Leaving Home: Chapter 4
Leaving Home: Chapter 4
As they flew threw the air, Chris and the pilot could not believe their eyes. Not only was the wind rushing about their faces, the eagleflints flew down below them and carried them each in two separate directions. Chris watched from the back of a large, brown eagleflint as the pilot flew off into the distance. Who knows where he would go. Who knows where Chris would go! Chris didn't even have to hold on to the eagleflint. The ride was so smooth all he had to do was lay there. He spread his arms wide and looked up at the blue, cold sky, only holding on to his trumpet bag.
The air was cold upon his face, but he was as relaxed as ever. Something about this eagleflint seemed to be telling him it was going to be okay. Slowly, he forgot where he had been going and for a moment he even believed that this was the way to the final mountain, just an unconventional path, that's all. With his arms spread out, he imagined what it must have been like to be Jesus, dying on the cross that cold day at Golgotha. Somehow in his own mind he felt connected to the pain, loneliness and transcending power of Jesus on the cross.
Carolin Dysa had always talked about Jesus. She was Farmer and Sharline's cousin, who watched Chris before the age of ten when he went and joined Everett at the horn shop. Under the teaching of Carlin, Chris had learned about the ways of Jesus, his mission, his call, his childhood and his ministry. Today it seemed to be all coming together. Chris doubted anyone at all would understand. Chris even felt shame for the ways the journey wasn't working out as planned. But deep inside he had faith to believe that this was purposeful and intentional.
Silence was becoming his ally when all of the sudden a croaking voice called to him,
"Chris, you okay buddy?" It was the eagleflint, believe it or not, talking to him from up there where his face was.
"Um, you talk?" Chris questioned the obvious reality. "Where in the world are we going? I thought you were my enemy! Are you for me or against me?" Chris engaged all of his inner questions about the ejection from the co-rider, and proceeded to ask where the other eagleflints were taking the pilot, where he was going and so forth. For once, all of his questions seemed to flow seamlessly.
"Why am I here? Am I going to be alright? Who are you? Who am I? What is an eagleflint anyways?" Chris continued with all of his questions. Was the eagleflint smiling as he asked his questions? Chris couldn't see, but the eagleflint wasn't immediately responding. Something told Chris that that was going to be okay as they silently soared into the distance. The weather turned hotter, not even just warm, but I mean hot. Chris began to sweat as they headed towards the sun, which seemed to be getting bigger and bigger on the horizon as they flew.
"Where are we going?" Chris asked again. This time the eagleflint responded.
"We're headed to the hospital. You need a serious checkup. You're in it for the long haul, buddy."
Chris was puzzled. The hospital? He thought. Why the hospital? I thought everything was fine. I thought I was going to jump into the final mountain regions and show them just what I'm made of. Then his thoughts turned into words aloud.
"But I can't go to the hospital. I've got to make it to the final mountain! My parents are there - and all my brothers and sisters. And Mercy! And I have to show them all that I've learned as a trumpet player. No, bird, I can't go the hospital now!" Chris said.
The eagleflint landed and Chris was surrounded by about 18 tall-looking, no, giant-looking figures who were poking him, wrapping him in cloth and worst of all, they took his trumpet bag. Maybe it was something they stuck him with but the heat had given way to again a deep, chilling cold that Chris felt inside and out.
"What are you doing! Where are you going with my trumpet bag! Who are you!" Chris asked, but to no avail. The eagleflint had already flown away and Chris looked into the distance to see where he had gone. First the pilot was gone. And Everett was already a memory. Now the bird had left. That was the last Chris remembered before he blacked out.
---
When Chris awoke, he was lying in a bed. It was morning time - he must have slept all night. A giant ogre was laying in a bed across the room from his own, snoring. Ew, God! What is that smell? Chris thought as he rolled out of bed to see where he was. A large cart was rolling across the hallway outside his room and it smelled like breakfast. This was unlike any hospital Chris had ever been to in his earlier years. "Breakfast time! Trays are up!" a rhinoceros-looking creature said as he walked on his hind feet, pushing the breakfast cart.
There must be some mistake, Chris thought to himself. He crawled back into bed and covered himself up, believing he could hide, fall asleep and make it all go away. Why am I in the hospital? What am I being treated for? He slept the whole day, missed breakfast and woke up at what appeared to be midday.
"Chris Dysa, is that you?" a beautiful looking horse-woman said as she looked up from her clipboard into the bedroom. "Chris, the physician will see you now." Chris looked up and followed the horse woman into the back office which was three doors down the hallway and to the left.
"Have a seat" said the physician as Chris walked in to have a seat.
