The Iron Man [Serial]

Crossed Destinies

Thierry sat down beside Murphy.

Caroline leaned across the table to offer Thierry the cards.

"Why do you have these out?" He asked. Yet, Thierry did pick a card. It showed a picture of a man sitting smugly surrounded by goblets. Thierry laughed when he looked at it.

Caroline pushed the cards in Murphy's direction.

"I do not play with oracles."

"I will pick for Tyron." Thierry picked another card then panned it around so we might see.

"Is that figure asleep or dead?" Murphy asked.

"No doubt that is your card." Alpha laughed. "Am I playing this game?"

Caroline moved the deck toward Alpha, who cut the deck, then retrieved the card between. "A Priestess?" He asked. "I recognize the Isis crown, but what do the initials BJ mean?"

"What? Let me see that."  Murphy wrested the card from Alpha's hand. He squinted at it a while. "Boaz and Jachin," he said, handing back the card.

Alpha shook his head.

"Some great metal columns—like Tesla's coils—from Solomon's first temple."

Behind Murphy's sofa, David raised his head to look toward our seated group.

"They look like Egyptian columns with the floral capitals," Alpha said, even as Thierry was asking:

"Electricity in Ancient Israel?"

"If anyone had such things, it would be Solomon," Alpha said, "with the amount of legends about him."

"ʿalayhi as-salaam," Murphy said quickly. "I might seem wise, if I could talk to animals and djinni."

"But, really, you do not suppose they had modern devices?"

Murphy sighed and turned his face towards Thierry. "I don't know why I said that. Probably because I was carrying some of those coils about this morning."

"Was there some meaning in us taking cards?" Alpha asked.

"Only if you choose to believe there is meaning," Caroline answered.

I looked again at the card I had drawn. "Are they for meditation?"

"How do you mean, Julien?"

I hesitated. "I realize not all faiths are the same in using depictions of deities, but in my path, depictions of Minerva-Sarasvati are highly symbolic. We meditate on her image and realize her symbols to better know ourselves and inform our choices."

"What would my card mean?" Caroline asked, showing again her Star card.

I smiled. "It means you are learning about Egypt."

"A woman pouring water onto wet and dry land?"

"The bright star is Sirius, which rises with the sun about the time of year the Nile flood—Hakim told me that—the flood adds water to the river and land around it."

"Which I did not know. Clever Julien."

"This?" Murphy asked, showing his card once more.

"That you still need rest, Murphy. Thierry's card means he thinks he's in love."

Thierry laughed again, this time covering his face with one hand. "That is a strong word."

"Can you explain this as easily?" Alpha asked.