Mia asked, “Does the Grand Celestial Station have any purpose beyond being a junction point for the gateways?”
“It can be a place where visitors travel in their mind to see visions of various kinds, to discover what is happening in different places, perhaps see into the future or the past. Although it seems to reveal a potential future and not what ‘must be’.”
“I think that what’s happened to me the first time I was here. I saw myself riding this red horse, or one just like him.”
Enoch smiled, “Maru-Dannum. His name is Maru-Dannum.”
The horse flicked his right ear around when he heard his name.
Mia repeated his name, then continued, “But not back there on Mount Graham. I saw myself riding alone on a red horse over a grassland with rolling hills. I also saw people and other places where I’ve never been.”
“Similar to my experiences here. With so many times, dimensions, locations, gateways converging here, I think the visions are a by-product of the multiplied connections. They don’t seem to be warnings or commands, but are a news item if you like, pertaining to your life. Or the visions here can answer a pressing need for information. When Ethan and I were following the mallum xul who had taken you, we were able to determine the correct gateway each time to stay on their track through the visions I saw here. But we were unable to catch up and eventually had to return to my home. Time will tell what the visions you saw mean, what their significance is.”
Mia hesitated to ask because she wanted to phrase what she said carefully, so she didn’t make a false accusation against the horse that had helped to rescue her. She said, “I’ve read about a red horse in the Bible, as part of the second seal in the time of the end. The one in Revelation.”
Enoch quoted the Bible, “ ‘And there went out another horse that was as red as blood. And power was given to him that sat on it to take peace from the earth, that they should kill one another. And there was given to give him a great sword.’ That passage?”
“That’s right! That’s exactly what it says. Maru-Dannum won’t be forced to take part in that, will he?”
The red horse shook his head, making his halter jingle.
Enoch replied, “No, he certainly won’t! There are many red horses in the unseen realms, as there have been since the beginning of days. For instance, you can read where the prophet Zechariah wrote about the red horses he saw in his day. In both the earthly and the supernatural realms where we are now, there are true things and there are counterfeit things that mimic what is true. The difference is whose side they are on — God’s or Satan’s. Maru-Dannum is God’s horse. He rescues those in peril, wherever he is needed, one of the true-hearted red horses, and not the false horse of the same color that will bring death to the people of the earth. Maru helps restore God’s plans and purposes and could not under any circumstance be forced to carry a rider who would curse the earth by destroying peace, prompting people to murder and kill each other.”
They arrived at the subway station platform where the gargoyles had met with Chase. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it was actually only a day or so ago. Maybe. She wasn’t sure anymore. Time didn’t seem to be flowing in a normal fashion lately. She noticed the body of the gargoyle that Chase had killed wasn’t lying on the platform any longer. Mia wondered what had happened to it. Was there a janitor for this place, a sanitation crew that appeared to clean up and put things right? Then she and Enoch flashed beyond this area, galloping straight into the tunnel on the opposite side. Mia turned and looked behind. She thought she could hear a distant commotion in the tunnel behind them, but she didn’t see anything there.
Similar to the one they had just left, this tunnel was partially darkened as well, but ahead of them there was a warm light, like subdued sunshine on a partly cloudy summer’s day. Suddenly they were in another world, surrounded by green trees in a forested landscape with lush green grass underfoot. Mia could hear a stream running nearby, and the air was heavy with the scent of spices. Obviously, they were safe now because the tall red horse dropped out of his flat out run.
Both Enoch and Mia dismounted and began walking, Maru-Dannum between them. Enoch let the red horse take the lead and wander wherever he wanted. They came across a dirt path paralleling a descending brook that bubbled and sang as it ran over its stony bed, and Maru followed the path downstream. Trees were all around them, fruit trees of many kinds in differing stages of development, some with branches drooping under the weight of a fragrant crop, another right next to it covered in perfumed white blossoms. After walking for some time, they passed into another section of the forest with gingko, aspen, and cedar trees. Mia sighed, realizing how safe she felt, safer than she had ever felt before. Nothing or no one could ever harm her here.
A gentle shower fell straight down out of the sky. There was no change in the subdued sunlight, no wind, just large drops of water that fell out of the sky. Warm rain drops that didn’t bring a chill. Simply refreshing and entirely welcome. As the rain fell onto her hair and the black body suit she was wearing, Mia noticed that each drop caused a little white cloud of the chemical from the tank to release into the air. In a short time, all trace of the horrible chemical was washed away, replaced with a clean scent. She no longer was forced to smell the chemical stench that had stayed with her since she had been in Noonan Hall. (It felt like she had been enduring it forever.) Her most heartfelt need and want — granted. She thought of Psalm Twenty-Three. “It’s true! ‘I shall not want.’ Not in the least!” she said to herself.
Once it quit raining, Enoch got something out of his saddlebag. “I have something for you, Mia. My apologies for the timing, should have thought of this earlier. Mother Tallis sent this for you to wear.”
