay.  Her parents had been taken,
abducted actually, on a hiking trip into the mountains .   Lindsay
had been found wandering the edges of the campsite, but the whereabouts
of her parents were unknown.  When the park rangers found Lindsay she was
 emotionally traumatized and the five year old had been unable to give the
police much information, except that people had come and taken her mom and dad.
There was a cave close to the campsite where the park rangers found the little
girl.  They surmised her parents must have found it earlier and somehow the little
girl had hidden there when the trespassers had invaded their campsite.
Why the trespassers hadn't known about the five year old was a mystery and
why they hadn't searched for her was a puzzle.   It was a mystery at the time and remained
so for the last ten years.

Lindsay had come to live with Madison and Dayton and the young
five year old seemed to bond with Hannah.  In fact Hannah had a good
effect on Lindsay so when the decision was made that Hannah and Dayton
would have to disappear it was thought because of everything that had happened
that it would be a fit if Lindsay went with them also.

And so the day had come when Madison and Dayton separated and the
two girls went with their father.  Lindsay held Dayton's hand tight and the five year
old seemed to understand that Dayton, Lindsay and Hannah were to be a family and
that was they way then and that was the way it had been for the last ten years.

Madison also had left the home that Dayton and she had called home and fled to
 the mountains where the
wise desert fathers and mothers had lived long ago.

She became nondescript and became a wise abba of the dessert.  People
sought out the woman in the dessert with the lyrical voice who sang songs
of unknown lyrics but seemed to soothe the souls of those who sought her
out.

This abba was not one to talk much, but sojourners came and stayed in
one of the hermitages that surrounded the main building.  They would meet
a few times a day in the main building and Madison would sing and the
sojourners were heard to join in.  It was not hard to follow the young abba
and the voices of a few or many could be heard in the evening singing
praises to their creator.

So far her life had been non problematic.  The sojourners who came and
sought her out left no footprint when they left so it was by careful word
of mouth that she was found.  It was almost as if her followers were
guarding her by watching their own tongue and to whom they talked
to about their journey to the mountain.

Madison had been happy the last ten years.  There was a sadness to her
beauty but it only seemed to intensify the mystery that surrounded her.

When she stood in the desert and the sun was large and luminous and
firery orange in the sky her red hair which flowed down her back
seemed to  blend in witht he dessert and where her presence started
and ended seemed to have no apparent starting point.  It was
breathtaking to watch her as she raised her hands to the fullness of the
sun and she sang soft lyrical praises to her creator.

The sojourners would watch and somehow get drawn into the picture
before them.  All they had to do was close their eyes and raise their
arms in adoration and they became unpainted canvas that hung in the
cistine chapel that is how inspiring it was to the person who journeyed to
the desert and found Abba Madison.
     

Chapter Eleven

Dayton and Monroe were making good time to the boat docking
when Monroe pulled the car over to a grassy shoulder.

"What is it?  Why have you stopped?

Monroe had taken his hands from the wheel and was rubbing his forehead.

"Are you ill?" muttered Dayton.

"No," I'm not ill, but there has been a change of plans.

"What change of plans?   What could possibly have happened in the last
35 minutes that I'm not aware of.

"Well, the phone is going to ring and I think there is going to be an
inmportant message for us."

"How could you possibly know the phone is going to ring?.  

"It runs in the family.  It's a vibrational thing I think.  Anyway that's
what my mother used to call it.  So let's leave it at that.

The two were silent for a moment and then there it was the jingle of
Monroe's phone.

"Hello.  Yes, he is with me.  There was a long pause and then Monroe
nodded his head and said, "yes, I understand.."    .

There is a slight change of plan after all.  All you need to know is the
girls are safe and in the company of my assistant Cameron.

I am as surpirsed as you are that Cameron has them, but that is what
I am informed.

"Who was that?"  said Dayton.

That was Madison.

Dayton was speechless.   He hadn't heard or seen Madison in ten years and
now in the middle of everything this man was telling him that he had just talked
to his wife.

"You're speechless, are you," said Monroe.

.Monroe looked at Dayton sideways saw from the expression on Dayton's face
that he was processing this new information as best as he could.

Monroe sort of felt sorry for the man.   He could understand the younger man's
shock at the turn of events but he had no answers for him.

Finally Monroe said, "look, Madison wants us to come to the mountains. that's
where the girls are headed and if we drive all night we should get there by
tomorrow morning.  It's 12 o'clock now so we should get there by 10:30 tomorrow
morning.   Is that okay with you?"

Dayton got back his wherewithall and said in a voice that was much calmer than
the inner turmoil that was churning in his stomach and riding having with his mind.

"Why is all this happening now?  And, yes, to your question by all means let's take
advantage and travel as fast and expendiently as we can through the night.

"What mountains are we headed for?"

"The only ones in existence by the desert.  It is sort of a retreat.  Off the beaten path.
There are only 989 inhabitants in the town and the local keep to themselves and
visitors tend to just come and get their required rejuvenation and leave."  

"I can help with the driving: said Dayton.

The older man grunted but said nothing.

The car drove through the darkness and for awhile both men were
alone with their thoughts.

Dayton was the first to speak.

"What do you make of all of this?"

Monroe formed his thoughts before he spoke.

"it's time,"  he said.

"What does that mean," said Dayton.

Monroe didn't know how much he should reveal to Dayton, but the older
man thought he Dayton deserved some answers.

"Dayton, do you remember your parents?"

"Yes," I have glimpses of them.  I was nine when they were killed in a
fire, but yes I remember them.

"What do you remember", said Monroe.

My mom was really pretty.  She had long red hair and green eyes
that shined when she was happy.

