Peyton spit out some watercress, “You entered my head. You spoke to me. And then I began to see a little. But...I was losing some of my powers. You whispered to me so sweetly. I couldn’t refuse you.”
“That is the good news,” Evelyn continued. “What could be greater than the gift of sight to a young boy? A young boy that carried out the executions that were ordered by the Great Spirit. You understand, Banks, that it was Peyton that killed your parents. Peyton did this before he was physically born. He was responsible indirectly for the death of your uncle. And...he was about to kill you. The rules of the spirit world are complicated, aren’t they, Sway? You know it very well. And Johnny you are just about to learn them. And Ann you have seen things that you never would have believed. You, Ann, played the most important role during the time of Juneau’s spell over the women...you were the Queen Bee. And, Tricia, well Tricia, you can wallow in your brother’s happiness...”
Tricia chewed her asparagus as if it were a piece of gum. “Yes, I love my brother very much and I’m happy that he is beginning to see things.” She smiled at Johnny. Peyton stuck his tongue out at her.
Sway jumped in, “So, if Peyton is no longer the Spirit’s Old Soul, then who is?
Evelyn patted her lips with her napkin and took a sip of water. She smiled at Sway and continued, “So we can rejoice in the good news. But now I must relay some...not so good news: Tomorrow, at the break of dawn, you will each be reunited with your animal guide. Of course, Plato is here for Peyton and some of you don’t even know your guide...but you will. And by the time that the sun sets, all of your guides will die except one. And in addition, all of you will survive the day...except one.”
Johnny stood up, “What? You are going to kill one of use? You think that we can’t defend ourselves against you?” A great force was pressed on Johnny’s shoulder. Evelyn moved her hand in downward motion as if she had control over his body. That’s because she did have control over him. Despite his strength, he was forced to sit.
“That’s better, Johnny, now eat your spinach. I will not be here to watch the battles, I must leave momentarily. Now listen closely: Leave the dead animals here. Leave the dead person here. And when you are granted permission to leave, remove the scarf from the Eye of Mount Juneau. The officials will try to stop you and question you...but you must run down the trail as fast as you can...you must run as if you were running for your lives. Because the five survivors will indeed be running for their lives.”
Evelyn stood up. “I want you to go to your respective rooms for an hour. When you hear the gong, you need to stand with your arms outstretched against the cylinder. The cylinder will rotate and become a vortex. Stay against the cylinder until the rotating motion stops. You now have your instructions. So...court is adjourned. That means go to your room, Peyton.”
The group stood and ascended the spiral staircase.
Banks and Johnny
After Banks closed the door, Johnny and he each sat down on their respective twin beds. Both seemed to be lost in thought and then their eyes met. “Johnny, I need a favor. I need you to protect Peyton if anything happens to me.”
Johnny looked shocked, “I feel like the outsider here in a tightly woven family. I have been thinking that Evelyn first used her powers on me and that I was the marked target.”
Banks shook his head no, “No, Johnny. This curse on my family has been going on I think before I was even born. You see, both my parents were killed by the executioner of the Great Spirit. There was a hit on all my kin. Later on, my Uncle Dan was killed. Then, the Old Soul, the executioner, came after me. I bargained with it and I was to live, but I think that was just temporary. You see, it was Peyton that used to be the Old Soul, even before he was born. And although he was given the option whether to let me live or not, the Spirit Above Our Heads actually had hoped that Peyton would carry out the execution. It was a test of loyalty. When Peyton did not, the Spirit resorted to new tactics. That is why Peyton was kidnapped. He was to slowly lose his powers and no longer to be able to externalize his mind’s eye. To accomplish that, Peyton was given the gift of sight. A new Old Soul would receive Peyton’s powers and I think the new Old Soul is Evelyn. In a way, Evelyn has always been the one to execute through the courts. Perhaps she is a natural. But if that assumption is true, then I am the marked target. I have always been Peyton’s protector, even after he tried to kill me. He is like family, no, he is family and I need to see that he is protected. Will you do that in case I am killed?”
