Fortunate Sons

Chapter 48: Revelations in a blood stained book

The dark night had descended upon Seoul but the city lights were as bright as ever and the streets remaining busy. Taylor made his way out of the Park house, quietly shutting the door behind him before heading to the back garden with the book carefully tucked under one arm.

The swags of wisteria brushed against his shoulders as he passed beneath them and came to a small pond. The water was like a deep black mirror, reflecting anything and everything in sight, even the deep purple blooms that cascaded down the tree branches and swept against the ground. Taylor laid the book out on a flat rock, turning to the page that contained the divining spell he needed. He took a deep, nervous breath and focused on the task at hand.

"Mirror of the earth and the powers that be,

Reveal the ones I seek to me

Show me where they are

And guide them home by God's eye, the Northern Star"

As Taylor uttered those words under his breath, the black surface of the pond revealed the images he had been seeking. He saw not only Tri and Sue, but Ma Ahn and Thom as well, all of them in a crowded camp with hundreds of other displaced people. He could hear Tri crying out for him in the night, desperate to know where Taylor had gone. He saw Sue running back and forth between anyone who needed help, run down and exhausted but never once complaining about any of it. It was only when the images disappeared that Taylor thought he saw the name of the place where they had gone.......Saralam.

"Saralam," Taylor muttered. "Saralam......that's not far from Bangkok."

Taylor watched the water swirl and stir until another image formed in its surface. Part of it looked like a cross, but he couldn't be sure. He double checked the book and found his suspicion to be right. Cross......trials in suffering.....or wait......maybe Father Chu went with them.....

Taylor watched the surface of the water carefully for any signs that would point him in the right direction. Sure enough he had his answer. He soon heard the voices of both Father Chu and Colonel Swyft speaking indiscernibly to one another.

The water went black and Taylor gathered up the book, heading back into the house to his room where he found a piece of paper and a pencil. In the quiet stillness of the night, he scratched out a letter that he hoped Sue would get and if not at least he had tried.

Suie,

If you get this letter I wanted to let you know that I made it safely to Seoul. I've only been here a day or two, but not a second goes by when I don't think about you or everybody else that got left behind. Did you and Tri make it to Thailand safely? How did you get out? I have a million and one questions I want to ask, but I guess one letter isn't enough to ask them all.

I met a woman on the flight who said that she would be able to help get you guys out, but I don't know how long it will take. I just hope it won't take a lifetime. Give my best to everyone if you can and know that I love you. Tell Tri that Daddy misses her too and that when we're together again, I promise we won't ever leave each other for anything.

With all my love from Seoul,

Taylor

Taylor folded up the letter and sealed it in the envelope, doing his best to try and figure out how to address the damn thing. There was no way he would be able to mail this the ordinary way. As he held the envelope in his hand he watched as a tiny lick of orange formed at the corner, burning hot with a blueish tint along its edge. It began to grow, just a little bit at a time as it slowly ate away at the paper and left a crinkled brown trail in its wake. When the flame had eaten the last of it, Taylor held the flame in the palm of his hand until he was certain the letter would reach Sue. He gathered the air in his lungs and let it out in a deep, gusty breath that took the life of the flame with it and left Taylor in the pitch black room.