SILENT ALARM

In the Tower of Perspective alarms are going off within and great confusion is happening throughout the castle.

“Phones are ringing off the hook Your Ugliness,” Feelings says with excitement to King My Way’s headshot in the monitor. “Yes my lord there has been a great flash of light. It lit up the entire sky. Calls are coming in from everywhere. We are even receiving messages from other neighboring castles.”

“Perhaps it was an explosion.” King My Way assumes.

“No Your Cruelness, It could not have been”. Feelings reacts, “There was no sound and even if one was reported there would be fire. It was as if a great flash of daylight filled the sky for a moment and then there was nothing.”

“Could it have been lightning?” the king asks.

“No Your Wretchedness,” Feelings answers, “It lasted too long and it was not an electric light. It was like the light of the Revelation that awakened the entire castle.”

“Don’t be silly.” The king mocks. “The clouds of the storm are miles thick and the cover of Blindness is impenetrable. Revelation could never enter the castle without me detecting his presence.”

Discomfort calls from the corner, “AWARENESS! COME, I HAVE GOOD NEWS!”

Awareness and his companions walk rapidly towards Discomfort eager to see what he has discovered.

“I have found Patience.” Discomfort says with great enthusiasm, “He will be at the Coliseum watching the gladeators. We will meet him there. I will get tickets.” Discomfort hurries ahead as the four others lag behind.

“This should prove to be very knowledgeable,” says Enlightenment. “I have heard much about the gladeators of Castle Glade.”

“Yes” Illumination responds. “I understand this to be very exciting to watch. Their fame has been heralded across both kingdoms.”

As Awareness and his companions reach the ticket booth in front of the Coliseum they are awe struck as they behold the greatness of the arena. It is ten stories tall and circular.

It takes up five square street blocks. The architecture is breathtaking. They marvel how any structure could be built with the hands of the inhabitants.

“COME! COME!” Discomfort beckons them. “HURRY! IT’S STARTING.”

Awareness and his followers rush into the arena eager to see what awaits them.

Discomfort leads them to their seats. The arena is grand even in the dimness of the castle. Enlightenment and Illumination are tempted to turn up their light so they may enjoy the spectacle in its entire splendor. Still they resist their impulses and keep their light way down hoping no one will notice that they are not of the castle inhabitants.

The Announcer steps up to the microphone. “HEAR YE ALL YOU INHABITANTS OF CASTLE GLADE! THIS IS THE MOMENT FOR WHICH YOU HAVE ALL AWAITED. TODAY IS THE DAY YOUR EYES WILL BEHOLD THE WONDER OF GREATNESS. NO GLADEATOR HAS EVER MATCHED THE AWESOMENESS OF MAXIMUS MINIMUS.”

A roar goes up throughout the entire Coliseum. All the inhabitants leap to their feet cheering with all their strength. Awareness, Enlightenment and Illumination can hardly believe their eyes and ears. Insightful however is NOT impressed. As a matter of fact it is only he who sits while all others, including Awareness, Enlightenment and Illumination are on their feet.

The Announcer continues. “HE IS HERE TO DEFEND HIS POSITION THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH HIM AND EVERYTHING IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE.

Another cheer goes up as the stadium once again rises to their feet.

Again the Announcer continues “HE WILL ONCE AGAIN STRIVE TO MAXIMIZE THE SHORT COMINGS OF OTHERS AND MINIMIZE HIS OWN.”

Again the entire arena rises to their feet with waves of adoration.

The Announcer resumes. “HE WILL BRAG ABOUT HIS OWN ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND BELITTLE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OTHERS.”

The Coliseum goes wild.

The Announcer picks up where he left off. “HE IS BELIGERENT, OBNOXIOUS,

AGGRESSIVE AND INCAPABLE OF GETTING ALONG WITH ANYONE!”

The Coliseum is in pandemonium.

The Announcer climaxes, “O YE INHABITANTS OF CASTLE GLADE… MAXIMUS MINIMUS!!!!!”

