Episode 5: THE UNIQUE AND PRICELESS TREASURE

Kyle watched enviously as his older brother hit the home run that won the baseball game. Everyone else he knew was jumping up and down and cheering, some were running down to the field to honor the hero of the game. Kyle could only sit there feeling sorry for himself. He wasn't able to hit a ball if it was the size of a watermelon. His brother could do everything well. He was popular, and talented, he was everything Kyle wasn't. Kyle couldn't think of a single thing he was really good at. Soon someone came and sat down next to him, it was Faith. Kyle liked her but was a little afraid of her, she always talked about Logos, and His Highest Majesty, and the Comforter. He didn't believe in any of them. He had never seen them, most people he knew had never seen them, but Faith and her good friends believed they existed. They claimed to be citizens of two worlds, this one, and "The Realm of Peculiar People", of which Logos was the King. Faith sat just looking at him for a few moments as if she knew everything he was thinking then spoke, "Kyle, Logos needs you." "Needs me? I don't even believe in Him, even if He really exists, why would he need me, I'm no good at anything?" "He gave me these instructions and wants you and me together to find a hidden treasure," Faith whispered, carefully showing him a folded piece of paper and looking around as if to make sure no one else heard what she told him. "Are you trying to trick me and make me look silly, this sounds too ridiculous," he retorted. "No, honestly, Logos said you're the only one who can help, and if you don't this treasure will be hidden forever," she insisted. He looked at her, still skeptical, but a treasure hunt might be fun, and he never heard of Faith doing anything to hurt anyone ever, as a matter of fact she always tried to help whoever she could. "OK, I'm in, where do we start?" No sooner had he agreed than he and Faith were standing on a ship in scuba gear. Faith opened the folded piece of paper and handed it to Kyle, it read "follow the directions of the Captain."

A gruff looking man walked up to the children, "Faith and Kyle, no doubt," he said, looking them over, "I'm Captain Martin." "This is the spot according to the coordinates Logos gave us, you'll dive straight down right here," Captain Martin told the children in a no nonsense tone of voice. "Wait a minute, I don't know anything about scuba diving, I can't do this," Kyle protested. "Well normally I'd agree with you, but people find they can usually do what Logos tells them to do, even if they never did it before," the captain replied rather shortly. "If I were you, I'd never try this unless I knew for sure Logos told me to," he continued. "But I don't even believe in Logos," Kyle retorted. "You believe in Him more than you think," Faith insisted. "I want to go but Logos said you had to find the treasure, and I was only to help." He looked down into the water, he really did want to dive, and started feeling a little confidence that he could actually do it. "Well what are we looking for?" "A small metal box near the helm of a sunken ship is what I was told, just grab it and come straight back up" Captain Morgan instructed him. Though still fearful Kyle was determined he was going to go through with this, after all he was just sitting on a bench a few minutes ago, now he was on the stern of a ship, "how did that happen?" "Well here goes," and into the water he went with Faith right after him. The minute he was below the surface of the water he felt almost like the water was a second home, he knew what to do and how to do it. They soon saw the wrecked ship and quickly located the metal box near the helm, he pulled but it was wedged between some debris. "Faith, quick, I need your help." They both tugged, soon the box was free and they were on there way back to their ship. They clung to the ropes let down into the water for them and were pulled back on board. Kyle opened the box with no problem, inside was a corked bottle with a piece of paper inside, it read, "You are going to higher heights."

In the next instant they were standing at the foot of hill. About two thirds of the way up on a ledge they saw another metal box just like the one they had just retrieved. "Oh, great," Kyle thought, "another metal box with another piece of paper inside." "What's the point if there's no real treasure?" "Even if there is treasure, who's going to get it?", he thought. "If I'm going to all this trouble I ought to at least get part of the treasure." "Don't we need ropes or something?" he asked Faith. Faith started running toward the hill, "you mean these?", she asked picking up some rope, "protection", and aiders. "Logos said this would be a pretty easy climb, plenty of hand and foot holds, but we'll take these just in case." So they geared up and started up. Kyle was amazed at how much he was enjoying the climb. It was exhilerating, before he knew it they had the box, he almost didn't want to go back down, the view was breathtaking. Back on the ground he opened the box, just as he thought, another folded piece of paper. This one read, "rescue me."

