“Interesting.” She pinched her arm. “I’m still in a coma and dreaming all this,” she muttered and walked to the corridor to join the line of men and women.
Looking at the floor she noticed lines in several colors. She followed the blue line along with some other people dressed in blue, until she came to a very large room resembling a restaurant. She couldn’t help gasping. It was out of this world, heavenly.
Someone approached her, a young girl dressed in white. “Follow me please. I’ll show you your table.”
Megan followed her. As she passed various large round tables with people already seated she stopped dead in her tracks. Surely she was hallucinating? “Mom? Mom? Is that really you?” she almost shouted it.
The woman turned toward her and Megan saw her mother’s beloved face pale. “Megan? Megan is it possible? Megan…” Tears began and she got up.
Megan rushed toward her and wrapped her arms around her mother. “Mom, oh, Mom, where have you been? Is Dad here? Vera?” she asked through happy sobs.
“Please take your seat. We’ve arranged for you to sit with your mother,” the girl said.
Reluctantly, Megan let go of her mother and sat on the suspended chair. Once seated, they clasped hands.
“Cassie and Jonas are here,” her mother told her.
“Dad? Vera? Mark? What about Mark?”
“No. I’ve got so much to tell you. Where have you been all this time, honey?”
“You won’t believe me when I tell you.”
“Try me. I believe we’re on an alien planet. Do you think I’m crazy? Cassie and Jonas think the same. The three of us were together for a while. We didn’t arrive here at the same time.”
“How long have you been here, Mom?”
“It seems like forever. I was so glad when Cassie and Jonas suddenly arrived. And now you. Your poor father is still stuck on a beach with a bunch of others.”
“A beach?”
“Yes. Long story. Let’s eat first.”
While they were talking, the waitresses and waiters had served the soup of the day. Megan was so filled with emotion she found it hard to swallow even if it tasted delicious. “Mom, you really think aliens are behind all this? The explosion? I can’t figure any of it out. I was badly hurt, burned, lost an arm, my hair was gone, I was in a hospital for ages. Then they sent me to a place called Midhaven. That’s where I was miraculously healed, and I’ve been going through counseling for what seems like decades.”
“Counseling for the trauma you’d experienced?”
“Sort of. I’ll tell you about it all later. Are we allowed to visit with each other in the rooms?”
“Yes. We can do that after the concert.”
“Concert?”
“You’ll see. Eat your food, hon. The meals are really good although I feel guilty each time I eat because your father is living on nuts, fruit and fish right now.”
“What do all the different colors mean? Has anyone told you?”
“Yes. Different levels. Apparently we’ll all move on. I don’t know when and I don’t know how or where to.”
“Are you sure Mark and Dad aren’t here?”
“I don’t know where Mark is, but Cassie told me your father arrived on the beach right after I disappeared.”
“Mom, I love Mark so much. He’s my soul mate.”
“I know, sweetie, I know. All you can do is pray, just like I pray to see your father again. Now eat your food. Dessert will come soon. Tomorrow we can all get together in the lounge and talk.”
Chapter Twenty
Mark sighed. He’d been on the beach for quite a long time now. At least, it seemed like a long time. Though he was more than happy to be out of that horrific mine and living near a pristine lake on a white pearly beach, eating good food, he wanted nothing else than to escape from this place, too, and find civilization.
While dipping his shell in the stream Harry showed up and sat on a rock next to him. “How’s it going, Mark?”
“Alright. But I want nothing more than to be reunited with Megan. It seems as if life has stood still, as if there is no time anymore.”
“Tell me about it. But what can we do? Unless the aliens snatch us like they did Georgia, Cassie and Jonas, all we can do is wait.”
“I guess so.”
“We’ve had so many new arrivals. It’s weird how they’ve all come from different places. Some seem to arrive here immediately, others, like you and Carol and of course me, came from some mine. Then there’s Azim, who came from a really horrible place somewhere on this planet where there were monsters and strange stuff. And now the last few were on an ice mountain.”
