CHAPTER 17
THE RATS NEVER LET UP the chase the entire way. It wasn’t easy to see them in the dark corn field, but the sound of their menacing squeaking and growling, (Yes, the rats growled) let the group know the rats were close. Pastor Reed was behind the others and he finally had to stop and put Randy down. He could go no further.
The Angel, Roger, told Jasper, “You have to go back! Pastor Reed needs your help.” Jasper darted off back tracking.
Popping out of the tall dry corn stalks, Jasper took hold of Randy and said, “Let’s go!”
At this word, Joel shot Pastor Reed with an arrow of refreshing. This gave the Pastor renewed strength. Together, Jasper and Pastor Reed dragged Randy through the last stretch of the field just barely ahead of the rats.
Randy watched as the rats narrowly caught his feet. What he couldn’t see was the invisible Angels who protected him or the doves that worked to distract the rats. The scared crew hiked through the trees and were the first to reach the shallow wide creek. Megan had carried Tessa and Bobby assisted her. Janet, Tanya and Bobby still carried the garbage bags of clothing and blankets.
At the river’s edge, everyone stopped. They didn’t want to risk getting their feet wet.
“Do we have to go into the river?” Janet asked.
“Do you see a bridge?” Bobby spat back.
“Hurry mommy! The rats are coming!” Tessa told Megan.
“Maybe Jasper will part the water for us like in the Bible. Look! Here he comes!” Tanya said.
Jasper and Pastor Reed came charging out of the corn field dragging Randy. They ran past everyone else and slowed for nothing before splashing into the river. Randy began to shout in protest because of his pain, fear and hate of water submersion.
With the rats on the rampage running after them, everyone else quickly followed Jasper and Pastor Reed into the river as the countless rats began filtering out of the corn field. The Angels split up and did what they could to protect each of the people.
Wilson told Jasper, “Open your heart and your wings! This is the moment you all need to fly swiftly.”
Not one rat had the sense to remain on shore. Driven by madness, they all charged into the river and were swept away by the current.
All who crossed the creek had to toil against the current. No one complained about getting their feet wet anymore because they knew, once they crossed the river, the rats would no longer be attacking them.
“What was that, Jasper? Those rats were crazy!” asked Pastor Reed.
“They’re not crazy, they’re Demon possessed. The forces of darkness stand against us and what we’re doing.”
Toweling off and using the dry clothes they carried, they prepared themselves before carrying on. Jasper had Randy sit in the canvas back-pack. He figured carrying the thin man strapped to his back wouldn’t put such a strain on his arms anymore.
“I don’t get it. Was that old back-pack really that important?” Bobby asked.
“The bag is important to me. Not only does it have sentimental value, it provides multiple other uses.” With his thumb, Jasper pointed to Randy sitting in the back-pack on his back. “The Demons had taken over the farm. Our presence was a threat to them. A certain Demon, who goes by the name Krustatious was leading them. It was Krustatious who has a personal vendetta against us and especially the Angels who protect us.”
Their hike up the mountain was strenuous and difficult. Evil shadow Demons from the farm didn’t leave them and despite the protection of the Angels, the living people found themselves on a roller-coaster of emotional despair.
Though the mountain of Ceramecy was heavily guarded by Angels, treacherous Demons still found ways of sneaking in amongst the trees at the lower half of it. It wasn’t easy for the Demons to hunt the people with their weapons, because they had to hunt the Angels also. Moving quickly and silently amongst the shadows, the Demons found their targets in the people who followed Jasper. Arrows, axes, swords, whips and chains of malice, deceit and heavy downheartedness affected the emotions of the hikers in a very negative way.
Because the new comers had never been to Ceramecy before, they lost faith in Jasper ever taking them there at all. They doubted if such a wonderful place even existed. Jasper spoke so fondly about Ceramecy like it was the Garden of Eden which fell right out of Heaven to earth. “Ceramecy?” They sneered, “Could there really be such a place?”
“With free food and free housing? With animals and the beauty of nature?” It all just sounded too good to be true.
The group mainly wanted to go just to call Jasper on his bluff, but they didn’t expect it to be such a chore to get there.
Jasper heard them talking and reminded them, “I’ve never let you down and neither has the Lord. I solemnly vow to prove that Ceramecy really exists. Just stay with me a little longer.”
Jasper had them climb practically to the top of the mountain. In turn the people wanted to turn back but Jasper told them, “A runner doesn’t run a race to turn around just before the finish line.”
