Steam Goggles

Word count 2, 369

Steam Goggles

The dark coal sky is dark and uninviting as Darius arrived at the monastery. He walks through the wooden door and closes it shut behind him. The rain sounds like silver dollars dropping on the ground. Thinking about the celebration he is currently missing to make this stop on his journey, he walks toward the bed and quietly says, "Father Abbot. I have come as quickly as possible. I received your message. What is this urgency?"

Turning in the bed towards Darius the monk peeks through the blanket and replies in a weak raspy voice, "There is not much time left. Your family has descended for the world's best steam engineers. This will be revealed to you shortly. Reach under my pillow, there is a letter there for you. Things will be made much clearer..." The monk closed his eyes and slipped into his forever sleep.

Darius moved closer towards the monk and checking his breathing to make sure he is still alive. After reaching for his wrist and checking his pulse the dreaded moment is here and he says, "Rest in peace Father Abbot."

Reaching under the pillow as the Abbot requested, Darius found the letter and slipped it into his pocket. Walking across the room he opens the door and yells as he walks out, "We need the medic here. Father Abbot is in need of a medic. Hurry!"

A stampede of legs came down the hallway and enters the Abbot's room. Darius walks to a corner in the hallway and takes the letter out of his pocket for closer inspection. Reading out loud, Darius says, "Darius, if you are reading this then I am in a higher place. The final key has been activated with my death and I have chosen you to carry out the last step in the prophecy which has spanned a thousand years in the making. In the chapel at the back, Darius look for the black stone on the floor. Pry it up and you will find one of you family's famous inventions. The danger is great and you will need to do this alone. Your family have been guardians from the beginning and you have a history which will be revealed to in time. Go quickly before the savages get there before you do," With a smile and shaking his head, Darius says to himself, "Father Abbot has always had his secrets and now I know why. Off to the chapel I go."

Darius finds the black stone and gets down on his knees and pries it open. The beauty of the object took Darius's breathe away. Picking the object up and inspecting it he says, "The steam goggles. I have heard these existed except I have never seen one before. I was beginning to think it was part of a family legend or something."

Picking up the goggles Darius examines them and remarks, "These are exactly as my grandfather described then to me. The purple and green metallic materials used are of the best quality. This clear material used instead of glass which is much stronger is also a family signature item. These are remarkable. Now to look for our family signature which is put on every family invention. The red button must be...here it is."

Darius pushes the button and listens to the short jingle accompanied by the mini steam clouds in the pattern of a heart. This has been a family tradition from as long as he can remember. The precious part of this is the steam is pink representing love. Amazed at this newly found invention Darius puts on the goggles wondering what secrets will be revealed to him.

At first nothing happens and the screen remains black. A voice says, "Darius if you are wearing these goggles right now, then I have passed on. You have been prepared to bring forth the next task in our mission. The last key has been activated and it is time to bring love forth to the word. Mankind has made a mess of what we call life. The things we accept as normal are not normal. There will be a transition to a more loving and peaceful world to come forth. Your mission if you choose to accept is to find a girl named Jetta. She has carried the bloodline from the beginning of time. She knows she is different from everyone else. She does not know the truth about herself or what her destiny holds for her if she accepts it. This is what she looks like. Memorize this because this recording is programmed to delete itself for your protection and Jetta's. Darius you have the free will choice to accept this mission or reject it. If you reject it then all of our work over the centuries will be for nothing. If you do accept the mission then wondrous things will happen for you and the next seven generations to come. There will be updates programmed at specific times and when you hear the family signature then you know you have received a new update. Good luck and may the creator always be in your stead."

Darius couldn't believe what he just witnessed and he says softly to himself, "Finding this girl is going to be almost impossible. She is stunning with her fire red golden hair and sparkling jade eyes. This is amazing."

Darius takes off the goggles and examines them again. Thinking about this girl he just saw and wondering how he is going to find her. Not really sure what else to do he puts the goggles on to see if the there is anything else he may have missed. The message is not there anymore. There is nothing. Walking out of the chapel with the goggles on, he hears the familiar jingle. The video and audio come on automatically and he sees the new message.

"There has been a sighting of Jetta in the town called Mora. Go there and she will be in the town hall with the crowd in two days. There is a built in tracking device which you can use to get there. There is also a DNA scan you should do to make sure you have the right girl. If you look on the right side there is a green button which will do the scan for you. Once you find the girl you have further instructions. Good luck and may the creator always be in your stead."

Darius takes off the goggles and states to himself, "Excellent. I can get there to Mora in a day and a half and that is pushing it. So much for the yearly Spring feast, I am going to miss it this year."

