Little Cherine Book 09 - BPost009

We all told Robbie we don’t mind her sleeping with him every night, but he refuses to give in, which means none of us are enjoying the sex and we do not sleep well.

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5681

We are spending a lot of time watching television stations, local and worldwide, as they are showing videos our guests made in Freddie. It is strange seeing ourselves; the worlds we went to and the people we met on our trips on the media of our world. Those who did not make videos are on chat shows. One of the hosts must have it in for us, since he continually tries to get his guests to say bad things about us. He asked a woman if she didn’t think that I am conceited and swollen-headed with an opinion about everything. I could have kissed the woman when she answered that she thought I am bright and very sweet. That woman is definitely a good judge of character.

My loves noticed, to tell the truth, I was not paying attention, that the MSM stations - and newspapers - seemed to concentrate, to a small degree, more on attacking me, than on Robbie or anyone else. I guess I have been making my intense dislike of the Cabal too obvious and the fact that the public now only call them The Cabal, must be an irritant. It did not take long for the alternate media stations to realise the same truth and they also concentrated on me, doing their best to make me seem special; the Cherinian, they claimed, who truly cares about the ordinary man and woman. One of their stations even managed to get a Chinese politician to make a good comment about me (I wonder how, since that station is well known for its bias against the Chinese).

Because there are so many of us we had to wait for a quiet night to go dancing at Apostolis. As Robbie requested, Cherinians who had not been on the last trip joined us there and we stayed up until dawn.

Even though Robbie has lived in Greece for so long, because he leaves the country so often, he has been driving with his English licence. Our trips in Freddie do not count, since our passports do not get stamped, but then our on-planet trips should not count also, but in his mind they do count. He probably realised it could get embarrassing if he is stopped and the traffic cop does not see things his way, so he announced that he has decided to take the test in Greece for a Greek licence. Dommi panicked and called Savva. He panicked and called Perikli, who in turn panicked and called Hettie. Why all the panic? You have to experience his driving to understand. If he goes for the test and is failed, it will cause great embarrassment all around, not only to us Cherinians, but also to the governments of Earth. Can you imagine the scramble as some countries start offering him a licence while others insist that rules are rules and all must be treated equally? Lol, I just thought of it, if he fails, can anyone imagine the comments about him driving a moon-sized spaceship? He is totally oblivious to the reason for our panic and is amused.

Perikli called on us and after some polite chitchat, he forced himself to speak to Robbie about it. The way he did had us in silent stitches.

“Roberto, our government has had to turn a blind eye to you openly having children, yours included, as your wives. They cannot do the same if you take the test, fail and then drive. It would be better you continue driving with your English licence and I’ll see to it that you are never asked for your passport.”

“What if I have an accident? Would the insurance pay?”

“You are worried about insurance!”

“I’ll handle the insurance companies.” Dommi promised. Meaning that she would pay all claims.

Robbie shrugged. “I don’t understand why you are all so worried. I’m not that bad a driver, how do you think I got my English drivers licence?”

“That was years ago Roberto, the tests are far more complex now. You will fail.”

“I can take a refresher course.”

We almost wanted him to try just for a laugh. We were certain that every single driving school would suddenly discover they are booked up for years. We did not want him hurt (bruised ego), so we had to think quickly. Luckily, Hettie came through in time.

5682

“Robert, wait a couple of weeks, it just happens that the laws are being changed in Greece and the rest of the world are following. All drivers licences will be valid for life and the drivers licence from any country will be accepted in all countries, however long you live there.” Gosh, Hettie must have really got them worried!

Robbie shrugged. “I’m not in a hurry, I hardly ever get to drive with so many wives who think they are better drivers than me.” He changed the subject and completely forgot about his need for a new licence. Now that we are off the emotional roller coaster I can’t help wondering, how is it that just a whim of his helped bring the world closer - or made life simpler for the ordinary man and woman, in one more way? I also realised something else and Dommi was not amused when I confided in her. If we had pointed out to him the consequences of his failing the test, the protector in him would have ensured he drove perfectly.

