Little Cherine Book 11 - BPost074

arthur.grafo13 (53)in #sfandf-fiction • 4 years ago

He explained that John is a nice person, but thanks to suffering and loneliness he is living in a world of his own and needs help, not punishment. He promised that John will be returned as soon as he is healed. We paid for the lunch and jumped back to our home in Athens. Cherine was waiting for us and she was soon back on Robbie’s lap from where she pretended to scold him.

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Our minds have been concentrating on our planned return to the a-reality big bang so it was a surprise when Robbie confronted us with a duty to be performed and his decision that now is the right time to handle it. He has decided we have to visit the head-ware Earth to relieve the past Robbie of the problem and hopefully be helped out by the future.

There is little point in my writing of those days again since the only difference is our point of view - since we are now the Tellers of the ‘present’. We did arrange for our visit to ‘their’ Freddie to be shown on our screens since the Akiards could not join us - it was agreed they should not as that moment of joy was meant to be for the Akiar and Kairi of that time (which means they’ve already experienced the joy). The truth is that though we have lived much more than just the extra sixteen years, we have not changed that much and we acted more relaxed about kissing them and their Robert than was the case. It did provide us with the light relief needed so as to break the ice and act naturally. The girls who usually do the tellings enjoyed sitting through one for a change and they were just as affected by it as we were. When the Roberts brought the flat platform for the local Cherinians and the Akiards to use, our Robbie undertook to return often to boost the energy shields. We intend coming with him as we love this family and we enjoy seeing how our beloved Akiards have matured. We are just as annoyed with our future selves as our past selves were at their refusal to answer any questions - especially about Arthur, but then, we were just as miserly about telling them what has happened since their time as we feared they might change our past.

Our first multi-reality newspaper (on the web and in some realities on paper) has come into existence. They employ Cherinians to collect information from all the alternate Earths, the news is checked for items unique to that reality and once a week they report all news items of importance or those that are just plain quaint for the other realities. From the first month it has already reached thirty million hits (in our reality) so I guess many Normals are interested. Our embassy has been asked for permission for them to add the two Freddies as if they are alternate Earths. Robbie is not too happy about it, but I think we’ll end up agreeing. We will have to insist they do not use the licence for spreading gossip about the family, concentrating instead on science, technology, new ideas, new realities and species discovered and so on.

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We had to attend a meeting in Freddie as the scientists are worried by what Robbie intends doing. They explained that if he tries to send the unmanned spaceship as far back in time as he said he wants to (he has been wondering whether it is possible to go to within a couple of hundred million years), that close to the early formation of the universe, the average temperature in space could possibly be many times above what it is in the center of our sun with pressures and gravities that create galaxies. They insist that at our existing levels of technology we should not return to a period earlier than one and a half billion years after the big bang. It was argued that if they are proved wrong and it is safe to return to an earlier time, we can plan for a second and third return in time, as there will be many new questions being asked after each visit. If the universe is, during one of the future trips to the past, still growing as they think it will be, with the temperatures and pressure on space as their mathematics are projecting, we will then know what to plan for when attempting to return to earlier periods in small steps. Robbie gave in with a grin that worried us and we were quick to tackle him when we arrived back home.

“It just struck me that by my being the protector and insisting on taking all the risks, I’m helping everyone grow into becoming better Cherinians so as to prevent me from risking my life. In a way it was quite amusing, the scientists wanted to stop me from taking risks, but they could not resist leaving a door open for returning almost to the time of the big bang.” I think I was almost the only one who found his observations amusing and wondered what it will be like in the void - could we return closer to the big bang from there? I imagine the energies there will probably also be destructive.

The scientists have just notified us that they are ready to test a small vessel by plunging it into the sun so as to verify their theories about the new material the missile is made of before they commit themselves to building full sized spaceships. Robbie felt nervous about using our sun so we took the missile into Freddie and jumped to another solar system in a dead reality. When we woke up the next morning we went to the taverna for breakfast and by the time Robbie had his coffee the scientists had joined us.

