When the young man returns from helping a customer carry her shopping, he discovers what your father has done and is upset.
We are back at our Athens home. As expected, the presence of alternates has not palled and they were eagerly welcomed. The general curiosity as to what differences made them our alternates soon vanished as they became more eager to hear about the Silver Boy and Ambros. I don’t think it will take long for them to begin pestering us to find our local Ambros.
The governments of our Earth plus those we brought with on our last trip, conspired with the help of Cherinians and roped in the leaders of all the alternate Earths we’re in contact with and it was announced this evening that they are holding a series of parties in all the realities (even though dates there are different) to celebrate my birthday. I must have matured considerably without me noticing it, for I put on a good show of being pleased, grateful and excited. I wish I could disappear for a week.
Phew! Thank goodness that is over with. The people were lovely and they were pleased that I went as an adult as it made them more comfortable talking with me. Next August, if we’re not on a trip, I’m going to be at Efineh’s world
Okay, I’ve got an interesting person to tell you about that I was told about at one of the parties. Apparently he is elderly and not in good health. If you are wondering how anybody can be ‘not in good health’, that is why the story is interesting. He is an Englishman and public opinion in his town is that he is eccentric. He managed to contact a Cherinian when he realised his health was failing. He demanded that no Cherinian be allowed to heal him. He was most insistent about the Cherinian letting the Sparklers and all the aliens know.
His theory is that souls are meant to be free and that our bodies are traps created by some evil spirit. He claims that now that he knows, as his body tires and when he dies and his soul is freed, he will be able to avoid falling into the same trap again. He has been trying to promote his idea, but it seems nobody else is interested in avoiding the trap. He has the right to decide for himself so he will die soon, but a healer is watching him to minimise any pain he might suffer. He has not asked us to help him avoid being sent back by the void since his belief is that he has empowered himself by discovering the truth.
Sparklers arrived with news about another reality where the Earth has just been through an atomic war and our help is needed. For a moment we only thought of what help would be required and then Cherine remembered. The future has arrived! When Robbie realised, we felt it make him tense up. I guess the idea of having to face his past and future selves makes him nervous.
With that peculiar affinity Orshiir, Annavi and Ashia have for the Anadir part of their inheritance, the girls glanced at each other as they shared from the scientists in Freddie and Annavi spoke for them. “Dad, the scientists have succeeded in creating a working model of the hardware for controlling the mind.”
Much of what happened can be inferred from what was learnt during the visits by Robbie, but it is obvious it is not reasonable for that reality to have a Cherine. So, Robert and the others, they do not fit in with the rest of the population, so how do we explain them existing there? Filled with curiosity and eager to meet them as they were originally, we travelled back in time to the period just before their atomic war.
We arrived five years before the war and the Sparklers immediately shot off to Earth to find our alternates - Robbie stressed to them they should also search for Wendy, Aganthi and Theresa. They were gone far longer than usual, so we already half expected their report of failure when they returned. As we’d surmised, they had not found any of them. This made for an interesting conundrum since we definitely had been told that we collected them from just before the atomic war.
We jumped forward in time by a month at a time, searched and jumped. As we approached the final weeks before the war we stopped jumping and lived through the final days without interruptions. The last two days were the worst for we knew we would not be saving many lives and by keeping such a close watch we were coming to know a number of people.
On the last day we felt we were wasting our time, but something was bugging Robbie and he left his body to watch as the void. Literally as the bombs flew to their destinations, Robbie sensed the arrival of Talents. They were only present for seconds and they disappeared. We did not have time to worry about them, for they had brought with them a number of people that they let go of while they were still at least a few thousand metres above the ground. We did not wait for Robbie and jumped to collect falling bodies as fast as we could. As we collected the last ones, the first atom bombs were exploding and Freddie had to withdraw his tip. Robbie asked Freddie to jump to another reality as we stood frozen by shock, staring down at the bodies of a Cherine, Robert, Dominique, Alki and so on.
Dommi suggested we do not awaken them until she’s had a chance to examine what was done to them. She learnt more than she’d expected to, for the last memories were a storm of surprises that gave rise to panic as they felt themselves being attacked by people with powers they had not imagined existed. Most of them do not know each other and Robert and Cherine have never met!
