Unstoppable...

It was the rocking motion and the sound of a loud horn which woke me up with a jolt. I checked the watch on my wrist... it was just coming up on 11:11 am. I remembered reading something in a woman's magazine while waiting in the Dentist office to have my teeth cleaned, something about how 11:11 brings unparalleled awareness in ones place in the universe. Wait, one cotton pic-ken minute! What in the devil was I doing reading a woman's magazine? That's not something I would ever do, or would I? Hey, where the devil am I anyway? What's going on? "Who are you? Why are you staring at me with that ridiculous look on your face?" "I'm Henry, sir. I need your ticket for the train fair. You were sleeping, sir. I didn't want to wake you. I've been waiting for you to wake up, so I can collect your ticket, sir. May I have it? It's my job to collect all the tickets." "Yeah, just give me a minute. Let me see what I did with it." After checking all the possible pockets and finding them all empty. I realized I didn't have my wallet nor did I have a ticket.

I looked at Henry with a questionable look on my face, and stated emphatically, "Uh. Look. Kid. It seems like I don't have a ticket, so what do I do now?" "Well, sir. It might help to know where you are going? Maybe I can help figure out how to get you a ticket. Maybe you are with someone or are you alone, sir? Do you mind if I ask you your name, sir? Just so I can address you properly." "Uh, my name? What the devil is my name? I can't seem to remember what my name is Henry. Did you see me with anyone when I boarded the train?" "No sir. You were sleeping there when I first walked this way shortly after the train left the station. There was an elderly woman sitting across from you. She was blind. She had one of those seeing eye dogs with her. I thought maybe she was with you sir, but I guess not." "Well, do you know where the devil she is now Henry? She may know who I am after-all." "No sir. I haven't seen her since I saw her earlier today, sitting here across from you. She must have gotten up and went to the dinning car, sir." "Well, if you don't mind Henry. Let's go take a look in the dining car to see if we can track her down and ask her if she knows who I am." "Right, sir. After you."

Can you believe it? This is my life right now. This is not how my story all started, but it is definitely how my day began. So far, I don't know who I am, how I got on this train or even where the devil I am headed, but I mean to find out. "Hey, Henry. Where did this train leave the station and what day is it?" "It's Friday, sir. The train left the station from Washington DC, and it's headed to Chicago. The trip takes almost 18 hours, but we have been on the train almost a whole hour now. We are supposed to make our first stop in less than an hour and a half. You can get off the train there, sir and get you a ticket and get back on before we head on again." "Oh, well that's just great. If I only knew someone I could call to wire me some money. I don't know who I am Henry, how I even got on this here train, or why I am headed to Chicago for that matter." "I can't help you there sir, I just hope someone you know is in Chicago waiting for you to get off the train. We can see then if you like?" "Really, Henry? That takes a load off my mind. Why, you're a great kid Henry. You look awfully young to be working, son. How old are you anyway? You look too young to be working already." "Oh, I'm old enough, sir. Really I am. I just turned 18 a month ago. Well, here we are at the dinning car, sir."

"Scout the place out Henry. Do you see the old blind woman anywhere in here? Point her out if you do." "I don't see her sir. I best go look for her in the other cars and see if I can spot her. If I do, I'll come find you." "Okay, kid... hey can you spot me a couple of dollars to pay for a cup of coffee. I know I must be good for it. Check out my watch. I mean, I must have money or come from money, right?" "I guess so, sir. I never doubted you. Your clothes are clean and all." Henry gave me his last five dollars and quickly left to find the elderly blind woman he spotted sitting next to me earlier. So, here I sit waiting to order my coffee. Checking the time, I just noticed the minute hand is moving backwards like on some countdown. "Henry! Good God Man! Did you find her already? Take me to her. Did she say anything? Speak up my man, speak up." "She's in the last car, sir. Follow me. I will take you to her. She wants to talk to you. She said, "You must move quickly, because time is running out."

