Cradle [AAC]

Its light was intense, and called to him, pulling him ever closer.

He walked gingerly through the Amazonian jungle, his eyes focused intently on that distant light.

A mist swirled around his ankles as his footsteps fell silently on the jungle floor. He plodded onward.

Beyond what was in front of him, everything was blurred. He could not seem to focus on anything around him, only his destination was clear. Several times he tried, and with each attempt, the vertigo and nausea returned.

As he focused on the light, his heartbeat seemed to grow in intensity, thudding painfully in his head, as he drew closer to what appeared to be his destination.

Finally he breached the veil of dense jungle foliage into what appeared to be vegetation laced, canopied clearing. In its mist stood what appeared to be an ancient pyramid.

It was a step pyramid, and of the type that would expected to be found in the area, but there was something very different about this one. At first glance it seemed that the stone wasn't quite right.

From a distance the stone seemed to glow. As the light filtered through the leaves, it seemed to glint at odd angles, appearing to bend creating arcs of colors that spanned the steps at different levels.

He saw children playing at the base of the structure, their squeals of laughter falling silent if he took a step backwards.

As he climbed the steps cautiously, the children continued to play, some stopping momentarily to smile at him. It became apparent that the structure seemed to lack the usual adornment of glyphs and carvings that would usually be attributed to the architecture.

He marveled in the beauty and perfection of the structure before him. Precisely carved and placed stone adorned with vines and flora common to the area with delicate and brilliant flowers.

The stone seemed to contain channels through which the natural vegetation could grow, and appeared to direct the growth toward the top of the structure, creating plumes of color at various points.

He reached the top of the pyramid and stepped onto what appeared to be a small ceremonial platform.

Three magnificent trees grew here, the tops of each entangled and entwined in a beautiful and intricate pattern that seemed almost familiar, creating a canopy over the temple. The tops were laden with a fruit that he had never seen, that appeared to have a metallic and sometimes almost crystalline appearance to them.

He approached the trees to examine them, noticing that they were intricately carved.

He studied the one directly in front of him. The carving was that of a woman holding an infant nursing at her breast, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he gazed upon it. He studied the face of the mother gazing down toward her child, enamored in her beauty, and reached out to touch her cheek.

A sudden and excruciating pain filled his head.



The recurring vision had begun when he was 10 years old, seeming to guide his life with each appearance. He could remember clearly every step that the vision seemed to have directed.

Drew recalled that it was the vision that it piqued his interest in ancient South American Temples and led him into the field of archaeology.

It appeared again and when the opportunity to join an expedition in South America arose, and now seemed to fill his head whenever he closed his eyes.

He shook his head to clear it and turned to Ellyana. “Are you absolutely sure the data is correct?” he asked.

“One hundred percent” she replied.

He looked over at her, noticing how the dusty light filtering in through the tent flap seemed to create a halo around her, deepening the caramel highlights in her hair, creating small sparkling peaks at the crown on her head. Her large brown eyes were focused on her computer screen, her brow furrowed in concern.

“Iain, please check this again” Drew said as he glanced down at his computer screen. “This has got to be a glitch, it’s not possible.”

Iain walked over and looked down at Ellyana’s screen. “No way!” he exclaimed, excitement suddenly lighting up his face.

Ellyana looked up at him. “Are you sure the extraction protocols are correct?”

Iain shook his head. “I’ve gone over it a hundred times, it’s perfect, but this cannot be right”

He moved in closer to peer at the screen.

Drew looked over at them and he smiled inwardly as he saw the pair.

Ellyana and Iain were twins and seeing them with their heads bowed together seemed almost surreal.

Ellyana was the picture of perfect femininity, Iain the reflection of it in perfect masculinity.

Drew could not get over the sense of beauty and flawlessness he saw when the twins were side by side. Where Ellyana’s features were soft and feminine, Iain’s were chiseled and masculine, and yet, side by side they were identical, creating a harmonious beauty that sent Drew’s senses reeling, and his attraction surged painfully every time, his love for them both gushing forth and making his head spin.

Ellyana and Iain had been adopted by a Texas oil tycoon when they were infants, and Drew met her right after she had been signed on to the Human Genome Project, mostly at the insistence, and influence of her surrogate uncle Charlie.

Uncle Charlie had been mostly responsible for Ellyana and Iain’s adoption, using his connections to assist his best friend Samuel and his wife. Samuel and his wife Janna had discovered early in their marriage that Janna could not bear children, and this sent Janna into a deep depression. They struggled for many years trying to adopt, and even with their seemingly endless supply of money and resources, hit wall after wall.

Finally Uncle Charlie stepped in, and connected them with a young unmarried pregnant girl in South America who seemed to want nothing to do with the children she would soon bear. Samuel and Janna traveled deep into the South American Jungle to the tiny remote village where the young woman lived. She seemed to be eager to be rid of the children, and often said that she would rather die than bear the children that she called ghosts. When it was suggested that Samuel and Janna would take the babies from her, she seemed to have no problem promising to give them up as long as they promised to leave the village immediately after their birth. Janna found joy again when the babies were placed in her arms, and they brought them home to Texas.

Growing up, Uncle Charlie was a constant visitor, and nurtured Ellyana’s natural inclination and interests in human biology and genetics, and Iain’s natural innate computer programming skills. It was during the early part of their life that their adoptive mother Janna seemed to suspect something sinister in Uncle Charlie’s interest in the children, and went to great lengths to try limiting their contact. Uncle Charlie became more insistent on directing the children’s education, and it was at his direction that the children attended many prestigious schools around the world. Janna once again spun into a deep depression when she was separated from the children, attempting to find solace in pills and alcohol, and died of an overdose on Ellyana and Iain’s 16th birthday. Their adoptive father was killed under mysterious circumstances a few months later, and Uncle Charlie became their guardian directing their lives with his governmental influence and the continuous flow of funds left to the children.

After their adoptive mother’s death Ellyana had developed an interest in finding their birth mother, and through the research facilities available to her, through the Genome Project, she had managed to trace their genetics to South America. Uncle Charlie agreed to allow the twins to travel to the remote village where they had been born, but only if it was disguised as a research project. He would see that they were provided unlimited funds and equipment as long as their true motives were not revealed.

When a particularly interesting ancient burial site had been discovered about 10 miles from the village where Iain and Ellyana had been born, Uncle Charlie arranged for them to launch and expedition to the site under the guise of studying the genetics of the families that seemed to be buried there.

Iain would be in charge of the equipment and programming, Ellyana the collection and documentation of the genetic material. The idea was that the information could be shared immediately while giving Iain and Ellyana the opportunity to travel to the village to seek out their birth mother.

Drew met Iain and Ellyana during the dinner party prior to the sendoff of the expedition to South America.

Drew was sure that there was more to the dream, and felt driven towards finding the pyramid. All of his research pointed to the probability that he would find it buried in the rain-forest, and had signed on as an intern for the expedition.

The first time Drew laid eyes on Ellyana he could do no more than stare at her from across the room. When Iain appeared at her side, Drew felt a sudden and intense attraction to them both. His vision blurred, his pulse raced. He felt the world tilt when Ellyana’s gaze met his, and he suddenly felt drunk and off balance as the young mother carved into the tree trunk in his dreams became seemed to have become flesh and blood.

Drew looked down at the screen again rubbing his hands up and down his arms trying to shake the tingling of his skin.