There were times when I looked at her and I would catch her wiping away
a  tear, when I asked her, "mom, why are you crying"   She would  only say
it was a grownup thing and for me not to worry.

"What do you remember about your dad?", said Monroe.

"My dad.  My day was a big man.  Well, he seemed big to me.  He had to
take a lot of business trips.  But when he came home mom would make a
big issue of it, and plan family night.  We would sit around the fire and
dad would tell stories of his father and his grandfather how they were these
strong knights of the old world.   They could shape shift and turn into
animals and they would run through the night.  Then out of breath the clan would gather
around the fire.  The mothers and the fathers and the children and extended family they would
start to hum and then sing.  Sing the songs of old.  Sing the songs of their ancestors.   Sing
songs of praise to their Creator.

Dayton was lost in thought as he remembered the time he spent with his mother
and father and cousins and uncles.  They seemed to all live together.  But how
that could be he didn't know.  It was a long time ago.

After his mother and father had been killed in the fire he had been parceled out to
foster homes and he had lost touch with his heritage.  If he remembered correctly
the whole town had been wiped out.  Only a few had survived.   The red cross
had come in and taken in the surviving children.  No adults had survived the fire
and the children if they were related were sent to different parts of the country.

Dayton didn't know why.  When he was old enough he had tried to find the survivors of
the fire but the records seemed to have been lost.  That was all he could remember.
He had gone to college and become a marine biologist with a minor in astronomy.
He always had an interest in the sea and the creatures that inhabited the waters.
And the stars seemed to be his friends.  He remembered his mom had a telescope
and she would set it up for him and point out the big dipper, and the galaxies beyond
which she often said the galaxies beyond were his future.

It made sense that when he became a young man he would study the oceans and the stars.

Monroe listened intently to what Dayton was saying.

Dayton, continued, "The best thing that ever happened was when I met Madison and later
on after we got married Hannah came along and everything seemed to fall into place."

"You met Madison in college, right?"

"That's right.   I was in my third year of marine biology and she was studying spiritual
dynamics and the poets of the last decade.   We met at a frat party found out that we
had a lot in common and that was it we were a pair inseparable after that first meeting.

When we got out of college one week later we went before a justice of the peace and
got married.

That was the happiest five years of my life.  Hannah came along and just seemed to fill
out the whole process.   Madison's sister Laura came to live nearby and she and her
husband had a daughter Lindsay who was five at the time Hannah was born.  By the
time Hannah was two Lindsay and Hannah were a duo."

Dayton paused.

Monroe said nothing.  He could feel the pain of the other man.  It was palpable.  Heavy
in the air.

"It's all right, Dayton, you don't have to say anything more."

Dayton was quiet for a few moments.

When he spoke it was in a forceful but monotone voice.  Madison came to me
in the middle of the night.  Woke me up.  She said , I had to go and I had to
take Hannah and Lindsay with me."

"What did you think," said Monroe.

"I didn't know what to think, said  Dayton.   Madison had always been very vague
about her family.  Said she didn't have any.  They were killed in a skiing accident.
She said, she had no family."

"What did you think?" said Monroe.

"I believed her.  My own family had been killed in that fire.   We were like two
pieces of a missing puzzle."

Monroe rubbed his head.  "Dayton, I have to tell you something.  You and Madison
are from the same clan."

"Clan.?"   "What do you mean clan?"

"Well, remember when I told you I was Madison's fahter."

"Yes, I remember.  How could I forger?"

"Well,. there is more to it.   The fire that your mother and father were in is
the same fire that I lost my wife in."

There were forty of us.   Most of the adults were killed all that was left was
the children.

Madison was one of the children.  You were one of the children.
It was thought for safety reasons that you be separated and so you were sent
to different locations.

Because of your innate abilities and likes you both selected colleges that
dealt is asto physics, anthropology, and astorology.   You were destined
to meet and you did.  And then you had Hannah."

"This is so unbelievable," blurted out Dayton.  Don't say any more.

I must say one more thing.  This clan had unusual characteristics.   They were
highly musical.  Their sense of hearing was impeccable.  Their sense of smell
was at the top ninety percent.   And their thought patterns were very
conjoined.  They were highly focused and when they weren't busy doing
something which needed any type of mind control their minds were completely
quiet.   No chatter.  No back talk.  No nothing.  They were in tune with
source and this made them highly valuable.   Anyway that's what the elders
thought.

You and Madison were the future.  Just like your mother said.  You are the
future.  And Hannah.   She is the focal point of this future."

"What about Lindsay,  where does she come into play in all of this."

"Lindsay is a guardian.  She knew this and has always been there for Hannah
and is Hannah's protector."

Monroe stopped talking and looked in his rearview mirror   Flashing red lights
were seen.
    
"We have company," he said in a tense voice.

"Let me do the talking."  It may just be a routine stop.

 Dayton breathed in and hoped that that's all it was.

Chapter Ten

The trio emerged from the cabin door with Cameron in the lead.
The two girls clutched each other's hand as they -
They walked single file until they reached tghe gang plank which
led to the boardwalk.  At this point Cameron tunred his
head and held his point finger to his lips.  And then he motioned for
them with his other hand by pointing in a downward motion to be
still.

The two girls continued to walk in a single file behind Cameron.

The two girls stood quietly holding hands at this point squinting in the
darkness to see of anything was amiss.  Their hearing took on a sharpness
as they listened to the night sounds.  An owl hooting, the gentle flapping
of the surf as it stirred and hit the sides of the boats parked in the arena.
There was the rustling of the park leaves and occasional bird call, but
nothing that they would call unusual.