Arriving in Mora without any incident Darius heads straight to the town hall in the middle of town. There are so many people everywhere. Looking around at all the faces dressed in the all the same colours everyone looked the same. Some commotion was coming from behind and Darius turns to see what is happening and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A fruit stand collapsed. A porky looking man is swimming in his produce and fruit. Horses are crashing through the mess and seem to be chasing a fire red head sprinting through the crowd. Darius mutters, "That's her." He springs into action and chases her. Ducking around the horses he bolts past the pursers on his bold black beast. Striding right beside the woman he scoops her up and places her in front of him and says, "I am here to give you a message. I mean you no harm."

Surprised at how fast she was picked up Jetta stammers, "If you harm my body in any way I will cut you."

Darius laughs and replies, "No need to fear. I have been sent to help you and looks like I came just in time."

The jingle can be heard while the pair rode the horse towards the forest on the outskirts of town. Darius stops the horse and checks to see they are no longer being pursued and takes out the goggles and puts them on. "Darius congratulations on finding Jetta. This is the hard part. You will need to journey to the far plains on the edge of the earth. There is a programmed map for you to follow. The two of you will participate in the cleansing ceremony. Be forewarned. The mortal enemy Bart may give you some trouble. You have met this man once; this is what he looks like. Memorize his face. More instructions will be given when you get there. May the creator always be in your stead."

Clumsily falling off the horse, Jetta looks at Darius and says, "What is going on here?"

"Jetta I can explain everything. It might be best if you put these goggles on. Things should be made clearer to you," Darius hands the goggles over to Jetta.

Jetta takes them and looks them over like this is some sort of experiment. She sighs and says, "I will humour you for now. This all seems so strange to me."

Jetta puts the goggles on. She was just about to remark that nothing is happening and the tune familiar to Darius starts singing. "Jetta. I want to assure you that the man you are with, Darius is who he says he is. This is a recording so we will not be able to talk with one another. I have known your family all my life and the one regret I have is not meeting you in person. You come from a family that has carried the healing energy needed to cleanse your world from the transition of evil to love. This only happens every two thousand years there is a chance for the transition. The choice will be up to you if you want to participate in the new cycle. Love is given freely. The new transition must be freely given and not forced in any way. You and Darius will now journey to the place for the transition ceremony. Take heed, may the creator always be in your stead."

Speechless at what Jetta just saw, she mutters, "I always knew there was something more going on in the place."

The journey was uneventful and took days of travel. As they approached the place a familiar tune started singing. Darius pulled the goggles out while he was still sitting on his horse and put them on. "Darius. You have made it to the spot for the cleansing ceremony. This is a picture of a cave. Look at it and memorize it. This is where you must go all the way to the back of this cave is a box. Get the box and open it. Inside will be a necklace made of bone and twine. Jetta will have the other half of the bone jewel. Put these two pieces together. I have been told this starts the transition. This is all the guidance I can give you. May the creator be in your stead."

Darius gets off his horse and puts his hand out toward Jetta to help her down off the horse. She slid of the horse gracefully and looked up at Darius and said, "What next? Is this the place?"

"Yes this is the place. There is a cave which I believe is over there in the distance," Darius points towards an area in front of them which looks like it could be a cave. "There is a box in the cave which holds a necklace made of bone and twine. You are supposed to have the other half and we are to put them together."

Jetta reaches down inside her shirt and pulls the necklace around her neck out so Darius can see it. The white bone carved in a half heart shape catches Darius' eye. "I have had this necklace my whole life. It has been handed down the generations from the first of my blood line. To be honest I did not believe that story. I have been wearing it because I like it."

Looking at the necklace, Darius says, "That is amazing. Let's get going."

Jetta and Darius get back on the horse. They ride towards where Darius believed the cave would be. The sight before them is a simple grey and black cave just waiting there for them. Leaving the horse outside the pair continue their journey into the unknown. Lighting a torch Darius looks around at his surroundings. He stops because of noises behind them. Darius turns to Jetta and says, "Keep going and find the box. Put the necklace together if I am not there. Now go!"

Jetta takes the torch and runs through the cave. Fortunately the path is straight to the back and there is a box sitting there. Picking the box up and looking inside she sees a black ebony bone necklace on twine. As she scoops it up the commotion at the beginning of the cave gets louder. "Jetta, do it now! They are coming for you!"

Jetta puts the necklace together. Light appeared everywhere and everyone was blinded by the brightness. The only ones able to withstand the beauty are Darius and Jetta. The familiar family signature jingle started playing. The music was not coming from the goggles; it was coming from the necklace. With curious faces they both looked at the necklace wondering what was going to happen next.

"Jetta and Darius you have accomplished the first cycle of love and peace. The original intent of this world has been tainted for far too long. Thank you for being the first humans to make the choice for the transition. This is just the first step. There is lots of work for you to keep this flowing. The world was in a desperate place to change or be destroyed. You have led the way for men and women to continue to have a physical life experience. I will always be with you."

As the light stared to fade a little bit Darius says, "I can see now where the family jingle comes from. Interesting."