by J. K. Haugen
John took Sarah’s hand and pulled her down next to him. He had been sitting up against the side of the wishing well. That’s what he had decided to call it anyway. He was thinking, If only he could just make a wish to get them outa here and have it come true, then everything would be perfect.
They sat again in silence, both lost deep within their own minds. Johnny prayed that he would be able to fulfill his promise to her, while Sarah was trying to think of a way to get them out of the substation.
“Download complete!” said a loud voice coming from the scrolls in John’s lap.
It was Ayden’s voice, only different somehow. They both looked at each other startled as they heard, “Personal view initialized.” and once again the scrolls began to glow brighter and almost immediately Ayden appeared in front of them.
He lifted his hands and looked at them in disbelief. He slowly looked around, smiled, felt his robe and then he reached up and touched his own face with both hands. “I don’t believe it” he said, “it worked… I almost feel like…Me!”
Ayden’s voice was unsteady and had varied tones, it now sounded more human than artificial. His body was not as rigid as it had been when they first met him. And his facial expressions almost showed emotion.
“Greetings!” he said with a large smile and excitement. “I am Ayden!”
“Yeah you said that already.” Sarah said in a confused tone.
“I did?” asked Ayden. “When?”
“When we met a little while ago, duh!!!” she said back in a snooty tone of voice.
“Oh forgive me. That was not me. He was just a cyn…”
“A cyntell generated representation.” interrupted John. “Yeah we heard that too. What’s the difference between this you and the other you?” he asked.
“And just who are you?” Ayden said to John.
“Ugh…” he replied with a sigh. “Not Again...I am… John and this is Sarah. Don’t you remember?”
“I’m sorry but I don’t. You see, now that I have incorporated my program into your Cyntell Handheld Device or (CHD), I have only the information located in the database of that device. I have in essence become a new man. Everything that was stored in the CHD is now a part of me, including the complete personality profile of Ayden, which I did not include in the database in the substation’s cyntell core.” he said, pointing at the scrolls that John held.
“I did not want that information to fall into the wrong hands. However since I am standing here, you must be one of my descendants, a White Agodahn, or you would not have found this place. So, my plan must have worked, and the information has been protected up until now.”
“CHD?” asked John “You mean the Scrolls?”
“They are much more than that,” said Ayden. “Bond!”
Just then the scrolls began to wiggle in Johns hands and like the name plate did each page of the scrolls began to connect to the others. The magnetic pull was so strong that the spaces between them seemed to disappear as if all the scrolls were now one solid piece… a book.
“There, that’s better.” said Ayden, “I have linked all the cores together and all the information will be accessible from the front panel. If you call my name, voice access or personal view can be used. I will accompany you for the rest of your journey.”
“Not gonna be much of a journey if we can’t get outa here!” said Sarah with determination. “We need a way back to the surface. Do you know of one?” she asked, looking over at Ayden.
“Accessing… No I do not have that information stored within the CHD. I am sorry. However these aquifer tubules do appear to leave this room, perhaps you could escape that way.” he said.
“Do you have any information related to the tubes or the Almatore or the water at all?” asked John. “Anything that may be historically relevant?”
Ayden held up his right pointer finger, his eyes and head tilted up and towards the left as if he were thinking and he said, “Accessing…Yes there is a chapter in the Beclay that deals with this subject. I will tell the story…”
Chapter 5
~The Source~
“…Agodah had bestowed most of his powers unto the man in the white robe. He was able to heal the sick and wounded with one touch of his hand and he could cure the blind and feed the hungry. He believed all life was precious, that it was a gift from Agodah and he could not bear to see his people suffering.
The world, in which the man in the white robe had ended his journey, had become dry with drought. There was much disease and famine. This broke his heart to see his people starving and in pain. And so, he left to find food for his people. He was gone for more than three rotations, and had walked more than three thousand malay.
The people were all so happy to see him when he finally returned. As he entered the town, they ran to meet him to see all of the food he had brought for them. When he approached them they were severely distraught and disappointed. They even became hostile towards him when they noticed he had only returned with a single bucket full of water and had only two fish swimming in the bucket.
“Do not be worried my friends.” he told them, “I have brought enough to feed the entire town. These fish swim in the water from the Source… the Almatore. Agodah has led me to the place where he created all life. There, deep down under the ground, a pool of Angel tears has formed. And Agodah himself has shown me the true miracle of the Almatore, as I now show you.”
He reached into the bucket and pulled out the first fish. He cut the head from its body and placed it back into the bucket. He then gave the body of the fish to a very thin man who was standing toward the back of the crowd with his wife and two small children, a boy and a girl.
He said to them, “You did not attack me when I arrived. You did not yell or push or strike me. Therefore, I believe you are worthy of this gift from Agodah.”
“Thank you very much” said the man, “We have very little food for my children. My wife and I do not mind going hungry, as long as they have enough to eat. However, I am so sorry that we do not have any tolas to pay you for your fish.”
