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  • #623
    F LoveF Love
    Participant

      Elizabeth Tattler stared morosely at her screen. Her long hair, formerly her crowning glory was wild and matted, small bald patches had formed where she had begun to habitually pull at it. Her beautiful violet eyes for which she was famous were bloodshot from weariness.

      Ms Tattler was known planet wide for her series of children’s books “The Fickle Four”. The exploits of Almad, Tinigrump, Samnuf and Bekipo were beloved by children of all ages and planetary connections, although perhaps most endearing to those of the Fumari dimension who had a natural disposition for exploits of such fickleness. The catchprase “Bit rude Tinigrump”, and “Madder than Almad” had become part of the national vocabulary in recent years.

      Formerly Ms Tattler had written, with limited success, novels of a more adult nature, drawing on her numerous marriages for creative inspiration. However her publisher had asked her to create a series about four friends who were on a mission to create other worlds, the focus being on “providing positive and fun role models” for children growing up in these difficult times of planetary upheaval. The works were in the science freakshow genre of writing and the popularity of the original novel had been unprecedented, taking Elizabeth and her publisher by surprise and leading for the demand for many more.

      Ah, she sighed, and then spluttered as she inhaled the dusty, smoky air, but what a noose this has created. Her yellow nicobeck stained fingers touched her neck and then ran agitatedly through her hair. For at some point, when did it start? the story had begun to take a life of its own. She no longer felt in control as plots became more and more bizarre. She felt unable to follow anything through, creating endless threads which seemed to lead nowhere. She looked around her small office, everywhere was the evidence of stories started and discarded, screwed up pieces of paper covered in frenetic doodles littering the floor.

      The telepooh began to buzz. She knew it was Bronkel her publisher before his face came up on the screen.

      I know you are there Elizabeth. Will you pick up please!

      In a fit of rage Elizabeth picked up the telepooh and threw it across the room, where it narrowly missed Lana, one of her 20 fainting Mongoats she kept as pets. Lana fainted for a few seconds in fear and Robert X, her pet Magpie, hopped around delightedly, Bugger the telepooh, Bugger the telepooh! he screeched. Poke its eyes out! Poke its eyes out.

      #621
      ÉricÉric
      Keymaster

        “Hang on a minute” he shouted to his friends as soon as they were out of the grocery store, burden with the loads of the bags.
        Molly, Harvey and Francis looked puzzled at their foreign friend.
        Then with a shrug, Harvey sat on a pile of snow that had fallen from the roof, and leaned against one of the pillars of the square place dimly lit by a buzzing orange light.

        He run to the chalet on the left, which was apparently closed, but he knew there would probably be someone in there.
        He opened the creaking door, not startled by the bells tinkling at his left ear, and went straight to the counter, as though he had always known the place. A young man with a goatee was there, busy sorting old papers for the annual closing of the hostel.

        — Do you have a glass of water please? the stranger asked
        — Oh yes, sure… And with that?

        The man seemed to expect an answer… The stranger felt as if he knew that answer…

        — Yes… one of your… you know… chocolate things, with the wolf on it.
        — Exactly! the tenant was smiling.

        The stranger fumbled in his pocket, not having thought of requiring any money for a glass of water. But now…
        Phew, there was a coin in his left pocket. He drew it out, looked at it… A 3 euros coin? He didn’t know such a currency existed…

        — Oh, I won’t have the change I fear, the man answered… But I can make you a credit memo.

        He had no idea he would come back here soon, but the familiar place as much as the obliging man made him think that anything would be okay. At worse, he would have lost a few euros, which was no big loss.

        — Sure.

        The man showed him a red ticket, and leaning on the counter, proceeded with some explanations.

        — This is your credit memo. Additionally, as the hostel won’t be fully rented, you can use this as a reservation for next week. It’s for Mr Arkandin. You will be able to enter the special exhibit and join the guided tour. It’s a laying down travel. People are expected to go nowhere, yet they will travel. Pillows and blankets will be provided.

        He had a strange image in his mind of people laying on their backs and gliding on the floor in patterns leaving some tracks on the ground with various colours.

        — It is supposed to show people some beliefs about monogamy. And keeping track of their own travels…

        That was most puzzling… He wasn’t sure he would still be here next week, but that sounded intriguing enough to not be thrown in the bin right away…
        He thanked the man after having had his glass of water and putting the wolf-brand candy and red square of paper in his pocket.

        — There you are, sighed Molly, and what have taken you so long?

        #613

        When Veranassessee entered the secret facility with Gloria and Sharon, her blood congealed in her veins.
        Patient 4 had escaped the safety straitjacket and was holding the doctor at paper-clip point.
        Patient 4, was one of the first six patients they’d treated on the island, an awful miscarriage… Of the six, all had developed strong reactions to the medication especially as they had not yet found the appropriate dosage for the blue spider venom. Some had developed extra appendices, most had been hideously disfigured, and all of them had gone bonkers.
        “Four” was the last alive of them all, by an inexplicable combination of luck and genetics, and by far the most dangerous one. Apparently, apart from madness, the venom had gifted “Four” with supra-human velocity and strength. It was what had kept that mad doctor from “erasing” that mistake, so sure he could find some interesting way of making profit out of that prodigious lucky find.
        But now that was compromising everything…

        V’ass pushed the two chatty old ladies in a broom-closet behind with a wink Be right back ladies!

        Sharon and Gloria giggled in the small room, wondering about the unexpected sense of hospitality of the people of that resort. All was so funny and exciting since they’d decided to come to that place.

        :fleuron:

        — Four! Release the doc’!
        — Don’t move an inch closer or I’ll kill him!
        — You have nowhere to go Four, backups will be here any minute now…
        — One second is all I need to snap his neck!
        — No! Dr. Chris Bronklehampton was moaning
        — You, stay still, the mummified Four snapped to the panting doctor.

        Quicker than light, V’ass shot a powerful sedative into the arm of the mummy. Four winced, drawing the dart out of the arm, crushing the fluffy fletchings between the fingers. Quickly assessing chances to escape, Four sent the doctor flying at the other side of the room, in a powerful swing of the arm, and jumped through the window in a formidable sound of smashed glass, disappearing into the jungle.

        Chris! Are you alright? Nurse Bellamy was already caring for the fainted doctor.

        #1602

        In reply to: Synchronicity

        F LoveF Love
        Participant

          In the local newspaper today there was a full page story on an isolated monastery, Southern Star Monastery, in Hawkes Bay. I had not ever heard of it before. Anyway the story talked about the election of one of the Brothers to Abbot, which is a six year term thing, and the plans for the future expansion of the monastery …to welcome others and be an oasis of peace for the wandering traveller. The Brother who is Abbot is Brother Keogh, which sounds a bit like Geog….