Even when Robbie asks for time off from everything else, he does not allow any free time to be wasted from searching out the worst of the cases of child abuse. At least now he allows others to go with him.

A small group of us were trying to second-guess the direction the economies of our world will evolve when Aganthi changed the subject.

“Even when I was on the street I could understand that the men who used me got pleasure out of it. What I do not understand is why so many parents torture their children. How can that give them pleasure?”

“You mean torture without abusing them sexually?”

“Yes.”

Haven was already looking like she meant to scour the world in one mad dash, grabbing every single torturer of children. She looked even angrier when Rosie spoke. “Some do it because they enjoy hurting others, but are too cowardly to try to do so with anyone as strong as them or who can complain, getting them into trouble. The fact that their children depend on them increases their pleasure, I think. Maybe some of them, even if they do not touch their children sexually, do get sexual pleasure out of it. I think the reasons are at least more than two and are complex.”

“Are they put on the same islands as the pedofoes?” Dommi asked me.

“Strictly speaking I would qualify them as pedofoes also, but I know what you mean. Yes, we do not separate them according to the crimes they committed.”

“That does not sound right Sam. Surely the best of them should not be stuck there with the worst of them?”

The conversation got me thinking. I discussed it with Themi when I went to visit my mother and then with Luigi when I had an Italian chocolate cake and coffee with him in Milano. Themi saw no reason for separating them and Luigi sort of agreed with him, saying he does not believe either extreme strongly influence the other. Since he has the soul of a dreamer, he suggested that those who change for the better in the presence of the worst will be stronger in their new beliefs. Themi thought that those who had acted out of a lack of empathy would examine what they have done with fresh eyes, when they hear what the real monsters have done. Silently I bet they would only regret not thinking of doing what the others did. (I hate it that I’ve allowed them to make me cynical.)

I do not consider it sufficient that those who commit a crime are judged without consideration of the degree, the reasons and so on. However, I did not like the idea of separating them into two or more groups. It would mean we would have to use more islands, spoiling a larger part of that pristine Earth.

I felt I had two duties. The first was the most important one. I asked Sol for a private meeting with Solomon.

“I’m going to visit the prisoners with Vincent. Why don’t you come with and then search for your people of that reality afterwards? You should not have to station our Sparklers there.”

5683

“Samantha, take Haven and Jade with.”

“I’d rather not. The prisoners will not open up to me if there are others present. Both you and Vincent must not take on visible forms.”

I suspected I might be faced with some difficult decisions, so I changed my mind and took both Jade and Haven after they agreed to share and witness - and advise, if I asked, without showing themselves.

When Vincent heard where I am going and why, he was pleased I’d called for him. Nobody said anything as we prepared to jump, but I could sense that Robbie was very tense. I decided I better time our return so that we are not absent more than fifteen minutes.

“Good morning. I am Samuel. Please call for the others to come to a meeting.” I stood on the beach looking out to the sea as they gathered. I then made them wait another five minutes before turning to face them.

“It was suggested you organise yourselves so that you can start to live like civilised men. I see little evidence of such efforts. That information will be passed on to Robert, since he assumes responsibility for you. I have come on a different quest. Before I ask you that which I came to ask, I am bound by our own rules to first tell you that I do not have the right to ask. Therefore, any who agree must do it voluntarily and knowing exactly what I plan to do.

You all know that we are telepaths. That means we can read your minds. However, our rules are very strictly observed; even to save a life we are not permitted to enter the mind of another without their invitation. I have come to ask that some of you invite me to read your minds.

Before you answer, first allow me to make clear what the rules are. I cannot promise any benefits for you inviting me. I have no interest in learning of your past, all I want to examine is what has happened and been said since you came here. Whatever I learn will never be divulged to any other and whatever has been said or done, none will be penalised in any way.

You must be wondering whether I am crazy, asking for what no sane man or woman would freely offer, the privacy of your mind is all that belongs to you and here I am asking that some of you offer it to me without any obvious benefit to you.” In colourful language, many of them agreed with me that I was crazy. I gave them a couple of minutes and then raised my hand and they quietened.

