Dame Nature

"Where are those requirements? Where are they?!"

"Why are you so worried about the requirements?"

"Because I have radical thoughts myself, things I would never teach."

"Like what?"

"Like,,,,Buddha is based on an Olmec character."

"Wow never heard that."

"Yes, I know."

"Stories travel, people traveled, people held where they were from as gems, but places also took credit for people who thrived or who's ideas helped. The place is the only thing that lasted a trip at times, or the person and the ideas they carried. New ideas came about, new people emerged as they transformed through experiences."

"Okay. Interesting. Very different areas tho."

"True"

"I wont argue either point."

"Either?"

"That you are radical and your theory is radical."

"Thank you. Yes very different areas, but ideas can travel. People trying to spread thought can as well."

"Thank you for what?"

"For saying that."

"It's all theories really anyways, right. I make a living the same way, theories."

"Found them. Found the requirements."

"Also I respect your care for adhering to what you are here to do."

"Thank you. I'm here to teach and to find the brotherhood. Last thing. Don't you think it is interesting that Giant heads are what remains. The head is what houses the brain. The brain, smarts, is what kept early civilizations alive. You had to be smart, centered to not lose your mind."

"Haha true. How do you know the brotherhood isn't here?"

"It probably is, but not anyone worth talking with most likely. Not the members at the top."

"Why don't you speak with the pope?"

"How would that conversation go? Oh hello, is there a brotherhood of the snake? Based on a serpent god that you know of, that helped start religion as we know it? Oh there isn't, okay, thanks. I'm misguided, I see now. hmmmm."

"That would be worth seeing, but your point is made. I think you could be more nuanced than that though."

"Probably. Let's just say I have a lot more work to do before I go confronting a pope with questions."

"Fair enough."

"I did have one odd thing happen."

"What?"

"My first day here, some one came to my office and obviously search through it. Ultimately they left a figurine on my desk. They never identified themself, even still I don't know who left me the figure."

He didn't need to know about the safe, it didn't change the story much and a safe isn't supposed to be broadcast necessarily. She kept nothing of importance in it, but maybe one day she'd need to she decided.

"Can I see it?"

"Sure."

"Here."

"Wow. This feels old.", he said as he turned it over in his palm.

She liked his analysis, "Is that your prefessional opinion."

He cleared his throat, possibly remembering he was at a place of higher learning.

"These markings here, what is the meaning?"

"The serpent is thought to shed it's skin, a symbol of rebirth, fertility, the earth. What if more literally an individual who sheds their skin and is part of more than one group. An earth traveler that connects peoples. The stars lead them. Universal time was run by the seasons, growths and changes in rhe cosmic realm. A network of people accepted in various groups who shared info about the main civilizations of the time. Later, becoming more negative as information carried was used against groups. The start of favoritism. Thus, snakes as a bad thing, a trickster or misleader."

"I think I'm in the wrong study. I can see why you like this. So, no idea who left this?"

"None."

"Did you ask Mr.Taublin?"

"You are the first I have told."

"How do you know they searched your office?"

"My books were all out of order and things moved around."

"What else could they have been looking for?"

"I don't know?" she lied.

"That is a little scary. I will keep an eye out when I can."

"I'm sure it's fine."

"Are you going to have the figure analyzed."

"Yes, I just haven't gotten to that."

"Let me take you to the lab that would do that. Or at least the office that will send it to a lab."

"Okay, now is as good as any."

As they walked their shoes clippity clapped and occasionally screeched on the newly waxed floor. It made it impossible not to announce yourself down each hall.

"You'll get use to it. Don't worry, no one cares. We are all use to it."

"Okay, I will find better shoes."

"I don't doubt that."

At the lab it's a lot of hello's and flashing credentials. I fill out paperwork, receive an email with my item identification. I'm notified results will be given to me through the lab portal. Once I receive them I can come back to the office and pick up my figurine. In all the process takes about an hour. The item is not ours so very little stress is given over it.

"I hope the individual doesn't come back for the figurine before I get it back."

"They left it in your office."

"I know."

When we get back my office door is ajar once again.

"Wasn't your door shut?"

"Maybe I didn't pull to latch it all the way."

"No, it was. I will enter with you. I'll go first."

"I'll let you."

"Thanks", he says smiling.

He enters hesitantly, peeking around the door, unsure of what might be inside. He then swings the door open.

"Nothing here. All looks normal."

She follows, entering the room. She scans her books on the shelf and her desk. On her desk is a folded paper not there before. She opens it, leaving it in the place it was set as she does so. Another page from the book. She pats her bag. The book has been with her the whole time. This is a photo copy of a page from her book. Someone has this book?! Another copy must exist, she thinks to herself. She moves the paper to a drawer in her desk.

