《Astral Projection》 01: Origin Point "Let us begin the discussion of my latest discovery. The origin point," astronomer Gustav Silber explained to his assistant, "is where the entire universe was formulated, and then subsequently created. It is the finite point in the universe which remains static despite the constant flow of time and space occurring around it. It neither attracts nor repels matter, and is exempt from all known laws of physics¡ªthis means it is likely what many people refer to as the supernatural or a divine entity. All that exists expands and contracts around this single point. Emil, I have succeeded in calculating the exact location of the origin point so I may observe it for myself. Soon, I shall present this discovery to the world, and mankind''s collective ideology will be forever changed by it!" Emil Weiss, Gustav''s assistant and prot¨¦g¨¦, promptly felt the urge to argue his mentor''s unorthodox claim. However, the reverence with which he held his mentor restrained him from reacting in any way that may be condescending. Emil cleared his throat first, then said, "I question the viability of your hypothesis, Herr Silber. Surely you must understand why I am skeptical. You must present evidence if you wish for me to verify your claims regarding this.¡± "Of course, of course. Your skepticism is only natural. I anticipate your eagerness to observe the origin point for yourself, but you must be patient. First, I must confess my intentions to you. I chose you to be my assistant because I believed that your passion for astronomy and your burning ambition could be fostered," Gustav said, placing his hand on Emil''s shoulder. "But, I also saw you as a humble and open-minded individual. You do not possess the arrogance that so many other young men have. That is why I trust you as my successor. That is why I must ask that you to take a leap of faith, and soon the evidence will be revealed to you.¡± "Faith, Herr Silber? Faith is not a word I am familiar with," Emil said in jest. ¡°Yes, faith, it is to believe in something you cannot see. I have yet to share the finer details of my theory¡ªbut surely you trust my expertise within the field of astronomy, do you not?" "Yes, Herr Silber. Unconditionally so. That is why I am here." "Then you must have faith in me." "It is not quite that simple," Emil said while scratching the back of his head. "You are a brilliant man, perhaps the greatest mind in Austria. I have seen much evidence of that. It is a privilege to be trusted by a scientist of your stature." "I am flattered by your words, Emil, and I do realize your doubts come from a place of pure logic. I implore that you keep an open mind, for I am on the cusp of a discovery which shall bring changes to the world which one could only dream of." "I shall support your undertaking in this matter," Emil said, parting his blonde-almost-white hair while biting his lip. "However, I will only concede that your findings are legitimate when I may see them with my own eyes. Then I shall accept your hypothesis as fact. It is the scientific way." Gustav murmured something incomprehensible, visibly dismayed by Emil¡¯s reluctancy to accept his hypothesis. He sauntered across the observatory to his desk, where he sat down and opened a drawer, and removed from it a small key made of copper. Emil watched Gustav from a distance, wondering if his mentor was perhaps disappointed in him for not possessing the capability of blindly putting faith into such a grand hypothesis.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Gustav pinched the key between his index finger and thumb and said to Emil, "You must not reveal this to anyone¡ªthis key, nor the information I have given you about the origin point. It is not because I am unconfident in my research¡ªit is only because I fear that my work will be spurned. That is why I feel my theory must remain absolutely classified. As for the key, I simply ask you to keep it with you and use it when you feel you must.¡± "I understand. I will speak of this to no one," Emil said. Gustav glanced over and made brief eye contact with Emil while slipping the copper key into his coat pocket. Emil wondered what the key would open, but decided it best to not ask this question for the time being. "I have never asked you this," Gustav said, "but I feel it is important now. Do you believe in God, Emil? Any one or more of them?¡± Emil smirked and shook his head at once. At first, he could say nothing in response to such a question. The professor had never once mentioned theology in any of his research. "Politically speaking, I am a secularist," Emil retorted. "That doesn''t answer my question. Do you believe in God?" "It''s possible there is such a being." "Yes or no, Emil?" Gustav was pressing for an answer to a question which made his young assistant more unconfortable than any other question that could be asked of him. For a moment, Emil flashed back to his Lutheran upbringing. He had renounced his faith in Christianity in his teenage years. It was not something he would openly admit in a casual conversation, but he felt compelled in this unusual moment to confess his true feelings to his mentor. "No," Emil finally replied. "I do not. Why must you ask this?" "If it is possible to prove the existence