Aftermath
By Jennifer L. Spicer
(The following is a description of a dream, or series of dreams by Jennifer Spicer, a regular
visitor and "personality" on our bulletin board. I am offering it for readers to enjoy. Jennifer says she enjoys writing.
Her hobbies include surfing the web looking "for anomalies" she says help her seek truth.)
The beginning of this big mess that I call the cataclysm, started in 2001, mid September, when the World Trade
Center, in what used to be New York, was bombed by some terrorists. After that it was all down hill.
First there was the war on terror, stock market crash, then the plagues, like anthrax and the super-flu. Then
came the really nasty ones like the open sores and boils. Mankind's hatred for itself became so fierce, war raged for more
than a decade. Cities were destroyed, good farmland laid to waste, and whole families wiped out.
Everything happened in quick succession, so most of the populace didn't know what hit them. The last big occurrence
made the sky red. When the factions collided with each other, near the city Jerusalem, in the Valley of Blood, some of our
chemical and biological weapons mixed with theirs, causing an adverse reaction with air molecules laced with toxins. This
coordinated with a meteor and the sky bled.
Now the sky is red and mutants are abundant. There are only a few people left to teach the way to those who are
left behind.
My journey has begun. I must travel for days to find more people. The landscape is desolate and forlorn against
the blood red sky. I only have enough food and water to last a few days. My guide will meet me to accompany me on this trek
through the wilderness. From this vantage-point, the wilderness is expansive. I pray that we will not have to venture into
the unknown.
I've been walking for days, and haven't seen a single soul in this desert. Am I the only one left here?
I can only hope that my guide can give me some idea of what to expect when we arrive at the arranged location for the meeting.
It's almost nightfall, time to make camp. It's nice to finally take off this heavy pack to rest. I should be at the edge by
tomorrow night, and meet my guide for the remainder of my journey.
Just before dawn, I rekindle the fire for my morning breakfast and tea. I notice, again, that I'm getting low
on fuel to make a fire. After the morning meal, I start to pack up for the long walk to the edge of the cliff at the rendezvous
point. The day passes without incident, but the closer I come to the edge, the more I can hear the wind. I would have chosen
to go a different route, but that just isn't possible. There is no other way. I pray that I may make this trip safely.
Mid-day comes and goes as I walk. I consume a protein patty to keep my energy high. The wind is even louder as
I near the edge. It is unnerving and creepy. I must be brave because I have a mission to accomplish. I was spared of all the
destruction, and given the knowledge of light. For whatever reason, I was left to begin again in the new Golden Age.
The red sun is going down. I'm almost there. My guide should arrive just after sunset. I wonder who this person
will be like. Will he or she be a mutant, or human? My senses tell me that this is the place. I take off my pack and proceed
to make camp, get a fire started, and cook the last of my food. It's just after the sun slips down past the horizon, I start
to feel the tiredness from traveling for so long, and feel it is time for sleep. I had hoped that my guide would make an appearance
before I called it a night, but there is still no sign of this person. So I curl up in my sleeping bag with a yawn.
Suddenly I am wide awake, listening to something shuffling around the camp. Slowly, I move aside the flap to
see what is making the sound, but it is too dark to see clearly. I can make out the outline of a rather large figure on the
other side of what was my fire. I ease back the flap to retrieve my only protection from danger, my blade of steel imbued
with the power of Truth. It is then that I hear a voice.
"I know you are awake," said the creature. "Come forth, for I come in peace."
I reasoned that if it really wanted to hurt me, it could have done it while I slept. So I come out of my tent
to meet my guide. By the time I emerged he had the fire rekindled and some water boiling for tea so that we may become more
acquainted.
"I am called Wolff of the East, and have been sent to show you the way to our people across the expanse."
"I'm called Ginlea, and you probably know why I am coming to you and your people."
"I do know why you have come, I am also here to be your protector for the remainder of your journey," it said.
"I must ask you to touch this blade to ensure that you are who you say you are, and to help you to be the best
protector of the keeper of knowledge," I said.
The creature called Wolff reached out to touch the blade of truth, which began to glow with a white light, and
enabled me to see into him and all he has done in life. It was good. After he released the blade, we talked of other things,
such as supplies for the journey.
"Have you enough food and drink for the rest of the way?" I asked.
"Of course I have enough, for the both of us and then some. The elders wanted to make sure that we had plenty
for our trip, because we might have some unexpected occurrences along the way. Hospitality and kindness
will precede us. There could also be danger along the way, so we must be cautious," replied Wolff.
