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Stories
November 28, 20200

Awakening from the Shadows: A Fable from the Forest of Eirian

There once was a wise woman that wandered the dense Forest of Eirian. It was named after the silver trees that were rumored to be filled with magic, harboring the essence of the Divine. Gilda was a tall woman, broad in stature, with brunette hair that curled down to her waist. Despite her remarkable size, most would say she glided through the forest like a light feather, moving wherever the wind beckoned. When people encountered her, they were greeted with a gentle kindness that made you feel like you were floating in a dream. 

There are many fables I could tell you about Gilda. Some are just that, while others speak of deep truths that weigh into the depths of our core. This is a story of how Gilda delivered three souls from a dark magic that had invaded the Eirian Forest. This dark force is known in other parts of the world, and very few escape its seductive powers.

Gilda was lounging by a sacred pool when she heard the screech of a dragon. She looked into the pond and entreated the creator of the Holy Waters to assist her.  As she stared deep into the pool a tear rolled from her right eye. She was disturbed by what she saw. A serpent with the scales and wings of a dragon and the talons of an eagle was shooting flames at another tiny beast. It was the size of a dwarf, but its skin was completely charred from the dragon and its eyes bled red. It curled up in front of the dragon while being engulfed by its flames. She could see that this was the way of things between these two creatures. The flames never consumed the little one, but made the creature’s skin set to flame while blood oozed out of the cracks. The serpent squealed in delight. 

Meanwhile, a small woman dressed from head to toe in white was kneeling behind the ruins of an old fortress. Her head was bowed, and it seemed she was praying. 

“I must help them,” Gilda stated out loud. She looked around as if to ask the trees’ opinion, but they remained silent. Gilda smiled and stroked the silver bark of a nearby tree. Each one possessed a soul, and the silver bark reminded anyone that saw the tree of the treasures it held. Many had tried to harvest the tree’s bark, but as soon as one takes the bark from the source it will turn to ash. Most treasures are meant to be enjoyed, not possessed, she mused. 

Gilda began weaving her way through the forest. The path to the three souls was lit by golden dust. While most are familiar with Gilda, you may not know that she is an Ancient One. The Ancient Ones are people that are chosen by the creator to serve the inhabitants of the nine realms. Each one speaks with a unique voice, but all see with an enhanced vision of what the world is meant to be. The golden path was a gift from the Creator, leading her towards the tortured souls.

She moved effortlessly and silently towards the woman dressed in white. She was so intent on her prayers she did not hear or see Gilda when she approached. 

Gilda placed her large hand on the shoulder of the woman, “Excuse me, Madame, but what are you doing?” 

The woman opened one eye suspiciously and replied, “praying, I mustn’t stop. I cannot stop until the child is free. She won’t be free until I find the right things to pray.”
“What are the right things?”

“Mustn’t stop if I do it wrong, nothing will ever change.”

“How long have you been this way?”

“Twenty-five years. I am certain the Creator will answer me soon, he must!”

“So, for twenty-five years you have kneeled behind this wall while the serpent continually scorches what you say is a child?”

“What else could I do? Look at how small I am!”

“You are pretty small.” Gilda smelled the burning flesh that was torturing the tiny creature. “Madam, I am Gilda of the Forest of Eirian, what is your name?”

“I have no name worth speaking of. I must continue praying. Please leave me to my work, Gilda of the Forest. I have no need of you. God will answer my prayers someday. Surely, he will see how hard I have worked.”

She sighed, “very well, I will go talk to the serpent.”

The woman’s eyes widened in fear and she put down her praying hands for the first time. “You mustn’t disturb the serpent, he could kill you! He could kill me! What evil could make you do such a thing? Don’t you dare reveal my hiding place!” the woman grumbled, “All this time talking to you I should be praying.”

Gilda smiled gently at the woman and said, “No harm will come to you except the harm you inflict on yourself. The serpent will not destroy you. To find freedom from your wall and your fears, you will need to allow yourself to be seen and heard.”

Confused, the woman stared back at her, “What difference could that make?”

“Madame, your voice could make all the difference, but first you must find strength and power. Ask God for power. Ask God for love. As the fear fades, you will find your words.”

The woman glanced at her suspiciously and quickly bowed her head. “You must go. So much praying to do. Who am I? God must save the child.”

Gilda’s eyes sparkled with delight, “I am sure He will!” She turned and meandered away but glanced back to see the kneeling woman praying with one eye closed and one eye fixed on her. Joyous laughter flowed out of her as she found a circuitous route towards the serpent’s tail. Gilda had every intention of interacting with the serpent before talking with the small black creature. She became curious about the serpent. Never had she seen such a creature.

