12

Moment of truth

 

   “Ronny, wake up.” Kenny patted Ronny’s face and shook his shoulder. He knew something serious happened. He could tell there was some sort of impact that caused the current condition of the living room. “Ronny!” he yelled. Ronny began to come to. He looked up at Kenny. “Where am I?”

   “You’re on the floor of the living room.”

   Then Ronny remembered what just happened. He grabbed Kenny by the shoulder. “Kenny, I’m going nuts… and we have a ghost!” He looked at the couch and pointed. “It hit the couch.” Suddenly the couch moved again. Ronny screamed, “It just did it again. Did you see that?”

   Kenny looked concerned. “Yes, Ronny. I saw that.”

   With confusion, Ronny looked in Kenny’s eyes. “Why does that not scare the crap out of you?”

   Kenny was silent for a moment. “I need to explain some things to you, Ronny. I want you to think clearly, so please try to relax. It is important that you are calm so we can talk.”

   Ronny looked up at Kenny. Was he about to answer some of these ridiculous questions? If there was a chance, Ronny was willing to comply. “OK, Kenny. I’ll be OK.”

   “Here, Ronny.” Kenny stood up and stretched out his hand. “Let me help you to a chair where you can be more comfortable.” He looked at Ronny with a caring expression.

   “Thanks, Kenny.” Just this small act of kindness, in itself, helped Ronny feel more relaxed. He realized that Kenny had no ill contempt for him. He got to a chair and calmed himself down a little more.

   Kenny sat on the couch. He began to speak. “OK, first of all…” Kenny held up his palms as if to show there was nothing in his hands. “…you are not going crazy and there is no ghost.” He gave Ronny a look of reassurance. He asked, “Ronny, how long have we been living here now?”

   Ronny thought for a moment, and then replied, “A couple years now, I guess.”

   Kenny said, “That’s right. It’s been just about two years. Now, think hard, Ronny. Where did you live before that?”

   Ronny’s expression went blank. He thought about the day they moved in. He could remember bringing everything into the apartment, but he could not remember where he had moved from. He looked up at Kenny.

   “You don’t remember, do you?” said Kenny

   “No…I don’t remember.” Ronny was still dumbfounded.

   “Do you remember when we met?”

   “Yes, at the bottom of the stairs, When we were…we were moving in! How can that even be possible, man?” Ronny’s face was getting flushed.

   “Please remain calm, Ronny. I am about to explain everything.” Kenny continued, “Ronny, we are not from here. In fact, well, we have very much in common. We share some things that you don’t understand. Before I tell you what they are, I need you to know that it is very dangerous information for you to possess, but at this point, it is necessary. I have to give this to you a little at a time. Are you ready?”

   “At this point,Kenny, I am ready for anything.”

   “OK…well, you are a very creative artist. You see the beauty of things and through your artwork, you have the mind to make things visible, even real, out of your imagination…and there is a very important reason for that.”

   Ronny did not know where Kenny was going with all of this, but he tried very hard to understand.

   “Ronny, do you remember the day I gouged the end of my finger with that screwdriver?”

   “Yes,” replied Ronny.

   Kenny looked deep in Ronny’s eyes so Ronny would not break concentration. “I want you to know that I don’t blame you for it, but the screwdriver slipped when…I saw you.”

   Ronny’s face became screwed up with confusion and disbelief.

   “I saw you at the garage while you were astral projecting.”

   “You could see me?...I was really there?...I knew it. I was really there.” Ronny could not wait any longer. He had to have the answer to the most important question. “Kenny, tell me. Are we the same person?”

   Kenny let out a sigh. “No, Ronny…not exactly.”

   “What do you mean by that?”

   “Ronny, we are not from here. We are from someplace you can’t remember for a good reason.”

   “For another good reason, I’m left in the dark? What is going on? Who are you?”

   Kenny hesitated for a moment looking for the right words. “Ronny, You are half and I am half of our person.

    Ronny paused to consider for a moment what Kenny just said. He had thoughts as bizarre as Kenny’s statement, but he never really believed it could be true. At the same time, it seemed to be the only explanation for many things, but Ronny was still skeptical. “So, we are the same person?” Ronny asked.