“That’s a lot to take in. You are a friend. Yes, Banks, I will do that. I promise. And in time, I will be more capable. You see the shaman of your tribe and I have become great friends also. As you know he tutored me in math so that I could graduate. After that, he asked if I were interested in learning about spirituality. He called it ‘the way of the Hmong.’ I told him definitely. He said that someday I could use this new knowledge to help people. We were going to begin on Tuesday...the day after tomorrow. The day after Labor Day. The day that many of the kids in your tribe go back to school. Any rate I promise to look after Peyton if anything happens to you.”
The gong rang. Then it rang several more times. Each time it got louder. Each time it sounded more ominous. Johnny and Banks stood at the back of the cylinder with their hands outstretched.
Below them, Ann and Sway had their arms outstretched. And below them Peyton and Plato stood against the wall. Tricia was in the bathroom. “Come out, Tricia,” yelled Peyton. She opened the door and remarked, “It stinks in here. You didn’t clean up the Plato poop. You’re so disgusting.”
The room began to revolve clockwise and centrifugal force thrust her against the wall. Faster and faster the room spun. Outside Evelyn began to float upwards and the cylinder spun at full force and she flung out of the cylinder into the sky above.
Most of the contents of the cylinder was attached to the floors. The Plato poop flung to Tricia. “Disgusting,” she screamed. All unattached properties were stuck to the cylinders’ walls. The cylinder slowed and eventually stopped. Flung items that stuck to walls dropped to the floors. The six captives regained their bearings with temporary vertigo.
Tricia ran back to the bathroom to shower and change as Banks knocked on their door.
Banks and Peyton
Peyton’s eyes searched the room to see if he could identify colors, “Brown. Brown. My hair is brown, Plato is brown and poop is brown. I know that now. Tricia said our robes were blue. The bed covers are blue.”
Plato sniffed his way to the door. Knock, knock. Banks opened the door and asked Peyton if it were all right that he came in. Peyton ran to Banks and hugged him. Plato jumped on Banks licking him. Banks took this as an affirmative. His eyes glanced around. Peyton deduced, “You are trying to identify colors too.” Banks replied that he was looking for Tricia and Peyton pointed to the bathroom as the sound of the shower’s running water became apparent.
“Banks, I think many of the vegetables at dinner were the color green. Am I right?” Banks nodded yes. “So, Banks, what is red? Banks searched around and told Peyton he would point it out later.
Banks addressed his concerns in a calm fashion. “Peyton, when the dawn of day arrives, stay very close to me...and Plato too. If something should happen to me, stay close to Johnny. Do you understand?”
Peyton surprised with, “Don’t you see, Banks? I am not going to make it through the day. The Spirit Above wants me gone. I have disappointed him. In a way, I feel like a hero. I gave you life and now I must pay the price. They have taken away my powers...including my mind’s eye that saw the world very differently. I liked my world through the vision of my mind’s eye. Now it’s gone. I remember Evelyn’s voice from last Christmas. I remember she and mom and dad went into the bedroom and made scary sounds. She is wicked. Later she became friends with mom and then mom tried to kill me. Everyone wants me gone. I feel it. I have done horrible things. I did things to you par—“
“—Stop, Peyton. Stop. You’
re a wise and wonderful kid. You are my ‘sport,’ remember? You are the brother I never had. You are not going to die tomorrow. You are going to grow up big and strong and take a vision quest one day. Chill.”
Peyton hugged Banks again and cried. “If I make it through the day, Banks; I want to become a priest. I want to devout my life to helping people. I feel so much guilt for the horrors I have caused to others. Do you think I would be a good priest, Banks?”
“The best, Peyton. The very best,” consoled Banks. Tricia opened the door wrapped in towels.
“A priest? You want to be a priest? You will never have sex; you will never have money and you will be confessing to sins as you are doing now. A priest! Father Peyton. I can see it now. What a joke,” Tricia announced.
