Come Again?: Book 1 - The Maria Series

By Sananda Allsgood

Maria is turning 16 today and is looking forward to having a wonderful day with her family…until she sees him lying in the backyard, not moving and with blood on his shirt. Running downstairs toward him, she asks her parents to call 911, unsure of what to expect. Little does she know just what she is walking into and how it will change her entire life!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Dec 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645364474

Book preview

Note

About the Author

The author grew up in Long Beach, California, many years ago and that is why he chose that location for this book. Knowing the area well, he felt, gave him an advantage in the story. He turned 18 before the Vietnam War draft ended, so he was a prime target. He decided to volunteer for the Air Force instead of being drafted into the Army or Marines. They were still dying over there and that just wasn’t his desire!

He ended up there anyway, but at least it was his doing, not the government’s. He spent 20 years in the Air Force as a police officer and was stationed all over the world at various periods of his career. Once Sananda retired, he became an over-the-road truck driver. This afforded him plenty of time to listen to books and it eventually got him writing short stories and poems. He never dreamed it would lead to anything like this, but here he is. He’s already told the readers about how this book came about, but the other books in this series were written the same way, all being given to him.

In 2015, the author’s wife passed away. Both of them believed the information presented in this book, and he found that very helpful in dealing with his wife’s passing. Knowing it was her choice and also knowing that his sorrow was only his selfishness of wanting her here with him allowed him to skip the Stages of Grief that is talked about so much.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all those who have the courage to read it with an open mind, allowing the information to process through to your higher self. If you are one who does not understand this material or it doesn’t resonate with you, it just wasn’t your time yet. However, if you are drawn to this book, then I’m sure it will resonate and change your life.

Blessings to you!

Copyright Information ©

Sananda Allsgood (2019)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Ordering Information:

Quantity sales: special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Allsgood, Sananda

Come Again?

Book 1 – The Maria Series

ISBN 9781641825870 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781641825887 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781645364474 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019913428

The main category of the book — YOUNG ADULT FICTION / General

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published (2019)

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 28th Floor

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Foreword

The process for this book was a unique one, at least for me. As I often do, I woke up at 4 am with the urge to go type something. I normally don’t know what it will be, so this part wasn’t unusual. When I sat down at the computer, I began to see a movie (for lack of a better term) begin to play out in my mind. I felt the urge to begin writing what I was seeing.

This process went on for several hours each day for a total of 6 days. These six days were spread out over a one-year time period, but each time I would sit down to type, the movie would resume right where it left off. As the pages mounted, I began to wonder where this was going to cease. As this thought came to me, I saw an obvious place to put an end to this book, but not necessarily the story. While this story is a fictional one, the subject matter of how we perceive deities and the stories around them is real. I know this to be true because of experiences I have had. They have led me to understand that judgment of others is an incorrect thought and I spread that message daily. Some people receive it and some don’t. That is how it should be. Without some strife or what some call trauma/drama, we could not have some of the experiences we came here for. I can, mostly, see the perfection in the events of life even if I don’t like them. To understand that we are Spiritual beings having a Human experience and that the idea of death, as it is defined in our culture, does not exist, makes it easier for acceptance of the events we see and hear about. I hope this book will bring some peace to those who read it. If it doesn’t, well, that too is as it should be.

Blessings to all of you!

Chapter 1

Some people might think it sucks having a birthday on a major holiday. Mine falls on New Year’s Day of 2000. I don’t really mind my birthday being on New Year’s Day, it’s kinda fun really. I get to have most of my family around since they were here for New Year’s Eve and are still recuperating from a night of celebrating. Most of them will be awake in time for the football games and dinner, which is what Mama calls the main meal of the day. We normally eat this around 1 pm and then my birthday cake rolls out and we all sing and dance.

I do get some presents but that isn’t really important to me. My family is more important. I have my mama, my papa and my older brothers, Peter, Paul, and Martin. My grandpa and grandma also come for the celebration, but they are getting older and I’m not sure just how many years they will be here. I plan on enjoying them for as long as they’re here.

