Savior Part 2: Son of Eden (The Savior Series)
Page 23
MONICA:
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, MOTHER?” I ASKED, HORRIFIED as I stared into the lucid brown eyes of my mother who now stood a few feet away from me in the same otherworldly plane that the Goddess of Eden had drawn me to. I had not yet determined if this were merely a dream or not but whatever the case, the last person I wanted to get sucked up into this insanity was my mom.
“It’s okay, Monica,” she finally replied, staring warmly into the Goddess’ spectral eye form as if the two of them were old friends.
“But what are you doing here? How can you even be here?” I asked.
“She has summoned me here to help you accept your fate, Monica,” my mother replied as she turned to me and placed her warm hands on my shoulders. I opened my mouth to speak but my mind was racing so fast that I couldn’t think of anything to say. I didn’t know if this was actually my mother or if it was just something make believe. I wanted to believe that the Goddess was simply playing a trick on me but in the back of my mind I already knew the truth. There was no way that she was merely an apparition. How could a phantom duplicate everything about her so perfectly—right down to the warmth of her skin as her hands brushed against my cheeks?
“You are right, my dear. This is not a dream,” my mother replied, as if she had just read my mind. “This place is one of the many astral planes that exist between the physical world that we live in and the spiritual world where the Goddess was created. With Her help our psychic abilities allow us to transcend time and space and journey to places like this in order to speak with Her.”
“Psychic? What do you mean psychic?” I asked, backing away from her.
“It’s true, Monica. Your father was not like us, but you and I have always shared a strong connection to the spiritual realm,” she continued.
“I don’t believe you,” I protested, narrowing my eyes as I studied her. “Why would you send me to therapy once my dreams started if you thought I was psychic?”
“That was your father’s idea. He didn’t know about your abilities,” she replied.
“Well, why didn’t you tell him?” I asked angrily.
“I didn’t want to involve him. It only would have made it harder for him when the time came for you to accept your fate,” she admitted.
“So instead of telling him the truth you thought it would be better to just let him walk around thinking I was crazy? What kind of mother are you?” I snapped as tears trickled down my cheeks as I thought about the death of my father.
“Monica, there are things at stake here that you do not yet understand. I love your father just as much as you do but you have to understand that he is not what’s important right now! The fates of several worlds hang in the balance and you are the only person in the universe that has the power to save them. You have to accept your fate or else everything you know will be lost.”
“You didn’t even love him, did you?” I hissed, shaking my head in disgust as I ignored her babble about fate.
“What did you say?!” my mother snapped as a mixture of sadness and anger washed across her face.
“You heard me. You never loved him, did you? Not the same way he loved you, because I don’t care how many worlds were in danger, Dad would never say that anything was more important than you!”
“You know I loved your father! How can you even say that?!” she demanded.
“You didn’t even cry at his funeral!” I shouted, clenching my jaw after the outburst in order to keep from bursting into tears.
“That’s because I already knew he would die!” my mother snapped, as her resolve crumbled away and it became abundantly clear that she too was fighting as hard as she could to keep from crying. “I saw him die in my dreams every night for an entire month before it actually happened. And there was nothing I could do to save him. I tried everything! I wrecked his car on purpose because I knew that was how he was supposed to die… but the vision simply changed and instead of his car I saw him dying in a rental. I even tried telling him about my vision, but of course he didn’t believe me. I had cried myself to sleep every night leading up to that accident—so I guess when it finally happened… when I finally got the news… I just… I just didn’t have anything left.”
I opened my mouth to reply but I was completely speechless. Suddenly it all made sense. I remembered being so angry at her for not showing any emotion after he died but at the time there was no way I could have known that she already knew it was coming. She clenched her jaw and turned away from me as a single tear trickled down her left cheek.
“I’m so sorry, Mom,” I finally said as I walked over and wrapped my arms tightly around her. “I didn’t know.”
“No… you didn’t,” she said as she squeezed tightly as if she were hugging me for the last time. “There’s a lot that I have kept from you but I promise you that I thought I was doing what was best for you.”
“I still don’t know what’s so special about me, Mom. Why am I supposed to be Her vessel?” I asked as our embrace finally ended and we stood a few feet apart with the Goddess’ giant blue eyes silently watching on.
“Before you were born we were told that we would never be able to have children. It wasn’t Nate… I was barren, as they say. We tried everything—second and third opinions, and even in vitro fertilization… but in the end nothing worked. Lost in my despair, I used my powers to reach across the veil of our reality and called out for any entity that could help me. It didn’t matter if it was a god, a devil or a demon, I was so desperate that I couldn’t care less at the time—I just knew I wanted a child. Fortunately it was Eden who heard my call and she summoned me into this place. She was in need of a perfect vessel and I was in need of a child. So I agreed to give birth to Her vessel and with a touch She granted me the ability to have you, a single child whose psychic powers would ultimately dwarf even mine. And just like that Nate and I had our miracle baby but I never told him what I had done. I never told him of your true purpose.”
