Part Four
The Portal
Again I found myself standing alone on the green, green grass. Many people, or perhaps they were spirits, walked here and there looking quite contented. My familiars were spirits and I was not, so a logical deduction was there were different types of beings in this Place. Also, to paraphrase a 1970's song—love was in the air. Love, like that from a mother, and peace of mind mingled with the knowledge and contentedness that surrounded me. In fact, everyone looked happy; yet, something was bothering me.
A park bench appeared at my side. Sitting down heavily, with a tinge of worry, I searched myself to find the problem. Quite frankly, it wasn't hard to identify what was wrong. His face appeared in my mind's eye—Craig, my husband of 27 years. I missed him and felt very far away from him. With eyes closed and hands resting on my thighs, I sighed. This realization caused me to feel rather sad. A tear fell from my right eye.
Suddenly, that small, soft hand which felt familiar and comforting was resting on top of one of my own hands. My eyes opened wide with an idea.
"Patrick, let's go get Craig. I need to be with him, and he would love it here."
"I'm sorry, Katie. We can't. If everyone from the Other Side came here, this Place would become just like the Other Side. Most people and even some spirits aren't capable of understanding this Place. We brought you because you were spiritually ready to experience and comprehend what this Place can offer. Katie, you are one of very few," Patrick said compassionately.
I leaned back and took Patrick's hand in mine. My father was walking toward us with a concerned look on his face. He folded his tall frame and sat beside me.
"Daddy, I have to ask again. Did I die? Is this Heaven?"
"The answer to both of those questions is a definite 'no.' Heaven is a completely different place. Your mother is there. Being the homebody she always has been she prefers to stay there. But I venture out-and-about occasionally and this is one of my favorite places. Of course, my favorite is the Other Side, visiting you."
"Yeah, I know. I have actually felt both of you from time-to-time. But lately, only you," I relayed quietly. My daddy shifted his position on the bench to face me.
"Just after she left her Earthly body, your mama had to assure herself you were all right. That was quickly confirmed, just as she suspected. She just had to see for herself that you were doing fine. Now, most often she stays in that state of worship and love that is Heaven. Patrick, Dennis and I also belong there, but all spirits are free to experience other planes of existence if we so choose. I am both saddened and proud that you have found the flaw in this Place. Here is seemingly contentedness itself—indeed a Perfect Place. But for human beings perfection is hard won. Love is a varied and unpredictable phenomenon. Your strong emotional connection to Craig cannot be replaced by anything physical or spiritual in this Place. This may be the reason the portal remains open for the living and the after-living. Is that a word? Oh, well. It is now." My dad turned toward a figure, shimmering in the air.
"Hey, y'all, somthin's a goin' on over at the portal," Dennis said in his John Wayne imitation. The three of us looked skeptical. "I'm not kiddin'. There really is." He actually did sound serious.
"What could it be?" I asked. "Hey, wait a second. Don't you know what's happening? I mean, I thought everybody knew everything here."
"Come to think of it, Katie-bug, this news does come as a surprise. And that's saying something, because this Place usually has no surprises," my father mused. "I thought I felt something odd back there in Literature. And didn't Leonardo seem to be somewhat troubled?" For some reason all our eyes were drawn to Patrick.
"We must go there," Patrick said evenly. He nodded once and shimmered into a grouping of multicolored lights.
Dennis and Dad each took one of my hands, and the world dissolved into sparkling light. Bright white, ruby red, and amethyst. These colors filled my universe, but I realized mine was the amethyst. But as before, the sensation was brief and wonderful, but finite. We became ourselves again and were very near the portal. I saw the portal as a sliding basement window. Perhaps it appeared as different sorts of things to the others who were gathered about the area.
The atmosphere was one of confusion—apparently an unusual occurrence in this Place. Men and women in all sorts of dress stood waiting. The crowd grew larger as the minutes passed. Some figures went through the portal without any interaction with anyone else.