The shriek of an eagle mixed with the roar of a lion reverberated from the beast as it rained fire and ash onto the child. Gilda cocked her head in wonder. “Serpent, what is your name?”

The thing ignored her question and continued his torturous task. 

Gilda placed her hand on her chest and asked the creator of all for the power to reach the serpent’s invisible ears. Golden rings of light encircled her body and stretched her to the height of the serpent’s head. In a thunderous voice she echoed, “Serpent, what is your name!”

The serpent looked to her and reared back, “I am Camara. Why do you bother me in such a manner?”

“Why are you scorching that child?”

He turned his head back to the weary creature. Smoke rose all around the little one, due to the reprieve of blistering fire. “I am merely protecting her.”

“I am curious. What are you protecting her from?”

“From all manner of evil. If I do not hurt her in this minimal way, the shadow creatures will consume her.”

Everyone in the nine realms knows the evil one uses shadow creatures to turn people into the worst versions of themselves. Most people were destroyed by these creatures, and many destroyed others when the shadows took control. 

“I see you have a desire to protect this little one. You must really love her.”

“More than anyone. She is my betrothed.”
“Your betrothed?”

The serpent looked back to the child, squinted his scaly eyes, shook his smoking nostrils, and shot another round of fire at the child. 

Again, Gilda raised her voice, “Are you quite finished?”

“I cannot stop for too long or it will hurt her.”
Gilda walked past the serpent and stooped low to put her giantess hand on the flaming child. A bubble reflecting all the colors of the rainbow surrounded the child. “There, now she will be protected.”

The serpent looked over Gilda’s shoulder and slithered his snake-like body around her to inspect. He pecked at the bubble with his forklike tongue and pulled back to face her. “I guess it will be ok for a little while.”

“Wonderful! Now tell me how you got to be this way?”

“Oh, well, we were walking through the forest looking for treasure when the shadow creatures attacked my beloved. Her name is Elianna. As soon as the darkness surrounded her, I did all I could to protect her from harm.”

“How old are you?”

The creature had shrunk a little as he told Gilda the story. Her height matched his as he replied. “I am twelve.”
“That is interesting. You must be a very brave twelve-year-old. The lady in white tells me you have been protecting the child for twenty-five years.”

“Truly? I do feel exhausted from all this work.” He peered past Gilda to make sure the child was still encased in the bubble. 

“I bet you are so tired! I wonder what it would be like to let the creator help you today.”

“Do you think he would?” The wings of the creature disappeared as he grew a little smaller.
“It would be his delight to see you as he created you to be.”

“I can’t imagine, but what can a mere child do against such evil?” 

“When we turn our hearts toward love and trust in the power of the Creator, there is much we can do.”

“But the woman in white has been praying for years, with no success. Does God even hear his creatures?”

“I can see how you would wonder that. Yet her prayers are steeped in fear and only have one outcome in mind. The God of the Universe responds to our needs in ways that are beyond our imagination. Repetitive prayers motivated by fear alone forget how powerful and loving he is. Despite that, I believe the creator has sent me here today.”

“My lady, your words have brought warmth to my blood and hope to my soul.”
She beamed at the serpent, “May I place my hand on your head?”

“Certainly.”

Gilda’s eyes lit up like a kaleidoscope and she spoke boldly over the boy’s head in an ancient tongue. To this day no one knows exactly what she prayed, but the one who lived as a serpent for twenty-five years would tell you it transformed his life. 

When Gilda finished, she looked at the man in front of her. He was built like a warrior. Both had shrunk to their God given height. His amber eyes sparkled as he regarded the Ancient lady in front of him. He looked down at his dark brown legs and powerful hands. He looked at her in disbelief. “I am a man!”

“Yes. I am afraid your childhood is over.”
His eyes widened, “The Princess!”

They both turned to the creature in the bubble, although they did not see her. Multi-faceted lights had filled the surrounding space. Gilda laughed with glee as she saw the light working its way with the child. “Darkness can never overcome the light, Camara.”

He stared in disbelief as the bubble burst and glittering dust filled the surrounding air. He threw his hands up in the air to catch the sparkling particles. For a moment he looked like a child trying to catch fireflies. 

Gilda glanced sideways at Camara in amusement and slowly returned her gaze to the spot the child had been. The light illuminated a full-grown woman. Her black hair fell in tight curls to her shoulder and her high cheek bones gave her a regal air. 

Camara ran to the woman and fell to his knees, “My dear lady, I hardly recognize you! We are free! This Ancient One has freed us!”

Eliana looked at him, “We are free?”

