Look around, Sarina. Do you see any auras around any of the beings?
No, except…my father. He has an aura. It’s faint but is definitely present. It appears to be a faint white color, almost gray.
Sarina focused on her father. Her focus was so intense that Riley noticed Jack’s aura change. It grew brighter and he turned and stared in their direction. His face lightened as he gazed over. He opened his mouth as if to say something but stopped short, thinking better of revealing their location and then turned away.
Did you notice that? Riley thought in question.
Yes, he knows we’re here!
None of the other beings realized this as Jack looked forward again. Sarina wasn’t sure but she thought she saw a tear roll down Jack’s face.
Sarina? Jack thought.
Dad? She thought back.
Sarina, I never intended for this to happen. I came here, or rather was summoned here. I was so caught up in what I believed was a deeper calling. I had no experience with this place and I was following a thread.
A thread? Sarina asked. What thread? Sarina was skeptical and suddenly didn’t trust Jack.
Remember when I used to say “curiosity killed the cat”?
I always wondered why you used to say that.
I used to say that to help you. I wanted you to be careful about what you were discovering. You were so young and I didn’t want you to be in danger.
Sarina was feeling the hairs on her neck rising as a wave of anger begin to fill her consciousness. Dad, I only wanted to be close to you. You and Ann were always doing things together and I wanted some attention. Why didn’t you let me in? Why were you so distant from me?
Sarina, I was protecting you ...
I don’t believe you, and from what?! All you cared about was your stupid work!
Sarina, Listen! Jack was getting agitated. I didn’t know then. I only knew I didn’t want you to be harmed in any way. He was recomposing himself. I was summoned here by Cum-Hau and because he made me feel like I belonged and had a purpose, I stayed.
But Dad, Cum-Hau is trying to destroy the human race!
Why do you believe that?
I have seen what he is attempting to do while visiting this spirit world.
Sarina, listen to me. His plan is not to destroy the human species, but to enhance it.
Sarina was thinking about what Dana told her and wondered if he had been wrong or whether he was misleading her. Dad … Deep in her heart, she so wanted to believe Jack.
Who is Dana?
He is a friend who has been helping us. Sarina intentionally put Dana’s name out of her thoughts. Dad, I haven’t seen you in such a long time. Sarina’s face softened and showed signs of compassion for her father, which were not lost on Jack.
Jack instantly lost Sarina’s thought about Dana. I know, Sarina. I have hoped to see you again. But why now and here?
Riley and I were also summoned on this journey and answered the call as you did. Sarina was careful not to reveal any thought of their journey.
Riley? Is he another friend?
Yes. Dad, it is so good to see you alive. I have so many things I want to say to you.
Me too and if you join me here, we can be a father and daughter team, again. We can be together forever. All you have to do is choose to join me.
Sarina was feeling a lump in her throat at the thought of being reunited with her father again. That would mean a lot to me. I missed you so much when you became obsessed with the Mayan calendar. I was jealous of Ann and wanted to be as close with you as she was. Sarina picked up a thought from her father of intense grief, which she thought (incorrectly) was remorse for how Jack had treated her. He again picked up Sarina’s need for connection with him and exploited it.
I am so sorry that I abandoned you in those days. I was indeed so obsessed with my work that I forgot about how important you were and are to me. Can you forgive me?
Her protective wall of anger began to crumble as tears welled up in Sarina’s eyes. I can and do forgive you dad. You are the only family I have left and I need that connection now more than ever.
And I need that too. Jack was reaching his hand out to Sarina. He knew that the moment they touched her she would be his, in his world.
Meanwhile, Riley was watching all of this but could not hear any of their thoughts. He could see that Sarina was drawn to Jack and was growing concerned.
A thought message came to Riley from out of nowhere. It was not from Sarina or her father. The thought was, The conversation Sarina and Jack are having is pulling her into a trap. This is a trick to knock her off balance, to make her waver, and to make a different choice. You must convince her that her father is not sincere.