“I’m not clear as to how you intend performing the experiment. I can understand how the missile will be flown into the sun but how will you get it out again?”

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“We apologise for creating the misunderstanding Robert. The missile will not pierce the body of the sun, all it will do is enter the outer molten layer. The pressures internally would be too vast for us to succeed in going deeper at this time. Our intention is to establish the reactions of the material to the extreme heat, radiation and pressures it will encounter on the surface.”

“That’s fine, I presume you have a computer inside it so that it will return to you?”

“Correct. It will stay close to the surface of the sun for a set period and then depart.”

“What if the skin is not as durable as you hope or the shielding is not as heat resistant as you think and the computer is damaged? Surely it would still be worth bringing the missile back for you to experiment and discover ways to improve the material?”

“That is the reason eight volunteers will be accompanying it almost to the corona. Should the engines not fire for takeoff at the appointed time, they will use their telekinetic gifts to bring it back into space.”

Robbie nodded and said casually, “Excuse me for a short time, I have something to take care of first.” As his body keeled over so did the body of Cherine. I grinned as I guessed why she’d followed him.

*Cherine love, return to your body, I won’t be long.* *I’m coming with. If you can go into the sun safely then there is no reason why I should not come with. If you can’t, then there is no point in my remaining behind.* He hesitated, the idea of taking Cherine into danger almost paralysing him. *My love, when I went into the black hole I knew, at that time, that I could enter a sun safely as the void. I no longer have that comfort, that intuitive feeling or knowledge has faded and I’m now depending on what Arthur told us. If I feel I’m at risk I promise I’ll return.* *That is good - since I’ll be with. If you intend handling the missile, it means you will be able to protect me - if not, then you should not follow the missile into the sun.*

*You are still just as impossible as ever!* She sent him her cheeky smile as he swept her into the heart of his being and flung himself at the sun. She screamed in his mind with terror but also excitement as they sank into the roiling atmosphere, momentarily dipped through boiling liquids and shot straight out into space. He’d entered the sun from the void but for their return he chose to go into space before returning to the void.

As Robbie opened his eyes he calmly said, “I’ll provide backup for the eight should they need it. Whenever you are ready we can go.”

Cherine stared at him with huge eyes and called out with excitement, “We flew into the sun!” She shared with us and demanded of Robbie that he takes all of us on a tour as soon as possible. I don’t know whether he would have agreed or not, but as Cherine shared and spoke about her trip we could feel the excitement grow in the others.

A female Anadir asked, “Robert, it is possible for all souls, not just you as the void?” The idea of her going on her own forced Robbie to offer to take everyone.

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Arthur’s suggestion with regard to using a stasis field to protect the ships and Freddie resulted in strong arguments, all our loved ones demanding that we give first priority to our safety. It began to look like we would lose the argument (it is highly unpleasant sensing the worry in those we love) when Angelica asked whether we could invite Jesus and Christós to join us for the Big Bang trip (as everyone is now calling it). Cherine surprised us by adding that they should invite their strongest magi to come with and that if it includes Alexander, for this one time, she will not mind him travelling with us. That silenced everyone and Robbie told Angelica that when it is time for us to leave she should go to their realities to invite them to join us.

We can’t spend all our time waiting here as we will only be leaving in three to four years. We were wondering where we should go when a team of Sparklers and Anadir returned and asked us to help an alternate Earth, as the local Robert died when he was a child, but Cherine and Dominique exist. Hettie made a suggestion that on the face of it we approved of, as it may save us having to take drastic action as we have in the past. She wants us to carry with us ‘ambassadors’ from the governments of our Earth. Robbie wanted to refuse as he sees we’ll end up becoming inhibited by red tape and ceremonies that are foreign to our way of life. Hettie insisted, hinting that it may be an opportunity for us to help evolve the process of diplomacy. I grinned and pointed out that the diplomatic corps had evolved their ceremonies, rites and double-talk as useful tools to help them gain tactical advantages with a smile so we would not succeed as we do not look for advantages, only for ways to help and become friends. Hettie smiled the kind of smile that does not reach the eyes (the kind ambassadors are so good at) and told me I should use my imagination to find ways to help the ambassadors see things our way. I asked whether she was hoping they’d succeed in changing us even as we changed them. Everyone could sense from the undertones that this was developing into an argument so they kept quiet. Hettie closed her eyes for a moment and then reached out to my mind and asked me to share from her. I turned to glare at Michael who burst out in laughter.

