3:15pm
St. Adele, France
There was a flash of light. They appeared in the rectory of a church. Then, the light dissolved, fading away.
An old man turned to face the visitors. He looked exactly like Caine, only he's about 25 years older, wore glasses, and walked with a cane.
Caine said, "Father, I bring news. Su Ling wishes to speak with you." He waved his hand and Su Ling materialized.
Of course, she was there the whole time. The Shaolin had merely lifted the veil of consciousness, allowing everyone to see Ling's spirit-form.
Matthew sighed. "My love..at last, I can speak with you. I am so sorry for your death. If I hadn't been at war..had stayed in China.."
Su Ling walked up to him, put a finger to his lips. "Shhh..I forgive you, Matthew. I realized you had no control over the circumstances. I needed to speak with you, for reassurance."
"I thank you, Su Ling." He embraced her. "The memory of your death will always be with me..but now, I believe I will come to terms with it. With my sorrow, grief..there is no return from it. Experiences in one's life will always leave a mark on one's soul. Your unjust murder at the hands of the Tiger.. Sing Wah..and the brainwashing of Damon will remain in my soul. However, ONE thing will always be stronger..your love for me."
Su Ling stepped back and bowed. "Thank you, Matthew. You have healed my chi with your sincere words..and I feel your love also. I believe I can take it with me to my next life, as I accept Oneness with the Tao. I thank you, my love. But know this: a part of of me will always be in your heart, Matthew Caine, as you are in mine. Our love was a bond that could never be broken, even in death."
She turned to Caine. "And you, my son, Kwai Chang Caine..you have a great gift..you help others. A priest like your father and his father, the Shaolin tradition. Continue to honor your path, my son, and you will not fail. Always seek truth and light."
She looked at Peter now. "Peter, you protect people..I am proud of you both, Peter..there is nothing you have done or will do, that could ever disappoint your father. One day, you will realize your destiny when you are confronted by it. Farewell." She did the Shaolin salute.
Caine and Peter returned the gesture.
Su Ling loooked down at her chest..the wound was gone. No sign of death, the pain was no more. "Yes, I feel complete now. Thank you for helping me Cole. My work on this earth is finished.." She then disappeared in a flash of light, smiling as she went.
Malcolm blinked, shaking his head. He was unsure of what to beleive now, yet very amazed at what he just saw. Then he wiped his eyes. Looking at the others, he said with a slight chuckle, "That..that was..wow. Simply unbelievable."
---------One Hour Later----------
---Chinatown---
Caine and Peter were in the apothecary shop.
Malcolm and Cole got up out of their chairs, ready to go back home.
Caine approached Cole. "Young man..you have a great gift..you may think some ghosts are angry..but do not fear them. Their chi must be restored.. you do that by helping them, by healing their fragmented souls. If you ever doubt, then simply rely on the inerrant goodness within. That is..your Path."
Cole nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll remember that. Thanks, Caine."
Malcolm shook the priest's hand. "Thank you, Master Caine. You've really helped us. Now, I can't explain all that stuff Peter told me. Shadow Assassins, other dimensions, even about that magic book you used, or
Shambhala Masters--I don't even really know what that is, let alone how to explain it to my wife--hell, I experienced it! That light, going to and from France in a half hour..and I *still* find it unbelievable. But it happened, I can't deny *that*. My point is this: I know that you're good at helping people. Keep up the good work." He gestured with the Salute..
Caine returned it, as did Peter.
Then, Cole and Malcolm left the room, to go back to Philadelphia.
Several minutes passed. Finally, Caine says, "My son, something..troubles you?"
Peter answered, "Yeah...it does. It..well, it's about Malcolm."
Caine sort of knew what he was going to say. "Yes?"
"Something is strange about him. When we shook hands, he felt hard. And when I drove him over here in my car, it was freezing. And I had the heater on full-blast! But that's not what's weird. It got cold only after we talked about the break-in at his house, the gun going off. As soon as we changed the subject, the temperature was normal again. I don't understand it."
Caine nodded. "Ahh..yes. I know the reason for this."
"Okay. What is it?"
"He is a ghost also."
He almost choked with surprise. "What?! A ghost?"
"Yes."
"Oh, come on, Pop..a *ghost*?"
"Peter..ghosts sometimes appear as living people."
"You could be right. It would certainly explain a few things that happened. Now, YOU can see things..like the boy can. He could be a Shaolin someday, but that's beside the point. But I could..SEE Malcolm! A GHOST, and I could still *see* him!!"
"Of course..you are Shaolin."
"Okay. Well, I guess I got nothing to worry about. But does Malcolm know he's dead?"
"No..he does not."
"Why didn't you tell him?"
"Because it would not help his situation with his wife. He needed to confront his destiny on his own, without my interference and influence. But he WILL find out soon."
"Does Cole know?"
"Yes. He knows..but he will not tell him directly. He also feels as I do, that Dr. Crowe must find his Path on his own."
Peter shrugged in agreement. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It would be more rewarding for Malcolm to learn it personally. But that kid, Cole..I got a strange feeling that we may run into him again."
"Hmmm...perhaps."