A few seconds into the sounds of the night and it hit them at the same
time.  The silence was now deafening -- there was an abundance of quiet.
No sound.  Hannah was the first to speak.

"Trespassers, " she said.    And then Cameron thought he heard Hannah
whisper the word run.

Cameron was the first off the boat and his hand and arm wrapped around
Lindsay's waist and he clutched her hand and pulled her off the boat.

Hannah was right behind her sister and in one leap she was on the
boardwalk.

She fumbled and landed on all fours.   It took her breath away, but then she
focused, her eyes narrowed and she howled.

She ran past Lindsay and Cameron.  (on all fours)

It was a shadow that passed the two and Lindsay was shocked into a frozen
stance.

Cameron was momentarily stunned.  He was still holding Lindsay's hand so
he just pulled her and yelled in her ear.

"Run," Lindsay run.   Do what Hannah said, "run."

Lindsay blinked and came back to the sounds of the night.

"What about Hannah?"
\
Cameron  pursed his lips and  whispered "Hannah is fine."


He spoke with more confidence then he felt for at that moment
the young assistant didn't know what had actually happened.

He pulled Lindsay along the boardwalk.

Soon the two reached the end of the boardwalk and ran on to the path that
led to the parking lot.

As Cameron took out his car keys the pair heard screams coming from the
woods adjacent to the parking lot.

"What was that," said Lindsay.

"I don't know," said Cameron.

"Probably just an animal in the night," but in his innermost mind he had never
heard such screams before.

Lindsay's eyes widened with fear.

Cameron opened the back door of the car first and pushed Lindsay in.


"Get down," he ordered, "now."

Lindsay obeyed without hesitation and laid down on the back seat.

Cameron slammed the back door of the car and then got into  the driver seat.

A shadow ran past the car.  And the passenger door swung open.


Cameron had his hands on the steering wheel and turned to his right.  .

 "OK, let's go, Cameron, now."

He gasped and looked hard at Hannah.   He could only make out a shadow
and It was Hannah, but she seemed different.

"Drive," she said.

Lindsay recognized Hannah's voice.

"Hannah," she whispered.

"It's okay,  Lindsay, it's okay."   The words had a lyrical note and had a
soothing effect on Lindsay.

Lindsay stopped shivering and started to breathe a little slower.

Cameron took a quick glance at Hannah.  Her profile seemed
taller.  He surmised taller, that of a young woman.
And was it his imagination or had her voice changed.

The Hannah sitting next to him seemed older, wiser.

""Let's go, Cameron, drive."

memoir - jumping versus falling

father thomas made a slight distinction between
jumping into the arms of god versus falling
into the arms of god --

when he spoke these words i saw a slight
hesitancy in his voice between the distinction of
falling and jumping.

hence

i watched a video on you tube of returning army
soldiers and the reaction of their children when they first
saw their dad.

these children literally ran and jumped into the arms of their
father.

(since i came off my daily prozac two months ago the tears
literally rolled down my face - it feels so good to weep. I love
it, love it, love it)
.
one little girl jumped into her father's arms and after
a minute he put her down -  the two literally stood
there looking at each other.   their eyes were locked -
and they soaked each other in.  they didn't move.
you could feel the energy between the two as u looked
at them.  the little girl was focused and centered on her
father's face.  he was literally caught in her embrace.

then slowly the little girl took a few steps and falls into the arms of
her father.   the father hugged the little girl close to him
and she hugged him back.  

that encounter of the other in the child looking at the other in the adult 
reminded me of the time when as a young child i had the practice of sitting
in front of the blessed sacrament and i soaked in the presence of jesus -
and he in turn soaked me in.  our presence was eyeball to eyeball.   i would
categorize that as falling and not jumping.

these are my memoirs - that i share with u.

as tony the tiger would say have a grrrrrreat day!!!!

Chapter Nine

A few moments before Cameron spoke

Hannah had peeked out from behind Lindsay's shoulder and took
a hard look at the man standing before her.

He didn't look dangerous.   In fact to her twelve year old eyes
he looked sort of  enticing in a fun sort of way.

She didn't know where these thoughts were coming from.  She
hurriedly rid her mind of these thoughts and chastised herself for
thinking like this. This was not a game.  This wasn't one of her fantasy
adventures where she retired from life and played some part in some
sort of  magical adventure that she concocted in her mind.

No, this was real life.  But yet there was something about this
bold young man standing in front of her holding out his badge to
show Lindsay that perked Hannah's attention.  Brought out the
boldness in her.

She gave the young man the once over.  He seemed very sure of
himself.  He positioned himself on his two legs like he was bolted
into the floor and he wasn't moving.  His denim jeans revealed
full flowing legs and his torso as seen through his white tailored
shirt revealed a well built male of between 20 and 25..

Something stirred in Hannah.  Something she remembered from
long ago.

Lindsay also had been studying Cameron her blue eyes scanning
his tanning squared face to see if she could sense any kind of
unusual emotion.  On instinct she stuck out her hand.

Cameron was caught off guard and he had taken Lindsay's hand
when offered to him.

He had surmised she was signaling for them to lead the way out of the
cabin but then he too remembered something.

Lindsay felt the warmth of Cameron's hand as he clapsed her hand.
She was searching for something anything that would give her a heads' up
as to Cameron's state of mind.

She found it in the warmth of his outstretched hand.  There was no shakiness
only the strength of his hand as he wrapped his hand around hers..
She felt determination and sureness as he clutched her hand.

She didn't know who this Cameron was.   One thing she did know he
meant them no harm.

Lindsay turned toward Hannah and nodded her head up and down.

