He announced his plans to propose to Dolores right in front of his mother’s high society lady friends. Maureen nearly fainted. After weeks of torturing his parents, they realized he wasn’t going to back down. Finally his father gave his blessing to make it all go away; with the understanding Dolores would never run for a political office. She was to agree to be a stay-at-home mom.
Joseph didn’t understand that condition either, until much later when his father revealed his plan for Joseph to be the politician in the family. His mother never did give her blessing. It didn’t matter because Joseph had won. At the time he was oblivious to the fact that he was actually the one that married well. Marrying Dolores was the best thing that ever happened to him. He had been self-absorbed all his life, and he knew it. She made him look good and that was all that mattered. Appearances were everything.
It wasn’t until he had gone into a rage and crossed the line that he had to admit his faults and pretend to be on good behavior--just long enough for her to forgive him.
Dolores came up with one of her “harebrained” ideas to buy a lake house, where they could go for a vacation when he wasn’t working. He thought she was joking at first. Later he couldn’t avoid the fact that she was seriously considering the purchase of a lake property. Dolores stated it was a lake house or a divorce. At this point he was still considered “in the dog house”, so he gave her the assignment to find several of her favorite properties. He agreed to go along with her idea and look at them. He saw how pleased she was, and for the longest time she didn’t try to interfere with his business. She rolled up her sleeves and met with their real estate agent the next day. She was kept busy looking at over a hundred homes. During that time she found several she liked at a nearby lake. He politely listened as she rambled on about different possibilities. He pretended to be interested.
Eventually the inevitable happened. Dolores made her final decisions. She asked their agent to take Joseph to see the properties she liked. It took him over a week to arrange the showings, but Dolores was pleased when he finally got around to it. She was crushed when he disapproved of every single lake house on her list. Her pouting drove him mad. Then months went by and he came across the answer of his dreams. He could solve all his problems by making her disappear when he wanted. It was too good to be true. He bought the first lake house he was shown a picture of by an agent. It met all of his criteria: the right price, and out of state. He thought to himself as he signed the paperwork: This ought to shut her up. That night he went home and announced he’d found the perfect house for them, and bought it!
That went over like a lead balloon. “You what?” Was all she could say to his sudden, out of the blue, announcement of going behind her back and buying a property she hadn’t even seen.
His smile suddenly changed to anger. “What’s your problem? Isn’t that what you wanted? There is no pleasing you!” He threw the paperwork for the lake house on the coffee table and stormed away to his office, slamming the door behind him. Once behind the closed door he realized it worked. It shut her up.
**********
Dolores was fuming that he’d done that. It took her several minutes before she could look at the paperwork. She decided to call her agent to investigate if she could cancel the purchase. When she checked the paperwork Dolores realized it was different agent that he’d used. She scowled. She read over the paperwork. This had to be wrong. The house was much larger than she had told him she wanted. It wasn’t even near where they lived; it was in another state. At least it was on the lake with its own boat dock. She’d never heard of the lake, Anchorage Pointe, before. Then she turned the page and saw the picture of the property. Her mouth dropped open! It was nothing like the homes she had had him look at. It was dark and ominous looking from the picture. The grass hadn’t been cut which made it look run down. She ran to call Ruthie to gain perspective.
Wisely, Ruthie told her to calm down. She laughed and said, “You said you wanted a lake house. What’d you expect from Joseph anyway? We’ll talk about this over lunch tomorrow.”
Ruthie always wanted to discuss things over lunch as if that would somehow diffuse the situation and make things all better.
When they met for lunch Dolores had no idea just how bad the situation actually was…
CHAPTER 8
Gretchen got out of her old pickup truck. She walked over to the shop and unlocked the door. She walked through the doorway, and felt for the light switch. The lights went on. She looked around the dirty space. She thought: This place has real possibility. She wished she had called Molly before she came back tonight. If it was one thing Molly was good at, it was visualizing what something could be. She had a knack for that. Gretchen walked farther into the room and set her purse down on the old counter. She figured she might as well get busy cleaning. She propped the door open and started bringing the supplies in. An old radio Walter had brought for her earlier caught her eye. She plugged it into the wall and turned it on. She scanned the stations for her favorite radio station. Gretchen began singing along to the lyrics of the song that was playing as she worked.
She and Walter had spent a lot of time figuring out the right location for the farmers’ market. As far as she could tell the local farmers were excited to have a place like this to sell their fresh fruits and vegetables. It beat sitting out in the hot sun at a stand on the side of the road swatting at flies.
At this point any work she did in the shop would be considered an improvement. Gretchen cleaned for an hour. She decided she needed to do something that would make a noticeable difference. She began preparing the walls for paint. She went through her bag of supplies on the counter, found the tape she needed and began taping off the walls to paint. Once she finished that, she inspected the old tile on the floor. From what she could tell on this first inspection, the old tile might clean up and look fine. It would take a little elbow grease, but the end result would be worth it. She pulled out the painter’s tarp and shook it out over the tiled floor. The paint was in the back of the truck, along with the trays and paint rollers. She went to get them. She set up and began painting.