"Oh no Henry, I just noticed my watch hand is moving backwards. Look here." "I don't see any watch hands on the face, sir. Is it a digital watch?" "For Gods sake Henry, are you blind? Never mind. Let's hurry up." The two moved through the train so quickly, it was as though they blinked and were standing in the privacy of the last car entrance. Henry knocked on the cabin door and waited for instructions to enter. A soft voice came from the other side. "Come on in Henry." Henry opened the door. The room was not well lit. A tiny old woman with grey hair rolled up in a bun at the back of her head sat at a table in the back of the room. The room was decorated in gypsy like fashion, with red velvet seats, candles lit on the table and around the room. There was a raven sitting on a purch just over her far right shoulder. It called out in a high shrill, then stopped when she raised her right hand and said, "Alright Midnight. I hear you." The table was covered with black table cloth, which had a half moon on one side and the sun on the other. The Sun appeared to be eclipsing the moon. There was a crystal ball in the middle of the table, and several stacks of tarot and oracle cards rested in front of her.

She wore a light shade of sun glasses and had a soft smile on her face. Under the table was a rather large black and grey german Shepard who appeared to be asleep. Incense glowed and burned in a small bronse dish in the shape of a pyrimid with an all seeing eye at the top. The old woman gestured with the wave of her hand. "Please come in and take a seat young man. We haven't any time to lose. Henry, you're free to go. I will call you if I need anything. Thank you for your help." I turned to say good bye to Henry, but he was gone, as if by magic... He just disappeared into thin air. I suddenly felt a bit uneasy but sat down anyway. "My name is Mable Collin. There is no need to tell me your name. Henry told me a bit about you, so I asked him to bring you to me, if that's okay? Now let's see if we can determine just who you are, and how you came to be on this train with no wallet, no ticket, no idea where you are from or where it is you were headed, is that correct?" "That sounds about right, Mrs Collins." "Oh, you can call me Mable dear." "Okay, Mable. Thanks." Mable picked up the center deck of cards and moved them closer to her, setting aside the other two decks further away to either side of the table. Picking up the center deck again, she began to shuffle them with what appeared to be quick and nimble fingers. She shuffled them several times and placed them on the table and cut them into three separate decks and asked me to pick a deck.

I felt compelled to ask a question and picked the center deck. "Mable, can you tell me how you know we are running out of time?" Mable responded with a half smile on her face. "We are not running out of time dear. You are running out of time." "Wait! My watch appears to be running backwards, look! Oh, I am so sorry Mable... that was stupid of me. I forgot you're blind." "That's okay dear. Have you checked the back of the watch to see if your name is on it. Perhaps you put your name on the back, or sometimes, when a loved one gives you a gift such as a watch they have it engraved." I quickly removed my watch and turned it over. On the back of the watch was a short and simple engraving. It said. 'To the best Dad ever... your son Henry.' "Well, there you have it. I must have a son named Henry." I looked down at the table top before me. Some of the cards were spread out in a fan like fashion. I don't remember Mable spreading the cards out in front of me. She smile again. "Pick three cards." was her only response. I picked three cards and stated mater of factly. "Looks like I have a son, named Henry. What do you think Mable?" She didn't respond. She reached over and turned the three cards over as though she could see.

The raven suddenly let out a couple of loud screeches, as though he read the cards and didn't like their face values. It scared the heck out of me. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I got goose bumps up and down my arms. Mable suddenly said. "The first card is the tower. It looks like the universe is bringing about some sort of unexpected event that may lead to a very profound transformation. In the physical world it may appear to be rather tragic." "How are you reading those cards Mable, if you can't see?" "Midnight reads the cards for me dear. He tells me what they are." "That's absolutely remarkable Mable." "That's not important right now dear. Let me finish. Your next card is the 5 of wands. It appears someone is facing some sort of challenge due to a disagreement or some sort of inner or exterior strife. The third card is the five of pentacles, which could represent someone feeling left out in the cold, financial hardships or ill health a feeling of weakness or weary perhaps in your life or someone else, someone you know." "I don't know what you're talking about Mable. You have to give me more to go on. How is this information going to tell me who I am, where I am from or where I am heading?" "Perhaps we need to draw another card dear." "Okay, Mable... let's do that. I am game if you are." "This is not a game my dear. You're in serious danger." "Oh, mama. Do you have to talk like that? It's making me nervous Mable." Mable picked up the deck to right on the table and began shuffling them, faster and faster, with amazing speed and agility.

