Little Cherine Book 08 - BPost001
(Arthur) I’ll leave it to you to write the first part of the Eighth book as you wish. We place ourselves in your hands.
4901
Meli’s eyes shone at Robbie’s words. “But that means our Jesus is stronger! Only weak people give in to temptation.” All the girls instantly agreed that ‘their’ Jesus is stronger and it could be felt how their trust in him flowed through him, becoming strength.
“Pappou, I promise I will bring your children back with me.” Sam turned to Cherine. “We can’t afford to have any weak links. You have to link Dirkie if he is to come with.”
Cherine went to him and touched his hand. “Would you like me to?”
“I don’t know what it is you are asking of me, but if it will make me stronger so that I can help Him, yes please.” The odd irony of it amused Robbie. A Normal wanting to become a Cherinian so as to fight for a non-Cherinian.
“What about you Jesus? Would you agree to Cherine linking you? Would it strengthen you?”
“It would, but I cannot agree, not now. Later Robert, once we have contained my alternate.”
“Contained…” Alki stopped as Jesus looked into his eyes.
Cherine linked Dirkie as she does the cocoon Cherinians and with a last look around they jumped to Freddie. Sam rushed over to the computer and immediately wrote of all that had happened, finishing with her words, ‘Arthur, I am going to end off this book now. I’ll leave it to you to write the Eighth book as you wish. We place ourselves in your hands.’
Shall we first get my own reactions out of the way so that I’ve said what troubles me and I can concentrate on my loves? Let me start off by admitting that I am having difficulty in breathing, taking big breaths in gasps. I recognise it as a panic attack and I think the only way I can overcome it is by admitting how I feel and why. Maybe then I can settle down and concentrate all my thoughts on trying saving my beloved Cherinians. I left that word in so that I remember every time I see it that I cannot afford to just try, I have to be wholeheartedly determined to succeed within the parameters I’m allowed.
I am a product of my world, the society I grew up in, however much I may like to think of myself as being different from everyone else. As an adolescent I was extremely religious and then I lost my beliefs. I will not go into the reasons at this time.
Reading-writing of Jesus coming into their lives was a bit of a shock for me and I found it difficult to think of him as real when Sam wrote of him; the brainwashing of my childhood has a stronger hold on me than I’d imagined. As Sam wrote of his arrival in South Africa and the threat he faced from an evil Jesus, it felt like sacrilege to me. Then Sam arrived in Freddie and wrote directly to me and everything became more real, thanks to my being able to sense her more clearly. As is obvious, nearly all of what we discussed has been deleted. All I will say is that I was concerned that if I write on her behalf, just as a myriad Allans and Alexander can read what I write, so can their present foes. Forewarned is forearmed, so we had to put in place certain ‘safeguards’ which may be explained by Samantha once the threat is over.
4902
One small last point with regard to my writing. Robert, no disrespect meant when I call you Robbie. If it does not bother you, please see it as a habit of endearment, same as when Sam says it, for I feel as if I am speaking to a beloved son.
Cherine and Dommi entered Sam’s mind and searched for Le’sase. Thanks to her being hypnotised by Solomon it was simpler than they’d feared it would be. They were able to latch on to those memories and find the links leading to the part of her soul that come from or are Le’sase. This is going to cause great changes in all of them if they get carried away and start searching out and releasing the personalities of their previous lives. I hope that common sense will guide them.
Le’sase and Samantha were first allowed to share (he shared her memories only), so that he would know what he has to do and to recognise whom to speak to. Once he understood what dangers he faces and what is expected of him, Sam allowed him to absorb whatever he thought he would need of her personality without changing him. The whole family entered her mind to exchange kiss one last time and then Cherine, Dommi and Aganthi gently locked our sweet Sammy deep within her mind. As far as she was concerned, she found herself living in a beautiful world with green grass, flowers, trees, mountains in the distance and a river that flows into a huge lake. She found she has a small but lovely house with all the comforts she could need. The girls and Robbie had each chosen a book they’d read that she has not and they appeared on her bookshelves as books. Cherine hid behind some books a Superman comic, hoping that she will come across it at the moment she needs to be reminded of her Robbie and that they all love her.
Le’sase needed some time to adjust to being in a Terran body again. His problems were compounded by the fact the he had to think of himself as being of a particular gender - a female. The previous time his gender had not mattered, but this time he would be in a world or worlds of Terrans and had to act accordingly. Not that it was a problem, but it did feel odd. They all felt his joy when he saw Robbie.
