Cross Gate (Dream to Me): Cross Gate, #1

By A.F. Roberts

The Severs are a family in turmoil. They are David, his teens Cassie and Jeff, and Carolyn, his estranged wife. David and Cassie possess latent abilities they toyed with when she was a child, dabbling unwittingly with a technique known as dream-walking.

Presently they find themselves doing it again, coinciding with dreams David is having of a circular cross shape and a Templar Knight. David's eccentricities surrounding his dream world are wreaking havoc throughout his family life. Carolyn seeks out new age church alternatives as her solution, while David is opposed.

Cassie cares little for either, but is drawn to her father's dreams, and begins to share in them. Desiring only family preservation, her brother Jeff allies with their mother and her new found mentor Murro Vogt, a charlatan leader of a church known as The Gateway. As Vogt takes the two under his wing, his true motives in engaging this family, because of their ancestry line to the Knights Templar, slowly emerge.

Cassie's allegiance to her father and his resistance towards Vogt brings the two sides towards collision course, leading to Cassie's introduction to Sandra Nikells, a psychic consultant to the police department. Nikells appears when a tragedy of Vogt's making strikes the family. She coaches Cassie and David in the art of dream walking and the use of dream gates. As these skills are honed, the mystery of David's dream cross circles become clearer. They are revealed to be gateways of cross-over passage to the other side.

It is to this end, a mission pre-destined to the family Severs by their connection to the Templar Grand Master Peter de Severy, that their road of discovery leads. And once upon it, there is no turning back. The very author of the faith they wrestle over is the ONE who sets them forth on a tumultuous journey into the spiritual realm. Fraught with dark dangers and entities, they march into the unknown to find that which was lost, and unravel the secrets of the Cross Gate!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alan Robert Fischer
• Release date: Nov 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781736151600

A.F. Roberts

Charissa, a 200-year-old vampire, lives and works in present-day, Old Town Chicago, only blocks away from the parish of Father Christopher, a dutiful Catholic priest whose only real concern is the spiritual welfare of his community. That is, until the two meet – and are never the same again.  A ‘chance’ meeting brings the Man of God and the Mistress of the Night into a strangely symbiotic relationship – once she feeds upon him – something she initially tried hard to resist. Soon, they are sensing one another’s patterns in odd daydream interludes, building towards a newfound connection neither of them can deny.  Charissa’s cannibalistic vampire origins come into the picture when her maker, a cannibal shaman of the Caribbean, throws out his own tangled web in an attempt to re-connect with her after over a century of silence between them.  Christopher and Charissa find themselves, plus her friend Ariyah and her beau Joe, in the middle of a cross-continental nightmare leading them into the still cannibal-infested islands of the West Indies…

Book preview

Prologue

The Templar & the Shepherd

1300 A.D. - Hayasa, Hittite Empire

An afternoon mist rolled heavy and thick across a countryside of the Armenian Highlands. The dusk sun burned its last rays prior to setting, cutting through the haze. Across a field lay a small castle nestled in the hills. As the fog slowly rolled away, a rider on horseback approached and made his way to its front wall. He dismounted to open the gate to enter, led his steed through, and tied up along a perimeter wall.

The silhouette of a shadowed man was present a distance away, flitting around walled ruins adjacent to the castle. This man watched the first one as he departed the horse and closed the stronghold's gates behind him. This having cut off his view, the watcher bolted from his hiding place, dashed over to the fortress's wall, and scaled it enough to peer over. Regaining a viewpoint, he observed the first man just entering the castle itself.

In the sky above, the setting sun glowed eerily, with a halo forming. Inside the structure, it dimmed in the fading light. From within a split-level room, a door cracked open letting in the last remnants of daylight, as the first man entered through the open doorway. He ignited candles in the faintly-lit room, and proceeded towards an extravagantly large altar-like formation made of stone. Its shape was that of a cross. On the floor upon which it was erected lay a curious inlay in the stone, a circle, completely surrounding the altar. Coming up to it, he removed his load and placed it down in the middle of the it. Out of his saddlebag, he removed and donned a breastplate of mesh armor. Seating himself, he closed his eyes as if to pray; quietly at first, then murmuring in unfamiliar tongues. Opening his eyes then, he laid completely down on the stone. He was silent again for a moment.

