by S S Bazinet
“So you’re taking William’s side? I can’t believe you, Arel. Do you think a person should divorce their spouse because that person is struggling with fear? Oh lord, I can see my future now. I’ll be laying there in my sick bed, and you’ll be pinning notes on my pillow telling me you’re leaving me forever.”
“The note I left was a mistake!”
Elise put on her coat and walked towards the garage. “And I was ready to stand by you no matter how insane you were! That’s the difference between a man and a woman. Women don’t toss out the people they love.”
“I was never insane!”
Elise turned and glared back at him. “That’s not the point.”
“What is the point?”
“That I’ll stand by you no matter what.”
Arel opened the door to the garage and held it for Elise. “I don’t know how to prove myself, Elise, but I’ll find a way, okay?”
“Whatever, let’s just go and see what Rolphe needs.”
“I’m not the one who started this pointless conversation.”
Elise lifted her chin. “Are you telling me my feelings are pointless?”
Arel blinked back. “Nothing I say is going to be right.”
“Did you know that’s the excuse men always use when they’re losing a fight?”
Arel didn’t answer. Instead, he got into the car, slammed the door shut and started muttering to himself. “And I thought just this once Rolphe wouldn’t cause any trouble.”
* * * * *
Rolphe kept his distance, but he didn’t take his eyes off of Myra. She was sitting in an airport restaurant after talking to someone at one of the airline booths. It looked like she was enjoying her meal. It was the reprieve Rolphe had been hoping for. It gave Arel and Elise time to get to the airport. When they arrived and met up with Rolphe, he finally took a normal breath.
Elise reached out to him. “Rolphe, what happened? Arel said Myra is returning to Paris.”
Rolphe started to say something and suddenly realized he had no explanation to offer. “I don’t know. Myra suddenly got angry at me.”
Arel glanced at Elise. “I know how that goes.”
Elise ignored him and spoke to Rolphe. “Where’s Myra now?”
Rolphe nodded towards a restaurant. “Thank goodness, she stopped to eat. I’m worried about her. She’s not feeling well.”
Elise patted his arm. “It’s nice to know you care. Some people can be so thoughtless.”
“Of course I care,” Rolphe said. “I wanted to get her to her hotel to rest, but she was offended by everything I said.”
Arel crossed his arms. “Again, I can commiserate.”
Elise glared back at him. “This isn’t about you, Arel. And if you keep interrupting, you’re going to be commiserating on the couch tonight.”
Rolphe nudged Arel. “Maybe you better stop agreeing with me.”
“Rolphe, why don’t we go into the restaurant,” Elise said. “And you can introduce me to Myra.”
Rolphe nodded. “Thank you, Elise. She needs to rest. If you can convince her to go to her hotel—”
“Why should she go to a hotel when she’s sick?” Elise asked. “She can stay with us. You can give her your bed, Rolphe. And you can sleep on the couch if Arel’s not using it.”
Arel stepped forward. “Are you telling me you’re throwing me out of our bedroom? Didn’t you just insist, and I quote, ‘Women don’t toss out the people they love.’”
Elise scowled back. “You’re misinterpreting what I said.”
“I’m repeating you word for word, Elise.”
Rolphe held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “Please, both of you, don’t argue. You love each other.”
Arel stiffened. “I thought so, but now I find out I have to behave the way Elise sees fit, or I’m out on my ear. What kind of love is that?”
Elise threw her shoulders back. “You are being so irrational. I’m the injured party here. First, you tell me all kinds of crazy stuff which I tried to let slide—”
“Let slide? I don’t think so.” Arel’s face reddened. “I tried to be honest and where did it get me? I’m being told I’m crazy and—”
A woman called out as Arel was speaking. “Is that you, Arel?” she asked as she approached.
Arel paused and looked up with surprise. “Myra, how nice to see you again.”
Rolphe clasped his hands nervously. “Myra!”
