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INNER Thoughts

David Mas

Copyright © 2012 by David Mas.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012920097 ISBN: Hardcover Softcover Ebook

978-1-4797-4067-3 978-1-4797-4066-6 978-1-4797-4068-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: My Nature

Chapter 2: Misery

Chapter 3: Errant Souls

Chapter 4: The Alliance

Chapter 5: The Treasure

Chapter 6: Ogos’s Mission

Chapter 7: Home at Last

Chapter 8: Hideous Germ

Chapter 9: Miracle Workers

Chapter 10: The Award

Chapter 11: The Picnic

Chapter 12: Anira

Chapter 13: The First Supper

Chapter 14: Yet Another Mission

Chapter 15: Commitment

Acknowledgments

Research

About the Author

“Splendid book about interaction of love with alien power!” —Pradip G. Dabir

“Great book that states principles with simplicity and clarity. Furthermore, it sheds unique light bringing love closer to home!” —Bernard Hadley

“A great tale of love and supreme human sacrifice!” —Denise E. Mas

“Inner Thoughts is a sentimental and brilliant journey inspired by a compatriot! What people need to practice on each other: love, harmony, and comion!” —Johanna A. Paz

“Inner Thoughts is a well-written, riveting novel that creates a mystical invasion of love and its power to reveal and eradicate ravaging world misery. And thanks to the author for the awakening! Well done!” —Nathaniel Glover

“What real love and comion is all about! An enlightening, humane story!” —Michelle T. Salvosa

“An incredibly enlightening story about love and caring!” —Dennis Treadway

“A mystical trip into the unknown, with great understanding, connected to our world!” —Jay Sanchez-Paz

“A fantasy with just enough of the modern for an added dimension of realism!” —Dan Snitchler

“Inner Thoughts reveals that divine intervention does exist and that the archway for mankind’s survival is through good deeds and sacrifice!” —Louie A. Constan

“A beautifully written book of great clarity and wisdom that captures simplicity beyond life’s complexities! An extraordinary contribution to modern literature!” —Babes Madarang

From the deepest corner of my heart and the last vibe of my soul, I dedicate this book to my hero and beloved son, U.S. Marine Sgt. Raymond David Mas (Mundi), who was taken away from me by a drunk driver on June 25, 1989, in Phoenix, Arizona, at age nineteen. Mundi’s outstanding Harrier aircraft mechanic performance earned him many awards and achievements during his eleven months in the U.S. Marines. Raymond spent all of his free time during Christmas 1988 helping in a Catholic church in Tennessee, feeding and caring for the needy. He was developing as a “people’s champion” and the U.S. Marine general he dreamed of being. On Father’s Day, June 17, 1989, I heard his voice for the last time. “Dad, happy Father’s Day. I love you!”

I feel assured that someday I will meet this elegant and humble man again, the man I proudly call my son.

Character List

Ogos A special and unique large tree having mystical powers, Dr. Ogon Sihr Ogos

Oga Ogos’s friend from planet Ogan

Abe Vic’s younger brother and helper, Abe von Poole

Alishya Bank receptionist and wife of Markus, Alishya Alba Abbott

Angel Vic’s youngest sister, Angel Ann von Poole

Anira Ogar’s daughter, Anira Kanir Ogar and later Mrs. Ogos

Cham Solla’s friend, James Thomas Milfor

Diling Ogos’s assistant; starlike shining sphere, Dr. Diling Anin Diron (Mrs. Dogan)

Dilong Ogos’s assistant; starlike bluish sphere, Dr. Dilong Onon Dogan

Erkon An intelligent male squirrel living in Ogos’s flora

Eskur An intelligent female squirrel living in Ogos’s crown

Frank Jr. Nephew of Solla, Frank Salvo Sorano Jr.

Frank Sr. Brother of Solla, Frank Salvo Sorano

Gara Wife of Pirus Ambros, Gara Marie Guilos Ambros

Gary Son of Pirus and Gara, Gary Pigar Ambros

Gija Wife of Solla’s brother, Frank, Gija Riba Sorano

Jon Officer in charge for Disposition of Treasure, Jon Alan Sorfer

Kellie Solla’s niece, Kellie Solace Sorano

Marina Friend of Solla, Dr. Marina Lorie Lansing

Markali Son of Markus and Alishya, Markali Dillon Donos

Markus Husband of Alishya, Dr. Markus Jamil Donos

Pat Dr. Dartins’s nurse assistant, Patricia Martha Martin

Pirus Gara’s husband, Pirus Hiro Ambros

Shuk Markus’s friend, Dr. Charles Demetrius Dartins

Solla Cham’s friend, Dr. Solace Sana Sorano

Stiv Assistant officer helping Disposition of Treasure, Stiv Cen Caren

Vic Vigilante who took from gangsters and gave to the poor, Victor von Poole

Preface

This book is about the undivided, complete, and exclusive power of love and comion as they are applied to fight human suffering. It was my son, Raymond (1970–1989), who inspired me to write about the hurts of humanity he was so much concerned about. He felt that he could make a difference and that he could do something someday to protect us from the cruelties plaguing the beautiful world we live in. In the story, the main character, Master Scientist Ogos, portrays Raymond’s defense and desires. This alien tree spreads mystical comion and love. He is located in a public park, and he represents the leader of the group of combatants, as he possesses mystic and telepathic powers. After helping countless people, Master Scientist Ogos succeeds in materializing, realizing his lifetime dream into a wonderful reality: Master Scientist Ogos becomes human!

Introduction

Let it be known, that we, the people of this beautiful planet we call Earth, undoubtedly need a helping hand to protect us through this troublesome epoch. We all pray, with our hearts in our hands and tears flooding our eyes, to our God for his divine guidance and to enhance our souls with noble wisdom, so there will be peace, serenity, and profound tranquility through the course of our lives, to give us love to the highest power, so we can cultivate joy in our existence and in our relationships with one another.

Chapter 1: My Nature

A nice cool breeze es by from time to time, leaving me shivering from root to top on this spring day of 1968 in Manhattan, New York. The grass and topsoil around me remain soggy from last night’s torrential rain, keeping me cool and flooded. But it is nice to have some excess nutrients to make my roots feel good and soft. I worry about sliding down the ravine that’s a few feet behind me, bringing with me the people who come to sit beside me. I try not to think about that. Men, women, children, and their pets play, picnic, study, and sleep under me, especially on the fluffy green lawn covering my roots. When I hear their glittering remarks about me, they embarrass my sensitive and delicate spirit. They say I am such a beautiful and elegant structure and that my foliage glows with exotic splendor. I blush when they talk about me like that. Their remarks touch my heart, and within, I weep with joy. Since I am a slow mover and only a thinker, no one notices my reaction to their comments. I cannot see very clearly, but I can sense all around me. I am here like a perceptive statue, looking, learning, laughing, and every now and then, lamenting. I deeply feel and I know I am a tree, a special ancient tree. I am a rarity in the tree family. My acute sensors allow me to generate feelings and humanlike emotions. I can see, not clearly, but I can sense all that is around me. Most of these unparalleled characteristics are more noticeable in my splendorous crown. By a comparison analysis, I have come to believe that maybe I inherited charm, a pleasant attitude, and generosity from the apple tree, and independence and originality from the maple tree. The oak tree gave strength, courage, and selfconfidence; the pine contributed peace, harmony, and comion; the poplar— an artistic nature, talents, organization, philosophy, and reliability; while the cypress donated adaptability, contentment, and optimism. The elm tree bestowed in me cheerfulness, generosity, honesty, and nobility, whereas the cedar awarded me with determination, productivity, and good health. From the chestnut tree, a projection of unusual stature, diplomacy, and a well-developed sense of justice; and from the birch, I received vivaciousness, elegance, and friendliness. From the ash tree comes superb attractiveness, intelligence, and a degree of ambitiousness. Armed with all these wonderful and possibly inherited attributes, a large crown has evolved that provides an ample shadow that protects my

friends from the tortures of the sun’s rays during the sun’s unfriendly days. I am surrounded by many trees that grow in many types of habitats—from seacoasts to high mountain slopes and from wet lowlands to high, dry mesas. Each spring they flower before developing leaves, casting off pollen into the wind. These brothers and sisters are more often planted seeds, the same way I think I must have been planted. Many are slow growers, while others are fast like the Pine Oak. They grow throughout the world and get bigger in both fertile and weak soil. My brothers and sisters habitually nurture in groups that are made up of one species, and sometimes a conglomerate of different genus. For example, in a forest they are in a plant community with shrubberies and herbs covering their roots. Like the Redwood trees along the California coast where their trunks are surrounded by black huckleberry shrubs. When growing in the tropical forests, their groups are a combination of hundreds of different species in smaller segregated areas. Together, we work to save Earth. Our most important ecological function is to guard the land against the wearing away of topsoil due to wind and water extremes. Our roots help solidify the soil in times of heavy rain. Our trunks and branches provide protection from strong winds. Moreover, it is our duty to store water reserves that can act as buffers for the ecosystem during periods of drought. We can also make available habitat, security, and food supply for living animals. We provide science with plant extracts for medicines that help cure diseases and send guidance to humans to locate these extracts while guiding their research. This is where my unique characteristics differentiate me from my fellow siblings. I have mystical abilities and robotic assistants. Lastly, together we provide global and atmospheric climate management by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air with our leaves and producing oxygen, an element necessary for the continuance of life as we know it on planet Earth. We work together, yet I have no brothers and sisters living that are the same as me. I do not know which tree family I belong to. My foliage branches out like the almighty Oak, but I do not lose my leaves like the Pine, and my sensitive roots can deeply penetrate the soil. Although I am ancient, I am not two hundred feet tall like the gigantic Sequoia, and the tallest trees are supposed to be the

oldest. Yet I am by far the oldest, and I am also the only tree able to assist by sending guidance to humans. I do not know how old I am nor where I came from! I just perceive inside of me that I am extremely wise and mature. Old. Ageless… I have seen generation after generation of humans and different kinds of animals go by, including dinosaurs in the Mesozoic era. But it all seems it was not long ago. My name… is Ogos (Ōgōs).

Chapter 2: Misery

I see him as he comes by and sits on the green carpet of soft and healthy grassland covering my roots, a boy who responds to the name of Shuk. He came to the United States from Belgium with his mom shortly after his daddy ed away four years ago. He does all his schoolwork here, sometimes with the help of a young man named Pirus and other times with the help of another student, Markus. Shuk is about twelve years of age with short golden hair and blue eyes. His dream is to become a medical doctor, possibly a surgeon, and to have his practice in a modest dispensary or hospital. He wants to help people, especially those who are so very poor—like him. Shuk’s birth name is Charles Darian Dartins. They meant to nickname him Chuck, after his name Charles, but his dad misspelled it and wrote Shuk instead. Since the nickname sounded stronger, rather like a great wedging stopper used to secure airplane tires, they kept his nickname Shuk. Many times, Shuk inconsolably cries about his sad situation. He misses his dad who was his best friend and used to help him with his schoolwork and play baseball and hide-and-seek games with him. Shuk’s mom, Julie, must work as a nurse’s aide for the elderly during the week, cleaning bed pans, changing sheets, and bathing. Friday evenings and Saturdays, she waitresses at the busy corner café and delivers pastries in the early morning hours for the baker in order to make ends meet and survive. I sense the anguish that runs all the way through his young body, piercing my heart in the process. Every so often, he cries out loud. “I’ll never be anything! I’ll never be able to fulfill my dream—go to college, become a doctor, and help others! Please, God, help me!” I listen attentively with sadness in my soft trunk. Maybe someday I will be able to help him somehow. To do so, I will need the help of my ageless assistants, Diling and Dilong, who have been with me since the beginning. Again, a characteristic my tree brothers and sisters do not have: spherical-shaped treebotic “assistants” that fly. Biological, sentient, and responsive beings with distinctive

personalities. Diling has female behavioral characteristics and Dilong has male. Both are gifted with the ability to sense and have human feelings to a low level. We work together harmoniously and in unison as a team. Together, we have been fortunate in being able to help others in similar situations by facilitating a solution to their problems. For I have been gifted with the distinctive power of comion and love, which I use to combat the unprecedented, most devastating plague, the most spiteful and revolting disease humanity has never been able to defeat—misery (disease, hunger, death, sadness, and loneliness)! During our ageless existence, we face misery every day alongside the humans as we help heal them by means of health treatments, subliminal inspiration, energizing weak brain areas, healing impediments of abnormally affected parts of their bodies, and providing knowledge by transferring data segments by way of telepathic inner thoughts. Shuk is special to the three of us, because he is not like anyone we have ever known. We hope we can help him. He is a healthy boy with an intense conviction to help humanity. He does not know it, but Shuk shares our own mission and commitment to help humanity by providing health care with an objective to eradicate mental and physiological illnesses of humans and other existing species. It seems that for so many years, nobody has been able to get as close to me as Shuk has, because the millions of people we met and helped did not share our conviction. Most people needed help, and we helped them, we cured them, and then they went their merry way. They did not come back here. They did not share or care for anyone else but themselves. We prayed and hoped that they would help someone during their life span. I another who shared our conviction to help others. It was in 1351, when a young lad like Shuk was hunting in this area. His name was Ligar. He was trying to kill a young deer to feed his family of ten. His father and mother were incapacitated. He was a good child with the best of intentions, doing the job of a young man. Unfortunately, he was weak because his lungs were infected with tuberculosis. He collapsed before he could shoot the arrow from his bow. I sent Diling and Dilong to escort the deer into the forest. Then we proceeded to cure Ligar from the ailment that almost killed him. I liberated his brain from blocking deficiencies, and Diling and Dilong guided him back to his family. He kept hunting, but not in this area, because he thought this area was haunted.

Ligar never returned here. Occasionally, a female squirrel runs up and down my stem and across my branches. It tickles. She is energetic and quick, and she always runs alone. She stops to listen to Shuk’s lament, and she gives the impression of understanding why Shuk is sad. I named her Eskur. Sometimes Shuk and Eskur play hide-and-seek on these magnificent surroundings. I watch them running around, looking for a place to hide. Shuk hides between my roots and behind my trunk and sometimes in the shrubbery in front of me. Eskur has the advantage on the game because she can hide not only among my larger roots but also up my stem to my flora and pinnacle. “This is not fair!” Shuk teases Eskur who has scampered way out of reach. “I can see you anyway! Even if you hide way up there inside the tree’s crown! I see you! I see you!” Eskur makes some exciting and high-pitched sounds as if she is laughing. When Shuk plays with Eskur, he temporarily forgets his misfortune and his sadness. I am feeling pensive and sentimental. I think he is such a deeply conscientious good boy, a gentleman, I say privately within my personal inner thoughts after Shuk has gone home. Now the late afternoon is settling with the warming “fire-light of life,” halfway hidden behind the global sphere. It is a beautiful sight; many people come every afternoon to see it from this site. By now, most visitors have left the area with the exception of a few youngsters who are inspired by the psychedelic prose of magical romance and the limitless feeling—love. If this ultimate and limitless exponent of love is regarded optimistically, it could bring long-lasting happiness and spiritual gratification. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. We have been observing a young couple since they first met here in this park two years ago, Gara and Pirus. This is the same Pirus who occasionally helps Shuk with his homework. Gara and Pirus have shared an atypical romantic relationship ever since they first met. Recently, I have noticed them having squabbles about Gara’s overambitiousness and strong-mindedness. Concerned with squabbles and increasing negativity associated with their

relationship, I have employed Diling and Dilong to follow Gara home and observe her daily interactions as well as employ brain scans to retrieve data regarding her personal life experiences. Diling and Dilong report through our grid, an unseen source which encomes our data, a type of telepathic definitive-purpose messaging called “inner thought.” It is like a text message being sent, received, or viewed by our minds. We use the grid to hear sounds of what we observe, to see the visual imagery, or to share memories. My assistants share video-type scans that show Gara looking much older than her twenty-two years of age. Her firmness and inflexibility make her look about thirty. We see her hardness of character through darkened eyes, enlarged by slicked-back dark hair. She is bold and determined while she manages a small catering business from her apartment. She runs it with an iron hand. Four students are working for her: two food preparers, a general kitchen helper, and only an office ing apprentice, since Gara does the ing and most of the bookkeeping herself. When she addresses her student employees, her behavior is extremely rude and bossy. “I told you many times now! Do not put those receipts on top of the gray cabinet. Put them on top of the brown cabinet! If I have to tell you this one more time, you will be washing dishes and cleaning tables somewhere else, you hear?” Gara lashes out at the girl who helps her with the office work. The youngster is startled by Gara’s angry outburst, but she stays quiet for a moment and then bursts into tears. She gathers the courage to speak her feelings to Gara. “You are growing into a ruthless tyrant, Ms. Gara! When Pirus is around, you’re a very different person. You’re actually nice to us. But when he’s not around, you’re rude!” Behind Gara’s back, the other helpers look at each other in total agreement with the girl. “What? You are on probation, young lady! One more word from you and you are out of here! Never stick your nose into my personal business, I warn you!” After this episode, there is a mood of silence and discontentment in place for the rest of the day.

Gara keeps her employees on a tight leash. The four helpers earn below minimum-wage salaries, and Gara squeezes money from their meager earnings every chance she gets. She deducts from their money any food she gives them, for the use of the telephone, and for the time they spend eating their lunches. If they break a dish, they have to pay for it. In Gara’s business, employees do not take breaks to eat. They eat before and after work at their own homes, since they are not full-time workers. If she is not there, sometimes they eat on the run, with one hand eating a hamburger or hot dog sandwich, and with the other hand they do their tasks. If Gara sees them doing that, they catch all the heat from the kitchen. Our brain scans show that Gara was not always like this. She used to be a sweet six-year-old girl. This changed one day when her eight-year-old sister, Janie, and two of her friends invited little Gara to swim and play water ball at a pond near their home. There were three other children at the pond when they arrived. Gara’s sister, Janie, began to show off by showing that she was not afraid to swim in the dangerous dark spot on the rocky side of the pond. Nobody noticed the sinking whirlpool near the rocky rift. Janie was laughing, giggling, and splashing as she swam toward the strong sucking current of water. Suddenly, she vanished from everyone’s sight. “Please, don’t play like that! You’re scaring us!” the other children cried out. Gara held her gaze on the water, thinking that her sister was playing a joke on her. But as the seconds ticked by and stacked up into minutes, Gara’s sister did not come back up. Gara’s heart sank, and she began to cry endlessly. The other two girls walked Gara home and told Gara’s mom what happened. Her parents and the police began the search. A few days later, the police found her lifeless body trapped between two large rocks deep in the water. Little Gara never understood why it happened. Sometimes she thought that her sister would show up, that she was just playing a joke on her. Gara didn’t smile much after the accident, and she never ed by the pond again. When she thinks about her sister, she does not cry; she gets angry. Nowadays, we see Gara as if she has dollar signs in her eyes, smiling only to her customers. The rest of the time, she appears stiff and serious. Sometimes she smiles briefly when she hears Pirus’s voice. I sense she reserves a soft spot deep

in her heart for him. Now and then, Pirus visits Gara at her place; and since he is an excellent chef, he helps with the cooking. On occasion, Pirus helps her make business decisions, but she is not comfortable with that, as she prefers having full control. If you ask me, I say she loves him dearly, but her business-oriented mind keeps her from showing her true feelings. Tonight is no exception. Not far from my perimeter, in the clearing near the shrubberies in front of me, I witness a quarrel between Gara and Pirus. Gara is feeling angry, and she is being impulsive. “This is my turf! I do not want you getting in the way of how I do things! My business is my business, Pirus! So get off! I do not want to see you ever again!” Pirus steps back, utterly surprised. I can now detect Pirus’s broken heart. Pirus cries through his dark lashes for a long time, sobbing and kicking away at the rocks near my roots. He is hurt deep into his soul, and his love begins to change into detestation and hatred. His tender heart is easily taken by an unforgiving sandstorm of growing vengeance. Repugnant and bitter thoughts begin to brew in his inexperienced mind. I see poor Pirus’s mind in a state of bewilderment, as his reasoning has become clouded with the darkest nebula. He construes that Gara must pay for insulting and humiliating him. He releases a crying shout, “She must die! Gara is no more!” Humans can be so fragile and supersensitive! I mutter to myself. It’s such a shame! I must help! He is not a bad human. I am certain of this, for Diling and Dilong scanned him before, and he had shown no malicious or harmful tendencies. In fact, at the age of eight, Pirus was already taking responsibility for many adult duties. He had helped his aging father, John, and his cancerstricken mother, Jena, in their small farm in Wyoming. He had been an energetic and vivacious boy, but a mischievous child at times. He was the youngest of three boys. The other two, Tim, age fourteen, and Shay, fifteen, helped Pa and Ma with the hardest chores. They pastured and fed the horses, the cattle, the pigs, and the few sheep. Pirus fed the chickens, ducks, and pigeons. He also helped his mother with the kitchen chores and his father by running errands into town. It was early one morning when Pirus’s dad sent him with a neighbor, Mr. Harry, to buy some supplies from the market in town. Mr. Harry and Pirus arrived in

town, and all went smoothly. They obtained the requested supplies, and Pirus placed them inside the truck’s covered bed. Before heading back, he and Mr. Harry stopped at the local coffeehouse for a bite to eat. Almost an hour ed when out of the blue, thunderstorms began to brew, complete with strong winds. Suddenly, the roof of the building across the street went flying into the dark sky. The destructive weather continued into the sinister night. The sheriff informed the people in the coffeehouse that all the rivers and waterways were flooded and the roads were closed. Since there was no other alternative, Pirus and Mr. Harry remained confined at the coffeehouse for the night. “There is nothing we can do about this, Pirus! So let’s go to sleep and go home in the morning after breakfast,” Mr. Harry insisted. “Okay, Mr. Harry, but I am kind of worried about my parents.” “I am sure they are worried too, Pirus.” Mr. Harry and Pirus got the keys for a room and got some rest. In spite of their worries, Mr. Harry and Pirus slept well. As they rose, they sensed that the destructive weather had subsided. After a quick continental breakfast, they headed for home. The road was still in rough condition, but travelable. There was water on both sides of the road. Mr. Harry drove as fast as he could. Pirus looked terribly concerned about his folks. “Oh my god! What happened here?” Pirus cried out when they reached his home. Pirus’s home had been crushed. The roofs are blown off, and the walls were flattened. The animals were gone. The pickup truck stopped, allowing Pirus to get out. He ran around, desperately looking for his parents and his brothers. The first he found was the eldest, Shay, crushed and lifeless against a large tree. He was only fifteen. Tim was outside the barn with a crushed head. Pirus ran to the house where he found Mom and Dad inside what used to be the bathroom. Both were breathless under the debris. “My dad! My mom! Tim… Shay! Oh god, no!” Pirus cried. After the funeral, Pirus found himself inside an airplane flying to New York

City. His mother’s brother was to take care of him there. Uncle Joe and his wife, Auntie Jamilla, then raised Pirus. Now fully aware of Pirus’s gruesome thoughts, I know I must take action and use the empowering forces within me that go far beyond human imagination. A mystic glow is energized and begins to intensify around me. It engulfs Pirus in a light, starry, silvery haze to neutralize and purify him of all unhealthy thoughts. I deploy Diling and Dilong to carefully supervise the maneuver. At light-speed, the miniature beings pulsate as they hover in midair, glowing and changing from three inches in diameter to one inch as the supernatural operation processes. Pirus is paralyzed. Even though he does not move, his eyes show surprise and wonder. He feels a strong and softly vibrating sensation lifting his mind and soul to a higher level of life. It only takes a moment for the magic mist to transform him. All bad thoughts, especially those about Gara, vanish as if they had never been. Pirus’s mind and soul have been purified. Diling and Dilong, minimized to nearly an inch, reduce their glowing and return to my crown. The absolute magical miasma spreads over a hundred square feet and cleans every living organism in the area. Inexplicably, Gara happens to be within the perimeter covered by the magical mist that changes Pirus. Gara begins to fully enter the mystic mist. Within seconds, she is also spiritually and mentally purified from her superambitions and destructive feelings. She also feels much better about herself. When Gara approaches Pirus, they are both polite and well-mannered with each other. Neither recalls the argument that happened between them. Their internal positive and loving feelings for one another strengthen. Pirus is overwhelmed with emotion. His eyes are glittering with love. He takes Gara’s hand and says, “My loving Gara, I want to take this opportunity to ask you to me in marriage. You wouldn’t mind marrying me, would you, my love?” They waste no time with their marriage plans. A month or so later, they are blessed by holy matrimony. Relatives, who witnessed firsthand their remarkable character transformations, are puzzled but happy about their changes. Pirus changes are not as obvious as Gara’s. He remains a gentleman and a conscious lad, but he has become a more firm and business-oriented man. Gara is the one

who has gone through a major change. She has become kinder and more caring to everyone. They all witnessed this union as a miracle of divine intervention because, Pirus and Gara had been so different before. Although I missed a very lovely and happy event, Diling and Dilong served as my envoys. They bring me a video scan of the ceremony and guests. The newlyweds are enchanted, enveloped with overwhelming feelings of eternal love and unprecedented happiness. Gara and Pirus looked like a royal couple, a prince and princess in their union ceremony. They charm their guests with their abundant love for each other and the happiness that shimmers through their eyes. I observe beautiful, synchronized pulses between the two. I am glad that the purification process on them succeeded. Since I do not have all the knowledge about being human, sometimes I am not able to prescribe an accurate mitigation without the help of Diling and Dilong. I feel proud of them and myself for the contribution we made. Everything turned out to be so delightful, so human, and so perfect! I almost said out loud. I am sure that they are going to be very happy for the rest of their lives. I begin to notate my observations into the limitless capacity of the grid. Even Eskur is at the wedding, tucked in Shuk’s jacket pocket, sitting next to Markus, the young lad who also helps Shuk with his homework. Markus’s father and Shuk’s mother meet Pirus and Gara for the first time, as Shuk’s mother also attends this memorable festivity. I envision myself participating in an observance such as this. Anira comes to mind. Of course, Anira and I would have to be human in order to marry like Pirus and Gara, and my friends in their happiness. Shuk, Eskur, and Markus unknowingly witnessed more than the miraculous transformation and wedding of Pirus and Gara. All of them shared with my starry, mystical essence I showered on them. All negativities were removed from their bodies and souls. Markus was included in the cleansing mist, for he had just happened to by at that moment. Markus is a sixteen-year-old lad, formally known as Markus Jamil Donos, an only son of an African immigrant widower, Papa Donos. Papa Donos lost Markus’s mom, Martha, to an infectious disease, Malaria, while they were still living in Africa. Markus was just a baby then. Nowadays, Papa Donos has a magazine and newspaper stand on a street corner that also sells ice cream,

candies, and cigars. We met Markus a couple of years ago. He doesn’t visit us as often as he used to because he is now studying hard, trying to maintain his excellent high school grades. Markus is Papa Donos’s only hope now for a better life for both of them. Markus shares Shuk’s dream of becoming a medical professional. His love for animals inspires Markus to pursue a veterinarian career. Similarly, Shuk’s love for people motivates him to be a medical doctor and surgeon someday. They both are intelligent lads, but very poor. I hear Markus tell Shuk every time they meet here under my care, “When I become a veterinarian doctor and set up my office, I will come for you, Shuk. I promise.” I include a visual imagery in the journal of the recent exchange between Shuk and Marcus. The imagery shows a thankful Shuk saying, “I am already thankful to you, for helping me with my homework, Markus!” Markus tells him not to worry about that and then surprises him with, “By the way, I did some work this week and I earned money. Here is ten dollars for your meals.” Shuk is ecstatic. “Wow, Markus! Thank you very much!” My young friends are learning about caring for each other and for humanity. I am sure they will have a good future, and I will do my best to help them. I believe that each person who enters our lives always has a unique lesson to teach us, as it is through these lessons that we all learn about life as a human, our relationships, and mainly our God. I pray, O Lord, that you make our friendships never come apart, especially when the love is straight from our hearts! Please allow us to have a rainbow of smiles to share, displayed on our faces and in our hearts forever and ever! Amen!

