IMAGINATION'S PLACE
FICTION
JOURNEY TO THE LIGHT
By; Speaker Gerald Polley
All rights reserved.
Chapter 13
One morning Carol got up, went out to the
kitchen table after getting a cup of Postem. She had missed coffee for
awhile, but now wouldn't drink anything else but this. She
suddenly realized she was being surrounded. Her daughters who had
taken the chairs on either side of the table, and the rest of the
children were all gathered around. "Oh oh!" Carol moaned. "I'm
about to be asked embarrassing questions!"
The children all laughed. "No, mother!" Xena
remarked. "We're just curious about some things and you always
seem to have the best answers."
"By sheer luck!" Carol assured.
"Why is it Cher is so nice but she has to call you master, while some other people call you Lord?"
Carol sat back. "Whoa, hot one!" she
sighed. "Well, dear, Cher is my servant. She's not a member
of the church and anyway, according to the tradition she's supposed to
call me master. Because that's what I am, her master. She
is in my service. She follows my directions because she knows it
will be good for her. I have asked her on several occasions to
call me by my name, but she says she could not do that because it would
be most inappropriate. It is not correct to try to force someone
to address you in a manner that is uncomfortable for them. So Cher
calls me master. Now, as for the people that call me Lord, this
is very inappropriate. They should not do that. Lord in The
Ancient Tongue, means Teacher. They are saying I am a sacred
teacher. I'm not even a member of the church! I tell people
this is not acceptable but sometimes it's very hard to get people to do
what you want them to. Sometimes it's almost impossible!
People can be very stubborn! But this should not be because I am
not entitled to that title."
"I think you are!" her newest daughter piped. "All the other children think you are."
"Well, that pleases me very much!" Carol praised,
"But still it's not right. People study very hard and work very
hard to acquire the title Lord. All I've done is read a
lot. It's about the only other thing that interests me besides
astronomy. I've read The People's History several times. I often
read part of it before I go to bed. I always wonder how people
can be so courageous, can give up so much for their people. Now,
I think it's about time for somebody to get their naps!"
The children all nodded. "I think I'm getting too old for naps!" her oldest complained.
"I don't!" Carol teased. "For a while, yet, I think you should have them."
"Don't you want to be a member of the church?" Knuckle asked.
"Of course!" Carol answered. "I'll probably
apply to take the tests as soon as I get my release papers. Just
so much to do!"
Her friend nodded. Her daughter spoke up from
the door. "Mother, that's another question. Why do people
entering the church have to take a test?"
Carol smiled. "So it can be determined if they fully
understand the Law," she answered. "If a person cannot understand
the Law then they wouldn't be able to vote in the church. They
wouldn't be able to be members. And it's also important to know the
History, to know what you're becoming a part of, so you'll understand
what came before. If people don't understand what came before they're
unprepared to work for the future. The Ancient Ones were very
wise. They cared for everyone. But those who were responsible for
the church had to know what they were doing. Those who could not
pass the tests are always welcome, and often achieve great things."
"I think you're right, mother!" her daughter answered. "The Old Ones were very, very wise!"
Carol got busy with paperwork, always
paperwork! Though a lot of it was done on the computer now, it
was still paper work. She didn't notice that Knuckle had slipped
out and gone across to her own house. Nobody bothered to lock
their gates any more. Everybody came and went between the four
units as if they were one. A while later she returned and smiled
to her sister. A couple of days later Carol was up on the roof
setting up some programs for that evening's viewing when she heard a
car. A few minutes later Jerry came up the steps.
"Downstairs!" he snapped "Double time quick!"
Carol obeyed. She was ushered to the table. "Sign
these!" Mr. Asad snapped who was sitting there. Carol
quickly signed the papers hardly getting a chance to glance at them,
but she knew it wouldn't be anything inappropriate. Then Asad tapped a
box on the table. "Go get this on," he instructed. Hurry
up! She's going to be here any minute!"
"Who?" Carol asked.
"Just go get dressed!" Asad insisted.
Carol went into the bedroom, found her husband had
changed into his best dress uniform. Carol opened the box and took out
a gorgeous blue dress. "Oooh!" she remarked. "I hope I can get
into this thing! Blue!" she muttered looking down at her yellow
clothes. She looked back in the box and saw there was underwear
there too. She hesitated a moment more and then stripped off and
got into the new outfit.
