Chapter
5
Kevin’s point of view
Anubis was a good teacher. Annoying, but effective. He had a habit
of being persistent for me to try again if I failed to do a task or exercise
after the first few tries, but it meant I eventually managed each task. I lost
track of time, as my training seemed to go on non-stop. It was a strange cycle
to get into; I could last for what seemed like days without rest. Another odd
thing was told to me too: I never needed to eat or drink. Anubis had taught me
from where I now had to draw energy. It was my first lesson. I remember his
words: “This is essential, Kevin……”
Now, how had that lesson gone again…….:
“Anubis,” I raised my voice questioningly. “It’s been ….….a long
time since I’ve actually eaten or slept. How long have I been sitting here
listening to you?”
Anubis’ face frowned in thought, as he clearly made a quick
calculation. “Approximately 8 earth hours, Kevin.”
My eyes widened. “8 Hours! How the hell have I managed to keep my
concentration for that long?”
“You are not hungry either are you?” Anubis queried knowingly.
“Actually I’m not!” I replied in wonder. “Why’s that?”
“You are changed, Kevin.” He answered wisely. “The one thing that
will inhibit your learning is the fact you still consider yourself physically
alive. Yet, you must not. You see yourself as human, but only because you want
to. To truly master your new power, you must consider yourself only your mind,
your essence, your soul.”
“That sounds difficult,” I commented without enthusiasm.
“Maybe you will discover how along the way. Yet, you must learn
how to gain energy, now that eating or drinking will no longer provide you with
the energy you need.”
I looked at him questioningly.
“Meditation, Kevin. You must use your mind for this.” Anubis
claimed.
“I don’t think I’m read to try that. I’ve never really been into
all that spiritual stuff.” I replied unsurely.
“This is essential, Kevin.” Anubis told me firmly. “Like a living
physical being, without nutrition, you will die, or to put it correctly, your
soul will die.”
I contemplated his words, knowing he wouldn’t lie to me.
“OK, Anubis.”
He nodded in approval. “Sit how you feel comfortable.”
I obeyed, sitting on the stone floor, crossing my legs and resting
my elbows on my knees.
“Close your eyes and clear your mind.” Anubis instructed.
I tried several times, but I found it hard to drive all thoughts
from my mind. I was used to being responsible for many things, ever having an
unfinished task on my mind constantly.
After the fifth try, I sighed in frustration, “Look, this isn’t
working!”
“Try again.”
“It won’t work!”
“Try again, Kevin!”
“No, it’s hopeless! I can’t clear my head!”
“Try!!!” Anubis insisted.
Glaring up at him, I obeyed, but the attempt was vain, as I had
predicted.
“You see?” I stated. “I’m not ready…for…” I trailed off as I felt
a sudden weakness come over me.
Anubis appeared worried. “You have reached Bodai’ran: the
Frontier!”
Leighanne’s point of view
I was thankful Brian had finally managed to sleep again after so
long. I could hear his soft breathing beside me. His arm was wrapped around my
shoulders. I still worried about him; he refused to eat as much as he really
should and he had gradually got thinner. But at least he was peaceful enough in
his sleep. His face was not etched with sorrow like it was when he was awake,
but softened and free of pain.
“…..nnn….nnnoo….howw…” I heard my husband mumble quietly. At first
I thought he was having another flashback or nightmare, but his face was still
peaceful. I didn’t understand how he was different tonight from all other
nights, but I was glad he wasn’t suffering.
I stroked his hair gently.
“Shhh, honey. Quiet.” I whispered to him and he drifted to silence
again.
Kevin’s point of view
“The Frontier?” I repeated.
“When you reach the frontier, you MUST get energy, or you will
continue to weaken until you finally fade to the afterlife again!” Anubis
warned anxiously.
“But how can I avoid this if I can’t clear my mind?” I asked,
puzzled.
“Perhaps something to dwell on?” he thought out loud. “Kevin, when
a tree falls in the woods but there’s no one around, what sound does it make?”
“Easy!” I declared, proceeding to imitate the creaking and
crashing of a tree as it falls to the ground.
Anubis looked at me, with a look that said ‘you’re missing the
important point’. “Yet, how can sound exist if there is no one there to hear
it?”
I blinked thoughtfully. “Erm….”
“It is an unanswerable question, Kevin. To clear the mind.”
“Well, it worked,” I stated. “I’m ready.”
“Close your eyes, listen only to my voice.”
I obeyed, and was amazed at how peaceful things now seemed.
“Kevin, let your mind travel back to a time when you were happy,
calm and peaceful. A time free of worry, pain or sorrow.”
