.:: Romance: Stories: The Exodus by Rob Geraghty ::.
I breathe in the peace around me. I can hear the waves crashing on the headland as I sit cross legged on the rock. My robes ruffle slightly in the breeze, washing salt air to my senses. My body relaxes completely as my mind shifts to an awareness of the aethyr. Slowly vision returns, but now the land is lit with a different light. The crystal in my left hand glows with a bright white light. The vison broadens, and I see myself sitting on the headland, a small figure of white on the expanse of dark rock. The ocean lies to one side, its blue vastness shifting with the swell, dotted with a galaxy of red points where fish and other creatures swim. I turn toward the land, and see it glowing far into the distance. Golden orbs on the horizon told of several cities. Nearer I could see the home I was leaving behind, looking out over the ocean. I would build another, I vowed. Wherever we travelled to, I would build another home like this.

Knowing time was short, I reached out my hands and drew them in an arc that took in all the land. Bright, sky-blue light poured from my hands and seemed to cover the land in a dome of healing colour. I knew it was too late, but I could think of no better way of saying farewell to the land of my birth. I drift lower, and allow the vision to fade. Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes and allow them time to adjust to the bright light of day once more.

I stand and look out over the ocean - a pod of dolphins swim by in the clear azure waters. Turning toward the bay, I see the ships waiting and begin the walk down to the beach. The boats are not well suited to long sea journeys - they are long, narrow wooden ships with high prows and sterns.

Each bears a single mast with a large triangular sail - furled now as the ships lie at anchor. A small group of people is waiting on the beach as I walk across the sand. Yesmineh walks toward me, her long golden hair flowing in the ocean breeze. She smiles as I approach, and we hug for a moment, trying to let go of the solemn feelings. We walk arm in arm to the last ship, which is drawn up partly onto the sand, and climb aboard. The crew surround the stern and heave the boat into the water, climbing over the sides as it slides free. They lower their oars into the water, and begin to row out to the other ships. The other crews are raising their anchors, and turning their ships about. The sails are unfurled, and the heavy cloth makes cracking sounds as the wind fills it, curving the material until it is taut.

Thankfully the ocean smothers most of my aetheric vision, but I am helplessly drawn back as the ships sail out to sea. I bury my face in Yesmineh's hair and hug her closer, closing my eyes.

Suddenly I was flying over forest at great speed, the rolling hills passing beneath me. Soon I descended in another place; there were fountains beneath me. It was the vast formal gardens in Terah-anu. There were grassy areas and trees, flower beds and paths. The fountains were conical in shape, and carved from huge blocks of marble, with a circular spray fanning out to fall into the wide circular pool around each one. The pool had a rounded stone lip of smooth pale tan stone. The wide paths of flat paving stones curved elegantly around the fountains and into the distance. People were walking around the garden wearing togas or robes of white or light coloured material. Some had decorative borders on the material to indicate they were priesthood members, but the colour was for the most part plain.

There was a penetrating air of serenity. The sky was clear and blue, the air warm and clean. Suddenly the earth began to shake. People stopped, wondering if it was simply another tremor. Water gushed into the air from the fountains as the shaking because more violent. The marble cones cracked and collapsed, and the water in the pools leapt in impossible ways. Some people dropped to their knees to pray, while others started running - but not knowing where to run to.

The earth heaved violently, and those people still standing were thrown to the ground. Enormous cracks appeared in the earth, and it began to look more fluid than solid as it changed moment by moment. I could not hear the cries of the people but I could see the looks of terror on their faces, and even feel some of the fear. A rumbling sound came from the direction of the ocean, and people turned to see the ocean rushing towards them. All orientation went awry as the the earth continued to subside and the sea rushed in to take its place. The gardens were gone, only churning, muddied ocean remained, huge waves crashing back and forth as they vied for a place to lie.

Far out to sea, the deep ocean lost the energy of the tsunamis, and they passed us as huge swells, the echoes of our home's destruction. Helplessly, my mind went back to a time many years before.

High hills at the ocean's edge. I was standing on a ridge leading to the peak of a hill. Atop the hill stood a house - our house. I had been away, and ran up the path and inside. I found her on the back deck, overlooking the dizzying drop to the ocean below. The seagulls sped past, wheeling curves along the coast. Her long, blonde hair was wafting in the breeze. I took her in my arms, and she turned to me - wrapping her arms around my waist as I wrapped mine around her shoulders. I saw the ocean reflected in those beautiful sea-green eyes. Her eyes smiled at me, her mouth was smiling, and I could see the beauty of the smile in her aura reaching out to mine.

“Let me look at you,” I said, holding her at arm's length.

“Why?” she said, grinning back at me.

“I want to remember you forever,” I replied.

Her beautiful image was imprinted on my mind. Suddenly I saw the two of us standing on the deck - viewed as though by a circling bird. This was no bird - we flew astrally, consciously soaring high above the house. I saw her energy form, her love expressed in pure colour and light. As we returned, and kissed there on the deck, it was like we were one. No barriers, no walls, no insecurity. Only love, beautiful love and light. I saw us in the bedroom, lit by the brilliant sunlight streaming in through wide windows and doors. The air was fresh and warm, tangy with the salt from the ocean spray. The wood panelled walls reflected warm orange glows at us. I lay on my back on the bed and she sat astride me, laughing as we were lost in each other's gaze.

“Yesmineh,” I whispered. She smiled back at me.

“Yesmineh I love you so,” I sighed.

She bent down and kissed me playfully. I held up the double-terminator crystal, making a triangle with my hands on either side of it. She leaned down and placed her hands over mine. Our energies joined, binding in a burst of brilliant white light. There were no barriers between us, and could never be.

Posted: March 13, 1996

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