“You were not sent here as punishment, only to prevent you from harming any children. There have been arguments among my people that we have not handled the situation correctly, that we should make changes.

Many of you know me, I have been here many times. I have always spent some time watching you while you were not aware of me. I have listened to the arguments from our side for change and, as things stand, I am not in agreement and I intend opposing them. This is your chance to convince me that I am wrong. Not by speaking words that could be lies, but by allowing me to examine your memories of life here. Those are the only memories I will examine.

Those of you who are willing to consider agreeing, if you can be convinced I mean what I say, please step forward. I am willing to give you the time you need to ask me questions. Thank you.”

At first not even one came. There was much anger among them that I had even dared to ask and I overheard many jeering comments. I walked up and down the beach until I felt some had calmed down enough to begin to wonder at my true reasons. A bit of showmanship never hurts and since I’d sensed some dolphins out at sea I called to them and as they approached I walked out over the water to talk to them. Our communications were only emoting of emotions, but dolphins love it. They leaped around me, making me laugh with their joy.

I was sitting on the trunk of a fallen coconut tree that obviously many bottoms had sat on, wearing it smooth, when two men approached.

5684

“What are you really after.”

“I don’t recognise either of you, you must be fairly new here. Have you been told by the others that I am always fair and speak straight?”

“No, all they’ve said is that you are not really a man, that you are a little girl of about ten.”

“Usually twelve actually. Girl, man…” I projected, becoming an Akiard warrior and changed back, “or alien, what does it matter? If you are new here, then you know of the Cherinians.”

“Yes.”

“Have you heard of Samantha?”

“Jesus! Fuck! You are Samantha Teller?”

“Guilty as charged.”

“I heard that you are the real leader of the Cherinians, the power behind the throne as they say.”

My stupid sense of humour got the better of me. “Not true. I have a theory, would you like to hear it? I think that I am the weakest of them all and the most stupid, so my family encourage me to play my games in the hope that I’ll mature and become a little wiser.” I shrugged. “I don’t think it is working. Take my speech a little earlier, wasn’t it crazy? I bet I’ll be told I spoke just like a naïve adolescent girl. A pity because I really am trying to do something good for all of you.”

“And that is?” the other guy asked.

This one troubled me. He was the sweetest looking guy I’ve seen for a long time and he sounded so gentle. For him to be here it made me tremble to imagine what he must really be like. I preferred the other one, rough but direct.

“I suspect that most of you would like life to be a little better organised. Be able to go to sleep without wondering if you’ll wake up with a knife sticking in you or maybe get a fairer share of the provisions we deliver. By taking a look at your memories, I would be directly able to see what is splitting you into groups. I could then judge what the dynamics of the relationships are and how we can best help - instead of acting like all those do-gooders back home who only make things worse by doing what they think is right.”

“Okay, let’s pretend you are being on the up and up with us, it still does not help. Anybody does as you ask, once you’re gone, so is that fool.”

I looked him in the eyes. “I was aware of that. I guess I was hoping somebody would decide to trust that I am not that stupid.”

The sweet guy answered, “I’d like to help you, but I can’t risk it, I’m really sorry.” The other guy shrugged and they walked away.

Haven sent to me, *You are really going to look foolish if you wait here all day and no one comes.*

I grinned. “There has to be someone desperate enough, he’ll come.”

I floated over to a coconut tree and picking a green one asked Vincent to slice the top off in a flashy manner so as to drink the milk - and remind those watching that we have certain…um, abilities? (Robbie sent me a message that I’m trying to be too much of a cutey-pie…that I’d do better to stick to reporting the facts. Why shouldn’t I be too cute sometimes, it is a good antidote to the experience of being a man for two days. The only thing that was nicer about it was the urinating, far less complex, though it did feel silly having to shake it afterwards.)

5685

I’d been hoping somebody would sneak over to me during the night, but then, that was exactly what they’d also thought of, so a group of them took turns watching me. I made myself comfortable and slept the few hours to dawn.

As Vincent reported to me, they spent the night arguing about me. When they saw that I was up, a bunch of them walked over.