Near the top of the steep mountain, just where Jasper had said it would be, he had brought them into the heart of Ceramecy. Slithering out from the tight straps of the back-pack, Jasper began to take the back-pack off. Pastor Reed helped Jasper to lower Randy to the ground. They noticed Randy seemed quite uncomfortable, but the reason was obvious to Jasper. He explained, “Randy has a Demon attached to him. It is a puppeteer Demon and it hates being here. This place is Holy.”
The others weren’t completely sure what Jasper was talking about, but Jasper could see the changes taking place in the bald porcupine Demon. The Holiness of the land tortured the creature and though it was already skinny, it continued to wither like a plant drying out.
“He needs rest.” Jasper told the Pastor.
Immediately Jasper went to the horse’s stalls. They neighed in delight when they saw Jasper approaching. Everyone stood in amazement as they looked around and saw how Ceramecy was truly all that Jasper said it would be. Pastor Reed was both in awe and laughing in disbelief. They saw the neighbourhood of small log dwellings, the variety of animals in their pens, multiple paths lined with bushes, flowers, fruits and vegetables. The water falls and creeks had been altered to run through little alcoves past plants, animals and paths equipped with little bridges to cross them.
Janet, Tanya and Bobby dropped the heavy garbage bags which now held the weight of wet clothing. Amazed, they held their eyes and mouths open at the magical world before them.
“It’s not possible.” Bobby said as he looked around.
“I don’t believe it.” Pastor Reed said. He lifted the back-pack and turned it around. Randy’s face was flush, though his complexion was usually so, but his eyes grew wider than they had ever been before.
When the girls caught their breath, they set off exploring in amazement. “Look Tessa!” Megan spoke to her daughter, hand in hand pointing details out while sauntering down a twisty path, “Do you see all of the animals?” It was like a scene torn right out of the pages of a fairy tale.
“Yes, mommy, I see goats, sheep, horses, pigs, cows, geese, chickens and a donkey.” Little Tessa cheered and jumped with glee.
“I have also managed to tame some wild bunny rabbits and birds.” Jasper said smiling with his white eyes on Tessa. “I have a few things to do right now but if you want, just follow this path beside the creek and up the hill over there. It leads to a wonderful lake. When I’m finished here with the animals, I’ll come and get you. Then I’ll show you to your cabins.”
Tessa was trying to stick her fingers through the fence posts of the sheep’s pen. Megan pulled Tessa’s hands back to safety. She had tears in her eyes. “Oh, thank you, Jasper. Thank you so much.” Turning with Janet and Tanya, the ladies became emotional in the company of one another before they meandered up the side of the creek toward the lake.
Pastor Reed and Bobby helped Randy over to Jasper. Jasper knew they were approaching but he wouldn’t break his focus from his
chores. Because he was away so long, there was much to do.
“Am I dreaming?” Randy asked, “Whoa, is that a horse? For real?”
Jasper just smiled. The spirit of Hayolam was still with Jasper and he was encouraged to see the lamb as it recognized Ceramecy. It hopped and pranced about with joy, but Jasper wondered if it knew it was dead.
“I don’t know if you knew this but I was certain you were going to let us down. I was going to turn you in, for some sort of illegal activity.” Pastor Reed laughed, “I certainly didn’t expect you were honest. I’m amazed you actually created a very beautiful place here and with your blindness even. Jasper, we should tell other people about this.”
Jasper looked at Pastor Reed, “If the Lord thinks so. For now, this will have to remain our little secret.” Pastor Reed slowly panned his head around to see everything again before he settled his eyes on Jasper. Seeing Jasper was very busy, Pastor Reed asked, “Can I help you with anything? It looks like you have some urgent catching up to do.”
While setting down a large bag of grain, Jasper bent down and ran his hand through the little creek of water to clean out some leaves. “What I have left to do won’t take long but if you go off looking around, I must ask you not to go too far. There’re some terrible steep edges around here and I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.” He turned to the young men before saying, “I want to take you all on a tour of Ceramecy and answer your questions, then I’ll show you to your cabins, but I’ve just told the ladies to wait for me at the lake.”
“Oh, I know where they went.” Bobby said as he recalled seeing what path they took, “Come on, Pastor Reed.”
“Yeah, just leave Randy with me.” Jasper instructed.
