Exit to Morvana

By Marilynn Wood

Do the painful disappointments in life make you wonder "Where is the exit door on this planet? Consider the tale of over worked, lonely Samantha who one day meets a mysterious Alien while visiting a metaphysical book store. He offers to take her to Morvana, a planet in the Andromeda galaxy where the people have such long life spans they are virtually immortal. The Morvanian civilization has suffered through all the trials and tribulations that planet Earth has and overcome them. This has resulted in a near perfect Utopian planet. The only catch is, Samantha must agree to leave Earth and everything she knows -- forever. If you had such an opportunity, would you go?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Sep 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9780228836254

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Exit to

Morvana

Marilynn Wood

Exit to Morvana

Copyright © 2021 by Marilynn Wood

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 author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-3626-1 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-3625-4 (eBook)

We are all beings of light dancing across space and time forever

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 In the Beginning

Chapter 2 The Long Hot Summer

Chapter 3 Reality Sets In

Chapter 4 The Ending Becomes A Beginning

Chapter 5 Revelation Eve

Chapter 6 The Earth’s Unknown History

Chapter 7 The Past Becomes The Future

Chapter 8 Reincarnation

Chapter 9 Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Chapter 10 Decision Time

Chapter 11 The 200th Millennium Council

Chapter 12 Home Again

Chapter 13 We Have Lift Off

Chapter 14 Sacred Ceremony

Chapter 15 Morvana Bound

Chapter 16 Life on Board the Mother Ship

Chapter 17 Welcome to Andromeda

Chapter 18 Entering Morvana

Chapter 19 The Good Life on Morvana

Chapter 20 Lunar Festival

Chapter 21 Return to Orvala

Chapter 22 Ancient Morvanians

Chapter 23 Dinner at Home

Chapter 24 The Crystal Temple

Chapter 25 Terror

Chapter 26 Dark Messiah

Chapter 27 Samantha’s Rescue

Chapter 28 Return to Danellen

Chapter 29 Havaar’s Trial

Chapter 30 Happy Ending?

Chapter 1

In the Beginning

Samantha Morgan shifted uneasily in the driver’s seat, struggling to find a comfortable position for her throbbing left ankle. She’d broken it the winter before when walking down a customer’s icy, snow covered, driveway. Samantha had been carrying a Vacuum in one hand and a demo kit in the other -- when she slipped -- and couldn’t do anything to save herself.

I slid down to the bottom of the hill on my rear end; in front of the home where I was about to demonstrate a new Vacuum, Samantha thought ruefully.

The lady of the house had come running out. When she saw Samantha’s broken leg, she became hysterical, running around the yard screaming. Samantha -- who was sitting in a cold snow bank -- had to get her calmed down. Then she asked to borrow the ladies cell phone so that she could call an ambulance for herself.

Rotten luck, Samantha grumbled. I’m sure that I really impressed her. Oh! well. The plates and screws have been surgically removed now. A whole year, she murmured to herself, With that metal crap rattling around inside of me."

Oncoming headlights stabbed her eyes. Dim your damn lights. Samantha muttered inwardly. "Stupid idiot!"

What a life, she thought, Vacuum Cleaner Sales Person. A job that was just coming to an end after two years of gruelling labour. Samantha winced at the thought of all the promises that had been made to her.

Our management program is second to none. We don’t discriminate against women. We’ll have you managing your own branch in no time. Don’t worry that your only earning commission. Putting in all those extra hours without pay will be made up for when you have your own branch.

"And I swallowed it all hook, line, and sinker, she thought with total disgust. Then the company sold out and the entire management program was terminated. I wonder what second rate job I’ll get stuck with next?" she grumbled to herself.

Oh damn! I’m going to be late again.

The Star Light Orchestra, that she played piano for would already be on stage. Samantha winged quickly around the corner and came to an abrupt stop. She grabbed her black velvet jacket out of the back seat and hurried across the street to the back door of the Community Arts Centre.

