He did not smile, not that anyone else did. “And how am I to do that?”
“By not allowing me to be weak.”
“And what of when you are too strong?”
He shook his head. “You brought me here to set me an impossible task?”
I grinned. “No, I brought you so as to save Samuel King. The one of this reality killed because of his uncle and if we do not do something quickly, he will be lost to us.”
“What have you in mind?”
“I don’t know what to do - I was hoping you would.”
Samuel shook hands with Robbie, was gravely kissed on the cheek by Cherine and my other loves and Alki greeted him with a big hug. The two of them make an awkward pair, for Samuel has come to see what I see in Alki and admires him greatly - not quite a father figure, but maybe an uncle figure? As for Alki, he sees clearly the pallikari in others and he claims to envy what he sees in Samuel. Yet, both try to hide how they feel from the other. I guess they both need more time to mature.
Lol, I’ve been ducking and diving since I wrote the last sentence. For the first time, Bernie and Melina called in their sister Julia, told her what I wrote about Alki and they started a ‘let’s hit Samantha with a pillow’ jihad and within minutes all my loves (the girls) had joined them. I decided that if I’m to suffer, I should at least get something out of it. I jumped and as I landed, my arms and legs went around Robbie just like a spindly spider. As they launched their pillows I jumped, allowing Robbie to receive the pillows on my behalf. I had a laughing fit as I felt Robbie, but then I had to start really jumping like crazy as he joined them. Arthur, keep in mind that the rules are that the ‘victim’ is not allowed to use the power of blocking and throwing back I’d learnt from Orgg and Vincent, we can only duck and dive, jumping around Freddie or our home if we are in Athens. Anyone throws a pillow and breaks something in our home has to answer to Dommi, so the victim makes certain the pillow hits her - even if the pillow was thrown by Dommi. Thought you’d appreciate a few details
I think Samuel King has grown to respect Robbie and he sees his good and bad qualities fairly, but I do not think that Robbie is the kind of man Samuel can be an intimate friend to. They’ll talk, have a drink, swop jokes, but that man-to-man kind of bond I’d love to see cannot exist for them. Unfortunately, what is true with regard to Robbie and all Roberts, is even more true for Samuel and any Allan. It is not a matter of laying blame at anyone’s feet but if I did, I’d probably say Allan is more to blame. It is obvious to Allan that Samuel is not the kind of man who respects men who wear their heart on their sleeve - they might tattoo it on their shoulder but that is as close as they’ll come to doing so. Therefore, Allan feels that Samuel cannot respect him and that he sees him as weak. That is not how Samuel sees him and he does admire him, but he also does find Allan too sensitive, finicky and imaginative and wearies of him at times.
Keeping the above in mind, try to imagine the astonishment of Samuel when our Allan diffidently asked him to be allowed to help by bringing the alternate Samuel to us on his own. Samuel King was almost abrupt in his refusal and I hated the way Allan hid himself behind his hurt as he mentally and emotionally withdrew. Samuel turned to look at me, maybe expecting to catch an expression of disapproval that he could sense I was not emoting. I just gazed back at him without expression. He shrugged. “Sending him would end up in total catastrophe - you know that.” I did not answer, annoying him. The truth is, if he had not said anything, I would not have been annoyed with him as I did not see how Allan could handle any Samuel King, even if he is younger and less experienced. However, to have him run down Allan did anger me. I compressed the anger and put it away for another day, we had a job to do and getting the younger Samuel was too important for me to indulge my temper. I sent a warning to Eleni and Jess to stop them from picking a fight with Samuel.
During the night, Freddie surprised us by jumping to another reality. Since he returned in the morning we did not ask why, assuming a scientist had needed to collect some data. As we gathered at the taverna for breakfast, I was annoyed to see Eleni and Jess on their own. I felt disappointed in Allan for not having the courage to join us. If Samuel noticed, he did not show it, his thoughts concentrated on his alternate. He filled his plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, fried potatoes and toast and sat opposite me. After a few mouthfuls he looked at me.
I looked at him. “I was under the impression you did not commit yourself to helping your uncle because you were bright enough to see what would happen afterwards. Are you now telling me it was not so, that it was because you were not corrupt?” There was the mental sound of everyone holding their breath, shocked at my raw challenge. I could feel that nearly everyone did not approve, not even Cherine.
His head snapped up, he stared at me for a moment and then he shook his head. “You are right, I was afraid of him.” He tried a grin. “You are saying I should only hold him to blame for being stupid?”
