by D. J. Holmes
“First you don’t speak. Then when you do speak, your voice sounds like you are very angry…do you always treat strangers this way?”
Turning around and looking at her sister Diana says, “WOW, Jaimie I’m starting to get really angry here. Would you please take over?”
As Jaimie steps up to the intruder he says, “Ahh, the nice one. Thank goodness.”
“Don’t get her wrong. Usually she’s nice, but we’re on an important mission. What is….”
Breaking into her questioning he asks, “Why were you following me?”
Walking over to the intruder Diana states, “Following you? Why would we be following someone who is swimming in the sea? I would think that you would be following us instead,” Diana quips.
“Touché.” he says with a smile. “Let me ask you a question. What direction are you going?”
Calming down after taking in deep breaths of the cool sea breeze, Diana begins to feel a type of connection to him as she answers, “We’re on our way to Ocracoke.”
Her sisters look at her with a surprised look, knowing that they were not going there at this time.
Noticing the reaction of the crew he still says, “Well, then I guess that I was wrong, I’m going in the opposite direction.”
“So, while we go north, you’re going south?”
“…Exactly.”
“Where is your ship? Or were you really swimming in this beautiful sea?” she asks.
“No. I have my own ship. It’s just over there in that small cove. I have some passengers that I am taking back to their home.”
“And we are looking for someone. That is why we are on our way to Ocracoke. Who are your passengers?”
“People who never did anything wrong and were taken from their home. Since I was a small boy, my only goal has been to keep them safe and return them to their home.”
In her mind, Diana thinks, since he was a small boy. He looks like he is in his early twenties now… that must have been a long time ago. Looking at him she asks, “Why are you taking them now?”
“Destiny has finally opened its doors.”
“I can understand that. It is only because of destiny that we search for those who mean a great deal to us now. So you are being kind and taking them to their homes?”
“Actually, I am trying to right a wrong.”
“That sounds like a good thing to do.”
“In many ways that is what we are doing also. We are trying to right a wrong.”
“Then why don’t you take these ropes off of me and we can both be on our way?”
Looking at her crew, Diana asks, “What do you think everyone?”
“He has nothing to do with our goal. Let him go,”
“Yes let him go, he is no threat to us.”
As the island pirates take the ropes off of him, he says, “It was nice meeting all of you. Hopefully, even as beautiful as you all are, my wish would be that we never meet again…I mean, since you are going north, and I am heading south.” Gathering his hat, he turns to all of the ladies and bends over, bowing from his waist, swinging his hat down in front and out to the side. “It’s been a pleasure,” he says with a grin. Walking over to the side of the ship, as he climbs over the railing, he says, “good luck on your journey, ladies.”
“And good luck with yours sir” Diana answers back.
Once they can see him swimming back to the small cove, where he said his ship was, each of the girls start talking.
“That sure was one beautiful hat. It has more feathers on it than ours do.” They all begin laughing quietly into their hands.
“He sure was handsome though.”
“Too bad, we’re going in the opposite direction.”
“Did any one ask him his name?”
“I didn’t…Did you?” each sister, asks the other.
“I was going to, but he asked me another question instead and then I forgot what I was asking him,” Jaimie states.
“That’s fine Jaimie. We’ll never see him again anyway.”
Diana is oblivious to their questions as she continues to watch him for as long as she can. He also turns to watch the lone figure looking in his direction, with her long beautiful hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
“Diana…Diana. We need to go.”
Reluctantly turning around, Diana takes over and gives commands to sail on the water until they are out of sight of their visitor.
Finally Diana asks, “Are you ready to launch into the air.”
“Yes,” everyone shouts.
“Jaimie, would you mind taking the helm? I think that I overdid it.”
“I would be glad to Diana.”
Later that day, after flying for several hours, the ‘Destiny’ sets down onto the water and sails into the island cove of Martinique. All of the mothers have seen the ‘Destiny’ and have run to meet their daughters. Waiting on the cove shore, they meet and walk to the statue of their grandmother Diana.
“It is nice to be back home grandmother,” the daughters say to the statue.
“It is nice to have them home mother,” the mothers declare also to the statue.
Looking around, Diana asks, “Mother has father returned yet?”
“No, we haven’t heard anything from them.”
Walking together to the center of their village, though there is sadness in their hearts wondering where their fathers are, there is laughter, and tales of great adventure that are told.
Finally Diana asks, “My mothers, we have come home to ask your advice.” Suddenly noticing that there are two strangers that are among them, she questions, “Who are these people?”
“They came here the same day that you left. In fact, they said that they saw you leave.”
“They said what?”
“They saw you leave. They were on the beach when you left.”
“I didn’t see anyone when we left.”
“I know. You wouldn’t have seen them. They have magic cloaks that make them invisible.”
“Invisible? Have you seen these cloaks?”
“Oh, yes. They’ve shown them to us. In fact that’s how we found that they were on our island. We were talking about Gray Wolf one night and the woman took off her cloak and said “Gray Wolf? What do you know about him? He is my son. My husband and I have come to find him and bring him back home.”