“We have decided you are being honest and that you want to help. Some of the old timers told us that it is thanks to you that life was made a little bit easier for us on this island. It does not matter, what you are asking is not only inhuman, but also unfair to us.”

“Unfair? You are not referring to my reading your minds per se, something else is bothering you.”

He nodded. “As you guessed, we are split into groups and whoever volunteers would be influencing you to see them or their group as being in the right.”

“You are wrong. I would be living through their memories and if you spoke to the one who volunteers I would not listen to your words through his bias. I would actually hear you speaking, the tone of voice you used, I’d watch your body language and know what you really meant.”

“If he did not mean what he said and meant to trick your volunteer so as to punish him for something he did, you would only see that he was not being honest.”

“I would see the why, or, I should say, I will be able to reason it out. If I have been in his mind I will have seen him do whatever it was that angered you and I’d know why you are being dishonest. I told you yesterday, I am not here to judge you, whether you were honest or dishonest, not even if you killed someone. All I want is to understand what the dynamics of your society are so as to find a way, if I can, to help make life better for all of you. As for any prejudice you feel I may have in favour of the volunteer, why not have one man from each group help me?”

A man who’d stood at the back of the group and had not spoken moved towards me and the others made way for him.

“Give me an example of how you could change the way we live and improve our lives.”

“I’ll give you an example of how I did change things for you, believing I was doing the right thing and yet it turned into a catastrophe. I was responsible for couples being moved from their own little islands onto one island so that they have company. For reasons of their own, a number of them preferred to come here and I allowed it. At first the men were killed, then whoever took a woman for himself. Am I right in assuming that none of the women are alive now?”

“They caused too much trouble. You should have either sent none or else many more of them.”

His attitude irritated me, so my voice was colder as I replied, “I did not have a stock of women I could draw from. Surely you realise most of the abusers of children do tend to be men.”

His face was tight. “Most of the really bad men you sent here were killed not long after they arrived. Some of the women you brought here were really twisted, we had to kill them.”

“Not one man or woman was brought here because they made love to a child. Only those who caused pain, mutilated or killed children. Or were responsible for it being done to children by others. As an example only, I still remember clearly a couple we took to an island for their own use. They never molested a child, the children they traded they looked after and the wife mothered them while the children were held by them. One of the children, at least one that we know of, was sold to someone who made snuff movies. He slit the throat of a girl they sold to him.”

He had a stony glint to his eyes when he said to me, “The German guy? We sometimes discuss him and people like him. Any more like him that you send here will not last long, I can promise you, whatever your orders.”

5686

“I find your attitude strange. You find it acceptable to hurt children, but not to kill them?”

“Even in a court of law there is a difference. Listening to the gruesome things some of those you sent here have done has affected many of us. When they boast about it, they do not last long. Samantha or Samuel, whoever you prefer to be, I do not like wasting my time with regrets for what I cannot undo. It is more important we survive while living like human beings instead of animals. Find another way to make it happen, for none of us will agree to you entering our minds.”

I thought about it a moment and then asked the girls to wait here while I take a short (in time) trip.

“What is your name?”

“John.”

“Agree to come with me, I want to show you something.”

I sensed he was suddenly nervous, though he hid it from the others. With a sort of bravado he blurted, “I’ll come.”

Vincent left for the void and returning as the void, he collected John and me. (No, he does not leave a body behind). We returned to our Earth and instead of taking us on the journey I had asked of him, he took us to our home. Robbie was instantly on his feet when he recognised the man with me, but then he sensed Vincent and relaxed a little.

Vincent took on the shape of his human aspect. “It is your job to take him, not Samantha’s.”

Robbie entered my mind, which was already seething. He warned me to control my temper and withdrew.

“No Vincent, it is Samantha’s job. Please do as she asked or else I will have to. If I do it means others will insist on coming with. Cherine, open this man to empathy.”