About 500 yards away a helicopter landed. "That's for us," Faith explained. "It sure was quiet for a chopper," Kyle thought to himself. As they approached they discovered it was a Notar designed for quieter flight than an ordinary helicopter. A tall, powerful looking man emerged, he was dressed like a business man. "You must be Kyle and Faith?" "Yes sir," Kyle answered. "Logos told me where to find you, I'm John Collins, Leap Frog with the Seals." "A group of sleepers was activated and captured one of my men and are holding him in an abandoned warehouse in New Mexico." "We spread the word that he had access to a large treasure to draw them out." "They were activated in hopes of using the treasure to buy Chemical Weapons." "We determined there are six men holding him." "They were informed their Commander will be arriving today and will have his two children with him to draw away suspicion." "What they don't know is that we've already detained them, and since they have never actually seen him we're going in as "Max Lynchfield" and his two children." "We'll parachute into an open field about a half a mile from the yard where the warehouse is and walk in." "You'll tandem jump with Faith since she's jumped before." "You've parachuted before?," Kyle asked Faith skeptically. "Sure, a few times," she answered, smiling. Kyle didn't know whether to be more scared or insulted that he was expected to jump out of a helicopter attached to a girl about his own age, who, by the way, he still didn't know very well at all. "Oh well," he thought, "I've done everything else, I may as well do this too." "But what about the treasure, was that just made up for this operation?" "Anyway, it didn't matter, a Seal was captured and needed their help, so treasure or not he was in." Inside the chopper were four more Seals, including the pilot, and a celled area with the door unlocked and open. Once they were all in the pilot didn't waste a second getting the helicopter in the air. Over the target, with the chutes strapped on, Faith yelled, "Let's go," and out they went, and John dropped right after them. Dropping freely through the air Kyle had none of the fear he expected. He felt strangely like he had done this before, or would do it again, he was a little confused, but he found he loved it, and when Faith opened the chute, he knew that this would not be the first and last parachute jump for him. They landed on the ground, took off the chutes and started walking toward the yard where the Seal was being held. As they approached the warehouse the guard raised his weapon. "Pirates Gold," John shouted at the guard, the guard put the weapon down to his side. "The prisoner is inside and unharmed as you requested sir." Suddenly an explosion was heard south of the yard and four men went running toward the area where the sound was heard. John ordered the guard to come inside with him and the children to let the inside guard know who he was." The guard escorted them to a small room in the back of the warehouse. Both guards seemed somewhat dismayed, not knowing what had caused the explosion. Suddenly John pulled out a cloth recently saturated with chloroform which he had tucked in a plastic lined pocket of his suit, grabbed the nearest guard from behind and tightly held it over his nose and mouth, at the same time he pulled a pistol out and ordered the other guard to let the weapon drop that he was holding at his side. The weapon and the chloroformed guard dropped to the ground at the same time. John gave Kyle a knife to cut the ropes holding J. C. Mann. "Glad to see you could make it John, they were talking about cutting off fingers, and toes, and ears, and such if I didn't tell them where the treasure is, and they didn't think much of Commander Lynchfield either, bringing children here," J. C. looked at the children, winked, and smiled." Within the next few moments three more Seals were in the warehouse, the anesthetized guard was coming around and they forced his comrade to help him to the chopper, which they set down just feet away from where they heard the explosion, locked inside the celled area inside the helicopter were the other four sleepers they had captured, with the pilot standing guard, and the two additional prisoners were placed inside with them, the pilot took his place at the controls and soon they were in the air again.

Kyle found J. C. to be very likeable, and soon got up the nerve to ask him about the treasure. "Logos said we were going to find treasure, but there isn't any, is there?" he asked, then quickly added, "not that rescuing you wasn't much more important than any old treasure." J. C. smiled, "so you believe in Logos now, do you?" "I suppose I do, do you?" "Of course, He's gotten my friends out of many predicaments, including the one you just helped with," J. C. replied. "Well when it comes to that, I suppose I couldn't have done any of the things I did today without His help," Kyle said, pondering the words thoughtfully. Faith came over and sat down next to J. C., Kyle, I'd like you to meet Logos." "Uh, I don't see Him, where is He?" "I'm Logos," J. C. replied. Kyle looked at Him bewildered, not knowing what to say, but realizing he was being told the absolute truth. "There's always been a treasure, it was with Me all the time, but My captors would never have recognized it or accepted it, but you've found it, the treasure is Me, accepting Me and becoming a part of My Kingdom, the Realm of Peculiar People, will you accept me as your King Kyle." Kyle didn't hesitate for a second, "yes Sir, I will," he answered. There were other treasures found today, Logos continued. He took a mirror out of his pocket, and held it so Kyle could see his own reflection. "This is the unique and priceless treasure I've obtained today." Kyle almost felt like crying, "I'm sorry I didn't believe in you sooner." "But you did," Logos informed him, "more than you realize, you're just now admitting it." "Would you like to know about other treasures you found today?" Logos asked him. Kyle thought about the events of the day, "I think I know, he answered, "the scuba diving, the climbing, the skydiving, and rescuing you, I loved it all, I've found things that I really love to do." "You had My help today to do things you are yet to learn, it won't be as easy at first as it was today, but these are things you love and will excel at someday." Logos gave Kyle a friendly hug and tussled his hair and in the next instant he and Faith were back at the benches in the ball park. Kyle knew he had made two forever friends today in Faith and Logos.