"My name is Moon, and I'll be doing your check-in appointment." She said as Chris listened while looking around. "They told me you didn't eat breakfast. You must be hungry?"
"I'm fine," Chris said while still looking around.
"I've heard about you Dysas," said Moon with a smile, catching Chris' attention.
"Wait, you know who my family is?" asked Chris, puzzled.
"How couldn't I? I've seen Mercy, who told me all about your siblings: Peter, Sayville, Pedro, Binani and others. Her stories were fascinating." Moon explained. So that's where Mercy was off to years back! Chris thought. "Mercy came to this hospital too?" He asked.
"She sure did, Chris. This is no ordinary hospital. This here's a hospital that your father, Farmer Dysa, started just centuries before he left for the final mountain. Farmer knows everything, Chris, I'm not sure if you ever met him?" Moon asked. "Did you and Everett have enough grain to go around that summer?" she continued.
"Yes we had enough grain...but, why, no, I've never met my father. When he adopted me, he sent me straight to live with his cousin Carolin..." Chris started before Moon was interrupted with a phone call.
"Excuse me," Moon said, picking up the phone. Chris continued looking around the office, at the window which had a view of the endless mountains he had seen before when he was in the co-rider. Then he looked and saw quotes on the wall which he read. They were quotes that talked about medicine, inspiration and being a patient. One stood out to him most for obvious reasons. It was apparently written by his dad. It read:
"Sorry about that," Moon had hung up the phone and returned her attention to Chris. "That was central office. They're concerned about the timing of all this and there's deeper work to be done. We're moving you to intensive care immediately, Chris. Don't worry, it will all be fine," she said calmly.
"You're moving me to intensive care?" Chris countered. "What is even wrong with me? And why is my dad's quote on your wall?" But before he got an answer, some of the dozen and a half giants had entered the room and begun strapping him down to a stretcher.
"We're transporting you to another hospital," Moon said.
She looked down at Chris, who was visibly scared, "Don't worry, son. You'll be there soon. Whatever you do, don't forget. This was your dad's hospital. He started it. HE STARTED IT!" she called as Chris was carried out of the room.
Chris looked surprised as the eagleflint was back to pick him up. "Do I have to stay in this stretcher?" Chris asked the eagleflint. The eagleflint did not answer. He seemed hurried. Chris was transported far away on a three day journey. Little did he know that he had left his trumpet case in Moon's office.
Aboard the eagleflint, Chris lost his memory in the high altitude and slept for three days straight. The weather grew colder and the bonds and straps about him left scars in his arms. When he arrived at the second hospital, they hooked him up to a breathing machine and the eagleflint left again, without saying goodbye to Chris, who was lying there cold as ever.
The Dysa legacy
The air was cold upon his face, but he was as relaxed as ever. Something about this eagleflint seemed to be telling him it was going to be okay. Slowly, he forgot where he had been going and for a moment he even believed that this was the way to the final mountain, just an unconventional path, that's all. With his arms spread out, he imagined what it must have been like to be Jesus, dying on the cross that cold day at Golgotha. Somehow in his own mind he felt connected to the pain, loneliness and transcending power of Jesus on the cross.
Carolin Dysa had always talked about Jesus. She was Farmer and Sharline's cousin, who watched Chris before the age of ten when he went and joined Everett at the horn shop. Under the teaching of Carlin, Chris had learned about the ways of Jesus, his mission, his call, his childhood and his ministry. Today it seemed to be all coming together. Chris doubted anyone at all would understand. Chris even felt shame for the ways the journey wasn't working out as planned. But deep inside he had faith to believe that this was purposeful and intentional.
Silence was becoming his ally when all of the sudden a croaking voice called to him,
"Chris, you okay buddy?" It was the eagleflint, believe it or not, talking to him from up there where his face was.
"Um, you talk?" Chris questioned the obvious reality. "Where in the world are we going? I thought you were my enemy! Are you for me or against me?" Chris engaged all of his inner questions about the ejection from the co-rider, and proceeded to ask where the other eagleflints were taking the pilot, where he was going and so forth. For once, all of his questions seemed to flow seamlessly.
"Why am I here? Am I going to be alright? Who are you? Who am I? What is an eagleflint anyways?" Chris continued with all of his questions. Was the eagleflint smiling as he asked his questions? Chris couldn't see, but the eagleflint wasn't immediately responding. Something told Chris that that was going to be okay as they silently soared into the distance. The weather turned hotter, not even just warm, but I mean hot. Chris began to sweat as they headed towards the sun, which seemed to be getting bigger and bigger on the horizon as they flew.
"Where are we going?" Chris asked again. This time the eagleflint responded.
"We're headed to the hospital. You need a serious checkup. You're in it for the long haul, buddy."