“Hettie, it is just as well we Cherinians do not think of ourselves as being a nation, for if we did, you would be accused of treason. In that context it would be argued that Michael represents a foreign power which is trying to subvert our followers and allowing him to use you to make fun of us, is treason.”

Michael grabbed and squeezed me to him and then asked, “When you do it, it is not treason?”

I allowed him to sense the laughter in me before answering as seriously as I could, “When I do it, I always first ensure that what I say or do will ultimately be to the advantage of the Cherinians. Are you betraying your people by allowing me to do so?”

I did make certain that Hettie felt how her effort to tease me made my love for her grow. She actually changed herself to a twelve year old girl and hugged me as hard as she could. Cherine pretended to whisper to Robbie that Hettie is off-limits and to take his eyes off her - it has been a while since we all laughed so much and felt so close to all our friends and loved ones. We did agree to the representatives as Hettie suggested, but we renamed them and they now are our Peacekeepers from each of the United Nations of our realities.

The trip was fairly standard for these types of alternate Earth contacts. The usual wars to stop (after we’d convinced them we are not there to attack them). Robbie took the local Cherine back in time with him when he went to collect the soul and some genetic material of her Robert. We then had to leave them and jump to other realities for a few years until little Robert grew up (his Cherine wanted him to be about twenty years old to her age of eleven). There were the sweet and lovely moments, but too much is too similar to prior experiences for me to write about them. However, Lynda had an experience that was odd and Claudia jumped into it, helping her solve her own problem with Avgi - nearly fifteen years have passed, the young man who loved Avgi became a Cherinian and found love elsewhere, but I did warn that Claudia never gives up; she was determined to change Avgi back into a normal human being and she’s worried at it all this time.

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As mentioned, the Sparklers and Anadir had been here first for healing the people. Their presence had not been suspected until they made an appearance for the purpose of informing the governments and people of what they’d done and to stress the importance of birth control. Despite being told about us, our arrival still caused a shock and we had to be careful not to aggravate the fragility of their hold on reality. For those reasons, the Normals were not accustomed to thinking of us when dealing with their own daily problems and they did not approach us to solve personal problems - as happens so often on our Earth, now that they have come to accept us as being of benevolent intentions.

Lynda was walking in New York, interested in seeing what differences there are between here and ‘her’ New York. She was not so much interested in the buildings as she was in the shops, restaurants and so on. Being in a large city with its share of anxiety and pain, Lynda muted herself so that she would not be overwhelmed, but she was still able to sense any extraordinary pain or fear.

We can differentiate between pain and grief, however painful it may be. With grief we are careful to try and sense whether our approach and companionship would be welcomed or not. Lynda felt such a grief and she stopped to look up. She saw a young woman sitting on the concrete parapet at the top of a twelve storey building, her body hunched over from her pain and her legs dangling. Lynda looked at a part of a verandah jutting out of a two storey building and she jumped there. She then shot straight up until she could see the concrete roof behind the woman and she jumped there.

Keeping her voice soft, Lynda asked, “Will you allow me to sit by you?”

The woman gave a start of shock and swirled around. Once she’d looked and seen that Lynda was a stranger to her she answered, “Please leave me alone.”

Lynda kept her distance. “I am one of those who travelled here in that moon-like spaceship. I know what pain grief can be and that all you need is for someone who cares to put her arms around you and hold you while you cry. Maybe, if you don’t mind, I’ll even cry with you.”