Mable cut the cards into three piles and asked me to pick a deck, and afterwords, turned over the top three cards. Midnight suddenly let out several rather loud shrieks which shook me to my core and made me jump. "Oh, God Mable. Does he have to do that? He scared me half out of my wits." "I apologize dear, but he is my eyes after all. I must know what he sees if I am going to help you." "Okay, Okay. Let's get this over with. At this rate we will be in Chicago before I know who I am." "Your first card is the Devil. This is indicative of a toxic energy of greed, obsession or possessive energy, in regards to perhaps career, love, family, or even finance sometimes denoting a feeing of guilt. This can also be seen as a warning my dear man. The next card is the Justice card my dear, which may have something to do with legal matters, court papers and documents. This may have significance in a matter where someone was taken advantage of and could be awaiting some karmic justice of sorts, a lesson perhaps. It could mean an ending of a situation resulting in regaining balance. "Oh, man. This doesn't sound too good. I am starting to feel a bit ill Mable. This sounds like very bad news to me." "Why my hear? ls there a chance you were cheated out of something. Maybe you have been dealing with some sort of court case, maybe with family. Does that ring a bell?" "No. No. Please don't talk like that Mable. It is starting to feel fairly hot in here. Are you feeling hot?" "No. Not me, Mable replied. Let's see. The last card is the Death card.

The Death card carries very tumultuous energy, which could mean a rebirth or transformation of ones character. Maybe letting go of old traditional ways. I see someone who is not very emotional having a change of heart or of the way one thinks about things, resulting in feeling less anxious about ones current conditions due to a transformation, which could be a quite painful process." "What's going on here Mable? I am not feeling very well. I don't understand what you are talking about." Suddenly there was a quick set of taps at the door. Midnight let out a few loud schrills and flapped his wings at the same time, but never taking flight. I literally thought I was going to have a heart attack. It scared me half to death. "I feel like I'm dying. Am I dying Mable? You would tell me if you could see my death, wouldn't you?" Mable simply said, "Come on in Henry. The door is open." The door suddenly swung open. Henry promptly walked over to the table to address us. Personally, I was hoping he had found my wallet, but that would not be the case. He said, with a dread look on his face. "Sir, the train is not slowing down. There appears to be some sort of problem in the engineers cabin at the front of the train. We were supposed to stop just now, but the train didn't stop. It didn't even slow down. As a matter of fact, it's picking up speed, sir."

"Man, oh man! This day is just getting worst as the day goes on. Lead the way Henry. I'm with you. Let's just see what the devil's going on." We moved from car to car, passing by the passengers who didn't pay us any attention what so ever. They didn't even appear to know what was going on. In the blink of an eye we were standing at the door to the engineers cabin. Henry began to knock on the door, but it quickly opened, a man grabbed at the both of us to hurry and come in, so he could close the door behind us, and locking it. He was wearing some sort of helmet, so I could not see his face. I asked him, "Hey man, what's going on here?" He responded, "I don't know man... the trains breaks are just not working the way they are supposed to. I don't know what the devil is going on. Who are you? Why are you here. Did the train masters send you to help?" "No way. I don't even know who I am. I can not recollect my name. I have no idea how I got on this train, where I came from or what is my destination. I didn't even have a ticket or a wallet. Henry, asked for my help. Right Henry?" "Yes, sir. That's correct." The engineer said, "I think we need to ask the Oracle sage, what to do. Her name is Mable. She has a private car at the end of the train." "Yeah, I know. She's sweet but kinda spooky. I was with her for most of the day. She is trying to find out who I am, so let's go ask her for help."

The three of us moved through the train as fast as possible, knocking on the door, when we arrived at her private car. "Come in Henry." The familiar voice of Mable called from behind the door. I opened the door. The three of us burst through the door in a mad rush. I said, "Mable, this is the engineer in charge of driving the train. I brought him here to ask you if you can tell us why the train is not stopping. It's actually gaining speed as we move down the tracks." Mable gestured for us to take a seat at the table. We sat at the table. Henry sat on the couch behind us, and waited. Mable said to me, "It looks like we must finish your reading dear. We need to get down to business before we run out of time." "Wait a minute Mable. Don't you think slowing down the train or stopping it is more important right now?" "No dear. I don't," she responded. "If we are going to stop this train, it's going to be by helping you figure out who you are exactly and why you are on the train in the first place." "Oh God, Mable. That's just too ominous for me. Okay. Let's get this over with. I'm dying to know what's going on." The six cards were still on the table, making me feel quite ill.

