I will be posting some excerpts from my latest novel, The Awakening of Russell Henderson, for the next while. Here is another. Stay tuned for next week’s.

There was a campground by the Niobrara River where I planned to spend the night. We were coming to the turn off and told her I was stopping to camp for the night. Did she want to get out and hitch into Valentine, about fifteen miles down the road. She was good to camp there as well and had what she needed. We went in, found some places to set up our camps, paid our fees and settled in. It was shaded with new spring leaves on the trees.  The river flowed a hundred or so feet from where we set our camp. It was early in the season: we were the only ones there.

She got out, grabbed her pack and guitar from the back and walked over to a site she chose and set up her camp. I raised the camper top, got out what I would cook for dinner. I walked over to the river. It looked inviting. I went to the Westy and changed into my swim trunks, then went back to the river and went in, letting the cool water wash over me, cleansing the day’s driving from my body and mind. I looked down the river and saw her naked body slide into the water. I looked away. I didn’t want to let her know I saw her. I didn’t want her to think I was spying on her. I don’t know if she saw me or not. What I saw of her was her tanned body, quite fit and strong. 

“Are you home,” Sue asked.

“We’re heading there now after getting some dog food.”

Sue said, “We’ll head your way. We need to talk.”

Sara called her parents in Ohio. There was no answer and she left a message to call as soon as they could. She called Andy’s parents. Again no answer. Now she was getting really frightened. She called her old law office. It was as if no one went to work that day.

Twenty minutes later Sue and her wife, Ella came in with a cloud of dust. Sara saw them coming and ran out to meet them.

Ella jumped out, “We drove through town. You’re right. It’s deserted. Where’d every one go?”

“Sara, now almost hysterical, replied, “I just called everyone I know from out east and no one answered.”

Andy came running out, “I just checked online news and theres no updates for today. I checked on my cell and there’s only yesterday’s news. What the hell’s going on?”

They went in the house and sat looking at each other with blank frightened stares. There was a knock at the door. Andy went to open it, finding a man dressed in a dark suit and tie had somehow appeared. There was a strange ethereal glow about him.

“May I come in?” he asked, appearing to choose these words of a simple question carefully.

Wondering what anyone was doing out here dressed like this and how he had gotten there, Andy invited him in.

“Greetings everyone,” the man said slowly and shyly, like he was practicing new words he had just learned. “I apologize for intruding. I must explain some things you may be finding . . . strange?

“You may call me Thomas. I am not from here. I am from far away. There is no reason to . . . to be, to be frightened. I think that is correct?”

Andy was still standing, the others sat staring at this well dressed stranger who had this aura about him.

“Where are you from then,” asked Sue. “Why are you glowing?”

Thomas smiled faintly at that, When I say I am not from here, I mean I am not of this planet, or even this galaxy you call the Milky Way. Is that right? The Milky Way?”

They all nodded with their eyes getting bigger at the story they were hearing.

“This is not my normal form. My normal form you would not understand. I assumed this human form only two days ago and am still getting used it. Please excuse my clumsiness.” He smiled which appeared to require some work on his part and then continued, “I and many others have come here to save this planet. All but a few residents have been removed. We left select ones like you who truly care for this planet. This planet you call Earth is a very important part of the universe and it is dying due to the greed, selfishness and not caring of so many. They are ones who have been removed. They have not been harmed but have been relocated to various other worlds for retraining.

He continued, sounding like this was now well rehearsed, “Earth, as you call it, was to be a planet of choice where residents were to have the freedom to determine who they would partner with, ways they would earn livings, grow in spirit, ways to live gently on this planet that offered so much. Regretfully we did not realize so many would fall into a pattern of greed, selfishness, fear, and false judgement, killing and war, religious ideology. It was a great mistake on our part. We have waited hoping the inhabitants would change. We could not wait any longer as too many people were killing this once beautiful and bountiful place.

“Thank you for listening so well. I only learned your language two of your earth days ago. It is getting better, do you agree?” he said with an easier wider smile.

All were sitting in rapt attention nodded vigorously with their eyes wide with fear and wonder. 

The man called Thomas continued, “I am here to help in any manner you wish. There are several other families in this valley pod. Be assured, you are not alone. There are many others who were chosen to remain, but only those who care for this earth planet. Our task is to help you all nurture and restore it. Are you up for this task?”

