My Father's Universe

by Mitch

  Time was fleeting, so La`no expressed, “Time to go home. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and I do not want it to be a strenuous one.”

  The air car entered through a gate that opened automatically and closed after they were inside. They were in a land that should not have been, a world that time had forgotten. Careah and Kedar heard many stories from tribal elders, about what they were seeing. The audio’s voice responded, “You are now in the Di-no-Drag Corral (Dinosaur & Dragon Compound), surrounded by an electricity charged high fence. Anything touching it will get more than just shocked.” Plant life was so abundant it was impossible traveling through on foot; trees which no longer existed on the outside; tall, thick grass, huge ferns, fruit, and vegetables nearly as large as a bass drum.

  Curiously, Kedar asked, “What are those big dark-red trees?”

  La`no or his wife could have told them what they were but, instead, let the audio inform them. The female voice began to explain what they were seeing. Won and La`no wanted to watch each of the expressions on their faces. The audio announced, “Those are Gopher trees. On the outside world before the great flood, God had Noah build the Ark with lumbered Gopher trees, just like these.” What happened next, you would have to be there to believe what they saw. La`no had the air car stop and Careah got out first as Kedar followed, mouth open, not saying a word, just looking. They had never seen any kind of the animals grazing in the glen and meadow as far as the eye could see.

  Careah expressed in a tone of wonderment, “Glory to glory, God never ceases His marvelous creations.” Never in their wildest dreams, or ever, had they thought what they were seeing still lived anywhere on or in the Earth. They were seeing into the yesteryears, standing as if frozen, filling their eyes with the beauty of something everyone who ever lived on Earth would give their eye teeth to see. Without taking his eyes off of an unbelievable spectacle out of the Triassic Age that God, in His infinite wisdom, 200 million years ago, created, he saw every dinosaur that roamed the Earth. Kedar quizzed, “Am I or am I not seeing a mirage, they look real. If so, are they furious or not?”

  The audio voice responded, “Yes, they certainly are real. The carnivore and most herbivorous are furious and will attack if provoked.” They watched a wide variety of dinosaurs, some like creatures out of a nightmare leaping and screaming at each other in a playful mood. Every dinosaur growled fiercely, baring sharp spiked teeth, snarling at each other and making all kind of weird sounds. The audio continued, “The brontosaurus spends most of their time in the water and it hates sharks with a passion. If a shark gets close to their young, adults cut its escape route off and kill it. The brontosaurus loves people, especially children, I don’t mean ‘to eat.’ The brontosaurus never eat flesh. Eating flesh gives them burning stomach pains. They will come to a person to have the bottom of their chin scratched, a hermaphrodite parasite lodges and lays eggs there. Once the parasite is removed, the brontosaurus and the person who removes it are friends for life. Another parasite will not come near the brontosaurus, thinking the chin is still occupied.”

  La`no informed them, “There are days we let the brontosaurus go to other lakes. They eat everything growing in the lake, thus help keeping it clean. Since the brontosaurus is the only dinosaur trustworthy and having a kindly sort of innocent face, the children, including the Aquatic children, are not afraid of them. The brontosaurus will lower its head to the surface of the water, kids get on, up goes the head, then the kids slide down the neck or dive off its head. Every child and young brontosaurus loves playing the game of water tag. Children get on the backs of young brontosauruses and one of the children is elected the chaser, called IT. IT, on his brontosaurus, chases after other brontosauruses and tries to tag the rider. If IT touches, or as we say, tags another, that person becomes IT. This is one the highlight of their young life, playing with the brontosaurus.”

  The ground shuddered, like a small earthquake causing tremors, as a large reddish-brown one walked close by. Won pointed and said, “That big one there, we call Quaker. He is 125-feet long, stands 100-feet high and weighs close to 100 tons. Its feet are over four feet across and can crush a Tyrannosaurus rex with its two front feet.”

  Careah inquired, “Well, what about we strangers? I dislike being crushed!”

  Won giggled, “It will stop before it gets close. For some unknown reason, they will not come near the air car. I personally respect them.”