“I did not anger you? I have been a loving daughter?”
Robbie was puzzled, though his question hinted at the truth. “As daughter, wife, lover, ideal in all. Le’sase, I did not know you were coming back to me?” They felt his amusement and Robbie blushed.
“Since Samantha was with, could you not know? You told me to wait while you discussed it with her, but I felt my body failing, so I left without warning you.”
“Le’sase, to you it happened in your past, but for us it is in our future. Do not tell me anymore.”
“Dad, I want to risk it. Le’sase, did you know about Jesus and the bad one who wants to take our Cherine?”
“I regret I did not. Only now, once Samantha shared with me.” Robbie did not tell Tina off, but they all felt it would anger him if they tried asking any more questions.
“Are we going to have to protect all the Cherines? How can we?”
Jesus shook his head. “No, it will not be necessary. This is the only Cherine with the special gifts she has, she has grown far beyond the others.”
Jade hammed it up, mopping her brow in relief. “Phew! Thank god!” It helped break the tension as they grinned at her antics.
“You must learn about the body you are using so that you can leave as soon as possible.”
Claudia wondered whether he would enjoy the same foods Sam does and, once she had thought of it, everyone watched Le’sase to see whether he has the same likes and dislikes as Sam in other things. Le’sase pushed himself as hard as he could and within three days Dommi said he is ready to leave.
4903
Jesus warned him, “Do not forget that everyone will think of you as Sam. Le’sase, you must never do so. Be clear in your mind that you are Le’sase. Any magic attacks or binding spells intended for Samantha will not focus on you if they cannot recognise you as Sam.”
“I understand.”
“Cherine, link him.”
Le’sase was a quick study. He spent one day with Cherine opening doors in his mind so that he can jump, sense the emoting of others and defend himself. He was shown how to release the sliver of Vincent should he need help. Robbie prepared a set of memories and showed him how he should pass on copies to other Cherinians.
Le’sase slept in their bed with them so there was no lovemaking. Robbie held him in his arms while he slept and all the girls smothered him with kisses every day. Sam had judiciously thought to use her healer to block off any possibility of him becoming aroused, so all their loving of him was asexual. Dommi had insisted he sleep one more night so that he leave in the morning while he is rested and full of energy.
Le’sase jumped.
Hettie and Eddie were having a working breakfast and had four strangers with them. Hettie gasped when Sam appeared. She realised instantly that there must be some emergency for Sam to appear in her true form. Both Hettie and Eddie frowned as they tried to sense her emoting.
*Who are you!*
“Le’sase. I have a message for you. Please enter my mind to collect it.”
Knowing of Le’sase they did as he asked. The four visitors quickly left when they were asked to - seeing the faces of their hosts turn white frightened them. Within half an hour the governments of most major countries knew that something is afoot and that, whatever it is, it is bad news for the Cherinians. It also meant that those who are the powers behind the governments, represented mostly by their banking arm, learnt that the Cherinians are in trouble and saw this as their opportunity to get rid of them. However, they are mostly elderly men who are cautious, so they waited, not wanting to weaken the Cherinians if those attacking them are powerful enough to destroy the Earth if they win.
Cherinians were called by the dozens to Eddie and they were given their instructions. Within minutes Hyde Park in London began to fill with Cherinians from all over the world. All aliens on Earth disappeared and their spaceships abandoned the skies for places unknown.
Bruce was the centre of a panic meeting when Eddie appeared. “Mr President, please advise the media and all governments that we Cherinians are under attack. The enemy has no interest in Earth, the target is Cherine only. We have all left so that the battles are fought where no non-Cherinians can be hurt.”
“Can you give us more information? Are they aliens? Why are they attacking Cherine?”
“They are not aliens in the sense you mean Mr President. They are from an alternate Earth and their leader is an alternate of the person who may not be named. He is using his powers of magic to destroy the Earth of that person and wishes to capture Cherine to use her for his own purposes. We will not leave even one Cherinian here and all the aliens have been asked to leave so that they cannot be held as hostages. If our battles can be fought in alternate realities then, should we survive, Robert has told us to advise you that we will return within days.”
“Why must all Cherinians leave?”
“A precaution only. Many were linked by Cherine and we do not know if the enemy can use their links to trace Cherine. If a battle is fought, we do not want innocent people to suffer, so we cannot stay in any reality that has non-Cherinians.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?”
