Society of the L.A.M.B.

by DuCharme, Judy;

  And so it would go with items all over the log house, with its hardwood floors and long, high windows. The huge beams had come from oak trees on a nearby island and were walked through the woods on the shoulders of several men. Crossing the high ceiling, they were thirty-six feet in length. When Grandfather wasn’t telling about the ways of the Voice, the purposes of Jajireh, and the love of King Glory, he would have a story about the house and the family he raised there in a day much different than he and the others now found themselves.

  As they ate a light lunch, they watched hummingbirds dance a choreographed pattern of zooming in and out from red feeders while dive-bombing the other hummingbirds. The whirring of their wings sounded like trains overhead. “Now, remember, listen to the Voice and know that it might be a sense about something, a slight thought, a pulling, a hesitation. Pay attention. Your life and the lives of many others will depend on it.” Grandfather poured himself another glass of water.

  “Keep your shades on but learn to peer through them to find any little opening into the souls of others. Use the sign, not obviously but like you are doodling. There are probably others looking to find someone like you. Be like the hummingbirds, able to move in and out, forward and back quickly—and always looking even while feeding. Though small, they have a big sound, and they are too quick to catch.

  “Brad and Amber, you will need to return to your home so there is no suspicion about your activities or whereabouts.” Grandfather reached across the table, placing one hand on Amber’s hand and one on Brad’s. Tears welled in his eyes. “I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to know you walk in truth and are led by the Voice. Teleos will accompany you back in the morning. Today we will continue to learn together the things of the Logos and the love and guidance of King Glory. Josiah is going back to the colony for recruiting purposes. I sense there are going to be some great rescues and restorations.”

  “Will we be able to come back or help in any of these rescues?” Brad asked.

  “You will, in time.” Grandfather stood, grabbing several dishes and taking them to the sink.

  “Actually…” Teleos walked in from the porch. “I think Jajireh will be guiding you with His Voice, just like those visitors you had. I’ve been out here praying and listening to the Voice. I believe you will soon be recruiting around where you live and work, and maybe you’ll bring some of them here.”

  “So, Cuz,” Josiah put a hand on Brad’s shoulder, “learn to listen.” Josiah made a fist with his other hand and faked a punch. “I don’t want to have to beat you up because you didn’t listen!”

  “I can beat you both up.” Amber stood with her hands on her hips. “And don’t think I can’t do it.”

  “Grandma is back from the dead, Grandfather.” Josiah nodded to the older man.

  “My, my, I think you’re right.” Tears of laughter rolled down his cheeks.

  “Like I said, she needs to learn to cook first.” Brad hustled away from Amber and hid behind Josiah.

  Amber just shook her head and walked over to the sink. As the boys started to relax, Amber grabbed the dish towel and snapped Brad’s leg with it.

  “Owww!”

  “You’re next, Cousin Josiah.” She snapped the towel twice then edged toward him.

  “Last one in the kitchen does the dishes!” yelled Josiah, and they all ran out, leaving Amber alone with her snapping towel.

  * * *

  The day had been amazing. Lily was almost afraid the bubble would burst and she would find it was all a dream.

  A bubble. That’s what it’s like. King Glory has placed a bubble of protection about me. Sweet!

  That morning, she had wakened fearful. Fearful she couldn’t find those she must restore, fearful Timmy would be retrained, fearful she would fail Jajireh. Then she heard the question within her: Lily, what do you know? She smiled as words of the Logos lifted up within her. I am more than a conqueror in King Glory. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. I have not been given the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

  Just as quickly, she heard again within, Face like steel, shades, OGs. They were the instructions from the Voice. She could obey. She set her outer man to appear like all the others, but her inner man proclaimed, “I am His workmanship, complete in Him, anointed to do His work. That I know!” When she looked in the mirror, she thought she saw a shimmering behind her. Quickly she turned, but nothing was there.