  Careah gave a screak as a large ugly bird flew in her direction and it was mostly wings flapping scaring the daylight out of her. She took off for the air car and shut the door screaming. “Mercy, mercy, chase it away!”

  La`no chuckled, “It’s a pet pterodactyl coming for a treat. Here, give her this soft nut.”

  Careah guffawed, “Pet or no pet, that thing in no way is going to eat out of my hand. With my luck it would take my hand for dessert.”

  It came toward Kedar. He needed no prompting to get behind the air car. La`no spoke to the bird in its language, "Here," the bird came and got the nut, still eying Careah.

  She bellowed, “Don’t let that thing near me! I do not want to wet myself.”

  La`no chuckled, saying in its language, "Axes," and it flew away.

  The flowers and ferns were beyond description, beauty and aroma was everywhere. There were little mounds all over the place like small volcanos, smoke and steam drifting slowly upward out of them. The sky here was very realistic, even the clouds were red, orange, blue, and green. “By the way,” La`no remarked, “There’s a myth that dinosaurs are slow movers. Far from it, anyone will outrun any of the cat family. Several of the faster cats have tried it. They never made the team.”

  “Glory be,” gibbered Careah as a puzzling look crossed her face. “What in the world are those big ugly birds?”

  Won answered, “They are ostriches.”

  Careah giggled, “They really look like they are dancing. Are they?”

  “Yes, it is the ritual dance they do during courting periods.”

  Kedar inquired, “Do they fly?”

  “Not anymore. Because they are fearless, the bird no longer has to fly to get away from danger. Over the centuries, the wings became smaller, their bodies and legs are heavier. Because of their strength they can kick most anything to death if they have to. If there’s a flock of them, the larger beast, generally, will leave them alone. I saw five Ostriches take on a large dinosaur. It learned a lesson the hard way. An animal without eyes will not live long.”

  Kedar muttered, pointing to a strange creature with the body and hind legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, “I heard that was a mythical animal.”

  “No, I assure you, that is a real live griffin. It too can no longer fly. There are only six alive. They, and most of the other exotic animals, mate only once in their lifetime, so we take very good care of them.”

  The next attraction was another mystical marvel. Before their very eyes stood alive a pre-Adamic fire-eater, a Draco, King of the dragons. All males have wings, whereas their mates are wingless. La`no volunteered, “Though the Draco has wings, it, like the ostrich, no longer flies. Its body is too large.” Many other kinds of dragons roamed the valley of Di-no-Drag Corral.

  Neither Careah nor Kedar had to remind the other they had seen one of these monstrous dragons before. Only these had fire coming out of their mouths and smoke through their nostrils. “Glory be,” she excitingly explained to the Bels that they had seen one of those before. Only, it didn’t shoot fire out of its mouth, although it did blow smoke out of its nostrils. She glamorized the dragon they had seen, telling the whole story in every detail, how it had really saved their lives while they were on their way to Bethlehem.

  La`no smiled, “Yes, it found its way back home.”

  The exhibition the dragons were putting on for Careah and Kedar displayed excellent showmanship. Careah looked at La`no, “Are the dragons dangerous? Do they hurt other animals?”

  “No, I assure you they are no threat to any person nor
animal. The larger dinosaurs will not go near them because of the fire they expel. They love to show off. It does look like they are having a contest to see who can exhale fire the furthest and greater puffs of smoke out of their nostrils.”

  Careah grilled Wonder, “How do they make fire come out of their mouth? Doesn’t it burn their insides or their mouth as the fire comes out?”

  She answered, "No, because of the type of food they eat, it makes gas in their stomach.

  Belching or ejecting the gas out of the mouth, they grit or grind their upper and lower flint-like teeth, producing sparks, igniting the gas, and exploding it. It is done so fast it looks like fire coming out the mouth. The smoke or steam backfires through their nostrils, which makes a loud hissing sound.

