by Beran, Amina
“Yes, everything is so nice. It is better than we both expected. Thank you so much.” Alicia’s appreciation was heartfelt. They had been staying in the car for more than a couple of weeks, and it was wearing on her health, with the winter setting in.
“Can I ask you a few things?” Sam was trying to focus on what he wanted to know first. It seemed like this place was shrouded in mystery from the beginning.
“Yes, I was expecting that you would. You may ask.” Yates said.
“What is this place exactly?” Sam said.
“This place is like an institute for learning if you will.” Yates said.
“Yes I get that, this place is an old school. I observed that when we came in.”
“Maybe it would be best if we took another walk. I have some people that want to meet you both.”
They finished their coffee, and they walked down the long hallway.
“This place is bigger than it looks from outside,” said Sam, “Honey, you didn’t go to this school did you?”
“No, no, this has been closed a long time, I went to school in another town nearby.” Alicia said, “I never had the chance to come in here. The gate was always locked.”
They went through several wings of the old school. They could hear footsteps in many parts of the building, as they walked. As they walked their footsteps resounded on the floor all throughout the hallway. “This place is not as empty as I thought it was, but where are they?” Sam asked Yates.
“As I said before, they come and go as they please around here.” Yates said.
“This level requires another key.” They were at a door leading to the third level, “I have that right here.” Yates took at his large key ring with the huge key on it. Sam studied it for a moment. The key was silver colored with a head of a lion on it. He turned the lock into the key. If you come up here, you will need me to let you go in.”
“Why do you keep this level locked?” said Alicia.
“I am sure you will soon understand Alicia.” He said in a fatherly voice which reminded her of when her dad was telling her to be patient about things, and not rush.
They walked down the corridor and there were many people living in this level. The hallways were bright white, and the woodwork was exquisite. The floor was a type of green tile that looked like marble. “Wow, this place is very beautiful.” Alicia admired and her head was spinning all around looking at every detail. The carved detail work of the wood beams along the walls, and the high ceilings.
Some of the doors were open, and they were filled with people sitting behind desks. There was an electronic board and the teacher was using a lit up wand pointer. Alicia could only guess what the woman was teaching the students. She noticed the students were of different ages as well.
They passed a vast library of books, bigger than she had ever seen before. It rivalled the library she had seen in the big city. There was a glass dome that let in light into the entire room. She wanted to go to the library, but she had to follow Yates instead. Yates sensed Alicia’s curiosity about the library.
“Soon I will give you a card, that you can use to come through the door, and you can come and go as you please to this library.” Yates said to her.
“Oh that would be exquisite.” Alicia could hardly contain her excitement.
“I have arranged a meeting here in the lounge at 10 am. It is nearly 10 now.” Yates said.
Alicia and Sam sat down together on a very comfortable divan. It was a sky blue color, with dark patterned matching cushions. Alicia felt like she sank into a cloud when she sat down, and it reminded of her of when she was younger and felt nestled in her bed with her fluffy blanket. She ran her fingers over the cloth and closed her eyes a moment. It reminded her of when she used to pet her small kitten. She almost expected to hear a meow, but instead, she opened her eyes, and she heard. “Hello kiddo.” She was looking at the faces of her mom and dad.
“Oh my goodness,” Alicia rose off the couch with tears in her eyes, “How, how is this possible?”
“We have been waiting for you honey.” Her mom said to her, and she wrapped her arms around her daughter.
“I missed you both so much.” She wrapped her arms around her parents and wept with tears of joy. “I thought you were gone. I don’t know how you are here.”
After a long embrace, her parents sat on the other couch adjacent to Sam and Alicia. “Nice to see you, it’s been too long.” Sam shook Omar’s hand. “Pleasure’s all mine Sam, I am happy you have been taking good care of our little girl.”
“Well, she is all grown up now, but all praises to God, you have raised her well.”