On the screen was a three dimensional representation of the genetic data that they had gathered, and it formed a perfect triple helix.

Drew walked over to the map of the burial site and stood there for a moment, his eyes drawn to a particular picture of one of the mummified corpses. He traced the elongated skull with his fingertip.

“Does that mean?” Iain began

“They’re not human” Drew finished.

Iain turned to his sister. “How many?”

Ellyana looked at the men levelly. “All of them.”

Drew stood looking at the map, one hand cupping his chin, the other the opposing elbow, his eyes scanning the map studiously.

He picked up a blue dry erase marker and started to draw on the map, circling various points carefully.
Iain came up behind him watching intently.

Drew’s long blonde hair was tied back in a braid laced with brown and red leather laces. Iain could see his emerald eyes surveying the map intently. He watched as his friend continued to draw on the map, feeling a particularly comforting sense of well-being just being near Drew.

Iain could never put his finger on it, but there was something about Drew that made him feel odd, but in the most pleasant of ways.

Neither he or Ellyana had grown up around the idea that attraction was limited, or that there was an expectation of sexual attraction to a certain gender, but when Iain first felt the pangs of awakening in him towards Drew, it came much by surprise.

Iain’s adventures had never led him into the realm of “man love”, and he was well known for his exploits with a multitude of beautiful women. It wasn’t that the idea of the attraction that he felt toward Drew was uncomfortable; it was just strange, and powerful.

Iain thought that Drew was as beautiful in his masculinity as any woman was in her femininity, and appreciated the Drew’s strong features as much as the soft features of the women that he had been with. There were many times that Iain had to hold himself back from reaching out to touch Drew tenderly, to explore him in the same way that he had explored the curves of so many beautiful women.

Being close to Drew gave Iain a comfort that seemed difficult to explain. It was wanton and tender at times, intense and gentle and Iain let the feeling flow through him. He felt strong and often wondered if he would submit to the desires he felt. One thing was for sure, he knew he wouldn’t regret it one way or another. Drew just felt “right”.

Iain picked up a red marker and began to draw lines connecting the circles that Drew had made.
Drew stepped to survey the work and the two men stood there looking at the map, examining the marks that they had just made.

Ellyana suddenly felt the urge to look up at the men.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, and Ellyana once again felt a strange surge inside her.

Ellyana thought how the two of them seemed flawless opposites of dark and light, mirrored reflections of opposing forces, and yet so similar in their features. The two of them seemed to create a natural, but definitely masculine harmony.

When they turned to look at each other, Ellyana sensed a moment pass between them, and she watched as their faces lit with sudden realization.

They parted to expose the map to Ellyana’s line of vision. Ellyana’s eyes widened as she realized what the pattern the two men had drawn was.

The burial site seemed to be arranged in the symbol of the flower of life.

[reserved for story line]

Ellyana walked over to the map, studying what the men had drawn.

“That can’t be right.” She said suddenly racing over to her computer and furiously began tapping on the keys.

Drew and Iain turned to her curiously.

“No, no, no, no!” she repeated shaking her head, her voice rising with each exclamation.

“Is something wrong?” Drew queried as Ellyana approached him with her laptop.

“Look at this Iain. Can you see that?” Ellyana asked pointing to the screen

Iain peered at the screen.

“No way!” he exclaimed, a huge grin forming on his face

“Is someone going to let me in on the big secret?” Drew asked of the twins.

Ellyana turned the screen toward Drew. “Do you see this here, and here, and here?” she asked pointing to various cells in a spreadsheet now displayed on her screen.

“Um, no?” Drew said confused. “I’m not sure what you are seeing.”

“Wait and I will show you.”

For the next hour the two men watched as Ellyana made further marks on the map in green marker, often referring to the data on her screen, and double checking piles of paperwork strewn about the tent in which the three of them worked.

As the sun began to set, the light began to take on a curious glow and Ellyana seemed to become more energized as twilight began to set in. Drew watched her intently, marveling in her beauty, drinking in the gentle curves of her body. He closed his eyes momentarily trying to tamp down his rising passion.

A small hand reached up to touch him, and he looked down into the face of a child. The child smiled up at him and began to tug at his hand.

Drew felt compelled to follow and let the youngster guide him beyond the three trees into an opening in the pyramid.

He traveled down a set of stairs leading deep inside the structure. When he reached the bottom it opened into a large room lit by torches.

The air was heavy with perfume, and the edges of his vision were once again blurry. In the center of the chamber there was an altar, and atop the altar what seemed to be some sort of casket formed of tree roots.

He moved closer and peered down into it.

Drew’s eyes shot open, his head flipping suddenly backwards, and he stared at the markings that Ellyana had made. He stood and peered forward, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t get it.” He said turning to look at Ellyana.

“Ok, let me explain” Ellyana said moving toward the map. She pointed to the circle that Drew had made in the center of the depiction of the drawing he had made with Iain. “This is where it starts. This mummy was found with zero artifacts, and according to the radio carbon dating is the oldest of those that we have unearthed so far. Not only that, but she seems to be source of the entire mitochondrial DNA for of the every other mummy we've examined so far. Let’s call her patient zero. “

Ellyana moved her finger to up the green line that she had made. “This one is her direct decedent, a daughter. These two” Ellyana indicated two points flanking either side of the circle “are her brothers. The data indicates that there is approximately twelve to fifteen years difference in the familial timeline between her and her mother.”

“Wait, “Drew interrupted “how can you be so precise? Radio carbon dating isn't that accurate.”

“No it’s not, but the as you already know, the burial practice at this particular site seemed to be rather peculiar, each mummified set of remains being found with those strange beads.”

“Yeah, I haven’t figured them out quite yet. Not like anything that I have seen before.” Drew mused.

Iain piped up “Do you mean that I was right Elly?” a touch of excitement rising in his voice.

“It appears so, and if that program you wrote is accurate, not only do those glyphs depict numbers, they give dates”.

“Whahoo” Iain exclaimed jumping up. “This is fantastic!”

Drew turned towards the map again, scratching his head. “I’m not sure that I understand”

“I see it now” Iain cried. “Those necklaces that the mummies wear, they indicate a date, a timeline of sorts.”

“Not only that but do you see this, Iain?” Ellyana inquired.

Iain tilted his head and his eyes squinted peering at the map and the small numbers that Ellyana had noted. “Is that a Fibonacci sequence?”

“Not only is it a Fibonacci sequence, but watch this.” Ellyana sat down in front of her laptop and began to manipulate images on her screen. After about five minutes Ellyana turned her screen toward Iain and Drew.

Displayed on the screen was a map of the area, with all the markings that Drew and Iain had made. The green line that Ellyana had created extending out beyond the bounds of the site, small yellow x’s marking different points along it. She pointed to a particular point that she had denoted with a star.

“Do you know what THAT is, Iain?”

Iain peered closely at the screen. “Is that the village?” he asked. Drew moved in closer to see what Ellyana had indicated.

“Seems to be” Ellyana replied. “And,” she continued “it seems to be a midpoint of the sequence, the end the end is indicated here. “ Ellyana pointed to an area of dense Jungle growth.

“This is too damn weird” Drew said. He looked up at Ellyana, as their eyes met Drew was suddenly overcome with a feeling of dread. He reached for his throat and started gasping for breath. He reached out toward Ellyana, his eyes widening, darkness beginning to take over, struggling for a breath. A sudden light flashed before him, and he clamped his eyes shut.

