by S A Jacobs
“What do you mean?”
“When you explained it, how the spirit or whatever would be trapped in the loft, I guess I thought if I slept up there, the dream would change. It might show me more. I have been hiking all over, and I just can’t find anything.”
“So, I take it your plan didn’t work.”
“Nope, same dream.”
“You know, this stuff is often like a puzzle. Your dream is a great piece, but not the full picture. We have work to do. We need to figure out what will release Robert. Right now we don’t even know what is out there to find. For all we know, there is a body out there.”
She took a deep breath and looked at me. A few seconds later, I saw the corner of her mouth turn up slightly.
“You promise you will work this through with me?” she asked.
“As long as you don’t hold back anymore, then I am on your team.”
I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. It felt right. My questions were answered, albeit differently than I would have ever expected. But this was good. Under the blanket of stars, on a still night, with Melanie in my arms, everything felt like it was exactly where it was supposed to be.
“You know, if I’m not allowed to hold back anymore, that might be a problem for you,” she whispered with her head buried into my chest.
“How’s that?”
“See, I’m pretty sure I wore you out once already tonight. I don’t know if you can handle me not holding back.”
I laughed. “I really don’t think you need to worry about that one bit.”
She moved to kiss me slowly on my neck. Her hand slowly grazed down my chest. At that moment, she had me completely under her control. I ran my fingers through her hair and leaned in to kiss the top of her head. She responded by forcefully pushing me away. Confused, I looked at her to see her smile turn sultry.
“Then, you better get that ass of yours back to the tent and prove it.”
She grabbed my hand and led me across the mountaintop to where her tent was waiting for us.
7
As amazing as it was to wake up with the sun rising over the mountaintop and Melanie in my arms, it quickly turned disheartening. The abruptness of her needing to get ready for work and having to hike a couple miles was jarring. The next thing I knew, I was pulling into my driveway. I was glowing from the night before but also exhausted.
I was too keyed up to sleep. So, I sat there unsure of what to do. I pulled out my laptop and began to research Cloudland. To some extent, I was already an expert on its history. Everything I knew was more about the essence of the hotel… the history and the people. Now, I wanted to learn more about the location. If Melanie was seeing a vantage from the building itself in her dreams, I needed to know what that was and, more importantly, what lay in the distance from that view.
I slammed the laptop shut as I realized I had all the materials I needed at the office. When I’d researched the table from the Cloudland dining room years ago, I had come across an old set of plans for the building. I needed to see them now. There was an urgency rising in my chest as I drove to the office.
It was a relief that Linda wasn’t there that early. I went to my back office and started digging through the pile of boxes until I found the plans I was looking for. I brought them into what remained of the conference room and spread them out on the floor. Melanie had mentioned the western edge of the building, giving me a starting reference point.
According to the blueprints, the hotel was three stories tall. The western edge was massive. That didn’t narrow things down too much, but it was a start. I could see that the first floor was split in half. On one side was the lobby, along with dining and sitting areas for guests. The other half was the kitchen and rooms for the staff. The second and third floors were all guest rooms. Assuming I was looking for a guest room, I started scanning the second floor of the building. I realized almost immediately that what I was looking for was not on the second floor. Those were all standard guest areas. Small rooms with shared bathrooms throughout the entire floor.
I moved on to the third floor. This floor was much more interesting. Here, the northern half contained standard sized rooms just like on the second floor. However, the southern half was comprised of much larger suites... suites appearing to contain private sitting rooms. Additionally, there was a massive library off these suites.
If Robert was staying here with his buddies, surely it would be in this area, I thought.
On the western edge was one massive room with a private bath and sitting room. I figured that had to be what I was looking for. Robert would have been staying in one of those rooms, and the view of that one room appeared to align with Melanie’s dreams. If that was the room, then I needed to know what Melanie was seeing on the horizon. Pondering that for a moment, I realized I needed to match it up with a map. I rummaged through the box until I pulled out a topographical map with the footprint of the hotel on it. I needed to match that up to a more expansive and modern map.
I sighed at my realization because it meant I’d have to pay another visit to the Roan library. That was where my energy ran dry. I packed up the plans and brought them back to my office. I settled into the chair, which still fit me like a glove, and I drifted off.
I was jarred awake at the sound of the sleigh bells on the door. Opening my eyes, I saw Linda sway into the hallway.
“Did you come back for more of my advice, dear… or did you figure this out and start working the case?” she asked as she opened the door across the hall.
“I’m good, thanks,” I called back. “I don’t need another dose of you reading me.”
“Don’t be mad at me. You know I have a gift. When someone is in need, I share. Believe me David, you were more in need than anyone I’d seen in a long time.”
“Stop. Just come in here and talk… but don’t read me again. You know that shit freaks me out when I’m not on the other side of the table.”
