Ghost With Cats ~ Book of Eloh #1.Draft

They ate a greasy spoon roadside diner in Farmington, New Mexico; the best waffles Annie had ever had. She had hoped to wait in Durango until later in the morning and detour to the Ruins at Mesa Verde, but Boaz insisted they leave Colorado behind as soon as possible. He was right, site-seeing could start later. They were taking detours to the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, before they headed back toward the Texas coast. The Eloh were amazed at the variety of scenery, their world had lost this quality long ago. Every evening that arrived at a modest but very well kept motor lodge.

The Sheikh’s people were always welcoming and gracious and Annie seemed to be managing her agoraphobia and anxiety well. Somehow they always ended up eating the evening meal with the families who ran the motels. Every night Annie told the children how kind their elderly Sheikh was and how much he loved his people. Bries always played with the children while Boaz and Vorn played chess. Tal read his books and worked with his sword. At one stop, young men had approached him, and he had taught them sword basics. The brothers and cousins all had scimitar style swords, they were young and dreamed of returning to days of deserts and horses and swords. Tal wished he could return to his days of innocence as well.

^..^

On the 4th night, they arrived at the motel to find a wedding in progress. Their rooms were waiting as usual, but there were wedding guest clothes on their beds. Annie just shrugged and said it would be rude to refuse. They were half a day from their destination. Tal was not happy about all the people, but agreed with the understanding that if he sensed any threat they would immediately leave. Boaz wasn’t happy about the style of the clothing, but also reluctantly agreed after Annie pointed out that they were armed at all times so what they wore mattered little. Annie adjusted their traditional Bedouin wear, she herself had a blue jeweled dress with a hijab. She looked beautiful in the colors that mimicked a peacock.

Rich rugs covered the floor,and ornamental lanterns cast mosaics of light on the fabric covered the balls and draped from the ceiling. The party was loud, a half-dozen small children were running around, screaming happily and waving sparklers. There were dancers, live music, and people were talking and eating at many tables. Annie wondered if they had missed the ceremony, she saw no bride or groom.

The host welcomed them leading them to a table near the empty wedding party table. Annie screamed when she saw who was sitting there and threw herself at the frail elderly man at the elevated head place. "Grandfather!"

Bries tensed, but Tal restrained him with a thought. They followed Annie who was happily crying and hugging the elder and a young man. All three seem to be overjoyed to see each other. Tal noticed that Annie’s dress was a more modest form of what the dancers were wearing. They stood politely waiting for the reunion to end. Annie and the youth help the elderly man to stand. She seemed completely relaxed and happy.

“This is Sheikh Aamir Opir and his grandson Aji, my family. Grandfather, these are the visitors I told you about. This is Tal, the brother of Truh and his servants, Vorn and Bries, and you know Boaz, a friend of Rabbi Jakob,” Annie introduced them, her eyes shined above her veil. Tal bowed deeply, Vorn and Bries bowed even deeper.

“It is my honor to meet you, Excellency. I am Admant Vanth Tal of Eloh,” Tal said in Opir’s own language. Annie gasped surprised, but Opir laughed and patted her hand. She and Aji helped him to sit. It was obvious he was very ill.

“Sit, sit. My angel will dance for us, we will talk and it will be a good evening.” The aged ruler said graciously.

“But grandfather, I am not part of the wedding entertainment,” Annie reminded.

Aji laughed, “There is no wedding, sister. We made it all up so we could see you. Grandfather is supposed to be at the famous Mayo Clinic in Arizona, but that was a ruse so we could sneak away. Boaz made sure we knew where you would be tonight.”

“YOU knew?” Annie practically shouted at the retired IDF soldier, “But the argument, the fight about the clothing?”

Boaz smiled smugly. “Gave your brother and Grandfather time to get here and come in without you seeing.”

Aji laughed again, and revealed with a wink at Annie, “For an old man, Boaz can text faster than my little sister.”

Annie giggled, “I may be littler, but I am still older.”

Aji playfully put his arm on the top of her head, “Still littler as you can see.” He held out his hand to the crowd. “Many families gathered to honor grandfather so we get to meet you all, and with everyone dressed in traditional Bedouin wedding clothing, no one will know who’s who. It is time to party.”