Pastor Reed didn’t argue, he was still pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
Jasper felt very good about having everyone with him at Ceramecy. It was as though a new phase of God’s work was completed. While Jasper worked, he had a sense of being home, but it was still not the same as the overwhelming feeling he experienced upon looking at Heaven and knowing that was where he belonged. Though Ceramecy was an element where he felt complete and whole, he couldn’t see it as wondrous as everyone else. Jasper had seen Heaven and knew, there was no place on earth like that world.
A soft and kind voice began to speak to Jasper from his left. “Life, here, isn’t to be operated the same as you once managed it, Jasper. Do you recall saying, ‘the work here is too much to handle all on your own?’” Taila asked.
“Now we have many capable hands here to assist you.” Roger added as he appeared on Jasper’s right.
“Don’t feel afraid to ask our visitors for their help. If you ask it of them, they will answer your call. The Lord your God has chosen them for this.” Joel re-enforced with a solemn nod of his head. “It will make them feel involved with a sense of attachment, like how you feel. You aren’t angry with us for asking you to work so hard for you can see you’re stronger for it.”
But the idea to manage the people like they were his employees, did bother Jasper. “Everyone has just arrived. I can’t ask them for their help. Least not yet. Perhaps tomorrow. For now I just want everyone to get to know this place and feel comfortable here.” Jasper looked up from pouring grain into the horse’s trough to see Randy looking at him with a coy expression.
Randy smirked with a half-smile, “Don’t worry, buddy. I talk to myself all the time too.”
Jasper just turned away, embarrassed. He quickly found something else to do.
Later that day, as the day was fading into evening, Jasper went to the lake. Everyone was sitting around talking to one another and enjoying the slow sunset.
“Hey, Jasper!” Tanya said, expressing how excited she was that he would finally be joining them. “What amazing scenery from up here. We can see for miles! And this lake! My phone’s camera needs a recharge.”
“Oh, what breath-taking views.” Janet added. “See, over there on the horizon? It’s Kingston!”
“Sure,” Jasper agreed as he turned and pointed, “Over here to the North is, Princeton.”
“Princeton?” Pastor Reed questioned. He was a city slicker and obviously didn’t visit small towns like Princeton often. The town was very small.
“I can see a lot more than that!” Bobby exclaimed as he too was pointing to the distance, “You see? Over there is Blue River, and way over there is Rolly Lake. My dad used to take me there fishing as a kid.”
Jasper gathered everyone together as he took them on a tour of Ceramecy. He showed them the waterfall veil that filled the pool and also how it drew off to a creek. Showing the others about the plants which could be eaten, Jasper went around and taught the people about the edible wild food and they each enjoyed tasting what Jasper gave them. They all knew it would take some time before they had familiarized themselves with the wild food completely.
Jasper showed each one of the new comers to a log cabin. The cabins were all made of three log walls with one wall of stone, which was part of the cliff’s solid rock high-wall. The doors were made of log and the two windows were simply shutters made from log slabs split lengthwise. With each cabin they visited, Jasper made sure it was dedicated to someone.
Before they moved on, Jasper said a prayer before blessing the dwelling then he showed each one how to start a fire in the fireplace. With darkness setting in, Jasper lit a candle on the small table. The tables also had some wild forget-me-nots placed on them along with a clay pitcher and a deep clay bowl. Each of the cabins were quite similar and no bigger than six feet by ten feet. Jasper told them, “It was important for the dwellings to be small because they needed to be easy to heat.” Each person received blankets and extra clothing.
Keeping together, they finished off visiting from one cabin to the next. After they saw the last cabin, Jasper led them to the rock ledge with the huge over hanging rock. Not far from here, Jasper had a large open fire started. Instructing everyone to go to their cabins to fill their pitchers with water at the creek, Jasper then instructed the others to put the pitchers back on the tables of their cabins. After they did this, they were to meet him back at the fire under the rock.
When everyone returned to Jasper, they sat around the fire where he read from his Bible. After reading, Jasper watched the Angels dance and sing before he translated to the living what the amazing story was that the Angels told him.
Pleased these people of good spirit came with him, Jasper enjoyed discovering Ceramecy all over again through them.
In the days and weeks that followed, the others seemed to be doing their best to adjust to the busy life-style; managing a farm in the wild. Jasper instructed everyone in the ways of the farm. They all worked very hard. Even Tessa did her part to clean up after the animals and fetch tools.