An hour later she heard a car door close in the parking lot. She looked out the front window and saw Molly walking toward her with two large drinks in her hands. She smiled and thought: How does that child know when I need her help? It seems I can always count on Molly. She set her roller down and walked over to meet her at the door.
When Molly walked through the door she hugged her. “I am so glad to see you. How did you know I was here?”
“I stopped over at the farm to visit. Walter drove by as I was leaving and told me you were here. I’m glad to see you too. The girls are at the farm with Nana so I am free for a couple of hours. If we roll up our sleeves we may be able to get a lot done.” They spent most of the time painting and the rest of the time discussing what they envisioned for the market.
CHAPTER 9
Caroline was sitting on her bed reading the book from the Jones’ library. As she read, she tried to recreate in her mind Charles reading to her. She missed him and wondered: What is he doing this very moment? She kept reading. It seemed like it was going to be forever until the picnic on Tuesday. Then, when would the next time be that she could see him? However long they were apart would be too long. She needed to talk to her grandma about that. Grandma always had a way of working things out for her. She seemed pleased that Caroline liked Charles. He was so handsome and smart. She daydreamed about the times they had been together recently. Suddenly she realized she wasn’t paying attention to what she had just read. She decided to make herself refocus on the book and try to concentrate.
Caroline agreed with Charles, it was a good book. It wasn’t one she would have checked out for herself from their local library, but it had sentimental value to Charles and that’s what made this book special. He had picked it out for her to read and that made it currently her favorite book. It was exciting that Charles’ book came from an exclusive collection
of books that collectors’ from all over the world wanted in their own private libraries. Her grandpa had explained the rarity and cost of a book like the one she was holding in her gloved hands. When Caroline left with her mom from her grandparent’s house this evening with the book in her gloved hands, Joyce had wanted to immediately return the book to the Jones’ library. She had the same reaction Grandpa had in the library. Joyce argued with Grandma privately she wasn’t convinced a young girl Caroline’s age should be allowed to have something so valuable. Grandma insisted that Carson trusted her and knew the risk before he had loaned it to her.
Caroline was glad her grandma had persuaded her mom to let her read the book. She was determined to return the book to Mr. Jones’ library on Tuesday in the exact condition it was loaned to her. She fluffed her pillows, got comfortable on her bed and continued reading until she became restless. Caroline carefully set the book on her nightstand and placed the gloves on it before she went downstairs to find her mom.
CHAPTER 10
The first time Dolores traveled to the lake house with her son, she nearly passed out when she pulled up in the driveway. Her first thought was: This can’t be the place. It looks worse than the picture. She parked the rental car, got out and walked around surveying the grounds. The shed was in disrepair and the door looked as if it might fall off its hinges. She wondered, why bother having a padlock? Then she walked down to the lake where her son Sterling ran as soon as the car stopped. She looked over the dock. She shook her head disappointed. It looked like everything else around here, rundown.
Dolores asked Sterling, “What do you think?”
He pointed to the lake and said, “I love it! I bet there are huge fish in this lake and I’m going to catch them.”
She smiled at his enthusiasm and agreed the lake view was spectacular. She turned and said, “Come on. Let’s go and check the rest of this place out.”
He reluctantly followed her. The first thing she noticed when she walked up to the front door was all the cobwebs that had taken over the doorways and the windows. It made the house look haunted. She was glad it was early afternoon or she may have chickened out on touring the house. She searched for the key to the door in her purse. It took her a moment before she found it. She opened the door and walked inside, saying a silent prayer that the interior was better than the exterior. It smelled stuffy inside, like a house that had been closed up too long. She and Sterling went around to various rooms opening the windows. She walked around to the garage and raised the door. It wasn’t as bad as she first thought it would be, but she still hated it. She wanted to cry. A couple of hours later the phone service worked. The first call was to Ruthie.
Now it was time for Ruthie to finally understand what she’d been telling her all along. She couldn’t wait to commiserate with her. The first day there with Sterling had been miserable for her. Although it wasn’t that way for him; he saw it as an adventure. He loved chasing frogs outside and fishing off the dock. He made friends with the children living nearby and instantly loved it there. She wanted nothing more than to go home. She rolled up her sleeves and got busy cleaning.
Her neighbors were curious about the new owners of the most hideous house on the lake. The following day her neighbors stopped by, and without her even asking, pitched in and helped her clean. They were the best part about owning that home. That afternoon she went by the local grocery store and bought several items she needed. She stopped at a farmer’s roadside stand and bought the ingredients to prepare dinner for everyone. All of the neighbors surprised her instead. Each neighbor brought a dish for the meal. Everyone had a good time talking. After dinner she was sad to see them leave. Her new friends were the only reason she looked forward to returning to that dreadful place.
