Soul Dancing with the Brass Band (The Brass Band Series) (25 page)

“We ate fresh organic raw vegetables and rice for lunch,” Dad continued. “Each taste was unique and it was as if I was experiencing food for the first time. We sat together in silence, but nothing about it seemed silent.”

“When I returned my tray to the kitchen, they asked me what job I’d like to do. They had a list to pick from, so I chose something relatively simple. I didn’t think it was safe for me to do anything outside in my state of mind, so I signed up for dishes. Your Mom has me trained up pretty good in that department,” he said smiling at Kate.

“The warm water felt good on my hands and all I had to do was swish a brush around on the plates before I loaded them into a dishwasher. I was doing a satisfactory job and was into the swing of things when I felt a hand on my shoulder. A boy informed me that McCollum would like to see me in his private quarters and asked me to follow him. I was reluctant and excited at the same time to be meeting Mr. McCollum. Will and George had told me so many stories about him that I fully expected McCollum to have a halo and wings. I felt frantic when I didn’t see Will or George nearby, but gathered my courage and followed my guide up the stairs and into a private wing of the house, then waited for McCollum to answer the door.”

“He has amazing eyes, you know. I couldn’t stop looking at them. I felt his hand on my arm as he led me to a chair in front of the fireplace and placed a glass of water in my hands. We drank
to life
and by the time I had finished my water, I was more coherent, although I found it difficult to stay attentive in his presence. I kept having the sensation of floating away and then I’d find he had his hand laying softly on my arm again, bringing me back.”

“He told me a story about a great band of brothers who had traveled through time together, from the very inception of time as we know it. They were all things from fierce warriors to great spiritualists and always were held together by their mutual
dharma
. Moving through time, whether they fought on the same side or the opposite side, their balancing and growth became greater in each life they were born into together. He talked about their lives in Egypt, Mongolia, Tibet, India, but the one place I remember him talking about the most vividly was in Great Britain, long before that was its name. That was when it dawned on me that I was part of it all, he was speaking about me, my past lives… and his and Will’s and George’s… and all of the other young men I had spent the morning with in meditation!”

“McCollum explained that the brothers had scattered to the winds after that last life time. Some incarnated immediately to retaliate against the army that destroyed us. Others remained behind, merged with the
source
to heal and rest, waiting for a time when we would all be together again and
now is that time
.”

“I think Will told you that he and George were sent out into the world to find the last few?” Dad said looking at me questioningly.

“Well, yes, but I didn’t know it was going to be you,” I said in my defense. “I would have called you sooner or something!”

“It’s not only me, but your mother and you too, Hillary.”

“McCollum told me our planet is elevating and the vibration is increasing,” Dad explained. “People will be leaving the planet in large numbers because the energy will be too much for their souls to handle at this moment in time. It will look like war, murder and even insanity because a lot of people will become very agitated by the energy shift. Others will become ill and there will be suicides… but in reality it is really a massive exit plan as the planet transmutes into a higher energy level.”

“I know I’m sitting here talking like this makes perfect sense to me, but I’m trying to take it all in myself.” Dad reached out to take our hands. “McCollum said that in this lifetime, if at all possible, we will come together with our soul mates, so each of us can be once again whole. In doing so, we become more powerful
. This was planned in the heavens long before we took these bodies.”

“Your mom and I actually went our separate ways many life times ago. I learned to live a solitary life in my ashram in India and would have continued incarnations there if my task in this lifetime weren’t of such monumental importance. My soul mate and I needed to reunite to bring
you
forth into this world.” Dad squeezed both of our hands. “It had to be
now
, because you had to be here to complete Will.” His eyes never left mine. He seemed to need to make sure that I understood what he is saying.

“I love Will with everything I am, but I’m having a really hard time wrapping my mind around all of this, Dad,” I said, my mind swimming and my head beginning to ache. “McCollum told you this was all planned?”

“I know, Kiddo. It’s a lot to absorb,” he said taking another breath, “but McCollum also asked me to tell you something else, to see if it meant anything at all to you. He wants me to tell you that you were once a warrior of mythical proportions.” Dad looked to see if there was any recognition in my eyes, but all I could offer was disbelief and bewilderment.

“I don’t even know what a
mythical warrior
is and you know me, Dad; I don’t have any special abilities...I’m pretty average.” My head was about ready to split from a building headache. I wanted to talk to Will, but knew he wasn’t home. What the hell was I expected to do? With tears threatening to overflow, I excused myself to go lie down on Ruth’s bed. I took an aspirin, pulled the covers up over my head and fought to find sleep.

AT THE Dark Moon, Dec 27, 37 A.D.