Years later Kyle often thought about the day he found the greatest Treasure of his life, and his love for King Logos, His Highest Majesty, and The Comforter even exceeded his love of being a Leap Frog with the Navy Seals.

Copyright pending May 2013

Episode 4: THE RESHAPING

Megan's grandpa had just heard a newscast that upset him quite a bit. "What in the world are they doing to our country?" he muttered to himself. Faith and Megan decided to take a little break from studying for a test for their political science class. Grandpa called them over and asked if he could tell them a story, Grandpa loved telling stories, and the girls loved hearing them. "A long time ago a group of people called Landers came to a large island and decided to make it their home. In this place everyone would be free to worship The Three, His Highest Majesty, His Son Logos, the King of the Realm of Peculiar People, and The Comforter, or not worship them as they pleased. The place would be called Freedom Land. They built and grew and after some struggles and even a war they became firmly settled in their new country. They began calling themselves Citizens. The Leading Citizens soon decided it was time to develop the laws of the land and met together and established "The Document" which contained the basis for all other laws, and all the Leaders signed it. Eventually it became necessary to add some "Rules" to "The Document". Besides being the basis for the laws of the land, The Document also provided for the organization of their government. Everything went well for a long while. The Keepers made sure the laws that were inforced were based on The Document. As time went by things began to change, the Reshapers began to question what The Document really meant in various areas, many Keepers, Informers, and Citizens joined with the Reshapers. The Loyals maintained a view of The Document that the Leaders had intended, but the Reshapers and the Keepers and Informers (who were also Reshapers), pressed hard their point of view. The Reshapers, who secretly knew the true content of The Document, decided it would be in the best interest of the Citizens to "reshape" the text to best suit "the needs of the Citizens". With the help of the Informers who anounced daily the views of the Reshapers, and of the Keepers who were willing to bend and twist the words of The Document to their own advantage, the Citizens began to believe these reshapings and twistings of The Document as facts. The Loyals, who also had among them some Keepers and Informers, pressed to keep the truths of The Document intact, but the damage was done. Many Citizens had been won over by the Reshapers. Some of the Loyals, wishing to please the Citizens, became Shifters and Drifters. The Shifters shifted over to the Reshapers side, the Drifters, drifted to whichever side was the most popular to the Citizens at any given time. Lax interpretations of The Document began to have a profound effect on Freedom Land. The Reshapers, Shifters, and Drifters, started finding all kinds of things to do with the Citizens money, and collected from them as much as they saw fit. The freedom to worship The Three became sadly restricted, especially in the learning places of children, in public places, and in work places. Where once people could say what was on their mind, now caution had to be taken with words spoken for fear of being penalized. Employing Citizens who had ingenious ideas and developed them, hiring many other talented Citizens, to help with their production, came under strict regulation and scrutiny of the Reshapers, who had been given charge of Freedom Land, and had to let many Citizens go because they could no longer afford to keep them. Freedom Land was losing the very thing she was established for: Freedom." Grandpa got up from his big easy chair and started to walk toward the kitchen. "Wait Grandpa; is that the end of the story?" Megan asked, seeming quite frustrated. "No," Grandpa answered, "your parents, you girls, I, and every good Loyal can change the ending of this chapter; it's still a work in progress". "Getting The Three involved wouldn't hurt a bit either". "How do we get them involved?" Megan asked. "I can answer that," chimed in Faith, "just ask." "Right you are girl, right you are," Grandpa said, smiling at Faith. "Oh, and by the way, the end of the whole book has already been written, and we win," Grandpa concluded and went on to the kitchen.

