THIRTY-ONE
'When the ten thousand things become One,
Then we return to the center,
Where we have always been'
Chuang-Tse
Martin awoke with a start as if he'd just had his legs kicked out from underneath him. At first he breathed heavy and quickly, his eyes darting around trying to make out his surroundings. He then slowly started to calm himself as he realised he was in no immediate danger…
He was still in Ezekiel's cottage, in the armchair he had fallen asleep in, a warm green blanket had been placed around him but now he was totally alone. The room was dark, lit only by shafts of moonlight and a single candle that stood, still burning, on the fireplace. Focusing in on the candle Martin soon noticed a white piece of folded paper placed beside it, a name had been hand written on it in black ink:
'Martin'.
Pushing himself up from his chair at the same time as holding on to his blanket, Martin shuffled slowly over to the mantel and took the paper. He unfolded it and, using the candlelight, began to read:
"Dear Marty,
I didn't want to wake you 'cos I think you needed the sleep, but just to let you know... I've gone.
By the time you read this, I'll probably be in 1958 getting my backside beaten at 'Scrabble' by a cute, little skinny bloke… Who knows? Maybe I'm in the 49th century and a prisoner of the evil Gastropods… But don't worry, they're rubbish monsters so I'll soon have them defeated!
What I'm basically saying is I'm not going to be around for a bit. I'll be back to pick you up in a couple of months when the book is finished and you're ready to be taken home. I already know the time and the place for when we meet up so don't worry. I know I'm there. I've already seen it. We've had all this planned for ages. This was all your idea, remember?
Have fun with Ezekiel. Enjoy the process of creation when you write the book, remember everything you already know, speak truthfully, always with an open heart, listen to Ezekiel and whatever you do, in fact most importantly, DON'T ever eat any of his cheese and chutney sandwiches! He's sssoooooo protective over them! Make your own! Ok?
I'll see you on the last day… by the tree at the end of the dream…
Love and stuff
The Doctor
PS: There's a bed been made for you upstairs. Second door on the left. Go get some more sleep. You're going to need it… Zeeky will have you up and about at the crack of dawn!
PPS: Don't forget those glasses I gave you. Keep them with you always. You'll know when to use them.
PPPS: Lay off the cake, Fatty...
PPPPS: Byeeeeee…..
There was even a little hand drawing at the end of the letter of a bow tie wearing stick man running towards a tall, dark box.
Martin smiled, folded the letter up and placed it back on the mantel. He then looked over at the red-carpeted staircase, a golden light shone warmly at the top of it. Still smiling to himself, the tired, half asleep man pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders and made his way towards the stairs…
"Wakey, wakey!" A man's voice suddenly bellowed. "It's a beautiful day and we've got a book to write!"
It was Ezekiel. He was carrying a tray on which stood a breakfast of piping hot beans on toast and a mug of sweet tea. He placed it down on the bed beside Martin and strode over to the drawn curtains, flinging them open and thus allowing powerful rays of piercing light to engulf the room.
"Look at that!" The old man said appreciatively staring out of the sun-drenched window. He breathed in long and hard and allowed the natural light to caress his aging body. He let out a long, thankful breath. "Ahhh… Morning sunlight, Martin. One of the most purifying, positive energies you should always allow your body to embrace whenever possible. High in vitamin D, you know. It's true. Look it up"
He looked around at Martin's bed to see his younger self pulling the duvet cover further over his head in an effort to hide from the light of morning.
"Now come on, lazy… Let's start as we mean to go on" Ezekiel sat down on the bed and picked up the tray once more. "I've made you breakfast… Just like The Doctor used to… But now it's just you and me… Now we face the day… And we seize it"
Martin emerged at last, blinking from his bed covers. He smiled at the old man who returned the gesture whilst handing over the breakfast.
"Thank you" Martin said in a broken, 'morning' voice.
"You're welcome" The older man responded gently. He then stood up and turned to move towards the door. "I'll let you eat and get dressed. There's a shower over the hallway so get yourself all freshened up too, if you like. I'll meet you downstairs in… Shall we say 30 minutes?" He looked at Martin expectedly.
