The Empath Cycle: 1949 In The Beginning

That done, Sarah is surprised is see Martine first bring her sweaty armpit to Catherine's nose, then swipe a finger between her legs and deposit a coating of her cream below her friend's nose and on her lips, ending with it inside her mouth. She sees Catherine suck it reflexively and grins.

Martine stretches her body on Catherine's and pulls her hands so they rest on her pert breasts, held in place between their chests. She takes her friend's cheeks and holds her head in place as she supports herself on her elbows.

"Open your eyes, darling. Look at me with those beautiful brown eyes of yours. Yes, now, breathe with me. You can feel the rhythm of my breaths in your hands, just like we did before. Keep your eyes on mine and breathe deep." Then, lowering her voice so only Catherine can hear her, she whispers. "I love you. Please come back to me."

A soft but insistent voice intrudes on the peace that envelops her. "Martine, listen to me. Listen to my voice. You've done it. She is stabilized. You can come out of the trance now."

The peacefulness lingers as she still gazes in the deep pools of her friend's... her love's eyes. She nods, unwilling to tear her eyes away. She says quietly. "Leave now and wait for us in the car. We will be there soon."

Sarah, has a good idea of what has just occurred and what will inevitably follow. She grins as she rises.

When she hears the door close, Martine lowers her face until her lips almost touch Catherine's and their breaths mingle. She murmurs. "I love you, darling, and I never want to be away from you again." She lowers her lips for a tender kiss. When she feels her breasts gently massaged, she smiles in the kiss and deepens it.

The sun is shining down on the meadow. The morning dew is as jewels on the blades of grass.

The young female lies on her belly, her limbs folded under her. Her head rests on her front paws. She looks up at the senior females sitting on their haunches in front of her. She can see the other young female behind them. She tries to sit still, but she is restless. She would much rather be at play.

Though thoroughly impressed by the authority projected by the posture of her seniors, she cannot refrain an impudent pulling of the corners of her mouth. The alpha female rises on all four and gives her a gentle but firm swap on the snout as a reminder of her position.

As the large female looms over her, the younger one rolls on her back and exposes her throat. When she feels jaws close on it and teeth stretch the skin under her fur, she whines, acknowledging her submission to the hierarchy of the pack.

The other females lift their heads to the sky and howl their happiness. The other young female can't sit still anymore. She capers around the group, yipping her own joy.

"So you see, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, Arianna has blossomed into a powerful empath and her potential as a therapist is enormous. Her future is assured as she has finally found herself. She is still recuperating but she is anxious to meet with you. She wanted to come with me today, but we persuaded her to take a few more days to acclimate herself to her talent. She can come visit on the week-end or, if you wish, you can come spend both days at the chalet. It is yours after all and the fall colors are splendid."

Doctor Karen Jackson was sitting in the salon of the Monroe's house, sipping a cup of coffee. She could see, from the corner of her eye, the whole staff crowding outside the door, trying to be inconspicuous as they listened for news of Arianna. The Monroe couple sat across her, holding hands, clearly relieved at her words.

"From what we have learned of the experience so far, we find that whole new avenues of research have opened to us. Also, they are in a position to help greatly in the formation of new therapists and support therapists both. You will remember that Sarah spoke to you at the very beginning of the project of our intention to eventually create an institute that would serve as research center and training school. We feel that now would be a good time to do so. Unfortunately, if we were to create such an institute right away, it would leave the clinic understaffed, so we will have to wait a few years while we train more personnel the old time consuming way."

"Dr. Jackson, what would you need for the clinic to be on the same grounds as the institute?" Douglas Monroe asks.

"I do not think it would be feasible, sir. If land were available, the cost of it alone would be prohibitive. As things stand, we will leave the clinic where it is and try to find a way to acquire an existing older building in another part of the city."

"What if you had a three hundred acres property with minimal real estate taxes, an existing large main house, a decent second house, and a third smaller one beside the gate to the compound?"

"I would say that we have our work cut out for us trying to come up with the financing for it, but that it would be a challenge we are willing to face."

"That is not my question Doctor. What if you had it already? Free and clear."

""I would say that would only leave us with finding financing for the other buildings, which would still be a challenge, if a less daunting one."

"Let me refine my question then. What if you had the actual financing for the whole project and sufficient funds to furnish and equip the buildings and operate it for at least a few years?"

"I would ask 'what is the catch?' sir. As much as I appreciate the dream, that's all it is, a dream."

"The only catch is that you would have to put up with a construction project manager and his wife who would build their own residence at their own expense on your land and later propose his services as a manager under the complete authority of you and Doctor Grisholm."

"Are you proposing what I think you are proposing, sir? Please do not toy with me so."

"We understand each other perfectly, Doctor. Ever since Sarah first told me in passing of her ambitious dreams, years ago, I have been buying land around our original property. We have tripled it since then and the local notaries are all advised that a generous finder's fee awaits them for any other that comes up for sale. In recent years, I've grown bored with the business world. When is earning money enough? At first, it's a goal, but once you're rich, it becomes only a means of counting coup among other rich people. This is not my nature. My wife and I have spoken of giving a substantial part of our fortune to Arianna when she got better and to retire to the chalet. I have already been approached by a conglomerate wishing to buy me out at a most advantageous price. We would love nothing more than to live near Arianna and if we can't have grand-children because of her choices, at least we would be near her. What do you say?"

"I say that it's probably five o'clock somewhere in the world and that we should trade these cups of coffee for something more appropriate for a celebration."

They heard cheers from outside the room. A grinning Douglas Monroe added. "I forgot to add that the propriety comes with its own staff. I don't know what you did up there, but Gilles, the caretaker, called yesterday to tender his resignation and that of the entire staff. He said they were going to offer their services to Dr. Grisholm even if they had to do it on a voluntary basis."

"I'm not surprised. They have already approached us about this. And as for the grand-children, don't count them out yet. Yesterday evening, I overheard a conversation on that subject and you may have a surprise or two in the coming months."

Epilogue

The two young females sit on their haunches at the top of the hill with two older females flanking them. A fifth glowing figure sits nearby. They await the rising sun.

'It's been a long time since you visited us in dream, mammies.'

'Yes, we've been here for a week and we only see you with others around.'

'They mean well, but they do hover too much.'

'We have been preparing for this moment since our Sarah left us last year.'

'We were surprised you did not follow her like mammy Martine did when mammy Catherine went away.'

'She made us promise to wait until you were adults. And we never refused her because she was always right.'

'Well, almost always.'

'Does this mean you think we are old enough now and that you will leave us?'

'Age has nothing to do with it, as you know.'

'You have proven yourselves capable young adults and yes, we would join our Sarah.'

'You still have so much to teach us.'

'We will miss you.'

''We can teach you no more. The rest is practice, practice, practice, as our Martine repeated to you so often. You are responsible young women who have never abused their talents and we know you never will.'

'We have one last gift for you, then we will join our Sarah. She awaits us and we miss her very much.'

As the sun clears the horizon, a golden aura surrounds each of the three older females and two more glowing figures join them. They grow in intensity until the five forms disappear within the now single brilliant luminescence. As it touches the young females, they feel the radiance penetrate their innermost core where it leaves a deep sense of ineffable love and, on its way out, a small part of itself.

The young females watch it shrink in the distance until it reaches the sun to merge with it.

They raise their heads and howl their grief.