Weeks in Heaven, Weeks in Hell
Erin didn't know how long she stood there crying, but Michael and Clare embraced her in support and empathy, allowing her grief to run its course. When she looked up, very few people remained within the auditorium. She wiped her eyes with her hands and apologized for her behavior. Claire admonished her saying, "You have no reason to apologize. Baby girl, if need to cry, you get that out."
Erin had to smile at that remark. It was likely that Claire didn't realize that Erin was twice her age. She nodded her head in agreement and sniffling, thanked them again. "I'm okay," she said, "I feel a little better now."
After taking a deep breath to compose herself, she smiled and said, "Let's find out where we need to go."
By now most of the information panels were free and the trio walked up to an empty one. Amazingly, except for depicting different pictures, each of their destinations read the same, "House Athurius Hoplites - First Cohort -- Prize." Claire was excited that they would be sticking together as a team.
They walked outside and found Lana waiting with a group of six other arrivals, a mix of young men and women, all with bluish-silver hair like theirs and in various styles. Lana with concerned look on her face, said in her thick Russian, "I was beginning to wonder if something bad had happened."
Claire spoke up, "Erin was upset by the ending of the welcome ceremony. She probably doesn't want to talk about it right now."
Nodding, Lana formally introduced herself and asked everyone to follow her. The group walked in silence and followed behind Lana. It seemed to Erin they were walking back the way they had come, but near the end they turned a different direction and arrived at a set of buildings across the park from where she had started her journey that morning. After they entered the common room, Lana took Erin off to the side. "Are you okay? Please wait here for a moment, while I get the others settled-in."
Erin silently nodded. Having a little break in the flurry of new experiences would give her a chance to settle her emotions. Everything was still so difficult to process -- the loss of her mother, Brad, her transformation, this new world, and these new people. She said to herself, "I just need a chance to breathe."
Lana gave her shoulder a tender squeeze of encouragement and then moved off to give the others some directions. When she returned, she tenderly took Erin's hand in her and they walked across the room to another door. They stepped out into an inner courtyard and across to yet another door. Before she opened it, Lana turned to her and gave her a hug. Eventually Erin returned it as well.
When the embrace was broken, Lana said instructively, "Erin, You are going to be taught by the person who taught me everything I know."
Looking her in the eyes, the Russian said, "You have tremendous ability and I feel that only a master can properly teach you how to use it." She continued with, "I will check in with you from time to time and then you will be ready to assume your responsibilities."
Erin looked in her eyes and then silently nodded her head. Lana pushed up on her toes and after kissing her on the forehead, opened the door.
As it slid silently open, Erin saw it was completely different and seemed out of place, compared to everywhere else she had recently been. While all the other buildings had been in were spartanly bare, this one was well appointed with old world style furnishings. Erin placed it as Tuscan and there was a hint of cinnamon in the air. They were in a sitting room and across from the entrance another door stood. A chair stood in one corner, with silk pillows before it. Along another wall was a divan. Erin in awe, marveled, "This is amazing."
As if on que, the door on the other side of the room opened and an older looking man entered the room. He smiled warmly at them and said, "Why, thank you my dear. Welcome to my humble abode."
He was quite a bit shorter than both of them. Erin notice his skin was a lighter shade of blue and as he walked up to them, Lana beamed and bent to give him a warm hug. He reciprocated and she then gave him a kiss on the cheeks and then one on the lips that lingered for a moment. Breaking the embrace, she then stepped back and with a wave of her hand said, "Erin this is Marcus. He will teach everything you will need to know, to become a Prize."
Marcus turned to Erin and smiled warmly to her, "Erin, my dear. Welcome to my home. My star pupil here over inflates my ego to win points once again," and after a brief pause continued with, "She says, you may have abilities that outstrip hers and I count it as a privilege to tutor you."
Lana kissed Erin on the cheeks and finally on the lips, which made Erin feel a little uncomfortable and then left them alone. As she stepped through the door, she glanced over her shoulder at her and with a smile and said, "Pacca," and then left them alone.