          Southern Star Abbey

          #612

          It’d been two hexades that the Abbot Hrih Chokyam Lin’potshee had been laying in bed in poor condition.
          At first, he had wanted to be as strong as he had always been towards hardships, but he’d finally admitted that quelching the pain wasn’t doing any good to him. So he had agreed to be taken care of by a young monk, and to lay in bed as long as was necessary.
          He knew that he was very likely not to get out of that bed but with his body covered by a white sheet, nevertheless, the thought was still something distant. The pain in his body was making him so present to himself that the only thing that was still blatant was that he was.
          More than the body, it was all his faith that was shaken. He had thought he would leave this life without mess, without pain, probably very discreetly in his sleep… But now, his head was wincing at every noise, even the nature’s sounds that once felt like music to his ears, he was eschewing them now as much as he could. His very skin was hot and couldn’t bear even the soft contact of the bedsheets.
          What was the point of all of this? He had never doubted that everything had its purpose, but now, he was doubting…
          He was even trying to find some reasonable reasons for what was happening, he who never trusted in reasonable reasons in the first place. Perhaps that was because of his seating under the chilly air and the warm sun in front of the Meditation Wall, reading for all of the poems that had been written by the monks who had dared to write. Perhaps he had “taken cold”, whatever that means…
          “Perhaps not” the voice kept saying softly in his head.

          Now, his whole succession was feeling like a moot point. After all, he was not even capable of saving himself from anything, then how could what he created make the slightest difference? These were all like an extension of his body, bound to decay and come back to Earths.

          Not so many monks had dared write upon the Wall about their highest truth. A few jokesters had begun at first, helping the others to participate.
          One in particular had had Hrih laugh for quite a while.

          A toad is a toad
          Unless kissed
          Endless Bliss

          Then a dozen of others had flourished upon the wall, until Aum Geong decided to write his own. He’d not wanted to go first, to allow the others to express without the burden of comparison, and also to have some more time to write something deep and thoughtful. But that profusion of nonsense between some occasional pearls of wisdom made him write his own.

          Unattainable is the Truth
          For in the Dust of things
          All in our View is bleak

          Doing Wrong we forswear
          For Dust to be lifted
          And Wisdom we seek

          In the deed of the Elders
          And the Faith in the Community
          Light and Trust bespeak

          All the monks had been quite impressed, but Hrih had not been entirely satisfied by it… To be honest, he even completely disagreed with it.
          Now, however, stuck in this bed, the poem was playing in his head and suggesting that the Worlds were something terrible that he had not yet understood, or be willing to avoid seeing. Perhaps Aum Geong was wiser than he was.
          Perhaps all that Hrih had put as foundational to his life had all been Dust…
          “There is no Dust, and you know that” the voice whispered softly.

          Now that he is about to die, what difference will it make anyway…
          He reach out for a bowl of water, and almost let it fall, as the weight of it surprised him. He was becoming so weak… He never had been so self-conscious in many many many years.

          After he had propped himself up to drink a few burning swallows of the lukewarm water, he noticed something folded on his bedside, that had been put under the bowl… Young Franiel had been the one attending him with Jog Lam, so it must have been the doing of one of them. He intuited that was Franiel.

          As he read the stanzas, tears were in his eyes…

          I am the driftwood
          the wave carried me
          I was buried in sand

          I am the flower
          the butterfly touched me
          I fell in love

          I am the raindrop
          the cloud released me
          I became the ocean

          The Young monk had probably not dared write it on the Wall, especially after most of the monks’ vocal appreciations of Aum Geong’s poem…
          “Perhaps not” the voice again spoke.
          Another reason for it formed into Hrih’s mind. Franiel perhaps didn’t feel ready for such responsibilities and his role and fulfillment in this community was not form rules nor to continue it.
          It was more to inspire them, and perhaps to start his own discoveries.

          Hrih wrote a note behind the paper. He wanted to leave something for Franiel, for him to keep faith in his coming adventures during these coming times of change.
          After a deep breath, he took another paper that was with him for already such a long time, wrote down some words, and signed it, the aura of his hand burning a glyph that was his signature in the paper. He then called for Jog Lam.

          — Jog Lam, my friend…
          — Elder?
          — I’m dying…
          — I know Elder
          — Let me continue. (Jog Lam nodded)
          First, will you give that paper to Young Franiel after the cremation ceremonies. (Jog Lam nodded again)
          Second, I want you to relay that I have made my decision, and that Aum Geog will succeed me (Jog Lam’s surprise was noticeable in his eye). He is, to date, the most adequate successor for this monastery.
          — I will do as you want.
          — Thank you my friend.
          — Elder…
          — Farewell, my friend, I am always with you.

          When Jog Lam stoically left the room, Hrih Chokyam laid down, his eyes on the ceiling. His body was so weak that all he could do was to project behind his closed eyelids and see the starry sky, even if he would have wanted something different for his death. He would have loved something like a nap in a sunlit meadow with a little singing brook.
          But seeing the actual World was something even more precious to him. The barren mountains of the icy season, the clear unclouded sky. His mind was so full of energy that his body lacked.

          With a deep feeling of gratitude for his body, he bid it farewell.

          #544
          TracyTracy
          Participant

            “Sand! I may have got the riddle, thought Sanso, but I didn’t get the POINT of the riddle being there in the first place!”

            Becky had been flicking through the wads of typed pages as she lay on the sofa, sipping hot lemon and honey, and sneezing. The sneezing! Jeeze, the sneezing had been going on for days. What with all the sneezing and sleeping, she felt more blinked out than blinked in lately.

            Sand, sand sand…… Hhmmm, Becky was wondering why the sand syncs were coming in again. She blew her nose, and picked up another wad of typewritten pages, opening at random.

            Illi was bored with the deserted island and the sand dragons. She wanted some action, some surprises, some…..well, some life!”

            Wow, I’d forgotten all about Illi, thought Becky. She imagined the calm quiet beach, Illi’s island get-away. Well, before she’d conjured up the sand dragons it was quiet, anyway. Becky thumbed through the next pile of papers.

            Arona pulled out a well worn map from her bag. The map had been a gift from a traveling wizard who visited the village a few years ago. Arona had given him food and shelter and he repaid her kindness with the map.”

            Well, I’ll bet that’s a clue, thought Becky drowsily, But I can’t be bothered to work it out now.

            The trouble is, Becky muttered to herself, When I start this random reading thing I just can’t stop, it’s like an addiction. She sighed and opened again at random:

            “The hydroplane was flying over the “Sarcastic Sea” in the Bermuda Triangle. Anita was not afraid, her parents had told her about the triangle and the different legends of people disappearing or reappearing there….”

            #460

            Dory’s stopover at Heathrow airport was longer than expected, due to the knock on effect of delays caused by the air traffic controllers strike in Paris. She bought coffee in a paper cup and went and sat in the cramped smoking room. A couple of middle aged overweight women were sitting opposite her, their chubby knees almost touching Dory’s in the unpleasant little nicotine yellow room.

            Dory couldn’t help but listen to their conversation, and had to bite her lip on several occasions to prevent herself interjecting questions. Dory wanted to ask where this Tikfijikoo Island was. There was something about the sound of it that caught her attention, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on the strange feeling it gave her to hear the name.

