“You’ve only been back from your expedition with Talish for about a week. You’ve barely gotten your feet under you,” Joe continued. “You don’t know who I am or what you’re supposed to be doing here and I’m very aware that no one has described to you what has happened in your absence with the various challenges our workers have overcome.
“I know you all remember Sam, camp director. He left with little notice not too long after you had all, what he called, ‘abandoned’ him. I must admit that it wasn’t a big loss to the organization since his temper and drinking habits often got the better of him. Right now, I’m the camp supervisor though I’m working on grooming a replacement or maybe two to give me more freedom. A lot of my decisions will revolve around the three of you as we continue to explore whether I have made an error in my perception or not.
“Do any of you want to take part in a short explanation of your experiences with Talish? Do you want to ask any questions or make comments before I continue?”
Don, ever the doubter and a bit dry mouthed, stepped up to the plate with, “Well, Joe, I’ll have to admit that we’re forced to take you at your word since there isn’t anyone else around here to confirm or deny what you’re telling us. I had noticed that Sam was gone, though we’ve been so busy getting used to just being here that we haven’t spent much time figuring out what has changed unless it was in our faces. I vote that we hear your say and then decide what’s next. What do you two think?” Don turned his head first to Nancy and then Paul who both nodded in agreement.
“Okay, then,” Joe continued, “let me refresh you and bring you up to date. Talish took you to her village in spirit and her training cave physically. Oh, I know, you didn’t see me, yet I watched your training from afar and checked in with Talish from time to time to make sure all was going according to plan, our plan.
“What plan? The project she and I arranged when we realized that we had actually gotten the three of you together in one place. And, Don, yes, I was, and still am in another realm of existence, as R’em who loved you then and still does love you albeit differently. We can talk about that a little later. I simply wanted to quiet that thought that keeps popping up in your mind, disturbing you. Yes, Don, you will discover I do read your thoughts.
“Talish and I work together to initiate those who are ready by teaming up in various parts of the world, though usually this continent and under very specific circumstances. Each of us has watched the three of you over the years and ventured into areas of union with your thought processes to lead you here, if you decided to follow the crumbs we thoughtfully left for you, that is. We set up a specific rhythm in each of your lives setting an intention that you would resonate with each other unconsciously, arriving here.
“For instance, Nancy, remember the day you sat on the bench in the park when you felt that deep yearning to leave everything for Africa. I had been instilling the memories of Tusk without name or identity in your dream state, much of which you didn’t remember. Eventually, the feeling took root and made itself known. You felt something strange was going on and decided you needed to listen to yourself, no matter the stakes.
“While this may feel like manipulation on our parts, it is only by agreement that we act in this regard. Each of you agreed with Talish and me to meet up somewhere eventually. By the way, I will continue to refer to myself as Joe unless other clarification is necessary. So why you?
“Once you each arrived here under the various guises, we waited for the perfect timing to let you know that you had an opportunity you had not counted on consciously. Things fell together quite well for Nancy and Paul. Don, you were the only holdout and we took care of that perfectly with my auger-in-the-foot ‘accident’. You were each having small glimmers of forgotten memories appearing in the dream state as well as the waking world though often you put them aside due to daily distractions.
“Talish took charge of the three of you to teach you merging with the invisible realms, becoming part of nature and the jungle’s animal life. I watched from a distance in case any assistance was needed, which it wasn’t, and was here to meet you when you returned. But that wasn’t enough and we knew it. You had barely scratched the surface of what each of you are capable.
“Meanwhile, two of the camp workers you’ll remember, Dan and Paul, began to get their heads squared away even though they were only here to do community service rather than prison time. I have come to rely on them quite a bit and they are actually two of my considerations for the upcoming supervisory position, though there will be quite a few hoops to jump through to get permission to appoint them due to the constraints of various administrative red tape. And, of course, I’ll want to see if they have tamed their otherwise wild natures, which is quite possible if they make the commitment.
“Besides getting the camp in running order, my main concern right now is seeing to your needs because I have the next steps of your initiation in my court. Today I am focused on making sure you understand where you are, what you are and what you are not. This fiasco with the elephants and lions shows me you need some stabilization before we take the next steps in your training.”