NINETY-THREE: He’s coming

Edlawit was just out of bed and I had just finished my meditation. It was early and Edlawit and I sat on the front porch sipping a little tea.  Light was just beginning to bounce off everything.

“I thought it was almost over,” said Edlawit. “We have to get her away from Ricci.”

I was silent.

“But, she’ll make it, won’t she.  I mean, we’ve seen her at Burton’s. We know Jude is there.  But can we trust him after what he did to Mijin and James?”

“I don’t know, Edlawit,” I said. “I’m not sure Jude’s concerned if Arous comes back here.  He doesn’t even know where here is.”

“I thought he was a good guy.  I still believe he is deep down. He is, right?”

“He’s in Ricci’s grip, now” I said. “It’s hard to say.”

My mind wandered through the labyrinth of hope, letting it sink down into my soul. I grieved for Arous. I looked out the oak lined road that led up to the house. Those tall, old oaks, most of them thousands of years old, dwarfed the house, the house that had an endless number of rooms. Most of the time I could look out and see those old trees, most of which were just a little older than me, and I could settle my spirit and reconnect with their Creator, since I was like them, created. However, this day, as it turned out, was a little different.

As I looked out the drive, I could just make out the image of a large, brown tabby cat with white feet, a white beard and remarkable green eyes. Let me rephrase: he wasn’t a house cat; he was the size of a small lion. He was running toward the house.

            Edlawit jumped up.

            “That’s what I saw coming. All that time ago, this is what I felt was coming!” she squealed.

            “What do you see?” I asked.

            “I see a lion, a brown lion running up the drive with little Arcadia in his mouth,” Edlawit was elated and for a moment forgot her worries about Arous. She was jumping up and dow,n and waving down the lane, yelling, “Octavius, good boy! Octavius, come here, boy! Come on, come on.  You can do it.”

            “Look, again, Edlawit,” I said.  “Tell me exactly what you see.  Not what Octavius imagines it to be like.”