In The Valley - Part 9

  
Guardian Priya recognized the injured young woman as Reyla, a member of village warriors that patrol the borders. Reyla has dark brown eyes with flecks of gold that cause her countenance to always appear serious. She is tall and muscular with strong features. Yet there is gentleness about Reyla that draws others to her. She is often seen surrounded by the young ones who hang on her every word. Yet, Reyla treats them all as if they are her own as she patiently answers all their questions and encourages them to learn new things.

Guardian Priya leads Reyla through the village and down a small incline beneath a giant tree that leads to an intricately designed beautiful mahogany door. The guardian waves her hand across the door and it silently opens. Inside the room is filled with light and has tables of vials, potions, and various plants throughout the space. There are shelves of writings. Reyla has never seen anything remotely like it. Being a warrior, Reyla tries to mask the awe she feels as she looks around the room. She recognizes some of the remedies as those she has received when injured in the course of her duties. Yet others are completely foreign to her.

Guardian Priya instructs Reyla to take a seat. As Reyla sits on one of the benches nearby, Guardian Priya begins to examine her. The first thing Priya notes is that Reyla's aura has changed. The Guardians have the ability to discern the slightest changes in their people's auras. It is like looking at a rainbow of light that surrounds each person. There are the normal subtle light changes that signal happiness, fear, anger, peace, pain, or even confusion. But this change in Reyla is more pronounced and distinct. It adds another layer to the normal light that is Reyla's.

Guardian Priya begins to question Reyla about where she was cut and how. Reyla tells her about being captured by the Capote. "I was trapped under some kind of thin but heavy cloth that fell on top of me as I walking patrol. The more I struggled to get out of it, the tighter it seemed to cling to me. I managed to draw my boot dagger and stabbed through it and rip downward. As I was cutting an opening, something hit my head. After that, I awoke in the Capote camp. The smell was enough to make me wretch. I was held inside another woven tent like structure. There was just enough room to stand up."

  "I watched the guards and noted that there were other tents in the same area. I could not see inside them but I felt fellow villagers were being held in them. The Capote are hideous with their claw like hands with razor sharp fingers and pointy teeth. Their eyes have a bright yellow glow and dominate their faces. Their bodies seem to stretch and bubble as their shapes shift." Reyla continues describing her capture.

"Let me out of here", Reyla screamed, more to get a reaction out of the guards so I could see if there were other guards hidden from my sight. Two guards approached, growling and hissing. One shouted at me to be quiet. Of course, I did just the opposite. "I demand to know why you are holding me here," I said. That seemed to anger them. Two of the guards quickly grabbed my arms and pulled me forward. Suddenly, I felt this searing pain in my right chest. I screamed in agony as tears ran down my face. The guards released their hold on me and I crumbled to the ground. I had never felt such intense pain. I curled up in a ball and tried to breathe. I felt as though I would lose consciousness again. As I looked up, I saw the sharp finger of one of the guards dripping with blood. He had stabbed me.  The pain was intense and I passed out again. "

In The Valley - Part 8

           I am meeting my Oncologist today, Dr G.  After healing from the surgery,  I am working on getting the full range of motion back in my right shoulder.  The surgeon has told me that if Lymphadema becomes an issue, then I will need Physical Therapy.  Dr. G and I discussed how my breast cancer was discovered.  After sharing my story, the doctor asks if  I had noticed any change in the breast itself.  There was abnormal growth that occurred within a few weeks, I gained over a cup size.  At the time, I remember attributing it to weight gain but it turns out that it was a result of the fast growing cancer.

        In order to stage my disease and design a treatment plan, the Oncologist required more testing.  I had a full body bone scan, a CT of chest, abdomen, and pelvis.  Later a PET scan was done because the other scans were inconclusive.  

      Finally,  with staging complete, my Oncologist reveals that I have metastatic Breast cancer which is treatable but cannot be cured.  I knew that meant advanced disease and that once it spreads beyond the breast, the cure rate is very low.     Yet, I know something the oncologist may not yet understand.  God is the ultimate Healer.  There is no problem too great, no disease he cannot heal. Man may not be able to cure me, but God can. 

    I am given my treatment plan which includes Trastuzumab because my cancer is also HER2 positive,  Dr. G  also tells me that due to the indication of metastasis in the bones, I will also receive a regimen of Zometa.  All I can think of is how expensive it is to fight this disease.  As anxiety starts to seep in, I take a deep breath and talk to Jesus.  A Scripture springs to mind, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding".  I hear you Lord, I say as I resolve to move forward.

      As I sit through my first session of chemotherapy, which takes about 3 hours,  I look around at all the other patients. There are young, old, and everyone in between.  There is so much sickness.  I say a prayer for them.   I see the worried looks that my cousin tries to hide as she sits with me.  She watches every move that the nurses make.  I, constantly, tell her that I am fine, no discomfort, no pain, no nausea, nothing.  She smiles and says, "that's good".  After treatment is over, we return home and I immediately go to sleep, which the nurse had told us was to be expected.
    
  I am no longer surprised to find myself back in the dream again.  The Guardian Gemira continues to tell me  her story as though I never left.  Maybe in the dream world I never did.  Could a part of my subconscious remain here even after I wake??
   

In the Valley - Part 7

Expecting an all out attack from the the Capote, the warriors stood guard at the perimeters of their villages.  As night fell, the Capote began to infiltrate the boundaries of the villages.  Taking on the image of the guards, they captured some of the villagers who appeared unafraid.  The Capote leader attempted to intimidate the villagers into revealing where their leaders were. The leader, Brayak, growled loudly at the captives as spit flowed from his jagged teeth.  "You will tell me what I ask or you will die", he bellowed.

  One of the villagers stepped forward and said to Brayak,  "If you leave now, we will allow you to go in peace."

     The Capote chief, rose up to his full height, puffed out his budging chest and let out a loud hissing fowl laugh.  "You will allow, You will allow!  We will destroy all of you. There will be nothing left of this place when we are done.  We have destroyed thousands,  you are nothing to us.  Only fuel for our bellies."

 With that, he turned and revealed writhing tentacles rising from his back and shoulders.  As the tentacles stretched toward the villagers,  a hum began to vibrate the ground, and a piercing blue light filled the air. The villagers bowed their head and began to speak to the One.

  In an instant the villagers were gone. Left in their place was only those shape-shifter Capote who had taken on their images.   Brayak's tentacles struck them just as the villagers disappeared. Being rather single minded creatures whose only focus was Attack and Destroy, the Capote became  disoriented.  They began to attack the impostors not realizing that they were not the captured villagers. The blinding light made it impossible for them to see their enemy.

  As the bright blinding light began to diminish, Brayak realized that somehow they had been moved further from the villages.  As he looked at the fallen, Brayak began to scream a hideous, awful, curse because all of the dead were his own tribe. 

  Brayak wondered aloud, "How is this possible.  None have ever defeated us."  "RETREAT!, Now!", he ordered.  Understanding that he needed to study his enemy before attacking again.  Brayak began to form a new plan.  "I will be victorious", he vowed.

....Meanwhile, back at the SaHillelyra village, the villagers that had been saved from the Capote began to emerge from the giant roots of the trees.  As the people rejoiced,  the Guardian, Priya stepped forward and spoke quietly to them.  "You must not go to your homes yet.  Come with me and I will explain.  Though you appear uninjured,  there may still be danger. " 
 One of the formerly captured villagers said, "Guardian Priya, I was cut by one of the enemy.  I feel fine but they watched me closely after they cut me.  Please tell me what to do."

  Guardian Priya bowed her head for a moment.  Looking up into the eyes of the villager, she said "I will help you.  Fear not. "