The Xidoran Prophecy

by Elaine Bassett

  Charles and Wayland both looked at each other. Wayland mouthed, “Oh, oh.”

  Caroline laughed. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  Natalie said, “It’s a deal.”

  Charles said, “I’m in trouble. I don’t think I’m going to like this…”

  They began talking about their summer and how hot it was outside.

  Caroline said to Natalie, “I really like the way your hair is braided. How did you do that?”

  Natalie said, “Would you like me to braid your hair?”

  “Yes. I’d love it!”

  “See you later boys. We are going to braid Caroline’s hair.” They went off together talking, leaving the boys standing there.

  Charles said, “Must be a girl thing. Hey, want to play a game of basketball?” “Sure, I guess.”

  After a while Natalie and Caroline walked outside to join Bev and Margaret. Carson and Al were barbecuing. The most delicious smells were coming off the grill. Margaret and Bev stopped talking when they saw Caroline. Margaret looked at Caroline’s braided hair and commented on how much she liked the hairstyle on her. Caroline turned around showing her the back.

  Charles stopped playing and looked her way to see what the commotion was. Wayland accidentally threw the basketball at him and hit him in the face. It gave him a bloody nose.

  “I’m sorry Mate, I didn’t mean to bloody hit you! I’m such a klutz.”

  Charles pinched his nose to stop the bleeding. Bev ran inside to get ice. Caroline and Natalie went running over to him.

  Wayland asked, “Do you think it’s broken?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  Charles looked at the two girls together and thought: Nana’s previous observation was correct: Natalie and Caroline did look like sisters.

  Wayland looked at both girls. “You two look like you could be twins. I like your hair like that Caroline.” She smiled.

  Charles said, “You look beautiful. I like it too.”

  The girls smiled and laughed. When they laughed, Charles noticed they even laughed alike. Scary: he thought to himself.

  After lunch Charles mentioned walking to the tree house. Natalie jumped up ready to go. They walked to the tree house together. The girls walked in front of the guys laughing and telling stories. Natalie was wowing Caroline with her stories about different countries. When they walked into the woods Caroline was more cautious than the rest of them causing Charles to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder.

  When they reached the tree house Natalie stood there admiring it. “It’s so cute! Look Wayland, you could actually live in it. I want to go in.”

  Caroline pointed out the pictures on the wall of what it used to look like. Natalie observed all the smiling faces of the children playing in and around it. Charles pointed to and named everyone in the different pictures.

  Natalie said, “I can’t believe it started out like that, and ended up like this!” She looked around. “It looks like a cottage in the woods.”

  Charles said, “I’m sure it will be completely finished before long.”

  Caroline noticed an ornate antique book on the small side table. She walked over to it. “I don’t remember this. It’s simply beautiful. Whom does it belong to?” She picked it up and looked at the cover. “Is it Carson’s, from his library?”

  Charles shook his head. “No.” He opened the front cover of the book and read the title page: A Far Away Kingdom. Caroline kept smiling at him.

  He asked, “You want me to read, don’t you?”

  “Well, if you insist.”

  Natalie clapped her hands. “How wonderful, a bedtime story in the afternoon. Go ahead Charles.” He groaned.

  Wayland said, “Go ahead Mate. We want to hear the story.” Charles cleared his throat and began reading.

  Caroline hung on every word as if she could picture it in her mind. When he stopped reading, she said, “Awww, are you stopping there? What happens next? I have to know, keep going.”

  Charles touched her arm. She looked at his hand on her arm then into his eyes.

  “Caroline, I want to tell you something about this story that is very important.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  “What I am about to tell you is something you have to keep secret. Can you do that? Can you keep a secret forever?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never tried to keep a secret that long.” She looked worried.

  “What is this Charles Brookfield?”

  He looked down and then into her eyes. “Caroline, I am about to tell you a secret that you can never repeat to your family, but I can’t do it until you promise.”

  She looked at him puzzled. “Why would I have to keep a secret?”

