Silver bracelet: the wave pattern on the bracelet is symbolic of the life-death-life nature of the world (e.g., spring vs. autumn, light vs. dark, day vs. night, waves vs. troughs). It was thrown away by Nick in “the time before” when Halley was innocent. She discovers it on her journey, and it stirs her first memory of that time.
Snakes: snakes, while often feared, can represent transformation, knowledge and wisdom. They are also thought to be indicative of self-renewal and positive changes. Here, though Halley is frightened by the snakes she encounters, they are a sign of her awakening, and, indeed, becoming awake is often terrifying at first.
Sparrow: the nickname for Halley during a powerless phase of her life. She has to let go of the emotional connection to this creature and just let it be what it is, a small miracle of perfection.
Unicorn horn: it is said that a unicorn can restore purity to a poisoned stream by simply dipping in its horn. The unicorn horn here is used to help neutralize Gail’s fury. It represents purity and innocence.
Characters in Akilina
Elements of Halley:
Halley: the heroine. Age 35
Hope: Halley at age 22. Part of Halley became stuck at this point in her development because of a suppressed memory of abuse. Only by recovering this memory can she recover her powers of intuition and decisiveness.
Eden: Halley at age 10. Eden possesses all of Halley’s knowledge, with the exception of the things Halley herself has suppressed. Her giggle is symbolic of the joy of youth.
Little One: Halley at age 5. Halley is stuck at this point because she never let go of guilt over her mother’s death (cancer), and fear of her father’s fury.
Trance: Halley’s Shadow or dark side, as well as her power. Ageless.
Gail: Halley’s fury. Garnered across an entire life of abuse, but her appearance here centers around Halley’s leaving Fernando. Ageless.
Monster in basement: Halley’s intuition warning her of severe danger.
Jordan: Halley’s higher self, closest to God and infinitely wise and kind.
Other characters:
Sean: Halley’s husband of two years, her passenger in the car crash.
Fernando: Halley’s lover before Sean, when she was 29. Her journey into the nether-world begins when he leaves her, and she chooses not to follow because she has heard a baby cry, and feels compelled to find it. He is the last in a series of abusive lovers.
Nick: Halley’s lover when she was 22. Psychotic and source of suppressed memory of abuse.
Jake: Sean and Halley’s son, and the baby from the woods.
Dad: Halley’s real father and also the archetype of the ideal father in Halley, after her real father has died. In the nether-world, he is a guide and authority figure.
Annie: proprietor of Annie’s, the local grocery store.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Contents
Part 1: Descent
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Part 2: Four Years Ealier
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Part 3: All Time and No Time
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Part 4: Deep Water
Part 5: Epilogue
Six Months Later
Two Years Later
Appendix
Out of The Woods Page 29
