LiTTLE CHERiNE Book 03 - post067

I bowed my head to hide the tears that threatened to spill over. Softly I whispered, “I’m sorry,” and walked away from them.

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1604

Even though I stood outside on the pavement in the cold wind, lighting a cigarette, I could hear their conversation clearly within my mind.

“Something has happened to change him and you are all worried?”

1605

“There are two schools of thought. Some believe the test of the Sparklers, his fear that he was the cause of the death of his friend Solomon, changed him. Others think it is the sudden growth of his powers that has frightened him. Whichever it is, he has changed.”

Luigi spoke thoughtfully, “Experience turns young men into old men, not time. Power would only make a man like him more gentle and patient.”

“You feel you already understand him that well? I must admit it sounds as if you are right.”

Keith added, “It is strange. When I first met him he leaned on Alki for his strength and love, looked to him for guidance on what is correct morally - he thought of him in a way as a father. I sense from Alki that he has been set aside, that Robert has bottled himself up within himself.”

Luigi changed the subject. “What of this old man he speaks of, the one who met him in Italy under a tree?”

“We all await his coming, if he was not a dream, with fear. Robert says he will be made to leave us on that day.”

“How can there be a person so powerful and yet none of you know he exists? Surely Robert would have sensed such a power?”

Themi had joined them. “You may be wrong. If such a person does exist, if his powers are so far above those of Robert, would he not be able to hide himself from us?”

Suddenly I wanted the warmth of a tropical night, the calming sound of surf. I sensed Dommi about to come to me, but the twins beat her to it. She gave a small rueful smile and sent me a kiss.

I grinned at the two magical creations of my darling Diana. “We better go back in to our bedroom and change clothes. These winter things will soon have us boiling over there.”

The girls chatted as we walked; in deference to my moodiness they used mind-speak, though every now and then they would speak a word or giggle aloud without realising it. They knew I was listening, but also sensed it did not bother me. Perhaps I should have let them see how I loved hearing them, but it may have made them self conscious and less spontaneous.

The moon was shining and the sea glittered as the waves tipped and reflected the pale light to us in tiny stars. As we watched, the girls exclaimed. An Arab dhow was passing by, a romantic sight in these days of engines. I thought of how simple and pleasant life is for those aboard her; hard work, but life simple and easier to understand. I guess I reached out to them with a yearning to be a part of it for a moment.

I shuddered with anger. They were smuggling, taking into Dar drugs for the young who already have no money for food. Without pausing to think I lashed out, loosening planks under the waterline until I sensed the holds flooding.

“Robert, they will drown!!”

“They deserve to.” I felt their dismay at my answer and forced the man at the wheel to steer for the beach. By the time they realised their boat was sinking they were within fifty metres of the shore. Excited at his prescience the man at the wheel bragged about this feeling he’d had that made him come close to the shore. They hefted between them the sealed bags of drugs and jumped into the water, hardly needing to swim it was so shallow. They were all glad they could save their cargo for it would pay for the boat to be repaired and still leave enough money to buy the next consignment. I saw the horror in some of them when they thought of the possibility of losing their cargo and returning home without money to even buy food, never mind repair their boat. It would have meant starvation.

I sank to my knees in agony. I could have burst their bags while still in the water. I thought of their customers, their lives being ruined, then thought of these men, not fat lords of a drug cartel, just fishermen who make a little extra to feed their families. Morally I felt I knew what was the right thing to do, but I did not trust my judgement. I felt my girls hug me as they stood to either side of me, trying to send me their love and understanding.

“Jo, what is happening? It is as if suddenly life is conspiring to destroy whatever confidence I have in myself. Why is every decision I make wrong?”

1606

“You went to the beach for a reason Robert, the moment you took Nicole and Alexis you made a wrong decision. You should have sent them back and taken Dominique - she was the one you needed. What you did in anger was not wrong, it is the result of the way you grew up in an affluent society. What you should have done, if you were that committed to stamp out the drug trade, is followed the fishermen back home and found those who provide them with the drugs - the ones who are making the real money. Them you should have ruined.”

I stared out at the dolphin people playing with their young ones and envied their existence.

“You envied the fishermen Robert. What do you know of the lives of the dolphin people? Have you talked to them, learnt of their fears and worries?”

“What do they have to fear? There are no predators here.”

“There are predators everywhere Robert - it is just difficult to see them sometimes.”

“Come on Jo, I would know if there was another life-form here!”

“Think then, what other life-forms are there here and how do they threaten the existence of the dolphin people. Under what threat do they bring their young to this world?”

“You mean us!? We would never harm them!”