I forced him to feel three children being abused and returned to a different island. Sharing does not mean he only feels their pain. Add to that their bewilderment, the terrible sense of vulnerability, the shattering loss of their innocence and trust, especially if the abuser is a parent - everything that makes the mind of a child so beautiful so painfully lost. It would not have been fair to him to shame him before the others. He was cowering in his mind, in agony over what he’d experienced, but at the same time, his own guilt reared up and tore at his mind. I sat down by his side.

“Would you like to undo some of what you did by paying for it?”

“How?” He’d projected what he’d sensed in the children onto his abused daughters and had sunk into a deep gloom.

“I’ll collect you another three times to go on the same journey. The difference is that you will not just watch and share with the child. I will give you the ability to grab the abuser and deliver him to your island.”

“I will lose my powers when you bring me back?” I nodded. “Then I will be killed.” He stared at the sand. “I’ll do it on one condition.”

“No conditions John.”

“On one condition Samantha, or else I will not know any peace.”

“Tell me then.”

“You take my memories of what these journeys have done to me and give them to my daughters so that they know I changed and regret what I did to them.” He suddenly cried out, “What do you care? Why do you want to make life for us better? We are monsters, you should let us kill each other.”

5687

“John? Take a deep breath and try to think about my answer without speaking. Ready? We care because we love all of you. Not the men you have been or are, but the people you can become. We all have the potential to become Cherinians. If not within your present life, then in a future one. We care very much. We dreamt or hoped that at least some of you would use this time to grow, understand why you are here and become the kind of people each of you have the potential to be. Then your next life might find you ready to become Cherinians. That cannot happen if you live and die like beasts.”

I left him to his thoughts and walked along the shoreline talking to the girls. When I returned he surprised me.

“Life here is not that bad. We have our moments of laughter and joy. If you do to all of them what you did to me, this would become a sad place. An island of penitents! How could there be laughter?”

“Are you saying I should or shouldn’t do it?”

Startled he stared at me. “Do it.”

“The answer is that simple John?” I told him about the time that Robbie tried to save Aganthi and the other kids in a brothel by forcing the clients to feel the way the kids felt. His eyes grew bleak when I told him about the one man who enjoyed it, forcing Robbie to kill him. “What of those we take with whose hearts remain closed to the children, perhaps even enjoying themselves? If we are able to prevent ourselves from killing them, what do you think life will be like for all of you penitents when we return them?”

“You need not kill them, we will.” I still tend to forget that we humans often become fanatics when we are converted this dramatically. The truth is that, with a few important modifications, I liked his idea - and so did the girls.

“If I promise that nobody will be killed, can you suggest who should be the first I take?”

“Jesus!” His back straightened as he stared at me. “You’ll do it?”

“After I’ve discussed it with my husband.” I grinned as I said it, aware of how incongruous it sounded with me in appearance a young man. “Would you prefer I return you, or would you rather wait here?”

I shared with Robbie and then explained, “My first thoughts are that we will need three islands large enough to support a community in the thousands. The present island for the new people. Another for those who change like John did, and one for those who cannot.”

“Why is it that whenever I find a nice simple solution you end up complicating it?” He was grinning as he said it so I laughed and quickly leaning over kissed him on the lips. He pretended to look worried. “You are beginning to make a habit of it. At least my other wives only test me by becoming adults. You are going to destroy my hard-earned reputation. Next thing I know, Cherine will demand to have a son.”

Over the next few weeks, a number of people disappeared while our new island populations split. When I asked that Aganthi and Diana help by building houses on the island the reformed pedofoes are sent to, Robbie surprised me by refusing. He would not explain and we were all too busy and our emotions were giving us a battering as we experienced cruelty night after night, so I did not give much thought to his reasons. If Cherine had felt any disquiet I might have questioned his decision, but she didn’t.

Nearly all of the men and women we took on a trip of empathy were not soft like us. They were affected by feeling what the children suffered, but they took a more pragmatic view. Some of them had suffered when they were children and about half of them used their own past pains to block themselves from what they experienced by justifying to themselves what they’d done as being part of what is normal for a child to experience. Luckily, for us, only a very small number reacted with pleasure.

5688

Finally I grew disturbed about the people who had to camp out in the open. Robbie listened to me and then sat back.

“For how many do we build?”

