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  The Knowing

  Time only runs out for those that heed to its will

  R.A. VISETTE

  Copyright © 2022 by Divinely Inspired Publishing, LLC AND R.A. Visette

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 978-0-578-35356-2

  Published by Divinely Inspired Publishing, LLC

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious.

  All resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author/publisher illegal and punishable by law, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and can result in up to five years of time in prison and a monetary fine of $250,000.

  Created with Vellum

  For my Family and Friends that continue to love and support all of my endeavors. Also, for my little ones, for inspiring me to stay child-like.

  Love you always and forever.

  Contents

  1. Seeking

  2. 1947

  3. Summer

  4. Our Home

  5. The Man

  6. Changing Times

  7. The Property

  8. Learning

  9. John’s Mission

  10. A Bedtime Story

  11. Voices

  12. Dancing Candlelight

  13. A New Beginning

  14. Secrets

  15. Vision

  16. Insight

  17. Separation

  18. Reflection

  19. Becoming Aware

  20. The Visit

  21. A Connection

  22. Drakon’s Legion

  About the Author

  1

  Seeking

  A malevolent source of darkness encircled Celia anytime she slipped out of this world and into the in-between. Serene yet terrifying, it was the only way she could fulfill her destiny by seeking truths from the divine.

  Trying to find her center, Celia took in a deep breath while reveling for a moment at the sound of birds chirping outside her window. She calmed every inch of her body, concentrating fully on a balanced alignment.

  A deliberate approach would help her connect directly into the flow of the universe. She would need to harness every aspect of her souls’ gift to protect herself from the evil that was waiting for her to find the one.

  She had been part of a story for more lifetimes than she could remember, but the purpose had remained unchanged. Every timeline she existed in brought forth various challenges for their mission.

  Thwarted by a slip-up within another dimension, Celia had started her portion of the quest prematurely. The body she was in had begun to show signs of transitioning from the current to the afterlife.

  Her life now was as an elderly woman living deep in the marsh covered depths of the Louisiana bayou. There was so much that had to be done and Celia feared that they might be misaligned completely.

  The only thing she could do was to try and find the one before it was too late. Time was all they had, and if she slipped away before a connection was made it could signify their true ending. Which was something that would be more than devastating to the entire universe as the darkness would come to forever dim the light.

  Tonight, she would go deeper into the flow in hopes to secure their connection. The only concern she had was calculating the moment to sever the link. Thankfully, all her lifetimes had been spent mastering her gifts.

  All she needed to do was quiet her mind and settle into the unknown. Typically, this could be done effortlessly but she knew that they would be watching. One mistake could be detrimental, but it was a risk she knew had to be taken.

  Her breath began to flow in and out of her body seamlessly. She fixated on clearing her headspace by following the rhythmic thumping in her chest. The transition from the current would require her to separate from the now and fall deep into the flow of the world.

  Taking in a few more long-drawn-out breaths, she maintained her serenity holding the linkage in place. Images would soon start streamlining in and each would illustrate a message from her guides.

  Her knowing was all she had to move forward. Even after multiple lifespans, she was still amazed when the pictures began to flow in from her guides. She knew that every scenario might not bring forth an easy answer, but Celia had become the world’s magnum opus.

  Everything she was doing was meant to bring her closer to finding the one again. They had traveled many timelines together and she feared this one might be the last she would share with the others.

  Her body ached and the everyday art of breathing had begun to wear on her. She found it hard to wake up most days but nothing, outside of death, would block her from fulfilling the need for the world.

  Time had ticked out her days much differently than before. Although tired, she had a new sense of urgency from the note that had been delivered that morning, it read:

  Dearest Celia,

  It’s time to begin, old friend. I think the one is close now. I can feel the flame that burns within us all has been lit again. We must heed the call once more. She is near, I can feel her presence within my bones. Bernard has noticed the change too. When you find her, please send word of whatever it is that you see, and we will do the rest. Just do me a favor and hold on to this life.

  Your oldest and dearest friend,

  John

  The note had brought on so many memories of their lives together, each cherished and missed. Her first priority now was to find where the physical body of the one was located.

  Clinching her teeth, she adjusted her focus further inward. Any time spent in this subconscious state was dangerous. No matter of distance would stop the ones that dwell in the darkness.

  She knew that they were watching. She could sense their presence as it swirled around searching for any way to find them. However, through all the span of days they had fought against each other she had stolen one of their secrets.