The house comes down. Out into the center of the arena walks Maximus Minimus. He wears a Trash Can around his chest and back to cover his stony heart. He doesn’t need a helmet because he has a thick skull. A two edged sword flies out of his mouth to rip his opponents apart. His feet are planted in concrete to keep him immoveable. He has great mind control he calls ‘mind over matter’. He doesn’t mind and you don’t matter.

“Can you believe they are actually cheering for this character?” Enlightenment says.

“I don’t understand,” Illumination says with confusion.

“Sound like a lot of hype to me.” Awareness adds.

“The whole castle is so entirely repressed they admire the moron.” Insightful replies. “They want someone like this guy to be their champion. They have so much pent up resentment in them. This is how they release their hostilities.”

They listen to the roar of the crowd.

“If you wait long enough there is always something that causes change.” Says a quiet stranger calmly that has been sitting amongst them silently watching the spectacle. “Nothing ever stays the same. Sooner or later something always happens that changes the entire course of history.”

“This is Patience.” Discomfort introduces him to Awareness and his companions.

Patience has a peaceful look on his handsome face that makes him appear youthful even though it is aged by experience. His body is a bit worn from the longsuffering he has had to endure throughout his lifetime. And yet he carries himself rather well for all that he has been through. He sits with his hands resting on an ornate cane between his legs. His smile has a trace of all knowing or at least knowing enough to get him through the day.

“How do you do sir,” Awareness bows with respect. “My name is Awareness and these are my two servants Enlightenment and Illumination. We are citizens of the Land Of New Beginnings. And this is our new friend Insightful who is a citizen of your Castle Glade. And you of course know Discomfort.”

“Better than you will ever imagine.” Patience smiles at Discomfort. In the background occasional cheers can be heard throughout the arena. “How do you do. I am very pleased to meet you all.” Patience extends his hand to greet each of the group.

“Sir,” Awareness says respectfully. “We have become lost in this Maze of Confusion after we were attacked by King My Way’s Snipers, What If and If Only. As we attempted to escape we were then lead astray into this maze by Distraction who set up roadblocks and detoured us into this place. Once here we lost our way. The more we struggled to find our way out the more we became entangled in this web of confusion and the storm has disoriented us. Discomfort has informed us that you know all about confusion and we hoped perhaps that you would lead us out of this maze.”

“Discomfort has told you the truth.” Patience responses with dignified repose. “I know every house on every street. I greet every citizen on a first name basis.”

“After meeting you I can see why you are so widely accepted and so well esteemed.” Awareness compliments Patience.

“O I would not be so hasty to say that my newfound friend.” Patience rebukes Awareness gently. “I have not found my nature through favor but rather through great adversity. Longsuffering, Forbearance and Toleration have disciplined me well. They have been my teachers, my soul mates and my companions. Much as Enlightenment and Illumination, as well as your new friend Insightful are yours Awareness.”

“I believe I understand.” Awareness responses with a smile. For over the time that Awareness has spent with each of his companions he has grown to love them, even as he loves himself.

“Let us leave this place.” Patience says pushing himself up on his cane. The group takes their leave while cheers and shouts of adoration continue as Maximus Minimus performs for his admirers

Awareness and his company arrive at the home of Patience. The family of Patience greets them at the door.

“This is my wife Calm, and my children Still and Composed.” Patience introduces his family as they bow to Awareness and his company. “And this is my good friend and companion, Trust.” Patience extends his hand towards a character quietly sitting the shadows. “Please come in.”Patience beckons.

“I’ll fix some tea.” Calm says serenely as she walks off into the kitchen.

“Sit.” Patience invites his guests with a hand gesture towards his comfortable couches and chairs. As Awareness and the others sit Patience continues. “I know that you all are anxious to leave this place but I believe it will be to all our advantage for us to talk.”

Awareness and the others nod.

