Modern Life
The Morning After
Seth woke to see 7:12 projected on the ceiling from the alarm clock. He rolled out of bed, put his slippers on, and quietly made his way to the kitchen.
Aizu jumped off the bed and followed him for a morning snack. She paused for a big stretch, yawning and extending her claws.
Half asleep, Seth dropped an Earl Gray teabag in his cup and filled it with boiling water from the insta-hot. Aizu nudged his leg, so he bent over to rub her head. She worked her way toward the snack cabinet, making sure to get a good rub along the way, from her neck all the way down her back.
Seth knew Aizu’s grandmother, Cheyenne, fifteen years earlier when he ran a small game software company in Tahoe. More recently in Napa he met Aizu’s mother, Shasta, a mix of Malamute and wolf. Aizu’s dad is a huge dog, looking like a mix between a Rott and a Pit, and maybe some Lab or Golden because Aizu loves the water and has big ears. One is usually flopped down and the other up, unless something riles her, and then both stand as straight as the mane on her back. At ninety pounds she is tiny compared to her parents, but she packs all the power of a dog twice her size… already having sent three different Pit Bulls home to reconsider the results of their decision to challenge her.
Seth held a bacon-looking snack and tore off a little piece for her. “Easy girl.”
Aizu delicately took it from his fingers. “Good girl, want some more? Easy…”
In a litter of six Aizu was the only one with color. The others were pure white, but Aizu looked like a mini wolf with perfect markings. She still does as a young adult… say around twenty-eight to thirty in people years. Her Bristol hair is an orange, brown and black blend, but her feet, belly, and throat are pure white like a killer whale. Her tail is big, furry, and strong. It has a white tip that bounces high when she patrols the neighborhood.
Seth tore off little pieces of the snack one by one until only an inch remained. Aizu knew the routine, so she sat patiently. Seth placed the last piece in his mouth like a cigarette and leaned forward. Aizu stood on her hind legs and ever so gently took the piece from his mouth.
Seth patted her on the head. “That’s my girl. Let’s go.”
Aizu followed him toward the office, but she paused in the hallway to look at Megumi sleeping in the bedroom.
Seth told her to go to sleep in Japanese. “Ne ne Aizu. Ne ne.”
Aizu started for the bedroom.
Seth turned and went into the office. He sat at the desk, and within seconds he heard Aizu jump on the bed and settle in. She sleeps until Megumi wakes, unless Seth goes into the kitchen again. That’s the routine anyway.
Seth shook the mouse a little bit, triggering the computer to turn on. He opened his Internet browser, and took a sip of tea. From the favorites menu he found the Drudge Report. At the top of the page a photo showed bright objects hovering above the white house in Washington. The objects had the same shape as what they saw last night. He clicked on the headline link: Undeniable UFO Evidence Seen By All.
The page refreshed with an article on the event, stating it happened shortly before six in the morning. Seth mumbled to himself. “Six out there is… about the same time the clouds parted here.”
The article quoted Whitehouse officials claiming it was a hoax. That it was a hologram projection and there was no physical evidence to suggest otherwise.
Five minutes later Megumi poked her head in the office. “Morning Seth. Need some more tea?”
Seth didn’t take his eyes off the screen. “No. I’m good, but come check this out.”
Megumi leaned over Seth’s shoulder. Her eyes widened as she recognized the objects in the picture. “I told you last night you were scaring me. You know I have seen this in my dreams ever since the sky started acting weird.”
“Is this the formation in your dreams?”
Megumi stood up. “It’s the same. Seth, my dreams always come true, and I don’t like how this dream ends. You won’t like it either.”
Seth tried to calm her. “Come on now. You don’t know for sure where you’re getting these dreams. What if it’s like that dude on television who claims to be talking to the dead? Ever think of that? I mean, really, do you think God is allowing the souls of dead relatives to come back and communicate with troubled people on prime time television?”
“No.”
“These people are so troubled they can’t function unless they get one more conversation with someone who’s not here, and then they are paraded on national television by these… these. . .”
“I know you think talking to the dead is fake, but a lot of people are able to move on in their life because of him.”
Seth shook his head. “I didn’t say fake. He’s talking to something, but it’s not what everyone thinks. Not all blessings are what they appear to be at face value. In Vegas, doesn’t the card shark let you win a couple of times before cleaning you out? He’s just investing to learn your game and style… then like a master-fishermen he brings you in, watching you struggle against yourself.”
“But what about the people who are able to draw closure?”
“First, closure is a selfish thing. What can they change? Second, did they bring closure or leave them self open? By talking to spirits they may get a few more years of comfort, but they have been impacted internally. When the fake one comes pretending to be God, they will have that same feeling and follow him.”
Megumi folded her arms. “So it’s evil.”
“It’s dangerous. It doesn’t fit God’s style. Even if it looks good on the surface. I just don’t buy it.” Seth took a deep breath. “I’ll just say this… I’m not a judge, but I’d bet on pro wrestling before I’d bet on today’s super preachers and healers. God does not need prime time to convince people He is God. He doesn’t beg for money, and He doesn’t blow on people to heal them. What you see happening on television is the opposite of the Holy Spirit. It’s still a spirit, but from what side?”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on Megumi. It’s a spiritual war, and that means there are both good and bad spirits. Don’t you think their side has seen and heard everything ever spoken. They can’t read your mind, but they can hear you… even when you’re just thinking out loud to yourself, and time means nothing to them. It’s child’s play for them to look up facts from the past, even about things said in your most private moments, or things your loved ones said in their private moments.”
Megumi interrupted. “What about my dreams? Are you saying I’m possessed?”
“Heck no. Your dreams are yours, but it seems you’re getting some kind of information from somewhere? God has used dreams before, and it is written that in the end times the sons and daughters will have dreams. The thing is, I don’t see you reading the Bible. I see you reading Japanese novels, and love stories, and other things.”
“English makes me sleepy, and I don’t understand the Bible.”
“Listen, it’s possible you could be seeing glimpses of our future, and it’s possible they will happen just as you fear, but why would God want to scare you if you’re already not interested? God wants you to revere Him, not fear Him.”
“So why do I have dreams about these things?”
“It seems to me when you’re close to a truth you become a bigger target for the enemy.” Seth offered her a sip of his tea. “I wouldn’t be surprised if a familiar spirit is giving you these things. Just be wise about it, you can’t trust them as fact.”
Megumi reached for the tea. “Why not?”
Seth handed his cup to her and chuckled. “Didn’t your dad ever toss his car keys in the air, and after a few times he knows you’re watching, anticipating, and then… he goes through the motion but holds on to the keys, just to see you look up at nothing. The same thing can apply here. Some of these dreams may have happened. Some may still happen. But you can’t allow yourself to be guided by something you don’t know. That’s no problem for a stepper like you.”
“So I should ignore them?”
Seth shook his head. ”I didn’t say that. Your dreams have stopped me from doing foolish things before… But what if the negative spirits are trying to gain your trust, and then… Bam!”
Megumi stared straight ahead. “Seth, last night I saw Tokyo explode.”