| General Fiction posted April 9, 2014 | Chapters: |
...42 43 -44- 45... 
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Final plans are made and it is time to depart.
A chapter in the book Yosemite
Prayers and Departures
by michaelcahill
| Background The earth near total destruction. Survivors defend a small portion of livable land at Yosemite against a powerful enemy. |
Previously, more and more details poured in and a plan began to develop. The size and make-up of the armada became more clear as they came closer. Shells began to explode on the beach as the intentions of the approaching enemy became clear. Johnny consulted with all of his advisors and a plan began to unfold. It was clear that the majority of the armada were ordinary people under a tyrannical rule. A meeting of the full compound was called. We join it in progress.
I stood up to the podium. The crowd quickly came to silence. The silence built as everyone anticipated what would be my opening remarks. "It's good to see all of you here in Yosemite."
The crowd broke into applause and cheers. It gave me chills. What the hell? Where is that coming from? The response startled me, but only for a moment. "It is good to be home!"
The roof reverberated with the spontaneous release of joy. I couldn't contain myself. I hugged Christine and the others on stage. Linda, Jen, Annie, Nikolai and many others that we'd met along the way. Even Ma couldn't help but grab someone in a bear hug. Everything just hit us all at once. We had survived the near end of the world. We had come together displaying humanity at its best. It was time to address the citizens of Yosemite.
"I have asked Christine to give thanks and ask for blessings on our community in our hour of reckoning. Our home is under attack. Forces from across the ocean bear down on our position even as we celebrate our survival. They have brought their own hostages enslaved to do their bidding. They are at the mercy of these evil monsters and need our help much as many of us once did not too long ago. Christine?"
The ovation for Christine will remain in my memory as long as I live. She, more than anyone, lived within us all as a presence of good that gave us all hope in a way that came from within our heart and soul. I could feel her trembling. How easy to forget that she was a woman like any other. Circumstance had put her in this position. She happened to be extraordinary, but she was also completely human.
The lights dimmed until only a candle illuminated Christine as she stood at the podium.
She spoke softly, "In the darkest room a candle glitters, drawing every soul to the possibility of sight. Despair scurries to the shadows and cowers with fear, exposed for their deceit. We look inside for the spirit that guides us. We have all come to know your spirit so well in these difficult times. We have felt you inside of us guiding us to the better parts of ourselves. We have come to know who we are and who we want to be with your guidance and presence within us. We have come to understand that we are one soul made up of many parts. We all close our eyes now…everybody…and in silence reach out to each other through the spirit that we share. It has no name and no need of a name. We have names, it is us."
I joined her onstage in silence. Her presence always flowed within me. Now, along with hers, I could feel a general feeling of the all of it. It spoke for itself. Staying in that moment would have been wonderful. If only life could be like that. Life isn't like that. The lights on stage came up and I was washed in a white light.
I began to speak immediately. "Some of you have seen first-hand the armada that approaches even as we meet here at this moment. There are war ships…countless war ships of all shapes and sizes. Their intentions are clear and can already be heard exploding in the distance. We have encountered this enemy already. Our very thoughts have been invaded by lies. Our friends and loved ones have been drawn to gruesome deaths by the deceit of their treachery. And for what? For land that nobody owns. We don't claim to own this land. If this land has a rightful owner, it might be these giant redwood trees, astonishing the eye. They have lived here in peace for hundreds of years."
"We're with you, Johnny!"
A couple others shouted out.
Rhonda stood up and faced the audience. "You stop interrupting Johnny now. Johnny taught me that it's rude to interrupt people when they's talking. You're supposed to wait until they're done with they're talking and then you can start you're talking. What were you born in a manger or something?" She turned around and faced me. "Isn't that right, Johnny?"
"Yep. You're right, Rhonda. What was ya, all born in a manger or something?"
That got a big laugh and I lead the group in some applause for Rhonda. Now I had to bring the mood back to something a little more somber.
"Along with those bastards, hell-bent on our destruction, are people like Rhonda here. Look to your right and then look to your left. What would you do to rescue those people? Look around this room now and on this podium. What if all of us where held hostage out on the ocean by suicidal assassins? Would you hope that someone planned your rescue?"