of a creator, or the nonexistence¡ª" Gustav stopped mid-sentence and massaged his temples, letting out a deep sigh of exhaustion. He stood from his seat and approached Emil, making eye contact once more, and the two men were silent. "It could unite all man under a single doctrine," Emil said, offering his opinion as a means to end the awkward silence. "To remove faith and superstition from the world would bring peace." "That is one possibility. The other," Gustav replied, "is humanity will be completely destroyed by it!" Gustav was staring directly into Emil''s eyes, not blinking, beads of sweat running down his cheek and forehead. Emil noticed the dark circles under Gustav''s eyes, his hair was unkempt and his beard had grown down far onto his neck. "You appear to be quite distressed, Herr Silber. When did you last sleep?" "Distressed only begins to describe what¡ª" Again, Gustav stopped mid-sentence. He then retreated back to his desk and slouched in his chair. The two astronomers worked every night, but Gustav seemed drained completely like never before as the sun''s first morning gleam emerged from over the horizon, thus ending Emil¡¯s work shift. "I must go home and rest. I hope you will soon do the same," Emil said, warily moving toward the front entrance of the observatory. "I will see you when the evening is late, professor.¡± Professor Silber made one last comment to Emil as the young apprentice began to shut the door behind him, "Do what you must. None of it matters at all if we are already dead." 02: Schlüssel Emil tossed and turned, sleepless with his mentor''s words still lingering in his mind. None of it matters if we are already dead. What could it possibly mean? The copper key was on Emil''s bedside table. Each time he rolled over and opened his eyes for even a second, it was there; not knowing its purpose prodded at his ego constantly. Perhaps it had no purpose at all, or if it did, it was insignificant and was moreso intended to taunt Emil as a completely unknown factor in his life. Professor Silbler had always been an eloquent genius, and a true paragon of scholarship. Emil aspired to be like him in every way. Now, in a single night, his entire view of the man had been flipped upside-down. He kept asking himself, why was the professor behaving in such a way? Why was he asking questions about faith, about God? The longer Emil was kept awake by his tormenting, persistant doubts, the less faith he seemed to have in Gustav Silber''s very sanity. Emil knew there was no longer any use in trying to sleep when the sun reached its midday peak¡ªit was time to take action. Emil''s first plan was to see if Gustav''s wife, Paula, or daughter, Camilla, knew anything about his condition. From appearances alone, it was possible the husband and father had not come home to eat or bathe in days. Emil wondered, could this be psychosis? Or was it dementia? The longer Emil thought about it¡ªrationally, in his mind¡ªthe more outrageous it seemed to him that Gustav knew anything about the universe''s origin point, or if such a thing could even possibly exist. Emil took the copper key and put it into a small envelope labeled "schl¨¹ssel". He put the envelope in his coat pocket and left his home to pay the Silber family a personal visit. The Silber residence was an impressive estate, a two-story house built with brick and covered by gray shingles. Behind it was a scenic forest where native creatures would occasionally manifest without fear. Gustav could have retired many years ago to live out the golden years of his life in this beautiful place. Emil never took the time to wonder the true reason why the elderly professor had not done so. He took a deep breath as he stood at the front door. The polished iron door knocker which hung in front of him was forged in the likeness of an angel. Emil stared at it for a moment and noted that he had not consciously observed this ornament on the home''s door before, though he had visited many times to attend the family''s holiday parties. Gustav''s wife of forty-two years, Paula Silber, answered the door by first cracking it open and peeking out. Her voice resonated through the crack, "Oh, young Emil. Good day." She stepped out from the foyer of her home onto the front porch to greet him. Emil took her hand, kissed it, and nodded to her. She cracked a smile, but he could see the same stress in her eyes which she likely saw in his. "Good day to you as well, Frau Silber. It is always a pleasure to see you. I was concerned I may have come at an inconvenient time. Is Herr Silber home?" Paula sighed and shook her head. She removed her glasses and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. After a brief silence, she put her glasses on and cleared her throat as she gravitated closer to Emil. "Emil, please tell me. Why is he not here? Surely you must know." "I was at the observatory yesterday, but I only had a chance to speak to him last night. He did not seem well. I am concerned."