“You—you made a deal for me? And now you’re just going to hand me over to Her, just like that?” I asked.
“You wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Her, Monica. Don’t you understand that? You will always be my daughter but your destiny is so much bigger than just this world. Ultimately the decision is yours alone to make but I want to make sure you realize what will happen if you choose the wrong path.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The Goddess must return to the physical world, Monica. She is the only thing that can stop what’s coming. Without Her influence the war in Andromeda will spill over into our galaxy and our entire world will likely be destroyed. It truly breaks my heart to have put you in this position but you have to know that I was only doing what I thought was right.”
“What will happen to me?” I asked.
“Even I do not know the answer to that question,” The Goddess interjected. “When I bonded with my first physical vessel her consciousness ceased to exist once my essence merged with her soul but I am not sure if the same would happen with you. You already carry within you a small portion of the spiritual energy that makes up my true form. Perhaps that prolonged exposure will allow you to maintain some level of consciousness once the ritual is completed.”
“But you don’t know that for sure?” I questioned, already knowing the answer to the question.
“That is correct,” the Goddess said.
“Then I’m sorry, but I can’t agree to what you’re asking. I need to speak to Adam. There’s no way I can risk never seeing him again.”
The look on my mother’s face as I completed my sentence nearly stopped my heart. Something about her expression let me know that something was terribly wrong.
“What’s going on here?” I demanded.
“Monica, I didn’t want to have to reveal this to you, because I wanted you to make the decision on your own. But if you don’t accept your destiny, it is likely that Reaper will die,” she replied.
“You’re saying�
�� you’re saying I’m the reason he dies,” I gasped.
“No, child. His fate has always been to die but you can be the reason he lives. Though the path The Reaper currently travels will soon end in his demise the influence of an entity which transcends the confines of your realm can likely change the fate that your universe has seen fit for him. You will not cause his death but, through me, it is possible for you to prevent it,” The Goddess offered.
“So you’re saying I can save him? If I agree to become the vessel you can stop him from dying?” I asked.
“Yes child. Join me and I will give you the power to conquer inevitability.”
“Then I’ll do it,” I said as I stared up into the fiery presence before me. “I will become your vessel.”
23. HAIL MARY
HOWIE:
- ONE WEEK LATER
**** MOBILE MESSENGER ****
USERNAME……CODENAME_ECHO
PASSWORD......****************************
1 NEW INSTANT MESSAGE…
NINA: Have you found my friend yet???
Friday 5:45 pm
ECHO: Not yet, Nina… I promise I’ll let you know as soon as I have any new information
Friday 5:54 pm
NINA: What’s the freaking hold up??? If you’re supposed to be so freaking smart why haven’t you found her yet???
Friday 5:55 pm
NINA: …
Friday 5:56 pm
NINA: Howie?
Friday 5:58 pm
ECHO: Yes?...
Friday 5:59 pm
NINA: Okay I’m sorry for the attitude but you don’t have to ignore me… I’m just worried about her. It’s been weeks and you guys aren’t telling me anything
Friday 6:00 pm
ECHO: I know it must be difficult for you, Nina. It’s tough for all of us but you have to understand that we’re doing everything we can to get her back. This is going to take some time because the people that have her are very good at covering their tracks
Friday 6:00 pm
ECHO: But they’ll slip up. I guarantee you that… and when they do I’ll find them
Friday 6:01 pm
NINA: Do you think she’s okay?
Friday 6:01 pm
ECHO: She should be fine. Physically at least. They want to use her body for this sort of ritual that is too complicated to explain right now but just know that they won’t cause her any physical harm
Friday 6:02 pm
NINA: What kind of ritual? ARE THEY GOING TO SACRIFICE HER???!!!!
Friday 6:02 pm
ECHO: No. They won’t kill her but she won’t be herself anymore if we’re not able to stop them. Like I said… it’s sort of complicated but I really shouldn’t be telling you all this anyway
Friday 6:03 pm
NINA: Why can’t you tell me??
Friday 6:03 pm
ECHO: Well… most of this stuff is sort of CLASSIFIED
Friday 6:03 pm
NINA: Classified, smashified… this is my best friend we’re talking about! I need to know what’s going to happen to her!
Friday 6:04 pm
ECHO: Nothing is going to happen to her because we’re going to save her
Friday 6:04 pm
ECHO: Also “smashified” isn’t a word… Just saying. ;-)
Friday 6:04 pm
NINA: lol shut up silly!...But what if you can’t find her? What did you mean when you said she wouldn’t be herself?
