CHAPTER 30
Mysterious Ways
Fired up after the intense exchange with Jane, I felt emboldened to finally investigate the Ataroth that Mr. Joshua had told me about. Emboldened, but not completely fearless. I called for Axl, my loyal companion and trusted protector, and, together, we walked heedfully through my back yard, toward the forest, keenly aware this time of its significance.
Once again, I brushed the low-hanging branches aside and stepped into the woods, feeling the same tingle I had felt the first and only time I had explored this esoteric locale. I walked along the same path, this time not veering off as I had done months ago when I found Axl. He seemed to be on high alert as we ventured deeper in, crowded on either side by an assortment of pines, oaks, elms, and maples. As I looked around, I realized how much I had learned working at the nursery. Before taking that job, I wouldn't have known one tree from the next, the only exception being the birch trees that were common in northeastern Massachusetts, their discarded white bark being exceptionally useful when Jane and I wanted to start fires behind my old house in Bradford. I smiled, proud of my newly acquired knowledge.
I trudged along, pointing out various shrubbery to Axl, doing my best imitation of Michael explaining the local flora to me. He cocked his head, puzzled by my words. I imagined myself having the same bewildered look when Michael patiently educated me in all things botanical. Bluish-gray, spiky strands of Spanish moss completely covered some of the trees along the path, adding an ethereal beauty to the thick, green landscape.
About twenty minutes in, we came to a large clearing. I stopped at its edge, thinking it odd that such an immense space would be randomly located in the middle of a dense wood, for it looked as though it had been purposefully carved out. Then I remembered that this place was not a random space, but an Ataroth, a place of destiny, of supposed energy, ready to be tapped into by angels and their girlfriends. This could also be the place I had seen in my dream where Ty was able to conjure fire and druid-like figures chanted in the moonlight. I shook my head skeptically and stepped over the imaginary threshold into the waiting acreage.
My whole body quivered as I cautiously put one foot in front of the other, advancing into the expanse. Mr. Joshua was right; this place was electric. Excitement quickly replaced anxiety as I began to feel like I was floating, more than walking, over the ground. I twirled around and around, fantasizing that I was gliding above the field like one of the sandhill cranes that were commonplace in my new, marshy homeland.
After one twirl too many, I fell into the shaggy grass. As I laid there, perfectly still, I was certain I could hear the grass whispering, "Try it". Or maybe my dizzy brain was telling me that I was tired; after all, I existed in a constant state of sleep deprivation.
When the dizziness had passed, I placed my hands on either side of my hips in order to push myself up. I was ready to explore this fantastical place further. But when I pushed off, I catapulted myself a couple of feet off the ground.
"What the..."? I shrieked as I landed gracefully on my feet. Axl looked up at me, confused. I stood motionless for a long moment, looking around as though people were going to start peeking out from behind trees, giggling; me, realizing I was being punked.
Feeling relatively certain I was alone after several seconds had passed, I jumped. Although part of me felt foolish for daring to hope that I could repeat the previous stunt, I did it nonetheless.
"Yeeeaaahhh!" I shouted as I bounced around like John Carter. Well, not exactly like John Carter. I wasn't jumping football field distances, but definitely further than any long-jumper. It was as though I had springs built into my feet. If this was a mere fraction of how Ty and Mara felt all the time, I was officially jealous.
Wondering if this place afforded me any other enhancements, I leapt over to the clearing's edge and peered into the forest, looking for a rock to throw. I found one the size of a baseball and launched it skyward. "Amazing," I cheered as I watched the rock go up, up, up and then hurtle back to Earth, landing with a loud thud about fifty feet from where I was standing. I searched for a bigger rock and when I found the perfect one, I imagined myself as Tom Brady and fired that ball deep into the end zone, all the way across the field, its trajectory finally impeded by a large oak. "And the crowd goes wild," I shouted, making the obligatory crowd noise, then segued into my very own end zone dance.
I had never felt so alive! I tapped my inner gymnast and attempted a tuck, then a layout; first, a single; then, a double; then, a triple. "Wheeeeeee," I squealed happily. It seemed like all my senses were heightened. My eyesight was sharper; I could smell the distant marsh and the knock-out roses in my back yard; I could hear leaves rustling and tree frogs croaking.
Ecstatic, I couldn't wait to tell Mr. Joshua. "Come on, boy. Let's go," I called. As we began to run across the field, I realized that I was outpacing Axl. Sweet, I thought as I turned around and jogged backwards, waiting for him to catch up to me. Once we reached the path, however, I thought it prudent to walk, not wanting to run headlong into some outstretched tree limb waiting to smack me in the face.
