Encompassing Women: Book Four of the Encompassing Series

by Richard Lord

  Harmony thinks back, “There will be no surrender on either side. My terms are that we agree you owe something to someone and that is why you serve him. If you sign Destiny’s agreement, once you are in his position, than we will negotiate who stands where.”

  Xaltuth looks at the young girl and folds his for arms over himself. He then motions for his men to stand down and back away. He thinks to her, “What makes you think I would ever have that position?”

  “You are Xaltuth. You will ride a dragon.” Harmony responds.

  “What is a dragon?” Xaltuth asks, with curiosity building at this young girl.

  “It is a creature that will make you greater than him.” Harmony responds.

  Destiny’s hand goes over her mouth as she stares at Harmony and realizes that Harmony had planned all of the things that had happened.

  “Where is this dragon?” Xaltuth is quick to ask.

  Harmony sits again and within moments Brutus appears.

  Brutus looks out at the carnage and thinks to her, “This one?”

  “Yes.” Harmony responds but her mind has already moved on to other things.

  Both Xaltuth and Brutus sense she is no longer concerned wit their affairs. Brutus kneels and thinks to Xaltuth, “If you sit on my back, you should hold on tight. I don’t fly carefully.”

  Xaltuth thinks back to Brutus, “I’ve never been in there air. What do I hold on to?”

  Brutus takes off while thinking back to Xaltuth, “You’ll figure it out. If not, you plummet to your death and my debt to Harmony is ended.”

  CHAPTER 9

  “Once there was a way to get back home.” – Paul McCartney

  “How did we get here?” Destiny asks, but she realizes there is no point. She looks up at the sky taking in the beautiful yellows and the green mist, but she doesn’t see any plants. She looks down at the sea at her feet and sees something with a tentacle of sorts reach for her and backs up, ending her moment of taking everything in.

  “I’ve clicked to the edges. This is a pretty small island. I can’t really click to a continent I don’t know. I might be able to, but I’ll probably end up wet.” Amelia announces.

  “Yeah, for now, it seems like Harmony is in the driver’s seat.” Destiny looks at Amelia with a defeated look. “Yes, I know, she pulled that off. But something is in that water and I’m not in the mood to get bitten again.”

  “Understood. I think I’m starting to understand what Harmony is doing and why.” Amelia responds. Then she wafts the air. “By the way, when you do that the mist does not cover it up.”

  Destiny laughs, “Would you rather it be in close quarters, like you do when you try to sneak it?”

  Amelia shakes her head, “You are so much like your grandmother and yet not at all like her.” She looks into the water. “Something startled you. I heard that much. Cough up the deets.”

  “There’s something in there. It is too close to the shore to be an octopus and definitely not a squid.” Destiny looks back at the water as if it is toxic. Then she considers whether or not it is.

  “Actually, octopi would come on land if they were trying to escape something.” Amelia points out, remembering a lesson Tomorrow taught her.

  “So your suggesting it’s in the shallows to avoid something deeper out?” Destiny considers the theory for a moment.

  “Yeah. Why are you still standing anywhere near there?” Amelia asks.

  “I’m starting to believe in Harmony. She brought us here. She controls the tandem clicks. I know you and Illumna have already come to the same conclusion. So what’s in there must be part of her next plan for us.” She looks at Amelia inquisitively, but knows she can’t answer that.

  “Where were you thinking of going when we clicked?” Amelia gets down to the question in her mind.

  “When was I thinking is a better question. I wanted to be with Solstice. She’s…anyway, that didn’t happen.” Destiny responds. Then she looks at Amelia and says, “When or where were you thinking of?”

  “My brother.” Amelia begins to walk away, but she stops.

  Illumna thinks to them, “I just see the place in Harmony’s mind. You two don’t?”

  Amelia in a foul mood replies, “No Illumna. I miss my brother. He was…” She begins to cry.

  Destiny looks at her and rolls her eyes. Illumna considers her emotions and the choices Amelia makes.

  Destiny speaks, “So what do you think that thing was?”