“It could be that all you should blame him of is a deeper need for love from his uncle. We’ve all made mistakes for that reason. I know that I have.”
“You are saying you intend bringing him back to life?”
I glanced at the Eddie and Hettie the alternate Samuel had killed. “Perhaps it would be more dramatic and ironic having his victims bring him back to life - if they are willing?”
The couple glanced at each other and Hettie gave me a grim smile (as reward for the games I was playing?). “Since we are Cherinians now, we don’t have a choice.”
Robbie cut in. “I would have felt happier hearing you say you want to do it. Being a Cherinian does not obligate you Hettie.”
The local Cherine spoke up, “Has anyone else noticed that we have returned to this reality two months later - than it was last night?”
“Freddie?” Robbie asked.
“You have told me repeatedly that I am at the beck and call of everyone. That must include the giving of explanations? I suggest you wait Robert.” Both Cherine and I jumped to the same conclusion and turned to stare at Eleni, but she only looked back at us with a look of curiosity, her emoting dampened.
Samuel had not been paying attention and was still deep in his thoughts. “Samantha, I say we leave him if he is dead. It will be difficult enough handling him after he has killed. I do not…” His voice died and his mouth hung open as a very young Samuel King appeared, with our Allan by his side.
Allan gestured with a flourish. “Samantha, the young man you wished to meet? Samuel King, allow me to introduce you…” He took him around the taverna, introducing him to each of the girls, his own included, only then taking him to meet Eddie and Hettie. As he did so he gave Robbie a secret grin.
“Samuel, this is the couple you killed. Please refrain from doing so again.”
As Eddie came to his feet, he stuck out his hand for Samuel to shake. “Young man, that is an awesome power you have. Do join us, we have much to talk about.”
Allan chuckled. “Eddie, allow me to take him from you for another minute or two. Samuel, this is the prime Robert and that pretty girl is Samantha. Before everyone floods you with questions and emoting to make you feel welcome, allow me, finally, to introduce you to your alternate - the prime Samuel King.”
As the two Samuels stared at each other, I primly said to Allan, “I thought Samuel refused you?”
He bobbed his head in agreement, but kept his grin. “I know. For a while it disheartened me, but then I remembered what you and Robert are always telling us - nobody has the right to tell another Cherinian what to do. I asked Freddie to give me two months and I jumped.” He chuckled as he sensed me. “I bet you’re dying to find out what happened, but I’m first going to tell my Eleni and Jess - they stood by me and let me go so they have to be first.”
“My first thought on arriving on Earth was, ‘what if the lad is dead?’ I did recall our Samuel speaking of the possibility of him being murdered when he’d talked of his uncle. I decided there was not much value in allowing the thought to influence my actions. I would search for him and if he was dead, then he would be dead and I would have to wait for Freddie to return.
I do not have the ability to travel back in time; as both my families know, I am not good at teleporting so I did not wish to risk jumping twice to return in time and then another twice to return to my time of departure. What I did instead was search for the house of the uncle. The police, and the secret services no doubt, had already searched after his mind-death and found nothing. I was not there to look for clues to secrets or murder, all I wanted was the obvious - an address. I found it and travelled to the farm.
The house was locked up and from signs of dust heaped against corners and doors, I estimated nobody had been to visit for many months, maybe years. I was soon to learn that in the country, strangers may seem to be ignored but they are watched. Neighbours turned up and I saw guns. They were not pointed at me or anything crude like that; it was only intended that I know they are armed. I put on my earnest look and told them that I was searching for Samuel. I explained about his uncle being brain-dead and that the lad had been his only family. It did not soften their faces and they demanded to know why I should be interested in the young man. I lied to them. I told them I worked for a firm of attorneys in London and that the uncle had left a nice sum of money to his nephew in offshore funds. I told them I would be staying at a local hotel or motel, if they could suggest one, where I’d wait for one week in case young Samuel decides to contact me.
For the next few days I was careful to be seen often so that they would know I was not searching for Samuel, just waiting for him. On the last day I was late in leaving my room as I was gathering underwear and stuffing everything in bags for throwing into the dumpster outside. The maid was eager to prepare the room so that she could finish for the day so I let her in and we talked. She told me that she knew I was there for finding Samuel and was amused that I had wasted a week. She let me manoeuvre her into telling me why I would not find Samuel. She told me that months before his uncle’s accident, Samuel had secretly visited his family home, grabbed some things and disappeared. His uncle had arrived and learnt that he had disappeared. Strangers then came and asked questions and looked for clues, but they soon gave up and left. Smugly she told me that nobody can find Samuel if he does not want to be found. She also told me something important I had not thought of researching. Samuel is not popular with those of his age, but adults like him.