Again, all nodded vigorously. Sara then asked, “But our parents, families and friends. What will happen to them? Is this like the end of the world or something?”

“No, it is not the end, but a new beginning. Some like your parents will be returned in due course. But many will never be allowed to return so the planet may recover and purify itself. There were too many people, too many who had no regard for the earth and continued to overpopulate, pollute, and abuse the planet. Much will depend on their retraining and acceptance to changing their lives. No one will suffer harm or injury and will reside for retraining somewhere in the many places in the many universes where humans can live.”

“Many universes?” asked Sue. “Many? How many are there?”

“There are an infinite amount of, what you call, universes. There is no end, some old, some new, constantly dying and regenerating like all life. It is much to grasp. But I must go now. I must talk with others.”

“Will we see you again? What should we do?” asked a frightened Ella.

The man called Thomas answered, “I shall return soon and often to help guide you. You should go on as normal. Grow food. Tend to your lives. You are safe from any harm. We have left many new thinkers to help with new technologies that, along with our guidance, will be free of the vested interests of the past so you may soon thrive without the pollution of old technologies. We will maintain your infrastructure as we can but you will most likely not need much of it very soon as it will be quickly made obsolete. I will be back often and work with you to create a new paradigm. Do not worry. I shall return soon after I visit some others.”

With that, the man called Thomas walked out the door. Andy followed, watched him disappear into a bright flash of light. “He’s gone. just like that. Poof,” he said slowly.

Ella was softly crying in Sue’s arms.  Sara was sitting in stunned silence.

Sara said flatly, “So this is it, the way the world ends as we know it, with a new beginning. It all ends with a new beginning . . . a new . . . beginning.”

I am posting some excerpts from my latest novel, The Awakening of Russell Henderson, here for the next while. Here is another. Stay tuned for next week.

I left on Saturday morning the week before Memorial Day from eastern Iowa and headed north to I-80 at Iowa City; west from there across Iowa to I-25 and north at Council Bluffs. Iowa was mainly rolling hills of farmland and little towns; all of it breezing by from the isolation of an interstate highway that required no slowing or stopping, unless for gas or the call of nature. I stayed my first night in the little town of Missouri Valley, Iowa. All was running smoothly and precisely as I had planned.

I had dinner at a local diner in town and a good night’s rest. Up early, I filled up with gas and headed to the Interstate. It was then I veered from my plan. I saw her along with a large backpack and a guitar at the on-ramp, thumb up in the hitch hiker position. Whatever possessed me to, I don’t know. Loneliness? But I pulled over, stopped, and swung open the passenger door. I saw her in the rear view mirror, grab her backpack and guitar, then walk deliberately, slowly, scrutinizingly, towards the van. She finally looked in and scrutinized me as well, carefully, smiled a cold crooked smile and asked, “Where are you headed?” 

“West,” I replied. “Where are you headed?”

“Eventually San Francisco, but right now, I‘m heading to the Rosebud Reservation to see an old friend,” she answered. “You headed there, maybe?”

“I am not planning on going there. My itinerary’s all mapped out and San Francisco wasn’t included. I’m planning on heading west on Highway 20 when we get to Sioux City, then up through the Lakota Reservations, then to Mount Rushmore. How far do you want to go?’”

“I meant the Rosebud. Didn’t expect you to take me to the Bay. But I’ll be happy to have a ride up to the Rez,” she said.

“Jump in then and let’s go, then.”

She threw her stuff into the back. I accelerated the Westy up the ramp and we headed north to Sioux City.

A poltergeist knocked over a chair in my mind 
waking me with a strange noise on a sunny day with 
dark clouds bringing the foreboding of a night with 
candles burning bright inside quiet orange faces that
cast eery light along cold dark trails and walks.
 
Crisp leaves underfoot crackle as creepy goblins 
walk with wispish warlocks and smiling shamans in 
quiet search for chocolate and apples then 
dance by a bright bonfire lighted to guide
 weary lost searching souls traveling under a
 ghostly yellow moon shadowed by a cloud so 
 silver faced elves can hunker safe on
 All Hallows Eve.