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Tell me, what did he say to you?" Emil hesitated. "He has been very busy. We discussed work." Paula was unsatisfied with the vague answer Emil had provided. The young man was staring at the ground, and she knew he was uncomfortable, but she would not relent. She leaned forward and stared at Emil''s face. He was avoiding eye contact, and instinctively Paula knew he was keeping a secret from her. "Emil, please. You must know how much I trust you. Can you please trust me?" Paula pleaded, "My husband has not been home since last weekend. Before he left, he did mention he would be spending a few days at the observatory to focus on work, but this is unlike him. It has been five days. Our daughter asks me why he has been away for so long, and there is nothing I can tell her. You know Camilla well, she considers you a friend. She would undoubtedly do whatever she could for you if you were in my position." He wanted to tell her more. He wanted to ask if a copper key was significant to her in any way. He could have said many things, and asked many more, but he could not. Gustav told him he must not. Somehow, Emil had to respect his mentor''s wishes while extracting as much information from Paula as possible. "I am sorry, Frau Silber. The professor is very caught up in his work. I know you are worried about your husband. I too believe he would probably feel better if he came home and got some rest. I will speak to him on your behalf." Paula clenched her teeth, unwilling to believe Emil could be so ignorant of the current situation. She could only hold back the tears in her crystal blue eyes as she nodded and gradually stepped back through the open doorway into her home''s foyer. Before bidding her farewell, Emil glanced up and finally made eye contact with the troubled housewife who said to him, "Gustav would be cross with me if I were to come to the observatory. It is not my place to reprimand him having a strong work ethic, but he has always been such a devoted husband. If there is anything wrong, I want to help." "I understand," Emil said. "I will make sure he is aware of this." "Thank you, Emil. Have a blessed day." "You as well, Frau Silber." As Paula shut the door behind her, Emil felt his stomach turn. Emil stepped forward and held his hand out to her. "Wait. Frau Silber!" She paused and gave Emil a surprised look which conveyed a reluctant hope. Emil reached into his coat pocket, and held out the envelope labeled "schl¨¹ssel". She took it from him and peered inside. "This?" she asked. "Does it mean anything to you, Frau Silber?" "This is the key to our first home. All the way in Berlin, that was, before Camilla was born. Before you were born, I''m sure." "Do you know why your husband might give me such a thing?" Paula removed the key from the envelope and studied it. "Certainly not. That place was demolished. There is some nostalgic value to this item¡ªbut beyond that, it is useless." She put the key back into the envelope and offered it to Emil. Emil shook his head. He was disappointed, but not surprised. "Keep it," he told her. "You''ll find some value in it, I''m sure. Nostalgic, yes?" Paula hugged Emil. It was sudden, without warning. He breathed a sigh of relief and placed his hand on her back, comforting her. "Thank you, young man. I hope your future is bright." Emil smiled and nodded to her. "Frau Silber, I shall ensure that the future is bright for all of us! Please tell Camilla I said hello. I know she must be busy with her chores, but I do plan to see her again soon." Paula nodded back and the two waved goodbye. When Paula closed the door behind her, Emil spent a moment lingering on the porch to reflect on the situation. Paula and Camilla Silber were always very kind to Emil when Gustav would invite him to their home. The family conflict that had arisen from this situation left Emil with a pressing decision to make. He was wondering if it were possible that he would have to forcefully remove the professor from their workplace to bring the crazy old man back home to his concerned family. Emil did not remember the last time he prayed before this. He bowed his head and clasped his hands, and he asked God what needed to be done. He didn''t expect an answer. Turning his back to the Silber house and stepping off the porch, a dark cloud obscured the sunlight and a powerful gust of wind rustled the trees behind Emil. Knowing now what he had to do, Emil began his travel back to the observatory with a newfound righteous ambition. 03: Childhood Friend "Herr Silber, I''ve come back to speak with you. Show yourself!" Papers were scattered all across the floor of the observatory. Broken instruments and shattered glass littered the floor as well. Emil''s heart sank at the sight of it¡ªthe Gustav Silber he knew and admired would never leave the workplace in such an atrocious state. Could someone have broken in? This could not have been the professor''s doing, Emil tried to convince himself. He began walking up the stairs to the second floor, still calling out for some kind of response, "Anyone? Hello?" A female''s voice came from above him. "Oh, God, my God." Emil immediately ran up the remaining steps, following the direction from where the brief sound had resonated. Camilla Silber was face down on the floor between an overturned wooden desk and a cracked window. When she opened her eyes and saw Emil, he knew it was her. She had the same crystal blue glow in those eyes as her mother. "Camilla, are you alright?" Emil ran to her side and kneeled by her. Her