“You are so absolute in your certainty Robert? How many times have you placed them in danger of suddenly no longer existing because you wanted total death? If your family had followed you to that non-existence, what would have happened to this world?”

“Jesus!” Whichever direction I turned, it seemed all I found was a mirror throwing reflections of my wrong decisions back at me. Jo smiled.

“Now you want to blame yourself for what you might have done?”

“No, that would be stupid. I blame myself for not thinking of them, of not remembering I have a responsibility to Adam and all life here.”

Jo began to chuckle in amusement. “My dear Robert, you think of Adam as having life?”

“Who am I to judge? He speaks, he fights with me, sometimes he even thinks. Jo, do not try to convince me otherwise, the subject is too close to the arguments about Solomon.”

She sobered. “Yes, I see that. I’ll let time and your insufferable curiosity find your own answer.”

I feel no pressure when with her to keep talking. I sat silent for a long time, clouds on the horizon slowly drifting; the squawk of a bird over my shoulder within the trees; the sea or ocean gently lapping on the shore - how does it do that, what forces make it move since there is no gravity or wind or moon? I must have sunk into a low level of meditation, my awareness simultaneously sinking within myself and expanding to include the World, even Jo. I saw the flow of energy from the void as it becomes part of the World, joining to every part, from atmosphere to plants, to water and dolphins. Even to my temporary body; the energy was being absorbed and it lent a reality to everything in this World of ours.

I asked Jo, “The bodies are being used well?”

“They are, mostly they send the souls of those who died young or as children. It has made my stay here more interesting. They are so different from us, what seems similar only serves to hide from us the essence of their alieness. I find that what I like in our boys I admire in their females. Their male children are very boring, worse than our girls can be.”

“I know. I was also intrigued by that aspect of them. Strange that despite that they are a patriarchal society. I imagine it would be a blow to feminists if they learnt of them.”

“The ones you call feminists, they are not. They are women who have denied their own nature and taken on a distorted viewpoint. They envy men for the wrong reasons.”

I grinned. “You better not get me started. I have met very few real feminists and I have admired each of them. You are one of them.”

1607

“Me?”

“Of course. You are a woman who is happy to be a female, you do not need to justify yourself or prove your equality. You allow the male to be a male. I believe there are three sexes on Earth. The male and female and when they join, becoming one in such a way that they complement each other, they become a third creature, one that transcends the shortcomings of both sexes. I suppose you will say I am being naïve and have an idealistic, simplistic and romantic outlook.”

“If you can make it work for you and your wives then it is valid.”

I dug my fingers into the light green sand, letting the gritty granules slide through my fingers as I sank deep into my thoughts again. They were not specific of anything, it was as if I were a bird drifting with my wings outstretched, letting the currents carry me where they will. Every now and then they would taste of a thought or memory, let it go and soar off again in a dazed sort of peace. Her last words came back to me and I sat up, my thoughts now sharp and homing in.

“Not just my wives - all Cherinians!”

She stared at me puzzled. “What?”

“You just said ‘my wives’.”

“That was nearly two hours ago!”

“Doesn’t matter. What you said does. I think I start to see what is troubling me. Jo, I am returning and tomorrow we are celebrating. Please let Solomon create a body for you and be there with us.”

“What are we celebrating?”

“Freedom! Come and find out.” I gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and left, a last laugh of joy I am certain was left behind as I dissolved back to my soul and danced a moment in the void. I opened my eyes to a roomful of girls watching over me. They sensed the change in my mood and it was like an electric current flashing through them.

“Wendy, call Apostoli and book tables for us for tomorrow night. I want every single Cherinian there.”

She playfully saluted. “Is that an order?”

“Uh huh.” I sent out my power and raised her, bringing her through the air to me and kissing the tip of her nose I gave her bum a playful smack and sent her flying to a phone.

“What did Jo do to you?”

“She let me fly through my thoughts and memories.”

Cherine was not satisfied with my answer, but was too happy to worry about it.

“Girls, be my messengers and let everyone know we are celebrating tomorrow night and I want them there. Meli, get your mum and dad to come over please.”

I picked up my imp. “Jade, I’m going for a shower. Want to join me?”

Soon as we were in the bathroom I reached into her mind and switched off any sexual feelings. I did the same to myself.

“Why Robbie?”

“We are not here for that. I wanted your company, I wanted the pleasure of washing your sweet body, but I need to enjoy this with purity, just to love the softness of you, the sweetness and beauty of a miracle made real.”

“You’ve come back weird!”

“Just you wait!”

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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)
^{25th September, 2019}

* posted on PALNet - Steemit - WEKU - CreativeCoin: 25th September, 2019

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