From Beyond… (orig. story)

From Beyond…

Even though he never showed it, never let on -- watching the love of his life slowly dying.., was killing him. Everyday she woke in pain.., and when she thought he wasn't looking cried herself to sleep. No one ever plans.., or expects that -- that life changing call from the doctor.., just by the tone of the voice on the other end of the phone, you can feel your life starting to slip away from you… But what made this horrific diagnosis even harder to accept was.., she was the picture of health -- she only ate organic, left the smog filled city for a place at the sea, grew her own veggies and practically lived at the gym…

As a matter of fact, it was at the gym is where she would meet -- him.., the man that would go to any lengths, just to see her smile… She was on a high from an amazing yoga class she had taken earlier that day.., and even hours later at the gym, she still felt like she was walking on air. And out of nowhere, she heard a loud moan -- or grunt, coming from the piece of workout equipment beside her.., and then a loud bang as the man lifting it let it fall to the floor… She definitely wasn't the type to approach someone at the gym, to her that was sacred alone time with your body.., but there was something about this guy that did more than catch her eye…

While he stretched his tri-cep, which had obviously been tweaked.., she walked by and in almost a whisper said -- "You should try some yoga, it will get you in touch with your body and avoid little tweaks like that…" He almost didn't hear her, but as she passed him, she turned back.., and for the first time -- he saw that smile. He wanted to say something, but he was speechless.., he had never seen a more beautiful woman. But before she disappeared out of his life for good, he blurted out -- "Can you recommend a good class, Im new to the area…"

She was very picky about where she did yoga.., it was more than some stretching and sweating to her -- it was a union of body, mind and spirit.., and a very big part of her life. So before she answered him, she looked him up and down.., and when she finally spoke, she looked him directly in the eyes -- "Right next door to Cafe Grumpy on Main, the best class starts at 3:45am." And before she ducked into the ladies locker room, she flashed the freaking smile again and he almost knocked himself out slamming into a chin-up bar.

He didn't want to come-off as some kind of creep and stand there waiting for her to come out, so he grabbed his gym bag, hopped on his beautifully restored Triumph motorcycle and headed back to the small house he had just rented on a bluff overlooking the beach. He too, had the left the crowded, filthy city for a place at the sea.., but it had nothing to do with health. He was sick and tired of everyone he knew, looking at him with these sad eyes, because he had walked away from a promising career as an athlete, only to.., in there eyes -- toil away in obscurity.

You see, he loved playing ball -- it was in his blood… Everyone that saw him play, watched in amazement at the ease at which he would do the most extraordinary things. But when the agents, scouts and managers got involved.., they made the game not as fun. To him, they ruined the one perfect thing in his life -- so he quit. And that very same night, he would get a call from one of the biggest agents in the game, telling him he had just been offered a very lucrative contract -- only he wasn't there to answer it, he was already gone. He hopped on that Triumph, which at the time was a little more than a hunk of junk.., and just rode. He traveled for a few years, being a bit of a nomad but when he got back to the states, he got a job in a garage, where he would turn that hunk of junk, into the beautifully restored bike he road off on from the gym that day.

What most people didn't know was.., that while he was away he kept a journal that he wrote in everyday, detailing all the wild adventures he found himself in the middle of.., usually not of his doing, either. He wrote about rescuing a bunch of elephants that had been chained up by some poachers.., just standing there -- waiting to die. And when he snuck into the camp to try and free them, he was amazed at how they knew, instinctually, he was there to help. After he had freed them all.., and as the poachers came running back, surely to kill this man -- the last elephant he freed, literally, picked him up with his trunk, looked him directly in the eyes and put him on his back… There he was, in the dark of the night, riding a damn elephant. Besides those elephants that night, in the middle of nowhere, all of which survived.., nobody had ever looked at him in the eyes, like that -- until that day at the gym.

When he returned from all the wild adventures, that seemed to just fall into his lap.., he turned that journal into the best-selling book the industry had seen in years -- it flew off the shelves. And unlike many books today, that most read on one of their many devices -- people flocked to the bookstores to actually buy the physical book. The cover was a series of elephant footprints, that wound around from the outer cover to the inside of the book.., and on the back cover, a picture of him riding the elephant that lifted him up and put him on his back and made sure that he was safe. It was called -- "The Footprints We Leave."

Unlike many authors or marketers that donate a portion of sales, usually a minimal amount -- he was donating 90% of all book sales, speaking engagements -- anything that had to do with that book and those elephants, to specific charities, that actually put their lives on the line to stop the killing of these amazing animals. He wrote under a pen name, now wore glasses and usually a hat (when he did speaking engagements), so most people who knew him in the past, didn't have a clue, he was the man that had authored the book everyone was talking about -- and that's just how he liked it!

When he got home from the gym that day, all night he couldn't stop thinking about that smile.., but he also couldn't stop thinking -- who the hell goes to a yoga class at 3:45 in the freaking morning! But just like she knew there was something different about him, when she gave him the once over.., she had definitely, more than peaked his interest -- so he set his alarm for 3:00am.

When she rode up to the yoga studio that morning, at 3:30am.., and saw him standing outside -- she was impressed, but she didn't want him to know that… As she walked by and flashed that smile so effortlessly, she said -- "You made it" with a slight tone of astonishment in her voice… He returned the smile -- "Impressed" he chuckled. "I let you know after the class" she responded. Besides being surprised he was there that early in the morning, part of the reason for that smile was.., slightly mischievous… You see, he was standing there in his adidas sweat pants, nike sneakers, a t-shirt with what looked like a few paw prints.., and a brand new purple yoga mat -- which obviously had never been used.

