"Mirinda's Melody" There are times, in that gray twilight between awake and asleep, when you can almost touch upon a recurring dream that has perplexed you for years...a face that you know but you don't know...a voice that is so familiar but you cannot recall its quality at will. If you're lucky, these moments---mere echoes of the sunlit joy of childhood past--- will visit you when your mind is quieted from the maelstrom of adult concerns. There I was, years after the encounter with Niren and Aciana in the place of Mists, courtesy of Aeon. I had leased a cabin at my family's old summer retreat, Webb Lake, Wisconsin. I wasn't too far from the cabin we used to own, and I felt comforted by the lack of change to both the old cabin and the lake itself. I had never been witness to the beauty of Webb Lake in late September, however, and I stood at the picture window taking in the color of leaves in transition against the bleached white of birch tree bark. All of these things brought comfort to me...the beauty of the yellow knotty pine cabin walls...the sound of outboard motors in the distance... waves lapping at the tire bumpers on the boat dock out front...the smell of wood smoke coming from a cabin nearby. I was far from Grassy Key physically but my mind kept drifting back to that extraordinary astral adventure. What happened to Project Babel? Why had Aciana not reached me like Aeon said she probably would? And where was Aeon? I could feel him but not converse with him. Was my ancient channel shutting down? All these questions drifted in my consciousness, from side to side, like the loons I watched on the lake. I decided to take a hike like I used to when I was a teenager here. I knew these woods like the back of my hand and wanted to bask in the familiarity of my own special clearing, which I had called my Glade of Answers. I could go there and meditate when I was younger, amidst the evergreens and birch and sit on a pile of soft pine needles, letting the soft breezes take me into a state of pure receptiveness. Then I could get answers to anything that troubled my adolescent mind. This I hoped would work again and perhaps I could get answers to the questions I had about my dolphin friends. It was late afternoon, around 4:30, and I made note of how early it starts to get dark in Wisconsin in late September. As I walked, I could see it would be getting dusk before I reached my special clearing. The woods echoed with the crunch of fallen leaves under my feet as I approached the clearing. But there was something else...a humming sound...very softly it wavered with the autumn breeze. It sounded like either a young girl or woman humming a tune to herself. Not wanting to disturb her musings, I slowed my approach so I could possibly see who it was before I was discovered. I quietly stood near the clearing fringe, obscured by some small evergreens, so I could catch a glimpse of this person who evidently shared my fondness for this place. What I witnessed shall forever live in my memory. She was surrounded by wildlife of every sort. I saw two deer, one doe and a buck, a half dozen chipmunks, a badger, birds perched on nearby branches and a whippoorwill on her shoulder. She was petting the doe as she hummed and a chipmunk was nested in her lap as she sat on a log under one of the larger birch trees. I couldn't figure out why none of the deer or even the badger had not detected my presence. Further, it was dusk now, and I could make things out in such detail...there was a pale light around her, coming from what looked like lightning bugs...a lot of them. But there was SOUND coming from these lightning bugs...very much like the tune she was humming. Fairies? After I got over the shock of seeing all this, I finally looked at the young woman who drew all this attention. She had long straight hair that flowed down over her shoulders, with bright colored leaves entwined on each side of her head making it appear that she had a crown of leaves in her hair. The air shimmered around her, presumably from the fairy light dancing about her. I looked closer, as it appeared she was growing dimmer and dimmer and, before my eyes, she stepped away from the log and into an area of light much brighter than the surrounding pale light and disappeared completely! The breeze stirred to such a degree that leaves blew everywhere and I swear I smelled lilacs. It was as if she took a part of the air itself, folded it back like a curtain, and stepped through it into nowhere! When the light died out, all the wildlife and the fairies were gone. All that remained was a few blowing leaves by the log and a whippoorwill calling nearby instead of the humming that preceded her departure. The clearing looked as if no one had been there. I just stood in astonishment for several very long moments before I decided what I would do. I walked back to the cabin, got my sleeping bag out and then returned to the clearing, opting to sleep right there until she returned. I was convinced I would not miss it when it happened. It somehow did not occur to me that she would not...part of me knew she had to come back... I believe everyone at least once in their life has had one of those dreams where something that happens while you're sleeping manages to "weave" its way into that dream, becoming a surrealistic bridge between waking reality and dream state. I fell asleep thinking about the lilac smell I detected when the girl departed and I recalled a time in my youth when I played near a lilac bush growing on a fence row in the field near the orphanage where I lived. I awoke from playing next to the creek and breathing in that wonderful fragrance when I realized that I really WAS smelling it HERE and there was a WARM breeze blowing gently across my face in this crisp autumn clearing! I sat up quickly, shaking the sleep from my mind, just in time to see the portal close behind her. There was no hiding this time. I was only about 5 or 6 yards from her and she was looking straight at me, almost as surprised to see me there as I was to see her, from the look on her face. It was approaching dawn now and it bathed the entire clearing in a bluish light, so I could see more of her face than before. "Wow! You're really here! Just like they said you would come!" she exclaimed. (That voice...where had I heard it?) "And who might you be?", I asked, "who said I would be here? And please do elaborate on your extraordinary entrance. It was almost as breathtaking as your departure last night!" I answered. "I am Mirinda, Michael....Mirinda Lamont", she responded after a brief pause. "You don't know me yet but we have mutual friends. I am an intern Marine Biologist on the staff at the Dolphin research center at Grassy Key." Now that it was even lighter I could see this extraordinary visitor much better. She stood about 5 feet eight inches tall I estimated, with heather brown hair that cascaded over her shoulders. She was wearing a blue-green plaid flannel shirt with an insulated sleeveless vest