Then as more minutes passed, the slab began to vibrate slightly, tingling through him as well. The reverberations came one after another until their pace quickened to a shudder. The entire room shook as, outside, the wind began to howl in sympathy. Tree branches bent, the moon had risen in the wake of the sunset, and a halo surrounded it as it had the sun.

The observer, Zayra by name, remained watchful, yet grew fearful and perplexed. As he watched, a gust blew forcefully through the window's mullion. Parchment flew as the candles blew out. The room took on an eerie aura. An anomalous portal emanating from the structure began to form within the airspace atop the cross.

The rift from within became fully tangible, as a circular opening began to pull at the man upon the cross-altar. The mesh of his uniform tore and he blinked in confusion. His features began to ripple and bubble, and though it appeared painful, it was not. Still, something was amiss here. It had never happened this way previously, however he’d never attempted this awake before; it has always been within the confines of a dream.

His physique started to glow and the flesh began to depart from his bones in a translucent aura. The glow and the skin of the man were pulled into the open portal of the now fully formed ‘gate,’ and was whisked inexplicably away. Amidst this activity, there was a constant crackling of energy throughout the room.

The circle slowly closed, the papers settled back to the floor and tables, and the candles miraculously re-ignited. All was still in the room once more, and on the cross-slab, only a skeleton remained. Within moments, even the bones dissolved into dust, leaving only ash. Outside, the wind ceased, the blowing tree limbs came to rest.

Through the window of the room, Zayra had seen all that just transpired. He gained entry and he stepped inside to survey further. He rummaged around the scattered parchment, finally deciding to gather them all together at once and roll them up for transport. He curiously noted the ashes remaining upon the altar, but dismissed his passing thought as implausible. Steering his attention back, he packed the scrolls into his own bag and departed the small castle.

Zayra went to where the horse was tied up, untied him, and soothingly pat the creature as he did. He offered the equine an apple, which the beast took with little hesitation. Feeling as though they were now well-enough acquainted, he mounted up, trotted off through the surrounding trees, and sprinted away.

Up above the trees, Zayra noted the dark blue night cradling the still-present halo, now surrounding the risen moon. An unusual cross-hatching of faint light filled inside the halo, as though placing a sign in the heavens to mark the events that just took place. Remembering that scene all too clearly, wanting no re-occurrence thereof, he tore his gaze from the sky and pushed his mount to full gallop away from the place. He rode the horse hard throughout the evening so that he was long gone from there by first light.

THE NIGHT GAVE WAY to the break of dawn and the sun peeked out with the halo still remaining. There, in apparently the same meadow from which Zayra had fled, a lone figure toiled over an icon under the same trees. Droplets of light sparkled as the sun reflected off the armored mesh of his garb. He was working, chiseling upon a large cross of ironwork. And before him, on the ground where he worked, lay half-circles of wrought iron. Puzzle pieces, it seemed, of all the same project. This place, so removed, pristine, and unspoiled seemed almost akin to Eden.

From across the broad expanse came another rider. This one on a white horse, with a reflective gleam similar to the first man, yet vastly brighter. So much so, that the figure atop the animal was nearly enveloped in the glow. Though his form was bathed in such light, a Shepherd’s staff could be seen angled perpendicular to his horse’s gait. The armored man studied the visitor’s approach closely.

Suddenly, the light-bathed figure was there upon him, reaching a hand to his shoulder, his staff coming to ground. As it touched, warmth and color surrounded the working man, and he smiled, releasing his chisel.

Your work, for now is done. You have arrived, Commander Peter de Severy. Another, in a time yet to come, will complete what you have begun, the warm voice said.

Someone else, Lord? Peter asked. It wasn’t successful? I didn’t save them? How can this be? Did I not do what I was shown to?

"You have, warrior, the Shepherd said. Because it is not your nature to give up and let go, the next will finish the task. One who can self-sacrifice without the sword in hand. That is the final step. Fret not, another will walk over and into your footsteps, and finish it. Let us go, as I have much to show you."

Yes Sir, Peter agreed, as if acknowledging an order. Shall we gather up my work then?

Done, replied the Shepherd, demonstrating to him that what he was working on had now vanished from sight. It is already where we shall visit first, so you may see it in its completion. Come, he motioned, toward the steed. Peter mounted up with the Shepherd, and they departed. As they rode across the endless countryside, peaceful silence endured for a while. Peter de Severy was more at ease than he had been for many, many years. He looked about the lands as they traveled, seeing the familiar and the strange. The earth, hills and dales all reminiscent of what he’s known. But the colorful skies, with more satellites than one mere moon or sun, vastly differed in hues and tones. Nonetheless, his soul remained wholly still, at peace.