He followed her inside.., and couldn't believe his eyes… The room was filled with beautiful women in great shape. When he finally got his bearings, he also noticed, he was the only one with a purple yoga mat -- these beautiful women were all sitting on sheepskins.., and they all more than noticed the "new guy" with his purple mat. It was a Kundalini yoga class, they started with 61 minutes of meditation and chanting, followed by some very challenging poses, even for ex-star athlete. Two and a half hours later, standing outside in front of his motorcycle.., she walked up to him -- "Yeah, I am…" she said. "Your are what..." he replied. "Impressed" she said.., and flashed that smile that made him feel like a nervous school boy.

She was so impressed, she offered to buy him some breakfast next door.., and afterwards they went for a hike along the bluffs above the beach. For the next two weeks, he showed up at that 3:30am yoga class every morning. And without even noticing it, they had become a couple -- it just happened, just like all those adventures he had while traveling.., with no effort at all, he had become part a pair… Shortly after that, she moved in… She taught him more about yoga.., and in return, he taught her how to catch a fly ball. -- they just fit together, naturally.

They did everything together… And one day she asked him about the t-shirt with he paw prints… He didn't have a dog, yet this shirt seemed to be his favorite.., and he had more than one. He opened up the closet and grabbed something from the top shelf -- "Here, read this, that should explain everything about the t-shirt…" Her eyes opened wide.., not only had she read it, everyone she knew had read it, too… Then she flipped it over and saw the the guy sitting on top of this beautiful creature -- "HOLY SHIT! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!" He had never seen that kind of reaction out of her. "That's you.., you're the guy the whole damn town was talking about, when this book came out."

He poured them both some tea and while they sat and watched the sunset, he told her about his many adventures.., and how that night he freed the elephants, he was sure he was going to die… But then out of nowhere, this massive beast came thundering back, literally squashing at least half a dozen a poachers.., and as one of them swung this huge machete towards his neck, he put his arms up to defend himself and was cut across both forearms… "I was pretty positive, this was it for me -- and then Jezzie (short for Jezebel) in one steady motion swung her trunk knocking this poacher to the ground and at the same time lifted me up and put me on her back. Then she reared back on her hind legs, let out a blood curdling roar.., and then with the loudest thud you've ever heard -- squashed the man that had just tried to decapitate me…"

She was speechless…

When they visited the wild-life preserve he funded -- the largest in the world.., a place where not only elephants but all kinds of wild life were able to roam free without the risk of being slaughtered.., there first day there, they jumped in a jeep and headed out into this sanctuary… He pulled over by a river, took her hand and walked out into the vast openness and never-ending sky.., when all of a sudden they both could feel the ground start to shake… She looked a little scared and gripped his hand tighter. And then, that shaking of the earth, became a loud rumble.., and when they looked in the distance, they saw a herd of elephants thundering directly towards them…

That slightly scared feeling she had only intensified as they got closer.., even he started to feel a little uneasy… These animals were not used to seeing humans on their turf.., and many of them considered them a threat. He stood in front of her as herd came right at them.., and as if on cue, they all lifted their trunks and let out an earsplitting roar… Only this time, it wasn't threatening, it was almost joyous, as if they were all smiling… And right in the front of that wild pack of beautiful beasts -- was Jezzie. It was as if, she picked up his scent.., and couldn't come running quick enough, to greet her long lost friend.

She knelt down and gently nudged them both with trunk.., and they quickly got the hint she wanted them to hop on her back… She couldn't believe what was happening.., who the hell was this guy -- Tarzan… They jumped on her back.., and with the whole herd in tow Jezzie gave them their own private tour of her amazing home.

That's how they lived their lives from that moment on…

For the next 5 years, they lived lives anyone would be proud of… And now, he was watching her wither away.., and die -- right before his eyes. He knew what he had to do… So without any hesitation he packed his old traveling backpack.., and told her they were going on one last trip… She was so sick, by now, traveling would be hard.., but there was nothing more she wanted, but to see the beautiful creature that had saved her mans names life. When they got to the refuge, Jezzie was waiting for them, as if she knew they would be back. She also knew something was wrong.., and hoisted them both up on her back and took them on a journey of a lifetime. She stopped and knelt at the edge of a huge bluff, they got down off her back and lied down under the shade of a single tree and looked out onto a sea of never-ending beauty…

The rest of the herd was there kneeling -- as if in prayer… Before she could thank him for bringing her back to the most beautiful place she had ever seen, he leaned down and gently kissed her… And there it was -- he knew bringing her back there, he would get to see that smile one last time… She passed away as they both lied there watching the sunset, surrounded by a pack of elephants.., and later that night, he opened up the journal he hadn't written in for years… He turned to the back.., and there was a page with writing on it, he didn't write…

"I never expected to meet a man, who would make feel so loved… From the first time we met at the gym.., and all those early -- very early in the morning yoga classes, I knew we were connected by something from beyond this earth. I also knew you would bring me to a place, where I would forget about all the pain.., and die with a smile on my face. Please, try not to be sad.., and promise me you will never stop being the man that saved all these beautiful creatures. I'll always love you.., goodbye -- for now."

He picks up his pen.., and writes two words -- "I promise."


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