“What can you offer Mr President? Would the American people trust us with half a dozen nuclear missiles?”
4904
Bruce turned to his men in uniform. “I am declaring a State of Emergency. See to it that the missiles are made available immediately.”
“You do not have the authority to do so Mr President.”
“Are you refusing a direct order? Give them what they need and if I did not act within my powers, impeach me afterwards.”
Eddie stopped them. “Mr President, there is no need. The Chinese President has the authority to do so and I’m certain he will help.”
That convinced all of them and phone calls were urgently made. In addition they offered and Eddie accepted three hundred Marines with all the latest weapons. Eddie sent a small spaceship to pick them up.
Bruce shook hands with him. “Tell Robert that his people will not abandon him. Any help we can give, please ask.” He shook his head, puzzled, and said softly, “You know that I have seen her as she truly is. I cannot believe there is anyone powerful enough to be a threat to her!”
“If she joined with…you know, the merging of their powers would make them invincible, but neither of the two are willing to do so. Each would gain the powers of the other and Cherine says it would dim her light.”
“What if you are not able to protect her!”
“We are not fighting to stop him from capturing her Mr President. We are fighting to keep her with us. If the enemy is about to capture her she will leave us behind, go on to become what has been foreseen. Not only her family would lose her Bruce, her loss would damage all sentient life if she evolves before her time.”
Bruce blanched, looking stunned and the people in the room thought it was because of what Eddie said. While Eddie was holding his hand, he had passed on the message Robert had prepared for Bruce. In it Jesus talked to him also, explaining in detail what the dangers to mankind are. As Eddie was about to jump he sent his healer to strengthen Bruce.
Of course there was someone present who is on the take from the Saudis, so they were immediately given whatever details were available - that which had been spoken aloud. They shared with the rest of the Cabal plus a few Arab leaders, who shared with a few who are trusted, and Feizal is one of them. He called for John and shared what he had learnt.
“They are our friends, John, we must do whatever we can to help. The Americans have sent three hundred men, which is not sufficient to influence any battle between such powers. Our numbers are much smaller, but we are all trained in using powers of the mind. Try to find Robert, or anyone with him and make our offer. John, we must try to contact them in other realities, I think it is too late for finding anyone here.”
“I must go to the void in search of a Sparkler. They can carry a message from us.” Feizal nodded. “After that it will be a case of luck. We’ll each travel to alternate realities and try to find someone who is joining them in Freddie.”
John kept to himself his thoughts. For a long time, Feizal had been against anyone using mental powers, still unclear in his mind as to how his religion, his Prophet and Allah, view the mutations and gifts of the mind. Feizal does not trust most of the imams, especially those trained-influenced by the Saudis, and the request by Arthur that he lay low, justified his non-action. John has been very careful to avoid conversations regarding religion, which meant he could not try to influence Feizal and his father. Now he was glad that he had not, for it is bound to be better that Feizal made the decision on his own.
I can jump ahead just a little to mention that the effort came to nothing - and yet, not quite nothing, for this was to unfreeze the mind of Feizal and he began to examine his own mind and beliefs, rather than depend on a stranger - even if such stranger is an imam.
4905
No Cherinian jumped to Freddie. They jumped to other realities and from there to other realities until they were reasonably certain nobody would be able to follow and only then jumped to Freddie. The first ones who arrived were sent back to various alternate Hetties and Eddies to collect stores that would be needed for a long trip, as Robbie and Vincent had not anticipated so many guests in Freddie. It was tiring for them, as again they could not jump directly back to Freddie.
“I must leave you now. You will stay here as Robert asked?”
“No. We are coming with. He might need our powers.” Le’sase did not argue. “Where are you going?”
“I cannot tell you. I will see you in Freddie later.” He smiled. “It is more likely you will see Samantha.”
Le’sase jumped to the beach near Dar. John was waiting for him.
“I have called for the old woman. I told her that The Great One has asked for her help. She will come.”
“Will the two of you help me convince your alternates to join us?”
“Ndio. (Yes). Come, you must eat and drink before we leave.”
“John, this is a dangerous world for me to stay on, I must leave now.”
“You cannot leave without the old woman. She will be here soon, but there is time for you to eat. The prawns are already being grilled. I wish I had known to have some meat, prawns do not strengthen. May I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“Who are you and why have you come to us looking like Samantha?”
