~~~ >< ~~~
“Daddy, before you go to work today there is something I need to tell you,” Afua began as she loaded the breakfast dishes into the white, side-loading dishwasher.
They’d had a very healthy meal of hot oatmeal and sliced fruit this morning. Though food was still scarce at times in the world, even with all the new government regulations, the Karson always had plenty. Thanks to the agricultural part of the Mannings’ research that Badru inherited, they were able to abundantly grow their own produce in the greenhouse out back.
“What is it?” Badru asked as his curiosity grew. Even though he was on the early morning shift, he still had time to listen to his daughter.
“You will finally meet that stranger today. God will not allow you to miss this man a second time,” Afua replied as she closed the side panel to the dishwasher and sat down at the round, white-topped oak table. “Be ready to hear incredible things, Daddy. Things that will seem so unbelievable at first. Yet you must believe them, especially with so much at stake now.”
Though Badru was in his mid-fifties and had seen a lot of things in life, it still amazed him when his daughter spoke of future events with such certainty. On occasion she also got glimpses into the past. “I will believe, baby girl. Are you able to tell me how I will know this stranger from any other?”
Afua grew silent for a moment, as if listening for further direction. When she’d received what was necessary in her spirit, she replied, “He will look like someone from your past.”
~~~ >< ~~~
As Xander and Nasiir made their way towards the library on Kennel Street on that predawn morning, they were delayed by a Native-American looking woman sitting on the white washed front porch of a small brick house.
“Where are you headed so early today, handsome?” Lakota asked the tall man dressed in all black. “Wouldn’t you like to spend some quality time with me? I’ll cook you breakfast afterwards,” she added, trying to sweeten the offer as she crossed her shapely legs provocatively in the black plastic porch chair she sat in.
Xander and Nasiir both turned to look at the brazen twenty-five-year-old woman in the extremely short, extremely tight red and white dress. Nasiir didn’t have to have the gift of discernment to know that this woman was not for his friend.
Although Lakota was a beautiful creature to behold any time of day or night, her eyes looked predatory, as if she wanted to devour Xander. Nasiir could not, would not allow that to happen. He began to growl deep within his throat.
Xander picked up on the same things as his protective friend. However, he wanted to be doubly sure before he rejected the woman. After all, Jay Horrell had seemed decent and moral on the outside, but he’d been full of evil on the inside.
I praise You, Lord, for the gift of spiritual insight. Allow me to see what needs to be seen about this person, Xander prayed as he usually did when needing to stir up the gift within him.[i]
Because he was well-versed in yielding to the opening of his spiritual eyes, Xander was soon able to see the colors of the woman’s essence. When he saw mostly black and some traces of gray, he knew what his answer would be.
“So what’ll say, handsome? You interested?” Lakota persisted.
“I am sorry, miss, but I cannot fellowship with the likes of you,” Xander replied candidly.
Beside him, Nasiir grew silent, deciding to allow the humans to work this out among themselves. Even still he would be on guard.
Shocked, Lakota stood up from her seat, completely thrown off guard with the stranger’s blunt comment. “What?! You think you are better than me or something?” she retorted, standing akimbo style with anger.
Nasiir growled again, ready to pounce if necessary. Ready to take the woman down, despite her gender. He’d been trained to overlook gender when it came to danger.
“Not at all. I reject your fellowship because of the evil I detect in your heart and because of the infectious disease I sense in your female parts,” Xander replied, now really shocking the woman as his potent words sunk deep down into her spirit.
Struck with terror, Lakota instinctively clenched her abdomen. She had been having trouble in her female parts lately. No doubt that trouble was caused by her licentious lifestyle. Last night alone she’d been with seven men. She’d been hoping to squeeze in one more before daybreak in order to finally have enough to make the high mortgage payment on her home.
Despite the fact that a trip to a local doctor would solve her female problems, Lakota was afraid to go. Prostitution was illegal everywhere in the world. In the U.S., an unmarried woman with an STD could go to jail for ten years if the government got wind of her activities. And they would get wind of them since all medical facilities were federally controlled and all new cases of sexually transmitted diseases were duly reported and filed.
“Leave me alone!” Lakota practically wailed, now wanting the stranger to get as far away as possible from her. Her eyes had lost their predatory glint a long time ago. They were filled with terror now…terror of being found out.
“I will go.” Xander nodded calmly and turned to leave. He hadn’t meant to frighten the poor woman.
Nasiir, who no longer growled, lingered a few seconds more in case the woman turned hostile again and tried to attack his friend from behind.
Two steps away, Xander sensed the darkness inside of the woman grow in the presence of her rising fear. He abruptly turned back around, unwilling to leave without at least trying to be of some assistance. Fortunately, the gray mass of sickness had not increased with the fear in the woman’s body.
“Before I go on my way, may I ask if you wish to be healed of these things?” Xander’s face was the picture of compassion.
“How can I be, when I can’t go to the doctors?” Hopeless tears welled up in Lakota’s eyes as she sat down in her chair again. There was no sexy pose this time. This time, she slouched and her shoulders drooped with discouragement.
