A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford

Chapter 42

Sonny Ray had spent the last hour talking to his wife Nikko, and his daughter little Raye. He assured them he would be home in the next day or two. But now; it was go time. Dwayne had called earlier from Nadia’s office to ask him to bring some items he had forgotten. After securing the front door, Sonny Ray walked out back to gather the remaining gear they would need for tonight. Sonny Ray looked upward into the evening sky as the stars shone brightly upon the San Fransico Peaks of Antelope Springs.

Sonny Ray scanned the other side of the ravine that was adjacent to Dwayne’s property. He saw an immense ponderosa pine jutting upward over all the other trees in the surrounding area.

Dark intermittent rocks bulged out of the westerly side of this mountain ravine, creating elongated shapes of shadow. Sonny Ray continued to search into the fading light, when he finally saw the transcendant black eagle.

The outline of this Watcher of souls was unmistakable.

It sat perched on a rock formation observing him quietly from veiled shadow.

The hair at the nape of his neck stood on end as

Sonny Ray, and the black eagle dream continued to perceive one another as

unsheltered souls.

The stately black eagle leapt from the massive boulder. It began circling over the prominent ponderosa pine, until it was directly above it. Where Sonny Ray stood, it appeared that this imposing black eagle was hovering, but with very little wing movement. How was this possible? The young man stood observing this whole scene play out with the wonder of a ten year old. Without forewarning a bolt of lightning struck the large ponderosa tree.

The thunder-stroke was deafening, and caused Sonny Ray to involuntarily turn away.
With ears ringing, he turned back toward the ravine. The orange and yellow flames at the top of the tree burned brightly, and could be seen for miles.

The black eagle continued to effortlessly turn its wings; hovering within inches above the flaming tree.
The under belly of this winged creature appeared to be afire; but as the Black Eagle Dream continued to remain suspended above the burning ponderosa; it became apparent that it was unaffected by the elements of the natural world.

Sonny Ray stood in stunned silence observing this spectacular display. The black eagle then ceased to flap it’s pinions, as it pulled it’s wings close to it’s body, diving downward, taking with it an intermittent trail of orange and blue vapor. The black eagle appeared to vanish, fading into the blackness of night. Sonny Ray looked up, then down. “What the hell just happened?” Sonny Ray could feel his heart pounding in his neck.
In the twilight, he lost sight of his winged companion. The night however was of no consequence to the black eagle dream.

It traveled above and around the ancient statuesque pines with swift precision. It began to fly alongside the main road, just above the tree line. Sonny Ray strained his eyes in an attempt to locate it; when he inexplicably began to only see a trail of orange and blue vapor just above the trees.

Every other form of light was unseen, blacked out if you will. He couldn’t comprehend if he had seen this orange and blue vapor trail with his eyes or had completely lost his mind.

He made his way down to the truck, and after loading the gear Sonny Ray began searching the night sky before he headed out. The black eagle had seemingly dematerialized into thin air. Sonny Ray had drove a few miles down the road when he decided he would test out his theory.

He pulled over to the shoulder of the two lane highway. He looked out his side mirrors, then he looked into the rear view mirror. He stared at himself for a few moments, his breathing labored now, and then he closed his eyes. For several moments he saw nothing. He continued to sit quietly with his eyes closed, as his breathing slowly began to stabilize. Then a slight glint of something. There. An orange and blue vapor, and then another.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his face buried between his clenched fists. His face was dampened in sweat. With his eyes closed still, he could now see the orange and blue vapor trail of the Black Eagle Dream in his mind. Sonny Ray slowly brought his head up from the steering wheel, and reluctantly opened his eyes. He looked around, finally sticking his head out of the drivers side window. A cool mountain breeze blew, offering him a moment of solace.

Sonny Ray began to understand that he was not having a mental breakdown, or was imagining anything. He felt a sense of relief, and perhaps a small measure of acceptance of the things he had heard and observed in this short spasm of time.

His breathing slowed, and gradually returned to normal. He now began to grasp some of the things Cyrus had related to him before his death. Sonny Ray was shaking with excitement. Sonny Ray had made the connection with the Black Eagle Dream. Cyrus had told him that this would happen. There was no going back to the life he had once led.

No, not ever.

There was a knock on the front door. Dwayne stood quickly. Nadia and Natalia followed him with their eyes. Dwayne looked through the mini blinds. “It’s FedEx,” Dwayne said, relieved. Both young women relaxed, as they continued to field and make several phone calls.

Dwayne signed for the packages. After thanking Monico, his usual delivery guy, he closed the door and bolted it. “Hey Dwayne, what did you buy now?” Natalia asked with a lilt of humor in her voice. Dwayne who was headed to the back door to put the two packages in the backseat of his vehicle; turned and said, “Oh this is some guy stuff you know,” Dwayne said, shrugging his shoulders. “Whatever Dwayne,” the two women said in unison. They all laughed.

After activating the car alarm he stood looking out into the starry black lit night. He was feeling exuberant, yet he had to stifle his emotions. Dwayne could not open his packages here, in the presence of his two friends. It would have to wait.

After all, what would they think if they discovered he had purchased a handgun, a weapon that would be used to shoot Sonny Ray with?

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