The Aventures of Marcus Washington

CHAPTER ONE
NEW FRIENDS


I’ll never forget the day that would forever change my life. I had found the solitude and peace I had craved since my days with my drunken father and nosy foster parents. I never dreamed that was all about to end.
It was mid morning of a hot, summer’s day. Here I was a runaway kid with lots of free time on my hands. Boredom got me to thinking what I would do to pass the time away. I had two choices; find some petrified wood about a day’s walk from here, or catch me a turtle along the riverbank. I decided on the easier of my two choices, the turtle, since I was next to the river.
I eased down onto my elbows where I had seen a turtle earlier. I moved only when the breeze moved the grass. That way Mr. Turtle wouldn't hear any unnatural sounds. I hadn't crawled more than a few feet when the air stilled and not one sound, not even the sound of a bird was heard. The stillness grew. I glanced up at the cloudless sky and saw
nothing but a buzzard high overhead. Something didn't seem right and I ignored that little inner voice as I continued crawling along. Without warning, the river began boiling, marring the water’s calm. All of a sudden, a jet of water shot up several feet into the air! Within seconds, a thunderous rumbling and shaking and a fountain of water and mud shot high into the air! The noise became deafening. The mist from the waterspout created an instant rainbow in the bright, morning sunlight. I climbed to my feet and found a perch in the roots of an old blown down tree from where I entertained myself, watching whatever forces were at work out there. The falling spray from the geyser was now at least a hundred feet and still climbing! The spray was a refreshing reprieve from the summer heat. I watched fish, a snake, and some other critters getting sucked up into the still rising waterspout. Once near the top they would come flapping out of the geyser and fall back into the river with some animals dying from their fall back into the river. Instead of swimming for dear life or floating on the water, they’d be sucked up for another wild ride. I never realized so much life thrived in a river. The fountain continued climbing still higher with the the smell of vegetation and mud.
As I was about to skedaddle out of there, the ground began to shake something fierce!
I’m experiencing my first earthquake! I thought
The ground shook with renewed energy and I fell from my perch down into the mud. I tried getting my legs under me when the ground gave me a resounding boot that landed me on my feet. The thunderous rumbling and shaking continued as I grabbed again for the roots of the downed tree. Clouds began materializing out of the clear sky, gathering faster than was natural, and with not one puff of wind to move them! The fields next to the river began kicking up large huffs of dust that mixed with the vapor from the fountain. Everything rapidly coated with mud. Fear squeezed at my heart as the thickened vapor turned into murky clouds, partially hiding the fountain as it continued building higher. The falling mud added to my dreamlike surroundings, coating me with mud that smelled of the river. I struggled to catch my breath as another jet of water shot into the muddied mess that turned into a raging mass of water and mud with lightening striking at it repeatedly. The unbearable sound was that of cannon in a desperate battle, shaking the roots of the tree I was clinging to.
My fear turned to awe as a few surving snakes, turtles, and frogs came charging out of the river. One big old cottonmouth slid across my sneakers in its haste to escape. I didn’t have enough wits about me to be frightened.
The ground shook with renewed energy that sent me sprawling back
into the mud. I managed to knuckle the muck from one eye in time to see the river had gone altogether wild. The world is ending, I thought.
I cleared the bog water from one eye in time to watch the storm clouds recede and they were gone! The fountain of water came crashing back into the river causing a wall of water to come rushing toward me. I half turned before it hit. With utter desperation I clung to the roots of the blow down and felt as though I was at the bottom of the river. It seemed an eternity before the wave passed, and went crashing into the wheat field behind me. The wheat was destroyed for several hundred feet inland. The water from both sides of the river began to drain back from its wild ride. I climbed higher up on the roots of the downed tree and watched snakes and turtles ride the backwash on its return to the river with fish flopping in the ruined wheat.
The moment the water stilled, I was looking at what my mind would not accept. I blinked several times to make sure my eyes were still working.
Here I was living the rural life in my fashionable dwelling that consisted of a tarp I had found while rummaging through some dumpsters in the nearby town of Chadron. My well-hidden country home was situated in the brush and cottonwoods along this ever so peaceful river. I had constructed my home by placing the tarp over a tree limb spaced a few feet above two other limbs that gave some pitch to the roof that continued on down to the ground. It kept the rain out until the ground became soaked. The wetness would crawl in on me and I my sitdown would become miserable and cold. I was ever thankful it had not rained all that much since I had set up residence here. The tarp had a small tear in it that made for a convenient spy hole. If company should arrive, I would make good my escape through the weeds and brush next to the river. Maybe one of these days I would get me a mailbox and set her right up next to my front door.
