Chapter 15

THURSDAY 5:15 P. M. CST Pashmerga, India

The Goddess Kali sat with all six hands still resting on her delicate chin while continuing to ponder the meaning of the Great Wave of Power that had passed over her domain. As this second wave passed through, her initial decision was confirmed in a heartbeat. One hand reached over and tapped the jewel-like communication device above her right breast. Seconds later, a voice she hadn't heard in ages answered, "Nirvana, Shiva residence. How can I help you?"

"Shiv honey, how are you?" she asked.

"Ki! Is that you, Dear?" Shiva responded.

"Sure it's me, silly ox. Who else has your private number? Hum, come to think of it, who else DOES have your number?" She began seething.

"Ah, come on Ki, don't be like that. It's been way too long to start fighting right off the bat," returned Shiva's voice in a calming modulation.

"Sorry Hon, old habits, ya know?" Kali replied, then segued into the reason for the call, "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you if that condo unit next to your's is still available?"

"Sure is, but if you want it, you better haul your pattootie over here pronto. Cluthua was checking it out last week and I'd way rather have you for a neighbor than octopus boy, any day. Besides it's also been what, about six thousand years, since I tickled your fancy with my trunk and you know you loved it."

"Aw, you charmer you," Kali schmoozed and then stated, "I think I'll take it, because it's just gotten way too crazy around here lately."

"Heck, I tried to tell you that five-thousand years back, remember?" Shiva tossed out, then added, "Hey, tell you what, I'll round up the old gang and we can party like there's no tomorrow. Hum, come to think of it, I guess there isn't a tomorrow up here. See you when you get in babe. It's so darn good to hear your voice again."

"You too, Hon. I'll see you in a bit," came Kali's response.

She then reached out and gathering the payment price began to fade from view without one backward glance at the place that had been her home since nearly forever.

THURSDAY 5:15 P. M. CST Eighty Miles South of Amman, Jordan

Jinn Ibin La'Bahazi was literally blasted from his nest of sleeping pillows by the massive wave of power and screaming out his frustration at being woken again, spat out, "That does it! Where's that damn travel agent's number? Freaking neighborhood's going to pot."

THURSDAY 5:15 P. M. CST Asaki Home Realm, Japan

As the Greater Wave passed over, Kimiroto's mother, Hirishi, paused in her latest task, 'Hum, ' she thought, 'I knew my boy had potential, but this is just amazing. Yes indeed, I think this calls for something special, ' gathering her thoughts and grinning like a New Year's lantern, she continued, 'and the best part is that he'll never see it coming. Family traditions are such wonderful things.'

Her laughter began ringing out across the land then and even the Lord Mayor of Koyoto decided to really watch his step for a while. He'd heard that laughter before and didn't relish a repeat performance of the results. His back end was still sore at times from the first event, especially at the advent of rain.

THURSDAY 5:15 P. M. CST Dunning Mental Institute, Chicago, IL

The forgotten ones would no longer remain forgotten. The living wave of healing on wings would see to that, as in the case of Cassie Lambert.

Cassie, now age fifteen, had been a resident of Dunning for more than eighteen months and the prognosis for Cassie was about forty more years of the same thing. In the parlance of the staff at Dunning, Cassie was a turnip. There was nothing physically wrong with the girl, but her mind had fled the scene after her horrific encounter with Miles Jansen.

Mr. Jansen must have thought that Cassie looked like the perfect next victim and proceeded to make her conform to his vision of reality. Unfortunately for Mr. Jansen, Cassie was able to get out one soul wrenching scream before the ether soaked towel was clamped to her face. The ensuing tale of chase, capture and justice served made headlines for weeks. But Cassie never heard a word about any of it; Cassie was elsewhere and it looked like she was there for the duration.

The staff had read of other Hospitals and the miracles occurring, but after all, their charges were the hopeless, forgotten ones.

That state of affairs was about to change though, as on Thursday at 5: 30 P.M. their resident miracle dropped in on wings glinting blue as a perfect Burmese sapphire. Landing on the front lawn, it then entered Dunning and headed straight for Cassie's room amid the astounded stares of the staff. This event drew quiet a crowd, because every one of the staff that was not tied up in a life-or-death situation came running to witness this in-your-face miracle. Even the lemon-faced charge nurse, Lucile McClean, was seen briskly striding down the hall, her hands clasped in front of her, while tears of hope began leaking from her eyes and she whispered, "Oh please, let this work, God. Please."

What Cassie saw was just a bit different than everyone else. She was standing by the clear stream, just like she had since, well, since she could remember. When suddenly a blue colored something began forming to her right. The strange thing was that this unusual occurrence didn't frighten her in the least, just the opposite in fact. She could feel the child-like excitement building as whatever this was came into sharper focus. When she could finally see the complete form, she felt her excitement bump up in magnitude as she recognized her most cherished childhood fantasy standing by her side ... her very own Dragon. She flung her arms around the neck of this wonderful being just as a voice sounded inside her head, 'Come, Little One, it is time to go home. Your mother and father miss you so much and they want to hug you again.'

'OK, let's head for home. I want to see them too, ' Cassie thought longingly back to her beautiful blue friend.

As the stream began fading from her sight, she heard the voice once again say, 'Cassie, none of this was your fault dear, none of it.'

The staff watched in spellbound wonder as The Turnip woke up.

Not a dry eye in the house would have been a fair statement at this point and finally someone remembered to call Cassie's parents.

The scream and dropped handset were the only answer returned back over the phone, but fifteen minutes later a car came to a sliding, skidding halt by the front entrance, as a nearly hysterical juggernaut ripped the seatbelt off, burst from the driver's seat and made a bee-line to Cassie's room.

She was met outside Cassie's door by the now beaming face of the charge nurse, who nodded her head yes, as tears of unashamed happiness ran down her face.

In a daze, Cassie's mother entered the room, as if entering the holy-of-holies to witness the miracle she'd never dreamed she'd see. There was her baby, thin, white as a sheet, but AWAKE! She floated toward her child as if in a dream, but then that dream state was shattered by Cassie asking, "Mom, have you met Maxwell yet?"

Leaping the rest of the distance to her child, she lay her head gently on Cassie while whispering, "No Honey, I haven't, but you can bet I will," as she reached out to this blue scaled wonder and gently lay her hand behind it's ear while she beamed her heartfelt thanksgiving. She then whispered, "You're home baby and that's all that matters now."