At last Peter broke the silence, stating and asking simultaneously, "You are the One, are you not, The Lamb whom we’ve served."

"Sometimes unwittingly served... yes, I am, of course, replied the Shepherd. You have served sometimes through the foolishness of your earthly hierarchy, but in other times you acted directly from my prompts, unquestioning."

The dreams were of great help to me, began Peter. First, to give me something other than my sorrow, then to give me guidance as to what you sought for me to do. Yet still, what that is, fully remains...

Unclear? the Shepherd finished for him. Worry not, Commander. It shall become clearer soon. Look ahead.

And there, in the distance, Peter saw the clearing they approached. It was the pieces of the circle he’d been crafting before the Shepherd came to him. They were all put together now, in one complete arc, with a cross in the middle of it, standing upright. Peter audibly gasped in awe.

As they pulled to a stop, de Severy was quick to dismount, grasping the Shepherd’s arm in a thankful gesture, dropping to his feet. He walked quickly toward the edifice, as the Shepherd dismounted at a slower pace behind him. Peter stopped in full view of the icon, and simply stared for some moments, taking it in as though something was coming to him. He spun around to the Shepherd, exclaiming I’ve been here, building this, for how long?

For a time, my good man, answered the Shepherd. Let me show you. He walked past Peter, straight up to the ironwork. Standing before it, facing Peter, he spread his arms parallel to the horizontal bars, with his legs straight with the vertical. He placed his hands to the outermost ends and grasped. The iron heated and began to glow, reddish and pulsating.

The Shepherd released his grip and backed off, the pulse and glow building. Slowly, the brilliant cross-form expanded its shape to fill the entire space of the circle, to the point that it faded out entirely. Inside the fully open portal, colors and tones could be seen. The colors started to meld into an image. Fuzzy at first, then sharpening. The view finally showed itself to be the room from Peter’s castle. The very room where he had begun this work.

This is how I came to be here, Sire! he shouted to the Shepherd. I remember now! It is come clear! But what of my mission? Of my family? Surely, there is more to be done?

Surely! the Shepherd exclaimed. Now from within the view of Peter's room inside the circle, the room blurred around them, but the Shepherd remained sharp. The foggy background then reformed into sharpness of another place with which Peter was completely unfamiliar. Golden and glistening, warm and fluid, he saw structures, spires and gates in an almost underwater-like setting.

Come forth, Peter de Severy, and learn more of your family and your quest. For it is mine also, lest I would have not led you here! invoked the Shepherd.

With no further hesitation or questions, for the moment, the Templar Commander stepped forward toward the Shepherd and through the Cross Gate.

ELSEWHERE IN THE DISTANT Future – a Young Girl Dreamt

The dreamer saw the man, Peter, not with the peaceful Shepherd, and not in the circle-gate, but sometime much before. She saw him alone and as a prisoner to another. The captor also held those most dear to the knight. She observed him there, isolated, for a long time. She viewed him taken in a battle lost, as he alone of his comrades, was allowed to survive. Spared, only to torturously see his own family taken, turned, and twisted to evil ends. They were routinely coaxed and manipulated to believing that he might be released someday, if only they do their captor’s bidding. And though she saw he was always kept solitary, everything they made his family do was still clearly made known to the prisoner. Through word, through magic, through all manner of mind-numbing techniques known at the time, she could see that he was made aware of it – and suffered in that knowledge.

The dreamer twisted and turned to the cruelty she saw, unable to break free. At long last, over many years of treatment most inhumane, she saw the knight shown to his family. The wife, son and daughter were offered before a Sultan and high priests of a wicked sect. Appearing at first to be a recognition for 'work' well-served, their presentation quickly became a most grisly reward – swift and sure death – presented  plainly before de Severy’s eyes. They were callously slain in front of this audience, Peter, and the dreamer, one by one, in short order.

The dreaming girl became even more physically agitated at this, violently thrashing and clutching at her bed sheets. Finally, in the post-tragic imagery, she saw the broken Templar-man cast away, to an island shoreline, somewhere even more far-removed. She viewed him dumped and discarded, as she mercifully wakened, feeling 'dumped' in much the same way. Bolting upright in her bed from what was supposed to be her ‘rest,’ she shuddered, feeling nearly sick. She gasped, half choking from the overwhelming experience. As some moments passed, she struggled to regain composure, but simply curled up again on her bed and uncontrollably wept.