I didn’t have many assets and they consisted of two dirty old blankets that still had the smell of whatever had died on them and a magnifying glass that I could start a fire with when the sun was shining. In addition, I had my good old Swiss army knife, the clothes on my back, and what was left of my chewing tobacco.
It is amazing the thoughts that passed through my mind while confronted with the damnedest sight I ever did see.
“Impossible!” I shouted at the apparition out on the river, hoping it would disappear: for two of the most outlandish looking people were standing on the water. Yes sir-ree, standing right there on the water as if it was solid ground and staring at me! I was one scared cross-eyed immigrant as I fell out of the roots of the old blow down. I landed on my hands and knees in the mud where the last of the water was draining back into the river. I knelt mesmerized, staring at a muscular, bald headed giant I have ever did put eyes on. At his side, was a smaller man waving to me!
My pulse quickened as my mind and senses sharpened. I fixed my gaze onto the giant and saw he was wearing a dark blue vest with nothing under it but bronze colored skin. The style and cut made it look too small for it exposed his bare his chest. His pants, if you could call them that, were baggy and light blue with a lustrous, silky texture similar to his slippers. The two began walking toward me on the water and their clothes appeared to be dry as if they had never been on the river!
Their footsteps on the water left not a ripple on the water’s surface.
Anyone who walks on water and keep their clothes dry has to be some organized. Yes sir-ree, those two should be in show business, I thought.
My heart traveled north into my throat and I couldn’t speak or move. It wasn’t natural that someone could appear on the river and survive with all that lightening and stuff, let alone walk on water. No sir-ree bob, it just wasn’t right. There is no living soul who can do these things. I resigned myself to the idea that I was looking at the devil and one of his fallen angels: and they were coming for me!
An emerging sun flashed on what looked to be a golden armlet around the giant’s left forearm. The smaller of the two men had two golden armlets similar to the death angel’s armlet. I struggled to my feet to flee as the duo continued striding toward me. Grabbing onto the root of the old blow down to steady myself so I could run, I was amazed to see the smaller of the two smile at me and throw up his right hand in a greeting.
They were getting too close for comfort. I turned to escape and with my first step, I went head over teakettle into the river. I hadn’t filled my lungs with air and being in a frightful state, I used up what little oxygen I had before I reached the bottom of the river. My lungs began filling with muddy water. I clawed my way to the surface when I felt a huge pair of hands grip me under the armpits and lift me out of the water.
I knuckled some of the mess out of my eyes in time to see the big ox set me down. Again, I was kneeling in the mud. I began gagging fighting for air. My head felt as if it was going to burst and the urge to heave up the river was gone when realized I felt a smaller hand upon my shoulder. I had regained my ability to breathe! I drew in a lungful of wonderful air as I tried to brush some of the mud off my arms.
Still kneeling in the mud, I locked eyes on the smaller man and asked, “How did you do that? Why don’t I hurt? Who are you?”
The man looked back at me with concern and said nothing. I swung my head toward the giant and repeated my questions. The huge one looked at me without the least bit of understanding, as if he were deaf. He smiled before he glanced at the younger one as if looking for a cue of some kind.
The younger man smiled, “He doesn’t understand English yet.”
I scrambled up from the mud speechless and stared at him as mud and water dripped from me. I saw he was in his early twenties and well under six foot. His dark complexion was much similar to my own. His hair was curly and light brown. Ice blue eyes suggested an intense intelligence. His narrow bridge nose and high checks reminded me much of my Grandfather. His smile displayed well-kept teeth, adding warmth and friendliness to his countenance. Although he was a likable looking sort, didn’t mean I was going to get chummy with him. One thing I had learned, never trust anyone but yourself.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off his strange looking clothes, which looked like what the ancient Romans wore in the movies. Maybe he is Roman, only a dead one, come to haunt me. Even the muddy water didn’t soil or cling to his dry, spotless clothing. His golden armlets continuously flashed in the sunlight. The sleeves of his white tunic ended slightly above the elbows. His garment looked to be made of a soft material with a band of gold woven into it. The golden border sparkled with every movement he made. It circled the opening at his neck and connected across each shoulder. It continued from the shoulders to beneath the arms and continued down the sides where it joined the hem below the knees. I wondered why he didn’t clank when he walked for the hem was all gold as well. The golden trim was outlined in dark blue that made it all the more metallic looking. His tunic was gathered at the waist by a wide, dark blue belt. Where a belt buckle should have been was a strange looking symbol inlaid with gold.