Walking along, I thought of the fun Ty and I could have in this place and wondered if his innate abilities would be augmented as well. I pictured us in those ridiculous inflatable sumo wrestling suits, jumping high and crashing into each other in midair.
Lost in my daydreams, I was surprised when we seemed to have arrived so quickly at my back yard. I felt the energy seep from my body as we left the forest behind us. "Darn," I frowned, staring longingly behind me, reluctantly acknowledging my return to normalcy. I called Mr. Joshua from my chair on the back deck.
"Guess what, Mr. Joshua", I demanded, without waiting for a reply. "I just spent the past couple of hours in the Ataroth and it was incredible! I wanted to come over and talk to you about it, if that's okay. Please say it's okay."
"Sure, Esther," he chuckled. "Come on over."
I wasted no time in getting there. "It was so cool, Mr. Joshua," I huffed as I ran up his porch steps and through the open door where he was standing, waiting for me.
"You should have seen me. I could jump high and run fast and throw far and do flips and even my senses were improved," I rambled without taking a breath.
"Let's go sit in the kitchen. I put on some coffee; it should be ready," he said cordially, closing the door and ushering me in front of him.
I chose the same seat I had taken last time and made myself comfortable. "Do I smell cookies?"
"Chocolate chip. I think they're just about ready, too," he smiled, opening the oven door to check their progress, allowing the aroma to fill the small kitchen.
"Yum," I sang, waiting impatiently for him to ask me more about my time in the Ataroth. Instead, he busied himself with making coffee and taking the cookies out of the oven. After what seemed like an eternity, he brought me a mug of coffee, just the way I like it, and put a plateful of warm chocolate chip cookies between us. He grabbed his mug from the counter and joined me.
"So, tell me all about it," he finally requested.
I started from the second I entered the forest, recounting how I felt the same initial tingle as I moved the branches out of my way, and ending with the disappointment I felt when I left it behind.
He sat quietly, looking contemplatively into his cup of coffee. After a long moment, he exhaled through his nose, making a muffled hmmm sound as he did so. He rubbed his forefinger and thumb back and forth on his chin before he spoke.
"I imagine, Esther, that you've been allowed to have that experience to give you peace. Scripture says that we'll have tribulation in this world, but we should take heart. You were troubled as to your part in the final battle; you've been given a foretaste, if you will, to assuage your anxiety. Obviously, you will play an important part and now you can take comfort in the fact that you'll be an asset, not a liability. You'll have superhuman abilities, Esther. That's got to make you feel better, yes?"
"Yes, definitely," I said unemotionally.
"W
hat's wrong? You went from exuberant to morose."
"I think morose might be a little strong, but, before now, I hadn't actually pictured myself fighting in the battle. You're making it seem real."
"Just because it's a future event, doesn't mean it's not real."
"I guess I know that. In my brain. It's just more natural for me to think of it in the same vein as historical fiction - sure, there are some facts in the story, but, ultimately, it's still fiction. Kind of the same way I used to think of angels and demons." I snickered and felt the left side of my mouth raise up as I closed my eyes. "Boy, you really know how to let the air out of a girl's balloon."
"I didn't mean to do that, Esther. I apologize."
"It's okay."
Mr. Joshua picked up a cookie and handed it to me. "On the bright side, now you have somewhere to retreat to when all this gets overwhelming. You should think of the Ataroth as your 'happy place'."
"Good idea," I laughed, my mood suddenly elevated. "It is an awesome place, regardless of its future use."
"That's the attitude!"
I took a bite of my cookie, feeling proud, as though I was a dog and he had just said "good girl". It was still warm and the chocolate chips were gooey. "Mmmm."
"They're my favorite," Mr. Joshua agreed, picking up a cookie.
After I finished the last bite, I said, "Well, I guess I should get home. I have a lot of homework to do and I'm going to be up half the night at this point." Not that I could remember the last time I got a good night's sleep.
He got up from the table and began to rummage through one of kitchen cabinets. "This'll do," he said to himself, inspecting the medium-sized piece of tupperware. He then proceeded to place all the cookies inside, pressed down on the lid, and burped it in order to let out any extra air.
"Sustenance," he smiled, as he handed me the container.
"Thanks, Mr. Joshua. You're the best." I gave him a hug and let myself out the front door.