He peered down into the creation of woven roots and saw two newborn babes, a boy and a girl. Each was curled in opposition to the other, head to foot, forming a sort of yin-yang.

Between them, right where their bellies would have touched lay a tiny, yet perfectly formed child. Drew reached in and gently picked it up.

It was no bigger than the palm of his hand it’s elongated head being no bigger than his thumbnail. He touched it softly with his fingertip, stroking the curve of its spine. The tiny creature began to move and started to stretch, turning itself to reveal a marking on its belly.

Drew's eyes widened, and the creature seemed to melt. He watched as the symbol seemed to burn into his hand, and acting on reflex he clenched his fist shut. When the pain subsided, Drew opened his hand and revealed a golden triple helix.

Iain rushed over to Drew as he collapsed onto the floor. Drew was no longer gasping for breath. Iain touched Drew’s cheek, it was hot, very hot, and Drew looked flushed. Sweat had broken out on his brow, but he was breathing.

“Help me, Elly”. Iain ordered.

The two siblings lifted Drew up and managed to get him onto a cot. His breathing was labored, and he looked very ill.

Iain and Ellyana kept vigil over him for the next several hours, trying to cool him by opening a flap in the tent to let the breeze through, and wiping sweat from his brow. An occasional moan could be heard, but Drew’s breathing continued to be labored.

As Ellyana watched her brother tend to Drew she fought wave after wave of the strange feelings that she had battled with for the most part of her adult life.

Drew was only the second man that she had encountered in her life that seemed to ignite desire and passion within her, and she struggled with their intensity. She didn't want to betray her brother.

She had watched their interaction on many occasions and, to her at least, there appeared to be a latent mutual romantic and sexual attraction between the two men. She wondered if either of them had ever acted upon it, and the thought made her jealous.

She wondered if that what it was, jealousy. It was a strange mix of sadness, anger and frustration. Who was it directed at? Was it Drew, was it Iain? She didn't know.

The only other man that she had ever considered being physically involved with was her brother and that itself seemed to cause confusion. She once had expressed these desires to her best friend in college and was met with a tirade of obscenities indicating that there was something very wrong with her, and it caused her to be ostracized by her small circle of friends. It left her confused and alone.

She couldn’t help how she felt, but she could control her actions. Never again would she voice her desires, and never would she act on them, with anyone. As much as it pained her, that included Drew.

The more time they spent together, the harder it became to resist her desires. She had vowed to remain a virgin. It was the safest path, even though it was a painful and confusing one.

Ellyana sat curled up in a chair in the corner, and appeared to be sleeping. It was her turn to keep watch over Drew, but Iain was conflicted on whether or not he should wake her.

She was beautiful, and Iain could understand why so many men seemed to become enamored with her so quickly. It was almost amusing the way that she seemed oblivious to their attention, and Iain often wondered if she had feelings at all.

She buried herself in her research, and at times seemed emotionless. Once in a great while he would catch a momentary glimpse of what seemed like tenderness in her eyes, but those moments were brief. It was almost a relief to Iain that she never became romantically involved with anyone. The thought of someone touching her in the way that he had touched other women made his stomach turn.

He reached over to touch her shoulder, and gently shook her awake. As her sleepy eyes flitted open and began to focus on him, Iain felt a wave of tenderness, fighting back a strong desire to lift her into his arms.

Ellyana looked over toward Drew, and for the first time ever Iain saw something in her eyes that was more than clinical concern, and it made him smile. It was followed immediately by a burst of jealous anger that he quickly tamped down. He could tell that something was changing within his sister, and he couldn't tell if he liked it or not.

He pushed the thoughts from his head.

“How’s he doing?” she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“He’s finally resting” Iain replied. “The fever seemed to break about an hour ago.” His eyes studied her face and he seemed to be unable to look away.

“Is there any coffee?” Drew said sleepily.

The twins rushed over to their friend and hugged him, relief washing over them.

“You scared the crap out of us buddy. Are you ok?” Iain asked as Drew righted himself on the cot.

Drew rubbed his forehead, trying to clear the fog from his brain. “I’ll be alright”. He stood up and looked at his friends. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Iain stifled a yawn and Ellyana giggled. “I think he might need a little sleep. He spent most of the night watching over you. Do you remember any of the dreams?”

Drew shook his head “I can’t forget them. El, would you mind assisting me while Iain gets some rest?”

Iain was suddenly very tired and agreed that he needed a nap. “Only for an hour” he said, noticing that the sun was already beginning to raise high into the sky.

Drew and Ellyana worked side by side for several hours letting Iain rest while they manipulated data and marked different maps.

When Iain finally woke, the sun was just beginning to set. He still felt very tired, but was determined to see what the pair had been up to while he slept.

Drew and Ellyana were just getting ready to leave the tent when Iain decided to join them, and after a brief review, the trio set about their task.

GPS devices, orange flags and the maps Drew and Ellyana had created in hand the three companions made their way to the dig site.

Many of the other workers watched as they would shout out numbers and place flags at different intervals each heading in a different direction seeming to count paces and check the sky and then the GPS devices for directional heading.

Ellyana placed the last flag and turned to shout at her companions. “That’s it, that’s the last one. “ The lights used to illuminate the site at night popped on.

They met at the main tent where each artifact was being listed and categorized. Drew told Ellyana and Iain to meet him back at the tent where their equipment was. “Don’t forget to pack the sat phone” he told Iain. “Just in case.” Iain nodded and started making his way back toward their shelter.

Drew approached a rather rotund man who seemed to be in charge, who was surveying what he and his companions had just done.

The man turned toward Drew, his face angry. “What is the meaning of this?” he said as he gestured towards the excavation site.

“If you will give me a few moments of your time, I’ll explain.”
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While Iain had rested, Ellyana told Drew their true reasons for being on the dig, and why they had such a high level of interest in the village a short distance away. She seemed sure that she would find some long sought answers there, and Drew expressed his interest in the location that she had pointed out where the Fibonacci sequence ended. He told her about the visions, the dreams that he had since he was a boy, and they both seemed to think that if there was any place that was a prime candidate for finding the temple, this would be it.

During the brief discussion that took place with Iain, Ellyana explained that the locations that they would flag indicated the most likely spots where further mummified bodies would be found. The appearance of the triple helix DNA strand, the Fibonacci sequence and the the flower of life fit into a pattern that none of the trio could deny, and their experience in each of their respective professions seemed to solidify the theories.

They would flag the suspected locations, letting the dig manager know about the different sequences they had found. They would then set out for the village “in search of more data” in the morning.

Drew returned several hours later, a broad smile on his face.

Ellyana was just closing the last of the backpacks she had been working on, and sighed in relief when she saw the look on Drew’s face. She sighed in relief. They bought the story.

Iain stood surveying the growing pile of equipment and supplies they had gathered at the center, his back to his sister, silently counting in his head. He didn't hear Drew come in and was startled when he heard Drew say that they would leave in the morning.

“We might need an interpreter, and probably a truck” he said gesturing toward the pile.

“Don’t worry, it’s all been arranged. We should all get some sleep.”
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Iain was fastening a strap tying down the bundles on the trailer attached to the four wheel drive jeep when Drew emerged from his slumber.

Ellyana had slipped out quietly about an hour before, mumbling something about needing a shower.

“The sun will be up in about half an hour or so, how long before you are ready to go?” Iain asked.

“Not long” Drew replied.

“Well you had better hurry up” Ellyana piped in. “I’m ready to hit the road whenever you are”.