“If you have a holy book, I will show you how to be healed of the evil in your heart and of the disease that dwells within your body,” Xander replied.
“A holy book?” Lakota looked confused for a second. “Which holy book are you referring to? There are so many.”
“The one with Jesus in it.” Xander moved closer to the woman’s chain-linked fence with Nasiir at his side.
In the few months that he’d been on Earth, Xander learned that humans had many kinds of holy books. He tried to read them all. However, he kept returning to the one with Jesus in it, not just because it was the one his birth parents left him, but also because it was the one that produced the most light. Every page of the Bible seemed to be saturated with the brilliant light of the Creator.
Xander marveled at and was saddened by the fact that Earthlings didn’t turn to the Bible more often. Especially since it would undoubtedly solve so many of their problems, if not all of them. On Katan, this holy book was revered and highly esteemed. That’s why Xander and Nasiir had been stockpiling them to take back home and distribute. They’d used gold Katanian nuggets to barter for them since earlier studies had shown that the people on Earth still greatly treasured that particular metal.
On Katan, gold was not as precious or as scarce. In fact, it was so plentiful that it was used to align kitchen and bathroom fixtures, including toilets. Incidentally, Xander and Nasiir had catapulted the bag of gold nuggets off the ship and into a thick patch of bush through a hatch above the control room. It was necessary to do so since the metal could not get off the ship via organic transportation.
“You’re talking about the Bible, aren’t you?” Lakota asked, sitting straighter in the chair now. She knew of this book well. Her grandmother, who finished rearing her from the age of ten when her father passed away, used to read to her from the Bible all the time.
Nana left Lakota that large-print red cover Bible when she died five years ago. The only thing Lakota had ever been left by her birth mother was alone. She never knew the woman t
hat had given her up at birth.
“Yes, the Bible. Do you have one?” Xander noted a definite change in the woman’s essence over the last few minutes. The dark areas were already getting lighter in shade.
“Yes, I will have to find it though.” Lakota felt hope rise up within her. Something about this compassionate, well-spoken man made her believe that she could be healed without going to the doctors. “I’ll be right back.” Lakota stood to her feet again. Then she hurried from her porch into the brick house, practically skipping as she went, causing her tall hairdo to teeter a bit.
“Human females are so fickle. One minute she wants you to stay. The next she wants you to leave. Now she wants you to stay again,” Nasiir said under his breath, careful not to move his dog lips or speak too loudly as to be heard.
Xander chuckled. “I know, but I find it oddly amusing.”
When Lakota returned minutes later, she seemed even lighter. In fact, Xander could sense that her essence was now changing to a warm orange with splashes of emerald green denoting her enthusiasm and rising faith. There was no doubt in his mind that the powerful words from the Bible would turn Lakota’s darkness completely into light[ii] and ultimately remove that gray mass from her body, as well.
For the next two hours, Xander and Nasiir went from the sidewalk to Lakota’s porch for a time of unexpected fellowship. The male human patiently took the female human from one healing and salvation scripture to the next until all the darkness and the gray shades within her were gone. When Lakota threw her hands up and praised the Lord towards the end of their session, Xander saw the most amazing thing in the spirit realm.
As Lakota praised God for forgiving her and for healing her body, the words from her mouth sparkled and glittered in happy colors as they drifted heavenward. Soon that brilliant light that Xander loved to behold actually came and inhabited the woman’s praises[iii], creating an even more powerful mix of colors. Even Nasiir was aware of the change in the spirit realm, though he could not see the light show.
So caught up in this marvelous event, Xander and Nasiir temporarily forgot about going to see Dr. Karson. Then when Lakota began to invite several of her neighbors and associates over to meet this man who’d led her to the healing Christ in the most simplistic of ways[iv], Xander and Nasiir completely forgot all about their date with destiny.
________________________________________
[i] 2 Kings 6:14-17; 2 Timothy 1:6
[ii] John 12:46; 1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 5:8
[iii] Psalm 22:3
[iv] John 4:6-29
Chapter 12
Badru knew that his daughter was usually very accurate with her prophecies. But could she have missed it this time? If not, where was this stranger who looked like someone from his past? It was almost time for Dr. Karson to get off and he still hadn’t met anyone remotely like that today.
God will not allow you to miss this man a second time, Afua had said.
If that is the case, then I guess I should just leave this meeting up to You, huh, Lord? Badru mused, deciding to stop worrying about it once and for all.
In the meantime, he’d use the last thirty minutes of his shift to concentrate on the newest book collection he obtained for the library. This collection included the rare first editions of every book written by the famous Edgy Inspirational author Suprina Frazier from the early 2000’s.
~~~ >< ~~~
Around 2:45 pm, Xander got a nudge on the leg from Nasiir, yet another one of their predetermined codes. The Hekiman had noticed the late hour and deemed it past time for them to leave. Xander looked down at his friend and nodded in understanding.