"Nothing suspicious?"

"No, not that I see."

"Okay."

"Shua, actually there is this."

She had a change of heart. He helped. She hands him the folded paper."

"What is this from? Do you know the book?"

"Yes, just an image of a serpent deity. Why is the person coming everytime we are gone."

"Maybe a coincidence. Or maybe they are trying to give you things to think about before they formally meet you."

"It's from an obscure book that very few know about."

"A book created by the brotherhood?", he said half jokingly.

"Yes, maybe."

"Oh wow, really?! I was kidding. Well, this is convenient for you."

"Is that a water lily?"

"Water lily's conditioned the hair and skin, especially after sun exposure. It kept people looking smooth like snakes instead of alligators. They helped camouflage hunters. Plus it is thought to be female, which we all are born from."

"Someone has brought the search to you. Someone as knowledgeable if not more. Maybe they are feeling you out. Maybe it's a modern member."

"Maybe. I am curious how they know of this book. If there is another copy of it."

"That rare?"

"I thought so, until now."

"Maybe that is why they are concealing their identity."

"That's a good point. I'd probably be the same way. Maybe I can leave them something. The page number is cut off. Maybe I can write the page number on it and leave it for them."

"How very brotherhood behavior of you, but that's a good idea. Maybe also ask to meet."

"okay, I will."

That night she leaves the evidence and note on her desk before leaving.

She raises her necklace and kisses it before closing her office door behind her. It is too late to be questioning her actions now, she needed to find this mystery individual. She needed to bring them out of hiding. If there was another book, she needed to see it. She needed to compare the two books.

She looked in her bag. The book safely inside. It felt reassuring that there was another member who ascribed to the same study of the serpent as she did.

That night she made a night cap. She never did this, but her emotions were all over the place. Her thoughts kept going back to the first time she got the book.

"Where is it from?"

"It's been in the family a long time. My dad gave it to me. Now we are giving it to you. My dad got it while he was studying the brotherhood, from a family he was staying with. He became like family to them. They were scared of owning the book because of how the snake has changed to the public."

"So it is authentic"

"More authentic than anything else I own."

"It has to stay in our family. If you dont want it, I am to leave it back to the original family."

"I want it."

"I thought you might."

"It goes to your child or back to the family."

"I don't have a child."

"Yet, if you never have one the family will recover it."

Will recover it, she hadn't questioned the strangeness of this, but now that seemed odd. She needed to find the family, discover if there were any surviving children. Could someone be trying to recover the book.

The rest of the night she spent her time locating the name of the family and where they reside. She did happen to locate information about the surviving members of the family. There are four surviving children. By morning she had reached out or had a letter to mail to each one of the members. She couldn't help but think now the ball was rolling.
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"What is that?"

"It's a picture a friend showed me today. I asked if I could show you. What do you think?"

"Is that Japanese?"

"Yes."

"You won't bait me. I'm not an expert in anything Japanese."

"I'm not baiting you. What is your opinion as a normal person. I know you looked at at before."

"Ahh fine. It's a face of a woman on a snake. I think it represents who controls the snake, the man. Or the one behind the reason for the man. The one the snake does bidding for. Maybe out of honor, love, or inability to love. I don't know, I know that is different than what the caption underneath says and what is taught."

"So you really do know this pic."

"I study Serpents. All depictions. That picture is after the serpent began to shift in meaning. After the cult of the brotherhood divided."

"It divided?"

"I believe so."

"Hey did you know that image of a serpent is also found at Gobekli Tepe? And the Toltec civilizations?"

"And then the Mayans, yes. So you may be able to work with me on some of my research?"

"Yes."

She smiled trying to hide how excited she was about the possibility of working with him.

"Hey, I have some work I need to do this morning, but we will meet for lunch?

"Yeah, sure, I have some work as well."

As she entered her office, she saw the outline of a back of a mans head sitting in her chair, looking out her fake window.

"Hello? Are you a staff member?"

"No"

"What is your name?"

"Let's not do that. Do you know with the creation of knowledge came the creation of the ability of humans to discern. It came with categorizing items, emotions, places, etc. The ability to discern information was the start of conflict and a reason to get along. Like or dislike, beautiful or not, smart or dumb, tough or weak, on and on. Some animals have some ability to discern, but not like humans. Knowledge goes hand in hand with this fact. Do you agree?"

Completely caught off guard an automatic response replied to him, "Yes, that is the blessing and problem with knowledge I suppose."

"Is it?", he seemed to be asking.

She stayed quiet, waiting for him to speak.

"Our book, your book, is the male side. The other is female. Together the two books are whole. Do you understand? I know you know the book well or at least can reference it easily because you added the correct page number to the image I left."