Copyright pending May 2013

Episode 3: IMAGINE NATION

Almost everyone liked Alex because Alex liked everyone, he was a very wise 13 year old who saw value in people, even those others deemed worthless. He developed enough strength through his relationship with Logos to stand firm in his convictions. He would not give in to peer pressure to do things he knew were wrong. Most of his classmates, though they secretly admired him, couldn't really understand him, but Faith could. "Why does he want to hang with losers?" was the big question among them. Alex had invited Dan, Tad, Sophia, and Faith to dinner, and then his parents would take them out to a movie. Faith had other obligations but the boys gladly accepted, Sophia reluctantly accepted because her foster parents insisted she participate in activities with other children her own age. Other than Faith, these were all kids who other kids at school wanted little to do with. Dan was well known for his exaggerations, many of the kids at school made fun of him and called him a liar. Tad was a good looking guy who thought very highly of himself and paid more attention to girls than to his assignments, and Sophia was very pretty, but very sad all the time.

After dinner, still seated around the table, the Franklin family politely listened as Dan Blower told of his exploits on a Safari in Africa and Tad Gray was flirting with Sophia Paine. Occasionally dad or mom would try to bring the conversation around to King Logos, but their guests all seemed to be focused on themselves or, in Tad's case, on Sophia and Alex was squirming because he had a project due at school in two days and had no idea where to begin. He had invited his classmates over before he was aware of the assignment. .

Alex's school project was to invent something simple but useful from common items and he couldn't think of a thing. "Seems like I should be able to come up with something," he thought, "my parents named me Alexander B. Franklin after two great inventors, Alexander Graham Bell and Benjamin Franklin", the B. was only an initial. His parents felt his name was almost ordained as Benjamin Franklin , who was named for the great statesman, inventor, married Belle Graham. As the conversation continued his mind drifted, what could he do with a clothes hanger and string? Could he use an empty coffee container to make something? Different things were drifting around in his head, drifting around and around and around in his head, around and around, he was beginning to feel a little dizzy, around and around in his head, no, they were drifting around over his head, soon he was drifting around with all his ideas, before long he was no longer at the dinner table but in a place where the things he thought were no longer just ideas, but real. He soon settled down and noticed that his friends Faith, and Logos were with him. "Welcome to Imagine Nation, Alex!," Faith exclaimed.

"What? Imagine Nation?," Alex questioned, still puzzled by the recent occurances. "Yes, this is where all inventors come," explained Logos. "We're in the State of Invention." Alex looked around and saw that the place was filled with computers, light bulbs, cars, phones, diagrams, drawings, artwork, and some things Alex had never seen before. "This city is called Ideas and the building we're in is called Creations", Faith told him. Great inventors and artists, both past and present, were there, and he saw them work their concepts till they became realities right before his eyes. Alex soon saw a table with his name on it and the objects he had been thinking about using for his invention, there were also some things on the table he hadn't thought about using. "Get busy," Logos insisted, "this is the place where thoughts and ideas become realities." He began to think about driving around with his parents and how ineffcient the little trash containers were that were made for cars, he saw a medium sized trash bag with draw strings on the table and some clasps. Alex knew what he would invent now. The family car appeared next to his table and he saw himself attach the clasps to each of the inner headrests with the metal rings that were already on the clasps, then he pulled a little of drawstring out on each side of the plastic garbage bag but tied each side past the drawstrings on the bag itself, so the bag wouldn't be able to close, he then took the drawstrings and attached them to the clasps right behind the front seats. "Perfect," he thought, now they would have a trash container large enough to hold just about anything they needed to put in it and it was convenient to the driver and the passengers in the front and back seats. "Thank you Logos!," Alex exclaimed gratefully. They walked out of the room of the building holding Alex's idea and down the hall. Alex noticed a room holding creations that were in various stages of completion, apparently just dicarded. "What are all these things?" Alex asked. "Those are projects someone just gave up on," Logos exclaimed sadly, "they'll be here until other creative people come along and take them out and finish them." "Since your project is finished there are some other places we need to visit while we're here in Imagine Nation," Logos said very seriously. They walked out and got into a hovermobile, it lifted into the air and off they went. "I've always dreamed of owning one of these," Alex thought. Logos looked at him smiling, "You'll invent this vehicle one day." Before long they arrived at a small cove that Logos told him was called Make Believe Cove on the coastline of Vastness Ocean.