I did not leave town immediately. I ordered a string of coffees as I sat thinking. Samuel had done as his uncle asked and then he’d arrived at the same decision our Samuel had - he realised his uncle would consider him a threat and he’d either kill him or else have him killed. I asked myself, why would he then return home? That would be the first place his uncle would look for him, so his reason must have been important. Why was the house empty? Where had his family gone to?
I have known our Samuel long enough for me to make a few guesses. For instance, he is no Scrooge but he does not like to waste money. If he needed camping equipment and had what he needed at home, he’d go fetch it - if he reasoned it would be safe for a day or two. More important was his family. He may have felt he wanted to be rid of them, but that was only his age talking, he could and would not run away and leave someone else to suffer because of him. He must have returned to warn his mother - and that explained her absence.
The valley the family home nestles in is considered pleasant, verdant and fertile by the locals because it has water. To my mind it is not much better than a semi-desert. I felt that since Samuel is not a city boy, he would not know how to hide among people. His thoughts would surely lead him to the desert not far from his home. He must have spent time there on his own and he’d feel confident his uncle would not find him once he was in the desert. He knew his uncle had the use of sophisticated technology and the secret services so there had to be somewhere he could hole up for a while. There was one piece of crucial information I should have had that I did not and I cursed myself many times for not thinking to ask Samuel years ago. I did not know whether he knew that his uncle had paranormal powers.”
Allan pulled a face. “I’d never imagined the desert would be so busy! What reasons so many people find to ride, drive or walk through the desert I still can’t puzzle out. It did mean I could not search for Samuel during the day. At night I would wear black and choose a part of the desert to float over, extending my senses as I searched. I shared some strange moments with people below me, especially those taking drugs, but none of it felt like Samuel. I’d already wasted three weeks and the time left no longer felt enough for me to succeed in finding and convincing him to trust us. One night I was feeling dispirited and the sensation of constantly floating for hours was almost like being in a sensory deprivation tank, so I landed at the top of a cliff to have a cigarette and re-think my strategy. I knew I could ask the Sparklers to find him, but I felt that doing so would be cheating. I was determined to prove to Samuel and Samantha that I could succeed on my own.
It was almost dawn so there was little point in resuming my search. I lit my third cigarette and tried to work out whether I’d missed some obvious clue and was searching in the wrong area. After all, just because he’d grown up on a farm, was I right to assume he would not try to hide in a city? As the sky slightly brightened to the east I came to my feet, ready to jump back to my motel room. I happened to look down and saw a very faint green glow. I wondered what kind of plant belonging to the desert is phosphorescent. Out of curiosity I marked the spot and waited for daylight so that I could see where I was jumping to. I don’t like teleporting from a high spot to a much lower one - I have the feeling that I’ll arrive there at speed, as if I’ve fallen for the distance I jumped, so I began to walk, finding my way in the semi-darkness to a lower position to jump from.
I was forced away from the cliff by sharp drops and boulders and at one point I had to walk through a narrow cut in the ground. Imagine my shock and excitement when I sensed Samuel. I lost contact and stepped backwards and connected again. I sat down and waited for daybreak to lighten the passage I was in. It did not take long for me to realise that Samuel was asleep and dreaming. I tried to sneak up on his mind, but I could not seem to pinpoint where he was. You know how an object under water seems to waver and move, that was how it felt - it was as if I was not sensing his mind directly, but through something like flawed glass. I climbed out of the passage and jumped back to my room.”
Maria set another cappuccino before him but he didn’t seem to notice, staring at the younger Samuel, but without really seeing him. “I spent the first hour back in my room in a blue funk. I’d never felt anything like it before and I was half convinced there was something alien about him. How could he make his emoting and signs of life ebb and flow like that? Apart from the ability to force apart molecules, what other powers did he have? Would he even give me the opportunity to speak before he blew me up?”
Jade asked, with a naughty grin, hoping to provoke him. “How did you resolve your blue funk?”