  Amelia looks over Destiny’s shoulder. “I don’t have to guess anymore! I know!” Her eyes grow wide as she sees a massive octopod rise from the sea. She clicks, grabs Destiny’s arm and clicks back to the side of Illumna as they all watch the creature rise out of the water. The size of it is stunning. She thinks to herself, “It’s not even completely risen yet. How could an ecosystem maintain something that huge? It’s bigger than the largest dinosaur.” Then she considers whales. She realizes this thing is much bigger than any whale that ever existed.

  Suddenly they notice Harmony has clicked to the thing and is massaging it.

  “Your daughter is not just officially insane, she’s disgusting.” Destiny says to Amelia.

  “Yeah. Don’t do anything. Like you said, she has a plan. Although that’s pretty gross and we don’t really know what that thing would do to her.” Amelia tries to breath regularly, but she notes she keep holding her breaths.

  Then they all hear it, “Save me, please.”

  Destiny looks at Amelia. “It can think to us?” Then they watch as Harmony and the creature vanish.

  A few minutes later Harmony is at their side. Both of them dote over her wondering what happened. They hear her thought, “It know where to click to know. We can go if you two are ready.”

  Destiny looks at Amelia with a questioning look. Amelia shrugs in response. Destiny thinks to Illumna, “So I take it we are off again?”

  Illumna thinks back, “If you choose.”

  Destiny winces at the response. “If I choose? I thought you pretty much only listened to Harmony.”

  “You are Destiny. You choose. Harmony does what she does.” Illumna explains.

  Amelia scrunches her face as she looks at Destiny, questioning the response.

  Destiny looks at Amelia and responds to Illumna, “How about we aim for home this time?”

  Illumna replies, “Define home, Destiny.”

  Destiny considers the question while Amelia watches her face. After so much time on their journey, she has heard a lot of Destiny’s thoughts. She doesn’t hear Destiny thinking much on that question. She realizes Destiny has never had a home, so she is blocking her mind to the answer which is nowhere. A place they can’t go.

  Amelia pulls Destiny in for a hug. They hold each other tight for reassurance over all they’ve been through and all they suspect will come. Amelia turns to see her daughter inside Illumna. She’s nude and shaking her body to get dry. She looks at Destiny and says, “You may be right. She may be crazy.”

  Destiny laughs and responds, “But she just might be the lunatic we’ve been looking for.” Then, while still embracing Amelia for comfort that she never thought she needed, she asks, “What happened to your husband?”

  Amelia slides her hand down the back of Destiny’s suit and pokes her where she knows she will get a reaction and says, “He was an asshole.”

  Destiny rises on her toes at the gesture and responds by returning the rudeness. She looks into Amelia’s eyes and says, “I’m sorry. I suppose some men are not that good for us.”

  Amelia looks at the green mist on Destiny’s neck and wonders what it tastes like. She throws caution to the wind and begins licking it.

  Destiny in turn licks the mist off of Amelia’s neck. As they go to switch sides their lips touch. Illumna closes the hatch so that Harmony cannot see what comes next. Harmony thinks out to her mother, “Destiny is a Renfield, we are Johnsons! What are you doing?”

  Her mother pays no attention as she pulls Destiny closer to hers
elf as Destiny pulls back at her and they embrace in a passionate kiss.

  Illumna thinks to Harmony, “I am a Renfield. Let them be. Do you, of all people, have a problem with Renfields?”

  “Yes, I do! Adam began all of this! He should have never existed!” Harmony thinks back.

  “I heard that said about my sister once. My sister was an amazing person with a wonderful personality. Except when she got mad. I cannot imagine the world without her.” Illumna responds.

  “You wouldn’t exist if he didn’t and neither would I. Nor would those two, doing something that…” Harmony quiets as a realization comes over her.

  Illumna thinks back to her, “It’s been a long journey, Harmony. Even you have needs. We can click to someone if you want. They seem particularly caught up in their peacemaking moment. I don’t think they would care if we were gone. I’ve checked the stars. I know how to get back.”