Chapter 3: Errant Souls

as the late afternoon ends, the warming sun vanishes. It is an amazing sight, and many people come to watch it in the evenings. A man named Cham, who looks like a beggar, recently discovered my area, and now he finds sanctuary between my large high roots. He sleeps there almost every night. He puts a discarded picnic umbrella over his body to make a tent. He feels safe in his hidey-hole. What he doesn’t know is that I engulf him in my protective shield, and Diling and Dilong watch over him during the night. He hangs about nearly soundless, except for the prayer he murmurs as he settles down to sleep. “Dear Lord, protect us with your mighty hand. Please spare no one in your presence. Amen!” Cham was born to humanity as a tender spirit, filled with everlasting exponents of kindness, giving him the power for smooth, long living. He knows of no profanity, insinuates no evil, and implies no impulsive or offensive behavior. He maintains his body and soul in a methodical and virtuous manner. He is as quiet as a ghost, and like the wind, one moment he is here, and the next instance he is gone. Cham has the intelligence of a pet rabbit. He sustained brain damage during neurological experiments at a sanitarium during his college years. Sham had volunteered for shock treatment experiments performed at a local hospital’s experimentation rooms. They paid him a few dollars for each session attended. After losing his mental sharpness to these experiments, he was left fit only for begging. Cham is no longer able to do the normal things the average person can do in a society—go to school, work, have friends, participate in sports, read newspapers and books, socialize, get married and start a family, or just be human. Cham walks around disoriented, like a lost vagabond soul. He has no thoughts about anything; he lives on autopilot. His head and shoulders are down, and he looks like he is detached from the world that surrounds him, resembling a ghost that only walks. Cham doesn’t beg on the streets as most people are inclined to think; instead, he goes by the open city markets and street vendors, and when people see him, they

give him things—money, food, and sometimes pieces of clothing or hygiene items such as a bar of soap. When he es by a restaurant, cafeteria, or kiosk, the owners always give him something to eat. He never looks up or extends his hand asking for anything. Cham’s uncaring appearance, his nearly moronic smile, and his dutiful attitude communicate to people, without a single word, that he is an incapacitated homeless man in need. He spends most of the time at the shelter for the homeless, where he can secure at least one meal per day. Other times, he sits on a bench at the park; and most nights, he sleeps comfortably between my larger roots and covers himself with the old picnic umbrella he found discarded in a trash container in the park. Cham is an errant soul who knows no evil and only exists. Through brain scans of other drifters who know Cham from the homeless shelter, we learned that he is fifty-eight years of age. No one seems to know where he comes from. I make attempts to penetrate his mind, but I have difficulty sensing any information from Cham’s brain, because many segments have been removed. Many years have gone by, and the damaged brain areas have been plastered with coarse layers that are difficult to penetrate and read. The only way I can help him is by replacing the damaged data with information from his subconscious mind. This is an extremely dangerous operation, which could kill poor Cham. I turn my attention to another errant soul who sits on a big rock not far from me this cloudy day: a middle-aged woman with her head down, her hands and her untidy long curly hair covering her face. She is still dressed in a working-gray shift, apparently the attire she used to wear to work. The woman is in a murky, hazy, and toned-down mood, an almost sleep stance so she doesn’t feel the drops of rain falling softly on the back of her head and shoulders. “Can I sit with you?” The sweet voice of a little girl breaks her silence. The woman looks up and sees a little girl about five years old looking at her with sparkling, affectionate eyes. “Yes, you may!” She reaches out her arms and embraces the little girl who is trembling with cold. The drops of rain fall faster, forcing her to pick the girl up in her arms and run

for cover under the nearest shaggy shrubbery. The rain pours down on them heavily, and the shrub doesn’t provide sufficient cover from the rain. Without her awareness, I direct her to take cover under my vast flora and among my protective large roots. Here, under me, I can provide full protection from the negative environment. It is pouring down now. She hugs the little girl and they keep each other warm, while I keep the rain at bay and away from reaching them. The musical sound, the raindrops, generated by falling on different types of surfaces, induces the little girl into a deep and pleasant sleep in the woman’s caring arms. She stays awake, watching the girl sleep. After a few resting minutes, the girl opens her sweet eyes and stares at her new friend as if she is looking at a beautiful angel. “What is your name, little friend?” “I am Bernadette, but you can call me Berni!” “I am Solla, and you look like a very nice and sweet girl, Berni!” “And you look like my mom! I don’t have a mom, you know?” “The rain stopped. I will take you to a place where they can take care of you and me both, okay?” She takes Berni’s little hand and they slowly begin their way out of the park and toward the shelter for the homeless. They are both hungry and tired. This is Solla’s first time at the shelter. It is Berni’s first day on the streets. Solla will find the right institution for Berni, and then she plans to help at the shelter by cooking and serving the food, and by taking care of the elderly, the young, and the sick. Sometime later, Solla returns to my area. She stands in front of me and looks intently at me. She appears more like a homeless woman than a beggar, even though her manifestation of the two stages is closely comparable. I perceive an innate self that does not allow her to be submissive enough for begging and to feel mediocre about herself. At first, I took her loneliness, sadness, and unruly looks for that of a beggar, a vagabond. She is neither. The images I superficially receive from her brain waves show me the contradicting metaphor. She stares at me for a long while before she finds a cozy place between two of my largest roots. She looks exhausted, as if she has traveled long distances

before arriving here. In a few seconds, she is asleep and her closed eyes begin to move erratically as she experiences a nightmare. Solla sees the flashes of a bright blinding light and hears the drilling sound of electric power being applied, which fills the once quiet hall leading to the shock treatment room. Solla stops, frigid, and listens to the strange unfamiliar reverberation. This is the first time she has come down to the floor above the restricted basement area in her search for the medical supplies room. She finds the cabinet with the supplies and retrieves the cotton swabs and the masks she needs. As she heads back to the patients’ ward above her, once again, there is the flash of blinding light and the vibrating sound of electric power. This time, they are accompanied by a grueling and painful scream. Solla is instantly petrified by the horrendous cry of gargling and electrifying suffering. Cold chills make their way up and down her spine. Her first impulse is to run back upstairs, but she valiantly chooses to stay and investigate. Once again, the wavering scream horrifies her, but now she detects that the screaming voice belongs, maybe, to a young man. Solla reflects for a second or two, but her internal prognostic mind directs her to investigate the unusual event. Someone is suffering and he needs her help, Solla analyzes. Determined, she begins descending at a snail’s pace down the narrow stairs leading to the awful screams and the flashing lights. When she arrives at the bottom of the stairs, she sees the experimental room brightened by many fluorescent overhead lights. The room is a spooky and scary place, as if it had emerged from a Frankenstein movie. The brightest lights are positioned directly over the patient’s upper body. The screaming young man is in his early twenties, well-built and with a smooth complexion. The severe shock treatment experimentation has ridged and tapered his once good-looking face. As he screams, bubbling saliva and mucus are foaming out of his mouth and nose, and they flow down his chin and neck. His eyes are popped out, and he is trembling relentlessly out of control. “I am telling you, this subject has been here this week too many times! We might lose him this time! We have to service him and send him home!” The chief doctor in charge instructs his assistants. Solla enters the room unnoticed and dons some headgear and a mask from a

hanging shelf, washes up, and puts on a pair of surgeon’s transparent rubber gloves. In a quick move, she walks directly to the patient, removes all attachments, cleans him up, and begins resuscitating procedures. The assistant doctors, impressed with Solla’s ability and swiftness, s her and begins to help her. The patient revives and opens his eyes wider, moving them around as if he were looking for something. He coughs several times, releasing more excessive liquids from his lungs and through his mouth. Immediately, Solla clears the fluids and adjusts his eyes back into their sockets. She then monitors his pulse and observes attentively his recuperating progress. Now there is a solemn silence in the room as all eyes are on Solla. They are stunned by Solla’s professional and hurried performance. The patient abruptly sits up and cries out as he nervously looks around in all directions. “My name is Aries!” He continues repeating the phrase until the tranquilizer begins to take effect and puts him to sleep. He is then taken to an isolated room in the patients’ ward in the upper level. The director allows Solla to stay with Aries and continue caring for him, but he reminds Solla that he needs to talk to her afterward about her unsolicited interruption. That is a terrible dream for Solla. I send Diling and Dilong to her for an internal and external scan to find out about her, and to my surprise, only a few personal data records are available. It looks as if most of her memory had been erased, distorted or corrupted, almost as badly as Cham’s. She has many scars on her body that we quickly repaired or erased. We are able to that her name is Solla and that she is fifty-two years old. The other personal data encrypted in her memory is that she is resourceful, religious, friendly, and sometimes witty. She spends a lot of her time helping those in worse condition than she at the nearby church and cooking at the homeless shelter. Solla also shows knowledge of first aid and some medical diagnostic abilities. Her medical knowledge is deeply rooted in her mind, and she shows it when a related situation arises. Solla awakens without ing anything about her nightmare. We watch as the sun beautifully descends behind the tall city buildings in its daily ceremony

with the moon showing her silver head. This day overturns, and at that instant, Solla gets up abruptly and takes off very quickly, fading through the vegetation leading to the street. Before she reaches the street, she stops to wash up at the ladies’ comfort room. Then she rushes out the door, dashing by the men’s comfort room. Kaboom! She slams into Cham, who had been hurrying out of the men’s room himself. Solla’s elbow digs into Cham’s ribs. “Sorry!” Solla apologizes. “Oh! Ugh!” cries out Cham. Solla grabs and shakes Cham’s hand nervously. Cham stands there paralyzed with his mouth open and surprised. He is in a state of shock, as if he were seeing an image of a graceful fairy. Solla continues her dash toward the city, while Cham stays on the same spot, starry-eyed and dumbfounded. Cham wears a wondering expression on his bearded and wrinkled face, and he thinks about a fairy when he re Solla. This abrupt encounter in front of the rest rooms triggers something inexplicable which flashes inside him. Cham locks into that vision of her, her dark brown hair like a halo. He is back to the year 1958, in the early spring. She turns twenty years old tonight. Cham was invited to the birthday party by Ralph, a friend from college. Her name is Solla. She is sitting across the room from Cham, and she is beautifully decorated in a blue dress. Cham walks across the dancing space toward Solla and asks her for the next dance. They embrace and begin to dance. They appear as being inside a mystic cloud and moon rays surround them, as they seem to be on a different plane or dimension all by themselves. The music stops, but they continue dancing until they stop and impulsively kiss. They do not know it, but that kiss ignited the light of an everlasting love. Cham barely returns to the present as he begins to move away from the restrooms. Obviously, Solla shook the daylights out of him. Solla, kept focused on the task at hand and did not give any notice and had no cognitive manifestation about the event. She needed to the interference fast and get to the house of the homeless to feed and care for them. There was no time to waste and Solla’s mission is direct and clear—take care of the sick and homeless. But isn’t she herself poor and homeless?

I send Diling and Dilong to investigate Solla’s daily life since she is a newcomer, and there is little we know about her. They discover that she endures an overabundance of dreadful days. At sunrise, she gets up and runs to the comfort room, washes her face, and swabs her finger inside her lips to clean her teeth; she might take a quick bath if the bathing cubicle is not crowded. Then she continues on foot to the homeless shelter, about ten blocks away on the other side of the park. On her way, she encounters people, some of them mentally ill with abusive intentions. Some of them wants jewelry or money or just wants to touch her. Other beggars attack her on the street because they think Solla practices black magic; because her long, curly, brown hair makes her look witchlike. They stone her and hit her with sticks, and youngsters throw garbage. They want to hurt her because they see their own pitiable images projected onto her. Some days, by the time she gets to her refuge, she is already bashed up and in need of medical attention. I wonder why this happens to her. She only wants to help people, the very same measly people who taunt her. Not only that, but even the environment has a twofisted hand torturing her, as sometimes she has to run away in heavy rains, blasting thunder, and the blinding flash of the lightning. Together, they integrate into a vicious orchestra. That harassing integration spells misery, the very thing I would like to eradicate from humanity. Surprising information about Solla was obtained while Diling and Dilong were performing a routine scan on another homeless old man who ed through the area. According to the brain-scanned information retrieved from the man, Solla was Dr. Solace Sana Sorano, a medical doctor for many years. Their scan informs me that as a doctor, Solla was involved in helping patients, including Cham, who were suffering from the adverse results of shock treatments that were applied at the sanitarium hospital, better known as the insane asylum. Her spontaneous intrusion to help these suffering patients cost Solla her medical license, and she was callously fired. She is considered to be a self-directed, conscious, highly intelligent, and knowledgeable human being saturated with the best of cultural values. Unfortunately, she cannot much of what she knew. Fragments of information reveal that Solla was so exceptionally devoted to her work that she never made time for friendships, engagements, and relationships. Although she never thought about getting married, tucked away in her brain

there is an image of a handsome young Cham. We also discover that her parents ed on many years ago and she stayed with her dear brother, Frank. Diling and Dilong found an image of her beloved brother wearing a U.S. Air Force officer’s uniform. Solla has the same image of Frank in a wallet-size photo. He was her only sibling, and he died defending his country in World War II. With Frank’s image, we can see a sad series of pictures within Solla’s mind. In them, Frank appears waving good-bye to Solla as he steps into the military bus. In the linking images, Solla is at home taking her shoes off after a twelve-hour shift at the hospital. She hears a vehicle stopping in front of her apartment. Solla looks through the peephole and sees an air force officer walking toward her door. Solla opens it before he has a chance to knock. The officer and his assistant remove their hats and enter Solla’s home. She suspects nothing. “Ms. Sorano, I am afraid that I am the carrier of terrible news. I regret to inform you that your brother, Major Frank Salvo Sorano, is a victim of this fateful war. His aircraft was shot down in East German territory, and all personnel on board perished.” There is a moment of silence before Solla drops to her knees, her hands covering her face. “No, no, no! This cannot be! My brother Frank cannot be dead! There must’ve been a mistake!” The two officers hold her up and place her on her recliner. After the officers leave, she remains there for hours, her body, numb, and her face, lifeless and pale. She wonders and wonders. She asks herself why and why? “This is not so! This is not so! No, no, no!” Solla repeats to herself, until she finally falls sleep and there ends that series of pictures in her brain. She loves him so much, even still. At church, she sits in a corner seat at the end of the front bench, crying and praying for Frank’s soul. She still loves her deceased brother with all her heart. Many years before, Cham had been her best and only friend. She knew him as Jim. He, too, vanished from her life. The disappearances of these two men took

away her desire to befriend other men, fearing that she might lose them as well. Solla knew Jim was participating in the experimental treatments at the hospital. She had even initially ed his desire to participate. I perceive that Solla’s consolation for losing Jim to the treatments is that the initial purpose of the electric shock treatments carried noble intentions. This therapy was aimed at curing mental illnesses and at stimulating brain reliability. It was predicted to alleviate and heal specific anomalies such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, autism, atrophy, and other brain-paralyzing abnormalities found in humans. The doctors performing the experiments began to fear that Solla would give away their excesses. The evil practitioners kept Solla on shock treatment and in isolation until they felt that she was no longer a threat to them. She was released and delivered to her apartment to fend on her own. With the house rent overdue and utility bills to pay, a bewildered Solla took to the streets. Now Solla walks alone—always alone. Now she is unknowingly among my friends that gather around me almost every Saturday and Sunday. No biting insects, disease-carrying rodents, or harmful animals may enter in my area. I make sure they are discreetly redirected to the nearby shrubberies by Diling and Dilong’s enchanting, glowing lights. Shuk is always the first one to arrive. Gara and Pirus arrive next and sit under my large shadow a little closer to me. There is harmony shimmering between the newlyweds. We can see that their romance is intense, as a glow of happiness twinkles in their eyes, and their thoughts project to us that they are exceptionally happy. Undeniably, this is the consequence of the purification and liberation of their souls, engendered by my mystification. Markus usually turns up later, especially if he does not take part in a basketball game with his high school classmates or help his father staff the store. When he is here, he usually chats with Shuk and plays with Eskur. “Hey, Shuk, I found an injured squirrel outside the park, and I took him home with me to treat him. As of now, he is recuperating incredibly fast. Once he is completely recovered, I will bring him to our group here,” Markus says. Shuk nods approvingly, but I think that Eskur has mixed feelings about Markus’s

idea. Her eyes look down and her furry tail stays still, revealing her disagreement. That would mean sharing her friends and playfellows with an unknown. “Oh well, time should tell!” Eskur thinks. Solla and Cham normally arrive after sundown. Rarely do they show up during the day because they come to rest at night from their arduous experiences of their difficult day. They come in extremely exhausted from their strenuous walks. My dear friends rest, study, and just enjoy each other’s friendship. The young play hide-and-seek. Eskur runs up and down my spine and hiding and seeking Shuk, demonstrating her happiness by wagging her furry tail. Shuk does his schoolwork first, under her watchful eyes. Time runs hurriedly, like the murmuring current of a river. After their game, they look for a place to rest. Eskur climbs up to my crown where she finds a nest. Shuk finds a safe haven on my carpeted roots and falls asleep right away. I watch over them. When the heavy rain pours down, everybody takes cover under me. When the rain breaks, they run back to their homes. If Solla and Cham are here, they stay with me and I cover them. If not, then I am alone again, missing my dear friends, leaving me with only my inner thoughts to spawn within me, flowing across a path right above the subconscious mind.

Chapter 4: The Alliance

today is a sunday afternoon when all my friends are here. It is a day with virtually cloudless skies. All is calm and tidy. One month has elapsed since Gara and Pirus’s nuptials. Out of the blue, Markus moves toward us, very excited and calling for Shuk. In his arms is his new furry friend he has been nursing to health. “Shuk, Shuk, Shuk! Here he is! He is okay now! I call him Erkon (āir-con) because he loves to get close to the air conditioning unit. We already have Eskur, and now… Erkon!” Markus says. Markus holds the little creature under his arm. He approaches Shuk and hands over Erkon with great care to avoid disturbing the creature’s recently healed injuries. In Shuk’s arms, Erkon feels secure once again. Erkon is as big as Eskur but has cleaner fur and a stronger body, and he has round and sparkling bright eyes. I sense that Erkon is quiet and at ease. Then Eskur comes running from my summit branches and down my stem, stopping in front of Markus, Shuk, and Erkon. She looks flabbergasted as she locks Erkon’s eyes with hers. She makes no move at all and does not know what to do or how to act. She is overwhelmed by the mesmerizing radiance coming from Erkon. Everyone remains silent. After a few seconds in a state of unconsciousness, Eskur dashes back to my crown. She remains there, unseen. She doesn’t come out for the rest of the day. Erkon feels shy, but he plays hideand-seek with Markus and Shuk for a while until they tire out and fall asleep on the carpeted green grass in front of me. Solla comes in a little earlier than usual tonight. She sees the beat-up oversized picnic umbrella Cham usually uses and makes it her own sanctuary for the night. The umbrella really looks like a homemade tent. She is wearing soft green clothes with rubber shoes, camouflaging her with the green umbrella. In a few seconds she is in another world—sound asleep. She snores lightly and sleeps deeply. She floats through her dreams on a magic green carpet.

She dreams about her dear brother, Frank, waving good-bye to her. He is wearing his class-A air force uniform. Then out of nowhere, her brother’s picture is dotted with red, and she begins falling through a tunnel crowded with ungodly people, dressed in dark hooded capes with fathomlike white burred faces. The strong hand of a young Cham takes her out of danger, like a gallant knight in shining armor. Solla wakes up with her heart pounding and her eyes crying inconsolably. Every night, the dream begins and ends in a similar way. Normally, there are no more dreams for the rest of her night, and her night becomes a peaceful flat line. Diling and Dilong ensure for her peaceful and serene nights as we study her dreams. Solla sleeps for a good three hours. When she awakens, her tears blur her eyes, and she sees Cham in front of her like an apparition. He sits on top of my larger root on the right side of Solla’s green tent, and he does not make a move or a sound. He just stares at the lady sleeping in his grass-carpeted room. Cham leans over and pulls the blanket up to cover Solla’s left shoulder. He moves to the other root, and he looks attentively at her features. Even now, his face shows no expression and he makes no noise. He is awestruck just watching her. Solla slowly opens her sparkling blue eyes and Cham’s image comes into focus. His eyes are wide open, his eyebrows raised high, and his lower jaw dropping, displaying his iration. Solla remains calm and collected, carefully considering the situation she has found herself in. Since she went homeless, she has been through more difficult circumstances than this one. A couple of minutes cripple by. All this time Solla thinks about who she is looking at. “I have a feeling that we’ve met before,” she says as she sits up. In a rapid movement, Cham grabs the bottom of his shirt and raises it to display the now-fading bruises he received when she elbowed him in front of the bathrooms. “Oh! I am terribly sorry about that!” Solla apologizes and continues analyzing him. Cham stays sitting on the root without changing the clumsy expression he always wears on his face. He keeps looking at Solla, as motionless as before.

“Ah! I now! You are from the homeless shelter! I’ve seen you there, I think!” she says. Cham nods affirmatively, moving his right hand rhythmically side to side, implying that he goes to the mission occasionally. “Yes! Yes! You are Cham!” Solla bellows louder as she begins to . He nods faster this time, and he glances at the green umbrella, his face showing a flicker of sadness. “And this is your hooch, am I right?” In one brisk movement, she gets up. Cham continues moving his head up and down, like saying yes, yes, yes, and yes. “I am sorry about this, but this place looked like a perfect and comfy arrangement when I came in, as I was so worn out and bushed.” Solla sits on the other root opposite to Cham and observes him. She is trying to put some pieces together that would make sense. Soon enough, thoughts and images come together. “Cham, Cham, Cham, or shall I say Jim? Or James Thomas Milfor, as the hospital records read? I am glad you are alive! ? We went to school together. I was there to take care of you during that unforgiving merciless experience, or… or… those unscrupulous doctors would’ve killed you.” Cham is jubilant and doesn’t know what to do or how to react to the wonderful news. He re Solla’s bright angelical face, an image which took him a long while to bring into focus due to the distorted and fuzzy mental images randomly flowing through his dispersed mind. They both have been through hell and back, I think to myself. I see their eyes flood with tears that begin running down their cheeks, and Cham and Solla embrace. They had found each other in the past, during the most warped of circumstances, and now they come together once again. But this time, they are under an umbrella of peace.

Chapter 5: The Treasure

sirens, gunshots, men shouting, and screeching tires interrupt the calm of the park. This is the second day of July in year 1928. It is late evening, and it seems all hell has broken loose. The noise comes closer to my area, and much closer to me when a robber takes refuge under me. The police keep running, with weapons in hand, chasing the two other suspects, a man and a woman, who hurry by me to other areas. These three burglars have stolen money from a member of a major gang who sells bootlegged whiskey. The two thieves who ran by me acted as decoys, running to avoid the police as the third thief, the one with the loot, hid under me behind one of my roots. For a couple of hours, nothing moves and all is silent. The robber who found refuge under me is a thirty-four-year-old man named Vic. The other two are Vic’s younger brother, Abe, and sister, Angel, who are captured and taken into custody by the police. While I scan Vic’s brain, to my surprise, I find out that they were not really robbers, but vigilantes. Vic is a very brave, honest, and decent man, and so are his brother and sister. They are honorable citizens and towers of strength in their community. They became intolerant of witnessing the gangsters abuse the poor and decent people who are trying to survive by making an honest living. Like Robin Hood, they take from the ruthless and corrupt and give to the underprivileged. This is the first and only unlawful act they have ever done. They are not even armed with real weapons, as they are using homemade wooden guns. Two policemen approach Vic, but before they can see him, Vic digs a hole under my root and hides the money. Under my command, Diling and Dilong move the money deeper under the center of my trunk to ensure the treasure will never be found. The policemen find Vic, arrest him, and take him downtown to his brother and sister. Vic, Abe, and Angel are kept in custody only for their protection. After a few

days, the police let them go without charging them, and they are placed under the local police witness protection. The three know a lot about the illegal activities of the gangsters, and they gladly agreed to testify against the mob. Diling and Dilong report to me about the scene in the courtroom. “All rise!” announces the clerk. “Honorable Judge Tania Zingar is presiding. We will hear prosecuting testimony on the case of the State versus Mr. Coros Corotto, on charges of multiple first-degree murders, corruption and prostitution, money laundering, and illegal sales of whisky and wine.” Judge Zingar speaks, “This court comes to order! You may sit down. We are going to hear testimony from the prosecution eyewitness, Mr. Victor von Poole. In order to save time, Mr. Abe von Poole and Ms. Angel von Poole will turn in similar signed testimonies in writing because the information is the same. They were together when they witnessed the forthcoming events. This court’s recorder is Ms. Cristaliana Kamturi. Let the session begin! Mr. Victor von Poole, please take the stand and begin telling us your testimony.” “We three are aware of the many crimes committed by Mr. Corotto and his gang. We witnessed a handful of those crimes as follows: On 6 May 1928, we saw Mr. Corotto murder grocer Mr. Jon Yan for refusing to pay taxes to Corotto and not accepting Corotto’s brand of whisky and wine. Mr. Corotto shot Mr. Yan four times in the chest with his .30-caliber carbine rifle. That same evening, Mr. Corotto ordered his bodyguard, Mr. Panos, to kill grocer, Mr. Momo Dias. A few minutes later, and in front of our eyes, Corotto’s men beat Mr. Dias to death. They put Dias’s body in the city’s trash container in the back of the store. In the morning of 8 May 1928, Corotto and his men gunned down fisherman, Rene Rodds; his brother, Gilibert Rodds; and their two cousins, Jose Rodds and Amelina Williams. Every day we saw Corotto himself picking up large bags of cash revenue from the sale of illegal drugs from four, sometimes five, locations. His casinos, nightclubs, and houses of pleasure promote prostitution and the sale of illegal drugs. The three of us—Abe, Angel, and I—witnessed all of these activities and tried to stop some of them without success,” Vic recounts. “That should be enough to make a strong case for the state and put Mr. Corotto away for the rest of his life. Mr. Von Poole, you may step down. You and your siblings may go back to your undisclosed facility,” Judge Zingar directs.

With the same promptness that the Von Pooles had been brought into the courtroom, they are whisked away to their secret location. Their names are changed, new credentials issued to them, and they haven’t been seen since. Forty-five years later, the treasure is still here, in a money bag, and under my trunk. Markus is now twenty-one. In spite of his poverty, Markus has completed undergraduate school; but now he has heavier financial difficulties. Markus might be able to get small loans, but it will still not be enough. He needs funds for specialized books, rent, and other unforeseen expenses. He needs to eat better to stay healthy. Markus is apprehensive about his doubtful future. Also, for the past few years, Shuk has made a great effort to stay in school in spite of the lack of money. His mom works several jobs in order for them to survive. Shuk is always worried about his future and he looks for ways to improve his financial situation. He shines shoes for pedestrians; cleans yards, roofs, and chimneys; and helps his mom with her work. He is trying hard to continue attending school. Maybe he can get a government grant. But the money will not be sufficient to all his needs. He could get a part-time job. But that job will cut into his study time and might be counterproductive in the long run. Today, Markus is helping Shuk with his homework. As always, they sit underneath me. They discuss their vague futures. They both are doing very well in school, but a lack of money is their major problem. “I was awarded a small basketball scholarship and it helped me get through college for a while. I can play pretty well, but I need to be better so I can receive an improved scholarship with free books and all.” Markus reaches in his pocket. Pulls out some green paper and says, “By the way, I made a few bucks the other day helping my neighbor move to a new apartment. Here is ten dollars to help you this week!” “Wow, Markus! You don’t have to do this. Thank you!” “Not a problem! We have to help each other!” Eskur and Erkon had been sitting near Markus and Shuk, watching their conversation attentively. Markus and Shuk acknowledge their presence by tapping them tenderly on top of their furry heads. Charmingly, Eskur and Erkon bumped tails to each other in a cute movement and chucklelike response.

I am listening to their heartfelt expressions about their ordeal, and my heart suffers for them too. Eskur and Erkon are also teary-eyed and with sad faces. They seem to understand Markus and Shuk’s problems and desires. I must help them… I decide to send Diling and Dilong in a mission to unearth the treasure buried under me by Victor von Poole. They energize themselves and hover around me as they size up the area they intend to penetrate with their sizzling exploring rays. They look through my trunk and roots with their sensor energy beams. Finally, they detect the money bag. The rains and the climate changes of almost forty-five years have slid the money bag deeper down under my trunk and roots. Slowly, they bring the money bag to the surface and place it under Cham’s old green umbrella. Eskur and Erkon, following my telepathic instructions, go to the site where the money bag lies, sniff it, and drag the money bag to the side of Markus and Shuk. “What is this, you guys?” Markus unzips the bag and they both look inside. They open their eyes wide and their faces brighten up with a flash of marvel. They are speechless. “It’s a miracle!” All four of them reverently look up and fix their eyes on me. They have a notion that some unexplainable inner magic has just taken place. Pirus and Gara come toward us, and before they can ask about the jubilation, Markus and Shuk begin telling them the story. “It’s beyond belief! A marvel! Eskur and Erkon dragged a money bag to us! What are we going to do with these supercreatures?” Markus says. “Oh my god! I am happy for you!” Gara exclaims. “Congratulations! Embrace me, my brothers! I am very glad your destiny is about to change!” Pirus says. Pirus and Gara them in their happiness. Everybody hugs Eskur and Erkon for discovering the treasure. As Gara embraces Eskur, she senses an additional palpitation near her excited heart. I notice it as well. There is another reason for celebrating: a new life is growing in Gara’s womb that will us in eight months or so.

“Guess what, everybody! Gara is going to have a baby!” Pirus tells the group. “Congratulations, my friends! This is another miracle! God bless you!” Shuk runs to Pirus and Gara and embraces them. “My sincere congratulations to both of you! This is a gift from God!” Markus says. I listen to their joyful expressions and watch the brilliant smiles that spread across their cheeks, and the running and jumping with Eskur and Erkon. After the rejoicing tunes go down, Markus begins to think about what to do. “I am going to the police to report the discovery and make our claim,” Markus suggests. “Okay, we will wait for you here!” Shuk agrees. Markus leaves right away, followed by Erkon, who accompanies him all the way to the end of the park and on to the street sidewalk near the restrooms. I dispatch Diling and Dilong to follow Markus and report back. “What can we do for you, young man?” the receptionist asks a nervous Markus. “My name is Markus Donos. My friend Shuk Dartins and I found some big money at the park. We want to report the finding.” “How much money is big money, Markus?” the sergeant asks. “More than thousands of dollars, we think. We found it packed into a money bag. We didn’t count it because we wanted to report the finding right away,” Markus answers. “Okay. Jon! Stiv! Please accompany this young man, Markus, to the park. He reports that he and his friend by the name of Shuk found some big money in a money bag, thousands maybe!” the sergeant says. “Let’s check it out. It’s probably play money anyway,” says Officer Jon Sorfer. They get in the police car, and in about ten minutes they arrive at the park. Jon and Stiv approach Shuk, who is the one holding the money bag.

“You must be Shuk?” Jon asks. “Yes, sir, I am!” “Where exactly did you guys find the bag?” Stiv asks. “This bag was found right there, under that green umbrella, near the roots. It happened less than an hour ago,” Shuk responds. Shuk hands the bag over to the officers for their inspection and for the counting of the money. Jon and Stiv begin checking the money bag. Everybody watches intently. “It’s, uh, one million dollars, ladies and gentlemen!” proclaims Jon. While Jon is conducting the investigation about the money bag, Stiv is filling out the blanks of the police report and the claimants’ forms. “Stiv! Do you our first night at work? Both of us were fresh from the police academy, just before the Fourth of July?” “Oh my god! What a coincidence! In this very spot, you and I arrested that vigilante, what was his name?” Stiv ponders for a moment, then announces with amazement, “Victor von Poole!” “It sure was a long time ago,” Jon adds. We perform a mind intrusion operation so that Jon and Stiv temporarily forget about the night in question. I want Markus and Shuk to get the money without any difficulty. Within a minute, the procedure is completed. “What was I talking about a minute ago? Stiv, are the forms completed? Is the police report done?” Jon asks. “Yes, Jon, I will have the forms signed by the claimers, Markus and Shuk. But we will need two other witnesses.” “I am Pirus Ambros and this is my wife, Gara. We can be the witnesses and sign the forms for them.”

The police officers the claim forms and give copies to Markus and Shuk. Jon and Stiv take the money bag with them. “It will be a few days before your claim is processed,” Jon says. Markus and Shuk their hands together and call upon and implore our Omnipotent. “Oh god! Where did the money come from?” Shuk cries. “How did it suddenly appear? How did this happen? God must be listening to us!” Markus says, wondering aloud. “Let’s not get too excited. We still have to wait for the results of the police investigation,” Markus says to Shuk. Solla and Cham approach quietly and introduce themselves to the group. “Hi, I am Solla and this is my friend, Cham. He cannot communicate too well. We are from the homeless shelter, and we just love to come here. May I ask what are you celebrating?” “Oh well, this is an incredible story! First, Eskur and Erkon here discovered a treasure underneath this tree. Oh, and we’ve also just learned that our friends Pirus and Gara here are going to have their first baby,” Shuk answers. “Oh my! That’s great! Please don’t mind us being here. We are very tired and would like to rest under the tree.” According to Diling and Dilong, Markus and Shuk got together that night and told the wonderful news to their parents. Markus and Shuk have no telephones, so Jon and Stiv, who have developed a liking for the young men, promised them that they would personally notify them of the result of the investigation. Their parents are uneasy but thrilled at the same time. Awarding the money to them is only a possibility at this point. Their only hope is this money—an opportunity teetering on the whims of fate. Twenty-three days . The gang is relaxing by my roots with two additional : Shuk’s mother, Mrs. Dartins, and Markus’s father, Mr. Donos. They all turn their heads to the sound of a car door slamming near them. Jon and Stiv

step out of the police car and begin walking toward us. “Markus, we went to your home but you were not there, so we figured you would be here with Shuk as usual,” Jon says with a smile. “What kind of news you bring us, officers? What’s going to happen to the money?” Markus and Shuk ask almost simultaneously. “Good news, the money is yours!” Stiv says. “Bravo, bravo!” the gang shouts when they hear the wonderful news. Markus and Shuk jump to each other’s open arms and embrace. Mr. Donos and Mrs. Dartins are sobbing with joy. I cannot contain myself either. I am weeping too. Diling and Dilong feel great emotion for the first time in their lives. “However, you will have to pay taxes on it. Come, you must be accompanied by your parents and two witnesses before you can collect.” Jon says after he breaks into the festivity. “No problem, we are all here.” Shuk replies. “Okay, let us go to the clerk of court’s office.” Jon leads the way. The group arrives at the courthouse. Then they continue together through the court’s enormous doors. Diling and Dilong hover inconspicuously overhead, feeding me inner thought. “Welcome and congratulations, young men!” The judge greets them cordially. “Approach the desk, please! Recipients sign first and witnesses follow.” The clerk of the court states in a businesslike manner. Once all the g is completed, the clerk gives the money bag to a thrilled Markus. Shuk, Mrs. Dartins, Jon, Stiv, and Mr. Donos Markus. They all walk on foot to the bank located on the nearby corner. They will make deposits to their prearranged s and pay taxes. Their expressions change at this point, as they all are serious and concentrating on their plans for their new future as well as contemplating ways to assist the community businesses, schools, and the poor.

As they arrive in front of the bank, two homeless youngsters are standing near the front doors with their hands extended forward in a begging gesture. “Help me, please.” They mumble in a weak low voice. The lads look skinny and awfully hungry. Everyone, including Jon and Stiv, reach for their wallets and retrieve their monies to give to them. The youngsters smile happily and thank them before proceeding to walk as fast as they can to a nearby corner kiosk to obtain food and refreshments. Immediately, they begin to eat and drink. We all watch the lads with endearment before entering the bank. A charming young lady guides the group to the bank manager’s office. She is attracted to Markus instantly, and she has difficulty keeping her eyes away from him as they walk down the hall. When they reach the office door, Markus gets closer to her, glances at her nametag, and whispers in her ear, “My name is Markus… Alishya.” “Hello!” she responds graciously with an attractive smile. “May I talk to you when we’re all done here? I’d like to get to know you,” Markus asks. “Please do that, Markus,” she answers with elation playing in her eyes. Markus grins widely to himself as she walks away. Diling and Dilong inform me that within thirty minutes, the transactions were finalized, and the new millionaires began heading for home. Markus and Shuk stop by the information desk to say good-bye to Alishya and to make arrangements to meet again before reing the group. Everyone has had an exhilarating and happy day, an unforgettably wonderful day. They agree to meet at the park the following Sunday at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate and discuss future plans. Diling and Dilong remain to examine Alishya. The resulting data shows her given name to be Alishya Alba Abbott. She arrived in Manhattan a year after Markus Donos, with her father, Papa Alimiro, and seven-year-old brother, Joey Jay. They came from the Caribbean island, Jamaica, where her parents owned a boat rental business.