“I reached the point where I could not bear to be alone with my thoughts anymore and went for breakfast. As I nibbled at my pancakes a little girl at a table close by looked at me and I sensed she was a potential gifted mind, close to being telepathic already. For a moment I was awed by the beauty of what I was sensing and forgot my fear. I was so excited by what I sensed that, despite the child being petulant, fat and ugly, after looking into her eyes she became exquisitely beautiful to me. Maybe she sensed me or maybe she did not understand what she sensed, but she sent me hate and fear until she left with her parents. Since the waitress seemed to know them, I did not feel it was necessary for me to follow them and having regained my appetite I ate my way through the heap of pancakes, had the rest of my breakfast and carrying a second coffee in a take away cup I went outside for a cigarette. I’m convinced that if I did not have a healer, the coffee in America would have given me a bad case of indigestion.”
Cassie put her little fists on her hips as she faced me. “Not fair! You’ve been teaching him how to tell a story the way you do!” That led to laughter, more teasing and by the time Allan started talking again, everyone was a lot more relaxed.
“Anyone who has been a Cherinian for a length of time, has learnt to heed the inner voice. Some do not hear it clearly and think they are reacting to instinct. Others recognise it and still they give it different names; the accumulated experience of past lives; prescience; the collective over-mind, caution and so on. I was terrified of meeting Samuel and making a mess of it - god, how would I face all of you if I did? I’d have to change my face and name and hide for a hundred years. That is why I listened to the little inner voice that was screaming at me. I changed myself into an elderly prospector (I actually looked more like a panhandler). Long and dirty grey beard, clothes worn and torn, you get the picture? I went to a library and asked a garrulous librarian what equipment I would need to look like an old time prospector - I told her I was playing the part in a play. She drew up a list and even helped me find some of the stuff.
“Samuel both sensed my presence and smelt the food. Cautiously he came closer to the exit of the old mine tunnel. I called out, ‘Come and get it before it gets burnt - you’ve taken your time waking up!’ Since it was only just after dawn I knew it would rile him so that he’d come out. As he did I placed a griddle on the fire and asked, ‘One or two eggs? I only do them sunny side up.’ When he came out from behind the rock I nearly showed him I was startled. I had not realised he was only about fourteen! I pretended not to watch him as he searched around for a trap, but I can tell you, feeling a youngster of his age fearing like that, if his uncle had not been brain dead I would have killed the bastard.
I think you girls will appreciate what I’m about to tell you more than the adults will. As Samuel sat by me eating, I felt that he did not need a friend and he did not need to laugh. What he needed was an adult to help him carry his load and someone to take away some of his fear. It would be easy to take away the fear if I could come straight out with the news that his uncle is a vegetable. I could lead into it but it would take time and I hated having to let him suffer for one hour more than was absolutely necessary. He did not help me by his asking dozens of questions about my life in the desert. I was certain he had tripped me up at least on half a dozen facts, but then he asked why I talk so funny.
I changed my accent to sound as British as possible and told him I am originally from England. I explained that when I speak with my natural accent people make fun of me, nobody takes me seriously though I am the best prospector in the US of A, so I learnt to speak with an American accent. He thought that was hilarious and had a laughing fit.” Young Samuel blushed all the way down into his shirt, but when he saw we were all amused he smiled, self confident again. The young man was suffering and embarrassed that he found himself attracted to so many girls much younger than him and having Allan tell his story to us had him on tenterhooks, probably worried Allan will make him look juvenile - which only goes to show he is not as perceptive as he thought he was.
“That first morning, when he finished eating the beans, I asked him whether he is living in a cave. I added, before he could answer, that I would not wish to stay in a cave with him after all the beans he’d eaten. His relief at my question not being meant to pry, but just to make a joke made him laugh and he relaxed.” With that marvellous sense of timing Maria has, she started sending out the plates, knives and forks and then our lunch in overflowing platters. Nearly two hours later Allan resumed his story but by then young Samuel had started making friends with a couple of us. Allan grinned and gave Syrina a wink.
“Freddie, please pass on: isi-mi my love, please come to meet my new friend.” As she arrived, all our eyes were on young Samuel. He grinned happily, obviously excited.
“I am pleased to meet you - Allan told me about you and I was looking forward to meeting you.” The next thing we knew, Syrina, isi and young Samuel went for a walk. Allan told us he’d continue that evening as he wanted time alone with his girls and they left.
Robbie shook his head. “He has no empathy; he knows we’re all dying to hear what happened. What about the young man’s powers? Samuel, can you sense whether they are the same as yours?”