  Harmony considers the suggestion and thinks to herself that she does have a desire. She finally responds, “Your brother.”

  “Stanley?” Illumna ponders how they could have even met.

  “Yeah.” Harmony blushes. He’s cute and really good at doing a lot of things at once. He makes me, well you know.”

  “Dear, I don’t think Stanley is still alive. How did you ever meet Stanley?” Illumna tries to hear the moment in Harmony’s mind, but realizes it must be something fairly private because Harmony has locked out the memory from her.

  “Well, I used to watch him.” Harmony looks up sideways as her thoughts go back to the boy she had a crush on.

  “When was this?” Illumna is still contemplating how someone like Harmony could foster distaste for her family and yet be so engaged in the thought of her brother.

  “When he was a teenager. By then Renfield was gone and Sara wasn’t so good at noticing my thoughts. Stanly did. I used to watch him think what I was thinking while he heard my thoughts about it. It was pretty hot.” Harmony blushes again.

  “So you can do time?” Illumna notes the fact.

  “Yeah. But pretty much only do it to watch him. I know other things effect too much, so I don’t do it for anything else. He knows I am there while he’s doing what he does.” Harmony’s thoughts become overwhelming and her reaction is noticeable.

  “So you’ve never met him? Wait, let me rephrase that, you’ve never shown yourself to him? Did you hide in a closet?” Illumna says that while realizing Harmony is very serious about her obsession with her brother.

  “No, that’s creepy. We’ve done stuff. We just don’t talk about who we are.” Harmony responds. “I like him. That’s where I want to go.”

  “You know he’s not a Johnson. He is a Renfield.” Illumna points out, given the way the conversation began.

  “Yes. I’m bimetallist sometimes.” Harmony admits.

  “I would say extremely.” Illumna then asks, “So in your bimetallism, which family line is the gold standard and which is the silver?”

  “Adam was first. I don’t deny that.” Harmony goes back to thinking about Stanley.

  Illumna thinks hard on what all Harmony has going on in her mind, but knows that Harmony is not very quick to allow anyone in too deep. “You have to do the clicking. I don’t think I will fit in his bedroom nor would I want to watch what comes of this. He’s my brother.”

  “You never met him. We could go to a time where I know when he is outside.” Harmony mentions.

  “That’s ridiculous. I can’t just land somewhere without drawing a lot of attention.” Illumna states the obvious, but realizes harmony’s mind is truly only on one thing as she speaks.

  “He has a spot where he…” Harmony is cut off.

  Illumna shuts Harmony’s thought as fast as she can. “Yeah, seriously Harmony, he’s my brother, I don’t want to hear about it. I’m sure I’ll meet him some day, but certainly not under those circumstances.”

  “Okay, I thought about it. I need you to find the time where he and I are at least close in age.” Harmony’s thoughts are almost pleading.

  Illumna remembers her father taking them to New York City. She recalls the pain in his eyes as he let his two daughters loose into the world. “Fine. He’s a Renfield. I have a pretty good idea where Stanley would go at your age. Have you considered he might be married by now?”

  Harmony considers the concept. “No, in his time, he’s still waiting for me. I know it.”

  “How did you even meet him?” Illumna feels she has to get the weighted question out because it is certainly curious.

  “I went there the first time to kill Renfield.” Harmony responds.

  “My father? That wasn’t a very smart decision, Harmony. He has some advantages none of us have. So I suppose you arrived and saw Stanley and your plans changed.” Illumna wonders even more about Harmony.

  “Something like that.” Harmony doesn’t explain.

  Illumna pushes, “Why do you want to kill my father?”

  “He was first. It’s why all of this is and why I am bound to my…goal.” Harmony explains.

  “You were about to say Destiny.” Illumna smiles mentally. Harmony picks up on it. “That’s why you are here.”

  “You picked me up.” Harmony comments. “You know where I was. I know you can’t tell those two, but you also know the when.”

