T.O.R.N.: There's Only Right Now

Chapter 13 Michael

On one of the more secluded beaches in Pismo Beach, California, Michael rubbed lotion on Stella's back as she leaned forward into her butterfly stretch. She inhaled deeply as he massaged her achy muscles. Eight months pregnant, she needed every bit of this attention to her body. She exhaled releasing the tension.

Stella opened her eyes to see Asante running toward the incoming tide and yelled, "Not too far Asante, wait for Mommy!"

"You better go grab her before the ocean does." Michael joked.

Stella took one more deep breath and stood in one motion. She began to run toward her daughter, as she did, she saw Asante standing at the water's edge and a wave the size of a tsunami rolled toward her in the distance. The faster Stella ran to Asante, the further Asante and the shoreline became, yet the wave got closer and closer. The sky became darker and more ominous with each passing moment. Just as the tsunami seemed as though it would swallow up her precious child, Asante turned around to face the wave, held up her hands in the direction of the oncoming doom and the water stood still.

Stella, finally able to reach Asante, wrapped her arms around her daughter's small frame. The wave disappeared and the sun was shining brightly as it was a moment before. Stella looked around the desolate beach and all was tranquil. Michael waved to them and smiled from their blanket. She picked up Asante who seemed to be unaware of what she had just seen and began walking back toward him. Was it some type of vision? She had been having dreams that felt more like nightmares and although she would wake up frightened, Stella could never remember the details of her nightly terrors.

As she got closer Michael could read her face and he ran to her. "What's wrong, what happened?"

"I saw something but I'm not sure what it was? There was a tsunami coming in from the ocean, headed straight for us when I tried to get to Asante, I couldn't! And just when I thought all was lost, Asante turned toward the wave and was able to control it somehow," Stella was still obviously shaken.

"What do you think it means?" Michael asked with deep concern in his eyes. Stella looked up to meet his gaze as the setting sun's light danced in the flecks of gold in his green eyes, she didn't want to burden him today, they rarely were able to have days like this, days without the imminent threat of The Sephiren invading their reality. She didn't know what she saw but all was well now, that's all she needed.

"I'll meditate on it later and see if I can glean some discernment about what it means, in the meantime, Mama's hungry, what did u pack in that basket?"

Michael pulled she and Asante close to him, he whispered into her short hair, kissing her as he did, "I love you, but this burden is not yours alone to bear, no matter how powerful you are," he pulled back, smiling and took in the vision of his beautiful family. "Let's eat," he continued as he grabbed each of their hands and led them back to the blanket.

At dusk, they finished their meal and began to pack up. Michael stood up to get one good body stretch before they loaded up and got back in their nineteen sixty-seven VW Westfalia Camper Van. They had one hundred or so miles to cover before they could find a safe place for them to sleep. As he reached for the sky, it was as if he had been struck in the head with an unseen object. He fell to the ground holding both sides of his head.

"Daddy!" Asante cried out as Stella rushed to his side and held his head in her hands. He opened his eyes after a few moments and said, "They have Emily!"

"You know it's a trap when's the last time that you even heard from her?"

"Since before Asante was born but what does that matter, Stella?"

She looked at him intently, then, "Michael, is it possible she's working with The Sephiren? What if they turned her, you know how power hungry she's always been?"