Dimensions of Genesis (15 page)

“Legend says,” Gabe told her, “that every
invader to Greece cut the olive tree down, but a sprig always
replanted itself and grew again.”

Gabe, holding Lily’s hand, led her to the
legendary olive tree. Its branches spread wide as the silvery
leaves shimmered against the setting sun.

Placing her hand on the trunk of the tree,
Lily closed her eyes and absorbed the life force the ancient tree
emitted. She wondered what amazing things this tree would say if it
were able to whisper its past.

Coming up behind her, Gabe wrapped his arm
around her waist. They quietly paid their respects to the Goddess
Athena, who obviously still guarded this beautiful landscape.

Turning Lily gently to face him, he pressed
his body against hers as he kissed her on the lips. Leaning back
onto the olive tree, she felt the strength of the tree behind her
and the love in front of her.

“Lily.” Gabe said quietly, his face
serious.

“Yes?”

“Remember the other night, in Brussels, when
you were asleep?”

“Yes.” She replied, reluctantly recalling the
nightmare.

“I…went out for a bit.” He swallowed
nervously. “Well…I got you something.” He said taking a deep breath
and reaching into his jacket pocket.

Lily’s head spun as she saw a small black box
sitting in his hands. Before she knew what was happening, Gabe was
already down on one knee, holding the box open before her.

Biting his trembling lip, he asked, “Lily,
will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

Standing under branches of the sacred tree,
Lily had to lean back onto the trunk of the tree for support.
Beyond words, tears of joy rolled down her face as she nodded
enthusiastically to Gabe.

Placing the diamond solitaire on her finger,
he stood up and hugged her passionately. Lifting her off the
ground, he spun her around as the eternal tree of wisdom smiled
upon them.

A Life in Review

David’s new body felt amazing. The energy and
the weightlessness made him feel as though he’d been reborn.

Looking into the tunnel of light, he thought
about Ellen, Tiffany and the world he was leaving behind.

“David? Are you ready?” Zophial asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be...” He said with a
smile.

Turning to follow Zophial, he strode into the
light. Drifting effortlessly through the tunnel, his new body
pulsated, a soothing, yet exhilarating sensation.

Though it felt instinctual to walk, he found
he didn’t have to. Energy levitated him, pulling him through.
Ahead, he saw the top of the tunnel take form. At the threshold,
Zophial ushered David through. Crossing over, David’s being
radiated with a resonance—he had come home.

On the other side of the tunnel, several
beings welcomed him. Though they had the outline of a human body,
they consisted completely of light.

“Go with them David, they will take you from
here.” Zophial told him telepathically.

“Thank you.” He replied, watching her
disappear into the tunnel.

Observing his surroundings, David could not
distinguish any solid features. There didn’t appear to be any
walls, ceiling or floor. He was elevated in a hazy mist that
suspended him. Though his feet felt firmly planted, there was no
solid surface to be seen.

Feeling at ease, he was shown into a circular
room resembling a silver bubble. It was suspended in mid air, and
while there were tangible walls, they were translucent.

Stepping through the membrane of the bubble,
he found himself standing in the center. On the curved walls of the
sphere, in panoramic proportions, hazy images began coming into
focus. Soon, it was like a watching a very realistic movie. David
watched intently and soon realized that the movie playing was his
life.

From the moment of his birth to his death,
the images depicted every second of his existence on earth.

With every flash he was shown, he also
re-lived every emotion related to that moment. For every
experience, an impression of understanding was somehow bestowed
upon him. Whenever someone was cruel to him, he immediately
understood why that incident happened. He had a knowing, a
spiritual empathy, that allowed him to see all perspectives of the
lesson.

David not only felt his own emotions, but the
feelings of every single person he’d interacted with. Each scenario
played out exactly the way it had happened on Earth.

He felt his sister’s anger when he’d flung
mud at her and his mother’s guilt as she lay dying in front of her
son. David also endured the anguish his father felt as he watched
his wife die.

Moving through every moment of his life, he
observed with unbiased omnipotence.

The images then flickered to his wedding
day.