“What about that person who said he’d been in some ancient town where they were going to behead him?”
“Ah, that’s Cain. Yes, he had quite a story. From there he landed in a grotto first and then finally here.”
“Did I hear my name?” Azim joined them.
“Yes, I was telling Mark about the strange different places everyone came from before they ended up here.”
“Yet many of us started out in the nightclub,” Azim said.
“You were there?” Mark asked.
“Yes, I was the one with the bomb. I have to get it off my chest finally. I’ve been so afraid to own up to it, scared that everyone would hate me, but I need to tell everyone. Talk about it.”
Mark felt anger well in his heart, the urge to jump up and beat the living daylights out of Azim. He stood until he felt Harry’s hand on his leg. Slowly he sat. Wasn’t he a murderer himself?
“I hurt so many people and the guilt is eating at me. I feel so sorry now for what I did, but how can anyone ever forgive me?”
“Azim, I’m guilty of murder myself, yet Dennis forgave me for killing him. And I can finally find it in my heart to forgive him for what he did to my girl.”
Mark looked at Harry. “If you killed a man, how could he show up here? How’s that possible?”
“How’s any of this possible? I’ve stopped asking that question a long time ago.”
“I killed a girl. Well, not physically, but I was instrumental in her death. If it weren’t for me, she’d be alive. Her name was Robin and I wish I could do it all over but we can’t turn the clock back. Hell, I didn’t even go to her funeral.” Mark told the whole sordid story to Harry and Azim. He felt relieved that he’d finally opened up about it, and that relief filled his soul, his heart. Suddenly Harry’s words sank in. “What do you mean what he did to your girl? Which girl? Megan?”
“Yes, but it’s not up to me to tell you. All I can tell you is that I am sorry for what I did.”
Azim nodded. “As am I. I feel relieved now that I’ve finally told someone. I was on the dance floor dancing with my beautiful girlfriend when I pushed the button. Let me tell you what happened in that awful castle, how my dead father was alive and came to me and what he tried to get me to do.”
Mark listened to his story and shook his head. “Was it real?”
“Yes, as real as the three of us sitting here. It was awful.”
Lightning suddenly struck near them. They jumped up. Mark shouted, “What the hell is going on now? A clear blue sky and—“ He got no further. A bolt of lightning struck him and once again he could feel his skin burning, that horrible smell of scorched flesh entering his nostrils. Vaguely, he saw Azim and Harry squirming and suddenly turn into charcoal carcasses before everything went black.
Lovers reunited…
Mark woke up in a white room. He had to close his eyes again against the brilliance of the room. Gingerly, he felt beneath him. He lay on a cottonwool soft bed. Holding his hands and arms up, he inspected them. No scorched flesh, no burns, he was fine. A wall that seemed to be made of one sheet of glass looked out at a sea of small lights. He sat up and wiggled his toes, looked at his sandaled feet. Now he noticed the light blue tunic he had on. “How in blazes did all this happen?” he said aloud.
He dared place his feet on the marble floor. He
stood and walked to the window. In the distance there was a very tall building towering over all the others. On top was an onion shaped dome that revolved slowly. A bright light emanated from it, changing colors every few seconds. “The alien city. Wow. Wish I had a camera. If Cassie saw this, she’d drool. I can imagine the pictures in our science fiction magazine now.” He sighed. The publishing house was gone, everything he’d ever known was gone and he’d have to live out his life on an alien planet where they liked to treat humans like puppets on a string.
“Dinner is served in the blue lagoon restaurant. Follow the blue line.”
An invisible panel slid open to reveal a brightly lit corridor. He saw people passing by, men dressed in tunics like his, women in long Grecian style gowns, all of them in pastel colors. He joined the line of people and saw the colored lines on the floor. He followed the blue line until he suddenly heard a familiar voice next to him.