Stirred by the sounds of sorrow, another entered her room to see what was wrong.

Slowly alerted to his entrance, she looked up, tears still streaming, eyes reddened and sad. She reached out as a scared little girl for her daddy’s comfort. And he just held her for a very long while, until the sadness passed, but never quite forgotten.

Part I -

Dream-Gate

'To Sleep, Perchance to Dream'

Chapter 1

Cassie & David

Present Day in the Big Apple

The father who had comforted his daughter from her nightmare now dreamt himself. He visualized blurred images inside a circle, vague, yet slowly growing sharper. There was a room, and a figure toiling about therein. He saw another, with a taller body with a staff, observing the first man. A second circle then appeared within the first one. Light and energy came from it, swallowing up the first man from a cross-shaped stone table.

Then the watcher disappeared too. Only the broader, framing circle remained, but with both men gone, all the activity ceased. The room inside the circle morphed into white, reshaping into a cross of light, then it too faded away like a bulb on a dimmer switch.

Eyelids opened, allowing the start of the day to trickle in. It was how most days began for David Severs, waking from disconnected elements of what seemed like the same, ongoing tale, assuming it actually was one. Sometimes it was hard to be sure. He sighed, shrugged and crossed himself as if in thanks for the stroll through dreamland, even if he didn’t understand the vision fragments, or if he ever will.

Out of bed and across to the kitchen, he smelled the aroma from the pre-set coffee pot. Pouring a cup, he added sugar into the black and stirred. The ripples created a ring which caught his gaze hypnotically. In his mind, he saw a different color forming inside the ring of java within the cup. David smacked his hand on the table and pulled his mug away, snapping himself out of it.

Enough already, been dreaming all night, he muttered. He pulled his mug back to him and sipped as he headed back into the living room, where things were in their usual disarray. Books were left out from the shelf, some strewn about the coffee table, and a few cast aside on the floor. And of course, drawing pads with pages of circle swatches and crosses trailed further into the den area. There were canvases as well, of the same subject matter. He picked up a pad of paper and started some morning doodles. He began to sketch the scene from this morning’s dream, the room, the individuals from the vision.

Then came the familiar chirp of an incoming phone call. Wasn’t it too early? But naturally, not as he glanced at the clock on the wall. 

Hello Carolyn, he answered. On your way?

The answer, affirmative, she was pulling around to the park a few blocks away with the kids. You’re not out here, I see. How long are you going to be? she retorted.

Just a few minutes, dear – I’ll be right down.

Carolyn sighed, slightly annoyed. Alright, just hurry up, please, I need to get to a meeting. Oh, and Jeff’s coming with me as well, if that’s okay. I can drop him back to you afterward.

Now it was David who was more than annoyed, as her damnable meetings were a good part of the reason the situation was as it is now. "Wha... oh fine, dammit! I'm on my way!"

With a click off, harder than he’d smacked the table before, he was done with her. He pulled on a grey cotton shirt and black sweatpants in short order. David and Carolyn were a split couple, in a trial separation courtesy of Carolyn needing some ‘space.’ Their children, Cassie and Jeff, sixteen and seventeen respectively, underwent visitations with Dad and stayed with Mom, at least for the moment.

At the downtown lakeside park, some blocks away, the trio awaited David’s arrival. Carolyn and Jeff skipped stones across the water, as Cassie sat further off by herself, tuning out to music on her i-Pod. She could care less for her mother’s annoyance at her father‘s tardiness. It was her take that this was their deal, and she’s just caught in the middle. Though distracted and disinterested, it was she who first noticed her Dad coming up the path to them. She pulled off her earphones, got up and rushed to greet him.

Also taking note of his arrival, Carolyn grabbed Jeff‘s arm, leading him to the car. He followed, pulling away for an instant, glancing to his father, and shrugging a sad good-bye. With that, both were into the car, and backing up to pull away. David halted his forward progress, momentarily dumbfounded at the abruptness of their departure. Gut-clenched, he tensely waved at them as they went by, not knowing what else to do.