The choir was singing the opening strains of the introduction to her original composition, Music for the Universe. The notes drifted down the stairs as she made her way up to the stage area; just in time for her solo performance. Samantha quickly took her place at the piano. As her fingers touched the keys -- out of the corner of her eye -- she caught the perplexed and slightly amused look of the conductor Duncan Adair. Duncan always seemed to treat her with a combination of patience and parental indulgence; yet he demanded her best work from her always and pushed her hard to achieve it.

Mysterious man that Duncan, Samantha contemplated -- as she swung into the opening bars of her music -- remembering that she had first met him at a metaphysical book store she frequented. He was tall, with jet black hair and aqua blue eyes that seemed to penetrate right through any emotional defences she had. Duncan had acted as if he knew her from somewhere; but Samantha had no recollection of ever meeting him before. Within a few minutes he had found out where she worked, what she liked to read, and that she was musical. He had done all of this in a flash, without really revealing anything about himself. All she had managed to find out was that he taught music at the local College and conducted an amateur orchestra as a hobby. He gave Samantha his card. Out of curiosity, she had decided to attend one of their practice sessions to see if it was something that she might like to do.

From the beginning, he had treated her as if the orchestra was there just for her. No one else seemed to object; even though it had made Samantha uncomfortable.

Samantha had always been a composer. However, she had never found the courage to perform her work in public or try to have it published. Duncan had somehow known about this -- without her telling him -- and this too, Samantha found somewhat disconcerting.

In the three months that had passed she had found herself before a public audience on several occasions. Her music had been quite well received, although not everyone understood it. New Age they had termed it on the critic’s page of the local Newspaper. A definition that she could not relate to, in spite of her metaphysical leanings.

Samantha’s reverie was broken when she heard the final notes of her music bringing the piece to an end. She stood up to take her bow and saw Duncan’s satisfied smile as he turned to the audience and accepted their acknowledgement. The concert continued on for another hour and a half; but to Samantha time seemed to pass much more quickly. In spite of her late arrival all had gone well, and the performance had turned out to be quite a success.

As she made her way down the back staircase, she heard Duncan’s footsteps right behind her. Funny how she always knew it was him. Even without turning around, the familiar tapping of his shoes on the steps helped her to recognize his distinctive walk.

They stood at the bottom of the stairs in silence for a few moments. Then Duncan said, I think we had better make up our minds about what we are going to do with the rest of the evening, he chuckled, We’re blocking the exit.

Oh! Alright, agreed Samantha, You win, but only for a few minutes. I need to get up early tomorrow morning. I have another job interview.

That’s okay Sam, he replied, just so long as you make an appearance.

Sam, that’s what he always called her. It seemed affectionate; but she knew -- as soon as they walked into the Green Room -- that Duncan would be surrounded by female admirers. Musicians usually were, especially if they were male. It didn’t seem to work so well the other way around.

Of course, it’s too bad that he’s so Ugly too, Samantha thought sarcastically. She knew that women were drawn to his beautifully chiselled features, just as much as they were to his music.

Samantha always felt uncomfortable at social gatherings. She had been divorced for years, but somehow there was always that feeling of being left out -- not quite complete -- because she was without a partner or children. She didn’t look her age. She had somehow managed to retain an almost haunting, youthful, quality. As for Duncan, it was impossible to tell his. He seemed ancient in his understanding of people, yet ageless at the same time.

Yes, quite a mystery our Duncan, Samantha mused coolly to herself; twisting her fingers into her own long blond hair as she watched him circulating around the room, Quite a mystery indeed.

The Green Room was already filling up with people when Samantha entered it. She spoke to a few individuals that she knew, as waiters in short white jackets bustled to and fro about the room handing out drinks and hors d’œuvres. Samantha rarely drank alcohol any more. There were just too many reminders in it from her unhappy marriage. As if on cue, Duncan walked over with a glass of her favourite brand of pop. Other than the occasional glass of wine, Duncan didn’t drink much either.

Bottoms up, he said, sipping from a coffee cup. So what are you planning to do for the summer?

I’m going to Conner City, Sam replied, referring to a larger community 51 miles down the road from where she lived. My former boss Adam Case has been working in a big hotel there selling time share condominiums. He says that they are looking for more sales people; so I’m going to give it a try.

"Do you really want to do that for a living?" Duncan asked in a concerned voice.