Hannah  had been watching the two of them and when Lindsay and Cameron's
hand had locked Hannah had felt a surge of warmness and tingling spread
through her own body as Hannah's hand rested on Lindsay's shoulder.
It was as if the three of them shared a secret that at this time they each
didn't understand only that somehow their lives were going to be connected
by a sense of emotion and strength that was going to lead them on a path of
unsureness and at times pain and sorrow but laced with adventure, wholeness,
spirit and love.

It was a path strewn with uncertainty/   Hannah knew this and when Cameron
spoke she knew she would follow him.

Cameron had felt the surge of warmth run through his body when Lindsay
touched him.  Lindsay had felt it also.  She also realized that Hannah was
included in this circle because she felt the warmth travel through the tips of
her finger to Hannah when the young girl squeezed her hand.

A quiet surrounded the trio as they bonded in this moment of tranquil silence.

Cameron was the first to speak.

"Okay, I don't know what just happened, but we have to go."


The two girls nodded their assent and followed Cameron out the cabin door.

chapter eight

Hannah squeezed Lindsay's hand tightly.

Lindsay turned her attention to the door of the cabin
and watched as the doorknob slowly turned and then stopped.


Letting go of the younger girl's hand Lindsay shoved Hannah behind her.

Hannah held on to Lindsay's waist and stepped behind her sister.

Lindsay leaned over and picked up a broom handle that was propped up
against the side of the bed.

In the dim light of the one lamp that lit up the inside of the cabin  Lindsay could
make out the silhouette of a man in the frame of the door as it swung open.

She raised the broomstick over her shoulder.

Cameron hesitated and then turned the knob.

The door opened and his eyes adjusted to the light.   At first he didn't see anything
but then he caught a glimpse of a girl about 17 years of age facing him.

Lindsay didn't recognize the person in the doorway.  It certainly wasn't her father.

She swung the broomhandle and caught Cameron on the side of the head.

He raised his arm to protect himself as the broomhandle glanced off the side of his head.
He fell to one knee.

"Goddamn," he cursed.

He was quick and grabbed the stick as the figure raised it to strike him again.

As the stick flew in the air he grabbed it and yanked it hard, there were screams and
the person on the other end  went sprawling on the floor.


Cameron got up rubbing his head and closed the door behind him.

In the dim of the light Cameron could see that the figure on the floor was a girl of about
17 or 18.  This must be Lindsay he thought.  Where was Hannah?

Lindsay had been stunned for the moment but she got her breath back and was up like a
cat.  All the gymnastics she had taken in school paid off.

She stood in front of Cameron and motioned for Hannah who was off to the side to again get
in back of her.

Hannah found Lindsay's hand and stepped behind Lindsay.

For a moment no one spoke.  And then Lindsay found her voice, "who are you?"

Cameron stood in front of the girls and took in a deep breath.  He grabbed his shield from his right
pocket and flashed it in front of the girls.

"Dayton sent me."

Hannah found her voice and stepped out from behind Lindsay.

"My dad sent you.  Is he all right?"

"Yes," said Cameron.  "He's fine."

"Where is he?" said Hannah.


"He is enroute to a safe house.  He wants you to come with me.

This meeting place has been compromised.   He will be meeting us tomorrow.
But for now we must go.  You are not safe  here anymore."

The younger girl moved forward.

"No.  Wait, " said Lindsay.  And she grabbed Hannah's hand as the younger
girl went to move past her.

"Not so fast," said Lindsay.   "Who are you?
"How do we know we can trust you," said Lindsay.

"Well, I'm here aren't I?"

  "Yes, but that doesn't tell me much,"  said Lindsay.

Cameron squinted his eyes.  He realized Lindsay was going to be a problem
and he would have to come up with something else to gain her trust.

"Does the name Madison mean anything to you Lindsay?"

"Madison/"   "How do you know about Madison?"

Cameron had gotten Lindsay's attention.   The older girl's guard was momentarily down.

"It's complicated," said Cameron.

"Well, uncomplicate it," said Lindsay.

"Madison sent me to get you." 

Lindsay mulled this over in her mind.  She had never seen this man before.  But he knew
Madison that was in his favor.  

Madison would have known about the boathouse and she would have had her workers
nearby.  On one level it made sense.  On a deeper level Lindsay eyed Cameron with
suspicion.

"He seemed to know something, but not everything."

Cameron watched the frown spread over Lindsay's face.   And then the lines in her
face relaxed.

Lindsay reasoned she would have to trust him.  What choice did she have.  They couldn't
stay at the boathouse.  Whoever he was he was right about that.  He had found them.
Others could too.

Out loud, she said, "okay, where are we going/".

what's the plan?:"

"Madison wants us to go to where she is in the mountains.
 She lives in a small hermitage with a group of women."

Cameron had gleaned this information from the file he read in the Chief's office
and this seemed to resonate with Lindsay.

"Yes, I know the place," said Lindsay.  "That's where I grew up."

"Bingo."  Cameron had hit the jackpot.

He knew Lindsay knew exactly where Madison was and she would unknowingly
lead him to her whereabouts. 

"My car is outside," said Cameron.  "I parked it in the shadows of the trees,
 just beyond the boat parking lot."

"Okay, " said Lindsay.

"Does the girl know what is going on?"

"Not completely," said Lindsay, "a lot has happened in the last 24 hours and she
has a great deal to process."

"Yes," said Cameron, "she certainly does.."

Lindsay didn't know what to make of Cameron.  He seemed legit, but yet there was
something about his demeanor that threw her off.  She couldn't quite put her finger
on it, but for the time being she would have to trust him.

The one thing in his favor was that he knew about Madison.

"All right," said Lindsay.  "Let's go."

Lindsay turned to Hannah.  "Hannah, we're leaving."