Despite her grief, we were still too new and strange for her to ignore Lynda. She turned to stare at Lynda with eyes red, but now huge with wonder. “You are really?…”

Lynda nodded and lightly floated over the concrete towards her and rising she sat by her side. “We call ourselves Cherinians, but my name is Lynda.” She put her finger to the woman’s lips as she was about to speak. “You don’t have to tell me your name or what is hurting you. I’m only here so that you do not weep on your own.”

“If I tell you, you will not want to sit by me, you’ll think I’m a monster.”

“I doubt it. I might decide you are a normal human being capable of making a terrible mistake, but that will not harden my heart.”

“The man I love - Rodney, an Englishman living in New York who loved me, I forced him to kill himself.”

Lynda gave her a tiny smile. “I look very young, but I am over a hundred and fifty years old. My dear, I’ve seen too much of death and pain for such a statement to shock me. If it helps, tell me how you forced him and why you would do that to someone you love.”

She asked, “Those who healed us, they are from your people?” Lynda nodded, deciding she could explain afterwards. “They found me dying and healed me so that I would have to kill myself…I’m sorry, that was meant to be an ironic statement, not an accusation.”

“Do not worry, whatever you say will not be misunderstood.”

“Rodney loved me more than I’d realised. We were happy and I knew and hoped he was about to propose when I went for a medical examination and was told I only had months to live normally before I had to enter hospital to ease my last weeks. I cried as all my hopes and dreams abandoned me - I’d come so close to being happy!

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I realised I love Rodney enough to let him go so that he does not suffer at my side as he watches me slowly die. I told him I do not love him, that my heart belongs to another and demanded he does not telephone me again. The next day those who heal came and they must have felt my pain for I was among the first they healed. I ran to Rodney’s home to let him know I’d lied, that I do love only him. He had given me a key to his home and when I entered I found him lying in a pool of congealed blood - he must have cut his wrists not long after we’d spoken and was dead.” She looked at Lynda and the pain was so sharply overwhelming within her that she looked as if she felt nothing as she added, “I keep imagining what despair and pain he must have felt and it makes me feel like a monster.”

Lynda was sharing with us and Claudia called out to her to stop her from offering our help, pleading with her to wait for her to bring Avgi. We had to act quickly so as to freeze time for Lynda and her companion so Freddie jumped back to our reality immediately, making careful note of the time we were leaving.

Claudia jumped to Avgi. She is now a woman in her mid thirties and still lives at home with her father. Over the years she and Claudia have drawn a little closer, so her greeting was friendly. Claudia told her she needs her help and promised to explain as we return to the other reality. She probably only agreed to come for the sake of the trip to a new reality.

Claudia did not lie, but she did tergiversate so as to give Avgi the impression that Robbie could not bring Rodney back to life because he died before our first arrival in their reality and she asked Avgi to help Amie learn to live without love. Avgi decided she saw through Claudia’s stated intentions and confident in her own ability to resist opening her heart, she agreed to help Amie. We debated the ethics of what Claudia wanted. We would have to lie to Amie, allow her to continue thinking her Rodney is to remain dead and she’d have to suffer so as to break through the walls Avgi has encased her heart within. Claudia argued as if her life were at stake. “We will bring Rodney back to life and the two of them will have more than a century of loving each other as Normals, if they don’t become Cherinians. I believe that if Amie could be asked she would gladly offer to suffer a while longer so as to help give Avgi a chance at loving.”

“I don’t doubt that out of gratitude she will back up your argument, but it does not make what you want to do ethical.” Robyn said.

Dommi stopped the arguments. “We do not have the right to stop Claudia. We’ve argued the points and she must make up her own mind. If she decides Avgi must be helped at any cost with the price being paid by Amie instead of her, then that is what will happen - if Lynda agrees to allow it.”

Freddie arrived within a second of our departure so that our absence was only a brief flicker in the sky. As we arrived, Claudia called for Lynda to share. We kept out of both minds and held our breaths as Lynda considered. “I’ll go along, but you will have to share with Amie and show her how you made her suffer for your own reasons. If she does not forgive you or even slightly resents you making the decision on her behalf without asking her, then you must face the Cherinian Court.” Claudia agreed.