“I glimpsed a few faces and though they are not people we know well, we do know that their alternates used to be employed by our Hettie. Roberto, this Hettie and Eddie must be stronger than ours if they can jump realities.”
“We’ll deal with them later.” I’m glad we have to help those we saved first, as Robbie is emoting a savage anger that could have lost us this Hettie and Eddie if he’d decided to deal with them first. “Can we awaken them or should we allow them to do so naturally?”
“They were not in a natural sleep Robert, it was not intended that they wake up.” Dommi softly stroked the cheek of little Cherine. “They’ll wake up soon, I reversed the orders given to their minds.”
“They expected them to die when the bombs exploded.” Jade was furious.
Cherine pulled her to herself and hugged her. “They would have died from hitting the ground, the bombs would only have obliterated the evidence.”
We were lucky that they needed hours before awakening for we were all suffering. We have grown soft and reminders of how cruel and ruthless some people can be is like a physical shock to us.
We quickly moved them to the Kolonaki in the Sparkler World, altering Athens to reflect the Athens this Alki knows. Since Robert and Cherine had not met, none of them would understand why they were attacked and we needed to initially lessen the number of shocks they would have to experience - awakening within Freddie would certainly have been frightening.
For those who had not lived in Greece, we implanted memories that justified them being there and we waited, giving them a couple of months of living as Normals and only then did we gradually allow them to learn of our gifts. We returned to Freddie and Robbie took us on a tour of all our favourite planets and then we returned in time to visit our Unation friends, jumped to the future to visit our CherInguel friends and so on. It was the nicest way for us to give the new Teller family and Cherinians time to grow strong in their love for each other and strong in their beliefs. This Cherine, of all our alternates, shows her love for our Robbie without any inhibitions and seems to expect our Cherine to rejoice that she loves him so much - and so our Cherine does, without any traces of jealousy. Now I understand why they all ran to our Robbie’s arms so happily after spending years of pain and suffering because of him. I guess it is time I split so that their Samantha has time to grow strong for them.
Oh Arthur, I love their Samantha so much! As I’ve said of their Cherine, they are all happy for any of them to love us without it threatening them as a family or group and so Samantha has grown very close to me. She is such a bright spirit and so much less complicated than I am. In the meantime their entire family and Alki have grown to love our Wendy and yearn for her to be a part of their family. Robbie asked the Sparklers to check on their home planet and when they assured us they have not found Wendy or her soul, Robbie promised that another Teller family will split their Wendy for them. Sam had only existed for weeks when she suggested they practice being hurt by the head-ware. I’m guessing she asked for it to start now before they have their Wendy. We start tomorrow.
We told them of what is to happen and even explained that Robbie of the past will be coming to them, needing their help. Privately I told Sam of what she should do when Robbie from our past arrives without allowing the others to know. She ‘saw’ from our memories and understood the necessity, but she told me she will not really be happy until the day she does not have to keep it a secret. I understood, for I’ve had my secrets and I know how they prevented me from being totally open and loving with my family.
Robbie insisted that one of the Anadir use the head-ware against him. Once he’d practised a few times and knew how much power to channel into Robbie’s brain, Robbie then allowed their Robert to be the first to practice. Having sensed how our Robbie suffered, his family wanted to share with him and Robbie and Robert both had to be very strict to stop them. Cherine put her arms around their Cherine.
“We will all have our turn my love and, as your Robert will have to be brave when you all take your turns, you must be brave now.” Neither Robbie nor Robert (or anyone else, such as both Alki’s) were happy about that, but nobody tries to change our Cherine’s mind anymore once she’s made her decision - anyway, they would have found us all opposing them if they had tried. For us, my loves and I, it may have only been a small way of assuaging the needs of our feelings of guilt, but it did help. As a Cherinian, I also believe that if we are forced to inflict some kind of suffering on others, we must bear that suffering also.
Without telling us, Robbie arranged for a big party on Goldi’s Planet. All the Teller families and their close friends and families were invited. They were introduced to the latest growth in our family of alternates and then Robbie asked for a Wendy who has never split to split for them. We gave the family with their new Wendy a few days to bond properly before starting the party. As always, the alternates of each person grouped for a while to get to know each other and link more deeply. I joined those who went to my sweet Sam and the others agreed with me afterwards that she is special - but oddly, nobody teased me about her being nicer than me.