Twenty minutes later, showered and awake, Drew turned the key firing up the engine of the jeep.Each took a deep breath as Drew pressed the gas pedal and they began the short journey toward the small village where the twins had been born.

Luckily, many of the workers at the excavation site had come from the village and a path through the dense foliage had been carved into the landscape. It seemed well maintained, with only small patches of overgrowth bursting up occasionally along makeshift roadway.

The many twists and turns around large Amazonian foliage native to the jungle terrain made the trek slow going and it took over an hour to traverse the short distance. There were many bumps along the way, and not only did it make the ride uncomfortable, there were several times that the trailer they towed had to be reattached, and the straps securing their load tightened.

At one point Drew voiced his concern about damaging some of the delicate equipment, but Iain assured him that it was designed to withstand anything that could possibly be thrown at them. Ellyana piped in that it really didn't matter, it would only be a matter of days before the equipment could be replaced

if necessary. The only piece of gear they needed to worry about was the sat phone, and that was safely secured to her hip.

The interpreter that accompanied them kept mumbling something about “crazy Americans” every time their speed increased beyond a crawl. It was the only term Drew had learned to recognize in the Tupian language, and was frequently used as a derogatory phrase among the natives.

They decided to stop in a relatively open clearing about five minute walk to the village that appeared to be big enough to set up camp. The interpreter went ahead to the village to get permission from the village elders for the party to visit, indicating to them that they would be more readily welcomed if they were expected.

The party was almost finished erecting their campsite when the young native serving as interpreter returned. He told them that they would not be able to enter the village until the priestess of the settlement had approved of it, and that she would come to them just before nightfall. He tried to convey that it was great honor for them to have the priestess choose to come to them, and seem to have changed his disposition toward them.

Twilight was just setting in when the procession began from the village, and Drew, Iain, and Ellyana could hear them before they came into their range of view.

There were about 20 members to the priestess's party, and they seemed to be dressed in some form of ceremonial attire.

The faces of the men were painted white and a number of markings could be seen on many of their arms and torsos in white, red and blue. They wore a sort of light colored loincloth tied at the waist with a crimson band. Smaller bands of the material were tied on the biceps of the men. Many of them wore intricate headdresses adorned with large and bright plumage, some of it consisting of a particular foliage native to the area. Despite the beauty and intricacy of the ceremonial dress, they appeared almost sinister at times.
The priestess was mostly obscured from Drew, Ellyana and Iain’s view, but her headdress, a mixture of bright blue and dark plumage, could be seen rising high above the heads of her male contingent. As the group got closer, glints of gold shone brightly in the waning light.

The trio of explorers stood outside their tent, watching the approach silently. Drew silently compared the sight before him to the illustrations and pictures he had seen in his studies, and mentally noted that seeing the ceremonial dress in person was far more exciting than looking at pictures.
The group stopped about ten feet from where Drew and his friends were waiting, and stood there silently. Several minutes passed before a feminine voice was heard, and the group of men parted so that the priestess could step forward.


The dark plumage of the priestess’s headdress fanned out about her face and feathers from it and lay gently encompassing the diminutive woman’s shoulders, shifting slightly in the breeze.

around her neck was a wide golden necklace that sparkled with 3 stones at her throat. An ornate arrangement of what appeared to be golden colored leaves created a sort of shield on her chest that barely covered her ample bosom. Several pieces of blood red braided material connected it to the collar, and it stopped just below her rib-cage revealing a tightly toned midriff.

Slung low on her hips she wore a fuller version of the men’s loincloth. It adorned with the same long dark feathers as her headdress at the hem, and they seemed to swirl about her ankles as she stepped forward.
Ellyana gasped and reached out to grab Drew’s shoulder for support.

Although her attire was majestic, it was the woman’s face that caused Ellyana to catch her breath.

Soft full lips had been painted black, and several bands of blue paint streaked her cheekbones. The priestess’s skin was very pale, and her large emerald eyes glittered knowingly in the fading light.

Ellyana couldn't help but notice that the priestess appeared to be a perfect female version of Drew. Even beneath the ritual smears of color that covered her face, Ellyana could see the distinctive lines that had become cherished and familiar to her.

It wasn't just the similarity in features that sent Ellyana’s senses reeling, but also a sense of knowing that seemed to hit her like a medicine ball in the gut. The awareness of this woman put Ellyana off balance, and she had to take a step back to keep herself from losing her equilibrium. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable, it was just strange, an eerie sense of knowing that the similarities between the priestess and Drew were far more than physical, and that somehow these two had very deep ties to each other.

They had chosen a young man who called himself Hugo as their interpreter. His English was nearly impeccable, and he emerged from the back of the villagers and stood between them as each party stood silently surveying each other, his head turning back and forth between the two groups waiting for someone to say something.

The priestess stepped forward, seeming to focus her immediate attention on Ellyana, a gentle smile curving her lips. She nodded her head slightly, her smile deepening, and turned her attention to Drew.

She studied Drew for a moment, tilting her head slightly. For a moment a quizzical look passed across her features and again she nodded her head. As Ellyana watched her, she noted that there seemed to be no trace of surprise.

When she turned to look at Iain, the features on her face changed dramatically, and it was clear that she was deeply intrigued at what she saw. She spent several moments surveying his face, and turned back to look at Ellyana again. The quizzical look returned to her face momentarily as the two females exchanged glances, but again she smiled. She turned her attention back to Iain openly admiring him. Again she nodded her head, seeming to be pleased at what she saw.

She turned and started walking away, saying something almost imperceptible to Hugo. Her voice was a lilting whisper, like wind chimes moving slightly in the breeze. Even though her voice was soft and gentle, there was an underlying fierceness to it, and it was only her hand movement that belied it's sweetness.

Hugo turned to the explorers, and said that the priestess had indicated that they should follow.

The men that had accompanied the priestess surrounded her protectively as she made her way back up the path to the village making it difficult for anyone to get close to her. Iain seemed especially put off by it, wanting to get close to the this exceeding beautiful woman who seemed to have more than a passing interest in him.

As they followed, the trio exchanged questioning glances, but did not say a word, their footsteps muffled by the downtrodden vegetation.

The entourage traveled silently toward the village along a narrow path in the darkness for several minutes. As the village drew closer the trio noticed that the villagers had set up torches to light their way. Their approach was heralded by several shrieks and cries, followed by the beating of drums that seemed to match the pace of their approach.

As the outlines of the village came into view, Drew narrowed his eyes to focus on the sight before him.

Despite being hidden deep in the jungle foliage, the village seemed to have a sort of modern appearance. It did not lack the stilted huts with thatched roofs that were to be expected, but the arrangement of the huts, combined with what appeared to be a raised boardwalk that connected each abode, it seemed to be laid out in a manner that was reminiscent of a large grandiose Spanish villa.

There appeared to be several levels to some of buildings, which struck Drew as being very odd, and the central edifice rose up with numerous layers of connecting channels encircling the structure.

Large and intricately carved tree trunks spaced evenly about the main structure seemed to create the appearance of portico, the upper leaves entangled into a dense canopy above the settlement, with a small circular opening above the what appeared to be the main building.

Drew thought that it seemed to be an odd mixture of architecture,nothing like he had ever seen before, and suddenly regretted leaving his camera behind.