She lost her mother tragically in a boat accident one afternoon when her mother went out to the sea to test a new boat engine. She was so focused on her job that she forgot to check the weather forecast before steering out to open sea. Without warning, a powerful storm appeared and pounded her small boat mercilessly several miles out in the ocean. Her powerboat was smashed against the dark coral reefs of the sea, and she did not survive the violent crash. Jana Marie Abbott was killed instantly. Mr. Almiro, Alishya, and Joey’s pain and sorrow was so overwhelming that they could not stay in Jamaica with the dreadful memories of the accident and of the wonderful happy times they had spent with her. The nostalgia became so tormenting for them that Papa Abbott decided to leave Port-au-Prince and go to the USA. He knew that the kids, especially Alishya, were intelligent and bright, and they would have a better opportunity to succeed in a place like New York City. There, Almiro took a job as a security guard at the bank, earning a modest salary, and raised Alishya to be an unpretentious and conservative young woman, and Joey to a classy and serious eleven-year-old. He turned out to be a neat, focused, and likeable young man. Alishya began working at the bank. She started in high school as a part-time teller-apprentice and then as a receptionist. Of course, Mr. Abbott helped her get her first part-time job. Once she got her foot in the door, she just worked and worked with full dedication. After college, she became a permanent employee assigned as a special s specialist. She also kept the receptionist position because of her pleasant and charming personality. As time ed and good fortunes turned their way, their wounds of their loss healed until a Sunday afternoon, on a Mother’s Day, when for the first time, Jana Marie’s memory was not so awful anymore. With God’s help, they had learned to live with the pain and to accept their loss. They had no clue that a second shock in their lives was brewing in the unreasonable kingdom of evil. Joey had gone to his classmate’s house across the street and about two blocks down that same street to pick up some music records. On his way back, he had gotten distracted looking at the records’ colorful labels as he began to cross the busy street. Out of nowhere, a motorcycle speeding and zigzagging carelessly had appeared from behind a parked truck and struck Joey from behind, killing

him on the spot. Papa Almiro and Alishya looked out the window at the sounds of ambulance and police sirens and people running to see the terrible accident. Alishya saw the inert body of a young boy. She was alerted when she recognized Joey’s clothes. She let out a scream followed by tears of anguish. “It’s Joey, Daddy! It’s Joey!” Alishya ran outside and saw Joey covered with blood and his body limbs broken and twisted like a rag doll. The emergency unit personnel pulled Alishya from Joey’s mutilated body and took him away. She ran upstairs and ed her dad, who was in a state of total distress and emotional disarray. They embraced in anguish. After that terrible heartbreak, Alishya and her dad just consoled and took care of each other. Alishya has never been involved with anyone, but now she seems to like Markus very much. “They will make a nice couple together,” I say to Diling and Dilong.

Chapter 6: Ogos’s Mission

my name is anira, and i eargerly watch all my friends who are at the park. They are there all dressed up with Ogos to celebrate the treasure. They have a picnic prepared, and Shuk tied a yellow ribbon around Ogos’s trunk. They are sitting near the small old water fountain right now and chatting about their plans. To me, this looks like a family reunion. “Oh! Oh my goodness!” Suddenly, Ogos is filled with anticipating excitement as he says to Diling and Dilong via his inner thoughts. “Do you two feel that? I’m shivering, from my roots up into my leaves! There is an energy force coming from somewhere. I have felt this before!” I smile as I listen to his thoughts. “Sir, the Paginal Virtual Grid s an incoming telecom emergency message for us!” Dilong reports to Ogos. “We must decode this message immediately!” Ogos tell Diling and Dilong telepathically. Diling begins to decipher. “This message is from a Supreme Mission director. It says Master Scientist Ogos, Diling, and Dilong must make preparations to return home within the next Earth hour; so has been directed by the Supreme Mission staff. Your mission of mercy to planet Earth is completed, as we find no more signs indicating possible human extinction. Hurry home! Directed by Master Scientist Ogar, Assistant Supreme Mission Directors.” Understanding begins to for Diling, “Uh oh!” “What? This is unreal!” Ogos says disbelievingly. “Master Scientist Ogos, we need to do something to maintain with our earthling friend,” Diling explains urgently, for she knows there isn’t much time. “Dilong and I can set electronic locator parameters to keep track of them. The device will brand all our friends electronically. It will be easier for us to locate them if we ever return to Earth. Also, the locating pad detector will allow us to establish a more accurate return path.”

Ogos is stunned. He begins to feel a humming and understands it is the Transporter Quorum. Realization begins to . “Let’s do that right away!” Sadness seeps in to overwhelm him and he begins to weep. “We don’t have time to say good-bye. The Transporter Quorum is coming. I can feel it humming! My friends cannot even hear me crying.” “Our friends are tagged!” Dilong announces. “We should be able to stay in touch and receive virtual videos of them.” The Transporter Quorum, silently, without a hiss or a whoosh, flashes, and the three of them instantaneously materialize on our planet where the sky is jeweled with two suns and three pearl-white moons, against translucent light blue skies covering an oceanic world where land masses are populated by trees. There is a reception committee waiting for them within the virtual grid. Several trees are present. Among them is the real Anira, me, who was at times, Ogos’s imaginary Earth-tree friend, and my father, Master Scientist Ogar. But Ogos, Diling, and Dilong aren’t very excited to see any of the reception committee. They are disappointed that they had to leave Earth, and as a result of the trip, their vitals are low, enervated. Plus, emotionally, they are far from ready to be here. They are guided to rest peacefully and regenerate. The first virtual images come from Earth through Diling and Dilong’s spatial visual plain, and they see Eskur and Erkon looking unhappy. Their heads are down looking at the ground and they are standing still, staring at one spot. They are not running around doing sudden stops to eat acorns and chasing elegant butterflies. In their own way, they try to call Markus and Shuk’s attention, but Markus is conversing absorbedly with his new friend Alishya. Eskur and Erkon are sitting by Shuk’s side, tails down and very quiet. “They are in pain, heartbroken, and cheerless, the same as I am here on Ogan,” Ogos says. At one point, Shuk looks at the double Es, and he sees the sad furry duo running to the place where Ogos used to be. Shuk suddenly realizes that Ogos is not there. He runs to the site where Ogos used to stand and finds the ground undisturbed, without a trace of him. Markus looks for Shuk and sees him standing in front of an empty site, the space Ogos used to occupy. It’s as if nothing were ever there. “What is this? What happened to our tree?” Shuk says.

“Impossible!” Markus is filled with emotion. “How did this happen? How did they do such an untraceable job? It looks like the tree just grew legs and walked away. What happened to our inspiration? The tree that seemed to guide, encourage, and give us spiritual hope?” Cham and Solla see that Ogos is no longer there to give them a safe haven and a sense of security. They find the green umbrella, but their protective bubble… gone! They realize that there is no more nightly refuge for them. They are miserably sobbing in tears, the same as Ogos, Diling, and Dilong do while watching the images. A mystical sadness engulfs them all, including Alishya. Markus and Shuk are painfully devastated, while Pirus and Gara are already crying. They look for Ogos all over the park, hoping to find him. But there is nothing they can do. The happy gathering became heartache, saturated with endless tears. At last, they all embrace together and begin their way back to their homes. Solla and Cham choose to stay at the homeless shelter. From Ogan, Ogos, Diling, and Dilong can only see the lives of their friends on Earth, speeding through time as they develop. Time goes faster on Earth than on Ogan and soon, ten Earth years have ed, as Ogos reviews and summarizes how it all began. “Ogan is my home planet and I am a tree general sciences professor, a master scientist on this unique planet whose habitat solely s a highly intelligent tree culture. My planet is located at a key intersection within the galaxies of this vast universe. From this key position, we monitor events occurring in other galaxies and planets. One of our special sciences to-do operations is to analyze the data we monitor and implement treetarian and humanitarian missions. “Centuries ago, Ogan scientists observed strong signals of genre deterioration and a threat of possible future human extinction. My government decided to send to Earth an exploratory scientific mission of mercy. The mission was to provide health care with an objective to eradicate mental and physiological illnesses of humans and other existing species. To do so they needed a tree with human sensory abilities, and typically, we trees do not generate feelings or other humanlike emotions. “Therefore, the Scientist Department did not go by size and experience when

choosing me for this assignment. Unlike the Sequoia trees on Earth, the largest trees are not necessarily the oldest on my planet nor the most experienced, and there were many trees greater in size and far more experienced. But I had something that they lacked. I am equipped with acute sensors that allow me to generate feelings and humanlike emotions. I was the only tree-persona master scientist on my planet that could experience ion similar to humans. In my kind, this is a genre-unique characteristic. The people in the park could sense this and flocked toward my fluffy leaves and shady roots, enabling me to use my distinctive powers of comion and love to combat the unprecedented, most devastating plague. The most spiteful and revolting disease humanity has never been able to defeat—misery! “In my mission, I faced misery—disease, hunger, death, sadness, and loneliness —every day alongside the humans as I helped heal them. Now following my centuries on Earth, I have become a lover of the human race, a complex but colorful and beautiful race. I no longer desire my own planet with its two golden suns, whose rays are sweetly mild and maintain one steady season all year round. There are seldom clouds blocking the azure sky. The most gallant green trees live near the magnificent blue lakes, and they decorate the frontiers of the planet. Early in the evenings, the three beautiful clear white moons spray silver rays into purplish blue oceans, lakes, and rivers, creating countless fascinating rainbows. Windless rains are the dominant aspect of the planet’s weather, and Ogan is free from typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, deserts, sandstorms, earthquakes, blizzards, and floods. Despite all this beauty and perfection, I was happier in a nice city park in a place called Manhattan, New York. Living in a perfect world like Ogan, without my human and animal friends, is no longer tolerable for me. “Here, our environmental duties are far less severe, weather-wise, than what my tree-Earth brothers and sisters and I withstood. Since our planet is free from heavy rains and extreme weather conditions, we do have duties bestowed upon us that require greater intellectual challenges. We have to physically protect our own environment and ensure the well-being of the treepulation (the tree population) of the planet. As a group, we scientists are always experimenting and developing new devices and ways to improve and care for our way of life. “These devices include ‘the grid,’ which enables us to interact in a virtual setting where we communicate with each other using a type of telepathic definitivepurpose messaging called ‘inner thought.’ Similar to the invisible current of a

faxed message received on a fax machine. The unseen data within a mind is like the ‘faxed message’ and can be in almost any form. It can be the sound of a voice or a visual memory. The receiving mind is the machine itself. It displays the received message in interactive real time, as if two friends were sitting next to each other talking back and forth. It can also be information for viewing later, like an old movie or file. This sharing is purposeful and is sent via invisible currents from inside the mind out across a grid. The grid carries the words, images, and sounds until it reaches and is viewed or heard by the receiving mind. “The inner-thought thinker also has the ability to manipulate the level of secrecy, since he or she is the one who generates it. Telepathic interference from an outsider does not enter unless the thinker allows it. Inner-thought conversations are protected and only permitted if participants are willing to exchange thoughts. “It is through the grid and by choosing to share my inner thoughts which enabled me to obtain an education. As a child, I had to awaken at sunup to attend the school grid at seven in the morning. I had to be alert when the grid popped up and the bell rang in my mind, signaling the beginning of the school day. Knowledge was transmitted from the school directly into our sensors. The segment of knowledge for that day became a permanent feature when the class day ended at five in the evening. At that time, the school grid vanished. After reading and analyzing a certain amount of data, we were tested as a group on a weekly basis and a major test once a year. After ten years of upper-level schooling, we were individually awarded with a title. The first title was Oganan, the second title was professor, the third title was master, the fourth was scientist professor, and the fifth and most important was master scientist. “I was so relieved when I reached my master scientist title with honors. By then, everyone in my family had ed, and I was alone without relatives to cheer me on. Only my friend, Anira, and her dad, Ogar, attended my graduation ceremony and the grid of festivities that followed. Then the Directory of Scientific Research assigned Diling and Dilong to assist me. I was selected for an exploratory mission within Ogan. My accurate reports caught the attention of my superiors, and I was considered for more difficult missions. They detected an innate characteristic in me, a rare ionate feeling toward my work and other Oganians. “Our minds and souls are the ones that travel using the Transporter Quorum’s lower-level Expeditionary Grid. We never moved to go anywhere. Everything

was in a virtual kind of setting. Although on Earth my mental travel was limited to my neighboring surroundings, it is within those limited surroundings I enjoyed something I do not have on Ogan—the pleasant encounters with beautiful and tender-loving butterflies, the sweet chirping sparrows, and the soft and friendly pigeons. They came to me and stayed in my flora, taking pleasure in the freshness of the pure air and the refuge from the heat of the yellow sun. I feel them even now as I when they touched me sweetly with their moist mouth pricks; it feels like a friendly kiss. Some pigeons and sparrows stayed with me overnight, and others make their nests on my branches, and they cared for their eggs and their newborns. They were happy, and they spread their happiness by making me happy too. “I feel these Earth animals are my many friends, reminding me how I’ve hardly had any friends on Ogan. I only have few acquaintances. The only friends close to me here were Master Scientist Ogar and his daughter, Anira, with whom I took classes with at the University of Sciences. It was so long ago. “There was another childhood friend named Oros, who moved to the other side of the planet. After his scientist professor graduation, he was sent to a mission to a nearby planet. The planet’s weather suddenly changed to an icy climate, and he couldn’t get out in time, leaving him petrified like a statue. By the time he was brought back to Ogan, it was too late to revive or repair him. He became a decorative ornament along the edge of one of our lakes, the one closest to my neighborhood. “The same lake we use to play near every evening after school, Anira, Oros, and I, a game we called ‘Catch that Star.’ Stars by Ogan in great numbers, and the one who saw the most was declared the winner. “I miss my Earth friends more than ever as I watch Markus’s graduation. He looks great! He now specializes in animals, just as he dreamed. He married Alishya shortly after his graduation. The wedding reception was at the Gara Inn Hotel in Manhattan. It was a luxurious gala event. He looked like a gallant man, and Shuk was his best man. He and Alishya later used their practice building to make their home. There is a second floor, a storage facility, and a large fenced patio with a basketball court. They live on the second floor, and his practice is on the first floor. People say he is always at work. Recently, they added a baby boy to their family, whom they named Markali Dillon.

“We also saw Shuk become Dr. Charles Dartins, a medical general practitioner and surgeon. He graduated with high honors. His mom is so very proud of him. Thanks to the treasure, Shuk fulfilled his fantasy just as Markus had. When I saw Shuk receive his diploma, my heart filled with pride, and tears of joy came sliding down my trunk. He is now an important senior staff member at City Hospital. He is fully dedicated to his work and his commitment to help the poor. “We observed with great interest when Gara had her baby boy; she called him Gary Pigar. Pirus was so nervous that he tripped over his own feet as he paced back and forth down the hospital hallways, waiting to hear the news that he was finally a father. I am very proud of them all. “My fellow trees are very happy and contented, but I cannot them in their joy. I don’t feel like talking to them. I am home and yet, I do not feel at peace. I miss my Earth friends dearly.” As Ogos settles down to rest, he can hear Diling and Dilong murmuring to each other about him. They interface with one another by way of electronic synchronization across the grid, a form of inner thought for their kind, and they are very worried about him. Diling transmits to Dilong, “Since our arrival on Ogan, Master Scientist Ogos is always in a somber mood. He looks remotely drawn, like he’s not there at all. The soft green texture Ogan’s suns had given him has changed to the darker green he received from the sun of the Earth. Now he stands out among his fellow trees. He appears depressed. We pick up incomprehensible murmuring inner thoughts from him. We sense that his thoughts are gone to a place far away with strong feelings of no return.” “Pardon me!” I say. “My name is Master Scientist Anira, daughter of Master Scientist Ogar, and fellow scientist. I can hear your high-level thought transmissions. Please do not let Master Scientist Ogos know that we are talking. I am also worried about him. He is not the strong and handsome treeman I once knew. I still ire him though, and his unorthodox desire to become human.” “Oh, it’s okay,” Dilong responds with sadness. “We sense who you are. We spent a great deal of time on planet Earth with Ogos engaged in a humanitarian mission. Master Scientist Ogos keeps rekindling in his tired mind the many happy moments and events he shared with his gang! With our help, he makes

movielike dreams that he plays and replays over and over until he breaks into a quiet sobbing, and then falls asleep.” “That is very sad. I wish I could help him,” I say. Diling explains, “Master Scientist Anira, for an unknown and mysterious reason, a strong bond has transpired between Master Scientist Ogos and his gang. He had many friends in the past, friends that he cared for, but not as ionately as now. Friends did not last very long for Master Scientist Ogos, as they aged and ed on too quickly. Deep within his soul, he wants to become like them. His level of humanity and comion has increased dramatically since our arrival on planet Earth.” Dilong tells Anira, “Master Scientist Ogos believes that living in a world without human and animal friends is unbearable, even if that world is perfect. He prefers life with his human and squirrel friends. Even though he is more compatible with planet Ogan’s soil, waters, and air, Master Scientist Ogos continues feeling as if he is suffering from some kind of unknown illness. He misses the playful winds and the sweet kissing drops of rain he enjoyed during Earth’s afternoons.” Dilong then directs his thoughts to both Anira and Diling. “When Master Scientist Ogos arrived on planet Earth, he was a much younger, muscular, and less green most handsome tree. He attracted many people, especially those who had physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. We corrected patients with brain failures, degenerative diseases, cancer, acute diabetes, infections of the organs, and a variety of killer diseases known to mankind. He was able to provide help to many people for generation after generation for thousands of years. Thus, he was never too attached to anyone until he met the of his gang. On Earth, Master Scientist Ogos was able to use his enhanced extraterrestrial abilities to do good deeds, live his fantasy, and fulfill his mission.” I now explain, “On planet Ogan, the Supreme Mission director is the one who assigns the missions. My research shows that Master Scientist Ogos was the most qualified for the Earth mission because of his emotional ability. They know that earthlings have an enormous amount of ion. This characteristic aids humans in running their lives like a propulsion engine. Following a sudden impulse of emotion, Master Scientist Ogos volunteered for the Earth mission. He was very excited about this assignment opportunity in spite of knowing that the

mission was a very long one. But Master Scientist Ogos was young and with an adventurous mind full of expectations. His youth demanded ambition and adventure. This was his dream assignment. “There are missions within planet Ogan, but these internal tasks are short, as they are less than one hundred Ogan years and they are given to rookies. These assignments mainly involve the restoration of irregularities on the planet itself, rerouting rivers and redecorating lakes with flower plants, or where landslides or erosions have defaced the beauty of Ogan. These are too dull for Ogos. Participants do not have to use their intellect or their better intrinsic talents.” “As you know, Anira,” Dilong says, “Treesonnel communicate by using diverse levels of telepathic wavelengths, and high-frequency levels are seldom used by anyone but the Supreme Mission Organization . Master Scientist Ogos happens to be on this exclusive team. We know that he has been thinking about presenting a proposal to the Supreme Mission Organization asking for a new comionate assignment to planet Earth. This idea has been circling around his crown practically since the moment he arrived here. But proposals such as this one are normally rejected, since Ogos just returned from Earth. Ogos weeps internally, and his body becomes weaker, as if rotting from his deep melancholy. He begins to sound like his friend Shuk when he was twelve years old. He visualizes Eskur observing him, as she used to do to Shuk when he would cry.” “There are so many things Master Scientist Ogos could do to persuade the Supreme Mission director to give the green light on a mission of mercy and comion to Earth,” Diling shares with excitement. “Maybe he could suggest to be appointed as ‘Supreme Ambassador’ to Earth or ‘Doctor-at-Large’ or ‘Earth Supreme Healer’ or ‘Ogan Excellency Treesonnel Representative.’ Yes! This is a mission of mercy to heal the wounds of many innocent humans hurt by senseless conflicts on planet Earth. An external healing hand is needed to inhibit the agony and misery of these blameless human earthlings.” Unconsciously, Ogos picks up their last comments, as he feels as if he is in a deep trance. So he decides to their conversation. “Why not? Might as well be me! I have known humans for thousands of Earth years! It was grueling to leave my friends without saying a simple ‘good-bye.’ They are my friends, maybe my only friends. I hardly have any friends here in Ogan!” A very old trembling voice speaks out, “Not so, Mr. Ogos!”

My father, Master Scientist Ogar, talks to Ogos out loud and he pulls him out of his trance. He has the vacillating voice of a tree close to extinction. Ogos, inadvertently, had reached a high wavelength of telepathic thinking that can be heard by other high-level treesonnel. Ogar has known him for thousands of Earth years before he went to planet Earth. We were his neighbors for many years, his only friends here on Ogan. “I was here in this ground when you popped up from the soil one most glorious and special day. We in the Supreme Mission Office are very proud of you!” Ogar expresses with reverence. Then Ogar lengthens the top branches of his crown and earnestly touches Ogos’s crown with soft affection, like a father to a son. Ogos stays speechless. “Once I went to planet Irtho, in the solar system Ongramela Galaxy, very far from here, even much farther away than Earth. Irtho is very similar to Earth. I tried very hard to go back, but the Supreme Mission director then was very strict, much sterner than the one we have now. The director turned down my application and instructed me to remain here. I could go back now if I wanted to, but I am too old, and the journey would definitely destroy me. Ogos, you are lucky because now we have fair management. I am an important member of this organization—I am assistant director and I can help you,” Ogar says to him. “If you can help me, that would be great! I would be very happy if you could assist me in fulfilling my dream!” “Submit your proposal. I will assist you with the proper wording, and Anira will take the documents to the office for processing. You should get an answer by high-level message from us within a few days.” Their high-level conversation concludes on a high note, implying that there is hope for the three of them—Diling, Dilong, and Ogos—to return to Earth. After Ogos’s conversation with Master Scientist Ogar, he begins to look happier and gradually changes back to his old self. Ogos is inspired, “Trees have destiny.” He submits his application to the Supreme Mission director’s office, requesting a mission of mercy and comion to planet Earth. Soon enough, he receives the message approving the proposal to go to planet Earth on a mission of mercy within five Ogan days.

“Exactly as in my previous mission, I again have Diling and Dilong as my assistants.” He and his helpers proceed with their traveling arrangements. Two days before the trip, they make with the transporter in the Missions Operations Room for preliminary travel formalizations. The emissary analyst begins to enter the travelers’ information into the Universal Database. “Planet Irtho for Master Scientist Ogos and Assistant Scientists Diling and Dilong!” the emissary analyst confirms. “Could you repeat that, please?” Ogos inquires, worried. “Planet Irtho,” and she spells out the name, “I-R-T-H-O… Irtho.” “No, no, no! It is planet Earth. Please make proper corrections.” “I am extremely sorry, Master Scientist Ogos, but once the data is ed, it cannot be changed without the approval of a member of the Supreme Mission director’s office,” the analyst says. “Yes! This is Master Scientist Ogar. Please rectify the travel arrangement to planet Earth for Master Scientist Ogos and his assistants, Diling and Dilong.” I clarify, “I believe this is my mistake, and I apologize to all. I used Master Scientist Ogar’s sample to prepare the application form.” “Corrections are made, Master Scientist Ogar, Master Scientist Anira! They will depart at 6:00 a.m. in two of Ogan’s days. Travelers must be tuned-in in full force to this wavelength one hour before departure time,” the emissary analyst says. “Thank you!” we all say. Ogos’s trunk heart returns back into place as he begins to view his surroundings and reassess his thoughts and feelings. “I now can see the most beautiful night on Ogan.” We friends view the three minuscule moons in pallid white, like the white umbrellas of pasty mushrooms, suspended in a royal blue sky. Ogos is feeling nervous and kind of restless thinking about the trip and wondering if they will be able to find their friends soon enough. The voyage will only take a few

Earth seconds. Ogos then hears my father, Master Scientist Ogar, “My dear friends, Master Scientist Ogos, Diling, and Dilong. I must say farewell… and good luck to you!” “Master Scientist Ogos, I will only say until later, because I have the feeling that we will meet again,” I say. My good-bye is a warm good-bye; while my father’s gesture and tone of voice imply a forever farewell, and Ogos can tell Ogar feels that he is fading and will not see them again. He has already sured Ogan’s age expectancy. “It is sad when we say good-bye, especially if it means forever,” Ogos shares with Diling and Dilong. “He doesn’t have the strength to another high-level telepathic communication with the TR Quorum and us.” Ogos, Diling, and Dilong say their many thanks to Ogar and convey their appreciation by engraving their message on the Virtual Hierarchy of Ogan’s Historical Records for eternity. Ogos is feeling grateful as he views the horizon. Ogan’s two golden suns begin to appear together on the edge of the planet like a pair of playful twins slowly sneaking into the sky. The three doze for a couple of hours, but they never really go into a deep sleep. They harmonize, running videos they have in their files about their dear friends from Earth. They formulate visions they want to see in anticipation of the voyage they are about to undertake. They see Pirus and Gara’s wedding ceremony, and the party and everything that took place in the tabernacle. Also, have visions about the happiness they created when the gang found the unexpected treasure. Visions about the purifications they performed on Pirus and Gara in beautiful living color. They can see Eskur and Erkon joyfully running up and down Ogos’s trunk and in and out his foliaged crown, and Solla and Cham napping back-to-back under their old green sunshade. Drifting into a drowsy daze, they ire Earth’s blinding but enchanting sun and the shy face of the moon, when a sudden clear silver-vibrating ball appears suspended right above Ogos’s crown. Diling and Dilong maximize their size and expand to their utmost glow. The three are caught by surprise. “The time is here! The time is now!” Ogos broadcasts full of animation and thrill. Their wavelengths rapidly intensify, and within seconds they and merge to the greater one from the Supreme Mission director’s Transport Quorum, which is

silently wavering above them. The activity strengthens gradually until all four minds become one. With a big flash, all vanish, as if they had never existed.

Chapter 7: Home at Last

When I arrive on Earth, I’m groggy, sore, and disoriented from the intense mental strain in the Transporter Quorum. Even though the intergalactic travel only took a few Earth seconds, the natural energy spent is enormous. We know we are home, we feel it in our bodies and in our minds. We hear people’s voices, the trotting of horses pulling the fancy carriages, and the sounds of car engines and horns. The railway train with many noisy wagons is ing by, and we can also feel the tremor of the underground subway, and the delighted screams of children playing in the playground nearby. As we listen to these noises, deep within us emerges an inner magnificent feeling. “It’s so great being back home again!” Diling and Dilong acknowledge me with dim flashings. I relax, and my foliage hangs down like an old worn-out tree. I am very tired. Today the sun’s rays are strong enough to softly pinch my crown; it is a candid and not a punishing star. I wake up surrounded by beauty. I am practically in the same spot as I was before, right next to the new water fountain that park officials put in my place when I vacated. They have not a clue about how my disappearance occurred so they filled the gap with the water fountain. Now more people come to this area of the park to see the colorful fish that park officials put in the fountain, where the youngsters play. Their clatter does not raise our attention. It will take about forty-eight Earth hours before we come back to our normal selves. Wonderful thoughts come with some unexpected sinking sensations from abroad. A fading intergalactic transmission is trying to make way into my already weak mental reserve. Finally, I hang on to its reception and decipher it. The message comes from planet Ogan’s Supreme Mission director’s office. “Treenoble Ogos and Diling and Dilong, this is to inform you that Treehonorable Ogar has faded into eternity this morning. Treehonorable Ogar’s last words were for you, wishing you lots of luck and endless happiness on your lovable planet Earth.”

This injurious news weakens the liveliness of our minds and hearts. We realize that our farewell to Ogar was as Ogar himself foretold—a last and final goodbye. Losing a dear friend like Master Scientist Ogar, a ionate lover of treeanity and humanity, is painful and the damage is irreversible. Our reply message is solemn and tearful, “Honor and peace go with you always, oh dearest friend, Treehonorable Ogar, as your memory will live in our hearts eternally. Our deepest condolences to Ms. Anira.” For the first time we feel, even if it was for a short while, the affection and friendship of a true friend and collaborator. God bless Master Scientist Ogar in his journey to the other world. Our energy levels hit rock bottom. Diling tells me that I look like a dying tree. The circumstances make it difficult to focus on my Earth friends. Since our disappearance, the gang have not visited the park very often. The locator keeps track of them so we can view their whereabouts. Markus and Shuk are busy, tirelessly working on their own humanitarian missions. Shuk, like a younger Solla before him, has no time to socialize. Solla and Cham are staying at the homeless shelter; they call it “the homeless castle.” Erkon and Eskur found a cozy shrubbery quite a distance from where I am now. Everyone found a way to continue his or her life after we left. They work hard every single day, and then they take care of their families. We find that, thanks to us, all our friends have been able to fulfill their life-sought dreams, and they are in high spirits now. Once we rest from our electrifying voyage, we will our friends and help them with their missions. At the hospital, Shuk works industriously. He is the man in charge of hospital operations and is chief surgeon with Patricia Martin, RN, as his head nurse; he calls her Pat. Shuk walks down the main hall, speeding toward the emergency room to see what Pat informed him of; there is a very sick vagabond man. Suddenly he hears a female voice calling him. Her tone of voice denotes trouble. “Dr. Dartins! Dr. Dartins!” At the distance, Shuk stops and glances at a young lady, who looks more or less Shuk’s own age. She is not wearing the usual white uniform that hospital employees wear. She is wearing an attractive business suit, olive green on beige, with matching shoes. Her blondish brown hair flies from side to side gracefully as she walks and turns her head and as she advances toward him.

“Can I help you?” Shuk asks, without looking at her. “I am Kellie Sorano from Records istration. I need to talk to you about some discrepancies I found on some of the patient records, including the one belonging to the patient you are about to see. Pat told me you were rushing to see the patient now,” she explains in a distinctive professional manner. Shuk is impressed and turns his head to look at her. He is shocked to witness so much beauty. The two of them stare into each other’s eyes. There is a moment of silence, and there is no doubt in my mind that cupid has hit one more time. After a few seconds, they come to, each automatically identifying with the other, as she follows him in rapid step, down the hall toward the new patient’s room. Shuk and Kellie stand in front of the patient’s door before entering. They take a minute to look through the glass in the door at the elderly woman already attending the aged vagabond patient. The woman seems to know what she is doing. They enter the room. Two invisible floating tiny spheres follow and take their place behind the light features in the room. “Oh, Doctor! He went unconscious for a moment, and he stopped breathing!” the helping woman claims. “I did the R maneuver to resuscitate him, and I put a bag of ice on his forehead to bring the fever down. He was shivering so I covered him with a blanket, and I gave him some water. I am so sorry I interfered, Doctor! But he needed immediate help!” Shuk leans over the patient and feels his pulse as he puts a stethoscope on the patient’s chest. “You did everything perfectly! He looks better already.” “He’s my friend. I have known this man almost all my life. We are from the homeless castle down the road!” “I see.” Hanging from the bottom of the bed is the sick man’s record. Kellie reaches out and picks it up. She begins to analyze the record and compares it to the one she is carrying with her. She gasps in excitement and cries out “Oh! I know about this man! His name is

James T. Milfor, but they call him Cham. They tell me he is my auntie Solla’s friend! Another homeless person helped me communicate with him this week at the homeless castle while I was looking for my auntie Solla!” Shuk looks at the patient more closely and then looks at the helper. His eyes widen in astonishment as the realization sets in. He begins to cry out with a trembling voice. “Cham! Solla!” Shuk hugs Cham and then turns to Solla and embraces her for the longest time as tears run down his cheeks. At this moment of happiness, Kellie interrupts with joyful tears of realization. Her journey has ended. She cries out, “Auntie Solla? Is it you?” Kellie rushes out and embraces Solla in a hug. “I’ve been looking for you for years!” Mystified by this stranger, Solla thinks, My brother died. She shakes her head forming a no while telling Kellie, “But… but I don’t have any family!” “Yes, you do! Let me tell you,” Kellie says as she maintains her hug on Solla. “Your brother Frank, my father, did not die in the war as announced by the military. The air force istration committed an honest mistake by notifying the wrong family of the death of Major sco Paros Solanos.” “I… I must be dreaming!” “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true! My father was a prisoner of war and the air force command spokesman made proper rectification of their error and personally apologized to my father’s family. We live uptown, not too far from here.” “This can’t be real. Please tell me that I am awake!” Solla cries, her mind racing. “Since my father told me about you, I have been looking for you everywhere,” Kellie says, with tears running down her attractive face. “Oh! I want to see my brother!”