I’m lying in my very comfortable bed and I can smell the breakfast that Mama is making in the kitchen. That has to be bacon I smell frying and the coffee! Most kids my age aren’t really into drinking coffee. They prefer a Starbucks latte or something like that. I like coffee and the rich taste it has. Mama grinds up her beans fresh and that might be the difference for me.

I opened my eyes and the sun was lighting up my room. I’m a girl so my room reflects my personality pretty well. It’s a light pink with white trim. My bed has a canopy over it with 4 large white posts at the corners. My bed cover is a fluffy pink and a white rose laden comforter. I do have a couple of throw pillows for my bed. I like my bed. It’s always been a place of comfort and warmth for me, so I keep it special.

I have a white and gold trim desk where I do my homework. I’m taking a couple of advanced college courses, so Papa made sure I had the computer to do research. My dresser matches my desk and I have a new white carpet in my room. It took a lot of talking to convince Mama and Papa that a white carpet wouldn’t be a mistake.

All in all, I’m a very happy girl, who is now a legal 16 years young!

I jumped out of bed, grabbed my robe and as I start out of my room, I looked out of my window.

Oh my god!

Outside, lying on the grass, is the body of a boy or a small man. I’m not sure which, but I run out of my room, down the stairs, and through the house.

Mama, Papa! There’s someone lying in the back yard! I yelled.

Running through the back door, I dash over to the body and see that it’s a boy of 12 or 13. Mama was coming right behind me.

Maria! Don’t touch him! Mama said, but it was too late. I had pulled him into my arms and was holding him. He had been shot in the left shoulder area.

Mama, he’s been shot. Call the police!

Papa is doing that already. Be careful, Maria. He might have a blood disease or something!

The words just barely hit my ears, but I didn’t really hear her. I felt this incredible need to put my hand on his wound, so I did. I closed my eyes and felt the sun warm my face. What happened next surprised not only me, but it shocked Mama so much she had to sit down.

A bright white light came from somewhere in the sky and entered the crown of my head. It flowed out of my hand, right into the boy. His body jumped somewhat, and the bleeding stopped!

The boy began to stir a little as I heard the sirens approaching our house. By now, my family had all gathered around to see just what was happening.

The boy’s eyes began to open. He looked up at me, gave a slight smile, and asked, What happened?

I was going to ask you that, I said. You were in our backyard, lying here bleeding. What happened to you?

I’m not sure. The last thing I remember is walking down the alley and hearing a car begin to speed up behind me. I turned to see a dark blue car coming toward me. It was coming right for me, so I started to climb the fence. I heard a pop and felt a pain in my shoulder. The next thing I remember is waking up here.

Papa began telling my family to clear a path so the police and rescue people could get in.

Miss, you can lay him down now. We’re here to take care of him, the EMT said to me.

I began to move away, but the boy held onto my hand. I tried to take my hand back, to get out of the way, but he wouldn’t let go.

It’s okay, he can hold your hand, said the EMT.

The boy smiled at me in a way that I didn’t really understand at first. There was just a peaceful look on his face.

I looked at him, realized the wound to his shoulder was not there any longer, and the EMT was looking rather confused.

I see blood on the shirt, but I can’t find a wound, Tom! he said to his partner.

The other EMT came over and checked the shoulder area. They looked at each other, then the boy and then me.

Did you do something for him, miss? asked the one called Tom.

I just held him until you got here, I replied.

No, Maria! The light! called out Mama. Don’t forget the light! The look on her face was one I’ve seen before, but not quite the degree of confusion she was displaying now. I think it was disbelief!

I don’t know what that was, Mama, I said.

What was what? asked Tom.

I was holding him, and I had my hand on his shoulder. I was looking up and feeling the sun warm my face. Then a bright light came from out of the sky and went right into his shoulder.

Right through you, Maria! called out Mama. Right through you!

You were struck by lightning? asked Tom.

I don’t think so. I am not hurt or anything.

May I check you over? he asked.

Yes, I said. Mama said it came through my head and out of my hand.

Tom looked my head over and then looked at my hand.

No marks anywhere. You say a light entered your head?

