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John slowly pulls himself up from his makeshift bed on the floor, wincing as he moves. That narrow cot just wasn't built for someone his size. "Oof. Haven't felt this beaten up in ages," he groans, stretching his stiff muscles. "Hey Josh, I've got something I need to ask you once you're properly awake."
"I'm already up, John. What's on your mind?" Josh responds.
"Well, first things first - please tell me there's coffee somewhere around here. And second, these bodies we're in... they're actual level 3 physical forms, right? This isn't just some temporary thing like when we borrowed those wolf bodies? I mean, this is real flesh and blood. I had no idea we could even do something like this. I always thought our only options were either floating around here invisible or getting reborn into a body that already existed here."
"Sorry to disappoint you on the coffee front," Josh says with a slight smile. "There are coffee plants growing wild in various spots, but nobody here knows how to process the beans properly. As for your second question - yes, you're absolutely right. This is your actual level 3 body, fully transformed back to physical density. Though I should mention, you're actually in better health than when you originally left this realm. That soreness you're feeling? That's from yesterday's activities - and it's exactly what tipped you off to the change."
"So how exactly do we get back home from here? Do we have to live out entire lifetimes and die of old age before we can return to level 5?" John asks, a note of concern creeping into his voice.
"Not with me around, you don't. This kind of transformation has actually been used quite frequently on your planet when beings from other domains needed to manifest in human form. It's just rarely used by level 5 entities - after all, the whole point of reaching level 5 is rest and preparation for rebirth. But these are extraordinary circumstances, so we're bending the usual rules a bit. "I've been in discussions with many of the domain managers and other highly aware entities about your unique situation. We've decided to use guided evolution up to - but not quite including - the emergence of humans on the planet. Human DNA has been seeded here, but we're keeping it dormant for now.
"Instead, those level 5 beings who were prematurely destroyed will be allowed to return in transformed level 3 bodies - like yours - with their complete memories of the before times intact. They'll rebuild this world with full knowledge of what came before. As children are born in this new world, the normal cycle of death and rebirth will resume, and the balance between levels 3 and 5 will be restored. As for you personally, John, you'll likely remain in level 5 as a domain manager. But everyone has the choice to return permanently if they want to participate in the rebuilding process."
"So these new children will grow up with parents who actually understand the different levels, past lives, the whole cosmic picture. That's going to be radically different from before, when we were stumbling around in the dark," John observes.
"Actually, there have been periods in your history when humanity did possess most, if not all, of this knowledge. But catastrophic earth changes pushed your species to the brink of extinction multiple times, and that wisdom got lost in the fog of history. Much of your mythology and religious traditions were built on fragments of those ancient memories, though most of the stories got heavily embellished over time. Humanity spent millennia trapped in ego-driven evolution, and the ego has a talent for fabricating stories that serve its self-centered agenda. This time around, you'll have a significant head start and a solid foundation of genuine memory to build upon. Plus, thanks to Sally and Nettie, you'll have access to some pretty sophisticated technology. There's really no excuse for not creating a garden paradise this time. You people really made a mess of things last time around, so consider this your second chance."
"'You people'? Nice try, Josh, but you can't fool an old con artist," John says, grinning broadly. "You gave yourself away the other day when you mentioned ascending to level 10 from human form. Don't try to distance yourself with 'you people' when you're one of us."
"Caught red-handed," Josh admits with a rueful smile. "'We' really screwed things up last time. And boy, did we ever make a royal mess of it."
"Well then, my friend, sounds like you've got quite a story to tell. I'm all ears - my own stories are getting pretty worn out from overuse," John says, settling in expectantly. "Alright, I suppose I can share my story. I'm not particularly proud of it, but I'll tell you. First though, let's check on the child and make sure she's okay. I don't think she's awake yet," Josh says as they both head toward Penelope's room.
"Isn't she just precious?" John says softly, gazing at the sleeping girl. "Such a beautiful child. I could stand here watching her sleep all day. Though I better be careful not to get caught - don't want her thinking I'm some creepy old man."
"I wouldn't worry about that, John. I think she'd actually find your attention comforting. She knows how much you love her."
John settles onto a nearby stool and gestures to another. "Have a seat, son. Story time. Tell me about your human days."