  Celia discovered it during a moment held in the in-between. She had fallen out of the timeline with the others and in her angst to reconnect had forced entry back into it. However, the link was damaged on purpose by John.

  Destroying the link would hinder the darkness from dimming the light completely so that they could make an escape. In her haste, she had forgotten about that step and managed to return in the wrong dimension.

  It had been tricky to navigate but within it she was able to watch their sinister ways of doing things. Some of it was obvious but she had found the one thing that made her task easier.

  Celia hadn’t been able to connect directly to the one without their leader sensing it which was a huge disadvantage. Smiling, she remembered how it felt when she saw it all play out.

  Their leader’s rage had provided the opportunity when it had released the hold on all the hidden portals. Linking to a portal would remove it from their evil clutches indefinitely.

  She didn’t realize the full capacity of what she had done until it was over with. Risking everything had paid off but Celia knew that the portals absence had recently been noticed. Out of millions of them, she had found the one that they connected into the least which was how she had held onto it this long.

  The dark dwellers were trying everything to relocate the portal and if they knew that Celia was the one that had it then the end would surely come. Millenniums had taught her a few things; one being the ability to hide.

  She had skipped over timelines, bent the rules in every dimension and had managed to master the ability to flow in and out of the darkness’ portal completely unseen.

  A heavy sorrow distracted her as she recalled the many failed attempts to bring what was foretold to fruition. There were many lights that wondered around the universe but only a few that held it within their heart.

  The dark dread had only partially dimmed the light for the one Celia and her friends were trying to find. However, the other lights prior to this one had been darkened and removed from this world.

  Celia felt a deep burning sensation begin to build within the depths of her soul. The portal was opening for her, so she flowed into it. She beamed at the ease of navigating throughout the unknown within it.

  She could feel a light tingling in her chest that spread powerfully throughout her body. Her guides were with her now. Surely, they could give her something.

  The portal protected her as the black canvas painted in her mind remained untouched. She let out a slow and steady breath as she waited patiently for something to come through.

  Although she could sense the portal around her, she wasn’t quite sure how long it would be able to block the darkness. Anxious, she pushed the thought out of her mind and refocused. You can do this, just stay calm.

  Just as she began to lose hope, a trickle of light filtered into view and a picture emerged. Straining, she tried to decipher what had been given to her.

  A blurry shape of what appeared to be a woman standing in front of an old white building came into view. That’s it. Just a little while longer. Come on out and show yourself.

  Before too long, something inside the building caught her attention. A familiar feeling drew her in, so she slowed her breathing. Her heart strained to beat.

  Inside the building crouched close to the ground was the b
luest shining light. It illuminated the space so brightly that she had to take a second before continuing. Hold it together. She pushed the remaining breath from her lungs and shivered as her last gasp of air flowed out through her lips whistling silently.

  Her body was emerged deep within the flow and as her heartbeat began to fade, she couldn’t sense the portal shielding her anymore. A feeling she had missed for most of this lifetime was now wrapped around her.

  Despite everything, the presence within that building had a divine aura and being within its embrace tempted her to stay but she knew all too well what that would do.

  There was a chance she could get lost and slip back into the in-between or even worse, she could be found. A deep burning within signified she was getting close.

  Celia retracted enough to maintain some distance. Aligning unprepared would emit a light beacon strong enough for the world to see where they were hiding.

  Shuddering, she felt a change when the grip was loosened from her connection to the divine. The only way to determine if this was the one would be to dim its light.

  Diminishing the blue shade would show the individual that held it but when done to the one they were looking for it would illuminate the purest form of white light from within their heart space.

  This all had to be done quickly and without error. Further complicating things would be the need for Celia to utilize all her gifts and maintain the portal. Which wouldn’t have been an issue if this life form wasn’t in such a frail state.

  She could hold the space temporarily without breathing as long as her heart continued to beat. The connection to the divine and the portal would keep her alive but not for long.

  Celia pushed with all her remaining strength and wrapped herself around the light. Watching intently, her heartbeat slowed to almost nonexistence. Why isn’t this working? The blue aura pulsated violently before she could see it begin to fade.

  Lightheaded and shaking, her body continued to slip away from her, but she held on hoping to find the answer they all so desperately needed. She could feel herself drifting off as her heartbeat was now too faint to hear.

  Giving one last push, her efforts were rewarded as a brilliant white light beamed from the room. Finally! Gasping to fill her lungs, she grinned and thanked her guides for aiding her search.

