Carson demonstrated with his Sojourner pen asking about a trail that travelers took through the mountains. Then he turned back to the map where lines had been drawn to show the paths the travelers took. Carson said, “The problem is that we don’t know everything there is to know about this particular book. The maps inside it go on indefinitely. You must be careful to always have your crystal sitting out when using it.” Charles looked at the crystal sitting on Carson’s desk. Inside the crystal were flashes of swirling lights. Carson added, “Crystals are valuable tools to a Sojourner. A Sojourner can have many tools they use for a specific purpose. The crystal can manipulate those objects for the Sojourner and increase, decrease or limit the objects’ usefulness. They are also a communication devise.”
“So you can use the maps to track people throughout the entire globe?”
Carson shrugged and said, “Maybe.”
Charles scowled. “What’s to keep someone from tracking me if they have the same book?”
“I don’t know. This is the first atlas with its capabilities I have come across in all my years of Sojourning. It belonged to Haward.” He pointed to the crystal and said, “That is the only way I know how to avoid someone tracking you.”
Charles nodded, picked up the crystal and looked it over. The crystal had swirling colors inside of it. He noticed something he’d never seen before. He held it up closer to his eye. It had a dimple on its surface. Charles ran his pointer finger over it and the crystal slightly quivered.
Carson glanced at Airabelle then pointed to the crystal. “Not all crystals are alike. This is your crystal now, but at one time it belonged to Haward and Vivion. It is a very old and powerful crystal. Only an experienced owner can learn how to unlock all of its secrets. I want to caution you about revealing that you have Prime Minister Thomasen’s crystal to anyone.”
Charles set it down and asked, “Why because it belonged to a Prime Minister?” “Not only that, but for other reasons as well. It’s priceless. The Sojourner Government and many other people out there would die to have it.”
Charles stared at the crystal wondering what Carson’s words were trying to convey to him. “Maybe I shouldn’t have it then?”
Carson momentarily glanced at him, “Someday you’ll need it.”
He redirected their attention back to the atlas. They discussed the changing geographic boundaries from the past to the present. When they finished Carson carefully returned the book to the vault.
Then he came back and picked up the crystal from his desk. He went to the antique world maps on the wall. He demonstrated for Charles how to use the crystal to change the maps. Carson used the crystal to change the huge framed maps into pictures for different time periods. He said, “Pictures can give a better understanding of any time period.”
Carson then walked over to his desk and brought examples to Charles of maps with different symbols and legends on them. They reviewed longitude and latitude lines on the maps.
Finally it was time to take a break. Carson put Esmond back in his aquarium and Airabelle was already in her cage waiting for them to close the door. Carson told them they would be back after lunch. He secured the office and the two of them walked to the farmhouse for lunch. Bev made sandwiches for them. They sat at the dining room table to eat. When they finished eating Charles and Carson stayed to review his lessons with Bev for a short time before returning to the office.
Charles freed Airabelle and Esmond. Carson pointed to a book on the corner of his desk. It was a book about different world cultures. He told Charles, “Let’s not go over that now. You can read it in your spare time when you want to know more.”
Carson opened the center desk drawer and took out an inventory list. “This came today.” He handed it to Charles. “Here is the list of coins we previously designated to bid on. Our gold card was returned along with it.” Carson then retrieved the vault key from his desk. He showed Charles which drawer he kept the gold card in, hidden within the vault. While they were standing there he explained that one of the coins they planned to bid on, was in better shape than one they currently had in their collection. If they won it tomorrow, they would put the old coin up for auction. Carson then removed the old coin and showed it to Charles. Charles looked it over and handed it back. Carson put it back; they secured the drawers, then the vault and walked into the office.
“We have decided on reasonable bids for each coin at the auction. I don’t think we have anything to worry about. If we don’t win any of the coins we are still in good shape. The main reason we are attending the auction is to allow you to understand how an auction works,” Carson said. He explained to Charles what to expect and how to bid on a coin. “It isn’t like a regular auction where you would gesture, raise your hand or a paddle to make a bid. Instead the Sojourner bidding on a coin uses his or her crystal to place a bid. Then, when the coin’s auction is finished the bidder gives the auction officer their gold card and in return they get a receipt of Sojourners’ Rights to the coin. That is when the adventure starts!”
They turned their attention to the list still in Carson’s hand. “We need to take the list with us. We will need it in the event we are the highest bidders.”
Carson took out a diagram of the auction rooms and pointed out from the list the various rooms where the coins would be auctioned. “When we arrive at the auction it will be better if you have this diagram memorized so you don’t have to ask me where the different rooms are. Other Sojourners will be less suspicious of you, if you look knowledgeable. Also, be assured that if Dimitrios is there he will be watching your every move. His focus will be centered in on you and how you handle yourself.”
Charles looked at the layout. He familiarized himself with the eight rooms. Then Carson pointed out what the different auction rooms typically had in them and where to find things like the money exchange stations, the restaurant and other places he may need to locate. Charles asked if Nana would accompany them to the auction.