Peyton whispered to Banks, “You see, she really is a bitch.” Banks nodded yes.
Tricia scowled, “So listen, Banks or Chief or whatever you are, you seem to be acting very priest-like yourself. You give comfort to everyone. Well, I’m here too and you haven’t said a consoling thing to me.”
Banks comforted with, “You Tricia have nothing to worry about. You will live a long life. Only the good die young.”
And Tricia took it as a compliment and smiled, “Thanks, Banks.”
As Banks ascended the staircase, he saw Sway climbing up to the fourth floor—his and Johnny’s floor. He peered into Ann and Sway’s bedroom. Ann caught is gaze and gave a welcoming smile.
Banks and Ann
Banks closed and locked the door behind him after entering Ann’s room. He paused and debated how to approach her. Finally, she came to him and wrapped her arms around him as he followed suit with her.
Ann teared, “We’ve been through so much, Banks. It seems like ordeal after ordeal. And now I feel like tomorrow that I will—“
“—Die,” said Banks. Ann recoiled, “No, Banks. I will survive. After all I did everything that the Spirit wanted me to do since the ‘sky fell.’ Since the night of the Leonids. I handled every woman’s problem, led them into battle against the men and secured the delivery of all those creatures. I even stabbed my own father! No, I think the Spirit feels that I am worthy of life. I don’t feel that I am the chosen one to die. But I think that you might be in trouble and I want to help in any way possible.”
Banks understood her point of view and unfortunately he agreed that he was in serious trouble—just like his family members. Banks hurried to change the subject. He asked her if she applied to any universities yet. She shook her head no wondering how they got from life and death talk to university plans. She told him that her father suggested several schools out of state but she had not decided which one. She added that she was looking forward to her final year of high school and that she would seek out suggestions from the faculty. In her mind this was all small talk and she wanted to approach something more prescient regarding the next day.
She probed Banks, “There is method to all of this. There seems to be a reason why we are undergoing this experience and where it is going to take us. I can’t quite get a grip on it, but I think it concerns at least one of us or both of us. Do you agree?”
Banks replied, “Yes, the Spirit is making way for a new Old Soul. That is the main act. Why the Spirit is going through this process, I don’t know...perhaps this is a contest. Some will win and one will not. I don’t understand why he chose Evelyn Sands in this, this contest; but I think the end result will have something to do with who he chooses as the new Old Soul. But here is the kicker, when we survive and leave, something horrible will happen to the town. So, this appears to be just the beginning. I wish I could speak to the shaman. I wish I could survive tomorrow. I wish I could save Peyton.”
Ann had never quite seen Banks in this state. She guided him to the bed. And they sat for a moment. She wanted to lift his spirits. “Remember that night last November when we all watched the shooting stars? Remember what we all did? We all made a wish. And I think it came true. So, Banks...make a wish. How would you like to spend the night as if it were your last? Just for fun...don’t tell me what your wish is. Just think really hard. I will too and maybe...just maybe they will come true. You still have your charm. Your wonderful, wonderful charm.” And then she thought to herself, “Yes he has charm, but he has lost the ‘breathless charm.’”
Banks smiled as did Ann. They closed their eyes and made their respective wishes. There was a knock at the door. Banks got up to answer the door.
Sway III
(Begin Sway Garland’s Narration)
Everyone here believes that the purpose of tomorrow’s ritual is for the transition from one Old Soul to another. Or, the loss of Peyton’s role of executioner to a new executioner. I believe that is only part of it. I think the shaman probably knows for sure.
Several years ago I was here to complete my vision quest. It is our belief that there is a delicate balance between the physical world and the spiritual world. Each person has twelve main souls. The souls must remain in harmony for the sake of the person’s health.
