by David Harp
Chapter 60
Memories
Efficiency was maximized under the unified consciousness, but it didn’t take long before the thrill of oneness began to wear off. It’s hard to explain how an indescribable sense of belonging could so quickly transform into isolation.
Without the daily interactions of different perspectives and points of view, the masses felt alone. Eight billion people existed as a single mind, like a colony of ants with no purpose except to work together for the good of the hive.
Instead of anger directed toward the Qabalah for creating the condition, humanity became even more dependent upon them. Haley and Dan’s friends were in hiding, so the Qabalah were the only ones who could break the monotony. They also manipulated the unified consciousness to believe Haley was an enemy who used her supernatural abilities to control Chris, Steve, Matt, and Brian.
As the only person who could get close to Haley, the Qabalah separated Dan’s consciousness from the others. It would enable him to perform the special mission without her being suspicious.
Dan was no longer connected to the others, but the collective was still fresh in his memory. He knew what he had to do, kill Haley.
The Qabalah made Dan believe Haley would try to make contact and turn him against them. He laughed, thinking nothing could turn him against them. It would be an honor to kill Haley and free his childhood friends from her control.
The ORION Institute became the home of the Qabalah Temple. Haley wouldn’t dare contact Dan near the Temple, so he was sent to the river where the Qabalah had detected her presence. He was instructed to bring back her medallion as proof of her death.
The river was even more peaceful than Dan remembered. There were no children, boaters, or fishermen to disturb the tranquility. People didn’t waste their time fishing and swimming. They were part of the collective consciousness now. It looked like no one had been at the river for years.
A dusty canoe was still hanging from the side of Mr. Naidoo’s old house. Dan dragged it to the river’s edge and tossed it over the same seawall where he celebrated his sixteenth birthday. Tears ran down his face as he recalled how wonderful it felt to be an individual, but he couldn’t forget his responsibility to the collective. Haley was evil and must be destroyed.
Dan searched the area, but there was no sign of her. He retrieved a paddle from the shed and started making his way up the river.
Blue crabs scurried along the bottom. They reminded him of the morning swims from year ago when Chris would shout “Crab.”
A half dozen alligators were sunning on the shore of a deserted Rogers Park. There were no teenagers jumping off the bridge, no music, no laughter. The only sounds were the ghostly echoes of memories in Dan’s mind: “happy birthday to us;” “Yabadabadoooo;” “I think I’m falling in love.”
He suddenly knew where to find Haley, at the hidden spring. It was the place he would be most emotionally vulnerable to her deception. He continued and when he arrived at the entrance, the old tree limb was gone, the hidden creek exposed. He followed the stream and found Haley sitting beneath a willow tree beside the spring.
“Hello Dan,” she said softly. She looked more like an angel than the devil he knew her to be.
“You’re here to kill me aren’t you?” she asked.
“If you know that, then why am I still alive?”
“Because I love you. It’s as simple as that,” she answered.
He moved closer and stepped onto the shore. She stood within inches of him, but there was no fear in her eyes. She is the devil, he thought.
His hand was trembling as he pulled out the dagger the Qabalah had given him.
“Do it!” she screamed. “Kill me!”
“I can’t,” he said, paralyzed from fear.
Suddenly before he could move, she reached up and pulled the medallion from around her neck. She grabbed the dagger and thrust it deep into her chest.
“No!” Dan screamed. “Please God, no! Why Haley, why?”
He looked into her eyes. They shared consciousness by some means even the Qabalah couldn’t explain.
“Take this medallion to show them I am dead. The Qabalah will trust you and allow you to again share consciousness with the others. Then they will know the truth.”
She died in his arms. There was no expression of pain or sorrow, only a kind smile and her last words, “Don’t be sad, it’s all part of God’s plan.”
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The Qabalah welcomed Dan as a hero and even gathered at a celebration in his honor. They considered Haley’s death a great victory. A ceremony was planned to reconnect Dan to the worldwide consciousness. The Supreme Leader’s address was broadcast around the world.
“Although we in the Qabalah aren’t part of your collective consciousness, we rejoice with you in the extermination of our common enemy. We present to you the conqueror, Daniel Naidoo. He will rejoin you this night, so you may all share in this victory and be aware of the Qabalah’s infinite power.”
Dan was relinked to the collective, but the reaction wasn’t what the Qabalah expected. Through Dan’s eyes, the people saw Haley as she truly was, pure and innocent.
Haley knew the Qabalah would kill Dan if he didn’t carry out the mission, so she chose to die in his place. She wasn’t the Anti-Christ the Qabalah claimed, but rather a true disciple of Christ.
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The Qabalah’s plan was exposed. Humanity saw them as evil manipulators. People also understood what was lost by giving up their individualism.
Every member of the Qabalah was dead before sunrise, and the collective consciousness was disconnected. People were again free to make their own choices and mistakes.
The world mourned the loss of Haley, but the memory of the collective consciousness remained strong. Peace and prosperity continued.
Haley’s death haunted Dan. He hadn’t seen Chris, Steve, Matt, or Brian since they went into hiding. “Where are they?” he wondered. J. Alfred suggested he go back to the river to look for them. Dan understood why Haley did what she did, but he was still responsible for her death. How could his friends forgive him?
Dan arrived at the river to find it alive with activity. He paddled his canoe past hundreds of homes and docks packed with people laughing and socializing. When he reached the hidden spring, it was silent except for the song of a Carolina Wren.
“Cannonball!” The sound of Steve’s voice boomed as a huge splash erupted in the middle of the spring. “Welcome back Danny boy!” Steve shouted as he emerged and grabbed hold of the canoe.
“Steve!” Dan howled with excitement. “Where have you been and where are Chris, Matt, and Brian?”
“Over here,” Matt answered from the shore. Dan looked around and the three of them were standing close together, smiling as if they were concealing something.
“What are you guys hiding?” Dan asked.
“Hello Daniel,” a familiar voice sounded like a beautiful melody to his ears. It was Haley! Tears of joy welled in his eyes. He jumped out of the canoe, swam over to hug her.
“Hey, that’s enough. That’s my wife,” Chris said, laughing.
“Are you O.K.?” Dan asked. “I don’t understand. I thought you were dead.”
“I wasn’t hurt,” Haley explained. “I’m sorry I had to fool you, but if you didn’t believe I was dead, the Qabalah would know. They would have killed you.”
“But how did you do it? I watched you die.”
“An old Jedi mind trick,” Chris joked.
Haley reached out and touched Dan’s cheek. At that moment, he remembered. She didn’t grab the dagger from him. She placed the medallion in his hand which created the memory of her death.
“People will be overjoyed when they learn you’re alive.” Dan said.
Haley’s smile was full of compassion as she shook her head, no.
“I don’t want anyone other than my friends to know I’m alive. Queen Mahu Kuwanlelen
ta is dead, at least for now. I want to be Haley Hagan: wife, archaeologist, and mother.”
Chapter 61
Brave New World
In an ironic twist, humanity’s greatest enemy had imparted the greatest gift. The world was no longer under a single consciousness, but the memories of their unity remained. Cooperation and understanding continued.
For the first time in human history, mankind recognized the opportunity and seized the moment. National leaders came together, and in 2046 the world established The Four Pillars of the Great Coalescence:
1. The Treaty of Religious Acceptance
2. The Code of Acceptable Practices in Human Genetic Modification
3. The Sustainable Resource-Based Economic System
4. The Code of Internationally Accepted Standards for Environmental Conservation