He laughed. “In a way…oh, sorry, Samantha could not come to this world, she would have been sensed. I came in her place.”
When the old woman came she crouched before Le’sase and stared at him. “They have sent a child!”
“She is not the one we know mother.”
“You have become wise enough to be my teacher?” John instantly shut up, knowing how prickly she is. “The one who wears her body, he is a child, a very young one.”
Le’sase smiled. “Can you see how young? How many years have I lived mother?”
She used her gifts and her eyes widened, “Au!! A child who is thousands of years old! How can this be?”
“I am an alien.”
“Nonsense! I can sense that you and Samantha are related.”
“Do not speak of it mother. Later please?”
Le’sase used Sam’s memories to jump first to the realities he knew there is a John. The first two realities they did not have a problem in recruiting their alternates. As they were about to jump again, Le’sase cursed himself.
“I have been stupid! Robert will be disappointed in me. The more I take of you with me, the stronger the trail for us to be followed! How do I send you on your own? You cannot jump to Freddie.”
“All the Cherinians on all worlds are gone?”
“No, only on ours. Of course! Thank you John.” Le’sase called and a young man appeared. He was given a mental map of the jumps he should make to get to Freddie and he left, leaving only the original John and old woman with Le’sase. They entered the next village and found John waiting for them. He offered to go with, but told them the old woman refuses to. The old woman walked off muttering to herself angrily so they had to wait for her. She returned two hours later alone.
4906
They found another two and Le’sase decided it was time to go home. The old woman refused, demanding they find another two. Le’sase was worried. Each time it took hours to get the local old woman and he was afraid he had not done a good job of hiding their trail. He realised that if they are caught it could cause great damage. He knew that neither Cherine nor Robert would be willing to sacrifice their Samantha, but he made a few wild jumps and then they went after another two.
The instant Le’sase arrived in Freddie he was grabbed and kissed by the family. While Cherine held him, she peeked in on Sam.
“Stay with us a day or two Le’sase. Sam is happy where she is.” She giggled. “She would not thank us if we brought her out now, she is having fun for a change.”
Le’sase was in heaven. He felt the admiration and love from Robbie and sensed how it is multiplied many times because of the love from the girls. Not only from the direct family; Alki foremost, but also parents and friends who had already come to know him from the time Sam was hypnotised all sent a steady warm flow of love to him. It brought back to him memories of his He’hese and He’zins and he missed them.
“I must not stay too long. I belong in my own time. Could I have a radish with some mint please?”
To Le’sase the changes in Freddie were not as noticeable as the differences between how it should be in his time and how it is. He wondered what adventures led to the changes that made Freddie as he knows it in the future.
The scientists had been experimenting with the void energies for many years now and though they had not been ready to claim a breakthrough because they did not know yet how stable it was, they volunteered the information that they have managed to alter one of the energies so that it becomes ‘semi-solid’. Robbie carried a fragment far out in the void and left it wrapped up in normal energies that will dissolve. Once it was ‘touching’ the void Robbie saw that it did not explode. From close he watched and saw it was also dissolving, but at a very slow rate. Excited he collected it and took it into normal space. He could not sense any adverse reaction, though he did find that it almost stopped ‘vaporising’, as if it had become ‘more’ solid. Examining it microscopically, he was able to ascertain that its qualities-properties, are not the same as the energy he compressed.
Freddie was brought into normal space and all the spaceships held to the hull were released and Freddie returned to the void. Robbie began to ‘spray’ a layer of the solid energy onto the hull. Vincent and Solomon joined him and he explained what he is doing. Just like bees do, they covered the whole outer shield with tiny hexagonal partitions and then created a new shield over it all and ‘sprayed’ that with the solid energy. They created seven layers and would not have known when to stop if Vincent had not told them they were enough. Robert was not happy. He felt something was still missing to make it as safe as he could. By the time Le’sase returned, Robbie still had not worked out what was worrying him, but he was diverted by only having Le’sase to love for a brief while.
“Robert, I have a request from Colonel Petersen. He says he needs to bring his men out for them to continue their training.” Eddie smiled. “I think they are just eager to visit the amazing view they have below them.”
“I imagine they are not used to being cooped up. Tell him, permission granted and I expect to see him tonight at the taverna for supper. Eddie, I will hold him responsible for the good behaviour of his men.”
“I hear we are leaving soon?”
“We will be jumping realities, but we won’t be going anywhere.”