“I didn’t try. I did not consider it tactful to invade his privacy the moment he arrives amongst us.” He turned for a moment as if to look at the direction Allan had taken. “If I had, Allan would have been furious with me and I’d have to spend a week or two with him making jokes at my expense and everyone would be laughing at me. That man doesn’t know how to fight fair.” By the time he’d ended, we could see his amusement in his eyes. Having one of the chimp girls sitting on his lap and grooming him must have put him in a good mood.
Allan visited me to read what I’d written till now. He has suggested I write the rest as if I were an invisible observer, instead of just parroting his words. To help me write he allowed me to share directly from his mind. I was quite shaken by what I learnt and needed a few seconds to control myself so as not to spoil the story for everyone else.
Allan pretended to clean the metal plates with soil (he laughed about it, saying that maybe sand works, but soil just becomes absorbed by the oily sauce and he was left with plates smeared with mud traces). As he leant over the plates he said, “It is amazing what interesting things one can learn in the desert. For instance, some men found me about a week ago, they claimed they belonged to some secret army group. Told me they are searching for someone, so I asked whether they are part of the men in black.”
“The what?”
“The men in black - surely you know them? They look for aliens…” Allan’s face burned red. He’d forgotten how far back in time he was and the movie had not been made yet. “Forget it, if you are not a science fiction fan it would not mean anything to you. Anyway, while they were with me they received a call that upset them. They looked really shook up. Apparently their boss, some nasty piece of shit from the Pentagon called Frank had been attacked and was now a total vegetable. It sounded like they said he was in a mental home in England!”
As Allan spoke, Samuel was making ready to run for it, convinced that Allan was part of the government men searching for him - why else would he tell him the lie about Frank - how would he even know Frank meant anything to him? Allan realised his mistake, but he decided he had not had a choice. He made the mistake of switching to something closer to the truth too quickly for Samuel to believe him.
“Have you heard of SOW and a couple called Robert and Cherine? How about a chimp called Tippity? I’m with them Samuel, not with the government. Your uncle tried to kill Robert and Cherine, but Cherine blew his mind - the fuse is blown and Frank is just as helpless as a baby and even needs to have his bottom wiped for him. You’re not in danger from him anymore - the men have returned to wherever they came from and they won’t be coming after you again.”
“You’re lying! No woman could be more powerful than him! What are you planning?”
“Nothing that would give you a reason to kill me. Samuel, why did your uncle need you to kill Hettie and Eddie? Can’t you see that paranormal powers have nothing to do with age, sex or how much you need to dominate? Tomorrow you could meet a baby more powerful than you and your uncle combined. That’s life.”
Almost in a whisper, he asked, “How do you know?”
“I don’t have powers, but I do have gifts - mine is the gift of empathy. I feel the pain of others.”
“You’re lying.” His voice was flat and Allan realised he would not allow himself to be convinced otherwise. Samuel came to his feet and from the frown on his face, Allan realised Samuel was about to attack. He quickly concentrated on teleporting to Athens.
The two of them stared at each other as they both frowned with the effort they were making. Allan stopped himself and looked around. “We are both being blocked from our powers. Damn! Since Frank is not in control anymore, what the hell do they think they are doing? Quick, lead the way, we must hide.” The panic on his face and his trembling hands convinced Samuel that Allan was not bluffing. Within seconds they had sunk into the passage and Allan saw the dark hole as Samuel vanished into it. Terrified of scorpions, rattlesnakes and other creatures his imagination populated the darkness with, he jumped in and slid down a slope, gravel scratching at him. He smashed into Samuel at the bottom.
His voice cracked as he shouted, “Jesus! Watch it you fucking idiot! You trying to cripple me?”
“I think I’ve also been crippled - damn, I can’t even contact my healer! Can we get deeper? Hold it.” Allan tried to imagine what the others would do. “Going deeper is not enough, we need to get far from here with another outlet for fresh air. Think about it Samuel, they are not going to come inside this tunnel to search for us, they’ll just throw in gas bombs - maybe even explosive bombs. We’ve got to move!”
A couple of minutes later Allan stopped walking. “Hold on, I’ve just had an idea. Samuel, please stop, I need your agreement before I risk our lives.” Samuel returned and flashed his small torch in Allan’s face. Without speaking, but suspicion almost palpable, he waited. “I have not lied to you, but I have not told you all the truth. Samuel, I have far more powers and gifts than I told you, but they all spring from one fountain - without the gift of empathy I would not have had any powers. Somehow those who are after us have a power that must be unique to this…to them. Somebody has the power to blank or block all other gifts and powers. Now, let me tell you what I think is likely to happen and please tell me if you think I’m wrong.