Hannah had been standing to the side watching the events unfold before her.

Everything concerning the last twenty-four hours went through her mind in a flash.

Up to now Lindsay had been her protector.  She realized that.  She also realized
something else.  She felt a knowing inside of her.  It was kind of like a reality
check.  There was something about Cameron that she recognized.

Cameron saw the younger girl looking at him.

There was something about how she was looking at him.  It kind of got under his skin.

He turned to go, but before he did the younger girl addressed him.

Now, it was Lindsay's turn to be surprised.   Hannah had been so scared the last couple of
hours, but now the younger  girl's voice seemed to hold authority.

Hannah called Cameron' by name.

There was something about her voice that made Cameron stop.

"You don't remember me," do you Cameron?.

Cameron shook his head.  "No, we've never met," said Cameron.

"Yes," said Hannah.  "We have met.  It was a long time ago."

There was something about Hannah that was oh, so familiar.  "What was it,"
thought Cameron.

The younger girl was right.  He also had a knowing inside of him.  They had met
before and each one recognized the other.

Lindsay pressed her lips together.  This was too weird.  What was going on
at this minute she didn't understand, but she knew they had to leave.



 

chapter seven

The two girls closed their eyes tight and hugged each other into infinity.

Hannah was terrified.
Lindsay was apprehensive.

The door to the cabin opened oh, so slowly.  The two girls could hear the hinges creaking.

Hannah held her breath while Lindsay inhaled at a more rapiad rate.

Lindsay would protect her sister no matter what - to the death if it came to that.

Cameron turned the knob .  he was apprehensive. .He hadn't done something like
this before and he didn't know how the Chief would react to his taking things
into his own hands.  He surmised that Monroe wouldn't be too happy.

Cameron knew the chief had a surveillance on Dayton for the last few months.

He had  found the file on Dayton by accident.  Cameron didn't mean to intrude
on the Chief's private file, but Cameron had come upon the manilla folder inadvertently.

The Chief had told him to clean out the old files in the second room of the station
house and that is exactly what Cameron had been doing - cleaning out old files.

Cameron had been on the second file cabinet when he came upon a file marked Stardust.

Stardust was a file that Cameron hadn't expected to find.  And the Chief must have
forgotten that he had stored it there.

Cameron  was looking for felons.  People who committed serious crimes. 

Stardust was stuck behind an old folder marked, Madison.
It was out of alphabetical order and that had piqued Cameron's attention more vividly.

Cameron had just been curious.  So, with a shrug he had he just pulled the file. 

He dropped the folder on the desk.  He looked at it again and pressed his lips together.
His curiosity was definitely stirred.
He muttered out loud, "This is none of my business."
 
Then he picked it up.


He stood there under the thirty watt bulb reading the file.  It read like a story out of Grimm's
Fairy Tales. And like a child Cameron couldn't put it down.
.   
Madison was a descendent of the Light Bearers.

He had read halfway through the file when he had enough.
Cameron dropped the file on to the only desk in the file room.
Clearly this was something he was not  supposed to read.

The Chief must  have been working on some long forgotten case and not realized
he had stored it in the old file room. .

At first Cameron rationalized.   He had  tried not to read the file.
It was none of his business.
But it was so out of the ordinary.
So out of police business that once he started reading the  file he knew
he had to continue to the end.
He couldn't put the file down.

The file Stardust referred to a woman named Madison.

Cameron recalled the file in front of Stardust labeled Madison.  He rummaged for it and
pulled out the file.

He laid it on the desk
.
He breathed slowly and deliberately he picked up both files.  Madison and Stardust.  How were
they connected?  What did one have to do with the other.

He sat down and opened the Madison file.  There was a  picture of a nice looking
girl with long brown hair and a tempting smile.  She looked about 19.

It was only a head shot but Cameron was intrigued with the photo.

He closed the file and breathed.  He mulled over the picture in his mind.

Then he pulled the seat closer to the desk and propped both elbows on to the
worn green blotter that covered the top portion of the desk and he put his hands
under his cheek bones. and began to read the file.

What Cameron read would change how he felt about  the chief.
 How he felt about life in general.

As the story developed he realized  that if any of it was true  a prophecy would come to fruition
in 2015 and that he Cameron would be a part of these events.

----------------------------

Cameron turned the knob to the cabin door..  It was a cool night and his hands were sweaty.

From all the information he had the girls were inside the cabin.

Would they accept him?
Would the Chief be mad?
Would Dayton the father accuse him of deception?
What was his role to be?

The young Cameron had no answers.  Only questions.

He turned the knob and the door swung open.

chapter six

Hannah stared at her sister Lindsay.
What Lindsay was telling Hannah had so shocked
the younger girl - that Hannah's tears which had been flowing
copiously stopped as suddenly as they had begun..

Hannah's brown eyes were focused on Lindsay's mouth and the words she was speaking.

The young 11 year old squinted her eyes and watched the sentences as they fell from Lindsay's lips.
The words  were foreign.  And Hannah realized that her sister was speaking another language,
but yet she Hannah at some level understood her.

Hannah felt something in the recesses of her mind nudging her.
She instinctively knew somehow that what Lindsay was saying was true.
It was startling for the younger girl to know that she could sense the truth of Lindsy's words
somewhere in her deepest being.

Her mind just didn't understand the words.

Her older sister's words were striking Hannah on another level. 

Hannah realized with a jolt  that it It was that second voice in Hannah's head that was picking up what Lindsay was saying.  The voice that had been quiet for most of the year.

Hannah was remembering something in the recesses of her mind..  She just couldn't quite tune into it.
It was within the recesses of her mind but Hannah couldn't put a grasp on what it was.

