by Franci Neale
Chapter 8
Ways and Means
Seymore, based on what he now knew, thought he could conduct a safe experiment involving the inside of the dome. He returned to the office. Surprisingly, Mesa was holding Fred, probably to keep him off her magic platform. Geralty and Sarah were playing a board game that Mesa had materialized for them. It was a pleasant scene, relaxed and peaceful. It would have been so easy to fall into the gentle mood, but he knew his experiment had to come first.
He sat down on the bench and leaned on the table with a serious glance toward Mesa who freed the cat and moved closer to the table’s edge. Seymore turned to Sarah and said, “I am 99 per cent sure that I know now how to get you home, but we need to try something first. I want you to take Fred with you into the dome, slowly and carefully, and to notice as much as you can about what happens to the light. We already know that the two of you can safely be in the dome together so nothing dire is going to happen.
“When you are at about the center of the dome, I think that’s about fifteen paces, I want you to set Fred down and again see if anything changes. I hope that Fred will begin to leave. If he doesn’t, I’ll call him and reach out my hand like I did before. After he has gone a little ways, I want you to follow him, slowly and keep right behind him, even picking him up if you think you need to and make your way out of the dome. You’ll need to keep checking on what the light is doing. I’ll be at the entrance and can watch you through the misty light. If at any time you feel uncertain or unsafe, simply pick up Fred and make a bee line for the exit. If everything seems OK then let him move a little ways ahead and again see what changes. What might happen is that the light will begin to gather force and start to form the tunnel as it did before. If it does, just pick up Fred and leave the dome as quickly as possible.
“It’s important to stay in contact with Fred. If you think back, you’ll remember that it was Fred who met you both times when you and the light found the dome. If he’s with you, the light will most likely remain. If he’s not, it is almost certain that the light will immediately speed up to take you back to The Rim”
He noticed that Sarah was going to interrupt and he held up his hand to stop her and said, “I know that returning is exactly what you want and I want that for you, everyone does, even Fred I imagine. But we need to be sure exactly how that’s going to happen before we give you over to ride the light home. We all want you to be safe. You are more precious than you can possibly know.
He stopped to let the idea sink in and asked Sarah, “Would you like to think about this proposed experiment and maybe do a practice run without going into the dome? ”Sarah said she would.
And she decided that a walk would be a good idea before the rehearsal, so she excused herself and left through the front doors in the library and headed across the grass toward the alder woods. It was cool and smelled of bark and moss, a memory of home that made her heart ache, and she sat down on a fallen log to think about entering the dome for Seymore’s research. Fred had followed her and was happy to play with a twig as Sarah moved it across a clutter of leaves and small blue flowers in the grass. She looked at him very intently and wondered if he really was part of her answer for finding her way home and soon. He stopped chasing the twig and rubbed his whole body along her leg. He really was a wonderful cat and she knew that black and white cats were the smartest of all.
She mentally committed to Seymore’s experiment and was ready for the dry run. She walked back toward the cottage entrance dragging a long twig that Fred tried to capture. She had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before she would be going back to the hospital. Riding in the white light was not hard, but it was strange and after everything that had happened it held lots of uncertainty. She was not looking forward to the trip but she did want to go back to her physical self even without knowing what she would find. She was always worried about her baby.
When she returned Seymore, Geralty and Mesa were waiting at the entrance and they all went along the path to the top of the lane where there was a large flat spot that was big enough to rehearse the proposed entry into the dome. Since Geralty and Mesa had no actual part to play in the experiment, they stood on each side of Seymore as the frame of the exit at what would be the dome end of the arched walkway.
Sarah picked Fred up and held him securely in her arms and walked between Geralty and Mesa as the pretend entry and carefully paced to what would be about the middle of the dome. She bent to set Fred on the ground facing the faux entry and paused. Fred didn’t move he didn’t even tap his tail. Sarah said, “Fred, you can walk to the doorway now.” He stood up but didn’t take a step.
Seymore moved to stand between the door markers and reached his hand into the fake dome area, motioned for Fred and called him. Reluctantly, the cat began to move slowly toward Seymore and Sarah followed him. Fred covered about half the return distance and then stopped and crouched with his ears back. Sarah bent down and picked him up and went the rest of the way to where Seymore was standing.
Sarah looked at Seymore and said she was not sure that was a perfect performance but that she had the idea. Seymore took Fred from Sarah and they all went back toward the cottage. It was unclear what Seymore thought, but back in the office he turned to Sarah and said, “If you feel comfortable, I think we can go out to the covered walkway and begin.” So Fred and Sarah and Seymore left, crossed the library and went through the study and out onto the walkway that connected to the dome. Geralty and Mesa stayed behind in the office looking out the big window to observe what they could of events in the dome.
At least that’s what Geralty did. Mesa told Geralty she was going to make another little trip and the same rules applied as the last time. Geralty rolled is eyes and groaned. Mesa was gone in a snap.
Sarah was trying to breathe away her anxiety and clutched Fred very close. She walked ahead of Seymore to the dome entry, gave him a glance for reassurance and stepped over the threshold into the light. Nothing happened. She very slowly paced off fifteen steps to the center of the dome. Fred reached up and licked her cheek and she nearly wept with gratitude. The light seemed richer, thicker somehow but quiet and dead still. She looked down at Fred and told him, “I’m going to set you down now. ”She leaned over and gently set him on what appeared to be nothing at all. He just sat there and didn’t move, just like in the rehearsal. She notice right away that the light started to move around to her left, not fast, but steadily and with an even speed.