She stepped in and sat down in front of my desk. Her eyes moved up and down, looking at me. A large smirk appeared on her face. “Okay, so just so I understand… You want to talk to me, but you want me to ignore the fact that I can see you had a very interesting night?”
“Stop already. I wanted to talk about the case.”
Linda looked at the box I’d been rummaging through. “I suppose you don’t want me to say ‘I told you so’ either.”
I slammed my hands on the top of the desk. “What now, Linda?”
“Nothing. I was just reminiscing about the day I found you packing up this very box. You were so full of determination to put the Sovereign Lords behind you.”
“Yes, and true to your nature, you told me that bit about the cases choosing me... I remember.”
“You may remember, but you still aren’t listening to me,” she said.
I rolled my eyes and leaned closer to Linda. “Alright, I’m listening now. What do you care to share with me?”
“Think about your case in Chicago. We sat in this office and dissected Jim’s and Kat’s connections to the experiences they were having.”
“Of course we did!” I interjected. “That is what we do!”
“David, please! Their connection was to the family of one particular Sovereign Lord. Yes, they were, in part, connected to Cloudland and of course the Lords themselves, but that connection was secondary. It wasn’t about the KGC directly. Now, I will ask you one simple question. Why were you called for that case?”
“They called me because I acted like I knew everything about that house on some website. It’s that simple.”
“Is it that simple? My dear, please take a step back for a moment. If your client was answering you in the same manner you are responding to me, you would force them to dig deeper and look at the bigger picture. You are connected, not to Jim and Kat’s house, but to the bigger picture. Why did you even post on that website about a house hundreds of miles away?”
I started to absently play with my watch as I listened
to her. “I was simply interested in it. That’s all.”
“Of course you were. As long as I have known you, you have been fascinated by the legends of the KGC and their lost treasure hoards… but if a client of yours were to say that, how would you respond?”
“I get it. You are telling me that I am connected to the KGC. This connection of mine has driven me to focus my efforts into it… you know, you could have just said that!” I was agitated.
Linda didn’t respond. She didn’t have to. She said everything she needed to with the smile that appeared on her face.
Linda was right. If a client of mine had come in to tell me that they had spent so much time obsessing on a subject which now tormented them, I would certainly see a connection there. An underlying reason they started to obsess in the first place. It was almost never just an interest. It was the fact that they were drawn or directed there. I’d always been drawn to Cloudland and the KGC, and Linda obviously felt that was how I’d always found myself tangled in the web of the Sovereign Lords.
“You’ve known this all this time? Why the hell wouldn’t you tell me this before now?”
“I tried as much as I could without forcing the knowledge on you, but you were never open to it. I knew we’d circle back to it somehow. I assumed at some point you would take a step back and realize this on your own.” She leaned back in her chair.
My head spun. I couldn’t imagine how I would be connected to the Sovereign Lords. I wasn’t related to any members of the KGC that I knew of. Beyond that, I felt ashamed and embarrassed.
“How could I not even sense this in myself? Am I really that much of a fraud?” I asked.
“My dear, you are not a fraud. I have seen your talent firsthand. You… you just never looked at yourself the way you do everyone else. Really, there was no need. The point is, you know now. This knowledge wouldn’t have changed anything in the past cases. They were finished the way they needed to be.”
She stood up and reached for my hand.
“David, now you know. Come with me. We have much work to do.”
She led me out of my office into the conference room. I followed with no reservation. I still felt too embarrassed to even think about what she had in store for me.
Linda instructed me to sit on the floor in the center of the room. I obediently did as asked. She then walked over to the front door and locked it. Coming back into the conference room, she shut and locked that door too. As she walked through the room with her colored dress floating behind her, she lit a series of candles. On a small table in the corner of the room, she lit incense, which filled the room with its sweet fragrance. Finally, she turned off all the lights and approached me. She sat in a lotus position facing me. Whatever was about to happen was far beyond anything I’d experienced with her before. Typically, these connections were explored with objects that she could focus on.
“What are we doing?” I asked with some hesitation.
She didn’t respond. She just sat there in her lotus pose with her eyes closed. It was dark except for the candle light. I could see her chest rise and fall with each deep breath. I was too impatient to fully relax. I wanted her to just tell me what she was seeing, but I also knew not to disturb her when she was focused. So, I waited. I watched the candle light flicker and dance on her soft but intensely-focused face.
She grabbed my hands. I felt my breath slowing. I closed my eyes. She had lulled me into a deep meditation. I tried to control my mind. I wanted to force it to focus on those cases. I wanted to see the connection between them. The more I tried to force the direction of my thoughts, the more they went elsewhere. I was thinking about Melanie... thinking about us now but also reliving all of my past memories with her. My thoughts seemed to always come back to high school when we were nearly inseparable. I relived the nights we’d spent on the abandoned trail in Roan Mountain. We would go there nearly every night.
A loud clap pulled me out of these thoughts and back to the conference room. Linda was awake and now standing over me. There was a look of concern on her face.