Her mind nudged her, a memory unfolded.  She held it in the palm of her hand when she was a child.

With a jolt she remembered  it was somehow connected to the magic rock.  
The rock held  many happy  memories and was a truth she held in the palm of her hand but
discarded  when she was about eight.  Why had she done that, Hannah thought.  She couldn't
even remember what had brought her to put away the magic rock.
Yet, she had put it aside and done so with only a slight hesitation.

There was something else too.
It had to do with the voices in her head.

She was remembering that the voices were so strong at times that she had felt like two
different people.
.
They were with her for a long time.  She grew up with them.  She didn't tell her family about them.
She didn't tell any of her friends about them either.  Even at an early age she knew what it was
to be different and she didn't want to appear strange.  She wanted to fit in.

Hannah didn't have any imaginary friends and no extra plates were ever set at the table for
the big white bunny.

No, her voices were real.  One was distant and the other one was who she was comfortable being.    

She repeated what Lindsay was saying, and the words seemed disjointed and stuttered off Hannah's
tongue as she repeated  what her older sister said.     "I am a child of the Light,"

Hannah looked at Lindsay hard.   She felt nautious and the younger girl's stomach was
churning so much that she felt that she might throw up.

When she spoke Hannah's voice was calm and she almost seemed to pull off what she was
saying in a grown up voice,

"What r u saying Lindsay?  Why r u doing this?"

A look of utter panic and fright was etched on Hannah's face. 
Lindsay realized Hannah was trying to process the day's events as calmly as an 11 year old could.

Lindsay felt so sorry for Hannah, but this had to be done.

"What language r u speaking?"  uttered Hannah.

And finally she wailed in her 11 year old voice. "You are scaring me.
Where is dad.  What r we doing on this sailboat?"

Hannah's mind was a hodgepodge of thoughts.

Lindsay kept speaking.  There seemed to be no stopping her thought Hannah.

Her sister just wouldn't stop talking.

"Why are you doing this?" she blurted out.

Now, Lindsay was talking about someone named Monica.

Hannah's breathing increased and she seemed to be taking in extra breaths.
  
Had her sister Lindsay lost her mind.

Hannah was concerned about her dad and Lindsay was telling her some story about a woman
named Monica who was her birth mother and had come from another star kingdom.

All Hannah could think of was that her sister Lindsay, her 17 year old sister had lost her mind?

Hannah felt she was losing her grip on reality.  

Lindsay meanwhile took in her sister's appearance.  She noted that Hannah's brown eyes were
as wide as saucers.

Fear was etched on her face.  Hannah was scared.  Lindsay could see that.

Hannah tightened her fist and  rapped her knuckles hard on the table two times.
She breathed.  She could feel the hardness of the table and it calmed her.
 
She remembered in the past that when she heard the voices and they got to be too much for her
she would  bang her knuckles hard against the tablet or she would turn around and slap slap the palm
of her hand hard against the kitchen wall until she felt the sting of pain on the inside of her hand.

That brought her back to reality and she would say out out loud, "Now, that's what I call reality.  Not those voices in my head."

   
Lindsay saw that Hannah was scared and for a moment she saw Hannah lose her breath.

Lindsay had to make a decision.  Did she continue on with what she had to do or did she stop.

Hannah saw the look of concern that her sister was directing at her.  And she breathed slowly.

Lindsay continued,

"Hannah, I know this is a lot to take in, but there are some things that have to be told."

Hannah breathed.  It was too much.  Finally she wailed.

"Are you kidding me," said Hannah.  "This is 2015.   Not some dark vadar
movie.  This is America.  And u r talking about some light child. "

Hannah's voice had started out calm.  But now with each word it was becoming a roaring scream.

Hannah could hear herself talking.  Her voice had been soft and low.  Like she was some other person.
But her mind, oh her mind was screaming.  

And then finally Hannah got her 11 year old senses back and she wailed uncontrollably, tears and
screaming, "What about dad? That's who you should be talking about.  Our dad."

Lindsay put her hand to her eyes.  Her eyes were so tired.  She closed her lids and she
could feel her eyes burning.

Okay,  said Lindsay,  breathe,   That's it .  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Lindsay continued.

Dad and I had a conversation that if this life and death scenario actually came to
be he left me instructions as to what I was to do.

Lindsay tried to assure Hannah that dad would be all right.

"But how is that possible?" said the younger girl.  " I saw him .  He was lying on the kitchen floor.
He wasn't moving."
.
Lindsay continued,  Dad said, "That if this situation ever occurred we were to come to the pier
and board the sailboat Midnight.  They keys would be in the flowerpot on the deck."

Lindsay said, "dad told me to tell u to specifically trust in the present moment, to look inside for
a specific presence and that she Hannah would come in contact with her inner strength.

Dad told me he would be okay.

That you can't always believe what you see and sooner or later he would find his girls".

Lindsay wanted to tell Hannah about Dayton and what part he was playing in Hannah's life,

She breathed.  There were parts of Dayton's life that he wasn't even aware of yet and Lindsay
herself didn't entirely understand but she knew that it wasn't her place to figure out. .  

Lindsay knew that Dayton was more than Hannah's father.  That he had been specifically
chosen by Madison to be Hannah's father.  And that his time on this planet was
coming to an end but  it would not be until he saw a certain chapter in Hannah's life
completed and he got to see Madison one more time. 

Lindsay had stopped talking and Hannah glanced down at her multicolored socks
that she had put on earlier that day before school started and tiny sobs shook her shoulders.

Hannah stared at Lindsay and said mournfully, I want my childhood back,"
I want my life back."

