For the first time you have managed to horrify us! How can you people live in a world where such things happen and are sanctioned by your own officials without stopping it!
7723
The president of your own country is just as responsible as the leaders of those countries allowing it, for if all countries refused to trade with countries that allow their representatives to torture and kill children, they would soon clamp down and look for other solutions.
This is Sam: Seventeen years later and you say the children still suffer persecution in those places! Arthur, if that is what your world is like and we find it, I must warn you that our first responsibility will be to take all those children away from your world. The boxee Cherinians have asked us to bring a hundred thousand to them and once the other realities see what you sent us, I’m certain they’ll offer, between them, to take all your unwanted children. Damn it Arthur! Seventeen years and ‘true’ paedophiles trade pictures of children and because they don’t buy the pictures or rape children, you call them paedophiles - in an assumed good sense! You’re not, you are all not much better than the pedofoes! Being ‘good’ is not just the absence of evil, it is also standing up for what is right and decent.
Jade caught our attention (hours later) when she timidly made a joke about you. To hear her being timid was really strange. She told us that you had posted deliberately, knowing that as protector, Robbie will now have to find your reality to save the children. She was not being timid because of you, she was afraid that Robbie would feel that way and her making a joke about it would only make it worse for Robbie if he fails.
Oh boy! You upset many. I explained to Arthur that your ‘bi’ means you do not want to have a conversation about all you said, so I will continue as if you had not written, but in our hearts, we feel scarred by your pain and the suffering of so many children.
Allan and Samuel King are always friendly towards each other, but Allan does tend to forget that they are not really friends and he teases him. At first it worried us, because Samuel is not the type of person who encourages any kind of familiarity, but with time we came to realise that it does not annoy Samuel when Allan does it. I don’t think even Themi can explain the psychology behind it.
7724
Trying to look stern, Allan said, “Since you are our Cherinian scout, shouldn’t you be out there finding the trail to Arthur’s reality? How do you expect Robert to save all those children if you waste your time drinking.”
Samuel frowned, took a last sip of his soft drink and came to his feet. “You’re right, I better be on my way.” He jumped!
Hello Arthur. Your questions are prompted by your worry that I might want Robbie’s Cherine? I also see the danger of that happening, so I can assure you I will cooperate with all that Robbie needs to do to me in the void. I do feel I should correct Samantha on certain points. I was ‘born’ with all the memories of my past, which includes the lovemaking. If Robbie intended his blocks to prevent my having erotic thoughts, he should have amputated me, removing those memories. When my family are in their bedroom I withdraw my awareness from them, but as you know they have often made love outside their home. I cannot withdraw my awareness at such times as I would have to stop being aware of all of the interior of Freddie. To answer the question you and my family will want to ask in advance, no, seeing them did not stir me sexually, but they did bring to the fore my memories of the times of loving I recall. Such poignant memories Arthur, they truly made me feel how far I have been removed from being a full human being.
Have I ever resented Robbie? How could I, I was part of the Robert that made the decision. Have I ever yearned to hold them in my arms? Yes. At times it was almost unbearable and those were often the times Cherine became moody, sensing me, and she would jump to a ledge. She would sit on my lap so that I can feel her weight and warmth and she would refill my heart with love, making my present existence bearable again. My family knows what I am about to tell you, but I suspect you do not. Arthur, I may never sleep in the sense of my body being asleep, but I do allow a part of my mind to drift off into dreams - it is still necessary despite the lack of a human body, the mind needs it. None of them know, not even Cherine, that I often dream of the past and of holding my loves.
7725
I have asked my family to allow me to finish writing before answering their questions. Arthur, I did not come to write of the past, I felt it more important I discuss with you the future. I see your worries as being valid and they also have occupied my thoughts for these last weeks. How am I supposed to love another Cherine? Do I want to? What of the vast love for my present Cherine, is that supposed to die?All the changes and revelations from this trip have left all of us feeling a little bit spaced out. Robbie needs to go to the one place where he can enjoy an interlude of giving and receiving pure love without having to worry about anything else. We have returned for him to visit little Andreas in Cyprus.
7726
Robbie did not only alter his own mood, all who were sharing with him felt their spirits lift and those who were sharing with them have the same happy smiles. Not a bad time for a party.Robbie did not return to us that night. He was offered a meal and then he walked off to stroll along a beach. He found a comfortable spot and sat watching the sea under the moonlight until he drifted off into a heavy sleep. The next morning he jumped to us for a shower, breakfast and for a surprise request. “Bobby, would you like to meet Andreas?” Even Dommi thought it was a stupid idea so we all told him so - in his mind where only he could hear us. Bobby shyly said he would like to go with him. “Bobby, we have two choices. I go back to Andreas and explain to him about why you look like you hate him or, we just go and have a good laugh when he reacts to you. Can you see the funny side or would it be better I go alone to explain first?” He knew he was not giving Bobby a choice and so did his parents, but they still trust Robbie so they did not protest when Bobby chose the surprise option.
