by Shea Meadows
A deeper part of Ricky knew just what to answer. “I am grateful for your service on the behalf of those facing fear and wishing to respond with love.”
Moon now turned to the female figure next to Megon. She had long brown braids, a simple tunic of soft leather and a sweet oval face with a loving smile. “This is Aleese; she has been my guide since I became a Reiki master.” The small woman reached for Ricky’s hand and incased it in both of her own, bringing them both into Aleese’s history.
The graceful woman morphed into a lumbering man who weighed about 400 lbs, who wore a loin cloth and was slamming other men of similar size onto the ground. Watching them was a group of aristocratic Asian gentlemen from another century cheering on their favorite.
The scene changed abruptly, to a rain forest where a very old woman with only a few teeth and long scraggly hair was teaching a group of young women how to make an herbal tincture. Ricky recognized herself and Moon as two of the students.
The time and location shifted again, a young woman with hair covered by a white, powder-dusted wig, wearing an ornate but worn-looking gown, was teaching a small girl how to deal with her sightlessness. As she worked with the child, the teacher rested her hands on the child’s shoulders, sending loving energy into her body. The child glowed with love for her teacher.
The last life Ricky was shown was on the East Coast of America, in the early 1900s. A tall, charismatic woman with upswept hair and a suit with a long skirt and white starched blouse, spoke in front of a large audience that filled a massive auditorium. After she spoke, people who were assisting her ushered others to the stage where the healer laid hands on them. Some fainted, some cried, some screamed with excitement, but all, even those who had been carried up, walked back to their families on their own.
Aleese released Ricky’s hand and smiled, then spoke in a melodic voice that was more singing than speaking. “I am opening up the healing energy within you. To be part of this grand adventure, you must wish to heal and release the need to harm. I am gifting you with all the wisdom you need to be the catalyst for balance in the lives of others.”
“I am grateful for your gift of healing energy and surrender to the changes that healing brings to my life,” Ricky responded.
Aleese turned to the figure next to her who had started to change into the semblance of a physical human. This is Byron. He is the guide that has taught Moon Angel how to communicate with the souls of disincarnates. He has much to teach you.
A tall man, his long brown hair tied at the back, wearing small wire spectacles, and dressed in a suit from the English Elizabethan era materialized out of the energy field next to Aleese. He reached forward to take Ricky’s hand in his own.
She plunged into his history, many life times in England, Ireland, and Scotland as a member of Celtic tribes, then a metal worker, builder, carpenter, farmer and a monk who was learning calligraphy in an abbey at the time of Henry the Eighth’s take-over from the Roman Catholic Church. His most recent lives had been with the Spiritualists of London in the 1800s, under the direction of CW Leadbeater and with an esoteric teacher, Joel Goldsmith in the early 1900s in America.
Byron’s voice had a strong English accent with a little slur as he pronounced the letter “s”. His smile was one that would warm the heart of any woman. “I am so pleased that you have agreed to work with us. I am now imparting stronger abilities to hear and communicate with the beings in other realities, and just as important, the skill to block those communications that might harm you. Call upon me as often as you need.”
“I am grateful for the generous sharing of your wisdom and skills,” Ricky said with a smile.
“Lastly,” Moon said, “is the being standing beside you, who has been your guide since birth. Her name is Maya.”
A tall stately woman with dark hair and eyes, wearing a long woven dress spangled in stars, reached out happily to Ricky. It was like meeting an old friend from whom she’d been separated. Ricky’s touch opened Maya’s history for review.
Incarnations flowed by, this woman in many other bodies as a priestess in Atlantis, India, Egypt and most recently a shaman in Bolivia. Ricky caught glimpses of men and women associated with Maya that awakened memories of her own. She saw herself over and over again, in the company of this teacher.
“This has always been my eventual function: to help facilitate the neutralization of the Being that we are calling the Soul Stealer. I have always been there to help you with other concerns on your path, but this is one of our biggest challenges together,” Maya said. “Up until now, you were asleep to my advice; I am so grateful you have finally awakened.”
Ricky rushed into Maya’s arms, hugging her guide like a long lost sister. “I am grateful you were patient with me. Please forgive me for waiting this long. It is sad that it took Moon’s death for me to recognize my purpose.”
Ricky looked to all of the guides and said: “It is a privilege to meet all of you. Would it be disrespectful for me to question you about the mission?”
Byron answered. “Of course you may. That’s why you called this meeting. You were unready to participate in our venture without some assurance that we really have a plan. No sense in doing something that won’t make any difference and lose your present incarnation in the process.”
“Thank you for understanding my problem. I almost lost my life today. I know it seems silly to bring that up, considering whom I’m speaking to, but you all have been doing this for life after life and it’s new to me. How can I be of any help whatsoever? Why chose me to be the only being with a body to neutralize this powerful renegade?” Ricky asked.
The guides and Moon gave her the look that a mother might give a child who is having difficulty understanding a lesson.
