LiTTLE CHERiNE Book 03 - post064

I have not had such a good laugh for a long time - here is this guy who thinks he is just writing a story writing to his characters, giving them advice. He must be as crazy as I am!!

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1585

I showed it to the girls and I do not know if you felt it ‘Mr A’, but they sent you a real storm of love. After a lot of arguments, which Alki joined in very forcibly, this is what we decided:

As in the war, each of my girls will take in a Sparkler and open a mental link to it. We set out a roster so that there are never three babies on their own. We have split the girls as follows:

- The ones I consider mature, strong or practical - Dommi, Cherine, Claudia and Aganthi.
- The teams who back-up the first ones - the rest of them. Jade and Cassie refused to be left out.

I have insisted that first the second lot, those who have not had the experience, share their minds and examine other minds so that it is not such a shock to them when they find themselves in my mental worlds. They will each share with me too. Being ignorant they do not fear this, but I do; I hate the idea of them getting to feel where I am cynical or hard - I do not fear them knowing my soft spots, they already do, most of them from before birth!

On the third day I happened to be sitting talking with Keith and Alki about business when Candy ran through the room screaming as Jade and Cassie chased her. I shot to my feet in a temper and screamed at them ‘Are you trying to drive me crazy!!?’ and then, having heard my own words and felt their shock, I burst into tears. Alki took me in a bear hug and suddenly surrounded by all my girls I was being consoled as I shook from reaction. Candy came to sit on my lap to kiss me and I turned away, filled with shame. Dommi turned to Alki.

“Will you please take him to our bed. I will not listen to any more nonsense, he goes to sleep and he lets himself dream or I swear I will knock him out myself. I will take the first shift with Cherine and Claudia. After that we can go to the agreed roster.”

Marian said, “That is a good idea Dominique, the first time he let’s himself dream he will have some whoppers. Would it not be an idea to take Alki in with you?"”

Dommi looked at him thoughtfully. “Alki mou, would you mind if I take Socrati? I think he would be less affected and better able to help.”

“You are right kori mou, a very good choice.” Aganthi jumped to Cyprus and returned with him. The girls first made me decent, making me wear pyjamas, and then allowed Socrati to join us. By now I was able to apologise to Candy and the imps, but they only cried when I did so.

If Themi had been there he might have realised what my first nightmare would be, but he was not consulted, so I caught my girls by surprise.

1595

My feelings of guilt at hurting my three baby girls made me the first victim. I suppose I was trying to punish myself. My mind created a monster which caught me and bit into my arm as I flung it over my face in terror.

Aganthi had not left my bedside, watching the three girls and Socrati for any indication of what is going on - it had been agreed those not guarding me are not allowed to monitor mentally. She saw a monster take form and bite my arm, severing blood vessels and ripping my flesh. She threw herself at it, thrust her hand in it’s mouth crying out ‘you are not allowed to hurt me’ again and again even as her hand was torn by it’s teeth. Though the creature had the ugliest teeth, sharp as razors and eyes like a rat’s, it was created to punish me, not my loved ones. It tasted her blood and withdrew and then vanished.

Aganthi ignored her wounds, trying to staunch my blood that was spurting out, sending her healer to help mine repair the damage. In my sleep I felt the agony before my healer soothed the pain away and I thought it only part of my nightmare and so Socrati and the girls thought so too. Alki rushed back in with Marian and soon as my arm started healing, forced her to get her own healer back to repair herself. She explained what had happened, still in shock she projected the vision of the monster tearing at me.

The room filled up with them all keeping vigil beside me for the rest of that day and the whole of the night. None protested when Aganthi took position next to me, ready to fight for my life again.

Perhaps the pain had served it’s purpose, but the multitude of dreams thereafter were either confusing and meaningless or happy dreams. I woke the next morning feeling alive and full of energy again.

When I found out what had happened I took her hand to be certain it was fully healed and then kissed it, keeping it against my cheek as I went into her mind and saw my nightmare come alive. I wept at the devotion and foolish courage of my sweet Albanian girl. The rest saw into her mind too and she was adored by all for many days, my Cherine first amongst them.

After lunch I became sleepy again and Dommi forced me back to bed, doing sentry duty with Meli and Nicole. I had a lot of crazy jumbled dreams, but nothing to frighten or shame me - except for finding myself sitting in a roomful of people without any clothes on. In another dream I saw myself nude again and I wanted the toilet. It was shown to me; the toilet was in a sitting room that had a number of people and I urinated in view of all of them. Embarrassing, but nothing to worry about since none of my girls were about to tease me.

Within a few days I was feeling normal and able to accept that I was not really responsible for saying or doing the things I’d done to hurt others. It did not absolve me from doing whatever I could to make amends. My own Candy, Jade and Cassie were the most difficult to right my wrongs with as they refused to accept I needed to. I thought about the other little girl a lot and soon as I was able to, I went calling at their home. They own the whole floor in a luxury block of apartments and I think only the fact that I am a foreigner got the main entrance opened for me.

The mother was at their front door when I came up the steps. Her body was blocking the door, subconsciously sending me the message I am not welcome.

“What is it?”

“I can speak Greek if it is easier for you, though not as perfectly as I would like to.” I modestly added. “I have come to ask how your daughter is. I was at the coffee shop when she hurt herself and I was worried about her. Unfortunately I also became sick and that is why I have delayed in asking about her.”

“She is fine, there was no permanent damage and her cut healed very fast.”

I held out a gift wrapped parcel. “This is from the other girls that were there that day.”

“I’m sorry, but I cannot accept gifts for my daughter from strangers.”