When he was alive, he assumed their wedding
was the best day of Ellen’s life. With the eyes of his soul, he saw
the reality. Locked away in the church bathroom, Ellen wept bitter
tears of broken dreams.

He observed how her sexuality was a painful
struggle for most of her life. She felt she’d never be accepted for
who she really was. With the hole left in her heart from denying
herself, she turned to material possessions to fill the void.

“Maybe,” Ellen’s sad voice echoed, her image
painted on the wall of the sphere as she sat huddled on the
bathroom floor, “maybe if I treat him as horribly as I can, he’ll
divorce me.”

Saddened, not by resentment, but for the life
she felt she couldn’t live, David felt he finally understood his
wife.

He was especially interested in knowing
Ellen’s reaction to his death. She had appeared withdrawn as she
observed his dead body. As the empathic perspective merged with
Ellen, David felt terrible anguish wash over him. Ellen felt lost
without the man she’d grown to love and respect. Even though she’d
done everything to make this man hate her, he remained true and
loving. Looking at his lifeless body, she felt a piece of her soul
die.

As the life review faded away, David
contemplated all he’d seen and experienced.

David realized that every second of his life,
no matter how painful, was necessary for his journey. His mother
dying, though agonizing, had motivated him to become a doctor,
helping hundreds of people.

His marriage to Ellen gave him the
opportunity to learn a multitude of lessons, patience,
understanding and unconditional love. He understood that earthly
life was all about the experience. Closing his eyes, he surrendered
to the moment, allowing the memories and lessons to absorb into his
soul.

He felt at peace.

Angels in the Sand

Upon arriving at the hotel, Gabe physically
lead Lily back upstairs. She wasn’t paying attention to where she
was walking at all. Her hand up in the air, she watched her new
diamond ring glinting and glistening in every light.

Back in the hotel room, the two celebrated
their engagement by ordering champagne and strawberries. Running a
warm bubble bath in the antique tub, they enjoyed a relaxing soak.
Gabe washed and rubbed Lily’s back with scented oils as she rattled
off details about what kind of dress she’d like to wear at the
wedding.

After their romantic bath, Lily ordered
room service. Gabe’s jaw dropped while she was ordering. Two orders
of pita bread with tsaziki, two Greek salads, six pork Souvlaki
with stuffed potatoes and two orders of baklava.

“Hungry?” Gabe said, laughing, after she’d
hung up with the attendant.

“Starved! Aren’t you?” She asked, her eyes
wide with child-like innocence.

Laughing, Gabe grabbed her around the waist
and pulled her close.

“I’m hungry for you.” He replied with a
mischievous grin.

Giggling, he threw her down on the bed and
tickled her ribs, stopping only after she claimed she had to
pee.

When a knock announced the food’s arrival,
Gabe and Lily both ran for the door, pushing each other playfully.
As they neared the door, Gabe turned, picked Lily up and tossed her
onto the bed.

“Cheater!” She yelled, faking a pout.

“Ha ha! I win!” Gabe announced, breathless
and dishevelled, as he swung open the door. A female attendant with
long blonde hair, donning bright pink lipstick, looked a bit
shocked as she rolled in the cart. Gabe had answered the door
shirtless and the attendant blushed as she diverted her eyes from
Gabe’s muscular chest.

Lily, now sitting on the bed, gave a
mischievous look and threw a pillow at Gabe. Ducking instinctively,
the pillow missed his head but nailed the attendant in the face,
smearing her bright pink lipstick across her cheek.

Now obviously annoyed, the attendant set up
the table, accepted a gracious tip from Gabe and exited
quickly.

Laughing hysterically, the troublemakers dove
into their delicious supper.

~

The next day, they took a walk on the beach.
Lily, wearing a little white sundress, was determined to collect as
many seashells as she could find so she purchased a little wicker
basket to collect them in.

“It's amazing!” She exclaimed as they arrived
at the Mediterranean beach.

The crystal waters stretched far into the
horizon while the blue sky used the ocean as its mirror. White
crests of waves threw themselves upon the sandy shore, time and
time again, reaching for some unknown destination inland.

