Lamp Black: Second Edition, Disaster, Preparedness, Survival, Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 2) (24 page)

“A hint?” asked John.

“The voice you heard was mine.”

“I see. And thank you,” said John. “You said that I was the first to pass through the gates alone?” asked John.

Father nodded, “Alone in the sense of your singular desire. Many have traveled the gates, but they all need help. It’s no easy thing to face all your weaknesses, but it’s the only way to achieve awakening. You had to unblock the energy that flows within you, that flows within others.”

John asked, “What kind of help do people need?”

“They need a guide, John. A gatekeeper,” replied Father, “Someone to help them travel the path, to pass through the gates . . . as you have done. You are special in that you completed them unprompted and alone. You set the example.”

“And what does it mean?” asked John, speaking before he allowed his mind to catch up with his mouth.

“Really? You do not know the purpose of the gates?” asked Father, in a playful tone.

“You’re right, Father. I do know their meaning, and their purpose. But I don’t understand why I sought them, or why I traveled through them?” asked John.

“You will discover that answer in time, but you are now a gatekeeper. And you will be a gatekeeper for many,” answered Father, as He reached down and grabbed a small stone at his feet and tossed it far out onto the surface of the lake. The stone sat on the surface for a long moment before sinking to the bottom. They watched it settle, like a leaf falling from a high tree, to the bottom of the clear lake.

John reached for a pebble of his own, but he held it in his hand. He looked at Father and asked, “Why am I here, Father?”

“That is a much bigger question than you realize, and one that I’m willing to answer more directly,” said Father. “Your dreams and
visions were designed to align you with your path and lead you to your awakening . . . to where you are now. All was set in motion long ago, and you are fast approaching the time of your convergence.”

“My convergence?” asked John.

“The joining of your physical and spiritual self . . . your awakening. You have exceeded my expectations in all ways, and have awakened much quicker than most expected, but not Me. I know what you can do. It is why the enemy tried to detour you. He hoped to trouble you into believing you were having a nightmare. And if you surrendered to that thought, well, then you would have woken up in bed and decided you wanted nothing more to do with spiritual matters. I’m very proud of you, John, for holding on.” replied Father.

“The enemy. You mean Satan?” asked John.

“Yes.”

“And you sent the reaper to rescue me?” asked John.

“Of course I did. And there was much competition among the reapers to have the honor of personally rescuing you. I sent you my favorite reaper though,” said Father with a smile. “He has served me long and well, as have you.”

“Do I know him?” asked John, picking up on the subtle hint. John always thought the Grim Reaper was the only reaper, and that he was evil; a servant of the devil.

“Yes,” said Father, “you know him. The reapers serve me in many capacities, but they do specialize in escorting the newly passed. Their looks are meant to frighten evil spirits, not the dead. It is in the performance of their duties that those living on earth have come to recognize and fear them, but they work for me.”

“How do I know the reaper who rescued me?”

“That knowledge must also wait,” said Father.

“Will I come to know him again?” asked John.

“Of course,” answered Father. “He will come to you. But for now, Eli will be your escort and messenger. You already selected Sarrif as your guardian. He’s a very good choice for you.”

“I did?” asked John.

“You did, before your time on earth began. You also know Sarrif very well. You two are very good friends. A very strong bond exists between you,” said Father, as He continued walking along the lake’s shore.

Father was several steps ahead of John before John moved to catch up. When John was next to Him again, he asked, “I know there’s something I have to do, some kind work I have to perform. Can you tell me what it is?”

“There is, indeed,” said Father. “A very important work for you to accomplish. But don’t trouble yourself with any more questions. Go to Sarrif. Talk with him. When you are comfortable, Eli will lead you home, though you are quite capable of finding your own way.” Father stopped and faced John. He took John’s hands in His own. John felt the depths of Father’s love for him, His undeniable interest in him as a person, an individual, a son. John stood before the God of Heaven and Earth, his true and loving Heavenly Father, and he didn’t want to leave. John wept again, but not out of sorrow. His tears were filled with love and joy at being in Father’s presence once again. John knew he couldn’t stay, that he had to return to his body, but he wanted to enjoy the moment a little longer. John saw that Father was also crying, and they embraced long and tenderly, as a loving father would a loving son.

“Adieu, my son. Until we meet again, Adieu,” said Father.

“Adieu, Father. And thank you,” cried John.

Father turned and walked a short distance away. He waved once and was gone in a flash of light. John waved back and turned to stare out onto the lake. He sat on the shore and wrapped his arms around his knees. A short while later John heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. He knew it was Eli, but he remained silent, contemplative, as he tried to digest all that had just transpired.

“Papa, can I walk with you back to the pavilion?”

John stood and turned to face Eli. “Yes, I would enjoy that very much,” answered John. They smiled at each other and walked toward the pavilion in silence.

F
rom a distance, John noticed that Sarrif remained standing, completely stationary, as if a guard at Buckingham Palace. During his walk to the pavilion, John wondered about Sarrif the man, someone he was supposed to know, but had no memory of. Of course he believed what Father told him, but from his perspective, Sarrif was still a stranger. John wondered why it had to be like that, why he wasn’t given his remembrance. When he approached Sarrif, he realized that any friend from heaven, memory or no memory, was still a very valuable friend. But he didn’t understand why his friendship had to remain a secret, especially now that Sarrif was, more or less, assigned to him.

“Sarrif,” nodded John, with a grin.

“John,” said Sarrif, with a nod and grin of his own.

“So we are friends?” asked John, in a tone that was more observation than question.