“What is it?” I asked.
“You need to prepare. You are not ready… not yet.” She grabbed my hands again and pulled me to my feet. “What are your plans for the next few days? Is there anyone who will miss you if you’re not around?”
“Well, Melanie I s’pose. That’s it though.”
“Text her. Tell her you’re working on a lead for the case and cannot talk. That you won’t be available for a couple of days.”
“What is going on? What’s happening?”
“Do you trust me?” she asked.
“Of course I trust you Linda. It’s just, I want to know what the hell is going on.”
“All will be revealed. Text Melanie. Then turn your phone off and give it to me. Where we are going, you need to be free from any distractions.”
After I relinquished my phone to Linda, I was told that I needed to find myself. She asked me to get in my truck and follow her. We started driving in the general direction of Roan, but Linda was taking all side roads. Within a few minutes, I really didn’t know where we were or where we were headed. I trusted her, but it had gotten a bit strange, even for my tastes.
After about an hour of driving, her Beetle pulled off on an unmarked dirt drive somewhere high in the mountains. I watched as her car bounced on the rough drive, expecting it to bottom out and get stuck. We were deep in the forest. Then, we reached a clearing. There was a massive octagonal cabin. Is this where she lives? I asked myself, realizing that I’d worked with her for years and had no clue where she actually lived.
She parked her car and gestured for me to do the same. I got out of my truck and marveled at the cabin before us. It was beautiful.
“David, welcome to The Sacred Walk Healing Center. This will be your home for the next two days.”
“Healing Center? Linda, I don’t need rehab for crissakes. I appreciate your help, but this is a bit much.”
“This is not rehab. I told you we had work to do and that you must prepare. Here, your preparation begins.”
I felt angry and resistant, but I trusted her. I pushed my apprehensions out of my mind and solemnly followed her into the healing center.
As we entered the cabin, we were greeted by an older man wearing only a white robe.
“Selestino, it is so great to see you again!” Linda said. “This is David. He will be staying here for a private session.”
Selestino responded with a curt bow and gestured towards the room inside.
“Welcome to the Sacred Walk David. Let me show you around and help you get comfortable.”
He walked me through the large room in the center of the cabin. That was the ceremony room. It was a large circle with a high ceiling filled with skylights. The floor was bare wood. Along the perimeter of the room there was a row of futons. I was informed that I could use this room whenever I wished for meditation, prior to tomorrow’s ceremony.
He guided me through a doorway opposite the entrance. There was a hallway leading to a kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms. He led me to the first room. There was no door. Inside was only a hammock, a small table with an oil lamp, and a robe hanging on the wall.
“This will be your room,” he said. “Please change into your robe, and we can begin the preparation.”
“Hold up bro. Can someone just explain to me what is happening here?” I challenged.
“Please, change and get comfortable. I must confer with Linda first. Then, I will be able to speak as to the treatment process.”
Selestino left the room. I was unsure of what was happening here. I knew Linda meant well, but this was taking things to a whole new level. I sat on the hammock to compose my thoughts. At that moment, all I could hear in my head was Linda saying I was connected. I realized that as uncomfortable as it all seemed, I did want to explore that connection. On the off chance this ‘treatment’ could help me understand, it might be worth the effort.
With newfound acceptance,
I changed out of my clothes and put on the robe. Feeling like I was going to a toga party, I walked out of the room to the kitchen area. There, Linda and Selestino sat talking.
“David, please have a seat.” Selestino gestured to an open chair at the table. “Linda has informed me of what we will be trying to achieve here. This may be a difficult journey. It will be a very introspective walk. For that purpose, I must demand that we keep talking to an absolute minimum. I will be your guide. Therefore, I ask that you follow my instructions implicitly. Linda will be here to oversee the treatment but will be stepping back so that I can be your guide.”
I nodded in agreement, assuming the vow of silence had already begun.
“The purpose of this walk is to help you reach the deepest recesses of your mind and achieve a greater understanding of who you are. In order to do that, we must first prepare and purge all the roadblocks you have created. Until the ceremony is complete, we will be meditating here. Your diet must also be controlled. The food here is to sustain the body alone. Drink plenty of water.”
“Wait, what exactly is this ceremony?” I asked.
“The ceremony is a journey. We will begin with a series of meditation sessions between now and then. Once the ceremony begins, we have no control over where your mind will take you. This is why our meditation will put our focus into the areas we want to see in the ceremony.”
Frustrated that I still had no answer to what it all was, I looked over at Linda. My eyes pleaded with her. I hoped she would jump in to offer something.
“David, the ceremony is a controlled meditation session. You will be taking in some herbs to enhance your introspective vision. Trust me, this will help you see everything you need.”
“So… I guess we should begin then?”
“The sooner, the better.” Selestino stood up and began walking to the ceremony room. “Please come with me, and we shall begin. Please understand I am your guide, and in order for this to work, I need you to follow all of my instructions.”