“In order to leave this place with a minimum of difficulty I would like to explain to you how this Maze operates.” Awareness and the others give their full attention as Patience continues. “The storm that you are experiencing outside is generated by the activity of all those that dwell within. In other words the storm within the Maze is a direct product of the storm that goes on within each of the inhabitants that live within this place”.

Awareness and the others listen with greater intensity.

Patience continues. “You can do nothing about the storm itself, however you have two choices”. Patience stops and looks at each of them. “You can dwell in the whirlwind or abide in the eye.”

Awareness interrupts. “Well I for one would rather find my way out of the storm and watch it go by.”

Patience smiles, “It doesn’t work that way Awareness. You have two choices, you can dwell in the whirlwind or abide in the eye”.

Once again Awareness interrupts. “Then I choose to abide in the eye.”

“Good”, Patience continues, “then here is how you abide in the eye. Think of the maze as a giant fish bowl that has been shaken. When it remains still the sand begins to settle and the water will clear well enough to see through but if you continue to agitate the fish bowl it will continue to blind you from what is outside. Therefore if you allow my son, Still, to teach you how to settle yourselves we will find our way with a minimum of difficulty. As our emotions become motionless an Aura of Clarity will surround us as we attempt to find our way out of the Maze of Confusion.

Calm walks into the living room carrying a tray of tea for each of her guests. “Enough talking shop. It is time to rest and refresh yourselves. You will all spend the night. I will prepare a place for you all to sleep. After you have rested you may again resume your conversation.” Calm serves each of her guests as Patience submits to the request of his dear wife.

In the morning Patience instructs his sons, Still and Composed to teach Awareness and his company how to evenly temper their emotions to allow the Aura of Clarity to develop around them. Once satisfied that Awareness and the others were able to comprehend and thus initiate it they were on their way.

“Quiet Trust will lead the way,” Patience explains to Awareness and his company. “I will be at your right hand, Calm will be at your left and Still and Composed will be your rear guard.” After saying that the troop is off. Awareness and his company are astounded as they witness the Aura of Clarity around them. It is truly an eye of the storm. Complete calm and stillness encompass them. No breezes, no sounds but beyond the Aura of Clarity the storm rages about them. However within the eye Awareness and his company walk unharmed with absolute clarity.

“This is truly a marvelous thing!” Awareness exclaims.

“Yes it is.” Patience replies. “It is too bad that all of the inhabitants do not understand this. Then confusion would not be able to exist within Castle Glade.”

“How is it that they do not understand?” Awareness asks.

“King My Way has blinded them from this revelation.” Patience explains. “As long as they do not see they can never understand.”

In the Tower of Perspective the hologram of King My Way stands before Feelings as he reveals his findings. “There is a great calm that has been detected within the Maze of Confusion, Your Wretchedness.”

“Undoubtedly the movement of our intruders.” the king replies.

“Yes sir that would be my impression.” Feelings answers.

“Well, what do you recommend that we do about it?” the king asks Feelings.

“We can predict where they will exit the Maze and have a company there to capture them,” Feelings suggests.

“No.” The kings answers thoughtfully. “I do not want them harmed nor do I want them captured. I want to win them over. Let’s see where they are headed and I will meet with them myself.”

“As you desire, O Deceitful One.” Feelings bows as the hologram disappears.

Awareness marvels as he stands at the gate that leads out of the Maze of Confusion. “You mean we are here already?”

“Yes.” Patience answers in a restful voice. “Once you are able to establish clarity it is not long before you will find your way out of confusion.”

“Thank you so much for all your help.” Awareness says to Patience. “I have one more request before you leave to return to your home. I have been sent on a mission to find the Wounded Child. It has been brought to my attention by Discomfort that you know the whereabouts of the Wounded Child who is being held hostage in the Tower of Perspective.”

“Yes I do.” Patience replies to Awareness. “The tower is just beyond the Power Plant. You will not be able to miss it. It is a tall tower. I wish you Godspeed and I wish you success in fulfilling your purpose.” Patience and his company return to the Maze of Confusion. Awareness and his companions watch them as they disappear in the sand storm.