Cloud to Cloud

Episode 29: Feeling Reverberations but Only a Close Call

Fred sat across from Hannah in the rear office of the store. He squinted at the screen of the wired tablet as he struggled with the connection. Coach's smiling face filled a video chat window.

"If you want to get everyone re-connected, you'll have to get the grid on-line."

Mid-message, Coach averted his gaze to one side. In the same moment, Hannah's chin tipped to the ceiling. Eyes wild, she gripped the arms of the chair, her breath momentarily caught.

Coach scowled as he returned his attention to Fred.

Confused and concerned, Fred set a hand on Hannah's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Well, that was a close call." Coach sighed.

His smile returned.

"Not good." Hannah fought to slow her breath. "What was that? Evan?"

"It's not something for you to worry about this time," Coach's voice soothed the woman.

"What about Evan?" Fred interjected.

"It's okay." Coach turned his calming tone on Fred. "You'll find out shortly."

Something in the demeanor of the ethereal being settled the concerns of both Hannah and Fred.

Changing the subject to the project at hand, Coach cleared his throat.

"Hannah, my dear."

With a sigh Hannah nodded. "Yes."

"Are you aware, dear one, your store is on a third-tier ley line?"

"Well, I knew it was a line." She shrugged, her face coloring slightly as she could not offer more information.

"This is helpful. And more so, the two of you are connecting fairly well." Coach gave the pair an approving smile.

Fred and Hannah exchanged approving smiles.

"Of course, If you can get the full grid running again, it's possible everyone on our little planet will gain connectivity again." Coach knit his fingers together at the idea.

"Amazing." Awe sighed from Fred's lips. "Imagine it. Every person accessing the Akashic with a mobile device."

Fred released a brief chuckle at the thought of it.

"Not exactly." Coach wagged a finger. "If someone wants to use the grid, they'll also need to raise their biological frequency."

"Enlightenment." Hannah rested her head in her palm.

"Indeed." Coach nodded. "Then they can use a device with a physical frequency generator," he explained.

"Like a crystal." Hannah offered.

"If we start in on crystal skulls, we may have to repeat this for Evan. He won't believe it." Chuckling, Fred slapped his knee.

Coach paused. "Well, yes. Most electronics have crystal components much like the skulls. Ultimately, all of this is a placebo."

"A placebo?" Fred's face curled in confusion.

Coach took yet another breath to focus. "It's silicon and quartz. But if it helps the physical being to focus, they can be helpful." Coach shifted his gaze to Hannah again. "It's no different than tarot cards, pendulums, divining rods, runes, crystal balls... it's all a crutch."

"Hey." Hannah sneered in mock offense.

Fred snickered. "So, what you're saying is we don't need a device to connect."

Coach held out his hands. "It's all up to you. And the grid."

Hannah nodded. "Alright then. Back to this grid. Why can't you get it running?" She waved at Coach. "Why not snap fingers and done?"

"I'm not doing your job." Coach laughed. "I'm not incarnated right now. There's far less I can do." Coach tilted his head toward Fred. "That's why we sent him back. To help."

"Wait. You sent me back?" Fred frowned.

"You needed a little nudge." Coach shrugged.

"I'm here to fix this giant grid." Fred slumped back into his chair. "How? Where do I start?"

Coach's laughter echoed from the speakers. "Like I said, I'm not doing your job for you. It's not my challenge." Reassurance colored the being's voice. "Before we sent you back, you reviewed your soul contract. You agreed to it. Remember?"

Hannah turned to gauge Fred's reaction to this new information.

Fred mustered a stammer. "I don't know. I guess. Well, maybe." Visions of his NDE struggled to surface in his memories. "Even if I do remember, I don't know what it all meant."

The store's door chimed, shaking Fred and Hannah from the depths of the conversation.

"Hello!" A woman's voice called from the front of the store. "Hannah?"

"Oh!" Hannah rose from her chair. "I forgot! There's a group tonight."

She returned her attention to Coach. "Will you still be here?"

Fred caught the reassuring smile Coach offered Hannah.

An idea struck Fred as he heard the bell at the front door once again. "Maybe we can covertly run some of this past them?"

He jutted a thumb toward the front of the store.

"What about Evan?" Hannah tipped her gaze to Coach.

"He may interrupt the gathering." Coach offered a cryptic smirk.

Then, as if a joke suddenly came to his mind, Coach piped up once more. "You know. A couple of your group members are waning. You want me to shake them up?"

Hannah waved her hands. "No, please don't. I see them as a challenge. And, I think you might scare them off."

Hannah waved as she scurried to the front of the store. Her cheerful, welcoming voice traveled faintly back to Fred and Coach.

"Take good care of her." Coach's tone leaned serious as he gazed after Hannah. "She has much to offer, though she lacks the tech savvy of our boy Evan."

Fred frowned at the cryptic nature of Coach's words, though he acquiesced.

"Of course."

Coach's chat window flickered and the screen returned to a stream of code.