The Event Series (Book 2): The Gospel According to Matthew, Margo & Lance

by Thomas Larson

  I am getting a good feeling about the way things are going. This is a good place.

  Del was funny when we got back to the cabin tonight, she was fussing over me. It was kind of nice. She is wonderful.

  May 12th

  (Margo) Teckla and Tay went to the horse farm today to see what they could figure out. They seem to think that they might be able to get the horses back in the barn. There are oats and food in there for the animals, so it might work.

  Chels and Bernie went with them and they will pick up some lot of the smaller items that we had found yesterday. The fuel tank will have to wait for another day. Or maybe they will just leave it and use it to fuel up there.

  I wanted to go, but that idea was nixed because of the Lucy Girl. She would cause an issue if the horses were in the area. So as a result it was another day of ….The Mushroom Hunter.

  It was kind of neat tonight at Vespers; Matt talked a little about spirit and animal guides. He seems to feel that we each have one. He claims that his is the Raven. I never thought about it much, but then I realized that Tom had always related to the Coyote, and now I think I know why. He knew, he had some connection with stuff outside of the regular stream of the world and seemed more grounded.

  I think I want to learn more about this. I wonder what my guide is.

  (Lance) So, I am hobbling around, a little, like to meals, but that is about it. Del has me locked down and is threatening to sit on me if I get trying to walk around too much. I mean the leg doesn’t hurt too much, but I guess it is best if I don’t push it.

  We went to Vesperstonight, and it was interesting to listen to Matt, I love his stories, about the old Earth. It sounds like a wonderful place, although I think that some of it is a little far-fetched. Humans and animals talking together, I can’t go for that, but I do agree that we can live nicely within the framework of where we are now. My only concern is that other humans, with a different mindset will mess it up.

  (Matt) Another day in the fields working on the vegetable garden that Tanya is planting. I had to struggle with that a little because the ground had never been turned before and was very hard. But it got done.

  I was on the far side of the lake, so I took a ride over to the horse farm to see if I could fuel up the tractor, they had that 200 gallon tank so it made sense.

  Back at camp for dinner, mushroom soup, pretty good, someone had managed to catch some fish, pretty good, a salad of greens from the woods, not bad, and some acorn bread, that is getting a little old, but the sheep butter made it a little better.

  Code and Fred were out looking for fields and pasture land that we could use for the sheep. I think they found a place a couple miles to the west, it is a small field, like 10 or so acres, but it should work. We can walk the animals out there each day and someone can play sheep herder.

  At the fire tonight we talked about old Native American lore and about the animals. In lore, the animals and the humans could and would talk to each other. It was only later when man became more “civilized” that the connection fell apart. But even then, some maintained a connection with the animals, and often a particular animal would be linked to the human.

  A year ago, I would have dismissed this, but now, I think I believe. Between the things that I have seen, the peyote ceremony and the discovery of the throwing axe that was shown me by the Raven, I think I believe. I have always related to the Raven going back to my trip the Pacific Northwest. It is a creature that speaks to me.

  In a way, the Raven is a trickster, but more than that he is one that is linked to magic. He is the one that leads to the exploration of the Great Mystery, the question of what is Life, what is it all about. I believe that this all relates back to the pilgrimage that was taken, it was linked to finding the answers that Tanya and I have come upon, and now share with the rest of the group. As a reward for my sharing of the knowledge, Raven has given me a gift.

  May 13th

  (Margo)It was a pouring down rainy day; the plan is, for Code and me, to stay dry. It is a good day to cuddle up with a book and later, do some sketching. For the most part, that seems to be the general plan for us all.

  Keith made an announcement this morning at breakfast that he would be available to anyone with tooth issues, or even just a general checkup, if interested. I think I am going to go see him.

  Lucy seems a little on edge today, not sure if it is because we are not doing anything, or she senses something. I am in “Situational Awareness” mode. It was something that Tom used to talk to me and Mom about.

  “Keep your head out of your ass,” he would tell us.

  “Yes, we know, situational awareness.” We would answer. Mom, well, she was not so good at it sometimes. Tom would tell us that when we were in a bad place, and had to go, Mom would always go “Why?”. He often saw things that could be bad, and time to explain was not a really good option, so I generally just did what he suggested. Mom still wanted to know why.

  I wonder if that was what happened that day, when she didn’t come back.

  (Lance) Hobble, hobble, this is no fun. But it is a lousy day so it doesn’t really matter much; it is a stay in the cabin day. I spent much of it playing with the little drone copter, flying it around and learning how to control it better in tight places. You never know.

  “If you fly that thing close to me one more time I am gonna break it!” exclaimed Del.

  “Sorry, just practicing.”

  I guess I was kind of being a spoiled kid about it.

  Vespers tonight were in the dining room. We skipped it, just not into it.

  (Margo) Small turnout for meditation tonight, I think that the weather kind of has everyone down a little. We have had such a great run of warm and sunny days I guess being trapped inside bummed some folks out.

  It was just Tanya and me, and after a short time, when it became clear we were on our own we headed back to the cabin. It was still good; we talked and meditated a little on our own. Nothing earth shattering, just quiet time in the moment.

