Voyages in Mind and Space. James C. Glass
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“No—it’s not. You want to believe that.”
“What else—” she started to say, but then the air at the edge of Angie’s bed seemed to shimmer, and for one instant a figure was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, no more than a silhouette. Nina gasped. Angie jerked her head around to look towards the bed, but as quickly as the apparition had appeared, it was gone.
“Did you see that, mom?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe it was enough, Betina. Thanks for trying. Oh, bye.”
Angie looked up at her mother. “She’s gone now. It was hard for her to do that.”
Nina hugged her daughter tightly. “It’s so good to have you talking to me again. You’re all I have left to love.”
“What’s happening to us, mom?”
“I don’t know, but I wish it would stop.”
They hugged for a long time after that.
* * * *
The call was unexpected, and came in early afternoon before Angie had arrived home from school.
“Nina? This is Ellen, just checking in to see how things are going for you.”
“Some strange things have been happening.” Nina told her about the dream with Mark the previous week, and the apparition on Angie’s bed.
“That’s really quite good,” said Ellen. “The memory of The Field is holographic, and you have to establish a resonance with it to retrieve information. When I said you were a sensitive I was more correct than I thought. I’m so glad Angie is talking to you again.”
“I don’t understand. Mark talked to me; it wasn’t like a memory. Was I making it all up?”
“He is a living entity, Nina, but not in our world. His world is without time, and limitless. He has much to learn and explore, but you must allow him to do it. You have to break the resonance that binds him to you.”
Nina felt sudden anger. “And how am I supposed to do that?”
“By saying goodbye to him, and getting on with your life. Could you and Angie come by my office this evening? There’s someone you both need to meet, and I think it’s time for closure in your case.”
“I don’t think so,” said Nina. “I admit I’ve experienced some strange things, but the explanation still seems to be new-age nonsense to me. If it were true, everyone would be experiencing it and it would be headline news. An overactive imagination due to stress is a much simpler explanation. It’s nothing personal, you understand? I think you believe what you say, and you’re genuinely trying to help us, but it’s not the right path for me.”
“I won’t try to force you, Nina, but it’s important we meet tonight. We should all be together to solve this. Think about it, talk to Angie, and get back to me before this evening, one way or the other.”
“Fair enough,” said Nina, “but it won’t change anything.” And she broke the connection to Ellen.
Angie came home from school an hour later, and Nina told her about the phone call.
“We should go, mom.”
“No. I’ve had enough of this, and I don’t want to be talked into believing it again. It’s just confusing me.”
“Please, mom.”
“No!” Nina turned away from Angie, went to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She heard sobbing beyond the door, sat down angrily on the edge of the bed and put her face in her hands. Tears came with her anger, and she spit out her words to the empty room.
“Why can’t everyone just leave us alone, and let us do our grieving in peace? Why us? This is all so unfair.”
A cool breeze moved the curtains by the window, and fell on her face, bringing with it a sweet odor that made her heart ache. She felt something touch her shoulder, and she started to turn around, but then there was a soft voice, saying, “Don’t. You won’t see me this time. My God, wife, you are the most stubborn woman I’ve ever known. Why can’t you, for once, just do what you’re told to do?”
The bedroom door flew open, and Angie was standing there, her eyes huge and her arms reaching out.
“Daddy!” she shrieked, and took a step into the room.
“Hi sweetie. I’m supposed to see you tonight, if your mother will let it happen.”
Nina jerked around to look behind her, but nobody was there.
“Daddy,” said Angie softly. “He’s gone. He’s GONE!” She burst into tears and ran from the room. A door slammed shut.
Nina sat there for a moment, stunned, then went to the telephone and placed a call to Ellen Barstead.
* * * *
It was dusk, and the street lights were just coming on when they arrived at Ellen’s office. It had been humid that day, and the lights were hazy with mist as ground fog began to form.
Ellen was wearing her colorful blouse and skirt, and her little black satchel was sitting on the floor near the door. She sat down with them at a table lit by a single candle at its center, and folded her hands around a crystal bowl in front of her. “Well, let’s get started, then, and get you on your way.”
“We’re not having a séance, are we?” asked Nina warily.
Ellen laughed. “All that has ever been or imagined, past, present or future, is in The Field, Nina. My function is to open channels for you to The Field, but you have done some of that on your own. I know you don’t believe this. I just want you to put aside your disbelief for a moment and experience something others want for you and Angie.”
“Others?”
“The people in this town, this universe, your husband, everyone who is with him now or in the future, the group awareness that makes up The Field. It’s so rare to find people as sensitive as you and Angie, Nina. But we can only help if you’ll let us. I want you to relax, both of you, and close your eyes. We’re going to dream together. Listen to the tone, and let yourself fall away from it.”
“Are you trying to hypnotize us?” asked Angie.
“Just relax. You’re both safe here.”
Ellen’s voice seemed distant, and Nina felt a tingling on her face and neck as if fine hairs were standing up there. There was a pleasant feeling in her fingers and toes, a wave of pleasure starting in her chest and sweeping down her legs.
“You’ve arrived. Open your eyes when you’re ready.” The words were muffled, barely audible.
Nina opened her eyes. She was still at the table, Angie beside her, the child’s eyes closed. But the room was gone. In every direction, up and down, sidewise, was a shimmering curtain of rainbow colors, and they were floating there, yet beneath her Nina could feel something solid.
Angie opened her eyes, and gasped. “Where are we?”
“I don’t know. It’s some kind of illusion.” Nina took Angie’s hand in hers; it was solid, and warm.
“It’s actually a representation,” said a familiar voice.
Mark seemed to materialize out of a curtain of red and blue, walked up to them and smiled.
“Daddy,” said Angie, and reached for him, but her hands passed right through him as if he were an illusion.
“Ohhh,” she said, and sat down hard on her chair.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I want to touch you too, both of you, but it isn’t possible here. Ellen has made a special resonance for us so we can all see each other at the same time, and talk. It’s like a window, Angie, but no energy or matter