Kellie and Solla hug, crying and crying. Diling and Dilong begin to scan Kellie, and I see that since Kellie’s early adult life, Kellie has known she had an aunt named Solla, whom her father loved very much. When she celebrated her sweet sixteen birthday, she promised her dad she would make her priority in life the search for her beloved auntie Solla. Frank’s devotion to his sister Solla became Kellie’s mission. So every chance Kellie had after school and during weekends and holidays, she searched and searched diligently for her aunt. Many times, Frank and Gija ed her in her search for Solla. Their undertaking became harder and harder as time lapsed, mainly because Solla was kept in solitary confinement for a long time at the sinister sanitarium. The resident practitioners at the experimental hospital pretended not to know her when Kellie inquired. “My name is Kellie Sorano. I am looking for my aunt, Dr. Solla Sorano. Do you know where I might be able to find her?” “I have never heard that name before, miss! I do not have any idea where you may find her,” the hospital director claimed. Kellie lowered her head sadly, turned her back, and walked away disappointed. This was one of many times the same hopeless scene happened. Frank and Gija encountered similar deceptions when they searched for Solla. But their sadness ran deeper, and in a moment of sorrow, Frank reminisced to Kellie: “We were the happiest kids in the world!” he smiled as he cried. “Solla and I, we had each other and our dearest parents, Father Franco and Mother Soledad. They were full of peace and contentment all the time, no matter what. They took good care of Solla and me, and we took care of them. We helped them do chores in their bookstore… and at the house. It was like… a ‘home sweet home’… from a movie.” He paused, ing the past. His smile faded away, leaving only sad eyes before he continued. “It was perfect for us, until one day Dad suffered his first powerful stroke.” Frank felt numb again as if it were just yesterday. “Mom couldn’t endure Dad’s suffering. His condition was fast decaying. She took it extremely hard, and she died of a massive heart attack. They were a week apart, leaving us alone in this

world. Dad, he died the following week.” Kellie listened sadly to her father’s story of her grandparents. She wished she could have been there too, to assist them and love them. That was another good reason for finding Auntie Solla. As the clock’s small spear zoomed through time and Kellie graduated with honors, her little brother Frankie grew up like a twig. Then she found a job at City Hospital in the ing and Finance Department. Later, she was promoted to records istration manager. Throughout time, she continued to seek her auntie Solla. Now her mission is complete—she has found her. “Auntie Solla, as soon as you are ready, I’ll take you to see Dad! Okay?” “Yes! I want to see him very much!” After their joyful encounter, they turn their attention to Cham, who lies in bed unaware of his friends’ presence. “What happened to Cham?” Shuk asks Solla. “Cham collapsed,” Solla responds sadly. The door opens, and Shuk’s nurse, Pat Martin, enters with test results in hand. She hands them over to Shuk. “Here are the results on this patient’s initial tests,” she says. Shuk examines the documents and shows them to Solla and Kellie, explaining his findings. “The food poisoning is mild. Sugar tops the scale, but the combination of the two and the malnutrition knocks him down.” “At least we know what we are up against,” Kellie says. “For now, give him a nutrients IV, three Diamicrons, and three Glucophage tablets per day. Space the tablets through the day. Give him liquids and veggies, no sugar and no salt,” Shuk prescribes. My assistants are there all the time, reporting to me. Diling transmits to me, “There were more tests and Cham was diagnosed as being in semicritical

condition. Even though Solla wanted very much to see her brother and the rest of the family, she decided to stay with Cham. Kellie promised her auntie Solla that she would bring the family to her as soon as she can, but that her father, Solla’s brother Frank, is on a business trip and won’t return for about ten days. I think I’ll influence Shuk and Kellie to in friendship. The sparks are there and they look good together.” Dilong reports, “For a while now, every chance Shuk and Kellie get from their busy routines, they visit Cham and Solla. Also, Shuk notified Markus and Alishya and Pirus and Gara right away. They are all happy to know about Solla and Cham and promised to visit them soon. All the families offered their homes for them to stay.” This morning Solla’s face reflects worrisome lines for Cham and expectations related to their future yet to come. I watch as she dozes off, sitting deep in a cushioned chair next to Cham’s bed. Any move from Cham alerts her, and she is with him in a jiffy in case he needs something. Cham is pallid and looks frail. He has lost weight, and his mind is more drawn in. Meanwhile, Solla has been thinking about the home and boarding offers she has received for Cham and herself. Soon, she will accept one of them. She has been thinking about staying with her dear brother Frank and his family. But she will not decide without consulting Cham. It is well known that Cham will agree to whatever Solla recommends, but for Solla, it is more than just a matter of courtesy. Cham comes to, and Solla greets him. He bobs his head meaning that he is okay. A hospital attendant brings Cham’s breakfast. Cham smiles and jiggles optimistically when he sees his breakfast: pancakes, rice grits, toast, and a glass of watered-down orange juice. He has worked up an appetite and he is hungry. Kellie walks in with Shuk following closely behind, and Cham grins from ear to ear even though his mouth is full. “We are going to take good care of you, Cham! Don’t worry about a thing!” Kellie says, trying to cheer up Cham. They both hug Cham and Solla dearly. Then Solla continues feeding Cham. He devours breakfast without stopping for a breather. After his breakfast, Shuk proceeds to check Cham’s vitals and respiratory system as well as general overall condition.

“Solla, you have magic hands! In only a week, Cham has improved a great deal, thanks to your care!” Shuk exclaims out loud. “But… that’s not what I came in to tell you. Solla, Cham, and Kellie, I need your full individual attention for what I am about to suggest,” Shuk continues in a very serious note. “We—Kellie, Markus, and I—are working on two fronts: one is for the restoration of your medical credentials and the other one is finding suitable housing for you two. I believe I found a perfect home for you. I have a resting studio that resembles a bungalow here on the hospital grounds. Bungalows are to accommodate a doctor’s immediate family who need delicate caring. You two can stay with Kellie and me.” “The problem I see is that Cham and I are not related to you, Shuk!” “Now you are! This morning, I claimed you two as next of kin and you, Solla, can help me in the hospital until you get your credentials back, then you can the hospital staff. In addition, I have asked Kellie to marry me, and she said, ‘Yes!’” Diling and Dilong show me Solla jumping up and down in elation. Solla grabs them both, one in each arm, and hugs them. She loves them with all the love in the whole wide world. “I love you!” Solla says full of exhilaration. Cham is weak but puts up a big effort for a smile, claps his hands, and keeps them ed in a solemn prayer. “No need to discuss it anymore! Cham and I accept dearly!” Solla confirms, crying happily. My sensors receive the pure joy filling the air. Happiness, love, and a sense of personal security have finally come to Cham and Solla. The things that have been missing from their lives for most of their existence have finally returned. This moment is the most rewarding for them, and they will treasure it forever. The four of them remain embraced with widened eyes which search upward until fixated into a thank-you prayer. The spiritual recharge Cham received from the joyful meeting has improved his condition. Cham has never been so exceedingly happy in his whole life. He also does not totally realize he innocently loves Solla more than anything he has ever

known in his world—eternally. He just venerates her. He has arrived at the pinnacle of his happiness, the gates like heaven. I feel all that happiness renovating my tired soul, for I am still too weak to make a plan to reunite my gang, the who are too busy with their daily duties and do not have time to come to the park. As far as they know, the mystic tree is no longer there. Maybe they think there was something wrong with me, so the park authorities decided to remove me. So I close my eyes and feel better when I imagine that Anira is here and absorb the summit of my own happiness, for I am home, at the gates of heaven. Cham and I rest for now, me in the park in nutritious soil and Cham in a soft hospital bed.

Chapter 8: Hideous Germ

Cham has been convalescing at city hospital under Dr. Dartins’s care for nine days now. Diling and Dilong come to me with more medical news: Markus and Alishya’s young boy, Markali, is ill with high fever, vomiting, and suffering t pain. Markus gives him an over-the-counter medicine for a bad cold. But Alishya has an uneasy feeling about Markali. So she suggests they take him to the hospital so that his uncle Shuk can see him, to be sure it is just a cold. Alishya has faith in Shuk and believes he is a very accurate medical practitioner, and she regards his diagnosis as gospel truth. They go directly to Shuk’s office. Markus carries Markali in his arms. Once there, he sets Markali on a stretcher, and they wait for Uncle Shuk. Kellie walks into Shuk’s office and asks the nurse for Dr. Dartins’s whereabouts, for I had motivated her to talk to Shuk about Solla’s credentials. She becomes aware of the guests. Markus and Alishya stand up from their seats and meet Kellie at the nurse’s desk. “You must be Kellie. Shuk told us a great deal about you. I am Alishya, this is my husband, Marcus, and son, Markali.” “We have been looking forward to this meeting,” Markus says warmly as they shake hands. “This is wonderful! I have been looking forward to this moment. Shuk talks so much about you three!” The three of them and the nurse turn their attention to Markali, who has been sitting quietly on the treatment table, waiting for Doctor Dartins (Uncle Shuk) to see him. “Hi, handsome!” Kellie says to Markali as she hugs him and touches him cheek to cheek. Kellie feels the high fever on his cheeks. She asks the nurse if she gave him any

treatment for it. “I have already done so, Ms. Kellie. Dr. Garvin next door authorized a prescription.” Pleasantly Kellie responds, “That is great. Thank you, Pat.” Alishya recaps to Kellie why they brought Markali to Shuk for a second look. “Markali has always been a healthy kid and now all of a sudden, this! So we are worried,” Alishya reveals. “Here comes Dr. Dartins,” Pat announces. Everyone’s head in the office turns in the direction of the door. “Well, hello! Hello! Hello! What a pleasant surprise!” Shuk exclaims as he walks into his office. From the expression on their faces, Shuk can sense the seriousness of the visit. First, he hugs Markus and Alishya, and then he briefly puts his arm on Kellie’s shoulder before going on to Markali. Instantly, Shuk feels the fever in him. With his assistant Pat at his side, he begins examining Markali right away. “According to Doctor and Mrs. Donos, Markali came down with the fever, a rash on the back of his neck, general body aches, and t pain. With Dr. Garvin’s approval, I gave him medication for the fever some thirty minutes ago.” “These appear to be symptoms of a viral infection. Has he been playing outside in the park or hanging out at the beach lately?” Shuk asks. “No, he has not gone anywhere. Markali only goes to school and back to our home. We have a basketball court next to the garage door where the three of us play almost daily,” Markus answers sincerely with Alishya nodding in affirmation. Solla comes in and hugs Kellie and Shuk and embraces her friends. She observes Markali’s sickness. In her past, Solla took care of many patients suffering from an assortment of ailments. She identified, analyzed, diagnosed, and cured countless cases like this. As an experienced medical practitioner, she

automatically begins to closely examine every detail about his condition. “Solla, in the near future you are going to be working with Kellie, Pat, and me, so you might as well begin now!” Shuk smiles semiseriously. “Did you check his back, underarms, his feet, especially between his toes, and his crotch?” Solla asks Shuk and the others jokingly. “She is thorough, I tell you!” Shuk jests in return and everyone in the room laughs. “Please remove the ice bag from Markali’s head so I can inspect under his hair,” Solla asks the nurse. Pat carefully removes the gray ice bag, which is wrapped with a small white towel to prevent too much cold. “The ice-bag is working fine because the fever has gone down,” notes Pat as she takes off the ice bag from Markali’s head. Solla begins searching Markali’s head meticulously, looking under his hair. “Are you inspecting each hair?” Shuk jokes creating more laughter. “This is very important. You will see why! I go along with all the cold symptoms all right except for the pain in the ts. I also follow Alishya’s motherly instincts and concern. The pain in the ts does not fit in,” Solla emphasizes in a serious tone this time. Shuk and Markus exchange comprehensive looks. Solla searches for something on Markali’s head that would throw some light on his illness. “I say we keep him under observation for a few days and run some tests. He can keep company with Cham, and then I can take care of both of them,” Solla suggests. The telephone rings and Pat answers it. “Yes? Dr. Dartins, the call is for you,” Pat announces. Shuk excuses himself from the group and answers the telephone. A couple of Earth minutes later, Shuk returns and signals Markus, and Kellie to follow him

to the more private side of his office. “Yes, Shuk, what’s up?” Markus asks. “That was from the office of the county court judge. It’s been, like, four years, and they have finally found the incriminating evidence needed to charge the individuals who hurt Solla and Cham. They’re in police custody right now. The district attorney’s office and the county court will prepare a detailed report for the Bureau of Medical Practice, in which they will also indicate a recommendation to reinstate Solla as a general medical practitioner. This will take about a week,” Shuk explains. Even though this is great news, Shuk bears a serious face. “Outstanding!” Markus exclaims. Shuk adds, “Kellie and I have secretly provided them with many incriminating documents we found during the years of our investigation as well as the documents you came up with.” Markus is excited but cautious. “I suggest that we wait for definite results before we tell Solla.” “I wholeheartedly agree,” Shuk reaffirms, and then after taking a quick look at Kellie, he adds, “Kellie wants to be the one to coordinate the announcement.” Diling and Dilong blink and glow, hiding high in the ceiling close to the fluorescent lights. We watch Pat place Markali in a wheelchair and follow along as the group accompanies Markali to the room where he will stay with Cham. Pat pushes Markali down the busy hall filled with people walking, talking, and standing around. Hospital doctors, nurses, and service employees through the corridors, walking fast and some running to a new emergency. In the outpatient urgent care, we see there are so many new patients who are just waiting to be seen, and they are sitting on wheelchairs, benches, resting on carriages, or just on the plain floor on either side of the hall. Markali is so sick that he does not even notice them. He doesn’t notice how his group tackles all kinds of stoppages, obstacles, and human barriers as they finally arrive at Cham’s room. Solla gets in front of the group and pushes the room’s door open.

Cham is in a profound sleep, smiling, as he appears to be in another world. Solla whispers with enthusiasm, “I knew it! Cham is still out!” Pat takes Markali to his bed across the room from Cham. Alishya tucks him in with tender loving care. She kisses him on his forehead and murmurs a nice prayer. “Dear Lord, give my little boy his health back. Help our friends, Shuk and Solla, in finding a cure for my Markali! Amen!” Markus also gives love to his boy by holding him gently against his chest. Solla graces him, ing her fingers through his hair as she says good night. Shuck and Kellie do the same. Markali does not make a sound. He only blinks his eyes as if he is approving their gestures to him. Within a minute, he is sound asleep. Solla and Pat are the last ones to exit the room. They all leave the area quietly. They show uncertainty on their faces as they walk back to Dr. Dartins’s office. In their minds, the doctors and Pat reanalyze their prognosis on Markali’s symptoms. They let Markali rest for the night until the doctors come to a preprognosis. They decide that first thing in the morning, Solla and Pat would take samples from Markali and prepare the paperwork for laboratory tests. Once Dr. Dartins signs the lab documents, Pat will go to the lab and turn in Markali’s test samples and corresponding paperwork. Solla will stay in the room, observing Markali and Cham. The room is silent because the glass doors are soundproof, allowing Solla to rest uninterrupted. Her eyes close as in a deep-thinking mode. “The multit pain, causing chills, and the rashes is an unfriendly combination,” Solla murmurs to herself. Since she did not sleep enough during the previous night, soon she falls asleep. She sleeps like an angel. Cham awakens and watches her peaceful and angelical face. Suddenly Markali begins to shake with the chills. Cham does not notice the chills in Markali, for he is solely focused on monitoring Solla immersed in sleep. When Cham is not fixed on Solla, he is observing the minuscule spheres he saw hiding behind the incandescent lights. “Solla, please leave your serenity and wake up. Markali has chills and needs your help!” my internal voice speaks to her as it travels telepathically through her busy mind.

My voice feels familiar to her and carries a rich but calm tone. It is my inner thought emergency message with a strong sense of worry. I also alert my assistants, Diling and Dilong, who are present in Cham’s room. Solla wakes up rather quickly and attends to Markali. My voice alerts her that he is cold inside, but he is burning in fever on the outside of his body. Immediately, Solla reaches for the ice bag from the metal tray, feels it for coldness, and puts it on Markali’s head. She then inspects his body’s vital systems. She gives him some liquid medication previously prescribed by Shuk to help subdue the vicious fever, and then she waits for positive changes for about five minutes. Once she sees a stable condition, she decides to call Shuk. But as she reaches for the phone, Shuk opens the door and comes in with Kellie. Solla explains Markali’s sudden changes to Shuk, and he begins his own checkup right away. They all remain silent as they search their minds, again and again, for clues that might reveal what is attacking little Markali’s body. Again, Solla feels Markali’s head by running her hand through his hair feeling and sensing with her delicate smooth fingers. “Shuk! Here! I found something!” Solla exclaims seriously excited as she has made an important discovery. Shuk looks at Solla’s find and opens his eyes in wonder. “It’s a bite! A tick bite! The bite has red dots that expand into a red blotch with a clear pink center, like a bull’s-eye.” “I know what that is!” Solla tells Shuk as she takes a lab sample with a cotton swab, obtains Shuk’s lab approval, and rushes it to the laboratory for immediate processing. Pat is there waiting for results from other earlier samples. “Pat, we have a breakthrough on Markali’s illness! I think I have here the little enemy germ that is causing all the sickness. I have seen the tiny fastidious germ monster before. Pat, please take care of this other sample for us. I must go back to Markali and Shuk.” Upon Solla’s return, we find Shuk and Kellie attending Markali. Shuk greets Solla with comforting news. “Markali is much better now. The medication worked, he has no chills, and the internal fever is subdued.” “Let’s give him a light breakfast today,” Kellie suggests.

“I think that we’re going to catch the bandit that is hurting Markali today,” Solla affirms as she heads to the Medical Reference manual with Cham looking around at everyone, displaying his simple-minded smile. “I think this might be it, Solla,” Shuk says as he and Kellie visually analyze the bite. “This is rare to me.” Solla narrates from the Medical Reference Manual. “We have a tricky germ here. It is extremely difficult to grow it in the laboratory. This lesion is an erythema migrans, an obscure group of corkscrew-shaped germs. Between three days to a month after the bite, the germs multiply enough to reveal itself as a red dot around the bite area. This dot expands to a blotch with a clear bull’s-eye center. Diagnosis is difficult because no laboratory tests can help during the early stages, as the blotch is not always there. But it is not all bad news. The manual says that the best treatment for these symptoms is penicillin.”¹ “Fantastic research work, Solla!” Shuk points out. Gravely, Solla finishes her research. “All this describes a rare disease called Lyme borreliosis.” “As I understand, that germ can become very dangerous if not dealt with early, so let’s find out for sure. First, we need the test result on the last sample sent to the laboratory,” Shuk analyzes. Shuk’s words are like fuel for Kellie’s energy level as she takes off, laboratorybound. Diling follows Kellie and Dilong remains in Cham’s room. Everybody in the room is listening attentively to Solla’s recounts. “The manual also explains that weeks to months after the bite occurs, some patients develop neurological symptoms such as painful headaches, temporary paralysis of certain nerves like the ones on the side of the face, numbness, and burning pains. Sometimes these germs damage nerves regulating the heart, causing irregular beats, palpitations, and dizziness. And these symptoms may only last a few weeks but, if untreated early or ineffectively, can lead to permanent nerve and memory loss.”¹ “So this bad boy can be a killer if not caught in time,” Shuk adds. At that moment, the phone rings. Solla answers it quickly after the first ring, and

Pat is the one on the line. She sounds disturbed with concern. “Solla, you and Dr. Dartins need to come here to the laboratory and see this! Hurry, please!” Solla hangs up the phone immediately and heads for the door. “Shuk, we must see and analyze the test. It seems we can see the intruder under the microscope at the laboratory. Pat suggests we study it. Kellie and Pat are waiting for us!” Solla says as she pushes the door open and hurries toward the lab. Within a flash they are in front of the laboratory’s door and the lab’s nurse swings the door open for them to enter. They see Pat looking down into the microscope with immense inquisitiveness. She looks up when she hears them coming into the lab and steps back to allow Shuk to see the germ through the microscope’s eye. Solla, Kellie, and Pat look on. “Solla, there is our bad boy! You trapped it! Corkscrew-shaped germ, finicky or fastidious, either way we got his number!” Shuk immediately writes the prescription for the penicillin and gives it to Pat who will get it from the hospital pharmacy. Then Solla takes her turn to look at the curvaceous Borrelia germ. “It’s like you said, Shuk! I believe we are going to have to report this event to the Board for Infectious and Rare Diseases!” Solla says. “It will be an excellent contributing report, I know!” Shuk says as he recalls no prior record of the germ being isolated. After taking turns looking through the microscope at the lab dish housing the germ as it twists and turns, they go back to Cham and Markali’s room. Diling follows them. “I have the penicillin with me and ready for application,” Pat informs them. “Have you examined Markali for possible allergic reactions?” Shuk asks. “Not yet!” “Pat, let’s begin working on the potential allergic reactions right away!” Solla

adds. Dilong observes that the chills are under control. The liquid medication Solla istered earlier to reduce the fever has taken effect. Markali gives the impression of being in a better mood. His natural tan skin color is back. Cham looks good too. He has convalesced from multiple minor illnesses, including those emotions and insecurities stored in his heart. He feels secure and happy because he will be with Solla, Shuk, and Kellie for the rest of his life. Now they are his family, and he is not alone anymore. It is like a magic that revives him. Solla and Pat stay busy identifying and studying the elements and components of the penicillin. Then they test for possible allergic reactions. “So far, so good!” Solla comments. “We have to let the test run for a long time because on occasion, allergic reactions do not occur right away or can be internal reactions, which are the hardest to detect. So we have to wait and be sure that there is no reaction at all,” Pat reaffirms. “Plus we are also double checking with the laboratory as a precautionary measure to ensure there is no reaction and we do not miss anything,” Solla says. “Well done and very smart!” Shuk says. Diling and Dilong and I have monitored Markali’s cooperation. I sense that he understands the reasons for these inconveniences placed upon him by Uncle Shuk, Solla, and Pat. He is also aware of the danger he is in. I think Markali is a brave lad. Cham also confirms and watches every move they make. He is always showing his mellow and congenial smile, even though his eyes are always fixed on Solla. Soon it is lunchtime. Everybody is hungry. The doctors and dieticians agreed to keep Markali on a light diet and Cham on a heavy one. Markus and Alishya come in the room. After greeting their son and Cham, they say hello to Shuk, Solla, Kellie, and Pat. Solla and Pat are busy doing the allergy tests. “Markali is in good hands! Why don’t we go for a lunch break at the hospital cafeteria? There you can brief us on Markali’s condition. My treat! After all you’ve done for my Markali, it is the least I can do!” Markus suggests.

“That sounds okay with me. Please, you all go ahead. I will stay to finalize the tests, and then I will you,” Solla requests. “That is fine with me, Solla! Take care!” Shuk says as they all exit the room and head toward the cafeteria. Solla is waiting for a reaction, if any, on the last allergy test. For this one she waits a little longer, just to make sure there is no reaction, either internal or external. The lunches for Cham and Markali come in. Cham begins eating his lunch without delay, but Markali has to wait a little longer until Solla completes the last ongoing allergy test. Solla rechecks Markali. “Everything is okay, Markali! You can receive this antibiotic safely and without any worries!” Solla concludes. We see Solla taking a breather from all the concentrating and energy-absorbing work as she hears a knock on the entrance glass door. Gara, Pirus, and their son Gary are here; I sent them a telepathic message through Diling and Dilong about two hours ago. Upon receiving my message, they impulsively feel a strong desire to go to Shuk’s office. The substitute nurse told them to go to Markali and Cham’s room in the patients’ ward. “Welcome, Gara, Pirus, and Gary! You two look fantastic and Gary is a nineyear-old darling boy!” Solla says. Gary runs in and sits on Markali’s bed and greets him. Gara and Pirus greet Solla and Cham first. Solla embraces them dearly and then goes to Gary and hugs him and kisses him lovingly. Pirus and Gara then go to Cham, who stops eating for a moment, and they hug him with enormous affection. Then they go to Markali and take turns embracing him dearly. “How is Markali coming along?” Pirus asks. “He is doing better than expected. I am going to provide a complete briefing at the cafeteria where everyone is having lunch and waiting for us,” Solla says. “Okay! We are hungry too! So let’s go eat some lunch and listen to your briefing! We want to see Shuk and the rest of the Donos family!” Gara says. “Mom, can I stay here with Markali? I’m not hungry right now!” Gary says.

“You may stay here with Markali and Cham. We will be at the hospital cafeteria,” Gara says. Diling follows them to the cafeteria. The cafeteria is not crowded, and the gang finds a large corner table. When Solla, Pirus, and Gara arrive, they have three seats reserved for them. The leading chair at the end of the table is set aside for Solla’s briefing. She will update the gang on Markali and Cham’s conditions. “There they are!” Shuk, Markus, and Alishya say. They rise to their feet with delighted faces as they see their old dear friends arriving. Solla holds Kellie with both of her arms and introduces her to Pirus and Gara. “This is my dear niece Kellie, daughter of my beloved brother Frank, and this is our right-hand nurse Pat,” Solla says. “I am Gara, and I am glad to meet you!” Gara says to Kellie and Pat. “I am Pirus, and it is my pleasure to know you two.” “Where is Gary?” Shuk asks. “He stayed with Markali and Cham,” Pirus replies. They take their places, and within minutes the waiter begins to serve their lunches. They do not talk. They only smile and scrutinize each other with curiosity and attention. I feel that I am there with them in spirit. My gang is together now! Consecrated by me and by Diling and Dilong, their harmonious friendship is felt in the room’s atmosphere. During their silent lunch, their mental theme is Markali’s sickness and Cham’s slow recovery. Diling is behind the lights, sensing, monitoring, and protecting our friends. The lunch concludes, and Solla gets ready for her briefing on Markali and Cham. “I will be very brief. First, Markali is a strong young man and he will recover. We diagnosed Markali as suffering from Lyme disease; a corkscrew-shaped germ triggers this disease. This germ belongs to an obscure group, genus Borrelia. Luckily, we captured, identified, and studied this germ in the laboratory. We found that penicillin will annihilate it. This antibiotic has been

tested and cleared for potential negative allergic reactions. There were no allergic reactions on Markali whatsoever. We have the antibiotic on hand and ready for application. Once the medicine is istered, Markali will be out of danger. With the proper rest and diet, he will be back to normal rather quickly. We need the permission from Markus and Alishya Donos in order to finalize and apply the cure Dr. Dartins and I prescribed.” “Please, do whatever is necessary to cure our Markali!” Markus said fervently and Alishya nodded approvingly. “We won’t waste any time!” Solla says. “Okay, Solla, let’s do it! You have my full !” Shuk says. “We are with you, Solla!” Alishya and Markus assure her. “In the case of my dear friend, Cham, it is a matter of exhaustion, fatigue, malnutrition, and diabetes. With a healthy diet, physical rest, and medication for the diabetes, Cham will be back to health again,” Solla concludes. Kellie says good-bye to everyone and heads for her office. She is working on the restoration of her auntie Solla’s credentials. Diling follows Solla and Pat, who are going to the laboratory. There, they make preparations for istering the antibiotic to Markali. Shuk, Markus and Alishya, as well as Pirus and Gara, head to Cham and Markali’s room. Little Gary is already there. Within minutes, the group arrives at Cham’s room. After greeting Markali, Pirus and Gara relax by sitting on Cham’s soft bed. Shuk sits on the cushioned chair near Markali. There, they all wait for Solla and Pat. Less than thirty minutes later, the glass door opens, giving way to Solla and Pat. Diling flashes in unnoticed and s Dilong at the back of the lights. Cham glimpses them and smiles. “We selected the tablet type of antibiotic because it is not painful and is easier to apply,” Solla explains. “That is a very good decision, Solla!” Markus says. “Good move,” Shuk adds.

“An injection would be more painful for Markali. He has suffered enough already!” Gara indicates. My gang is doing things intelligently. Diling and Dilong and I assist them a little by guiding them and giving them ideas. These ideas speed their thinking processes. I let them solve their own problems without too much interference from me. I just help a little along the way. I wish someday I could them! I almost say out loud.

Chapter 9: Miracle Workers

Since everyone is busy worrying about Markali and Cham, no one is aware of the two tiny spheres hiding up high in the ceiling behind fluorescent lights in Cham’s room. Diling and Dilong are shining brightly, as they have built up the strength they lost from our trip. Cham has been staring at the room’s ceiling for a long time now, but nobody suspects anything because gazing is Cham’s normal way. “There they are, the eyes and ears of our Master Scientist Ogos. He found us!” Cham’s vibes transmit from his subconscious high mind, an area untouched by the electric shocks he suffered in the past. Cham can feel that I am back in the park. He continues to look intently at my two bright assistants. Pat isters the antibiotics tablet to Markali with a glass of orange juice. The prescription calls for two tablets per day until they see positive results. Then Solla will work via Dr. Dartins to make medication adjustments accordingly. After an instant of observed silence, Pat asks, “Maybe you would be interested to know some unusual news about the park, since all of you used to visit there some time ago?” All eyes and attention go to Pat and the three of us listen thoughtfully. “Yes, I would. Cham and I, we love that area and used to watch Shuk and Markus play with the squirrels.” “Yes, Eskur and Erkon,” Markus smiles as he re mending Erkon to health. Pirus recollects his happiness as he looks at Gara, “It’s where we met. It brought us together.” Shuk reaches over and gives Marcus a friendly slap on the back. “That’s where you used to help me with my school work.” They both smile, grateful for each other’s friendship.