over it, and there was something like a shell hanging around her neck with holes in the sides, kind of clay looking. (Where had I seen one of those before?) The leaves she had in her hair the evening before were gone and I noticed that the cuff area of her faded jeans looked like they were drying from being wet. I could also see she was a Rebok fan. As she walked toward me the pine needles and leaves crunched under her white jogging shoes. She extended her hand to shake mine as I was emerging from the sleeping bag, fortunately still dressed to stay warmer from the Wisconsin wood's chill. "I am pleased to finally meet you," she continued, "and both Aciana and Niren have said good things about you," she smiled. I was hoping she had not detected the shock wave that ran through me as I shook her surprisingly warm hand. It was not a limp handshake, but instead one that conveyed warmth and sincerity, like the sparkle that came from her light brown eyes. I made a mental note she said Aciana and Niren spoke directly to her and so far I heard no mention of Aeon. So this person standing before me understood Delphinese? I needed some answers. "Well that explains our mutual acquaintances, Mirinda, but not even mega frequent flyer miles can get you here from Grassy Key the way you just arrived," I said, "and you actually converse directly with the dolphins?" I questioned. Her laughter was lilting but soft, and I could tell she was having fun with my curiosity. "Aciana told me about your sense of humor, Michael," she laughed, "and I shall answer all these questions in due time," she continued, "but let's go get some breakfast and I can bring you up to date on their Project Babel then." She paced around the clearing with her hands thrusted into the back pockets of her jeans, taking it all in as if she were painting a mental picture. She looked up toward the tops of the evergreens, craning her neck, like she was trying to absorb all the imagery into her being. "This place is so beautiful!" she gasped. "I can see why you would want to spend time here, Michael. While you were sharing your images of Clifton Gorge with the dolphins at the place of Mists years ago, Aciana managed to also see memories of this place in your mind, and your obvious emotional attraction to it." she concluded. We started the walk back to the cabin and I was still absorbing the wonder of her arrival when I realized she just explained how they found me. So, Aciana was able to decipher "background" memories while I opened my mind to them at the place of Mists. Whether or not it was due to Aeon's connecting us in a mental "conference" was uncertain. "I was just wondering why I had not heard from them, Mirinda, and now here you are," I responded. "How long have you been acquainted with Aciana and Niren?" I queried. By this time we had emerged from the woods and were walking onto the beach area of Webb Lake. Mirinda stopped suddenly and just stood looking at the lake, her eyes scanning the morning mist rising from where Jones Creek made its way into the lake. There were loons calling in the distance and you could almost make them out as they glided back and forth. I could hear her inhale sharply as if she was seeing this beauty for the first time. She turned around completely to get a view from all around us. "It's just so beautiful...more so than I could ever have imagined!" she sighed, "the smells and the sounds and just BEING here is much more than was conveyed to me by the dolphins," she continued. "Boy, you Marine biologists need to get out more!" I chuckled. "Is this your first time at a Wisconsin resort? She realized then she had almost stepped off the shore and into the water. This brought her attention back to our situation and she looked back at me. "So lets get that breakfast, Michael. We have much to discuss." She started walking in the direction I had started before she got so involved. Her walk was purposeful and conveyed the notion she was a woman on a mission. "I believe you were asking how long I've known Aciana and Niren?" she continued. "Yes, that did cross my mind," I responded. "Neither of them even mentioned there was someone else involved in Project Babel. I just thought one day I'd get another 'carrier wave' from Aciana and she would tell me what else was planned." We arrived at my cabin and, as we settled into the kitchen, the conversation continued. "I've known them since I was only ten years old," she answered as she sat down at the table, still looking all around her. "You see, I was an autistic child growing up near the Florida keys and everything my parents did for me didn't seem to help. One day, as I was looking for sea shells near Grassy Key, I started hearing a voice in my mind. Not so much a voice, but a pattern of sounds...kind of like a tune with a rhythm that made more sense each time I heard it. I was very good with any repetitive patterns, and my parents considered me a genius with math...that was the only positive thing they found about my condition after many years of tests. Fortunately for me, my mother recognized that my visits to Grassy Key were therapeutic so we returned often while she studied nearby on the beach. I learned to swim at four and by the time I was seven, she would let me swim where the dolphins often swam around humans. One day, just out of the blue, the patterns become images that I could associate with objects around me, and I realized the patterns were coming from one particular dolphin who I later found was named Aciana. It was a day I shall never forget. I had just turned ten years old and I was so very happy to share my world with her and she with me. I could hear and understand her, and she could decipher my thoughts that answered her in the same patterns she sent to me. I still barely talked verbally with humans even up to that day," she finished. Her face had that distant look, as if she were reliving those moments again. "After years of swimming with them and hearing their music, their patient attempts to communicate finally broke through my world of silence. I can only say that it was and is the most loving relationship any sentient being could possibly hope for," she added. While she was sharing this experience, I was moving about the kitchen, making instant grits in the microwave and toasting bagels in the toaster. I had just poured the coffee when she came to the breakthrough part and I just sat with a glaze on my face, trying to absorb the immensity of what I just heard. "That is fantastic, Mirinda!" I gasped. "If I heard you right, you just told me that you learned Delphinese even before you knew how to speak the human language. So, that was how it started. But how did you then break through to the human syntax and become a functioning adult so quickly, let alone a Marine Biologist? Excuse me for asking, but how old are you now?" I asked. My mind was a flurry of questions that percolated much like the coffee pot behind us. Mirinda was still gazing at the knotty pine walls and then