SEE THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY
PART THREE
by
BlackFury
The young man Michelle called 'Ryan" was tossing in bed. Memories were beginning to come back to him, memories of driving on the highway then, taking the exit and then, chaos. He remembered hitting a patch of what is called 'Black Ice' and the car began spinning out of control. He remembered desperately trying to unbuckle his seat belt when he saw he was headed for the lake.
He didn't remember much after that, except for the icy shock when he hit the water, which rushed into his car, pulling it, and him, down into the depths then, he remembered a hand reaching down and pulling him to the surface. That was all he remembered until he woke up, warm, safe and dry.
There was a face too, an elderly, lined face topped with grey hair and had calm, clear grey eyes. Ryan had the feeling he should know this man but, he didn't. The man was trying to say something to him but, Ryan couldn't hear him. It was as if Ryan was seeing him through a fog. Finally, the face faded away and Ryan went back to sleep.
Michelle smiled when she returned and saw him. He had to decide what he was going to do. Peter Caine was in an in-between world, not his Bardo but a place where you decided between living and dying. He would have to decide if he was going to go on living or not.
Soon, Ryan awoke and saw Michelle sitting in a chair knitting something. She looked up at him and smiled, "So, you're awake. You hungry again?" He nodded and she got him a mug of hot soup and handed it to him. He sipped it while sitting up in bed then, he looked at her. "I had a strange dream, I think."
He told her what he has seen, including the face of the elderly man. Michelle smiled, she knew Caine was trying to reach his son. She laid down her knitting. "Do you know him?" She asked quietly. Ryan shook his head slowly. "No, but I have the feeling that I should know him. I remembered part of the accident, I was driving somewhere when I slid off the road into the lake. You pulled me out."
Michelle nodded, "Yes, I did and brought you here. Have you remembered anything else about yourself yet?" Ryan shook his head. "I've tried but, I only get fleeting glimpses. It's hard to put together, like a jigsaw puzzle but, the most important pieces are missing." Michelle nodded. "I understand. It will take a little more time. Now, lean back, close you eyes and tell me what comes into your mind. Don't force anything, just let it come and tell me what you see."
Ryan leaned back, closing his eyes and let his mind drift. As he did so, he saw disjointed faces, people he thought he should know but didn't. He spoke in a low voice, telling Michelle what he was seeing. She sketched the faces he described and smiled. Later when he opened his eyes, she held out the pad. He looked at he faces and she saw memories trying to stir but, right now, they wouldn't.
He then looked at the page where she had drawn the Shaolin dragon and tiger he had described. "I should know what those mean but, how? She smiled and decided it was time, it might furthur jog his memory. "Roll up your sleeves." She told him. Ryan did, wonderingly and then, stared at the brands on his forearms, a dragon on his left arm and a tiger on his right. Seeing those triggered part of his memory but what did not come back was who he was. What he was, that was all there again. Then, his hazel eyes looked at her. "I'm a Shaolin? I'm also a cop." Michelle nodded, "Yes, Ryan, I know. I've known all along but, you had to remember for yourself. Now, think, you need to remember who you are to be whole again."
Ryan stared at her and then gave a gasp and a sob, "The elderly man I saw? I still don't remember who he is but He's searching for me too?" She smiled, "You have friends that are looking for you as well. Ryan, you have a choice to make." He looked at Michelle, "What do you mean?" he asked wonderingly.
Michelle got to her feet. "Ryan, this cabin you are in is real and yet, it isn't real. It's a waiting area, you are, shall we say, in a holding pattern and what you decide here and now will determine if you live or die. You see, Ryan, I stay here for a reason. I watch out for souls such as yours and I pulled you away from death to give you time, time to look back and think. You have to decide. Either your friends find you and take you home or, I take you to join your mother."
End Part Three
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