Carson thought about the question and said, “You know I don’t recall her saying if she would attend with us or not.”
Then he turned to Airabelle and asked, “Miss Airabelle, will you be attending with us tomorrow?”
“Am I invited?”
“Now Airabelle, you know where we go you are invited to go with us.”
She pretended to be thinking it over and said, “Well, when you put it that way, why would I refuse?”
Charles smiled. He told her silently, “Thank you.” She knew he needed her in case Dimitrios should happen to catch him off guard. No way would she miss this… She flew to Esmond and landed beside him. Airabelle knew that Esmond missed her when she was gone, just like she missed him. She was so thankful for his friendship. She was very fond of him. He filled a void in her that she couldn’t quite explain. She was looking at him differently now as their friendship continued to evolve. He seemed less homesick now than he did when he first came into her life. The two of them huddled together discussing what was going to happen tomorrow while she was gone. She knew he longed to go with them on their adventure. She wondered if there was a way that he could go with them. If there was she wasn’t aware of it.
She looked over at Charles and Carson. They truly were kindred spirits. They were so much alike. She was thinking back to the day she first met Carson as a young man. She just shook her head and thought how fond she had grown of both men. She shared her thoughts with Esmond. He croaked and admitted he felt the same.
Charles looked around the room. He watched Airabelle and Esmond. He wondered what they were discussing. Whatever it was he couldn’t make sense of it. It was kind of jumbled up in his mind. He turned his attention back to Carson as he was explaining, while at the auction they should try to talk to each other without using their names in order to keep their identities secret. Charles agreed.
He looked up at the cuckoo clock and was amazed that several hours had already passed. In a few moments the little children would be coming out and
dancing for them. He suddenly felt strangely guilty that they weren’t paid more attention. He looked closer at the clock and remembered the first time he had laid eyes on it. Carson said it could have a curious effect on Sojourners. He made his way over to the clock to watch the children come out to play. He tried to turn away but the gravity of the clock held his attention. He was mesmerized by the strange beat of the ticking. He began to hear his own heart beat along with it. It was soothing and made his body relax. He stood in front of the clock in anticipation of seeing the children. He imagined that they were real children laughing and playing. Finally the children paraded out. It was as if somehow they were happy to see him. He could vaguely hear Carson’s voice in the background but he couldn’t tell what he was saying. He wondered why Paw Paw was interrupting him watching the show. His voice got more and more urgent and began to pull Charles’ attention away.
It was a split second later that Airabelle screamed in his head to turn from the clock before it was too late; too late for what? He wanted to know the answer so he forced himself to break his stare and turn to Airabelle. “Too late for what?” He still had a dazed look in his eyes, and they refused to focus on Carson standing right in front of him. He remembered thinking something was wrong, but what was wrong with him? He didn’t know. Carson walked him to a chair and helped him sit down. Then, Carson sat in the chair next to him. He was talking to Airabelle in a soft calm voice. Charles drifted off to sleep against his will. It was as if he had run a marathon.
It felt as if he had slept for eternity before he opened his eyes again to find Bev staring at him and softly calling his name. “Nana. What is going on here?” The worry in Bev’s eyes started to disappear and she called Carson over. Charles sat up. He would have sat up straighter but his head was pounding. He rubbed his head. Airabelle was on the back of the chair looking down at him. It was now dark outside and he wondered what in the world had just happened. Carson helped him get up and walk to the bathroom to splash water on his face. Once he did that he was fine.
Carson and Bev were talking together on the other side of the room. He realized the clock had something to do with this. He wasn’t sure what though. He walked over to where they were standing. Bev put her arm around his shoulder.
Carson said, “Thank goodness you snapped out of the trance you were in. You gave us all quite a fright.” Charles looked puzzled. Carson continued, “It seems as if you are more susceptible than the rest of us to the lure of the beat of the clock. The rhythm puts you in a trance. If it hadn’t been for Airabelle you might have followed the children into the tunnel. No one is quite sure what is on the other side of the tunnel.”
“I’m not sure what you are saying exactly… That doesn’t make sense.” He had a perplexed look on his face. “Follow them, to the other side? Well, obviously nothing is on the ‘other side’. It is an ordinary clock, isn’t it?”
Carson and Bev looked at each other. Then at the same time they said, “No.”
Carson cleared his throat and said, “It’s another mystery, Charles. We don’t know much about it. All we know right now is that it seems to draw you in more than anyone else. It was a little frightening for us to see you react like you did.”
Charles scratched his head and said, “Well, it isn’t any big deal, is it?”
Bev said, “Can you tell us what happened?” Charles thought about it and told them exactly what happened as best as he could recall.
Carson said to Bev, “I think we should consider what we should do with it.” Charles said, “Oh, come on. It is harmless; it’s only a clock for goodness sakes.”
Carson looked back to Bev and said, “Bev, it is something we’ve never known much about. No other Sojourner has seen anything quite like it.”