“They are Gray Wolf’s parents?” Diana questions.
“Yes, they came from the same place that Gray Wolf came from. And they landed on the same beach that he landed on when he met Black Beard.”
Diana’s mother continues, “Speaking about Black Beard, have you been able to find him?”
“No, that’s one of the things that we want to talk to you about…where did Gray Wolfs parents go?”
“They’re right over there. See they are talking to Jessica, Stacey and Marie.”
“Would you introduce them to me, mother?”
“I would love to, come with me.”
Walking over to a table, Diana’s mother taps Snow Flower on her shoulder. As Snow Flower and Blue Cloud turn to them she says, “Snow Flower, and Blue Cloud, this is my daughter Diana.”
“Ah the Captain of the ‘Destiny’, we’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Yes. I’m the Captain…my mother said that you are the parents of Gray Wolf. Is that right?”
“Yes, he came here by mistake. We have come to take him back home with us.”
“He came by mistake?”
“Yes.”
“Yes? Is that all that you can say?”
Diana’s mother looks startled as she sees her daughter act in a manner that she has never seen before.
Snow Flower calmly answers her question, “Diana, it’s not all that we can say, but what we have to say to you would be very hard for you to understand.”
“Just start talking. I’ll let you know if I don’t understand what you are saying,” she states forcefully.
Sensing a little anger Snow Flower
begins to explain where they came from, while Blue Cloud stands patiently by her side.
“We were at the Beach House with Daniel…”
“You know Daniel?” Diana questions.
“Yes. He was helping me find Gray Wolf and his brother Running Deer. Our sons were in the Hall of Corridors when they were knocked into different portals. We have come here to find Gray Wolf.”
“Gray Wolf was with Daniel?”
“Well, actually he was knocked into this portal before he met Daniel.”
“Snow Flower, what is a portal?”
“A portal is a way that people can travel from one dimension to another.”
“So you traveled here?”
“Yes, we came here because we know that this is where Gray Wolf landed.”
“Has my mother told you that it is because of Gray Wolf that our little island sisters were taken after our fathers left?”
“Yes Diana, she has told me and my husband the whole story.”
Blue Cloud decides to add, “Diana, Gray Wolf would never have done anything to intentionally hurt anyone. Where we come from, there are no ships like these. And this great body of water, with its waves is something that he has never seen before. If he did something to hurt you and your family… that was not his intent.”
Blue Cloud feels a tightening around his upper arm and quietly says, “Snow Flower, Daniel is calling.”
Watching Blue Cloud, Diana is intrigued as she notices that he has a silver rectangle that he is talking into on his upper arm. Looking at her mother she is wondering why she is not scared.
Perceiving what her daughter is thinking Grace states “oh, Diana we’ve seen this quite often since they came. He is talking to Daniel. You should see the instrument on his arm, not only can they hear each other, but they can their faces also?”
“You can see Daniel?”
“Yes, I’ve seen him several times since they came.”
“I want to see him.”
“What do you think Snow Flower… would it be all right for Diana to see Daniel?”
“Let’s walk over to Blue Cloud and ask him.”
Walking over to him, Snow Flower moves her hands, and mouths the words, “Could Diana see Daniel?”
Smiling back, Blue Cloud says, “Daniel, Diana wants to see you.”
“I would love to see her. It has been a long time since I have spoken to her.”
Apprehensively looking into the screen Diana is shocked. “It’s you, the Daniel of my dreams.”
“Yes Diana, Daniel answers with a smile. I came to you when I was on Gliese. That was many, many years ago.”
“Daniel, I just saw you in my dream a few weeks ago.”
“Yes, Diana, time is a strange thing… An example of that would be the book that I found in the ancient archives that you wrote. But in your life you haven’t written it yet… When I spoke to you I was on Gliese, building the boat from the measurements that you put in your book. But, I have been here on Earth, at the Beach House, for several years now.”
“You are right Daniel. Time is a very strange thing.”
“What we all need to remember is that everything will happen in its own time.”
“Thank you Daniel,” she says, and then steps away, while Blue Cloud continues to talk across the dimensions of time.
Looking at her mother, she says, “Maybe you are right mother. Maybe these people can be trusted, and maybe I have judged Gray Wolf wrongly.”
“Diana, it is good to not trust all strangers that you come in contact with. Get to know them first and your heart will tell you what to do.”
“Mother, I think that, that has been my problem. That is why I haven’t been able to find our little sisters. I have been searching with revenge in my heart. My hatred for Black Beard and the revenge that I wanted to take out on Gray Wolf has closed my heart. And with my heart closed I haven’t been able to connect with our little sisters.”
“Yes, my sweet daughter. What you need to concentrate on, is a connection with your mind and your heart. Use your rose necklaces as a reminder of the bond that you have with your sisters. Let your heart be full of love, and let it guide you in your search. Love will help you find your way… Revenge will only build walls.”
“My pirate sisters, please come here. I have learned from mother, and from the example of Snow Flower and Blue Cloud, that anger and revenge have blocked our path. If we are to find our little sisters we need to have a heart full of love, and we need to allow it to guide us in our search.”