  “Caroline it is a long story, but it is important that you understand that once you tell me you will keep it a secret, you keep your promise.”

  She looked at Natalie and Wayland. “Do they know the secret?” Charles nodded that they did.

  She looked surprised. “Okay then. I can keep the secret. I promise I will never tell.”

  Charles spoke the words he’d wanted to tell her so badly. In that instant he hoped she would believe him. “This story is about your family.” He held up the book.

  She leaned back and gave him a funny look. “Charles, you’re kidding me. Stop. Why are you trying to fool me?” She looked at Natalie and Wayland, then back at Charles. Caroline stood up and laughed. “Okay. That was funny. We can go now.” She looked at Charles. “I know you think this is a joke on me. But why would you tell me such a tall tale? That isn’t about my family,” Caroline said pointing at the book.

  Natalie said, “It is Caroline. You come from royalty. It is very important you listen to Charles. We are going to try to explain everything.”

  Caroline said, “Why would you tell me this?”

  Wayland said, “It’s true.”

  Caroline said, “How can that be true? What does it have to do with me?”

  Charles said, “I know you love adventure…”

  She immediately agreed. Just then the door to the tree house opened. Carson and Al walked in.

  Al stood there and looked at her. “You look beautiful Caroline.”

  She smiled. “Hi Grandpa. Is Mr. Jones showing you the tree house? It’s wonderful Mr. Jones.”

  Al glanced at Carson, then at Caroline. He walked over to her and said, “Honey, it’s true what Charles just told you. All of it.” She looked puzzled.

  Al continued, “When I was a young boy, my parents would tell Catherine and me the same stories. I always wanted to tell them to you and your mom, but there was a reason I couldn’t. There is a part of me that your…”

  Margaret walked in with Bevy. She had a tear in her eye that she wiped away with a tissue.

  She looked at Al. “Bevy told me you were going to tell Caroline, and Al I’m happy you are telling her. You should tell her the truth.”

  He went over and hugged her. “Thank you, Honey.”

  He took her hand as he told Caroline, “My family are what those who know about us, call Sojourners.” Caroline looked at Margaret, then back to Al. He continued, “My family was able to journey to another dimension and time travel. So, I grew up a little differently than your grandma. Her family was not able to time travel. Some people can and others can’t. When I fell in love with her I realized she couldn’t travel, so I gladly gave up that way of life for her. I wouldn’t change a thing Sweetie. Carson, Bevy and Charles are the only ones who can, that I know.

  “Before Catherine died, she asked me to continue our family traditions as a Sojourner but I said, ‘No’. I kept it a secret that I suspected you were the only one in our family who could. If you choose to Sweetie, you can. I have to warn you that not everyone can do this. If someone that can’t tries, it will kill them. So you can’t go around telling anyone about this gift you have. Does that make sense?”

  Caroline nodded. “Grandma how did you find out?”

  Margaret
looked at everyone in the room and said, “My husband loves me enough not to keep secrets from me, and I love him enough to keep his secrets.”

  Al turned to Caroline. “It is a big responsibility. Would you like to become a Sojourner?”

  Caroline nodded. “Are you sure I can?”

  Al said, “Yes, you can.”

  Caroline said, “Yes. I want to be a Sojourner.” The three of them hugged. The wind started to pick up outside.

  Margaret said, “I think the weather is supposed to storm soon.” She looked at Bev. “Maybe we should head back to the farm.” Bev agreed.

  Margaret kissed Caroline on her cheek and told her, “I’m proud of you.” Then she and Bev left them. After they left the wind began to blow a cool breeze into the tree house. It continued to blow stronger outside.

  Caroline asked, “Shouldn’t we head back to the farm?”

  Natalie said, “Not yet. Caroline, if it is okay with you I am going to be your mentor.”

  Caroline smiled at her. “Yes. I’d love that! Thank you.”