She considered what Carson was saying, then said, “This is something we need to consider. It may be worth finding it a new home…”
Charles looked at them as if what they were saying didn’t make sense. He threw his hands up in the air and said, “Oh, come on.” He pointed to the clock. “It’s a clock. That’s all.”
Bev looked at Carson and said, “Maybe this is a discussion we should have later after we have had time to consider the incident.” Carson agreed. He looked concerned as he put his hand on Charles’ shoulder.
Airabelle said quietly to Charles, “He is just concerned.” Charles looked in her direction and nodded.
Bev said, “Our guests are waiting. Let’s go and eat, shall we?” Everything was put back in order before they left to go to dinner.
When they walked in Caroline just stopped what she was doing and stared at him. He wondered why she was staring at him. Cynthia turned around, stopped what she was doing and said, “Charles Brookfield, what have you been up to?”
Charles asked very calmly, “Cynthia, what are you talking about?”
Margaret came around the corner, stopped and looked right at Bev. She then turned and went back into the kitchen. Bev took Charles by the arm and guided him into the bathroom. He looked in the mirror; in the front of his hair were blond highlights around his face. He looked closer. He had to admit it made him look kind of distinguished. He examined his hair and ran his fingers through it. Then he looked at Bev. She took a deep breath and shrugged. Then she turned out the light and the two of them went to the dining room.
No one said much as they ate. Suddenly they heard a little knock at the door. Sophie turned the knob and came bouncing in. Molly wasn’t far behind. Molly came in and greeted everyone. When she approached Charles she stopped and looked him over. She glanced at Bev and Carson, then back to Charles. She kissed him on the forehead and asked him if he was okay. He laughed and said that he was. She ran her fingers through his hair.
Nana stood up and the two of them went to the kitchen. Charles could hear them talking but couldn’t understand what they were saying. Then they came back and sat down. Sophie already had a plate and was eating. Whatever Molly’s concern was, it seemed Bev had explained it to her satisfaction. Sophie was just chattering away. Charles was grateful for her stories about the store. It took the attention away from him.
As much as he could think about it, in between people talking to him, he wondered where the tunnel might lead.
All of a sudden he heard Airabelle say, “Charles, don’t even think it!”
“Well, where do you think it leads?”
Her response was matter of fact, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” That was good enough for him, for right now anyway.
He noticed Caroline looking at him. After dinner the two of them went to the front porch to talk. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. “What did you do?”
He looked her right in the eye and told the truth. “I don’t really know.” Then he shrugged. He wasn’t convinced she believed him because of her body language but that quickly passed.
They sat down on the porch chairs and started talking. Caroline asked him what he and Carson had been doing all day. Charles felt like something was on her mind. He didn’t know what it was though. He really wanted to know what she was thinking. Suddenly she said, “Charles, I really like your hair like that. Do you think you will change it?”
He was taken back by her still thinking about his hair. He looked down and said, “I don’t know. I haven’t even had time to think about it. You like it?” She nodded slowly. He sighed and said, “Well, I guess it’s settled then. The hair stays like it is.”
She leaned back in her chair and laughed. He rolled his eyes and smiled.
Just then Sophie backed out the front door almost stumbling. She brought them a plate with warm cookies and ice cream for dessert. Charles grabbed her and hugged her.
She squirmed in his arms giggling. “Quit Charles I have to help with dessert.” She ran back to the front door and into the house.
They ate their dessert. When they were finished they took the plates back inside. Cynthia was in the kitchen helping to put the cookies away. Charles and Caroline helped wash
the dishes. Then they sat down at the table. Charles scooted his chair close to Caroline’s so that their legs touched. Cynthia rolled her eyes. Charles asked Cynthia if Peter had been by to see her.
She said he had and that he couldn’t wait for Charles to be back home in time for school. “I think he misses his buddy. I’m not as good as you are at buddying around.” She sat down at the table and whispered to them, “I’d rather be his girlfriend.” Charles and Caroline looked at each other. Charles asked her, “Did he ask you to be his girlfriend?” He got a serious look on his face.
“Well, funny you should ask… Yes he did!” Caroline smiled at her and they made girl squeals.
Charles laughed and said, “Oh my goodness what was he thinking?”
Caroline said, “Tell me all the details. I can’t believe you kept it a secret!” Charles covered his ears and said, “I’m not sure I want to hear this.”
Cynthia laughed. As she and Caroline talked, he stood up and went to the library.
He could hear them laughing in the kitchen. He sat down on the couch. He hadn’t noticed before that Carson had brought the culture book from the office. It was on the table so Charles picked it up. He heard other conversations going on around the house as he started to read. He shifted on the couch to try to get comfortable. He was kind of annoyed that Peter had asked his sister to be his girlfriend. He supposed it could be worse though. He decided not to think about it. He resumed his reading when Carson came in and sat down. Charles stopped reading and looked up at him. Carson asked how he was feeling.
The Xidoran Prophecy Page 31