Even though their new friends were reluctant for them to leave, Xander nevertheless excused Nasiir and himself from the fellowship. They had been at Lakota’s house for far too long already and thus could not stay another minute. However, Xander did make a promise to return one day when they had more time.
Lakota walked them outside of her house and down the front walkway. “When you return, I will be a much different woman than the one you saw earlier today,” she said once they made it to the sidewalk by the fence.
“You are already a different woman than the one I saw earlier,” Xander replied honestly.
Lakota blushed, which was something she hadn’t done in a long time. “Thanks, Xander.” She waved goodbye to him and his dog.
There is something very special about that man, Lakota thought as she watched Xander and Nasiir walk down the sidewalk. She was starting to feel something very special for that man already.
Before Lakota had only wanted to sleep with Xander for money. Now she wanted the whole package – matrimony. But first she needed to study hard and get herself ready spirit, soul, and body to be a wife. Interestingly enough, that was a role Lakota had never wanted to assume before today.
Meanwhile, Xander and Nasiir continued to walk towards the busy intersection that led to the center of the city. Halfway there, Nasiir decided to say what was on his mind before they reached the point where the throng of people began.
“Perhaps Lakota is the one for you after all,” the Hekiman whispered in his native tongue, which sounded more animal-like than all the other languages they knew.
“Perhaps,” Xander replied in English. “She is lovely. More importantly, she is now completely free from the stains of sin and disease. Even so, my heart’s desire is to unite with a virgin. And Lakota is definitely not one of those.”
“What woman on this filthy planet is?” Nasiir replied, before becoming mute again.
~~~ >< ~~~
Badru decided to take the scenic route home this evening, if one could call driving through box-like, tree-less neighborhoods with brick, box-like houses the scenic route. Dr. Karson refused to live in one of those government designed houses or in a government controlled neighborhood. Fortunately, he still had enough money saved up to afford to live where he wanted to.
After his wife died, Badru settled with his daughter near the Okefenokee Swamp. Together they enjoyed fishing in the swamp, canoeing along it, and trekking through its nature trails. What they caught in the swamp, they ate.
Their modest homestead included a greenhouse, refurbished two-bedroom log cabin, and several acres of grazing land. Afua guided tours through the swamp for a living and was an active participant in their small local church.
To get to their homestead, Badru had to travel outside Eyota City and half a mile down the road until he came to a canal. At that canal, he made a left to go to the prairies. Their homestead was the fourth one on the right. Even though Badru would end up at the same destination no matter which way he went, he chose to prolong his ride home today in hopes that he’d run into this stranger Afua talked about.
Speaking of that stranger, Xander and Nasiir were two streets over at this very moment. They did not make it to the library in time to catch Dr. Karson there. However, they did see which way the man’s vehicle went as he exited the high-rise parking garage down the street from the library.
Although Xander and Nasiir’s normal way to get around the city was by foot, they decided to use their transportation devices this time, considering the importance of this meeting. They just needed to get in a solitary place in order to use them.
“Over here, Nasiir,” Xander said, spotting an old service station with a detached restroom. There weren’t many of those still left in a crowded city that usually crammed as much as possible into one building. Therefore, this detached restroom was truly a Godsend.
As soon as they got inside of the small building, Xander gave coordinates for an alley near the intersection three streets over. He estimated Dr. Karson would be there in the next five minutes based on distance and flow of traffic this time of the day.
Meanwhile, Nasiir was already thinking ahead to how they would stop the scientist once they got there.
Appearing in the alley seconds later, Xander and Nasiir were grateful that it was abandoned. They’d taken quite a
chance using their transportation devices this way, but it was a risk worth taking. Especially since Xander now felt such urgency about this meeting. Urgency that he surprisingly had not felt until after his ministry at Lakota’s house was over.
Thinking fast and moving just as quickly, Nasiir bounded ahead of Xander. Like a well-built Doberman, he moved freely, balanced and vigorously as his forequarters and hindquarters worked together to reach his destination. His back remained strong and firm. If only Pendo could see him now.
“Wide shield,” Nasiir said, before running his tongue across one of his front teeth where another device that he designed was installed.
With the invisible shield now activated and instructed to encompass at least three feet on either side of him, the brave Hekiman bounded in front of Dr. Karson’s vehicle, which was just now coming around the corner. There was no sign of fear in Nasiir’s eyes whatsoever when the white car bore down upon him. Impact was inevitable now.
Thud!
The sound of screeching brakes soon followed as Badru brought the car to a halt just short of running the large Doberman over with the front tires. Knowing that he’d already hit the poor animal with his front bumper, he slowly got out of his car with his heart nearly in his throat.
Badru could only praise God that he had not made it to the actual intersection yet and that no other car was behind him when he stopped so suddenly. Otherwise this accident could have been a lot worse for everybody.
At the same time Badru made it out of his vehicle, a Greek-looking man with long black hair emerged from the alleyway and rushed to see about the animal, as well. Suddenly, Dr. Karson didn’t know what to do next.
Coming towards him was almost the exact image of his deceased best friend. If the young man had been two shades darker, Badru would have thought that he was Elexander instead of just a close look-alike.
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