The odd looking emblem was an upside down triangle with a circle inside that touched the three inner sides of the triangle. The entire emblem had a fire all its own. The man was a walking gold mine.
Embarrassed to be caught studying him I glanced down at his feet and saw he was wearing dark blue slippers similar to the giant’s, but his were trimmed with a wide band of sparkling gold about an inch from the top.
Reality generated cold fear that clutched at my heart. I now realized I was looking at the angel Gabriel and I was going to die. The giant with him was the butcher from hell and he was the one who was going to send me there!
With my life hanging in the balance, I couldn’t think of anything to say. I pointed to the younger man’s feet, “Is that real gold?”
“Yes Marcus, its all real gold, including the arm bands. The wearing of it is a custom of royalty. The triangle with the circle in it is my royal seal of authority.”
How does he know my name, I thought.
I gave him my best; I don’t believe you look,
“Are you a king?” I asked, feeling as if I were a tenth grade student who couldn’t spell the word “I,” at a spelling bee. I can not remember when I wanted a chew as much as I did at that moment and wished I were somewhere else, like many thousands of miles away.
The king or whatever he was got my attention when he answered, “No Marcus, I’m a Prince.”
Placing his hand on the giant’s forearm he continued, “And this is my friend and servant, Oja.”
Another ploy while they toy with me, for surely they are going to send me to hell and are taking their time about doing it. Or, they could be conditioning me, dragging out this ordeal to get me in the right miserable frame of mind before sending me straight to hell.
As the silence grew, I shoved my shaking hands into my pockets, “How come you made me feel so strange when you put your hand on my shoulder right after the death angel dragged me out of the water?”
The man grinned, “I read your mind when I placed my hand on your shoulder Marcus. I had to, to learn your language. Otherwise, I couldn’t communicate with you. But I’ll have to admit, I have learned everything you have learned in your thirteen years of life.”
Still smiling, the man looked into my soul, “My friend, I also had to touch you to remove the water from your lungs.”
To stall for time, I replied as adult and mature as I could muster at the moment, “You could very well be reading my mind. You see, I have read several books on thought transfer and I do some fortune telling myself,” I pushed my hands deeper into my pockets so he couldn’t see them shaking.
I began feeling full of myself when the man gave me a penetrating look, “Marcus, I know you don’t believe in thought transfer or fortune telling any more than I do.”
Pausing for breath he gave me his broadest smile yet, “I can also tell you, you can’t read or write all that well. You have spent most of your time avoiding books and school. I also know you have devoted yourself to everything else that’s related to leisure and the wasting of your life.”
I was speechless! My apprehension began working overtime. Realizing that merely minutes ago they had arrived here in fire and brimstone, not to mention an earthquake and somehow they had walked on water. It just wasn’t human. I was going to die for my avoiding school and life. My sins had caught up with me!
I felt the soggy mess of chewing tobacco through my pants pocket as it began stinging my leg, reassuring me of my one last touch with reality. I knew if I didn’t get it out quick, I would never have a chance to finish chewing it.
The Prince looked about, “Oja will prepare a place for us to sit and there we will refresh ourselves and be comfortable while I explain a few things to Marcus and why we are here.”
The Prince gave me his full attention and said, “We’ll get comfortable and then you and I will get better acquainted.”
Nodding my head up and down as if it was on sprung hinges I thought, while they make whatever it is they make to sit on, I’ll edge around them and run for it. It can’t be more than a couple of miles to town. I would much sooner take my chances with the sheriff than with these two from hell.
The angel Gabriel must have sensed my doubt about sitting with them for he placed his hand on my shoulder and was silent for a moment, “Please relax Marcus, we won’t harm you, we just want to be your friends.”
Shrugging the smaller man’s hand from my shoulder, I stepped back, “Why should I trust you and how do I know you read my mind?”
Placing hands on hips and with his eyes boring into mine, he said “I will easily prove it to you Marcus,” pausing to collect his thoughts, he smiled and continued, “The ‘T’ in your middle name stands for Tarbell, doesn’t it?”
I was numb founded! I have never, ever told anyone that stupid name. I the heat began building up in my face something fierce. To prolong my life for as long as I could, I withdrew the chew from my pocket and intentionally taking my sweet old time, I picked off the lint. With my cleaning ritual completed, I bit of a piece and popped it into my mouth. Cheeks bulging, and eyes protraying my reluctance, I nodded that he was correct and swallowed a mouthful of juice and river water. It tasted more like bog water than tobacco, I thought as I concentrated on refocusing my sight.