“Gee, Ricky, I thought we covered that. You and I have a natural link because of our twin status. This project requires at least one person who is currently in the physical reality. Since I have been working on the ability to contact other realities ever since I was born, it’s only logical that you, being my closest relation and able to hear my communications, should be the person, since my third dimensional body is no longer available,” Moon answered.
Maya put a loving hand on Ricky’s shoulder. “Besides that, before you two were born, you agreed to work on this together with our help. Remember?”
Ricky was just about to deny that when a series of pictures streamed through. The twin souls that would be the sisters, conferring with the guides, surrounded by a group that she knew to be The Council of Elders. The two of them agreeing to the mission and excited about the chance to serve.
Instead of a denial, Ricky answered with a question. “So how long has the Soul Stealer been a problem? Is he really old or something? We already planned this over thirty years ago?”
Aleese answered for the group. “Time is a very strange concept that depends on there being a beginning and an end. In the true reality, where we all reside between physical lives, there is neither young nor old.
“The being called the Soul Stealer has been manipulating with this energy for many life times. The present incarnation has brought them to a place of great skill. The concern is that they may continue to grow in power to where beings using the physical reality as a setting for their quests, will at some point be touched by the imbalance that typifies his greed. The evolution of all beings could be put into chaos.”
Ricky was starting to understand the problem around the edges. “You said ‘his greed’. Is it a man? If you know just who it is, why haven’t you stopped him when he leaves a life? You’d have control over him then, wouldn’t you?”
“We have attempted to intervene between incarnations, but the Soul Stealer’s energy is very dense. He dives back into material polarity before we can stop him. I say “him” but we really aren’t sure if this body is feminine or masculine or if there is more than one being. That’s what Moon was trying to discover. We really do need someone in the physical to track him down. To us, he or she is
lost in a sea of energy. A physical person can identify him, and then we have a chance to neutralize him before his imbalance spreads to others.” Megon answered for the group.
“The imbalance is spreading? Are there more people who have been affected like Chester? Is that what he’s planning to do? Bring out the very worst in more and more people until lifetimes on earth won’t be valuable for anyone?” Ricky asked.
“That is the crux of the matter. Will this be like an infection of souls, where everyone’s goal will be to control and manipulate? We are seeing signs that this is the direction that the Soul Stealer is taking. Will you help?” Megon replied.
“One more question, I think this is the most important thing, what are you going to do if we are able to identify him? Isn’t killing against karmic law?” Ricky questioned.
“We can neutralize him if he is in a body. There may be a need to prevent him from having any presence in earth reality. There are technics that will remove his power to act using the energy skills he has perfected and will force him to move into higher vibrational realms. We will not hasten his death but will be able to grab on to him so to speak and quarantine him in a neutral frequency. Then, it’s up to the Council of Elders how he will be dealt with. Do you see the plan now?” Moon contributed.
Ricky was beyond bewildered but flashes of understanding had removed the fears attached to the project. “I really don’t understand how you would neutralize him, but I am prepared to trust that you know what you’re doing. If you all will be my advisors, I’ll do my best to follow instructions. I will be letting David and Beth Ann in on the plan to start with since you said it was okay.”
Moon nodded. “It’s time to go back into the physical, Ricky. You still have a body that needs rest. We will always be available to help.”
With Moon’s words echoing in her ears, Ricky felt her energy slipping from the higher dimensions, back to the body that was resting on the cushions in the meditation room. She felt the sensation of landing with a thump which startled Pigeon out of her cat nap. She looked around the room which appeared empty at first glance until a translucent Nellie flouted down from a corner to sit next to her on the floor.
“You were gone. Just your body was here. Were you with Moon? How come you guys didn’t invite me?” Nellie asked with a petulant pout.
“Sorry, didn’t leave you out on purpose, but I guess it’s up to Moon where you can come with us. Might have something to do with you being attached to the house, do you realize that? Moon has taught me that usually ghosts are attracted to places that are safe and familiar to them, although sometimes a person stays at the place they died. Is that true for you?
Nellie had a look of deep concentration. “Hum. Never thought about it, but true on both counts. I love this house and I did die here. Maybe that’s why Moon never lets me go anyplace, ‘cause I can’t. Impossible to bring the whole building with me,” she said with a laugh. “But Ricky, the ghosts she’s been looking at are attached to people, so maybe I’m attached to Moon. Could that be true?”
Ricky pondered this, knowing that Nellie saw this as an important issue. “From what she told me, it does happen but in other parts of the world. Other countries have a belief in ghosts following around their relatives, but here, there is no group mindset that this is true, so it seldom happens. That’s why Moon and her guides are investigating. They think a very controlling being is forcing ghosts to attach to people to cause trouble. It’s so important to her that she gave up her body in an attempt to find him.”
“I’d sure like to help her get that guy. I heard her call him the Soul Stealer. Can I help?” Nellie’s eyes had gotten round and glowed with the prospect of having a job to do.
