LeOmi's Solitude (13 page)

Fireball came over and nudged LeOmi,
encouraging her to do as he said.

LeOmi stroked the horse’s mane as if to say,
just a moment, there is nothing to be afraid of. She smiled at the
little man and said, “Who are you to tell me what to do.”

“I am no one, stay here. See if I care, as
soon as it gets dark you will see why I told you to go back to the
school.” He threw his hands up into the air and turned and started
walking towards the stables.

LeOmi mounted Fireball and they passed very
close to him, as the horse took out in a full-out run towards the
school.

Bekka was at the Olive Tree. Fireball washed
the tree with dust and dirt for the second time in the day.

Bekka turned and huddled into her Magi robes,
and waited for the dust cloud to settle. “Well, it’s worth it to
see the smile on your face.”

LeOmi jumped down and wrapped her arms around
the horse’s neck. They nuzzled each other in their now usual
fashion, and then the horse turned and ran full speed back towards
the stables. Both girls stood and watched in fascination as the
horse created the same cloud receding into the wall of the boundary
of the school.

Bekka sighed and said, “It is a good
day.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go eat. I’m starved.”

* * *

At The Quarters they each chose mashed
potatoes and fried chicken breast, peas and a buttered roll. At the
end of the line, LeOmi showed her signet, as the receipt was
tallied.

“Your second expenditure.” Bekka said.

LeOmi looked at Bekka with a questioning
look. “Your signet...that was your first expenditure.”

LeOmi showed Bekka the ring and then they
both debated on the meaning of the symbols and the combination of
the four.

“Oh, there was something else; he sort of
sang a song to me. It surprised him, but it really surprised
me.”

“Do you remember it?”

“Not all of it.”

“Well that’s okay. Mr. Diefenderfer always
writes down his songs. Tell me what you do remember of it.”

“It was about the Signet being used as a
plummet. There was also something about confusion, stones of
emptiness and left untilled it is wasted.”

“Wow, it isn’t often that these things are
not revealed before they come to pass or until they are
evident—that may be the case here. I guess that is why they are
usually so vague.”

There were so many places in her life that
confusion fit right now, including being confused about what
untilled had to do with it.

“LeOmi, you do realize that these things that
are happening now—these are not casual occurrences. Things are
unfolding...unfolding in ways that are very uncommon. Do you ever
feel like you are special—like you are here now for a special
reason?”

“We are all part of the past, present and
future. Henry said we make up the wheel of life, in our existence
and time here on this earth.”

“Yes, but it isn’t just our own wheel of
life, it is everyone’s. You have heard of the butterfly effect,
well it’s true. Every action no matter how large or small, affects
everything else in one way or another.” Bekka took out her notebook
and jotted some notes.

“Look at the environment here at The Seventh
Mountain. You will not find people neglecting the positions they
have taken—what a mess we would have if everyone just stopped doing
what they have been assigned. Yet, that is so very unlikely because
each person is geared to their duties, and their duties to them.
Strengths and weaknesses are evaluated and a worker is put where
they will do the most good. Most of us have our doubts at first
that we can actually perform the duties—but if you just focus on
the fact that you are never given more burdens than you can bear,
then everything will turn out just fine. Do you understand what I
am saying to you?” She had been writing the whole time, but now she
looked up at LeOmi, waiting for an answer.

“Sometimes, I feel like there is nothing that
I cannot do and then other times…”

“Well, you do not control other people’s
decisions, you cannot choose the right or the left and therefore
you cannot make them run away from you or to you. Ultimately it is
up to them no matter how much advice you give to a person or how
much you may plead with them. It all comes down to the right to
choose. I will not take that away from you. I cannot. When we are
children, our parents make our choices for us, but you can see even
in the tiniest infant, that they have a choice, to laugh or
cry...Of course there are some things that are beyond a child’s
control. They need shelter, food, water and direction. We must rely
on those around us to show us how to do some things—unless they are
natural or until they become natural. But like I said, it all comes
down to the right to choose. I will not, I cannot take that away
from you.”

Bekka gave LeOmi’s hand a little squeeze.
“Let’s take a look at the sunset.”

As they walked towards the doorway Bekka
said, “You are here at The Seventh Mountain because you have made
this decision. You may feel right now that it was the only
decision, and that is probably the truth—but you did have choices,
and may I say, that I think you chose wisely.”

LeOmi nodded and seemed to ponder.

“I cannot tell you about everything that is
going on at the school right now, but I can tell you that we must
all prepare.”

“Prepare?”

“Yes, we do not know what the butterfly wing
has begun, but we do know that all of our wheels of life are meshed
together, the one large wheel that sees all and knows all, the
paths that we will take and the beginning and end of
everything.”

“That sounds like one of my father’s
sermons.”

“Well maybe it is. You have to make the
decision as to whether you will follow the direct path, or whether
you will take a more scenic path, but your destiny will lead you
where your decisions have brought you.”

The sun was setting in the west and a chill
washed over the desert. Both Bekka and LeOmi pulled their robe and
jacket closer as the last rays of the sun pulled the cover of
darkness over them.

“It’s time to go in.” To accent that remark,
a moaning type roar came from the direction of the Game Preserve
and stables. A roar like LeOmi had never heard before.

“What was that?”

“A warning. We must go in.”

“A warning, from what? What makes that kind
of sound?”

“Many animals will warn you of the power that
they possess, some do not. We must go in. I’ll see you in the
morning.”

They stepped inside and Bekka helped another
counselor pull the doors closed. “And don’t forget to report at
seven a.m., The Oasis.”