Who is this?
It is Dana.
Riley had to make a split second decision with only that last comment. Was it really Dana, he thought?
It is me. Only I can read your thoughts when they are directed toward me or if you think of me in the thought you just created.
How can I be sure?
Think deeply of something and add me into the thought.
Riley thought about a spot on Sarina’s back that was very sensitive to touch; something that Sarina would not have shared with anyone else.
The sensitive area of Sarina’s back is a marker or gateway into a deeper part of herself and the five dark spots are exactly between her shoulder blades about a hand length below the top of her shoulder.
He was right and Riley was convinced that it was indeed Dana who had given him the message. He looked at Sarina. He could now hear Jack’s thoughts as well, something he had not been able to do until now.
Sarina had walked across the control room and was about to take Jack’s hand when the lights of the collar around his neck began to glow bright colors. She hesitated for an instant, mesmerized by the lights.
Riley saw this hesitation in Sarina’s movement and seized the opportunity. He jumped right next to her, grabbed her face in his hands, and turned her head directly towards his own face. Listen to me! Dana told me that what you just experienced with your father is a trick. He wanted you to feel sorry for him and change your mind about continuing on.
I just want to get my dad out and get away from all this mess, Sarina thought as she turned back to face Jack once again.
Sarina, look at me. This is not real.
Is this Riley? Jack asked as he glared at him.
Riley heard Jack’s question because Jack thought Riley’s name, just like Dana had said. Riley kept his gaze fixed on Sarina.
Sarina explored deeper into her dad’s thoughts. Jack was thinking about Ann and how he murdered her. Sarina let out a slight gasp, not wanting to give their position away to Cum-Hau. Sarina put her hand to her mouth to stifle any sound.
Jack realized just then that Sarina knew he had murdered Ann. Honey, I am so sorry; I didn’t know what I was doing.
You killed Ann! Why? Sarina’s eyes were filling with tears, now for a very different reason. She didn’t understand why her father would murder his own daughter.
Sarina, if you just take my hand, I will explain everything and we can start over, a new life … together. Jack was stretching his hand closer towards hers. She was less than a foot away from Jack who was low to the floor beside Cum-Hau’s brother and just out of Cum-Hau’s line of sight. Sarina was extending her hand again, as if hypnotized by Jack’s gaze.
Riley stepped in front of Sarina and shouted his thought as loud as he could. SARINA! THIS IS A TRICK! I need you to believe me or all may be lost!
Sarina was drawn back to her dad’s gaze, Just stay calm, Dad. I know what you’ve done and we’re here to help. We can get you out of here.
Their fingertips were about to touch when Riley grabbed Sarina by her shoulders and turned her entire body toward his. Jack cowered back. SARINA … SARINA! He shouted.
Riley, are you certain about this? I am having trouble believing you. My dad looks so frail and I believe that he is trul
y sorry for what he has done. Sarina had turned her gaze back to her father who was creeping forward again.
Riley shook Sarina. YES, I’M SURE! Please, Sarina, choose the path that will set us all free,
Sarina paused but kept her gaze on her father. I’m so confused. I have to decide between being with my father and finishing what we started. Look at him, he is so fragile and wants me to help him. Sarina was pointing her finger at her father as she tilted her head slightly with compassion.
Jack strained to reach Sarina at her core. Together, Sarina, you and I can make Earth the ethical and just place you have always striven for.
Riley pounced on that thought: Yes, he is right about your ethical and just nature. But what he wants from you is not really ethical and just, let alone loving. Remember that numerology reading you did for me and what you shared about yourself? “You’re a dominating leader who reflects honest, high-minded, and ethical ideals. You also have a keen sense of mercy and justice.” And then there was the part about us together: “We will gradually learn to trust ourselves, trust us, and we will be known for at least one major contribution in life.” Sarina, this is that moment, our one major contribution in life. We have to follow this journey and see it through its completion. I ask you now to look at this choice before you and choose what serves the higher good. I ask you to trust me.