“Yes, my beloved. Will you forgive me for torturing you all these years? It seems we have both been under the spell of the shadow creatures.”
“If we were under a spell, there is nothing to forgive. Truth be told, I remember little. I know we were walking through the forest looking for treasure when I was struck down. Something took hold of me and would not let me go, I could barely breathe. I remember you running towards me, but then a giant serpent came and consumed you! Oh, what a nightmare. But strange to see you as a man. You look much like your father.” She brushed her hand along the side of his face.

“Yes, and you look like your mother.”

She looked down at her body to see she was a grown woman. “It cannot be, I was merely a child of ten!” She stared at Gilda bewildered.

Gilda looked at her with compassion, “I am sorry that I cannot turn back time. That is not a power the Creator has endowed me with.” She shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek, “I am grieved to say much of your childhood is lost.”

“Camara, what should we do?”

He glanced at Gilda, “You say it has been twenty-five years?”
“That is what the woman dressed in white said.

“Mya? My dear maid! Where is she?”

“She was hiding behind that wall.”

Eliana ran to the other side of the wall and screamed. Camara ran to catch up as Gilda followed gracefully behind. As she turned the corner of the wall, she saw the shriveled corpse of an elderly woman. “How old was she when she accompanied you here?”

The couple looked at each other and Eliana replied, “She was in her final season of life, my lady. She was my nurse and my guide.” Her eyes brimmed with tears.
A tear rolled down Gilda’s cheek, “I am sad to see a shadow creature consumed her last days. It is not how the world was created to be. But it appears the shadow creature has fled and your maid is free.”

“It is a tragedy lady Gilda. Twenty-five years,” he shook his head in disbelief. “What has become of our Kingdoms? Our marriage was meant to unite them. Two realms under one Kingdom.”

“You must be the lost prince of Ignacia?”

“I did not know I was lost until now, but yes.”

“Then you are the princess of Masato.”

“That is right, but what of our parents? What is happening in our realms?”

“The evil one has waged war on the all the realms. There is a thin hope that the realms will stay united, but unless they turn to the creator for help, their resolve will fail. They never united your Kingdoms. In fact, they war against each other. Both sides were accused of your abduction and murder. It has been some time since I have been to your realms, but the trees tell me that the shadows have invaded your lands.”

“What must we do?” Elliana asked.

Gilda held out both of her hands and encouraged them to place their hand in hers. She took Camara’s right hand and placed it on top of Eliana’s left. As she cupped her sizeable hands around theirs, a golden light circled around their arms and hands. “You are free from the darkness and anointed with light. The ring of gold that circles your hands is an eternal symbol of your union and love. Do you wish to be joined to one another for all time?”

They looked at one another with love and devotion, “With all my heart, Eliana, I am yours.”

“And with all my heart, Camara, I am yours.”

“Your union represents a future Kingdom filled with peace and with hope. Tonight, you will bless your marriage and tomorrow you will travel to Zalmania, to seek the wisdom of the great council. There you will find a young woman named Alia, she will lead you on a quest that will bring unity to all the realms.” She released her hand from theirs to reveal intricate bracelets made of silver wrapped around each of their wrists. “The silver of the trees of Eirian formed these bands. It is a rare gift and a symbol of the Creator’s blessing. It seems he desires good things for both of you. Riches will flow out of your union and the Kingdom that is yet to come.”

Camara spoke quietly, “I do not know how to thank you.”

Her eyes twinkled with delight and she beamed at both of them with love. “Your freedom and your love are all the gratitude I need. Much has been lost and we will mourn those losses in due time. In times of upheaval, it is hard to grieve when the losses mount up. Follow the path laid before you and ask the creator for guidance. Some days will be filled with mourning and sadness, only to be followed with the rising sun of joy and freedom. Today, you have experienced both.”

“It is bit disorienting.” Eliana commented.

She looked at her knowingly, “Sometimes when we get disoriented, we will slow down enough to find our way. Most mistakes happen when we think we know where we are going, but have not taken the time to consult with wisdom. Life has many twists and turns. You are in the middle of your journey and there is much that is still to come.”

They bowed to Gilda in reverence, and she bowed in return. They would cross paths again, but that is a part of this tale not yet told. The Ancient Ones have crossed the paths of many souls and continue to guide them towards the light, when darkness obscures the way. Gilda’s light is ignited by the one true light, the one who will illuminate and restore all nine realms to the hidden kingdom. 

Stories
October 24, 20200

Listening with the Ears of the Heart

Breathe in, breathe out, the rhythm of life. The beauty of what is. Emily could see, but she could not hear. Deaf since birth, her world was surrounded by an audible silence. Frustration filled many days like the sinking of a casket in a lake. She could not see past the tears folding over her eyes. 