After the door slid silently shut, Erin noticed that Marcus had the same type of gem in his forehead. The older man wore his drape in the form of a toga and unlike the others with hair, Marcus possessed a receding hairline. After crossing the room, he then sat in the chair and invited her to take a seat on the pillows. Erin complied and sat down crossing her legs in front of her.
Marcus smiled and said, "My goodness. Lana's description doesn't do you justice. Why, I would imagine Venus herself would be green with envy upon seeing you."
Erin didn't know if the cheeks of her face reddened with embarrassment, but it sure felt like they did. No one had ever said that to her before.
The older man continued, "My child, don't be embarrassed. You're truly ravishing! Eden rarely receives Prizes and none as beautiful as you." Inhaling deeply, he continued by saying, "Why sitting here, I feel the potential coursing through you."
"There's that name or title, again," Erin pointed out, "What is a Prize?"
Marcus gave a fatherly smile and said, "A very good first question." He then launched into the subject with gusto. "Being a Prize is like being both confidant and healer. Eden can be an utterly amazing place, but we all came here by violent means. This new world can give us wonderfully new and beautiful bodies, allowing us to enjoy pleasures beyond description; however, one thing it can't do is heal the broken spirits we all have from being born into it."
"I am not a scientist, but from what I understand the Caretakers at certain times are able to bring people from Earth through a dimensional portal, into this new reality. As part of the process for making us able to enjoy this world, our bodies change color as the enhancements are made. Much like the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Sadly, the one thing the transformation can't do is heal our broken hearts, concerning the losses each of us suffer."
At that Erin's eyes began welling with tears and she began crying.
Marcus seeing her pain got up from where he was sitting, to kneel by her side. He then led her to the divan and helped her sit down. He invited her to place her head in his lap. She did so and then curled into a half fetal position. She continued to weep for several minutes, while he tenderly rubbed her upper arm and softly shushed her and said in a soothing tone, "I see that you understand what I mean, child."
"Being a Prize," Marcus continued, "Is a special responsibility. We heal the thoughts and spirits of those the Caretakers bring here. In doing so, arrivals are given the ability to flourish and grow, living many years longer than what we would on Earth. If you would like, I could help you."
From where she lay, she nodded her head.
The elder prize instructed Erin to lay on her back and relax, with her head laying in his lap, she closed her eyes. He asked her to breathe deeply, in through her nose and slowly out through her mouth. Her chest rose and fell as she slowly began to calm. His fingertips began to slowly massage her temples. In his soothing voice, he told her she was doing very well. He asked her if she would fold her hands across her stomach. When she complied, Marcus lay his left hand over hers. As he did so, he slid his right hand under Erin's head and with his fingertips, he pressed them against the base of her skull. Her eyes immediately snapped opened, and she gasped. At the same time, the gem set in Marcus's forehead glowed brightly.
- - - -
Marcus stood in a well-appointed study. Bookshelves filled with a variety of hardbound volumes lined the dark wood, paneled walls. A man in a naval officer's khaki uniform sat in a chair behind a large desk, smoking a pipe, and reading a book. A laughing little girl burst into the room. She must have been between three and five years old. She was wearing a white cotton tee shirt with flowers on it and shorts. The officer grinned broadly, set his book down and happily lifted the girl off the floor with strong arms and set her on his lap.
'This must have been Erin and her father', he thought. It was obvious this memory held a special place in her heart.
The images shifted ... a loving father teaching her to ride a bike; the little girl and her mother kissing and hugging the father as he boarded his ship, to leave on a prolonged deployment and then months later, when he returned; the father teaching the girl to dance and as she got older to drive a car; an older father and mother celebrating with their daughter upon graduation from high school and college. The few boys and young men involved in Erin's life paled in comparison to her father, as none of them could fill his impressive shoes. Then, he was suddenly gone as his life was cut short by a drunk driver.
He saw flashes of Erin pouring her life into that of her aging mother, who tried to encourage her to find someone to spend her time with. Years passed of her leaving work at the end of the day and then driving home to care for her mother, who begged her to go out and live her life, before it was too late. Sadly, the few men Erin dated never measured up to the standards her loving father set.