"That is very good of you to tell me what I should expect during our travels, but for now, I must rest for the
long trek tomorrow. Goodnight, dream well until the sun rises for a new day."
"Dream well, keeper of knowledge, till sun rise," Wolff answered.
Two
I found myself looking down at my unmoving form, sleeping soundly on the ground. I instantly
knew that a visitor was coming soon. Without warning, a being of light appeared, with love and warmth emanating from the bright
light in the shape of an elongated oval. The light being so bright that other features were hard to see.
"I have come to impart knowledge from the your Higher Self," said a voice. "You will encounter others soon.
Your protector has been given extra strength for your safety, be well to keep your wits about you. There will be great
temptation ahead."
Before I had a chance to ask any questions, the light disappeared. I stood outside myself awhile longer, to ponder
the bit of knowledge that I was given then re-entered my sleeping form. My body was able to rest while my mind was at work.
I awoke feeling well rested and full of energy. This was good because I knew what lay ahead.
We started the day with some biscuits and gravy, with some herbal tea. Over breakfast, I told Wolff of the visitation
during the night, and we discussed a plan of action.
"We must be cautious, temptations will be abundant, and you have been given extra strength for my protection
and yours," I said "There will also be other dangers, so we must expect the unexpected."
"I hope that you know how to wield that sword of yours, because it sounds like we'll need it" replied Wollf.
"We should get started soon, then, stay alert," I said.
After we broke camp, we turned south along the cliff. I decided to stop for a bit to look down the side of this
rather wide canyon-like maw, and what I saw was breathtaking. The sides were steep with large cracks running horizontal and
vertical, some ran like veins under the skin, branching in all directions. Some were even large enough to be roads down into
the depths. About 200 feet down, a mist obscured the seemingly fathomless bottom. No telling how far down it is.
Satisfied with my observation of the sides of the canyon, we continued on, watching our footing around some of
the fissures leading down. On occasion, we had to avoid bony hands reaching from dark recesses, snatching at our ankles and
clothing.
Wolff and I decided to go a little further away from the edge of the large opening, with it's network of cracks
and fissures, to avoid any more of the hands reaching toward our traveling feet. I noticed that there were some vegetation
starting to grow from the ground. It has shiny leaves that come to a point at the tip, and tiny white and purple flowers
growing from the stem.
I asked, "Wolff, how much vegetation will we come upon during our journey?"
" Much new growth has started, especially on the eastern side of the expanse," Wolff answered. "But it is unknown
to many, because of the quality of the soil, much has been mutated. We don't know how much of this new growth is actually
safe for human, mutant, or animal consumption."
"Well then, we'll just have to experiment on ourselves as we go along, would you be willing?"
"As long as I do not get too sick from something that is poisonous," Wolff said.
"If you get something that is, you will probably hallucinate for awhile, depending on how much you eat, so to
be on the safe side, only eat a tiny bite of anything you decide to test on yourself, OK?"
"That sounds good to me. Let's continue on, shall we? Do you think we will encounter anyone soon?" Wolff
asked.
"I'm not to sure when we will run into someone. I hope that we will meet some good people before any bad ones,"
I said.
"The visitor didn't tell you?" it asked.
"I only got a short summary of what's to come, so, I would assume that we will meet bad before good."
Even as I said that, creatures slithered up from a nearby fissure, to greet us with trouble. I attempted to communicate
with these beings, to see if we could make some new friends, but they wanted to fight. Wolff drew his short sword, while I
pulled out mine. The first beast fell in a heap of slimy tentacles to Wolff's' quick blade, while I wrested with the other
gooey snake like being. It wrapped itself around my waist, and proceeded to squeeze. But thanks to Wolff and my blade of light,
the thing was vanquished. Sweaty and out of breath from the effort, we gathered up our gear again, in hopes that we didn't
have anymore occurrences like this.
"Maybe we should take a short break and catch our breath," I said.
"I agree. I am also a little hungry after all that fighting," replied Wolff.
Wolff brought out a glorious meal of fruits, vegetables and savory meat that fell off the bone and melted on
the tongue.
"Maybe we should move a little further away
from these fissures," I said.
"I'm afraid that we can only travel this way for another day, before we must venture downward," replied Wolff.
"Are you telling me that there is no other way?"
"Unfortunately, I must take you into the canyon to reach the other side, there is no other way. But fear not,
for we are protected and blessed with intelligence." said Wolff.
"Well, I guess that I'm the one to make the unknown into the known. You are right, there is no other way. Knowledge is
power, right? I replied.