For obvious reason of his condition, Randy participated the least. In the first few days of arriving to Ceramecy, Randy went through tremendous pain and suffering as his body battled against its need for more drugs. Jasper and the Angels spent long hours with him in prayer. During this time, Jasper could see what caused most of Randy’s discomfort was the strenuous efforts put forth by the Demon to remove its embedded legs from Randy’s upper back. Stubble of its porcupine quills could be seen growing back upon its spiritual form. Still the Demon struggled and fought to separate itself.
On a few occasions, Jasper had to tie ropes around Randy, because he had become so violent. In his cabin, Randy had to be tied down to his bed at night many times. Jasper was the one who spent the most time with him. Feeding Randy and keeping him clean, Jasper spent a lot of time getting to know him. Even though there were times when Randy didn’t favor Jasper’s company, Jasper continued to talk to him. “Think about the things you miss most in your life. All of those things you’ve had to give up for the sake of drugs; now you will soon reclaim them. You will reclaim yourself. Tell me what you miss. What was most important to you?”
“I-I had a good job.” Randy began to share, “I had a ho
use; not big, but I loved my car. I lived a clean life once.”
Through all of this, the Angels were never very far, stressing the importance of patience and loving care and of course, thoughtful prayer. An ongoing promise the Angels made to Jasper was of the reward which awaited him in Heaven. Jasper liked to hear this, but the reward wasn’t what motivated him. He did what he did for Randy because he truly cared for him like a doctor cares for their patient.
While Jasper spent time with Randy, he saw the bald porcupine Demon slip its little hooved feet free of Randy’s back and collapse to the ground, it hissed at Jasper to stay away. Angry and frustrated over its defeat, the bald porcupine Demon’s eyes were filled with evil and deceit. It felt threatened by the Angels and looked thinner than ever like a thin dark skin covering a small skeleton. As it crawled away into the foliage, it wheezed every breath like a starving person desperate for food and water. It despised Ceramecy so much it just wanted to get away, never to return.
As Randy became stronger and healthier, Jasper found that the others seemed to become less and less interested in Ceramecy. Their enthusiasm dwindled. Beginning to make comparisons with their new lifestyle in Ceramecy with the life they lived in the city, they began to miss the pleasures associated with electrical energy.
Still they were torn. They’d also miss the beauty and freshness of Ceramecy and its clean air; not to mention the great meals that Jasper both promised and provided for them. Still, none of them were ready for such seclusion and hard living in nature. If one person said, “Remember how we used to live. It was hard, but not this hard. An easier life awaits us in the city.”
Everyone else agreed and they knew if they did plan to leave, it wasn’t long before people were trying to get out of their duties. Jasper found it frustrating to repeat himself over and over about the same simple things so the people would complete each job. Feeling they should be experts at the procedures they’d been trained for to run the farm, Jasper sensed the urgency to complete a day’s chores lessened. Picking up the slack of everyone’s lack of commitment caused Jasper to have to work well into the night. Realizing he really had no leadership skills, Jasper began to distance himself from the others. No one seemed to realize how broken their group had become.
Socializing well with one another, the group just wanted to enjoy themselves and treat Ceramecy like some sort of getaway resort. The Angels hounded Jasper to put order back into the farm but when he tried the people responded with, “We’re just not farmers, Jasper.”
The Angels told Jasper, “You have the power to make people listen.” but Jasper felt he wasn’t the kind of person with that specific skill.
Missing the life they left behind, the people began to gather themselves in preparation to leave. Truthfully, Jasper didn’t even mind. He missed the peace he felt when he was the only person to populate Ceramecy. It would mean an end to the awkwardness. In silence, Jasper put his responsibilities aside and lost interest in taking charge of Ceramecy.
Despite all of the advice from each of the Angels, Jasper was convinced he knew what he was doing. Ignoring the wisdom of his Angel friends, Jasper decided to start doing things his way. When he began to believe he had the power to make the right decisions without God’s input, or the council of the Angels, a distance began to form between himself and the Heavenly hosts. This breach rendered his prayers practically useless.
Pastor Reed kept busy, naturally filling the empty position as leader and preached the word to the others. As time went on, Pastor Reed embraced his leadership role and believed he found his calling.
One day Pastor Reed brought his message to Ceramecy and Jasper was conveniently in ear shot of it. Reading from Jasper’s Bible, Pastor Reed presented a sermon about Leadership.