   “No, we are not the same person. We are a person, but each one of us is only half a person.”

   “What are you talking about, Kenny? How can any of this be possible? I know I have to be insane because this conversation can’t be happening.” Ronny began to shake. The spool in front of the couch raised up and slammed back to the floor. “Look at that!” Ronny yelled. “What is that?”

   “Ronny.” Kenny yelled. “Calm down. You are doing that…I have more to tell you. You must calm down.”

   “Kenny, I didn’t do that…it just happened.”

   Kenny lowered his voice and said again, “Please, you must calm down.” He waited a moment, and then he said, “The reason it is important that you have a creative mind is that you have the power to create. It was supposed to be dormant right now, but it is beginning to surface. If it comes out and you are not aware of what it is, it could be devastating.”

   “I have power?” Ronny looked at his hands. “Why do I have power?”

   “It’s because of the split.”

   “The split? What split?”

   “When we arrived, that is when you and I became the half of us, you became the guardian of the creative power of us, but you were not supposed to know that. The release of your artistic talent was supposed to be satisfactory for now. It was supposed to keep the creative power alive without actually using it.”

   “Where did we come from? Are we from some other planet or something?”

   “No, we are not from here at all. We are from…it’s not even a place as far as what most people would think of. We are not subject to dimensions, or even time.”

   Ronny was stunned. He asked “Are we God?”

   “Oh…No Ronny. God is far, far above us. He is infinite. We are like ants compared to Him. He made us.”

   “Why do you know all of this?”

   “You were given creative power without knowing about it. I was given knowledge of the power without having it. That is what the split is all about. If we remained whole in this realm, we could cause some serious damage to time and space. The dangerous part right now is that I know how to use the power and you do not. The split upon arrival should have kept everything isolated. Already, just the things you figured out on your own have been very dangerous. The scratch on the neck was not so bad, but a screwdriver through the top of my head would have been very bad.”

   “You knew about all those things? How did you know?”

   “I can see through your eyes, Ronny. That is another thing I am responsible for. It is all for our own good. It is just the way we exist in this realm.” Kenny let some of what he had just said sink into the confused mind of Ronny for a moment. Tears came to Ronny’s eyes.

   “Oh, Kenny, I am so sorry, man. I almost killed you. I didn’t know what was going on. I am so sorry.”

   “Ronny, I understand. It’s OK, man. I might have done the same thing if the split would have gone the other way. It has before.”

   “We have done this before?”

   “Countless times, but in your present state, you are prevented from remembering that.”

   Ronny was still confused, but he was beginning to grasp the concept.

   Kenny went on. “Because of the dangerous nature of the situation, we are going to have to return to where we came from. We will have to become one again as we leave this place.” Kenny watched Ronny’s face as all this sank in. Ronny thought back and began to realize that this was the unresolved confrontation that Sharlina spoke about.

   “Yes, about Sharlina,” Kenny said

   “I didn’t say anything about Sharlina…can you read my mind too?”

   “When I need to”

    Ronny shook his head. “So…what about Sharlina?”

    “Well, good news, really. Suzy and Sharlina are a ‘one’ like us, and she is our eternal mate”

      A smile slowly grew on Ronny’s face and his mind drifted for a moment. Then, his face went sober as another question came to mind. He asked Kenny, “does this mean you are not going to take over?”

   “No, Ronny. That is just not possible. You and I need each other to be the ‘one’. You will be even more conscious than you are now. You will understand everything once we have joined.”

   Things were beginning to become a little clearer in Ronny’s mind.  He looked up at the painting of the chairs. “So, I guess I am the one who put the clay baby in the painting, after all.”

   Kenny’s eyes got big. “What?”

   “The clay baby that was in the jar.”

   Kenny turned to look at the painting. “The receptacle?” he muttered.

 

 

  

13

The return of the creature

 

   Kenny got up and walked to the painting. He looked closely at the painted jar in the window. Inside was the little clay creature.