The youngest and frailest of the two children reached into his pocket and pulled out a half-eaten alpa fruit. He took it in his hand and held it outward and said, “Thank you sir, we can pay you with my alpa! I know it isn’t much, but it is the sweetest and juiciest fruit, so you will not be thirsty and it will make you smile, when you are hungry like me.”
“You make me smile little one.” said the man in the white robe, “But you will never be hungry again.”
He took the alpa fruit from the small boy and shook it under the water in his bucket. As he took it out of the water, there was silence from among the crowd. The once half-eaten alpa was now whole again. It was brighter in color and even larger than it had been. He handed the fruit back to the boy. Just as the fruit had been made whole, once again, there were also two fish swimming in the bucket.
He told the children to eat all but the seed from the fruit. He then said to plant it in front of their house. He told them that when he was done feeding the rest of the town’s people with the two fish, he would come by and water the seed.
The family left the crowd and went home. Like he was asked, the little boy shared his fruit with his older sister. The two then planted the seed in the yard in front of their home. When the man in the white robe arrived the little girl and her family came out to greet him.
He poured what was left of the water out onto the ground where the two had buried the seed. Right away the seed began to sprout from the soil. It grew tall and strong and was the most fruit bearing tree in the entire town.
The family was told of just one rule. They could not eat the last remaining fruit on the tree. Even though it would grow to be the largest and most tasty alpa, they would need to leave at least one hanging from the branches or the tree would die and never again produce fruit. If that happened, he told them, their family would surely starve.
The family took heed of the warning and watched over
the tree to make sure that it grew and flourished. Every time the tree would bear fruit they would harvest all of it, leaving just one hanging from its branches. They would share the fruit with the townspeople, keeping only enough fruit to feed their family and keeping the last remaining alpa on the tree so that it would produce the next harvest.
One day a wealthy man was strolling by the family’s home. It was hot outside, and he had missed his mid-day meal. His walk had taken longer than he had expected and he noticed the last alpa sitting there on the branch of the tree. His mouth began to water. It was so large and juicy looking and even though he had heard of the warning, he decided that he was going to have the fruit for his very own.
He noticed the oldest child sitting next to the tree. He knew she would not give the alpa to him freely. And so, he took off one of his shoes, ripped a hole into his pant leg and scruffed up his hair as he approached her. He wanted to appear poor like her and hungry, so she would feel sorry for him and give him the fruit. He knew that she would never part with it, if she knew he was wealthy.
He asked the girl for the fruit, telling her his made up tale, about how he had nothing to eat and was suffering. Her little brother quickly approached wondering who his sister was talking to. He told her to remember the rule, that they must not eat the last of the fruit, that it was forbidden.
The man pleaded with the girl. He told her that he was sure that Agodah would be happy to re-grow the tree back to its former glory, just like he had done with the fish. He told her that he would only take a few bites and not eat the entire alpa, so that the tree would return.
The little boy knew better and ran into the house to find his mother. When the boy returned, both the man and the boy’s older sister were each taking a bite from the fruit. The girl tried to tell her brother that it would be okay and tried to convince him that he should also take a bite of the forbidden alpa. She told him that it was juicier and tastier than all the other fruit from the tree.
The boy just sat next to the tree and cried. The man left and the children’s parents had come outside to see what their daughter had done. The family tried to re- plant the seed next to the tree that had begun to dry up and die.
They poured the last of their water over the ground and stood watch hoping that the tree would again grow. However, it never grew again. Rumors began to go around the town that the children had eaten the last of the fruit from the sacred tree. They knew that there would no longer be enough food for all of the townspeople.
An angry mob came to the family’s home. Leading the group of people was none other than the towns ruling councilman. It was the wealthy man, who had convinced the girl to pick the forbidden fruit. He was shouting louder than all the others.
No one could hear the children trying to tell everyone, that he was this man who had convinced them to eat the fruit in the first place. The louder the man yelled the more angry and excited the townspeople became and they forced the entire family to leave the town never to return.
The family began a journey to find a new home. It was a long, treacherous path through the wilderness. The family did not have much food and almost no water to sustain them. And so, like before, the man and the woman went without so that their children would survive. Very soon their parents had fallen sick and died leaving them scared and alone.
They walked for almost an entire rotation, until they could walk no more. The girl was beginning to get frail and she knew that like her parents, she would be dying soon. She had been tricked by the wealthy man, yet she could not help feeling the devastating guilt for what she had done. She told her brother that she would be dying soon and that he was to either try to continue on without her and find a new home or find the man in the white robe.
After she died he could not bear to leave her behind. And so, he cut a lock of hair from her head and carried it with him while he continued along his path to find a new place to call home. He was much older now. He had been learning to hunt and had become very good at it. He had traveled far enough to where the rain fell more frequently and he was strong and healthy. And yet, he was lonely still.
