A Pandemic of Love

“It’s time for you to awake, Aleta.”

“Hurry up! She’s alive - get that rock off her!” A voice shouted out.

I could see daylight again. The last thing I remembered was an explosion and then the sensation of falling.

“Don’t move, Miss, we’re getting a stretcher.” The same voice called out, providing reassurance.

“Look at that necklace glow.” Another voice called out.

I coughed and then sat up. “Where am I?” coughing again at the dust in the air.

Several men surrounding me, backed away with wide, fearful eyes.

“How did she survive that? It should have crushed her?” A man’s concerning voice said.

“What’s that matter? What happened?”

A man knelt next to me as I sat up. “Miss, you should lay down. We need to check you for any wounds.”

“I’m fine. Where am I? Where’s my mother?”

I stood up in the loose rubble. I was surrounded by large pieces of cement and steel rods sticking out of the cement pieces that once housed my apartment. I was in a mental daze. I felt fine, but I was confused, I wasn’t sure what happened. “Where’s my mother?” I yelled out.

I brushed the dust from what was a powder blue sundress, now turned gray, dirty ripped rag hanging from my shoulders. How could my dress be so cut up, but I have no cuts on my skin?

“We’ll continue looking for her Miss, but let’s get you to safety and looked at by the medic.

Two firemen held each of my arms to help me through the rubble. People were walking out, of what was left of the building with cuts all over them or carried out in stretchers. Other firefighters were digging through the stone to look for more survivors.

“Miss, please have a seat.” I sat and stared at the building, just like the one next to it and so many others – nothing but rubble now. It was one of the last apartment buildings in the area after that fateful year when our civil wars nearly destroyed everything. “That’s a very pretty locket miss, how does it to glow like that?” the medic asked.

“What?” I looked at him and then to my heart shaped locked my mother gave me for my eighteenth birthday only two days ago. Then I remembered my mother telling me it was time to wake up?

I gripped my locket to take a look, when I opened it, I was in a forest: beautiful trees, flowers, tall colorful brush, and birds flying all around.

“I wish I could be there for you during your transition Aleta, but you will do just fine.”

“Mother? Where are you?” I peered in all directions but couldn’t find her, yet she talked to me as though she was right next to me.

“You’ve been given a great gift. The forces of nature chose you to lead Earth toward love and peace.”

“I’m to do what?” I looked around again, “How…what…I don’t understand.”

“Your locket unlocks your powers to love. You were born of all the love nature can bring and raised to love one another. Now you have the power to give that love to others.”

“How do I do that? Why was I chosen?” I was confused; this has to be a dream.

“You just need to touch them. If they are loving, you will know, and their love will strengthen yours, but those who are not loving will love upon your touch. Your locket will protect you from evil. Never take it off.”

“Mom, what happened to you? Where are you?” I gazed at the pile of rubble where I was pulled from and couldn’t help but know she was in there somewhere.

“I no longer exist on Earth, and once you bring love and hope back to Earth, you can join me again.”

“Where are you, mother?” I continued to look around through the beautiful canopy of the trees. The light came through the forest like beams of light to the ground. A baby deer was sitting under one of the sunbeams and stared at me, its bright white spots almost glowing.

“Remember, spread your love to others. You will be ok. I love you Aleta.”

“I don’t know; she just passed out…Miss. Miss, can you hear me?” The medic’s voice was right above me. A bright light shined into my eyes. I thought of the baby deer.

“I think she’s coming to…Miss, can you hear me?”

“Uhm, yeah, I’m ok. What’s the matter? I tried to sit up, but a hand pushed on my shoulder.

“Miss, I think it’s best you lay down for a little while.”

“Do you remember what happened before your apartment collapsed? Do you remember where your mother was located?” A firefighter asked.

“She was in the kitchen, but something tells me you won’t find her in there.” I stared at the rubble and held my locket.

“Thank you. I appreciate all you’ve done.” I placed my hand on the medic’s, and a warm sensation filled me with joy and happiness. He looked at me and smiled with raised cheeks, his eyes narrowed showing immediate happiness. I smiled back. Was mom right? I can’t believe this is real.

“I need to go,” I said as I tried to stand.

“Where will you go? We’re still searching for your mother.” The firefighter said.

I gripped my locket. “I think I’ve already found her.”

I stood up and walked off but had no idea where I was going, or where I was supposed to go.

Mom said she was sorry she couldn’t prepare me. Prepare me for what? What am I to do, where am I to go?

I walked through New York City. What was once an epicenter of lights and love, but now reduced to domestic terrorism, Democrats against Republicans, whites against blacks, and hatred filling every part of this once illustrious city and many other cities worldwide. So how am my eighteen-year-old self in ripped clothes and a heart-shaped glowing locket cure all of that?