That’s what Mama said. I didn’t see it and only felt a tingle for a second.

Yes, said Mama. It went right through my Maria and into the boy! She began crossing herself in the Catholic manner.

What’s the boy’s vitals, Adam? asked Tom.

Absolutely normal, replied Adam. if there wasn’t blood on his shirt, I would say this was a false alarm.

Now the police officer moved in. She was a beautiful woman with blonde hair and very blue eyes that almost hypnotized you to look at.

Is he going to make it guys? she asked.

Yeah, he’s fine! Outside of this hole in his shirt and the blood marking the outside of the hole, replied Tom.

His vitals are that of a normal 13-year-old kid. No reason for us to be here, Adam said and began packing up their equipment.

I looked at Mama who was still staring at me.

What is it, Mama? I asked.

Maria! Do you know what happened here?

No, what?

It’s a miracle! she cried. A mir-a-cle!

Papa took her into his arms and held her, stroking her hair.

There, there, Mama, it’s okay, he cooed to her.

Mija, I have witnessed a miracle! she just kept saying.

The police officer bent down to me and asked, Can you tell me what happened? I began to explain what I had seen from my bedroom. How I had run out to the boy, taken him into my arms and just tried to comfort him waiting for the EMTs to show up. She took notes and then turned to the boy.

Please tell me what happened, she asked.

The boy began to repeat the story he had told me. The officer also wrote it down in her notes. It wasn’t long until the EMTs were gone, and the officer was taking the boy with her. The boy turned and looked at me.

Thank you, he said and smiled at me.

Yes, it’s okay, I said. What’s your name?

Tomas.

Bye, Tomas! God bless you, I said.

He has, he replied, and they were gone.

The excitement seemed to be dying down and the house would be back to normal again, I thought.

I looked down at my robe, afraid of the mess that would be on it, yet nothing was there! None of the boy’s blood was on my hands, robe, or anywhere else.

I was confused knowing I had held him, there should be blood on me too…but nothing. Maybe Mama wasn’t wrong after all. Maybe it was a miracle! No, it can’t be! After all, I’m just a girl of 16, living in Long Beach, California. I’m nothing special to have miracles happen to.

Then I heard a little voice inside my head, ‘It didn’t happen to you. It happened to him.’

Yes! I thought. It happened to him!

Like a switch being turned off, I relaxed and lost my anxiety. Something within me was pulsing, causing a very relaxed feeling to wash over me. Not one of sleepiness, but one of pure relaxation.

I looked around and others seemed to still be in shock and confusion. Yet here I was…at total peace with all of it. Yes! I thought. Total peace is what I’m feeling.

Mama came over and held me.

Are you okay, Maria? she asked.

Yes, Mama. I’m wonderful! I replied with a big smile on my face.

She looked at me straight in the eyes and something she saw in them made her smile.

Yes, you are, she cooed, I can see that in your eyes. I want to go talk with the Father and tell him what happened.

It was then that I felt a twinge of unease come over me. I didn’t want the Father to know. I’m not sure why, but that feeling was becoming very strong within me, not to talk with the Father.

I don’t want to, Mama, I said. I don’t want to talk with the Father.

Maria! she exclaimed. He might help us understand what happened.

I don’t need to know, Mama. I feel good with everything now.

She looked at me as if I had slapped her.

I am going to talk with the Father, Maria. I want you with me when I do. Do you understand?

I understand that you are asking me to do something I don’t really want to do.

Maria, you are not an adult yet. You need to do what your papa and I tell you.

That was it. I guess I didn’t have any freedom after all, so I relented.

Yes, Mama, I said. When do you want to go?

Tomorrow, she said. I want to go tomorrow and talk with Father Garcia. Maybe he will know what happened.

I just nodded my head and went back into my room. Even though there wasn’t any blood on my clothes, I took a shower. As I was showering, I again felt that strange feeling coming over me. Then that voice returned. ‘Maria,’ it called, like it was one of my friends wanting to talk with me.

Yes, I said, but to whom, I wasn’t sure.

‘Maria, you are waking up. You are waking up to who you really are!’ the voice said, almost as if it was a fun thing.