Myra ignored Rolphe and walked over to where Arel stood. “I’m going back to Paris, but it would have been a shame not to see you while I’m here.” She turned to Elise. “And this must be your beautiful bride. I recognize her from the pictures you sent. You both looked so happy.”
Elise quickly went from targeting Arel with narrowed brows to smiling at Myra. “It’s very nice to meet you, but Rolphe told us you’re not well.”
Myra sniffled. “I feel a little better. I took some aspirin and ate something. It helped.”
Arel glanced at Elise. “Elise and I would like it very much if you’d stay for a couple of days.”
Myra gave Rolphe a quick frown and returned her gaze to Arel. “No, I have to get back and . . . and—” She yanked a tissue out of her pocket and sneezed.
“Bless you,” Rolphe announced in a meek voice.
Myra continued to ignore him and walked over to a trash receptacle to throw away her tissue. When she came back to the group, her nose was red. “I thought I was over the worst, but maybe not. And now I have to buy tissues. That was my last one.”
Elise dug around in the large purse she was carrying and retrieved a pack of tissues. “I always have these, just in case. Please take them.”
“Thank you, Elise,” Myra said with another sniffle. “Arel doesn’t only have a beautiful wife, he’s married to someone who’s very kind.”
Rolphe reached out, tapped Myra’s arm, and withdrew his hand. “Myra, forgive me for anything I’ve said. Please, give me another chance to prove myself.”
“Well, I suppose I could stay the night,” Myra said. “The next available flight isn’t leaving until tomorrow afternoon.”
Fifty-One
COL SMILED. ROLPHE was gone, and he was alone again. By using his wits, he’d pulled his neck out of the noose of some eternal sleep that Rolphe had planned for him. It was a major triumph. He wished he could celebrate his victory, but he didn’t dare take the time for such frivolity. He had work to do.
He sat down in the center of his enclosure and quickly decided on his task. He’d study the barrier that kept him captive. He had to observe it closely for any weakness that might show itself. After a brief period, he felt his anger building. Arel and Rolphe were each capable of maintaining a barricade that was impenetrable. After recent events, they’d increased their efforts and their vigilance. The energy coming off the barrier was so potent that Col felt like his mind was being fried when he tuned into it.
He’d been forced to take breaks. During the breaks, he knew he had to sooth himself back into a state of calm. He couldn’t afford any mistakes. That meant he had to make sure he didn’t do anything that got Arel or Rolphe’s attention. As long as they thought Col was incapable of causing trouble, they wouldn’t be as alert in keeping an eye on him.
After he returned to watching the barrier, he gradually found a way to expand his psychic vision. At a certain point, he was able to attune in a way that made the invisible wall almost visible. Honing that skill, he began to note the slightest deviation in the powerful energies that kept the structure intact. Those deviations were the key to his freedom. He was sure of it. He simply had to understand how to use them when he got the chance.
With more scrutiny, he realized that the weaknesses were connected to Arel and Rolphe’s inability to stay as focused as they needed to be. He wasn’t able to access their thoughts, but their emotions were another matter.
Flares of muddled confusion surrounded Rolphe after his meeting with his old girlfriend, Myra. Col was fascinated by the man’s transfor
mation. Rolphe had been a picture of composure when he was guarding Col, but he crumbled after a few minutes with the pretty redhead.
Then there was Arel. He was quite the opponent when he was in charge of himself. But a few choice words from his wife were enough to sidetrack him. Like Rolphe, Arel’s energy field was growing more erratic as he let himself be swayed by his personal agenda.
Watching it all from his lofty position, Col knew it was only a matter of time before both men completely lost focus for a fraction of a second. And that’s all he needed to free himself.
Oh, and Col mustn’t forget William. He’d almost dismissed the third man in the group, but he needed to cover every base. He sat back, wondering if William would do anything to strengthen the barrier if Rolphe and Arel failed. After a brief appraisal of William’s current situation, Col answered himself with a shriek of laughter.