I belched from the soul and the Prince smiled a knowing smile, “Now to answer your question about trusting us. I understand how you feel, seeing how we came here from out of nowhere and frightened you with our dramatic arrival.”
I was shaking my head up and down more from fright than from acknowledging him. The tobacco juice flew with a furious vigor of it’s own. With every quiver of my head the death angel stepped back out of range.
The death angel said, “If there had been another way for us to get here, we wouldn’t have come here like this. I do sincerely apologize for any trouble we have caused you, my friend. Shortly, you’ll know a lot more about us.”
My stomach clutched with hunger pangs and being so nervous around these two added immensely to my miserable discomfort. Maybe the tobacco I was chewing made my stomach think it was going to get fed. At that moment, if I had all the food in the world at my disposal, I would not have been able to eat any of it, now that I realized my time on earth was about up.
The Prince gave his attention to the giant by signaling him with some sign talk, and motioned toward the devastated wheat field. The giant bowed his head to the Prince as they walked toward the ruined field with me following behind. I kicked a couple of dead fish out of my way and kept several feet of distance between the Prince and myself. I didn’t want to expose my back to these two. I kept a close eye on the giant as he led us away from the river. I noticed a golden earring dangling from the big buffoon’s left ear. I continued in the rear, waiting for my chance to make the run of my life.
The man’s head was clean-shaven, that made it easy to see the ring glistening in the midday sun. Reluctantly, I noticed the death angel had a stern but kind face. He glanced toward me and I noticed his deep-set brown eyes overhung with bushy, black eyebrows. A well-proportioned nose complemented his square face. High rounded cheeks balanced generous lips that parted in a smile. He glanced back at me again, as I studied him, his grin broadened, revealing flawless white teeth. The angel halted in the wheat field and raised his hands.
I thought, now I know they either have a lot of dentists or angels’ teeth don’t rot.. Neither one of the them looked to ever have had a cavity or a toothache. Of course, spirit people’s teeth don’t rot.
The giant clapped his hands together and a floating, dark blue carpet appeared before us!
The giant clapped his hands again. Quicker than the blink of a skunk’s eye, four bright red golden, fluffy cushions appeared on the floating thing! The apparition rose to about the height of my waist and floated toward us with no means of support showing.
I thought, He’s good at making things look real when they’re not.
The death angel hadn’t said a word yet. Maybe his tongue had been cut out. Maybe they do that to all death-dealing angels so they can‘t tell how many they have sent to hell and damnation. Maybe instead of going to hell, I might get lucky and become a slave with my tongue cut out.
The Prince pointed to the carpet, “Marcus, please sit there with me while we talk.”
This was getting too spooky for me. Whoever heard of sitting on a carpet that doesn’t exist? It looks as if it’s there, but I ain’t no fool and I ain’t going to sit there and fall on my hinny while that other one sends me on to judgment. They must think I have fruit salad for brains.
The so called Prince must have seen the doubt etched on my face for he waved his hands in sign talk to Baldy and said for my benefit, “Oja, why don’t you make us some shade so our friend will be more comfortable?”
The death angel bowed his head toward Gabriel and nodded it toward the carpet and another carpet identical to the first, was floating above the other creating instant shade. It seemed nothing supported it but the man’s will. I rushed the short distance to the carpets, and ran my hands under the underside and couldn’t find anything supporting it! I became one spooked, repenting and tobacco chewing sinner right then and there looking for salvation. I leaped backwards, my balance and landed on the ground and all thoughts of rependence vanished. I couldn’t speak as I had knocked the wind out of myself.
Breathless and vulnerable, I sat up and fought the impulse to run. My fright multiplied as maggots on fresh road kill in August. Succumbing to instinct, I climbed to my feet and began running for all I was worth toward town. It’s amazing how fast one will regain their wind when scared and their wits have fled further than one will ever flee physically.
I blazed a trail through the new wheat as I fled the scene. I don’t think there is an Olympic runner that could have run any faster than I that day. With great ragged sobs, I kept pumping my legs for safety. Shortly, I was onto the path for town where freedom and my life were waiting for me. When the trees hid me from their sight, I did not slow. My speed increased as I began running down a gentle, sloping hill. All of a sudden, standing there in front of me was that confounded Prince, hands on hips, smiling at me. I darted to the left only to see him standing where he wasn’t a second ago, blocking my escape. He didn’t even appear to have moved and had remained motionless although he was everywhere at once!
