Exit God Out - Book One - The Unexpected Terrestrial

Exit God Out Book One: The Unexpected Terrestrial - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Dec 3 1998

Eleventh and Pearl in downtown Boulder whispered a softer sentiment than the protest scene at Boston Meyer earlier. Laura walked in circles impatiently, mad at herself for not wearing the appropriate clothing for the season, and frustrated she had to be the one always waiting for her sister. Just as the snow began to accumulate, settling on Laura's fine leather coat, familiar vehicles filled the empty parking spots nearby. Her sister's face told the story. Emily always showed scars after a battle, even though it invigorated her. They split from the group and walked arm in arm down Pearl Street Mall. The smell from unexpected cafes and warm lights averted the stress, and conversations of their next venture together lifted the young protesters face. Still, Emily could feel the underlying current of hatred towards her mission from the pharmaceutical giant's founder. There was something more than just bitterness in Meyer's soul: there was revenge. How it was to be played out was anyone's guess.

They stopped at a restaurant whose sign read "Laughter and music - main course. After that, you can eat what ever you want." People were sitting outside under heat lamps, delusional that alcohol would help heat their bodies. Laura and Emily found a small table in a dark, obscure corner.

"Are you excited about tonight?" squealed Emily, her gloved hands clutching her face. "Jackson Brown Sparrow is the sexiest man alive, and I see us together in the future, saving our planet."

"Whoa girl!" Laura motioned for Emily to rest her hands, and laughed at the innocence of a young woman who, moments earlier stood against the toughest industry alive without wavering. "I thought you coerced me here to listen to him speak about rocks. I didn't realize this was the night for you to meet your future husband. Besides, he's probably a loner, definitely too old for you. That's a big chunk of ice to break." Laura sat back looking at her sister with the admiration of a mother whose child was just elected school President. But they both knew that Emily could break anyone's ice. She was curvaceous and lean, with poetic blonde hair past her waist, and delicate, softly freckled features one would expect from an eighteenth century painting, an opposing sight to her sister's worldly exotic face enveloped by dark undulating hair and ice blue eyes.

A meal that two men would have struggled over was soon gone. Laura got up and paid the bill and the sisters rushed to the convention center where Jackson Brown Sparrow was speaking about his journey of self-reliance and the secluded life of a world-renown craftsman. They entered and made their way through the dense, focused crowd. Emily kept an iron grip on Laura as she tunneled her way to the front. Jackson stood on a dark stage, lit only by a few spots. His presence was always unexpected, as if an invisible aura enveloped him as he moved, weaving truth and story so potent, people would come just to hear him, soak up the available passion and leave. Emily watched and Laura listened, while Jackson crafted adventures of each animal that adorned his work, as if the silver and gold held their spirits captive in the elements. Almost an hour flew by; barely enough time for Emily to land her future groom. She was sure Jackson spotted them in the crowd. She watched his eyes hit and rest on the two sisters standing motionless in the front row, mesmerized by his rhythmical procession.

"We have to follow him. We have to find where he went."

"Have you completely lost it?" questioned Laura. "Follow me. I want to see what the fuss is about this stuff he makes. Maybe you can find him there, explaining why he charges so much." Laura grabbed Emily's hand and pushed through the crowd over to the guarded displays of potential Christmas gifts.

"Helloooo Earthling sister." Emily stopped abruptly and ripped her hand from Laura's iron grip. "Jackson is an artist, not a mass producer. He doesn't make stuff. He creates pieces that speak to the wearer. His soul is attached to every piece of his work."

The sisters parted, and although Laura started to peruse the work quickly, she found herself slowing down to study the jewelry. Emily was right. There was something more to this. A story was present in every detail: a life lived within the confines of alchemical metals and precious gems. It truly was up to the individual to interpret. A wolf necklace caught Laura's attention. Although it was considerably smaller compared to the other items, she was captured by blue eyes that moved and watched her, beckoning an owner with the promise of protection. She flirted with the spell, making no attempt to break it.

"Emily, look at this one," called Laura. "This is me. I'm a wolf!" As she looked up to find Emily, a pair of eyes broke their gaze on her. They vanished before she could distinguish the face, but she could feel the maker's presence. She had an unrealistic urge to find him and speak to him, alone, until Emily caught up to her.

"Wow, that one is nice. You like that one? It's so small." Emily looked at Laura, curious as to the sudden transformation and intrigue written all over Laura's face. She waited for Laura to go back to disdain, but that emotion had clearly changed.

"It's small but it speaks to me. Is that what I'm supposed to say?" Laura looked up at her younger sister, hoping Emily would answer her democratically. She was seeking approval for switching beliefs so suddenly.

The sisters giggled and hugged. They hovered over the precious pendant propped up in a thick glass box, Laura showing Emily the wolf's hypnotic eyes and comparing them to other works. Emily found a tag on the side of the glass box:

"The Timber Wolf is being hunted to near extinction. The wolf totem denotes loyalty, spirit, and ritual. Alpha wolves mate for life and have a complex communication system that can teach us balance in governorship. Exceptional intelligence. Wolf has the power to bring your destiny to completion."

"Don't you think that explains my life?" asked Laura.

"Maybe the wolf is your power animal. If you tend to feel like a particular animal speaks to you, it's likely the top of your totem," explained Emily, frightened that she may be speaking over the limit of Laura's tolerance for holistic adventures.

"The top of my totem?"

"Your totem is made from each animal you resonate with. Starting at the top is your most prominent animal, and you can have as many animals as you feel you need." Emily looked around to see if Jackson had any totem pieces for examples. "Each animal represents a different lesson. You have to listen to what each animal that enters your life says to you. You will know." She watched Laura carefully, realizing that the counsel was getting through. For a brief moment, the two women connected in a manner no language could communicate. They both felt the shift, but neither was uncomfortable with it.

They kept walking and exploring the works of almost every North American animal, reading every information card before they turned to leave. They looked around to steal one last glimpse of Jackson, but he was out of public view, speaking to the media in another room. Laura waited for Emily to return from the washroom, and as she took one last look around, Laura noticed the pendant was gone. Snooze you lose, she thought to herself. When Emily returned, Laura said, "I'm sorry you didn't find your husband tonight. We should watch where Jackson goes and see if there's another show we can attend in the near future. Hopefully it won't be this big or crowded. I picked up the list of events we can look at when we get back to the car."

Emily looked down. "I'm not really crazy, am I? I know Daniel likes me and I think I'm just over-reacting to the pressure of someone attached to me. Jackson is more your type. We'd probably kill each other!" And they laughed as they walked through the cobble streets, the snow falling heavily now. Laura laughed. "Well if you don't want him maybe I'll marry him then. Who knows? This world is getting so weird anything's possible."

Later on Christmas morning, Laura opened a gift from Emily. It explained how Emily could take so long in a public washroom.

April K. Reeves, Author. Copyright 2004 All Rights Reserved. Visit us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/April-K-Reeves/390530011143987?fref=ts   or our website: https://aprilkreevesauthor.wordpress.com/