  She looked back at the mirror and practiced smiling on the inside while frowning on the outside. She felt that Halal might be standing there. Would he chuckle at her attempts to smile inwardly and frown outwardly? How often did outer men smile and laugh on the outside while they frowned and cried on the inside? “This is much better,” she said aloud.

  “What is?” asked Timmy, who appeared in the doorway.

  Nathan was right behind Timmy, snickering. “Don’t train and it’s down the drain,” he reminded her with a sneer.

  Timmy walked over to Lily and started coughing. Lily bent near to see if he was okay. “They want me to spy on you,” Timmy whispered between coughs.

  How could she tell Timmy the plan with Nathan there? As Nathan loomed closer, water splashed on him. Lily knew it was Halal but maintained her frowning face. Without a word, Nathan left, appearing rather shaken.

  “Timmy, just do as they say,” Lily said softly, “but shout the Logos inside, and we’ll soon be out of here. Pretend to be with them.” Lily looked around and, when she saw no one in sight, flashed Timmy a smile and went immediately back to a frowning face.

  Timmy bent and drew a smiley face in the dust and just as quickly smudged it out. They didn’t need the three circles, and an understanding passed between them that their smiles would not be in the dust or dirt but would reside within themselves. Their inner man lived. They would wear their shades, OGs, and stern faces. Perhaps the ruse would work.

  At lunch, some outer man young people joined them. “Glad to see you getting retrained. The other direction was such a drag. As soon as they let you out, we have colony meetings and rallies almost every night. Sometimes we have them during the day, too.”

  How sad. This is retraining. Now all you have to look forward to is colony meetings. But you think that’s how you survive. “I’ve heard about those,” replied Lily as deadpan as she could. “I guess we’ll be going soon enough.”

  “They’re really great. The facility people will pay for a new set of OGs for you too. That’s a blast. And you should see the variety of shades. It’s good to have a few extra pair. You never want to be without.”

  “Lily, did you know they give you dessert once you pass retraining? Timmy, that’s every day dessert. Cool, huh?”

  “I miss dessert.” Timmy looked down. “Sounds so good.”

  Lily glanced over at Timmy. What are you doing? Letting dessert win you to the dark side?

  Timmy looked back with what Lily could only describe as a sly smile. Good show, brother. You almost convinced me you were turning.

  “Speaking of dessert, let’s go get some. Not to worry, you two. You’ll be joining us soon. Keep up the retraining.” The others got up to leave.

  Lily smiled. “Yup, we know. Retrain or down the drain.”

  * * *

  “They are getting glimpses of the eternal, O GREAT.”

  “And well they should, for this is their home. On earth, they are simply on assignment.” Rainbows danced across the face of the Great Creator Jajireh, affectionately known as GREAT by the inhabitants of heaven. His eyes were deep rivers of gold and held the expression of a proud father. Wherever He gazed, it seemed He looked every direction at once. Great shafts of reflective light flowed and flashed from His eyes. Every hue and tint of every color could be seen and somehow felt. When beholding His eyes, one was invited into the depths of the gold river only to be lost in its currents and undertows of love, peace, compassion, and wisdom.

  The Great Creator Jajireh continued, “When My children retur
n here, it will be familiar to them, for as they follow and obey the Voice, they will get more and more glimpses of this place. After all, heaven and earth are all designed for My human creation. Those who cover their inner man so that they cannot perceive My love or truth are drowning in self-pity, anger, remorse, and denial. They question all that is and come only to a conclusion of confusion. To grasp what is only a temporary thrill leaves them empty and hopeless. Oh, that the people of Earth would turn and return to the One who created them, so they could be filled to overflowing with life and all that is good.”

  “Some are doing that, O GREAT. They’re shouting, celebrating, and spreading Your realities.”

  “It is good.” GREAT’s voice at once boomed a cannonball sound and sang a song that floated and drifted down a mountainside into a valley. His voice enveloped the listener in peace and love and caused eyes to see and perceive that of which He spoke. One could not stand long in GREAT’s presence without being lost in a cloud of glory.

