The Justiceers - Part Six: Chapter Seventeen
the next chapter in my forthcoming novel
The Justiceers
by Daphne Garrido
Part Three: The Will to Choose
Part Four: Prefinished Business
Part Six: Death Rides a Horse
6.17
Presence isn’t a word that properly describes the sensations coursing through the awareness of Miriam Halafax. She’d seen this so many times, too many ways, without ever knowing how it would truly feel, or if it would actually come to pass, so often, allowing fear to overtake belief it was possible at all.
The first thing which happened when she’d realized the moment upon her at last, witnessing Arthur emerge into this chamber of Grammaton’s epic light of love, was that she’d begun sobbing awfully hard.
Miriam always knew she would when reaching out to this place. She’d cried these tears many times on accident, connecting with them by fleeting thoughts of her mind, feeling forward and finding the emotions abundantly healing and needed if sometimes inconvenient.
Now here for real, the tears wouldn’t stop pouring for a while.
It wasn’t ever that kiss when she’d escaped the clutches of evil so holding Fariah in its grasp, and the terror all that brought out of Miriam, when her fear was to be burnt away; where she truly knew that everything would be okay for us all in the end. That was always going to be this moment, seeing Arthur here, to heal with this darkest visage of herself; Miriam Lightfoot.
Miriam would find herself quite incorrect a lot of the time.
This woman who’d been born again beneath the surface of Grammaton was a beautiful sight to behold. Now arriving at this moment her body and mind had labored so long to make possible, the very task which had seen her burn off each bit of character not borne of soul, fearlessness would be grafted into all of their hearts. This time of witnessing, a highest blessing to that shattered part of herself, the greatest reconciliation of the heart which could possibly exist; just for Miriam Lightfoot to see him again.
Ms. Lightfoot crying the hardest. She’d in fact collapsed.
This hadn’t been something she ever believed in, her hope killed with all she’d done so long ago. The need for this had been within her always, known and respected as a hope she’d not escape. She’d endeavored to overcome it by her purest transcendence of self into embodiment of the planet which held her. Yet, had only buried it deeper within herself.
To receive it now was unlike any healing which would ever be wrought again through time, and brought her back to self at once, all of what she was and denied through her pain rediscovered; whole again.
Her falling tears, soaked into the stone etchings of this great chamber, would heal this world. The palms of her hands so grasping on to be held by Great Mother, unable to control her sobbing, she’d missed his approach entirely. Arthur had lifted her from the ground quite gently, and she’d not been able to look him in the eye.
His presence so close was taking every terror she’d wrought in his absence, each moment of longing denied, all the mistakes made running from her pain, and that surrender she’d found to trust this planet in carrying her thorough it all, making Miriam Lightfoot quite unable to do anything at all except continue weeping.
Nothing could ever be more healing than to have been in the presence of that moment.
Miriam’s spirit had taken leave in the encompassing vibrations of her mother’s energy, finding stillness within the crashing of its waves, and finally held the strength to look him in the eyes.
She’d just cried all over again, throwing her arms over his shoulders, letting herself go into the tides of emotion which there was no hope for her to control.
Miriam Lightfoot always knew it wasn’t her for Arthur, that his place was beside another version of her soul. Over time, she’d come to realize her place had been beside another version of his own; Grammaton itself.
When the will was found within her, and more importantly the space between sobs for breath, she’d finally spoken. All she could say was the god’s honest truth.
“I’ve missed you so much”
She’d squeezed those words out, barely audible, even to Arthur, broken by her tears which were falling alongside the walls this hurt had built around her heart.
Arthur seemed surprised at how long it went on. He really couldn’t imagine what it was like to go through what she had. It had been a struggle of endurance beyond what most would ever know.
I’d given those two a lot of time, hanging back, letting her have the moment she needed. We’d spent a very precious time together here awaiting Arthur, and the impression Ms. Lightfoot made upon me was most significant. She deserved that hug more than anyone had ever deserved anything.
To see it happen was a blessing to my own heart.
Finally, all three together, we’d told Arthur what was to happen, that was when he’d finally cracked, and begun to join us in our tears. She’d held out so long for this moment, but it was her time to go, the plan had been written by her own willingness and offering to Grammaton. That oath of sacrifice had brought her here.
It brought them all here.
She’d left Arthur to hold me, and stepped forward towards her what she’d referred to as her home, the very light she’d lived beside here, residing within her heart for so long; that most beautiful song of this planet now finding its harmony once again.
The light transformed as she’d neared that circular portal in the center of this inner sanctum of Grammaton. It was not a result of her proximity, she’d sat near that edge quite often, but an approaching moment in time. The shimmering golden light, once silver, had changed again; a rainbow of colors beyond the spectrum of imagination.
They were the most magnificent sight I’ll ever see.
She laughed there at the edge, just before, and I’d felt like I knew exactly why. Her foot, it had been the first thing to pass into the light. The universe was funny like that sometimes.
She’d looked back to us before, the most pleasant expressions I could imagine seeing on my own face, Miriam Lightfoot was at peace.
Then she’d gone.
