by Thomas Craig
What a relief to hear that.
“Really? That is good to…” I was saying as she cut me off.
“You also have the skeptics,” she added. “The Ahayuta Bother speaking sounds like Ahaiyuta ‘Morning Star’ on this recording as he speaks of the light from the day. He says he and his twin are curious to see you find the balance. He adds that Awitelin Tsita ‘Mother Earth’, is happy with your progress. Keep in mind this is a very loose translation. Many of these words and phrases are beyond me at the moment.”
“Okay, understandable, but good right?” This seemed positive.
“Yes. However, Apoyan Tachu ‘Father Sky’ and many Kachina’s are at odds with your disconnection from the Zuni culture. Something also about cherish the gift and pray as or with the Shaman and enlightening the tribe. It was not easy to understand,” she added.
“What do I do with that?” I honestly asked.
“Go find your way,” Lolo added.
“Really Lolo? That is all you can say?”
“No. That is what the War God says at the end of your recording. Go find your way,” she said smiling.
“There is hope in these words, Lou. It may be a struggle, and apparently, you will never please all. However, with my help, we can connect you more with the Zuni culture. More often and more authentically in ways that perhaps help our Pueblo, our Gods, and maybe you’ll find more balance and acceptance,” Lolo suggested as she patted me on the back for reassurance.
Arya was taking it all in. She was fascinated that I recorded the encounter and seemed encouraged by what Lolo translated for us.
We had both been worried about the increasing encounters and how dangerous they had become. Some hope was needed.
“Any mention of the Beast, the Atahsaia?” Arya asked.
“No. I suppose with the beast’s parting comments, it was not happy, and you likely have not seen the last of Uhepono’s bi-world beast. We need to talk to the Shaman and elders for advice on how to protect you from it.” Lolo suggested as she offered the recording back to me.
“Yours to keep,” I said, gently pushing her hand back to her.
She smiled, “This will keep me busy for years. Describe to me what every inch of him looked like.” She leaned in like a schoolgirl about to get the best gossip ever.
The three of us ate and talked for an hour before going to Lolo’s friend's house to get ready for the evening. At the elder’s request, Arya would have to stay behind.
◆◆◆
Later that evening, atop Dowa Yalanne, Lolotea, and the elders organized a spirit circle to do hours of chants and songs to connect with the Sky People.
Lolo was teaching me the words to sing and chant with them. After about 30 minutes, I was getting pretty good and mimicking the words and articulation. About an hour into singing and chanting, the group continued from a sitting position and the chanting almost felt like a meditation chant, forced out through deep breathing patterns, which was a departure from the singing of the words an hour ago.
Two hours into chanting and meditating, a blue flash struck from the sky into the middle of the circle. A Sky Being appeared. It was much shorter than the others I had seen.
“Lolo, one just appeared in the middle of the circle. It is much shorter. Like only 5’2” or slightly taller,” I whispered to her.
She wasn’t sure if she should stop chanting to talk to me or not.
“What is it doing?” She finally asked.
“Standing still and facing me,” I replied.
As soon as I answered Lolo, two more lightning bolts struck at the same time next to the already present Sky Being. In a matter of seconds, there were now three of them standing there looking at me. They were light blue, in the shape of a human-like form, and slightly pulsating.
To say it was intimidating to see 3 superbly powerful and glowing Gods would be an understatement. The celestial beings were only 15 feet away.
The hairs on the back of my neck went wild and I could feel the presence of something behind me now. As I turned around to see what had my senses jumping, Lolo mimicked my actions.
“What is it Lusio?” She asked.
“Well…” I was in shock now as something was unfolding around me. I wanted to say something witty to help calm my nerves, but the only thing that came out was what I thought was going on.
“I am being surrounded by six Sky People,” I stated, trying not to look as nervous as I felt.
It was beautiful and terrifying. My nerves were tingling, and my heart was racing. They had spread out evenly around me and as if from one mind, all took two steps forward making the circle around me much smaller and their presence more intense.
Thinking of all the different encounters I have had this past year with Sky People, this seemed different. This seemed organized as if they were waiting for my return and had plans for me.
“Lolo, I have a bad feeling about this,” I said to her.
I had not even noticed, but Lolo was not by my side anymore. She was guided by the energy of the Sky People to move aside, outside the circle they had created around me.
“Lusio, we are here for you. Stay calm and think peaceful thoughts,” she said as she looked like a mime touching the invisible wall of energy keeping her outside the circle.
The Sky people took another step closer and it felt like someone dropped me into quicksand. Every movement I tried to make was met with equal resistance.
“If they are human size in height as you say, these are likely the Watchers or Angels that walk among us, protecting us. I wish I could see them too. They want what is best for all. Trust them,” she advised.
I couldn’t help thinking how naive a point of view that was from someone who had been thrashed on several occasions and currently trapped in some sort of supernatural forcefield.