"Yeah, I mean… What time is it now?" Martin groggily looked around the bedroom for a clock but could not see one anywhere.
"It's…ahhh.. 6.08am" Ezekiel said looking at his wristwatch.
"Bloody hell" Martin said laughing. "Whatever happened to the days of me enjoying a good sleep in?"
Ezekiel laughed too "They disappeared when I learnt the secret of life. Who would want to be in bed when life can be embraced and each moment savoured in it's perfection? Don't you worry, Martin. I'll soon have you out of that bed and losing some of that stomach so you'll literally go home a new man both physically and spiritually. That's why you're here, remember?"
Martin shrugged. "Well, I didn't really know I was here to lose weight!" He said sarcastically.
"You're not," Ezekiel tapped his own slim stomach. "You're here to save the world and live in the eternal moment of 'Now'… Losing weight is just an added bonus, that's all" He smiled happily at Martin and made for the door. "A healthy mind is a healthy body… Just eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full… I'll see you downstairs… And then we are going for a nice walk and start work on chapter one…" He grinned happily and then disappeared from the room.
Martin let out a laugh and took his first mouthful of beans on toast…
Forty-five minutes later and the two men that were really One were heading out of the cottage door and down towards the lakeside. The air was cool, yet vibrant and the ground was soft and inviting. Birdsong filled the air, mixed with sound of sheep bleating and the taping from the gentle breeze that stroked the nearby trees. Ezekiel confidentially led the way. Even with his black walking stick clutched in his right hand he still set quite a pace. Martin followed the old man's footsteps until they reached the waters edge.
Ezekiel suddenly paused and looked around the tranquil scenery of his own garden. "Yes, this looks like a good spot for today" he said nodding contently.
"What?" Martin was taken aback, his head turning backwards to the cottage, which was all of just two hundred yards away. "I thought we were going to be walking for miles? Seeing the views, that sort of thing?"
"No…" Ezekiel said dismissively and then sat down on a large tree stump. "Always begin at home, Martin. Stay centred. Always start with what is closest to you… And then we can go from there. Each day we'll progress a little more" He looked at Martin's back and at the rucksack he was carrying. "Have you got the book in there?"
Martin nodded.
"Then I think it's time to get it out… This is how it begins"
Without saying a word, Martin took the rucksack from his shoulder and placed it on the ground next to the tree stump. He then set up his folded chair and moved it so he was opposite to his older self. He sat down in it heavily and reached over to take the unwritten book from his bag. He lifted the book carefully, placed it on his knees and then sat back in the chair, reaching inside his jacket pocket for his pen. He drew out the pen, opened the book and starred intently at the first blank, white page…
What was he supposed to write?
After a moment he looked up to see Ezekiel looking directly at him. The smile on the old man's face was calm, confident and reassuring. But after a few more moments Martin could stand the silence no longer…
"How does it start? What are the first words? Do you remember?" Martin looked intently into his future self's eyes as if by staring as hard as he could, he could somehow draw the secrets out of him.
"I think the question is…Do you remember?" Ezekiel leaned forward. "Do you remember what happened to you immediately before you came here to this time?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you remember the revelations you've already had? The transcendental journey you took? The Truth that you have learnt?" His voice lowered as he leaned in closer to Martin. "Do you remember the love and the oneness of God? And how it felt to understand it all?"
Martin thought back to his most recent experience with The Doctor and Jay inside the TARDIS. His memory did seem strangely foggy as if parts of it were almost hidden from him. He knew he'd already forgotten so much…
But as he thought back, he did remember the words the 'Book of Life' brought him, the Love 'Jay' spoke of, the astral flight he took through infinity and the revelation of God and Truth he felt in his heart and every fibre of his being.
"Yes… I do… I remember…" He said quietly.
"Well, those are the words we need to hear now" Ezekiel grinned knowingly at Martin's still confused expression. "Don't worry… I'll help you remember more"
Martin looked down in the book. "But how does it begin? I've no idea what the first line could be…"
Ezekiel put a finger to his own lips and 'shhh-ed' Martin silent. He pointed all around him at the trees and the mountains surrounding them. He pointed at the grass and the lake, then at the sky and the clouds in the sky. He opened his arms out wide as if acknowledging the whole of creation and the very universe itself. He then pointed at himself and then, finally, at Martin…
And then he smiled the most perfect smile that ever existed.