Well! Duncan, I really don’t have much choice, she said with a trace of irritation in her voice. This job pays real wages not just commission. Since my Mother died this spring I have taxes and upkeep to pay on the house, not to mention car maintenance and living expenses.

I could help you out with that, Duncan offered.

No! She replied rather sharply, I’ll be fine. Samantha was remembering the humiliation she had felt over the years -- since her divorce -- having to accept financial help from her family. She couldn’t bear any more of that. Samantha had decided that she would do what she had to; even if she starved.

Samantha had not needed to work very much during her marriage, in fact her husband had made her quit. He’d told her it was because he wanted to travel three months out of each year and her working would just get in the way. He had money and a profession, so Samantha was happy to go along with it. Once she was single again, she was shocked at the difficulties she had breaking into the work force. She’d studied fine arts at college; not work related skills. Now she had to learn computers just to keep up. It wasn’t easy finding work -- and the low pay she received when she did find it -- hardly made ends meet.

Flashbacks of what it had been like for her during the years she had been married entered her mind for a moment. She had been married to someone with money; she’d travelled -- and had the luxury of attending College whenever she wanted -- there were never any money worries like she had now. People envied her lifestyle. She was a beautiful blond. Her husband was tall and handsome with a near genius I.Q. -- and his parents adored her -- what could be better? They should have been the perfect couple. What no one knew was that her husband -- with the near genius I.Q. -- was a misogynist and an absolute control freak. When they were first married all he did was push her around a bit; but as time went on he began beating her behind closed doors. Samantha was too ashamed to tell family members. When she had sought professional help, she had been sent to the only available therapist in her small home town. He turned out to be an elderly W.A.S.P. male trained in Freudian concepts. He told her it was all her fault -- she was a bad wife -- and if she could just get it right her husband would stop hitting her.

When she finally did escape the marriage, all of her economic nightmares came true. She took courses, but when she completed them she discovered there were no jobs. The local economy was in desperate trouble and she could not afford to move. Besides, her elderly parents needed her. When she finally found work by taking anything she could find -- even though she was over-qualified -- she was paid low wages just because she was a woman. Recently, her ex-husband’s parents had both died. Some friends had told her that her ex-husband had inherited so much money he was taking an early retirement so he could travel more. Samantha winced inside, He forced me to follow his dream so that I could never have mine!

Are you okay, Duncan asked, putting a concerned hand on her shoulder.

I’m fine Duncan -- really I am -- I’m fine. Samantha was feeling uncomfortable now. She hated it when anyone broke through her emotional armour and saw her pain. Look, thanks for the drink and this evening Duncan, but I really must go. She set her glass down on a tray carried by a waiter going by and headed for the door.

Let me walk you to your car, Duncan said, as he caught up to her.

"You really shouldn’t leave the party Duncan. All your fans are waiting with baited breath to speak to you." She didn’t mean for the sarcasm to seep into her voice that way, but somehow she couldn’t help it.

Come on you, Duncan said, grabbing her arm. He steered her out the door and over to her car. Now look! he said, with a hint of reprimand in his voice, "You call me this summer. If you need anything -- anything at all -- even just to talk, call me, promise?" Samantha stood there silently for a moment.

"Promise me!" Duncan said, shaking her a little.

All right, all right, Sam reluctantly replied, "IF I need anything I’ll call you."

Good, he said, opening the door to her old car and closing it behind her. He leaned in through the window. His azure blue eyes seemed to shine -- even in the dark -- as he looked at her for a long moment. Then he patted her shoulder and said, I’m going to hold you to your promise -- good night-- and don’t work so hard. Sometimes I wonder if you do anything else?

Duncan stepped back from the car and Samantha drove off. She caught a glimpse of him in her rear view mirror as he headed back towards the Community Arts Centre.

Samantha left the main highway and headed out into the country where she lived. She felt her own loneliness close in on her as she drove the familiar winding road towards home. A feeling of emptiness always followed her like a shadow. She had become resigned to the fact that she would be spending the rest of her life alone. Loneliness, was it her fault? Had she somehow chosen this? Was she a victim or somehow the orchestrator of her place in the Universe? Even her natal horoscope -- with Venus in Cancer -- indicated that romance would often fail to develop for her. Well, if a loner she must be, Samantha was determined not to become paralysed with fear or let despair drain away her power.