Riley looked over at Jack who, in his eyes, was nothing more than a shell of who he was in his human form. This was no longer her father. This was a decrepit old man who could no longer possibly feel remorse for what he had done. Riley prayed that Sarina could see this as he stretched his arms closer toward her.
The tension was breaking Sarina. Must she choose between her long-lost father who is finally loving her and her mission with Riley? She was pulling her hair so hard that Riley thought she was going to pull it out in clumps. She stepped toward Jack and bent over as if to help straighten him.
Oh, no! cried Riley. I’m losing her! She must have heard his thoughts.
No, Riley, you are wrong. With tears in her eyes, she thought, Dad. I love you! Jack smiled in triumph. But instead of taking his arm and pulling him up, Sarina brought herself to her fullest height, raised her palm at Jack, and announced, Dad, your power over me is broken! The collar around his neck went black and the mind connection between Jack and Cum-Hau was severed. Cum-Hau sensed the break immediately and looked up from his machinations at the console. Sarina turned to Riley and nodded as she fell into his waiting arms.
Jack, realizing his failure, looked down and thought nothing more. Then he rose up and shouted, “THEY’RE HERE!”
Come on Sarina! Riley had pushed her out of his arms and grabbed her hand and they “jumped” back from her father. Cum-Hau looked down where they were and shouted back, “SEIZE THEM!” He slapped Jack hard and knocked him to the ground as he muttered, “Imbecile.”
Beings from all corners of the chamber began to swirl around, which sent Sarina and Riley running in different directions. Even at a distance, Sarina and Riley remained connected and used their gifts to maneuver just outside of the beings’ reach. Sarina and Riley thought to each other with positions and instructions.
Dart left! Sarina thought.
Got it! Thought Riley.
Watch out, Riley!
I’m on it! As Riley spun upside down.
As a result, they were able to out maneuver most of the beings, darting this way and that. Riley found Sarina and they locked arms together and stopped. We must remain still, centered, and balanced. The beings will not be able to penetrate our protection. The choice to stop was difficult but necessary. The beings stood motionless. Riley and Sarina cloaked themselves in blue energy as a shield to protect themselves from any unknown danger.
When they felt safe, Sarina and Riley lifted the urn, which was now shining bright white. The light was so intense that even Cum-Hau, shielding his eyes, was obviously having trouble seeing anything. Despite the intensity of the light, Sarina and Riley were still able to see their surroundings. Their eyes had a kind of shield that protected their vision,
Riley looked at his side, which was glowing a golden color. It was the pouch that held his handcuffs that were glowing. He removed his handcuffs and instantly knew what to do. He projected himself to where Jack was standing who was unable to move. Jack appeared to be held by some unseen force. Riley handcuffed Jack who screamed out “CUM-HAU!” The handcuffs locked tightly around Jack’s wrists and he dropped to the ground in a heap as if the handcuffs weighed more than he could support.
Cum-Hau turned in the direction of the scream. Still unable to see anything, he lunged his enormous body where Jack, who had screamed, remained frozen in fear. Jack’s collar fell from his neck and burst into more brilliant white light. Cum-Hau was still shielding his eyes. “MOVE OUT OF THE WAY YOU WRETCHED CREATURE!” Cum-Hau shouted at Jack and was about to knock him across the room.
Riley grabbed Jack in time and yanked him away. Cum-Hau blasted through some of the motionless beings in a crack of bright white light. The sound was deafening!
The chamber was brilliantly lit by this time and none of the beings were able to see their surroundings and quickly became useless to Cum-Hau.
Riley, Jack, and Sarina made a move backward away from Cum-Hau. Sarina stopped them and thought Riley, I am focusing on you so my father cannot hear my thoughts.
Jack did not move. He seemed to have lost any power the collar may have had.
Go ahead, thought Riley.