“What happened?” Gara asks as she clears her throat, ing the tree and the many pleasant memories. “Well, one of the outpatients told me that a beautiful tree disappeared from the park years ago.” Each member nods his or her head in agreement. “He said that it was replaced by a water foundation, one of those reservoirs equipped with a jet flow of water and a fish tank.” A feeling of sadness fills the air. “Well, apparently the handsome tree has reappeared, and according to older park goers, this tree seems to be the very same tree,” Pat says. There is stunned silence. “What? Are you sure about this?” Markus asks. “There is one way to find out and that is to pay a visit to our favorite park!” Gara says. “Once we solve Markali’s and Cham’s problems, I think we should go there for a picnic. It will be like good old times!” Shuk suggests. “I hope it is the same tree. There was something special about that tree! The thought of it brings me sweet memories of both peaceful and joyful moments.” Solla reveals, “Deep within me, I feel that tree has something to do with the treasure surfaced from under it. I feel like that tree protected us, even from insects. Did you ever get a mosquito bite in that area?” She looked to see ongoing nods of no. “See a wasp, a lizard, or a snake wandering around the tree? I know I never did. That tree was my safe haven. I feel like it sheltered me from everything—like it was healing me. At times, it felt like being inside a holy place filled with mystic souls and angels.” “I feel exactly the same way, Solla,” Shuk says. The whole group slowly nods, amazed that their feelings are mutual. “The way all of you glow right now tells me that there is something unexplainable and mystical about the tree. I can perceive it in the air surrounding us, as if there is something, an entity friendly and positive following us around to ensure our safety and welfare,” Alishya concludes. Tears are drifting down Gara’s cheeks. Her voice cracks, “Somehow I detect an

external aura vividly present in my mind and in my soul that wasn’t there before. My close relatives, my friends, and even Pirus revealed to me that there have been extraordinary changes in my character and overall behavioral patterns. As I recall, this change began shortly after I came to the park one afternoon, resulting in feelings of total adoration for Pirus and an instant engagement. There has only been success after success, and our Gary is like a gift from God!” Pirus and Gary come to her and hug her lovingly. Everyone gathers closer together except Cham, who continues staring at the lights on the ceiling and wearing his gawky smile. Everybody remains silent and united as they scrutinize their inner thoughts. This union is a perfect opportunity to assist all my friends in need. With one sweep, I want to relieve them from any disease and physical distress. Diling and Dilong screen our friends for illnesses and physical degenerations. Swiftly, an invisible hazy helix surrounds and engulfs all. A vibrating sensation integrates with their minds and souls. A magical miasma fills the room and gently touches all the humans present in the room. Our first priority is Markali. He is mesmerized, totally embedded into the mist. “Don’t be afraid, my son! I will help you get well!” I transmit. All my friends hear this message. Bravely, Markali closes his eyes and assumes a prayerlike position. He senses being scanned slowly and softly from head to toe. The mystic procedure extracts and eliminates the fastidious Borrelia germ from his body, purifying it of any probable dangers. Cham covers his body from hair to feet with his blanket. The mist scans Cham’s whole body first and then focuses on his head. Diling and Dilong come down to Cham, and they stay, illuminating his upper body, but they are virtually invisible. The group is familiar with these feelings, and they know that supernatural enhancement is good for them. This is the only way they can be in touch with me, their tree-friend. I whisper my name in their ears and in their minds. They are now aware of my name, “Ogos!” Solla relaxes as she is scanned. She feels a spiritual like hand being placed on her head and her upper body. The mental and physical damages incurred during her coarse life are now identified and repaired. All the intellectual and personal

data erased by the electric shocks is regenerated. This data is recovered from the human archives in her deep subconscious area, a highly secured library. I am now certain, If I do just one at a time, I will be able to succeed. With Diling and Dilong maintaining each patient’s balance, preventing shock or discomfort, it is enabling me to effectively penetrate their human minds. Unlike in hypnosis, this mystical process of changing, replacing, or enhancing segments or records in the mortal’s mind will take less time. This procedure is without traces and residue of any kind. The procedure, once completed, is unchangeable and final, and the mind becomes as if it had never been injured. Now Solla’s mind has been rectified, cleansed, purified, and enhanced. All her existing deformities such as overgrown areas, warts, wrinkles, scars, damaged hair, and her teeth are repaired. Now Solla re all the episodes and experiences from her past and present. She re Cham and her colleagues from her college days more vividly and the many people she helped. Solla was always an above-average student and the pride of her professors. The dean referred to her as the “brilliant early star” and as “the future of medicine.” She was well liked by her classmates, and she was always helping someone with a project. There were some tender moments in those school days. Every morning and sometimes in the afternoons, Solla went to the school park and fed and shared life with the sparrows and the pigeons. Images of Cham and her dear brother Frank are very clear now. She re the terrible memories about her awful bosses who damaged her mind and took away her medical practice credentials. At this moment, she is semiconscious and recovering from the mindrepairing procedure. We also relieve everyone from all the viruses, germs, harmful bacteria, and fungi that they, internally and externally, have in their bodies. While doing so we encounter two other unexpected healings. Gara is three months into her next pregnancy. The fetus has a deficient gene, which will lead to a permanent respiratory ailment. Now the baby girl will be a healthy normal child when Gara makes her delivery. The second finding is in Alishya. She is in her second month of pregnancy and, as with Gara’s child, there is trouble that will result in hyperthyroidism. The little girl has been purified. Cham is the major challenge since his mind had been physically marred by the dreadful treatments and abuse by humanity’s humiliations and deceit. The

ghastly scientists had directed the electric shocks repeatedly to the same brain areas, so the overexposed brain spots had been mercilessly erased. I can only find one notable entity during the course of Cham’s life that is real and very dear to him, and that is Solla. There is no life if there is no Solla. We know this much about Cham. Through Diling and Dilong, I can sense and perceive Cham’s feelings and Cham’s inner thoughts no matter how deep they might be, even if they are engraved in his brain archives. In order to restore vital elements in Cham’s memory, I must draw on that source. This will enable Cham to function normally and enjoy the rest of his days in the company of all his dear friends, but most of all, Solla. The smile that decorates Cham’s face is frozen in place. The glow surrounding Cham’s head varies in intensity as the changes take place. “I promise you, there will be no more suffering and mistreatment,” I say to Cham as the bluish radiance subsides. Cham’s pleasant smile disappears and changes into a more serious but satisfied one. Many of the deeper wrinkles on his face, the ones that make him look much older and kind of gruesome, have been ironed out into a soft and smooth skin. It is as if his physical body, internally and externally, has been refurbished and reoiled. His face doesn’t look old and abandoned anymore. After his transformation, Cham is like a new man. There is not a sound inside the room. Everyone seems to be in a suspended animation in a big family portrait firmly placed on the wall, immobile. Anyone ing by will see a family portrait from outside Cham’s room. Kellie is the only family member missing from Cham’s room. She is working with the medical institutions and the district attorney’s office trying to speed up the reinstitution of Auntie Solla’s credentials. While she is busy doing this, her gut tells her that something big is going on, so she tries to do all her work as fast as she can. She feels an urgent desire to go to Shuk and her auntie Solla. Her last telephone call was to the National Medical Practitioners Organization (NMPO) located in the nation’s capital city. The president of the organization expressed her concern about Solla’s case. The director of NMPO tells Kellie, “Solace Sana Sorano and I attended the same college and medical schools, during the same school years. I know her and her brilliant career very well, and our executive board also know Solla. They know she is incapable of the atrocities she has been accused of by those envious and unprincipled hospital s. We unanimously approved

restoring her credentials, and we want to give her a monetary award along with a plaque for her diligent dedication in taking care of the homeless. My colleagues and I will try to mitigate her past suffering and loneliness that those educated felons callously inflicted on her. We want to honor our courageous associate, Dr. Solace Sana Sorano. Select a date and location where our organization can formally make the proper presentation. In the meantime, I will send documentation authorizing the immediate reinstitution of her credentials.” “Yes, Doctor! I will confer with my boss, Dr. Dartins, and my auntie Solla and I will return your call as soon as I get the information needed,” Kellie answers. Rushing, Kellie completes some other pending tasks on her desk, and right away, she takes off toward Cham’s room. On her way, she continues her mental analysis as her inner thoughts escape, murmuring out loud, “Maybe the Gara’s Inn Hotel conference room! That would be nice! I wonder about Markali and Uncle Cham. Did Pat give Markali the antibiotic? Is there a reaction?” Alishya is holding Markali lovingly in her arms, and Markus’s long and strong arms become the sanctuary for Alishya and Markali. Pirus and Gara are also holding each other dearly, and they also embrace Gary with all their love. Shuk, Solla, and Cham are collected together in one big enclosed clinch. The gang is in a state of disbelief and amazement. They are not sure if they can explain what just happened to them or if they will be able to tell anyone about this event. Cham whispers to Solla, “I am free! The tormenting dark cloud in my head is gone! I can see you perfectly now, and I many things from my past. Solla, I love you with all my heart!” “I love you too!” Solla also whispers. I feel the silence that dominates the atmosphere in Cham’s room. An invasion of loud voices and outside noises break the serene silence. The door is open. Kellie rushes in, puffing. She screeches to a halt, stopping at the room’s entrance. The glass door closes; serenity returns. She pauses there, witnessing the most beautiful family representation. The picture shows a cohesive and harmonious assembly of love. She puts her arms around Shuk and Solla, pulling them closely to her pounding heart, all the while wondering what caused this. Kellie looks closely at Solla, “You look so charming and so much younger! It looks like a tremendous load has been lifted from your back.”

An unexpected response comes from Cham, “Much has been lifted.” “Uncle Cham?” “Yes.” “You can talk. You understood me.” He nods his head to confirm. “Uncle Cham can comprehend and communicate with all of us now.” Astonished, she searched the faces in the room for answers. “What caused this miracle?” Kellie, Alishya, and Pat generate a barrage of questions in their heads. The more questions emerge, the more mystified they get about this strange event. “It has to be a miracle from above! There is no other explanation,” Kellie says. “Shuk, Solla, look at my Markali!” Markus exclaims. “He looks fine! He does not look sick anymore!” Everyone in the room goes to Markali. The first one checking Markali is Cham. Who now has all his psychology and premed experience back in him. I am certain now that Cham’s faculties are at full capacity, he will be able to hold a normal job and live a normal life with Solla. He will enter society’s stream of living and follow his heart, as his heart encourages him to help others. Perhaps, he can work with Shuk and Solla at the City Hospital, helping the poor. “We need to do some tests again to make sure Markali is cured,” Cham suggests. Solla smiles. Cham’s posture and behavior remind her of the Cham from college days. Back then, there was always something beyond their control that kept them apart. They never had the chance to take a class together. They only saw each other in ing; but then, abruptly, she stopped seeing him at the lab and at the library. Cham just vanished without a trace. She asked the students who took classes with him, and they told her that Cham was very much alone and had no friends. When she went to work for the sanitarium hospital, she learned about the special treatments in the basement where her bosses performed shock treatments. It was there in the patients’ ward she found Cham. He had lost his speech and most of his hair, his hearing and vision had been damaged, and his

motor abilities were impaired. “What have they done to you, my friend?” Solla had cried out. Cham couldn’t answer. After she saw Cham in that condition, she cried day and night. Since he was not allowed to leave because he was a reject from the experiment, Solla helped him to escape. She now re helping many other patients to escape. I feel sorry about Aries, the young man whom Solla had tried to rescue. Shortly after Solla had received the bad news about Frank, the same doctors erased part of her memory in retaliation. “You are nothing but a troublemaker! Get down on that seat!” the lab rigger had said to Solla. To this day, she has not forgotten his words or the sound of his voice. “Why don’t we take Markali directly to the laboratory, and with the help of the staff there, we can his present condition? That way we save time. Is it okay with you, Shuk?” Cham suggests, snapping Solla from her inner thoughts. “Okay, let’s do that!” Shuk replies. Cham sets Markali in a wheelchair. Pat and Gary open the glass doors. Cham begins to push him down the hall, and they all hustle toward the laboratory, Pat leading the way. Pat has been embedded into a stupor since the magical event. This is Pat’s first encounter. She is confronted with a shower of thoughts storming through her mind. “If only I had not brought news about the park. I feel responsible. The news unified their inner thoughts about the mystic tree, creating a homing beacon for Ogos.” “Yes,” I respond, “the unified mental force facilitated my efforts.” Pat hesitates and begins to walk faster. Shuk, Solla, Cham, and Pat go inside the lab with Markali in the wheelchair. The rest of the group goes to Shuk’s office to wait for the test results. Two hours later, Shuk arrives at the office with news of the expected test results. “This young man is the healthiest child I have ever seen!” Shuk says jubilantly.

Markali looks like he has never been sick in his entire young life. Right now, he is the happiest kid in town, and nothing bothers him. Everybody comes to greet Markali and give him love. Kellie pinches his cheek softly and gives him a hug. Gary embraces him with utmost camaraderie and stays with him, ready to start any game Markali chooses to play. Once all the excitement tones down, Kellie approaches Shuk and places her arm around his waist and pulls him closer to her. “I need to talk to you. Auntie Solla’s credentials have been restored,” Kellie whispers to Shuk. “Outstanding! Let’s tell everyone!” Shuk says. Shuk calls Markus, Alishya, Pirus, and Gara to his private room. There, he begins to talk in a soft low voice. “Something important has come up! Kellie has some significant news about our Dr. Solla Sorano,” Shuk says. “Auntie Solla has been reinstated. Documentation is on its way by messenger from the director of the National Medical Practitioners Organization. The director of NMPO knows Auntie Solla from their college days. She needs a date and time and a suitable place where to make a formal presentation. Any ideas?” Kellie asks. “The place is the Gara Inn Hotel, of course,” Gara says with a smile. “It is the least we can do for a dear friend,” Pirus says. “After the ceremony we should gather at the park and be there with Ogos,” Alishya proposes. “I believe we all agree on that! We need to pick a date,” Kellie says. “Her birthday is coming up, right? I would like the celebrations to coincide,” Shuk asks. “Her birthday is on June 22, in two weeks. She will be sixty-two,” Kellie says.

“I suggest a week before her birthday, like this coming Sunday. Her birthday will be another celebration!” Markus says. “If everybody agrees, we got it! Shall we inform her now?” Shuk asks. “So this coming Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at the hotel. Let’s talk to Auntie Solla and give her the good news!” Kellie says. She walks out of the room followed by the others. Kellie finds Solla chatting with Cham and Pat. She goes to Auntie Solla, puts her arms around her, and hugs her dearly. “My dear auntie Solla, I have terrific news for you! Effective immediately, you have been reinstated by the Board of the National Medical Practitioners Organization! Your credentials are on their way by messenger and shall be here this evening!” Tears begin to pour down Solla’s rejuvenated cheeks. She looks up, searching for the supreme mind, the creator of this miracle. She wants to give her profound thanks to him. Kellie is in tears as she hugs Solla tighter and closer to her heart. I watch lovingly as all my gang s together in the largest embrace and most joyful downpour of tears, symbolic tears thanking their creator. Markus rejoices, “This is a memorable day for Ogos’s gang!” They bow their heads, denoting mutual respect for our invisible and comionate God who brought them this miracle. In the park, I feel highly charged with an ultra-mystical wave of strength. My flora glows with unimaginable brilliance as I begin to orate in a directed mindto-mind message. “I also give you, my dear friends, my most caring thoughts.” The purification effort has generated an extra mystic charge, and I have become a crowd-puller, attracting all kinds of people. Everyone who comes by stares at me, spellbound. All living things can sense these positive frequencies. I feel this is my home, and those who come to me are my relatives on Earth. The gang is my immediate family. I rest at ease, relaxed with full enjoyment, and rewarding emotional feelings as I share this message. “The Omnipotent is our Creator. He is the one who made this enormous universe

and everything in it, including Ogan and Earth. There are several worlds known to us. We have the micro-world, our world, the macro-world, and the invisible world, better known as the supernatural world. All these worlds are interconnected as one world inside the other and interfacing with each other. Souls live inside the invisible world somewhere in the macro-world and they manifest in our world. God looks over all the worlds and us as he makes changes and adjustments whenever misalignments occur. He follows a divine plan in which supernatural intervention is not an end in itself, but a way of teaching us that we can always trust and follow his guidance. Our brainwaves are the portals linking us to him. Through the times, many beautiful events recorded in the human and the universal archives show that it is impossible to experience God’s power and to remain spiritually unaffected.” “We are no different on planet Ogan. We are aware that every living organism in the universe is touched by the Omnipotent. For all of our gang, no matter what the troubling situations are, and us, God cares, as we are under his watchful eye at all times.” I whisper “Amen” as I bow my branches in prayer. My message is met with welcoming hearts. “We will come to see you after Solla’s presentation on Sunday,” the gang responds in unison. Each member disperses his separate way. Diling, Dilong, and I follow Solla. A little blond four-year-old girl is looking up at Solla with grateful eyes. She is lying helplessly in an old squeaky hospital bed. Solla is still holding the tiny spoon with just a little bit remaining of the red liquid medicine she gave the child for her lung infection. In her other hand, Solla holds the almost empty small brown bottle containing a few drops of the medicine. Her little fatigued pale face is no longer puffy and sore, and her sky blue eyes are not covered by redness and not closed as once before. For the first time, this little girl smiles at someone—she smiles at Solla now. “How are you, my darling?” “I feel fine, Doctor!” “I will see you again tomorrow.” The little girl’s eyes follow Solla until she is out of the room. Solla moves on to the next room. She covers her eyes with her hand and wipes out a set of tears threatening to come out. These tears are of joy and triumph because the little girl

is not in pain anymore. For Solla, this episode will repeat itself in about twelve different rooms every day. We find Shuk with the old street soldier. He looks much better today after convalescing for about three weeks. Malnutrition is the main cause of his sickness. Diabetes caused problems in his urinary system and kidneys. Rashes are threatening gangrene in his legs while other parts of his body have been cured. Shuk embraces the old guy with affection. “Tomorrow, you are going to your new home. God bless you. You’ll be fine.” “I still have a problem with my hip!” “There will be a physical therapist to help you recover. You will be okay.” The old man doesn’t really want to go. He breaks down crying. The old street soldier wants to stay with Shuk. He has no home to go and no family. There are not sufficient beds to keep people in the hospital for any extra days after their recovery. They end up at the homeless shelter or back on the streets begging. This scene is repeated at least ten times daily. Each time is a sad separation between a recovered patient and Dr. Dartins. Shuk throws the stethoscope that hangs around his neck to his back in a gesture of healing victory. That night, at about ten minutes after midnight, a male vagabond is suffering a trauma. He is behind the shrubberies in Gara’s Inn and Hotel parking lot. Pirus sees him first. “Gara, this man is in trouble. Let’s help him!” They bring in two security men to the vagabond’s sickness. The security men working at the hotel are knowledgeable of first aid, ER procedures, and R. Once they attest that the man is sick and not just drunk, they immediately call the ambulance for him. Pirus and Gara accompany the patient to City Hospital and stay with him. Dr. Dartins its the old man and assures them that he will be okay. His glucose level is terribly high and he suffers from dehydration. Pirus and Gara ensure that the old man has a good meal.

Chapter 10: The Award

A messenger arrives at Kellie’s office carrying Dr. Solace Sana Sorano’s credentials. Kellie signs for them and gives them to Auntie Solla for her safekeeping. Solla clutches her documents and presses them close to her heart. She worked so hard for her credentials, to have them stripped away so maliciously is a memory she can now put to rest. Shuk places his hand on her shoulder in a moving and “at last” gesture. “Solla, you and Cham should be in your own apartment, especially now that Cham is no longer ill. You two are authorized to move into a hospital-sponsored staff studio. Kellie and Pat have made all the arrangements for asg you an apartment and giving you a survival kit with all the things you two will need for the first two weeks. That includes foodstuff. You can move into apartment number 3 at your convenience. Pat will show you the way,” Shuk says. “And I have more good news. Do you think it’s possible to visit Daddy tomorrow, Auntie Solla?” “Of course, sweetheart!” Cham, Solla, and Pat say good night to Shuk and Kellie. Solla puts her arms around them, hugs them, and kisses them on the cheek good night. Then Cham and Solla follow Pat to apartment number 3. “Wow!” Solla exclaims. “Very, very nice!” Cham says. This apartment suits Solla and Cham to a tee. At first, they just look around and feel everything, wonder about, and discover their new refuge. The terrace has a small patio table with four chairs. Coincidentally, the table is decorated in the center with a green, round, patio-type umbrella. The suite has everything needed for their , a small kitchen fully equipped with pots and pans, a refrigerator, and foodstuff. The master room has a queen-size bed and a twin-size bed for guests. Also, the living room sofa unfolds to a normal-size bed. Then

they sit next to each other to rediscover the new Solla and Cham. They talk and talk and talk and reminisce until the early hours of the night. “I always how you waved at me from the upper floor during class breaks. You were always smiling, happy, and excited every time you saw me. I saw conglomerates of the most beautiful brilliant stars every time I saw your radiant face. It made me so happy, Jim! That image stayed in my mind no matter what they did to me! They could not erase that memory of you, never!” Solla whispers into Cham’s ear. Cham says softly, “Most of your memory was erased from my mind, but the peaceful vibrations of your soul lived in my heart forever. Many times, when I was sleeping under the umbrella, a sudden flash with your image penetrated and invaded my mind. I knew it was you! My body felt your soul’s vibrations!” When their eyes cannot resist being open any longer, they finally fall asleep into each other’s arms. The clear moonlit night is the only eyewitness to their everlasting happiness. The next morning, Cham is in the kitchen tinkering around. He plans on cooking some pancakes, scrambled eggs, grits, and coffee for breakfast. A flashback memory surprises him. He sees a dear friend he had at the college dormitory, his roommate. Everybody called him by his sun sign, Aries. Cham was known as Jim, and he and Aries shared many things, including the experimental electric shocks at the hospital. Aries depended on Jim’s cooking talent because he couldn’t even fry an egg or warm water for the grits. Jim did all the cuisine for both of them. He cooked a delicious breakfast every morning. Other than Solla’s distant and elusive friendship, Aries was Jim’s only friend. Aries let people know that he wanted to be called Aries. After a long while and excessive experimentations, Aries began repeating his name out loud. “My name is Aries!” he said repetitively. “Well, I know that, Aries! I wouldn’t call you anything else!” Jim said. Aries’s behavior did not appear to be normal. Jim began to worry about him. One afternoon, Aries came rushing in through the room’s only door and went to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. He stayed there making funny faces followed by ghoulish sounds. He was acting like a circus clown and moving up and down like he was demented. Jim was reading a book and was not

paying full attention to Aries’s comical and erratic behavior. It came to a point that Jim finally noticed Aries’s incoherent activity. “What is all that about, Aries?” “I am the man, man! I am the man, man! I am the man, man!” “Okay, you are the man! So what else is new, Aries?” Jim put his assignment down and began paying closer attention to Aries’s strange behavior. Soon enough, Jim realized that Aries’s incoherent conduct was real. He was acting as if otherworldly vibrations haunted him, and he seemed isolated from the rest of the world. Within seconds, many thoughts rushed through Jim’s mind, and a warning awareness vibrated down his spine. Suddenly, Aries hurried to the room’s large glass window. He briefly looked out and down the window and then ran back to the mirror in the bathroom and continued his repertoire. Jim got up and began walking toward Aries. “Can you settle for a minute? Tell me about this new prank of yours! I don’t quite get it!” Jim asked. Jim was trying to find out the truth about Aries’s attitude. He had never seen Aries like this. Was he joking? But without a warning word or sound, Aries came running in full force from the bathroom and shattered through the glass window. He crash-landed on the asphalt four floors below. Jim opened his mouth and screamed. Covering his tear-flooded face with his hands, he let out a screeching, “No! Aries, why did you do this?” Reaching out to the window, Jim saw Aries’s bloody and twisted body lying lifeless on the sidewalk. In his hand he held a piece of Aries’s shirt. He had ripped it off while unsuccessfully trying to stop Aries’s momentum. Jim cried relentlessly for the tragic loss of his dear and only friend Aries. Now Cham trembles. His throat tightens in anguish, and his body weakens in sadness and pain. He holds onto the kitchen counter to prevent falling to the floor. This heartbreaking experience saddens me. I wish I could’ve been there to help. A triple knock on the front door wakes up Solla and makes Cham come to. Solla

spruces up, moves to the door, and opens it. “Auntie Solla, Daddy is here for you!” Kellie says excitedly. “Solla!” Frank cries out. Frank reaches out to hold her in his arms and embrace his dear sister. Solla is so thrilled that she cannot even mutter a whisper. Her throat is tight, totally soundless, and lost for words. Many more happy tears find their way down her smoother and younger-looking cheeks and onto her chin and neck. Their sentiments run wildly and without restraint. Kellie, Cham, Frank’s wife, Gija, and their son, Junior, hug Solla and Frank, ing their tears of jubilation in a bundle of greatest cheer. “I know you need rest, so I brought Mom and Dad and Frankie to you!” Kellie explains. “It’s wonderful, my dear!” Solla struggles to whisper. She hugs and holds Frankie close to her side. I see them sitting on the sofa side by side and lovingly wiping each other’s tears. Gija gives Solla a bouquet of flowers and Frank hands her a gift. Solla looks at the beautiful flowers and continues crying happily. Then Kellie takes the flowers and places them in a flower vase in the living room. Solla begins removing the gift wrap. It’s a small rectangular and flat box with a lovely paper design and a small pink ribbon. “It is gorgeous! Thank you, my dear brother! I will treasure it!” Solla exclaims loudly while trying to hold back her tears. It is a pendant on a twisting gold chain with a shining blue heart-shaped stone hanging at the end of it. “I bought it for you in a small village in during the war. I kept it all these years because I knew, deep in my heart, that this moment would come someday. You are my dear and only sister, and I know that you went through a lot of suffering when you thought you had lost me in the war. I have never forgotten you, not even for an instant, and you are always in my heart, and I love you so very much!” Frank says. Tears drift down his aging face as I perceive a flashback from Frank’s memory.

The throbbing emotion in his heart brings about an inner thought deeply guarded in his mind. He was alone and injured, but Frank miraculously slipped unseen through the enemy’s defenses. The snow, whipped by a slapping blizzard, fell heavily down to the ground, chilling Frank’s uncovered face. It was a tormenting cold and a life-threatening freeze. He ran for cover under a fallen tree. His crew had perished or was captured after they had crash-landed a few hours earlier. At that moment, he thought about his only sibling, his sister, Solla. He felt Solla as his salvation, his protector angel from a fairy tale. So he grasped the golden chain with the shining blue heart-shaped pendant tightly against his pounding heart. He had just purchased it for his Solla prior to his mission that morning. A flash of light forced him to look up, and in a circular fluorescent aura he saw the image of Solla, crying and praying for him. “Please, my dear God, protect my dear brother, Frank, from the dangers of war!” Solla’s image said. All of a sudden, Frank felt the freezing cold hard muzzle of a carbine rifle against the back of his head. The aura resembling the image of Solla vanished into the falling snow. “Up from there! On your feet, American!” Frank heard. Frank got up slowly and obeyed his captor’s command. On foot, he was taken to a nameless and unnumbered temporary prisoners’ camp. When he entered the cabin, he found four survivors from his airplane crew. In the cold room, and once they were at ease from their captors, they grabbed Frank and put their arms around his icy neck and hugged him as if he were a close relative. “Frank! Frank! Major Sorano! Glad you are alive!” they said. They remained together until the American army trucks for exchanging prisoners came to pick them up several months later. “You have no idea what this gift means to me, my dear brother. All these years I prayed for you day and night, and on June 22, your birthday, I lit a candle to commemorate you since we share birthdays. I was told you were deceased. You, Kellie, Junior, and Gija are my gifts from God. Thank you, my dear God, thank

you!” Solla prays. We see Solla with her hands together, with the tip of her fingers touching her chin and her head tilted forward in a gesture of great respect. After her solemn prayer, she kisses Frank’s forehead, his cheeks, his nose, and his eyes so many times, over and over, as she tries to catch up for lost time. Frank emulates her, and they hold each other for the longest time. There are long years of emotion packed into this fervent moment. Frankie and Kellie are inside this gigantic hold, with their eyes letting tears flow out progressively. Quietly, Shuk comes in and stands by the entrance door, looking in at the captivating family picture, a watercolor with significant love and immeasurable unity. He waits there in silence, his eyes looking down and his head slants forward in a prayer posture, ing in the ceremonial family picture. Cham clears his tears and stands by in a reverent posture. He holds breakfast on reserve, perhaps until the high exponents of love and emotions plunge into their hearts and remain there for safekeeping. This great moment falls into their lives’ historical archives. Living continues forward with new beginnings, road turns, recoils, twists, and new unexpected ends. It is akin to a waking up from a wonderful dream. Solla and Frank look at each other and hug and kiss one more time as they separate from their historical embrace. “The coffee finished perking, the eggs are scrambled, the pancakes are still warm, but the grits are getting cold!” Cham announces. “I’m starving, Mom!” Frankie says, pretending to cry like a little boy. “Well, keep an eye on Uncle Jim. He is the one cooking! Sit at the table next to me, and I will feed you!” Gija tells Frankie, as she looks into the face of a much younger Frank. In Gija’s mind, we see a five-foot-two, 120-pound girl and only daughter to Samuel and Gigi Riba. Gija’s memories of a never ending hope that her beloved Frank would return promptly from the war. She spent many hours every day praying for his safe return. After Frank left, Gija had not been able to concentrate on her studies, so she completed high school and an advanced course in home economics. Besides praying, she committed her time to writing to Frank and trying to find Solla’s whereabouts.