If I must go through this world alone, then I’ll go alone, she thought firmly. "Anyway when you reach my age, all the good ones are taken. She was crazy about her former boss Adam Case. He was only a year older than herself, but he was married and had never shown any romantic interest in her anyway. Still, if she got the job tomorrow, she would at least be working with him again. Samantha tried to tell herself that friendships were purer, more valuable, without romantic involvement. She had really missed being his assistant manager at the Vacuum Cleaner Company. When he stepped down as Manager she had felt that their working relationship was truly over. She hadn’t heard from him in months, and now -- out of the blue -- he had called her.

As she drove into the darkened carport she heard her old black lab bark hoarsely. Daniel was failing now and Samantha didn’t know how much longer she would have him. She had meant to do something about getting another dog for protection before Daniel was gone. A woman living alone could never be too careful with all the break- and- enters these days, but somehow she had always been too busy to find the time to train a new puppy. She opened the front door and was greeted by a sleepy eyed Daniel, who whooped at her, wagging his tail with excitement at her arrival.

Samantha went up the stairs to the kitchen and let Daniel out the back door into the garden. She stood on the back porch gazing at the silvery stars dotting the night sky. They always intrigued her. Samantha picked out the stars and constellations that she knew, remembering her Dad pointing them out to her as a child. Even as a little girl, She had been fascinated by the idea of space flight. When the Russians had sent up the first space craft with a little dog on board, she had been a small child. Samantha had wanted a souvenir version she had seen of it in a dime store. A toy company had manufactured a plastic space capsule -- with a clear window that revealed a small, furry, toy dog wearing a space helmet inside. When her mother had told her that the real dog had eventually died from lack of oxygen, Samantha cried and could not bear to look at the toy any more.

She could remember living in a northern Canadian community when she was eleven and watching the satellites skim across the bright night sky. Samantha had recently heard on the news, that a NASA scientist -- who was now quite famous -- had lived in this northern community at the same time she had. He’d mentioned it in a TV interview.

Ironic how life turns out, Samantha thought to herself, People can have the same upbringing and one becomes a NASA scientist and the other one a sometime- sales person.

Still, she read everything that she could about space flight, UFO’s, abductions, and ancient writings from the past that suggested beings from other planets had visited the Earth thousands of years ago. Since childhood Samantha had been drawn to Astrology and all things metaphysical.

Daniel moved slowly up the stairs, and Samantha let him into the kitchen before closing the door. She sat down wearily in a nearby chair and took Daniels head in her lap.

So little boy, she said, I guess it’s just you and me now.

Daniel tolerated the petting for a moment, but his eyes were wandering up to the top of the refrigerator where his favourite cookies were kept in a panda shaped cookie jar.

Alright, she said, I’ll get you a cookie and then you can go to bed.

Daniel took the biscuit gently from her hand and tottered off down the stairs to his couch in the family room. He still slept with her father’s sheepskin vest under his head. He and Daniel had been inseparable buddies. Her father had died at home five years ago from a stroke, making it all just a memory. Samantha moved wearily down the carpeted hallway to her own room. It was directly across from the one that had been her parents. They had been a love match. Happily married, they had shared a bed for fifty-four year. Her Dad had gone AWOL to marry her eighteen year old mother during World War II. Samantha paused at their empty doorway for a moment and remembered the 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary party she and her brother had given them at their local church hall. Then she turned and walked into her own room, closing the door behind her.

Chapter 2

The Long Hot Summer

The next morning, Samantha got the job at The Palace Hotel and began a long summer of endless time share condominium tours. Some of it was quite interesting. After all, living and working in a tourist area, she had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

All the sales staff had to be dressed-to-the-nines and were assigned a new couple on every tour to take to the hotel restaurant for a free meal. They would then show them around the hotel complex, the condominiums, health spa, casino, and grounds. That was the up-side of the job. The down-side, was working with the somewhat less than honest owners of the sales track (as the area where they sales people congregated every morning was called.) More like a cattle call, Samantha thought -- as she winced -- thinking about the way the sales staff were treated. It didn’t pay to have too much ego or pride on this job. Anyone who was not making the sales quota required would be dragged up in front of the sales team and publicly humiliated every morning.