In the excitement, Sarina noticed a flaw in Cum-Hau’s regalia. The front of his crown had a small indentation like the one in the urn where the bracelet now lay. Sarina opened the urn and removed the bracelet as she focused directly on the spot of Cum-Hau’s crown with all her intention.
Look, she pointed. His crown is the same as the bottom of the urn. I think I know what to do!
With that she propelled herself toward Cum-Hau who was still momentarily blinded by the brilliant white light in the chamber.
Sarina, no! Riley thought but it was too late.
Sarina was flying through the stunned beings receiving their electrical impulses at full force as she blasted through them. The pain almost crushed Sarina until she realized she was able to ground the energy back into the stunned beings by simply waving her hands in their direction.
When she recovered from the pain and tried this, the beings collapsed into the white light, which gave the light more and more intensity keeping Cum-Hau from seeing her approach, who was still shielding his eyes.
Sarina reached Cum-Hau just as he lashed out, in desperation, with his scepter. The scepter passed directly through Sarina’s heart and she lost her focus and clutched at her chest and spiraled out of sight, plummeting down, motionless.
Riley was in shock when Sarina flung herself toward Cum-Hau. He feared for Sarina’s life when she made such a direct assault on this powerful entity. Riley wanted to help, but even as he was about to descend on Cum-Hau Riley felt paralyzed, not knowing what to do. Sarina had taken the blow from Cum-Hau so hard that Riley lost his footing. Riley was furious at himself for not having come to her aid and furious at Cum-Hau who, still unable to see, was laughing.
The injury from the scepter’s thrust must have been so grievous that certainly Sarina could not have survived such a blow.
Chapter 26
Sarina lay motionless for what seemed an eternity with Cum-Hau still laughing. Riley was not sure if she was alive or dead and he wanted to rush to her. He was so enraged but something held him motionless, perched in position with every cell of his being on red alert. He waited for the right moment.
Riley noticed Sarina’s body shiver and twitch. Then she began to pull herself up, slowly from the position of what seemed to be her demise. A pulsing light from the top of the chamber engulfed the room as she quietly rose to her feet and in one hand she held the bracelet and in the other the urn and she was now focused again completely and directly on the small spot of Cum-Hau’s crown.<
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Cum-Hau had stopped laughing and was visibly shaken by the pulsing light, because he knew it was a warning that his brother was regaining the power of the light. He was beginning to regain his sight as he wielded his scepter, moving slowly toward Sarina with a contorted look on his face.
The pulsing light grew with intensity and a deep, low frequency sound started. First quietly and slowly, in time with the pulse of the light, like a da doom, da doom, da doom. Then the sound and tempo grew louder and faster. It sounded something like a heartbeat.
Riley saw Sarina rise and now relieved that she was alive, he projected himself directly towards Cum-Hau’s scepter before the Mayan god was aware of what was happening and knocked it from his hand. It flew to the floor and Riley sped down and grabbed it.
After retrieving the scepter, he then zipped over to Sarina. As soon as they touched each other, both Riley and Sarina felt a strong electrical impulse surge throughout their bodies. And with that, another flash of light and everything about them began moving at hyper speed.
The first thing they noticed that moved so much faster was their communication. Riley realized that he and Sarina were communicating beyond thought. He knew what she knew. He felt what she felt. They were acting as one and they knew what to do and where to project themselves with amazing precision. The strong electrical pulse they had just experienced had merged them deeper together, at the somatic or cellular body levels.
This speedy communication was complemented by super quick physical movements. Sarina was so stealthy in her movements that they were barely perceivable by anyone else in the control room but Riley. In fact her movements were faster than normal as her body seemed to remain on the floor and yet her essence was sharp and her speed beyond description.
Riley looked down and noticed his own body poised and ready to pounce but he was already ahead of it moving in what he could only describe as another dimension.
He and Sarina were moving faster than the human construct of time, which could not be explained in limited human intelligence. How was this real? He thought but Sarina was already explaining the phenomenon.
The Song_A mysterious tale of the Mayan spirit world and the Mayan calendar Page 36