“Hey, pretty thing, I’ll be taking that necklace.” A man walked up to me, grabbed my arm, and pointed a knife at me.

“Please, my mom just died, and this is all I have.”

“Well then, it’s all I’ll take.” He rebuked.

I touched his hand - he froze in place. I was immediately exhausted as though I sprinted a hundred yards, but he backed away, saw his knife and dropped it in horror.

“My God, what have I done? I’m so sorry Miss. I meant no harm. I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me.” He begged with his hands together, pleading for my forgiveness.

I was amazed that what my mother said was true. “I’d like you to go tell your mother you love her and be kind to others from now on,” I told him.

He smiled, “Thank you, Miss, I’ll do that. Again I’m so very sorry.” He ran off, leaving his knife in the grass.

I sat on the park bench and stared at the park. Where once a waterfall, was a heap of debris. Trash and branches or bushes filled the park, a couple of burned out cars were along the sidewalk. America was very depressed, and it was in dire need of hope and love again.

My mother and I would volunteer at a local homeless shelter where we helped feed the poor, hand them blankets, and sometimes some Christmas cheer. It was the only place I could think of to gather my thoughts in a loving environment.

I walked in and was welcomed by the director Jesse Walker. Jesse has worked at the Bronx food shelter for twenty years, other than my mother, she was the kindest person I had ever known. The smell was just as I remembered, a mix of body odor, muscle pain cream and chicken soup.

“Aleta! Come here.” I walked up to her and began crying.

“What’s the matter, where’s your mother? And why are your clothes dirty and torn?”

I continued to cry. “Our apartment was blown up. My mother is gone.”

“Oh baby.” She hugged me tightly. I just needed to be held for a moment. I held her hand and the positive energy I received from her was euphoric. I could sense all the love in her soul and it made me feel calmer.

“Can I stay here?”

“Of course, you can, baby. Stay for as long as you like. Come on; you can help me serve some dinner?”

It was always calming and exhilarating to help feed those in need. Jesse ladled the soup into the bowls and I handed out some cornbread and an apple. It wasn’t much, but it was more than many of these people would have otherwise.

“What if I told you I was supposed to cure the hatred in the world?” I asked.

Jesse replied, “Other than your mother, I can’t think of anyone better.”

“Everyone, get on the ground!” Two men walked into the shelter with guns and masks, pointing the guns erratically at everyone forcing them to get on the floor.

“Please, we have nothing here.” Jesse cried out.

“I saw that girl walk in here with a special necklace, and I want it. Hand it over, sweetie.” One of the masked men demanded.

I walked around the table and said, “I’m not giving up my locket to you or any person. “The energy from the locked was flowing within me. I could feel an energy building up, something I’ve never felt before.

The man pointed the gun at me. “Stop right there, or I’m going to shoot.”

“Please, Aleta, do as he says, It’s just a necklace.” Jesse cried out.

“No, I’m not going to give him the locket, but I’ll give him something so much better,” I said as I continued toward him. I reached out to him.

“Bang!” His gun went off, three feet away, the percussion startled me. My heart nearly leaped from my chest, but I felt no pain. I regained my composure and continued to walk forward. Something or someone was guiding me, and I knew I would be alright, as though my mother was with me.

Bang! Bang!” His gun went off again. I reached out to touch his hand. Similarly, the energy flowed through me as it did with that man in the park. He stepped back and looked at his hand. He dropped the gun.

“Aleta?” Jesse asked, her mouth and eyes as wide open as they could be.

“Oh no, what have I done?” He removed his mask. “Please forgive me.” He asked, then dropped to knees.

“Jimmy, what the hell are you doing? Get up and get the damn necklace before the police arrive.”

I walked to the partner by the door, he was panicking. He ran around me and went to get his friend. When he grabbed Jimmy, he too stopped for a moment and dropped his gun. He removed his mask and turned to me.

Please forgive me Miss. I don’t know how we got to this point, but we will be better people.

I walked up to the two of them, “Do you have little brothers or nephews?” They both nodded.

“Go play with them, teach them to be kind and caring and to never treat people badly.”

“Thank you Miss.” They got up and walked out of the building.

A homeless man tried to grab one of the guns. I placed my hand on his shoulder. He smiled and backed away, I could sense he was a good man, but scared. They all looked scared.

Jesse ran up and hugged me. “What was that? What are you?”

I thought back at my mother’s voice, It’s time to wake up Aleta. Could this be what she meant?

“I told you, I’m destined to bring love back to our world, and this is where I start.”