            The two women, who appeared to be named Shah and Glaw, were apparently on their way to an island to participate in some kind of experimental treatment, Dory gathered, organized by a Dr Bronklehampton. On hearing the name of the doctor, Dory had a series of images flit through her mind. One of them was of an impish looking redhead with an incredibly large head, doing the tango.

            When the two plump ladies left the smoking room, Dory followed them. They bought magazines in the airport shop, and boiled sweets ‘in case their ears went’, and deliberated over sunscreen lotion, and then after some inaudible whispering, in which Dory heard only the words ‘treatment’ and ‘skin’, apparently decided against purchasing any of the skin care products.

            Dory followed them into the public lavatories, and learned that ‘our Mavis’ would be joining them for the treatment, and listened to a great deal of rather unkind comments about ‘our Fred’ and his bullying ways. On the way out of the Ladies Room, the bleached blonde named Shah collided with a bag lady, at which point Dory saw a shower of bright blue sparks in her peripheral vision. The bag lady looked up and laughed at Shah and her friend and said ‘It matters not, my friend….HA! HA! HA!’, and winked at Dory as she shuffled past.

            Dory followed the ladies to the baggage check-in desk. Yukailli Airlines. Dory had never heard of it; new airlines starting up all the time, she thought, and such silly names, like that Be My Baby one…what a daft name for an airline. Dory sauntered past, as she couldn’t really stand behind them without arousing suspicion. She was momentarily swallowed up in a swarm of Italians, there must have been two coachloads of them. By the time they’d passed her, Dory had made a decision. She would book a ticket to Tikfijikoo, hopefully on the same plane as Shah and Glaw.

            She turned around briskly, fleetingly wondering what to say to Dan and Becky about her sudden change of plans, and made her way back to the Yukailli Airlines desk.

            That’s funny, she said out loud, It was right here!

            She scanned the names above the row of desks….British Airways, Monarch, Air France, Qantas…..but no Yukailli Airlines. Dory asked at the Airport Information desk.

            I’m sorry madam, there’s no airline of that name here, the young man behind the desk informed her, looking at her quizzically.

            Dory opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, and wondered for a moment if she had imagined it. Just then someone bumped into her shoulder, causing her to spin round. It was the bag lady she’d seen earlier in the Ladies room.

            Leaving at Gate 57 and three quarters, the bag lady whispered, and winked conspiratorily.

            Dory’s mouth fell open. She was about to say Oh now really, what is this, Harry Potter Airport? but something stopped her. Instead she asked, But what about tickets and baggage check? But the bag lady had gone.

            #1407
            TracyTracy
            Participant

              Breast feeding sync! In yesterdays paper was a big article about a woman who breast feeds her 7 year old ….weird mummy! :mummy:

              #1858
              TracyTracy
              Participant

                :notepad: :expand:a:paperclip:ll over:rec:news:ycle: :cluebox:the plac: :photo:calenda:games:r:e, th:sumari:at’s :penthingy:where!:vide:help:otape: :search:

                #389
                TracyTracy
                Participant

                  In actuality, Sumelfi was just pretending to be busy in front of Becky. All this record keeping, so popular with earthlings, was quite simply unnecessary. Anyone at all could access any information at all, in no time at all. Sumelfi and her colleagues had had many a laugh at their assigned individuals and their vast librairies and tag clouds and piles of printed paper records.

                  The job of the Sumafi Elves was to facilitate finding the right information at the right time, that was all, and if the earthlings felt happier thinking there were actual physical ‘records’, then for the time being, the elves were happy to go along with the illusion.

                  If only they knew, Sumelfi giggled, the infinitely hugely infinite amount of so called ‘records’ and ‘information’, not to mention its ever-changing malleability, why they’d quite possibly feel completely overwhelmed. Well, thought Sumelfi, I suppose that is the point of Me.

                  #372
                  TracyTracy
                  Participant

                    Becky yawned and blinked. What a dream she’d had, full of babies! :yahoo_surprise: And they had all been squalling and crying at once, making her head spin and deafening her :yahoo_not_listening:

                    Well, only a dream she said, and went to make coffee. :yahoo_coffee: Whilst eating her breakfast a little later that afternoon (she had overslept well past noon), she perused the Reality Times newspaper. :news: There was a big advertisement for the forthcoming opening of the new T.R.A.P. Amusement Park and it reminded her that Sean would be arriving soon from Dublin. :bounce:

                    Unaware of any association with her thoughts about Sean, Becky picked up her telephone and booked an appointment for a haircut. :yahoo_on_the_phone:

                    #326
                    ÉricÉric
                    Keymaster

                      The unusual overwhelming heat, which had begun with the spring equinox had finally temporarily receded with the appearance of big opaque cumulonimbus filling the sky with a mute thunderous sound. The flickering glow was no longer enough for Raphael to distinguish the small dark characters dancing before his eyes, the storm having let the night pounce on them earlier than it should have.
                      So, Raphael closed his thick leather-bound book and put it back into his burgundy backpack bag, inhaling deeply the air of the dusk, mollified by the music of the raindrops that ricocheted now discreetly on the rusty steel plates.

                      The remaining passengers began to hurry around a meager dinner wrapped in dirty newspaper sheets, displaying energy resources that he felt incapable of. Feeling no hunger at all, he decided to go on the pontoon to taste the moisture exuding in the evening, this celestial water, soothing down the fever of this trip, which drew to a close. The boat continued to rend imperturbably through the obsidian sea, and the thick enveloping fog prevented them to distinguish the lights of the city that he could feel at a distance.

                      This was not the first time, but at each of his return, the city seemed changed, this time ghostly apparition, once glittering pearl. This was undoubtedly one of the reasons which had him leave it, as others would have done with a lover, to better appreciate this fleeting moment of reunion.
                      The book had been given to him by a stranger he had met, and was part of his mission; he didn’t usually accept assignments in this city where he was too obvious, but the stranger had assured him nothing illegal would be required of him, just delivering a book.
                      He had leafed through the book, just to make sure there was no foul play on the part of this strange man with amber eyes that seemed to keep changing colours. But the book had seemed innocuous. Even worse, it did not make any sense for Raphael. The chapters were randomly numbered, and the text seemed to keep changing. Perhaps it was Raphael’s mind which played tricks on him, but it was baffling for him, as he was accustomed to keep his senses sharp as a dagger. Whatever,… The man had paid, and a plump pile of money even.

                      The insistent rumors of a mysterious illness which had already claimed fatalities within the walls of the city had not deterred him to go there —knowing that the few people caring about him would have preferred to see him flee this destination, so certain as they were to be themselves immune to the contingencies of life. Even the bald adipose captain of the ship, Fat Yong Choi had seemed wary of having a pale-skinned foreigner coming on board of his boat, but he had quickly seen that Raphael was no common traveler.