“Oh, how wonderful!” She smiled. “I feel so —. This will work so much better, help hide this hideous black thing.” Mia put on the beautifully tailored tunic made of a green, blue, and white patterned fabric that had been hand-loomed. She smoothed it with her hand. There was a belt for the waist, and the sleeves weren’t too short, and the bottom hem reached to mid-thigh, even at her height of six feet tall. “Oh, this is so beautiful, so perfect. Please thank —”
“— Mother Tallis —,” Enoch said.
“— Mother Tallis for being so thoughtful to send this with you.” She paused before continuing. “I felt so — the smell, that body suit. Both were constant reminders of what happened in the lab, what those monsters could do to me whenever they wanted. But those reminders are being taken away. The rain took away that smell and now, this tunic will cover up the sight of this hideous body suit. Until this moment, I’ve felt so ashamed, having to endure those two constant reminders that I didn’t listen to you when I should have. This beautiful tunic will save me from having to constantly think about what I did wrong, how vulnerable I was. This is so much better! Mother Tallis is so thoughtful, taking into account my wants even though I don’t even know her!”
Smiling, Enoch said, “Yes, she has a way of providing perfectly thoughtful surprises for everyone with her gift of second sight. It was her visions that directed us so we were able to come to your rescue when the evil forces were trying to harm you. My showing up was never by accident — random coincidences like that would be hard to believe. Since her first vision, we’ve been keeping track of you. Whenever she had glimpses into what your predicament would be, as the danger grew and your need became urgent, she’d send me to help you.”
“I am amazed. I’m so surprised to hear that I am on God’s radar, so to speak. It never occurred to me that I would be the subject of anyone’s vision and then rescued because of it. I owe you and her so much for that.”
“You’ll have the chance to thank her for yourself soon.”
Letting the red horse guide the path of their pleasant, leisurely stroll through the beautiful landscape was such a contrast to the events of the last few hours. Mia could
feel her shoulders relax as they walked, and by relaxing, she realized she couldn’t recall the last time that her body hadn’t been tense with anxiety. Certainly not since starting that horror of a job at iCon.
The forest was well groomed, the trees generously spaced, and the spaces between them filled with flowering plants. At a distance, Mia caught sight of a flock of sheep grazing. There was a feeling of being in the open and also at the same time of being sheltered in shade. It was comfortably cool, with a light breeze laden with the scent of cinnamon, pepper, and frankincense, a fragrance unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.
Maru led them to a scenic lookout at the edge of a rocky cliff. Mia hadn’t realized they were on a mountaintop, but from this vantage point, she could see they were very, very high up. There were miles of mountains extending to the left, with the ground descending to the right, miles of valleys and hills below and beyond, waterfalls and orchards. And in the far distance, a large body of water reflected the subdued light. She took a deep breath, then let it out with a sigh. “This is the most beautiful place I have ever been. It’s so peaceful here.”
Mia was a little startled when Enoch replied, “Yes, I find it to be so as well.” In a way, she had almost forgotten that he was there with her. Since arriving in this place, she hadn’t felt alone or afraid. She had no needs of any kind, every concern lost in contentment, all the negative feelings of the last several months dropping away.
This was the land of “I shall not want” in every possible way. This sense of happiness and joy was a novel feeling to Mia. None of the troubling issues in her life had been resolved or even changed, and yet she truly was content, glad to be in this place. Before they had arrived here, she had come up with a list of questions for Enoch to answer that was a mile long. But right now, most of those issues weren’t an urgent matter at all, not important in any way. There would be time for everything. No need to rush or hurry.
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Continuing down the path that followed the brook, Enoch and Mia came to a grassy meadow sprinkled with daisies above a clear pool of water created by a small ledge of rocks spanning the stream. Enoch said, “Let’s stop here. This is a good place to rest.” The horse seemed to understand what was said and moved off the path to drink from the stream. “Lie down and rest, Mia. You must be exhausted after your ordeal. But first, wash those cuts you got from Talmai’s claws along with all the rest of your injuries in the stream.”
The green grass was as thick as a carpet, cool and soothing to her torn and blistered feet. She found a rock where she could dangle her feet into the brook next to where the water, clear as crystal, was dancing over the weir. For a moment, she watched Enoch caring for Maru-Dannum, as he removed the bridle, bit, saddle, and blanket. Next, he started brushing the red coat with a curry comb he took from the saddle bag, all while he was talking quietly to the horse. Maru continued calmly ripping up mouthfuls of grass while Enoch tended to him.
Her feet already in the stream, Mia started scooping up handfuls of the clear water to wash her face and then began to clean her injuries and wounds, starting with her neck, wrists, and ankles. Icy cold, the water washed away the sting from the gashes on her arms and the deep scratch on her neck. Then she carefully tended to her feet covered with the blisters and sores from climbing Mount Graham, cleaning off the dirt from being barefoot. Afterward, she stretched out on the green grass under a tree near the brook and fell asleep listening to the water splashing over the rocks. No thoughts of trying to avoid sleep, no worries about being tormented by disturbing dreams. The calm surrounding her made the transition from waking to sleeping effortless.