   Ronny looked at Kenny and asked “What receptacle? Is that what you are calling that creepy clay baby thing?” Ronny thought for a moment. “You said you only threw lumps of clay in the jar. You were making something all along, weren’t you?”

   “No…I didn’t touch the clay after that. You had to be making it change, Ronny, just by being near it, but I don’t understand how.” Kenny looked at Ronny. He looked betrayed. Kenny went on. “The receptacle was a precaution to try to contain some of the power that you have. When it disappeared, I thought it failed. It would have been difficult and dangerous to try to explain it to you.” Kenny looked back at the painting. “It does look kind of like a baby. It was not supposed to change shape. All I did was infuse the clay with a little bit if my half of us as a seed to draw some of the power from you.”

   “But…why did you do that?”

   “I did it as a precaution when I realized you might really be leaving your body. That is not really possible to a normal person in this realm. In your case, however, it turned out to be true.“  Kenny took a long hard look at the jar in the painting. “I still don’t understand how it could change…did you do anything with the clay?“

   “No, I just moved it…” Then, Ronny remembered when he cut his finger. “Oh,...um,..I got some blood on it.”

   “What? How did that happen?”

   “Well, it was on the floor by where I was sitting when I cut my finger. Could that make a difference?”

   “It looks like it did” Kenny looked back at the creature. “It has to come out. We will have to be very careful about this. It looks like it has absorbed power that it should not have.” Kenny looked at Ronny. “You have to understand, Ronny. I know how to use the power that you have. You must do exactly what I say, without error. Can you do that?”

   Ronny was taken by surprise. He was about to use a power that until a moment ago, he never realized he had, or even understood. “I’ll do just what you say.” Ronny looked at Kenny with an assuring trust.

   “Go get the jar from the window.” Kenny waited by the painting while Ronny went to the window, got the jar, and returned.

   “Now, you must be careful not to get distracted. I want you to hold the jar in your left hand. Then, I want you to touch the clay baby in the painting with your right hand, and at the same time, imagine it in the jar. Do you understand?”

   “Sure...I understand,” said Ronny. He hesitated. “Should I do it now?”

   “As soon as you feel comfortable.”

   “OK” said Ronny. “Here we go.”

   Ronny held the jar tight in his left hand. He slowly reached with his right hand, up to the painting. His finger hovered over the spot. He thought, and then spoke, “in the jar.” and touched the painting. A shock wave traveled from his finger, through his body to his left hand. The clay appeared in the jar and the glass burst in Ronny’s hand. The clay baby fell to the floor and took off like a shot down the hall. It went into Ronny’s bedroom. The door slammed shut.

   “No!” yelled Kenny. “It’s loose!”

   Ronny’s eye got big. “I’m sorry, Kenny. I did what you said.”

   “I know you did, Ronny.” Kenny looked at the palm of his hand. Blood was forming at a couple cuts that had materialized there. Ronny looked at his own bleeding hand as well.

   Kenny looked up at Ronny. “First things first. We better get this glass cleaned up and get our hands looked after.”

   “What about that thing? Is it alive?” Ronny had fear in his eyes.

   “It’s kind of alive. Don’t worry, it won’t go too far. We just have to figure out a way to catch it.”

 

14

You can do magic

 

   As Ronny and Kenny bound their wounds, Kenny continued explaining the ways of the “one” that they were. He explained to Ronny that he would not be able to remember the visit to this world, but he would have all combined knowledge of the “one”. He would have memories of countless journeys and adventures. The “one” that they were would be able to communicate with the two halves of the self. The half that had forgotten will be taught by the half that remained aware. It was the symbiotic relationship of the “one” within itself. The relationship between a  “one” and another “one” is far beyond explanation in this relm. Ronny would have to wait and find out about that.

   “Are you bandaged up OK?” Kenny asked Ronny as he finished up first-aid on his own hand.

   “Yes, I’m OK.” Ronny still looked a little shaken. “Now, what about your little creature? Is it going to attack me when I open the door?”

   Kenny didn’t really have a clear answer on that one. “Usually, a receptacle is never mobile. Normally, if you are far enough away from a receptacle, it will sleep…kind of. If clay-baby is acting like any other receptacle, it will be dormant at this distance. It will only be kind of alive when you are near enough to it.” Kenny grabbed the broom and dustpan.