MAKE BELIEVE COVE

They walked along awhile, and it was starting to get a little dark. Alex heard someone call out "Alex, come help me fight the pirates!" It was Dan, he had sword in hand trying to keep two of the meanest looking men Alex had ever seen at bay. Alex started to run over to help his friend but Logos stopped him. "Logos, please hurry, we need to help him he's in danger," he shouted back, almost in tears. "He'll be OK, you are going to help him but you need the right weapons," Logos warned. "Then give me something to help him with, please Logos, quick." "Your weapon is in your mouth," Logos sternly informed him. "What are you talking about?" "In my mouth?" "Logos, if you don't help me they'll kill him," he screamed back. "Your weapon is in your mouth," Logos repeated. Then the words began to repeat over and over in his mind, "Your weapon is in your mouth." This was Imagine Nation, the pirates weren't real, they were part of Dan's imaginary world. "Stop, leave him alone, he's my friend." The words flung through the air like daggers at the pirates, and then they vanished. Dan dropped the sword and it vanished too. He looked at Alex flabbergasted, "you're really my friend, even though you know I make up almost everything I say?" "Yes, I really like you Dan, I always have," Alex responded. "Even better, Logos likes you, and so does Faith." "Dan I'd like you to meet my friend Logos." "By the way, Logos is a King of the Realm of Peculiar People." "I'm one of his subjects." "Logos, I'm sorry I screamed at you, but more that I doubted you," Alex muttered dejectedly. "All is forgiven, Alex." Logos smiled at him. "Now Dan, let's have a little talk." Logos took him aside and although Alex and Faith couldn't hear what was being said they could tell it was having a profound effect on Dan. Then Logos handed him a book, "this will be your greatest weapon Dan." "You may not always see me, but I'll always be with you, and I'll always be your friend. Logos hugged him and he vanished, and just as Alex suspected, Dan found himself back at the dinner table, this time listening to the Franklins.

THE DINGY DUNGEON

Logos, Faith, and Alex walked along the coastline for a couple of miles. Up ahead was an old castle. As they approached they heard someone crying inside, they also heard some hideous sounding voices tauntingly chanting "nobody loves you, you're worthless, you'll never amount to anything, nothing good will ever come to you," and on, and on, and on they went, relentlessly. Near the bottom of the castle was a window with bars. Alex bent down and looked in. It was Sophia, curled up in a dirty corner of a small, dingy, barred dungeon. She was crying, while ugly little creatures were dancing around outside the bars tormenting her. "We'll get you out," Alex yelled through the bars. "No one can ever get me out," she cried. "I will always be here, no one loves me, no one wants me, I'm worthless," and she starting sobbing hopelessly. Before she knew what was happening her dungeon became as bright as daylight, and Logos was standing in front of her. The ugly little creatures scurried away for fear of their lives. He reached down His hand to her but she just curled up tighter so He knelt down in front of her. "Sophia, I'm Logos, Alex and his parents told you about me." "I just want you to know I love you, and I always will." Sophia began to feel the light and the warmth coming from him actually getting inside her, she began to loosen up a little. "I am a King, and I need you, I have plans to use you in My kingdom, of which, if you accept My offer, you will be a queen." She looked at Logos doubtfully. Could He really be telling the truth. She recalled things Alex and his parents said about Logos, and how happy He made them. Was it worth the risk? Logos reached out His hand to her again and she took it, and immediately they were standing outside with Alex and Faith. They sat on the grass and Sophia told them things she had never told anyone before. Her mother wasn't married and didn't want her and let her know it, she was given up for adoption at age six, but nobody wanted to adopt such a sad little girl. Foster parents had taken her in but couldn't reach her so she was moved from one foster family to another and she could tell the people she lived with now were about to give up on her too. She felt hopeless, but then she met Logos. It was just a beginning but somehow she knew if she stuck with Him He would change her life. He was her hope and light in the midst of all the dark hopelessness. When they stood up, Logos gave her a big warm hug, and she vanished. The others walked back to the hovermobile and left for what Logos said would be the final destination on this visit to Imagine Nation.


CHOICE LANDING

Logos lowered the hovermobile straight down in front of an old, rundown house in a place called Choice Landing. They knocked on the door and an old, sickly, scruffy looking man answered. He stared in disbelief when he saw Alex and Faith. "Alex?, Faith?, you're young?" "Tad?" they said in unison, alarmed. "What's happened to you?" "What do you mean, what's happened to me?" "I've aged." "Why haven't you?" Alex and Faith looked at Logos questioningly. "This is Choice Landing," Logos reminded them. "Ohhh," Faith said, realizing what He meant. This is who Tad had become because of the choices he made, but this was Imagine Nation and there was still a chance to change things when they returned home. "Well since you're here you might as well come in, sorry the place is a mess, I'm about to be evicted from this hole in the wall anyway," Tad muttered. Alex looked sternly at Tad, "Tad, we're going back to my house, we're going to a movie, then you, and I, and Faith, and Logos, and the rest of our friends have a lot of work to do, but I guarantee when we're through with you, you will never end up in this place!" Logos smiled, then in the next moment Alex and his friends were getting up from the table to go see a movie.