Giga sees Frank step down from the train at Grand Central Station. His duffel bag and olive green carry-on bag look as if they are awfully heavy and they are. Frank looks immediately all around searching for his high school sweetheart, the girl he was going to marry, the girl who waited for his return for the past torturing years of a dangerous war. Frank didn’t have to wait too long. Gija came running into his open arms and hung from his neck as their hearts and souls became one aura of love. After this emotional embrace, Frank gave Gija a beautiful red rose. Then he noticed that she was barefooted, and they both began to laugh about it. “I needed to run fast to get here on time! So I kicked off my shoes!” “I love you, my Gija, my barefooted girl!” They both clinched and became tied together with a wonderful ribbon of love. With their eyes fused into each other, they walked as one. They were inspired and floating, ignoring the rest of the world around them. They were the happiest couple in that same whole wide world. But just before he asked her to marry him, he asked her if she knew his sister Solla’s whereabouts. Gija said that she hadn’t found her yet. “You don’t mind marrying this airman too much, do you?” “I don’t mind at all, Major Sorano!” They laughed happily. They had been engaged since their high school years. Frank completed college, and he was borne away by the U.S. Air Force to fulfill the country’s call in World War II. A few months after his return and Kellie’s birth, Samuel and Gigi ed on. Jim now stands at the end of the table waiting for the others to select their seats and sit down for breakfast. There is a knock on the door. Frankie runs and opens it. “Hi, everybody! It’s me! I’m bringing you some fresh orange juice from Florida!” Pat says. She puts a half-gallon plastic container full of orange juice in the middle of the table. Solla introduces Pat to her brother, Frank, and his family. Kellie gets

another chair from the living room and places it next to her. “Pat, please sit down over here!” “Delighted! I sure will and thank you, Kellie!” For about twenty minutes, there is silence in the room with only the gentle munching sounds of eating and the soft clinging sounds of forks, knives, and spoons touching against the glassy and flowery decorated plates. This breakfast is only one of the first of many with a family-history touch for the Sorano family and their special friends. Pat needs to return to her work; and she excuses herself, hugs and kisses Solla and Kellie, waves good-bye to Cham, Frank, and family, and then exits quietly through the front door. Shuk and Kellie also have to go back to work. “We will check on all of you later on today,” Shuk says to them as he and Kellie walk out the front door. “Jim and I will take care of the dishes and the kitchen!” Frank tells everybody. “Frank, you know that we are good at this and we have lots of experience!” Cham’s comment brings Frank memory flashes from their different but similar pasts. Frank endured the harshness of captivity as a POW toward the end of World War II. When the war ended, he was an exchange prisoner. Never mind that, Frank thinks to himself. They go on to the task at hand. This time, unlike in the POW camp, there are no pressures, no punishments, no involuntary hunger strikes or mistreatments if the tasks are not completed or done by the specified deadline. Frank and Cham take pleasure in doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. They take their time doing the after-breakfast chores. Then they Gija, Solla, and Frankie in the living room. Frankie’s favorite cartoon characters are on, Mighty Mouse, Batman, and then Atom Ant. Solla and Gija are catching up and learning about each other. Frank and Cham sit in front of them and make contributions to their stories between coffees all afternoon and through the evening. “When I came back, who did I ask you for first?” Frank asks Gija. “You asked me if I knew anything about your dear sister, Solla, but I had no

news. You suffered too much wondering whether she was dead or alive,” Gija answers. “The military told me that you were dead. But my heart always made me feel that you were alive and well. I’m so glad you’re here!” Solla says. Once again, she happily breaks into a flood of tears. Frank puts his hands on her head, touches his head to hers, and weeps. In the meantime, Junior and Cham let their heavy eyes fall and drop to sleep on the inviting soft rug in front of the television set. Soon they are snoring like bears. Frank, Gija, and Solla soon follow. Each one is sleeping with a pleasant smile on his or her face, a smile of peace and happiness. They reflect their togetherness and their remarkable contentment. They want to share this happiness with the needy people. I made a great contribution to this love and togetherness. If only Anira were here. The next day is an illuminating day for the whole gang. Solla will be reinstated into her position in the medical sciences profession. Pirus and Gara are standing at the entrance of the conference room greeting the guests who come to see a dear friend being reinstated to her title of Dr. Solace Sana Sorano. Hiding behind the fluorescent lights as usual are none other than my two assistants, Diling and Dilong. Even though Solla is the guest of honor, she prefers to sit with her family and friends rather than at the formal table with the president of the National Medical Practitioners Organization and other dignitaries. She sits at the center, in a thronelike chair facing the VIP table. Just behind Solla, there are special seats for Frankie, Markali, and Gary. Hundreds of lilies, red and yellow roses, and gladiolas adorn the conference room, and the unique bouquets beautifying Solla’s table are like inspirational symbols of peace, tenderness, and harmony. Their colors denote cheerfulness, commemoration, and soothing pulsations of love. Solla is sitting in her thronelike chair and feeling majestic. My dear friends perceive an awareness of fascination and enchantment, easiness, and deep satisfaction—a sense of completeness. The room’s atmosphere projects positivity and calmness. At the end of the ceremony, Solla will receive the gifts brought for her by her friends. The director of the National Medical Practitioners Organization and the

of her staff enter the conference room and take their seats on the higher platform level at the VIP main table and at the center of the other VIPs already in place. The hotel activities manager steps up to the main microphone to greet everyone in the name of Gara’s Inn and Hotel. “Ladies and gentlemen, a very good morning to all of you and greetings from the management and proprietors of Gara’s Inn and Hotel; you are most welcome! Courtesy of the hotel and before our scheduled special event takes place, we offer you a three-course lunch for you to select from. The services personnel are coming around the tables collecting your order selections at this moment! Bon appétit!” He raises his hand and waves a good-bye-for-now gesture. The services personnel come to the tables collecting the guests’ food selections. Within a few minutes, the serving begins. The food turns out to be remarkably delicious. Many of the guests request second helpings. The master chef is standing tall and proud by the conference room entrance door. He observes the guests’ reaction to his cooking and he likes what he sees. Pirus and Gara are also examining the situation and the master chef. They give him a two-finger victory sign with their hands. In the meantime, the band plays relaxing music. Most of the murmuring comes from the journalists who enter and stand around the edges of the room. Journalists know that there is a big story brewing behind this presentation. They can get a hint of a story by reading a face’s contours and wrinkles, and the use of body language. They focus on Solla and Cham. The master of ceremonies returns to the microphone stand. “Dignitaries, all! I proudly introduce to you the lieutenant governor of our state, the mayor of our lovely city, and the director of our City Hospital. Welcome and thank you for honoring us with your presence. Also very important to us, we have the great honor of having with us, from our nation’s capital, Dr. Marina L. Lansing, president of the National Medical Practitioners Organization, and her staff. Doctor Lansing and the of her board of directors are here on a mission of justice and corroboration. Now I present to you, Dr. Marina Lansing!” Dr. Lansing gets up and walks the few steps to the podium, where she removes her glasses. She stands in front of the microphones like a soldier—firm, stern, with a grooved forehead above her eyes, looking like a lioness. She is about five

feet, nine-and-a-half inches tall and a well-preserved sixty-three-year-old witty and outgoing professional woman. Dr. Lansing is elegantly dressed in a beige outfit with a small, well-fitted brown jacket. She wears traditional gold jewelry to match her simple and conservative attire. “I am very glad to be here today! In the name of the board of directors and myself, I take the liberty to greet the lieutenant governor of this state, the mayor of this beloved city, my comrade-in-arms director of City Hospital, and the of the media. I extend my special salutation to our guest of honor and the reason we are here today, Dr. Solace Sana Sorano!” All present, stand to face Solla and give her an astounding round of applause. “Glad to see you. How are you?” Dr. Lansing salutes Solla softly as they embrace. “Dr. Sorano is an old colleague of mine, and for the past twenty-plus years, she has worked taking care of the needy. She is their champion, our champion, and a lover of humanity. A generous soul wronged by the evils of humanity. Her ionate commitment to the community has earned her a permanent place in our history and in our hearts, especially the hearts and souls of those she helped. Today is the time to reward her, to recompense her for her indisputable heroism and bravery.” Another long applause breaks. Cham and my gang lead with resounding enthusiasm. After a reasonable time, Dr. Lansing gestures to the audience with her arms to be seated and to calm down the applause. Then she continues. “Because of that, our board of directors has collectively voted to reward our Dr. Sorano today!” Dr. Lansing says. “Dr. Solace Sana Sorano, my dear friend and colleague, I honor you with this commemorative plaque, a certificate, and a check for twenty thousand dollars!” Dr. Lansing says as she puts her arm around Solla and gently hugs her. Cham cannot hold himself back. He practically runs to Solla and hugs her dearly, kissing her cheeks. The audience raises its applause to a higher cadence. Frank, Gija, and Kellie also Solla at the stand. The only one crying is Kellie. She feels proud of her auntie Solla and herself, as

she was the one who found her. Kellie was able to help her be here today. On the other hand, Cham has been absorbing every glorious moment experienced today. Solla is being held tightly, adorably by Cham, paternally by Frank, and by the friendship of Marina. Diling and Dilong continue transmitting the commemoration images to me. Only Cham knows they are there in and around the huge chandelier that hangs from the middle of the conference room. There are another two smaller chandeliers on each side of the main large one that hangs from the center of the room. Now and then, Cham looks up and locates them, just to assure himself that they are still around. Frank hugs Solla and does not let her slip away. He is extremely proud of Solla. Right now, he is overwhelmed by the knowledge that his family is complete. Sadly, Frank is a fragile man. He is sixty-seven years old, but he looks and feels more like eighty-five years old. At times, he needs help for doing certain simple activities like reading, walking, and especially going up stairs. His hands tremble when he tries to write or sign his name, and he is not able to drive. Solla rests her head on the left side of Frank’s chest. She sort of digs in, as she finds comfort being close to her beloved and only brother. She is so close to Frank that she can hear the thumping of his heart. She deduces that his pounding heart holds the enjoyment of the event in progress, Solla’s success, a powerful love for her, and the satisfaction of her company. A small group of people, some homeless, received the news about Solla’s award through their grapevine and arrived at the conference room. They settled in the back of the room and mingled a little bit at first, but soon united and began to chant. “Solla! Solla! Solla!” It catches on to the remainder of the audience and grows larger and louder. There will always be people like this—the poor, the sick, and the homeless—to help. Solla’s friends are weak and enervated, some are sick or disabled, but they find enough internal fiber in their flimsy bodies to chant for their champion, the one who has also been there in the trenches of life with them. The drums the chanting, and then the whole band also s in. The revelry turns noisy after a while, but once all his or her feelings are let out in the outcry, everyone begins to

descend to a more calm and normal poise. The drumming and loud music stop, the chant halts, and the loud shrilling voices are silent. Solla still embraces Frank’s chest and Cham and Marina are tethered to her sides. People begin coming to Solla to say good-bye. Marina’s staff and the dignitaries wish her the best; they hug her, and they shake her hand. The chanters are crying still, a cry of exultation and joy. “Please, Solla, keep in touch. I do not want to lose you again,” Marina says. “Congratulations! Well deserved. I am sure we will meet again, Dr. Sorano,” the lieutenant governor says. Two older men approach the group and one of them says to Markus, “You gentlemen are still around?” It is Jon. “Oh my god. Markus, Shuk, look who is here. These are the two security officers who helped you do the bank transactions when we first met,” Alishya says. “This is amazing! You do not age? I am so glad to see you again.” Shuk cries out. Shuk shakes their hands and pats them on their backs. Markus is so happy and excited to see them that he cannot say a single word. He rushes to them with his arms wide open and gives them the biggest bear hug. Stiv is the first to share, “We’re retired now.” “We are very happy for you and to witness that you are doing so well, Dr. Sorano,” Jon says. Solla introduces her brother, Frank, and his wife, Gija, as well her niece and nephew, Kellie and Frankie, to them. “Do you my friend, Cham?” Solla asks them. “Yes! How are you, Cham?” Stiv asks. “I am fine. I have to say that I vaguely you two. It has been a while,” Cham says.

“Well, we at City Hospital are at your service. If you ever need health care, do not hesitate to come to see us. I promise we will take care of you,” Solla says. “Would you like to us for our picnic? It’s at the park, under the shadows of our favorite tree,” Solla adds. “Why, yes,” Jon answers. “All right, what are we doing in here? Let’s get going then,” Markus says. “The hotel will provide the catering for the picnic and two ten-enger minivans with drivers. That way we go together, stay together, and come back together. , you are my special and treasured guests,” Gara explains. “That’s right. You belong to an endangered species and yes, we will cherish you today,” Pirus reaffirms. The vehicles are roomy and very comfortable. Frank and Cham flank Solla, while Gija is next to Frank’s left. Julie, Shuk, Kellie, and Pat take the next seat behind Solla. Gary, Markali, and Frankie take the seats all the way in the back of the vehicle, the fun seats. There, the three can play at will and enjoy viewing the cartoons showing on the mini TV set. The second minivan carries Grandpa Donos, Markus, Alishya, Jon, and Stiv. “Pirus, there are three other hotel guests who want to go to the park. Can they us?” Gara asks. “If it is okay with our friends, they can Jon and Stiv’s group in the second minivan.” “They seem to be nice people,” Gara says. “You can get on this vehicle,” Pirus says to the new guests. The new guests are two men in their seventies and a woman in her late fifties. Our friends greet them as they get seated, closing the minivan’s door. The older man makes the introductions. “I am Dan Cross.” He gestures toward the other male. “This is my younger

brother Adrian and,”—looking to the woman—“my baby sister, Santi.” “Glad to meet you,” Markus says. “All on board?” the driver asks loudly. “Yes!” everybody responds as they sit back relaxing in preparation for the drive ahead. The minivan’s sliding door opens abruptly just as the driver begins to press the gas. He hits the brakes, stalling the van. Two masked men point semiautomatic guns at the Crosses. The lead gunman opens fire at Dan Cross shouting, “You changed your name from Vic to Dan, but your face is the same!” The second fires at the other Crosses, Adrian and Santi. Simultaneously, Diling and Dilong flash protective shields in front of the Crosses, freezing bullets in midair and energizing their stunning flash rays, paralyzing the intruding criminals on the spot. Everyone is placed in a state of suspended animation, until Diling and Dilong purge and cleanse their minds of all memory of the event. The flash rays pulverize the weapons. Their masks dissolve. The two men quietly close the minivan’s door and continue their walk toward their car in the parking lot, as if nothing had happened. We identify the attackers as Corotto gangsters and obviously enemies of our three guests. This gang owns many officials and has managed to bribe officials in order to get these two out of jail and on parole, looking for revenge. When they reach their car the gangster in charge is concerned. “What the heck are we supposed to be doing?” “I have a feeling that the boss is not going to be too happy about it!” the other gangster says. Everything returns to normal in the minivan, also as if nothing had occurred. “Is everybody ready? Please fasten your seatbelts,” the driver requests politely.

“We are fine,” the Crosses reply. “Here too,” Grandpa Donos answers. The driver positions our minivan behind the first minivan and gives the other driver a ready-to-go hand signal. The two-vehicle caravan begins its trek to the park. Immediately we search our archives database and identify the three humans as Vic von Poole, Abe von Poole, and Angel Ann von Poole. They are supposed to be under the government’s witness protection program for testifying against these gangsters back in 1928. Vic was the one who hid the five million dollars under my large roots. They have returned to this area to reminisce after forty years plus in hiding. They sense their last days of life are approaching, they are ill, and preparing for the advent of their transition time. In the fun seats at the rear of the first minivan, the young Gary, Markali, and Frankie are having the time of their lives, watching their favorite cartoons on a small television. Everyone seems to be having a delightful time, enjoying each other’s company. Solla holds Frank’s hand, squeezes it gently till she feels a pulse and begins comparing the pulse with Cham’s pulse in her other hand. Very slowly, a chilling feeling begins to emerge from the top of her spine all the way down to the ending disc. An enhanced warning system instilled when we healed her. Suddenly, it hits her; she grabs Frank’s hand now with both of her hands and the warning level increases. Then she quickly observes and studies Frank’s pale face, and then leans her face against his chest. She finds that the palpitations in his heart are off. She hears a faded murmur and an improper rhythm. Sadly her inner thoughts cry out, “No! Why? Why? Why?” She puts her face inside her hands. Nobody notices her move except for Cham who embraces her with love and pulls her toward himself tenderly and silently. They cuddle kindheartedly. Cham immediately senses that something is very wrong. There is so much happiness in the air and everyone else is blessed with the joy of the day. The more Solla thinks about her dear brother Frank, the more assertive about her diagnosis she gets, and the more sadness enters her heart. Frank closes

his eyes slowly and slumbers off for the duration of the trip to the park. Cham murmurs an inner thought prayer and energizes the thought to try to mentally transmit it to me. Solla has also elevated herself to her consciousness, as she wants to ask me for help. Cham looks back searching for the two light-blending spheres. He knows they are around there somewhere because he had seen them earlier hiding behind the lights at the hotel conference room. He keeps looking around and finally spots them escorting the second minivan. Cham wonders if they picked up the mental voice messages. “I have received all your messages. Solla is correct about her dear brother Frank. I will wait for all of you to come here and then Diling, Dilong, and I will help Frank,” I respond to Cham. Solla hears the message too. “Thank you, Master Scientist Ogos, I know that you will be there for us,” Solla says. Solla and Cham look at each other and smile. They acknowledge having vital wisdom between the two of them.

Chapter 11: The Picnic

When they arrive at the park, Frank is still heavy-eyed and drowsy. Gija and Solla grab his arms and they help Frank to glide toward the sliding door. Once outside the minivan, Cham and Solla, holding Frank by his waist, begin to lead him down the path to my comforting shade and a spot where a fresh breeze has a continual presence. They keep Frank firmly on his feet, for he is now feeble and ashen. The other engers from the second minivan in and surround Frank. One look at Frank and they come to sense that something is very wrong with him. They all wear concerned expressions on their faces, for their hearts tell them Frank’s health is wavering badly. Sitting on the soft and fluffy green grass in front of me is Marina. I sense she is experiencing an involuntary eye-flickering movement with visual disturbances and a severe headache herself. She watches the group coming and she waves a greeting to them, especially her dear friend Solla. She sees her friends holding Frank up and rushes over to them. Marina whispers to Solla and Shuk, “Frank’s health is wavering. He is in bad shape. We need to help him. Immediately!” “My dear Marina, we already have a plan in place. You will see. Relax and enjoy the ride,” Solla whispers back to Marina. Marina sits and watches as Solla and Cham pause and become mentally submerged. They hands and bow their heads. With the exception of the sweet happy chirping sparrows, my area is undisturbed. The little birds enjoy the peace, serenity, and comfort of my flora. They drink and bathe in the fountain’s cool and refreshing waters. The children there are fascinated with the russet-colored birds playing at the fountain. My assistants, Diling and Dilong, and I are preparing to commence the mystical event that will boost Frank’s physiological tolerance and capabilities. It will also heal ailments inflicting all present. “Everyone, come form a circle,” Solla says, “and close your eyes as if in a deep

prayer.” They all comply including the guests, for they perceive they will be praying for Frank’s recovery and the revitalization of all those present who may have illnesses. “Welcome, my dear friends. Please close your eyes and unwind while we proceed with our work.” Mystically, I atone into the receiving consciousness of each participating human friend. I harmonize with their consciousness. Soft nebulae begin to fill the area, and a shallow glow sparks all around. Diling floats above Frank’s head with clear brilliance. Dilong is suspended above the Von Pooles’ heads—Vic, Abe, and Angel. “Vic, Abe, and Angel von Poole are the reason we are together this day! They were heroes in their own era.” I transmit with inner emotion and sentiment. Vic and Abe have weak hearts and high blood pressure. Their illnesses are caused by acute diabetes. Angel has emphysema. Marina sits back, amazed by the vibrations she feels throughout her body. She is totally entranced. Her soul presents her with the malignant brain tumor disappearing from her head, a visionary image that runs through her mind as an inner thought. This is the answer to her vision failures. “This problem forced you to decide to take a vacation at Shuk’s hospital to rest, thinking that you were suffering from a form of depression. That way, you would’ve been observed, diagnosed, and cured by your friends Shuk and Solla. But you will be fine now after a few minutes.” Jon and Stiv are absolutely flabbergasted as they behold the sight and painlessly feel their hearts’ main blood arteries being cleared from clogging. There is something unusual. I transmit an inner thought to my helpers. “A lady called Anira does not under the system we use for curing anomalies in humans. She comes into view in perfect health. In addition, she is somehow interrupting our scanning course of action. This phenomenon tells us that she might not be from the human race.” For some inexplicable reason, Anira wants to be with the gang. But instead, she separates herself from the proximity of the group and assumes a lotus position.

Her name is distracting me. All I can think of is my own friend, Anira, back on Ogan. It will be a few more Earth minutes before we run a final check on our friends to ensure the maximum effect of the cleansing application. “What was that? There is a sudden presence in the Ulterior Scanning Transmitter-Communicator!” I transmit to my assistants. “There is an incoming wavelength in the higher-level Com-Com individual sensors,” Diling responds. “This is exceedingly rare!” Dilong says. “We are weak now because of the power we spent on our patients’ treatments. Once we are confident we succeeded, we will analyze this incoming upper-level intrusion.” All seven new begin to feel the outcome of this mystical cleansing treatment. The whole group is connected together by an invisible magic ribbon of divine harmony. Our patients, Frank, Jon, Stiv, Marina, and the Von Pooles, smile satisfied and intrigued. Frank looks and feels alive and agile, some thirty years younger. A wrinkle-free Marina is intellectually alert and with tremendous thinking abilities. They feel the sense of being awarded with age-suring extensions of life. They give warm thanks to me, Diling, Dilong, and to the divine grace of God. Whatever the celebration might be, the park brings together all sorts of life forms from its surrounding areas. They search for the leftovers humans leave behind. Sometimes people feed the animals and the birds, but that is not the reason why Eskur and Erkon, followed by their two offspring, came to this reunion. They are superbly excited when they discover they are among the friends they missed for a long time. “This is no common tree, Erkon! This is our Ogos! ? We are home again!” Eskur communicates to Erkon with squirrel chatter as she runs up my trunk. “I am rejoiced to see you two and that you have returned home to us. Allow your offspring to come onboard and us up here in my crown. You are family and

you are most welcome!” Eskur, with her shiny sparkling eyes jam-packed with love, runs back down my trunk and sits in front of her dear friend Shuk. “Do you know me?” Eskur seems to express. Copying Eskur, Erkon goes to Markus and sits in front of him, looking at him nervously. Maybe Erkon is afraid that his dear friend will fail to recognize him. But it is Markali who asks Markus if he knows Erkon. “Do you know him, Dad?” Markali asks. Shuk and Markus had not been aware of the presence of their squirrel friends. Erkon and Eskur jump in Markus and Shuk’s arms looking for their acknowledgment. Shuk seizes Eskur and presses her against his chest in a loving and engulfing hug. Eskur shivers all over, expressing her joy and disbelief. All eyes are on the four of them. I see them in an emotional, across-the-species extraordinary drama. Their two offspring sit in front of them, watching their elders affectionately and wondering about this kind of friendship. The kids and the young squirrels become quickly acquainted and head off running around the water fountain area. “Master Scientist Ogos is a godsend to us! He has changed our lives for the better by curing all our ailments and liberating us from evil. His magic is there, protecting us,” Shuk says. “Each one of us has received his magic at one crucial point in our lives,” Jim says to the gang. “I am thrilled, perplexed, astonished!” says Marina. “I am also very happy to be a part of this group of friends. I feel as if I have known Master Scientist Ogos and all of you for all my life. I am grateful to Ogos, and I hope we can get the opportunity to return the favors and be able to help him someday.” Solla is gratefully inspired. “I have no words to express and describe my feelings of gratefulness, first to Ogos and then to all of you. I pray that we be able to keep Master Scientist Ogos and his magic and his conviction to help humanity.” “Life is now meaningless to me and my family without you all,” Markus says,

“especially if Master Scientist Ogos is not at our side. I know that when we say Ogos, we mean Ogos and Diling and Dilong. I also concur with all your comments and farsightedness.” “O God, we thank you for helping us,” says Frank. “We are grateful to you for letting us have the presence and friendship of Master Scientist Ogos and Diling and Dilong. Also, thank you for bringing us all together as a group! Amen.” Once again, the group unifies in prayer. And as usual, I them.

Chapter 12: Anira

“Hello! Do we know you?” Gary asks the lady in the green dress who is sitting at the front surrounding edge of the water fountain. “We do not know each other yet, but I have a feeling that we will get to know each other soon. My name is Anira. What is your name?” she replies. “My name is Gary, and these are my friends, Markali and Frankie, and behind us are our two squirrel friends. Our parents are over there sitting under the big tree,” Gary says. “Would you like to us?” Markali asks as they all nod in agreement. “I am feeling sort of uneasy. I will wait a while until I feel more adjusted and relaxed.” “My auntie Solla is a doctor. I can ask her to help you, if you like,” Frankie suggests caringly. “My father, Markus and my uncle, Shuk are also doctors,” Markali adds. “So you can get a lot of help in no time at all!” says Gary. “I will be fine,” Anira assures the boys. “I will your group later, after a while.” “Okay, we will check on you later, Anira,” Frankie says as all five run off jumping and giggling together. The sweet little squirrels follow the boys vivaciously, racing and jumping and making all kinds of energetic happy sounds, infecting the boys with their joyful feelings. I watch the boys, ing the day Gary was perfected. Gary’s parents, Pirus and Gara, came to the park to congratulate Shuk and Markus on their new found treasure. As soon as Gara came into view Diling, Dilong, and I observe an

imbalance in her body’s biorhythm. We scanned Gara ing our suspicions. Automatically, the scan purified her and her unborn baby. Gary was only an unnamed fertilized granule then, when we skimmed through him. As a result, both of their immune systems, organs, brains, bones, and physique became healthier and stronger. At his present age, Gary is able to hear and understand inner thought transmissions. He needs to learn how to communicate with us. From time to time, he picks up messages from other people, like from his teachers and classmates. But he doesn’t understand this unusual capability he has. Most of the time, he ignores it. Pirus and Gara are extremely cautious about their dear boy Gary. They don’t let him go swimming in pools or any mass of water. The fear of losing little Gary to a river, pond, lake, or ocean causes Gara to become very nervous whenever they get close to water. Definitely, no swimming pools! Similarly, Pirus is always checking the weather forecasts as he keeps Gara and Gary on his front scope of vision and not too far from him. With a nice, humble, and sweet personality, our boy, Gary is joyful and friendly. He is bright in many ways like Gara, and cautious and determined like Pirus. Gary is popular at school and he maintains excellent academic grades. He is a member of the school newspaper staff and a member of the basketball and golf teams. Activities that don’t call his attention too much are the performing arts and the Drama Club. Otherwise, he is delighted with the Science Club and journalism. He also plays tennis at school tournaments and he practices the game at the hotel courts where his Mom and Dad can keep an eye on him. He belongs to the School’s Universal Environmental Group (SUEG) which develops ways for saving energy and improving living conditions. SUEG plants trees, herbs, and vegetables, especially plants that are good food and medicine sources. The SUEG gardens provide most of the vegetables and fruits the school cafeteria serves. Even the Gara Inn Hotel and Resort buys the group’s products for its kitchen. Gary attends the local church near the hotel every Sunday morning with Pirus and Gara. The three of them enjoy the mass, and Gary participates in Sunday school after the mass. Nowadays, most Sundays, Gary takes pleasure in the company of Markali and Frankie. After church services, the three play together

at the hotel. They make a wonderful team. We all are very proud of them, especially of Gary. When Markali arrived in this world, we were in another world galaxies away from here. Like Gary, he was also branded as a “gift from God” child. The timing for his birth seemed to be ideal for Markus and Alishya. Markali was born during their best of times. His looks are equally shared from both parents. Markus and Alishya took immense pleasure in those great first years of Markali’s childhood. He turned out to be a fast learner and was always happy. Very seldom did he cry, get sick, or complain about anything. Diling and Dilong and I saw his birth, baptism, communion, and all his birthdays and graduation celebrations. Just as we did with Gary’s growing-up parties and festivities—they are all safeguarded in our video library. Markali and Gary sort of grew up together and went to the same school and shared similar interests. Also, character-wise, they are very much alike in many ways. They help each other with some of their favorite activities, like working with SUEG. I feel they are the beginning of great men. Markali chose basketball as his preferred sport, sociology and chemistry as his favorite academic subjects. Music, like his uncle Joey, dominated his heart. When he was seven years of age, Markali played trombone in the school band. But he was more successful as a guitarist. His looks take after his deceased Uncle Joey. The resemblance is undeniable. There are times that Alishya calls him Joey, and then she goes to her room and weeps silently. “Why are you crying, Mom? Who is Joey?” “He was my little brother. Someday I will explain, my dear son.” Markali never had the chance to meet his uncle Joey and his grandparents because they ed on before his mom married his daddy, Markus. The only grandparent he knows is Papa Donos, Daddy Markus’s father. I suddenly begin to quiver all over. Diling and Dilong twist out of control as if we have been jolted by a universal force field of energy. What in this world was that? It happened so fast and without warning. Then the Paginal Grid s an Interplanetary Galaxial Irreversible Telecom message. We need to open the

Deciphering Grid for decoding the message. Before I can begin to decipher the message, I hear a voice from someone on Earth. “Pardon me! I am Anira, the daughter of the late Master Scientist Ogar. I am sure the message is about Master Scientist Ogos and me. I am sure!” “Anira, from Ogan? This is a wonderful surprise! How did you manage to get here?” I beam with delight. I see Anira in the grid now; see the same woman standing before me. “But you appear human!” “I have always been your devoted irer, and it was very hard for me to say good-bye to you when you left Ogan,” Anira reveals, “I told my father that I wanted to spend the rest of my life at your side. Before Dad made his transition, he made the necessary preparations with the Supreme Mission and Transformations director so I could be digitized and then dispersized and ultimately humanized. He knew in his heart that this was your utmost desire and that eventually, you would request your transformation to the Supreme Masters of Ogan. But without Master Scientist Ogar’s , it would have been denied. Dad saw our future and he took the necessary steps to make this happen.” A warmth fills my heart; a pleasant burning sensation. I burst, “This is unbelievable! You are remarkable!” Solla, Cham, and Marina are able to hear our conversational telepathic whisper and they begin to comprehend the general idea of the conversation. They smile silently and focus on the conversation. “Anira, I have a confession to make. The last time I was in Ogan, you and your father were the only things that kept me from going mad. The striking beauty of Ogan can’t be compared to you. You made a very entrenched impression in the deepest spot in my heart. You can and view all illustrations about my inputs and feelings through Diling and Dilong’s archives. When I sensed you today in the area, I was affected by your influential, lovable, and comionate presence. Right away, I knew that I was in merciful and inconsolable trouble when I came across your sensorial and sentimental solidified feelings. But, Anira, how can I become human like you if the technology is in Ogan?”

“My transposonization crossover transformation took several days. Once mine was completed, I worked on yours with Dad and the other scientists. I created a drawing of your image, or at least how I would like you to look as a human.” Anira telepathically forwards the image she created. “I crafted this image of you, my dream man. Tell me how you like it. I think he is gorgeous!” “Wow! Behold! I am to be six foot two, muscular and lean, weighing 205 pounds. Light brown hair, hazel eyes, and nicely dressed in blue; a human’s version of a forty-five-year-old movie star.” I turn my attention to Anira, “It looks just wonderful! I am delighted with the human version you created for me.” “I suggest we see what the message tells us,” Anira says. “Diling and Dilong are already on the job! I am sure they have opened the envelope from the Divisible Paginal Invisible Grid. There it is!” “This is to inform and direct all tree-kind and the only concerned humankind that by using the Transubstantiation Super Modern Technique, engineered by the late Master Scientist Ogar, we have successfully transposed one of our treetizens into a fully operational human earthling. The Oganian Treefimil became our second conversion by creating a living image first, and then inserting the predetermined soul into its physical, mystical, and psychic cores of the selected image. This process takes four Ogan days to complete before the subject becomes fully functional. Her name is Anira, and she is the daughter of our beloved late Master Scientist Ogar. Anira should be with you right now. “The instructions and directions left by Master Scientist Ogar are specific and clearly state who our next transformation subject will be. Master Scientist Ogar awards Master Scientist Ogos the honor of our third and last transformation. It is so directed that Anira and Ogos will spend the rest of their lives together on planet Earth, sharing life as husband and wife, for those are their wishes posted on the archives and most recent planet Ogan’s scrolls and scriptures. Master Scientist Ogos’s soul is in place, and we will send or transport the new human image created by Anira for Master Scientist Ogos. Upon its arrival on planet Earth, the union will take place, and Anira will supervise Master Scientist Ogos’s transformation. The majestic tree will continue living and decorating the park—as just that, an Earth tree.”

Anira puts her loving arms around my trunk and squeezes me. I begin to blush, showing my human bashfulness, as she presses her face softly against me, trying to sense the affection I feel for her while giving me her feelings of love. Very soon we will be as one and be able to talk normally to each other and profess our unlimited love. The sentimental feelings flow between us while Solla, Cham, Marina, Pirus, and Gara observe silently from a short distance. All five have been discreetly eavesdropping, listening to inner thought high-level conversation. Since the five gang were brain scanned, they were ed at the high-level grid and are able to intuit and grasp some of the meaning of the dialogue being posted in the grid registry. Once the transformation is complete, the high-level grid will return to planet Ogan, and they will no longer be able to sense anything from it. The five friends randomly look at each other, exchanging meaningful inner thoughts from the high-level insights. The frozen expressions on their faces expose the mystique and gravity of the forthcoming occurrence they are about to experience. They wholeheartedly my becoming one of them. They are already contemplating arrangements to accommodate me into their group and into human society. “Can you imagine what will happen if we go to the Bureau of Immigration to Ogos and Anira?” Marina asks. Jon is certain, “We cannot obtain citizenship visas for them. I believe our governmental officials are not fully prepared for such an uncommon request.” “I agree, Jon,” Stiv says, “It’s been my experience that as illegal immigrants, they will be placed in a detention facility. Their circumstances will be branded as some hoax created by terrorists or anti-government infiltrators.” “What a mess!” Solla and Cham say. They all begin to brainstorm on all the correct and legal ways for any possibilities for use of the Bureau of Immigration. But in all their ideas, there is a backfire or disheartening outcome. They became enclaved in a vicious circle. “Let’s do it ourselves,” Jon says. “We’ll need to begin with names.”