Robbie is prejudiced, so he was surprised when he met Colonel Petersen. Though he gave the impression of being a hard man, Robbie sensed that he is highly intelligent and far more sensitive than he’d expected. After the introductions he joined Robbie at his table.
“This is an amazing world Mr Teller.”
“Please, Robert. I’m glad you like Freddie. Have you spoken to the entity that runs Freddie?”
4907
“No.”
“Freddie, that was rude of you. Please greet our guest.”
“Colonel Petersen, welcome. Robert knows that I was not being rude, but he loves to play the role of tin-pot dictator.”
“What do you mean tin-pot!” Everyone laughed. “Colonel Peterson, should you or your men ever need anything, just speak aloud to Freddie. There are a few things you should know about Freddie.” After Robbie explained, he added. “I must make clear, no explosions, no shooting of weapons and no violence are allowed here. If your men need to train, please let me know and I will send you to a planet where nothing can be harmed. When I say no violence it includes fist fights, brawls or even boxing matches. Wrestling may be allowed if no pain is deliberately caused. We spend a lot of time on planet surrounded by pain, anger, hate and other negative emotions. When we are here, the good vibes help to purify us. If you wish us to be strong in our coming battles, you will please see to it that your men understand.”
“My men are tough and trained to the point where they react instinctively to violence. That should help to ensure they will control themselves. If I may ask? We have with us six nuclear missiles. Do you have anyone who is trained and knows how to handle them? Do you have the codes for arming them?”
Both Le’sase and Eddie wilted as they waited for Robbie to ask them. He laughed. “We do not, we forgot to ask for them. I suppose that only goes to prove that we are not warriors.”
Colonel Petersen shook his head. “The officers who made them available should have…” his lips tightened and Robbie smiled at him.
“I understand. Please do not feel distressed, we do not mind.” It was obvious, especially to Eddie, that those in charge had deliberately not given them whatever was needed to make use of the missiles. Robbie asked some of the alien scientists to examine the missiles and do whatever is necessary for them to become functional.
“Just one of those spaceships,” Robbie pointed at them, “could inflict more damage within seconds than all six of those missiles. However, one microscopic rupture in the outer shields that would allow matter such as water or even air molecules to touch the void…” His words trailed off as he realised. Everybody stopped talking and looked at Robbie, waiting.
“God but I’m stupid! There has to be something!” His upper body collapsed over the table, spilling drinks.
Colonel Petersen jumped to grab Robbie as he turned for help. He saw that nobody had moved to help Robbie and was puzzled.
“Don’t worry, he has left his body to go to the void.”
Solomon, Vincent and Freddie listened as Robbie explained. *We all know how the void reacts to matter. What the mass is or how tenuous it is does not make any difference. Any matter will instantly be converted to energy. Solomon, you know that; I know that, we all know that, so why were we so stupid as to blindly accept that Sparklers can exist in the void with matter as part of their ‘bodies’?*
*How do they find matter to create new bodies?* Freddie wondered.
*It is not important to us right now, the scientists can worry about that. I need to understand why the Sparklers don’t explode. Solomon, you explained that you are made of matter and energy so I presumed the matter is shielded by your energy. Is it possible that the matter within your bodies is never exposed to the void? Even when I fought you and killed Sparklers there were no explosions that I saw. How could that be?*
*Why is it so important Robert?*
*Because that might explain how there can be normal space with matter. We can see suns from here so it means normal space actually exists within the void and the void exists within space! When we travel within the void we are also travelling relative to normal space! What makes it possible for these two realities to co-exist?*
4908
Solomon could not help being amused when he sensed his Thinkers become agitated. They had existed for so long and they had never questioned something as obvious as this. Knowing how his friend Robert thinks he asked him, sardonic amusement carefully edited from his ‘voice’. *You have a theory that explains it Robert?*
*Not really. It is just common sense that dictates there has to be some kind of energy that separates the two, dampening any reactions between them.*
*Perhaps the opposite of energy?* Freddie asked. Robbie laughed.