We have returned with tens of millions of Cherinians to help heal and rebuild while draining the soil, water and air of the radiation. The leaders (who all survived, to no one’s surprise) were brought to Freddie and told they must find a way to bury any enmities still smouldering and look for ways to work together to save their people. We did not stay, only visiting at three monthly intervals. As we’d expected, the leaders asked to meet us and they warned us that the presence of Cherinians is destroying their people, many are even killing themselves rather than have to face the strange world of possibilities we represent. Robbie brought out the head-ware and explained how it should be used. Despite our knowing how they will be abused by an excess of the head-ware attacks, we left our new alternate family and as Freddie jumped back to our reality he took his time, for we needed to weep. Arthur, we must have some time to heal so I will not be writing for a while.
After celebrating Robbie’s birthday we took a trip to check on the fragile Galaxy. Aristos came with. Not much to write about. We are planning with their kids a special party for Alki and Marian for the 26th of March, as it will be their thirty fourth wedding anniversary.
On August the thirtieth, two weeks after Sam’s birthday parties, which is designated by us as Friends Day, we visited Club Cherinián for a meal and coffee. As Robert sat smoking, someone stood before the gate (it never opens for guests unless we’ve invited Normals). In an amused voice Robbie said, “Come in” and the man was suddenly past the gate. Robert immediately sat up, but kept his face friendly.
“You are not a Cherinian but you are a Talent. Who are you?”
Just under two metres, slim, dark eyed and amazingly handsome, he smiled at Robert. “I apologise for startling you, but I did wait outside to give you the opportunity to check me out. I am here as a friend and I do not intend any attacks. My name is Aristos Hadzinicolaou and I am originally from Amarousi - but not yours, I am from an alternate reality. May I sit?”
“Please do. I take it no introductions are required from our side since you sought us out. From which reality are you?”
“As you said, no introductions are required in any reality to any of your family and close friends. After all, where would we be without you? How boring life must have been for everyone before the Cherinians made an appearance.”
Samantha smiled. “I would say the opposite is true since we no longer have wars and starvation.”
“Ah, you believe suffering adds a little piquancy to the recipe of life? I have spent the last two years travelling from reality to reality and almost in all of them they attribute those lacks mainly to you, Samantha Teller. It was one of the reasons I decided to visit you, I had to meet such a remarkable woman.” Samantha slightly blushed and some of us tittered in our minds at him calling Sam a woman.
Robert allowed Aristos to dominate the conversation as he talked to us, mostly to Sam. To us it sounded like he was trying to seduce Sam, but he neither did or said anything we could object to, he is too suave for such gauche mistakes. Sam tried to question him about his reality.
“I am not being secretive for an evil reason Samantha, I am trying to protect all of you from my reality.” Robert raised an eyebrow. “You have not discovered our reality nor will you be allowed to. We are aware you do not wish to learn of your future and we are far in advance of you - about four hundred years.”
Electrified by his claim we gaped at him. Robert cleared his throat. “Do you have any information to back up such a claim?”
He spread his hands. “What would be the point of it? I ask of you not to press for details and as we grow more comfortable with each other I’ll then discuss certain of the ramifications that I’m certain must be evident to you. I have spent two years, as I said, examining all the realities known to you and I have watched all the tellings recorded in them so I have come to understand much about you and your family - though I admit that my understanding lacks a certain, depth shall we say, because the recordings could not supply the emoting and the information supplied by the ladies psychically. I hope I will be present during your next telling.”
“Well Sam?”
“Well what? What he claims does not make sense, not if we believe Arthur. Since we are the prime reality no other can be in advance - unless their time rate is vastly different from ours.”
“Ah, so it is possible?”
“I tried to sense him when he talked Robbie, I received the impression he was telling the truth, at least as he knows it.”
“There would be little point in him lying if he was that transparent would there?”
Cassie piped up. “It would be rude of you to suggest he was lying Robert, as that would mean all he said about Sam was not true.” Robert gave her an appreciative smile, but he was not in the mood to be sidetracked by humour. Something was bothering him, but we could not work out what the reason could be.
“Roberto, he is too charming and suave - and I have met many of his kind, usually among the degenerate inheritors of fortunes, I suggest we be careful until we understand what he is after.” Robert agreed with Alki and we returned home.