Alex teacher was extremely pleased with his invention and put one in her car. Alex introduced Tad and Dan to some of his friends who also were subjects to King Logos, they also became the best of friends to each other. Dan found there were people who really liked him for who he was and didn't feel the need to pretend all the time, although he still had a very healthy imagination. Tad realized the importance of a good education, and it became evident to everyone he was truly a scholar. Alex, true to his word, kept after him, and he eventually ended up at a very different place in Choice Landing. Alex was the Franklin's only child, they always wanted a daughter, so they adopted Sophia. It took some time and a lot of love, but all her barriers were finally broken, and she became a happy, winsome, young woman. Alex was the best, proudest brother a girl could want, but at times a little too overprotective to suit her. They all developed a rich relationship with King Logos and became His subjects in the Realm of Peculiar People.

© 2009

Episode 2: TIME JUNCTION

Faith boarded the bus to church camp. Her older cousin was to accompany her, but she called on her cell phone to let them know that there had been an accident on the highway and traffic was stalled, there was no way she would be able to make it.

Someone sat down beside her, maybe Terri was able to make it after all. Faith turned expecting to see her sanguineous cousin but as she turned she noticed she was no longer on the bus, she was on what appeared to be a white mist in the shape of a plane and the person sitting next to her definitely wasn’t Terri.

“Logos?!,” she exclaimed incredulously. “Good morning Faith,” he replied. She gazed at him wondering why he had come and where they were going on such unusual transportation but she was hesitant to ask. Logos smiled at the young girl, and took her hand between his two hands, powerful hands with scars she could feel. “We‘re going on a short trip?” Logos explained, the look on his face becoming more serious. With her next breath Faith was in the most incredible place she had ever seen.

When she finally adjusted to her new surroundings, “Unbelievable!” was the only word that Faith could think of to describe all the sights and sounds. “Logos, this is the strangest place I have ever seen.”

Right in front of her a child was chasing a flying clock, “How time flies!,” he exclaimed remorsefully. By the time the words were out of his mouth he had aged from the child to a very old man. Across the street at an outside café three men were sitting sipping coffee, “Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow,” one said laughing, then they all laughed, suddenly the cups in their hands crumbled, their nice suits became ragged and dirty, their clean shaven faces suddenly sported unkempt beards, and they couldn’t find their wallets to pay the bill. The waiter angrily chased them from the premises.

Faith was feeling rather numb with all the unusual sights and sounds, trees were changing from green leafed, to autumn colors, to bare, and back again to green leafed all within a few minutes. Flowers were growing, dying, and growing again. In the distance she heard what sounded like a child practicing piano, but it got better and better till the music was so wonderful she hoped it would never stop.

Faith turned around and could see right into the living room of a home behind her. A young man was sitting watching TV, he appeared to be hypnotized by the image he was watching, which to Faith looked like a swirling mass of colors. She heard a woman call, “Toby, go mow the lawn right now.” Not now mom, my TV show isn’t over, he called back, while Faith stood watching the grass and weeds grew up in their lawn right before her eyes. Next door a woman came to the door and started sweeping just as her husband arrived home from work for lunch. It wasn’t dust the coming out the door, it was images, images of the woman sitting watching soap operas, talking on the phone, playing solitaire, and other unproductive activities. “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done I need to do,” she complained to her husband.

“What is this place,” Faith asked?” “Time Junction,” answered Logos. “People seem to waste a lot of time here, and they certainly like clichés,” Faith mused. “Not everyone here is wasting their life away, there are many productive people here as well," Logos responded, “look at the office building up the street.” Faith looked in the direction Logos pointed and saw a young woman, appearing to be in her early 20s, walking down the stairs of a monotonous looking office building, a large group of people at the top of the stairs were waving their hands and handkerchiefs, and most of them were crying. The young lady looked back and waved then ran down the rest of the stairs and started on her way when Logos motioned for her to come over. Faith noticed as she walked toward them she held a bouquet of roses in her hands, and roses were growing up along the path she was taking. “Logos, it is wonderful to see you,” she said excitedly as she approached them. She threw her arms around him and gave him a big warm hug. “Prudence, I would like to introduce you to Faith Victor.” “It’s very nice to meet you Faith, I’m Prudence Jones.” “Do you work in that building you just left?” Faith asked. “Oh, no, not any more,” Prudence exclaimed. “I worked there for thirty years and I just retired, my friends gave me a wonderful retirement party, I will surely miss them all.” Faith was flabbergasted, “but you can’t be old enough to retire.” “I’m 54 years old Faith, I just learned very young to spend my time and my life wisely.” “You give your best, forget the rest, and take time to stop and smell the roses.” “Logos, bring Faith over for cookies and milk, I baked some outstanding cookies yesterday, if I do say so myself, and my husband would love to see you again.” “That would be very nice, we’d be pleased to accept your offer,” Logos replied. Faith began to feel just a little impatient, she still didn’t know why Logos brought her here, but surely it wasn’t for cookies and milk, and she would just as soon they got on their way. She still didn’t quite understand this place he brought her to, but this was Logos and she knew she had a responsibility to obey him even if she couldn’t understand everything that was going on. One thing she was certain of, by the time this adventure was over with Logos would make sure she understood it’s purpose.