Annie ducked under his arm and hugged his neck, “You’re so clever, little brother.”

Opir chuckled weakly, “Yes, and he has a heart for our people which is why when I die, he will be sheikh and not Hamid. Just as Anneliese has brought so much grace and good will on her journey so will Aji bring it to my tribe. Come Prince Tal, sit with an old man and tell me stories. Dance, my angel. My heart needs to find its beat again.”

Annie kissed her adoptive grandfather on the cheek through her veil. Then she joined the dancers as her grandfather wished. Music played and people laughed. The food was amazing. Vorn and Boaz sat near a door, but Bries soon was playing with a half children and tossing them in the air to the music and giving them rides on his back or swinging them like a carousel. Annie took turns dancing with several other women. When she wasn’t dancing, she was playing with Bries and the children. Occasionally, Tal heard her laughter above the children’s. It made him smile. Through his tinted glasses, Tal kept track of everyone while he listened to Opir talk about the state of his country. They all were having such a pleasant. However, he still couldn’t shake his intuition that they were too vulnerable here.

“So tell me of your brother. Prince Truh has not returned since my angel saved us all,” Opir requested.

“I am sorry to tell you, Excellency, but my brother has gone to be with the One who created all.” Tal responded regretfully, “He went the same year he left you.”

“That is regretful, my heart aches for your loss. He was a peacemaker and sought a greater purpose for both our kingdoms.” Opir seemed to truly regret his brother’s death.

“It was a great loss to our family and our people. One we have still not recovered from. I came here seeking answers and have found more questions than I could have ever dreamed existed.” Tal explained.

“That is the way it is when we look for our brother’s answers. We only find more questions,” the elderly ruler declared wisely.

Aji brought them both another drink and more food. Tal’s heart quickened as Annie was dancing again, she spun and moved to the music with unexpected skill and grace. She seemed so at ease with these people when he would expect her to be panicking because of the number. Opir looked at Tal closely, then back to the party.

“My Anneliese dances better than all these others, there is nothing she cannot do. She is the joy of my heart. She was destined to be a queen among my people, to love and care for them and my great-grandchildren, but my grandson was a greedy fool. Bah. I still have her, but she will be someone else’s queen. Perhaps yours, Prince Tal,” The old man laughed then coughed.

Tal’s face was mostly covered and hid had the look of shock he must have, but he managed to say, “That cannot be as it once was, Excellency.”

Opir sighed, “Oh well, a dying, old man can dream for his favorite granddaughter.”

Suddenly, Annie looked at them distressed, shouting, “Aji!” and she pointed and made a gesture across her hand and down wrist and forearm.

“No!” Aji exclaimed, looking around frantically.

A red dot appeared on Opir as Annie turned, leaping into the path of the assassin’s bullet. She was thrown into Opir’s lap when it struck her. Her blue dress stained red as her blood foamed from her chest. She had taken the bullet meant for her grandfather.

Bries roared, throwing himself between his Master, the Sheikh, and his Lady Annie. A dozen bullets hit his back but do not penetrate. The cloned warriors of Eloh were engineered to endure much great attacks than simple bullets. People realized that the sound was gunfire and not fireworks and panicked.

“Bries, do not rage, you must save the children,” Annie whispered, coughing up blood.

Tal lifted both the elderly ruler and Annie behind Bries’ bulk carrying them to an overturned table in the chaos. “Bries, children,” is all Tal ordered.

The giant sword pet bolted away with faster than any human’s speed, picking up all of the half dozen small children he was playing with, protecting them with his armored bulk and carrying all of them to safety as the attackers open fire. Their bullets do not touch a single child. Boaz, and Vorn were firing back at the attackers, who seem surprised to find armed resistance at the wedding.

“Grandfather, it is my brother,” Aji revealed as he and Opir were leaning over Annie.

Annie’s dress darkened with her blood as she laid in her grandfather’s lap. She shakily held her Glock 19 to Tal. He took it , taking out his own. His power could save them but would there be enough time to save her too, he wondered. His eyes shined white. His mind saw all of the attackers in his mind. He ‘told’ Vorn to pull Boaz to safety.