But suddenly, a rustling noise could be heard above the murmur of the crowd. A figure was exerting itself tremendously and seemed to be struggling through the window from the Other Side. The figure eventually emerged, flapped its wings once and landed gently on the grass. The crowd pulled back with a collective gasp.
"Do not be afraid. I have been sent to deliver a message to this Place." The voice was pleasant, almost melodious. It sounded male and seemed to not come from any particular part of the figure. Seemingly, the words radiated from all parts of his body. The wings again flapped, and the figure rose in the air to perch on a horizontal tree limb.
"Time in this Place of Knowledge is drawing to a close. Though largely successful, it has been found to have a flaw. By the time I emerge from the cocoon in which I shall soon be encased only one will remain here. He or she must be worthy and willing to go with this Place wherever the heavenly being wishes. His plan is not yet known, save he requires the help of one of you."
The figure appeared to be something like a gargoyle, yet not as ugly as those famed creatures have a propensity to be. In face, the facial features were not actually discernible; yet, they were glorious. The body appeared to be covered in several colors of hair, or perhaps it was fur. The wings were leathery, yet light in color and graceful like those of a bat. A golden brown-threaded substance began spinning around at his feet.
"The time of knowing is over. You must find the answer among yourselves." The threads were coalescing into the beginnings of a cocoon. "You have two days—give or take a day or two."
The disquieted crowd stirred further. A beautiful lady said she could not stay—her husband and children were on the Other Side. A Tibetan monk expressed regret that he must leave—his duty was to his order on the Other Side. A man, apparently from India by the brightly colored turban he wore on his head, also stated he had to go back home. In fact, most everyone had very good reasons to return to the Other Side, much like I did—loved ones. I turned toward my Dad expectantly. He could be the one.
"Oh, no, I cannot. I must return to your mother and our Lord. Plus, who would look after you, my Katie-bug?"
"And I have to go back, too. I've gotta watch over my sisters and their families," Dennis said with determination. A voice then boomed across the crowd. All attention was turned to the speaker. Dennis and Daddy pulled back a bit from the forthcoming pronouncement.
"I will stay. I can make the sacrifice," the man said, looking upward. A heavy quiet came over the crowd. Then my father cleared his throat nervously. So did the gargoyle.
"No, you are not the one," the voice called from the branch. The cocoon had inched upward and was encasing the folded wings. The gargoyle fidgeted a bit. But now we could see eyes, watching the man who had spoken hurry toward the window. He seemed upset and insulted and wasted no time stepping through the portal.
"It's just as well. He is truly not the right choice. In life he was a powerful political person, and people like him sometimes have traits not so becoming to heavenly beings. Moreover, most people have ties to which they must return. It is interesting that those who do not desire to return to the Other Side are not worthy of being chosen…and those worthy of being chosen must return to the Other Side," my father said thoughtfully.
Behind the first man came the monk and the woman. Others, too, moved toward the window and disappeared. However, most seemed indecisive. Not I.
"Of course I must go back," I said softly. "But when?"
"We may not know what is happening here, Katie, but we will know whe
n the time for you to return will be, of that I am sure," Patrick said with a dimpled cheek. His sweet face seemed to glow a bit, and I thought he might transform again into bright lights. But he remained himself, took my hand and our companions joined us walking toward the bench. A steady stream of people moved past us—toward the portal—some recognizable, some not. None returned. It seemed an exodus of sorts was happening in this Place.
Mississippi John winked at me as he ambled by. Helen Keller walked over, and I rose to my feet to give her a hug. Carl Gauss saluted us as he walked by. Freddie Mercury waved flamboyantly on his way past. Dr. Seuss actually burst out laughing when seeing us gathered at the side of the path. We had to laugh with relief at that very, funny man. William Shakespeare cast an amused glance in my direction and Henry James seemed not to notice us at all. Claude Monet and Inez waved happily, and Plato stoically passed by.
"I know who it should be!" I exclaimed, bouncing on the bench. My companions looked at me curiously. "Leonardo. It should be Leonardo da Vinci."