clothes were dirty, and there were some bruises on her appendages. Her wavy, light brown hair looked fairly clean, albeit messy. She tried pushing herself up, but fell backward and was caught by Emil. "Do I . . ." she said, a dazed look covering her demeanor, ". . . do I know you? Wait a minute, I know you, don''t I?" Emil nodded to her. "Yes. I''ve known you quite a while, young lady. Relax, you''re going to be fine." She reached out and put her hand on his forehead, then his nose, then between his lips. Emil took her wrist and moved her hand down onto her lap. Camilla waited a moment, then asked him, "So? Can you tell me your name?" "Emil. Emil Weiss," he said, while trying to mask his own distress. "Can you perhaps tell me your name?" "Hm, my name? Why, you just said it, didn''t you? It''s Milla . . . Camilla? . . . Camilla." Emil nodded. "And your last name?" She said nothing, but looked out the window. The clouds were parting once more, letting a portion of the setting daylight into the room.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Finally, she looked back at Emil and said, "I''ve known you since I was a child. You¡ªYou''re a friend. You are Emil, you are my friend." "How about we take a walk?" Emil suggested, taking her hand and helping her to her feet. "Where are we going? I''m afraid . . . I''m afraid I do not know where I am." "That''s okay. I''m taking you outside. You can get some fresh air and we can talk more." She stumbled at first, then got her bearings. With no sign of Gustav anywhere, the only thing Emil could do in such a perplexing scenario was to provide help to Camilla and maybe ask some further questions if she regained her memory. He lead her out onto the deck of the second floor. It was a quiet place that overlooked a vast, open field, and the sky above a perfectly positioned display for an astronomer''s nightly observations. "Silber. That''s my last name. I am Camilla Silber. I know I have been here before." "Good. That''s right," Emil said, standing closer to her as they both looked outward. The sun was half obscured by the horizon as the cicadas performed their final overture. The clouds, half orange and half purple, gathered around it like curtains closing on a stage. "Please don''t hate my father, Emil." Emil was almost at a loss for words. "Why¡ªerm, Camilla, where is this coming from? Can you tell me what''s going on?" "I came here to see him. I just wanted to see him. I swear, that''s all." "So?" Emil could feel his heart throbbing in anticipation. "He said he was leaving Austria. Not only that, but . . ." Camilla took a deep breath and pulled her hair back, ". . . he told me he wasn''t coming back, and that I should be married to you, Emil." Emil did not have a response to this. He gazed once more out at the sunset. Camilla continued, "I told him I would not do it, and that I only wished to be with him and my mother. Then, I can only remember seeing you. Now here we are." "Camilla, your father has done nothing to make me hate him," Emil said. "I just want the same thing you do. That is to return him to safety." "He has gone mad. I am afraid there is little which can be done." She sounded lost; as if she had already let go. "He said he will be at the origin point. I do not know what it means, but¡ª" "The origin point," Emil interjected. "Leaving Austria? The key! It could mean . . ." Camilla looked to Emil, confused. Thoughts were racing through his mind, seemingly creating a new hypothesis. "You know what this means?" she asked. "We must return to your house," Emil said. "Your mother said she once lived in Berlin with your father. That was before they came to Austria. Before they had you." "Why would my father return to Berlin?" Emil could not fully make sense of the idea, but his gut was telling him that the home Paula said was demolished might still exist. If he could get the key, it would be possible to know for sure. "Camilla, when we go back to your home, I will speak with your mother. Then, you must stay there." She shook her head and reprimanded Emil. "No, Emil, I am going with you. Wherever you may go." "But Camilla, your health! I suspect you may have had a seizure. The amnesia, the sudden loss of consciousness¡ªI cannot be looking after you." Camilla held her head in shame. "I understand. I just wanted to be there for you. You''re . . ." She began to sob. ". . .You''re the only friend I''ve ever had." Emil''s eyes widened. He grabbed her, hugged her tight, and reassured her. "Let''s do this together, then." 04: Full Picture The Austrian countryside road was kept lit just enough by the combined efforts of the stars and moon above it. Emil and Camilla had an entire hour to go before they would arrive at the Silber residence. Both kept their eyes on the road ahead of them, feeling somewhat tense and unsure what to say to one another. Finally, Emil broke the silence. "You will never see the full picture of a man. Not of any man." "My father told me that, too. It was something he said quite often, come to think of it," Camilla said. "He said you could know a man for your entire life, or for his entire life. You could love someone with all your heart, and they could reciprocate that," Emil said, glancing over to Camilla to see her reaction. "Yet you will never know