  May 14th

  (Matt) It is kind of funny, ironic funny. When I was growing up, and with Gramp, it was always about farming. He always praised the idea of the land, and the farm. He pushed me in that direction. He talked me into going to college for agriculture. Before the meteor, I worked at a Tyrrell Farms, planting, harvesting, and pushing the organic lifestyle, but at the end of the day, I always went home, and visited the local grocery store for my meats and potatoes.

  Gramp dabbled in it, farming, but really it was more a hobby for him, not a career, he was kind of a gentleman farmer. I mean he had a couple of cows, and some gardens for veggies, and in the early days a few chickens, but really it was more just kind of a country living. He never needed to grow stuff or raise stuff.

  It was actually kind of funny, he always had “Farm Fresh” eggs for sale at his farm, but there was no a chicken there for years. He bought them up the road at the chicken farm and kind of misrepresented them as his own.

  Now I find that I am really living the farm life, using the things that I have learned and making a difference in the future of our community, not just the spiritual side, but also the food side. Things have certainly changed, and I kind of like it.

  (Lance) Well, I hobbled over to see Doc Barkley; he said that it would be okay if I started walking without the crutches, but that I should take it easy. It is a little painful to walk, but it feels good to stretch the ankle out.

  The weather today was nice, sunny and warm.

  Tonight at Vespers, Matt talked a little more about Native American stories and the lessons that could be learned from them. He told us an old Alaskan tail about two old women who were thought to be too old to continue to live with the tribe during the winter. What the tribe did was to exile them or left them behind as the tribe tried to find enough food for the larger “more productive” members to survive.

  The old ladies accepted the exile but were not ready to just fall over and starve or freeze. They managed to surv
ive and actually thrive, killing seals for food. In the end the two found their old tribe, which had not been so successful and were on deaths doorstep. The old women feed them, and warmed them, and in the end save the tribe.

  Of course, Matt told it much better than my recap, but the lesson, and that is the important part, is that each of us has something to give to the tribe, and that we should not just cast someone out because they are old, or ill, or injured.

  (Margo) Lucy and I hit the run early this morning. Unlike Code, we had no specific assignments that we needed to work on. As we ran Lucy seemed to be staying closer to me than usual. It was like there was something in the air. But it never showed up.

  Tay and Teckla went back over to the horse farm again today, the plan was that since they cleaned out the barn they would stay there for a few days to see if any horses showed up and then try to get the animals in the barn. They feel that if they do that they can get them back to normal, and ride able.

  It was kind of cool tonight, the Vespers turnout was good, and Matt and Tanya told a story. It is so cool the way he does it and it makes you think. We are so much not in the world we once were, and so dependent on each other now.

  Code and I snuggled, I am glad he is here.

  May 15th

  (Lance) Well, it is out, well not completely, but Del knows the secret I have been trying to keep.

  “You mean you’re a ginger? Really” she laughed as she looked at my hair. She had finally caught me without my hat on. The roots had grown out and although the ends were still black, the change was obvious.

  “I, ah, well”

  “Lance, stop, it is not a big deal; you could have green hair, its nothing. I actually didn’t like you with black hair and make-up”.

  “I, ah, really? Why didn’t you say so?”

  “Because we all need to be who we are, and I thought that was who you wanted to be. I like you for what you are, and not what I might change you into.”

  I just smiled, she is remarkable.

  “But you do look like Ron Weasley” she laughed.

  I am still hobbling, but getting more mobile each day.

  I tried getting out on the Sat-Comm today, see if anyone was listening. I do that every once and again, but it seemed that no one was listening, or at least no one answering.

  (Margo) Well, now I know why Lucy has been acting up. While we were out doing Mushroom Patrol I found some kitty tracks, big kitty tracks, it looks like we have a mountain lion or a bobcat in the area. I would love to see it, but know that it is unlikely.

  This information has created a little stir and concern, particularly about the sheep. This may alter the plans for the pasturing of them.

  I have been thinking about the animal or spirit guide thing that Matt and Tanya have talked about. I am not sure. I wish there was a way to figure it out. I think they’re right, that we each have one, but what is mine.

  (Matt) It was a routine day at the farm side but the word that we have a puma or a bobcat in the area is causing a stir. We need to pay attention to the sheep since they could be a prime feeding opportunity for a big cat.

  At Vespers tonight Margo asked us to talk more about spirit guides. It is the first time someone has asked for us to expand on a subject.

  I explained that each of us has traits and qualities that are unique. Some of those characteristics are related to animal reputation or tendencies, be it hunting skills, or acts of selflessness, or gathering, or power and so on. In having those traits, the spirit animal shares those traits and helps you understand yourself and the path that you need to travel.

  “The skunk for example is avoided because of its scent, it has the reputation for being capable of spraying its enemies if cornered or attacked. But the rest of the time it is a gentle animal that really bothers no one. But that reputation demands respect, respect of yourself, and in turn for others to respect you. It is one that is very powerful, and can be very difficult to deal with sometimes. But there are lessons, and the little furry shares them with all who will show respect, and all that fail to do so.” I continued.