Peter Jones was busy in the garden when they arrived, he appeared to be a young man, a little older than Prudence, but now Faith knew better than to try to judge how old he was by his appearance. “Look who’s come for a visit, dear,” Prudence called out to her husband as they drew near. “Well, as I live and breathe, if it isn’t Logos,” he said grabbing his hand and shaking it as one would a dear friend he hadn’t seen in a while. “And who is this adorable child with you?” Peter asked, turning to give his wife a loving kiss on the cheek. “This is Faith Victor, Peter,” Logos replied. “It’s nice to meet you sir,” Faith said shyly, not sure whether she was greeting a very young or a very old man, or somewhere in between. “We’ve come for your wife’s wonderful cookies,” Logos told him, smiling teasingly. “Well come in, come in, we’ll make sure you don’t leave hungry.”

Prudence certainly hadn’t exaggerated about her cookies, they were the best Faith had ever tasted, but why wouldn’t they be in this strange place. Things were pretty normal inside the Joneses home, Faith almost forgot she was in such a strange place. The conversation was pleasant, laughter was abundant, Faith actually began to enjoy herself.

Faith suddenly became aware that it was time to leave, by now she wished she could stay but Logos stood up and took her arm and lifted her up. “Peter, Prudence, we appreciate your hospitality, the wonderful cookies and milk.” “It was good of you to come visit us,” Peter responded, “please come again soon.” “You can count on it.” The goodbyes said, they started for the door, as soon as Peter’s hand touched the doorknob to show them out the house and everything and everyone in it had vanished and they were in a beautiful rose garden.

Logos showed Faith to a bench and they sat down. “Faith, you may not be aware of it but you visit Time Junction everyday, and the decisions you make about how you use your time will determine the person you will become when you are older.” Suddenly Logos was no longer visible, but Faith knew he was still with her. She was back on the bus headed for church camp and she knew there would be opportunities there and throughout her life to use the lessons she had learned on her trip with Logos.

© 2009

Episode 1: IMAGE IS EVERYTHING

Faith had known Logos as long as she could remember, but to her it felt more like an eternity. Some of her friends and family members thought he was a figment of her imagination, they had never seen him, all they knew about him was what she told them and she talked about him all the time. Together they had struck down formidable enemies.

Logos was a king in the Realm of Peculiar People. Faith was beginning to feel more and more like an alien in her own world, she always felt more at home in his. In fact, she was a citizen of two worlds. His world was more real to her than the one in which she existed, someday she would move there permanently. Today she would be meeting Logos in a classroom in her own world, but as she often discovered the experiences of his realm and hers usually intertwined, and extraordinary things always seemed to happen when she and Logos were together.

When she arrived he was already there, sitting in the back of the room. In front of the class stood a well dressed, attractive, charismatic figure. There was something about him Faith didn't like, but she could barely think about that because the students in the classroom were so odd. Deeply engrossed in the expounding of their teacher were the strangest collection of...? She didn't know what they were. They were dressed like kids she would see in her own classroom but some were totally animals, wolves, vultures, dogs, cats, and other creatures; others were in various stages between human and animal; and three appeared to be completely human. "What kind of classroom is this?" she asked Logos while still looking around in disbelief. "The question should be 'Who is he'?," Logos responded, looking in the direction of the teacher. "He is Heylel Diabolos, listen to what he is saying."

"This concludes our exploration of the history of mankind, pathetic creatures that they are, now we will commence our study of the law of evolution." " 'Law of evolution', I thought it was the 'theory of evolution'," Faith mused. She turned and saw a familiar face in the classroom, a girl about her age, one of the three that appeared to be totally human. Faith noticed that she grimaced as the teacher began the lesson.

