The Christ Clone Trilogy 03 - Acts Of God
By
James Beau Seigneur
Hope
June 2, 4 N.A. (2026 A.D.) — Babylon, Iraq
Decker waited outside Christopher's office, talking with Jackie Hansen. He
marveled at how young she looked. He knew her age: though she had forbidden
anyone to give her a party, she had just turned fifty. And yet every day it
seemed she grew younger and more beautiful. The small mark on the back of her
right hand explained why. She had been among the very first to receive the
communion, and after fourteen months its beneficial effects were unmistakable.
Decker would have liked to talk with Jackie for a while longer, but Christopher
returned to his office and it was Christopher he had come to see, or more
precisely, it was Christopher who had asked to see him.
Inside the office, Decker could not help but comment to Christopher on Jackie's
appearance. In doing so he unintentionally provided the opening for what
Christopher wanted to see him about.
"Decker," Christopher began, and then paused. It was clear that something was
bothering him. Somehow Decker sensed that this was not a matter of state but
something far more personal.
"What is it?" Decker asked, urging him on.
"I don't want this to sound like . . . well, like I'm calling you on the carpet.
I hope that I would never be so presumptuous; you know how I feel about you.
It's just that, well, I don't understand."
Decker didn't speak but his expression made it clear that he had no idea what
Christopher was getting at. • "The communion," Christopher said finally.
The comment was cryptic: he might have meant anything by it. But Decker was sure
he now understood what this meeting was about.
"I've been meaning to talk with you about that," Decker said a little
sheepishly. It had been more than a year since the communion had begun. The
strict penalties against terrorist activities at clinics had had the desired
effect and now nearly everyone had received the communion and bore the mark.
Many clinics had all but suspended operations because everyone in the population
who wanted the communion had received it. There was, however, one notable
exception: Decker himself.
"Decker, certainly you of all people are free to make your own choice on the
matter .... I just don't understand."
"Christopher, you know that I love you."
"And I love you," Christopher responded.
"And you must know that I consider myself fortunate above all men to have been a
part of what you have begun. But I'm seventy-two years old. I'm an old man."
"But, Decker, the communion will make you young again!"
"Christopher," Decker said, shaking his head regretfully, "I know. I know. And
this may be hard for you to understand, but I don't want to live forever. I've
had a full life, but. .."
"But what?" Christopher prodded.
"There is one thing missing from my life. It was taken from me twenty-three
years ago."
"Your family?" Christopher asked.
Decker nodded. "After all these years," he said haltingly. "I still miss them."
Tears began to form in his eyes. "I still ache for them. I still find myself
thinking I hear Hope or Louisa's voice when I hear children playing." Decker
wiped his eyes and shrugged, "I still sleep on one side of the bed," he said.
"Now don't start thinking I'm getting suicidal or anything," he added quickly.
"I'm in no hurry to die or anything. It's just that when my time comes, it
comes. I shall welcome death as rest."
"Decker, I had no idea you still hurt so much," Christopher said softly.
"It's okay," Decker answered. "On a day-to-day basis I'm fine. It's just that
when I look at the long run, I don't think I could live forever with this
emptiness I feel."
"I'm so sorry, Decker. I wish I had known."
"There's nothing anyone could have done."
"But, don't you see, Decker, there is!" Christopher let slip an ironic laugh
that left Decker struggling to understand what he meant. "Don't you see?"
Christopher said again. "Haven't you been listening to your own speeches? For
more than three years you have overseen the creation and administration of
training and indoctrination for those unfamiliar with New Age concepts. You've
lectured on dozens of college campuses, been interviewed by hundreds of
reporters, written who-knows-how-many articles, and yet you still don't realize
that what you've been saying applies to you, too? No one really dies, Decker;
not forever! Life goes on long after the body dies. We're reborn time and again.
It's no different with Hope or Louisa ... or Elizabeth!"
Decker felt as though his heart had stopped. He wasn't sure what Christopher
meant, but it seemed he was saying there was hope that he might see his family
again.
"Decker, there's no reason for you to accept death! You haven't lost Elizabeth
forever! She's alive! She has already been born again!"
"What are you saying?" Decker asked, his voice trembling as he choked back
tears.
"Elizabeth is alive, Decker. Can't you feel it? She was born again just months
after you lost her."
"But where is she? Can I see her?"
"Not yet," Christopher said apologetically. "But you will. I can tell you a
little about her, though. She's twenty-one years old and lives in a city in New
Brunswick."
"How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me? Why can't I see her?"
"Decker, it's not time yet. She wouldn't know you."
Decker was confused. "Will she remember me?" he asked slowly, a wave of dread
telling him Christopher's answer would be'no.'
"Yes, Decker. She will. Even now she knows there is something missing from her
life. In a few years — it's impossible to say exactly when — she will go through
past life therapy and will remember who she was in her previous life. Then she
will remember you."
"And . . ."
"Yes, Decker," Christopher smiled. "She will come to you. How could you believe
otherwise? Decker, there are some things that are stronger than death. Yours
will be a love story for the New Age."
"But... you said she's twenty-one? I'm old enough to be her grandfather."
Christopher started to laugh but this time he didn't hold back. It was a joyous
laugh. "Decker, when you're going to live forever, you don't let a little thing
like fifty years get in your way."
"No, I guess not," Decker acknowledged, starting to laugh along, though his eyes
were still filled with tears. "Besides, I guess I'll seem a lot younger by
then."
"Then you'll take the communion?" Christopher asked.
"Of course. I'll go right now."
"Well, I don't think you'll find a clinic open this late. You'll have to wait at
least until morning."
Decker looked at his watch and nodded. "What about Hope and Louisa?" he asked.
Christopher nodded. "One day they will remember you, too. Soon, Decker, in
perhaps a hundred years, all the veils will be lifted, and all of Humankind will
remember who they were in all of their past lives. And they shall understand
just how really connected all of us are to one other. Many will find that their
enemies in one life were their dearest friends in another. And in that day, when
they know who they were, they shall begin to understand who they truly are"
"Can you tell me about. . ." Decker hesitated to ask. He wanted to ask about his
old friend, Tom Donafin, but he was not sure how Christopher would feel about
his continued interest in the man who had shot him.
"It's all right, Decker. Who do you want to know about?"
"Can you tell me about Tom Donafin?"
Christopher smiled, not at all upset that Decker would ask. "He was reborn last
year to a family in Paraguay."
Decker shed another tear and tried to thank Christopher, but words failed him.
"It's all right, Decker. Why don't you go home now and get some rest?"
Decker nodded.
As he was about to close the door behind him, Christopher went after him to give
him a hug. With tears in his eyes, Christopher said, "I'm sorry I didn't
understand before how you felt. I'm just glad we've got this worked out now and
that you're going to take the communion. I need you, Decker. I don't know how I
could get along without you."
Decker left the building in a euphoric daze. Suddenly his whole life ... his
whole eternity had changed. He had something worth living for ... something
worth living forever for.
"That's him in the grey suit," whispered one of the two men who stood waiting in
the shadows.
Decker walked along, totally lost in joyous thought and unaware of their
presence.
They emerged from the alley as Decker passed, the red Hebrew lettering of the
Koum Damah Tatare now clearly visible on their foreheads.
Decker struggled to get away but the two men overpowered him. The chloroformed
rag, though old-fashioned, was effective.