Andreas ran out of the house and ignoring Bobby (I forgot to mention that Bobby’s clothes were projected to be similar to those they wear at that time) he ran into Robbies’ arms. After the hug and some babbling he glanced down at Bobby and saw his cold look. Bobby was trying to keep his feelings neutral so as not to look too hateful, but he still looked cold and hostile. Andreas looked back to Robbie for an explanation. “His name is Bobby and I also love him as a son. Would you like to be brothers?” Poor Bobby, he forgot his resolve and as his little heart expanded with love at Robbie’s words, his face showed a vivid hate that shocked Sofoklis and sent him back into his home on trembling legs for wine.
Andreas saw and softly he asked Robbie, “Why does he hate you?”
Robbie only answered, “He doesn’t, he loves me.”
He stared into Robbie’s eyes as he thought about it. “Is that how the children of gods look when they love? Do you want me to look at you like that?” He made an effort and blushed. “I can’t, it feels wrong.” Both Bobby and Robbie forgot themselves and burst into laughter. Robbie knelt and while holding Andreas in his one arm he drew Bobby to him in his other and explained to Andreas. Andreas thought about it, his eyes darting from Robbie to Bobby and back again.
“If he likes me, he looks like he doesn’t?” Robbie nodded. “Alright.” He turned to Bobby. “Would you like to be friends? I won’t forget if it looks like you don’t like me.” Almost wistfully he added, “I don’t have any friends, all the children are afraid of me.”
“I’m not.” Bobby said. He stretched out his hand. “Let’s play. Show me what you do for fun.”
Well, that takes care of your warning Arthur. Now that Bobby has a friend who makes him look hateful, we’ll have to return here often - our time . I guess I hardly need add that his parents, Cherine and Boxee Robert, are leaking their happiness all over the ether.
7727
We arrived back in our Athens home with lots of time to prepare for the parties that are supposed to be starting at lunchtime. We are having our party in the Cherinian Embassy. The embassy building has a flat roof and they have been working on decorating it for days now. They’ve placed huge pots with plants and trees, they’ve laid carpets everywhere, except for the dance floors, and furniture has been brought so that we can sit, eat and talk. We agreed to Terran cameras, but they have to be situated so that they can watch all the area without intruding. Chinese lanterns have been hung everywhere - they are a special gift for Cherine from our Taiwanese partners, the Chinese writing either saying ‘Happy Birthday Cherine’, ‘Good luck Cherine’ or just ‘Cherine’. The parapet around the floor has been fitted with screens showing the parties all over the world.
The officials responsible for organising the party in the embassy plus those responsible for the parties all over the world look haggard, for they have not had any sleep over the last two days and they’ve had to jump to dozens of cities. Robbie went over our plans with them and they looked as if they wanted to pull out their hair, despite them being happy for Freddie.
By two o’clock the roof was filled by guests, Terrans and leaders of the alien Cherinians, when we arrived. It had been planned that only Cherine would say a few words and then we’d concentrate on having a great time. We could see faces turned upwards to their screens as Cherine took her place at the microphone. “Birthdays are usually celebrated by those who love the person having the birthday. I wanted to do it the other way around this time and have parties for me to celebrate my own birthday with everyone because it is you who have made this day special for me. I truly have millions of reasons for celebrating the fact that I was born, for this life has been filled with so much love it makes me want to cry. I thank all of you for making my life so special for me.
We have an exciting announcement to make. It has been decided that Freddie, the person who runs our spaceship, should be given his own body. The boxee Cherine has agreed to split herself so that he has a love of his own. Freddie, please join me.” He appeared by her side and we saw many heads turn up to look at the spaceship in the sky, as if they expected it to fall on them because Freddie is with us. “The body you see Freddie using is not really his body, he creates it and then un-creates it from energy when he returns to being just the soul that runs our ship and world. Originally, as most of you know, my Robert split his soul so that he could live his life free of having to maintain the ship. It is time that Freddie returns to being a Robert and is free to love and have a family of his own again.
These are the interruptions we will have during the party. In one hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon Athens time, Freddie will be given his body. At five o’clock Cherine will split her soul and a new body will be created for the new Cherine. She will not awaken and will be taken to the Sparkler World. The Sparklers have prepared a replica of Athens as it was when my Robert and I first met. There they will live through the first days of our meeting. We hope they will be similar to our first days, so that they love each other - but there are no guarantees. Unfortunately their time together cannot be shown on the screens as they will need months to grow into their love. My family, close friends - of that time only - and a few other guests will be leaving for the Sparkler World with the new Cherine and Freddie. We will be travelling to a different reality and once the two of them are in love we will return within the hour to celebrate with all of you. After midnight our time we are hoping the two of them will honour me by getting married during my party. Please enjoy yourselves and we will give you notice when it is time for the first part of our plan to take place.” She hugged herself to Freddie and then drew him onto the dance floor, the cameras all concentrating on her for a few minutes.