It became apparent to me that I was unhealthy. I blamed it on myself and perhaps others like the mean girls in high school, but I mostly blamed it on Banks Blackhorse. Reaching my low point in life, I embraced death. The Shaman Roger Rainwater believed that I was ready for my vision quest due to my vulnerable state. Banks recently had his vision quest concentrating on a commune with nature. He was for all intents and purposes physically healthy. My state was due to the disharmony of spirits causing me physical and mental unhealthiness. The shaman knew that this was due to spiritual disharmony and so I must concentrate the quest to confront and understand my twelve spirits and align them for the sake of good health and happiness.
The shaman brought me here to this cylinder. This place where I could confront my spirits and realign them. I was in a state of waking sleep. The shaman explained that we would only meet a few of the souls. These were labeled the main souls. And the first one was the soul of reincarnation. He explained that I needed an animal guide at my side to help me fully understand of what I was and what I was going to be.
From the top of the cylinder, the Monarch Raven landed on my shoulder. The shaman explained that this was the greatest of all animal guides because it was thought that this raven was the creation of all souls. That the raven always lives and never dies. That the raven had the power to transfer one’s soul to another and the process of becoming and existing was never ending.
Although I embraced death as a solution to my problem, I feared death for the unknown. ‘I was tired of living and afraid of dying.’ The understanding came to me that my current physical self was temporary and new states were to come. An immediate realization came to me—an epiphany: I no longer feared death. And, at the same time I no longer embraced it. The raven had reorganized the soul of reincarnation so that I knew that life existed everywhere. I accepted the concept of animism into my belief system. Now I knew that the animal world, the plant world and the inanimate world were all alive and were forever. The raven represented to me an immortality of existence in any possible state.
I felt that I floated up in the air with the raven as I accepted these truths. The reorganization of the soul of reincarnation levitated me spiritually and physically. I could not swear to this actually happening but at the time I felt that it did happen. And the result of this awakening was apparent to the shaman who then believed I was ready to encounter another main soul.
“Your soul of ancestors is lost. It is wandering,” announced the shaman. My body came down to earth and my mind awakened to the realization that he was correct. Yes, even words are part of animism!
“At your birth Sway, your soul that returns to your ancestors was lost. It only knew the path to your mother’s blood line of the past. It needed to know both. So if I tell you the truth about your absent father, if only for the purpose of the returning soul to know direction. This will be difficult and I must breach a pact that I had with your mother. Remember, I am really not telling you
, I am informing your wandering soul. Do you understand?” I nodded yes and he explained that my father was a white man known as Kenneth William.
“He worked in Alaska during the summers and Guam during the winters. He sometimes fished and worked the pipelines upstate during the days of light. Kenneth visited Juneau often and met your mother some twenty years ago. One night after he took her out to dinner, he raped her and never returned. Your mother got word shortly after your birth that Kenneth drowned in a boating accident while lost in a typhoon in the Marianas. After several consultations with her, I realized she was indifferent to his death but wanted to keep it from you forever. I only tell you now since you must confront his soul and his ancestors. It is my belief that he is responsible for discord in your souls’ harmony. You must confront him. You must acknowledge that he is your father. And you must forgive him.”
I had lain back out of exhaustion and disappointment. I knew what I must do. Sadness swept every fiber of my soul. I used to fantasize that my father was some sort of hero and now I am crushed to discover that he was a coward. And yet, his absence allowed for my closeness to the shaman. I would not have that if my father were still here.
My body felt light and my soul (or me, not sure) began to rise to the cylinder’s opening. The raven guided me out to the Pacific. We flew at a great speed to the warmth of the Marianas. We dove into ocean down some 25,000 feet—the depth of the Mariana’s Trench equaled the height of Mount Everest. The raven found my father’s body and released his soul. His soul confronted me or my soul and I murmured that it was okay. And I felt that it really was okay and no one need know of this encounter.
My wandering soul appeared and now it found the connections to the souls of my father’s ancestors. And the process of harmony began. Now I know it is difficult to accept or process all this, but it is essential in Hmong spirituality that knowledge of the main souls is important in life. It is important to one’s well-being regardless of one’s religion or lack of religion.
The Day the Sky Shattered Page 4