Those of us who’d expected Claudia to do something dramatic (and that included Avgi) were soon to see they were wrong. Avgi arrived on the roof on her own and Lynda introduced her. She told Amie that Avgi will be her companion while we try to find a way to help her. They were both taken to the hotel we know in our Dar and a small car with a driver were hired and Avgi was given plenty of the local money. She knows that Claudia can sense her, so she was told to call for her when she sees that Amie has broken out of her grief.

As many of us approach the second century of living together as a family, we find that time has changed us in many small ways. For instance, not that long ago, I, for one, would have questioned Claudia’s reasoning. She was doing nothing to help Avgi break out of her agapophobia (my word for fear of love). It actually looked as if it was Amie who was being changed and that is not something we want. Time has taught us to respect each other and if a situation needs to be corrected because one of us made a mistake, we do so while learning from the experience. None of us would do anything to hurt anyone so we never have that to fear.

Avgi had the sense to intuitively understand that love was not the prime problem, that it was the feelings of guilt that were tearing Amie apart. She kept quiet about her disbelief with regard to love, only showing her lack of sentimental or romantic need for love and did what she could to help Amie accept that her intentions had been good, that she would have been a monster if she had not tried to protect Rodney from the pain of seeing her die. As an aside, when I wrote (above) about ‘intuitively’ understanding, Sheena said that such ‘intuitive understanding’ comes to most people courtesy of all the soapies and movies shown on television. If her comment had been made by me, or maybe Rosie, Agapi, Claudia, Dommi or Cherine, no one would have given it a second thought. There are certain of us, for example only, Sheena, Candy, Chantel, Goldi and so on who shock us when they say something even slightly cynical.

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It was nice feeling how good it felt for Avgi to be helping another human being. I doubt she had ever done so before and it made an impression, hopefully changing her for more than just this time. Avgi knew that we were very busy and she trusted Claudia not to peek at her thoughts and in a way she was right. We did respect the rights of both the ladies, but later on, once Avgi had returned home, Amie shared with us. She could not share the thoughts of Avgi, but she did not need to, it was quite amazing how Avgi dropped her guard with Amie, betraying her thoughts not only by showing her emotions, but also by the spoken word. I’m glad we did first warn Amie (when she was linked as a Cherinian) that if she shared her memories with us we would scrutinise the days she spent with Avgi as we need to know as much as we can about her if we are to succeed in helping her during this lifetime of hers.

When we returned to our Athens, Avgi phoned Claudia and asked her to visit her at her island holiday home. Avgi had a lovely variety of mezedes ready with olives and olive oil from her own trees and they sat on the verandah that looks over the beach and blue sea. A light breeze kept them cool enough to enjoy their chilled white wine and mezedes. Claudia played at being the guest for half an hour and then she sat back, closing her eyes. “You started off as a challenge, but I’ve grown to like and even love you.”

“You started off as a threat plus you really angered me. I have wondered many times whether you used your powers to make me meet you again and see you as a friend.” Claudia’s eyes opened, but Avgi cut off her protestations with a laugh. “I know you didn’t, but it would have been convenient if it were true.”

“Convenient? You don’t want to like me - still, even now?”

“If we are friends, how can I not want you as a friend - we would not be friends if that were so. I was thinking of friendships in general, they are in many ways like falling in love - I mean they pose the same dangers.” She bit her lip as she stared out at the sea and then turned to look Claudia in the eyes as she spoke. “I think we need to talk about Amie so as to clear the air between us as I have something I wish to ask of you afterwards.” Claudia nodded.

“I was aware of the reason you asked for my help. Claudia, there are not many who have studied your tellings and all that has been written about your family more diligently and in depth than I have. When you asked and implied Robert could not return for Rodney I knew it was not true and it angered me that you would cause another to suffer for even one hour because of your obstinate determination to see me fall in love. I came because of my own reasons, not yours.” She remained silent a long time, deep within her thoughts. “Amie and Rodney have invited me to visit whenever Freddie travels to their reality - if you are willing to take me.”