I don’t know whether your uncle Frank told them what your power is, but even if he did not, he must have warned them that you are very dangerous. They will not come underground in pursuit of us because they do not need to. As I suggested earlier, all they have to do is fill the air down here with poisonous gas and then, just as insurance, explode a bomb that causes a number of rock-falls, preventing us from digging our way out should we still be alive. Do you think I’m guessing correctly? Thanks. Let’s take it one step further before we examine the possibility I’ve thought of and the risks. I think that until they do what we expect them to do, they will keep us blocked off from our powers.
Samuel, how much do your know about paranormal powers? I guess you know about telepathy? Do you know what teleportation is? Good. Samuel, the instant the bastard upstairs let’s go of our minds, I can teleport us to the other side of the world. They won’t do that until they are convinced we are dead. We have to hope they do as we think and flood the tunnels with poison and explode a bomb or bombs. The problem is that we have to survive all they plan and I can only think of one way for us to do so. We must cause a rock-fall that isolates us from the tunnels behind us. We will then have to plan on surviving at least another two days - I doubt they’ll hang around any longer than that. As soon as they relax their block, I’ll jump us out of here to somewhere safe.”
Allan was shocked when Samuel attacked him verbally, fury in his voice as he screamed at him that he had brought the men, that he had led them to him so that they could kill him. He felt that his survival in safety until Allan appeared proved he was right. Allan felt a sudden wave of sadness fill him so he did not argue. Samuel finally fell silent. After a minute or two he raised his torch to look at Allan and saw his sadness. “Am I wrong!?”
“No, it is a possibility, but if it is so, Samuel, I did not lead them to you deliberately.”
“I don’t believe any of that shit about teleporting us out of here - I don’t trust you.”
Allan nodded. “Keep in mind that if you die, so do I.”
“I don’t care!” He turned away from Allan and then froze. Allan waited until Samuel turned back. “Damn you! If they do explode their bombs then the tunnel will collapse anyway.”
“They’ll only do so once they’ve filled the tunnels with poison. If you don’t believe I can teleport us out of here, perhaps you’d rather die from the poison than by asphyxiation? I guess it would be faster.”
“Fuck you!” After a moment he added, “We better go back to collapse the tunnel.”
When they arrive at the rotten timbers, Allan took the torch and examined the timber and rockface above until he felt he knew which was the best place for him to start the collapse. He placed his hand on the support and handed the torch back. “Move about twenty meters down the tunnel to where it curves. Keep your torch facing this way so that I know where to run to.”
“Fuck you, I’m staying right next to you. You want to get to the other side and leave me trapped in here. Well, fuck you!”
“Fine, give me the torch and I’ll wait down there. Whoever brings that crashing down is going to be in danger of being knocked over and buried by rocks. Two people trying to run down this narrow tunnel with points sticking out ready to rip open a skull is not going to work. One of us has to wait further away with the torch helping the one who has to run. Your choice Samuel.”
Samuel turned away and flashed his torch up and down. He saw Allan was right, anyone running in darkness would not get far. “For how long can we breathe once it collapses and shuts off the air?”
“Fuck.” He turned back towards Allan. “Are you certain you know how to make it collapse the way it should?”
“I haven’t a clue. Do you?”
“No. Fuck!”
Allan chuckled. “I am going to make a point of introducing you to ‘Fuck-off’ Richard. Move back please, every time I inhale I keep on expecting to smell gas, I’ll feel much better if we block ourselves off before it happens.”
As Samuel walked away, Allan asked his healer to probe the rocks above him and for it to help make the collapse shut them off from the gas. He could not sense his healer, but he hoped it could hear him. Standing back a little, he leant against the rockface and kicked at a pole as hard as he could. Pieces crumbled off, but it held. Four times he kicked at it, but it still held. He crawled up to the pole and felt it in the dark. He felt how the outer layers was soft and rotten but the inner core was still hard.
“What’s going on?” Samuel called.
“I can’t break the damn pole, it’s not rotten all the way through. I’ll just have to keep kicking. Don’t come closer Samuel.”