I could only move my eyes in Lolo’s direction to tell her to shut up, but even that wasn’t working out for me.
My chest started to burn, and it only took a moment to see why. Pautiwa, the Sun Deity, walked through the circle of Angels looking 2-feet taller than the rest and just as orange as it was in Colombia. I instantly had a flashback of falling 3,000-feet. This must be a glimpse of what experiencing post-traumatic stress is like. I was instantly ill as it walked up to me.
The god of the Zuni Kachinas stood before me outstretching one arm toward me and the other to the sky.
The burning in my chest was growing at a remarkable rate. I could normally muster up a plan of action or reaction in these moments, but not this time. I physically felt defeated and mentally overwhelmed. It felt like I was sweating lava and then I noticed gold specks of dust started to pour from my skin and clothes floating skyward.
◆◆◆
I opened my eyes and saw nothing but whiteness. I closed them quickly and thought about the reoccurring dream of being experimented on in a white room. Oh please, let this not be that.
When I opened them again, I was greeted with Lolo and Arya’s faces looking down on me smiling. That’s more like it.
“Hi there,” I greeted them with a raspy voice. Boy, I was thirsty.
“Lou, you had us worried. You have been out for 2 days,” Lolo informed me.
“Feels like it. Is there some water in here?” I looked around and it seemed I was in a clinic triage room of sorts.
“Where am I?” I asked.
“Well, there was nothing noticeably wrong with you other than not waking up. So, the elders decided to keep you in the clinic for observation, quick medical access if needed, and to keep the gossip at a minimum around here.” Lolo went on, “Plus, this spot has corner windows giving you sunlight most of the day to help whatever healing you required.”
“Healing? What happened up there? I was approached by Pautiwa,” I proclaimed.
“You were? The last thing you said before turning into sleeping beauty was, something about being surrounds by either Sky People or the Keepers and that you had a bad feeling about it,” she recalled.
>
“Yes, and then he or it, the God of Kachinas walked into the circle and made gold dust leave my body,” I revealed. “That was painful and that is an understatement.” I reflected as I rubbed my chest remember that pain before I took my two-day nap.
Both Arya and Lolo went silent and stared at each other for a moment before turning their attention back to me.
“Wait, I have been sleeping in the Sun for two days?” I was starting to put together the severity of things and why they looked so worried. I should have healed very quickly from whatever happened.
I sat up quickly and searched the room somewhat frantically. When my eyes came up empty for something to cut myself with, Arya began removing the bed sheet from my feet.
“Look, Lou,” she said so gently to me.
A small scratch on the top of both my feet may have seemed small and insignificant to anyone else, but I knew what it likely meant and so did they.
“I’m not healing,” I said with a defeated voice as I exhaled.
“It appears that way Lusio. When you did not wake on day one, we scratched your foot to see if you were healing. You weren’t. At least for now,” Lolo tried to inject some hope.
“I don’t know whether to be sad or thankful,” I was being honest as my feelings were undecided.
Arya’s feelings were made up and she was crying softly as she climbed into bed with me and proceeded to wrap herself around my neck and torso.
“Lusio, I’m so sorry I asked you to come out here to get you closer to the culture and find some answers. This was not even in the galaxy of thoughts I had. I would have never…” Lolo tried to finish her apology but became choked up.
“I don’t blame you or anyone for losing my mojo. Seriously.” I put on my best brave face and tried to make her feel better. It truly was not her fault.
I picked up Arya’s head and looked her in her round watery eyes.
“You still love me even though I’m not a lightbulb with healing powers?” I jokingly asked.
She laughed and a small snot-bubble came out of her nose, which caused us both to laugh. I reached over and grabbed the tissue box and let her have at it.
When she recovered, she looked at me with a smile and said, “always.”
Chapter 38
Is that it?
Two days later Arya and I were in our apartment trying to talk ourselves into going to Roy Cable’s for a backyard BBQ gathering. It would be a mix of our team, Roy’s family, and our friends from my old police department.
We decided to go and be around friends. Our spirits needed to be lifted, and this would be a good de-stressing event. I knew I needed it, which meant I was likely stressing Arya out and she could use it as well.
We had not seen Lauren and Holliday for almost a week now and it had almost been a month since I had seen Jack or Roy.
As we walked through the gate with a 12-pack of Shiner Bock and a package of Polish Sausage, Holliday’s radar went up as he noticed the yellow box of Texas Lager’s unmistakable lettering and ram’s head.
“Let me help you with that, Lou,” he offered. It quickly found its way to a nearby cooler, but he returned with four in hand.
“Arya, let me introduce you to Kathy Deos,” Holliday said as he passed out beers to the four of us. “Kathy flew in for the weekend from Virginia.”
