for so long, that I have been given life. Each
child of life I have touched has given me little part of themselves,
until over the passage of time I have become a true being, but a being
that exists for one purpose .... to fulfill one need. Do you
understand?"
41 "Morn told me one time," explained North, "now there is a special
place in The Spirit World where people that never existed, who were
only made up ....characters in stories, lived. He called it the
Fictitious Dimension. But he said these people could only live the
lives someone had written about them, going over and over them again
and again. Is this what you are?"
42 "In a way," agreed the ancient Hashon, "but as I have said, with me
it is a little different. I have ceased to be a thing of fiction. So
long have I served, so great is the belief in me, that I have been
given existence, itself. I know this is hard for you to understand."
43 "Surprisingly," said North, "I accept what you say. Having lived
with The Hashons I have ceased to find anything impossible. It is you I
have felt, isn't it, whenever I come near anyone on this ship. It is
your presence I feel. This ship…..everyone on it is going to die,
aren't they?"
44 "I have never liked that word," the ancient Hashon answered. "I
prefer to say that they are about to change their form of existence, to
go to That Place Of Comfort and Joy that awaits them, that awaits all
the good."
45 "There are none here," asked North, "that will go to that other
place, that Darkness your people speak of, the place we call The Land
Of Fire?"
46 "There are none on this vessel destined for that place," announced
the ancient Spirit. "Their Loved Ones gather now, to greet them. A
great feast will be had