Several of the villagers had gathered at various points along the elaborate spans of bridgework leading up to the opening to the main structure seemingly awaiting the return of their priestess and the visitors. They carried large baskets of what appeared to be an array of fruits and vegetables, various nuts and many colorful flowers.

The priestess entered through the opening of the main structure and the men that had accompanied her, which Drew now surmised were her guards, quickly placed themselves in front of the visitors barring them from following.

Suddenly, out of the darkness, the visitors were surrounded by pointed spears.

I can't believe this story isn't grabbing more flags. Succinct, well written, and captivating!

Awesome read. SnF.

reply to post by Druid42


Thank you Druid.

I'm hoping that I can finish it sometime today or tomorrow, I've been sick the past few days, but feeling better now, and hopefully I will find the energy and drive to finish it.

The "non writers" are definitely giving us "writers" a run for our money!

The visitors were led to a small dark hut away from the main structure through which the priestess had disappeared.

They spent the night imprisoned in the little building which lacked any windows or furnishings. Save for a small hole in the roof thatching, there was no light in the shelter, and the trio was plunged into near darkness. The three of them huddled together speaking in low whispers to each other trying desperately to understand what had just happened. Eventually each fell into a restless sleep.

Drew stared down into his hand at the mark that had been left there. It had a golden glow and pulsated matching the rhythm of his heartbeat. The child that had led him into the chamber once again touched him to gain his attention, pointing to what appeared to be a large doorway across the room.

Drew once again looked down into the framework contained the babes only to find that it was empty. The child tugged at his hand urging him toward the entryway across from him.

Drew noted that it appeared to be intricately carved and his curiosity peaked. He followed the child so that he could get a closer look.

The doorway was square and appeared to be made of a dark glassy material reminiscent of obsidian. In the center of the door was a circular representation of the flower of life, and Drew counted twenty one tiers to the design. Radiating outward from the edges of the circular formation were thirteen wavy triple helix type lines. The crests and dips of the curves seemed almost random and Drew stepped in to take a closer look.

Within the arcs and curves were groupings of symbols that Drew eventually recognized as alphabets of various ancient languages. Beneath each grouping there appeared to be some sort of inscription and as Drew moved outward along the rays he began to recognize a repeated phrase.

Not all of the words were completely recognizable and Drew shook his head trying to bring the meaning together inside his head, lamenting that he should have paid more attention to his language studies.

“In the cradle, perfect seed.”

Drew stepped back as the words formed in his mind and looked back over his shoulder towards the altar.

Ellyana stood in front of the ceremonial platform, her long wavy hair hung loose about her shoulders, its coppery highlights dancing strangely in the torchlight.

Drew saw that she was naked, and the soft feminine curves beckoned him, seeming to beg for his touch. Ellyana reached out her hand as he moved toward her pulling him into her embrace.

He looked down into her face, into her glittering topaz eyes and his head moved in for a long awaited kiss.

As their lips touched his head exploded with light.

The sudden opening of the doorway startled the companions, and each had to shield their eyes from the sudden intrusion of sunlight.

“Come.” a voice outside said. It was Hugo. “Citlali will see you now”.

Iain took the lead as the party was led back to the main structure with Ellyana following him, and Drew bringing up the rear. Many of the villagers watched them pass, some of them staring openly, small children pointing in their direction.

Once inside the main structure Drew noticed that the ground floor was a singular large open room, and appeared to have a modern appearance to it. Although the floor was wooden, it was highly polished, and there were many large curtained windows letting the sunlight in.

Much of the furniture in the room seemed more modern than he would have expected, and Drew scanned the room curiously. There were several upholstered couches and chairs flanked by highly polished and ornate tables. Oil lamps were placed in an unorganized fashion, and there was an ornately woven rug covering the floor in the center of the room.

In one of the corners he saw that a ladder, rather than a staircase, that seemed to lead up to one of the higher levels, and to Drew, seemed out of place among the more modern furnishings.

In another corner Drew saw that all of their equipment had been moved inside and set up. He also noticed several unfamiliar trunks and a number of pieces of equipment that he didn't recognize. Among their belongings sat a man Drew had never seen before.

He appeared to be in his late sixties and there wasn't anything particularly remarkable about his features. He had a receding hairline that had hints of gray, but appeared to have been colored to hide the man’s age. Drew noted that his ears seemed rather large, but remained indistinct. He had warm brown eyes and a grandfatherly countenance that put Drew at ease.

A warm smile began to form as the trio moved toward him, and he began to rise from where he was sitting.

“Uncle Charlie!” Ellyana shouted as she rushed over to embrace him.

Oh no! I just got to the end, and now I don't know the rest of the story!! Or did I totally miss something???
Star & Flag in anticipation of finding out...

Very enjoyable, ThreeSistersofLightandLove. I'm sorry you've been sick. Hope you are feeling better!

peace to you,
AB

Don't worry.....I will finish the story. I got an evil stomach bug that has knocked me on my kiester for the last two weeks, I'm just now getting to the point that I can hold down small amounts of food, but still very very tired and drawn.

I probably won't finish it in time for the end of the contest, but at this point, with all the really great stories out there it's not like I have a chance.

reply to post by ThreeSistersofLoveandLigh


Ugh - that sounds horrible! I send you well-wishes, ThreeSisters.

I look forward to when you are able to finish your story. It is truly well-writen, complex and intriguing, not to mention a bit juicy on the romance!

I don't have a chance to win Writer status this time, though I gave it my best shot. I have been so incredibly nervous about sharing these spontaneous stories! I did hope for a better response. C'est la vie - la mort du mon fantasie. lol!

peace and health,
AB

Ellyana and Iain exchanged warm embraces with their surrogate Uncle, while Drew stood examining the exchange.

Although at first Drew had thought that the man looked unfamiliar, something tickled at the back of his mind and he wondered if his initial assessment of not knowing this person was correct. Something about him seemed familiar, felt, familiar and there seemed to be a memory buried in the back of his head that he couldn't quite pull out.

While the twins were engaged with their uncle, the priestess, Citlali, started descending the ladder that led to the upper levels and Drew’s attention was drawn in her direction, and all thoughts of “Uncle Charlie” disappeared from his mind.
It seemed that she was descending slowly and purposely, as if her descent was designed to draw Drew’s attention away from the reunion.

Drew did not even bother to hide the fact that he found the woman attractive, or that he was ogling her. When she turned her head to look in his direction, a coy smile passed over her face, and it seemed that her movements became more purposely distracting.

As she descended, she appeared to purposely hike up her skirt to reveal sinewy and finely formed musculature and feminine skin. The twinkle that seemed to spark in her eyes as Drew’s brows shot upward in appreciation, and filled the air with sensually charged energy.

Citlali finished her descent and moved over to Drew, placing her hand within his. Drew sensed a momentary electrical charge pass between them, but still mesmerized by her beauty, dismissed it quickly.

“Come, sit” she said to Drew, leading him over to join the others. Her voice was sensual and velvety, with a hint of an English accent that Drew had not noticed before. He followed her gentle tugging lost in a fog.

As he sat down, his hand still holding on to hers, Drew realized that his mind was lost in a cloud and he was having a problem putting together a coherent thought. The only thing that Drew seemed to be able to concentrate on was Citlali’s hand. He looked down and had to concentrate to bring it into focus. As Citlali slowly removed her hand, gently twisting it so that her palm was face up, Drew noticed the golden emblem seeming to glow from it.