THE END
(for now)
St. Adele, France
There was a flash of light. They appeared in the rectory of a church. Then, the light dissolved, fading away.
An old man turned to face the visitors. He looked exactly like Caine, only he's about 25 years older, wore glasses, and walked with a cane.
Caine said, "Father, I bring news. Su Ling wishes to speak with you." He waved his hand and Su Ling materialized.
Of course, she was there the whole time. The Shaolin had merely lifted the veil of consciousness, allowing everyone to see Ling's spirit-form.
Matthew sighed. "My love..at last, I can speak with you. I am so sorry for your death. If I hadn't been at war..had stayed in China.."
Su Ling walked up to him, put a finger to his lips. "Shhh..I forgive you, Matthew. I realized you had no control over the circumstances. I needed to speak with you, for reassurance."
"I thank you, Su Ling." He embraced her. "The memory of your death will always be with me..but now, I believe I will come to terms with it. With my sorrow, grief..there is no return from it. Experiences in one's life will always leave a mark on one's soul. Your unjust murder at the hands of the Tiger.. Sing Wah..and the brainwashing of Damon will remain in my soul. However, ONE thing will always be stronger..your love for me."
Su Ling stepped back and bowed. "Thank you, Matthew. You have healed my chi with your sincere words..and I feel your love also. I believe I can take it with me to my next life, as I accept Oneness with the Tao. I thank you, my love. But know this: a part of of me will always be in your heart, Matthew Caine, as you are in mine. Our love was a bond that could never be broken, even in death."
She turned to Caine. "And you, my son, Kwai Chang Caine..you have a great gift..you help others. A priest like your father and his father, the Shaolin tradition. Continue to honor your path, my son, and you will not fail. Always seek truth and light."
She looked at Peter now. "Peter, you protect people..I am proud of you both, Peter..there is nothing you have done or will do, that could ever disappoint your father. One day, you will realize your destiny when you are confronted by it. Farewell." She did the Shaolin salute.
Caine and Peter returned the gesture.
Su Ling loooked down at her chest..the wound was gone. No sign of death, the pain was no more. "Yes, I feel complete now. Thank you for helping me Cole. My work on this earth is finished.." She then disappeared in a flash of light, smiling as she went.
Malcolm blinked, shaking his head. He was unsure of what to beleive now, yet very amazed at what he just saw. Then he wiped his eyes. Looking at the others, he said with a slight chuckle, "That..that was..wow. Simply unbelievable."
---------One Hour Later----------
---Chinatown---
Caine and Peter were in the apothecary shop.
Malcolm and Cole got up out of their chairs, ready to go back home.
Caine approached Cole. "Young man..you have a great gift..you may think some ghosts are angry..but do not fear them. Their chi must be restored.. you do that by helping them, by healing their fragmented souls. If you ever doubt, then simply rely on the inerrant goodness within. That is..your Path."
Cole nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll remember that. Thanks, Caine."
Malcolm shook the priest's hand. "Thank you, Master Caine. You've really helped us. Now, I can't explain all that stuff Peter told me. Shadow Assassins, other dimensions, even about that magic book you used, or
Shambhala Masters--I don't even really know what that is, let alone how to explain it to my wife--hell, I experienced it! That light, going to and from France in a half hour..and I *still* find it unbelievable. But it happened, I can't deny *that*. My point is this: I know that you're good at helping people. Keep up the good work." He gestured with the Salute..
Caine returned it, as did Peter.
Then, Cole and Malcolm left the room, to go back to Philadelphia.
Several minutes passed. Finally, Caine says, "My son, something..troubles you?"
Peter answered, "Yeah...it does. It..well, it's about Malcolm."
Caine sort of knew what he was going to say. "Yes?"
"Something is strange about him. When we shook hands, he felt hard. And when I drove him over here in my car, it was freezing. And I had the heater on full-blast! But that's not what's weird. It got cold only after we talked about the break-in at his house, the gun going off. As soon as we changed the subject, the temperature was normal again. I don't understand it."
Caine nodded. "Ahh..yes. I know the reason for this."
"Okay. What is it?"
"He is a ghost also."
He almost choked with surprise. "What?! A ghost?"
"Yes."
"Oh, come on, Pop..a *ghost*?"
"Peter..ghosts sometimes appear as living people."
"You could be right. It would certainly explain a few things that happened. Now, YOU can see things..like the boy can. He could be a Shaolin someday, but that's beside the point. But I could..SEE Malcolm! A GHOST, and I could still *see* him!!"
"Of course..you are Shaolin."
"Okay. Well, I guess I got nothing to worry about. But does Malcolm know he's dead?"
"No..he does not."
"Why didn't you tell him?"
"Because it would not help his situation with his wife. He needed to confront his destiny on his own, without my interference and influence. But he WILL find out soon."
"Does Cole know?"
"Yes. He knows..but he will not tell him directly. He also feels as I do, that Dr. Crowe must find his Path on his own."
Peter shrugged in agreement. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It would be more rewarding for Malcolm to learn it personally. But that kid, Cole..I got a strange feeling that we may run into him again."
"Hmmm...perhaps."
THE END
(for now)