THE CONTROL ROOM

They finally reach the Control Room door. Standing just outside the three discuss how they will enter. After much discussion, it is finally decided that they will simply walk in like they own the place and let Origin give them the words to speak at the moment they are needed. Enlightenment and Illumination look back down the stairwell and then back at each other as if they were saying to one another. ‘There is still time to go back down”. But Awareness looks at the door with great ambition and determination. He takes a deep breath, reaches for the handle and opens the door.

“Well, there you are!” Feeling says with a smile as he turns and notices Awareness and his companions. “We‘ve been expecting you. Come in, Come in”. Feeling beckons them.

The three walk cautiously toward Feeling.

“Don’t be timid.” Feeling tells them as he motions for them to come closer. “I won’t bite.”

The three reach arms length and stop. Feeling is so much taller than Awareness had expected him to be. He also seems so much more genuine than he imagined him. That is what scares Awareness the most, because he knows the damage that Feeling has caused to Castle Glade and how he has done it through manipulation and deceit. However the character that is before him is not the character that he had envisioned. He is actually likeable. He makes Awareness and his companions’ feel welcome and at home. This is truly NOT what he had expected. Awareness keeps he guard up.

“Let me show you around”. Feeling raps his arm around Awareness and walks him to the Point of View room where a lanky, tall character sits with a peculiar type of spotlight.

“Awareness.” Feeling says. “This is Wrong Focus. He is the Guardian of the Spotlight. He is in charge of making sure that Castle Glade behaves the way we desire him to. See that thing he is holding?” Feeling points to a device that Wrong Focus is holding on his shoulder. “That is the Spotlight. It is a powerful tool in the hands of an ally but a dangerous weapon in the hands of an enemy. Are you an ally or an enemy Awareness?”

Awareness remains silent but attentive.

“Never mind.” Feeling says as he removes his arm from around Awareness’s shoulder. “I will take you on a tour of this place. You probably are dying to know how this place operates and what it is used for. These rooms here are very similar to the ones on the lower levels that you may have learned about when you first arrived at the Tower of Perspective. The difference here, of course, is that in the rooms below you see what the View Ports want you to see. In these rooms we see what we want to see. We control all the ports from this location, hence the name CONTROL Room. The Spotlight that Wrong Focus is holding is able to penetrate the View Port and track who and what we want to track. It can telescope to great distances as well as microscope to equal depths. It can project into the past, present or future. It can penetrate into the depths of reality as well as explore the furthest regions of the imagination. It can see through walls, around corners and under carpets. There is nothing that can be hid from the spotlight once the Guardian of the Spotlight wishes to view it. He merely projects the Spotlight through the view port that I direct him to, turns towards the direction he desires to look and wills into view what he wishes to see.”

Awareness looks up at the ceiling.

“Above your head there is a dome.” Feeling perceives Awareness’s interest. “It was originally made of crystal clear glass so one could view life with clarity but King My Way had the glass dome removed and installed an opaque dome in its stead making life appear to be dull and hard to understand. The underside of the dome is mirrored so that those in the Control Tower are constantly focused inwardly and therefore blind to outside influences.”

Awareness could see that many of the rooms were occupied with several different families.

Feeling senses Awareness’s curiosity. “Those are the members of the Board of Administrators. I moved them up here so they could actively be involved in the control of Castle Glade. Each one of their family members take their turns in the chair while Wrong Focus records the scenes on a viewer that is played over and over to Memory.”

Memory sits there idly, at the INFORMATION booth, wearing headphones and viewing the most hideous scenes imaginable. Awareness looks at Memory who appears old and worn out. It is obvious that he has been abused and manipulated into submission.

While Feeling gives Awareness a tour of the Control Room they come to a door that reads Secretary of State of Mind on the frosted glass. Awareness notices that over the door there is a wooden plaque with the words WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW WON’T HURT YOU burned into it. Awareness shakes his head.

“This is the office of Ignorance.” Feeling tells Awareness. “Would you like to meet him?”

Awareness shrugs his shoulders. “Sure.” Enlightenment and Illumination stay in the corridor while Feeling and Awareness enter.

Sitting behind a large desk working by a single candlelight is a small boy.

“Hello Ignorance, I hope you don’t mind if we disturb you.” Feeling says.

“No, come right in.” Ignorance replies.

“I want to introduce you to someone”. Feeling addresses the Secretary. “Ignorance this is Awareness. He is come here all the way from the Land of New Beginnings, just to meet us. Haven’t you Awareness?”

“Yes that is correct”. Awareness answers. “How do you do Ignorance? It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard much about you.”

“It is nice meeting you too, Awareness”. Ignorance stands and reaches out his hand to Awareness. The two shake hands. “Sit down, please.” Ignorance gestures to the chair in front of his desk. Feeling sits in a chair near the door. Awareness sits. Then Ignorance sits using diplomatic edicate. “What brings you to Castle Glade, Awareness?”

“I have been sent here on a mission by Origin, King of the Land of New Beginnings”. Awareness tells Ignorance. Feeling listens intently. “My mission is to find the Wounded Child.”

“Wounded Child?” Ignorance asks.

“Yes.” Awareness reiterates. “The Wounded Child. I have been told that he is being held here.”

“Oh!” Ignorance exclaims. “You must mean Innocence. Yes he is here. He is in his office. What do you want from him?”

“Excuse me sir”. Awareness says sternly. “But that is between the Wounded Chi… I mean Innocence and myself.

“Well,” Ignorance insists. “You will have to tell me why you want to see him. All Innocence’s visitors come through me.”

“I am sorry sir”. Awareness stands his ground. “That is not going to happen. My business is with the Wounded Child and not his subordinates. I want to see him and I want to see him now. I am here by the Authority of Origin, Creator and Ruler of all things and nothing you can say or do will keep me from fulfilling my purpose.” Awareness stands. As he does so do Ignorance and Feeling. The authority that Awareness has suddenly displayed intimidates the two.

“Yes sir,” Ignorance shutters. “Right away.”