                      But there was no longer time to rehash those turpitudes, the harbour finally appearing, like a halo glow from the contours of which some faint sounds escaped, soon to be stifled by the purring and cracking of the bulging vessel.

                      :fleuron:

                      The winds began to sweep the docks violently, causing the cargo, now anchored, to oscillate wildly, like a huge weeble at the hands of the elements. Fortunately, due to the alarming news from the city, the boat was only half full, and the unloading was smooth. Raphael, unnerved by the long journey, only wanted to walk, but patiently followed the slow pace of the procession which led him outside of the harbour’s enclosure, even before he had noticed it.

                      Raphael wanted above all to rest, but didn’t care to be bothered speaking to someone. He preferred to sink deep down in his thoughts while walking through the streets, rather than lose this feeling of freedom. Freedom to choose his own itinerary, without a word to say, entirely open to the silence of the streets.

                      The fine drizzle had indeed deserted the streets making the city infinitely enjoyable for him. It was indeed just as he liked it best, at dusk, just faintly resonating with the sound of his own steps.
                      Empty — a few passersby in search of a shelter nearby. He imagined to be a ghost haunting these places without life, enjoying the feeling of being the predator felinely prowling in this scene without spectators, shrouded in the reassuring complicity of the night.

                      #318
                      TracyTracy
                      Participant

                        Let me show you something, Dory. George reached into a big red and orange and purple kilim carpet bag ( Dory wondered where it had appeared from; she certainly didn’t recall seeing there when they arrived) and pulled out a large sheaf of printed papers. He passed it to Dory.

                        Dory read on the first page:
                        Chapter 343,482,927,457,299,209,2819,298,357,008,557,057: ‘REMEMBERING
                        Blimey, said Dory, Long book!

                        George grinned enigmatically and said, Indeed.

                        Dory flicked through the pages, reading a bit here and a bit there. Glancing up at George she said, I guess you couldn’t possibly carry the whole book round with you all the time in your carpet bag, the whole book must be enormous!

                        Oh, the whole book is always in my bag, he said.

                        Really? Dory asked in a disbelieving tone.

                        Why yes, of course. ‘It’s all in there somewhere’ he said, and laughed heartily, and a trifle rudely, Dory thought. Yes Dory, the whole book is always in there.

                        With a hmpf, Dory returned to scanning the pages. Before long she was overcome with waves of nostalgia and familiarity and deja vu, even a sort of backwards deja vu…a vuja de…Dory snickered to herself…

                        Why is this chapter called remembering, George? If I had written this chapter I’d have called it forgetting.

                        #306
                        F LoveF Love
                        Participant

                          Finn moves silently along the path, placing her feet with care. It is more overgrown in the wood than she remembers, but then it is such a long time since she came this way. She can see in the distance something small and pale. A gentle gust of wind and It seems to stir, as if shivering, as if caught.

                          She comes to a halt. The trees are still now, not a leaf stirs. She can hear nothing other than the sound of her own breathing. She can’t see the clearing yet either, but she remembers it’s further on, beyond the next winding of the path. She can see it in her mind’s eye though, a rough circle of random stones, with a greenish liquid light filtering through. The air smells of leaf mould and it is spongy underfoot. There’s a wooden bench, a grassy bank, and a circular area of emerald green moss. Finn thinks of it as place of enchantment, a fairy ring.

                          She reaches the tiny shivering thing and sees that it is a scrap of paper, impaled on a broken branch. She reaches out gently and touches it, then eases if off the branch, taking care not to rip it further. There is a message scribbled on the paper, incomplete. meet me, is all it says now

                          Finn feels dreamy and floaty. She smiles to herself, thinking of the purpose of her mission, feeling as though it is a message to her from the past. She is overwhelmed for a moment with a sense of love and acceptance towards her younger self. Yes, she whispers softly to the younger Finn, I will meet you at the fairy ring. We will talk a bit. Maybe I can help

                          #1525

                          In reply to: Synchronicity

                          TracyTracy
                          Participant

                            There was an article in todays newspaper about a mummy found in the 1920’s (Tut comes back to London) :yahoo_skull:

                            #298

                            The City, year 2257

                            Janice had just awoken from a strange dream, where she was watching big round cabbages being harvested in what looked like Quintin’s father garden. They were all firmly rooted on a black irrigation pole across the garden, and people were using strange devices to turn them all delicately and pick them afterwards. In the dream, there were black puppies too, sleeping in the straw of a kind of hut nearby. And she had seen another creature, and had been surprised first because it was unlike anything she had ever met, even in dreams. It was hairless and brown as soft mud, and was hiding in the neighbour’s garden. Then it had crossed and came to play with her…

                            Janice was lost in her thoughts strolling on the way to the common dome, when she met Rodney, her father’s friend.
                            They had been recently trying with her father Jacob, and also Qixi to connect with their shifting focuses of the Ancients, two centuries and half before their time.
                            Some of them, they had found, had been playing a sort of game of story-telling and clue-sowing… (Janice was laughing as her father’s friend, the scientist Arkandin, always insisted on seesawing instead)

                            Perhaps her dream was telling her that the crop was ripe, and it was time to harvest some from it. She told her dream to Rodney. All at once, he was quite excited and they started to feel they wanted to chat more freely. So they went into one of the Medraw Caps that was available and soon imagined a comfortable environment for themselves to explore more.

                            Janice could hear Al or Quintin complain about how things were getting confusing.
                            She tried to convey to both of them that they could be excited about it, as it was expanding their understanding, but they weren’t very receptive.

                            ~~~

                            Somewhere Al was saying to Becky
                            — The more you try to fix it, the more confused I am
                            — Hahahahah yes! Becky was answering, I guess so! Ahahahah! Al, what a fabulous dance of confusion we do… The Confundo Tango
                            — Ahahah, yes!

                            Al started again to moan:
                            — So who’s dead, who’s the shapeshifter? Who’s the human, who’s the cat? :-??

                            (Rodney was laughing, as for him, he could accept the confusion as much easier, letting him free to wander around!)

                            Illi was a woman, a shapeshifter who shape-shifted into a cat, then, she died. Becky was saying (Rodney added mentally “Now, she is disengaged” as he knew that “death” was a confusing word.) She was an archaeologist
                            — Okay, that’s cool, that’s what I thought, Al acquiesced. Then thought back of what was said of her and wondered… Anyway, it will probably find a perfect answer …
                            Becky nodded
                            — I got lost myself when two Illis appeared, and a grip-thing as well
                            — Because I didn’t want the grip-thing to be dead! Al couldn’t help but laugh. That would have been too easy, like wiggling out. Not using your imagination within the context of objective imagery to sort out “things”…

                            ~~~

                            While Rodney and Janice were seeing that their other focuses were kind of stuck in their explanation, they had time freeze and both decided to come back to their “now” to start from their understanding.
                            A funny thought had come to Janice, that she shared with Rodney.
                            — Oh, the funny thing you know, about Becky having written to Sean
                            Rodney nodded. Janice continued:
                            — It just appeared in my mind just moments ago, at the same time you (well, Rafaela) inserted into the story of Malvina. That Becky would have been asking Sean something, and that perhaps it would have helped him talk to his father in the future.