She nudged Fred with her toe and he stood but still didn’t move away. Then Seymore called him from the doorway, just like the first time and he slowly began to move toward Seymore’s hand stretched out into the light. The light immediately moved more rapidly, but this time, as Sarah followed the cat, it was wrapping itself around her and seemed to disappear in itself. It was almost tangible. .After about five paces Fred moved a little faster and so did Sarah and the light sent out more gossamer bands as if to hold Sarah. She felt her heart in her throat, grabbed Fred and ran that last few paces through and beyond the entry. She nearly knocked Seymore over but he quickly regained his balance, grabbed Sarah from behind, took her by both arms and marched her and the cat the length of the covered walkway and safely into the study. He looked back down the walkway and the light had actually sent out long strips of thick light half way along the walkway toward the study door, which he quickly closed and leaned back against to catch his breath.
The experiment had gone very well, but the light was definitely stronger and he was sure it now carried the imprint of both Sarah and the cat and that it would have left with both of them in tow had not Sarah acted as quickly as she did. He was very grateful for the run through at the top of the lane; it had made all the difference.
Now it was time for some serious assessment because the next time it would be the real thing and Sarah would be transported home. Seymore knew that for sure. So did Sarah.
When Sarah moved into the dome, M
esa instantly went on a second short trip around the outer rim of ES360 to see what the underside of the dome looked like. She didn’t have to go far. As she passed over the boundary of Seymore Place she could see that the brilliant light had extended itself beyond from the dome far out into the atmosphere and was a gigantic white swirling tube of strength and intention. She was astonished and quickly returned to the cottage entrance. She gasped to catch her breath, leaned against the door and hoped her dramatic return hadn’t been noticed.
She carefully opened one of the double doors and slipped into the library, paused to make sure she was alone and then crossed to the office. Geralty was standing pressed against the big window watching the lights in the dome as they were dipping and swirling. He was very startled to see that Mesa had returned so quickly and then saw Sarah and Fred bolt into the covered walkway and past Seymore. The three of them quickly moved to the end of the walkway and into the study with a long arm of white light right behind. He was shocked and more than a little frightened. What was the light doing?
Mesa was also looking at the covered walkway filled with light and knew that it was searching for Sarah. The light returned to the dome and started to resume its usual smooth flow of light streamers next to the inside of the glass. She knew that Sarah wouldn’t be at Seymore Place much longer.
Sarah sat down on the big ottoman, hugged Fred very close and buried her face in his rich coat. She was shaken as she now knew how much the light wanted her to stay in the light and return with her to earth. She would have to go soon and she was both glad and sad.
Seymore sat on the arm of the big leather chair and looked at Sarah and knew that she was distressed but none the worse for her latest light adventure. He was feeling quite good about the experiment and now had new information to add to his trove of data and details. All that remained was to make a good plan, and to figure out when it would be best for Sarah to return to the light and leave on her amazing journey home.
He suggested to Sarah that she take a rest on the day bed. When she was comfortable he left to go across the library to the office. Both Mesa and Geralty were sitting at the magical table, but this time Mesa was her stern schoolmarm self and he knew she had something serious on her mind. He sat down and she prepared to tell him about her two recent trips, though not exactly.
Instead, she asked him if it was OK for her to make a short trip around Seymore Place to see what the parameters looked like since it was clear that the light was stronger. He said he thought that was an excellent idea and would add to his information about the light. She quickly changed to the lovely winged girl and was off. Seymore was dazzled by her dexterity at changing and then vanishing. He wondered how she did that.
Geralty, on the other hand, looked somewhat dazed by what he had just seen and was worried about what looked to him like a very aggressive gesture by the light toward the experimenters. He raised his eyes enough to look at the dome through the big window and it seemed calm enough, but his frightening ride in the dome had left him certain that the white light could be very dangerous.
It was obvious to Seymore that Geralty was troubled so he took him by the arm and they sat down together on the bench facing away from the window. He gently put his arm around his shoulder and just held him until he leaned his head into Seymore’s shoulder and quietly cried. He was terribly upset. Seymore didn’t realize until now that Geralty had not always been kept well informed or appreciated for his skills and bravery. He cried for a few minutes and when he seemed more relaxed, Seymore decided to make him a confidant and tell him ahead of time what he was very certain would happen next.
Geralty sat up and wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve and looked at Seymore who said, “Geralty, I need your help and advice about when and the best way for Sarah to re-enter the light for the last time so she can go back to The Rim. What should we do to make her send off special? It is the very first time that the dome has released a light and returned a rider and goes a long ways toward fulfilling our mission here.” He gave Geralty a soft, questioning smile.
Geralty lit up, he was thrilled to be asked to be a part something so important. Most of the time, he felt that he was just along for the ride, and sometimes a bumpy one, with the creator of Seymore Place and his clever assistant .And he adored Sarah who had been kind to him from the very beginning. And the cat was a welcome diversion. But now he had a chance to really be a part of something momentous. In the process of accepting this new relationship, Geralty slowly and carefully grew several inches and his image developed new strength and his posture straightened. He swelled with hope and potential.
“I think,” he began, “that we should be sure that each of us, including Fred, have a chance to say proper goodbyes to Sarah and tell her how important she is and how much we care about her. Maybe Mesa could have her magic desk do something special that Sarah would always remember. Not a party, more like an occasion. Can we give her something to take with her? ”Geralty stopped, looked at Seymore and then said he would like to think about it for a little bit. Seymore agreed and as he did Mesa zipped in through the door and took a seat at the table. She looked quite pleased. And well she should be as she had lots of good news for Seymore.