I began to sweat again. Mable suddenly interrupted my thoughts when she said, "Let's begin shall we? I need the two of you to sit perfectly still. Midnight is going to fly over your heads several times, so he can get a good look at the two of you, okay?" And with that, Mable waved her hand in an upward gesture and said, "Let's get a good look at them, shall we Midnight." Midnight took to the air and flew around the room several times and landed on his perch again almost with out a sound, and then let out several loud shrieks, which made me want to jump out of my skin again. Mable's forehead showed signs of worry before she began. "Well dear. It would appear you suffered a dark tragedy as a young man. This tragedy was very painful and made you very bitter. I see the loss of your lovely mother, whom you loved so deeply, and a brother. A young man named Henry, who died in a car accident, just a month after he turned 18. "Wait what? No. No. That's just not possible Mable." Henry was suddenly standing behind me. He placed his hands on my shoulders, as I turned to look in his direction, he nodded his head and smiled down at me. He said, "Hello brother. I didn't want to shock you." Tears streamed down my face. Henry was my baby brother. I suddenly remembered him. "Please tell us what happened dear?" "I... I don't want to remember Mable. It hurts too much." I tried to get up out of my seat to face Henry, but I couldn't move me legs. I was paralyzed with painful thoughts.

Henry was standing behind me, but he wasn't moving. His hands remained steady on my shoulders. He calmly stated, "go ahead brother. Tell Mable what happened. I am not going anywhere." Tears streamed down my face like hot rivers. I began to explain what happened one rainy night long ago. "My father was a drunk. He was always drinking and driving against my mothers wishes. One rainy night. My father, mother and brother had gone out to dinner without me. It was my fathers birthday. I didn't want to go because I knew he was going to drink, so I stayed home. Henry had just turned 18 a month pryer. He worked odd jobs, delivering newspapers before school. On weekends he worked at the local hardware store. After school he collected empty bottles from all the neighbors and turned them in for the cash. That night before they left to dinner, Henry showed me his gift for our fathers birthday. It was a gold watch. Really fancy. He had been saving his money for years to buy that watch. Henry told me that night, our father tried the watch on in the store one day, but it was too much money at the time. He claimed he would have the money someday. That night my father drank too much, and crashed the car on the way home from dinner.

My brother was in the back seat of the car. He flew right through the front window, because he was not wearing his seat belt. Henry died instantly. Apparently the doctors told my father, my mother needed surgery, but there was no guarantee she would survive the surgery or the night. He told them to wait. Later that night my mother passed away. He didn't even give her a fighting chance. My father made it out with barely a scratch. When it started to get late and they didn't come home from dinner, I called my brother, but he didn't answer his phone. It rang and rang before going to voicemail. I called my mother; She didn't answer her phone, it just rang and rang before going to voicemail. I called my father. It went straight to voicemail. He had turned his phone off. I called the police station and asked the Sargent if they had any news regarding my family. He told me there had been an accident. My family was at the hospital, and that my brother had died in the accident. I got in my car and drove to the hospital as fast as I could, but my mother was already gone. My father left the hospital on foot before the police could have him tested for driving drunk.

I called my older sister Elaina from the hospital to tell her what happened. She was in collage at the time. She rushed home to be with my father and I. My father never made it home until the next day. He claimed he walked and walked for hours not knowing where he was going. He claimed he had not been drinking that night. I didn't believe him. I had no reason to believe him. Elaina believed him. I was so mad at her, because Elina and Henry were always on his side. They were always blinded to the hurtful things his drinking did to our family life. We never had enough money to pay all the bills. He drank all our family money away all the time. I was working to help Elaina pay for collage. I didn't get to go to collage, because I was paying for her books, materials and classes. Elaina stayed home to go to the funeral and never went back to school, so she could stay home and take care of our father. Our father was a life insurance salesman and only worked part time. He missed days from work when he would wake up with a hangover, so my mother worked two jobs to pay for bills and food. And! And! Our father took out life insurance policies on all of us, so when my mother and brother passed away he claimed the money from both policies, and became rich overnight.