CHAPTER 11
Charles stood up from his chair and joined Carson at his desk. He glanced down at the notes Carson had taken on a specific coin. At the top of the page was a riddle to be solved. Under that was the coin’s information and history. The bottom of the page was divided into two columns: the known information and the to be determined information. An old loose paper was setting beside his notes. Charles turned it so he could get a better look at it. He was amazed at what he saw… it was a list of dates and names of all the people who had possessed the coin since it was minted.
“How is this possible?” Charles asked.
Carson looked up from his notes and explained, “All coins have a history. This particular coin has been researched before because it does something unique. With some coins the information I have to work with is very complicated to get. The information you are looking at on this page came with the coin when it was last purchased.”
“Does the Sojourners’ Council know that Sojourners are documenting the people who had possession of the coin? How does a Sojourner actually trace the ownership of a coin?”
“Good questions Charles. The way Sojourners know and trace the coins they are searching for is that the particular coin is tinted a shade of blue when they see it with their Sojourner glasses on, if their crystal is with them. If the coin is bought at auction it is listed in the Sojourner records. The coins that we are searching for were minted past a certain date and they have an identification chip implanted in them. It is complicated to explain, but soon enough you’ll see what I am talking about for yourself.” Charles stood for a minute reading the notes. Carson asked how his reading was coming.
“I just finished.”
“Good, we can take a look at your notes and go over them when you are ready.”
“I’ll be ready whenever you are.”
Charles went back to his chair and left Carson to finish up the work he had started earlier. Airabelle flew over and perched on the back of his chair. She began talking to him about Esmond. They became engrossed in their conversation until Carson came and sat down in the chair beside Charles. Carson asked if he could see Charles’ notes. Charles handed the notes to him and Carson began looking through them.
“These are very good notes and questions Charles. Did you enjoy the journals?”
“I liked both of them. I can’t wait to read the next one.”
“You may read any of them that you want. They are yours to read.”
“Thank you.”
“I think it would be helpful for you to read my first journal. If you want me to, I will recommend other beginner journals for you to read that you might find useful,” Carson said.
“Yes, that seems like sound advice. I’d like to read about the beginning experiences of other Sojourners, especially yours.”
“The way James described the experience is about right for most of us.” Carson stood and went to get his first journal. He gave it to Charles. “This was mine.”
Charles rubbed the journal’s cover. “I can’t wait to read it.”
They talked about the act of walking through a Passageway for the first time as a Sojourner. Carson explained, “A beginner may experience a disorienting feeling, as if walking through a fun house at a carnival. Your body will seem to move in strange ways until you get used to it. There will be complete silence. You will have to use signals and sign language to communicate while in the corridor. Before we go I will teach you some basic necessary signs. You will learn more as we go. Once you step through to the other side you may feel a little queasy and possibly dizzy. It usually lasts for a short time.”
“How are you coming on the riddle’s research?”
“It is going very well, better than expected. Airabelle has been very helpful. She is a good sounding board. We can look at it together, when we are done here, if you like. You’ll find it is useful to do a thorough job in preparing before you begin Sojourning.”
“How do these journals get written using holograms and moving pictures?”
“There are a lot of exciting things that can be done in a journal Charlie. Sojourners have learned many ways to store information in a journal. Basically, it is done through having a vision and concentrating. A S
ojourner needs a good memory and uses a specific process when working with a specialized Sojourner crystal. Using the correct techniques will allow the holograms and moving pictures to be stored within the journal. It takes a lot of practice and patience. It’s a learned skill. It gets easier the more you develop your style of writing.”
“I noticed James and Phil had different writing styles in their journals.
“Phil wrote about criminals he interviewed for his journal. What do you think would cause a Sojourner to consider becoming a Labyrinth Seeker?” Charles asked.
“We don’t really know very much about the Labyrinth Seekers or their networks. A Labyrinth Seeker is different from a Revolutionary Seeker, in that a Labyrinth Seeker is a part of the Stygian Market. However they both share the ‘Unknown’ sector of the Hub. Phil was the first one to have an interview with a Labyrinth Seeker and learn about their clans or communal lifestyle. My guess is that there are numerous reasons for a Sojourner to become a Labyrinth Seeker. It is likely in the beginning someone tried to win their trust to get them to agree to live a life of thievery, possibly by using bribery. In Jasen’s case, he stated he just wanted to eat. It sounded like he was being starved. Perhaps some are looking for acceptance; or want an adrenaline rush, the excitement of seeing if they can accomplish the mission assigned to them. For others, just to have the extra money. When you read the other journals you will find more documented stories of them.”
“Have you met one?”
“You wouldn’t want to just go up to a Labyrinth Seeker and have a conversation. They are extremely dangerous people. Once identified, you should stay away from them. You’ve read some of the stories about their treachery. They are bad news; nothing good could come of knowing them.”
The Xidoran Prophecy Page 15