I paused to let that sink in.
"There are people out on the ocean that have come a long way, seeking only a place to call home. We know what that is like. They have watched loved ones die before their eyes. We know what that is like too. Earth and man are attacking them at the same time, and still they push forward. We understand that, don't we? There are enemies we have to defeat, yes. But, more importantly, these are brothers and sisters that need our help. These are fellow citizens that we have to rescue. Are you with me?"
"YES!"
I could feel the response before it came.
"We have more planning to do. Some of our strategists will brief you now, and answer your questions. Nikolai?"
Nikolai took over the stage with his people. I took our little group with Ma and headed out for afternoon coffee. With most of the population inside the bunker, the solitude drew our eyes upward to the towering redwoods. You've managed to survive man's stupidity so far. Maybe this is the end of it. I fear we may not be here to enjoy the end. I do find some solace knowing that you will...one way or the other.
After some well needed coffee and conversation, I climbed the lookout platform erected near the top of Half-Dome. The military vessels were now clearly in front of the armada and putting more distance between themselves and the civilian conclave every minute. Their intent was clear. It was a lucky break. We could fire on them without worry. There were no civilians around them now. Having something to fire at them would be a question that might not be answered...ever.
They expected hordes of people lined along the shore awaiting rescue. That is what they would find. The less reason those battleships had to open fire, the better. We could ambush quite a force of unaware ground troops. If only help could be counted on…if only. With the unpredictability of the climate, we might not know until the moment-of-truth. We could very well die on that beach never knowing.
I knew that Christine and I would separate for the final assault. She had her place her at the bunker, transmitting. My place was on that beach, leading. Linda and Nikolai, Carlos and Jen and many other people that belonged together would face the possible end of their lives apart. It had to be. I could only hope that we would all gather for a little reunion around the campfire with Ma, sipping coffee and swapping war stories. I could only hope.
The time had come. I had hugs for many people. Nikolai, Jen, Rhonda and many others that had become closer than any family had ever been to me. There wasn't much for Christine and me to say to each other. We were never truly apart anymore.
"I suppose what will be most difficult for you is having Nikolai here to fuel your fantasies instead of this." I posed in a sexy but absurd athletic manner.
Christine smiled. "I could do worse than this bowl of borscht." She stroked Nikolai's biceps as he turned an interesting shade of red.
I gave her a final hug, turned and began the long trek with most of the compound's population in tow. Those left behind were people using the new equipment to transmit signals and some too old or young to make the arduous journey. A small contingent stayed behind to guard our home. In these times, there was no telling who or what might show up.
The sound of explosions in the distance grew louder. They sounded dangerous. Our plan was to travel to them like moths to a flame.
"I have asked Christine to give thanks and ask for blessings on our community in our hour of reckoning. Our home is under attack. Forces from across the ocean bear down on our position even as we celebrate our survival. They have brought their own hostages enslaved to do their bidding. They are at the mercy of these evil monsters and need our help much as many of us once did not too long ago. Christine?"
The ovation for Christine will remain in my memory as long as I live. She, more than anyone, lived within us all as a presence of good that gave us all hope in a way that came from within our heart and soul. I could feel her trembling. How easy to forget that she was a woman like any other. Circumstance had put her in this position. She happened to be extraordinary, but she was also completely human.
The lights dimmed until only a candle illuminated Christine as she stood at the podium.
She spoke softly, "In the darkest room a candle glitters, drawing every soul to the possibility of sight. Despair scurries to the shadows and cowers with fear, exposed for their deceit. We look inside for the spirit that guides us. We have all come to know your spirit so well in these difficult times. We have felt you inside of us guiding us to the better parts of ourselves. We have come to know who we are and who we want to be with your guidance and presence within us. We have come to understand that we are one soul made up of many parts. We all close our eyes now…everybody…and in silence reach out to each other through the spirit that we share. It has no name and no need of a name. We have names, it is us."
I joined her onstage in silence. Her presence always flowed within me. Now, along with hers, I could feel a general feeling of the all of it. It spoke for itself. Staying in that moment would have been wonderful. If only life could be like that. Life isn't like that. The lights on stage came up and I was washed in a white light.