Friday 6:05 pm
ECHO: I can’t tell you that
Friday 6:05 pm
NINA: Yes you can
Friday 6:05 pm
ECHO: No I can’t
Friday 6:05 pm
NINA:
Friday 6:06 pm
ECHO: That’s not going to work
Friday 6:06 pm
NINA: What if I sent you another picture?
Friday 6:06 pm
ECHO: Exactly what kind of picture are we talking about???
Friday 6:06 pm
NINA: You know what kind…
Friday 6:07 pm
ECHO: You’re jerking me around…
Friday 6:07 pm
NINA: Fine then I won’t send it…
Friday 6:07 pm
ECHO: Okay! Okay! Lol… send the pic and I’ll think about telling you lol
Friday 6:07 pm
NINA: I need a little more assurance than that
Friday 6:08 pm
ECHO: Alright… geez. I’ll tell you
Friday 6:08 pm
ECHO: …well?
Friday 6:12 pm
NINA:
Friday 6:13 pm
NINA: There you go. Time to spill the beans!
Friday 6:13 pm
ECHO: I’m still waiting on the picture to load
Friday 6:14 pm
NINA: It’s not my problem if your connection is slow. Now spit it out Mister! Lol
Friday 6:14 pm
ECHO: Not until I get the goods lol
Friday 6:15 pm
ECHO: It’s still not loading. Maybe you should send it again
Friday 6:17 pm
NINA:
Friday 6:18 pm
NINA: Done
Friday 6:18 pm
NINA: Well?
Friday 6:20 pm
ECHO: It’s still not loading!
Friday 6:20 pm
ECHO: Wait a second…
Friday 6:21 pm
NINA: What???
Friday 6:21 pm
ECHO: Did you just send me a picture of a “picture loading” screen???
Friday 6:21 pm
NINA: HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Friday 6:21 pm
ECHO: Wow!!!!! You sneaky little devil!!!
Friday 6:22 pm
NINA: Lol! I got you didn’t I?
Friday 6:22 pm
ECHO: Not really… I knew it the whole time. I was just playing along
Friday 6:22 pm
NINA: No you didn’t!!!! Admit it! I got you didn’t I?
Friday 6:23 pm
ECHO: Okay, maybe you did… but to my defense it didn’t take me that long to figure it out!
Friday 6:23 pm
NINA: Hahaha!!!! Whatever! The way I see it… I outsmarted the smartest person in the world so that pretty much makes ME the smartest person in the world now!
Friday 6:23 pm
ECHO: LOL!! I’m not quite sure it works that way! Lol! And for the record… you TRICKED me, you didn’t outsmart me
Friday 6:24 pm
NINA: So we’re arguing semantics now?
Friday 6:24 pm
ECHO: Okay! Okay! You got me! But don’t get used to it because it won’t happen again
Friday 6:24 pm
NINA: We’ll see about that lol
Friday 6:24 pm
NINA: But seriously I need to know what’s going to happen to my friend if you can’t save her
Friday 6:25 pm
ECHO: This might be hard for you to believe but it’s the absolute truth Nina… The people that have Monica want to bring a being from another dimension into our universe. This being needs a physical body in order to exist in this dimension so they plan to bind it to Monica’s soul in order to let it use her body as a physical vessel. As far as I know, it’s only been done one other time in the past and from what I can tell, once the being takes over it pretty much controls everything
Friday 6:26 pm
NINA: So it’ll be like Monica doesn’t even exist anymore?
Friday 6:27 pm
ECHO: Something like that. She’ll look just like Monica but it won’t be her
Friday 6:27 pm
ECHO: But that’s why we’re doing everything we can to stop it
Friday 6:27 pm
NINA: Do you know if they tried tracking her phone? She had it with her when she was taken. Maybe that can lead you to her location or something
Friday 6:27 pm
ECHO: That was the first thing I did. Unfortunately it was a dead end
Friday 6:28 pm
NINA: Maybe you should check again. She’s smart you know? Maybe she turned it back on or something
Friday 6:28 pm
ECHO: They would have searched her Nina. Even if she had the phone on her when she was taken I doubt she still has it now
Friday 6:28 pm
NINA: Howie just try to track the phone please!
Friday 6:28 pm
ECHO: It’s a waste of time…
Friday 6:29 pm
NINA: Can’t you just try it? For me? Just to put my mind at ease?
Friday 6:29 pm
ECHO: Is there something going on that you’re not telling me about?
Friday 6:29 pm
NINA: What do you mean?
Friday 6:29 pm
ECHO: I’m asking because it seems odd that you keep insisting on me tracking her phone when I’ve told you it was a guaranteed dead end
Friday 6:30 pm
NINA: Well… I just think it wouldn’t hurt to try…
Friday 6:30 pm
ECHO: …
Friday 6:30 pm
NINA: Well? Are you going to track the phone?
Friday 6:31 pm
ECHO: Not until you tell me what’s really going on
Friday 6:31 pm
NINA: Okay…