One morning it was Adam Case who was being made an example of. This was extremely difficult for Samantha to witness. She couldn’t believe how he just stood there and took it. He seemed a far cry from the boss she remembered, who had been so much fun and so in charge during the two years she had worked for him. He had regaled her with stories of his misspent youth, his years as a hippy, his brushes with the law, and his years as a male stripper in night clubs in the USA. Adam had really knocked around, even living with a first nation community at one time.

Sometimes he and Samantha would get into discussions about the spiritual realm. Adam told her about a Medicine Man he had known who at the time had been over one hundred years old. At night, when he entered the Teepee they shared, the entire tent would light up as if the old man was carrying a lantern. The light, however, was emanating from the old Shaman’s body. Adam said, The first time he saw it he could scarcely believe what was happening. After awhile he became used to it. It was as if the Medicine Man was so holy and in such a state of grace, he was turning into pure spirit.

In spite of his former wild life style, Adam was now the epitome of the conservative business man. He always wore suits, even in the summer, and was meticulously well groomed. He had given up drugs, but he still drank and smoked; something Samantha had encouraged him to try to quit. He had made attempts, but with little success. The sales crowd they were in with at the moment was an extremely bad influence on him. Some of them were out and out lushes. It was rumoured that the Assistant Sales Manager was a drug dealer who was keeping the sales track boss supplied with cocaine. Samantha could believe it. She detested the boss. He was six feet four inches tall and loved to intimidate people with his size. Right now he was humiliating Adam, denigrating him, and enjoying the power trip he was on. Adam looked like a bad little boy being reprimanded by a disapproving father; but he was nodding his head and agreeing with every derogatory remark being made about him. It was embarrassing to hear and Samantha tried to distract herself by thinking about something else.

She’d had beginners luck. Samantha realized now, that Adam had called her to try out for the job -- simply to make himself look good -- by bringing in a top sales person. Samantha had long since come to the conclusion that Adam had known all along that the Vacuum Cleaner Company was a sham. He had taken advantage of her naiveté and strung her along because she was of great use to him. Still, he had taught her how to survive in a very tough business, and how to believe in herself when her own self esteem was at an all time low. As time had gone by, he’d given her more and more responsibility. He’d made her his Assistant Manager and taught her how to hire and train new dealers. She’d gone from a displaced little housewife, who’s husband had traded her in for a new model, to an independent woman. Samantha had taken easily to the travelling sales person’s life, covering a territory that included six cities and the outlying rural areas in between. She had done Home Shows, Mall Shows, Trade Shows and Local Fairs. Her travels had taken her inside the homes of people of every description and economic status.

Samantha had also managed to go through two vehicles as well, because of the back logging roads and First Nation Reservations that she covered in all kinds of weather. Sam had really learned how to drive and how to care for a vehicle -- something she had always thought of as male territory. Still, she knew deep down that in some ways Adam had used her. She had worked for commission only and put in long hours – six to seven days a week. With gas costs and car maintenance, Samantha had barely managed to scrape by; but she had learned how to market products and deal with people from every walk of life. Samantha had lost her crippling shyness and found her own voice. She could speak to anyone now and carry on a conversation on almost any subject.

It was painful to watch Adam being treated like a whipping boy by a so called manager -- who in Samantha’s opinion -- wasn’t fit to shine Adam’s shoes.

She knew that at the end of the day Adam would head for the nearest bar with one of his buddies he’d made friends with on the sales track. Samantha was appalled at how many of the salesmen were boozers. Adam usually behaved himself pretty well, unless he fell in with other drinkers, than he would lose all control. Adam’s wife really held the purse strings tight and when Adam got out of line she would cut his allowance down to five dollars a week. Sam remembered the prophetic words of one of the salesmen at the vacuum cleaner company. Adam is so bad at hanging onto money, if he didn’t have his wife he wouldn’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. Samantha had no doubt that was the truth.

