8:12am
PHILADELPHIA
ST. ANTHONY'S ACADEMY
Cole had entered the library and sat down at a table that was next to a window. He picked up one of the books he checkouted out with the
librarian, called 'Tao Te Ching'. He opened it and started reading.
*********
8:14am
CHINATOWN
CAINE'S APOTHECARY
Peter walked into his father's shop.
Caine and Lo Si were talking quietly.
Peter said, "Pop, I've got something here." He handed the priest the small envelope.
Caine opened it and pulled out the paper. "Ah..it is from Cole." He began reading. After he was finished, he gasped in recognition. "Yes..my suspicions were correct.."
Peter asked, "Father, what is it? What's wrong?"
Caine answered, "I will..let you read it for yourself. Here." He handed it to his son.
Peter took it and began reading it. It read:
[Dear Peter,
It's Cole. I'm in trouble, I need your father's help. I've tried to help a ghost, but it doesn't want help. He's been following me around school, watching me. I don't know what to do anymore...even my teacher has changed. Mr. Cunningham was so nice before, but now..
Now he's stern, forceful. Cold. This ghost wears a black suit. But this ghost isn't my only problem. I've been having visions about--I think I see your temple getting blown up. Ninjas killing your teachers. And a man with a scar near his right eye. He said something about discarding wisdom and..I think you get happiness. Something like that. Anyway, this ghost knows I can see him. And he hates me for it. What's worse is that Malcolm isn't here anymore. My mom can't do anything, she can't see him. Please, tell Caine to help me, please.
I'm afraid that my life is in danger, and not just mine. Your friends say to come to Chinatown and ask for your dad, and he'll help. But I can't come there, so I'm writing you. I'm alone, Peter. Please help me if you can.
Your friend,
Cole]
Peter put the letter in his pocket. "So, dad...what does this mean?"
Caine replied, "This ghost is evil, Peter. I know without doubt that this dark entity is from my past. He also has something to do with the destruction of our temple. I believe this ghost is somehow connected to our greatest enemy."
Peter said angrily, "Tan! That son of a.."
Lo si said, "Peter, we must confront this demon. Expose him for who he is. The light of truth will dispel all darkness. We must help this boy defeat him..Kwai Chang Caine, we must we must make the journey... you must call to him."
Caine nodded. "Yes, master, I know. Come, Peter.." He then sat on the floor in his lotus position. "I need you both to help me meet with Cole in *my* secret place. Peter, we must all link our chi."
Peter sat in front of him.
Lo Si placed four candle pots around them. He then lit them..as he did, the flames momentarily shot up, then simmered back down. Then he sat on the right side of Caine and Peter.
Peter grabbed Caine's left hand with his right. "Okay, father. Let's do this."
Lo Si put his right hand into Peter's left, and his left into Caine's right.
They closed their eyes. They emptied their minds, concentrated only on the stillness. Then, Peter and Lo Si focused their energy to Caine.
Caine suddenly spoke. "Yes...we call to you. Cole Sear. Come to me... *Cole*.."
*********
8:24am
ST. ANTHONY'S ACADEMY
LIBRARY
Cole whispered as he read, "'Names that are spoken are not Eternal Names, the Tao that can be spoken of is not the Eternal Tao-'" Suddenly, he stopped. A small breeze had blown across the table. For some reason, he didn't feel like reading anymore. He looked up from his book, a little confused. He felt a certain calm, a deep stillness. He felt...serenity. He closed his eyes and laid his head down. He emptied his thoughts.
Then, he heard a voice say, "Cole..come to me..come to Kwai Chang
Caine..COLE..."
Cole immediately focused on the voice, concentrating hard. All of a sudden, he felt light. His consciousness had a sense of being elevated...
**********
TEMPLE OF ETERNITY
Cole found himself in unknown surroundings. It was the courtyard of a Shaolin temple. Candles, the big steps leading up to doors, circular windows, banners with Chinese characters. There was a cloudy mist on the floor. He looked at himself. He didn't have on the same clothes. In fact, he was wearing a white robe, a robe that shone with brilliance. He looked ahead.