him fully. Perhaps you won''t even know the half of his true self." Camilla''s reaction was somewhat lifeless. "I only know the things a child knows about their father, and then some more things, I suppose. Anecdotes telling of his work ethic, his character." "Well, that''s something. If you were to ask me what I knew of my father, I could say even less." "I''m sorry. I did not mean to infer that it is a child''s responsibility to establish such a relationship with their parents." Emil coughed. "You''re missing my point. My relationship with Herr Silber¡ªyour father, I mean¡ªit is probably the closest I''ve come to seeing a full picture of a man. In retrospect, I likely knew nothing of him. It causes me to wonder how much I even know myself." Camilla took a moment to ponder this. She played with her hair, wrapping a single lock around her right pointer finger and tugging on it. Emil had seen her do this before. It was a fine detail of the picture of her, a picture that was larger than he could comprehend. Emil thought he could hear a man shouting angrily in the distance. It was an older man''s voice, coming from the north, possibly from above. "Come! Stop! Leave. Hey! Here. Enough!" The voice was barely perceptible at all since it came from afar, but Emil could tell the tone of it was aggressive. Emil wondered if it was possible this could merely be a hallucination. He turned to Camilla and saw she was still playing with her hair, her eyes fixed down at her feet. "You will never see the full picture of a man," Camilla repeated these words to herself loud enough for Emil to hear, then said, "It must be true. My mother hadn''t seen this coming, either. I''m sure she''s having trouble deciding what must be done." The unknown voice from afar continued. "Hey! You. What!? Look!" It did not seem to come any closer, but rather, was staying at the same distance even as the pair continued walking down the path alone.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Your mother is worried about you as well, Camilla. By now, she could have reported her daughter as missing." As Emil said this, he considered asking Camilla if she was hearing the same voice he heard, but he decided he would not mention it unless she brought it up first. "She has not spoken to me in days. She has chosen to ignore me, and I don''t really care if she does." Emil was surprised by this. "Frau Silber always seemed to care about you more than anything. She was quite emotional when I spoke to her." Camilla scoffed at Emil, releasing the lock of hair from her finger and rolling her eyes. "You do not see the full picture of the lady that is Paula Silber." "Tell me, what do you see in your mother?" "All that she does, and has done as long as I have known her, is for appearances. Merely that. Her relationship with my father was for the sake of her having these things, things which are superficial." Emil pressed further. "Such as?" As he did so, the voice from afar became even more ceaseless. "Here! You! Look. Enough. Hey! Stop! You!" It continued on and on, almost to the point of breaking Emil''s concentration, but still he decided to ignore it. "My parents did, at one time, live in a prominent city called Berlin. That is where my father met my mother. She showed little interest in him at first. However, when his career flourished and he wished to move out here to the country, she was right by his side. Do you see what I mean?" "I do. It makes some sense, I suppose, but how do you know all this?" "My goodness, Emil, you are quite persistant," Camilla replied, irked by Emil''s pressing nature. "That will be a story for another time. For now, it is up to you whether you wish to believe me or not." "Fair enough. I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable." "There is no need for apologies," Camilla said with a sigh. "It is as I said before. You are my only friend. I confide in you more than anyone." The voice from afar stopped. Emil paused and looked around, and Camilla did the same. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Then, before Emil could respond, Camilla fell to the ground and began convulsing. Her eyes rolled back as she flailed uncontrollably. Emil kneeled beside her and called her name. She could not speak, she could not acknowledge Emil''s words at all. "This seems to be a full-blown seizure," Emil said to himself. "I will have to wait this out. Hopefully she will come out of it soon. I wonder, how long has poor Camilla been suffering from these symptoms." Gustav Silber''s voice emerged from behind Emil. "You have not seen the full picture of her yet. Perhaps you will now know what I mean." Emil turned around, and there Gustav Silber was. The professor was in a seemingly two-dimensional form of pale blue light. From head to toe, he was glowing like the moon itself. Even his labcoat, his slacks, and his spectacles were of the strange blue-silverish color. "Hello, Emil. What you see before you is my hologram." Emil''s eyes widened. "H-Hologram? What on Earth¡ª" "Do not fear this apparition. It cannot harm you. I have projected myself here from the origin point to give you a message. How you choose to react to it will shape your own future, as well as the future of the world." Camilla''s convulsions stopped. Her eyelids