This is the first time a body has been created in public on Earth and filmed by the media. Robbie manipulated energies and cameras zoomed in to show a spot of light touch his skin. The spot of light moved to the dais and as the body appeared a sheet was thrown over him. As an aside, the cameras were fast enough to catch a glimpse of the body and the internet was flooded by the pictures of a nude Robbie.
Freddie was welcomed by us, by Eddie on behalf of all Cherinians and by the Secretary General of the United Nations. Without showing our anxiety we watched the screens and saw that the public was mostly forming groups to discuss what they’d seen and very few were dancing. I guessed they would be running short of drinks and suggested to an embassy official they deliver more drinks, but to also remind the Cherinians volunteers at the parties to prevent anyone from getting too drunk.
7728
The mood at our party was rather exuberant and someone dancing twirled his partner and she took an extra step and bumped into a woman, knocking her drink so that it spilled over her dress. From the look on her face she obviously was distressed, but Claudia was by her instantly and the stain and dampness from the drink disappeared. Without greeting her, Claudia turned away and was soon out of sight. I was surprised to see that the woman was Avgi Mamadaki! I wondered what happened to Robbie’s promise to her father that all Cherinians would keep away from her and her family, but later found out that Claudia saw to it that they receive an invitation to the party. Gosh, but our Claudia never gives up!
The music stopped and Robbie led the boxee Cherine, Robert and Bobby to our Cherine. Cherinians later shared with us that Normals cheered when they saw Bobby. B-Cherine looked nervous, so Robbie leant over, kissed her cheek and whispered something that made her smile. Solomon joined them and they all turned to face us. Cherine gestured for B-Cherine to lie down on the dais and then Solomon blocked our view as he went to stand by her. He raised his arms and Sparklers swooped down. Solomon disappeared. Anxiously we waited for nearly an hour and then suddenly another Cherine appeared lying next to her original. Robbie waited for the cameras to see her, waved to us to join him and they all disappeared into FTS.
As soon as we were all present, Freddie jumped to another reality. We arrived in normal space and the Unation ship was let out to watch over FTS from outside, Robbie first made certain there was no possible threat and then we jumped to the Sparkler World.
Freddie was emoting his anxiety as he stared at Athens in the distance. Cherine soothed him, almost promising him they will love each other and then he lay down to sleep and wake within his Kolonaki apartment. Funny, it really is his, he is the Robert that lived there originally, but this time he is to love a different Cherine!
It was agreed by the two of them that I am permitted to write about this time (I’ll mostly write from Freddie’s viewpoint - and, yes, he is keeping the name Freddie Teller). We did have a problem with regard to deciding a Marian. B-Cherine’s mother is a Cherinian, but she will remain in her reality and we feel our new Cherine will need to have a mother. Our Marian was touched when she was asked to become her mother and even Alki was ecstatic at becoming a father again. This means that both of them will have to take part and it was not much fun blocking Marian so that she becomes as she used to be. I had the thought, what if something happens and we cannot unblock her…Cherine picked up my thought and screamed with laughter as she shared it with our pappou. He pretended he wanted to spank me, so I ended up sitting on his lap for a couple of minutes.
Since everything happening here is ‘real time’, we will not stay when our protagonists are sleeping. Volunteers - especially from the stronger talents among various other species - are helping to keep FTS running smoothly and when we return we’ll take over for them to rest. We are forming groups of six and each group will be on duty for an hour. All the groups have refused to allow Robbie a turn and he made us all happy by agreeing without trying to argue, as it made us feel that he trusts us. We do have the comfort of knowing he is with us and will wake up instantly if there is a problem, but each group are determined not to have him wake up to help on their shift.
7729
Cherine stood by her window as dawn broke for the third day in a row. Her troubled sleep had kept her tossing and turning all night and her eyes were starting to look bruised from exhaustion. She opened the window to breathe in the chill air and the door behind her opened. “Close the window Cher, the early morning dampness is bad for you.” Cherine obediently closed the window and turned to look at her mother who was pulling up her bedding and straightening her pillow. Marian glanced at her with a smile, “Good morning…” She stopped and stared at her and then sat on the bed. “Honey, I know you miss home and your friends, but soon as school starts you’ll meet lots of kids and make new friends.”
“I don’t miss them Mum, I miss you.”