"I'll give you the condensed version, otherwise we'll be here for days. I was born in Oklahoma in 1948. My father had just returned from World War II and was working a small farm. We weren't wealthy, but life was decent enough, despite the constant stress about mortgage payments - the house, the farm, the equipment. We scraped by, and my parents managed to save enough that, combined with a student loan, they got me enrolled at Texas A&M to study agriculture. Instead, I majored in girls, sex, loud music, and copious amounts of drugs. I flunked out spectacularly and found myself in the military, bound for a war in a place called Vietnam.
"It was a horrific war, but I thrived in it. I excelled at being a soldier in ways that should have terrified me. I could run faster and farther, shoot quicker and more accurately than any of my buddies. In the jungle, I could literally smell the enemy before we could see them. My squad trusted me to keep them alive, so I'd walk point on search missions - alone, completely focused on protecting my men and completing the mission. Nothing fazed me, not even when they used children as scouts. Kids would spot us and run back to warn the enemy, so I'd shoot them in the back as they fled. If we were near a village, I might grab them and use a knife to keep it quiet.
"Sometimes, though, no matter how focused you are, something in your mind just snaps. I heard movement to my left and spun around, ready to attack. There was a young woman - really just a girl, probably around Penelope's age but starting to mature into womanhood. I moved to eliminate her before she could raise an alarm. But she looked me straight in the eye with this expression that said, 'Go ahead. You can kill me, but you can't truly hurt me, and no matter what you do, you're the one who will lose.' I was stunned by the intensity in her eyes and hesitated for just a split second. In that moment, I noticed two things: first, her absolutely perfect beauty - she was the most stunning girl I'd ever seen.
"The second thing I noticed was a blade sliding between my ribs from behind. I went down hard. The kids must have been scared off because they didn't finish me, but I couldn't move. I had no strength left, yet something inside told me that if I didn't get up immediately, that's where I'd die. Somehow I managed to get on my knees and crawl deeper into the jungle. I crawled for days - I don't remember how many - waiting to die, wanting to die, but too stubborn to give up. I was delirious from blood loss, infection, fever, starvation, but something kept me going.
"Much of that time is a blur, but when my mind finally cleared, I was lying on a mat in a tiny village deep in the jungle. At first I thought I was a prisoner, but later I realized I'd stumbled into a settlement so remote from the main war zones that they rarely encountered the conflict. The head of the household seemed to be some kind of monk, and several women cared for me - I was never sure if one or all of them were his wives. It took a full year to heal, and though we shared no common language, we found ways to communicate.
"As soon as I was strong enough, they put me to work in their small farming plots - my agricultural background came in handy. I also cooked, cleaned, and handled various chores. The only thing I was forbidden to do was approach any of the women or girls. They didn't trust me in that regard, and honestly, they were probably wise not to.
"Every morning before sunrise, I'd go into the jungle or hills and just sit in contemplation. I'd do the same after finishing the evening chores. My old life had ended abruptly the moment that girl made eye contact with me - it was as if she'd reached in and extracted my very soul. Now I had to completely reinvent myself from scratch. I started seeking answers everywhere and anywhere. I'd talk to trees, insects, rocks, birds, streams. I'd pray to God, to the sky, to any being I thought might be listening. I needed to understand. I needed to know everything.
"Then it began. My perception opened up and I started receiving answers - from the trees, rocks, birds, every living thing. They all began communicating with me. I figured I'd finally lost my sanity - maybe some kind of delayed drug reaction - but what did I have to lose at that point? I decided to embrace it and see where it would lead.
"Day after day, one by one, each of God's creatures brought me revelations - first answering my questions, then addressing questions I couldn't have imagined asking. I began experiencing visions where the universe's deepest secrets were revealed to me. As quickly as I could absorb the information, more would come. I completely lost track of time - I couldn't tell if months or years had passed - when I had one final vision. Or maybe it wasn't a vision at all. My caretaker, the monk, approached me and communicated telepathically that it was time for me to leave, that I no longer belonged in that place. He gestured, and a doorway appeared - a portal to another level of the universe. I walked through it and found myself in level 10.
"Once there, all the lessons my animal teachers had shared coalesced into a single, complete understanding, and I remembered my true identity - who I'd always been. I originated at that level. Most of that experience defies description because there are so many unfolded dimensions there that it wouldn't make sense in human terms. In fact, since I've transformed myself back to level 3 alongside you, I can't really recall much of it - that kind of knowledge simply doesn't fit in a human brain.