“That we are, and long and fast friends at that,” replied Sarrif. “I know you don’t remember our friendship, but you will come to know of it when the time is right. I cannot say more than that, but I can say that when you do remember, you will see why remembering it now . . . is not important.” Sarrif placed his helmet on the pavilion table and bid John join him for a sit.

John sat and continued studying the man that sat across from him. “Was that your voice at the intersection last night, the voice telling me to stop?”

Sarrif nodded, “It was,” he replied, “but many others have a role in your life now; a vested interest in your continued success. You were not
in any real danger, but if you ignored my voice I would have stopped you.”

“What do you mean?” asked John.

“What I mean is, it was our way of seeing if you would hear me and actually do what we needed you to do to protect yourself from danger,” replied Sarrif. “Most people can hear the voice of their guardian angel, but they ignore it, rule it away as self-thought. Then there are others who think that every voice they hear is evil. It is true that the enemy also likes to be heard, but what is heard depends on who you are and who you align yourself with. We were very pleased that you heard me, but then again, I knew you would. My voice is familiar to you, even though you don’t remember it,” finished Sarrif.

“Well, I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you,” replied John, with a smirk. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to delay me somehow, you know, to keep me away from that potential accident all together . . . like flatten my tire or something?”

Sarrif nodded, “Yes, we could have delayed you,” he said, “but it always becomes an issue of agency. We can’t interfere with your right to choose. However, we could have put some interest before you that would have delayed you long enough to eliminate the threat, but then . . . we wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation right now,” said Sarrif, with a wide and persistent smile.

John nodded and considered Sarrif’s words carefully. There was so much to wonder about, so much to consider, that John wondered how much more his mind could handle. Every minute in this place meant more to think about, more to understand, and he wasn’t quite sure how much more he could think about and not feel like his brain was going to burst. He turned to face Eli. “Will I leave here with a memory of this visit?” asked John.

Eli sat at the table and said, “It’s up to you, Papa. It’s not necessary that you remember any part of your visit up here. That memory will forever be a part of you in the end, a part of your spiritual memory. But if you want to leave with all, or just some of your memory of this
visit intact, to keep it active in your physical mind . . . well, Father said it’s entirely up to you.”

John thought about Eli’s words and he wasn’t sure what to make of them. He understood what he meant, but having a choice to remember was something he wasn’t sure he appreciated. He almost said, “Yes, I want to leave here with no memory of this place,” but he knew he couldn’t. He knew he wanted to keep the memory of this trip. “I think I’ll keep my memory intact.” replied John.

Eli and Sarrif looked at each other and nodded. Eli offered, “We figured you would.”

“So, now what,” asked John, with a palm’s up gesture and a shrug.

“It’s time for you to return,” said Eli. “Are you ready?”

John stood, and Eli and Sarrif followed suit. Eli moved next to John and the two men embraced. “Many things are happening as we speak, papa,” said Eli. “By keeping your memory of this visit you have put into motion events that will shape many lives, and future events. When you rise in the morning, make plans to go visit the Hernandez family. Do you remember them from their earlier visit with you?”

“I do,” replied John.

“They need you. You will become good friends with them, and they will come to rely on you, as you come to rely on them,” finished Eli.

“And you?” asked John. “Will I see you again?”

“Yes, of course. Our connection is set,” replied Eli. “Sarrif and I will accompany you down. One of us will always be with you. Remember the gates, they will serve you, and others like you. You are a gatekeeper now, papa. You are a guide to knowledge, to truth and light, a healer and a protector.”

John nodded and said, “I understand. I’m ready.”

Eli took John’s hand and they were instantly traveling through a tunnel of light once again. John held tightly to Eli’s hand. He wasn’t about to lose his grip and be pulled down to hell again. After what seemed like a much quicker journey, the party of three arrived in
John’s living room. John noticed that his feet touched the carpet, but Eli’s and Sarrif’s remained a few inches above the ground.

Eli looked at John, quickly smiled and waved, and then departed. John stood staring at the spot where Eli had stood and wondered, once again, if he was losing his mind. He had so many questions that he wondered why he didn’t ask them when he had the chance. But then he realized that he had been given many answers; that he probably knew more about life and death than most living men, and he wondered what that made him.
A gatekeeper
.

John walked into his room and stood by his bed. He stared down at his sleeping body, as it rested peacefully next to Jenna, and he wasn’t sure he was ready to return to it. He saw that he looked comfortable and content, and he marveled at the complexity of his separation, of life that existed in and out of a physical body. He liked how he felt out of body. The feeling of being free from all physical pain and ailments, restrictions and limitations, of having access to knowledge and truth, was something to be longed after. He wondered what would happen if he decided not to return to his body. Would he be free to wander the earth as a disembodied spirit; free to travel the world? He doubted it, but he wondered just the same.

He discerned the thought that to not return to his body wasn’t from him. He wouldn’t think of leaving Jenna and the kids like that. The desire to seek personal gratification, even as a spirit, began to fade from his mind. He didn’t want to wander the earth, lost and separated from his family, or heaven, on his own accord. If he was to be without his body, then he would do it at Father’s time. But it made him wonder if there were others, if there was disembodied spirits walking the earth in spirit form.

When John had that thought, he actually saw them. Thousands, no, hundreds of thousands of disembodied spirits walking the earth around him. They were the spirits of deceased men and women, and they wandered the earth, lost and separated from heaven by their own choosing, or through confusion surrounding their physical death.
Some were unsure about how to return to heaven, but others were content with where they were, seeking to relive their lives through the activities of the living. All were lost spirits.