                            — Well, that Sean is SUCH AN ENIGMA! bumped Rodney a bit excited by the implications.
                            — What do you mean? asked Janice, who just remembered that Sean Doran has a cousin named Dorean.
                            — Who is he? Where is he? was asking Rodney now.
                            Rodney was having a hard time remembering what had been inserted yet in the story about him.

                            So Janice manifested the Wrick family tree in front of them, so that he could see better. She started by manifesting an acorn, then threw in on the grass, and it sprung forth in a little sapling with signs hanging from its branches.

                            — Well, it’s all in the script, answered Janice, he’s Lord Wrick’s son.
                            — Oh boy, I am in trouble again for not keeping up with the facts! Rodney sighed, and laughed…
                            Janice laughed “So that you can surprise yourself again!”

                            Rodney felt thankful for the sumafiness of Janice who was always prompt to display helpful hallucinations and reminders.

                            Janice stopped the growth of the family tree for a moment and started to comment it.
                            — See, in Becky’s time of the reality play, Sean is Lord’s Wrick son, and has just lost his wife Margaret, and got his two young children around their 10s.
                            — When is Becky’s time then? Rodney wondered, I hadn’t though of that…
                            Becky’s time for the reality play is around 2033…
                            Then Janice had the tree grow again, and sprout more branches from Sean’s children:
                            — …Now, Sean is the grand-father of the twins, except than the twin’s time is around 2057 if it had not changed yet. It’s so carefully woven, but it’s fun how it effortlessly came to fit in.
                            TRUST AND ALLOWING AND GOING WITH THE FLOW cried Rodney and Janice in unison, in the realisation of how well all this was.

                            Rodney was beginning to remember it all.
                            — I just remember the part about Sean, so he is still a bit of a mystery
                            — Yes, absolutely
                            — We don’t really know do we why Hilarion didn’t mention him
                            — Oh, there’s also the Margaret newspaper thing… Janice fumbled in her memory to find the proper link that would display the image of the newspaper cut just at the right of the family tree. Adding with a wink “with more dates to get bearings”
                            — Ahahah, I’d love to have pocketfuls of ball bearings said Rodney who manifested a pocketful to distract him from the load of information. OH YES! he cried, I had forgetten about this! What an incredibly HUGE story this is…

                            Rodney was squinting his dream eyes
                            — So, Sean was into humanitarian effort after 2001…
                            — His father actually I think, said Janice. He was a bit too young.
                            — Oh OK, I misread, that’s hard to read!

                            Then, all of a second, Rodney erupted in an uproarious laugh
                            AHAHAHA, I had just forgotten to de-hallucinate these pince-nez spectacles! Now, it is much easier to read!
                            Janice was laughing so hard, she thought she would shatter the hallucination with the wobbles of the soundless sounds.
                            Then she added:

                            Sean is born around 2000, a bit before.
                            — OK, maybe he went to help the Tuaregs, Rodney was accessing some information now. Maybe he was the one who put the mummy in the locked room that India found.
                            — You know I had something funny in store for the mummy mystery, Janice couldn’t help but laugh again. I imagined we could have inserted Old Manon, coming down to secretly drink from her old malt whiskey’s flask, and finding them messing up with her old dear stuffed cat…
                            — Maybe the mummy was the same one that Dory saw in the oblong hole in the ground outside the cave, Rodney was still accessing flickering images swirling around his head. And Sean was there helping the Tuaregs and moved it to safety.
                            Of course, years previously, Illi Fergusson, the archeologist had buried the mummy there too for safe keeping.

                            Now, Janice was hooked:
                            — Was it where Illi learned about shapeshifting tricks from the old tribe?
                            Rodney noticed Janice’s funny remark and laughed before continuing:
                            — The Tuaregs were conducting secret coleslaw experiments in the desert. In combination with sound and irrigation techniques, they were going to run the entire Sahara into a broccoli field.

                            Janice was amazed at the cabbage “coincidence” and irrigation stuff with her dream of that morning. Of course she knew there where probably mis-interpretation of the imagery coming from Rodney’s visions, but something made sense.
                            — Around which year? she asked
                            — Arrggh I don’t know!… Then, taking a breath of dream air, Rodney said “1923”. When Illi learned shape-shifting trick, 1923.
                            — It makes sense, said Janice who was now thinking of other dispersed informations about Illi Fergusson.
                            — Yes, she learned from Dashine Ashara… Although who that is, I don’t yet know.
                            — Wow, said Janice. She had felt a connection with the “da’sheen” sound. She continued: somewhere, Illi Fergusson has said: “my parents were aristocrats”
                            — Yes, answered Rodney who was accessing again, they were, and they knew the Wildes .
                            — And it was said too: “[…] a nurturing presence that reminded Illi of the maid she and her parents had in their cottage in South Africa”… like her parents were traveling a lot.
                            — Ah, South Africa! Illi’s parents emigrated to South Africa with Sir Abingdon Portfellow, an elderly scholar on ancient artifacts and embalming.
                            — Seems she knew John Lubbock too, said Janice again, reviving old data banks of information. Dates seem okay, so if she was around 30 in the Tuareg adventure, she could have met him.
                            — Wow, said Rodney, this is even more interesting…

                            “But we may sit at home and yet be in all quarters of the earth.” Janice had just summoned the voice of the naturalist and archaeologist. Rodney applauded “Lubbock said that? cool quote!”.
                            — Yes, like Illi’s quote, which was from him “What we see depends mainly on what we look for”. I wonder if that’s one of your (Illi’s) overlapping focuses, said Janice

                            — Well, Illi didnt stay long in South Africa with boring old whatever his name was, Rodney pursued
                            — Yes, she was young with her parents. They were traveling…

                            They were both amazed at the magical cooperation they were doing at that moment. Janice would have loved to share all of that with Qixi and Jacob, but probably their energies were present at the moment too, though not focused here.

                            She then remembered something else:
                            — Oh, and there is something else! Quintin’s dream of the woman detective. Let me fetch it she said, summoning now Quintin’s memory to talk to them.
                            … by night, near a museum in London, in the 1920s. She was investigating a case of a strange disappearance near a small replicate of an Egyptian pyramid that had been put here for display. There had been an exposition of ancient artifacts in the museum, which had been recently unearthed by a team of archaeologists and graciously lent by Egypt’s officials. Strangely enough, the woman detective feels linked to the story, and is probably Dory
                            Date fits again, she said in awe.
                            — Perfect! said Rodney. She was of course Dory too, but in that focus she was Illi Fergusson… he slowed down, then said No! wait! The detective was another one of my focuses. The archeologist who stole the mummy for safekeeping was Illi.
                            — Hmmm
                            — Hmmm
                            — So you are both the thief and the detective, the one who creates mystery for yourself, how interesting, giggled Janice.
                            — Yes, and not only that Janice! Rodney was taking a mysterious air… I am the mummy too!