  It can be very frightening if you have never seen it before. It all depends where they are standing in the light of the sunbeams, turning their head to have different color flames. If you will listen, it’s possible to hear them bragging to one another when one has the longest or brightest fire. Others have created different colors of fire by eating different minerals. I saw them eat sulfate and nearly blow themselves up. The dragons’ and dinosaurs’ main food is the maguey tree. They eat the fruit, leaves, and stems. We make our rope out of the trunks, and the fruit makes a very good drink."

  La`no glanced at his two-way video watch, “It’s a little early, but we must be getting back home. There is a banquet being prepared in your honor this evening. We need time to relax and dress before going to the Royal Dining Hall.”

  As they came into the city of Hi-Why-E, La`no, acting as their tour guide, remarked, “As you know this is the capital of our country. To your left is the river Bayou, one of our main streets. The riverbed is lined with beautiful, colorful enamel tile, pictures of birds, and fish in pictorial design. The riverbanks are continuous, wide steps from the bottom to the top, suitable for walking or sitting and watching river traffic. The river is crossed over by many bronze and metal bridges of beautiful architectural design. Notice the breathtaking, beautiful gardens, everything is in bloom. Serpentine pathways spread throughout the parks. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride anywhere in the city. The city’s streets are wide and clean. Wooden and stone benches are lined along both sides. Every building is like new, as if it was built yesterday. Elegant hotels and inns, every restaurant has a touch of class. Most of the homes are picturesque cottages with beautiful gardens, including schools, grocery marts, business buildings, factories, and government complexes. This also includes wineries and distilleries of brandy. There is a mystic rich history around every corner. Every evening, 50,000 floodlights illuminate the city until midnight. Our jeweled city offers all the ingredients for a perfect place to live.”

  Won broke in with a wide smile, eyes sparkling, “Would you like to come here and live?”

  “Ah, huh,” Careah continued, giggling, “I felt this coming! You two have a good sales pitch, but our family and friends are back home. We cannot leave them.”

  La`no reassured, “We can and will fix that. Have them all move here. Remember, you will live longer in here than you will on the outside.”

  Careah looked at Kedar smiling, then looked at Won, “We will think very hard on this, it does sound good.”

  Won smiled, all bubble and excited. “Does that mean there’s a chance you will move here?”

  Kedar looked at their host and smiled. “If it’s the Lord’s will.”

  Won embraced Careah warmly with all aspects of their love for each other, “I know it has to be the Lord’s will.”

  They entered a spacious dining hall full of people, all waiting to see the strangers from the outer world, who stood up giving them a thunderous welcome. Careah intoned, “What’s going on? I know you said there was going to be a dinner, but this, this place looks bigger than the pyramid in Egypt.”

  Kedar asked La`no, “How big is this place?”

  He supplied the information without hesitation. “The hall is 1/4-mile long and 1/8-mile wide, supported with marble pillars. Each pillar is three feet in circumference, 200 feet apart, and 125 feet high. If you look closely, you can see that strong, light metal beams rest on each pillar crosswise. A trellis is connected to the ceiling, just like the one you first saw.”

  Careah looked up and saw a live hanging garden of vines, shrubs, and plants of every kind, intertwined with each other. Flowers were omnipresent, imbued with fresh fragrance, sending exquisite perfume pervading throughout the dining hall. Large streamers and banners welcomed them. Every one of importance had their own table. The Bel’s table was in the center of the hall with TV cameras focused on the guests of honor. Large viewing screens were hanging from the ceiling enabling everyone to see what was happening at the center table. This great happening was being televised through their country for those who could not be there.

  Tables were loaded with immaculate enameled chinaware, pure silver ware, golden goblets, cluster of red, white, and blue, and grapes were used as center pieces surrounded by figs and rare nuts which neither Careah nor Kedar had seen. Food was brought from a huge kitchen on atomic powered gold-inlayed carts operated by robots.

  Careah’s eyes were not on the food but on a table next to them. “Glory to glory,” she said to herself, watching the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen in her lifetime; Aquatic people close up. Their features were all human, sloe-eyed with shades of sparkling light jade and light tan skin. She felt embarrassed staring at them because of their beauty, especially the remarkably handsome males. The Aquatic people and their children were grinning watching her and Kedar.