*You may be right, if there is anything like that. We have to find out. There is one thought though that paralyses me, can you guess it?* Nobody answered him, they were suddenly frightened as they sensed that whatever he had thought of was making his soul tremble on the edge of falling apart. *To experiment and prove the existence of such an energy or non-energy, we might disturb it and create an opening between normal space and the void. If that should happen, even for one millionth of a second, we could set off an explosion that destroys both. As if that is not bad enough, common sense warns me that an explosion of that magnitude could set off a chain reaction, with all other realities being destroyed.*
If Robbie had wanted to experiment he should not have said that. Solomon trusts him, but the possible repercussions are so terrible he could not agree that Robbie try. It did not matter, for it was Vincent who would not allow it. If he had to fight and even kill Robbie or die trying, he would do so. He could not accept that all his primes be placed at risk, however slight the risk. Not when it means that every single Cherine, trillions of them, could be destroyed.
Solomon and Robbie helped Vincent return to his body in Freddie. The instant he was back in his body Vincent lost control of his bladder, his body shaking. Cherine was immediately at his side. She used her gifts to clean him and not only put her arms around him, but also emoted her love and spoke soft endearments by mindspeak, trying to calm him. Vincent was in a blue funk.
It had occurred to him that by Robbie moving matter to the void (in the past) he had put all his primes at risk. That Robbie could have done so without him sensing the danger had frightened him.
No one slept that night. The emoting by Vincent was so powerful that if affected everyone, even those in the spaceships. When all the Sparklers disappeared from within Freddie, Robbie thought it was because they could not bear feeling Vincent and he did not blame them. Robbie could see what the fears of Vincent were and he had also been shattered.
The only one who did not seem to be affected was Jesus. He went from one to the other, trying to help them, ease them of their fears. Finally he decided that all that was left for him to do was to use his powers to nullify the agony of Vincent. He put him to sleep and enfolded him within an energy. He made Robbie take Vincent into the void and place him within stasis.
Even with Vincent gone, nobody could concentrate and the general mood was negative, influenced by the fears Vincent had instilled within them. The family and those close to them were largely affected by Robbie, who was depressed and had lost the sparkle that makes his mind glow within those of his loves.
As the days went by, Cherine felt she had to do something, but she did not know what. She knew that love would not be enough to help Robbie recover. Finally she turned to the one person she trusts to find a solution. She went to visit Samantha.
As Robbie says, to be effective, you must know your enemy, so let us return in time.
4909
Mary sat in the dark, her hands clasped over her belly, tears flowing down her cheeks. She knew she had experienced a miracle and it had been so wonderful, so beautiful, that she could not help crying. Just for this night she would forget her fears, grief and the shame that awaited her, for her unborn child had spoken to her!
That day Roman soldiers had ridden through the village and when they had seen who the captain is, everyone knew blood would be spilt. He was known to be vicious, not a man like most other Romans, he was cold, hard and enjoyed killing. His men knew that if they struck down a Jew, he would pretend there had been a good reason in his reports, so they indulged themselves, not truly seeing the Jews as being human. The man Mary was married to, a carpenter who would have provided for her and the unborn child a good life, had the bad luck to be carrying his tools and timber for repairing a house, when the Romans came galloping into the street. He turned to see and a plank of wood swung and hit the haunch of a horse. It screamed and started, nearly knocking off its rider. The next rider swung his sword and cut off his head.
The neighbours and friends were kind, as those who live a hard life can be, but Mary had no family and she knew she could not look to them for long for charity, she had to either find another man or else work. Work in the village did not exist and everyone told her she would be better off in Jerusalem. She sold what meagre belongings she had and a caravan passing close by agreed to see her to her destination for a fee. She arrived in the city with little money and no one to turn to for help.
She had money for boarding for three nights. The days had gone by without her finding work, for who would employ a woman close to giving birth? Mary lay on her bed, but she could not sleep. Fear ran through her like wild-fire. She had to pay the landlord money in the morning or else she would be out on the street. She had not eaten anything for two days and she had no hope of anyone reaching out with a helping hand. Bitterly she wished that the nine months were up, for if she gave birth, some kind soul, she was certain, would take in the infant and then she could die.
The foetus queried her reasons for feeling so bad and she tried to explain without upsetting it. The new soul had no references that would help it understand, but it tried to think on what she said. Without doing so deliberately, just blindly seeking to understand, it reached into her mind and spent hours going through her memories, learning what she knew.
The next morning Mary gathered her belongings and walked to the entrance of the building to leave. The landlord stood by the door.
“Where are you going?”
“I have no money to spend another night here.”
“From the looks of you I would say you have had no money to feed yourself for days now. Put down your things and come to the kitchen, my wife will feed you.”