Her daughter was hiding behind the door and thought the gift might be an imp doll, so she ran out pleading with her mother to be allowed to take it. Her mother gave in.

“Haven’t I seen you with Alki Georgiades and the shipowner Elia Spiropoulos?”

“That is correct.”

Suddenly I was respectable (that was a comment of amusement). “Come in, can I offer you a drink?”

1596

“A coffee would be nice thank you.” I turned to her daughter who was politely waiting, but itching to get away to see if the gift is an imp doll. “I hope you are not thinking the parcel has an imp doll. Even if the girls wanted to give you one they could not. Those were specially made for them by their grandfather in America. I’m sorry if you are disappointed.”

I felt her disappointment, but she bravely pretended she had not expected an imp doll.

“Maybe I can make it up to you a little? Sit on that sofa opposite me and I’ll do some magic for you. It must be our secret though, okay?”

She put down her present and sat watching me.

“How about three little fairy flames dancing for you?” I cupped my hands and as they parted three flames danced. I sent them so that they were halfway between her and myself, floating above the coffee table. She stared at them enraptured.

“You can put your hand through them, they will not burn you, they are magic flames.”

She was afraid to, but gathered her courage to feel around them, trying to find how I was controlling them. She looked at me with awe when she could not find anything. I set them spinning around her wrist, looking like a bracelet of light. I created more flames and linked them with a chain of light and set them as a necklace and sent her to look at herself in the mirror. She gave a little scream and her mother ran in, but I’d got rid of the flames.

“What’s wrong Smaragda?”

“He did magic! He made some flames that became a bracelet and necklace; it was beautiful mummy.”

The mother looked at me, puzzled.

“It is a hobby of mine, I love doing magic tricks.”

“I’ll get your coffee.”

I held out my hand to Smaragda. A miniature Mickey Mouse appeared. He bowed to her. “Smaragda, it is such a lovely name. I am honoured to meet you.”

She gave a squeal of pleasure and came as close as she dared to. “I did not see your lips move, how did you make it talk?”

“Smaragda, is that nice, to call me an it? Don’t you know my name?”

“It is Mickey.”

I kept it going until I sensed the mother returning and Mickey bowed and said goodbye. She pleaded with me to do it again so that her mother could see.

“I told you Smaragda that it would be a secret, my magic is only for kids - you see, grown ups can’t believe in magic so it won’t work for them.”

Her mother smiled. “Test me Mr Teller.”

I got her to bring me three serviettes and a pack of playing cards. I chose to use cards because all magicians use cards and people are used to seeing them do remarkable magic with them.

“For this trick it is important that I do not touch the cards and do not even come close to them. Smaragda, take the cards, pull one out and put it on the coffee table. Now put three serviettes on the coffee table also, with the card under one of them. I’ll stay here far away.”

She put the card under the left serviette. I waved my fingers and little stars of light touched the serviettes.

“Under which serviette did you put the card?”

“This one.” She showed it with her finger. “You saw!”

1597

“I think it was not that serviette, it was the middle one.”

She giggled, “You are wrong!”

“Show me. Lift the serviette where you put the card.” She did and stared at the emptiness underneath. “Do you want to check the one on the other side?”

She shook her head and lifted the central one. She stared at the card.

“Check that it is the same card you put there.”

“But I didn’t! I put it there!!” She turned it over and it was the two of diamonds she had put on the left. She made me repeat it another three times before her mother said it was enough. I told Smaragda to throw all three serviettes over her card. Her mother was sitting next to her, on the other side of the coffee table from me. I grinned at Smaragda.

“I think you chose a really naughty card. Guess where it is hiding now” I pointed at her mothers shoe. They both looked down and saw it under her foot.

I knew I had captivated little Smaragda, but the mother was actually feeling afraid. These tricks she felt could not be sleight of hand and the possibility that my magic might be true scared her. I told her about an American magician, David Blaine, who walks the streets doing his magic in public amongst the people. I mentioned a few of the tricks he does and promised to get them a video of his, they would then see that he is much better than I am. This helped calm her down a bit. Seeing her daughter so excited helped and her face was no longer as cold and it encouraged me to take a chance. I asked whether Smaragda could come to a birthday party for Claudia, as all the girls will be there and I will do more magic tricks for them.

“Mr Teller, everyone has been wondering. Who are those girls! I have never seen such a beautiful group of girls before.”

“Some Dominique and I have sort of adopted, the rest are girls adopted by the friends you mentioned. One of them is my baby sister.”

I gave her the address and she agreed Smaragda could come. Once they had agreed, I turned to Smaragda as her mother went for a moment to the kitchen. Before I could speak she did.

“You did a magic trick to make me fall.”

“I’m not admitting I did, but if I had, do you think you know why I would do such a thing?”

“Because I touched the doll?”

“No! Good heavens, I would not do it for a silly thing like that!”

“Why?”

“Maybe you were a little nasty also? Putting on airs as if you are someone special - maybe you had to be reminded that you may be a lovely girl and your daddy may be rich, but if you want to be liked you have to be friendly.”

“I didn’t!” But her guilty look made it unnecessary for me to reply. I leant forward. “I need to ask you a favour. When you come to the party, please try to be friendly, to get to know the girls. You just might find you like some of them and I’m sure you will be surprised to find they like you too.”

“I don’t want to come.”

“That is a pity, I wanted to do a special trick for you - to show you how you can float on air, your feet not touching the ground.”

Her mother returned and I thanked her and left.

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I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.

Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου

(Alexander Zenon Eustace)
^{23rd September, 2019}

* posted on PALNet - Steemit - WEKU - CreativeCoin: 23rd September, 2019