by J M Hart
“Come on,” Sophia said. “Let’s keep moving.”
Jade quickened her pace to catch up with Kevin and Sophia. “You know, when everything gets back to normal, or close to it, you can travel anywhere in the world, K. Can you imagine the enormity of your skill in the world? I wouldn’t mind paying a visit to the Big Apple.”
“I don’t think we should tell anyone about Athanasia. We need to protect it.” Kevin saw images from Jade’s mind of New York and she was biting into a big slice of pizza. Kevin imagined what New York might be like now. Jade’s colorful image dissolved. Kevin remembered that awful day, so long ago. So much sadness, fear and anger and he had been unable to understand or process the emotions he felt from the adults and the world around him. It made his heart ache even now, thinking about the pain and suffering. Suddenly, before he finished the thought, they came upon an outer wall and beyond the membrane was a dusty grey New York street, as he had just imagined. The sky above the street curved like the dome of a snow globe and sparkles of light danced upon a long velvet sash of time unrolling from the heavens. The street was the center of Kevin’s giant snow dome. Energy was falling from the heavens to the street, scintillating, coming together as one compound; a building formed, glowing with color. It was Jade’s pizza restaurant. The rest of the street remained grey and congested with fallen bricks and mortar, nothing but rubble. There wasn’t a bird in sight. There were lifeless bodies; so many, the debris beneath them could barely be seen. Kevin started moving away from the horrific scene. How long had it been? Time had little meaning for them in Athanasia and this was the first time they had seen the outer world. Glittering light floated down from the heavens settling as gently as snowflakes upon the bodies. “If only one person would move, just one.” Kevin said. “We have to go help them.”
“Wait,” Casey said reaching out for Kevin holding him back. “Something is about to happen.”
They all stopped, waiting, watching as time continued to unfold in front of them and beyond. Holding his breath, Kevin paused. Just one person. Come on, one person. They shared the thought, willing it to happen. A brick moved, an arm moved amongst the rubble. An ashen face lifted and looked out at the vastness of destruction around them. The seven ran forward to the wall to cross over and help, but for the first time the wall was impenetrable. They looked on. It was a woman. She stood and looked into the sky before she reached down to the person next to her, pulling them up. Then another person stood and helped the person next to them. A chain reaction was occurring among the people the sparks of golden light had touched. They were rising; color was returning to the world one hue at a time. Not everyone rose. Only a third of the fallen had stirred; the others remained lifeless, lost to the darkness forever. The people who had risen tried selflessly to help those unmoving. They dropped back to their knees and cried for the strangers who were gone.
Tim put his arm around Kevin. “Let’s go home, K.”
*
Kevin effortlessly opened a doorway back to his family, back to Casey’s bedroom where he had sent his dad and Ellen only hours ago. It seemed like forever.
It was morbidly quiet back in Casey’s room. No one spoke. The sunshine was streaming through a hole in the roof, highlighting the broken wooden beams littering the polished floor. Worried that Daniel and Ellen lay pinned beneath, Jade and Kevin quickly leapt into action, climbing over the beams like it was some wacky obstacle course searching for them. Without asking, the others helped lift the planks of wood when, abruptly, everything floated up to the ceiling. Casey smiled with his arms raised in the air like the conductor of an orchestra.
Casey saw Daniel’s ashen face, his lips dry and cracked like a riverbed in the outback. Ellen started to stir.
“Mom!” Jade said, and slowly helped her to a sitting position.
“Dad,” Kevin said.
He looked afraid to touch his dad. Maybe he wasn’t breathing, Casey thought. Then dirt puffed around his nostrils slightly.
“Dad,” Kevin said again. Daniel’s eyes moved behind the lids and his eyebrows rose as if trying to pull the eyelids open.
Tim spat on the edge of his shirt and wiped Daniel’s lashes clean before Daniel tried opening his eyes again.
Casey was standing next to them with his arms raised to the ceiling. “Guys, my arms are getting a little tired,” Casey said, slowly backing out of the room.
“Dad, can you stand?”
His dad’s voice was harsh and raspy, nearly unrecognizable. “Kevin. Ellen?”
“I think she’s okay. Can you stand?” Kevin asked again.
“Water.”
Tim ducked into the bathroom and came back with two soaking wet face cloths. He gave one to Ellen and one to Daniel. “Suck the water out of the cloth and let’s get you out of here.”
Ellen was grateful and sucked deeply.