Martin returned the smile as best he could and put the tip of his pen to the book…
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Ezekiel told him The Secret and Martin wrote The Truth down in his book…
And so it began.
Each day Ezekiel would wake Martin just after dawn and the two of them would enjoy breakfast together before venturing out into their perfect, future world. With each passing day they would walk further away from the cottage and deeper into the tranquil serenity of their surroundings and deeper still into themselves and their own, inspired thoughts. With each passing day Martin learned the Truth of all existence and the secrets of life were written down at last for all to see…
He wrote of the Chakras, the energy centres that run through the human body. He wrote of the power of positive thought and of the law of attraction. They spoke about time and how all things were happening right here and now. They spoke about love: the binding force of the universe. They spoke about God: That which contains all things...
Ezekiel told him The Secret and Martin wrote The Truth down in his book…
By the second week the duo were reaching yet further and further out into the majestic country side... at the same time as reaching further and further into the universe of treasures inside of them. 'The Truth' was been captured in the book and the key to existence itself was slowly been turned...
On the Wednesday morning of August 15th 2045 on one of their daily walks, Martin and Ezekiel were coming to a fork in the path they had often passed during the last few weeks. To the left was the 'main' route, signified by it's well trodden path, and to the right was a narrower way almost over run with thick bushes. In the middle of the parting of ways stood a large, ancient oak tree, its tangled body covered by a maze of dark green leaves. On previous journeys down this way, Martin had often looked off to the right path and wondered where it might lead but Ezekiel had always chosen the left route. Maybe it was time for a change...
"Shall will go this way today?" Martin nodded off to the right.
Ezekiel stopped suddenly and, as he was following the old man at quite a close distance, Martin almost walked into the back of him. The older man stared off to the right hand turn as if looking at it for the very first time.
"To the right, you mean?" Ezekiel said almost nervously.
"Yeah... I just thought... Well, we never go down that way, do we?" Martin was frowning at Ezekiel's apparent concern.
"No, no... We don't, do we..." The old man looked at Martin with an almost pitying expression. "And there's a reason for that"
"Why?"
"Well, because I never go down there" Ezekiel said matter-of-factly.
Martin laughed "Yeah, but why?"
The older man looked at his younger self once more, his face torn between sadness and inevitability. "Well, I've only been down that way once before... And it didn't end well, really" He stared off thoughtfully past the mountains on the right hand side of the great oak tree as if remembering some long, almost forgotten time. "Well, it did end well... in a way... it was beautiful... but it was sad... very sad... and..." He suddenly reverted his gaze to Martin and then down at his own feet. "We don't really talk about this now" he added dismissively before suddenly continuing his stride towards the left path.
"What?" Martin remained where he was, staring hard at the back of Ezekiel's departing figure. "What do you mean 'we don't talk about it'? Talk about what? We're supposed to be talking Truth here, aren't we? Writing down the Truth of all things? Surely, there are no secrets here? Can't I know the Truth about that way? What's over there? What did you see?"
"I said we don't talk about it now, Martin" Ezekiel carried on walking not looking back. "It didn't happen like this... You find out later... in just a few weeks time, in fact"
"No, Ezekiel... I don't want to find out later... I want to find out now!" Martin stood his ground. "What's down there?"
Ezekiel stopped walking, bowed his head and remained still facing away from Martin. "I knew this wasn't going to be easy," he said softly, almost to himself. "Ok, Martin. This is all I can tell you now..." He spun on his heals and turned to face the younger man. "I only ever went down there once... And it was when I was you, as you are now I mean, and you were with me, as I am now. As I said, it happens in a few weeks time... And it's the first and only time we go down that path"
"Why?" Martin was too intrigued to leave it at that. "What's down there?" He returned his eyes to the inviting path; the leaves on the bushes were swaying in a way that was almost beckoning him over.