Sounding like a divorce lawyer, the Prince said, “Marcus, please don’t be afraid of us. We don’t mean you any harm. Look at me, I’m not even out of breath and I didn’t have to run to get here either.”
Giving up my run for town I bent over, head hanging; hands on knees and dragged down great gulps of air. I heard the angel continue, “But look at you my friend. You’re exhausted and you can’t escape unless I allow you to. I will, if you’re sure that is what you want. We want to be your friends, Marcus. Come back to the river and at least hear what I have to say. If you still want to leave after that, Oja will send you anywhere in the world you want to go. What do you say Marcus?”
I replied as if I had got caught with my hand in the cookie jar, “I don’t know. I know you’re the death angel is all I know.”
“I know, that when I touched you last, but were not angels.”
“What are you then?”
“That’s what I want to explain to you and I promise you, Oja will see to it that you are kept well feed until you’re old enough to work and able to support yourself . What do you say, Marcus?”
I stared at the ground as I continued to gulp air. I tried in vain to speak. I averted his imploring look only for a moment. The Prince waved his opened hand before me and my labored breathing and discomfort were gone. To this day I haven’t figured out what made me give in to the man, for I heard myself declare, “I’m a dead Indian anyway, so-”
Before I finished speaking, we were standing back by the carpet. That confounded servant of the Prince was standing with arms folded across his chest, smiling at me.
The Prince smiled at me as well and turned to his servant and using that mystified hand talk, he said aloud, “Oja, Marcus has decided to visit with us.”
The Prince gave me his full attention, “Marcus, sit there with me on the carpet and I’ll explain everything to your satisfaction.” He flew through the air and landed on the carpet in a prone position with two of the red cushions under his head.
It was some tempting, for there I wouldn’t have to worry about snakes. I would be comfortable one last time before going to hell. Temptation for rest welled up within me and devoured my reluctance.
I expected one of them to float me through the air as the Prince did moments ago. I stood before them relaxed, letting my body go limp. . . waiting. I never felt a thing until my face hit the ground. I couldn’t see a damn thing, but I know what dirt tastes like. It tastes like humiliation and embarrassment. I climbed to my feet and spit out what dirt I could. I felt so foolish thinking I was going to fly. The sting of humiliation filled my throat more than my chew that was chocking me. I looked down at my sneakers. The mud had dried considerably. I could feel it pulling at my skin. I was becoming uncomfortable.
I brushed some of it from my pants when I realized they were clean with no mud or water on them. I glanced up at the two of them and noticed neither of them was laughing or censuring me. Nonchalantly as I could, I remarked while feeling for mud on my arms, “I like falling down. Clears the cobwebs and keeps me on my toes.”
These strange people being nice to me, reminded me of what my Ma would do before killing a chicken. She would feed the thing and treat it as one of the family for a few minutes before making food out of it. This is what they’re doing, buttering me up for the kill. Nice touch, I thought.
I climbed onto the carpet and made myself as comfortable as I could under the circumstances. I tried tucking a cushion behind my head, but I was too nervous to keep it there. The servant spread his hands out, palms up and the carpet lifted further off of the ground and became steady as the rock of Gibraltar.
I began to relax and my body began to tremble violently, uncontrollably so. I couldn’t help myself; I wet my pants. Embarrassed again, I jumped up and fell from the carpet. I had lost all muscle control and lay trembling on the ground. It seemed I was beginning to spend more time on the ground than on my feet.
The giant stooped down and lifted me up. I noticed the trembling had stopped and my pants were dry as if they had never been soiled. This time the servant assisted me back onto the carpet and I laid back on the cushions and felt grateful for being alive. I kept my eyes closed so as not to betray myself. Feeling relaxed now I asked, “What is you name, Mr. Prince?”
“Abba Cadabra. I know your hungry and since it’s been more than three days for you without food, I’m sure you would enjoy eating, wouldn’t you?”
He scored a hit right in my most vulnerable spot, my stomach. I got to thinking; I wonder how he knows that? Since the nearest food would be in town. Maybe he’d send the giant in for a hamburger or something. At least I’d eat before going to hell’s fire. Being a Prince, he sure enough would have a wad of bills big enough to own a whole chain of hamburger joints. Unless of course, that weird outfit of his doesn’t have any pockets in it.
I’ll eat, I thought, and I will have enough strength for escaping. Since they can stand on water, I could dive under water where they won’t be able to get me while I hide in the weeds.
With my most persuasive smile, I replied, “Now that I get to thinking on it, I am kinda hungry and wish I to eat all the food I’ve been thinking about today.”