Faith met Sarah at the amusement park waiting in line to ride the roller coaster. They found out they had quite a bit in common, they both shared a friendship with Logos for one thing. Sarah told her about a class she had with a teacher she found particularly distasteful, he insisted on being called "Professor" Diabolos, Sarah had said, chuckling, even though he was only a middle school teacher. She often wanted to speak up and dispute much of what he asserted, but she was afraid. He encouraged the students to stand and offer comments but most of her classmates were enthralled with him and accepted whatever he said without question and when comments were made they were in agreement with his opinions. Sarah had a friend who once dared to dispute something he had said, and he was immediately removed from the room and suspended from school for a week. Faith had taken Sarah's hands in hers and they prayed together that God would give her wisdom to know what to do and courage to stand up for the truth.

Faith turned her attention back to Logos. He pulled out a bag he had tucked under his seat and told Faith to take it to Sarah. "I'll interupt the class," she objected. "Neither Heylel Diabolos nor the students know we are here yet," Logos assured her. The bag was big, and bulky, and looked heavy, but was very light when she lifted it to take it to her friend.

"Hi, Sarah," greeted Faith. "What are you doing here Faith?," Sarah questioned with a puzzled look on her face. "Logos and I are sitting in the back, he wanted me to bring this to you." Professor Diabolos continued the lesson seemingly without even noticing that Sarah was talking to someone, no one in the class seemed to notice. Sarah reached in the bag and pulled out a helmet, a belt, a shield, a breastplate, shoes, and the Word. Faith and Sarah looked a little bewildered, but Faith insisted that she put them on because if Logos sent them to her he meant for her to use them. Sarah dressed herself in the armor while the class continued, oblivious to what was going on, she opened the Word and began reading how God created man in His image, after His likeness, then a strange thing happened, the Word began to look like the most delicious, nourishing food she had ever seen, she had the strongest desire to eat it and so she did. Then it occured to her that she had in the past partaken from the nourishment of the Word, but then it was just like babies milk. She began to feel stronger, the more she ate the stronger she felt. She sat back down and refocused on what Professor Diabolos was saying.

He had just affirmed to the class that people had evolved from single cell amoeba to the class of animals they were today. "You may as well enjoy your animalistic natures," he suggested. At this Sarah stood up. "Sir, I respectfully disagree with you, I am not now, nor have I ever been an animal." " I was created by Almighty God, in His image." "I am a Spirit being, I have a soul, and my spirit occupies this body." Her words, like the sword of the Word of God which they were, which she had eaten and digested, cut down the deception the "professor" had perpetrated and she could see her classmates were listening and digesting what she was saying as well.

Fierce anger crossed the face of the professor as he turned to look at Sarah. He was suddenly taken aback as her armor became visible to him and the anger turned to fear. Less confident, but with a distinctly irate tone, he commented, "young lady, you are out of order, report to the Principal's office immediately, I will meet you there shortly." "But sir, I have a right to express my opinion," she asserted. The professor was on the verge of flying into full-blown rage, he advanced toward her, intending to remove her physically from the class, as he did he caught a glimpse of Logos calmly sitting in the back of the room grinning at him. The anger changed to terror and he turned to the exit and fled the room.

The students sat stunned, not knowing what to do next. Sarah turned to Logos, "Sir, would you please teach our class today?" "No, Sarah," he replied, "today that is your assignment." Sarah timidly walked to the front of the class and explained how God created the world and everything in it, He created Adam in His image, then Eve from Adam. "We are not animals," she concluded, "we are Spirit beings, who have been given dominion over the world we live in." The more she spoke the more confident she became. Sarah dismissed the class and she, Faith, and Logos left the room together. Logos smiled at Sarah and she knew he was pleased with her. "Wonderful lesson," congratulated Faith.

Sarah started to remove the armor to give it back to Logos. "Sarah, you must keep that armor always," warned Logos, "you will need it often."

A few months later Faith and Logos visited the classroom again. A middle aged man was teaching a lesson on the priceless value of human life. The students were almost entirely human now, less than a handful had any animalistic characteristics at all, only one was still entirely a vulture.

After class Sarah came over to Logos and Faith. "What happened to Professor Diabolos?," Faith asked. "He came back and tried to teach but most of the class no longer had any interest in what he had to say, so he quit, he huffed out one day saying he would teach more interesting pupils elsewhere," Sarah responded.

"Not for long, if someone in his next class has as much faith and courage as you do," Logos said, smiling at Sarah.

© 2007