  “Soon again,” the Great Creator Jajireh said, “those on Earth will know that the eternal, what they don’t see with their natural eye, is lasting and enduring, while what they do see naturally is only temporary.” GREAT stretched out His hand, sending streams of golden light undulating across the vastness.

  “As they obey the Voice and shout the Logos, they will bring the eternal into the natural and begin to perceive that their place is with Me, by My side, seeing the end from the beginning. Within their inner man, they will enter the higher places where I dwell.” Angels swooped around the gem-studded throne, singing and laughing like children. Dazzling reflections and joy of worship filled the air.

  “Then they will see My purposes and plans and shout and pray these into their natural world. This has been My plan from the beginning, and once again we will see it happen. The manifestation of all that is good is meant to dwell among human hearts.”

  Music of every kind emanated from GREAT. He leaned back as though settling into an inner tube on the water. Music was like an orchestra, yet it wasn’t merely every instrument. It was every song and all in harmony. All who heard were transported on a cloud and saw every beautiful vista that had ever existed. Riding waterfalls, gliding through snow-capped mountains, brushing fields of wildflowers were the sensations experienced as the Great Creator Jajireh rejoiced in His plans for man, and music reverberated throughout heaven.

  * * *

  Nathan shuddered as he turned quickly away from the shoreline. How had he wandered this way? No amount of coaxing would get him in or on the water. The memories were too chilling even these many years later. He resisted putting his hands over his ears, as if that would stop the sound he heard still in nightmares. It haunted him, but he would not acknowledge that to anyone. The best antidote would be to catch someone who heard that atrocious sound. He hated them, the way their eyes could look straight through him. But what did he care about the inner man? The outer man was everything. Everybody knew that. And if they don’t, it’s jail, retraining, or death.

  But then there was that awful connection when he went to strike that girl, Lily. He seemed to hit a wall. It was like a wall of water but solid. It was so weird. But the weirdest part was that he heard that sound. No, only my imagination. That’s all it was. I’m just tired, that’s all. That’s why he’d gone for a walk to clear his mind.

  The trees were dense and crowded the path. It helped him feel alone. He was tired of people. Why couldn’t he enjoy the outer life? Forget the inner man, the inner thoughts, the memories? He kicked a stone. Ouch, that hurt. Another thought drifted up. Not as much as those feelings.

  “Shut up,” he said to himself. He yanked some leaves off a tree and tore them into little pieces. Must leave a trail for myself in case I get lost. Nathan paused. Maybe I am lost. “Shut up,” he commanded himself again. He surveyed his surroundings. He was on a path he rarely went down. It was pleasant with roots rumpling the ground, some rocks protruding, and even a few squirrels running about.

  Let’s see if I can remember anything from science class. He racked his brain for the name of the trees. He knew the maples, and of course the pines, but he wasn’t sure on the oaks and elms.

  And then as he came around a curve, the water was in front of him, and so was that fateful day. The memories flooded him, and Nathan seemed incapable to stop the process.

  He was young, his parents still alive. People were just starting to wear OGs and shades. It was the new enlightening way. It seemed right. His parents actually thought it was fun. His grandparents were appalled by it and refused to shade their eyes. They could look so deep into Nathan’s eyes and knew so much about him. He tried to mentally run from the memory, but it caught up with him, in the same way his grandparents could catch up with who he was by peering at him with those eyes. Their eyes were kind, he acknowledged now. And, wow, they knew when he was lying, sad, or hiding something. They could speak about his dreams and hopes when he had never told them. It was comforting and frightening at the same time.

  His mom always said not to worry. They did the same to her. It was merely the old-fashioned way, and times changed. It was good to have OGs and shades, his parents told him. Nobody needed to see inside you.

  Dad would laugh. “Soon it will be illegal for them to do that. Just ignore them.”

  Then the accident happened. Nathan felt like he was sliding down a hill into oozing mud. He couldn’t stop the memories now. They were taking over.