I traced back to my honeymoon with Kristin. I remember sitting on
a balcony, looking at the midnight blue sky and the bright stars. Kristin sat
beside me, asleep in my arms. No tour, no work….. no intrusions.
“Have you found that place, Kevin?” Anubis asked.
I nodded, not wanting to speak and dissolve this memory.
“Now, just stay there. Live in that moment for as long as you need
to. You will come out of this meditation when you have regained sufficient
energy.”
I didn’t understand then why I had to do this, but I didn’t
question purely due to the fact I didn’t want to leave that moment.
Time ceased to exist in that trance. I felt myself becoming
stronger. I knew what I wanted to do to my killer if I ever got back. This
strength gave me determination. If I ever came across him again……….?! I
clenched my fists and emitted a growling, angry sigh, and I started to come
back to reality.
“Kevin!” Anubis’ firm voice shouted. “Do not dwell on negative
emotions! Return to that moment, and stay with the emotions of light.”
“Sorry,” I muttered.
Pushing the thought of revenge away, I found the guys were on my
mind. Where were they? How were they coping? Brian’s despairing face at my
moment of death didn’t make the outlook for them seem good at all. I
desperately longed to talk to one of them. With my returning strength, I
mentally reached out to one of them, any of them.
A figure seemed to fade into my mental vision.
“Brian, is that you, bro?”
“Kevin?” I heard his shocked voice as the blurred figure shimmered
into view.
“Hey, little cuz! How you doin’?” I asked cheerfully.
He laughed in happiness, and hugged me tightly. I patted his head
and tried to make him loosen his grip on my shoulders.
“Steady on, Bri!” I chided, smiling.
“Kev….. you died, Kev!” he wept. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
“I’m in your heart, Bri!” I reassured. “Calm down, buddy.”
“But….n..no… how are you here? You’re dead! I saw them bury you! I
saw them lower your coffin into your grave!”
He let go and stepped back. “I saw you die in front of me!”
“Brian, chill, man! I can’t explain. I don’t fully understand it
myself, but in a way…... I’m dead and alive.” I told him softly. “I’ve got a
bit of a situation. I’m weak right now. Can I borrow some of your strength,
bro?”
My cousin looked unsure for a moment, but nodded.
“Anything for a brother, Kev!”
I smiled at him. “Thank you, Brian. Now hold still!”
Driven by some instinctive force, I grabbed his shoulders tightly,
but tried as best I could not to harm my younger cousin. Concentrating hard, I
drew energy from Brian, stopping when I thought I would harm him by taking
more.
“Thanks again, cuz.”
“You’re coming back, like you promised….aren’t you?” he asked in a
small, worried voice.
“If you heard it, I’ll keep it!” I declared, and walked away from
him as my mind rushed back to reality.
Anubis was standing there.
“That was quick, Kevin. Only an hour. It’s usually two.”
“An hour?!” I exclaimed. “That felt like five minutes!”
“Kevin, you will come to realise that time has little meaning
here. In meditation, you lose all sense of it, so you must also lose any
dependence on knowing how long you have rested, as you probably will never know
by yourself.”
I winced. I was always paranoid about time and being punctual, as
well as berating Nick for NOT being on time.
“Another thing. You can only rest and gain energy while living in
memories that are tied with positive emotions. Always remember, positive
emotions create while negative emotions destroy!”
Leighanne’s point of view
I opened my eyes and blinked at the bright light coming from
behind the curtains. Another morning of a stubborn Brian. He’d refuse to eat
any breakfast, as usual. Yawning, I nudged my sleeping husband. He moaned at me
groggily.
“Brian, get up!” I told him sleepily but firmly.
“Too tired….” He complained.
“Brian, I know you miss him, but moping around in bed all day
won’t help anyone.” I stated. “Do you want any breakfast?”
“Too weak…to eat…”
“Maybe if you ate something, you’d have the strength to eat
something else?”
He let out a sigh that seemed to mean ‘true, why not?’. He rolled
over and stood up out of bed wearily.
“If you want something, I’ll make it since you look like you
could-“
THUD!
I spun around. Brian had collapsed.
“Brian!” I cried, running over to him. He had broken into a huge,
cold sweat and was pale and unconscious.
I tried to wake him, but when I couldn’t, I called an ambulance.
At the hospital, I called the other guys, who came promptly.
We sat around his bed as he slept, IV’s in his arm to give him
nutrients.
And his problem was a lack of energy, according to the doctors.
Yet, they noticed, but couldn’t explain, the strange appearance of
raw red areas on his shoulders……..
***