We did not see him every time we went out, but when he did join us at coffee shops, he blatantly concentrated on Sam. As mentioned, we went to visit the Fragile Galaxy, taking him with at Samantha's request. Then weeks went by, the kind where television stations have nothing of importance to show on the news and all would have been well with us if it had not been that Sam started meeting Aristos alone. If one of us offered to go with her, she always had an excuse, so we stopped trying to interfere. For the first time ever she kept herself blocked while visiting and when she returned those memories would be unavailable to us. We were becoming panicky, but Robert stayed calm, so we took our cue from him.
Em-e’s parents and sister had joined us for supper at a tavern when Aristos turned up like a bad penny, spoiling our mood. He took a chair from the next table and sat himself next to Robert.
“I am not being a nuisance am I? Good, waiter, a glass of red wine please.” He turned to Robert. “It is time I tell you a little about my reality. May I have a cigarette, I’m nervous.” He did not smile as he lit up. “I’m sorry to say I’m going to upset all of you. Samantha, your friend Arthur, he is not our author as he’s led you to believe. He is not even a man in a different cosmos, he is just a minor deity of a reality that I intend finding soon with the help of my God.” Samantha just waited with a look of curiosity, so we realised he’s mentioned this to her before speaking to us. “Robert, you are biased, as all Cherinians are, believing the powers of the mind make all technology superfluous. I assure you that with the breakthroughs our scientists achieved, it is not true. Should our realities be forced into a confrontation, I’m not certain which side would win, but if your side does, it will be at a terrible cost to your Cherinians and Normals. As an example only, we could force your sun to go nova without entering your reality, that is how advanced we are.
I sense a dislike of me by your wives and daughters, but it is understandable, they have sensed how fond I’ve grown of Samantha and perceive my affection and high opinion of her as a threat. I wish I could be a threat, in that sense, but I have no illusions as to her devotion to you and her family.
I can imagine you have asked yourself, why does this man impose himself on us, what does he want from me? I’ll tell you. I want your help.”
“You have a strange way of going about it. Since you are from a civilisation so advanced and powerful, all I can imagine you could need help with is with regard to Arthur. Why doesn’t your god help you?”
“What does your god say, is your reality the prime reality?”
“No Robert, that is too simplistic. This reality is a prime reality, but so is mine. As yours cannot split, regardless of whatever choices you are confronted with, so is it with mine.”
“What is it you want of us?”
“The easy solution I have already dared to suggest to Samantha, but she has refused me. All she and your family would have to do is stop writing for Arthur and let him know you’ve grown tired of him. His ego is fragile and he would stop interfering.”
Robert cocked his head. “You’ve provided us with the what, now give us the why.”
“Do you truly believe you are free Robert? Do you think that if Arthur refrains from writing, the choices you make are your own? As long as Arthur is interested and maintains an interest in your lives, our lives, his assumptions rule. My God has no interest in any but our own reality, yours wants all realities to eternity to be subject to his whims.”
Robert quipped, “Yes, that sounds like our Arthur.”
Samantha called out, “Robert!”
He looked at her for a moment. “Yes love, it is time.” She paled and made as if to protest, but bowed her head before staring back at him. “Samantha needs to be free; girls, all of you, repeat with me, I divorce you Samantha.” Only a handful did, our hearts too suddenly broken at this turn of events. Nobody it seems noticed or cared.
“I’m sorry Robert.” He nodded and she walked away, Aristos for a moment stared at us as if we’d gone insane and then he rushed after her.
“What now Robert?” Cherine asked, her eyes filled with tears.
“We pay and go home. I think I’d rather spend tonight in our Freddie home.”
This now is the time I decided to write. Arthur, will you write for us? Get our Samantha back please.
It is now public knowledge that Sam has moved out to an apartment of her own and her picture with Aristos is in all the news media. At this moment it is only speculation, but we expect the news about the divorce to become public soon - certain species of aliens just can’t lie, so all that is needed is for someone to ask the correct question.
Since Sam left, Alki and Marian don’t leave us alone and if they have to be somewhere they make certain Allan is with us. I don’t know why he sends us Allan. The girls, Eleni and Jess are wonderful, but Allan depresses us even further. He doesn’t speak about Sam, but his eyes keep on filling and then he tries to joke so that we won’t feel him.