Jasper didn’t seem interested in the message as it seemed to be a ploy of some sort and Jasper felt if Pastor Reed wanted to lead then he should do just that. Looking forward to the day when the group would leave, Jasper was just fed up and frustrated to no end with how lazy the people were. He was insulted by their lack of contribution to the work requirements and further more felt like their servant as he did what was needed to keep the farm active.
“Jasper, why is it, exactly, that you brought us here to this place you call, Ceramecy?” As part of the sermon, Pastor Reed asked the question to Jasper nice and clear. “Was it to start some sort of religious sect? Some kind of cult, perhaps?” Jasper didn’t answer, He just continued working, chopping wood, but at the mention of a cult, Jasper gave Pastor Reed a side long glance of annoyance.
When Pastor Reed saw the small slits of Jasper’s eyes, he was certain there was a white glint of light, but he quickly dismissed this as the way the sun reflected off the stream and lit his white eyes.
“Come on, Jasper!” Pastor Reed went on, “Tell us why you wanted to bring us here. Was it to show off your farm? It is very nice, but I must tell you, we want to leave now! We’re not the farming kind of people you’re looking for to live with you here. We came here for enlightenment, but we have only found work. Hard work! We thought you were special, Jasper. You came across to us as so spiritual but now we see the truth, you just wanted cheap labor to help you run this strange little farm, deep in the woods. Who are you hiding from? The world? Yourself perhaps? You’ve been living out here as a hermit for, God knows how long. It appears you’ve lost your people skills.” Pastor Reed turned back to the others, “Janet, what is it you called this place earlier?”
“I-I said this place is beginning to feel like a prison.” Janet replied as though she really didn’t want to be involved.
“The people are used to a civilized life of money, electricity and technology.” Joel told Jasper, “Why do you not tell the visitors, keep your vessels filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.”
Wilson thought this was a good idea, “Yes Jasper, consider telling Pastor Reed, ‘There is no folly by which one works for the great salvation of God.’ He will understand.”
“That’s right. A prison! Jasper, do you hear this?” Pastor Reed was raising his voice, “In the morning, we won’t be here any longer. In the morning we will be on our way. We’re going back to Kingston.”
Jasper lifted his eyes to the sky. He walked around a little as though observing the clouds through the trees. “The sky is different.” Jasper told them. “If you people want to go back, you should go right now. In the morning everything will be covered in snow. According to the sky, we will have a snowstorm tonight. You’d all be better off to stay here, at least until the storm passes.”
“Snowstorm?” Pastor Reed asked as he looked at the sky. “There’s nothing different about the sky... Don’t listen to him.” A quiver of self-doubt revealed a small uncertainty concerning his faith in Jasper. Knowing he could be wrong, Pastor Reed searched for a way to secure his position as leader. In an attempt to fully establish his self-appointed position, the Pastor added, “He’s just trying to scare us into staying.” The competition for control between the Pastor and Jasper was on.
“Pastor Reed?” Tanya asked, “It’s so cold out. Are you going to make us head out tonight in the dark?”
“No, Tanya.” The Pastor said, “We’ll stick to the plan.” He turned to glare at Jasper, “In the morning, at the crow of the rooster, we leave.” Pastor Reed regarded Jasper one last time. “You’re welcome to go with us, Jasper.” He spoke kindly and respectfully. “No one should feel they have to live like this.”
Jasper looked like he was about to reply before he turned away ignoring Pastor Reed. Robotically, Jasper silently kept working. Everyone was quiet as they sadly walked back to their respective cabins.
Jasper looked up at the sky again. What he saw worried him. “I-I could use some help to button things up for the storm.” Speaking to the people, Jasper hoped for a response, but everyone was so disappointed in him they just kept walking.
Jasper began to run around making preparations before the storm front hit. He put all of the animals in the huge lean
-to barn. Delivering extra firewood and a block of ice from the creek to the doors of each cabin, Jasper took care of the needs of his guests. Knowing he would be sleeping in the barn with the animals this night, Jasper started a large fire to keep the barn warm.
Before the sun went down, the wind began to pick-up. It started out low but it grew steadily. Soon it began to whistle through the trees and it brought with it snow. Jasper could hear a foreboding voice of something evil in the wind. “Death is cold. Death is hungry. Tonight death will feast and hammer the mantle of earth!”
Wilson breezed passed Jasper saying, “Ceramecy won’t be the only place under attack this night.”