I knocked on Genevieve’s door softly, leaning against the doorframe. She peeked out.
“I’m sorry I made you cry.”
“I’m sorry I don’t swear anymore.”
I laughed. She gave a chuckle that was half a sniffle, wiping away the last of her tears. She opened the door and I hugged her tight.
“You don’t need to swear. I just don’t know what’s happening in the world, and I felt like I lost my sister.”
“I’m right here, Gwen. I may not be a warrior anymore, but I’m still your sister.”
“I know.”
Mara was standing a short distance away. She smiled at us both once we were finished with our little family drama.
“I’ve promised to help Gwen with understanding what’s going on. That seemed to reassure her.”
“You know?” Genevieve said.
“Of course I do. I’m surprised you haven’t guessed yet. After all, the clues are all in this house.”
“Ethan’s books!” I said, rushing to his room. The others followed. I gestured at the pile on the bed. “I’ve been trying to tell Evie, it’s all here. Isn’t it?”
I held up the Dark Half and the Fight Club tape. “Donovan Reza,” I said.
Mara just nodded, smiling to herself. I held up The Stand and The Last Battle.
“The end of the world?”
She grinned wider.
“The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, The Dark Tower… they’re the Quest?”
Mara almost giggled.
“Come on, what do they all mean?”
“I can’t just tell you. You’re supposed to figure it out. He left everything for you to find, after all. Telling you is one thing, but to understand it, to believe it, you have to discover it for yourself.”
“Are you just saying that to frustrate me, or are you serious?”
“I’m serious. When people really learn something, it’s from experience. You can’t just tell them. If it were that easy, everyone would have faith. Everyone would do the right thing, all the time. People have to learn the hard way.”
“That sucks.” I almost laughed as I snorted in frustration.
“That’s why the first part of the Bible is called the Torah, which means ‘teachings.’ It’s a book to help people to think, to learn, to explore the world. But it doesn’t give easy answers; it gives scenes and parables that must be interpreted through the readers’ experiences. That’s how people learn.” Mara smiled patiently. “I know you’ll figure it out.”
“It would still be easier if you just told me.”
She laughed, a ringing joyful sound.
9 comments
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May 4, 2008 at 12:14 am
nomananisland
So, to reiterate my last comment: I haven’t received a lot of feedback on what to write as a follow-up to NMaI. The Samaritan Project is in my blogroll and you can check it out, and I decided to post the first chapter of the Jonah Chalmers story in “Rantings of an Arranged Mind” so you can check it out and let me know what you think.
If I can find time, I may try a chapter of Icebreaker, but the other two are related to No Man an Island, and it’s not.
May 4, 2008 at 1:54 am
Allan T Michaels
I liked the chapter of Jonah Chalmers. Still one of my top two choices.
May 4, 2008 at 12:11 pm
nomananisland
Dude, you know I thrive on comments: leave some on those sites about what you thought!
*ahem*
Please and thank you. ( I remembered my manners. )
May 4, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Allan T Michaels
hahaha – will do. Also, I’ve posted a response to your question over at Superstition.
May 4, 2008 at 8:43 pm
nomananisland
As have I. 🙂
May 5, 2008 at 11:05 am
Kitabare
Sorry. We’re two people short at work, and as supervisor I get to fill in. So I haven’t had much time to read lately. I’ve got some down time at work over the next couple of days so I’ll look at the new stuff then if that’s ok with you. 🙂
May 5, 2008 at 11:10 am
nomananisland
No, you must read it now! Garrrrrrrrr!
Because I’m an evil monster who forces people to read on my time and not on theirs.
Of course you can read it and get back to me later — I’m in no rush. 🙂
May 6, 2008 at 7:38 am
Kitabare
I just meant ok with you in the sense that I was hoping it would be too late to add my opinion. You are an evil monster, but as my reading and commenting tends to be sporadic it obviously isn’t for that reason. 😀
Ok, off to read the new chapter, and then some of the other stuff.
May 6, 2008 at 8:53 am
nomananisland
I hold all my readers’ opinions in high regard, so I’ll wait to see what people say before I worry about the follow-up story.
Being an evil monster is fun. 🙂