We traveled on for the remainder of the day before setting up camp. After putting up the tent and building the
fire, I put some water on the boil for some tea. After the tea, we talked for a little while about our homes and our friends
and family, past, present and future, before bed.
"Tell me about yourself, Wolff. I figure that we should get to know each other better, since we will be depending
on each other for our lives," I said.
"Of course you've seen all the good that I've done in my life, in the service of my family, so that should shorten
the story somewhat. What would you like to know first, friends or family?" asked Wolff.
"Wherever you feel comfortable. How about the beginning of your memories," I replied.
"The only way to start, right? I don't remember my parents well, but I do remember the love they had for me and
my siblings. My parents were killed when the riots started in Denver, and everything was left up to my older brother and sister
to raise the rest of us, seven in all. The first son, his name was Jack, he tried so hard to protect us and get us out of
the city before it was overrun by the police, and no one could get out. We saw so many terrible things, people committing
such atrocities against each other in the streets, like rape, and murder for another persons shoes, or food. People breaking
into stores, stealing. All we had, fit into packs, on our backs, and the clothes we wore. We spent three days weaving our
way out, through alley-ways and back yards, finding shelter where we could, trying to get out unnoticed by anyone, getting
by on what we could find.
"Unfortunately for my brother, Jack didn't quite
make it out in time. He gave his life for us, so that we may survive. We were just about to leave the border of Golden, when
some soldiers spotted us ducking into a yard on the outskirts of town. They started shooting at us, and yelling at us to stop.
Jack told us all to get out as fast as we could, that he would hold them off for us. I tried to tell him that we still needed
him, that he should not stay here, or he would surely be killed. But Jack refused, saying that we were very important
in the grand scheme of things, and then screamed for us to go now! The last time I saw Jack, he had been shot in the leg,
and the soldiers were hitting and kicking him.
"So, from then on, my older sister, Melody took care of
us. We spent nine months in the mountains, living off the land. Melody became very good at finding vegetation that were edible,
while my brother, Simon, became rather adept at hunting deer, rabbit, and bear. Simon and I were watching a pack of wolves,
when the sky bled. Needless to say, that is how my brother and I became half wolf, half man. When we returned home, Melody,
Jane, Charlie and Susanne, were all still normal, as far as we could tell, but they became frightened of us and ran away.
Simon and I tracked them through the forest, west of the divide, and finally caught up with them around the town of Palisade,
Colorado. Being careful not to scare them again, Simon and I stayed out of sight. We still hunted for our family, and protected
them from other mutants, and human predators alike, until Melody saw us fighting with a demon that was trying to take Jane
into the snow capped mesa for who knows what purpose. It was then that Melody realized that we were her lost brothers, turned
mutant wolf-men.
"Melody realized that she couldn't protect the other children from everything that crossed their path, and so
she allowed us to return to the family unit. After that, we all decided to keep moving west. Our little family grew larger
the further we went, finding lost children that didn't have anyone to care for them. Some were blind, others lame, few were
strong and healthy, due to lack of food and clean water. By the time we reached what used to be Salt lake city, we had about
twenty more wandering children. The fifth night in Salt lake, I received a vision from a visitor, showing me where I was to
lead these children to a land of milk and honey, with fields of plenty. He also showed me how to care for, and show others
how to farm this promised land.
"By the time we reached this promised land of Oregon, we had accumulated over a hundred more people, half of
which were children. The visitor wasn't lying when he said the meek would inherit the earth. Everyone that traveled with us,
had been poor or downtrodden, before the catastrophe, living simple lives in the service of others. Or were just happy children
that didn't have everything that other kids had. All were pure of spirit and mind, if not the body, and all were chosen to
continue the human race, to create peace and prosperity for all."
"Well, it's getting late, and we have a long day ahead. We should get some rest," said Wolff.
"I agree. We can talk more tomorrow. Good rest Wolff, and dream well."
Flashback
As it turned out, this whole mess was not the Great tribulation as most of the great religions predicted. In
fact, everything was orchestrated by two races of peoples called the Zionists and the Republicans. Their plan was to enslave
humans for their own purposes. Needless to say, the whole thing backfired on them, and they were killed along with two thirds
of humanity. So now there are only a few tribes left to forge a new beginning, and this time we will not hide truths from
one another. Information will be shared openly, for the benefit of the whole of humanity. As we Earthers struggle to put ourselves
back together, we realize that we need to find the answers to our many questions within ourselves. With some luck, humanity
will not be subjected to experiments against our will, or manipulated into doing things that we normally wouldn't do.