The Prince said something in another language to the giant. The man began turning away when the Prince raised his right hand halting him. Turning to me, he said, “Oja doesn’t understand English and I was instructing him on what foods to get. I think it would be better if he understands your language and we will always talk this language and eliminate any confusion that developes from your not understanding us.”
The Prince reached out and touched the giant’s forearm. Turning to me he said, “Now Oja will communicate with you in your language as if he had been speaking it all of his life.”
While this explanation took place, the big man stood still with arms folded across his chest, watching me. In a soft bass voice and with my accent, he said, “Marcus, please believe my Master when he tells you things,” smiling at me again, he continued, “Your unbelief is written all over your face.”
My face was heating up something awful.
The Prince added, “Marcus, what I said to Oja was for him to prepare us a meal, one you have been wanting since yesterday. I also told him to get enough for all of us, as it would be interesting for us to sample your foods. He’ll get your chewing tobacco too, whatever that is. I understand from your mind, it’s a habit associated with a leafy plant called tobacco and you enjoy the chewing of it, especially the spitting part.”
I didn’t know if these two were for real or if they were doing a dirty trick on me. Either way, as long as I got the food and the tobacco who cares if they are good guessers?
Cadabra’s servant brought me back to the present, “Master, before I prepare this meal, I must seek out the food and taste the flavor, so it just right.”
I thought, I guess he can’t cook and he’s making his excuses, saying he has to seek out the flavor, so he can get it just right. He doesn’t even know what chewing tobacco is either. And how does one seek out the flavor? Now I know they think I’m running on low wattage.
I gave him my big dumb-wit smile as I heard the Prince say, “Oja, I’m not sure what tobacco is. All I seem to gather from Marcus, it’s a leafy vegetable grown in the ground and people buy it in the stores. Oja, I wish for you to find out what it is and make it for him.”
The giant bowed to the Prince and said, “Your wish is my obey, Master.” The big ox turned to me, smiled and disappeared into the proverbial thin air! One second he was there and gone the next. My mouth fell open as reality set in. While I sat on the carpet, slack jawed and eyes glazed, the Prince turned to me, “I’m sure you have some questions, don’t you?”
“Does a possum have hair on it?” I blurted out, for awe and curiosity now overcame my fear of them. I thought, Of course I have questions, lots of questions.
Double dim-witted from all the strange and unnatural events of the day, I stupidly asked, “He disappeared, didn’t he?”
“Yes he did Marcus and that’s part of what I want to talk with you about. Oja and I have the ability to create whatever we wish. or travel wherever we desire by visualizing it in our mind. Only royalty and our royal servants have this gift. At home I’m called the Prince of Magic and my father, the King, is the King of Magic.”
Now that the Prince had began talking about royalty and magic, I began to loose whatever interest and respect I was getting for him. No doubt, he and the giant had escaped from Wackoville and were harmless. They have learned some magic tricks while locked away somewhere. That I was still alive was indeed a welcome blessing. That Oja must be hiding in the grass around here, waiting for me to fall for one of their stupid little tricks. Nevertheless, I couldn’t dismiss the fast moving clouds with no wind, or the earthquake. Nobody can fake those. What about their ability to walk on water, float through the air and make those carpets out of nothing? Even their clothes were dry after coming up out of the river. I don’t think they’d hid those carpets before they arrived today. I’ve been hanging around here for the last few weeks and I’m sure I would have seen them. How do I come to terms with all this? I asked myself. My peaceful life that I now never had at home and found here was chattered with the arrival of these two.
I noticed the carpet had a double gold border running around the edges with that strange looking symbol stamped in gold in all four corners.
“Where do you come from?”
The Prince locked his eyes to mine as he composed his answer, and answered, “Our world is a star in the night sky from here,” Jumping to the ground, the Prince pointed into the sky and exclaimed, “I came from up there!”
I flinched at his excited voice and was amazed at his answer. I looked down at him and asked as scholarly as I could, “If what you say is true and with all that magic going on back there, what’s back there compared to here?” I anticipated another far out answer as I watched him float back through the air onto the carpet. I couldn’t help myself as all this floating business was making me a nervous Nelly.
Leaning back onto the cushions, the Prince put his hands behind his head and smiling gave me this account, “First, I’ll explain some about magic and how it affects our lives.” Sitting up from the cushions, the Prince continued, “Back home, magic is taken for granted, the same way your people have taken their government entitlements for granted. We give our people everything that is good for them, unlike your government that hasn’t been able to decipher what is good or bad for its citizens. Each of our subjects has a trade of their choice and they exchange their goods and services, similar to your barter system. One service has no more more value then the service. Because we have no need of money, we have no taxes or debts to trouble us.”