I wondered why he asked, since he knew. “We have over eight hundred people on the island.”

“We should build for all of them?”

“Yes.”

“You call them the reformed. Samantha, what was our purpose in sending them to that world? Was it to punish them?”

“Of course not.” I suddenly felt very foolish as I realised what he meant and my mouth went dry. “We don’t need houses because we will bring them back here?”

“Let’s wait and see Sam. Do you really believe that empathising will change them?”

“Are you suggesting it will not?”

“Let’s wait and see. Give them a couple of months. It won’t hurt them to rough it for a while.”

“It’s not fair to them.”

“As I said Sam, they won’t suffer, the climate is warm and the rainy season only begins in four months. Think of it as an experiment, we can learn a lot from them.”

“That sounds dangerous! It sounds as if you are denying them their rights to be thought of as human beings, because you want to experiment on them.”

“Judge me afterwards Sam, for now do as I ask please.”

I could have taken the easy way out and jumped there two months later in their time, but I did not. I know my Robert, however he phrased himself, there had to be a good reason for his decision. What I did is jump there each day and secretly listen to them as they talked, argued and fought. As the weeks went by, I began to feel disheartened.

As Robbie’s period of two months drew to a close he came and sat by me without touching me, so I knew he wanted me to think for myself. “Well my little butterfly, what have we learnt?”

“How did you know? There are less than thirty who have reformed. The rest have bounced back to being the same people they were before.”

“Why was the experiment so important Sam?”

The fact that it would have been disastrous to have brought them all back because of how they were two months ago was now self evident. He had to have another target in mind. The answer was easier than I expected. All I had to remind myself of was that he is the protector and leader of all Cherinians.

“That is extreme dad! Most people are not like them, they become Cherinians because they already are, as Normals, nice people.”

“All eight hundred of them were nice people two months ago.”

All our loves were feeling just as dejected as I was. Robbie stood up with a smile. “How about we all go out? We have something to celebrate, we have twenty seven people to bring back. That is something to celebrate. Samantha, we owe this to you. Twenty seven people who will make this a better world for many people and they were from among the worst this planet has. It bodes well for Cherinianism. Cherine, take Dommi with you and book a safari camp for about one hundred people. Make certain that we are on our own, no servants, no guides.”

5689

“Why here dad, why not on an island over there?”

“It is a psychological difference my love. Knowing they are back on their home world will open their minds and hearts and they’ll listen to us.”

Em-e asked a question, catching me by surprise. “I wonder how many of the prisoners are from the elite. Robert, were any of the prisoners from very expensive houses - or mansions?”

“Some…I did not really pay attention…I think that where I noticed signs that they are wealthy, it made me even more angry with them. Why?”

“The alt media has been claiming that while the elite and Globalists thought they are in control, they were using thousands of children per year, in the USA and in Brussels mostly - and their handlers often killed them, selling the parts to laboratories, so that the children cannot identify the politicians if they escape back to their families.”

Dommi cut in, “Roberto, if you are thinking of checking on them and saving those kids, then you must also save as many women and children as you can from the islamists, who are selling them as slaves in Iraq.”

“I’ll have to have somewhere to take them.”

“They are Christians, Robert. Maybe the Americans will give them sanctuary?”

* * * * *

I asked Samantha to let me write a little bit for her.

It was decided that we use the natural amphitheatre where the older ones celebrated Cherine’s sixteenth birthday. It is not an area with a lot of animals, so no tourists go there, giving us the privacy we need. Luckily we did not take food and drinks, as dad changed his mind. (R: How about introducing yourself?) Sorry, I am Angelica.

“I think we should first take them to Kefalari for a drink. They need to see city life, I bet they’ve had enough of nature.”

Robert agreed with Annavi. “I was going to give them an aerial tour so that they know they are back home, I prefer your idea.”

Jade giggled. “You just want a coffee and cigarettes.” The rest of us giggled, so Jade felt she was on a good roll and said to Robert, “Our Cherinian airline doesn’t serve refreshments. We should write and complain.”