William had once been an absolutely, impeccable watchdog. But where was he now? After Col tuned into William’s whereabouts, he sneered with delight. William was certainly no threat. In fact, Col couldn’t belief how his luck had turned. William was off on some adventure that Col was sure would finish him off once and for all.
* * * * *
After Arel left, William did some napping again, this time on the couch. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. As he came awake, he thought about Arel’s comments about Annabel. Arel was right. He couldn’t make Annabel feel safe or happy. The more he tried, the more she depended on him. It was a vicious circle, one that needed to be broken.
But he wasn’t only dealing with Annabel. He needed to figure out his own issues. If he’d been rock-solid during that astral trip to the other side, nobody could have played with his mind or sent him reeling into depression. He needed to take time to understand what sent him into a tailspin. If he didn’t, it could happen again.
He thought about Raphael and the angel’s idea to return to the garden. Maybe it would be helpful. Maybe he needed to take a good look at himself and see where he was going wrong. He’d barely had the thought when Raphael appeared in the doorway to the hall. William wondered why the angel was smiling. “Is there something I should know?”
Raphael walked over and sat down. “If we make a return trip, I’m thinking you’ll have to watch your behavior. The garden’s guardian has had enough surprises lately. We don’t want to upset him again.”
“I don’t understand that creature,” William protested. “If he’s like one of you, he shouldn’t take things personally or get offended.”
“That’s true, but he’s not exactly angelic. He’s one of a kind, a very special being whose only business is to care for his beautiful world. He’s been doing his job on his own and for so long that he’s developed a few quirks.”
“If that’s the case, why bother him? Can’t we simply find another place that’s tranquil?”
“We could, but this particular garden can provide exactly what you need right now.”
“What’s so special about it?”
“It’s an extraordinary place you once loved. By revisiting it, you’ll be able to remember more of who you truly are.” Raphael smiled again. “Are you ready?”
William shrugged and lay back on the couch. “Why not? My life is in ruin. I’ve alienated the woman I love. I’ve sunk into a bottomless pit of despair. How can it get any worse?”
Raphael recoiled. “William, please, that’s not the kind of question you need to be asking.”
William barely heard the angel’s rebuke. He shut his eyes, wishing that he had some concrete answers. How had his life shifted so suddenly and taken such a downward turn? He needed to turn off his thoughts and relax if he wanted to return to the garden. At least the sofa he was resting on was comfortable. That was a plus. He let himself enjoy the feeling of his body sinking into the softness of the cushions. He was still sleepy. “I just have to know how I ended up being so weak,” he mumbled as he drifted off.
He didn’t know a dream could take hold so fast, but he found himself standing on a path. He marveled at how his body felt as real as the physical one he’d left behind.
He walked down the path and saw a small clearing off to one side. He was impressed by the immense size of the ancient trees that surrounded it. Drawn to their magnificence, he walked over to the cleared area and took a deep breath. The air was fragrant with the evergreen scent of the Balsam Fir trees. They towered above, fingering the sky with their loftiness. Their presence was comforting, like old comrades that he’d known long ago.
Perhaps they reminded him of his childhood. He’d always loved the wooded areas on the estate where he’d grown up. They afforded him shelter from the cruel ways of his father. But those days didn’t last. Innocence and his attempt to protect flora and fauna were ideas that couldn’t withstand the heavy hand of darkness that surrounded William as a child.
Recalling those days made him weary. He wandered over to one of the smooth, flat rocks that formed a circle in the clearing. Just as he sat down on one and closed his eyes, a shout went up.
“No! Are you mad? Don’t sit there!”
William recognized the voice of the serpent. The creature was yelling at him in a shrill, panicked voice. William was too exhausted to pay the creature any attention. Instead, he felt himself traveling again, but he had no idea where he was going, only that death and destruction were waiting for him.