“If money means nothing to you, how come you’re wearing so much gold?”
“We use it for decorations and cooking.”
The Prince grinned at me before he continued, “In our kingdom, gold and all the other metals and stones your people here consider precious are common to us. The composition of all that is physical is the same throughout creation. Each place has more or less of the same things. To us, your gold and all your other precious stones here are as common to us as the stones that litter your fields.”
“You mean gold and silver is like dirt back home?”
“Yes Marcus. I’m amazed at the high value that people here place on them, as they are next to worthless back home. As you just said, like dirt.”
“Well I sure know what dirt tastes like,” I added.
The Prince gave me an affectionate grin before he continued, “Royalty however does wear yellow gold, for we put all of our value on color and bright yellow is our royal color. Most of our subjects use white gold for their everyday use, much as your people here use plastic. Greed and lust are strangers to most of us Marcus, as virtue is a stranger to so many of your people here. All of our subjects have their needs met either by their own efforts or by their King’s kindness which can be by using other means at his disposal, such as magic.”
The Prince looked up at the midday thunderheads building in the west. I could tell he enjoyed a threatening sky. Far away we heard a distant rumble of thunder.
I said, “I like to watch the thunderclouds building up their thunder.”
The Prince nodded at me in agreement.
Diplomatically as I could, I declared, “Mr. Prince, this sure is a lot to take in.”
“I agree, and perhaps we will talk again another time. And Marcus, please call me Abba, as there is no need for us to be formal here.”
“Okay Abba, I’ve never heard that name used before. Kinda different don’t you think?” I asked, as I glanced at him from out of the corner of my eye.
Abba smiled and ignoring me he said about as serious as I have heard him, “Marcus, I may be here for sometime and I don’t like the idea of people laughing at you on our account of us, so would you do something for me?”
I got the feeling I was being set up. Surely, it will be something not to my liking. With reservation I asked, “And what is that your highness?”
I knew by the way he was looking at me, he knew what was going through my mind.
“This will may be the most difficult thing that you will have to do for some time.” The Prince paused, with a deep breath and continued, “May I have your word you won’t repeat the things I tell you, at least not until my time here has ended? Of course if it becomes necessary or life-threatening, then you have my blessings to do tell whatever you want.”
I gave him my word, as I did not want to squirrel the food deal I was going be able to finagle out of these two. Thinking I was on a more even playing field, I became overconfident, “Abba, I think your name is kinda too different. So, would it be alright with you, if I call you Abby?”
Without hesitating, he replied, “Of course Marcus, I’d like that.” Now that I was feeling more comfortable with the Prince, I’ll have to admit his voice did have a pleasant ring to it and somewhat difficult to describe. It wasn’t deep as his servant’s or high pitched either. Somewhere in the middle I suppose.
Feeling tobacco juice running down my chin brought me back to the present. Each time I spit over the side, Abby would squint his eyes. With a tinge of reluctance I took out the offending wad and placed it back in my pants pocket. Again, I felt the slimy thing wetting my leg and this time it was smarting my leg something awful.
Nodding his head in approval, Abby smiled, “Thank you Marcus for putting that away. Your strange habit is foreign to me and one that has no merit, that I can see.” he finished by chuckling.
“Are you laughing at me?” I asked with my mouth tightening around the edges.
“No sir. I was thinking how my people back home would never dare call me Abby, as you have requested.” Abby bowed forward and continued, “It’s always: your royal highness. Our customs demands formality.”
Determined, as I was not to like Abby or trust him, I found myself relaxing and warming up to this strange person decked out in gold that claimed to be from another world. Now I was eager to learn more, “Abby, where is it that you come from?”
I had him there, for he paused, as if he was lost for words. He wet his lips and replied, “Our kingdom is known to us by the name of Beigahaun. Your ancient stargazers coined our world after one of their gods of mythology and called it by the name of Jupiter. Your scientists are accurate in what we have allowed them to learn. What they don’t realize is that fifteen hundred billion people live there. And Marcus, they are like you and me. As our world is over fifteen hundred times larger than this Earth, this makes our kingdom sparsely populated since we have no oceans. Just think Marcus; we have less people per square mile than Alaska does here. Our kingdom is so large and remote that when your scientists watched a comet break up over our planet a few years ago; not one person was injured nor was there any property damage from the fragments. Your scientists believe the environment on Beigahaun makes it impossible for life to exist there. They think the sunlight from the sun is too far distance from us be strong enough to support life. Moreover, they think the cloud cover keeps out the sunlight. We haven’t allowed your scientists to learn our cloud cover acts as a magnifying lens and intensifies the light and heat. This makes for a perfect living environment that is almost the same as here. Of course, we have all the other essential ingredients such as water, oxygen and whatever else you can think of. What is not plentiful back home, we took many of the seeds from here and planted them back home.”