Allan crawled over to the next pole and dug in, tearing rotten bits off the pole. He decided this one was rotten to the core and he’d have to take the risk and break it. He knew that as it broke, so would the one he’d been kicking and he would not have time to get out from under as the pressure above would send rocks and splinters shooting down close to the speed of a bullet. Trembling with fear, hardly able to breathe, he leant against the face and kicked. His foot missed the pole and hit the rock side. He screamed at the pain and shock and quickly kicked again before pain paralysed his leg. He felt his shoe hit the pole and as it crumbled and snapped and rocks moved, he fell to the floor and rolled as fast as he could towards the glow of the torch. Within seconds he was choking in dust and could not see where the torch was. He decided there was little point in him fighting to stay alive. From the void he could get help and once Samuel was safe a new body could be created for him.
Allan heard himself groan as he became aware. Something held him, not allowing him to move and he thought he was trapped under rocks. “Don’t move, you’ve been hurt and maybe some bones are broken.”
“Healer…still…have I lost my eyes? I can’t see.”
“The batteries are dead. Look.” He held his watch before the eyes of Allan. The numbers and hands had phosphorescent paint and glowed.
Allan quietened. Knowing he was not blind gave him back some of his courage. “Have you felt an explosion yet?”
“No.”
“We should feel it. How long have I been out?”
“About four hours. I thought you were dying.”
Suddenly Allan burst out in anger, “Damn them, why don’t they do it so that they leave!” He took hold of Samuel’s wrist. “I’m sorry. I’m not very brave and I hate having to wait. It must have been bad for you, thinking you were sitting here with a dying man. Can you spare some time to listen to some important things I have to tell you? Samuel, if I die, do not fear that you are alone, I will not really be dead. Let me tell you about my Cherine and Robert so that you can understand that I’m not just being crazy.”
Allan had been injured far worse than he realised and he was not able to talk without pausing often. His throat was dry and that also limited his ability to talk. Still, he did manage to tell Samuel enough for him to decide that Allan was hallucinating or fevered. The last thing Allan was able to tell him was that he should search for water.
Allan was silent for a moment and whispered, “Strange, I’m not.” He tried reaching in for his healer and he felt it respond to him. It let him know that he was slowly being healed as he was still partly blocked. Allan asked it to keep an eye on Samuel and then, with a smile and without explaining, he closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. Samuel panicked and shook Allan, afraid he was giving up and dying. He thought he heard a voice and stopped to listen. Faintly he heard the voice again and recognised it as belonging to himself. *Allan is not dying, I am healing him. Do not fear, he has asked me to keep you healthy while he sleeps.*
Samuel was to say, later on, that hearing the voice in his head frightened him more than anything had ever frightened him till then. He’d suspected that Frank had paranormal powers and he had experienced having his own power, but until Allan, he had not known for certain that others have powers. In a way it was also humbling, as he had believed that his power made him unique.
The men on the surface had not found the tunnel. Because of their powers they were contemptuous of any need for them to get on their knees in the dust to search. They spent two days using their powers to search for signs of the boy (when their search took them away from the hill Allan was able to contact his healer) and since Frank had not explained what powers his nephew had, they finally decided that he had used his powers to get away. At dawn, on the third day, a helicopter landed and they were taken back to their base.
As the block faded away, Allan claimed that he felt like a Superman as his gifts and powers returned to him. He made the air around him glow so that Samuel could see his big grin and touching him, he jumped them to the Athens home of Robert and Cherine. As they saw the light of late afternoon and the fir trees and Mt Parnitha opposite, through the windows, Allan let out a wild whoop and swung Samuel around in a dance of joy.
By the time Allan sensed our return, he had spent a month in Athens with Samuel. Being without funds, he had jumped into the house of Alki and helped himself to some of the cash Alki keeps for emergencies. He hired a car and took Samuel to the Parthenon, to Delphi and, as often as he could, to Kefalari Square. Samuel admitted that he acquired a taste for Greek cooking and enjoyed the fact that he is allowed to drink wine and beer with his meals. He does not enjoy drinking coffee, of any kind, and mostly drinks the commercial brands of cold drinks he knows from home. By the time Allan brought him to Freddie, Allan had already messed with his mind, making the young man feel he should be adoring us like little goddesses. Allan pleaded not guilty when accused, claiming that all he’d done was show young Samuel how he feels about all of us. As they say, a nice swerve, but it did not save him from being lectured by a mock-angry Cherine - not about Samuel, about the way he claims he feels about us. I think that by the end of it he would have been happier being blamed for what he did to Samuel. (Of course it was all done in fun.)