"Oh, there's nothing 'down there', as such... Well, just a few lovely fields set against a backdrop of perfect mountains. There's also a beautiful, strolling hill with a majestic ash tree on top of it... so it's hardly nothing… I'm not saying it's nothing…" Ezekiel walked back towards where Martin was stood. "It's not what's down there... It's more a case of what happens down there" He then braced himself for the next question.
"Why? What happens down there?" Martin asked on cue.
"I can't tell you that, Martin," He said without a hint of concern or regret. "Something wonderful... Something heart breaking. That is really all I can tell you"
"But why can't you tell me?" Martin's eyes pleaded with his future self.
"Because I don't... I don't tell you. It's as simple as that. I walk on now... and you follow... And you don't find out until the day it happens" He turned his back and started to walk once more down his preferred, left path. "That's just the way events transpire, I'm afraid"
Martin remained where he was. "Well, what if I don't follow you? What if I stand here and let you walk on your own? What then?" He folded his arms as if to show his rebellion. "What happens then, Ezekiel?"
Without looking around, the old man carried on his advance and waved an arm in the air. "I'll see you in five minutes at the top of the next hill by that patch of rocks we like" He said calmly.
"I wont be there!" Martin responded sternly.
"Oh, you will" Ezekiel laughed lightly. "You'll be upset for half an hour, then you'll forget all about it whilst we have our sandwiches and talk about the Tree of Life and it's connection to the Eternal moment of Creation. Then, eventually, we write another, Truth-filled chapter in the book and get back to the cottage in time for fish and chips!" He raised his voice to compensate for the increasing distance between him and his younger self.
"No we wont" Martin sat on the ground beneath the great oak tree and started to pick at grass beneath him. "I'm staying here till you come back and tell me what you're hiding from me"
"Oh, ok" Ezekiel laughed "I'll see you in five..." His voice disappeared into the wind.
"I mean it, you know" Martin hadn't given up. "I'm not going to move on this!" He watched as Ezekiel's departing figure slowly disappeared behind a collection of small tress. "Ezekiel?" He shouted. "Ezekiel are you listening to me?"
Silence.
"Ezekiel?" Martin tried again. Shaking his head in frustration, Martin raised himself from the ground and looked at either side of him at the two paths he could choose: The narrow, right path or the well-trodden left path.
Which path should he take?
Letting out a heavy sigh, the younger man picked up his bag and begrudgingly followed the path his future self had just taken.
"Ezekiel? Ezekiel! Wait for me!"...
Each night, upon their return from their journeys, Yasmin would make a beautifully cooked meal and all three of them would sit down at the large, oak table and eat together. Discussing all manor of topics, ranging from the oneness of all life to what constituted the most dunkable biscuit and just about everything in-between, the trio literally put the world to rights. Martin would often find himself writing in the book as they spoke; sometimes even unaware he was doing so. It could be said that the book almost wrote itself…
Long into the night Martin and Ezekiel would talk about the book and all the secrets it would, and already did, contain. They spoke of religions, the divisions and hatefulness they can sometimes cause and yet they also spoke of the One Truth that is contained in all of them. They spoke of 'belief' been the root of all human behaviour and the paradox of the vengeful, jealous God. They spoke of peace and how it was achievable through the knowledge of The Truth contained in the book. They spoke of, and displayed for each other, Unconditional Love: the essence of God and the primal force of the Universe itself.
Ezekiel told him The Secret and Martin wrote The Truth down in his book…
By the fifth week the book was already half written. Ezekiel would often spend the first half and hour of each morning 'proof reading' Martin's work, correcting parts here and there with a thin, red pen. He didn't have to correct very much. The Truth contained within was blinding in its simplicity yet it left no room for doubt or error. The book was all he knew it would be… A container for The Truth of all things…
"It's going well, Martin" Ezekiel nodded encouragingly at his younger self as he closed the book up. "Everything's going according to plan and exactly as I remember it. We'll soon have the book finished and then…" His voice trailed off as if he was lost in thought.
"Then what?" Martin said, his mouthful of bran flakes. He was sat at the breakfast table, consciously eating his food.
"Thennnn you go home… Back to your time. You take the book back with you… And save the world" Ezekiel said assuredly.