  The howling increased outside until the door to the tree house flung open startling everyone. Natalie went to the window and looked outside. The sky was turning a strange shade of gray. Charles went to close the door but a man appeared in the doorway. Caroline jumped. She asked her grandpa, “Who’s that?”

  He looked down at her. “Mr. Gladestrom. He’s Catherine’s guardian for her estate.”

  Caroline asked, “Oh. Why is he here?”

  Al said, “Sweetie, he needs to hear your pledge. I need you to answer his questions.” She nodded.

  Mr. Gladestrom introduced himself to her and greeted everyone else.

  She looked at Charles. “You know him?”

  Charles smiled. “Yes. I’ve met him before.” He nudged her. “Now pay attention.”

  Mr. Gladestrom walked over to Caroline. “My name is Mr. Gladestrom. You may call me Hugh, if you’d like.” She nodded.

  He continued, “Caroline I’d like to ask you a few questions. Will you answer them honestly, and to the best of your ability?”

  “I will.”

  He turned to Al. “Sir, is your birth name Albert Caperson?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you relinquish your birthright inheritance in front of these witnesses?”

  “I do.”

  He turned to Caroline. “Do you declare in front of these witnesses that your rightfully given birth name is Caroline Saunders?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you from this day forward solemnly vow that you will uphold the Sojourner Laws?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you have a mentor?”

  “I do.” She turned to Natalie and smiled. Natalie came forward and held her left hand. She turned to Charles and he held her right hand. Mr. Gladestom asked Natalie if she accepted being Caroline’s mentor.

  Once she replied in the affirmative, he turned back to Caroline. “Remember your promise Caroline to uphold Sojourner Laws and always abide by them. As a new Sojourner you will be held accountable for your actions. As the guardian of Ms. Catherine Caperson’s estate, I hereby announce that a rightful heir has come forward. I will to the best of my ability assist you to claim what is rightfully yours. I will disclose all of Ms. Caperson’s wishes to you and relinquish her Sojourner treasures to you.”

  He took out a beautiful scrolled parchment paper document with golden rods at the top and bottom, along with an ornately etched golden pen. He handed it to Caroline. “Please sign here on the line.” He pointed to where he wanted her to sign.

  Above her signature line, she saw Catherine’s signature. She looked at her grandpa. Al smiled at her. “Go ahead Sweetie.”

  She picked up the pen and signed her old life away. In that instant she began a new life. The rain was coming down in big drops now. It was thundering and lightning outside. Hugh took a candle, matches, reddish-purple wax and an old bronze seal from his black leather case. He rolled the document up and secured it generously with the wax. After he officially pressed the wax with the seal, Mr. Gladestrom placed it inside a document cylinder and secured the container. He placed it and his other items back inside his black leather case.

  He turned to Caroline and said, “Ms. Caroline Saunders, on behalf of Ms. Caperson, I’d like to tell you what a relief it is that a Sojourner of the Caperson bloodline is able to claim her estate. She would be so proud and honored. I will be notifying the Queen of England of today’s events.”

  He shook Al’s hand and then went around saying goodbye to everyone in the room. He stopped and spoke with Carson and Charles briefly. He handed Carson an envelope. Then he left in the rain.

  After he left there was an awkward moment where no one really knew what to say.

  Caroline leaned in to Charles and whispered in his ear, “Charlie, are you a vampire or something?”

  The look on his face was one of disbelief. He whispered back, “Caroline! Why on earth would you ask me that?”

  She smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “I don’t know. This is all so overwhelming and surreal. I’m confused and a little creeped out.”

  He pointed to himself and playfully asked, “You’re creeped out by me?”

  She smiled. “No, not by you. I just don’t know what to make of all this.”

  He whispered back in her ear, “No, I am not a vampire. I’m sorry this is a little much for you. I promise to explain things to you later. It’s just that the explanation is a little complicated, so please be patient. Okay?” She agreed.