Caine mysteriously appeared, who was wearing the same outfit. "Cole..you have come."
Cole slowly nodded. "Yes. I need you help."
Caine answered, "Yes, I know. Do not fear, we are coming. There is a dark force in your city. It is an enemy from my past."
"I know. What should I do?"
"Wait. Prepare. Meditate. That is all any of us can do. You must embrace your fears, become one with them, then..release it. Accept your path."
"You mean, give in?"
"I mean, yield. Yield to succeed. Use only what you know, discard false perceptions. Do not fear the darkness. Accept what is inevitable..seek the light within yourself, the light of truth. In truth, you will find peace."
"But what..what if this guy kills me? What if he hurts other people, too?"
"In the face of adversity, you must not let him see your fear. Fear..is an emotion. Do not let it overtake you, it is only an asset when you can control it. All the fears in ones life, whether they are big or small, are like so many tiny fragments. Broken down, confronted, examined--where you can understand and come to terms with it--it cannot stop you from your task. It is only when all those fears come together in one, that they..overwhelm the senses."
"So..look at what scares me, ask why and how..then face it?"
"Yes."
"Oh..one time, when I first saw Kyra, my instinct told me to run. But I faced what scared me..and this helped her move on..and I..."
"..It helped you to face your destiny, your path."
"Yes, my path. So by accepting the fear, you become..'one with it'?"
"That is right. Then you can dispel that fear, casting it away."
"Okay..okay. Thanks, Caine. I'll try to remember. When will you be here?"
"Soon..I give you my word. When I am near, you will find me." He gave the boy a Shaolin salute.
Cole bowed his head. "Thanks."
Caine said, "You are welcome. And now...you must go back.." He lightly touched Cole's head with his fingertips...
..The boy began to feel fatigued..
***********
8:45am
LIBRARY
Cole immediately brought his head up from the table. He felt both refreshed and exhausted, like he had awakened from a long sleep. He put the books in his bag and got out of his chair. "Uh-oh. It's almost nine. I've got to get to class fast!" He ran out the door.
PHILADELPHIA
ST. ANTHONY'S ACADEMY
Cole had entered the library and sat down at a table that was next to a window. He picked up one of the books he checkouted out with the
librarian, called 'Tao Te Ching'. He opened it and started reading.
*********
8:14am
CHINATOWN
CAINE'S APOTHECARY
Peter walked into his father's shop.
Caine and Lo Si were talking quietly.
Peter said, "Pop, I've got something here." He handed the priest the small envelope.
Caine opened it and pulled out the paper. "Ah..it is from Cole." He began reading. After he was finished, he gasped in recognition. "Yes..my suspicions were correct.."
Peter asked, "Father, what is it? What's wrong?"
Caine answered, "I will..let you read it for yourself. Here." He handed it to his son.
Peter took it and began reading it. It read:
[Dear Peter,
It's Cole. I'm in trouble, I need your father's help. I've tried to help a ghost, but it doesn't want help. He's been following me around school, watching me. I don't know what to do anymore...even my teacher has changed. Mr. Cunningham was so nice before, but now..
Now he's stern, forceful. Cold. This ghost wears a black suit. But this ghost isn't my only problem. I've been having visions about--I think I see your temple getting blown up. Ninjas killing your teachers. And a man with a scar near his right eye. He said something about discarding wisdom and..I think you get happiness. Something like that. Anyway, this ghost knows I can see him. And he hates me for it. What's worse is that Malcolm isn't here anymore. My mom can't do anything, she can't see him. Please, tell Caine to help me, please.
I'm afraid that my life is in danger, and not just mine. Your friends say to come to Chinatown and ask for your dad, and he'll help. But I can't come there, so I'm writing you. I'm alone, Peter. Please help me if you can.
Your friend,
Cole]
Peter put the letter in his pocket. "So, dad...what does this mean?"
Caine replied, "This ghost is evil, Peter. I know without doubt that this dark entity is from my past. He also has something to do with the destruction of our temple. I believe this ghost is somehow connected to our greatest enemy."
Peter said angrily, "Tan! That son of a.."
