Billy turned to the right. There was Joey, pulling out Billy’s old desk chair. He swung his leg over the chair, straddling it backwards. Then he laid his arms across the back and rested his chin in his hands. It was the way he had always liked to sit when he used to visit. Joey was looking directly at him, watching, waiting. He looked as he had the last time they had gotten together. His brown hair was slicked back, stubby soul patch of chin hair, black jeans, faded Star Commander tee shirt with a small patch on the left sleeve. But his eyes were a little different, they had a certain glow, a sparkle of life, and a suggestion of even more energy than he had before.
“Joey. But you’re…”
“Dead?” Joey paused. He laughed, “Maybe to the physical world I am. But the spiritual side is a different thing. Remember your high school physics about matter and energy?”
“Sure, energy cannot be destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. The balance between energy and matter remains constant.”
“Our spiritual essence is energy, my physical body has ended releasing my energy. So now I am on the other side of existence. It would be hard to explain exactly what that means, but a piece of me will always be a part of you.”
“So why are you here?”
“Isn’t it obvious we always used to work things out together. You reached out to me searching for answers.”
Billy was still absorbing Joey’s last statement, a piece of me will always be part of you. “But how is this possible? This doesn’t feel like a dream.”
“It isn’t and it is. Dreaming is just another state of consciousness.”
Billy mused, “Most people dream and forget their experiences on waking. They chalk it up to nothing important, the mind idly playing while the body regenerates through sleep.”
“Sure, but aren’t there some who remember dreams in detail?”
“Yes, some people even claim to use this dream state to work things through.”
“The other day something happened to you.”
“You mean the rock slide at Old McCrory’s?”
“Yup. I think you triggered something that was buried.”
Pausing to focus his memory, Billy recollected, “There was a brilliant flash, an explosion, great heat, and then I was pushed away from the cliff.”
“You’re mostly right, but if it only pushed you off, wouldn’t you be dead from the fall?”
“That was my first thought when I came around. But I didn’t get hurt, not even a scratch.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“When the energy was released, I was enveloped in some kind of a cloud. It was so much that my senses were overwhelmed, then I passed out.”
“So somehow this cloud you mentioned cushioned your fall?”
“I guess, I woke up on the ground, on my back looking up at the sky. For a moment I couldn’t move, then everything seemed normal again.”
“And when you came around again, there was no trace of the crystal in the cliff or residual energy?”
“None that I saw. Are you suggesting that the energy that had been stored in that buried crystal somehow has become part of me?”
“That would be one explanation.”
“Unusual things have been happening around me ever since. Things that make no sense, that there’s no logical explanation for.”
“Perhaps you may have been given certain abilities.”
“What do you mean abilities?”
“Come on man. Didn’t we read enough comic books as kids, watch all kinds of science fiction and superhero movies? Think outside the box. What has happened to you is on a level no one on Earth has experienced before.”
“You’re freakin’ me out Joey. Are you saying I’m no longer human?”
“Oh you’re quite human, your humanity isn’t in question. But maybe you’re more now than you ever dreamed of being.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There are certain other planes of existence that most humans are unaware of in their simple day to day existence. These other planes are connected by portals.”
“You mean like other dimensions?”
“That would be one way to explain it. All humans have the potential to access these planes but don’t know how. Perhaps that energy release has changed you so that now you have access to some of these portals.”
“Can you give me some kind of example?”
“Memory is one thing that everyone takes for granted. But think about it, you’re familiar with how computers store data and how much space it takes to handle all that.”
“Sure. Two types: short term or working memory and long term memory or data storage.”
“Well, what if the brain contained just the recent stuff but had an elaborate interface to a portal where memories were stored.”
“Whoa… You mean like a person with photographic memory would have better use of this portal than the average person. Or that a person with a brain injury or dysfunction might experience amnesia because this portal interface has become damaged changing their access to those memories.”
“I think you’re getting the idea.”
Billy looked away from Joey for a moment, thinking to himself “Is this a dream or a visitation? Things seem to make more sense but it’s all a very twisted unconventional way of thinking. My reality has either become distorted from conventional ways, or perhaps I have a new clarity.” Everything he’d known was being brought into question and challenging his understanding of the world he thought he knew. “I have more questions…”
Billy heard a floorboard creak. Looking over toward the entrance to his room he saw Buddy and Ethan Gregor standing there. As he watched, Ethan’s image faded away. Buddy’s appearance wavered and blurred then suddenly the white wolf was sitting where Buddy had been. Intently watching both Billy and Joey.
“Ahh, there you are.”
Billy was startled, “Wa… Wait. You recognize him?”
“Sure, that’s Waya, the white wolf. However, I understand he goes by Roger now.”
“Whaa, this is crazy. I think I’m losing my mind. How would you…”
“I know, it’s a lot to take in. Remember only a sane person questions their sanity, you’re fine. We’ll talk again. Next time you see Mallory, ask her about the indians.”
“Indians?” Billy looked from his friend back to the doorway, the wolf had vanished and an indian warrior was charging up the hallway into his room, tomahawk in hand. Coiling his arm back, he threw the tomahawk directly at Billy. Billy was frozen in place as the tomahawk flew straight at his head.
Is this a crazy dream or some strange form of Billy’s new reality, come on back next Monday to find out.
Episode 10 – 6/16/21
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