Suddenly, the epitome of the Renaissance man stood before me. He reached for my hand and raised me to my feet. Again he looked deeply into my eyes, and I understood more than before. He had some unfinished business. Shaking his head sadly, Leonardo turned to leave. I clasped his arm for a moment and mouthed a "thank you." An almost imperceptible nod was the only acknowledgement. However, it was quite comforting to know that even after so many centuries there was still something he needed to do.
A change became more obvious—a tangible feeling was in the air. The great knowledge was slipping away. The love and protection remained, so I was not overly concerned. I had learned so much, experienced things unavailable on the other side of the window, and was happy to know I would be able to return home. Plus, I knew my father would be out there, watching over me like a guardian angel. A slight smile appeared on my face, as I realized this knowledge would be my own on the Other Side—no one could know, nor would they likely believe even should they be told. Something urged me to look at my companions. Patrick squeezed my hand, and the four of us walked. We walked past the gates of knowledge which were now unmistakably fading away. The weather sign and clock were blank. The sky was becoming filled with the soft colors of a spring sunset. Even the breeze had vanished. Eventually, or perhaps it was a very short time later, my companions and I stood at the bottom of the tree near the portal. We looked upward upon hearing a crackling noise coming from above. The cocoon was rocking back and forth.
"Bye, y'all. I gotta go," Dennis said to our group. Then he turned to me. "Be good, Katie. Tell my sisters…well, you'll think of somethin'. And awaaaay we go!" Dennis transformed into a single bright white light, and shot through the portal. He was gone.
"Katie-bug, know that I love you, and I'll be seeing you," my father said with a small smile. He gently touched my cheek with the back of his right forefinger. I caught his hand with mine and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his weathered cheek. Tears came to my eyes, as he shimmered into a ruby red sphere of light that gently rolled out of my arms and slowly floated toward the window. The sphere paused and seemed to acknowledge the cocoon which was now rocking wildly back-and-forth like a high-speed pendulum. My dear ol' dad in his ruby red sphere of light disappeared through the window. An empty feeling came over me. I knelt next to Patrick, and we looked up at the cocoon. The case was breaking apart.
"Oh, Patrick, I must go home. What about you?" I asked worriedly.
The little boy with the wise face again began to glow. My eyes grew wide, as I realized everyone else was gone—and he was the chosen one. He was the pure one, the innocent, the one who had lived a thousand lives in just a few short years. I held him tightly, and he clasped his little arms around my neck firmly for a few moments. Our attention was drawn upward as the cocoon was breaking apart.
"It's time for me to go, Patrick. I'm so glad it's you," I said happily. Standing back from him a bit, I could see he was glowing brightly. I smiled and bowed to the cocoon, or more accurately the glorious creature that was emerging from the cocoon. I moved to the window and stood ready to step through. But I could not turn my back on the unbelievable scene at the tree.
The creature, or being, or angel—whatever it was which emerged from the cocoon was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. With wings of a butterfly like stained glass panels exuding lights of every imaginable color and a crown of gold resting on his head, the being gently floated down from the tree. He landed next to Patrick and folded his glorious wings around the little boy who had transformed into the being of colorful flashing lights I had seen before. The butterfly angel turned his very large eyes the endless blue color of the sky toward me. A feeling of benevolent finality poured over me. All I could think of was "good. Then he spoke to me or into my mind.
Do not mourn this Perfect Place. Look deep within yourself, Katie, and you will find your own Perfect Place.
The large blue eyes turned away, and the being took flight with the flashing lights that were Patrick. The sky, the trees, the grass—literally everything began to shift into swirling, multicolored light. I turned from what I thought was The Perfect Place and happily stepped through the window to the Other Side to get that letter and go find Craig and Cricket.
Coming Soon from Blazing Star Books!
Ridin' Around
By Elaine Fields Smith
REMEMBER WHEN CRUISIN' WITH MUSIC AND FRIENDS WAS ALL YOU NEEDED TO HAVE FUN?
Go to www.ridinaroundbook.com for excerpts and to send an email to get on the list to be notified of the release of Ridin' Around – Taillights in Chrome, 8-Tracks on Wheels…
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