Her parents joined her frustration with shouts and the slamming of doors. They were explosions Emily never heard, but they reverberated through her heart to the limits of her soul. The reality of her existence weighed her down. Neither parent knew how to handle her. She saw their thin looks of pity that masked their annoyance. Her solution was to disappear. 

 If Emily could not be seen, she could not evoke anger, annoyance, hatred, or despair. She would cease to exist. For Emily, that meant finding places to hide. There was an old dumbwaiter that she would crawl into until she grew too large. Sometimes she would sit in her closet creating stories of far off places she would like to see. She assumed her parents were happy about her decision to hide. They never asked where she had been or what she had been doing. But worst of all, they never found her. She was alone.

When Emily was twelve her parents died in a car accident.  She didn’t know until the day after because no one knew where to find her. Their backyard led into a large forest that eventually led to a creek surrounded by boulders and jagged rocks. She knew every crevice, cave, and alcove available for her retreat. That was where she was when she learned of her parent’s death.

The forest was the only place she could hear life. The deer and the rabbits pulled her from her hiding place with deep satisfaction. Lush vegetation and silky grasses surrounded their life. Her heart pounded with excitement as the animals played. Laughter filled her soul and woke her senses as she delighted in the creatures. Even the moss created a tingling in her finger when she grazed the velvety green blanket that covered the rocks. Her senses caught fire at the smell of raw earth, the vibrancy of spring, the sweetness of summer, the majesty of fall, and the enchantment of winter. Each season brought mystery and wonder. Deep in the forest, she learned she could hear.  

 It was a golden day, crisp with the anticipation of winter. Emily’s legs hung over the edge of an enormous boulder that stood thirty feet above her creek. She watched the amber water flow over golden stones. Tiny rapids formed, carrying leaves and sticks along the way. Seemingly dead things were being carried into a new adventure.  Emily watched a large stick and imagined it was a vessel carrying an army of men into battle. More like an ancient Viking ship with slaves rowing and warriors thrusting their fists to the skies. The water created brief resistance as each oar dug through the murky sea. She wondered where this battle should take place? Will they win or be slaughtered by the enemy?

Emily’s body flinched as an enormous hand gripped her shoulder. Panic forced her head to turn. She saw a policeman looking down at her with compassion.  His lips were moving, but she had not yet acquired the skill of reading lips. Sensing his kindness, she slapped her ears and shook her head.  Nodding in comprehension, the man sat next to her on the rock. She looked at his face as he stared ahead. His eyes were creased from smiling and his lips curved upward as he regarded the creek. Her right arm felt the steady pounding of the man’s heart. This was the first time she felt the heartbeat of another human.

There was something important he needed to tell her. She wondered why he didn’t just write her a note. A string of tutors had taught her to read. Reading stories about the past had become another form of escape. It was also the way her parents would communicate their absence. It was strange to have someone join her in her place of isolation. Even when her mom sat on the foot of her bed, the distance between them was like a wide ravine. This officer was different. He was close. She felt his presence, the way the sun warms your face on a cool day. An internal voice she had never heard before spoke. Tears glistened her cheeks. The voice told her that her parents were dead. Time stopped as Emily’s body digested the news. Her brow furrowed as she wondered what to do with this loss. The desire to withdraw pulled at her until she looked at the man next to her.

Compassion and sorrow flowed from the officer. It tugged at a part of her heart long forgotten. His presence was a silver thread in a sea of darkness. As she looked up at him, he glanced down at her with tiny streams of tears reflecting a glimmer of light. Her heart woke up as she was drawn to the stranger. She could hear his heart beckoning her to come with him. Gingerly, Emily placed her hand in his. A smiled flowed from his face and filled her with an unfamiliar sensation. Amazed, she realized the stirring in her was love. She did not know love could be heard through an expression. 

He rose to his knees, so they were facing eye to eye. His gentle brown eyes invited Emily to rest. Tears melted her stoic expression. Light skipped across the creek as she looked around her little world. Something told her that everything would be ok. This man would guide her next steps as she listened with the ears of her heart. 

Stories
October 24, 20200

Who is Me?

“Mama, who is me?”

“You is you baby.”

I smiled as I watched a mother of four small children respond to her five-year-old daughter dressed in a hot pink jogging suit. Her rebellious curls matched the curiosity of this provocative question.

“But Mama! Who is me?”

The baby in the mother’s arms let out a scream. The little philosopher rolled her eyes and sat on her hello kitty suitcase with the flair of a budding drama queen. 