"Oh, simple as that, eh?" Martin responded sarcastically.
"Well, maybe not quite as simple as that but that's the general idea" The old man beamed. "It works, Martin. Believe me. It works!" Before Martin could respond Ezekiel grabbed his black walking stick and headed for the door. "C'mon then, lets get going… We're going to talk about global warming, solar power and the consequences of free energy for everyone today! It's not a day to be sat around munching on bran flakes and talking about the last day!" He disappeared from Martin's view.
"He gets more and more like The Doctor every second…" Martin said to himself as he took once last gulp of tea, grabbed his rucksack and headed for the door…
The book drew nearer to completion with every passing day. Their words were inspired by their connected experience and their ability to remember, and express, The Truth within them. They spoke of collective consciousness and it's ability to affect the world on a global scale. They spoke of prayer and psychic phenomena and wrote of the Truth about karma and how all things are created from within. They explained the Divine Dichotomy, an experience within which two apparently contradictory truths can exist in the same place at the same time, and thus explained the Miracle of God's connection to all life: 'We are One… We are Many"…
Ezekiel told him The Truth and Martin wrote The Secret down in his book…
On Wednesday 2nd September 2045 at approximately 7.55pm Martin was in his bedroom drawing on an A4 pad he'd found in the cupboard by his bed. He liked to draw, it was one of the only things he was good at at school and, at this present time, he was nearing completion of his latest masterpiece: A picture of The Doctor, the 'bow tie wearing' Doctor, stood beside his TARDIS which was, in turn, surrounding by planetary spheres and distant constellations. Originally he had contemplated drawing the 'other' Doctor: the first one he'd met in the graveyard all that time ago but, upon reflection, he decided he liked this 'new' Doctor better. This one was friendlier, more charming, younger looking and a little less condescending. He was still very hard to draw, though…
Raising his head from his artwork Martin looked out of his window at the evening sky. It was still light outside, but tiny stars were starting to make their first appearance in the evening sky. Gazing at their ancient light Martin wondered if The Doctor was anywhere near those very stars. He imagined him now been chased down endless corridors by indescribable monsters, waving his sonic screwdriver around like it was some sort of magic wand, at the same time as making wise cracks about the state of the ventilation shafts whilst contemplating how to reverse a tacheon displacement.
Thinking about The Doctor made Martin smile. He missed him…
It was just then he heard voices outside. Narrowing his eyes, he looked around to see if he could spot who was talking. He focused in on the left hand side of the garden and saw two figures stood underneath a birch tree perhaps about fifty yards away. The leaves from the tree hid their faces at first, but the ever-increasing wind soon helped reveal their identities: It was Ezekiel and The Doctor both deep in conversation.
Martin's initial reaction was to shout out to them but then he stopped himself as if suddenly realising that maybe they didn't want him to know they were there. They did seem almost huddled together as if in 'secret conversation' and Ezekiel looked sad, Martin thought. Staying where he was, Martin tried to listen in, but he couldn't quite hear the exact words been spoken. The Doctor kept resting a hand on Ezekiel's shoulder, as if he was comforting him. Then the time traveller reached into his inside jacket pocket and gave Ezekiel what looked like a photograph, which the old man took appreciatively. He seemed to stare into it as if the image contained upon it was the most sacred object in existence.
Martin squinted his eyes to try and make out even a hint of what was on the photograph but he was too far away. If only he had some binoculars or some high powered sci-fi glasses or…
Glasses?
He immediately thought of the glasses The Doctor had given him when they first arrived in this time zone. The Doctor had said that he'd know when to use them. Maybe this was the time? Maybe he was meant to see what was on the photograph and the glasses made that possible? Maybe this was part of the plan?
He looked over at the bedroom door where his jacket was hanging. He darted over to it, reached inside the inner pocket and took out the dark, brown spectacle case. Opening it hurriedly, the first thing he saw was a white sheet of folded paper resting on top of the glasses. On the paper, in The Doctor's handwriting, was Martin's name. Taking the paper out, he then closed the case back up and placed it gently down on the bedside cabinet. He walked back over to the window, checked to see if Ezekiel and The Doctor were still there (which they were), slowly unfolded the paper and began to read:
Dear Martin,
Hands off the glasses! Now is NOT the time to use them. They're for seeing into other dimensions and breaking down the fabric of reality… Not for spying on me and Zeeky in the garden with like they're some cheap 'Argos' toy! Shame on you!
