“Up, Child,” The Prophet said.
“How much farther?”
“You have exactly six days.”
“Then what happens?”
“I thought you wanted to go upward.”
“I do, Prophet, but…”
“But what, Child?”
“Where will you be?”
“Where you will be.”
“I don’t understand, Prophet. How can you be where I will be if you’re going to pause too.”
The Prophet observed The Child; he saw her inner frustrations eating away at the proclamation she’d given the day before, and he knew she would have to force herself to break through her lethargy.
“Get up, Child.”
“But you just said I had six days, Prophet.”
“True.”
“Prophet?”
“Yes, Child?”
“I’ve been thinking about this upward thing?”
“In what way?”
“Well, it’s not bad walking on the water, playing with Mr. Whale, flying with Mr. Eagle and sleeping on Lily Pad.”
“Ah, so.”
“I’ve even gotten used to you, Prophet.”
“I know, Child.”
“So, I thought maybe we could stay on the water instead of pausing. Then I could reach my goal earlier.”
“It’s not that easy, Child.”
“Why not? Why go upward, when I can keep going?”
“It’s necessary.”
“For whom?”
“For you.”
“But what guarantee do I have that Mr. Eagle, Mr. Whale, and Lily Pad will be there when I have to take off again?”
“None.”
“Then, what will I do?”
“Oh, Child, you’re making things hard for yourself. Haven’t you learned that nothing is constant? Everything changes.”
The Child looked at The Prophet. Sadness and happiness mixed with fear had her almost to tears.
“Do I have to go upward, Prophet?”
“Only, if you want to reach your goal.”
Shalom,
Pat Garcia