Her mother raised one eyebrow and the little girl sat a little straighter.

I smiled at the exchange. Even while waiting to board a plane my dilemma stared at me with the face of innocence and hope. Who am I indeed?

My mama used to say that I dreamed too big and that I needed to appreciate the simpler things in life. If I get on that plane I’ll be agreeing with her.

“Attention: Passengers of flight 1254 we will begin the boarding process in thirty minutes.”

“Afraid to fly?” A middle-aged woman across from me asks.

“Not really, I’m just not sure if I should be getting on that plane.”

She smiles and cocks her head, “I bet if you start to breathe you’ll feel a little better.”

I nod as the warmth of pink colors my cheeks. In one moment a complete stranger saw my anxiety and fear. If I get on that plane I will never be seen again. I will blend into the landscape of small-town living. I will be put into a mold with no hope of release. My mind wanders to the day I left.

“Rachel please don’t leave you just got back. When is it going to be enough?”

“Mama if I stay in this town I will die!” 

“We all have to die somewhere. Ain’t nothing wrong with Woodford.”

Tears filled my eyes, “It’s all wrong for me.”

“You know Jimmy wants to marry you. He’s got a good job at the Distillery. You could have a good life with him.” My mama’s hand caressed my cheek. Like any mother, she wants what she thinks is best.

“It would be good, but something in my heart tells me that I was created for something great. Something different. I have to go. I love you, Mama.”

That was the last time I saw her. The last time we touched and the last time we didn’t meet each other’s expectations. Well at least while we were both living.

“Excuse me, I think you dropped your ticket.”

I looked up at the mother of four who pointed her nose toward my fallen ticket. “Thank you, ma’am” 

“No need in calling me ma’am, us ladies need to stick together.” Her eyes sparkled with kindness, “are you headed home?”

Home. What is a home really? My dad left before I could know him. Mom raised me by herself in a rickety, one bedroom hovel that sits on 1/8 of an acre of land in a town that lives a decade behind the rest of the world. 

I looked up at the kind woman “Not sure if I have a home.”

“Just visiting then?”

“Maybe.”

She nodded thoughtfully and looked at each of her children. “We all carry pieces of home in us and outside of us.” She chuckled, “These rascals are my life! It doesn’t really matter where we land. As long as we are all together I know that I am home.”

I smiled and looked down at the ticket in my hand. I wondered if she knew what it felt like to not have anyone to belong to but you. I looked up at the flight monitor, fifteen minutes till we board. I took a deep breath while glancing at the woman across from me. The weight of my decision seemed to gain ten pounds a minute. Why is this so hard? Who am I disappointing if I go? Who am I pleasing if I stay?

“Rachel you can’t leave, things are just starting to take off.” I’ll never forget how Elijah looked at me that night. He really loved me.

“I’m just afraid that I’m disappointing her. This isn’t the life she wanted for me.”

“Hey,” He reached his arms around my waist and put his forehead to mine. “ I don’t want to sound cold but she’s dead. You can’t disappoint her anymore”

Deep breath in. “You don’t get it. She never saw me living in the city, singing at bars while trying to get through school. I was supposed to get married and have lots of babies.” 

“You are more than a baby making factory. You have so much to give.” 

God, I loved him. A tear rolled down my cheek as grief flooded my body. I glanced around the terminal to see if I remained invisible to the world around me. Elijah. Gone. Mom. Gone. My people are gone. In fifteen minutes I’ll be boarding a plane to nowhere. My eyes clench shut. If I squeeze hard enough maybe they will transport me to another world. 

“Attention passengers, would Rachel Dirk please come to the front desk?”

What on earth would they want me for? 

As I approached the desk I wondered if they would give me an out.

“Ms. Dirk?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“This is a bit unusual but we have a note here from your fiancé.”

“My Fiancé?” What the hell! How could they have a note from my Fiancé? “I’m sorry that’s not possible.”

The flight attendant shrugged his shoulders and handed me a white business envelope. I snatched it and strode to the windows. Scanning the room all I felt was confusion. When did Elijah do this? The accident was over a week ago. Maybe he’s not really dead. Did I imagine the whole thing? Maybe it’s a letter telling me he’s still alive, he embezzled some money, and now he’s in hiding. I could hear his voice in my head saying, “Babe, you know that’s not my style.” Every bit of me trembled as I slipped a finger under the flap. I pulled out a note on computer paper. It’s his handwriting. I slid my back against the window and wilted to the floor. 