What do you mean? I asked. Waking up to what? What do you mean ‘Who I really am’?

‘You will have more experiences like today’s, Maria, and it will make your life challenging, but we are here to help you.’

Who is ‘we’? I asked.

‘We are those who help you and there are many of us.’

I began to look around the room to see if I was alone or not. There was no one but me.

I’m not sure I understand, I said.

‘You will eventually. Be patient.’

Who are you? Do you have a name?

‘We have names but not ones that can be said in your language,’ came the reply.

Where are you? I asked.

‘We are within you and all around you. We are within the air you breathe and the food you eat. When you touch a stone, you touch us. When you drink water, you drink us.’

I got out of the shower and dried off, thinking about this voice and what it had said. Sitting on the edge of my bed, getting dressed, I had no words, but many crazy thoughts.

‘Maria, you have entered the age of your life when you begin to claim your rightful place with humankind.’

What the heck does that mean?

‘It means you are entering the age of what is called adulthood in your language. With that, you will soon know your power and your abilities. You will use them for the betterment of humankind.’

That sounds pretty heavy to me right now, I said.

‘It will not come at once but over many weeks and you will find it easy to assimilate.’

Assimilate? What’s that?

‘To accept and live with.’

Oh, I said. Are you going to be here so I can talk with you when I need to?

‘Yes, but you must be careful at first. There are those among you who do not believe in the voices that guide you and might think you insane.’

Hmm, yeah. That could get a little weird, huh?

‘As your time becomes clear, it will not matter. Your life is going to get more interesting day by day.’

What about talking with the Father? I asked.

‘Not to be obtuse, but your mother said she wanted to talk with the Father, right?’

Yes, but I know she’s going to expect me to talk also. Perhaps tell the story from my point of view.

‘Then tell it. If he believes, so be it. If not, it will lend a spark of light where his faith lay.’

Oh brother! I exclaimed, and I felt the voice go silent.

The rest of the day was pleasant. The food was incredible but the thought of talking with Father Garcia never quite left my mind.

Chapter 2

The next day, Mama and I got ready to go see Father Garcia. It isn’t that I didn’t like him, he was okay. It’s just that I didn’t really believe all of the stuff he said during church. I just had a hard time with all the sins and damnations and things like that. Something within me told me that wasn’t true. That God would not be the way the church described him.

Anyway, we arrived at the church, walked over to the office areas and into the reception office. Mrs. Lopez was sitting behind her desk and looked up when the door opened.

Hello Mrs. Lopez, Mama said.

Mrs. Lopez and Mama started talking in Spanish. I never learned much of it. Just rebellious I guess, but today I understood every word they were saying and that blew me away! It was just small talk, but I knew what they were saying.

How is that? I thought and then remembered back to the voice saying things were going to be different now and wondered if this is one of the things it meant.

Father Garcia is just finishing a phone call, said Mrs. Lopez. So have a seat and I’ll let him know you’re here.

"Gracias," said Mama and we sat down.

No sooner had we sat down that the intercom buzzed. Mrs. Lopez said, He can see you now.

We rose and walked over to the door to his office. As we walked over, I looked around at the office and noticed how beautiful it was. Very ornate woodcarvings with gold trim and statues of Mary and Jesus along with paintings.

We walked into Father Garcia’s office and it wasn’t much different. He had some soft music playing low and some coffee sitting on his desk. It smelled good and when he offered Mama and me some, I accepted.

Father Garcia is in his 30s or 40s and has a beard and mustache that is showing signs of getting older. You know, little gray hairs popping out. I know he’s a smoker because his breath smells like cigarettes and that is foul to me.

Unlike some of the kids in my school, I don’t think it looks cool or sexy. I think it’s stupid, but if they want to, let them.

So, Mrs. Martinez, what may I do for you today? he asked with a smile as he sat my coffee down. Do you take anything in it, Maria? he asked.

No, thank you, I replied.

I want to ask you about something that happened to my Maria yesterday! Mama said excitedly.

His eyes rose a little and he looked at me.

Really? What happened? he questioned.