Hunger plus the responsibility towards her unborn child stole from Mary the right to be proud. Humbled by his generosity she sat at a table while his scowling wife placed a plate of food before her. She prayed, thanking the Lord, and carefully ate her food, hoping it would give her strength to last a few more days.
“Where is your husband?”
“The Romans killed him.”
“When are you to give birth?”
“In about forty days.”
“Take your things back to your room. I will seek no rent from you. Every evening come here and my wife will feed you. This is until your son is born.”
“Son? You foresee a son for me?”
“It will be a boy.”
Mary did not know it, the landlord did not, but Jesus had learnt from Mary some of the ways of life and flesh and had reached into the mind of the landlord and induced him to make the offer. The landlord ‘thought’ there would be some profit to him by acting the way he did, but he did not know how and where the profit would come from. It would cause him many bitter fights with his wife.
4910
I can only surmise that the foetus did not know that there is anything else Mary could need of the material world so he did not exert himself on her behalf. Since they communed all the time, Mary was happy, unable to concentrate on the future. If she had momentary misgivings, he would soothe them away.
Jerusalem was to learn about Jesus very soon, on the day that nature tried to prepare him for birth, asking of him that he turn so that the head exit first. When her body began to push him out, the waters having preceded him, the constrictions, the spasms of her body, they started off by making him uncomfortable and frightened and the whole neighbourhood was affected. When he felt pain though, he screamed with rage and from shock and the whole city heard him.
The Roman governor was told by those who claimed to speak with the gods, that a demon has been born and that if it lives to grow up it will one day destroy Rome. He sent out his men with orders to find the infant and kill it. Within hours the whole population knew why the soldiers were searching all the houses. Most of the soldiers knew very little about infants and killed any male babies they found.
Jesus was woken up by the terror in his mother. He found out the reason and kept a watch on all who came by the building. If he sensed they were soldiers in search of him, he would ‘convince’ them that they had already searched his building and they would move on.
Many of the more thoughtful followers of Jesus asked him, when he was an adult, why he did nothing more for years. When he used his powers it was only to make his mother happy and she was not a woman with many expectations, satisfied with the minimum he did for her. He would rarely use his powers for small things he wanted or to convince his friends to play the games he enjoyed.
His thin face, large eyes and thoughtful look made him endearing to most adults, so he did not need to force anyone to do anything for him. He learnt that a smile or a woeful look gave him the same results. A few people who did see him do things they considered unnatural, claimed he was possessed by a demon. In those days, under the Romans, that kind of accusation could cause you your death, so he became more cautious and hid his abilities.
Mary insisted that, until he is old enough to study a trade, he has to learn how to read and write. She was worried about him and saw to it that he is made to study the scriptures. Jesus was fascinated by God, but more intensely curious about the prophets. He knew that there was no one else in Jerusalem with his powers. At the age of eight he decided he is God, Jehovah, and has been born as man so as to teach his people how to worship him. During this time he mostly used his powers to help people, often healing the sick.
By the age of eleven he found it did not make sense to believe he is God. Troubled, he argued with the rabbis about God and the prophets. He was twelve years old when he first thought up the theory that he was to believe in for a few hundred years. He decided he is the son of God. It puzzled him that he had left his Father and paradise to walk among men. He was convinced that he must have had a reason for being born. He did not question why he chose to be born a Jew. They were the Chosen People after all! Plus, to his still innocent mind, he believed that He had been influenced in His decision by Mary, since He could not have chosen a more beautiful or more loving mother for His son. This theory also helped explain why his mortal father had been killed. God, his Father, was jealous and did not want any other man to claim Jesus as his son.
Until the age of thirteen, Jesus was intent on being good, studied the scriptures and spent many hours talking with rabbis. It was generally felt that he should become a rabbi and this made his mother very happy. Jesus saw this as being part of His plan. First a rabbi; then a prophet and only once he has shown the world how good and powerful he is, will he let everyone know that he is actually the son of God, come to help mankind. Mankind to him were the Jews; he did not include the Romans, Greeks and Arabs at this stage.
Rachel was twenty two years old, without child and unhappy in her marriage. She knew Mary, but had not had much to do with Jesus. One day when he was alone at home she came to visit his mother. Mary had gone to visit, but was expected back soon (Jesus knew she was). He told her and went back to his reading of halakhah and other Jewish law which he would have to be able to apply someday as a rabbi.
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)21st January, 2020
- posted: 21st January, 2020
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