“Mark Engler? Oh my God, it’s you!”
“Cassie?” He embraced her and hugged her hard.
“Put me down. We’re holding up the line,” she said.
“You’re blue. What do the colors mean?”
“We’ll explain all that later. Just come with me. I know my way by now and don’t need the line anymore.”
Mark followed her and after entering a dining room so gorgeous that it could only be in a movie, she led him to a table. “Wait here.”
He didn’t have to wonder or wait long. A scream, a woman who virtually leapt at him almost knocking him over, two legs around his waist, arms around his neck, he gazed into Megan’s wonderful blue eyes. His throat constricted, tears ran unheeded down his cheeks as he gazed at his beloved’s face, her beautiful face, unmarked. “Megan,” he whispered hoarsely. “My Megan.”
“Mark, I’ve missed you so,” she sobbed now, her cheek against his, their tears mingling.
“I’ve missed you more,” he whispered and kissed her face, kissed the tears away until a watery smile lit up her face.
Behind them, another scream, this time from Georgia. “Megan, look, it’s Harry. It’s your father!”
The five of them hugged until an attendant approached them. “There is another table for you all so you can sit together,” she told them.
Jonas and Vera were already at the table. They jumped up when they saw Megan and Harry approach. “This is quite the reunion,” Mark said softly, his hand tightly clasping Megan’s. He could hardly keep himself from staring at her. “I wish we could be alone,” he said softly, when others sat at the table.
“Izzy, is this your man?” Georgia asked a beautiful girl with long black hair.
“Yes, this is Azim. I’m so happy.”
Georgia introduced Izzy and she in turn introduced Azim. Mark was so happy he could hardly eat, though the food was delicious. “When can we be alone?” he asked Megan.
“It’s not allowed. Cassie and Jonas soon found out. But we can meet in the lounge tomorrow. We’re allowed to socialize with each other there.”
“What about after dinner?”
“After dinner is a concert, or a play. There’s something different each night. The aliens are fantastic in making androids that look just like musicians or singers that used to be on Earth. After that we go to our rooms to sleep.”
“Does anyone know what that revolving light means? Have any of you seen the aliens?”
Everyone shook their heads. “All I know is that we’re in transition. We’re all waiting to move on,” Georgia said.
“Move on to where?”
“That’s the million dollar question around here. We don’t know.”
“I’d sure as hell would love to meet up with those dudes and give them a piece of my mind,” Jonas said.
“Me with you. It’s strange that none of you have seen them. Are you allowed out of the building?”
“No, because there doesn’t seem to be an exit. There are small flower gardens throughout the building. It’s almost a small village in itself. The flowers are strange, just like the ones we saw in the jungle, and fruit grows abundantly in several areas,” Georgia said.
“And there are swimming pools with waterfalls,” Izzy said.
Mark thought for a moment. “It’s like we’re suddenly in a beautiful holiday resort, except it’s on an alien world.”
“If I didn’t have children at home, I wouldn’t mind staying here,” Georgia said.
Harry frowned. “I think we should talk about that.”
“What? Staying here? Not on your life. Why would you want to stay here, George? What about our family?”
“There’s something I need to tell you when we’re alone. After that, you’ll understand why.”
That reminded Mark of his own secret, one he needed to talk to Megan about. He was new here so had no idea when he would get a chance. They’d finished their dessert and her hand was encased tightly in his. Standing up, he still held her hand, almost afraid to let go.
Hand in hand they followed the others to the theatre. “Honey, I need to talk to you when we have a few moments alone,” he said softly, bending down so that only she could hear.
“There’s something I need to tell you, too, Mark,” Megan answered just as soft.
“I love you, baby.”
“And I love you, Mark. Here’s the theatre.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Everyone’s together…
They’re been there for quite a long time. At least, it seemed like forever. Again, they lived with no idea of time or date. New people arrived every day and others disappeared, but none of their group.