"After my experience in level 10 - though 'after' doesn't really apply there since concepts like 'before' and 'after' have no meaning at that level - at some point relative to the time we understand here, I chose to become a coalescent. That's like dissolving yourself into an infinite ocean and becoming one with it - merging your essence with its essence. That ocean is the vast, infinite ALL THAT IS - or God, if that's easier to grasp. As a coalescent, I can reform anywhere, anytime I choose, which is how I came to be here.
"Alright, story time's over. Let's go wake up sleeping beauty and get this adventure started," Josh says, rising to head back toward Penelope's room.
"I'm already awake, silly. I've been standing here listening to almost the whole story," Penelope says with a giggle. "I can see how those kids managed to sneak up on you, Josh. When you get really absorbed in something, you don't watch your back." She pauses, then adds more seriously, "Just kidding about that part. I assume 'get this show on the road' means we're going to find Mom?"
"Exactly right, sweetheart. This is going to be quite an interesting journey. Are you ready?" Josh asks.
"Define 'interesting.' I'm not in the mood to be turned into a toad today," Penelope says warily.
"I knew you were going to say that, even without all my coalescent memories," Josh laughs. "First, let me explain where your mother has gone and how we're going to find her. Just as I dissolved into the ALL THAT IS, your mom has performed a similar dissolution process, but into this world's biosphere. She's become one with all life currently existing on this planet - she's effectively become Mother Earth herself. She's working to prepare the biosphere for your return - humanity's return - and for Nettie's reintegration into the biospheric network. She's also handling another crucial task that she's uniquely qualified for.
"Your mother and father, when they were unified long ago, formed a warrior priestess - powerful and ruthless. When they split into Sally and Pat, the warrior priestess template went primarily to the female half. That's why your mom tends to be impatient and aggressive while your dad is more accepting and easygoing. This planet is now radiating with the brilliant light of life like it did millennia ago. Because of that luminosity, this universal jewel has attracted attention from greedy entities who'd love to possess it for themselves. Using the biospheric network and her own formidable power, she's establishing a planetary shield to keep out these unwelcome visitors. Without that protection, your world would be ravaged and exploited by these beings before it's ready for human resettlement. Once you repopulate, you'll also help maintain the planetary defense until it's clearly understood throughout the universe that this world is not to be exploited.
"Now, to visit her - actually, we'll be feeling rather than seeing her, since we won't have eyes in the conventional sense - we're going to partially dissolve ourselves into the biosphere too, but not completely. We're going to merge with a specific species, a magnificent royal species of conifer called the Ponderosa Pine. This will be a completely new experience for you. You're going to discover what it's like to be a tree. Be prepared - it's going to be dark initially, until you learn to 'see' through feelings. Trees don't have brains or visual cortexes to process sight, so it'll feel very different until you adapt. Are you ready for this?"
"Maybe," Penelope says thoughtfully. "It does sound like an interesting experience. But I'm just getting comfortable with this level 3 body. I really, really love it. I can feel so much more intensely. Fruit tastes incredibly sweet. When I curl up in bed, I feel warmer and cozier than my level 5 body ever did. I feel more like a woman, too. Everything seems brighter, more colorful, and the emotions are deeper and stronger. Can I keep this body and bring it back to level 5?"
"I'm sorry, but no. This body will be phased back to level 5 and its dense energy will be allowed to disperse. But it won't be too long before you'll have the opportunity to return here permanently and live out a full life at level 3," Josh explains gently.
"Darn it! Okay then, let's do this," Penelope says with a disappointed pout.
The group heads outside once more. Penelope watches as the now-familiar yellow vortex begins to engulf her, but instead of feeling crushed by overwhelming weight, she feels light and buoyant, hot and glowing. Then everything starts going dark. She's not losing consciousness like before - there's simply no light. She feels herself beginning to spread out and become thin and wispy like a cloud, then her sense of individual form completely evaporates. She's like air itself, filling the space around her but having no form of her own.
"Oh my! This is sooooo strange. Not bad strange, just... weird. Where are you guys?" Penelope calls out. "We're right here, sweetie," John responds.
"Whoa! John, I heard you from inside my own head. But it's not like the wolf telepathy - there I heard you from 'over there.' Now I'm hearing you from inside myself," Penelope says, confusion evident in her mental voice.