*******

The next morning Samantha made her one-and- a- half hour commute in record time. She had not seen Adam’s van fly past her on the freeway as she usually did and that had her worried. Words from a popular song drifted out from the car radio as she found a parking spot outside the large Hotel Complex. The summer had turned out to be extremely hot. Forest fires were raging everywhere. Samantha was grateful that the air-conditioning in her older model car was still working.

She pulled her sales book out of the back seat before beginning the long walk passed the court yard fountain’s dolphin sculpture that stood in front of the hotel lobby door. Once upstairs, Samantha looked anxiously out of the window. Finally, she saw Adam’s van -- the one she had dubbed the little green hornet because of the way that Adam drove -- pull quickly into a parking space. Adam jumped out, putting on his suit jacket as he literally ran towards the main door. When he arrived upstairs Sam took a close look at him. Although he was as well groomed as usual, his face was grey and puffy. Samantha knew that he had done it again. She grinned, shaking her head at him, as Adam opened his wallet and showed her the five dollar bill.

A few minutes later Adam’s drinking buddy Craig crawled in and began to hit Samantha up for the tiny aspirin bottle she carried in her pocket. She kept it there for the end of each long day when her ankle began to bother her from the stress of the walking tours. Craig was so notorious on the sales track, that everyone called the downstairs bar Craig’s office. That morning the track boss was also indisposed, and to every ones great relief the morning pep talk was given by the Assistant Manager. Then they all trooped downstairs and waited by the appointment desk in the lobby to be assigned their first tours of the day.

It was hot and muggy outside. Samantha amused herself by watching one of the wealthy hotel guests head out through the lagoon lock and into the lake on his jet ski. His little black pug- nosed dog sat in front of him in his custom made life jacket. It was said this man owned oil wells. Samantha had seen his beautiful mistress only twice since they arrived. She had referred to herself as a domestic goddess and spent most of her time luxuriating in the health spa treatment rooms. He spent most of his time with the dog. Samantha had spoken to him a few times out by the boat launch. He had seemed to her to be very sad and lonely--hungry for conversation. He was in great physical condition, but well into his forties. His mistress looked to be barely twenty.

I guess, she thought, After sex they have nothing to say to one another.

It was strange how someone could have all that power and money and still have no personal life of any value.

It seems as though wealthy men pick out their wives and mistresses the way they buy cars, Samantha thought to herself. They go for looks and flash, and need a brand new model every year. They seldom are wise enough to choose someone who would actually fulfil their emotional needs.

She felt like telling him he’d be better off to lose the mistress and just keep the dog. It would probably be a lot cheaper to.

*******

The time dragged on into the late evening. They had been short handed that day. Although Samantha had arrived at the Hotel at 8:30 am she knew it would be after midnight before she could leave. The track boss had been absent for most of the morning. When he finally reappeared -- after lunch -- he was in an extremely foul mood.

It was now 9:00 pm and Samantha was standing on the balcony above the lobby. Through the glass that enclosed the office, Sam could see the boss’s wife sitting at the front desk. As she turned around she saw the trackboss walking towards her. He was smiling oddly and walked right up to Samantha; almost pinning her against the back wall. She could not smell any liquor on his breath, but he was giggling in a silly manner. When Samantha looked into his eyes she saw that his pupils were the size of pin points. She knew that the rumours about his drug use must be true. He was completely stoned. He pressed his enormous body up against hers and began running his hands through her long hair. There were customers nearby and Samantha did not wish to create a scene. The track boss was mumbling something about having once dated a very famous actress who had hair like Samantha’s. Sam quickly slid down the wall and slipped underneath his arm, making as quick a get-a-way as she could. She knew his wife had seen everything, and she hoped that she would give the jerk merry hell when they got home.

Samantha got through the rest of the evening without further incident. It was with great relief that she went into the office and checked out at the desk. The boss’s wife was still sitting there and Sam half expected her to say something about her erring husband. Instead, she looked at Samantha coolly saying,

Can I touch your hair?

This made Sam feel a little strange, but she put a brave face on it and said, Sure, I guess it won’t break.

To her embarrassment, the boss’s wife reached up and began to stroke Samantha’s long pony tail in a lingering fashion. After a moment, Samantha pulled away and almost ran down the