As soon as the physical contact ended, Drew’s head began to clear. She had taken a seat nearby him, and her hands were now neatly folded in her lap. A knowing smile still curved her lips, and a mischievous twinkle still glinted in her eyes, but she was no longer focused on Drew. Her attention was now focused on the elderly man sitting across from them, who was speaking quietly with Ellyana and Iain.

Drew rubbed his temples, trying to clear away the remnants of fog that seemed to have invaded his brain, and as he did so, flashes of memories filled the void. He focused his attention on Uncle Charlie, studying his face momentarily trying to place him, trying desperately to find that recollection that would explain why he seemed so familiar.

Drew closed his eyes, trying to draw the memories out.

He broke the kiss, and stared down into her eyes. They glittered brightly in the dim light, dancing and twinkling like night-time stars.

Drew moved his hand down her naked back, her skin smooth and silky beneath his palm, as she rested her head in the crook of his neck. He wanted to melt into her, consume her completely.

He looked past her shoulder and saw Iain standing several feet from him. Their eyes locked. Drew reached out towards Iain, beckoning him, pleading for his touch. As Iain moved forward, the woman in his arms looked up at him.

Her eyes were now emerald green, the long dark waves of hair shimmering and fading into golden silk. Her honeyed skin began to pale, and Citlali’s form began to emerge within his arms. Iain had moved closer, and Drew could feel Iain’s breath on his skin. His touch was hot, and Drew openly welcomed Iain’s intimate caress, a long suppressed desire boiling to the surface, fueling a fire raging inside Drew.

Just as the flames of desire were about to rage into an uncontrollable inferno and overtake Drew, he stepped back, breaking the embrace.

He looked over towards his naked companions, noticing that it wasn’t Ellyana, Citlali, or Iain any more. Their forms had been replaced, and the couple that stood before him emanated fire. Their eyes sparkled blue ice, their hair orange sparks and their skin shone like polished ebony.

Drew fell to his knees, no longer able to stand. He was weakened by the blaze of desire coursing through his veins. Heat licking his body, crying out to touch, to be touched, to enter and be entered, to take and be taken.

The intensity of the desire grew and he cried out.

“Ilu Shiimti”

The words came out in a hoarse whisper.

Drew looked up at Uncle Charlie, realizing why the man seemed so familiar.

Drew’s head still swam, but it was suddenly filled with knowledge, and yet he knew that “Uncle Charlie”, Charles DeLisi, had to fill in the blanks, and seal the voids.

Ellyana and Iain looked at Drew questioningly. Drew’s had focused his eyes on the elderly man.

“Ilu what?” Iain queried.

“Ilu Shiimti. That Sumerian right?” Ellyana piped in.

“Yes” Drew responded.

“Doesn’t Ilu mean Gods?” Ellyana asked.

Again, Drew replied “yes”, his eyes still focused on Uncle Charlie.

“And Shiimti means house where the wind of life is breathed in” Ellyana continued.

Drew nodded, and scanned the faces of his companions, his eyes, once again settling on Uncle Charlie.

Charles DeLisi took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. “Most correctly, Ilu Shiimti means Temple of the seed of life, or House of the seed of the Gods, the meaning gets lost in translation, but you get the gist of it.”

“I’m not sure I understand” Iain said.

Drew looked levelly at Uncle Charlie. “Tell them.”

Uncle Charlie stared at Drew, and a sudden flash of remorse crossing his face.

“Tell them!” Drew demanded. “Tell ME”, his voice rising.

Ellyana’s head snapped toward Uncle Charlie. “What on earth is he talking about?”

Uncle Charlie leaned forward, poured a cup of tea from the urn on the platter in front of him. He lifted the teacup to his lips, sipping slowly. He settled into the high backed, overstuffed chair he was sitting in, and sighed.

Ellyana could sense anger growing inside Drew, and wondered what was causing him such distress. She glanced over at her brother who just shrugged his shoulders.

“Uncle Charlie, what is he talking about” she asked.

Uncle Charlie looked across at Drew. “Why don’t you tell them Drew?”

Drew stood, passing an agitated hand through his hair, pacing back and forth behind his chair. He exhaled forcefully. “Where do I begin?”

After several moments, Drew settled back into his chair, pausing to look at both Ellyana and Iain squarely.
“The Ilu Shiimti refers to not only a temple but a group of people, and legend has it that they were the Gods that created human life on this planet. “

“I've never heard that before” Iain stated.

“You wouldn't have. When I was a freshman in college, my roommate Brian invited me to a masonic lodge meeting. This particular lodge had a library of esoteric knowledge and memoirs of some of its past members. Only the members of the group had access to these books, scrolls and diaries. Brian somehow arranged it so that I would have access to the library. It was there that I learned about the Ilu Shiimti.

There was a memoir there by 19th-century British Maya explorer named Alfred Maudslay that referenced how the he had met and lived with the Ilu Shiimti. There was supposed to be another diary that provided the specifics of not only the location of the Ilu Shiimti, but a detailed account of their history, and proof of their existence. It was missing and I was never really able to find out more.”

Drew paused for a moment. He glanced around to gauge the reaction of Ellyana, Iain and Citlali. He expected that both Ellyana and Iain would be surprised by his revelations, but he did not expect the look of approval that graced Citlali’s face.

She smiled at him, and then began to address the group.

“The Ilu Shiimti hail from another world, far from our galaxy, and became stranded here after an altercation with another species. The battle that stranded them here is detailed in Sanskrit epics.” Her musical voice drew everyone’s attention as she began to speak.

“Even though they were highly technologically advanced, our world presented them with unique challenges that they could not overcome. There is evidence of not only their battles, but fragments of the strongholds that they built while waiting for assistance from their home world. When their communications to their home remained unanswered, it became clear that there would be no rescue and they began to spread out across the globe.

Because each of their contingents was small in size it necessitated an extreme amount of inbreeding. Even though they had extremely long life spans, this inbreeding led to the degeneration of their DNA, and eventually an entire strand of DNA was dropped from the genetic makeup of their offspring."

“Wait, “ Ellyana interrupted. “You mean to tell me that they, the Ilu Shiimti, had triple helix DNA?”

“Yes” Citlali replied. Even though most of the original Ilu Shiimti outlived their offspring, when they became aware of the degeneration of the DNA, rather than continue interbreeding with them they decided to let the offspring become their own kind, and that progeny became the human race.”

Citlali paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.

“The original Ilu Shiimti returned here, with the offspring created before the anomaly arose, and began to institute a plan to restore their DNA, to save their dying race.

The burial ground that you are investigating contains the remains of the failed attempts of their best scientists and geneticists to create strands of DNA that would not degenerate through the generations.

Eventually they did succeed, but only on a very limited scale. They were able to create three embryos with a perfect seed.

Unfortunately many of the original Ilu Shiimti had died off, or had reached an age where they were no longer able to biologically reproduce, or provide surrogacy for the embryos. By that time there were twelve Ilu Shiimti left. Rather than give up, they created a plan to resurrect their kind by using humans as surrogates.

The Ilu Shiimti took some of the genetic material from the embryos and started distributing it among what would become the lineage of Kings and Queens.

The Ilu Shiimti would go out and seek out a female candidate to become a surrogate. They would bring her, and usually her mate, back to the temple. The male would inscribe his language as an offering to the Ilu Shiimti, which humans viewed as Gods. “

“Wait, “Drew interrupted. “I’ve seen that in my dreams and visions, but I have never heard any of this information before. How can that be?”