Aji watched amazed as Prince Tal ‘walked’ through the gunfire, untouched, killing sixteen of the attackers with one bullet each. All Aji could think about is the day when he and Annie had sneaked off to see the infidel movie called The Matrix. All their attackers, except his older brother, were dead, and none of his grandfather’s people had more than minor injuries. Only his adopted sister Annie, who sacrificed herself to save their grandfather would die. Aji’s heart broke more than he thought possible as their Grandfather wept over her.

Prince Tal knelt next to her. His face was anguished as he held his hand to her bloody cheek, and Aji realized this strange other worldly being loved his adopted sister. His servants and Annie’s Jewish protector stood to the side watching as the dead were removed. Some of his grandfather’s men were holding Aji’s brother Hamid at sword and gun point. His brother flashed him a malevolent smile as he looked over Annie’s bloody body and Aji’s temper exploded.

“How could you do this?”

“She is the reason our cousin is dead, she deserves to die.” Hamid retorted, “You and our grandfather betray us for this woman. He should be dead already and you with him.”

“Remove the dog permanently,” Aji ordered, sounding much older than his 19 years.

“You can’t order that, little brother,” Hamid sneered.

“He can order it because he will be sheikh,” Opir declared in a strong voice.

“I am eldest!” Hamid shouted. “I will be sheikh! It is my birthright!”

“You have no heart, no faith! You no more more deserve it than Hadif, and so you shall share his fate. May The Prophet show you less mercy than I.” Sheikh Opir’s judgement was like a iron, cold and hard, he flicked his hand and Hamid was dragged out. There was a single gunshot followed by cheers for the survivors.

Opir was still holding Annie’s head in his lap, she was moments from dying. Her eyes were distant, empty as her breath wheezed in and out. The old man’s tears fell on her face. “My angel, twice now you have run to the gates of paradise ahead of me.”

In their minds, Vorn and Tal were having a battle of wills between a Master and the one most responsible for his master’s life. Finally, Vorn handed over a silvery crystal.

“Please stand back except you, your Excellency, continue to hold her as you are,” Tal asked and all but Opir to move away. The old man stared at the object in Tal’s hand. He knew what it is and what it meant for his Anneliese. Vorn cut open her dress to see the wound better.

Tal cupped the crystal in his hand, it spun and began to glow, rising on its own, and filling the room with light. Annie’s body glowed as it was repaired. The light shined around Opir as he watched his adopted granddaughter healed a second time by what he believed to be angelic magic. Aji was too amazed to speak or blink, he had never believed his grandfather’s crazy stories about angels and miracles, but now he wondered how many of them were true. A few minutes later, the light faded. Tal was gasping for air as if he had been running. Annie appeared to be sleeping, her gunshot wound was no more. The bullet resting on top of her skin as if it were just laid there and the blood stained fabric placed around it. Tal picked it up carefully, closing his hand around it in a tight fist. The skin over the wound was perfectly smooth.

Opir grabbed Tal’s hand and kissed it, “Thank you, thank you, Prince Tal.”

Tal only nodded. His almost black eyes watched her face carefully. “Anneliese, come back to us.”

Her eyes fluttered open, she smiled weakly up at him, and then at Opir, before she fell back asleep with a small sigh.

“Master, we must go before law enforcement comes to investigate the gunfire,” Vorn worried.

“I will take care of it,” Aji said, he rose and rushed away, outside the sounds of firecrackers began. He returned moments later, “The party is moved outside until the cleanup is finished, and the dead have been taken away, Grandfather. I asked for help to get Anne changed.”

Opir squeezed his grandson’s shoulder, “You think of everything and everyone else first, Aji. You are worthy to rule my tribe. Now go get changed and send me a new robe.” Aji’s grin made him look very young as he hurried away.

Two women came, the mothers of two of the families they had stayed with on previous nights. Vorn carried Annie away after them. Boaz tended Bries’ wounds. A little girl he saved held his hand while the bullets were pulled out and stitches put in. She patted his tears with her pink party veil. When Boaz finished, the little girl brought Bries a piece of chocolate cake and cup of milk and watched over him while he ate it, then she cleaned his face and thanked him for saving her life. Her parents bowed to Bries when they found her with him, thanking him for saving her life. He thanked them for her kindness. Her pink veil was tucked in his pocket, she had given it to him and he decided he would keep it forever. It was good to have friends and protect children, he had never made friends with children before he came here. On Eloh, it was a great honor for one made to be allowed contact with children, he hoped the Master would allow it after they returned home.