Dear Rachel, 

I know what you are thinking, “How did that crazy bastard get Delta to give me a letter in the terminal.” Ha! You know I have my ways! Listen, love, I know you are confused about who you are and where you should be in this world, but let me help you out. Your true home is not in an empty house in Kentucky, nor is it living in my sad excuse for an apartment. What you call home is so much more about who you have been created to be. Home is about how you find belonging within yourself. Every step you take in this world declares your presence. Once you embrace who you are everyone else will be blown away! Everyone that sees you gets a glimpse of eternity. I am blessed to say that you introduced me to a side of heaven I had never known before. Whether you marry me, move to Kentucky, or find another path I only ask that you live out of your center, your true self, which is your home. 

I Love you Babe!

Elijah

All I could think to do was smash my face into the paper. I wanted to be where his hands had been. He must have written this right before…

“You know Mama says we shouldn’t hide our face. Mama says our face reveals our glory.”

I slide the letter off my face and press it into my heart. Before me stands the little philosopher. 

“My mama also says its good to cry when we have big feelings.” A partially toothless grin meets my tear soaked gaze.

“Your Mama is a wise woman,” I reply

“I know.”

“Brittany you leave that woman alone it’s time to board the plane!”

“Yes Ma’am!” Brittany turns to me, “You coming?”

Thank you, Lord for little angels. “You go on with your Mama, this glory has other places to be,” I smile and point at my face. Brittany beams and skips towards her mama. I think of her earlier question, ‘Who is me?’

I am so much more than where I live and who is still living in my life. I am the only me on this earth. I am called to a life bigger than I can imagine. I am who I am.

“Attention passengers this is the final boarding call for flight 1254…”

It’s time. Standing up I leave. I leave to be me.

Stories
March 31, 20200

The Village of The Dead

                      Kya stood at the bow of her canoe as it slowly moved along the Ruach River. The stillness reflected the clouds and trees enveloping Kya’s circular world. Her heart beat wildly in anticipation. Glancing at a cardinal perched on a flaky birch, she wondered if he knew what was about to happen. Directly across from his gaze the boat tipped forward sinking gently into a silver cloud. Only the red bird could attest to what happened after that.