                            Janice bust out laughing imagining Rodney in bandages. Yes, of course!
                            Then, she had a name come with that: Apsh’un Shet she said, very self-absorbed.
                            Now, that was Rodney’s turn to burst out laughing.
                            — “I am not sure about that!”
                            — Doubting my insights… mmm, how rude… Janice frowned then laughed again.
                            — If you call me that, I may have to make you out to have a speech impediment
                            — Sounds a good Egyptian name for me though, seems it means “Light of the Dawn
                            — Does it? Oh that sounds nice…
                            — Well, in some Egyptian dialect, yes. She was a Princess…
                            — Hahaha! Reminds me of Aspen Shit. Rodney doubted Janice could be serious about that name, but Janice was now the one to be accessing some information.
                            — Bit bossy Princess
                            — Which dynasty?
                            III rd, answered Janice, who fumbled in links of consciousness to find some timeline to project for them.
                            — What year?
                            Janice projected the timeline below then said
                            — I’d say around 2657 B.C., in Ancients way of telling time.

                            They both marveled at the splendid team work they had been doing, and hoped that the other focuses involved would be able to get some parts of their insights too.

                            Rodney was seeing something else
                            — There is also, a very fascinating link between Tassili in the Sahara and Egypt which is a mystery AND there is a connection with Egypt and Scotland too…
                            Illi the gripshawk comes from the mysterious land of the Sands, south of the map fragment
                            — We may unravel more than we think… Illi is an other dimensional focus of the Illi essence…
                            — Yes she is. She is a connection too, being “lost” in the land of dragons after hopping through traveling portals…
                            — Exactly
                            — And they communicated because they are helping each other
                            — Which is why she doesn’t always ‘fit’ into this reality’s energy configuration
                            — And they have some difficulties at times with translations of other dimensional stuff
                            — Yes! resulting in confusion!

                            And they both laughed again, looking at the great tapestry of clues that was woven before their dream eyes.

                            #1308

                            In reply to: Yuki’s Livrary

                            ÉricÉric
                            Keymaster

                              September 24 th

                              Quintin remembered a snapshot of the notes that Dory had taken during her first trip to the Madagascan caves, a year ago.

                              Relevant extracts:

                              At one moment, I saw some hooded figure in the sideways tunnels… He vanished on the left, couldn’t follow him…
                              […] HE KNEW HIS WAY INSIDE !
                              When he vanished, I had the vision of something, […] like the layout of a labyrinth, of cave tunnels — that are all underground and the many entrances are all over the world… PORTALS
                              focus opening/doors ; time/space…
                              The central cavernous part is some kind of key center, where anyone can meet…

                              This has inspired Quintin to write some notes too.
                              He has the vision of these portals organized as clusters, like a tree, with branches and leaves… I will send him a more detailed image, but that may take him some time to digest!

                              September 26 th

                              The latest additions to the story have inspired Quintin. He had some inkling of how “essence” (or what is somewhat referred as “oversoul” ) and all the “focus” of essence (or lifetimes) interplay, and are not as separate as they sometimes seem to be.

                              Here would be what we will say to him, if he wants to listen:

                              « Now, terminology can become tricky as, for much time, you have been accustomed to be considering of your experience as the projection of that of an “essence”, somewhat separate from you, the lowly focus.
                              Of course, you pretend the contrary, and become quite nifty in brandishing sentences like “I am essence, and I create all of my reality”, which you are and do actually, but that you do not always believe and trust.
                              These terms of “essence” and “focus” were given to you as means for you to better understand the interplay of consciousness. In the beginning of the acquaintance with these new terminologies, you have felt them remotely blurry and unrelated to previous concepts, which was the intention. But now, you once again objectify your understanding in something too rigid at times, and that little story is giving you a hint of what your real power is.
                              And you begin to really experience it, and really pay attention.

                              « As was expressed many times, “essence” is no thing. It is an action.
                              The “essence” is each of you, that very portion of you that you feel when you slide your attention into the comment box.
                              In that, your purpose, you see, is only to experience, nothing more, nothing less.
                              And then time, as you know it, becomes irrelevant, you see. Your natural time is expressed through you and your explorations.
                              Notice how playfully, as essence (essence playing focus or focus playing essence), you let your natural time unfold, and at times find some strange weather pattern in your awareness that needs clarification. As essence, you playfully find the most perfect habits [shapes and clothings] to wrap around you, and continue your story.
                              Just as your dreams at night overlap and blend into each other.
                              Just as Rafaela created new focuses [Sam and Becky] to continue to play and make the story expand for all of the other focuses, Dory included.

                              « That “I” of you is ever present, and is reflected perfectly in others’ perceptions, as you are drawing them to you purposefully. Do not brush aside their adjuncts, for they are also you, having moved your pawns forward, so to speak, through their moves.

                              « Thus understand that the story is a continuous stream reflecting the essence that is you, and your travel through the various guises you borrow.
                              In that manner, it does not matter how much sense it makes in linear terms. Because, in a way, it can’t make sense in these linear terms.

                              « Let us explain this in other terms.
                              When you found difficulties in understanding the “scheme” so to speak, the figure that is drawn by the participants, it is because you apply the linear understanding of what such a scheme should be.
                              In that, you only perceive the “plot” as a succession of dots without a continuity, whereas the continuity is to be found in the other stories interwoven.
                              You are accustomed to stories where a single individual is enacting throughout the play, in a linear continuous fashion. The individual goes through many different actions, but is always the same in your perception.
                              Here, the tricky thing is to notice the continuity throughout the various habits [clothings] taken by the essence(s). It matters not that the essence takes that guise of say, a pirate sailing on high seas, just after having been an old crafty Lord in his windy castle. The underlying aspects of his exploration has been continuous and coherent: in this case, exploring and making sense of one’s exploration. It is just that a certain appearance has been perhaps more fitting to express certain aspects or qualities of essence, but the exploration has been one, throughout the entirety of the experience.

                              « We will let you ponder this, and we will continue our own story, writing about you… »

                              September 28 th

                              This sand symbol that Quintin has brought up seemed to have come from many directions at once. Each character has connected it, in various ways.
                              Armelle (Arona) to her magic, Rafaela (Becky) to her collecting customs, etc. etc.

                              Let us say that this symbol is not as innocent as it may seem. There are lots of associations with sand.
                              It is solid, yet fluid. In association with water, it can be used to build, and also to erode. It can shift into many forms, one of which is your glass, and your electronic components.
                              And most of all, it is, after your very oxygen, the most abundant constituent of your reality.
                              It is almost limitless in your understanding.
                              As is your magic.

                              This magical device we made Quintin see in a visualization is an analogy of your very action of creation as essences.
                              The sand which molds itself to make forms and shapes in three dimensions is in fact likened to your consciousness. Each grain of sand represents your links of consciousness that bind together to do your command.
                              The shapes are moved by your essences, in which you may see that the essence is no thing at all, but is a continuous stream of action, not separate from others’.