Daniel did the same, then wiped his face and put the cloth around his neck. He held onto his left leg and lifted it out straight and cringed. “It’s okay. Oh, my throat. Everything is stiff,” his dad said, massaging his calf muscles. “It’s been at least a few days. As soon as we came through the … the … portal, the ceiling collapsed. We yelled and yelled but no one came. I’m worried about the rest of them. I haven’t heard any sounds, K. Where’s Father McDonald?”
“He didn’t make it.”
His dad searched his eyes for answers.
Kevin and Tim each put their shoulders under Daniel’s armpits and helped him to his feet.
The wood hovered in the air. Daniel ogled it. “Marvelous, absolutely marvelous,” he said to Casey.
Jade and Shaun aided Ellen into the hallway. “How long has it been?” Ellen asked.
Jade answered for Kevin. “Actually, it probably hasn’t even been twenty-four hours for us. Let’s get you out of here before Casey’s arms drop.”
“What?” Ellen said. “It’s been at least two days, maybe three.”
“Casey?” Sophia said. “You don’t have to raise your arms. You know that, don’t you? It’s your mind that controls the wood.”
They went from room to room and still hadn’t found anyone in the house. In the kitchen, Casey said, “This whole place has been cleaned.”
“It looks pretty messed up to me,” Kevin said, looking around.
“No, I mean there are no lost souls. Not a flicker of residual energy. Everything feels new somehow.” Outside, a dog barked. Casey opened the back door and Lucy jumped all over him.
“Hey girl.” The dog pulled away and ran down the basement stairs.
The basement door was missing from its frame. “Wait,” Daniel said, but it was too late. Casey was on the dog’s tail.
One by one they stepped over the door that was lying in a wonky position at the bottom of the stairs. Lucy had stopped at the entrance of the tunnel and looked back and waited. Casey took the lead. He cautiously made his way to the place they had stashed their supplies, passing where he had found the young girl’s bone. Come on, Amy, make a noise, anything. He stopped and touched the limestone walls searching for Amy and Terry.
“This way,” Casey said, rushing down the next tunnel. “I can feel them, down this way.”
He raced through the tunnel afraid of what he might find. Scared, Casey moved carefully, as if not to disturb the dead. He stepped into the opening. The air felt fresh. It should have been musty; it puzzled him, because it actually smelt fresh and vibrant. The tunnel opened up ahead and in his mind he saw the red-bearded man, Amy’s great- great-something-grandfather, was looking over his shoulder at them before he disappeared leaving them with the silence.
Shortly, they found the group huddled together lying on the ground as if asleep: Amy, Terry, Callie, Kath and Sally. Somewhere amongst them were Joe and Molly, and the Book of Splendor, which was twinkling.
Daniel rushed past him and felt the nearest body for a pulse.
Casey felt the presence of life and expelled a breath when he realized he had been holding it. But are they all a
live? They lay as lifeless as rag dolls.
Shaun and Kevin moved to Callie, stepping into the radiance of the fluttering lights from the book. Casey knelt by Amy, scared to touch her. Ellen came and knelt beside him and checked her pulse and pupils and smiled.
“She’s alive, Casey. She’s alive.”
Sophia found Joe, the red string still tied to his wrist, his arms outstretched around Sally and Kath, protecting them. “Joe is alive too,” she said excitedly.
Casey held onto Terry and Amy’s hands, watching Rachel reach for the edge of a pink blanket sticking out from under Callie’s arm. It was Molly. Rachel tightened the tiny blanket around Molly and picked her up, holding her close. Rachel softly spoke and rocked Molly in her arms and kissed the crown of her head. Molly’s sudden scream shattered their fears. There was no room for silence as she continued to cry. Callie stirred, searching for her crying baby. Amy and Terry began coughing, and reached for each other. The dog licked Kath on the face, until she pushed it away. Sophia wedged herself behind Kath to reach Joe.
“Sophia,” Casey said. “Is he okay?” He knew Sophia had only known Joe for a short time, but had grown very fond of him, and having lost Father McDonald, Casey was afraid she had lost Joe too.
Lovingly, Sophia put her hands on Joe’s big face. “Hey you,” she said as Joe blinked and smiled at her. She hugged him tight and cried.
“Whoa, hen, why the tears? I knew you’d be back. Where’s the Father?” He looked around and painfully pushed himself into a sitting position. Sophia sat down and lifted his arm up over her head and nestled into him. Joe squeezed her shoulder. “When was the last time you ate? You’re wafer thin.”
“He sacrificed himself for us.” Tears filled her eyes. “Are you hurt?”