“If you give me a few moments longer, and let me finish it will all become clear” Citlali said giving Drew a reassuring pat on his hand, and glanced over towards Uncle Charlie.

“The Ilu Shiimti were once again met with failure as the fatal flaw in their plan was revealed.”

Citlali looked over towards Ellyana.

“Are you familiar with process called nuclear transplant?” She asked.

“Yes” Ellyana responded, while both Iain and Drew shook their heads negatively.

“Nuclear transplant is the process by which the genetic material is removed from an unfertilized egg and replaced with genetic material from another organism. Once the egg cell detects that it has a full set of chromosomes, it will began to divide and grow.”

“Exactly” Citlali replied. “The process that the Ilu Shiimti used was very similar to this. The embryos that the Ilu Shiimti had created were hermaphrodic in nature, meaning that they contained both the male and female DNA in the one embryo, and purposely designed that way, so that when two Ilu Shiimti mated, each was capable of both producing and bearing offspring.

Despite the fact that the humans viewed the Ilu Shiimti as Gods, humans were, and are by their nature, very narcissistic beings. Instead of heeding the divine advice of the Gods, they decided that they would interbreed with the children that they had surrogated, and become gods. “

“Is that how the Illuminati blood lines were formed?” Iain interjected.

“Yes” Uncle Charlie answered.

“The Ilu Shiimti , realizing that humans needed a chance to mature, eventually ended the process, isolated themselves, and preserved the embryos, deciding to stand vigil and wait for the opportunity to resurrect their race.” Citlali continued.

“That opportunity began when Alfred Maudslay, during his explorations, discovered the Ilu Shiimti temple.”

Suddenly it dawned on Drew, that Citlali knew far more than he did about the Ilu Shiimti than he did, and that could have possibly been gleaned from reading Alfred Maudslay’s diary, or at least the one that he had read.
“Citlali, how do you know all of this?” he queried.

“Uncle Charlie told me” she answered, a broad grin spreading across her face.

Drew turned to Uncle Charlie, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Uncle Charlie cleared his throat nervously. “I have the rest of Alfred Maudslay’s diaries and journals.”

Both Iain and Ellyana gasped.

Uncle Charlie stood and walked over to a large trunk. He opened it and pulled out a dozen leather bound journals, placing each of them carefully on the floor next to the trunk.

He walked back over to his seat and refilled his cup of tea. “Take a look at them if you wish, Drew. I’m sure that you will find them quite engaging."

“Maybe later” Drew responded. "I’m still waiting for the answer to my question."

“I guess then," Uncle Charlie sighed “I’ll have to finish this story, because only I am the one that knows the answer to that.”

“Please Uncle Charlie!” Ellyana pleaded plucking a ripe strawberry looking fruit from the platter next to the tea, and folding her legs beneath her in the chair.

“Alfred Maudslay not only discovered the temple, but spent several years living with the remaining Ilu Shiimti documenting all the information that they gave him. The information that they imparted on regarding their history, their origins, the origins of mankind, and their technology is all documented in those journals.” He gestured to the stack of leather bound books.

“Alfred understood that what the Ilu Shiimti wanted to do, could not be tasked to just anyone, and that because of what had previously occurred with humanity, the information could not fall into the hands of those who would exploit it. He hid all but two of the journals away. Those two journals were entrusted to a group of masons, the rest entrusted to the elders of this village.

Within the journals that were entrusted to the Masons, there was embedded a code that was given to Alfred by the Ilu Shiimti. The code would only be able to be unlocked by someone who would be able to understand it, and they would have to have very particular skillset.

About a month before he died, Alfred set out to find someone to pass on his secrets to, so that they would not be lost to all time. While sitting on a park bench a young boy of about 8 happen to come and sit next to him. They struck up a conversation about the Temples of the Gods. Alfred knew that he had found the person that he was meant to pass on the information, and recited a little poem to the boy which he made the boy memorize and promise not to repeat to anyone. He told the boy that when the time came, when he got older, he would know the meaning of the poem.

In the abode of the new Templar knight
Within a dusty horse’s hide bound with silken bows
Words to cause sleepy nods
Reach thee now to greatest heights
To open the palace of the unknown
And resurrect the Ancient Gods

He told the boy that one day he would meet a man who would take him to see the Temple of the Gods.
The name of the child was Ian James Alastair Graham, who would later go onto write a biography on Alfred Maudslay and help establish the Corpus of Maya Hieroglyphic Inscriptions published by the Peabody Museum of Harvard University.

It was during his research on Alfred that he happened to come across the two journals in the very same Masonic lodge where you found the one you read. I met Ian at a symposium at Harvard University in the late sixties.

Although he had read the journals, and recognized several references to the study of genetics, he didn’t quite understand them. Because of my area of study and expertize, he decided to show them to me. Together, we unlocked the key and found the village where the rest of the journals were hidden.”

Ellyana’s eyes were now wide with wonder, and Ian seemed to be shaking his head in disbelief.
“Once we had the remaining journals, the course of my life changed, and every point since then has been a calculated risk. I’ve had to travel down some dark roads, and do some things that I’m not exactly proud of, but the results are worth it.

“Wait.” Iain exclaimed. “Did you find the Ilu Shiimti Temple? Does it really exist?”

“Not only does the temple exist, but I have met the remaining Ilu Shiimti and helped them complete their task”.

Ellyana jumped up and began to bounce around excitedly. “Tell me, tell me! How? Where?”

“Please sit back down, Ellyana” Uncle Charlie admonished her.

He looked directly at Drew and continued.

“Knowing that the life that faced such a child would not be easy in our modern world, the Ilu Shiimti and I developed a serum that if administered at birth, would cause the child to develop only male or female characteristics. I managed to find a surrogate who birthed the first Ilu Shiimti in over two thousand years, and she raised the young boy as her own. When he was three years old, I brought him to the temple. The elder Ilu Shiimti told the boy the path that his life would take. What path it NEEDED to take.”

Sudden realization lit up Drew’s face, and tears began to well in his eyes as he spoke.

“They aren't dreams, they were never dreams, they are memories!”

Citlali placed a calming hand on Drew’s. As their eyes met, pieces of the puzzle began to fall together.

Drew looked over at Uncle Charlie. “How many?”

“Six, a male and a female from each of the three embryos. “

Just as Drew was about to pose his next question, which he was pretty sure he already knew the answer to, a clamor arose outside.

Iain was the first to go to the doorway to see what the fuss was about, Ellyana hot on his heels.

The villagers were shouting and cheering, and in the distance, tribal drums began to echo.

Drew stepped out of the building and joined the others just as a procession emerged from the jungle foliage.

A grouping of villagers was carrying what appeared to be a large sedan chair. It was adorned with many colorful flowers and vines, and dark silken curtains obscured the view of its occupants. Although the appearance of such a conveyance surprised Drew and his companions, it was the people who were following behind it that took their breath away.

The Ilu Shiimti elders had arrived.

Drew knew who they were not only due to their regal appearance, but their stature, the shortest among them rising to a height well above ten feet tall.

They were adorned in wispy iridescent robes that seemed to change color in the sunlight and clung to their bodies highlighting strong and well-formed muscles. Most of them had long hair that was ornately twisted and braided into crowns upon their elongated heads.