            Several weeks prior, Kya had been on the same canoe fishing for her family’s dinner. Kya’s father had died earlier that year in a boating accident. His boat had been found in shards with no trace of his body. His death planted a bomb in the life of her family and they did not think they could recover from its effects. 
            In her village the women were not allowed to work for pay, they were not allowed to own their own home, and they were not allowed to speak freely among the men. Kya had three little sisters under the age of ten. No brothers meant no income, no home, and isolation. Upon news of her father’s death, her mother and sisters were thrown from their homes and informed that they too were dead. This led them to Ariat.
            Ariat was the village of the dead. It was the home of widows and orphans. Kya and her family were warmly embraced by the women of Ariat. Upon their arrival, her family was housed, fed, and celebrated. A service was held for her father as the women openly mourned with her mother and sisters. It was at the place of the dead that Kya believed she would find life.
            All of the women had jobs based on their skills. The women shared each other’s gifts to support their community. Some were builders always making sure there were a few extra huts for the unexpected widows and orphans that would eventually come. Others tended the milk cows shared by everyone in the village. There were teachers who educated the children while others sewed clothes, cooked meals, and fished. When Kya’s family arrived, there were about seventy-five women and children in the village.
            Despite apparent devastation, the women thrived. The men of Bashion knew about Ariat. Sometimes extended family members would send young messengers with news and gifts. The separation was painful but old traditions were hard to break.
            Kya wondered what her father would think of it all? She knew he would be proud that at just sixteen years of age, she had been named one of the villages fisherwomen. He had been the best fisherman in Bashion. She was proud to follow his path. Her heart felt like it was being stomped on as her vessel approached the place where they found his shattered boat. Pools of tears fell around her feet as she wondered what force could have shattered his boat. Many wondered if it was God, while others supposed it to be the Evil One.
            Kya only wanted to know to whom she should direct her anger. Wiping the tears from her face, she looked at her reflection in the water. This only made her sadness increase as she thought she saw her father’s face in place of her own.  “Oh Papa, please come back, we need you! We are dead without you.” The encore of tears drew her deeper within. Suddenly flashes of light began to swirl in the depths of the water, reflecting many colors like a rainbow.  Kya leaned over the side of her canoe to get a closer look. Instantly the whole boat tipped forward. She gripped the sides as they were both sucked into the colorful vortex.
            While she wanted to jump ship, Kya found that she could not let go. Warmth spread throughout her body as she was immersed in the radiant colors. Panic and wonder competed for her attention as she sank deeper. The fear of suffocation was quickly overwhelmed by an unrelenting sense of love and pleasure. It was as if the light was holding her to its bosom while caressing her hair. It was magnificent.
            As her lungs persuaded her to take a breath, she could not have guessed at what would happen next. Instead of a suffocating rush of water, a steady stream of warm air filled her lungs. To her delight, the boat broke through the colored waters and was floating calmly through a deep blue sky. Kya’s mouth was agape. She was flying! She looked below her and saw emerald green hills dotted with turquoise lakes. She had never seen anything like it. Curious she grabbed her oar to see if she could navigate the canoe through the air. One sweep of the paddle propelled her forward at an alarming rate. Kya laughed with glee and shouted, “This is amazing!”
            As she raced across the sky she was immersed in the joy of the moment. She was not really thinking about anything other than the rushing sensations in her body. Each wonder she encountered convinced her she was in heaven. For the first time since her father’s death, she laughed. She could not recall the last time she was filled with so much wonder and joy. She wanted to cling to every sensation without any intention of ever letting go.
            The boat descended toward a turquoise blue lake surrounded by rolling hills shaded by the crowns of many trees. As it landed Kya spotted the back of a man fishing in his canoe. Fear trickled down her face and pulled at her heart. The man turned and she saw his face. “Papa! Oh, Papa is that you?” She yelled as the anguish of loss competed with her voice.
 He smiled at her, “My dear Kya, I am here, I’m ok.”
            Kya paddled with all her might to get close to him. Once beside him, she lunged out of her boat and into his outstretched arms. “Papa, I’ve missed you. I love you so much.” Resting on his shoulder she whispered, “Hold me forever.”
            “My dearest Kya I am here. Oh, how I love you!” He caressed her hair as she leaned her wet face against his.
            After a moment of comfort Kya sat up straight, “Papa, why are you here? What happened? We need you!”
            Kyonas grasped his daughters’ hands. “The evil one sent a monster to devour my boat, I could not escape back to our world. Our gracious God had mercy on me and brought me home with him.”
            “This is where you live now?” Kya looked around and wondered. It was a beautiful place but they were the only ones. She looked at her papa, “You are alone?”
            “Not exactly you are in between God’s home and your home. This is a place of rest. God is answering your prayers today.”
            Puzzled she looked around her and back at her father’s loving eyes, “How is God answering my prayers?”
            Delighted by the very presence of his daughter Kyonas smiled, “Today I will come back with you to help you.”
            Kya’s eyes widened, “Papa, are you telling the truth? How can you come home with me if you live with God now? Is it really true?”
            “It will not be as you think my child but for a time, I will come with you to provide the help you need. “  
            Kya could not believe what she was hearing. She was afraid to ask more questions. She did not want to know what ‘for a time’ meant. She was unsure of how he could help. Would they get to move back to Bashion? Would her father grow old with her mother? Years of being told not to speak unless spoken to prevented Kya from relinquishing her thoughts to her father’s ears.
            Wiping his weathered hand across Kya’s wets cheeks he met her eyes, “Are you ready sweet one? It is time to visit Bashion.”
            In a blink of an eye, Kaya and her father were sitting in her canoe near the docks of Bashion. Fear filled her body. What would the men do if they saw her? She had heard stories of women who had tried to return after being banished. Some came back beaten, blinded, and branded with a hot iron reminding them of their death. Other women were said to have been stoned to death. She looked at her father. His face was calm and his whole body was encircled by a blue light. It was him and yet he was more radiant than any living human she had ever encountered. What would the villagers think? “Papa?”
            He looked at her face as they approached the docks, “Tie the boat up Kya and do not speak when we approach the council men. Allow me to handle what happens next. God has given me a word to share with our kin and he will make a way for us.” As Kya tied the boat to the dock they got out and walked the worn dirt path to Bashion.


            Ashkan stood at the center of the village near an ancient well. Several men that were a part of the head council stood talking with him about the business of the day. Like any other day, life was happening all around them. Less distinguished men were engaging in manual tasks while the women were cooking and hanging the laundry to dry. Children were chasing chickens across the courtyard and they laughed as one dove toward the screeching hen only to miss. A scream pierced the sky and the people of Bashion froze.
            “It’s him! It’s Kyonas’ ghost!” The shrill cry of an older woman brought a chill to the hearts of everyone that could hear. In the distance, a man encased in blue light walked toward the well. Next to him was an older child they all knew to be Kya, but in the eyes of the elders, Kya was just as dead as Kyonas. 