Hey Dad, began Cassie, finally reaching him. Don’t be bummed, she continued, embracing him. You know Mom – she’s just kinda trippy these days, what with all this. It’ll be okay – Jeff will come back later.

Yeah, I know, David started, but I just don’t like him going with her to those ‘people.’ And she left with him so rudely, like it’s payback for my being late!

"Yeah, and those folks are kinda freaky, huh, replied Cassie, but then again, you are a little too, y’know, so, maybe let it go, yeah?"

Yes, all right – breakfast, hon? he asked, redirecting.

Veg omelet and gravy, I’m there, dude! exclaimed his raven-haired daughter.

With that, hand-in-hand, they too left the place. Behind them, in the waters where Jeff and Carolyn had been skipping rocks, the last ripples from their play could be seen. Within these circles thereby created, the sun’s reflections formed a cross-like pattern inside it.

In a Little While, at Breakfast in a Neighborhood Diner...

David stirred raw sugar into a black cup of joe as Cassie picked at the green pepper atop her omelet, flicking the diced chunks into her country gravy. She took spoonfuls of the stuff and poured it back onto the fluffy eggs. Her gaze wandered to her father’s similar toying with his drink. She saw that he's lost once again in the swirls. She didn’t mind as it amused her. She occupied herself in much the same manner, but still, she couldn’t resist. Taking her own spoon, she reached over to ching the side of his cup, adding some new vibrations to the dark liquid inside. Unfortunately, the movement pulled her sleeve up somewhat, revealing the new tattoo just below her wrist. Perhaps because of the tat’s circular shape and David’s attention wavering from his coffee ripples, he noticed immediately.

What is this? he asked, quickly grabbing her wrist.

She started to pull back, but he stopped her short, holding her left hand. No, honey, relax. I just want to see it.

Cassie refrained from yanking her hand away, and allowed his fingers to move on, following the shape of the image.

He was somewhat surprised and intrigued, to see the very subject of his many drawings and dreams upon his daughter’s arm. This is... bizarre, hon. It’s the cross-circle from my dreams and drawings. Why would you have it tattooed? 

Don’t you like it? she retorted, starting to feel a little dejected. She confessed, I saw it in a dream too. First, I was standing in front of it, a big ‘ol circle, ya know. It shone light in the middle of it, like a cross, and when the light went away, I saw it glowing in my arm. I thought it was cool, so I went and had it done.

Just like that? he asked, now looking at her directly. Have a dream and get a tattoo of what you see, bing, bang, boom?

"Well, what are you doing, Dad? All your drawings and your shit out on the porch? Are you gonna tell me you’re not dreaming all that same stuff? You know that I know you are! Hello! It’s the same thing you’re doing, I’m just going about it a different way. I think it’s beautiful, and I just felt like I was supposed to."

Are you having sympathy dreams, or what? Is my odd obsession having this kind of effect on you? I knew we should never have started the ‘game‘ again.

He covered his face with his hands, trying to hide the stress on it, feeling as though he has been negatively affecting his daughter.

Dad! she yelped, now reaching to take his hands away, so as to look face-to-face.

"It’s cool! No worries. You’re not trippin’ me out! Let’s just figure it out, huh? If we’re both dreaming the same stuff, maybe we should try and, like, look into it or something. We started it up in the first place anyway. Let me move back in with you. I’m sick of Mom’s wacko group, and Jeff’s diggin’ on it too. It makes me the odd man out, y’know?"

David couldn’t believe his ears. Oh great, and move in with your wacko ‘ol man, huh? That’s really going to help you adjust!

She took his hand again, gently, then squeezed harder. "Dad, it really will. Please? Think about it?" Cassie pleaded.

He paused, looked her dead in the eyes, and saw her truth. He squeezed back, slowly nodding yes.

Chapter 2

David & Jeff

It was later... circles whirled...

Jeff was now also home with David...

... Charcoal pencil swished an even deeper sphere into paper...

Cassie lounged on the sofa with her i-Pod and zoned to the television with its sound turned down...

... horizontal and vertical swashes slashed over ovals...

Dad, what’cha doin’? the voice coming into the den sounded, already basically knowing the answer.

Oh nothing just, you know... David distantly responded, forcing himself back to focus on his son.

You getting anywhere with those yet? asked Jeff, both seriously and sarcastically.

Well Jeff, he began, "I’m not sure if I will get anywhere, actually. I just feel prone to do these – from the dreams."