As the villagers set down the ornate litter only paces away from where Drew and his friends stood, Drew began blindly searching for something to hold onto, a wave of dizziness beginning to overtake him, his heart beginning to pound uncontrollably in his chest. He was desperately trying not to fall to his knees. His legs no longer wanted to hold him and he felt his body begin to slip downwards, a familiar heat beginning to reach into him.

From the corner of his eye, he could see that the same thing was happening to Citlali, Ellyana and Iain.

Drew recognized the fires of animal desires contorting Iain’s face in anticipation of orgasmic discharge, and knew only too well that the pain that was burning in his loins, was also burning in Iain’s, he didn’t need to see the physical evidence.

Ellyana’s face was also contorted, but it did not portray the pleasure of pending bliss. Was that … fear?

Had Ellyana ever known a man, Drew wondered? Had she ever experienced sweet and painful ecstasy that surged and burned every fiber of your being just before spiraling down into the blissful darkness of release?

Drew could see the shadowy outline of the pair inside the sedan engaged in their coupling. He could feel their passion, and knew when they reached their climax, so would he.

Ellyana was now kneeling on the ground, her back arched and her head thrown back, tears streaming down her face.

Citlali and Iain were engaged in an embrace, their heads buried in the crook of each other’s neck holding onto each other in mutual support as the ground seemed to vibrate beneath them.

The villagers looked on; seemingly unaware of what was happening to the strangers.

Drew reached out toward Ellyana, and grasping her arm, he dragged her to him. He pulled her body tightly against his, a primal growl forming in his throat.

Ellyana buried her head against Drew’s neck and bit into the flesh of his chest as their mutual carnal explosion was delivered, and they all descended into sweet oblivion.

Drew blinked, realizing that he was still standing outside the doorway looking toward the approaching party.
The sedan was on the ground, the dark screens of silken material beginning to part.

Drew shook his head, trying to clear the remnants of passionate haze that seemed to have permeated his consciousness.

What was it that that he had just experienced?

Had it happened?

He looked over towards Ellyana and her shy smile, and flushed cheeks seemed to indicate that something had happened to them, and Drew could still feel the heat of her body pressed against his.

He turned his head toward Iain and Citlali, and the confused expressions on their faces, a silent momentary exchange between the two of them, confirmed his suspicions.

Something had happened; something had infiltrated their awareness and confused their senses momentarily transporting them into an alternate realm.

Uncle Charlie had moved toward the sedan as its occupants emerged, greeting them each with a warm embrace, tweve Ilu Shiimti elders looking on approvingly.

“Iain, Ellyana, Drew, Citali” Uncle Charlie began “meet Gagan and Giavana.”

He turned toward the aliens. “Ilu Shiimti elders, meet the rest of your progeny.”

The wall of unexpected realization that hit both Iain and Ellyana sent them each physically reeling. Iain hit the wall of the building behind him so hard that it shook, and Ellyana fell forward grasping her stomach painfully, a sharp cry escaping her lips.

Drew’s eyes flew to meet Citlali’s inquiringly and she nodded in positive assent.
For a moment, Drew was confused, until the final pieces fell into place. Tears began to fill his eyes, and he suddenly felt intense joy igniting inside his chest. The last vestiges of confusion that he had felt all his life dissipated and he began to make sense of it all.

His head suddenly flung back as a roar of laughter finally surfaced and exploded from him.
Ellyana began laughing, tears streaming down her face, and as she looked up towards the others she could sense the elation she felt was shared among the others.

Iain, shook silently as laughter bubbled forth, and he leaned heavily on the building as his knees began to weaken.
As each began to erupt in laughter, cheers emanated from the villagers.

The next several hours were a blur of warm embraces.

Some of the elder Ilu Shiimti cradled Iaian, Ellyana, Drew, and Citlali as if they were newborn babes in their arms, kissing their foreheads, counting fingers and toes. Each of the longtime companions found amusement and joy in this, and for the first time in their lives experienced unconditional love.

Uncle Charlie looked on with both pride and sadness. He knew that his task was not yet complete, and there was so much more to explain, but that what time he had remaining with his creations, his “children” was growing short.

As he silently watched the festivities he began, probably for the first time, appreciate the perfection and beauty of each individual life he had a hand in creating. He reflected inwardly.

Drew…
He had chosen his name because it meant male, and it became a testament to his success. His golden hair, emerald eyes and ivory skin reminiscent of Adonis like and Judeo-Christian Godly beauty. He scanned the crowd of people, and found Drew flashing a perfect and disarming smile.

Gagan had been next, and his name meant Heavenly Sky. Uncle Charlie could see reflections of Hindu Deity in his ebony skin, his flame colored hair, and piercing blue eyes.

The same human surrogate that had birthed Gagan, had also birthed his “little angel” Giavana. She had been created from the same seed embryo, and as such her features and coloring were the same except as much as Drew and Gagan were perfect specimens of masculinity, she was the perfect female form. Because their coloring had been so alarming, and distracting, the surrogate that he had chosen could see no place in modern society where they would not face ridicule. Charlie had made the decision to have them raised in the company of the elder Ilu Shiimti.

The “twins” Ellyana and Iain were next. A small, but audible chuckle emanated from Uncle Charlie as he recalled their creation. The surrogate that had birthed them wanted an explanation about their creation, and when Charlie had explained the process of emptying her ovum of its genetic material, she took it to mean he had created ghosts. The original intention was to have them raised in the village, but the mother had insisted that he take them away and had convinced the village priestess at the time that letting the children remain would bring an enormous curse to the village. Charlie had to find a home for them, and had enlisted the help of his longtime friend Samuel. For Samuel and his wife Janna the opportunity had come as a blessing in disguise. Their Native American lineage caused the couple to have much the same coloring as the children, and made it easy for the children with their honey colored skin to blend into modern society.

Poor Janna, Uncle Charlie reflected. Her knowing their origin and that they would eventually have to return to their rightful place tore away at her, causing her to seek solace in alcohol and pharmaceuticals. As it became more and more obvious that she was becoming increasingly unfit, necessitating his constant intervention to protect the children, it became evident that he would have to eventually do the unthinkable. There was a seed of guilt that Charles DeLisi carried with him, knowing that he was the one that provided Janna with the fatal dose of pills that killed her. Even more painful was the memory of his last meeting with Samuel, and the argument that ensued because Samuel had figured out what had happened. Uncle Charlie was still unsure if he had a hand in the mysterious accident that befell his friend that night and could only find solace a single thought. It was the only thought that quieted his mind when he questioned the things that he had done.

Citlali was the final piece to finish the task he had begun. She was his masterpiece, his star. Produced from the same embryonic seed as Drew, her coloring matched his. She was raised here in the village, under his long distance tutelage, and he had passed all of his secrets on to her. A broad smile crossed his face as he caught a glimpse of her laughing and dancing with the others.

They were his sons and daughters. No one could take that from him. It was after all, a derivative of his semen injected into them at birth that caused their male and female appearance. It seemed almost selfish to do, but it was done to save them the stigmatization they surely endure should they have been left in their true hermaphrodite-like form.

One of the Ilu Shiimti elders approached him, and expressions of joy and thanks could be easily read in its countenance. The Ilu Shiimti elder indicated that they were about to leave, so that they could prepare the temple for their progeny, and that they looked forward for their final meeting.

Uncle Charlie’s wry smile conveyed his sadness, as he realized that his time was growing ever shorter, but as he caught another glimpse of his creations frolicking among the villagers, the thought that had provided him solace for so long began to echo in the back of his mind.

He had resurrected a race of Gods.