Our Samuel is in two minds about Allan. He is touched by the way he cared for his alternate, but he is also upset that Allan acted against his wishes. He also has to deal with the fact that his younger alternate has bonded with Allan and thinks highly of him. During one of his talks with isi, he told her that Allan taught him a few important things about courage. As he said to her, Allan had made him cringe with embarrassment for him several times when he showed how terrified he was and yet, despite his fear, he’d gone ahead and done what had to be done. We thought it was mature of him to appreciate our Allan. isi also asked him whether Allan had imparted any kernels of wisdom that impressed him and he told her that after a good meal, a bottle of wine and some witty conversation, he’d asked Allan whether he regretted anything about his life. Allan said he’d prefer to describe what he felt about the way he’d lived his life till then by using a saying, ‘There is only one thing worse than the thought that I might not have fulfilled my potential in life…the thought that I might have.’ Samuel said he’d thought Allan was being witty until he gave it more thought the next day. isi, in return, asked him whether he felt the same way about his own life and she was very puzzled when he laughed, thinking she was pulling his leg.
Throughout the years there have been moments when Samuel and I chatted about personal matters and he confided to me about his family and childhood. I had felt most of it was personal and did not belong in the diary, but I’ll now have to provide at least some of the details I’d held back so that the personality of young Samuel and decisions regarding his future make sense.
His mother had started off life as a woman with romantic dreams. Living on a farm and unable to afford to pay for help, she had to work the same long hours her husband did, but for some reason, for more years than not, she seemed to cling to her belief that they would reach the time when the farm would become viable and profitable. She did not have much common sense in that regard, but she did come to the realisation that her children must not waste their lives as she had, so she became excessively strict and Samuel does not recall ever seeing a smile on her face for him or his sister.
Samuel did not feel much sympathy for his sister. If she suffered under the same strict upbringing, to Samuel it was their way of life, it was the way children should be brought up. When their father died and his mother placed the farm for sale and moved them to town, his sister soon saw how other children lived and rebelled. Years later, when he returned as a Cherinian, Samuel found that he did not like his mother and sister. He saw to it that they would not starve and would have a roof over their head, but never returned to see them again.
Young Samuel had a very similar background and had no wish to return to his family. Our problem was that we did not consider him old enough to survive on his own and we believed he still needed the guidance of an adult parent. Samuel did not side with us. He agreed that his younger alternate should not have to survive on his own, but we would be leaving and he felt that it would be worse for young Samuel to be sent back to his mother. There was also the possibility that the Talents working for Frank may still be determined to kill him and find him if he returns home.
It was soon obvious to young Samuel that his older alternate is a man of power and admired by many. It was only natural that he should end up identifying with him and then idolising him as if he were an older brother and we could sense his pain when he realised our Samuel had no wish to be an older brother. Samuel went so far as to offer to rent a small apartment for him, rent paid for three years, but he was told he would have to see to his other needs. Of course food was not a problem since he would have a food machine, but a boy that age needs a hand on his shoulder to steady him and set him in the right direction. In a way, I was disappointed in our Samuel, but I also understood that he felt he still had not found a reason for his own life and his younger alternate had not sparked any feelings of love in him. To tell the truth, for some reason that even he could not understand, Samuel felt a dislike for him that bordered on loathing. At least it shamed him so nobody felt the need to talk to him about it.
His Robert and Cherine offered to have him live with them, but they worried that with all their responsibilities they would not be there to support him the way he needed. We were trying to think of someone else who could become his mentor when Allan joined Robbie for a coffee.
“Freddie would not be the right environment for young Samuel to grow up in. He has the potential to grow as strong as our Samuel, but living here would soften him. He needs a challenging environment, but he must be able to see that it is manageable, that he can make something of himself. Robert, it will not happen if he does not have someone who believes in him.”
“We are aware of the problem Allan, someone like our Socrati would be ideal to…”
“Socrati! If that is what you think then you have not understood the lad - nor is it likely you’ve understood our Samuel either. He needs someone like Perikli or…” a big grin split his face as he thought of someone else and he glanced at me, knowing I was listening, “or…Campbell.”
“Since you understand him so well, why don’t you volunteer to foster him?” I acidly asked.
“I would be a worse choice even than Socrati. Sam, he needs someone who is strong, even hard, but has a well developed sense of what is fair and ethical. Me, I’d just confuse him. Why do you think my girls don’t want to grow up - living with me has confused them and they don’t know what they should be like as adults.” Feeling them, both Robbie and I made our excuses and left, barely managing to hide our amusement at the trouble he was in.