were now closed, but Emil could tell she was still breathing by the rise and fall of her abdomen. He looked back to the hologram and nodded, trying his best to maintain his composure. "Very well, Herr Silber. What is it you wish to tell me?" 05: Hologram "I have come to give you a warning," Gustav''s hologram said to Emil. "The Austro-Hungarian Empire will collapse following a great war. This is inevitable." Emil looked at Camilla. She was still passed out. He looked back at Gustav''s hologram, and took a deep breath. He tried to fathom what he was seeing and what he was hearing. He wanted to make sense of it with common logic, but he could not. He could only accept it for what it was. Emil felt sick with anxiety. "Am I hallucinating? The voices . . . now this, how can any of it be real?" "That voice you heard earlier was merely a test. I was communicating to you audibly through the origin point, as I am now in a more complete manifestation¡ªone only you can see and hear. The voice you heard was not heard by Camilla, and this apparition before you cannot be seen by her either. Even if I wanted my daughter to see me like this, there appear to be some symptoms which are triggered by the presence of my hologram. Too bad." "Hm, yes," Emil said, feeling overwhelmingly nauseous. "So, this origin point you discovered allows you to project your voice and your image? And you can predict the future? Is that correct?" The hologram flickered like a bolt of lightning and said, "Yes. You were skeptical at first, but now you must put that skepticism aside and act." "Herr Silber, I don''t know how I may proceed. I feel unwell. Physically, mentally, emotionally." Emil sat beside Camilla. Her head turned, and Emil heard a faint groan. Emil sighed; seeing her in this condition was only increasing the stress. He also remembered how she told him about Gustav''s suggestion for her to be married to Emil. Was that also true? It almost seemed insignificant with everything else that was said. "At this time, you must continue the path you are on and be aware of your surroundings. I entrust my family to you. When you see Paula, tell her I miss her deeply. And Camilla . . ." The hologram flickered once again. Gustav looked to his daughter and then to Emil.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ". . . There are some things I cannot see nor control, but I will tell you this one last thing before we must part: I truly believe you are the man for her, Herr Weiss." It was the first time Gustav had addressed Emil in such an honorable way. Emil could feel a chill down his spine, and his nausea subsided. Before Emil could speak another word, Gustav''s hologram vanished as fast as he could blink. .?. Camilla was groggy, sore, and scraped up, but the morning light felt rejuvenating as it warmed her skin. She was lying on a pile of leaves at the base of a mountain surrounded by trees. She tried to remember where she was, but her mind was too foggy. She heard footsteps coming toward her. She wanted to stand up, but her legs were still too stiff. "Good morning," Emil said while keeping his distance. He did not want to startle her. Camilla was able to recognize Emil this time right away. She smiled at him, but said nothing. For some reason, she felt guilty. She wanted to apologize, even though she had no control over what happened. Emil came closer to her and sat down. "I thought it would be better to let you sleep for a while. I heard seizures really tire people out. I''ve never had one myself, but . . ." She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. He smiled and put his hand on her leg. He knew of no words which could make her feel better at a time like this, but to offer the simple gesture of touch was enough to console her. "You saw him last night, didn''t you?" Camilla asked after a long, quiet moment. "My father. He appeared and I had that seizure. Is that correct?" Emil was stunned, not knowing how she could possibly know this, but decided to be honest with her. "Yes. Your father was here. He spoke to me, we talked for a while, and he left." "That''s all, huh?" Camilla''s voice was still subdued by exhaustion. He wanted to tell her the full truth. He wanted to explain everything, including the part where Gustav said the Austro-Hungarian Empire would crumble following a terrible war¡ªbut he couldn''t do it. He was scared. More than he ever was in his life, he was afraid, and under Camilla''s head which rested on him he could feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. 