I began to speak immediately. "Some of you have seen first-hand the armada that approaches even as we meet here at this moment. There are war ships…countless war ships of all shapes and sizes. Their intentions are clear and can already be heard exploding in the distance. We have encountered this enemy already. Our very thoughts have been invaded by lies. Our friends and loved ones have been drawn to gruesome deaths by the deceit of their treachery. And for what? For land that nobody owns. We don't claim to own this land. If this land has a rightful owner, it might be these giant redwood trees, astonishing the eye. They have lived here in peace for hundreds of years."
"We're with you, Johnny!"
A couple others shouted out.
Rhonda stood up and faced the audience. "You stop interrupting Johnny now. Johnny taught me that it's rude to interrupt people when they's talking. You're supposed to wait until they're done with they're talking and then you can start you're talking. What were you born in a manger or something?" She turned around and faced me. "Isn't that right, Johnny?"
"Yep. You're right, Rhonda. What was ya, all born in a manger or something?"
That got a big laugh and I lead the group in some applause for Rhonda. Now I had to bring the mood back to something a little more somber.
"Along with those bastards, hell-bent on our destruction, are people like Rhonda here. Look to your right and then look to your left. What would you do to rescue those people? Look around this room now and on this podium. What if all of us where held hostage out on the ocean by suicidal assassins? Would you hope that someone planned your rescue?"
I paused to let that sink in.
"There are people out on the ocean that have come a long way, seeking only a place to call home. We know what that is like. They have watched loved ones die before their eyes. We know what that is like too. Earth and man are attacking them at the same time, and still they push forward. We understand that, don't we? There are enemies we have to defeat, yes. But, more importantly, these are brothers and sisters that need our help. These are fellow citizens that we have to rescue. Are you with me?"
"YES!"
I could feel the response before it came.
"We have more planning to do. Some of our strategists will brief you now, and answer your questions. Nikolai?"
Nikolai took over the stage with his people. I took our little group with Ma and headed out for afternoon coffee. With most of the population inside the bunker, the solitude drew our eyes upward to the towering redwoods. You've managed to survive man's stupidity so far. Maybe this is the end of it. I fear we may not be here to enjoy the end. I do find some solace knowing that you will...one way or the other.
After some well needed coffee and conversation, I climbed the lookout platform erected near the top of Half-Dome. The military vessels were now clearly in front of the armada and putting more distance between themselves and the civilian conclave every minute. Their intent was clear. It was a lucky break. We could fire on them without worry. There were no civilians around them now. Having something to fire at them would be a question that might not be answered...ever.
They expected hordes of people lined along the shore awaiting rescue. That is what they would find. The less reason those battleships had to open fire, the better. We could ambush quite a force of unaware ground troops. If only help could be counted on…if only. With the unpredictability of the climate, we might not know until the moment-of-truth. We could very well die on that beach never knowing.
I knew that Christine and I would separate for the final assault. She had her place her at the bunker, transmitting. My place was on that beach, leading. Linda and Nikolai, Carlos and Jen and many other people that belonged together would face the possible end of their lives apart. It had to be. I could only hope that we would all gather for a little reunion around the campfire with Ma, sipping coffee and swapping war stories. I could only hope.
The time had come. I had hugs for many people. Nikolai, Jen, Rhonda and many others that had become closer than any family had ever been to me. There wasn't much for Christine and me to say to each other. We were never truly apart anymore.
"I suppose what will be most difficult for you is having Nikolai here to fuel your fantasies instead of this." I posed in a sexy but absurd athletic manner.
Christine smiled. "I could do worse than this bowl of borscht." She stroked Nikolai's biceps as he turned an interesting shade of red.
I gave her a final hug, turned and began the long trek with most of the compound's population in tow. Those left behind were people using the new equipment to transmit signals and some too old or young to make the arduous journey. A small contingent stayed behind to guard our home. In these times, there was no telling who or what might show up.
The sound of explosions in the distance grew louder. They sounded dangerous. Our plan was to travel to them like moths to a flame.
 Recognized |
Wonderful input and ideas continue to be of great help to me. I haven't decided on the ending yet. There is still time to influence me. They grow wings and fly to the moon? Won't the man in the moon be upset?
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