by J.R. Bowles
CHAPTER 46
“Oh! Calcutta!” Jackie exclaimed.
“You got it.” Billy answered, “Your turn.”
They had been playing charades for several hours trying to pass the time and relieve some of the anxiety they had been feeling.
They were still together, Jamal, Mindy, Azid, Jackie, Billy, Morgan and John but they hadn't talked about what had happened in front of the hotel.
It was like an unspoken vow they had taken.
Mindy had asked if they minded if she smoked and surprisingly none had objected. They had ordered some drinks and were pretending to have a nice little social get together but each one was just waiting in anticipation.
There was a knock at the door and they almost all glanced at their watch as if they had been waiting for this. Like the archangel of death coming for one of them but those that were aware assumed it was the next center. They had been wondering who the next center was to be and how they would meet the center.
All but Jackie. She figured that with only three centers left chances were pretty good that it would be Bernie or Zolar.
“I'll get it.” Billy volunteered.
“Hi,” Michael smiled as Billy opened the door. “Private party or can anyone join?”
“Sure, come on in.” Billy sighed. He knew the center wasn't Michael.
Jackie, Morgan and Jamal all physically relaxed. They were all aware Michael had been a substitute. Jamal was still not very good with the sending of mental messages but he was able to receive them easily. The telepathy was like speech in children the more it was used the easier it became.
Michael sauntered in and said, “Hi, John, thought I would just see how everybody was doing.”
“Fine Michael. We're just sitting around having a few drinks and playing charades. Have a drink? Vodka, tonic and lime is all we have.” John smiled at Billy. “Seems to have become the drink of the season.”
Michael eyed the bottle as his mouth became cottony. He started to say no but as he opened his mouth he said, “sure, just a light one. I've got a lot to do tomorrow and I don't need any cobwebs clinging around.”
“I'll get it.” Billy offered. “Pull up some carpet and take the load off fanny.”
Michael sat down on the floor near Mindy and started to chat. Jamal sat on the other side of Mindy and Azid was beside him. Michael was aware that everyone was avoiding last night’s incident but wasn't aware of the runaway car.
Billy fixed Michael a drink and ask if anyone was ready for a refill. Everyone indicated that they were fine except Mindy.
“Me, want more fire water.” Mindy said with a phony giggle.
Michael surveyed her for a few minutes trying not to be too blatant.
She was truly a lovely girl. Her long blue black hair shimmered with the shadows and lights in the room. Her shape was like a woman that had spent endless hours of hard aerobics and the sienna brown of her skin was pure and unblemished. Her face was like the image of someone who sculptures had created in a past era when beauty was described as a joy forever. As she smiled it was her eyes that immediately demanded your attention. A rich bitter sweet chocolate that pierced your very soul and yet so mysterious.
Yet somewhere in Michael's own deep dark being she gave him an unsettling emotion that was unexplainable.
Billy brought them their drinks and dropped to the floor in front of the smaller group.
John, Jackie and Morgan were busy chatting with each other.
“How's the drink?” Billy asked as Michael took a small sip.
“Billy if I told you there was anything that tasted better than this drink at this moment I would be lying. It's perfect.” Michael honestly spoke.
Billy was pleased.
“So what did you think about the big to do in front of the hotel with that car?” Michael asked figuring it was safe and he was avoiding last night's incident.
As he asked the question all four of them became extremely silent, as if they were searching for an appropriate answer that did not come immediately to mind.
Billy was the first to break the silence.
“Michael we were all out there today when it happened. It's sort of sensitive subject that we haven't been able to talk about, as of yet.”
“Oh, I'm sorry.” Michael apologized and quickly changed the subject to the weather.
Jamal sat and watched these people that he was becoming connected with and he still couldn't explain his own emotional confusion. He had felt the group tense but from Mindy, he thought, he noticed something else. Almost as if in just one millisecond an angry rage burst forward from her but was quickly covered up. Jamal tensed from the sheer power and intensity of it. He had always been filled with hatred towards whites but toward nobody else. Had been? He thought, why did he think that? Did he no longer hate them? He wasn't sure how he felt but he did feel a bond between him and Billy, Jackie and Morgan. Even though they were all white. Then there was John. He had been correct when he had identified him as the Messiah but was he the Messiah or was he something else?
“At least the rain today will help relieve some of the drought problems.” Jamal heard Michael say.
“Helps reduce the stink in this city to.” Jamal added.
“If it would just wash away some of the real problems,” Mindy joined in.
They all nodded and Jamal said, “I hear where you're coming from baby.”
They continued their idle chatter trying not to look at their watches. If the emotion of anticipation were visible the room would have been black as coal and the potential energy was just as potent, waiting readily to burst into flame.
VI. THE FIFTH CHAKRA ANAHATA THE HEART
As in its name, the heart center binds all the chakra energies. Giving without thought of receiving and taking that which is given with humility.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHAKRA CENTERS by Tawadin Djwahan