* * * * *
William didn’t know where he was. He still thought of himself as William, but he knew he must be experiencing another lifetime or more precisely the end of another life.
He lay on the ground, staring up at the trees that surrounded him. Reaching heights he’d never imagined possible, the magnificent giants were probably thousands of years old. But they had also reached the end of life. All were ablaze and formed a ring of fire and smoke around him. The tremendous heat of these living torches was nearly unbearable.
He didn’t know how long they’d been burning because he sensed he’d been drifting in and out of consciousness for at least a day. His brother lay a few feet away, his hair matted with dried blood and his pale face was littered with fallen ash. William was grateful that his brother had died quickly after a fatal wound to his heart.
The man William had been hadn’t been that lucky. His wounds weren’t severe enough to kill him swiftly. His life force, once so strong and seemingly invincible, now kept him alive, but he was unable to move from where he lay.
His mind was helpless too, unable to escape the fact that a promise had been made and that promise had been broken. He hadn’t lived up to the vow he’d taken to preserve the lands that lay around him. Again, he was grateful that his brother was dead. No living being should have to witness what he was witnessing, a devastation that was so vast that the Earth’s soul was weeping. Her mournful sounds of grief and anguish were those of a mother mourning the loss of her cherished family. Her wails, carried on the wind, tore open William’s breast and punished his great heart, a heart dedicated to protecting life and all that was sacred.
Darkness was spreading over the planet, gobbling up everything in its path. Still, he and his brother and their comrades tried their best anyway, determined to bring back the light against all odds. They didn’t entertain any thought of failure, only a blind desire to restore what had been lost.
But they had failed. Everyone he loved lay still around him, their breath gone forever. Now, it was up to him to hold on to hope, to believe that no matter what happened, the light could never be totally extinguished. But it seemed impossible to do such a thing. He and his friends had been defeated. And his beloved planet, an exquisite jewel of beauty that the Creator had fashioned with tenderness and care, had been disfigured and maimed almost beyond recognition. How could he go on believing that he could reverse what had been put into motion?
He closed his eyes, wishing not for death, but for oblivion. It was too painful to have a soul if it meant feeling so much pain when he came back to the Earth lifetime after lifeti
me.
Fifty-Two
AREL ARRIVED BACK home from the airport still caught up in his anger. Rolphe seemed upset too and went out for a walk. Arel suspected the man also wanted to give Arel and Elise some space.
Arel stiffened when he thought about his argument with his pretty wife. They had been so happy since getting married. They never quarreled seriously or said unkind words to one another. That had changed. Elise looked at him with wounded, irate eyes.
Arel couldn’t put all the blame on her. They had both said things they shouldn’t have. Now, they were both too upset to apologize. Arel decided to put some space between them.
While Elise was getting Myra settled in, he went to their bedroom and gathered up some clothes and toiletry items. Michael walked in as he was putting his things in an overnight bag. When the angel didn’t say anything, Arel felt a shiver of fear. He stared back with questioning eyes. “Michael, is something wrong?”
“It’s William.”
“What about him?”
“He’s caught up in something, and Raphael wasn’t able to reach him.”
“I can’t believe it. When I left him, he seemed to be coming to his senses.”
“From what he said to Raphael, he’s still unable to shake his ideas of failure.”
Arel grabbed his bag and started for the door. “I should have kept a closer eye on him instead of arguing with Elise.”
“Arel?”
Arel turned to look at Michael. “Yes?”
“Try to remind William that the opportunity to enjoy life resides in the present.”
“Thanks, Michael, but it isn’t that easy to forget one’s history.”
“Sometimes forgetting the past is the only way forward.”
Arel knew Michael’s advice was sound, but when he met Elise in the hall, he felt incapable of applying it to his own life. Instead of shrugging off their disagreement, his stubbornness kicked in. “I’ll be staying with William if you need me,” he announced.
Elise crossed her arms and stared back with a scowl. “Whatever.”