looked down at the grits and bagels I had placed on the table next to the cups of coffee. She watched every move I made, putting cream in her cup after I did, buttering her bagel after I did mine, and then even blew on her coffee as she raised it to her lips, just exactly as I did. I felt like she was observing my table etiquette. "Oh, this is good, Michael!" she said, after tasting the grits and sipping the coffee. "And these are absolutely delicious!" she remarked after taking her first bite of her bagel. "Oh, I'm sorry," she flushed, "you asked how old I was now and how I had advanced after that," she added. "Well, over the years from that point on, Aciana and her life group conveyed to me every morsel of knowledge they had of the human language. But it was slow going at first, and actually learning to vocalize human syntax only began after my mother first heard me utter a few feeble attempts. My first human words were 'seashell' and 'tides.' I had advanced to the point of attending school by age twelve. Something very wonderful was happening to my brain after my contact with Aciana...there were neural pathways opening that are never used by the normal human adult. So I caught up to my normal expected age group quickly and then advanced to the point where I could attend college when I was only sixteen. The rest is history. I finished my degree and then went on to study Marine Biology until I could intern at the Dolphin research center at Grassy Key. I am now twenty-five years old, Michael," she summarized. "What an incredible adventure!" I responded. "And it looks like it has just begun," I continued. Now I just had to find out what wonderful gift had enabled her to travel such a distance through a portal that formed out of midair. "So please tell me how you manage to disappear into thin air and then return as suddenly as you left. And what is it with the animals being drawn to you...and that haunting tune you and the fairies were humming before you left last night, if that is what they were?" I queried. Her eyebrows arched from the last two questions I asked and I saw her hand go to the round clay-like device hanging around her neck. She moved her head backwards to thrust her long hair out of her face and I could see a glint in her eyes. She smiled wistfully as if she recalled something that was yet undone. She got up from the table in one smooth motion and walked into the living room scanning the rest of the little cabin. Her eyes darted from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, and she inhaled the air in the room like it was some pleasing fragrance. "Let's go for a walk around the lake, Michael," she finally answered. "We still have much more to discuss and I want to feel openness around me. It helps me think clearer. Rest assured, before this day it over you will have more answers than you could ever have imagined," she concluded. "Nice to know," I answered. "Seems I always get tons of answers every time Aciana and Niren are involved," I smiled. I put the dishes in the sink and grabbed the keys off the table. We headed out to the shoreline by the boat dock. It was a wonderful autumn day on the lake. The kind where the sun on my neck sent goosepimples down my back and the waves lapped the shore gently, like some giant blue cat licking its paws after dinner. Off in the distance I heard outboard motors from fishing boats buzzing like bees in some distant aqua meadow. We walked on the shoreline and our shoes made quiet dents in the sand. "You are aware, Michael," she finally continued, "that dolphins communicate by a complex series of sounds and even use it to locate from great distances. Well it seems they've discovered that certain sounds in certain combinations can open portals into what they call 'Gaia's domain.' They have used it for centuries to get from place to place under the sea and thus save many miles of swimming. So they can migrate to warmer waters in an instant and then return to colder climates for brief visits they may deem necessary. Not all dolphins can accomplish this amazing feat, as evidenced by the unfortunate ones who have been caught in our fishing nets. I am the first to test this portal travel on dry land and, with their guidance, I have been able to accomplish what you have witnessed in the clearing. They are very attuned to human mental wave patterns and for centuries they have aided in the rescue of stranded seamen by finding the distressed using this attunement. Since their mental conference with you at the place of Mists, they can pick out your wave patterns from very great distances and, using that in tandem with portal travel technique, they showed me how to find, locate, and travel to a location where your mental waves have left a residual trail. It's not as exact as its use under sea, between dolphins on both ends, but it got the job done," she concluded. "So they've found a way into Gaia's world!" I uttered in astonishment, "the world between worlds...where memories and dreams become one with the domain of ancient fairies of old and the sun flows like honey through trembling leaves of trees older than Stonehenge," I recalled. "I see you've done some reading on the subject," she responded. "the dolphins consider this travel a gift from Gaia, who they feel is the embodiment of all natural manifestations within and on the planet...and they have great reverence for all natural phenomenon, plant or animal. Even good old George found that, given the right level of consciousness, one could see the 'veil' lifted and look into the land of fairies and folklore." she mused. "George?" I responded..."George William Russell?" I continued, "I remember he wrote about such things in his books not too long after he made what he called a leap of consciousness. He even claimed that Gaia lifted the veil for him one day, as he lay quietly on a hillside in Ireland. You have managed to read a lot in such a short amount of time, Mirinda, to be so familiar with his writings," I smiled. "I don't think you understand, Michael," she smiled again, "I got that information FROM good old George, with whom you are acquainted in his current incarnation as Niren, Aciana's Common dolphin friend," she answered, watching my face for the shock that would come. "Wow! Niren never let me in on that little tidbit, Mirinda," I reacted in awe. "He did share with me a memory of when he was my daughter-in-law during an incarnation on Atlantis," I remembered. I was still curious about the tune she was humming in the clearing. "So what was the tune you and the fairies were humming, Mirinda?" Again I saw her hand go to the clay object around her neck. "This is another thing we adapted for use in portal travel," she said, stroking the object. "It's an ancient clay flute George/Niren told us about called an Ocarina. We found that we can create just the right tones with it to open the portal and it's also my way of calling the dolphins if they are near the shore. We had to have something to use in the open