"Since the floaters are unable :to fly in the storm, all travel must be overground," Gee said solemnly. "Even ground transportation is risky with the weather conditions as they are. I pondered the alternatives, and think I have a solution." He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.

Freck couldn't wait, "What is it Gee? Out with it." Freck's kinda pushy that way, ya know.

"Hang on Freck." Gee spoke ta us privately so's the secret didn't get out. "The idea I have has never been tried, and it involves you, and your newest ability. We have established that you are an Initiator. You can converse with other life forms and open channels to allow for us to join in . . ."

"I knows that already. Why're ya stallin'? She interrupted.

"Wait Freck," Gee told her, "I am choosing my words carefully, so I will not upset anyone . . ."

"Unless there is more danger, I cain't see why ya would have ta do that! Oh, I get it. It's gonna be dangerous, huh?"

"The truth is, I do not know. Without your ability it would be impossible. With your ability it is still only fifty-fifty.

"On my world exists a creature very similar to your polar bear, but larger and more canny. We have observed them, but no one has ever gotten close enough to make contact. They are powerful. If anything could trek through this near hurricane, they could."

It didn't take a mind reader to see that Freck was gettin' pretty doggone tense. "So, I'm supposed to open communications with an animal that even the Keepers cain't approach. Is that it?"

For a moment everythin' went silent 'cept the wind. It crashed against the hangar door like it was determined to rip it out chunk by chunk. So far the thick iron doors held.

She glanced nervously at the gates. "Do I hafta go outside somewheres ta do this?"

"I hope not Freck. If my plan is going to work, we need you safe. You, and Wishes, will remain here, but I must go."

My heart jumped. My breath stopped. My hands were sweaty and I could feel my eyes buggin' out. "No Gee, ya cain't do that!" I mind-hollered.

"Wishes' is right. We cain't lose you over some rolls of foil."

"It is bigger than rolls of foil. It is a chance to contact a species previously out of reach. Until you, Freck, gained Initiator Cigam, connecting with them proved impossible."

Freck looked up and tilted her head to the right. I could tell she was chewin' this over. "That's what this is all about, ain't it? The Keepers collect knowledge wherever they can find it. It's their Gardiner given responsibility--right?"

Gee responded with, "That's true."

"Then the three of us have a greater purpose. We are explorers, kinda like Lewis and Clark. We are sent out by the Keepers ta blaze trails they can follow. Hmm . . ."

I could've read her mind to see what she was thinkin'. I really could've, but I didn't. Mind readin' just out of curiosity is like walkin' into a house without knockin'. Gee reads our minds 'cuz he's our teacher and needs immediate access, especially in dangerous situations. Otherwise it's rude. The ability ta read minds should only be used in emergencies, like when all other attempts fail.

". . . .all along I thought our adventures was planned, just so's we could access our Cigam abilities quicker. But that's wrong ain't it Gee?"

"It is not wrong Freck. It is true that cigam develops more rapidly under stress. When it is the only solution to a life threatening problem, it instantly appears. We knew this would increase your abilities sooner, but it was not the primary reason. It was immediately obvious to the Keepers there was something special about the two of you; and it was not just because Wishes was born half-keeper. Your bravery, your intelligence, your empathy, and your drive combined to set you apart. If we had not recognized it in you, it would have come out anyway. You are born leaders."

"Wow, really?" I blurted.

"What I am telling you is not flattery. Freck, your development of cigam mastery is your destiny. I am your teacher, your protector, and your friend. I would not be surprised if your inner drive takes you well beyond what I can do.

"But, thinking that you are explorers is also accurate. These are not blind adventures. The High Council, the Grand Keeper, and I have discussed you, and your discoveries thoroughly. We pointed you in the right directions and you have already blazed incredible trails for us to follow. If you consider what you have accomplished in the last year and a half, and then project it out 10, 15, or 20 years into the future, the possibilities are earth-shattering.

"Your Mahatma Gandhi famously said, '...Be the change you wish to see in the world.' You do not see it yet, but your efforts are bringing about great and marvelous changes. You are like the proverbial stones thrown into the pond that create the ripples that eventually reach the distant shores."

I gulped. This was kinda hard ta swallow. We're just two kids from a small town in Florida. We decided ta go inta the terrifyin' Howlin' Woods just ta find our mothers. We warn't lookin' for anythin' else. We didn't know it would lead us ta this. Somewheres, far away, was the unheard sound of distant thunder. I could sense somethin' comin'. Will we be ready? Gee says yes, but my insides ain't so sure.

Whirrlin' thoughts consumed me. I didn't even notice the change of scenery. What? I was strapped inta my seat in Ol' Grizz. We was bumpin' along headed for the hill that I now know, concealed a hangar. "Freck, how the heck did we get back here again?"

"What do you mean Wishes? We ain't never been here b'fore."

I winked out again. When I opened my eyes Gee was repeatin' himself, "...ripples that eventually reach the distant shore."

I shook my head. "Why're ya repeatin' that again?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't ya just say the bit about distant shore, and here you are sayin' it all over again?"

"No Wishes I did not. Did I Freck?"

"I only heard it once." She gave me an odd look. It was the same expression police officers get on TV when questionin' a suspect.

Very gently Gee suggested, "You do not look well. Maybe you should return to your quarters and lie down."

That seemed like a very good idea.

▫️▫️▫️

Ta tell the truth I warn't very sleepy. My head was spinnin'. "That was really weird," I said out loud, talkin' only ta myself. "I musta nodded off and had some kind of crazy daydream. That's the only explanation that makes sense. It's, what do you call it when somewhere you've never been seems very familiar? Dejavu? That's it. Yes, that's gotta be the answer."

Sheesh, I was talkin' to myself, and answerin' back. "Isn't that what insane people do? Have I gone 'round the bend?"