He had not yet found another town to settle down in. And so, he decided to build a cabin in the woods where he had been hunting. The forest was plentiful with food and water. A more beautiful place, he had never seen. It was a lush garden full of flowers and edible plants and was the perfect place to live.
One day when he was finished hunting and returned to his new home, he saw a stranger sitting out in front of his house. As he got closer his eyes had filled with tears, for right in front of him, sat the man in the white robe. “I have looked for you for many rotations, and here you sit. You… have found me!” said the boy in disbelief.
He told the man the story of what had happened to his family and of the tree and the selfish councilman. He told him of how his sister had died with the regret and guilt over what she had done. He also told him how he had buried his sister and that all that he had left, was the lock of her hair that he kept with him.
He apologized for not being able to protect the tree. “There is nothing to be sorry about my friend.” said the man. “The town was full of selfish and greedy people. That is why I gave you the tree to begin with.”
He told the boy that he had just been in the town and that the town was no longer there. He told him that he believed, when the food and water ran out, that the people had turned on each other and destroyed themselves.
The boy invited the man into his home and offered him a meal from the ronabeast he had just slain on his hunt, “I however, do not have any fruit to share this time.” he said with a grin. The man smiled and told him that he would not be staying for the meal, because he needed to be on his way soon, but before he left, he had one more gift to give the boy.
The Man asked to see the lock of his sister’s hair and asked the boy to leave the cabin for a little while. The boy handed the lock of hair to the man in the white robe and walked outside. It was not long before he heard the door open. When he turned to ask the man if he was finished, he could not believe his eyes. Standing in the doorway was his sister.
She had not aged at all. She now appeared to be about a rotation or two younger than he was. As time had gone by and he grew up, it was as if it had stood still for her.
The man in the white robe had brought his sister back to him. He did not know how any of this was possible but he didn’t care. He would no longer be lonely and they would have this beautiful garden to call home from now on…”
“End of entry.” said Ayden.
“Great, that was helpful.” said Sarah with sarcasm in her voice.
“No… I think it was.” said John.
“What do you mean Johnny?” she asked, “All I heard was a strangely familiar story. One that kind of sounded like some crazy messed up mixture of a New Testament story of Jesus and the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve?”
“Yeah, that was kinda bazaar huh?” asked John. “But, remember the bird from my backpack?”
“Yeah, I remember. The one that scared the crap out of ya?” she said giggling.
“Uh huh, yes that one.” he said with a scowl. “I think it was the same bird that I killed for us to eat. That some of the water spilled out over what was left of the meat and brought it back to life.”
“And they say I’m crazy for thinking there were advanced civilizations here before us, but even that’s a bit too farfetched for me Johnny.” said Sarah.
“I think that the boy and girl, actually made their new home right above us.” said John. “You saw how amazing of a place that it was. You even called it Eden!”
John then turned and looked at Ayden, “What do you think Ayden is it their garden?” he asked.
“I don’t have that information.” Answered Ayden. “However, if the story is true, then even if you did drown in the aquatic tubules making your escape, it stands to reason that the water would revive you.”
“If… it’s true,” said Sarah, “this
is nuts Johnny!! You can’t really be thinking of trying to ride to the surface in those water slides of death? We don’t even know how far the surface is, or which ones to take. We could end up anywhere!”
“I don’t see that we have much choice here.” he answered. “We don’t have any other way out and we’ll die down here for sure if we stay. At least my way, we have a chance. You’ll have to trust me, and have a little faith.”
“A...a...little?” she said with a quivering voice. “I’d say that’s a huge leap of faith, but I do trust you.”
“Well, look at it this way, if fate or destiny or God or even Agodah for that matter, has led us this far, then there’s no way that we were meant to find this place and him, just to end up dead shortly after, right?” he said, looking over at Ayden then back at Sarah.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have that information” replied Ayden.
“He wasn’t talking to you micro-brain.” she said laughing. “Ok Johnny I’m with ya, let’s do it…”
Chapter 6
Wild Rivers…
“Terminate personal view!” John said aloud. Ayden’s projection quickly disappeared into the CHD and John put the book into his backpack.
“How’d ya learn to do that?” asked Sarah.
“I did some light reading.” John said with a wink and a bit of excitement. “While Ayden was telling his story, I found a list of voice commands. You wouldn’t believe what this thing can do. The universal translator, or what they call, a collective babble decoder is just a small part of what this thing is capable of. It’s truly incredible.”
“Well, put your toys away so we can go swimming!” said Sarah in a joking yet uneasy tone of voice.
“Ok, I will let you go first and I will be right behind you.” said John.
“Oh no you won’t!” said Sarah. “This is your idea, you’re go’n first.”
John laughed, as he stepped into the well, “Why don’t we ride together like I used to do with my friends at wild rivers on the big waterslides?” he asked. “I’ll sit down first, and then you sit down behind me with your legs around me. When you’re in position and have your arms around me, we’ll both lean back and shoot through the opening. I’ll keep my hands on the sides until we’re ready to go.”