* * * * *
Martin; Hmmm. High cirrus has given way to the cumulonimbus. Something is not right. Why am I lying on my back looking at the sky.
At that moment a familiar face came into view. It was the man who had left the grain!
ANGL: Lay still?
Martin; What’s happening?
ANGL: You’ve had a fall. I’m checking for injuries. You’ve been unconscious for about ten minutes. The people standing about are concerned and are of no threat. Your suit has been seriously compromised. You seemed to have sustained some bruises and minor cuts but the blood loss has ceased. It’s going to leave a mark.
Martin; Cute. Can I get up now?
ANGL: Carefully.
Martin; I’m sure they didn’t know what else to do for a man in a zip lock bag.
Eight or nine people stood about watching. Martin could definitely tell that he had done some bumping. ANGL had taken steps to reduce the pain but like he said it was going to leave a mark. Repairs looked impossible and at this point, pointless. ANGL had not detected any significant health hazards since their arrival, and any danger Martin posed had already been expressed. It seemed ludicrous at this point to maintain his outfit. He removed and packed it, preserving it for the return trip.
He did a striptease in front of a crowd that mumbled but did not applaud. An old man leaning on a staff slowly shook his head, as though he recognized that Martin had just suffered some minor stupid wounds.
Martin; Why aren’t these people afraid?
Voice: Should we be?
Martin; ANGL, was that you?
ANGL: No. It was the man in front of you.
Martin did not see the man speak.
Voice: My name is Terah.
Again the man's lips did not move. Confused, Martin replied “My name is Martin.”
Terah: Why do you not call yourself William?
Martin; ANGL, what does he mean?
ANGL: In ancient times a man’s name was an expression of his character. To go by another name was to deny himself before others. He apparently can detect the difference between what you are saying and what you are thinking. I think you need to speak to him subliminally and forthrightly.
Martin; Very few people go by their given name from where I come from. I choose to go by Martin; it’s my middle name.
ANGL: He seems to know that people of your time must be in denial and deception.
Martin; Hmmm. I guess I should keep that in mind.
Terah: Who are you talking to? Are you in conflict or possessed?
Martin couldn’t possibly answer that in twenty-five words or less.
Martin; Yes, but I think you can trust me. I am glad to meet you, Terah. My given name is William; William Martin Trask, but please call me Martin. Don’t be concerned if I talk to myself; really.
Terah: Do they do that much, in your time?
Martin; I guess the answer is yes?
Terah: You talked much in your sleep.
Martin; Did you see me on the trail?
Terah: Yes but you would not speak to me.
Martin; I wasn’t visible, was I?. How did you see me?
Terah: I can not see all those that I hear. I could not see you, only your angel.
Martin; Oh. You mean ANGL.
Terah: No. I mean the angel, the one at your side.
Martin; ANGL help me out here.
ANGL: He is speaking of another presence with you.
Terah: Are you talking to yourself again.
Martin; Yes, I guess I am. Tell me what you see.
Terah: Your angel stands to your left and is much taller than you. He says that he is not permitted to talk to you yet. He goes with you for your protection.
Martin; My protection? Against what?
Terah: The ravages of sin. He is with you to protect you from anything that would hide you from the face of God.
Martin; Really? Well, tell him thanks.
Terah: He understands.
Martin mused, who is my angel and why don’t I know him? Why was he so evident to these people? And how had he gotten by ANGL.
Martin; ANGL did you know anything about my Angel?
ANGL: No; nothing.
Martin; I learn something new everyday!
Martin spoke further with several of the people. They asked him many questions, the answers of which probably made little sense. They seemed sympathetic to his ‘need’ for the high tech stuff. They thought of it that way, as one would think of a crutch. It seemed a bit silly in light of their way of life. They put Martin in touch with the scariness of his time. He was the one who came up short in this rally; almost as if the passage of time had required the addition of technology to guard against the value and purpose of life. Were we moving backwards? Martin wondered. It occurred to him that in many respects time had made him the disadvantaged one in the group.
They talked, and with ANGL’s instant translation, Martin was able to understand most of them. ANGL was not able to translate all of it, and had difficulty understanding some of the people.
Martin; ANGL, why do some of them refer to me as ”bigot” or “the bigot”.
ANGL: Scanning the language module. The original meaning of the word “bigot” is man with a mustache. It is synonymous with “one who is dogmatic, opinionated, . . .
Martin; Enough!
ANGL; Your character however seems not to otherwise be in question here.
Terah invited Martin to see the henge up close. He quickly accepted and was eager to learn more.
* * * * *
Chapter 27 – The Revelation
It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.
Albert Einstein