Lindsay and Hannah locked glances.   Lindsay opened her arms.
The two sisters both knew from that moment on there was no going back.
There lives were forever changed.

They heard voices outside and the stamping of feet on the deck.
The younger sister snuggled into the circle of Lindsay's protective arms.

Lindsay cradled Hannah's head against her chest.  She knew that whoever came
through the cabin door of the sailboat was going to impact her and Hannah's lives
in a very serious way.



 

chapter five

the silence in the car hung like a muffled curtain
between the two men.

layman peered at monroe in the darkness trying to
figure out his next step.

monroe coughed and layman said, "is there something
u wanted to say?"

Monroe said, " well, there is a lot to explain to u, but
at the moment i was just clearing my throat."

Oh, said, "Layman."

the two men were quiet for a few moments and then
Monroe, said, "i have been watching u and monitoring
your movements for the last two months."

"why was that," said Layman.

the chief paused and then addressed Layman.

"well, as u know, i told u the queen sent me."

"well, i don't know anyone that goes by that name."

Monroe, took the next right down Hart Street and
then made a full stop at the stop sign.

"Well, you do know a woman named Madison,don"t you?"

Layman closed his eyes.  thoughts of kinder times rushed
through his brain.  This was too much.

Cautiously, he said, :how do you know Madison?  and
who are you?

Monroe said, "it's enough for you to know that I am working
for Madison and she sent me to watch over you.

That was enough for Layman to hear and he pondered this new
information for the next five minutes.

Thoughts of Madison rushed again through his mind.  He could
smell her perfume.  Sense her presence when she was near.
How many years had it been?  He counted.  Ten years.

Hannah was just turning eleven.  Madison had given  their child Hannah
to Layman and told him to take care of her with his life if
need be.  As an added protection Madison had sent Lindsay
with Layman and she was to act as Hannah's older sister.
Lindsay was seven when she had hooked up with Layman ten
years ago.

Layman breathed hard.  Where were the girls?

He hadn't realized he had spoken out loud.

"We are almost there," said Monore.

"Almost where?"   said Layman.

"At the pier." said Monore.

You know about the pier, said Layman.

Of course, said the chief.

And by this time I am sure Lindsay has explained the
situation to Hannah.


"Exactly what is the situation," said Layman.

"It's time to act," said Monroe.
The time for preparing is over.

It's almost Hannah's 12 birthday.  It is time for her to become
aware of who she is.

It is time for her to begin her mother's work.

You mean Madison.  Madison's work.

"Right," said Monroe.

Layman thought of Hannah.  His breath quickened.  Hannah
was Layman's only link to Madison.

After all Hannah was Layman's and Madison's child.

Madison was a descendent of the Light Beings.  There were a few left
of the ancient tribe and Hannah was their child.  Madison's gift to this
universe.
Hannah was born of their spirit and their flesh.   It was her destiny to inspire
and lead the light bearers.   It was her destiny to awaken the human race.

Lindsay was a wise spirt and Hannah's protector.  She was not Layman's child..
Lindsay was aware of her role in Hannah's life and had accepted her part
graciously.  She was Madison's neice.

Madison had a sister named Helen who had a daughter named Lindsay.  Helen
and her husband had been murdered by those seeking to quench the light.  And
Lindsay had come to live with Layman and Madison when she was six.  Hannah
had been born and the family was complete.

Madison and Layman had split up because the queen of the dark had sent out
her hunters to find Hannah and Madison thought it would be best for them to
separate..

Madison had gone to the mountains of the north where she had family and Layman
had taken Hannah and Lindsay and gone to the east and settled in a small town
and become nodescript as possible to avoid detection from the queen's infiltrators.

Lindsay also carried the light bearer gene but it was Hannah who would awaken
the Light Bearers and the work that they would accomplish.

Hannah had a recessive gene that would come to fruition when she reached the
age of twelve.  She carried the full spirit of humanity within her and soon it would
be realized.

Madison had tried to explain it to Layman ten years go.

It was because Hannah was their child specifically that Hannah held this uniqueness -
a full humanity.

Layman recalled Madison's words - a full humanity - whatever that meant -

He just didn't understand what Madison meant when she said he was sought out
specifically.

Did that mean that he and Madison were destined to meet and that Hannah was
ordained to be their child.

He had questioned Madison on this.  And all she said was that in time one day he would
understand.  that he had to trust the process.  Hannah would be his daughter and he
would play an important part in her life.

Hannah was to be fully human.  The first developed human light bearer and that would be
her gift to humanity.

Her gift of fullness and expression of self would become fully visible when she reached her
12th birthday.

Layman breathed deeply and sighed.  so he had tried to Hannah in a small town and he Layman
and his two daughters, Lindsay and Hannah had settled into a quiet mundane life unlike that of his
neighbors.

Keeping as low a profile as they could but word had seeped out that there was a child who
was to become woman and when she did beauty would be born.

People would be touched by her presence.  Songs would be sung.  Music would be composed. 
Gardens would blossom.  And children would dance.  Old people would shake their heads
in approval.  And the sun would shine.

All this Madison had told him - but yet she had also told Layman another side of the myth.

A side of the myth where the dark side would try to cast its shadow and let its breath flow over
the land preventing the light bearers from actualizing their presence.

Layman looked at Monroe.  Was Monroe from the dark side?  he seemed to know a lot about
Layman and his girls.

If he was from the shadow Monroe was ready for him.  He would protect his girls no matter
what.  Just like he had promised Madison he would do that day ten years ago.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monroe took a peek at Layman.   He could see Layman was deep in thought.
Probably trying to figure me out chuckled Monroe to himself.   Yes, he knew
Madison had told Layman about Hannah and included Lindsay as part of his
family.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------
One thing Layman didn't know though.   Maybe he should tell him thought Monroe.  It
might put his mind at ease.  but then again maybe it wouldn't.  he didn't know how much
madison had told him about the myth and how much that layman the father would play
in the fate of humanity.