Jeff sighed somewhat in jest, turning his attention toward their ground-level porch.

"I suppose the wrought-iron junk outside is just more of not going anywhere? C'mon, Dad! If you didn’t have something in mind, why would you be getting into all this?" Jeff nodded towards the patio to make his point.

On the patio, many pieces of ironwork laid strewn about; all half-circles and straight angles.

Cassie, across the room, took note of the gestures and quickly decided to have little to do with it. She knew where it was going, or presumed to. Grabbing the remote, she shut off the TV as she bolted up, headphones still engaged. She went off to the kitchen down the hall to grab a quick snack, away from the pointless engagement.

Jeff touched his father's shoulder gently, but firmly. Dad, really – whatever you’ve got going on here, it's okay. It’s kinda crazy, but it’s cool. I don’t get it, but I’m learning to. The meetings at Mom’s group are helping me get that.

David looked at Jeff intently now, his comment having fueled his intensity.

"That group, is mostly why we’re apart in the first place, son! It’s inherently flawed. You know that, don’t you?" 

Yeah Dad, sure, it’s a little sketchy – but so are you, with all your stuff here. You guys are just on different wavelengths. I don’t think you really need to be split up over it, but whatever, man. Work it out the way you need to, I guess.

Thanks, Jeff, began David, as his mood became calm once more. Maybe you are getting something out of those folks after all, if they’re helping you juggle our craziness. I’m really sorry for all this. You know that, right?

"Sure I know, and they are definitely helping my perspective on things. I just wish Cass could hop on board. She’s just so separated from everybody."

David shook his head no, in her defense. She’s not as distant as you think. Sure, she’s a little more isolated in her own ‘left field,’ so to speak, but she’s still with us. At least with me she is.

That’s because she feels the same way about the group as you do, Dad, just not for the same reasons. She thinks they’re just plain nuts. You think they’re downright wrong. So it's no wonder she’s more on your page. He leaned forward to his father and whispered I think she wants to split from us and come live with you pretty soon. 

No need to whisper, Jeff. I know what she’s thinking. She told me this morning.

So, you’re actually going to consider it, huh? Jeff queried. Well, it might just work, but you’ll have to play some chess to get it done. Cass and I are gonna have to ‘pawn’ for you with Mom. You go in straight up, and she’ll never go for it.

I know that, replied David. I’d never have really gone for it initially, but if you saw the look in her eyes.

"Normally, Dad, I’d say you’re being played, but you two definitely do connect – I’ll give you that. Sounds like maybe even more so now. You seriously think she’s picking up on your dreams?"

Likely yes, he began, and I imagine if we do this, we’ll probably find out more. I’m just not sure I want to know more. I think at this point though, if I push her away she’ll digress further, and get worse.

Jeff agreed, No doubt. She’s getting more distant with us. It's probably a good call. She’s more creative – like you. Not that I get either one of you, but she’ll play off you better because of that, more than she’s ever gonna with Mom or me. Just keep a handle on your ‘visions-thing.’

Suddenly, poking her head into the den where they’d been chatting, Cassie blurted, "So you guys got it all worked out do ya? Good! When do we start Operation Relocation?"

David moved around to playfully headlock her, and said, Slow down there, spitfire. No ‘field-ops’ yet, alright? Let’s just start by sleeping on it. We’ll parlay some ideas in the morning.

Cassie nodded, smiling excitedly. She moved in to hug him goodnight, and said "I’ll tell you one idea right now. Have me stay over longer now, like she kept Jeff this morning!"

"’Vengeance is Mine, sayeth the Lord,’ dear, not ours, David returned. But we’ll see. It might be a good way to see if she can take what she dishes out."

With satisfaction, Cassie exclaimed, Yeah! And then followed with a kiss. Goodnight, Dad. Sweet dreams! With that, the trio retired for the night. 

Chapter 3

Stare into a Dream

In her Sleep that Night , Cassie Dreamt of a Similar Evening, a Year Before...

The whole family emerged from the familiar Brownstone, making their way down to the very same lakeside park, mere blocks away. Walking side by side; Carolyn with Jeff, and David with Cassie. The park was set up with various tents across its center. It was the closing night of a spiritual symposium. David came reluctantly and Cassie even more so. She could care less, and David was simply opposed. Nonetheless, they were all together at least, in body.

Carolyn however, was greatly interested in the group within