"I never finished my soda. As Gina, Margie and I walked out the front doors, I again tried to spy where, this Mathew Daniel had gone. He was nowhere in sight. As we passed "Bills Bookstore" to make straight way to the house, I looked up and down the legnth of Park Avenue...hoping...perhaps to spy him. My head reeled with what I thought had just occurred. Moreover, as I walked through the entry, over which the golden Tri-Delt letters were placed, I tried to recollect not only his exact words but also his manner of dress.
"For a fact, I had never spoken my middle name. For all whom I'd met before, including him, I was content for it to remain an undisclosed initial. For a fact, I had never mentioned any future desires that I might have when I had graduated, made a career reference to myself; or even my future dreams of being married. Lastly, and all the more strange, I found this Mathew Daniel becoming more intriguing than ever; while at the same time becoming increasingly apprehensive.
"Pray you never know me as the latter."
"It was a simple statement and was presented to me as matter of fact. The more I considered it, the more I realized, I never wanted to meet him as "Quillon."
"Moreover, it was so strange, that being as fashion conscious as I presumed myself to be that I had never seen the styles of clothes he wore: for either male or female. Nor could I identify the type of clothe used.
"Even the colors: of his shirt, pants, belt and shoes, for a lack of a better word appeared...unadulterated. Likewise, the color of his hair, so pure in luster and color was not only a growing distraction, at least for me, but also struck in me a sense of wonderment.
"The hairs on my arms raised in chilling response to the one word, which somehow described him, at least for me: Uncorrupted.
The remainder of that afternoon passed quickly. I even tried to go to sleep earlier than normal. I tossed and turned for most the night.
"Thursday morning came round and I busied myself for the last day of classes for the week. Thankfully, the three, three-hour classes for the most part occupied my thoughts. Yet as I walked from the History Bldg. across Landis Green to the Meteorology Bldg. and finally made my way back to the Social Studies Bldg. adjacent to Strozier Library; I became increasingly apprehensive. Tomorrow, Friday, was the day scheduled for this trip.
"As the last class ended, I made my way back to the house; and bypassed my normal stop at the "Keg," off Tennessee St. for happy hour. I was now neither happy nor at ease with the thought of drinking: and once more, my nights sleep was restless.
Morning came too slowly. We loaded ourselves into Margie's car and set out for Cassadagga. The trip was every bit of four and one-half hours long; for a total of two hundred and seventy five miles. We spoke little. For three college girls I believed it significant in and of itself. In due course, we found ourselves at the town's limits.
"Not bad time," Margie mused.
"As we turned onto Cassadaga Road, an agreement was made: Margie and Gina would go together for their readings. They had a thing for each other...and that was fine with me.
"Margie then apologized and simply said, "You can get a reading just about anywhere, just take the free offer coupon and give it to whoever you wind up with. I already cleared our reading with my regular. Called him last night. He's expecting us, but said the three of us would be too much to handle. I'm really sorry Jewels, But, he did give me a couple of hints of whom he thought you might go to. The first one is just a short walk as you turn right off of Marion, and up a block and turn left onto Seneca; or, if you really want to get into coincidence, take my car, turn right on Marion, cross over the main drag and cut a left onto, now get this: Seminole Ave. Of the two, he strongly suggests you take the second. Said if you took the first one on Seneca you might wind up losing your way...whatever that means."
"I felt I was dumped on. She knew all along that we weren't going to go in as a threesome. No sooner as I finished my ticked off thought, she tossed me the car keys, stating, "Here, you decide."
"I inhaled, held my breath, and my mouth, then decided.
"Coincidence?" Maybe so. But the other, Seneca, just its name made my blood run cold. No. For some reason I didn't want to talk to whoever was there. Three minutes later, I made the left onto Seminole Ave. It was a very short road: no more than two hundred feet long.
"A total of six quite charming, in appearance, bungalows comprised the entire street: three equally spaced to either side. I parked on the right shoulder of the road; between all six. As I exited the car a young child, no more than eight, seemingly came up behind me from nowhere and addressed me. "She's waiting for you. Next one up to the right...the side your're parked on. Come on. I'll take you there myself, but after that, your on your own" I was stunned.
"This, child, girl or boy, I really had no idea to which sex, had just set me back further. My anxiety increased and I turned to leave: but as I did, this, this "little one" took my hand and pulled my palm to his? cheeck.
"Don't be afraid. Honest and truly, I promise, you have nothing to fear, especially from me."
"I allowed myself to be led by the hand, the short distance to the last house on the right.
"At the gate, fronting the walkway up to the front deck stairs the child let go of my hand: smiled, and spoke again. "I lo...I mean I like you. If, if we meet, in another time, I hope we will be...closer?" With that quite odd departing comment, especially the last word, no...it was the whole damned sentence.