air. They of course don't need it underwater, where they can create a host of tones without much effort. When you saw me last night, I was humming the tune because it was quiet enough for me to attempt it. I wanted to see if it would work without the Ocarina. All I was able to do was open it enough for the fairies to come through and they, humming along with me, enabled me to step through at the proper time. We had no idea you were watching due to the effort it took to open the portal. The tune, by the way, has the curious effect of drawing all sorts of wildlife to its source," she finished. I was so involved in this disclosure of knowledge that I didn't realize we were nearly half way around the lake already. I stopped and looked back toward the cabins, shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand. "We should probably head back now, Mirinda," I said. We started walking back the way we came, and then I found a way to ask the big question. "Well I know who you are, how you got here, and who sent you. But what I don't know yet, Mirinda, is how you are involved in Project Babel...for that matter I'm not totally clear on my role in it. But the real question in my mind right now, if you don't mind, is why are you here now?" "I am here to bring you back to Grassy Key for a short meeting with the dolphins, Michael," she answered. "Aeon and Niren's life group are due back from the Yucatan peninsula very soon and I am to bring you back for another mind conference. It seems while you are here in Wisconsin, the only one who can reach you is Aeon. It was hard enough for Aciana to scan for you in Ohio but Wisconsin is a little too far for her range. As to our roles in Project Babel, that will be made clear in the meeting," she answered. Well now I knew why Aeon was not around. Off to Yucatan with Niren, eh? (I resolved to find the answer to that little trip as well when we had our meeting.) This was a supremely interesting day for sure. The sun caught the whiteness of clay on Mirinda's Ocarina while she walked and I could barely make out a little drawing inscribed in its side, between the four holes on the top. I was astounded that such an innocent looking round flute could open such a doorway. "So tell me, Mirinda," I continued as we came around closer to my cabin, "how long did it take you to perfect just the right tones with the Ocarina to open the portal?" "Mostly trial and error, Michael," she said with another curious eyebrow arch, "but our cetacean friends, both dolphins and whales, have had centuries to perfect the technique. If you ever wondered just why the whale song is so beautiful just consider what they can DO with those songs. But the whales had the secret first, then they shared it with their cousin dolphins who adapted it for their sound making abilities and now I have adapted it for terrestrial use, with the kind guidance of Aciana, of course. I have even translated two verses that I sing in my mind when I choose to hum it instead of play it," she explained. "You must share with me this translation from Delphinese when you get a chance, Mirinda," I responded. "I can imagine trying to sing it in your mind in human syntax instead of the original Delphinese could be a talent as well as a challenge. I am still stunned by the fact you spoke in their language before you spoke in ours. You are unique to say the least," I added. "They broke into my world of silence with soft bubbles of imagery and love, Michael," she recalled (that distant look on her face again), "and every time one burst upon my awareness I became a little more of what I was destined to be...their rosetta stone. The link between two races." We came to the cabin again but, instead of approaching the porch entrance as I was, Mirinda turned and went out on the boat dock, standing near its end just gazing out on the lake. The sun was high in the aching clear blueness of sky and the lake was starting to show evidence of peak fishing activity, boats buzzing past with the silhouette of each angler hunched in front of his outboard motor, steering to some favorite spot. Occasionally, one would wave toward us and I saw her respond in turn, like a school girl waving at a passing train. The wake of each boat reached the boat dock a little after each passing and the rental boat I had tied up made that curious squeaking as it rubbed against the tire bumpers. "Gee I can see why anyone would hate to leave this blissful paradise, Michael," she turned and said. "But we must be on our way, if we are to accomplish what has been set out for us," she added solemnly. That determined look returned to her face. "Let me just get a few things situated in the cabin, Mirinda," I answered, heading through the front door. "I would not miss this trip for the whole world!" I yelled through the openness of screen door. "THAT'S GOOD MICHAEL," Mirinda thought to herself, "FOR THE WORLD IS IN NEED OF PROJECT BABEL AS IT REACHES A CRUCIAL FORK IN THE CAUSAL ROAD OF CHOICE AND FATE." she finished silently. These thoughts formed in my mind at the same time, as I moved through the cabin. I stopped dead in my tracks, not sure if I had heard Aeon or something else. I went back to the front door, grabbing necessary items on the way, and locked the door after leaving things secure. I turned on the porch and faced Mirinda, as she walked off the boat dock toward me. "What did you say about the causal road, Mirinda?" I asked, not knowing for sure if she was the source. This time it was her turn to show surprise and her eyes got bigger as she responded. "You heard my thoughts!" she exclaimed. "Niren said it may be possible for you to hear me like that. He also said that would indicate your neural pathways have also grown, perhaps as a result of the contact with them and Aeon at the place of Mists. Then it's true. I am not the only human sensitive to voice-in-mind," she smiled. "Since I learned to speak in human words I often speak them in my mind to myself just to keep proficient," she continued. "Aeon once told me that the ability is an 'ancient channel' we once took for granted a long, long time ago," I replied. "He said more and more of us will soon tune in to this once-used channel as we approach what he called the 'Christmas of the Universe,'" I added. "Aeon is someone who took me by surprise, Michael," she mused. "He just showed up one day as Aciana and I were having a routine conversation. She didn't think anything unusual about his drifting in, but I was taken aback. Evidently, He goes back a very long way with all sentient sealife and is accepted as you and I would accept a casual friend in our home," she finished. We started the trek back to the clearing and, as we walked, she again scanned every tree, bird and insect as if she were making a mental catalogue. The woods had that wonderful musty-autumn-leaf smell and I could hear her breathe it in gratefully. "Well join the club, Mirinda," I laughed. "Aeon surprises me like that everytime He makes his presence known. I