Since everybody was in a giggly mood, I decided to tease Samantha. This writing idea, using the ways of the Normals is not so good, it is too limited. I do not mean the old way used for Arthur to understand, I mean the alphabet. We must make our own, a Cherinian alphabet that also expresses emotions. I better explain so that nobody thinks I was being cruel.

Everyone in the family is the same. First for them is Robert, Cherine, then Dommi or Wendy and then all personal preferences. Those of us who are born of the family also list our mother at the top. I am the same, with one exception: Samantha. To me she is in the first group with Cherine, Dommi, Wendy and my mother. But there is something extra, I trust her more than anyone, even Robert, and the way her mind feels draws me to her. I have learnt to live with her self doubts, but still sometimes get angry with her for not appreciating herself. There, now nobody will think I was being cruel when I teased her.

5690

Samantha was laughing like everybody, but she was also, inside her, watching us. She does that all the time. Not the way Robert does, enjoying our happiness, but trying to always sense if there is any hidden pain. Samantha watches to get to know each of us better and guess what we are-will be.

I said, “Mum, do you realise that Samantha is different from us in one important way?”

It is rare to see my mother with merry eyes. She looked into mine, close enough to me to know I was about to tease (something I also rarely do). “Sam is different in many ways my K.M.” (Kinytian Magic - her one effort to play with words and it stuck with her). The rest were waiting for me to explain. Samantha’s eyes were on me, already half-laughing at whatever I would say to tease her.

“She loves and adores herself in more ways than any of us do.” Christós has taught me the importance of pausing at the right moments when doing magic so I paused, hopefully building up the suspense. “As Le’sase, Samuel and the other Samantha’s split from herself.”

Once they’d laughed and teased her, Robert asked, “Not as Samantha, herself?”

“No, she is too busy loving all of us to love herself.” I was now sorry I’d teased. Everyone’s mood had changed, become serious, even if it was accompanied with hearts bursting with love for our Samantha. She does not know it, but she has a habit of biting her lower lip when she thinks deeply and we all love it when she does. Sorry, she does know she bites her lip, I meant she does not know how we love it when she does. I’m being stupid, explaining too much, sorry.

Nicole spoke for herself and Alexis. “Isn’t there place in her heart for Samantha?” I did not answer, glumly looking to Samantha to respond. Goldi broke the tension.

“Sam loves all of us too much, I think that is why I love her so much, it must be what makes her the best.” The way Goldi emotes, I think the whole of Athens must have suddenly loved Samantha.

I am sorry for not thinking first. I know that now Robert will spend hours trying to make Samantha love herself, he will tell her it is not healthy, that to love others truly she must love herself. He is always looking for what must change.

I wanted the telling of my being stupid to be by me, so that Samantha does not make me look good. She can write now. (S: I’m not ready to take over, carry on my Angel.) Cherine said I must, so, just for a while.

Robert was nearly wrong. When he went to collect the twenty seven, only nineteen wanted to come with. Remember when the judge went and two explained that Robert brought them back but they preferred their island? Now eight feel the same way. Robert did not want to explain that we would offer to link them as Cherinians, they have to learn of that in the right way. He told them to come with for a visit and promised to return them if they want.

We brought them to our house first where we had clothes for them. They showered, shaved and dressed after us girls cut their hair. The life they lead has made them look like beach bums who’ve been spruced up. Pappou gave each of them some spending money and we went to Kefalari. They surprised us; not one ordered an alcoholic drink, even though they were nervous. Maybe because they were?

Robert leant back, his face was soft and amused. “You make an odd group, like the tourist groups we see everywhere. You are of six nationalities and of three races originally. Do you still think of yourselves that way?” The one black man was from London.

Michael was the first to answer. He nodded, “I still think of myself as an American.”

“But I found you in Canada!”

“I’d been arrested for molesting a girl, but her parents would not allow her to testify. I knew I would remain on a list and be picked up every time a child was raped. Canada looked like a good place to be.”

Next [Book 09] - Post 010

I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.

Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου

(Alexander Zenon Eustace)

^{24th February, 2020}

• posted: 24th February, 2020
  
  
  
  
  

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