                              As Quintin said to Fiona, some individuals do differently when they create and shape their sands.
                              In analogy with the coloured sands, some people like Quintin enjoy using other people’s colours in shaping his own characters, while some others prefer to keep their own colours, to create a more definite sense of individuality. But they integrate the others’ movements and shapes nonetheless, regardless of how much they perceive it to be coming from them.

                              With that said, let us see how much more will appear from that sandbox…

                              September 30 th

                              The Wrick family tree as it is now (or “will be” drawn around the time of the twins in 2057).

                              The Secret Life of Margaret Wrick , a newspaper cut from 2033.

                              October 7 th

                              The dragon Naasir’s dream
                              A panorama illustrating the portals between the worlds created by each of the participants… But who is dreaming, really?

                              And an illustration of Chiara’s encounter with the glutton “dreggun” Buckberry

                              #79
                              ÉricÉric
                              Keymaster

                                These are excerpts from Yuki’s diary, explaining some of the details of the experiment called — Malvina’s story —.

                                Note: for the reader not familiar with all the names here is a quick reminder:

                                • Araili > Yann, Írtak, Sam, Jacob …
                                • Armelle > Fiona, Arona, Tina, Qixi …
                                • Rafaela > Dory, Illi, Becky, Rodney …
                                • Yuki > Quintin, Al, Janice …

                                September 12 th, 2007

                                Today, an experiment has been launched by Quintin. Time will tell if it will bear some fruit, but the idea sounds good.
                                Having people join in a story telling, and see what happens, what are the “lessons” one can draw from this…

                                Armelle, Rafaela and Araili are already on the starting-blocks, though Quintin is not quite aware yet.

                                I can hear some thoughts: Let’s say for the moment that there are no rules. We will see what prompts the desire for having rules…

                                September 13 th

                                Some of the people familiar with Janice and her friends’ adventures have already joined in with much enthusiasm.
                                This first comment seems very promising.

                                Right now, it feels easy and fun.

                                Quintin seems to think that everything is very straightforward.
                                The magical world with the cave in one part, separated from the “real” world. (Two Worlds, and he thinks that will be enough to content Rafaela, ahaha, how presumptuous)
                                The first he sees as a representation of what psychologists think of as “subconscious”, and the other being the conscious, physical part.

                                But of course, he thinks he knows better than that. He calls the first one “subjective” rather than subconscious, because it’s a translation of subjects which unfold in many related objects in the “objective” or physical world.
                                That’s a good point, though a bit distorted. It would be better to say Malvina’s World is a translation of the subjective, in the manner of a Heroic Dimension.
                                But the thing is, that he missed the point in thinking one World is more “real” than the other.
                                We’ll be having some fun soon…

                                First remark… The second comment of the story has been interrupted abruptly in the middle of a sentence. That is interesting. We will urge Quintin to leave it as it is, despite his feeling of it being awkward.
                                We will appeal to his imagination.
                                It seems he has heard the suggestion.

                                September 14 th

                                For the most part, the story starts to get much involvement. Lots of energies are being projected into it, and with every adjunct, each participant’s perception stretches to accommodate the changes and smooth out the bumps in their own sense of continuity.

                                But as I expected, some challenges seem to appear already.
                                Is it raining or not in that world?
                                The question seems simple, but it is very profound and Fiona seems to struggle a bit with it, as is Quintin. The question frame itself [“that World”] shows where the difficulty lies.

                                He seems to avoid the discrepancy and pretend that he has not seen it. Mmmm, avoiding the obstacles… that will very soon come right back in front of you dear Quintin, for Dory is quite playful.
                                At least Fiona has been challenging Dory for not paying attention… Armelle’s ineffable loving ruthlessness!
                                How will it unfold?
                                Rafaela seems to be delighting herself as though she’s preparing some mischief, but Dory struggles in the “back”…

                                September 15 th

                                Dory is indeed very playful and her imagination is unrestrained. I extend much appreciation to this focus of Rafaela, especially as Quintin has to stretch his imagination to make things “fit”.

                                Quintin is still avoiding the issues that appear sporadically and prefers to stay focused on his own perception of the story… Careful Quintin :face-smile:

                                Yann joins the fun —objectively, that is, for Araili has been present already since the very beginning.

                                September 16 th

                                Halcyons days…
                                My dear friend Archie is answering some of Quintin and Yann’s questions.
                                Something starts to dawn on Quintin. But his mind is on other matters.

                                He understands that the energies of the writers are melding in writing the story, but he still tends to think that they blend completely.

                                September 18 th

                                Quintin has been drawing some of the characters of the story. It’s interesting.
                                He had good insights, as Yann will tell him later that his clothes today were exactly the same as the colours he had drawn.

                                Characters drawn:

                                • Mavina, Leörmn the dragon and weaszchilla, Írtak, Huÿgens (and Fjutch), Arona and Illi (the gripshawk)
                                • Malika, Quintin, Yann, Fiona and Dory

                                Interestingly, Fiona resolves her issues in her cave.
                                Dory too, but she did not need the cave to do this.

                                September 21 st

                                For Quintin, the story seems to lose all common sense, as some characters move from World to World. You could have expected that Quintin!
                                And Dory pops in and out, in her mind, in her dream state, or in future timeline mixed with present or past one.
                                Quintin will soon realize that he himself is doing this constantly, though he does not register it.

                                But the worst thing for him is that there are bleedthroughs in between Worlds. The Reality Times newspaper was brilliant Rafaela, a perfect trigger for the beliefs that the Worlds are closed and impermeable to each other!

                                Archie has been answering new questions about that story and this had been quite interesting for all of the participants.
                                There is much for them to digest from the realization that each of them had been creating their own versions of the stories through their perceptions. And that they were each having their version of the story, drawing from each other’s input, like a conductor of an orchestra incorporating some instruments.

                                Of course, some things still matter, and one of the point of the story is also to discover these.

                                September 22 nd

                                Quintin has been drawing new characters.

                                Characters drawn:

                                • Båd Al’Guz (Bådul), BelleDora, Buckberry the dragon, the twin dragon eggs, Archibald the parrot, Sanso the Wanderer
                                • Illi Fergusson, another Illi that Quintin has tried to sneak in as a bait for Dory, with hints that she is disengaged (or “dead” in common vernacular) and merges with others of her focuses…
                                • Jacqueline Bleomelen (Nanny Gibbon), Lord Wrick, his great grand children the twins Cuthbert and India Louise, Manfred, William P. Jobsworth the painter

                                A new perception trick: Dory felt relieved upon seeing the moth feelers of BelleDora.
                                She had at first thought they were whiskers, which was not Quintin’s intent…

                                September 23 rd

                                Quintin seems to have connected to a map drawn by Lord Wrick, when the old Lord has started to document his great grand children travels.

