Meditation

The Barbeque had been a whole family affair filled with laughing, talking, and children playing . . . Treya relished these moments since she had very few family memories. But as the evening sky turned dark and Mama Rosa’s family began to head home, she sighed and looked at the stars. Tonight, she’d try meditating.

“You’ve been thinking about what I suggested, yes?” Mama Rosa asked.

“I’m going to try to meditate . . . see if I can’t find out anything about my brother,” Treya smiled.

“If you have the gifts you speak of, I am sure you will learn something . . . even if it is not about your brother,” Mama Rosa said, trying to be as supportive as possible.

Suddenly Jack came up behind her with Charger at his heels. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

“And what are you two talking about?” he asked with a smile.

“Something that doesn’t involve you,” Rosa smiled.

“What?” Jack replied feigning hurt. “You’re planning something without me? Well, I’m just shocked.”

Treya couldn’t help a giggle as she kissed him again. “I just need some time to try to meditate. Mama Rosa seems to think that if I can get premonitions of the future that maybe I can see the present . . .”

“And maybe find your brother?” he replied.

She nodded.

“Ah, my son is so smart!” Rosa smiled as she went to him and kissed his cheek.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he replied. “So what do you need to do to mediate?”

“Just a quiet room . . . some candles . . . Mostly just the quiet room I think,” Treya replied.

“Well, I’ll tell you what. I need to help Mama Rosa with a few things anyway, why don’t you go up to our room and light the candles in there and see what you can do.”

“You don’t mind?” she asked.

“Why would I mind if it’s going to help us find your brother?” Jack replied with a smile, kissing her again. “Go on . . . Just come on back when you’re done.”

“All right,” she said kissing him tenderly. “I’ll be back . . .”

She stood up and walked away. Mama Rosa looked at Jack. “You’re worried for her,” she said.

“Of course I am,” he replied. “You don’t know what that thing did to her . . . I’m worried that in the end it’s going to kill her . . .”

Mama Rosa took his hands in her own. “Have faith . . . everything happens for a reason and this too has happened for a reason.”

He nodded, but did not reply.

Treya entered the bedroom with great trepidation, but she knew this was something she wanted to do. She felt she needed to if she were going to make any progress. She went around the room and lit several candles. Once they glowed brightly, she climbed onto the bed, sat with her legs crossed and stared off at a candle. She took several slow, deep breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth and willed the muscles in her body to relax . . . She tried to allow her mind to open and eventually, it did . . .

Memories of her childhood came to her; playing with her brother . . . the tragedy of their parents . . . Then other memories came to her. Being at her brother’s dig site where everything was a wreck. . . Of her shuttle core breeching and of Jack saving her. . . There was also the Hall of Knowledge where everything had changed forever. Suddenly, her mind was soaring . . . soaring through space. She saw the image of a planet. It had five moons. She knew the place and yet didn’t know it. Her mind took her in closer. There were cities and very small towns. Places for someone to hide . . . And there she saw him. Michael was there! Her brother was there in a tent somewhere in the wild on that world. He was alive!!

“Treya?” he said as if he could see her or sense her.

But just as suddenly, her mind pulled her away. She was thrown back through space and hurled down toward a world she didn’t recognize. Down she fell. Down into what looked like a temple. She was surrounded by light . . . she was trapped by the light.

“NO!!!!” she screamed.

Within moments Jack busted into the room and grabbed her by the shoulders looking into her eyes.

”Treya!” he said with concern and fear in his eyes.

“It’s okay . . .” she said softly. But her face was pale and perspiration covered her face. Her chest moved rapidly with her breaths and the beating of her heart.

“What happened?” he asked.

Mama Rosa came to the door, worry on her own face.

“I saw him . . .” she said. “My brother’s alive. I’m not sure where . . . I recognized the planet, but . . . I don’t know . . . I can’t bring forth the name of it right now. For a moment it seems like he could see me, or sense me.”

“Okay . . .” Jack replied. “Now that sounds like a good thing, so why the scream?”

“I was . . . pulled away,” she said. “Taken somewhere else, to another world. It was the one with the Temple of Light . . . I . . . I was enveloped in light . . . I was . . . trapped . . .’ Tears misted her eyes as she could still feel the fear.

Jack didn’t need to hear anymore as he pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay now,” he said. “It’s over . . . tomorrow we’ll start looking for your brother and . . . lets not meditate again for awhile, okay?”

She took a breath and nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder.

“I will fix some soothing tea,” Mama Rosa said and disappeared down to the kitchen.

“It will be okay, you know,” he said.

“How do you know?” Treya asked.

“Because it has to,” he smiled.

She smiled and curled further into his arms.

Suddenly Charger jumped on the bed beside her and nuzzled against the both of them.