"I knew what he or she wanted to say to start with, the unspoken four-letter word was never finished. I watched the child scamper off...laughing in pleasure.
"Bewildered I turned to walk through the gate, I cast a quick glance up the road, and was again brought up short. This child was not in sight: not on the road, not cutting across any lawn, and not on any porch. The road was empty with but my car parked off to the side. Truthfully, my legs would have folded and I would have cried right there had I not heard a gleeful voice speaking, "Please, you are invited to come in."
"It was with considerable foreboding that I made my way up the white cobblestone walkway and made directly for the front door. I looked for the doorbell: found none.
"I raised my hand to knock but was, before I could even begin, told, "Knocking is but a formality, Julia Athena, I have invited you in, please do so. Please, be seated at the table and place yourself at ease. You will come to no harm here: for you are the "Preferred Customer."
"Her words, yes definitely a female, could do little to help my condition. My jaw trembled uncontrollably while my eyes brought forth a steady stream of tears.
"From the silhouette cast upon a screening I presumed her to be quite young. I thought of the early plays where this technique was used. Would I find the truth from a shadow?
"She lightly laughed as she spoke again, "No, it was not a "damned sentence" but your thoughts may be prophetic...but, that is for you to decide. And yes, the technique, is quite an impressive suggestion for the dramatic.
"Your fear, for now shall pass, but be aware that your reading had already begun. Not by me but first by the one you met days ago.
"Mathew Daniel. How wonderful that name. For if he had spoke Quillon...the one you met moments ago, would never be again. There will be no need to take a pen in hand, for to your mind my words I shall commend.
"There they will remain, only portions shall you when awaken: to recollect. Within your mind all shall slumber. Awakening in but piecemeal, heralded shall they come: brought forth through word or deed: prompted by the second born. It is then when all shall be spoken again.
"As you sleep, my words to you shall be a constant source, a reminder; for the souls of innocents are entrusted to your life's course.
"Attend. Closely. For I must speak in paradigm. I may not interfere, for yours is the free will, that of choice. The paradigm is itself a body comprised of three; and all must apply. It is for you to unravel, arrange and then relay, as if upon a stage, spoken as in a play.
"The child you met is actually the Primality of one. And in due course, with some success, the "little one" would be first born son. Yet before he is known the number has increased: by then becoming two; and two in all the universe is the perfect prime number: especially for you.
"The two are identical but distinctly seperate as the flower, which is perceived as one.
"And as the two shall grow, the eldest must, through her own accord, be brought to task. For if left to her own device the younger shall once more cruelly pass. Cries must not dissuade, or stay your mothers' hand; cruel chastisement, a distancing of love, must be employed and for a time embraced, for he must not be turned with her fancied desire for him of satin or of lace.
"She must come to know his fears, for to her he must confide, as consequences for all within the two draw near, and through eternity shall abide.
"It is her shame the lesson he would learn, for ony the truth will he speak, it is all he has known.
"The eldest shall hold the key; through which the youngest may clearly see. The lens of sight to both, through her shall apply.
Take care Julia Athena, for the little one is most precious, for ages past his thoughts I knew and now will hold him dear. He is the key, the reason I am here. If you would fail my anger would be great, though Quillon may indeed be Fearsome, my wrath would have no end: and it would be but the beginning.
For, if you would fail, not only he but also all the others will be lost to us all forever.
"The pen before you is the last of three, when all are together, from Quillons judgement, shall you be free.
"The pen is yours. Keep it always close, its well is without end, unless through your actions all the innocents are condemned. There in shall hold the key.
"The univited shall reveal more of the innocents second end. The third shall through the Primal one shall speak as judgement draws near....for through three pairs of eyes all shall be sparkling and clear. The eldest
though far younger than the previous two, is also within the one: I had counseled when he was young. The first visited must be the last to face, console, without regret, acknowledge to the elder living, of the promise kept.
"Neither clothed, nor veiled, no raiment's shall be worn, for as he was lost he must be as he was and yet to be born.
"When you return to where you dwell, look above the door, a softer sound than commonly used must be applied. For in the letters another secret may apply.
"I have spoken...all of this I have foreseen.
"My child, all consequences accrue to you, be they bad or good, but then again, success is in your hands. At this time if you so choose, you may leave not only the pen as it lays upon the table, but also pardon yourself of blame. I would only add that if you disowned the matter it is a conviction of innocents.
"Please, you must decide. I promise if you chose the latter, no physical harm shall come to you. If you succeed, you shall be overjoyed without end. Yet if you fail I fear for you.
"My reading is at an end.
"Your choice Julie Athena?"
Betty Pearl's Sissy Stories 20.1
Topic: Promises, Obligations and Consequences (Read 152666 times)