  The family traveled to Hawaii. It was a blast. Nathan could again see the flowers, the breathtaking vistas, the amazing beaches, and the breaching of the whales. The boat excursion was to be the highlight of the week. Five whales had breached for them, and the sixth whale with her small one was putting on a display that mesmerized everyone on the boat.

  At that instant, another boat, whose captain must have been watching the whales as well, crashed into them. Only Nathan and his parents fell in.

  Nathan leaned against a tree now, as the sounds and images of that moment surged through him. He was sinking so far and so fast. He heard that groan, low and mournful—almost beautiful but haunting. At the time, Nathan thought he was yelling, that it was his own voice he heard. Then he was sure it was his parents’ voices.

  Later, he was told it was the song of the whales, their sonar, called echolocation. It penetrated him, much as his grandparents’ eyes did. He loved and hated it at the same time. When he was pulled aboard with only a few bumps and bruises, gasping and coughing, he saw his parents’ limp bodies. They had struck their heads as they fell and were probably dead or near to it when they hit the water. He had not heard their wail in the water, only the whale.

  Nathan was numb for weeks after the death of his parents. His grandparents came to get him and transport the bodies of his parents back to the mainland. The events that followed were a blur. Grandpa and Grandma tried to see into him, but he knew his inner man had died, and it was just as well. He didn’t need it, and he didn’t need his grandparents’ prying eyes or their praying hearts.

  That was when he started going to the colony rallies. What they said about “no Jajireh, no authority, no inner man” appealed to him. Hate grew for his grandparents, and one day he never went home. They probably weren’t surprised, but either way, he didn’t care.

  He chuckled. The only thing he kept was that ridiculous little tune they loved to hum: “Jajireh loves me, this I know.” I took the song as a trap, the best trap ever. It catches those inner man people, those Lamers, as quick as anything.

  Nathan figured his grandparents were probably dead or in jail by now. He looked around, suddenly realizing that a watcher would consider that slide down memory lane to be a violation of outer man law.

  He needed to get away from the water, lock up that memory. How in the world had he wandered into that place? Lily, that girl. His eyes narrowed as he thought of her. She needs a lot of retraining. I wish I could put her down the drain, just like my parents went down.

  SIX
>
  Many Waters

  Josiah and Grandfather walked toward the water’s edge. From high on the bluff, the cottage sat solidly built upon the rock of the land, providing a somewhat hidden but glorious view of the water. As they picked their way carefully down the rugged path, Grandfather gestured toward the roots of the trees that hung ponderously out from the bluff’s craggy side.

  “See that root?” Grandfather pointed down. “It goes to that tree, but look at this one that intertwines with it. I followed it one day, and it belongs to the tree over there, fifteen feet away.”

  “How do they wrap around the rocks like they do?” asked Josiah. “It almost seems like the rocks grew around the roots, or the root grew through the rocks.”

  “They are truly embedded in those rocks and intertwined with one another. That is their strength. We as LAMBers are members one of another, and we are planted on and in the rock, King Glory. He makes us strong with strong roots because of our faith. Then we can hang out over a precipice and not fall. There may be days, son, where it seems you are out there on your own. Remember your roots are deep in the Rock of King Glory and intertwined with others. You are never without strength and support.”

  “Look out, Grandfather! Don’t trip on that root,” cautioned Josiah. He grabbed Grandfather’s arm and steadied him. As they paused, they gazed out through the trees to the waterway below.

  “Another lesson.” Grandfather smiled. “The Logos tells us not to let a root of bitterness rise up, by which many are defiled. Two things here. One, we’re all wrapped up in each other, so we certainly affect others by what we say and do, good or bad. Two, this root you pointed out has risen up. If we’re not careful, we’ll trip. And with the slope of this terrain, a fall could be extremely serious. When we allow bitterness to remain in us, we can cause serious injury to the inner man of many people. Be quick to forgive, Josiah.”