"That's because we're intermingled here. We're all part of a collective consciousness. We are, quite literally, inside each other," Josh explains.
"You can get us out of this, right, Josh? I mean, I love you guys, but I don't want to permanently 'be' you guys," Penelope says with growing anxiety.
"In the broadest sense, there truly is only one of us, but I understand your perspective. And yes, I can definitely extract us from this state."
"This is certainly a bizarre sensation," John's voice adds.
"Yeah, I'm feeling these waves, like ocean swells, moving over me, inside me, through me - like I'm part of the ocean itself. I thought I was supposed to become a tree, not an ocean," Penelope says, frustration creeping in.
"I think I understand what's happening, honey," John says. "I remember these sounds moving through the trees back in my forest home. It's wind blowing through the trees. Except here it's not just wind through my few acres - it's wind moving through an entire forest. Apparently we're not three individual trees like I expected. We're all the trees in the forest simultaneously."
"Exactly!" Josh confirms. "Trees don't possess individual consciousness like humans, nor do they have self-awareness. They're simply alive, and because they're alive, they can feel. They have emotions and can respond to other creatures' feelings. But there's no 'this tree' and 'that tree' - there's just 'tree,' all of them at once. Trees are like the forest's cells, each contributing something to the collective, but no single tree being 'complete' in the way you're a complete person in a human body."
"This is absolutely incredible. I'm experiencing sensations that are completely new and strange. My feet - which I guess are roots now - are like straws sucking up this sweet, delicious juice that tastes like apple cider. The wind waves feel like caresses and hugs and back rubs all at once. And there's this other sensation, pulsating like a musical rhythm, everywhere at once - it's unlike anything I've ever felt, and if I could breathe, it would take my breath away. It's so amazing. I really don't have words for it," Penelope marvels.
"When you're as vast as an entire forest, you can feel the seismic pulse of the earth itself. The word you're searching for is 'orgasmic,' and I'm quite relieved that it's unfamiliar to you."
"MOMMY! You're here! I was so worried about you. Are you okay?" Penelope asks, her excitement palpable. If she'd had legs, she would have been jumping and dancing, but that's rather difficult when you are a forest.
"I'm okay, sweetheart. In the few days it took you to reach me, I've experienced several months here. I've had time to think and work through some of the mental loops I was stuck in. My human thoughts still carry considerable anger, but spread throughout the Earth's life force, it's not as intense. Mostly I'm just feeling depressed now, but I'm getting past that too. There's important work for me to do here, and that keeps my mind from dwelling on the same thoughts repeatedly. I'm sorry I yelled at everyone - not that some of you didn't deserve it - but I acted childishly, and I apologize for that. I especially apologize to you, Penelope. I'm supposed to set an example, and you showed more maturity than I did. Can you forgive me?" Sally asks.
"Of course I forgive you, Mommy. I love you so much. I didn't realize how deeply you were hurting. I'm hurting too, but not as much as you, so I understand."
"How long will you be staying here, Sally?" John inquires.
"Probably six months to a year before I get everything properly established. But that won't feel very long for you since time flows differently where you are."
"I want to stay here with you, Mommy. I love feeling the waves and sucking up sweet juice and feeling all orgasmic. Can I please stay?" Penelope pleads.
"No, honey, you can't. It's not your time to be here, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to feel orgasmic when you're older. Now, you all need to brace yourselves. We're about to activate the planetary shield. It won't hurt you, but it's going to push you off the planet. When that happens, just do what I saw in a movie when I was young - close your eyes, click your heels together, and keep saying 'There's no place like home.' In a moment, you'll be home. I promise. You don't need Josh's help for this - it's automatic. And make sure to keep your eyes closed! You're all going to be naked when you leave here. I love you, honey. I'll see you soon."
Penelope feels sudden pressure and a tearing sensation. It doesn't actually hurt, but there's a sharp sting. Then intense movement, rapid acceleration. She watches as Earth suddenly begins receding, getting smaller and smaller as she's propelled away at incredible speed. Oh crap! Penelope thinks to herself. I'm still in cloud form. I don't have heels to click together. Well, it probably doesn't matter anyway. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.
Penelope awakens, rubbing her eyes and looking around at her familiar belongings in her bedroom at John's house. Wow, was that all just a dream? she wonders. Holy crap! I'm naked! I always sleep in my pajamas, especially at John's house. It definitely wasn't a dream!