* * *

The dark figure jumped down from where it had
been concealed in the boughs of the Olive Tree. She turned back a
few pages in her own notebook. It had been a busy day. Bekka’s
notes were far more interesting than her own but combined they were
all that she would need.

“He was right. LeOmi is an ally that would be
quite useful.”

She knelt down and gently picked up a small
twig that had broken off as she jumped down. She stored the small
twig down into the folds of her robe. “A little keepsake to
remember this day.”

The roar, almost a whimpering moan of a roar,
cut through the darkness. It was approaching, but it was still far
enough away.

She turned forward a few pages in her
notebook and jotted down a few sentences. “Oh well, LeOmi will tell
all in time, as it has been pointed out, the wheel of life spins
for us all.”

LeOmi thought it was nice to have someone to
keep her company during her quite time and her run time. In the
mornings, Bekka’s mind was always preoccupied with her duties of
the day so she was a quiet morning person just like LeOmi. The
muffin breakfast was a welcome addition to her routine too.

For many years, LeOmi ran outside or on a
running trail, but Bekka preferred the running track with the
special flooring that allowed less stress on the body, as most
everyone else who did their early morning running. It started out
sparsely populated, but as they got closer to the five mile lap,
the runners had doubled. There were designated lines of running
speeds almost like the slow lane on the highway except there were
seven lanes to juggle.

It became too cramped for LeOmi towards the
end, teachers, staff, shopping mall workers, bank tellers, LeOmi
could almost read their minds,
“Only a few minutes to get some
miles in.”
She had even said it to herself.

Most of the runners were not students. There
were obviously a lot of people living at The Seventh Mountain; this
was their home. When Saturday was here—that was when she would find
out if she needed to find a new place or time to run.

On the cool down lap Bekka said, “Today, you
need to get your books.”

LeOmi nodded.

“I want to remind you there is a used book
section in the bookstore, almost just as good as those in the new
section but there may not be any left. You could also ask some of
your teachers if they have any that they are willing to lend you.
But of course that is up to you.” Bekka nodded in the affirmative
and LeOmi complied with the expected nod, and they both went their
different ways for shower and changing. LeOmi’s own clothes weren’t
as noticeable as her spiked black hair with white tips, but she
definitely stood out in the crowd of runners.

* * *

The bookstore was a huge structure. The doors
were the large double swinging doors and as LeOmi entered there was
a smell that reminded her of her grandmother’s library. But this
one was well lit and airy with spiral stairs leading to other
levels. There were rows and rows of books, more than she had ever
seen in her lifetime.

Her mom had taught her that there were always
bargains if you could read the little tell-tale signs. LeOmi
immediately made her way to the rear of the first level and sure
enough, there was a huge section that had stacks of previously
owned books. Some were even free. LeOmi read her list and picked
out the appropriate books.

The rear of the bookstore housed a small
printing shop and four students manned different sections of the
printing area. There were also rows of pulley activated elevators
about the size of her father’s trunk that were constantly going up
and down. Each of those had two students running them, one student
to put in contents and another to take out. She could only guess
that there was the same setup for each level of the bookstore.
Anyway, it was totally understandable why the used and free
sections were in the rear–where all the noise was. LeOmi did notice
that all the students on this floor seemed almost like robots,
doing their duty in constant repetitious movements.

What a horrible job that would be!

Then she noticed that the students were
listening to something on headsets. Well that was no different from
the regular workouts that people did in the gym: bending, picking
up and setting down.

It wouldn’t be so bad, and I wouldn’t have
to communicate with others and I would be around books all the
time. I could do that.

LeOmi gathered her stack of books and a
packet of necessary supplies that included assorted types of paper,
writing tools, a calculator and sealing wax to use in combination
with the signet ring.

All her purchases were all either free, or a
small amount.

She went to a table set-up beside the front
door. The student there smiled and nodded to LeOmi and took her
purchases and laid the front of each on a glass faced plate that
was set into the counter and then she pushed another button to
tally the purchases. A slip came out of a small slot beside the
plate of glass. It registered that total.

“If you agree with this total, simply place
your signet on the upper right hand portion of the screen.”

LeOmi nodded and did as the girl said.

“Okay, you’re all set with this transaction.
If you haven’t gotten your binoculars or scope that section is on
the top floor.”

LeOmi nodded and took her books and supplies
that the girl had strapped together for her.

“You’ll need this too.”

She placed a school catalog in the top of the
strapping and LeOmi made her way up the spiral stairs.

On the way up, she was almost bowled over by
a large angry man who had stopped at each floor and looked around
as he was making his way up the spiral stairs.

She hadn’t noticed him until he came off the
fourth floor.

He wasn’t calling out or stomping, but LeOmi
could see that it was just a matter of time. Everyone gave him
space, not willing to interfere or become part of his rampage. He
was dressed in teacher’s robes, so obviously a student was in some
very great trouble.

What could a person do to make another
person that angry?

On the seventh floor, he nearly pushed her
out of his way; his blood almost to the boiling point. Everyone
including LeOmi could feel his anger and tension as he made his way
to the upper level of the bookstore.

As he passed her on the stairs he said in
overly controlled tone, “Get out of my way Miss Jones.”

She made herself as small as she could be,
hanging her parcels over the side so his bulk could pass by. He
vibrated each step with jolts that probably loosened the screws in
the metal staircase.

A door led to the eighth level, and as soon
as he reached it, his bellowing voice called out, “Tim! Tim
Fairbanks, where are you?” Then the door closed behind him.

LeOmi made her way up the remaining steps and
listened before opening the door. He had moved away, so she opened
the door and stepped in and found a corner to be out of the way.
There were a lot of other new students there also. They were all
standing still, stunned by the appearance of the huge man.