“Not sure, maybe just keeping track of what people who visit us here might do that we don’t see. The only other way would be to agree to go into the Light. Of course, if you went, there would be no guarantee that you’d be allowed on the team. Moon would have to give her permission and maybe the Council of Elders and the Guides. Do you want to ask her?” Ricky questioned.
“Let me consider that. Moon’s been trying to get me to go to the higher vibrations for as long as she’s lived here. I never had a good reason to go before. Moon has made it so exciting living here. But now….I’d really like to be on the team. Got to go to the pantry and think. See you later.” A swish of air and Nellie was no longer in the room.
Ricky got up, stretched and looked at her watch, almost midnight. “Time for bed,” she murmured to Pigeon. As she walked a ways toward her room, the new reality of her life hit her, causing her to stop abruptly, one hand reaching towards the wall for support.
She was living in her sister’s house, doing her sister’s work, not in the least surprised that her sister’s ghost and a group of long disincarnate souls were working with them. She’d just had a conversation with a resident spirit who had been dead for over fifty years. And…..and….. none of it surprised her! Ricky rubbed her hands over her eyes, not knowing if she should be proud, excited or terrified. Was she going crazy? If she told anyone in Chicago about this they would be finding the nearest in-patient mental health facility for her. But it all felt so very right, so very true and real.
“Welcome to your new life, Ricky,” she said as she came into the bedroom. “Let’s hope in lasts long enough to enjoy it.”
Chapter 11
Ricky woke from a normal and thankfully dreamless sleep. No trips out-of-body, no signs of anyone etheric or menacing. She let out a sigh of relief as the sun beamed through the window and shown across the wall above the headboard of Moon’s bed. A normal night. How many of these would she have? How many normal days? And really, what was the new normal?
She glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table, 9:30. Amazing. Even the cat had gotten up and left the room. She stretched and walked over to the window opening it and allowing the fresh morning air, scented with lilacs, to surround her. It was going to be a warm day by Minnesota standards. It was already 75. She looked down to the garden, where Beth Ann was working on planting seedlings. Looked like a small vegetable garden going in next to the flowers. For a moment, Ricky was absolutely content.
The ringing of the house phone broke the mood. Should she pick it up? Why didn’t Moon have caller ID? Maybe because she was psychic and didn’t need it? It will take me a long time to know things without evidence. Let me figure this out. Who had the number? Could it be a reporter? Maybe it’s David. A flush of pleasant memories of his hand on her back, his body next to hers on the couch, and his reassuring hug after the chaotic memorial, raced through her mind and body. It was Sunday morning and he’d said yesterday he was off work for the weekend and would call. Yes it’s got to be him. The phone rings like a man is on the other end.
“Hello?”
A deep male voice, not David’s answered. “Hello, this is Detective Max Herman from the Minneapolis police. Is this Rachelle Banner?”
“Yes, how can I help you? Is this about the attempted assault yesterday?”
“No, mam, um ah, not really. I was one of the officers there for the arrest but I’m calling on another matter. I talked to Beth Ann Aims yesterday. She’s set up consultations with Moon Angel for us in the past. Ya might know that your sister was a consultant for the law enforcement agencies around here. We’ll miss her terribly. She was a great person and gave us amazing leads when we weren’t getting anywhere on a case,” the Detective told her.
“I appreciate your condolences. We are still trying to figure out how to move forward without her,” Ricky responded.
“Ahh, that’s kind of why I’m calling. Beth Ann said you’re taking over for your sister. She says she doesn’t have any talent like Moon’s for talking to the recently deceased or finding out if someone is dead or alive, but she thinks you do. Is she right? It seemed to me you might have the gift. I heard how you knew Charlie Fell had a gun on him before he pulled it out. Is that true?”
“Detective, I won’t respond to that. For
one thing, I’m not sure you are who you say. I didn’t meet you yesterday. You could be a reporter looking for a story. I met Detective Cummings at the church, and I saw another officer but I never heard his name. I need some proof of your identity before we talk about anything else.”
Ricky could feel her blood pressure rising. Moon and the guides had been very clear that she was vulnerable.
“I get it, Ms. Banner. I knew Moon so well I made the mistake of assuming her sister might have heard about Moon’s friends in the MPD. You can ask Beth Ann if I talked to her yesterday. I’ve been over to Moon’s house many times, and Beth Ann came with Moon to the precinct. Moon would come to the crime scenes with me and track down the energy as she used to say. Could you maybe talk to Beth Ann and call back? Call the station, look up the number yourself so you’re sure it’s legit. Ok? But do it soon. We have a case that we’d usually bring to Moon. Would be nice to know if we still could work with someone who knows what they’re doing.”
“Okay, I’ll call you back. I’m sure if you are who you say you are, you’ll understand. Good bye for now.”
Ricky’s hands trembled when she put down the phone. What had she gotten herself into? Either this guy was a complete phony or the police expected her to be able to duplicate her sister’s talents. And Beth Ann! Where does she get off telling anyone that Ricky could fill in for Moon? Let me get my bearings will ya? It hasn’t been a week yet.