  The discussion went on for a little while, I think Margo understood.

  The farm projects are all moving along well and with the big fields ready and planted we are more open to trying to catch up on other things, like we need to start thinking about firewood and getting those solar panels up.

  May 16th

  (Margo) Wow, it was kind of interesting at Vespers tonight; it appears that not everyone is on board the back to Mother Earth thing. Ron got into a discussion with Matt about it tonight; it appears that Ron has a little more God and Country spirit in him that any of us thought.

  It started out as a kind of friendly discussion, but as it went on it became more and more heated, at least on Ron’s part. This is kind of bad because we have never seen any ripples in the group before, but this. I just think it is more deep rooted than it need be.

  Other than that, it was a quiet day in Camp Romanica. Today, we were out collecting dandelion greens and some other natural kind of salady green stuff for the next few days. But we’re keeping an eye out for Big Kitty. Lucy seems okay, so I am thinking at least today the coast is kitty clear.

  I am still thinking about the spirit guide thing. I like the idea, I really do, but there is something, and maybe it is just the old days, the stuff before the meteor that makes me wonder. Is this an idea like the horoscopes in the old newspapers, general enough to fit, and then you push the idea into the mold to make it work? Matt and Tanya believe, Ron and a couple of others don’t. I just don’t know.

  (Matt) It was a productive day; we will have food for the winter unless there is a calamity. The day to day operations seem to be going along well.

  Vespers tonight was very interesting. There was a bigger crowd than usual, Ron and LJ and a few of the others, mostly with the military or police background were there and kind of on one side of the fire.

  “Matt, I understand the idea that you are talking about, we have lost our world of technology, and much of the ways we had of doing things. But do you really believe that we should just go to this back to Mother Earth and live like the Indians?” Asked Ron seeming to have his confidence bolstered by those sitting around him.

  I don’t think Tanya and I ever expected that the ideas that we came up with during the pilgrimage would be accepted by all, and we really have tried to keep them sort of low key, or at least not ram them down peoples throat. But Ron kind of caught me, us off guard.

  I thought for a moment, then said, “Ron, there are many different ways of seeing where we are, where we’ve been and where we’re going. I, we, Tanya and I cannot say our way is right for all, but it is right for us.” I hoped that would put an end to it, but it didn’t.

  “We have a God, my God, a living God and I like what he has done and I’m not giving it up.” Responded Ron, his backers seemed to agree with nods and ‘ruffles’.

  “You aren’t being asked to Ron, I have been sort of the Chaplain to the group for a while. I see, and understand the differences in ways of worship. Tanya and I have no issue with that.”

  Feeling a little invigorated by the compromised direction this seemed to be headed Ron declared, “I just wanted to be clear with you on that. We have our God, and it is different than yours!”

  At this point, I could have pushed the buttons with lines like, there is only one God, we just call him different things, or turned this into a bigger debate, but it seemed to be not something that would move the discussion, or the group forward, gentleness, that was the way to go here, we‘ll get there, to peace and unity I thought to myself.

  “Ron, I appreciate what you’re saying. If you wish, I can resume doing a Sunday morning gathering for you and your people, like before.”

  “No, NO! You do not believe in our God, you’re changed, I don’t think it would be right that a non-believer ministering to us about our God. We will minister to our own.”

  “Very well, I only offer be
cause I think we are all creatures of God, in our case, we call on Mother Earth / Father Sky, in your case it is God, maybe elsewhere it is Yahweh or Allah, but in the end is about the moral guidance, and that is the true God.” I danced dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.

  As Tanya and I returned to our cabin that night I felt strangely good, I believed that we, she and I had done the right thing, right action, right speech, truly, this God issue was one of moral compass, naming is not important. For us Mother / Father is the form we choose, I believe it is the right form, and we shall live by it.

  (Lance) I guess I missed the fireworks at the Vesper Fire tonight, I heard some stories that Ron and Matt had a blow-out over God. I need to find out about this. I like where Matt and Tanya have been going with the Vespers. Ron always has been a little hard headed and very focused, almost myopic in some of his thinking.

  My ankle is much better and I may try a little slow, short jog in the morning. I will join Master Nick for ninja work this afternoon, he has taught me some on overcoming my lack of mobility.

  Del and I sat out tonight and did some sky watching. There were the lights in the west again. But they seemed different. It was more like in the pre-meteor days where they simply were flying straight across the horizon, not like they were buzzing one location. It was like it was when we used to have jet airliners going from city to city. I need to talk with the Pittsburgh about this. Maybe there is an air force again.

  May 17th

  (Matt) In the not for nothing category it’s Saturday, kind of nice that we are able to keep track of the dates and the days of the week. The news from the horse farm is that Tay and Teckla think that they can have the horses in the barn in the next couple of days. They have been leaving food out for them and the horses have been showing up in the barnyard. The horses know that the two of them are there, and though still a little skittish, are getting more accepting that they are there.

  It feels kind of odd, we have been back from the pilgrimage and that although we have the nightly campfire we don’t do a Sunday service anymore, I mentioned it to Tanya and she agreed that it did.