"Female book? There is another one?"

"Yes. You weren't told? They didn't tell the previous handler. They didn't fully trust than."

"May I see it? I think I know who you are?"

He showed no emotional change on his face whatsoever while we talked. Stone faced the whole time.

"Who am I?"

"Colel?"

"So I am."

"Here, I was going to mail this to you. Please read it."

He sat reading her letter.

"May I please see the other book."

"Eventually, but later. We need to go over other things first."

"Okay, anything."

"I will meet you here at 5pm and we will get dinner. We will start there."

"Can I take your book with me?, I will bring it back with me when I meet for dinner."

"No. Sorry, I don't know you well, to know if you will come back. BUT, see it is in good condition."

His eye's followed the book.

"It is. Fair enough. I will see you at 5pm. Please don't announce my visit to anyone. Keep it just between us."

"Sounds dangerous for you to be here or something."

"Maybe it is. The two halves make the book whole. A complete compilation of the serpent and a brotherhood from one group. I'm sure people would do unthinkable things to obtain even 1 of our books."

"Together, we should both consider it possibly dangerous."

"Of course, I didn't fully know what I have."

"That's why I'm here. Until 5.", he said as he gave a slight partial wave good bye.

Once alone, her office now felt too big. She wanted to be home. Now everything felt like it was happening too fast. It all seemed to far from her control. Now there were two books, with greater meaning than she could have guessed. The book, in her cheap purse that cost her less than $50, now seemed too valuable to hold.

She began a memory.

"The snake in the bible was probably a scynthian, they were nomadic and the name just sounds slithery like a snake. A writer, could twist and disguise truths. It could be a way of mocking the individual.", her friend from college had said to her. Finishing with, White devils."

She smiled at the memory.

Her response had been, "I'm pretty sure the Bible has been well studied by many many people. I have never heard that."

"Me neither, but everytime I hear scythians I think snake, then I think of you. What if Adam was really an Alan, just the name was messed up as so many were when retold."

"What-if?", she remembers saying.

"Never be scared of what-if's", her friend had said. "Because either it can be answered easily or it cannot, and it becomes a theory out there to look into."

She laughed to herself. The possibility this second book opens up to her is everything. The what-ifs that might be answered trumps the danger it may be putting her in. She never thought it would be entirely safe. Was this man in the brotherhood. She had plans to be friends with this man. It was off to a rough start, unlike her friendship with Shua, but as he said dinner was where they'd start.

There was not a second that went by during her day where the memory of this mornings interaction left the forefront of her thoughts. How strangely the world provides at times. She had only just found the names of the family of the books keeper when he presented himself before her. Like an offering from a snake god. She made herself a cheat sheet for dinner of talking points and questions she needed answered.

After a few more tasks, next thing she knew it was almost 2pm. She straightened up her office and cleaned a little. She had even purchesed a small stick vacuum she could fit in one of the long cabinets. Crumbs were a common occurrence near and around her desk. Snacking helped her get things done, but it was often messy. A quick vacuum and her secret was safe again.

She went next door and knocked.

"Shua, you ready?"

"Yes,be right out."

"Can I come in?", she didn't wait for a response. She entered."So this is your office?"

"This is my second home."

It used color in a sophisticated fun way. Pops of color lined the inside cutouts of his black cabinet faces. His office has a small opulent black couch with a velvety touch to it. On it is places two pillows with an abstract colorful design. For a small office it seemed more like an immersive art display than an office. It was more organized than she had expected. Cabinets and shelves stretch from floor to ceiling on every wall, making the office even smaller. The smallness disappeared into it's grandness.

"I thought you didn't study snakes?"

"I don't specifically, but Gobekli Tepe has quite a few depictions of them. I'm not completely ignorant of the subject. I just never looked into a brotherhood of the snake.

"of course."

"Please take a seat, I'm almost ready. Who was that man who left your office earlier?"

"That's a story for dinner."

At dinner she reveals everything. Revealing even more than she could explain or reason.

"You were going to go alone. You can't go alone."

"Shua. It will be okay. I don't feel threatened by him."

"I'm going, I can't let you go alone. The gentleman in me won't allow it. I can pretend to be seperate or go with you. I could sit at a different table."

"Fine, separately. I need to have him feel comfortable to talk to me. Do you think my questions and talking points are missing anything?"

"No, I don't think so. It's hard to say. I don't know what's in your book. Can I see it?"

"Ummmm, well, you see."

Joshua puts his hand on top of hers.

"Another time I think."

She mouths thank you for understanding.

He replies, "I'm just a friend, you'll see at some point, but you don't know me yet. Must be some book."

"It is. It really is."


Sent from my Galaxy