            Ashkan walked toward the pair full of fury. “You do not belong here! We do not entertain the dead in Bashion!” He leaned over and picked up a large rock and threw it towards Kya. As the rock touched the blue light it was pulverized to ash.
            “Ashkan! You will listen to me.” Kyonas’ voice deepened and reverberated across the village. By this point, men, women, and children had gathered around the center. It looked like a standoff between Kyonas and Ashkan with the others circling around them.
            “I do not talk to the dead. Be gone and take your daughter with you.”
            “Ah, so you do see. Kya and I will not leave until I share a message from God.”
            The crowd whispered to each other in wonder. Some could not believe that Kyonas was back from the dead and others wondered if he ever died at all. They all would later agree that the blue light emanating from his body could only come from God. Some even confessed that they could feel God’s presence like a warm breeze and a gentle kiss upon their cheek.
            Kya stood and looked around. She stayed as close to her father’s side as she could but she was obedient to his request of silence.
            Ashkan looked at the wonder in his people’s eyes. He wanted to maintain control of the situation but was unsure of what to do. “Speak if you must!” and he turned his back to Kyonas.
            Kyonas smiled knowingly and stood behind his daughter grasping her shoulders. “This is my daughter Kya. You have known Kya from the time Ellia delivered her from the womb. She holds the life of God within her. There is no flaw in her. She is perfect in all that she is. She is a creature of God. The breath in her lungs was given by him and the life she lives will either be for him or for the evil one. This is true of every man, woman, and child in this village. You are all creatures of the God that gave you life. Who are you to declare death and life over a person? My daughter and her three sisters live! You have sisters, aunts, and cousins that are alive, but you declare they are dead. What power of heaven was given to you to make such a declaration? I say, that power comes from a source of fear that can lead to the evil one. Turn your hearts to the widows and orphans of Ariat.”
            The villagers looked around at each other. The silence deafened the ears of many, while others looked on in wonder. Kya surveyed the scene and pondered what would happen next. Her father spoke with an authority that was unlike any other. She felt honored to be with him.
            Ashkan turned around with his eyes glazed over. “Be gone ghost of Kyonos and take the ghost of Kya with you. Bashion does not entertain the dead.”
            Kya looked up at her father and saw a slight curve in his lips. His eyes shone with love as he looked every man and woman in the eye. Walking within the circle created by the villagers Kyonas took Kya’s hand and looked up to the sky. Kya saw a white light fill her father’s face with peace. She felt the warmth of his goodness flowing into her hand that he held.
            “People of Bashion. Remember the orphans and the widows. Resurrect the village of the dead, your life depends on it.” With that final statement, Kya and her father walked back the way they had come.
            When they reached the boat, a red cardinal was sitting on the tip of the bow. Her father released her and began to remove the ropes from the docks.
            “Papa, what happens next?”
            Full of compassion he looked into Kya’s eyes. It was a gaze she would never forget. It melted her heart and drew her into the depth of a love she could not describe with the use of words. Kya ran and collided into his chest as he embraced her.
            “My child, I must go to my home and you must return to yours.”
            After a momentary embrace Kya and her father set off in the canoe, back to the place, where she had found him. The red bird followed them as they paddled in silence.
            When they approached the place of the colorful waters Kya stood on the bow of the boat. She wondered if she would be allowed to join her father in heaven. As the boat tipped into the waters, Kya felt the same rush of warmth and love she had felt the first time she was sucked into God’s world. In complete silence, they reached the turquoise lake where their paths had first met. Her father’s boat remained in the place where she had found him.
            Kya turned toward her father, “Papa, I want to come with you.”
            “Come here child.” She moved across the canoe into his arms and savored his embrace. “Dear Kya, you must go back to your home and I will return to mine. Our homes are barely a second apart and yet it will take you a lifetime to realize the truth of this matter. Live knowing that you are alive and always will be. Some of the people of Bashion will move to Ariat. Your new home will become a treasure of the region and many will come to see it. All the people; men, women, and children will have a voice. All will be honored for who they are and what they have to offer. Do not worry about the men of Bashion. Their voices will be like a voice covered by the thunder of a great storm. Only they will hear the nonsense they cry out.”
            Kya’s eyes brimmed with tears. Joy swelled up in her heart, simultaneously swirling around the grief of being separated from her father again. “I love you Papa!”
            Smiling down at her, he kissed her forehead, “With all my heart I love you!”
            Once again Kya was transported back to her world. Her canoe floated lazily toward the dirt landing that would take her to Ariat. Off in the distance, she could see a mass of people walking towards Ariat from Bashion. Men, women, and children were carrying bundles, pushing carts, and herding animals toward her new home. The same cardinal flew past her and landed on a nearby branch. She nodded at the bird in recognition. Her father was right. Everything was about to be different.