Jumping to my feet, I pointed into the air as the reality of it sank in. I exclaimed, “You’re from outer space! From somewhere up there?” I lost my balance and fell from the carpet onto the ground, flattening out some more of the wheat. I was getting more used to this view with each visit. I scrambled to my feet and grabbed onto the carpet to make sure it was for real. I tugged and shook it. Nothing moved except me. Abby remained reclined with his head propped up by one hand, and with all that gold glittering in the sunlight.
Abby grinned at me, “If your spell has passed, why don’t you get back up here and relax?”
The moment I began to climb on, Abby lifted his hand toward me palm up. I was elevated into the air and gently placed back onto the carpet. I felt no hands or support forcing me into this short, but delightful flight. It was a strange and pleasant experience.
“If what you say is true about living on Juniper, or wherever, why tell me? I ain’t given much thought to whither someone lives here or in outer space or anywhere else.”
Abby eyed me as the spider does the fly, which meant he saw right through me and I was going to get one of his weighted answers. I rearranged my legs, as I saw the Indians do in a movie once.
Still grinning, Abby answered, “I’m telling you for several reasons. No one knows we are here, except for you. My Father chose you to know of us. I have waited for a location as this; with no one around and I’ve waited longer still for you to be in the right frame of mind and circumstances for you to accept us. I have been watching you in our magic pool back home, seeing you alone and hungry and with no friends to help and comfort you. I realize life has not been kind to you and I believe you deserve better. Before I leave this world, I will help you to get a proper start for a profitable life. You see Marcus, you’re one of my challenges.”
The word challenges didn’t penetrate my greedy brain at the moment for I was too busy thinking about being made profitable. I thought being profitable meant having enough money to buy food and tobacco and not to be hungry. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone back home I was going to be rich. I would go back home loaded down with gold and rub it into my neighbours’ noses. Neighbours did I say? Acquaintances would be more appropriate. I began to wonder when the other one would get back with the food, that is if he was going to come back.
“Are you here to make me profitable?” I asked as I felt greed clutching at my heart as a pirate does looting a Spanish galleon.
“No Marcus. I have to prove myself in several different ways. Seeing you started on the right road is only one of them. I must prove myself from the multitudes of problems everyone here appears to have. I think much of the evil here comes from the love of money that is plentiful here in your world.
“When I become profitable does that mean I’ll be evil?”
“Not necessarily. Depends what your priorities become.”
That was getting too deep for me. I replied, “Tell me more.”
“OK. My fathers before me have come here in past times to be tested as I will while I’m here, to see if they are worthy of ruling our kingdom. All of my ancestors have involved themselves with the multitude of complex issues that confront each one of you. It’s a challenge for us to help people and not have them aware of our presence, unless of course we desire for them to see us as we have with you.”
“What kind of things have your fathers done to help people?”
Abby replied, “Oh, like giving the world the written word, and the languages you folks call Hebrew and Latin. That was one of my ancestors’ doings and he is now a members on the council of our ancestors. A recent contribution by my Father made the communists think it would be in their best interest to take down the iron curtain in Germany and change their government. Crime goes hand in hand in thier country. I am afraid they will never become a democracy; as you have here. In time, their government may become far worse than communism was in its day. At another time, my father saw to it that no other country has used a nuclear weapon since World War II. But we see it coming again and my task while I’m here is to make sure it doesn’t happen on my shift. Few people knew my Father was responsible for not allowing this world to use another weapon equal to it again. Although many governments in the future will obtain nuclear weapons, none will use them while I’m here. My father influenced politicians from all over the world and made them think it was their idea to change world events and he did it by speaking to their hearts. When we’re successful here, it gives us the expertise to overcome whatever problems we will experience back home.”
It was confusing to me at this point, whether the Prince was telling the truth. One thing I was aware of, is that I was sitting on a carpet suspended in the air with nothing supporting it, while another one hovered over us with nothing to hold it up. The best way I to describe the feel of the carpet was that it felt as though it made of soft wool with the sensation of sitting on the floor with a thick pad underneath it. Who knows, maybe he was telling the truth. I would decide later.