wasn't sure if it was Him or you I heard in my mind just a while ago," I chuckled. "It will be nice to hear Him again, though. I must admit that my last contact with Him, Aciana, and Niren was quite an astral experience. To converse with them while I'm actually there in body will be totally new territory," I mused. We came to the clearing and Mirinda looked around us to see if anyone else was in the vicinity. She walked around the borders of the clearing and listened intently for any sign of noise other than the normal sounds of bird, insect or woods creatures. She looked back at me and there was a kind of sad look on her face as she took the Ocarina in her hand. At that instant, with the sunlight beaming through the trees on her hair, she looked small but radiant, sad but at peace with herself...I thought at that moment she was empathy incarnate...a true enigma of Nature that was sent to help save us all. "Come sit on the log next to me, Michael," she said finally, as she started weaving leaves into her hair like I had seen the night before. "We will soon have company." I walked to the log and sat down quietly, not wanting to disturb the sanctity of what was about to occur. She put the Ocarina to her lips and started playing a tune so beautiful that it brought a mist to my eyes. It carried through the woods on the autumn breeze and the air around us started to shimmer with a life of its own! I heard (and felt) bird wings very close by and saw deer coming into the clearing. I recognized the tune from the night before but it was so much clearer through the Ocarina. I watched as her nimble fingers moved over the holes to make the different notes come out. Funny, but the image of all those dolphin blow holes expelling air at the place of Mists came to my mind at that instant. Suddenly, as she blew the next few notes, a "rift" opened right in front of us and my senses went into overdrive as I tried to assimilate all that was happening at once! A golden light poured through the rift and again I detected that wonderful smell of lilacs from my boyhood days. Small flying creatures poured through the widening portal and they were "humming" the same tune Mirinda was still playing. I looked closely at one as it fluttered by and I caught my first glimpse of a genuine, bonafide fairy. My heart was pounding in my ears as I saw the fine details of each little face bathed in that golden glow. Then I saw that the fairies were guiding us toward the rift and both Mirinda and I stepped through the brightness, leaving the clearing of Wisconsin behind. When my eyes adjusted to the new light and much warmer temperature, I looked around me and my knees grew weak from what I saw, heard and smelled. Lilacs! I looked quickly over at Mirinda and caught the acknowledgment in her eyes and saw her nodding her head. "YES, MICHAEL, YOU REALLY ARE HERE, AT YOUR BOYHOOD HAUNT," I heard her thoughts say behind her radiant face. She had the look of someone who was watching me open a gift I had no idea was even anticipated. Her smile was beaming and I knew she was very satisfied with my reaction. "I DECIDED TO TAKE YOU BY WAY OF THE SCENIC ROUTE," she smiled again. There I was, standing next to the steam called "Battle Creek," named after all the summer days Clarence, Billy and myself had spent throwing large flat rocks into the water to splash the one standing on the other side. I saw the familiar lilac bush next to the fence row and then understood why I had smelled it coming through the portal. Mirinda had been here before. Why? "WHY BRING ME HERE, MIRINDA?" I questioned to myself, using voice-in-mind. "REMEMBER WHAT I SAID ABOUT LEAVING RESIDUAL TRACES AT PLACES WHERE YOU HAD FREQUENTED, MICHAEL," she answered back! "BATTLE CREEK IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES. WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET TO YOUR CLEARING IN WISCONSIN, TRACING YOUR MIND SIGNATURE FROM GRASSY KEY, THIS PLACE WAS FIRST IN SEQUENCE TO OPEN FROM THE PORTAL. IT HAS VERY STRONG RESIDUAL TRACES OF YOUR THOUGHTS, EVEN YEARS AFTER YOU WERE HERE AS A BOY," came her response, with crystal clarity. I looked around me and saw all was the same as it had been in 1963, my last summer at the orphanage. I could see a tractor-drawn flatbed wagon in the field between us and the large gray house on the hill, called simply "the Children’s' Home." I could see boys in the distance throwing hay up on the flatbed with their pitchforks, and it brought back such a flurry of old memories. So the past really did exist in the present and all that separated us was pure linear consciousness! Somehow the portal took us to that simultaneous reality that was in my linear past but still existed in the here and now. I was overwhelmed by seeing all this again and I suddenly became aware that Mirinda was watching me closely. "This is amazing, Mirinda!" I gasped out loud, "Nothing here has changed! I feel so odd and things somehow look a little smaller than I remember them. I'm actually standing here in my past! Talk about getting in touch with your inner child...literally!" I continued. It was then I heard it. The bell. The big brass bell that rang across the fields and told us all it was time to wash up for dinner. I could see one of the girls way up on the dining room porch ringing it over the banister. It could easily have been my sister but it was too far to tell. I saw the reaction of the boys at the hay wagon as they tossed the pitchforks up on the flatbed and started running through the fields toward the house. Hearing that bell again, my instinctive reaction was to run as well, so I would be washed up before the second bell, when everyone had to assemble in the main dining room. Then I remembered my younger self was doing just that. I looked around at the creek and off in the distance I saw some Black Angus cows grazing on the hillside. Oh the summer hills of Gallia were like green emeralds in the summer sun! I had forgotten how beautiful they were. The simplicity of this life was so appealing to me now. It was a beautiful reminder of where I had been. Now I considered where I was and looked back over toward Mirinda, who seemed to be enjoying the scenery as well. "We should get going now, Michael," she said softly. "Niren and Aeon will be returning to Grassy Key very soon." I walked over to the lilac bush and then looked back at her. "May I take a lilac bloom back to Wisconsin with me?", I questioned. "It seems the mere scent of one just brings this place back to me every time," I added. "Yes but I know a good place to keep it until we get back to Wisconsin, Michael," she smiled, walking over to the lilac bush next to me. Gently, she removed a small bloom and placed it in her hair near the leaves from the clearing. She spun around for me to examine her new adornment. "You look like you belong in one of George's ancient forests, Mirinda," I responded as I smiled in approval. "Funny you should mention that," she chuckled in return. "We will pass through one