"Wow!" her husband went. Carol looked in the
mirror. The dress was complimenting. She found there was a
scarf in the box, but decided not to put that on as they were in their
home. She didn't know if she'd wear it on the street but she'd consider
it. Jerry stuck his head in the door. "They're here!" he
snapped.
Carol and her husband came out. The children were
all sitting in their chairs along the wall. The adults were back into
the kitchen. A distinguished looking man entered. "Most
sincere greetings!" he cried, "I am the representative of The First
Speaker of The Spiritist Republic Of Arabia. She wishes
permission to enter your home."
"By all means!" Zorba answered. "Do let her enter!"
One of the most beautiful women that Carol had ever
seen came in the door. All the men were wide-eyed and all the
women were extremely jealous. Her husband came forward extending
his hands. The woman took them, smiling. "Welcome to my
home!" he cried. "Your presence here deeply honors us. How
may we serve you?"
"I come to serve," the woman answered, "not be
served! I understand there is one here that would like to take
the Tests to become a member of the church. I would like to personally
administer those tests if it would be felt it was appropriate."
Carol came forward. "Madam," she cried, "nothing
would give me more honor, nothing would give me more joy! That
you have taken the time to come here and do this on my behalf is beyond
my wildest dream. I beg of you, let us proceed! Because I am sure
there are many important issues that you must attend to."
The woman smiled and took her shoulders. "I
certainly hope you pass the Tests!" she remarked, "as I most certainly
feel you are one that should be a part of our unity."
Carol returned her smile. The handsome man
came forward carrying a thick folder which the lady took. "My
consort," she announced, "my aide and everything that is important to
me."
Carol took the man's hands. "My joy that you are in my house," she announced.
They went to the table, Carol seated herself and they
began. She knew the Tests were mainly common sense. They asked a
little History, but many of the questions were "What would you do in
this situation?" It seemed like they had barely begun when they were
finished. Her guest quickly went through.
"My goodness!" she remarked, "I don't think this has
ever happened! Not with me, anyway. You have answered every
question correctly! Not one is questionable! Well, I don't
think there's any question you've passed! Are the vehicles ready?"
"Yes madam!" Asad cried.
"Then let us go!" the lady snapped, taking her scarf and
putting it on. Carol fetched hers and with the help of her guest got it
on. Then they all went out, children and everyone, pilled into
vehicles heading for the community's temple. There Carol took the
bread and the wine. When The Speaker said "This is Their flesh,
broken for you. Will you if need be, let your flesh also be
broken in Their service?"
Without hesitation Carol answered "I will."
The bread was then offered to her husband who,
though he had taken the Tests some time ago had never joined the
church. Then, the Speaker lifted the cup. "This is Their
blood," he remarked, "shed for you. Do you swear that if the need
be your blood also might be shed for Them?"
"I do," Carol answered.
Her husband was given the wine then the Speaker
announced "You are now part of the fellowship, part of the greater
family, one with those who have come before. Go forth to your
celebration! Let your lives in Their service be long and joyous!"
It was quite a celebration! Just about
everyone was there. The evening was winding down when the Speaker
announced "We can't give her the Tests for Speaker the same day.
So I'll have to come back tomorrow and we may be here again tomorrow
afternoon. But we need every voice, everyone that has been given
the power. And this one has been given the power! So for
now I will bid you good evening."
Carol stared at her. "The Speaker's Tests?" she
muttered. When they got home she told her husband "I can't!
I can't possibly! I'm not ready! I don't know enough!"
"They'll give you an assistant," her husband
assured, "that will bring you up to speed in anything that you don't
know. Don't worry! They won't dump you into the fire
without protective clothing."
Carol very rarely doubted her husband, but this time she
did, just a little, not a whole lot, but she did! She was
scared to death! She didn't know if she wanted the
responsibility. But she remembered what the lady had said.
"We need every one that has the power!" She might not want it, it
might scare her to death, but she had it. And did she have a
right to try to keep from using it when it was so needed? She
knew the answer so she stopped worrying about it and went to
sleep. She woke up while it was still dark and jumped out of
bed.
"What is it?" her husband asked.
"My readings!" Carol answered. "I programmed the
telescope. It's probably running by itself. I just better make
sure everything's all right."
"You haven't found something else?" her husband asked.
Carol didn't say anything, but just hurried
out. "Oh, bother!" her husband moaned. "She has found
something else!"