“Even if we’d stayed home I would have had to work, your father has married again and he can’t afford to keep two homes going on his salary only. If we’d taken an apartment in Piraeus I’d have two hours extra with you every day, but you insisted you want to stay here.”
Cherine sat beside her and gave her Mum a hug. “I know, I’m just being a crybaby.”
“Go back to bed and try to sleep an hour or two or else you’ll look older than me within a few weeks.” Cherine grinned and promised to try. Her mother tucked her up, kissed her forehead and left. Without expecting it, Cherine did fall asleep and woke up at about ten in the morning. Feeling somewhat refreshed and able to think clearer, Cherine took a sheet of paper and her crayons and wrote a message.
Freddie was shaken out of his lethargic misery. It was instantly apparent that the message had been written by a child and he seriously doubted a boy would have drawn flowers. A Greek girl was not likely to write in English and yet he did not know of any foreign girls living in the neighbourhood. The most important question was, how did she know he is feeling miserable - has someone been spying on him? Since he had to go out for shopping, Freddie stopped by the main entrance to speak to the thiroros. He asked him if any foreign children have moved into the surrounding blocks of flats.
“Malista Kyrie Teller, an English mother and daughter moved into an apartment on the third floor a few days ago.”
Freddie did his shopping, but his mind was on the note. How could she know? He decided to call on them and gently point out that his privacy is important. Since it was a child he did not feel it would be right to cause a fuss and, he admitted, he was touched by her concern.
Cherine sensed him approach her front door, but she also could feel he was not angry. He rang the buzzer and she considered not opening, but changed her mind as she did not like the idea of hiding. As she opened the door he looked at her and smiled. “Hello, I’m Freddie, is your mother home?”
“No, she works.”
“You shouldn’t have opened the door then. I’ll return later in the evening.”
As he turned to leave, Cherine said, “I knew who it was, why shouldn’t I open the door? You live downstairs.”
“But you don’t know me, I could be a bad man.” He smiled, finding his assertion slightly ludicrous. Cherine returned his smile with a grin.
“I bet you’re a monster and you eat children.” Freddie laughed, caught by surprise by her relaxed humour and her infectious grin.
“Not if I don’t know their name.”
7730
“I’m Cherine.”
“Princess or just Miss Cherine?” She found it too corny for even a small smile and just stared at him, making him uncomfortable. As she sensed his discomfort she giggled. She made way for him to enter and her vulnerability and naivety made him turn into an adult and he felt the need to warn her. He did while she stared at him impatiently. He decided he would do better to speak to her mother.
“Cherine, what made you write me that note? Have you been spying on me?” She nodded and her prompt admission knocked the wind out of his sails. “Don’t you know that it is bad to spy on people Cherine? We all have a right to our privacy.”
“I couldn’t help it, you were too strong.”
“Too strong? What do you mean?”
“I could feel you.”
Heavily he sat down. “You could feel me? I don’t understand.”
“Your sadness, it was crying inside me.” She felt his excitement and fear, but his fear did not upset her, for she could feel that his fear was for her, not of her.
“Hasn’t your mother warned you not to speak to strangers about your ability to feel others? You can feel others, not just me?”
“Everybody.” She looked thoughtful so he waited. “I’ve never told my Mum, I can feel it would frighten her and then maybe she’d stop loving me.”
He pretended a confident smile, “I’m certain nothing would stop her loving you. Cherine, can you give me an example? Can you feel anyone right now?”
“Yes, the woman upstairs, she is excited, her boyfriend is coming to make love with her. She is also a little bit afraid.”
“Can you sense why she is afraid?”
She shook her head. “Not really, but I know why. She is married, so I guess she is afraid her husband will find out.”
His face tightened. “You can feel them having sex?” She nodded again, not really aware of why it would upset him. “God! The things you must have sensed!”
They talked for a while and Freddie kept himself calm and gentle and slowly Cherine opened to him, confident now that her feeling of being drawn to him was right, that he is to be trusted. “Freddie, can you walk with me for a little? Mum doesn’t allow me to go out alone and I’m tired of sitting inside.”
“Why don’t we go to the square for a cake and cold drink?” She walked with her hand in his, happily chattering and Freddie only realised once he’d drunk his coffee that he’d forgotten to be miserable for a while. He realised it because Cherine asked him why he felt so sad all the time. He did not seem to find it strange to be confiding to a child.
“I love a girl and she stopped loving me. I just found out that she is marrying somebody else.”
“Are you going to feel sad for a long time?”
He spread his hands and grimaced. “I’m not quite certain how to answer. I think so.”
“You shouldn’t you know. You should find another special girl to make you happy.”
He chuckled. “You sound just like my friends. Do you know any special girls to introduce me to?”
“I don’t know anybody here. I think you might have liked Jennifer, but she is in England. She’s really pretty.”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
- posted: 22nd Jly, 2020
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