Mama told him the story and kept most of it to point, but when she embellished some, I had to make a correction.

She touched this boy and a light came out of the sky, went through Maria and into the boy’s shoulder. It was a miracle! she said.

I chimed in with, I’m not sure about that. All I felt was a tingle while I was looking into the sky and feeling the sun warm my face.

Father Garcia sat looking at me, with a critical look on his face.

And the bleeding on the boy just stopped? he asked.

Not only that! The wound healed itself, right then! Mama said all excited.

Father Garcia’s eyebrows rose a little as if surprised.

The wound healed itself? he asked.

Si, yes! replied Mama.

I just looked down at my pants, feeling kind of embarrassed about it all.

Maria, what do you think it was? he asked.

I don’t know. That’s why Mama wanted to come here and talk with you. She thinks it’s a miracle, I said.

Yes, a miracle, Mama said again.

Okay, let me see if I understand all of this. You see a boy lying in your backyard, you run down the stairs to him. You take the boy in your arms and as you’re holding him, a light comes from the sky and goes through you and into the boy. Then the bleeding stops, the wound heals and there’s no trace of any injuries. The boy is normal. Is that what you’re telling me? he asked looking at me.

Yes, and I never got any blood on me, even when I was holding the boy, I added.

He looked very perplexed and seemed to think about this for a while. I was getting a little uncomfortable with the looks he was giving me, as though he was having a hard time believing the story. He finally got up from his chair, walked around his desk and approached me. Holding out his two hands as if he wanted me to place mine in his. He said, May I look at your hands, Maria?

I placed my hands into his and he looked at them, turned them over and back again. He felt my hands with his thumb and forefinger in a massaging motion.

How do you feel today, Maria? he finally asked.

I’m great! I was great yesterday, I replied.

His name was Tomas?

Yes, I said.

Father Garcia walked back behind his desk and took his seat. He sat there and contemplated for a moment. He looked at both of us and said, Obviously, the church believes in miracles, he said. It is based on the miracle of Jesus. I would like to think about this some Mrs. Martinez and perhaps talk with some of my Bishops. May I get back with you?

Yes, we are interested in what the church thinks about this, she said.

I thought to myself, No Mama, you are. I don’t care.

As we were walking from Father Garcia’s office, I said, Mama, I don’t want to make this a big thing. I don’t want to become some kind of freak show!

Maria, if you have performed a miracle, don’t you want to know what it was?

Mama, I know what it was. It was saving a boy’s life. That’s all.

She looked at me in disbelief. Maria! she exclaimed. "That is not all it was! You were given a gift from God and you should be grateful for it!"

A gift that worked and now is gone, I said, I don’t want to make a big deal about it.

She shook her head and got into the car. I got in and we drove home.

Chapter 3

Mama, I want to go to Angela’s please, I asked.

Okay, please take your cell.

Okay. I left to go to my best friend’s house.

She didn’t live that far away so I just walked. The sun felt good, warming me again after being in Father Garcia’s office. His office was too cool for me and had given me a chill, or was it all this talk of a miracle happening? Who knew? As I turned the corner, a car stopped, and a guy leaned out of the window.

Hey, Chicka! he said looking at me.

I stopped. What do you want? And my name ain’t Chicka.

I don’t know your name, so right now, it’s Chicka, he said with a slurred accent on the word Chicka.

It’s Maria. Now what do you want? I replied.

I hear you saved a boy’s life yesterday? he half stated and asked at the same time.

You heard wrong. I just held him. The EMTs saved him, I said back with a little bit of sarcastic tone to it.

His look and tone changed. I could see he was no longer smiling. "Maybe we don’t want him saved!" he said angrily and began to open the car door.

I didn’t wait any longer and took off running. I heard the car door slam and then heard footsteps behind me. I can run pretty well, so I took off! Suddenly, I heard a gunshot, then two, then three but I just kept running. I turned the corner and ran up to Angela’s house, turned and looked back. The guy was standing there, looking at me with a look of being pissed off and surprised all at once.

I knocked on the door but didn’t wait for anyone to answer. I just went in and as I