Peninsulas sat stoically along the coastline
like rock soldiers, enduring the crashing waves bravely.

Lily, who'd been holding Gabe’s hand,
suddenly released him and ran to the water's edge. Kicking off her
sandals, putting her basket down and hiking her dress up to her
thighs, she waded into the ocean. Wandering further in, Gabe
laughed as the cool waves pushed her over, causing her to shriek as
her dress and long hair got wet.

Plopping down on the warm sand, Lily patted
the spot beside her, inviting Gabe to sit with her. Polishing the
sand off of her engagement ring, she turned and smiled at Gabe.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, my Lily.” He said smiling,
his blue eyes watering as he gazed at her.

Lily then flopped backwards and began waving
her arms and legs in the sand.

“What on earth are you doing?” Gabe asked,
noticing passers-by gawking at her like she was a mental
patient.

“Making a sand angel.” She giggled.

Shrugging, Gabe flung backwards and began
making his own, much larger, sand angel. Carefully standing up,
both stood back to admire their work. Two perfect angels formed in
the sand, one very short and one very tall.

For hours they combed the beach searching for
sea shells to fill Lily’s basket. After it was full, they walked to
the hotel to wash up for a late lunch.

 After a refreshing shower, Gabe asked.
“Hey honey, what do think about hiking up to my old house this
afternoon?”

Considering it as she lay sprawled out on the
hotel bed, Lily then asked, “Do you feel like you're...ready?”

Thinking about all he'd learned about his
mother's affair and father's dark past, he replied, “Yes...I think
so.”

“Gabe?”

“Yes sweetie.”

“Um, what kind of shape is your old house in?
I mean...after the murder, did someone...clean up?” She inquired
nervously.

Gabe's eyes shadowed over a little as he
responded, “I'm not sure, we left that night. The police may have
cleaned up.”

“Oh.” She replied, her voice hesitant.

“Honey, you don't have to come in with
me...I...just need to say good-bye, to some old ghosts.” He looked
at her sincerely as he reached out and touched her hand.

After getting Lily an afternoon snack, they
hailed a cab to take them to the outskirts of town. From there,
they had to hike two miles up a grassy hill.

On the way, Gabe showed Lily his old fishing
spot and where he used to hunt rabbits. He showed her his favorite
'thinking' spot under an old laurel tree that overlooked the ocean.
She loved the view and especially enjoyed picking the
wildflowers.

Finally, they reached the top of the
hill.

“It's smaller than I remember.” Gabe
commented as he laid eyes on his home after so long.

Years of neglect had allowed the neighboring
trees and bushes to swallow up the home into their leafy
underbellies, leaving little of the house in view.

No glass remained in any of the windows and
the front door dangled precariously from the top hinge. In its
youth, the dainty log cabin glowed with a mahogany hue, but now,
the wood had faded to dark gray. Mice and insects had lay claim to
the many holes within the rotting wood.

Gabe didn't realize he'd stopped walking
until Lily slowly took his hand in hers. Glancing down at her, he
saw concern on her beautiful face.

“Gabe, you don't have to go in.” She offered
gently.

He contemplated with himself, debating
whether or not he was ready to face his demons.

“I need to.” He responded softly.

Taking a deep breath, Gabe pushed the broken
door aside and prepared himself.

~

Outside, Lily watched nervously as Gabe
disappeared into the tiny hovel. She felt cowardly waiting outside,
but she just wasn't sure what to expect. If she were to see blood
splatters on the wall, she wasn't sure she'd ever sleep again!
Besides, she was having enough trouble sleeping with the nightmares
plaguing her. Again, last night, she'd had the same dream.

Shivering, Lily's conscience struggled with
her new insecurities. Had she really done evil against Gabe and the
church? Did she tempt and seduce him, leading him astray?

Hugging herself for comfort, she looked at
the dark doorway where her love had disappeared, hoping he was
okay.

~

As Gabe entered the old cottage, it took a
moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The overgrowth of
trees and bushes outside were so thick around the windows that
light was smothered as it tried to break through.