Yates finally spoke. “I have brought you here to help you both understand, that you, Sam and Alicia, have passed on. This institute of learning, is like a school but not of this world that you have known before. This place is very special for many reasons. This place is protected by a dome, or bubble that enables those who have lived in this place to travel back into the past, in order to try to change what happened when the Eye of Fire stone was uncovered on earth in the late 1800’s. The great angels of heaven held them all back but they got through two times, but when scientists opened up the well of the deep in Switzerland about ten years ago, the demons or Jinn were let loose enmasse all over the earth.”
“But isn’t that when the Great War started?” Alicia said.
“Yes some say the great wars on earth were coincidental, but all major disasters on earth correspond exactly when the demons have gotten through.” Yates said.
“This is too much.” Alicia felt her head spinning. “I am dead. You are saying, I am dead?” Alicia asked.
“Honey, it’s just a transition from one body to the other.” Her mom seemed so calm and confident, “Trust me honey, I feel wonderful. You remember all those aches and pains I used to have? Well, I am good as new.” She warmly smiled at Alicia in a way to reassure her.
“What happened to us?” Sam asked Yates.
“It was exposure Sam. You both went to sleep and didn’t wake up.”
“What happens next Yates?” Sam shook his head, not knowing how to feel. He squeezed Alicia’s hand.
“That depends on you. You must start off on the first level before you may proceed to the second and third and so on. This place may look small, but it continues on and on. Some people are ready from the start to be on the higher level, but I am informed in advance of where to place you. I hope you will make progress quickly, and you will be able to go to the other levels.”
“Do all good people go here to this place when they die?” Sam asked.
“No, no there are fourteen other places on earth. They are held in secret. There used to be only one place, but the Eye of Fire stone was broken into pieces, so the places are in different parts of the world in a different plane or dimension if you will.”
“I am not sure I understand.” Sam said.
Yates waved his hand over the table and a fruit appeared. It was a white bumpy looking fruit, and he cut it open, and it had a pink middle. He cut a piece for each of them, “Take eat.” He offered them. “You see here, this fruit has layers.” He pointed to each layer on the fruit, “Each layer lays beside the other, touching, but distinct and separate. That is what it is like here. We are in the third level. You see how it touches the second and the how the second touches the first. It is like a veil. I am been entrusted here to this place with a key. I am merely a gatekeeper. The first level is subject to disturbance from the unseen forces, because it is closer to the earthly plane. That is all for now.”
Alicia asked her dad, “What happened to you both.”
“Perhaps Yates can tell you about that, when you are ready. It is time for us both to return to the fifth level, we have classes that begin soon.”
Alicia gave her parents a long hug goodbye, “When can I see you both again?”
Yates spoke, “They will be granted merits for visitation after they have earned enough. You will see how it works. This jo
b that you make with me each day, earns merits as well. These can be used to visit the upper levels until you have achieved enough to rise to a higher level. It is like passing a grade of school, that is what you are most familiar with, I believe.”
“Yes, that makes sense.” Alicia said.
Sam and Alicia said their goodbyes and followed Yates back to where they came. They arrived at the third door and made their way past the second level door, “What is that place like?” Sam asked.
“It is nice, but not as nice as the third of course. The levels just get better and better the higher you go. You can not imagine how nice they are, there are not adequate words for it.” Yates said.
“Why do you continue to work on such a low level, when you are able to be in the higher levels?” Sam asked.
As they were walking, Yates stopped, and told Sam to remove his shoes. He told Sam to sit on the bench. He waved his hand, and a bowl of water appeared. He kneeled before Sam and began to wash his foot.
“Why are you doing this?” Sam asked him. “Please, get up. You are too wise to be washing my feet.”
“You must learn how to serve other people no matter what level you are on.” Yates said.
“What level are you on?” Sam asked him.
“I don’t believe earth has a number high enough for you to understand that Sam. At night, I sleep in my abode, in the higher realms. But do not forget, no matter what level you are on, you must learn how to be obedient and to serve.”
