Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four

IDIC, Part Two, a Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Four Update

 

Brianna threw herself heavily upon her knees in front of the molten rock. Hiding her face in her hands seeking a quick way into a higher consciousness. By doing so, she hoped to put the distraction of her fears behind her, to focus her energy on the moment at hand.  Her Test.  It simply would not do at the moment, her concentration was fractured, serenity not to be found.  Her tiny hands were clammy and cold, a telltale sign of her panic. “Why do I do this?” she sighed aloud, raising her hands in supplication. 

 

She should know better than to make such a foolish attempt, leaving out essential calming steps as if short-cuts existed. She could hear T’Pran’s constant admonitions, “Stop pushing, T’Bree.  Let it come naturally.”  Brianna ripped her hands away from her face and stared into the flame set beneath the rock, drinking deeply of the incense that engulfed her. 

 

Slowly, she began the spiral climb inward to her own place of peace, calming her mind.  Tranquility rippled through her as she centered herself.  She could feel her fears melt away, all of her cares drifting aloft, shrinking, disappearing altogether.  At last, she was floating and all was well again. 

 

Then rather impulsively, as if she were suddenly being called to do so, she shot her consciousness upwards.  Higher and higher she allowed her essence to rise, much like smoke out of a chimney, lifting out of her body until she hovered over the chamber and the human form in the kneeling by the dais.  Suffering a chill as she did so.

 

The poor little girl, she thought.  The poor, poor little human girl, momentarily lamenting the rigors of a lifestyle not entirely of her choosing. Shaking herself free again of such self-absorption to continue on until she was quite beyond herself.  Brianna hovered briefly over the temple, over the city, hesitant,

 

This is what she needed at this moment in order to release her frustrations, feeling herself expanding, becoming one with God's universe.  She was humbled by the vastness of His creation as she went, continuing on passed planets and stars to another part of the galaxy, sailing further and further away than she had ever gone before . . .

 

Until she was no longer alone!  

 

Gasping in her surprise, this sort of mind-exercise was generally a solitary practice; Her, God and the universe.  A form of meditation.  A prayer, if you will, not necessarily to be shared with the masses.  And yet, suddenly this other soul was just there, beckoning and forbidding all at once, sending her reeling on her own shock waves.  His presence was quite overwhelming.  She could feel the colors of him, the bright oranges, reds and blues of his aura, the lavenders, greens and pinks, detecting a distinctly masculine orientation about him, the warmth emanating from his very soul.  

 

Trembling, she could not breathe.  Just how far out beyond herself had she reached?  How much farther could she go?  To quite literally bump into another entity, another being --- who or . . . what? 

 

Certainly, this was a created being such as herself, one of God's own.  That much she could sense, though little else.  He, too, was so tightly contained.  Perhaps, he was here meditating?  Brianna felt a sudden grabbing, tickling sensation deep in the pit of her stomach. She shouldn't be here it was . . . wrong.  She let the thought dangle.  Frightened, uncertain of what she should do she tried to hold herself at bay, treading air, struggling to depart to some other plane lest she inadvertently intrude upon the other's thoughts.  

 

She simply didn’t know what to do.  T'Pran had taught her always to keep her thoughts to herself, to shield them from unintentional psychic scrutiny and to never pry her way into another person's mind.  Entering the thoughts of another without express permission was a heinous crime every bit as invasive as **bleep**.  Indeed, it was a form of invasion, kae’at k’lasa, subject to strict penalty under the Law.  It was of no use, however.  She could not pull away, nor did he seem able to resist what could only be likened to a gravitative pull.  Somehow, she had gotten too close.   Her fault again, she sighed.  This day was fraught with mistakes!

 

 Immediately, both she and this other being were caught in what felt like a whirlpool, seemingly of their own creation, born not merely out of a resistance to each other but to the artificial natures thrust on them by training.  Their collective thoughts and emotions, once released, had collided forming a maelstrom of sensation swirling rapidly around them. 

 

The more they struggled to get away the faster the whirlpool rushed until, quite helplessly, the two spiraled toward one another, contact inevitable. Brianna felt a roaring, burning sensation jetting upwards from her toes throughout her body as closer and closer they drew to each other.  He was quite close now, dangerously so.  “I'm sorry.  I'm sorry,” she whispered, certain this was of her doing.  After all, she was always pushing.

 

Suddenly her ears burned and even the roots of her hair tingled.  She was aflame, melting, losing herself as the colors of their separate beings mingled, blending into new shades.  Wary and yet undeniably curious she felt herself acquiesce granting permission as, for only a brief moment, the two minds became one . . .