Chris was puzzled. The hospital? He thought. Why the hospital? I thought everything was fine. I thought I was going to jump into the final mountain regions and show them just what I'm made of. Then his thoughts turned into words aloud.
"But I can't go to the hospital. I've got to make it to the final mountain! My parents are there - and all my brothers and sisters. And Mercy! And I have to show them all that I've learned as a trumpet player. No, bird, I can't go the hospital now!" Chris said.
The eagleflint landed and Chris was surrounded by about 18 tall-looking, no, giant-looking figures who were poking him, wrapping him in cloth and worst of all, they took his trumpet bag. Maybe it was something they stuck him with but the heat had given way to again a deep, chilling cold that Chris felt inside and out.
"What are you doing! Where are you going with my trumpet bag! Who are you!" Chris asked, but to no avail. The eagleflint had already flown away and Chris looked into the distance to see where he had gone. First the pilot was gone. And Everett was already a memory. Now the bird had left. That was the last Chris remembered before he blacked out.
---
When Chris awoke, he was lying in a bed. It was morning time - he must have slept all night. A giant ogre was laying in a bed across the room from his own, snoring. Ew, God! What is that smell? Chris thought as he rolled out of bed to see where he was. A large cart was rolling across the hallway outside his room and it smelled like breakfast. This was unlike any hospital Chris had ever been to in his earlier years. "Breakfast time! Trays are up!" a rhinoceros-looking creature said as he walked on his hind feet, pushing the breakfast cart.
There must be some mistake, Chris thought to himself. He crawled back into bed and covered himself up, believing he could hide, fall asleep and make it all go away. Why am I in the hospital? What am I being treated for? He slept the whole day, missed breakfast and woke up at what appeared to be midday.
"Chris Dysa, is that you?" a beautiful looking horse-woman said as she looked up from her clipboard into the bedroom. "Chris, the physician will see you now." Chris looked up and followed the horse woman into the back office which was three doors down the hallway and to the left.
"Have a seat" said the physician as Chris walked in to have a seat.
"My name is Moon, and I'll be doing your check-in appointment." She said as Chris listened while looking around. "They told me you didn't eat breakfast. You must be hungry?"
"I'm fine," Chris said while still looking around.
"I've heard about you Dysas," said Moon with a smile, catching Chris' attention.
"Wait, you know who my family is?" asked Chris, puzzled.
"How couldn't I? I've seen Mercy, who told me all about your siblings: Peter, Sayville, Pedro, Binani and others. Her stories were fascinating." Moon explained. So that's where Mercy was off to years back! Chris thought. "Mercy came to this hospital too?" He asked.
"She sure did, Chris. This is no ordinary hospital. This here's a hospital that your father, Farmer Dysa, started just centuries before he left for the final mountain. Farmer knows everything, Chris, I'm not sure if you ever met him?" Moon asked. "Did you and Everett have enough grain to go around that summer?" she continued.
"Yes we had enough grain...but, why, no, I've never met my father. When he adopted me, he sent me straight to live with his cousin Carolin..." Chris started before Moon was interrupted with a phone call.
"Excuse me," Moon said, picking up the phone. Chris continued looking around the office, at the window which had a view of the endless mountains he had seen before when he was in the co-rider. Then he looked and saw quotes on the wall which he read. They were quotes that talked about medicine, inspiration and being a patient. One stood out to him most for obvious reasons. It was apparently written by his dad. It read:
"Every Dysa is a millionaire within
She toils but already has her treasure
She works but already has her yield
A fighter, she has already conquered
In going back, we see what's ahead"
- Farmer Dysa, 1859
"You're moving me to intensive care?" Chris countered. "What is even wrong with me? And why is my dad's quote on your wall?" But before he got an answer, some of the dozen and a half giants had entered the room and begun strapping him down to a stretcher.
"We're transporting you to another hospital," Moon said.
She looked down at Chris, who was visibly scared, "Don't worry, son. You'll be there soon. Whatever you do, don't forget. This was your dad's hospital. He started it. HE STARTED IT!" she called as Chris was carried out of the room.
Chris looked surprised as the eagleflint was back to pick him up. "Do I have to stay in this stretcher?" Chris asked the eagleflint. The eagleflint did not answer. He seemed hurried. Chris was transported far away on a three day journey. Little did he know that he had left his trumpet case in Moon's office.
Aboard the eagleflint, Chris lost his memory in the high altitude and slept for three days straight. The weather grew colder and the bonds and straps about him left scars in his arms. When he arrived at the second hospital, they hooked him up to a breathing machine and the eagleflint left again, without saying goodbye to Chris, who was lying there cold as ever.
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