Once again, I am in position at the forest edge, stroking my mare to keep her calm. I can feel the tension pulsate through her muscles as her skin twitches beneath me. Yet, she stands as quiet and motionless as a stone. The sun is dawning and we can do no more to prepare. Today is the day against which everything will be measured; our strength, our will, our training, our power. I hear the sound of Roman armor as they begin their advance. Closing my eyes and opening my hands, I begin to gather the power of the universe within me and pray to my Deities. “Please provide me with the strength to defend my homeland….” and before I can open my eyes or finish my prayer, I hear the sickening sound of an arrow entering the body of my beloved, who stands beside me. I scream to the Gods, begging that it not be so! My nostrils fill with the stench of blood. My mare bucks violently beneath me as a storm of extraordinary magnitude explodes within me. The wind blows with such a fury that I know the storm within, is now manifesting around me. I lift my hands and the skies darken and lightning flashes with a deafening crack. I bless the body, which lies dead on the ground next to me, feeling the power of his soul join mine to fuel my rage. I am not alone as I begin the charge into battle, Liam is inside me and together we are fury and revenge and blood lust.

As I suck wind into my lungs, I find myself watching the battle from above rather than from within my body. I observe myself fighting a savage battle with grace and beauty and also see the blood and the rawness of the brutality as I wield my sword, dismantling limbs and heads from their bodies. Smelling the putrid scents of the dead and dying, I watch the bodies fall, screaming in agony and the souls being released from the pain of their Earthly existence. I stand with one leg in both worlds, torn by the understanding that it is only an exchange of energy, contrasted by the pain of humanity. I want to leave my body behind to follow my beloved Liam, knowing that if I return to earth, I will find him dead, run through by the arrow that was meant for me.

I can feel Liam’s soul drifting further and further away from me and know I have no life without him. If it weren’t for the thread which still binds me to my living body below, I would have lowered my sword and let myself be struck dead in battle, but I am the mystic warrior who commands our army and today my destiny is to save my people to fight another day.

I feel the ripping of my soul as part leaves in search of Liam and part retakes control of my body. I once again feel the weight of the sword in my hand and the moistness of blood running down my arms. I no longer feel the bliss, only the pain as a part of me drifts away into the ethers.

The annihilation is complete, but on this day it is my army
that still stands! As I raise my eyes to the horizon, I see the sole survivor of this great Roman Cohort as General Flavius turns and gallops away.

Dec 28, 2010

I woke up enraged, wet with sweat and fighting with my covers. Mom opened the door to check on the ruckus and noticed me sitting up, hair a mess, tears running down my face. “Who is still alive?” I asked not knowing which world I was in.

“Dad and I are the only ones here, Sweetheart.” She hurried to my bedside to look into my eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I think so,” I said, running my fingers through my wet hair.

“Do you have a fever?” Mom asked, reaching to feel my forehead.

I stopped her hand, trying desperately to stay in the other world long enough to count the bodies
. I needed to know who survived, but Mom’s hand was of this world and caused the dream to quickly fade.

“Is Will here?” I asked.

“Will and George are at McCollum’s. He called, but didn’t want to wake you and said he’ll see you when we arrive for New Year’s.”

Nervous energy forced me to get up. I walked into the living room, again trying to remember what I had forgotten.

“So much for getting answers,” I mindlessly said, realizing the remnants of the dream were gone. I looked up to see Dad sitting alone and working intently on something by the window and for a split second I saw an image of someone else’s face overlay his. The name ‘Terrance’ flashed into my mind along with a vivid feeling of déjà vu and I found myself wondering if two worlds could overlap at times.

Dad was working to repair the book he found in the library. I had completely forgotten about it and I found concentrating on it helped me calm my frazzled mind.

“Have you figured out why someone was angry enough to tear it up?” I asked as I walked over to him.

“Well Kiddo, this book really tested someone’s faith, so much so, that they thought by destroying it, they would destroy the ideas written within it.” He placed the last piece of tape on the binding. “Unfortunately for whoever did this,
truth
can’t be destroyed, even if you don’t believe it.”

“See
, this book talks about what would have happened if The Gospel of Thomas had been put in the Bible, it would have dramatically changed history because Thomas stated that the divinity of Jesus was shared by humanity and that Jesus rebuked finding God
through
him.” Dad flipped through the pages of the book and inspected his tape job.

“The manuscript this book talks about was discovered in 1945 in Upper Egypt and even though experts acknowledge it as a first century text, written at the time of Jesus, most treat the Gnostic Gospels as if they don’t exist. The Mary Magdalene Gospels were discovered in 1896 and wouldn’t it be interesting to know the truth about her.” Satisfied with the job he had done, Dad closed the book. “This book can
open
a mind or
close
it just as fast. It depends on the person doing the reading.”

“I think I’ll take a walk over to the library to return this book to its rightful place on the shelf. I need some fresh air and a good walk. Since meeting
your
Will, I have a lot to think about,” he said looking at me with a slow smile. I couldn’t help but give him a big hug.

“Can you pick me up in about an hour? I’ll wait for you in front of the library. We can take Kate out for lunch somewhere nice,” Dad said, putting the book in his pocket. “You two can pick a place. I’m up for anything.”