                                Quintin had tried to put some annotations on this fragment, but he doesn’t yet completely understand that his perception of this World, though accurate, is only valid in this present moment, and may change at any time.

                                Up to now, here are the names he could find:

                                • North: the Icy Lands, and Dragon Cemeteries
                                • Center: Goldfindely, homeland of Arona, connected to the Warring Kingdoms of Lan’ork by the Isthmus of Ghört’s Hammer. The Isthmus of the Dragon Head seems to lead to Malvina’s cave and hideout. Mount Elok’ram is pointed as the highest place of the World yet discovered. Three main rivers are drawn: in the ancient myths of the people of this land, they represent the three Daughters of Ghört, weavers of men’s destinies: Tibreÿa, Uleÿa, and Snimeÿa. Snimeÿa cuts the thread of life, which is shown as the river leads after many meanders to the Marshes of Doom.
                                • Far East, North: the Land of Båd Al’Guz, Åsgurdy. A harsh mountainous land of islands and seas.
                                  Both parts of the World seem to ignore each other till now, as they are separated by the Great Rift, which in the past has deterred many intrepid navigators.
                                • South: the Desert Lands. Illi’s birthplace, rarely explored by humans thus unaware of most of its marvels, gripshawks nomadic tribes included.

                                When he discussed Arona’s village with Fiona, Quintin had the vision of some dolphin-like creatures, but bright yellow. They are called golfindels and are mostly seen on the northern shores of Arona’s homeland, which is thus called Golfindely.

                                #264
                                TracyTracy
                                Participant

                                  India Louise wrapped the big rusty key up in leopard spotted wrapping paper and tied it up with ribbon. She’d been invited to Eugenia’s birthday party, and she was excited. To be truthful, she was looking forward to meeting Oscar just as much as she was looking forward to the jelly and ice cream, trifles, and smarties.

                                  Oscar was a parrot, who had appeared one day at Eugenia’s bedroom window. He’d tapped the glass with his beak repeatedly until Eugenia opened the window and let him in.

                                  #261

                                  In searching for a sheet of paper to do some sketches of images going through his mind, Bill found an old poem he had started a long time ago, when he was feeling like he was completely transforming himself. He had not finished the poem, but had kept it all along…

                                  It said:

                                  I’ve been wandering through the valleys of death
                                  Where time knows no ending and all is gray
                                  And shadows seek nothing but oblivion itself
                                  In mazes of mist, minds’ errands led astray…

                                  Perhaps it was time to let go of useless things, Bill thought to himself.

                                  He watched the paper slowly smoldering and shrinking and falling to black and white cinders into the hearth.

                                  :fleuron:

                                  Before going to sleep that night, Quintin had the sensation of Janice’s presence. He was surprised, because she was no longer the little girl he had seen at times, but she was a very pretty young woman, with dark wavy hair.

                                  She had giggled at his surprise, telling him that yes, she was catching up with him…

                                  :fleuron:

                                  The City, year 2255 (%)

                                  Today was Janice’s birthday, but not her birthday as the Ancients, two and half a century from her time, would have counted it. It was counted from the time of the conception, as the future parents in this time were fully aware of the agreements they would have with the soul they would decide to give birth to.

                                  It was a reminder of this agreement between the parents and the child that was celebrated, and not the actual birth date.

                                  Janice had felt Cyprus’ presence quite strongly, and she decided to let herself open to the subjective communication. She was conversing with her friend Qixi, and sent her some energy to let her know she would probably remove her attention for a few moments, knowing she would be accepting.

                                  When she closed her eyes, she could immediately feel herself engulfed by the strong yet smooth energy of Cyprus; it was like being kissed by a swarm of blue sparkling butterflies.

                                  Then she opened her eyes.

                                  She was in an ancient classroom, with Cyprus focused as a teacher figure. Cyprus was seated behind her desk and came at once to great Janice.

                                  — Good morning!
                                  — Good morning Cyprus, you wanted to say something to me?
                                  — In actuality, you wanted me to tell you something, answered Cyprus with a mysterious smile.
                                  — Yes, I thought so. Is it about what I am choosing to do as an activity?
                                  — Correct.
                                  — You are aware that I want to be creating of worlds, and give them to people that would have commissioned them…
                                  — Yes, I am aware. And you wanted me to highlight some misconceptions about that.
                                  — Oh, misconceptions?
                                  — Yes. As you know, with these worlds that you create, you have infinite potential of explorations. You also know that they are not independent from the rest, even when you take great care of encapsulating them in an energy field. And as such, they are not cut-off from yourself, as soon as you deliver them.
                                  — It feels like a tremendous responsibility.
                                  — It is, and it is not. The responsibility is to yourself, as always. But, I wanted you to be aware that you hold some responsibility, to examine your own injections into these worlds that you create, so that you can be neutralizing what is not desired, and not merely hiding it deeper inside the world itself.
                                  — OK, I will do that…
                                  — Ahaha, there is another thing, my dear.
                                  — Oooh…
                                  — You also wanted me to make sure you understood what I meant.
                                  — Ahahaha, I see. Wiggling out won’t be as easy as I thought, Janice said with a smile. So, is it the reason for this classroom?
                                  — Nothing is hidden from you, as always.

                                  So Janice took a look at the sheet of paper on top of her own school desk.

                                  — I’ll be around if you need me, reassured Cyprus.
                                  — Thank you, said Janice

                                  The paper was like a spot test, with a few questions on it.

                                  :fleuron2:

                                  Study on a Few Contradictory Beliefs

                                  1. GUILT

                                  a. An old lord has lost contact with his son, because of harsh things said in the past.

                                  Write a short story about him realizing how guilt is not effective, and how past can be changed from the point of present by direct action.

                                  b. Detail the main beliefs you can see associated with this action of guilt.

                                  2. FEAR

                                  a. A man chooses to be disengaging by drowning in a river. During his transition, he faces his fears, helped in that by a friendly spirit. The fears take the forms of a forest of trees, all similar, with branches and malicious roots extending to him. In his previous life, the man thought he was a fool, as an excuse to stand out of the numb crowd. But now he faces this crowd again, only to be able to go on his journey and let go.

                                  Write a short paragraph about his journey. Place yourself from the perspective of both him and the friendly spirit guiding him through his fears, and see how he helps himself in realizing he does not need to push the fears away, and that they can disappear easily.

                                  b. Detail the beliefs associated with his madness, that he needs to let go of in order to be crossing the forest, and go to the Bridge of Daffoldils that leads to his cave of Self.

                                  DUPLICITY

                                  In association with the last two examples, detail how duplicity (belief in good versus bad) is influencing of each of the actions, and can be neutralised by accepting self and trusting that you shall not betray yourself.

                                  :fleuron:

                                  Janice gave her paper to Cyprus, who took it and held it for a moment, evaluating the answers.

                                  Cyprus then made it burst into a bluish dancing flame, and when the paper had disappeared, smiled at Janice lovingly.

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