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“You know you only have to ask - even if we are not going there, Freddie will gladly take you.”

“Thank you. Have you been wondering why your scheming did not bear the fruit you hoped for? Let me first explain that as I came to see deeper into Amie, I came to respect her for the decision she made when she found out she was about to die. If I was in her position, I think I also would do all I could to prevent my family and friends from sharing my pain. The drawn out death of illness is a curse most people in our world have forgotten, thanks to you Cherinians.

What did you expect me to do Claudia? Did you think I would try to persuade Amie she was wrong to want to sacrifice herself for love - because I feel that way for myself? Do you think that I am not capable of rejoicing when I see my friends love and being loved? I may whisper to myself that she or he will be hurt, but it is not out of envy or cynicism, only out of fear for them. I have come to understand how wrong my father was to do this to me, but it is too late for me to change and I am content to live out my life as I am, on my own, but with a few friends to fill some of my loneliness.” She came to her feet and walked up and down the verandah and sensing the struggle within her, Claudia waited. Avgi stopped directly in front of Claudia, but with her back to her. “I don’t know whether you love me enough to do as I ask. Claudia, when I die, will you ask the Sparklers to hold my soul until you are ready to have a child and then allow me to be born as your daughter? As one of your family I will never again fear love.”

If Avgi were cold, cruel and vengeful, she could not have thought up anything half as devastating as the question she asked out of her need for love. Claudia wept and tried telling her she wants her as the person she is, that she cannot bear the thought of her (her personality of this incarnation) not existing ever again. Avgi kept a tight rein on her emotions, explained only once that she cannot change enough for her to ever be comfortable with love, so she must die, and then she stuck to her question, waiting for an answer. Sobbing, Claudia hugged her and promised she will be born as her daughter someday.

What bitter irony and chance has affected the lives of two women so strongly. At least we were able to help with Amie. The worst of the story of Avgi is that the father did not teach her to fear or abhor love as he did for the reasons he claimed; he could not adapt to the idea that his little girl would love another man and leave him, so he did what he could to ensure she would not. He is not a paedophile and had no interest, that he was aware of, in knowing her carnally and yet he abused her mind far worse than most paedophile fathers ever would. Avgi is intelligent enough to have worked out the truth and though she lives in his home she has almost no sharing of lives with her parents, avoiding them where she can without being outright rude or spiteful. A further irony is that because of us keeping all of mankind as healthy as we can, both Avgi and her parents are expected to live thirty or more extra years - Avgi might even make it to one hundred and fifty.

Statistics show that over the last decades the sales of insect killing sprays have more than tripled. Once it was brought to the attention of scientists they also discovered that sales of rat poison had also increased. That made them examine other changes in the natural world and they asked for the Inguel, Anadir and Unation scientists to join them in finding a way of restoring the balance without having to use so many kinds of poisons. Apparently we Cherinians are the cause of the present imbalance. With the Sparklers and all species keeping an eye on our Normals to ensure no person suffers any illness, they also sent their healers to heal the land. This, coupled with Robbie sending beneficial energies from the void every now and then, has resulted in healthier populations of all creatures and plant life. What everyone forgot was that mankind had already exterminated a large number of species that are required to keep nature balanced.

Other Earths were examined and it was found that the same problems either already exist or are developing. It was decided we will have to use our gifts to return the species missing and help bring back a balance without us having to kill anything. The Earth scientists were already included in the program, but all species decided that the Normals of all realities must also be made part of the program so that they learn how to care for their environment without damaging it out of good intentions. The Terran Normals felt much happier once they found out that the Normals of other species discovered they had the same problems for the same reasons. This is turning into a massive venture, but we are all happy to give of our time and effort as it means all the known realities will be so much healthier afterwards. As the Inguel are fond of telling everyone, this is not a program we undertake and then forget about - all species must continually monitor their worlds, as the large populations, roads, towns and cities do and will continue to create imbalances that have to be rectified before they grow serious, creating a domino effect.

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