* * * *
“Alec?” Clay asked looking around at the swirling whiteness around them.
“Huh?” Alec said seeing Clay standing there. “What are you doing here? This is supposed to be my dream.”
“Dream? A dream? That makes sense.” Clay scratched his head. “So, who are you?” he said to a stranger standing off to the side.
“Oh, that’s Shaun.” Alec introduced.
“So, is this the guy you told me about?” Clay asked looking at the oriental man who was still wearing his caterers outfit.
Clay stepped forward and extended his hand. “Alec mentioned you to me.” Shaun looked questioningly at him
“Gentlemen.” Shaun began. “I have brought you here for a purpose.”
Clay looked at Alec. “You have very interesting dreams.” Then looking back at Shaun he asked. “Can you tell me where we are?”
“Can’t you see were in the ships galley?” Alec said confused by his question as he could clearly see the ship around them. But he could also tell he was in Shaun’s dream world by the swirling mists… and the fact that things felt just a little out of kilter. It was as though he could see through the ships walls if he moved his head just so.
“No.” Clay looked around, then at his feet. “I just see what looks like a painting on the floor… a 3-D painting to boot.”
Alec looked around. Funny, he thought that things didn’t seem the same as when he first met Shaun. “Clay’s got a point. This doesn’t look normal... that is normal for your little part of the universe.”
“That’s interesting.” Shaun looked penetratingly at Alec. “You seem to be making the adjustment. I didn’t expect it so soon.” He said more to himself.
Shaun turned to his left and like it did earlier, the universe began sliding past. This time Alec couldn’t tell if it was him or the universe that was moving. Shadows flew past and he soon felt like he was flying through space… zooming past thousands of stars and systems… nearing the galaxies center, then past it. In a flash, their movement stopped… leaving them standing on a small grassy hill.
“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” He asked Clay. Since Shaun’s comment about ‘adjusting’ he wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing any more. Clay didn’t answer. Alec turned in a circle checking out the view. They were standing on a hill, overlooking a valley surrounded by snowcapped mountains. It was a breathtaking view. On the slope of the far side of the valley were five magnificent cathedrals. From left to right, the cathedrals grew larger and more ornate. The last one on the right was not yet finished. Its ramparts, arches, citadels and steeples stood incomplete; ringed by scaffolding, cranes and stacks of building materials.
“What’s this about?” Clay turned to Shaun.
Shaun just pointed at the second cathedral from the right; the one next to the cathedral under construction. Without a word Clay started walking down the hill. Alec followed, leaving Shaun standing alone on the hill.
Up close the cathedral was even more impressive. They stood at the base of its massive marble steps leading up to the main entrance. The wide stairs spread hundreds of feet in both directions and rose nearly thirty feet to an upper landing.
“Should we go up?” Alec asked. Clay nodded and they took to the stairs. Even though it was a lot of steps, Alec surprisingly noticed he wasn’t out of breath when they reached the top. “I feel lighter.” he observed.
Clay didn’t respond as he was fixated on its large entranceway… a five story stone arch filled with two massive wooden doors. These giant doors were filled with many windows… and a couple of smaller doors at their base. High above the arches stood a colossal marble statue of a robed angel. Its wings were spread wide with hair flowing in the wind. Its arms crossed as it looked across the valley.
“I guess we go in… this is sure some dream you’re having Alec.” Clay stepped forward.
The doors led to a large foyer. Beyond it was the sanctuary, where hundreds of rows of pews extended wide to both sides forming a half circle focusing on a large pulpit. Behind the pulpit was an oversized throne looking like it was built for a giant. Above and behind it was another statue. The same stone angel that guarded the entrance, standing with his arms spread in a welcoming gesture.
“Alec, do you know what those symbols mean?” Clay asked pointing to carvings in the base of the statue.
“How would I know?”
“It’s your dream. Can I borrow your notebook?”
Alec gave him his notebook and pencil from his shirt pocket. Clay meticulously sketched copies of the symbols.
“I’m curious who these people are.” Clay said. “I’m also curious why Shaun brought us here.”
“Maybe we should ask him.”
They were surprised to find Shaun waiting for them at the bottom of the landing.
“The Kan-ji.” was Shaun's answer…. and as usual, he didn't expand on it.
“You mean this is the Kan-ji home world?” Alec asked. Again, Shaun didn’t answer. It seemed to Alec that Shaun was unsure of himself, almost as if he was doing something wrong by bringing them here. Alec felt like he shouldn’t press him any further.
Clay showed Shaun the symbols. “What does this say?”
Shaun looked at them. “It says, ‘seek God’s children’.”
“Seek what?” Clay wondered.
“Us?” Alec scratched his head. “I wonder... is it God’s children that they should seek?” He remembered his meeting with Jessie, about the Kan-ji wanting to destroy them. She mentioned some leader or god. “Loomius… Shaun, is that who this angel is?”
He didn’t answer. Alec thought more about it, about the religious leaders that were at their meeting… that were taken to the Kan-ji ship. There had to be a connection.
“What's with the other cathedrals?” Clay changed the subject as Shaun seemed to lose interest. From their vantage point on the upper landing, Alec had a good view of the other cathedrals. The ones to their left were less impressive. Each had statues of angels above their doors… and he noticed that their doors were bricked shut.
“They are no longer needed.” Shaun answered the obvious.
“You mean the angels that those cathedrals represent are no longer alive?” Clay asked.
Clay’s revelation surprised Alec. Could that be it? These people... the Kan-ji... have living gods in those angels. But if they were gods, why do they die? “Alive? You mean that these angels exist?” Alec asked.
“No, they are not dead, they are on a... ah... a retreat.” Shaun said.
“So, are you telling us that the angel we were looking at is still ruling? Is that Loomius? If that's so, why is there a new cathedral being built?” Clay asked.
Shaun didn’t answer.
“That new cathedral is in ruins.” Clay said.
Alec looked seriously at it for the first time. The scaffolding was collapsing and the machinery rusting. “It looks like it hasn't been worked on for years.”
Shaun nodded and smiled.
“So what exactly is going on with the angel associated with this cathedral... Loomius?” Clay asked.
This time Shaun answered, as though he had been waiting for this question. “No one knows. He has hidden himself.”
“So he doesn't want to go on retreat like those other angels.” Alec surmised. “But Jessie said she met Loomius.”
“Wait... we're not done yet!” Clay reached out as the world flattened out beneath their feet again.
“So, that was one of your dreams?” Clay walked shakily over to the galley table and sat down.
“Up until now, I wasn’t sure if I’d been dreaming… or maybe just having visions.” Alec said taking a seat across from him.
“It was real. I’ve just seen it.” Clay said. “And you did tell me about your meeting with Jessie.”
“Even though, it’s still hard to believe that it’s real.” Alec opened a bottle of water.
“Why bring me into it?” Clay a
sked. “There must be something we need to know.”
“He wanted to show us those cathedrals.” Alec said.
“What good will it do us if Earth ends up destroyed?” Clay shook his head.
“I wonder… he just may have given it away. Maybe the Earth doesn’t get destroyed. He did show me that he can move about in time.” Alec said. “And he did seem a little more tentative than usual. Maybe he was breaking some kind of rule.”
“Then I think we better make sure we finish what we set out to do… before we got sucked into your delusion.” Clay decided.
“Dream” Alec corrected. “It was a dream.”
Alec's Dream Page 74