“Ogon and Anira Ogos sound good to me,” says Solla. “We’ll need to create birth certificates and parents.” “I can get personal history data at City Hospital,” Shuk says. “There are many who ed on, isolated and alone. Their histories could benefit us.” “Next is education and profession.” “I have a couple extra diplomas we can doctor up,” Shuk says. “Of course, they must be doctors!” Solla says. They are certain that I have learned loads of things about humanity through the thousands of years I have been on planet Earth. The knowledge I have acquired contains all there is to know about the biological and physiological aspects of the human race, from the quivering node nerve and ing nutrients, to the dusty spiritless corpse. My studies include Earth’s chemical elements and components of every major arrangement; we have helped and cured thousands of humans and other species. My friends feel that my transition is not going to be too difficult. I will gradually suffer the loss of the majority of my healing and mystical powers once I make the change into the human race. The gang will lose my mystical healing abilities in the process. My ability to luminously and divinely restore to health humans will progressively fade away. For the first time in Marina’s life, she is most seriously impressed. “We have thought of new names for you to use in your new lives. Dr. Ogon Sihr Ogos and Dr. Anira Kanir Ogar Ogos. Mr. and Mrs. Ogos!” Across the grid she says, “As director of the National Medical Practitioners Organization, I believe I shouldn’t have much of a problem inducting Anira and Ogos. They can us in our much needed work at the hospital.” “Jon and Stiv will also be ing the hospital’s security team,” Shuk shares. “Jon will be managing hospital security and Stiv will help him with its supervision.” “These arrangements will keep most of the gang together.” I am pleased. “It will enable me to continue to take care of the many illnesses of the city’s people, especially the impoverished. Even though most of our numinous intensity will be

null, we will still have our scientific and medical knowledge and our conviction and devotion for all humanity. It is going to be much more tedious and time consuming to cure the many cases that will be presented to us once we become human. The medical methods we will be using are considered less than traditional by us, not the swift mind-over-matter type we now use. For the first time in our professional lives, we will feel helpless when we cannot cease pain and remove germs and viruses with a single definite sweep of mind power.” “What about Diling and Dilong?” Solla wonders. “Do they go back to planet Ogan and get reassigned to another Master Scientist like Ogos, or will they work alone? Will they remain on planet Earth working side by side with Ogos and Anira forever? How do they feel about it?” Presently, nobody is giving any thought to Diling and Dilong’s transformation, leaving me with no answers. Planet Ogan’s scientists, Anira, Diling, and Dilong are focused and diligently working on my impending transformation. Not only do they have to coordinate, set, and reconfirm variants, subvariants, and training devices, but also scientists must foresee that there is no interplanetary or intergalactic intervention of any sort. Foremost, they have to ensure that my human image is ready. In this case, the imagery is preloaded with a temporary replaceable soul file copy of the original soul while it waits for the original essence. The entire transformation takes four planet Ogan days, but these are equivalent to less than one hour of a planet Earth day. The transporting of the energized human effigy will through planet Ogan’s Indivisible Invisible Grid within planet Earth seconds. In a flash, it will appear in the park close to me. Immediately, Anira and Diling and Dilong will follow the final procedural steps to insert my original soul through an image orthicon–like device, and into a stalklike bundle of nerve fibers connecting various parts of the brain of the new human form. All are attentive and focused on the moment in which my human form will appear from my swift one-way trip from planet Ogan. The gang is alert, waiting for the mind-boggling moment in which the transformation will occur. The new eight are still in near shock, mesmerized by this unimaginable event. Vic and Abe look up with their mouths halfway open, eyes open widely, faces off their natural shade of color, and timidly staring at me and Anira and the unfolding drama in front of them.

Jon looks at Vic, and this time, he seems to see a more familiar face. The mystic cleansing performed earlier today has cleared wrinkles off Vic’s face. Jon holds Stiv’s forearm to get his attention away from Pat and at the same time he talks to Vic. “Have we met before, Vic?” Dan Cross turns in response to his name, Vic. Stiv sees the more recognizable youthful features. “Yes, that’s him!” he agrees. “Victor von Poole!” Surprised, Vic slowly reaches out to them, and they embrace in a happy trio. “Now I recall all, and at last, I have the pleasant opportunity to thank you in person after all these years!” Vic says to Jon and Stiv. Vic turns to his brother Abe and his sister Angel. “Abe, Angel, these two gentlemen took me into police custody in July 1928. Did either of you meet or see any of them at the police station that day?” Vic asks. “No! We did not see them because we arrived there before you, and immediately, we were transferred to another facility. Later on is when we were reunited,” Angel explains. “Stiv and I learned the following day that you three were not thieves but diplomats of justice.” Jon pauses and smiles. “Vic, Abe, Angel, we have an astonishing and heartwarming story to tell you based on what Victor did many years ago. Vic, in one way or another, all the of this group are connected, directly or indirectly, to that particular day in July 1928. Stiv, Ogos, and I are witnesses and contributors as well to the latest results of your humanitarian action. Ogos, Stiv, and I were present when we took you into custody. We were also present when two very poor young men, Shuk and Markus, sitting there in front of us right now, found the cold cash treasure consisting of five million dollars inside a gray money bag. The money you hid between the large roots of Ogos. So it was Stiv and I who investigated and escorted the loot all the way to the bank for deposit into Shuk’s and Markus’s bank s. That money has helped in the creation of many miracles, such as the one you have seen here today, including your own three miracles. The two

young men, once penniless and sad, became prominent doctors and now savers of many poor and insolvent lives,” Jon says, glassy-eyed and emotionally charged. “I am enormously moved, and thankful to God that my feat found the intended targets and did not go in vain. It is a wonderful feeling!” Vic says. He opens the palms of his hands, and then closes them together tightly in a prayer gesture. “It is spectacular, powerful, and extraordinary!” Angel cries out, her eyes becoming inundated with joyful tears. “This is incredible, unimaginable!” Abe says. In this moment of mystical preparations and worries about the transformation, I am pleased to witness these notable announcements, especially Jon’s chronological life-drama stories in which not only am I an eyewitness to all of it but an active participant in each and every episode. Diling and Dilong will post to the Indivisible Invisible Grid’s this important occasion with the other historical videos. As always, they have been recording the dialogues and actions in progress. We continue to await the signal indicating the transformation will begin. It is possible that an interplanetary and intergalactic disturbance has occurred, delaying the process. Even the mildest negative activity will distress the effectiveness of the transformation process. They have had two successful transformations in the past, and there have not been any failures. Whether it would affect the outcome and the performance of the new human is not yet known. There is a constant sense of excellence and precision imposed into this delicate conversion process. Positive results are not fully verified and side effects are not corroborated. That is why this transformation technique will be discontinued after my change. The Oganian science directors and the ruling government body of planet Ogan will only use this technology for medical purposes such as replacing lost and damaged boughs or limbs and to reconstruct selected bifurcated or badly broken bodies. It will only be used for, and limited to, locally performing physical and plastic tree-therapy. This scientific process used for transformations as applied today will be outlawed. “I feel a lively commotion in the intergalactic fields! But I do not perceive any

activity in our coordinates and variants!” Anira’s inner thoughts inform me, the five active listeners, and Diling and Dilong. When the waiting and expectations ease off, they relax a bit and begin paying more attention to each other’s affairs. Jon takes the opportunity to talk to Shuk and Markus. He, Stiv, and the Von Pooles move closer. “Dr. Dartins, Dr. Donos, permit me to formally introduce to you Mr. Victor von Poole, his brother, Abe von Poole, and his sister, Angel Ann von Poole. Do we ever have a story for you?” Shuk and Markus lean in, waiting to hear. “Mr. von Poole is the primary reason you are here today. He is also the very reason we are all here today,” Jon says. “Why is that, Jon?” asks Markus. “Vic, Abe, and Angel took a gray bag with money from some thugs. The gray money bag contained five million dollars in hard cash. Vic came to this park and concealed the money bag under the large roots of this big tree. This tree happens to be our beloved Ogos. This happened on July 2, 1928. Stiv and I were two rookies on our very first day at work, and we took Vic into custody. Later on Vic, Abe, and Angel were released and granted government protection from the thugs. The gray money bag with the cash was never found.” “This is remarkable!” Shuk erupts. “An extraordinary blessing! Just like the works of God!” Markus bursts in emotion and all-embracing wonder. We see Shuk and Markus screening their faces with both hands and looking up for a flash of understanding in the infinite skies. They search for spiritual guidance and someone to give thanks to in the Kingdom of God. “It seems to me that you two, Jon and Stiv, are also our guardians from above here on planet Earth!” Markus says. “Thus, it looks like we were here when the money bag was snagged, when the treasure was discovered, and we are here now to see the blessed results of it!”

Stiv summarizes. Markus and Shuk embrace Vic, Abe, and Angel. “What is going on, Markus?” Alishya asks concerned. “What is happening, Shuk?” Kellie asks. Markus and Shuk introduce Alishya and Kellie to the Von Pooles. They narrate the soul-searching story of which they are also part of. Kellie and Alishya cover their mouths to hold back a burst of an out-loud cry, but they cannot stop the torrential flow of tears. Everyone is totally speechless once again. They all know the saga, a gradually maturing tale of suffering, mystery, and unparalleled elation. The gang is looking down, spellbound by the legend they heard from Jon and Vic and by the realization that they themselves are active characters in it. A distant resonating echo emits the sound of a low-keyed soothing voice. It breaks the silence and awakens them. “The story you just heard is true in its entirety, and I it because I was able to live it and photograph it.” They look toward the unknown voice and see a sky that has turned dark, and an actively rotating shining mist emerges from the urns of an unknown universe. I appear on Earth, wearing my new image. I emerge from a cloud of blazing and gleaming lights suspended in a large, round, and translucent sphere. “I am here among you now. Being with you feels eternal and fulfilling,” my new voice resonates. “Anira, you look wonderful!” I feel a river of genuine tears and a real pounding heart for the first time. “Oh! Oh, dear! It happened! You are here my brilliant creation.” Anira runs to me and lovingly clings on to me. I am in delight when we look into each other’s eyes, tying our hold firmly in an adoring and enviable embrace. Right now, we have no thought of the future, only for each other. The gang does not see the mystic flash that occurs within the white mist of the cloud just after my appearance. They are still mesmerized by the sudden, yet

expected arrival. Everyone is observing and wondering what else may happen when they see two additional beings emerging from the mist, each dressed in white and silver. The male has a light blue vest and a silverlike shirt; the female, a white vest on a silver blouse. At a distance, they look like a pair of competing motorcyclists. Now the gang is again surprised and baffled by this remarkable new event. The transformations included Diling and Dilong. Both Diling and Dilong come to stand near Anira and me, holding hands, perplexed, and staring lovingly at each other. They are mesmerized and iring the gorgeous human changes and beauty in their new genre in front of them. Both look about thirty-seven years of age with sandy hair. They are an attractive couple. Their new human world feels more sensitive to their bodies, and they can actually feel and smell the air and the flowers and the trees. They see from a different platform now. They look around them, and up instead of down from above. I observe the gang looking at the big tree once called Ogos, their benefactor, master, and healer. This big tree is not majestic any longer. The tree appears abandoned and is only the carcass of a prime Oganian soul. Its foliage doesn’t glow with splendor as I did, and its inner thoughts and feelings are blank flatline vibrations. This tree lacks acute sensors that generate feelings and humanlike emotions, and its capacious and vivacious splendorous crown is no longer there. This crown does not provide ample shadow for protecting people from the tortures of the mighty sun. Dead brown leaves and branches did not exist when I embodied this tree. All around me, from my crown down to my roots, dead or broken leaves and branches were never found, not even in the autumn, when the leaves on other trees fell off. One could hear a pin drop in this serene atmosphere surrounding my gang and me right now. All eyes are fixed on Anira, the brand new Dilong and Diling team, and me, the new human Ogos. They do not really know us yet, nor do they have access to our inner thoughts to liberally converse as before. They are like new acquaintances. Everyone in the gang is looking for a way to integrate the past into an unusual and more meaningful present. The injurious past has been gallantly slain by the heroes from far beyond. The sword has been ed on to the new humanlike warriors, although they’re the same beings in a different form, the combatants that will eliminate deceit and restore to health the infected and deformed. My gang is now reinforced, with four new fresh and foremost knowledgeable curators, capable of the most sophisticated and out-of-the-

ordinary medical methods. Now, at their own risk, they save lives. Shuk, Markus, Pirus and Gara, Eskur, and Erkon are the first ones to approach Anira and me, and to welcome us casually even though they cannot embrace us. The four of us still have a low level of static and electrical shielding. No doubt, if they were to shake our hands and embrace us, they would receive a mild static shock upon . By the time the gang get to embrace Anira, Diling, Dilong, and me, the electrical static will dissipate and their bodies will be smoothly appeased. The hugs are long and beloved. Markus, Shuk, Solla, Cham, and Marina are the ones with the longest and most affectionate hugs to Anira and me, and then to Diling and Dilong. Eskur and Erkon jump to our arms with their eyes glittering in intense happiness and their furry tails fanning graciously, revealing their heartfelt jubilation. The clear skies, soft playful winds, and a merciful bright sun decorate the environment for all today. The mist, dominating the air, brings an unusual color scheme to the skies, making the bright sun seem hazy. It is like a world within a world celebrating an innovative composite of wonderful minds, destined to give everything for the salvation of humanity. My friends continue to ask many questions of us, and there will be countless prerequisites to fill. The gang can talk to us through a new, clear, and unobstructed line of communication and see what our faces reflect and tell. There are remembrances, evolution, and forthcoming continuity. Solla greets us from her heart. “You are a dream come true! We have waited hopefully for a long time for this unforgettable moment. I am lost for words that can unequivocally describe the sentiment we feel in our hearts for the four of you. You came from afar, from a different celestial body, with blessed intentions to help us humans. You changed us, and you became dear to us. You also made us proud when we learned that you wanted to be like us and live among us. In the name of all of us, I honor you and welcome you to our way of life and to our family. God bless us all!”

Chapter 13: The First Supper

Before the group begins the walk back to the parking lot, they turn their heads to look one last time at the tree that used to guard them. My soul left that tree and I became a human, a real person, an authentic humanitarian, and a man. It is still a good-looking tree, but it will age faster and will go through the normal changes the four seasons will demand from it. This will go on year after year until the day comes that will extinguish its life. Leaves and branches will eventually die and fall off, leaving a lifeless dry trunk with large archaic roots. The insidious weather will feast on them and will make them rot. The tree brings pleasant memories to the of the gang, especially those who knew me. We remain in silence, looking at the lonely and abrogated tree. We finally say good-bye to the tree, the old home of my soul. As I take a long last look at my old self in front of me, I can imagine the way I used to feel inside this wooden structure. I felt restricted and sometimes without genuine emotions. Unfortunately, in that position, I couldn’t make a move to take care of people as I wanted! So many people suffered and even died because I was not able to be by their side. Thoughts begin to fade away as we continue the farewell. At a slow pace, we walk away from the tree and Solla and the rest of the gang. “As a shrubbery, I wasn’t too bad looking after all,” I joke to myself. “I guess we still have some mental com after all, because I heard your comments, Ogos!” Dilong says to me. Anira and Diling nod, acknowledging that they can tune in on our inner thoughts, as they also communicate to us. “I guess the spirit or soul does retain some of our abilities!” Anira analyses internally. “Don’t worry about this new life. You’re with us now and we will take care of you,” Angel says. “Let’s get going, as life goes on! We will miss those wonderful moments!”

Marina comments. The others in the group echo her. Solla and Cham begin guiding the gang to the waiting minivans. It is getting dark and everyone feels very tired. We all had a very lengthy and demanding day, full of emotions and delightful surprises. These moments are continuously stirring and inspiring our very spiritual fiber. This time, Frank is strong, vivacious, and revitalized, requiring no assistance getting in the van. Stiv gets glassy-eyed when he looks at Pat. Jon and Marina are feeling a mutual attraction. Several times they find themselves instinctively looking at each other iringly. “This is so adventurous and unbelievable, but wonderful!” Abe says. “We have completed a cycle, and a new beginning will come to light,” Vic says. Frankie gets inside the minivan, carrying two shiny silver discs. “Frankie, where did you get those Frisbees?” Gija asks. With a reflection of worry on his face, Frankie responds, “I found them under the big tree, Mom.” “Mrs. Sorano, those two Frisbees were we, Diling and Dilong,” Diling explains. “Amazing! If you don’t mind, may we keep them? I assure you, we will treasure them,” Frank asks. “As far as Diling and I are concerned, they are yours.” Frankie is thrilled. He shares the Frisbees with Gary and Markali and is planning on playing Frisbee with them whenever they get together on the beach or at the park. Papa Frank is thinking about guarding the Frisbees and preserving them as treasured souvenirs. He envisions all of them playing happily with the four squirrels under the watchful eyes of Gara, Alishya, and Gija. “Frankie, you boys can play Frisbee at the hotel recreational grounds when we get there.”

“Yeah!” The gang finishes climbing inside the vans and is ready to go. We are going to the Gara Inn Hotel for dinner. Even though Anira and I viewed Solla’s award videos filmed by Diling and Dilong, we missed the feeling of actually being there earlier today. We failed to notice the freedom, the vivacity, and the conviviality of the people present, the real event, and their cherished company. Anira and I are like children in a toy factory. As the minivan goes on its way to the hotel, we look closely at everything that comes in sight on the road and evaluate every detail, as there is so much for us to learn about the new life we chose to enter. We look at the buildings, the streets, the small parks with benches and fountains, so many different types of lights that make everything so clear and beautiful, the traffic and warning lights on ambulances and police vehicles, the many vivacious colors that coat everything, the people, the diverse types of people walking on the streets, their clothes and how they react to one another, the wonderful music that entertains our senses. Most of these strange things are not present in our former home, Ogan. All eyes in the van are fixed on us, the new four excited humans, observing how we react to all the novel things we are viewing and experiencing, and our facial responses to them. A major concern comes to mind, and that is learning much more about our new nation and the life we are about to enter. First, we elected life as humans on this beautiful planet Earth. We are proud and honored to be here, and we understand that we must replace our old ways with the new ones we have chosen, a new culture with new customs guiding us through a society forevermore. We pledge allegiance to our new home nation, as our old selves fall deep into our far past. Reverently listening to a patriotic hymn, we will be standing in front of and loving a symbolic flag, the star-spangled banner. With our right hands placed over our hearts, with a tight throat, and tears of love and hope flooding our eyes, we will pledge allegiance to the flag and the Constitution of the United States of America. As the former President Theodore Roosevelt put it in his advocate efforts to strengthen and ensure the loyalty of American immigrants in 1916 and at the end of World War I in 1919, “In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he should be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or

origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. “If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn’t doing his part as an American… “There can be no divided allegiance here… we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people.”² We come back from our deep thoughts when we are awakened by the minivan driver’s announcement. “Here we are, ladies and gentlemen! The Gara’s Inn Hotel and Resort.” The driver of the first vehicle informs the valuable and precious engers of their arrival. The four of us—Anira, Diling, Dilong, and I—are dizzy from the vehicle ride, and we help each other as we dismount from the minivan. We look kind of funny, and we stumble against one another. “We will be all right in a few minutes,” I assure the others. All engers look out the windows at the majestic thirty-story golden structure with its red, white, and blue fluorescent sign displaying the hotel’s new name, Gara’s Inn Hotel and Resort. The ambulance is on standby in case someone gets ill, and the local police provide safety and security for our friends. “The resort is the new addition to the hotel’s business expansion. That is one of Pirus’s ideas to improve services and satisfy customers’ demands. Now many guests who stay for extended periods of time enjoy our new services for sports and recreation,” Gara says. “Please follow Gara and me to the dining room. Over there, we will have dinner with drinks and desserts,” Pirus explains. “Well, my dear Anira and friends, this is going to be my very first meal as a human,” I say while blinking an eye at Anira humorously. “Don’t feel too bad, my darling, because I’ve only had water to drink since I arrived. This is our new beginning.” Anira blinks an eye as she mimics my humorous expression and we bump heads expressing our harmony.

“Rainwater and delicious soil minerals are the only foodstuff we are familiar with. It will be a great learning experience for Anira and me.” As for Diling and Dilong, they are being very quiet. This is the first time they will be subjected to anything organic in nature, especially the act of taking food internally. They never have eaten anything before, ever! They were transformed from robotic spiritual states into perfectly formed human earthlings equipped with all the sensors necessary for any human activity. “Don’t worry,” Gara assures us, “we will coach you along the way. Go slow and enjoy what tastes good to you. Bon appétit!” “If any of you has a question about something, please feel free to ask us. We will be very happy to help you!” Solla says. Gara, Marina, Solla, Kellie, and Pat go to the kitchen to select the main courses for the dinner. After pondering a bit, Gara is the first to speak. “It is not a piece of cake selecting what we think is the right food for our new special friends.” “Well, Gara,” says Solla, “our special colleagues will eventually learn how to eat all kinds of food. I suggest keeping them from eating veggies and fruits for now. That kind of food will hit too close to home!” Pat recommends, “Let’s select the normal foods we all eat frequently, and let them decide after they taste it!” “I agree with Pat’s theory!” Kellie says. “This afternoon we had the chicken curry, fish fillet, and the filet mignon. Best yet, I think we should choose one of those three outstanding entrées for everybody.” “I personally suggest the fish fillet since fish is gentle to the digestion,” Solla says. “Done!” Marina says. “That is fine with me too!” Kellie says.

“Let’s head back to the dining room then!” Gara says. The five of them raise their hands in a high-five agreement. They go back to the dining room and the rest of us in our first supper together as a group. The dining room is extraordinary, beautifully decorated with a golden-colored oval dining table, surrounded by silver decorative siding. It is large enough to accommodate some thirty people. The four of us sit at the center of the table. Our earth friends surround us with Solla and Cham flanking our left and Marcus and Shuk to our right. Commanding the heads of the table are Gara and Pirus. Upon seating, Solla is the first of the five to notice. There is fruit already on the table. Concerned eyes seek us, their special four friends. Solla silently lets out an instant sigh of relief. They all smile as they see us completely at ease and absorbed by the item in front of us. We each curiously probe our water, examining its feel and texture. We breathe in the vapors. I notice its airy freshness. Almost in unison we take our first taste. “Good H2O!” Diling announces. “This water is very tasty!” I am thrilled by its taste and so grateful to be sharing this with my friends. Soon waiters arrive dressed in split golden jackets and sharply creased black pants. They begin serving the main dish entrées. They serve the four of us at the center of the dining table first. Gang sitting at the table ends are served next, and then the remaining friends follow the serving process. The waiters are so well trained that all the serving procedures are performed in one smooth maneuver. The three young lads are like vivacious, hungry little bears. They eat, eat, and eat until their hearts’ content. They complete their meal with a colossal bowl of coconut vanilla ice cream. But they do not wait for the main dish before they begin eating their ice cream. The minute they see the waiter bringing in the refrigerated container, they ask for their share of ice cream. The waiter glances to Gara to imply a request for approval. She nods in response for she knows it will not spoil the hungry little appetites. The fish fillet turns out to be the best meal of the night, just as Solla predicted. Very slowly, we consume the fish fillet, savoring each taste. We smile as we eat

the appetizing steamed rice and swirl the mashed potatoes on our palate. Our human senses are functioning well as the food enters our stomachs and digestive tracts for the first time. This feeling is as normal as the eating and digestive feelings of any other human being. Better because it is novel. It is a new marvelous feeling we are enjoying a lot. “So far, so good!” Anira says. “It tastes and feels delicious!” “Please make sure you do not overeat, since you may not be able to sense the amount of food your stomachs are capable of accepting,” Solla says. She wants to be sure there are no unpleasant digestive experiences for her four friends. “Not a problem. It seems that we are sensitively calibrated for that too,” Diling assures her. “Your formal attention, please!” Shuk takes the stand and calls for everyone’s attention. “Today is our greatest day yet in our history together. We are all here bonded together as in a loving and harmoniously unified family. For most of us, everything is clear now. What we are today or what we have become today is the outcome of the overwhelming effort and extraordinary work of Ogos, Victor, Diling, and Dilong.” Tears begin to pool in Shuck’s eyes, veering on the edge of escape. A quick rub stops the escape. “They will remain with us as close of our family. When I was about twelve years old, I went to the park and sat down on the green grass under that beautiful big tree. I studied, slept, and played hide-and-seek with my sweet squirrel friend, Eskur.” He senses another tear escaping. “I never thought that going to that tree would change my life as it most certainly has. The magic of the tree was felt there, and now the magic of that tree is here with us!” Quickly he rubs his eyes to stop the escape. He sits down, filled with a deep sense of gratitude that only emotions can convey. Gara signals us to hold our applause until the end of the last speech. Then Solla stands at the podium. Her face is tender with gratitude and her voice is unyielding to any break in emotion. “I have not much more to add to Shuk’s remarks except to share the closeness I felt to the tree. During my vagabond days, I slept among his protective roots for many afternoons and forsaken nights. While I was there, I sensed the same congenial feelings and protective shielding radiating from the majestic tree.

Even though it was rough there, for some strange and unknown reason, I perceived comfort and an attracting, homelike feeling all over me. After every occasion, my body seemed to experience the disappearance of an ailment or body disorder that I had suffered for a number of years. With every awakening, I felt physically and mentally better—free from discouragement, fright, hurt, overwhelm, and intimidation.” Solla can no longer hold back tears of gratitude, “I welcome you with open arms and congratulate you my dear friends, Ogos and Anira and Diling and Dilong. You are most welcome into our world and into our lives!” Trembling with emotion, Solla grabs onto her beloved companion, Cham. The group remains silent at the end of their speeches, even though they are exceedingly touched by them and want to reward them with their applause. Anira and I reflect our emotions in our faces; we smile happily and show sadness other times, depending on the story being told. Reverently, I stand up and begin to talk slowly. “Good evening, my friends. My mission of mercy here began many, many years ago. It was a mission of mercy and comion to contribute to healing Earth and her inhabitants. Earth was destined to destruction centuries ago. With the help of Diling and Dilong, we worked with the natural habitat and inhabitants to bring Earth out of danger and restore her health. “With your help, we will be able to see firsthand what needs to be done to help the suffering on our planet Earth. The City Hospital flows with patients and their illnesses are many. Most of their ailments are created by their overall suffering, anguish, and misery. Misery consumes them, leaving no room to think about the good things surrounding them—water, trees, a soft cool playful breeze, happy singing sparrows, beautiful blue skies, the goodness of people, the warmth of the forgiving sun rays, and the white clouds bringing endless exponents of love, romance and affection, influencing the surrounding atmosphere. “It is my mission to dissipate or totally lift this menacing misery. We are prepared and determined to militate against hunger, human discomfort, anguish, torment, and anxiety—to eradicate misery. Our desire is to fulfill our agreement to perfect and insulate human life and to free the people from its tyranny of intense affliction. This conflict did not begin recently, but at the beginning of time and at the commencement of human progression. Since then, misery has

exited. “Because of my comion and love for you, we fought alongside you every day to help you heal by combating the disease we call ‘misery.’ Unfortunately, misery cannot be entirely defeated, so we helped by means of health treatments, subliminal inspiration, physical healings, and mental enhancements of dispirited, disparaged, or egregiously misled minds. As a tree, the help against misery was limited to the park area where Diling, Dilong, and I were situated. There was not too much misery healing work done, because most people who come to the park are happy visitors and children. Most recently, with the tremendous efforts from Diling and Dilong, and other external help, we were able to extend ourselves to a much wider perimeter and range. “Through these many years, it became obvious to me that my life belongs here among you, and miraculously, my dream materialized and came true. Here I am, with my circle of true friends. Thank you! Thank you very much!” I conclude. The audience awards me with a standing ovation. The applause and the sporadic, affectionate remarks continue. Markus embraces me with tears of joy like a longlost relative. Shuk also embraces me like a brother. Cham calls me his avatar, and they all nod in unison. They all come to me, Diling, Dilong, and Anira, honoring us with their warmth. My joy is equal to theirs. We are happy here with them all, and I look forward to continuing my work as a human. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Gara announces, “it is my profound pleasure to invite you to stay in our hotel as our precious guests. In addition, I want to present to you two distinctive guests, our very own Eskur and Erkon and their two descendants! The four of them will be staying with us permanently at the pet habitat and recreation zoo area located here at the resort.” Pirus and Shuk hold the squirrels, which are anxious to everybody, especially the kids. Their expressive little eyes sparkle and they wag their lovely furry tails like ladies’ fans on a warm and sunny day. The kids want to play hideand-seek with the two young squirrels as well as enjoy their company while throwing Frisbees. Just watching them brings back so many memories of the days when I provided them with the playground for their daily event, my large and curvy roots, my leaf-rich flora, and my expanded round and spacious, overwhelming and majestic crown. Without forewarning, Eskur escapes Shuk’s arms and jumps into my arms.

“Does it feel like old times, Eskur?” I ask as she tries to run up to my head and back down to my arms. “Disappointed?” Eskur stops wagging her tail, indicating that the short run upstairs was unacceptable. She goes to Anira, then to Diling and Dilong, and finally to Shuk. Shuk holds her gently and tenderly. In the meantime, Erkon is having a great time with Markus and Alishya. The two young squirrels feel comfortable with their friends, Markali, Gary, and Frankie. They race back and forth following the path of Gary’s two treasured Frisbees. It is time to say good-bye once more. Pirus, Gara, and Gary usher everyone to their hotel luxury suites up on the ninth floor. They begin in suite number order, A928, B928, C928, D928, and E928, so that everyone is on the same floor. The Von Pooles stay in A928. Anira and I and the double Ds stay in B928. C928 is for the Sorano family and Cham. Suite D928 is for the Dartins and Kellie. Suite E928 is for the Donos family. Pirus, Gara, and Gary stay in suite F928. “Pat, Marina, Jon, and Stiv, I have you all staying with the Von Pooles in suite A928, just in case there is an attack on them, since they have taken a risk by coming out of hiding and back in the vicinity of their old adversaries,” Gara says. Is it coincidence that suite number A928 is similar to the year 1928? Did Pirus and Gara purposely set it? No! It certainly was decreed by a higher power. I conclude to myself. The group arrives at suite A928, and the hotel accommodations manager inserts the key into the slot and opens the door. He gives the key to Victor. It is a gorgeous, superluxurious suite. The Von Pooles select their rooms first, and then Marina and Pat. Jon and Stiv pick theirs. They follow the same procedure for the other suites. “, breakfast begins at 9:00 a.m. for us! Pirus, Gary, and I are in F, on your right side,” Gara reminds us. Anira opens the door to our room. “Wow! It is just beautiful!” Anira says. It doesn’t take very long for our gang to crash into a wonderful world of dreams. Devitalized but happy, we rest on luxurious and comfortable dream beds. The gang is mystically and spiritually bound together by a magical tethering cordon

of love and eternal friendship. I smile to myself as I lie between the sheets. Unconsciously, we think about each other and see clear images in actively moving scenes. We sleep as if in soft white clouds filled with comfort and tranquility, as if suspended in vacant space. In the midst of my dreams, my acute senses perceive a slight disturbance in the Grid. Anira, Diling, and Dilong are also alerted by it but remain at rest. “What can possibly happen at three in the morning?” Anira, Dilong, Diling, and I transmit to each other. Our inner-thought path flashes a number: 1928. “Anira! Anira! Wake up, honey! Are you looking at the number 1928, flashing in your vision trail? We need to check this message right away!” Anira awakens. “Yes, sweetheart! I see the flashing number 1928, and I hear the voice of Gara saying that the Von Pooles are staying in suite A928. I think that we should check that out. Let’s get Diling and Dilong and analyze the disturbance.” Anira says. When Anira and I open the door to the ading rooms, we find Diling and Dilong already waiting for us in the fabulous and spacious living room. “There is only one thing 1928 means, and that is suite A928!” Diling explains, “The letter A stands for the number 1, as B represents number 2, and so on.” “If we all believe that the Von Pooles are in danger, we can warn them telepathically, as we still have limited capabilities. If we four concentrate together, they will receive the warning much faster,” I suggest. “Okay, let’s do it right away!” Dilong agrees. The four of us assume a prayerlike poise, and immediately begin transmitting our inner thoughts to Jon, Stiv, and Marina. Surprisingly, within seconds, we are receiving a simultaneous clear answer. “We have everything under our control now,” Marina says. “Vic, Abe, and Angel are out of danger. As you know, we are here with them because we suspected

from the beginning that there could be an attack on them. Pat and I came prepared with medications just in case. We gave them a sedative and they are sleeping, recuperating from an attempted poisoning. Mobsters heard through the grapevine that the Von Pooles were staying here, and they sent some poisoned ice cream in Gara’s name. We suspected something was wrong because Pirus and Gara had gone to sleep for the night. We decided to take samples of the ice cream for testing before eating any of it. We found out that the ice cream was loaded with powdered rat poisoning! What do you think we should do now?” “For now the disturbance has dissipated from the Turbulence-Detecting Grid. I want you to keep your alert status high. I have a plan,” I advise them. “Will do, Master Ogos!”