They were gathered in the lounge area when a white clad attendant approached them. “Please follow me. You’re required to go to the transition room.”
“All of us?” Jonas asked.
“Yes, your whole group.”
“And what happens there? Are they going to whisk us off to some other strange place? When will our questions be answered?” Mark asked.
“I’m sorry. My task is merely to guide you there.”
“And if we don’t want to go?”
“I’m afraid you have no choice.”
“I don’t want to be separated again from my friends and family,” Megan spoke up in a small shaky voice.
It was as if an invisible force catapulted them out of their chairs. Bewildered, they all looked at each other. Mark felt his feet move though he didn’t walk on his own. “The girl wasn’t kidding when she said we have no choice,” he growled.
“I can’t move any other way except to follow her,” Megan said.
“Me, too,” Vera told them and the others nodded.
The young woman led them down several corridors, then stopped. Two invisible panels slid open to reveal a huge room. At the far end just in front of a huge glass wall was a long white table. Behind it sat seven figures clad in white robes. White hoods covered their heads and faces, with small slits for the eyes and mouth. A brilliantly lit emblem hovered above the table, seemingly suspended in air.
Mark examined it. A large golden sword in the center of a gold ring. A snake twined around the ring, its head aimed at the sword. On either side of the sword was a statue of a man and a woman. In front of the sword, a child stood holding an olive branch. He couldn’t see any light bulbs on it, yet the whole symbol was brilliantly lit up and shining like a beacon above the seven hooded figures. Like the cone on the tall building, it emanated soft pastel light, changing colors every few seconds. “That thing has to mean something,” he said softly.
“Yes, but what?” Jonas said.
“Please approach,” a soft melodious voice told them.
They hovered close together and approached the table hesitantly, unsure of what would come next.
The middle figure stood. It appeared to be male, judging its height, though since they were alien, maybe he was wrong, Mark thought. When the alien spoke, it was in a male voice.
“You have all learned much since your arrival. You have learned forgiveness,
patience, tolerance and you’ve become humble, learned to share your deepest secrets, confided your worst deeds, and you all regret many things about your past. If there was such a thing as a golden medal in this world, I would bestow one on each of you. However, we don’t give out medals, but we do give rewards. My congratulations to you all. Please follow the attendant and enter the cubicles.”
“Can we ask a few questions?” Mark asked in a loud voice.
“Yes, like who are you people? What’s the name of this planet? What gives you the right to play with people’s lives and minds?” Jonas thundered even louder.
“Tsk tsk, it will be clear to you soon. I wish you a safe and speedy journey.”
Much to everyone’s amazement, the seven figures disappeared, faded into thin air. “Damn, I’m completely convinced now we’re on alien territory. Sometimes I still had my doubts, but now I know for sure,” George said.
Something compelled them to follow the attendant. A long row of white cone-shaped cubicles stood against a wall. Panels slid open to reveal a one-seat interior.
“I’m not getting into one of those,” Megan said. “Where the hell are they sending us now?”
Again, they had no choice. An invisible force drove them to the individual units. Megan tried to struggle, but it was apparently no use. Mark used all his willpower and muscle power and was forced inside the console. He sat unwillingly, his mind full of angry thoughts.
A soft humming sounded. The console filled with some kind of vapor that overpowered him. He fought like crazy against it, held his breath, but it was useless. Dizziness overwhelmed him and slowly he sank into a deep pit.
The proposal…
He snapped to with a start and gazed in amazement at his hand holding the red velvet box with the ring. Megan stared at it, then at him, and at the ring again. Did I just have some weird hallucination? If so, it sure as hell took a long time. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was a minute to midnight. “Honey, will you marry me?” he asked, at the same time looking at the dance floor. He saw Azim on the floor, Izzy in his arms. How can I know them if it was a hallucination? Now is the time when Azim will press the button to set off the bomb.
Deadly Passion, an Epiphany Page 16