   “So, it’s harmless right now?”

   “Yes…but you are not. I am going to have to teach you how to control a small amount of the power.”

   Ronny was a bit excited. He actually wanted to learn about this power.

   “No,” said Kenny. “I don’t want you to think about this in that way. This is not a privilege. It is a necessity.”Kenny handed Ronny the dustpan and began to sweep the broken glass. “We are going to use the power to catch the receptacle. Any abuse of this power could be devastating. It is not meant for this confined condition of time and dimension.”

    Ronny held the dustpan to the floor so Kenny could sweep the broken jar into it. “OK, Kenny…I understand…sort of.” Ronny dumped the dustpan in the trash. “But…why do we have to catch that thing?”

    “It contains a little part of us. Part of the ‘one’. We must get it back. Let’s go to the living room and sit. It’s time to show you some things.”

    Kenny sat on the couch and Ronny sat in a chair across from him with the spool between them.

    “First I will show you how to resonate space. This is the basis of all creational power. Take your thumb and pointing finger and hold them about an inch apart.” Ronny looked at his hand to make sure he was estimating an inch as close as he could.

   “Now, I want you to think about the space between your fingers and tell it to hum. Move your fingers closer and farther apart until you can feel the hum begin.”

   Ronny looked at the space between his fingers and thought Hum. He could feel something going on. The air began to feel like a marshmallow. Then it began to vibrate. A faint tone was generated.

    “Good,” said Kenny. “Now, see if you can change the tone with your fingers.”

   Ronny moved his fingers a little closer, and then, a little farther apart and the tone went up and down along with it. “This is cool, Kenny.”

   “The fact is, Ronny, that when we are the one, this is how music is made. Our one is quite good at it.”

   Ronny looked at Kenny and smiled, then looked back at his hand. The painting on the wall began to shake.

   “OK, stop,” said Kenny. “I don’t know why that’s happening.” He looked back at Ronny and said, “Now, three fingers. Like this. See the triangle between the tips? This is the control for light. It takes a lot more to master this than sound, but remember, you have to learn these things because of the restriction of your memory. When we are the ‘one’, we know all of the power we have. It comes natural.” Kenny held up his hand. “See how I am bending the middle finger so the end will come closer to the other two?” He looked at Ronny to make sure he was watching closely. “Hold your hand like this and tell the light to compress.”

   Ronny held his fingers up and concentrated. He thought, compress. A small flash of multi-colored light spat from his finger tips. “Wow!” said Ronny. The painting shook again.

   “OK, stop…I don’t understand why the painting wants to react…unless…”

   “What?” asked Ronny.

   “…Unless, the receptacle was in the painting so long that the painting and the receptacle have become one.”

   “What does that mean?”

   “I don’t know.” Kenny confessed. “We have never had this kind of situation before. I’m gonna have to think about this.” Ronny paused for a moment. “We have to continue, regardless.” Kenny picked up a book of matches that was next to the sand candle. He placed it on the table in front of Kenny. “Now, I want you to just picture your hand in front of you. Remember the tone you generated, look at the matchbook and think ‘pull’.”

   Ronny closed his eyes for a moment so he could picture his hand in front of him. He thought of the sound, and then opened his eyes. He thought, Pull. The matchbook vibrated and moved toward Ronny about three inches. Ronny looked up at Kenny, who was smiling in approval.

   “You’re doing good, Ronny.” Ronny smiled back.

   “Try it a few more times. Then try thoughts like push, turn, spin, and lift. Only practice on the matchbook for now. OK? Nothing else.”

   “Sure, Kenny.” Ronny looked at the matchbook like it was a new toy.

   “If you don’t mind, I am going to move that painting for the time being. Can I put it back on your easel?”

   “That’s OK…grab that cloth and cover it up.” Ronny continued trying his newly discovered power on the matchbook. Soon he was able to make it stand on its edge, bounce, and spin, and eventually hover in front of his face. Kenny kept a close eye on him while he practiced.