“Not hurt, just very stiff, lass. We’ve been here perhaps a few weeks. There was an awful crash and that’s the last I remember.”
Casey closed the book of light and smiled. Terry and Amy were locked in a hug. They opened up their embrace for him to join them.
“This is incredible,” Ellen said. A smile burst through her tears of joy and she tasted the salt that lingered on the edge of her lips. “Callie, my dear friend Callie.”
Callie looked towards the voice, perhaps waiting for her eyes to adjust, not believing her ears. She leant heavily against Daniel and gradually stood. She didn’t bother brushing the dirt off her face or reining in her joy and relief. “Ellen, is that really you?”
Ellen held her arms out and walked forward. They stood in a tearful embrace. Jade twirled her bracelet on her wrist. It now looks like any other bracelet, Casey thought, watching Kevin move closer to Jade, smiling. Casey looked from one person to another; everyone was shaken, but would be okay. Rachel handed Molly to Daniel and without hesitation, kissed Shaun, before tightly embracing him.
Callie had pulled back and wiped her tears. “I have your specimens.” And nodded her head to the little blue esky half buried in the dirt.
“What’s in the esky?” Casey asked.
“My life’s work,” Ellen said. “The reason I was kidnapped. The cure for cancer, the vaccine. You name it, I think I can cure it,” Ellen said.
*** The End ***
Glossary
Al-mawet – Mawet means death, al-mawet is no death. The spelling varies within different religious text, but they all have the same meaning.
Arrow of time – the direction of events; movement in time is generally forward.
Athanasia – means timelessness, everlasting life. Athanasia is referred to as the parallel world/dimension.
Dark matter – a negative energy force. In this story the dark matter also contains micro shapeshifting demons.
Dovesti zhenshchinu – pronunciation for Russian довести женщину. English translation: bring the woman.
Dunny – toilet.
Fair dinkum – an expression in Australian slang proclaiming a truth about a statement.
Intel – slang for intelligent person. As in geek. (Created by the author)
Merkaba – two tetrahedrons combined. Mystically it is a channel for the descending energy of the universe and the ascending energy of Earth. Spiritual tool of transformation.
Metatron's Cube – a geometric shape/solid. It has thirteen equal circles. Lines from the center of each circle extend out to the centers of the other 12 circles.
Outback – A remote area of the country.
Platonic Solids – shapes with equal sides. The five platonic solids are; tetrahedron hexahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron.
S=k log W – the second law of thermodynamics. Entropy – a mathematical formula that represents the lack of order or predictability. A slow decline into disorder or randomness. (Our characters want to reverse this state of being or create a new one from the disorder the negative thoughts of man and the micro beasts have created.)
Sphere – a round solid with equal distance from its center.
Stickybeak – an overly inquisitive person.
Talking stick – a ceremonial stick that is passed around a group of people giving the holder the right to speak.
The devil’s puppets – the people controlled by the micro demons. Those infected by the virus which is the dark matter.
The Tree of Life – a spiritual concept that has been used and referred to throughout the centuries in mythology, religion and philosophy to name but a few. It refers to the interconnection of life and its evolution.
Vremaya dlya distsipliny – Russian pronunciation for Время для дисциплины. English translation: time for discipline (a good whipping in this story).
If you enjoyed the first book in the Emerald Tablet Series,
please go to www.jmhartwriter.com for the next book.
Acknowledgment
While working fulltime in a Point of Sales advertising company, I wrote this book during the early hours of the mornings and late into the night. With gratitude, I would like to thank my high school English teacher and my supportive family and friends for their encouragements. Thank you, to the invaluable editors, Linda Funnell and Stephanie Smith who have been a tremendous support. No book is complete without the vital service of editors, proofreaders and great book cover designers. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the professional project management services of Joel Naoum from Critical Mass, who made it possible to share my story with you.
About JM Hart
JM Hart was born in Sydney, Australia and became a bookkeeper, payroll officer, meditation facilitator, neuro-linguistics practitioner, volunteer and writer for the church newsletter. After twenty years of working for a point of sales advertising company, JM has retired and moved from the city to settle in a peaceful county town to focus on writing.
First published by JMH World Publishing in 2018
This edition published in 2018 by JMH World Publishing
Copyright © JM Hart 2018
jmhartwriter.com
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.
The Emerald Tablet: Convergence
EPUB: 9781925786187
Cover design by Red Tally Studios
Publishing services provided by Critical Mass
www.critmassconsulting.com
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