She continues, “I want all of you to bring your rose necklaces out so that they show, even when you have your pirate uniforms on. These necklaces are to remind us of our island sisters, and they will help us to find them….”
Everyone takes their necklaces out from their blouses so that they are now showing.
Snow Flower and Blue Cloud are shocked to see duplicates of the same necklaces that they are wearing. Deciding to also wear the rose necklaces that Jon and Julia had given them on the outside of their clothes they pull them out so that they can be seen.
Looking at them strangely, Diana asks, “Where did you get your necklaces?”
“They were a going away gift at the Beach House with Daniel. Jon and Julia gave them to us…there is a whole story that we will have to tell you someday” they say with a smile.
“…Daniel?” Diana guesses.
“Yes.”
“Does anything ever happen that he’s not involved in?” Diana asks.
“Not very much,” they answer.
Turning to her sisters she says, “If you will notice, Snow Flower and Blue Cloud also have rose necklaces. They received them while they were with Daniel, the man who gave us our wonderful ship…” Looking back at Snow Flower and Blue Cloud she says with a smile, “We’ll have to tell you that story also.”
Snow Flower and Blue Cloud nod their heads agreeing that in a future time they will share their stories.
Turning back to her sisters she continues, “The reason that I want our necklaces to show is to use them as a connection to our little sisters.”
Marie states, “Diana is right. Whenever I see my necklace, it always reminds me of our sisters. If our minds are completely on our sisters, and not on the pirates that took them, then maybe we will connect. Maybe we will be able to find them sooner.”
“Exactly, if they are in our minds, we will connect with their minds, this I am sure,” Diana states.
***
Walking to where the surf washes over his feet, Daniel looks to the stars in the direction of Gliese. “Mira, I have tried to live without you for so many years. I have done what is required of me, but now my heart is breaking. I want to be with you and our children.” He closes his eyes as tears stream down his cheeks.
Feeling a warm vibration next to him, he opens his eyes and looks to his right, “Mira! Are my eyes deceiving me?”
“No Daniel, part of my energy is here next to you.”
“Since I can see you now, why can’t I see you all of the time? Why can’t I be with you, Mira… I need you.”
“When I first got to the other side, Daniel, I thought that I would feel the same as you do now. But then I learned that you were already there.”
“What do you mean?”
With the excitement of a young child who had just discovered something wonderful, Mira explains, “Our spirits are miraculous. They have the ability to divide their powers, leaving most of their force in Heaven and sending the energy that is needed to dwell within our assigned body.”
“Part of me is where you are?”
“Yes, my love, most of your energy is here with me.”
“How could that be? If I were there I would know it, wouldn’t I?”
“No. While you are on Earth it is too painful to remember the greatness of the other side. Because your earthly life is so hard while you are learning your life lessons, your mind protects you by not allowing you to remember it.”
“But
I wasn’t born here Mira. I wasn’t born on Earth…you know that. I came from Gliese, so why can’t I remember?”
“I wondered the same thing Daniel and so I asked. The answer I was given was that you were meant to come to Earth to help the people through the Hall of Corridors. You are a wonderful help to all that come to you.”
“But what about me Mira, don’t I have the right to think about myself?”
“Daniel, I have never heard you speak like this, you have always thought of others. Don’t you realize that this is what your life is all about? All of the great ones think of others.”
Mystified, he questions, “Great ones?”
“Yes, Daniel. On the other side, you are called ‘Great one’… You have a mission on Earth that only you can achieve. For the sake of the Earthlings you have come to help them. And while you are on Earth you have the capacity to help people from the whole universe….” Mira stretches forth her hand and touches his cheek, “I have to go now. I have told you all that I am permitted to tell you.”
Putting his hand over her hand, his expression turns to sadness as he pleads, “No, Mira. Please don’t go.”
“I have to Daniel. I was only granted a few minutes. We will meet again and though you won’t be able to see me, I will be by your side at all times.”
“Please, Mira, just a little longer,” he continues to plead as tears drop from his eyes and he falls to his knees.
“Be strong my love, we will be together again soon.”
Feeling her presence leave his side, Daniel feels a mixture of warmth, love, sadness and finally a deep appreciation that he was able to be with his love, however short it was. With renewed strength he stands up, looks to the sky and finally turns around as he walks back toward the Beach House.
CHAPTER 6
Standing in the surf on one of Martinique’s beautiful white sand beaches, Snow Flower enjoys being with Blue Cloud as he embraces her within his extremely strong arms.
Completely mesmerized Snow Flower states, “I love how the rising sun looks so big here.”
“It seems so close; if I just reached out maybe I could touch it.”
Looking up at her husband, Snow Flower smiles, “I wouldn’t try it, you might get burnt.”
Knowing Snow Flower is playing on his words, Blue Cloud smiles at her joke. Feeling a ripple of water over his feet he comments, “I’ve never been this close to so much water.”
“It reminds me of the place my family and I left when I was a little girl.”