Martin looked up from the page and then outside at the still talking figures at the bottom of the garden. They both seemed blissfully unaware that he was watching them. He looked back down at the page…
And don't think we don't know you're watching us right now, either!
Martin looked up again and focused in on The Doctor's hand, which was waving a tiny 'hello' in his direction as the time traveller continued to face Ezekiel, their eyes locked together, still deep in conversation.
There's no fooling us, Marty. We know everything! That's the whole point, really…
Martin let out a reluctant laugh and continued reading…
I'm just here preparing Ezekiel for the days to come. That's all. We're all in this together, remember? We're approaching your final day here and things need to be put into place. That's why I'm here now…
But I cant stay so don't come out and see me, ok? That doesn't happen. You just stay in your room and work on your drawing (I'm very flattered, by the way… But you really do need to work on my nose!)
I'll be back for you on the last day… I'll be there when you need me.
Love and stuff
The Doctor
PS: The book is coming along great. I love chapter 7… very exciting. Looking forward to reading it when it's all finished…
PPS: Don't ask how this letter got in the spectacle case. It's all very clever and timey wimey. And the great thing is… It was all your idea!
PPPS: You look outside now…
Martin looked outside of his window. At the bottom of the garden Ezekiel now stood all alone, his back still to Martin. The old man's shoulders looked slumped and almost dejected, as he seemed to be staring off and out across the lake, deep within his own thoughts. The Doctor, and the 'photograph', were nowhere to be seen…
Suddenly a wheezing, groaning sound could be heard to the right hand side of the house. Martin shifted his position to get a better look just in time to see the Doctor's TARDIS dematerialising, it's deep blue form slowly fading as the light on it's roof pulsed in time with the sound of it's engines. Within seconds it had gone, leaving only a trail of blowing leaves in its wake.
Smiling with fascination and wonder, Martin looked back over to where his older self was standing. The old man was now facing Martin, although not looking directly at him but seeing Ezekiel as he was now made Martin's face soon fall. His future self looked older than Martin had ever seen him and his eyes were puffed out and shining with tears.
At that moment, Ezekiel suddenly looked up and saw his younger self staring at him. Their eyes met for a brief second before Martin averted his gaze and attempted to hide himself behind his bedroom curtain.
"It's ok, Martin… I know you're there" Ezekiel called out "Obviously, I know you're there" He added softly, as if to himself. "You don't have to worry about a thing… I'm fine. Everything is going according to plan"
Martin came out from behind his curtain and looked down at the older man. "Then why are you crying?" He asked with genuine concern.
Ezekiel grunted and, with the aid of his walking stick, began walking slowly back to the front door of his house. "Oh, I've been cutting onions… I've got hay fever… And The Doctor's just told me a sad story… There was a picture and everything…. But that's not important right now" He said dismissively. "Don't worry," he added as he reached the door. "Please don't let any of this bother you in any way" He looked up into the eyes of his younger self "It'll soon be the last day… and then we can all go home" He smiled at Martin for a brief second, then pushed at the front door and entered.
"What happens on the last day?" Martin said as Ezekiel disappeared from view.
A muffled voice from downstairs rung through Martin's bedroom floor. "I've just told you… We all go home"
"But you already are home" Martin said softly, almost to himself. He knew he wouldn't get a reply.
Walking over to his bad, Martin picked up his drawing pad and looked intently at his still incomplete masterpiece. The Doctor was right as always: he hadn't got his nose 'right' at all. He smiled at the expression he had drawn on The Doctor's face which looked somewhere between shock and complete apathy.
"Oh, Doctor…" he said to the drawing, "Where is all this going to end?"
Still smiling, he sat down on the edge of his bed, picked up his pencil and continued to draw…
'If you bring forth what is inside you,
What you bring forth will save you.
If you do not bring forth what is inside you,
What you do not bring forth will destroy you'
- The Gospel of Thomas