  Illumna considers her point, “Okay, so let’s go. I’ll sell out my younger brother to your obsession in order to save my father from his. Deal?”

  “I don’t think you can save your father, Illumna. He’s bent on what he wants to do.” Harmony comments. “Tomorrow thinks he’s going to die trying.”

  Illumna thinks back, “Maybe that’s what he wants.”

  Harmony replies, “I’ve considered that. I’m glad I am not the only one who has come to that conclusion. He wants a challenge he might not be able to handle. I think Destiny knows what will happen. Her mother, Joy. She can hear even when people try to block her. So that means she’s heard everything Joy has thought. Joy has been there.”

  Illumna is silent for awhile and then questions Harmony, “How do you know all of this?”

  “Because I can hear Destiny.” Harmony responds.

  CHAPTER 10

  “O brave new world that has such people in it.” – William Shakespeare

  “Dressed like that, you have something in mind. When are you going now?” Christina asks.

  “My love, I was very happy to see you again, but you have to get back to me. I’m probably missing you right now.” Renfield grins at his wife.

  “Before we snuck out here, Sara stopped me. She said you were about to do something stupid. I think she wanted me to try to stop you.” Christina narrows her eyes at this older version of her husband.

  “When Sara told you that, how did she look?” Renfield questions.

  Christina rewinds the moment in her mind. Only then does she realize what Sara was wearing and how her hair was different. Christina had been excited to see Renfield and hadn’t even considered all of this. Then she wonders to herself, “Was she past or future?” She searches her own memory for a time Sara looked like she did at that moment and decides.

  “Actually, both.” Renfield responds to her thought.

  Christina nods knowing he is about to say that time is complicated. She intercepts with, “I know you love her too. I accept that because you are very good to her. She’s my daughter and I want only the best for her.”

  Renfield jumps in with a grin, “Oh, so you’re admitting I’m the best?”

  Christina makes a gesture with her finger in her throat as if she is gagging at his ego, but she replies, “I married you. I don’t marry down.”

  Renfield laughs as he spins on his heel, picks his wife up and kisses her with a passion that she wonders at. “And that is why I love you.”

  Christina tries to break her mind out of the moment, but she is flooded with her own passions. She focuses hard and then says, “And my daughter. I’ve seen the way you two operate together. It’
s efficient. I know there is more to it than either of you will ever tell me or I would ever want to hear.”

  “Christina, you know how many times she’s saved my ass.” Renfield continues to arm himself as he speaks. “She’s special and why I forgave you.”

  “You are special to me. That’s why I forgive you.” Christina says in reply while watching her husband prepare for something she can’t decide whether she wants to know about or not. She decides to put the thought aside for a moment and press more about Sara. “I know you are telling the truth when you say you met by chance. But you meet a lot of women. What was it about Sara that caught you? How did you two get to know each other so well that she knows what you want, when and why?”

  “That’s a lot of questions, Christina.” Renfield says in response to the onslaught of things he doesn’t want to get into. He is aware he is not the Adam she knows nor was the Sara that spoke to her before they left the house the Sara she knows. “Time is complicated, Christina.”

  “Ughh! I knew you were going to say that! You always say that to dodge a question!” She looks at Renfield and lowers her eyes. “You look hot. There’s still nobody around, come here.”

  Renfield obeys his needy wife and wonders if he was angry when he found out that she has been with him while he was gone. Then he decides, “Probably not. It’s still me, so it’s fair.”

  Christina points to a scar. “That’s new. I know you are not Renfield_2. What happened?” Then instinctively she asks, “Did you die?”

  Renfield looks at her as he pushes her backwards onto the ground, “Yeah. Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him, but I will maintain my own ways before him.”

  Christina whispers in Renfield’s ear. “I always knew he would kill you one day and so did you, but this you is both of you. You just quoted from the Book of Job. That’s the job you sent Renfield_2 to do. It is certainly something he would have been focused on.”

  Adam nods as he pushes his body into his wife and says, “You do realize, I have to put all of that back on again?” He says as he gestures back to everything he took off, yet again.