Lo si said, "Peter, we must confront this demon. Expose him for who he is. The light of truth will dispel all darkness. We must help this boy defeat him..Kwai Chang Caine, we must we must make the journey... you must call to him."
Caine nodded. "Yes, master, I know. Come, Peter.." He then sat on the floor in his lotus position. "I need you both to help me meet with Cole in *my* secret place. Peter, we must all link our chi."
Peter sat in front of him.
Lo Si placed four candle pots around them. He then lit them..as he did, the flames momentarily shot up, then simmered back down. Then he sat on the right side of Caine and Peter.
Peter grabbed Caine's left hand with his right. "Okay, father. Let's do this."
Lo Si put his right hand into Peter's left, and his left into Caine's right.
They closed their eyes. They emptied their minds, concentrated only on the stillness. Then, Peter and Lo Si focused their energy to Caine.
Caine suddenly spoke. "Yes...we call to you. Cole Sear. Come to me... *Cole*.."
*********
8:24am
ST. ANTHONY'S ACADEMY
LIBRARY
Cole whispered as he read, "'Names that are spoken are not Eternal Names, the Tao that can be spoken of is not the Eternal Tao-'" Suddenly, he stopped. A small breeze had blown across the table. For some reason, he didn't feel like reading anymore. He looked up from his book, a little confused. He felt a certain calm, a deep stillness. He felt...serenity. He closed his eyes and laid his head down. He emptied his thoughts.
Then, he heard a voice say, "Cole..come to me..come to Kwai Chang
Caine..COLE..."
Cole immediately focused on the voice, concentrating hard. All of a sudden, he felt light. His consciousness had a sense of being elevated...
**********
TEMPLE OF ETERNITY
Cole found himself in unknown surroundings. It was the courtyard of a Shaolin temple. Candles, the big steps leading up to doors, circular windows, banners with Chinese characters. There was a cloudy mist on the floor. He looked at himself. He didn't have on the same clothes. In fact, he was wearing a white robe, a robe that shone with brilliance. He looked ahead.
Caine mysteriously appeared, who was wearing the same outfit. "Cole..you have come."
Cole slowly nodded. "Yes. I need you help."
Caine answered, "Yes, I know. Do not fear, we are coming. There is a dark force in your city. It is an enemy from my past."
"I know. What should I do?"
"Wait. Prepare. Meditate. That is all any of us can do. You must embrace your fears, become one with them, then..release it. Accept your path."
"You mean, give in?"
"I mean, yield. Yield to succeed. Use only what you know, discard false perceptions. Do not fear the darkness. Accept what is inevitable..seek the light within yourself, the light of truth. In truth, you will find peace."
"But what..what if this guy kills me? What if he hurts other people, too?"
"In the face of adversity, you must not let him see your fear. Fear..is an emotion. Do not let it overtake you, it is only an asset when you can control it. All the fears in ones life, whether they are big or small, are like so many tiny fragments. Broken down, confronted, examined--where you can understand and come to terms with it--it cannot stop you from your task. It is only when all those fears come together in one, that they..overwhelm the senses."
"So..look at what scares me, ask why and how..then face it?"
"Yes."
"Oh..one time, when I first saw Kyra, my instinct told me to run. But I faced what scared me..and this helped her move on..and I..."
"..It helped you to face your destiny, your path."
"Yes, my path. So by accepting the fear, you become..'one with it'?"
"That is right. Then you can dispel that fear, casting it away."
"Okay..okay. Thanks, Caine. I'll try to remember. When will you be here?"
"Soon..I give you my word. When I am near, you will find me." He gave the boy a Shaolin salute.
Cole bowed his head. "Thanks."
Caine said, "You are welcome. And now...you must go back.." He lightly touched Cole's head with his fingertips...
..The boy began to feel fatigued..
***********
8:45am
LIBRARY
Cole immediately brought his head up from the table. He felt both refreshed and exhausted, like he had awakened from a long sleep. He put the books in his bag and got out of his chair. "Uh-oh. It's almost nine. I've got to get to class fast!" He ran out the door.