--------------------------------
the chief thought he might take a baby step and feel layman out a little bit.
The chief knew about Madison.  He should know about Madison.  He opened
his mouth to speak.

what?  said Layman.  What?

The chief spoke softly to Layman almost like he was talking his own child.

Layman, you have nothing to fear from me.

and why should i believe that said Layman.

the chief paused and then said, because in actuality I am Madison's father
and i'm really here to keep u safe.

Layman just stared at the other man and for a moment was rendered speechless.

He sat there processing what the other man said.

You're Madison's father, he finally said out loud.

Yes, I'm Madison's father.

Layman stared straight ahead into the dark of the night.
  

Mystery - Chapter Four

Lindsay turned down Lake Road and Hannah loosened her grip
around her sister's waist..

"Linday, what are we doing here?"

Lindsay slowed the bike down and brought it to an abrupt halt.

"Hannah, get off the bike and be quiet."

Hannah obeyed her sister and dismounted the bike .  She stood beside
the bike with a scowl on her face and shoved  her hands into the deep
pockets of her sweater.

"Lindsay,  what are we doing here?"

Receiving only a stoic silence from her sister Hannah persisted in her
questions.

"What's going on?"
"What happened to dad?:
"What did you do?"

Lindaay was busy looking around and finally she rested her gaze on Hannah.

"Hannah, " she whispered, "be quiet, and follow me.  I'll tell you what is going on in a minute."

"But Lindsay," replied Hannah , in a hushed voice, what are we doing here?

Hannah's eyes had become accustomed to the dark and she realized Lindsay had
parked the bike at the entrance to the Lakeville Pier.

"What are we doing at the pier?"

Lindsay didn't answer Hannah.but instead took out a key from her blue denims and undid the padlock that
locked the wooden pier from outsiders.


"Lindsay," whispered Hannah, "where did you get that key?"

Instead of answering her sister , Lindsay raised her fingers to her lips in a gesture that meant
for Hannah to be quiet

The eleven year old had had it and was about to start screaming at Lindsay when her sister
started running along the wooden pier.  Hannah had no alternative but to fall in step
behind Lindsay.

The two sisters jogged for a period of three minutes following the rope line of the pier
that separated the various boats from the wooden planked bridge.

Lindsay abruptly stopped in front of a medium sized sailboat which was anchored two boats from
the end of the pier.

Hannah using the lnight ights that were illuminated on the deck of the pier made out
the name "Midnight" on the side of the boat. 

"Okay, this is it, Hannah," said Lindsay.

Lindsay faced Hannah and in the breath of second took stock of her sister's facial expressions.
She could tell Hannah as near the end of her emotional rope and realized that if Hannah didn't
start getting some answers as to this strange night she would have an eleven year old meltdown..

Even as Lindsay was processing  Hannah's demanor her younger sister was doing her own checklist
of the night's events. 
Hannah instinctively knew somehow that Lindsay seemed all too familiar with the pier. 

Hannah grimaced.  Even more importantly she wanted to know what happened to her father.
Had Lindsay attacked their father.

Up to now Hannah was numb with the day's events but her emotions were begininng to thaw
and  her mind was beginning to deal with the day events   

Lindsay turned to Hannah and said, "we are getting on the boat.  Watch your step."

Hannah nodded in agreement and followed her sister on to the boat.

Once on board Hannah said,  "Whose sailboat is this Lindsay?"

Lindsay took in a slight breath and said, "it's dad's Hannah."

There was an audible gasp from the younger girl.  This was just too much.

"Dad had a boat.  How come I didn't know anything about this?"

"Hannah, come inside the cabin, and I promise I'll explain everything."

Hannah stood rooted on the deck of the boat.

She fought back the tears that were once again threatening 'to consume her.

Her hands were out of her pockets and rolled into little balls at her side.

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you."

Her bottom lip began to tremble and Lindsay knew Hannah was at the end of
her rope.  If she didn't give Hannah some answers soon the younger girl was
going to lose it.

Again Hannah hissed the words from her mouth.  "Tell me what is going on, Lindsay
Tell me now."

"Okay Hannah, come inside.    I promise I'll explain everything.  But you
have to trust me and come inside the cabin.  Somebody might see us out here."

Hannah heard the desperation in Lindsay's  voice .  The younger sister bit her bottom lip
and her mind acknowledged  the tired look on Lindsay's  face.

Hannah was ready to fight Lindsay on this.  She wasn't going anywhere.  She was only
11, but she wanted answers.  She was entitled to them.  She wanted them now.

But she trusted also trusted Lindsay.  Her sister had always been there for her.  Lindsay was
the mother Hannah had never known.
Hannah took in Lindsay's demeanor one last time.

Something about her sister's positive demeanor made Hannah give her one last go
at explaining what was going on. 

Lindsay exuded strength even now Hannah felt it and in her trust gave Lindsay one last chance
at explaining what was happening.

"Hannah nodded, "okay, let's get off the deck."

Lindsay slid back the door and slipped into the cabin.

Hannah followed her sister into the darkness.

Once inside LIndsay  grabbed Hannah's hand and led her downstairs.

At the bottom of the staircase Lindsay turned on a drawstring light  and Hannah
saw they were in a cabin with two beds and a table.

The two sisters sat on a bed and faced each other.

"Hannah was the first to speak., "okay, what is going on."

"Sit down, Hannah, and I'll tell you."

                                                 XXXXXXX