The Teacher

The Teacher: Part II Testament, Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31

APPROACHING DELTA GAMMA, WE could see three of our classmates perched on the front cement steps...waiting patiently. The tall, rough-hewn stone walls were thick with English ivy. Leafy vines grew around all the windows and doors, falling loosely like long bangs framing a cute coed's layered razor-cut coiffeur. Guarded by two 75' white pine sentinels, cone-laden limbs drooping, the front entrance extended out from the double door forming a substantial shelter from wind and rain. The scooters and bicycles I'd ordered had been delivered and were each moored to a series of posts on either side of the main entrance. Stepping onto the front sidewalk, one of the students yelled out in our direction.

"Hey, I thought you said only a few people were living here?"

"That's right. What makes you think otherwise?" Holden replied.

"What about all these bikes. Who do they belong to?" the same student asked.

"Well, they're for anyone who ends up living with us," I answered.

"You can't be serious...really? I want one of the Vespas!" the coed sitting between the two guys replied, the Vespa alone enough to close the deal for her.

"If this is a taste of what's coming, I can't wait to see the rest of the place!" the guy on her right added.

While standing there, several more students wandered up to the front entrance. I recognized them from the Lincoln statue gathering, but they weren't from our History of Religion class.

"Hi, please join us. We were about to take a tour," I said, extending a welcoming palm-extended arm while Holden opened the door.

As we walked them through the house, each amazing perk, from the 3D flat panel TVs to the iPhones, had them dropping jaws and gasping, all while wanting to know where to sign on the dotted line of a life-changing never-look-back contract to take charge of the destiny of their souls. We finished the tour up on the observation deck where Holden addressed the group.

"I'm not surprised you're all eager to become a part of this student community I'm building here, but you really need to see beyond the trinkets of material convenience to the deeply important reason for the movement I've introduced you to. If you're serious about taking the next step, come to the back door of the Armory at midnight. If, after hearing my presentation you're prepared to make a commitment, you'll have an opportunity to go through our initiation ceremony and feel free to bring anyone else you feel might also be interested."

Holden retreated, bowed his head, and began whispering something. I could always tell when he was preoccupied with a kind of mind-meld with the Guardian, so I stepped forward.

"Questions?"

"Do we need to bring anything?" one asked.

"Will it cost money?" another questioned.

"Is there anything to worry about?" a third wanted to know.

"Just bring yourselves, it won't cost a penny, and the only thing to be concerned about is that your lives will change forever, but in a good way—I mean, in an amazingly unbelievable way. So, hang around here if you like, or take off now and perhaps we'll see you later at the Armory," I candidly answered.

WITH SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT, most of the students left to talk while a few crashed in one of our dorm rooms. Holden stayed in a trance for nearly an hour. When he finally came out of it, he had to speak to me right away.

"Fallon, I know what's going to happen...those pictures came again. It was like watching a CNN broadcast about how our message is going to spread. Look, I need your help. We're going to meditate and contact the minds of everyone we've touched so far today and implant a suggesting to come to the midnight meeting at the Armory. Well you help me?"