Some time later, Mia was awakened when Maru gave her arm a gentle nudge. As she sat up and scratched his muzzle, she wondered how long she had been asleep. She had slept deeply and was totally refreshed, so it felt as if it had been hours, but the sun still hadn’t risen. Had time stopped? The soft pre-dawn glow in the eastern sky hadn’t changed a bit, even though she had thought when they arrived was that it was just below the horizon in the east then.
Stretching after her nap, she looked at the cuts on her arms — they were completely healed! She traced several nearly invisible marks with her fingertips, just to confirm what her eyes saw. The gashes were completely mended, all trace of them fading from view, as were the sores and blisters on her feet. Gone. Even the bruises from various kicks, the knot on her forehead, and other mistreatment handed out by the gargoyles didn’t hurt anymore and could no longer be seen. She got up to show the miraculous healing to Enoch. “Look! They’re gone! All the claw marks are gone! All my injuries are healed, and so quickly! ”
“Great news, Mia! I’m very glad to hear it. Thanks be to the Lord of Glory who has restored you! All the waters on this mountain flow from the Fountain of Life, with healing powers for all who need restoration.” Smiling, he said, “Are you hungry? Breakfast is just about ready. These trout will be ready to eat in just a minute or two.”
During her nap, Enoch had not only made a fire but had caught a couple of fish in the pool behind the ledge of rocks, which were now cooking on a skewer suspended over the fire.
Mia asked, “How long was I asleep? It’s hard to tell time here.”
“You slept for a long time. I’m not sure exactly how long either. Time is different here.”
“Why hasn’t the sun come up yet?”
“Because the day of its dawning has not yet arrived.”
“So this place —? We’re not on a planet, not orbiting around a sun?”
Enoch looked over at her, smiled and nodded. “Correct. Not on a planet, not orbiting a sun.”
“Until the last day or two, I would have said that was a physical impossibility.” Mia said. “Looks like I need to re-learn some of the lessons I was taught in science class.”
Enoch said, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Dr. Maria Marwitz, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
“Shakespeare didn’t know the half of it!” Mia laughed.
She watched Enoch turn the fish suspended over the fire so it could cook on the other side. “You must do a lot of camping. That’s an elegant way to cook without having a skillet or a grill.”
“I’ve picked up a few ideas here and there.” Enoch chuckled softly. “When I first learned to cook fish on a supported stick, the technique was called sawmek. You skewer the fish on a stick, build a nice hot fire, get some coals going, put the skewer over the fire, and prop one end of it up on a support like a forked stick. Then turn it occasionally, so the fish cooks evenly on every side until done. You’ll see. You’ll love it.”
“I’m sure I will. Trout sawmek smells so good! I’m famished. What else is on the menu?”
“I’ll go find out.”
He walked down the slope to a myrtle tree growing on the banks of the stream, pulled off some leaves, picked some fruit off another tree, and large leaves off a shrub to use as platters. After washing everything in the stream, he brought them back up to the campfire. Tearing the myrtle leaves into shreds, he said, “I love this gadget I found. Look at this! You don’t need a cooking pot to make tea. Just drop this little canister filled with butane” (which he removed from the saddle bag) “into the water, and you can boil the water while it’s still in your stainless steel bottle. Or old school, you could heat a rock and drop it into the bottle. Not much work to getting dinner on the porch of Paradise.”
“Is that where we are? All this is exactly what I’d expect from Paradise, the Garden of Eden, or some other garden of earthly delights. And I visited the porch of Hell earlier, so it would be only right that I visit the porch of Heaven.”
“Then consider your wish for symmetry granted. Yes, this could be called the porch of Heaven, here on the Mountain of God. We’re guaranteed that there will be no unexpected visitors of the evil sort as long as we’re here.” Enoch checked the metal water
bottle. The water was boiling, so he removed the butane heater and took the shredded myrtle leaves and added them to the hot water. “This will be done steeping in a couple of minutes. I will say the blessing for the meal.”
Mia stopped chewing the bite of fruit she had just put into her mouth. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Enoch stood by the fire, turned his face to the sky, and lifted up his hands.
“Blessed be the name of the Lord of Heaven, forevermore,
Who has blessed us with the bounty of the earth.
We each one united together call upon your name,
That we may remember to walk in the light of your presence,
For it is by your goodness that we live.
Provide, I pray, and satisfy us with peace,
For you have caused us to dwell before you.
We offer gratitude for this food,
Which provides us with strength for the day.
We give thanks for each one sharing this meal.
Take this food and bless our bodies.
Take my words and make them pleasing to you.
Take my heart and help me love and serve only you,
The Lord of Glory who made all things, things seen and unseen.”
“Amen! That is a lovely grace,” Mia said. “Where did you learn it? Is it a Jewish blessing?”
No Geek Rapture for Me_I'm Old School Page 34