on the way down to Grassy Key." She took the Ocarina, put it to her lips and, while waiting to make sure all the local inhabitants were safely in the house off in the distance, she played her melody a little softer than before but still just as hauntingly. When the portal opened this time, the fairies remained just a little inside it, as if to beckon us forward. I could still hear them singing Mirinda's melody as we stepped through into Gaia's world. There was lush greenness and the smell of trees like I'd never sensed before. The cool dampness of this deep forest was my first impression and the sense of age was astounding! I looked up toward the tops of the towering trees and gasped at the sheer majestic height of each one. There was a strange electricity about this place...I felt like I'd walked into some ancient Sherwood forest. Who knows what time frame I was in now. The fairies were all about, bathing each of us in a golden glow, more noticeable in the shade of this huge forest. I looked at Mirinda who again was smiling at my reaction. In this background, with those leaves and the lilac in her hair, she reminded me of some mischievous wood sprite. For that matter, we both looked small compared to the size of each towering tree. They were so wide that I could not have gotten my outstretched arms even halfway around their circumference. I could hear water flowing in the distance, like waterfalls, and the air was so clean and fresh! The sun came sliding in on golden shafts of pure wonder and delight, like javelins thrown in the distance by some ethereal being! "MY GOD THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!" I finally was able to say using voice-in-mind. I somehow felt speaking out loud was just not right in such a place of beauty. "WHERE ARE WE NOW, MIRINDA?" I questioned. "WE ARE NOW FOLLOWING THE RESIDUAL TRACES LEFT BEHIND BY NIREN---WHEN HE WAS GEORGE," she answered. "THIS IS THE PLACE HE SAW WHEN GAIA PARTED THE CURTAIN, MICHAEL," she explained. "GEORGE WAS AN EXCELLENT WRITER BUT HE SOMEHOW DID NOT DO THIS JUSTICE," I thought, while still looking all about me at the ancient wonder. "NO WONDER HE THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS A DREAM," I continued. Mirinda walked between two of the larger trees and, while tracing an arc with her hand in the space between them, I saw another portal open. It was only then I noticed the fairies were still humming Mirinda's melody. "WE MUST GO NOW, MICHAEL," she sent with some urgency, "I THINK NIREN AND AEON HAVE RETURNED TO GRASSY KEY BY NOW." "YOU'RE THE GUIDE ON THIS AMAZING TREK," I responded. "AND TO THINK I FORGOT TO BRING SOME BREAD CRUMBS TO LEAVE A TRAIL," I laughed within. With that said, we stepped through into a land of seagulls and bright sunny beach. I saw someone way off in the distance in a speedboat, heading away from us. We appeared to be back in our own time. It looked like early evening and we were in a cove that had a small bungalow set back from the shoreline. I could see about fifty yards out there were dolphins breaching from the water. I even saw what I thought were Common dolphins mixed with the Bottlenosed! To see Common dolphins this close to shore was rare indeed. Since they were smaller, they were harder to make out but the yellow and black coloring was clearly evident. So the two life groups were already together. And this far in from the place of Mists meant something special...something different. "MIRINDA, I CAN SEE THEM ALREADY!" I thought in awe. She smiled quietly and started blowing what sounded like a dolphin identification whistle on the Ocarina. Immediately, I saw their activity shift and they started in toward us. "WELCOME NIREN," I heard her say with voice-in-mind. "I HAVE MICHAEL WITH ME," she continued, "AND NOW I AM READY TO COME HOME MYSELF." "I UNDERSTAND, ACIANA," came Niren's familiar resonant tone, "SHE IS READY ALSO," he concluded. Mirinda turned to me with a sad face and nodded her head to acknowledge my shocked look from that last interchange. "YES, MICHAEL, I AM ACIANA," she acknowledged. "MIRINDA AND I SWITCHED JUST BEFORE MY TRIP TO LOCATE YOU. WE FELT IT WAS FAR EASIER FOR ME TO TRACE YOU THAN HER, AND SHE WAS EXCITED TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO LEARN THE DOLPHIN WAY FROM WITHIN," she smiled. A lot of things made sense to me now. The way she reacted to the lake, the woods, and the food. Her reluctance to leave Wisconsin. The way she absorbed all she saw, felt and heard. And, of course, her comfort in open spaces and curious avoidance of the enclosed cabin. Imagine a dolphin mind walking around on dry land...what an experience it must have been for her! And what about the real Mirinda? She was out there, coming toward us, AS a dolphin! Wow! What an experience for her as well. "YOU ARE JUST FULL OF SURPRISES, ACIANA!" I smiled. "BUT I CANNOT IMAGINE A BETTER WAY FOR A MARINE BIOLOGIST TO LEARN MARINE LIFE THAN TO ACTUALLY BE A MEMBER FOR A WHILE. I AM HONORED TO BE HERE TO WITNESS THIS. THIS TAKES PROJECT BABEL A STEP FURTHER THAN I EVER IMAGINED. BUT SOMEHOW I DON'T THINK THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO THIS MEETING. AND I HOPE THE REAL MIRINDA CAN GET ME BACK ONCE SHE HAS RETURNED TO HER BODY?" I queried. "HAVE NO FEAR OF THAT, MICHAEL," she smiled. "WHEN SHE AND I PASS EACH OTHER DURING THE TRANSITION, WE SHARE OUR MEMORY WITH EACH OTHER. SHE WILL RETAIN ENOUGH OF MINE TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE AND FIND YOUR RESIDUAL MIND SIGNATURE IN WISCONSIN TO GET YOU BACK...ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WILL BE A RECENT MEMORY," she paused due to the close proximity of all the arriving dolphins. I stood there in awe as both Bottlenosed and Common dolphins swam quietly up near the shore. They had stopped all the playful activity I witnessed earlier. Now they were quiet as church mice in comparison with just a little muffled squeak or whistle here and there. I recalled my rendezvous with them in the place of Mists years earlier. All those beaks pointed toward me and Mirinda/Aciana. It was clear this was an extraordinary moment for them. I turned my attention to Mirinda/Aciana and she was standing quietly with her eyes shut, obviously in communication with Aciana/Mirinda. I saw Niren bobbing close by next to a Bottlenosed dolphin which I then recognized as Aciana/Mirinda. Mirinda/Aciana then turned to me with a sad (or was it fatigued?) look on her face and touched my face with her warm hands. She reached up and gently kissed me, smiling warmly. A mist of joy and sadness welled up in her expressive eyes. There was a resolute quality to her voice when she spoke out loud this time. "Thank you for sharing your special places with me, Michael," she said. "I shall long remember this day when I walked on dry land and felt the sensations of being human. Mankind has much to learn about his caretaking responsibilities in regard to his environment but perhaps we can help somehow. For now, however, please stand close to Mirinda as we switch back to our normal bodies. She may be a little shaky at first, but it will pass," she finished. "I will, Aciana," I said out loud. "Looks like I will get to meet Mirinda all over again," I smiled. She turned and faced Aciana/Mirinda again and closed her eyes. I saw Niren nodding with his beak as if to acknowledge that the transition was taking place. Could he see it? My attention was diverted from him back to Mirinda as I saw her start to move awkwardly and I thought she would fall over. I grabbed hold of her to keep her on her feet and just as suddenly she straightened up and turned to face me. "Well hello Michael," she said softly, with a much different look in her eyes. She inhaled softly as if to be thankful for human lungs again. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you AGAIN," she continued. This time I finally made the connection. Her voice was slightly different...her face a little softer and seemed to have a different range of expression. THIS was the face I had seen in my dreams. THIS was the voice I couldn't remember once I woke up! I was astounded to realize this just at this instant, when Mirinda spoke HER first words to me...and I could see her face so clearly at this close proximity. "And I am pleased to meet you again, Mirinda," I answered. "First I meet you in a distant dream and then through Aciana. You do get around, it seems," I chuckled. "," came a VERY familiar voice-in-mind. Aeon! He was out there with the dolphins and I had forgotten with all the excitement that He had returned with Niren. I looked to see if Mirinda had heard Him and she was just rediscovering the lilac and leaves in her hair when the voice-in-mind from Aeon brought her exploration to a halt. His thoughts were so strong that it actually tickled my inner ear it seemed. I had never gotten used to it. Nor had Mirinda it seemed, from the look on her face. "Aeon, my ancient friend!" I spoke with joy. "It's nice to hear from you again after so long. Yes please do enlighten me on the purpose of this new meeting and how it ties in with Project Babel. After the most extraordinary journey I had getting here, I'm sure this will be icing on the cake. But before you do, could I possibly inquire as to the purpose of your trip to Yucatan with Niren?" I asked. "," He smiled again, obviously pleased with the young man's progress. I remembered how Aeon's 'spiritual breeze' caught my attention one Ohio winter around Christmas time. "Thank you Aeon," Mirinda said. "I was also wondering about that trip. It also explains why Aciana waited until your return to bring Michael back. Since she was with him, she needed to have Niren here to have a strong mind signature for use as a focal point for their return," she continued. "THAT IS VERY ASTUTE OF YOU TO NOTICE THAT, MIRINDA," came Aciana's now familiar voice-in-mind. "BUT NOW TO THE MATTER AT HAND. YOU BOTH ARE HERE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN ASSIST US IN OUR CONTINUATION OF PROJECT BABEL. MIRINDA, YOUR ROLE WILL BE TO SPOON FEED DOLPHIN KNOWLEDGE TO THE PUBLIC UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER HERE AT GRASSY KEY. I KNOW YOU ARE BRISTLING WITH ALL YOU HAVE LEARNED RECENTLY, BUT TAKE CARE IN HOW QUICKLY YOU CONVEY IT TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, LEST IT LOSE CREDIBILITY WITHOUT SUFFICIENT TIME TO PROVE YOUR FINDINGS. YOU WILL EVENTUALLY EARN THEIR TRUST, BELIEF AND RESPECT AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOUR DISCLOSURE OF FIRST COMMUNICATION WITH THE CETACEAN RACE WILL BE A MILESTONE FOR PROJECT BABEL. YOU ARE THE 'ROSETTA STONE' OF HUMANITY, AND YOUR PRECOCIOUS ABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND OUR LANGUAGE HAVE PUT US WELL ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS WITH PROJECT BABEL...YOU WILL PROVIDE THE LINK TO DOLPHIN COMMUNICATION WITH MANKIND. YOUR MEASURED DISCLOSURE OF THINGS DELPHINESE WILL COME AT A TIME WHEN MICHAEL'S EFFORTS WILL BE STIRRING THE MINDS OF THOSE IN THE NON-SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, THE ONES WHO NEED TO BELIEVE THROUGH AN ESOTERIC, MORE ARTISTIC APPROACH. WITH BOTH YOUR EFFORTS, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT MANKIND WILL REALIZE, JUST IN TIME, THAT HE NEED NOT LOOK TO THE STARS TO FIND INTELLIGENT LIFE...BUT RIGHT UNDER HIS VERY NOSE," she summarized. "That sounds like an excellent strategy, Aciana," I answered. "But how will I be able to reach enough people to make a difference in consciousness? Mirinda can reach the scientific community through published research papers. As yet, I haven't published anything this significant," I added. "THERE ISN'T NEED FOR YOU TO FORMALLY PUBLISH, MICHAEL," Niren broke in, "YOU ALREADY HAVE THE MECHANISM TO REACH THOUSANDS OF SOULS WITHOUT THAT. JUST WRITE A STORY THAT WILL STIMULATE THEIR IMAGINATION AND PUT IT OUT THERE ON THE INTERNET. WHEN THEIR SPIRITS AWAKEN, THE STORY WILL FIRST ENTERTAIN AND THEN LATER, AFTER MIRINDA GIVES THE NOTION TRUE PLAUSIBILITY, IT WILL TAKE OFF LIKE A TIDAL WAVE. WHEN THAT HAPPENS YOU MAY NEED TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN REACH YOU ON THE NET," he finished. "Write a story, Niren?" I asked. "I do have journal entries that summarize my astral adventure at the place of Mists. And I wrote a story for my family members that basically recounts the experience. And, now that you mention it, that story has been well received on the internet by the few who have read it," I continued. "AND SO WILL THIS ONE, MICHAEL," Aciana responded instead. "JUST GIVE IT THE SAME GENTLE, CARING TOUCHES YOU GAVE YOUR OTHER EFFORTS AND THAT WILL SUFFICE. THEN ENOUGH PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE EXPOSURE NECESSARY TO AFFECT THE CAUSAL NATURE OF EVENTS AND POSSIBLY KEEP MANKIND FROM MAKING THE WRONG CHOICE, THEREBY LEADING TO THE FEMALES BECOMING STERILE AND YOUR RACE DYING OUT." she added in a very serious tone. "Yes...," I recalled, "you mentioned this causal issue in Wisconsin, Aciana. Just how can Mirinda and I have enough impact to bring about such an important chain of events?" I queried. "" He summarized. "These are possible future events in this time line, Aeon?" Mirinda asked. And you are able to see the different choice branches? This is truly amazing!" she added excitedly. "" He concluded. "And what happens if we are not successful in creating the attitudinal conditions necessary to provide for that crucial fork in the causal road?" I asked quietly. The waters grew more quiet around the dolphins after that question. "THEN IT WILL HAPPEN AS WE DESCRIBED TO YOU AT THE PLACE OF MISTS, MICHAEL," Niren stated sadly. "YOUR BIRTH RATE WILL FALL, CROSS-INCARNATION CASES WILL ELEVATE AND THIS PLANET WILL EVENTUALLY LOSE A VALUABLE EXPRESSION OF LIFE CALLED MANKIND," he finished. "AND WE, THE ONES OFTEN PERCEIVED AS MEEK COMPARED TO MAN, SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH," Aciana added sadly, "IN YOUR