The Awakening

Chapter 1

This book should interest readers of all ages! Told as a gripping adventure story it is an allegory that questions our existence and the consequences of not using the experience correctly. Battles are taking place in the skies above us and on other worlds in other dimensions; out of sight of human eyes Lucifer is set upon the conquest of the Material universe. The upper planes of the Spiritual universe are secure but something special is required to save the lower planes from his all conquering armies. Otherwise mankind will be drawn into an enormous black hole, the deepest recesses of Hellfire.

At the very dawn of time God created seven levels of existence that he separated into two universes. The three upper planes consisting of countless billions of planets formed the SpiritualUniverse and the four lower planes became the Material Universe. Then he created the angels who filled the upper planes and when the mists cleared he created man to dwell throughout the lower planes. In his loneliness these entities offered solace to his being and in return his love for theknew no bounds.

But all was not well! Lucifer, the brightest of the over lighting angels challenged God’s right toreign supreme, that he instead should rule the Spiritual Universe. And so a great war broke outin heaven! On only the first day the seraph Abdiel overcame Lucifer’s chief lieutenant Ariel andthe defeat of the rebel angels soon followed. At the battle’s conclusion God issued a stern warning: if there were ever another insurrection their destruction would surely come about. Brought to justice Lucifer, cast out from heaven was condemned to live in a netherworld across Chaos, a place God turned his face from. It was fitting this fallen angel should be the master of these infernal regions.

On a cold winter’s night in the town of Brunlea, England, daylight fades over distant hills and dusk descends on a landscape of tall factory chimneys and cobbled streets. The snow-covered roofs of terraced houses glisten under a full moon and wrought iron gas lamps below burst into flame. In the living room of a terraced house Jack and Winifred sit beside a coal fire listening to a wireless, their daughter Maureen, the eldest of six siblings reads a magazine as her younger fourteen year old brother Proteus occupies himself with a book. During Winifred’s second pregnancy the name Proteus had constantly had filled her thoughts and against her husband’s wishes she christened her baby with a title unknown to them both,. Perhaps some hidden knowledge of Greek literature had swayed her choice!

On these dark evenings Proteus usually occupied himself with a book but tonight deciding it wasn’t to his liking he went into the empty front parlour where another fire burned in the heath. There were no carpets on the wooden floor and the furniture consisted of a sideboard and two fireside chairs; the walls bare but for distemper that had been dabbed upon them.

Proteus pushed back both armchairs and assembling two opposing armies in front of the firelpace a battle broke out between his lines of pristine soldiers, those flipped on their sides to remain dead for the duration of the conflict. In that backroom he was completely unaware his play was in preparation of things to come.

His younger siblings had been in bed for some time when Winifredcalled out. “BedtimeProteus.” His army stood firm against an enemy on the brink of defeat. “Not just yet Mam.” “Now Proteus.” “It’s not fair, Maureen’s still up”. “She’s older than you.”

Lighting his way with a candle he made his way upstairs and entered his bedroom where a clock ticked relentlessly on a table beside his bed, a relentless sound that couldn’t be ignored. Crawling between the cold sheets his thoughts drifted to a character from his past, someone he couldn’t recall who hovered just out of reach in a place he knew so well. In the stillness of the night he tried to invoke memories lurking below the surface of his mind, something he’d done many times before without success.

Snuggling deeper into the pillow his thoughts turned to religion. After his overthrow Lucifer still laid claim to the throne of heaven, something the nuns had taught Proteus at infant school. Yet they had continued. “Because God is all powerful good will prevail over evil.” “That doesn’t make sense, If that’s true,” Proteus thought. “With the outcome already ordained the struggle is just a formality. So why does this battle take place?”

Teetering on the brink of sleep the door to his subconscious opened and the answer came to him! ‘The throne of God is unassailable. Lucifer can never conquer the Spiritual universe. However the Material Universe is readyto fall!’ It was unclear how he’d obtained this information. Could it be the small voice within the nuns had spoken of?

Sleep gradually overtook him but before long he awoke with a start and sat upright in bed. He heard the reassuring voices of his parents downstairs but shadows dancing on his bedroom wall cast by a flickering gas lamp in the street alarmed him. Settling deeper into the covers his apprehension only grew; he knew something was about to happen! Then,without warning he rose from the bed and hovered horizontally two feet above its length before slowly turning into an upright position. At that point he saw a counterpart of his self sleeping soundly between the sheets and grabbing the bed rail he shouted out in alarm. His fingers had passed straight through the metal. His body had no substance!

Jack poked the coal fire causing the embers to glow a bright red and then settled back into his easy chair. “I’ve been thinking on what you said about Proteus,” he said. “The lad does spend much of his time indoors either reading or with his soldiers. He should be outside playing football or cricket with lads of his own age .”Winifred responded thoughtfully. “You also mentioned it’s something he’d grow out of. ”Jack nodded his head in agreement. “I suppose,” he said.

The conversation ended when a loud cry came from the room above causing Jack to rise from his chair. “That’sProteus,” he said. He’s not one for nightmares.” Followed by Winifred, he made his way up the stairs to find Proteus fast asleep. “He’s probably had a bad dream. He’s fine now,” Jack said, adjusting the covers. “Best to let him sleep.” But Winifred ignored her husband. “Jack, she said urgently. “He’s hardly breathing! Jack taking a closer look at the boy looked concerned. Grabbing Proteus by the shoulders he shook him vigorously and called at the still figure of his son. “Wake up, wake up lad.”

A silvery cord attached to Proteus’s navel was also attached to the navel of a lifeless body on the bed. His astral body had separated from his corporal body! But with no control over what was happening Proteus could only watch. Suddenly an obscure vision from the past seared intohis head. How could he have ever forgotten who he was?

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