“Nice to meet you, Kathy.” Arya extended her beer and the two tapped their bottles.
“Kathy, I don’t know if I support this newly created partnership between you and Holliday,” I announced. “It seems he loses his senses and intellect when around you. We need smart people on this team and he barely qualified before meeting you. Now, I’m not sure,” I harassed him.
She smiled, and before Holliday could defend himself, she came back with, “We agreed it would be best that I speak for the both of us in public, until more private tutoring is arranged with me.”
“I like this gal,” Arya said as she split the group taking Kathy with her towards the BBQ area where Roy, his son Jack and Lauren were talking.
I patted Holliday on the shoulder, and we made our rounds through the backyard saying hello and catching up with people. After we all ate and the group started to thin out, Holliday addressed the elephant in the yard.
“So, you can’t do, that voodoo, that you do, so well?” Holliday asked a little louder than intending.
“I did not peg you for a Cole Porter Musical Theatre buff,” Arya said.
“What? No. Salt-N-Pepa, Shoop,” he replied.
Everyone laughed, as no one expected Holliday to have pulled that reference from under his cowboy hat.
Roy being the oldest to overhear couldn’t help but point out, “Frank Sinatra said that phrase in his song You do Something to me. Now there was a craftsman,” Roy claimed.
“You do something to me, Roy,” I yelled as I opened my arms and came at him for a hug. He dodged it well and was rewarded with a laugh from the group.
I went back to Holliday as Lauren and Arya had rejoined us.
“That’s right Holliday, it appears that if some gods could not decide or agree to kill or take me, then they decided to take my powers,” I shared.
“I’m really sorry, Lou. I have to admit it was strange, but very appreciated that you had those abilities,” Holliday admitted.
“Is that it?” Lauren asked. “Is there nothing you can do?”
“Like what, Lauren?” She had my attention.
“I’m not sure, but demand them back, fight for them, pray for them, ask for them. Do something. They were your powers, not theirs for the taking,” she added.
She had a good point about the powers being mine and not the gods’.
“I hear you. I’m only a few days into being what most people would call normal, but perhaps in a week or two, if the abilities do not return, I will look at those options,” I admitted.
“You know, we all compared notes and we all fell ill around the same time your powers were taken from you,” Lauren added.
“What are you talking about?” I asked Lauren but looked at Arya and Holliday as well.
“Yes, we were going to share this with you,” Arya said.
“It seems we all fell ill for an hour and heaved. Strange, right?” Lauren asked.
“Very strange. I always knew we had some sort of slight bond after healing. I’m sorry you had to experience that,” I added.
“No need to apologize, Lou,” Arya chimed in. They all nodded in agreement with Arya.
“We just thought you may have wanted that validation about expressing how you were connected to others and you could sometimes feel or sense something about them. That’s all,” Arya told me.
“Well, if I ever get these abilities back, I will at least advise the victims of the possible side effects before I heal them,” I sort of chuckled as I said it. How crazy it must have been dealing with me. Then the reality of it all struck and my face showed it. My mind started to worry for the victims I helped and the bad memories I removed or covered. Would those memories come back? I had a sick feeling in my stomach.
“We are here for you buddy,” Holliday said as he was now returning the pat on my back. The others echoed his sentiments, and we went back to enjoying the company of our friends and companions. There was nothing I could do about it right now, so I did my best to enjoy the party.
Sources:
http://www.ncis.navy.mil/FAQ/Pages/default.aspx, looked up on Google June 4, 2016.
http://www.zunispirits.com/zunifetishorigin.html, Zuni fetishes, stone carvings. Looked up on google October 16, 2016.
http://zunireligion.weebly.com/Godsreligious-figures.html , Gods and mythology. Looked up on Google October 16, 2016
http://www.manataka.org/page1206.html , Zuni timeline, looked up on Google, May 12, 2016.
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http://www.portofvirginia.com/facilities/norfolk-international-terminals-nit/, Looked up September 3, 2016. NIT port specs
http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/, Venezuelan gasoline and goods still sold in Colombia despite crackdown. January 15, 2016, 7a. Reported from Cucuta, Colombia. Looked up on Google October 16, 2016.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2046227/meet-darknet-the-hidden-anonymous-underbelly-of-the-searchable-web.html , Aug 12, 2013, Brad Chacos. Googled October 16, 2016.
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https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Zuni_mythology#cite_ref-1 , Leonard, Scott A; McClure, Michael (2004). Myth and Knowing (illustrated ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780767419574.
www.ashiwi.org, Pueblo of Zuni, 2014, April 28
www.legendsofamerica.com/na-zuni.html, The Zuni Indians – Still a Mysterious tribe. 2014, June 15.
www.churchofcriticalthinking.org/indian.html, Star Beings Gods and Sky Spirits. The Gods and Goddess’s of Native American Indian Cultures. 2013, September 20.