  Won whispered, “That is King Flash and Queen Ador Quay and their family. The Quays are one of our best friends. I would like you to meet them now.”

  Following the Bels to Quay’s table, they were introduced to the most lovable people anywhere in or the outside world. Flash and Ador got up and walked around them, touching their wings. Kedar shook Flash’s hand whose muscles looked like they were made of steel.

  Careah kept repeating, “Glory, glory!” and hugged and kissed Reith, Quay’s little daughter, and Queen Ador’s sister, Princess Cayo. Careah curtsied, then kissed the Queen’s cheek. As she was shaking hands with the King, she wondered to herself, “Can you really read minds?”

  He smiled and whispered, “Only when I choose to.”

  Then they were introduced to the other Aquatic people. A new friendship was bonded there forever.

  Won motioned with her head, “Those young men dressed in light-green uniforms and the Aquatic young men in light-blue uniforms are sailors. The officers and sailors are some of the most respected men of our nation. Every male eighteen years of age serves in the Sea Service for four years. Some go in at the age of seventeen and train on ships. Not one has ever objected to serve; some go on to be officers. Glenz and Flash are commanders elected to be with their families for this occasion.”

  Sitting down, Won took Careah by her hand, "After the banquet, I want to introduce you to my best friend, Tara Sitt. She will be here soon; her temporary workshop is upstairs. Her main shop is next to my Emporium. For this occasion, she was awarded the contract to decorate this hall and worked late to get it done. We have been best friends ever since we were teenagers. We did everything together, sing, play, giggle, always walk arm and arm. Now we are wives and still the best of friends. She has a lot of friends, some in high places, as she is a connoisseur of people. Before my husband became Chief Shepherd, her mother was Chief Shepherd. When she died, La`no, being a relative, was elected in her place. Her husband did not want to be a shepherd. The only way one can become a shepherd is through inheritance or inherit through marriage if qualified. Tara became a shepherd a year later. Eli, her husband, is a journalist writer for the newspaper Good News.

  "People love being around them. It is easy to desire to have a lifestyle as theirs. Not many adore each other as they do, and they are not ashamed to show the world. Their motto is life is too precious to live otherwise, which always
seems to glitter and sparkle attracting attention in an ornate way. Their glitzy life can be very envious.

  "Tara is a pro at getting what she wants, most of the time diplomatically. Both are fantastic hosts. It’s hard to say no to her. Everyone loves being around them because she is 100% original. She is on the A-list for parties. Tara knows how to be a good listener and a great friend. Her flattering qualities are like no other. Her wardrobe has nothing but the best. Every outfit is shaded in eye-catching colors that brighten her neutrals. I know, I sold them to her, and I have many of the outfits myself. When we go together, we dress in matching attire. People often mistake us for twin sisters. Of course, she is the prettier one. She certainly has taught me how to dress, when to and when not wear accessories in choosing applique-embellishing wardrobe basics.

  “Tara is a perfectionist, believes in fairness and lives by it. Her personality makes good company. She knows the best time to make a good impression, knowing the magic words to say to the right person at the right time, making you feel you are in demand. She encourages everyone who needs it. She lives by encouragement and says, ‘we would die without it, slowly and surely, as if one committed suicide.’ She is very intelligent and highly logical making her a master shepherd. There she is, her husband following!”

  A spotlight intensified on her upper torso: a light-bronze face graced her rich looking chestnut hair, bare shoulders, and upper part of her full breast. As she started down the stairs, she had a special rhythm descending the stairs. One, two, three, pause. One, two, three, pause. Each step she took seemed as though she was almost floating down the steps instead of walking down with a bounce.

  Careah didn’t know about escalators. Every eye followed every move she made. It was not only her captivating beauty causing everyone to turn and watch her making a grand entrance. She looked intensely alive, inhaling not only the sweet smell of the hall but the eyes that were watching her. Sitting down, they too received a warm welcome.