My father stopped working all together. He is a lier, a con man in my eyes, greedy with what did not belong to him. I hated him, so I moved out of the house. He didn't even have to pay for what he did that night. Elaina moved her boyfriend into the house and got pregnant with triplets. Elaina's boyfriend Tommy and our father got along great, because he was also a drunk. "So what did you do dear?" Mable interrupted. "Well Mable. I did what I had to do. I took my father to court for wrongful death. The waitress at the restaurant claimed my father had been drinking but would not say he was drunk. He was not prosecuted for the death of both my mother and brother but he lost the case, and lost the house trying to defend himself. My sister, Elaina had to move out with her kids and husband. I haven't seem my father since. I was granted all the money. I got an apartment in a nice building and started my own business." Mable interrupted again. "Where is your sister now and the triplets?" "Oh, she works two jobs and has left her husband. She struggles but she deserves it." "Oh, dear. What did you do? How did you get the watch?"

Henry chimed in... "Your wearing the watch I gave our father, my dearest, dear brother. Do you remember? I showed you the engraving on the watch the night I gave it to our father for his birthday. It read. 'To the best Dad ever... your son Henry.' I took the watch off again and read the inscription on the back, and had a recollection of how I came to be wearing it. My heart sank. Hot streams of tears began to flow again down my face like rivers of lava. My eyes began to sting, my eye sight became blurry. "Yesterday morning, as I was leaving my apartment building I came across a bum sleeping in our doorway. I tried to wake him up to get him to move, but he was too far gone, he just slumped over all pasted out. I called him a drunken bum and then I noticed the watch. He was wearing this expensive watch. I thought he didn't deserve it so I took it. Later in the day, I started to feel really guilty for taking what must have been his only real possession of any significance. When I got home from work he was no longer outside the building. I tried not to think about him. I guess he didn't deserve it after all. Right, Henry?" I looked over my should at Henry. The look on his face made my heart sink.

Henry said in a soft voice, "Brother, our father had two drinks that night. He felt bad you didn't want to join us, because of his drinking and swore later that night he was going to quit cold turkey. It was a man and child who stepped out of no where in front of our car. Father swerved to avoid hitting them in the rain. The car just skidded off the embankment." "Wait! What! Why didn't he say something? He never mentioned any of that in court when he was trying to defend himself." Mable sighed a deep sigh. "Perhaps he couldn't. Perhaps he felt very guilty, and just gave in dear." "That's not right! That's not fair, Mable! I didn't know. What have I done?" Mable smiled a simple caring smile, and softly said. "That's why you're here dear. You must decide what to do before it's too late." I cried out. "What do you mean, Mable?" She laughed a small single laugh. "My dear. Your cards are telling me you are at a crossroads. You need to make all you have done right or you may face a Karmic debt, which will cost you everything you hold dear in life. The train is about to crash dear. You're headed on a collision course which you can not avoid." I stood up, grabbed the driver, and demanded. "Your driving this thing. Tell me how to stop it!" I shook him again, but he said nothing. I tore off his helmet. Standing before me was myself. I gasped and said "You! It was me. I was looking directly at myself." I suddenly woke up.

I was laying in bed. It was wet from all the sweat. I had been having a nightmare. I jumped out of bed and got a hold of my lawyer and told him to get a hold of my sister Elina and give her a third of all my money. I showered, got dressed and ran downstairs. My father was laying in the doorway. He tried to call to me when I approched him. He was crying. I took him to a home health care facility and had him checked in. After he was cleaned up and placed in a bed. I came into his room, sat next to him and we had breakfest together. I gave my father his watch and told him I love him and he will never be alone again. I called Elina and asked her to join us at the health care facility for breakfast. As soon as my father was better, I brought a home large enough for my sister, her kids and our father to live with me. He never drank again. This is my karmic tale of love, loss, lies, treachery and deceit, but not all was lost. C St C