^..^

Sheikh Opir felt stronger as he sat next to Prince Tal in a cushioned seating area outside the banquet hall. Several people were quickly cleaning up the mess, hiding the battle and replacing it again with the party.

“I apologize for involving you in my family tribulation, Prince Tal,” the old ruler said sadly, “But my time is short, and there are jackals in my house who smell the blood on the wind.”

“Excellency, you will live many more years after tonight. Lady Annie loves you most in this world, enough to leave it in your place, but I could not allow her light to be lost, or her heart to be saddened,” Tal answered.

The old ruler looked at him, smiling, “Did you know when your brother healed her, I asked him if he loved her? He laughed and said, ‘not as much as my little brother’. I think you were surprised to find that out. I think everything about this place surprises you.”

Tal drank his coffee and sugar, and sighed. “Every time I turn a corner on this world, I find out that everything I thought was truth is just a reflection. I never knew what love was until I met her again, but she must stay here where she will be safe. Times are difficult in the kingdom of the Eloh, Excellency. I now suspect that Truh was murdered because of his work here, and he was not the first nor the last. I am one of the Twelve Defenders, my younger cousin is now king, I must protect him. I fear war is coming, and I also believe I was lured here to be murdered. But my enemies did not count on Lady Annie finding us, helping us, and bringing us aid from our ancient allies. I thank you for all you have done to aid us, and I ask that you help Rabbis Jakob and Isaac hide her when I leave. A very dangerous man is looking for her.”

Opir nodded, “It is the will of The Prophet that we help you. The jackal Dale Bents has sent his spies looking for my granddaughter among my people, bribing and lying. He sees her as the key to her parents’ research, he doesn’t know she is special, as we do.” Tal could only agree.

Boaz came in quickly, “Mr. Tal, we need to leave in the next 15 minutes, a friend of mine with the Texas Rangers just called me. There is a private security group headed here to look for ‘terrorists’. It will be a raid. Sheikh Opir, will you and your grandson be alright?”

“Do not fear. There are no bodies, nor blood here to be found, just a Bedouin wedding that has gotten out of hand. Desert people go crazy once we leave the desert. Go quickly, take my angel and get away. Tell Jakob and Isaac that I will see them soon,” Opir replied.

Tal warned Bries and Vorn with a thought. He rose and bowed to the elderly ruler.

“I am glad to have met you, friend of my brother,” Tal responded.

“I am your friend now too, Prince Tal, and I have a gift for you.” Opir handed him a jeweled djambiya, a curved dagger, the handle is carved ivory, inlaid with jewels in a beautifully carved silver sheath. “For my angel’s life, and her love.”

Tal bowed again, “You are very generous, Excellency.”

“It is you who are generous. I know what you have given up to save my granddaughter. It is the same thing your brother gave up that would have saved his life later. Be careful, Prince Tal. May The Prophet guide with you,” Opir nodded to him. His last words as much a prayer as a dismissal.

^..^

Tal went to his room and changed quickly, Vorn was helping Bries change into sweats so the guard didn’t damage his stitches, he would be healed by tomorrow. Tal pushed open the door to Annie’s room. Annie was asleep on her bed in a beautiful golden silk gown and robe, she has been bathed, her hair curled and styled, and rings placed on her hands. She looked like a sleeping princess out of a story. As carefully as Tal could, he lifted her and carried out to the Touring passenger van they were now using. Boaz had laid down the bed in the back. Aji ran out to them, he hugged the sleeping Annie, and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you for saving my sister, Prince Tal,” he said in a rush, his emotions wetting his eyes..

“Take care of your grandfather and your people, Aji. Be a great ruler,” Tal responded.

“I will do the best I can, I promise. Just don’t get caught.” Aji took one last look at Annie and ran back inside.

Boaz pulled onto the interstate and they blended into the traffic. By dawn, they were watching the sun rising over the Gulf of Mexico.