REALITY TIME LINE." "No pressure there, huh Michael?" Mirinda responded out loud. "All we can do is try," I answered. No wonder Aciana was so reverent about her visit to dry land. Where I had thought it was her reluctance to leave a new experience, it was instead her foreknowledge of such a beautiful place with no one left to enjoy it. Perhaps it was a little of both. "It appears we have our work cut out for us," Mirinda remarked. "We are grateful to have this chance to set things right before they go wrong," she added. "Indeed we are," I agreed. "So Project Babel is not just to establish communication but also to help us save ourselves as a result of this conveyed knowledge," I summarized. "THAT IS CORRECT," came Niren's confirmation. "WE WILL BE THERE TO WARN YOU AT THE PROPER TIME, ASSUMING THE ONES OF INFLUENCE ARE WILLING TO LISTEN," He added. "THAT IS WHY ATTITUDE WILL BE SO IMPORTANT," Aciana offered. "TO KNOW AND NOT DO IS NOT REALLY YET TO KNOW... A FAMOUS PHRASE OF MANKIND I'VE ALWAYS LOVED." "" "FAREWELL FOR NOW, MICHAEL," Aciana said. "I WILL BE IN TOUCH, MIRINDA." "AEON AND I ARE TAKING MY LIFE GROUP TO YUCATAN," Niren said. "WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO THERE. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, BOTH OF YOU," he ended, as I saw the Common dolphins stirring into action. "Have a good journey all of you," I said sadly, watching both life groups as they turned and swam out. Somehow, it reminded me of a flock of geese taking off, Niren and Aciana in front of each of their respective groups. Mirinda and I, out of instinct, held our hands in the air waving as they departed. The silhouettes of all those dolphins jumping against the backdrop of a setting sun is an image I will never forget. I could hear Mirinda sigh in silent agreement. "Well before I get you back, how about a cup of coffee, Michael?" Mirinda smiled. "I'd love one, Mirinda," I answered, as we turned and she gestured toward the bungalow. We walked quietly, each deep in thought from all that we had witnessed. It was not until I was sitting at her kitchen table and she was making coffee that I broke the silence. "Mirinda, do you remember all the things Aciana experienced while she was in Wisconsin in your body?" I asked. I saw the same curious eyebrow arch as she came to the table with the cream, sugar and cups. She sat tentatively. "Right down to the taste of the grits and bagels, Michael," she smiled. "Wow, talk about cloning memories!" I whistled afterward. "Aciana said you shared memories as you passed. Do each of you recall both sets of memories?" I queried. "Indeed we do," she answered quickly. "And that's what makes the experience so rewarding. Simultaneous memories from two different points of vantage." She got up to get the coffee pot. When she returned, she poured our coffee and then finally sat comfortably, cradling her cup between her hands. Her eyes were intent. It was slightly different than Aciana's gaze but the expression was one of pure wonder. "Michael, it was the most wonderful adventure anyone could ask for! I slid through the water like I was made of teflon...breathing, diving and jumping so high I felt I could fly! I was full of joy and freedom and I could think with such clarity!" she exclaimed. Her eyes grew distant then as her mind replayed these fresh memories. "Mirinda, you must tell me something," I said after a brief pause in deference to her. "Yes?" she responded, her eyes focusing again. "What was it LIKE to echolocate?" I asked. She toyed with her spoon, balancing it lightly across the edge of the sugar bowl. "Let me see...how would I begin to describe such an extraordinary skill? Oh...yes! Did you ever play with an etch-a-sketch?" she asked excitedly. "Yes," I answered, nodding. "Well, once I sent out my 'sonar' it came back from where I aimed it and rapidly drew a sketch in my mind with incredible detail! But an etch-a-sketch with depth... a bas-relief, if you will," she finished. "Wow. Now that's what I call reaching out with your mind," I sighed. "Well, I should get you back to Wisconsin," she said, putting the cups in the sink. "Yes, I suppose so," I agreed. "This has been the most extraordinary day of my life," I added. We walked to the beach and slowly Mirinda put the Ocarina to her lips, playing it just as beautifully as Aciana had...perhaps better. The ocean breeze carried it just as delicately as the autumn wind had done at Webb Lake. It was such a wondrous tune, full of joy and sadness all at once...like a lifetime lived in an instant. I was just wondering if Mirinda would share the translation of words when the portal opened and I could see the fairies guiding us directly to the clearing. We stepped through into the crisp, autumn Wisconsin night, grateful we were still dressed for it. I inhaled the woodsy, leaf-laden air like a parched sailor drinks water, enjoying every nuance. I had come full circle. I looked up at the stars and then back at Mirinda, who stood in front of the still-open portal. The fairies were still humming her melody as they darted about the clearing, revealing the approaching wildlife in their glow. Such beauty as this was perhaps beyond my ability to express. A wellspring of joy misted my eyes over, causing a wondrous corona to form around each fairy and around Mirinda standing in front of the portal's glow. Two of them hovered near Mirinda's head and then gently lifted the lilac from her hair and carried it over to me, laying it softly in my open hand. Somehow, they knew I wanted to bring it here from Battle Creek. I heard Mirinda say "goodbye" using voice-in- mind but the words she was singing echoed in my mind as she turned to go back through... "LOVE IS ALL AROUND YOU ITS MUSIC WILL SURROUND YOU NO NEED TO LOOK BEHIND YOU THERE ISN'T NEED TO HIDE. LOVE IS ALL AROUND YOU A TUNE THAT WILL RESOUND YOU IF YOU LISTEN SOFTLY, YOU'LL FIND IT INSIDE." "FAREWELL FOR NOW, MICHAEL..." The portal closed and the last words fell softly to the depths of my soul like the leaves around me in the subsiding wind. So that was the human translation of the Delphinese lyrics. Wow. I stood quietly for several minutes in awe, surrounded again by the quietude of the clearing as I had known it as a boy. What a truly magical day! It seemed much longer but I wouldn't have complained if it had lasted a lifetime. I walked back to the cabin, put the lilac in water, and sat quietly at the kitchen table, my mind whirring like a ceiling fan. There was no way I could think of sleeping now. "Just write a story," Niren had said. I walked to the bedroom, picked up my laptop and returned to the kitchen. In a few short moments, my fingers were poised over the keyboard to strike the first few words. What could I use? How should I start? Ah, yes...the dream. Start with the dream. And so I did. "There are times, in that gray twilight between awake and asleep, when you can almost touch upon a recurring dream that has perplexed you for years..." Michael E. Hoffman, 2/1997