  Keeping her eyes closed, she watched as the light dwindled and revealed a young girl. Not yet a teenager but her face held the innocence Celia easily recognized. More importantly, the girls white light confirmed all that they needed to know.

  A sadness flooded over the girl’s eyes. Celia relinquished all her efforts and smiled as the blue light consumed over the space once again.

  Celia steadied her breathing and listened as her heartbeat pounded heavily in her chest. She could feel the portal’s presence around her but there was no way to tell if the link had separated briefly and exposed her.

  She didn’t have time to worry about that right now and centered herself in order to pull in more messages. They wouldn’t be able to proceed without knowing the girl’s location.

  The building in focus had a formal appearance and a bell by the door. Definitely not a home. Books began to flash before her eyes. Hundreds of them. It’s a library! She looked at the surroundings and begged for one more clue.

  The brooding frustration in her chest could possibly disconnect her completely if it continued to fester. Focus just a moment longer. Looking at the picture portrayed in her mind, she tried to locate some type of signage.

  Celia fixated on the feeling she had before when in perfect balance. The air cleared around her and the scent of the bayou infiltrated the room. Confused if this was a sign of disconnecting, she waited.

  A muggy texture filled the air and the thick stagnant smell drifted into her nostrils. The front of the building had a small sign just to the side of the door where the woman was standing. There you are.

  The blurry photo started to dissolve into a picture-perfect image. She could see the outline of a petite woman. This individual was young, and quite beautiful but something else had her attention. Within the woman’s eye, Celia could see her old friend’s black car. The sight of it brought a smile to her face.

  Coming back to center, she concentrated on the sign in front of the library. Each fuzzy letter transformed into legible font.

  She chuckled. I may be old, but I still got it! The sign was as clear to her as it would have been if she was standing in front of the building in that very moment.

  “The Chauvin Library est. 1910.”

  2

  1947

  The glory of the morning sunlight beamed through the curtains introducing the sign of a new day. Nine-year-old Elizabeth’s body had sunk deep into her mattress while her dreams played vividly in her mind.

  Covers hugging her tightly, she was awoken by the sounds of feet thudding against the wood floors. This was the morning alarm for adventure.

  Pulling the cover over her head, she pushed herself deep into her bed. Nothing would feel better than a few more minutes to slip back into the dream she had been dancing in before.

  Just as her eyes began to close, she was interrupted by a loud thud and booming laughter that echoed through their two-bedroom house. The noise was so loud that the neighbors ten miles down the rock road possibly heard it.

  Sitting up in bed, she scanned the living room for the source of tumultuous sounds of snorting, growling and bodies clashing. She laughed when she saw one of her brothers rolled atop the other one.

  The all telling sign that their battle had ended was a victory laugh. She hadn’t heard it yet, so she stayed in bed. The warmth of the sun laid upon her back like a blanket. Tucking her legs close to her chest, she sat quietly enjoying the comfort of the space.

  The boys continued to roll around violently. How they had fun doing this was still a mystery to her, but being the only girl of four children, she had grown to appreciate their roughhousing.

  In the background of it all, she could hear the sweet humming sound coming from her mother. Elizabeth perked up. Some mornings her mother was able to go into work late and this must have been one of those days. She loved spending time with her family and even more so with her mother.

  Elizabeth’s mother, a middle-aged woman, worked hard to give her four children opportunities she had once hoped to accomplish for herself so many years ago.

  Her and her three brothers, Carl, Slade, and Albert had grown up like many children from small-town families. Three home cooked meals daily, playtime was purely creative adventures, and they were not afraid of anything.

  They lived in a smaller house than most of the town. But if you asked any of the children you would never know if they ever went without anything. Their community was all about family and they all took care of one another.

  The love within their home and community was rare. A blessing that is often misunderstood initially then longed for once it’s gone.

  A yawn escaped her, forcing Elizabeth to stretch her arms and legs. The cool texture of the floors surface made her shiver as it contradicted the warmth of the sun outside. It continued to try and tempt her back into the comfort of her bed.

  Elizabeth soaked in every second that morning as she sat quietly. Another giggle caught her mother’s attention.

  “Good morning, sweetheart, won’t you join us?” Her mother’s voice flowed in from the kitchen to the bedroom. The invitation was just the push she needed to get out of bed.

  Wreckage from the morning wrestling bout appeared to be a bloody nose, one busted lip, and stretched clothing. Her brothers sat up as Elizabeth entered the room.

  The smell of teenage boys sweat lay heavily in the air and the sound of their breathing drowned out their mother’s humming.