Sailing aboard the Pneuma (Part Five)

A child’s voice behind me caused me to jump. I turned to see a small boy of about five years of age. He said, “They are about to leave and he has sent me to call you.” I looked around to find the hillside restored and I was alone with this little one. I thought that to send one so young to seek out an adult stranger in order to give him a message, a rather strange errand to entrust to a child. “You are alone?” I asked. “Yes.” he replied. “Shekinah always sends children on his most important missions.” He beamed with obvious pride at being one so chosen.

My diminutive companion took my hand and led me away from where the orange grove had been back down towards the town. He said very little, but there was no doubt who was in charge of this trek. His small hand gripped mine with a firmness that revealed the determination with which he had undertaken his mission. Although my legs were obviously longer, I had to work at keeping pace.

As we approached the gates to the docks two crew members appeared and heartily welcomed me back. One led me by the arm through the gate, while the other bent down and spoke with Shekinah’s tiny servant. In the sunlight, I saw the glint of a gold coin placed in the little boy's hand. He shot a smile in my direction and darted off back up the street.

Pneuma’s provisions were abundant. The crew secured many wooden crates to the main deck, as the holds were full. The hull separated from the quayside and we slowly made our way past the breakwater out into the open sea. There was no fanfare, no huge crowds bidding us farewell, just workers on the quay going about their tasks as would be the case in any other port.

The sails filled and Pneuma accelerated toward the horizon. I looked up to where Shekinah usually stood and there he was. His left hand shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun, in the other he held a rolled up chart. To my surprise, he called me up to the deck upon which he stood. “You enjoyed the visit?” he asked. “Very much, but there is so much I want to ask ...” My voice trailed off as he raised his index finger to his mouth, not rudely, or in any way that relayed frustration with my chatter. In fact, his action was reassuring, as if all that I needed to know would be revealed at the best time possible.

He placed the rolled chart on a large flat table. For the first time I saw an ornate crimson seal bordered with what I am certain was pure silver. He slipped the thumb of his right hand under the seal and broke it. The seal did not break with a snap, but it chimed with the sound of a high quality bell. The chart rolled out over the table to reveal a map.

He bent over the map and I followed suit in the hope that I might learn something. Unfortunately, while I could discern land masses, the writing was unintelligible and the symbols were completely beyond deciphering. He called one of the imposing members of the crew and they both focussed on a point on the map and then, without words, seemed to agree on a course of action. He looked up at me and seeing my quizzical expression smiled and said, “So much that you want to know.” I waited for enlightenment, but in vain. He gestured for me to sit. He offered me a beautiful crystal glass filled with the most exquisite red wine I had ever seen. He raised his glass to me and I reciprocated. We drank.

As the wonderfully rich fruit of the vine coursed its way towards my stomach, my vision somehow sharpened. The crew, although remaining in the form of men, seemed to glimmer, seemed to reflect and refract light as they moved. I looked up into the full sails and it was if the wind waved back at me. “You’re not drunk as you might suppose. New wine always has that effect whenever it is enjoyed.” I went to take a second sip and my glass was still full. As if sensing my surprise, he laughed, “The glass always remains full for him who is thirsty.”

I took another sip and looked over the starboard side and there, upon on the very surface of the sea, were the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. Some with six wings and even bigger ones with two huge wings each. The six winged beings walked side by side leaving brief golden footprints in the surface of the sea as they walked towards the ship with their wing tips touching. Then, at the command of the two larger beings, the six winged glories parted to reveal what appeared to be a throne shimmering like a mirage upon the sea. The light coming from that throne was so intense that the very sun was darkness by comparison.

Then a voice, with the sound of a million tongues, resonated from within the throne, “Enjoy your family.”

As quickly as it all appeared it was gone. Shekinah was back on his feet in conference with six other crew members. I felt it was time to take my leave and descended to the main deck intrigued at what I had seen and heard. Through the now breaking clouds of my confusion, I felt ignorance had begun to lose its grip. I felt capable, at last, of truly beginning to know.