But . . . there it was...the itchin' thought naggin' at me. "What about the pebbles in the pond? That was real." I told myself, "Just forget about them pebbles. It was a coincidence. Gee was givin' us a well known example and I just got ahead of him—that's all—of course, that's the reason." Whew. I'm glad I figured it out, or have I?

I was layin' sideways across the foot of the bed. The rough rock ceilin' caught my attention. We hadn't been here long, but I already found lookin' at the patterns was kinda comfortin'. It was like lookin' at clouds and imaginin' pictures of dragons and things. The bumps formed shapes. One of my favorites was a cowboy on a horse. I felt my eyes glaze over and my eyelids droop.

The rocky roof became a cornflower blue sky with white, flat-bottomed alligators swimming across it.

"How ya doin' pardner?"

"Huh . . . what?"

"Yur new in town ain't ya? I hain't seen yur likes before. Ya look mighty lost."

That startled me. I was layin' on a grassy knoll overlookin' a realistic lookin' old-time western town. I shook my head ta clear the cobwebs, and blinked a couple times.

"Are ya okay little brave? Ya don't look too good. A little green around the gills. Where's your tribe?"

I couldn't answer him because I didn't know what he was talkin' 'bout. If this was a dream, it was the weirdest one I ever had. I could smell grass, and smooshed wildflowers that I was layin' on. The ground was warm from the sun. There was a soft summer breeze ticklin' the hairs on my arms. Next to me a velvet-black horse snorted, pawed, and shook itself with impatience. It had moisture drippin' from it's nostrils. "Woa, Midnight," the cowboy cooed while leanin' forward to pat the horse's neck.

"Ya hafta forgive Midnight. We've been on the trail for a good long time. He's lookin' forward to a stable with fresh hay and bucket of oats. As fer me, sittin' a spell in a hot bath would do me real good. I'm a might dusty." To prove it he shook the flap of his long coat and created his own personal dust devil. I choked, then coughed.

"'Cuse my manners, son. Let me introduce m'self. I am Jedediah Smith. You can call me Jed, and this here is Midnight, but you already know that."

"I'm pleased to meet ya, Mr. Jed. My name is Aloisius A. Arthur, but you can call me Wishes." With that he leaned over in his saddle to shake my hand. He smiled and his teeth was kinda greenish brown. They looked as if they had never, ever been brushed. His breath was so powerful foul it would knock over a pig. I coughed--twice.

Jed said, "Climb up and we'll take ya back into town. I'll drop ya off at the Doc's so's he can take a look at that cough. Then if ya can stick around awhile, I'd be happy to help ya git back to yer tribe."

"Mr. Jed," I asked, "why do you keep sayin' my tribe? Do you think I'm an Indian?"

"Well yur awfully pale for an Injun, that's for sure. I figured ya to be sick. I ain't seen many sick Injuns. I have to admit that yur moccasins aren't like any I ever seen before. Yur buckskins are strange too. You have a funny way of talkin', so I kinda figured you must be from a tribe I don't know nothin' about. But say, if ya ain't an Injun, what the heck are ya?"

There was no way to explain myself so I rolled my eyes and pretended to faint. Everythin' got suddenly quiet. I opened my eyes. The bright sunshine was gone and the gray rock ceilin' was back overhead.

Maybe I was sick. I was shakin' all over. My palms were slick with sweat. I decided ta take a nap so I scooted over to the edge ta remove my sneakers. The cowboy called them moccasins. Ain't that funny? Somethin' about my black Converse low tops got my attention. What was it? Then it came to me, they was covered in dust; dust just like what Jed shook off his coat. I tried ta think. Was there anywhere in our livin' quarters where I could'a tracked through dirt? Nope. This dust had to have come from my dream, but that's nutty, ain't it? I dropped off ta sleep, for real this time.

▫️▫️▫️

At dinner time Freck and Gee came by ta check on me. "Are ya all right?" Freck asked with obvious concern.

How could I answer that question? I didn't know, so's I shook my head.

Gee asked permission ta check my thoughts. "Sure," I said, "maybe you can make some sense of 'em."

When being mind-read there's a slight tinglin' sensation like a down feather runnin' lightly over your toes. It feels kind'a good at first, but after awhile it gets annoyin'. The feelin' stopped when Gee pulled out. "I am stumped." He said. "Do you mind if Freck takes a look?"

"No, the more the merrier." I said, my tone oozing with sarcasm. No one really likes ta have their brain invaded, but I was purty desperate. I couldn't figure it out for m'self. I needed their help. I needed it, but that didn't mean I had ta like it.

When Freck finished we all looked at each other. It was obvious that none of us had the low down on the problem. "Ya know," I spoke, "there was somethin' really odd about that cowboy..."

"Ya think, naw..." Now it was Freck's turn to be sarcastic.

I ignored her. "The cowboys on TV like the Lone Ranger, the Rifleman, or Roy Rogers always had clean clothes. You would never see John Wayne in a dirty shirt and sweat-stained hat. Their boots were always nice and shinny. Jed Smith didn't look like anyone in the Westerns. Heck, even the bad guys were cleaner than him."

"So what?" Asked Freck.

Gee entered the conversation, "I will answer that question if you do not mind, Wishes. Your observation is more important than you realize. Since your only experience with the Old West was shaped by TV or movies, that became your frame of reference. if you were dreaming you would have conjured images of something familiar. There is no reason you would dream this..."

"What does it mean Gee?"

"It means we can rule out dreams or fantasies. We have to start looking at the possibility it was real. Your shoes are proof too. Dreams do not manufacture dust, no matter how vivid they are."

I suspect we all knew what it meant, but no one wanted to be the first to say it. It was too far out there.