Chapter 14: Yet Another Mission

“Our mission from the start has been to prevent the inter-extermination and selfextinction of the human race and by the human race. Our primary targets are intellectually gifted people with destructive and harmful minds. They gain great power and dominance over groups of innocent people and even nations. Their ill minds find solace in the horrors of abuse, slavery, terrorism, and genocide. Their treacherous, profligate, and daunting actions against law-abiding people need to be stabilized for the convenience of mankind. These small town neighborhood thugs, who are trying to hurt the Von Pooles, belong to the same evil creation. Their vengeance and hate remain in their vexing scopes. “We need to identify them and help the thugs in their restoration back into the world of sanity. These hoodlums’ minds need to be fixed and changed to a new affirmative credo. Their senses of congeniality need revitalization. Preventing human extermination by the insane faction of the human race is what we do! It is our job to fix them!” My friends listen, nodding in affirmation. “I could not say it any better, my friend!” Dilong says. “Perfectly analyzed and said, my dear Ogos!” Anira says. “With the limited capabilities left in us now, we must put together a plan to locate and purify these irresponsible and damaged souls. We must start with the thugs who are trying to hurt our friends Victor, Abe, and Angel. First, Diling or Dilong or both must capture and transmit the information we have on the minivan attack yesterday and forward it mentally to Jon and Stiv. That way, Jon and Stiv will have the images of the attackers and will be able to identify them and trace them to their boss. After that, that’s when we come in and do our part. What do you think?” I ask. “I think it will work!” Dilong says. “Okay, the information has been transmitted to Jon and Stiv now. Their minds

have been cleared from the incident blocking and they have full knowledge of the minivan attack,” Diling informs us. Jon is first to speak. “The room services attendant who brought the ice cream supposedly sent by Pirus and Gara is not part of the hotel staff. I recognize him now; he works for Coros ‘Coro’ Corotto, an underground notorious gangster who has his fingers into the works of prostitution, gambling, and drug trafficking.” Stiv follows, “I am familiar with his police records.” “Master Ogos needs information about Corotto and his close associates, mainly where they hang about. He wants to improve these guys’ dispositions,” Jon informs Stiv, Marina, and Pat. The night winds are on, and soon, the sun begins to glance out into the clearing horizon. Within the next hour, a new day will break its umbilical cord and people will continue the routines left undone by the previous day. Jon is one of them now, focused on the completion of his prior day task as he comes to our suite. He brings with him a list of names of the major troublemakers and disreputable corruption leaders operating in the City: Albert Calverti (AC), Coros Corotto (Coro), Robin Robino (Rob), and Torin Tomino (Toro). “Well, it looks like Corotto is our first subject patient. This is the plan. We need to pick up and record his brain coordinates. Jon, Diling and Dilong can accompany you and Stiv as city water and electricity efficiency inspectors. We just need either Diling or Dilong to get within ten feet of the subjects, and in no time, we will get what we want!” “It sounds very simple! I’ll do it!” Jon says. “Even at twenty or thirty feet, we can get his vitals at an extra effort if needed. Because individuals like Corotto thrive on towering negativity, they always send off soaring levels of bad vibes that can be perceived at great distances,” Diling reminds us. “We need to see how sharp we are in this procedure. Coordination must be perfect!” Anira explains.

“If this man is in town, we must do this today! This morning, if all possible!” Jon says. Jon calls the police squad’s Information Analysis Unit to find out the whereabouts and current location of Coro Corotto. “Corotto is in town, in his residential hideout on Volevar Avenue, not too far from us here,” the squad analyst tells me. “He is still working on locating the other three thugs,” Jon informs us. “However, Corotto’s routine is to have meals at the Imperial Carpet Restaurant.” “Jon, normally New York’s restaurants have dogs to protect their premises especially at night. We need to ensure that there are no barking dogs in the vicinity. Dog-barking vibration wavelengths interfere with our data gathering and collecting supersensitive instruments. Our present capabilities are feeble and limited. We require a clear and uninterrupted ample thread of time in order to perform this action that, for better and quicker results, has to be done by the four of us in unison,” Dilong explains. There is a knocking on the door followed by two doorbell rings. Jon looks through the peephole, identifies the visitor, and opens the door. “It’s Stiv,” Jon says. “Good morning everyone! I just finished briefing Pirus and Gara on last night’s 1928 incident. It upset them. They took their concerns to the Von Pooles. Dr. Lansing and nurse Patricia Martin are keeping an eye on things, placed two security guards at their door before leaving. How’s everything here?” “Our plan is to do the Corotto subject this morning.” I glance over at Jon. “Jon will brief you on the details while the four of us prepare and retune our available tools.” Jon nods in acceptance. “Anira has a Mind Imaging Manipulator, and a Soul Forwarding and Transforming miniature device. I have about sixty percent of my Mind Mystic abilities. With the synchronization between us, we can remove and replace brainsegmented data. Diling and Dilong can also pick up and retransmit images and segments of brain and soul. If we test our capabilities now, we can reach our confidence levels to determine if the completion of our plan is probable,” I advise.

I then signal Anira, Diling, and Dilong to follow me to the other conferencing chamber. We begin our concentrations and initiate testing our power levels. A few minutes go by, and our meditation gradually intensifies, generating a translucent mist beautifully enriching the room from wall to wall. Our human bodies begin to radiate a soft glow of light as our vigor deepens, reaching our maximum tolerance levels. “We have done it! We have succeeded in bringing our energy operating levels up to a functioning stance! We have enough operating power to do this maneuver!” I tell my crew. “We are as ready as we’ll ever be!” Diling says eagerly. We returned to the living room, where Jon and Stiv are waiting. Stiv announces, “The special breakfast reunion scheduled for 9:00 a.m. this morning has been canceled by Pirus and Gara. We will have breakfast in the safety of our rooms. We need to call the hotel manager for kitchen services and place our breakfast meal order. I will do that for us right now!” At this time, the telephone rings, and Jon answers it, as he was waiting on a return call from the Crime Prevention Squad’s information analyst. “Corotto is at the Imperial Carpet Restaurant right now, having breakfast with his closest associates. The officer tells me that there are two big dogs located in the rear of the kitchen,” Jon says. “We have to silence the dogs somehow!” Dilong warns. The doorbell rings twice. Stiv checks the door’s surveillance eyeglass before opening. “Breakfast is here, ladies and gentlemen!” Stiv calls out. The attendant delivers the trays and leaves the suite quickly. We then continue with our sensitive conversation. “After we eat our breakfast, we will go to work and try our plan,” Anira suggests.

“The dog training police squad will make sure that the dogs located in the back of the restaurant’s kitchen are neutralized by a sleeping dart! They will also maintain a watch for the two dogs’ silence,” Jon adds. “Wonderful!” Anira exclaims. We dwell on our coming mission while we eat quietly. The coast is getting progressively clearer at the Imperial Carpet Restaurant where Coros Corotto is having breakfast, accompanied by his three closest accomplices. The Police Canine Training Squad instructors arrived there a short time ago. They istered a sedative to the two dogs that will keep them quiet for a couple of hours. That action will give our team ample time to carry out the plan. They can turn away the dogs and tame them if necessary, but taming the dogs is time consuming. Barking vibrations are counterproductive, because they diminish the mental force needed for the eradication of bad segments on the hoodlums’ brains, and on the implementation of healthy segments on their negatively affected dark brain areas. “Do you think we can do all of them at the same time?” Anira questions. “Yes, one whack!” Dilong stresses. “Do they have some kind of soft instrumental music in the restaurant? We can use instruments’ waves, especially that of violin, guitar, and piano frequencies, to enhance our transmitting speeds and remove-and-replace capabilities,” Diling suggests. “It is imperative that we find out Corotto’s favorite classical or semiclassical music and have the restaurant manager play it for the rest of the morning. He will give himself totally to his favorite music. That music will relax him until his brain opens up indiscriminately. His brain will ignore and close its eyes to any other additional waves accompanying the tunes. That is when and where we are going to work!” I explain. “Yes, it will add lightning speed to our work!” Dilong affirms. The six of us are silent as we consume our breakfast. Stiv draws to a close and munches through his food very quickly, then he turns to the telephone and calls the Imperial Carpet Restaurant.

“Today is a special day for my cousin Coro. Can you please play his favorite tunes for him?” Stiv requests. “You are about half an hour late, buddy! Mr. Corotto requested his preferred music the minute he sat at his table and before he asked for his cup of coffee!” the restaurant manager responds as the sounds of Italian classical music play in the background. “Today is our lucky day. The dogs are in a ivity state and Corotto’s favorite music is being played throughout the restaurant,” Stiv informs excitingly. “We wait ten minutes for our breakfasts to settle, and then we go and carry out our mission. I select Jon to be our Onward Mission Scout. He’ll set up the scenario as far as selecting the sitting area and ensure the continuance of music playing and the dogs’ silence before the rest of us arrive. When we get there, we will order something from their menu. This will serve as a distraction. The task itself will only last a few minutes, mostly on preparation. The results will be obvious, immediate behavioral changes,” I explain. Jon wastes no time at all. He gets his things together, including the weirdlooking, half-dollar-coin-size little gadget I gave him. This gizmo is like a multisensor that s wavelengths and frequencies, and tracks, composes, and builds specific prerequisite coordinates. Jon needs to point the device at the four thugs as soon as he gets inside the restaurant. The device will collect the pertinent brain data and begin transmitting it to our compatible mini-machines that will process and retransform the received data, reload it, and resend it back to the subjects. This data will also be enhanced with formulated data from the mind powers of the four of us. Jon says good-bye and departs from hotel suite B928. He will drive his personal car to the Imperial Carpet Restaurant. Stiv stays with us as we wait for the most convenient moment to leave. After another five minutes, I will give the “go” order for the rest of us to leave. “It is time, my friends! We go now! Stiv will drive us in one of the hotel staff services cars!” I say. We walk quickly across the crowded lobby and out through the hotel’s main front glass door. The Gara’s Inn Hotel and Resort staff services car is already waiting in front of the hotel with two ushers attending it. Stiv does the safety

check, we get in, and the car speeds off into the highway traffic. The traffic is light. “We veer off to the right at this next exit and go straight to the restaurant’s parking lot. There! You can see the restaurant’s large neon sign on your right! We are going there!” Stiv exclaims. “Good! Not too many cars in the parking lot. That means there are not too many people inside the restaurant and much less interference.” I observe. When we arrive, we step out of the staff car, and I lead everyone toward the restaurant’s large and imposing front door. “My locator shows Jon on the right side at the platform tables. He knows we are here now and he has already pointed the small data-collecting device I gave him directly at the four thugs. With the help of the music and the roaring sound of the underground that is presently ing through, we have gathered instantaneously the subject’s segments needed for their purification. As soon as we are inside the restaurant and at our table, the four of us will upgrade the data and then, in an invisible flash, replant the cleansed and altered segments, and then wait a few minutes for the results!” I tell the group. Stiv takes the lead entering the restaurant. He pushes the grand door open and enters, followed by the four of us. A soft, clear, and unnoticeable glow covers us the second we enter the restaurant. “Can I help you? Table for five?” the restaurant host asks. “There he is! We are ing our friend there who has been waiting for us. Thank you!” Stiv says. He points to Jon, who is sitting at the nearby table. Jon is waving back at us, signaling us to him. “It is okay! Go ahead and him. He has been on the lookout for you for a few minutes now. He asked me to let him know of your arrival without delay,” the host says. “Thank you!”

“Is it possible to have a privacy divider at our table, please?” I ask. “Sir, it will be there within a minute!” the host replies. We Jon and take our seats around the table. The setting seems ideal for accomplishing our task. A waiter brings the courtesy privacy divider, and Jon tells him how to place it in relation to the table’s location. “I have the information you sent already,” I inform Jon. “Are you ladies and gentlemen ready to order?” the waiter interrupts. Anira orders a quick breakfast for everybody. “Give us the pancake plate, coffees with cream and sugar, and orange juices for the six of us. Can you increase the music volume a notch if it is possible?” Anira requests. The waiter nods positively on the volume-up request. Anira and I are determined to test the rough waters and get close to the ruffians. This way, we can also pick up good information about them that can help us maximize our plan. Anira and I, followed closely by Dilong and Diling, approach the table of the hoodlums. “I have heard a great deal about you, Mr. Corotto. I am Dr. Ogos and this is my wife, Anira. These two behind us are our colleagues, Doctors Dilong and Diling Dogan, and the ones at the table there are our friends Jon and Stiv,” I say. The other three gangsters look at us as if they are ready to hurt us. They place their hands near their guns and they sneer disgustingly. “Dr. Ogos, I am having a great time today here celebrating my birthday. You see my friends here? I do not need other friends. If you people are from City Hospital, I do not want to know who you are, and I do not want to hear any complaints boys here keeping you people busy day and night. You do your job and we do ours. So you folks get back to your table while you still can and don’t even look this way,” Corotto says. “Your wish is our command!” I respond. We return to our table quietly, as face-to-face confrontations with gangsters are

not part of our agenda. But we collected the information we went after. From our table, we can see Corotto and his three ruffian friends. Now the four of them are deep into the music, listening with their heads leaning backward, their eyes closed and unwinding, their faces displaying satisfied and happy smiles, and their bodies leaning back, chilling out. They are in another world relaxing! The instrumental classic music has been turned up some, and at this moment, the subway begins its ing rumbling march, shaking city blocks like an earthquake’s unyielding aftershocks. The four subjects’ brains are relaxed and vulnerable, as they lack internal defenses. “The moment is perfect for the mission,” I inner thoughts messages to Anira, Diling, and Dilong. We assumed a prayerlike pose to concentrate and begin the restoration process on the four subjects. The train’s rumbling vibrations and the music’s fine frequencies are as vehicles and propellants that will spearhead the medicine that will cure and put an end to their cruelties forever. Suddenly, an invisible fourpointed flash makes its way into the four of them, leaving no marks or tracks behind to follow. There is a moment of solemn silence, as Jon and Stiv inspect and check us, looking for any damage, malfunction, or discomfort. Anira and I are a little dazed, but in a minute, we come out of it. Diling and Dilong are smiling and appear satisfied with their job and the completion of their mission. “Let us observe the results!” Diling suggests. After shaking in fear and terrified by the bad guys minutes earlier, the waiter returns happily smiling as he delivers our breakfasts. “Is it everything okay here?” the waiter asks. “Yes! Everything is fine over here!” Jon says to the waiter. “Please remove the divider,” Stiv requests. The waiter takes the divider with him. All of a sudden, there are loud laughs and jokes and happy celebrating screams coming from Corotto’s table. The four men, ed by several companions, appear to be having the most wonderful time of their lives. At this moment, I decide to test the results of our work. Anira and I approach

Corotto and his friends once more. “Happy birthday, Mr. Corotto,” I say. “Thank you!” “We are new in town and we heard about your celebration. My wife, Anira, my friends, and I wish you the best!” “And many years more!” Anira adds. “Welcome! Please in. Celebrate my birthday with me and my friends.” “We would love to. But we must be on our way.” “You must be from City Hospital. I want to make a decent donation to all the city organizations that are helping the poor and needy. My way of saying thank you for the fantastic job you do.” “Doctors, you are a blessing to the people of this gracious city. You show them such love and kindness,” comments one of his friends. “You bring healing, peace, and mercy where there is pain and suffering,” says another. “Sorry that we have been to blame for some of that.” Corotto reaches out to shake our hands. “Your help inspires people. Giving renewed confidence when there is insecurity and doubt. I pray God fulfills all your needs, blesses all your homes and families, and protects your paths and travels!” “Thank you for your donations toward helping the needy, Mr. Corotto. Please know your kindness is a weapon. For at the core of kindness is always Love. When someone loves us, it teaches love and kindness, charity, honesty, humility, and forgiveness and acceptance. These qualities can offset the evil in this world.” “For every good deed, there is one less evil act,” Anira says. “People alone have the power to control the balance between good and malevolence. Each one of us has command over the balance of love in this world. If we use our power wisely, we will not miss the chance to tilt the world’s scale in a positive direction.”

We excuse ourselves from the party and return to our table. The waiter comes back with us showing a very happy smile. “What is going on there?” Jon asks. The waiter explains, “Mr. Corotto and his friends are celebrating. They claim to have a new leaf in life! It is their decision to give away money to the poor and to charity groups. City Hospital, the homeless shelters, and the churches are the organizations they talk about for their donations. They already gave the staff here at the restaurant, including me, from five thousand dollars to twenty thousand dollars in cash bonuses.” The waiter pauses, for he feels warmth burning in his heart and tears quickly form in his eyes. His voice tightens, “They gave me five thousand. I do not understand, because they were very bad to us here. Until now, I was very afraid of them! But now, they are even praying! It’s a miracle!” Our friends get up and we walk outside the restaurant. Once in the parking lot, we let out our triumph. The six of us raise our hands in a high-five gesture. We get in the car and begin our way back to the hotel, with our hearts filled with satisfaction and pride. “I believe our first mission here is a total success!” I say.

Chapter 15: Commitment

On the way back to the hotel, I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from my back. I can see nothing in my future but bright sunny skies. The weather feels even more pleasant than before, although it is actually warmer as it is closer to noontime. We left behind a historical makeover that will convert many lives for the better and ensures them a cheerful future. Now, in the gangsters’ ring, there will be no more evil feelings, but the soothing sensations of love, happiness, and the congruity of human harmony. We are satisfied with the contribution of our first mission and hope for this effort to be the first step to dissolve misery. “Will we succeed the second time? A third time?” we ponder. When the car pulls up in front of the hotel’s main door, we see that the gang has gathered to meet us. They approach the right side of the car as the five of us step out smiling. When they see our happy faces, impulsively, they begin to applaud. Pat, the kids, and Erkon’s family wait for us in the lobby. They already know about the thugs’ change of heart as the “breaking news” is all over the television networks and radio stations. It turns out that one of the restaurant guests was a reporter. “Shuk, did you get the big contribution checks for City Hospital from four new philanthropists?” I ask. “Well, not directly to City Hospital yet, but it is all over the media channels. The four men—Corotto, Robino, Tomino, and Calverti—have made a full turnaround with their lives and they are giving their excessive fortunes to the poor and those nonlucrative entities such as hospitals, orphanages, churches, and other nonprofit organizations. City Hospital is one of the organizations mentioned by name on the TV network breaking news. So I assume that everything went well with the mission?” Shuk says. “Yes, very well. Is Kellie here?” “No, once Kellie learned that all of you were fine, she decided to go to the hospital to prepare for ing and taking care of the processing of the

donations.” “Perfect. Do the Von Pooles know of these changes?” “Yes. But we are taking no chances. Pirus has moved our precious guests to another less conspicuous room.” “There they are, on the big-screen TV in the lobby!” Cham points out. “Kellie is already there too! She is now receiving the fat donations from the philanthropists’ representatives!” Solla says. She is looking at a very large TV screen located up high in the hotel lobby. “Kellie called and she said she could use some help. She also informs us that all the required hospital staff accommodations are ready. I will be going to the hospital to help her. Stiv, can you drive us? It is just Solla, Cham, and I. Marina will ride with Jon,” Pat says. “I will not be guilty of stopping progress!” Stiv responds to Pat. “Cham and I are ready now! We will only miss the lunch, which Gara scheduled for 1:00 p.m. I miss work—let’s move on to where the action is! Everything is fine over here!” Solla says. The Von Pooles should be at the especially secured dining room waiting for us all. We walk together to the dining room located on the ground floor. Like a synchronized train clock, we all arrive and walk into the dining room at the same moment. Greetings, hugs, and friendly kisses are the rewards we give each other in the name of our sincere, glorious, and genuine friendship. Frank and Pirus take seat at the head chairs of the large oval dining table. We use a similar seating arrangement and table setting as before. The waiters have the plates ready and set to serve a light lunch. At this moment Frank stands and addresses the group. “Doctors Ogon and Anira Ogos, Doctors Dilong and Diling Dogan, the Von Pooles, family, and other dear friends: It is with absolute honor that I sit at this table and share with all of you a great friendship and a succulent lunch. Our four new friends have restored our lives. They are undeniably committed to helping ill people from all walks of life.

Not only that, but they transmuted the lives of menacing individuals back into the mainstream of our society. The impact of this achievement will have reverberating effects on the entire city. I am very grateful to you, and I welcome you into our lives.” There is a warm applause following Frank’s remarks. Dr. Shuk Dartins rises up and continues the talk where Frank stopped. “To our special guests, friends… all. Now we are a stronger squadron of guardian eagles for humanity. Our commitment runs deep and robust. Our vision is farsighted and very clear and goes further across the horizons. So enjoy this lunch, and let there be many more lunches and dinners like this one!” “Before we eat our lunch, I want to say a prayer for all of us,” Victor says. “May there be peace within you today. May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received and on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, and bask in the sun. It is there for each and every one of you. Amen!” The waiters begin to serve lunch. There is light tuna and salmon with a baked Idaho potato and lentil soup. We have mango, orange, and banana juices, coffee, and tea. We can select our own desserts from the patisserie located at the back of the dining room. It looks like the four of us worked up a formidable appetite. We are very hungry! As usual, the children go for the delicious coconut ice cream. This time, they have four four-legged friends with them, Eskur and Erkon, and Eskir and Erkina. The kids came up with those names. After some forty minutes, the lunch is completed and everyone is sitting back and satisfied. The hotel minivan is waiting outside near the main entrance ready to provide transportation for us four, Shuk, and his mom, Julie, for we will be going to City Hospital, where we, four new hospital staff , will Dr. Dartins and Dr. Sorano’s staff. “An outstanding meal, once again,” Anira comments. She smiles toward me and the double Ds. We nod smiling in combined agreement.

Victor responds, “I guess we all agree on that for sure.” My gang initiates an after-lunch prayer. All present bow with utmost reverence and honor while Angel gives thanks and requests blessings for everyone. “Thank you, Lord, for this food and for our friends you have brought into our lives. Please bless each and every one. Show them your generosity and grace. The same grace they have learned from you and on to others. Amen.” We all follow in agreement, “Amen.” Gara stands and says, “Today, like yesterday, has been a nerve-racking day. But as you already know, good things have come out of it. Master Ogos’s mission is an astounding success! The results of the mission are all over the TV news! Victor, Abe, and Angel can now live in peace and without having to look over their shoulders. Pirus and I have decided to keep them with us in the hotel permanently!” “We are now ready to go to the hospital to start caring for our patients,” Diling speaks with concern. “We want to say good-bye to the four of you,” Vic says. “We will take a chance going to the front door with you, as we know that from this day on, we are not in any danger, thanks to you!” Everybody groups together around the Von Pooles, forming a protective circle. We walk toward the main front door, across the wide-open lobby and all the way to the parking circle where the minivan is waiting. Shuk and Dilong take the front seats. Diling, Anira, and I take the middle seats; and Julie gets the full comfort of the rear seat. Those that remain say good-bye to us. Once again, there is a translucent mist of sadness and heartache in the air. We, former Oganians, have mixed emotions in our hearts as we arrive at City Hospital. The four of us are very happy we are here; we have achieved mission success, and also we are happy for our friends. But there is a kind of grief in the air and in our hearts warning us that soon, we will miss each other’s companionship and camaraderie. We will no longer be collectively in concert. We all know the feeling in our hearts, something that is like homesickness, similar to my feeling when I was in Ogan without them. But we know that it will eventually and go away. However, it leaves a sore thin trace of ache in our

souls. The entire hospital staff waits in the conference room for the new four general medicine doctors and surgeons. There are so many people that a large number of them are standing around inside the room as well as outside, looking in through the eight large windows. Dr. Dartins leads the group into the large room. He then raises his hands up in the air, requesting silence so he can talk to them. “First of all, let me introduce to you, and from our nation’s capital, the director of our National Medical Practitioners Organization, our friend always, Dr. Marina L. Lansing!” Shuk announces. With eloquence and inspiring emotion, Dr. Lansing addresses the staff. “I am glad to be here with you! I also have the honor of bringing you the best that medicine can provide, and that is Doctors Ogon and Anira Ogos and Doctors Dilong and Diling Dogan. We are very lucky to have them in here with us. The four of them are not only counterparts on the job; they are very dear friends to me and to us all here at the hospital. One thing that highly distinguishes them from other people and practitioners is their intense devotion to our medical specialty and their strong conviction to care for the needy!” I begin, “It is you, Doctors Lansing, Dartins, Sorano, and Donos, who convinced us that this is a good place to begin combating the wounds of human suffering. That is why my wife, Anira, and I and our dear friends, Doctors Dilong and Diling Dogan, are here today. Here in City Hospital, the four of us will see firsthand what needs to be done. The flow of patients here is the largest and their illnesses are many. We believe most of their ailments are created by life’s overall suffering, anguish, and misery. Their minds do not have time to notice the good things life has to offer them. Such things as the water that nourishes their thirst, trees that cool them, plants that heal them and fill their lungs with healing oxygen, a playful breeze, happy singing sparrows, beautiful blue skies, mischievous romantic winds, calm white clouds, forgiving rays of sunlight, and the goodness of people. It is our commitment to help dissipate, lift, and abrogate rampant suffering and

the uncontrollable, wickedly menacing misery. The challenges are many. We are prepared to take on that insidious, vicious, and defiant encounter. For the sake of humanity, we are determined to militate against disease, hunger, anguish, torment, and anxiety. Our conviction in life is to put an end to misery and its vexing pain, and its spiking and thorny suffering. We want to free people from the crumples and tyranny of intense affliction, and to perfect, consummate, and insulate human life. We know what we are up against, as it is a difficult and elusive task. This conflict did not begin recently, but at the beginning of life itself. Since then, misery has existed. I am grateful to be here, as are my companions. All of us, collectively, will make a great team!” I could feel that my words touched their hearts, and impulsively, they begin the strongest applause in a flattering and welcoming manner. Anira says, stepping in, “We have traveled long distances in order to get here and be with all of you. We are exhausted, enervated! We need to unpack and get settled. I am sure that we will see you tomorrow as we begin knowing you and getting acquainted with the hospital’s surroundings. Also, tomorrow we will begin our rounds and practice medicine.” The crowd begins to disperse, and the medical force embarks on forming a strong and powerful solidarity of friends. We are destined to struggle against human suffering and rampant misery for the rest of our lives, natural and otherwise. We embrace, collectively ing our most inner convictions and deep-rooted devotions. Kellie and Pat, accompanied by the entire group of doctors, technicians, nurses, and services employees, take us to our assigned bungalows, where we crash. Wonderful dreams and memories flash by during our sleep. I share with my wife, Anira, and friends, Diling and Dilong, inner thoughts of unforeseen vibrations from abroad. A vanishing intergalactic transmission is trying to make way into my fragile mental hideaway. I hang on to it and try to make sense of it. The message comes from planet Ogan’s Supreme Mission director’s office and reads as follows:

“Treenoble Ogos, Anira, and Diling and Dilong: Congratulations! We are very proud of you! We retransmit from the Archives Grid, the words of Treehonorable Ogar, as he requested before his spiritual advancement: ‘I wish you all lots of luck and endless happiness on your loving planet Earth! Please name a grandchild after me. Thank you!’” This memorable news flash enlightens our minds and our hearts. We reply with tight throats and tears uncontrollably flowing from our eyes, “Oh, thank you!” This was just before our farewell to Grandpa Master Scientist Ogar, a last and final good-bye. Losing a dear friend and father, a lover of treeanity and humanity, is painful and irrevocable. After our memorable reflections, the four of us get together and pray for our father, Master Scientist Ogar, and reminisce for several hours. In the morning, we have our first cafeteria breakfast promptly at 5:30 a.m. and attend our first patient review meeting in Shuk’s office. We discuss the most difficult patient cases and the hospital’s daily routines. Together, we four walk into the hospital’s empty main hall. We put our arms around each other’s shoulders in camaraderie, as we walk down the hall reflecting our fervor and dedication. With our keen perseverance, we will continue to fight the war against world misery. In the name of our Master Scientist Ogar.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to my dear family for encouraging me to continue with this book project—my wife, Elizabeth; our twelve-year-old son, Eric Phillip; my oldest son, Ramar; my oldest daughter, Dassy Eileen, and grandson Marco; my younger daughter, Denise, and granddaughter Samantha, their mother or grandmother, Maria T. Mas; my brother, Ray Mas; my dear ascribed daughter, Johanna Paz and her children, Giovanne, Carlos, Jay, and Eliezer, who awarded me with the privilege and honor of grandfatherhood; my stepchildren, Melo Jane and Morgan Ace; my dear cousins, Alfonso Lugo, Edna Lugo, Luis Lugo, Miguel Lugo, Roland and Josefita Mora, Jose and Doris Vega, Nimia Lugo, Ana Lugo, Pucho Lugo, Nori Lugo, Nereida Lugo, Pinini Lugo; Milton and Norma Acosta; Aniceto and Nidia Perez; Guilo and Aida Rodriguez; Sahilys Acosta; my dear auntie, Carmita Lugo; and my dear uncle, Rafael Ramos. I also want to thank my friends who always kept in touch with me and provided encouraging and self-assuring words to carry on with my writing:

Abdulaziz A. Kaaki Arvin Panghulan Ashanty Salvosa Bernard Hadley Bill and Maria Bricker Bob and Sonia Wilson Boyet and Michelle Salvosa Candida O. Pasia

Choi and Malu Algarin Danny and Lerma Trofeo Danny and Lorna Moreno David and Norma Luckenbaugh Dennis Treadway DiDing Morbo Edmund and Mayan Ratilla Elson Mojica Eva Bobe Evelyn Martinez Frank Espiritu Gary N. Moon Gualdemar Franco Helen Tumandao Ismaelita (Maimai) Matoy Jerome and Annie Trofeo Jerry and Loreen Olan Jessie and Linda Escondo Jesus M. Padin Jim and Armida Olan Joe Bobe

John and Annette Poynton Jun Tayag Lenzel and Ester Ramos Lito Feliciano Lorna Mohino. Louie and Helen Constan Luis A. Carreras Mahdie Z. Lacap Margarita (Minin) Toro Diaz Margarita Rodriguez Irizarry Melanio Bobe Michael and Flor Martinez Nat Glover Nilma Ramirez Pierre and Nancy Racine Pradip and Charuta Dabir Rafael and Violeta Aviles Rey Almalvez Rigoberto Rodriguez Roberto Lema Ronie B. Belga

Rosemarie C. Kitamura RSAF General Khaled Al-Marwani RSAF Major Abdul Rahman Al-Ghatani RSAF Major M. Al-Jabbar Al-Ashbat Ruben Suarez Tom and Rose Formby Victor (Boyong) Ortiz Victor Silva William (Bill) Blain

In addition, I am very grateful to my editing directors Stella Jackson and Robyn Rosenbloom, editor Kelly K. Palka, copy editors Dylan Hart and Ann Beardsley, and design director Jana Rade who guided me through this formidable ordeal. Thank you! Also, my special thanks go to my housekeeper, Monaliza F. Morbo, who assiduously kept me fed, comfortable, and isolated from noises and intrusions during my first edition’s working process. A special thank you to our second edition and finishing editor, Erin Gatfield, teacher, Senior English, for bringing Inner Thoughts to a close. Lastly, to my daughter, Denise, for her efforts in the recreation of my original works. Thank you all!

Research

1. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. “Lyme disease.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease#cite_note-Cairns-6

2. The Chicago Daily Tribune. “Abolish Hyphen Roosevelt’s Last Words to Public.” 7 February 1919 (p. 4). www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/troosevelt.asp

About the Author

David Mas is a second-generation descendant of Spanish colonizers. Although he was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on December 28, 1937, he spent most of his early life in the small and picturesque town of Hormigueros. Since intermediate school days, writing has been the high note on the author’s life. English class book reports, history articles, and science lab reports earned top rankings. Teachers frequently recommended to him the pursuance of a writing career. David initially attended high school at Demarest High School in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Seward Park High School in lower Manhattan, New York. He then returned to Puerto Rico where he graduated from Segundo Ruiz Belvis High School in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. After high school, David continued on at the Colegio de Mayaguez and Artes Mecanicas in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where he received a baseball scholarship. In 1959, he attended New York University in pursuant of a medical career. Instead, in 1961, the army drafted him during his summer vacation; but in its place, he ed the U.S. Air Force. As a management analyst in the U.S. Air Force, he succeeded by receiving a variety of commendations for excellence in writing. He made residence and became citizen of Orlando, Florida, in 1965. After his twenty-six-year long and successful air force career, he finally retired there in September 1987. The awarding of three promotions, which were primarily based on the way he wrote and presented briefs and special analyses, highlighted sixteen years performing as a maintenance production analyst for Lockheed Martin Middle East Services C-130 Program. Key persons such as program directors, technical managers, and educators confided to him how well they enjoyed his writings. After graduating from Columbia College, Missouri, with a BSBA in December 2002, and two MBA courses from Regis University at Tampa, Florida, in June 2003, and being awarded excellent grades, his confidence level was elevated to a higher exponent, inspiring him to write.