  Once the rain let up they headed back to the Jones’ farm. Everyone went inside for refreshments and dessert. The adults played a game of Bridge. Charles suggested that the young adults should go outside. Once outside Natalie and Caroline got to know each other, while the boys played basketball. The girls sat and talked about girl things. They found they had a lot in common. The two girls walked to the office and began looking around. They eventually made their way to the birdhouse.

  Caroline looked at Airabelle and Airasten. “They are the most magnificent birds I have ever seen.”

  Natalie said, “They are.” She opened the door and put her hand in. Airabelle woke up and stretched her wings. Natalie looked at Caroline. Airabelle walked up her arm and onto her shoulder.

  Caroline asked, “Are they are real?”

  Natalie said, “Yes, they are real.”

  Caroline put her finger out to Airasten. He stepped onto her finger. She sat down and looked at him. She asked Natalie, “What is its name?”

  Natalie said, “Ask him what his name is.”

  Caroline asked him, “What is your name?”

  He answered, “Airasten.”

  Natalie said, “This is Airabelle.”

  Caroline smiled. She began talking to them. Airasten moved to perch on her shoulder. Natalie began answering some of Caroline’s questions.

  When it was time for Natalie and Wayland to leave, they went inside and said their goodbyes. Carson walked them to the office along with Charles and Caroline. Carson explained how the Passageway worked--what Natalie and Wayland would do in order to return home. As they sat and waited for the Passageway to open, they tried to explain it to Caroline. But for her, seeing it herself was mind blowing.

  When the Passageway opened she didn’t understand what was happening. She stood there silently, just watching. Then when Natalie and Wayland went through the Passageway her mouth dropped open and she pointed to the wall. “Where did they go?” She ran to the wall and felt it. “Did they just go through the wall into that big opening? Where’s the opening? What happened to them?”

  Charles sat her down at his desk. “I know this is confusing and you have a lot of questions. I understand that. I will try to answer them all if I can. I’m sorry this is such a shock to you.

  “Let me try to start from the beginning. A whole new world is about to open up for you. We are normal people, but we have a secret way of life. What we do is not something that just everyone c
an do. Unfortunately only certain people can be Sojourners. As your grandpa said, those who try to become Sojourners and can’t, die trying. So it’s important to keep what we do a secret. If you tell others you endanger not only our way of life, but put others in danger as well. We have existed for centuries. Sojourners time travel. We do this through the use of a Passageway. That is what Natalie and Wayland used to go to what we call the Hub.”

  She looked at him like he was crazy. She repeated, “The Hub?”

  Charles looked at Carson. He was smiling. “Keep going, you’re doing a good job.”

  Charles looked back at her. “We are going to teach you what we do.”

  She nodded as if she was skeptical. “You mean I am going to be able to go through walls?”

  Charles corrected her. “Passageways.”

  She had a puzzled look on her face. “Right, a Passageway, and time travelers are real. We are having this conversation right now. Okay, when will I get to go through the Passageway?”

  Charles looked at Carson. Carson shrugged.

  Charles said, “Well, we need to discuss what to expect first. I had to read our family journals on it before I could go through. I guess I could just tell you about it…”

  Charles explained what going through the Passageway would be like. He told her she would need to wear Sojourner glasses.

  Carson went to get an extra pair of glasses so she could see them. Charles and Carson put their glasses on first. Carson gave her the spare pair to try on. Charles explained how it worked step by step. When he finished he asked her, “Are you ready to try?”

  She nodded, “I think so.”

  As they stood there Carson explained they would go through the Passageway and that she could feel sick to her stomach the first couple of times. Once on the other side they would go into the Hub and then they would have to return. She agreed.

  The Passageway opened. Carson went through first. Caroline let out a squeal as he walked through.

  Charles laughed at her as he held out his hand to her. “Do you trust me?”

  She held out her hand to him as they looked into each other’s eyes and said, “Absolutely.” He took hold of her hand and slowly stepped up and disappeared through the Passageway. She held her breath and followed.