06: Learn to Love "Emil, please. It''s fine. I can walk the rest of the way." Emil had walked Camilla back to the Silber residence, carrying her in his arms for over two kilometers. It was not difficult for Emil, but Camilla found it awkward. She had felt dependent on him for too long. The soreness and lack of energy she felt since her last seizure was crippling, but she did not feel the need to be carried around like a child. "Last time you tried to walk you kept tripping and scraping yourself up. We''re almost there, Camilla." She flailed aggressively, causing Emil to lose his grasp. When she fell beneath him, she quickly rolled onto her side and pushed herself up. As she was trying to stand up, Emil tried to take her arm and help her¡ªshe rejected this by pulling away, and with sheer willpower she rose to her feet. Without another word, the two walked straight to the front door of the Silber residence. Camilla put her hand on the door handle and stopped to breathe. She looked at Emil, who nodded to her. Camilla opened the door, slowly, but with a sense of tentative fortitude. "Mother, I''m home. Emil is here." The bedroom door adjacent to the foyer opened, and Paula Silber came to greet her daughter and Emil. "Camilla, I''m so happy to see you. I was worried." Her words seemed fabricated. Emil noted her demeanor was just as frazzled as when he saw her last, but he at least expected her to greet her daughter with a hug. She hadn''t even smiled. Camilla was avoiding eye contact. "There''s something we need. A key," she said, nervously playing with her hair. "After we get it, Emil and I will be going to Berlin." Paula sighed. She looked out a window¡ªthinking, considering, perhaps arguing with Camilla in her mind¡ªthen she waved at them to follow her into the living room. "That old place in Berlin, hm?" Paula spoke aloud the thoughts which previously crossed her mind, "Probably abandoned now. Unless Gustav went there himself. It''s possible. That is why you two are going there, I assume." "I feel like I''ve been in this house all my life," Camilla said, in a tone which drifted off. Paula, standing in front of a bookshelf, looked to her daughter and nodded. She took a scrapbook off the top shelf and opened it. After flipping through some pages with her thumb, she reached a page with the copper key taped to it. "I felt the same way as you, Camilla." Paula did not talk to Camilla, but instead, kept her head down as if talking to her scrapbook. "It was different, but the same. I had been in Berlin my entire life before I came here. I thought it would be peaceful here. Things could be managed the way I want¡ªthat''s what I thought." Camilla covered her eyes. "I do know how you felt, Mother. I want to live somewhere peaceful. I don''t know if I will find that place where I belong, but I want to search for it." Emil wanted to know how to relate to Camilla. He now realized the entire time he watched her grow up into a young woman, she was not happy. She seemed happy, she put up a front; it was clear now, she was never happy. She was always wishing she could leave everything behind and start a new life somewhere completely different.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. She continued, "I don''t know if I am deathly sick. I could die very soon, but even if that''s the case and I am to die, I need to try to make this life seem meaningful." "Frau Silber, did you . . ." Emil choked trying to ask Paula if she knew about Camilla''s seizures. However, Paula seemed to know what Emil was going to say. "Yes, Camilla is in quite a severe condition. Even as bad as I seem right now, I can see it is worse for her. She''s all scraped up, just like she used to be when she had those¡ªugh, those moments." Paula was speaking of this as if she was disgusted by it rather than sympathetic toward her own daughter. Camilla got down on her knees, still hiding her eyes with her left hand, her right hand on her chest. Emil felt horrible for her, but he could not think of a single thing to say. He asked himself, what would Gustav Silber say if he were here? The words came to Emil without another thought. "Your husband told me to tell you . . . he misses you. He insisted I tell you, Frau Silber." Paula looked to Emil, and for the first time since he and Camilla returned, she let surface a faint smile. She looked like she wanted to laugh, but was simply too tired to do it. "I''m sorry," Paula said, removing the copper key from the scrapbook and closing it. "Gustav''s behavior is quite absurd. He was always that way. I should have known what I was getting myself into with that man." Paula kneeled beside Camilla and put her arm around her daughter and laid the scrapbook on the floor. Camilla responded by finally looking her mother in the eyes, and they both smiled wide. They laughed. "I guess it''s the fact that you wanted to leave Berlin. It must have seemed like a crazy idea, running off with him and doing all this, not even being married!" Camilla said this not as an insult, but seemingly as a joke. Emil wanted to laugh with them, but he was shocked by the fact that Gustav never actually married Paula and Camilla was born out of wedlock. He indeed did not have anything close to a full picture of Gustav nor his family. Paula could see the expression of astonishment on Emil''s face, but she focused on Camilla and said to her, "Oh, dear, your father was always a handsome one, but . . . he was always asking so many questions. It made my head spin! Why couldn''t he just talk about normal things? Everything was always a complicated question leading to another question! He even responded to my questions with questions. My goodness!" Even Emil couldn''t help but snicker at that. It was the most relatable thing Paula had ever said since he had known her. In many ways Gustav was an enigma, Emil thought, but there were some things about the astronomer and father which were apparent to everyone. Questions were Gustav''s way of becoming familiar with people, but these people would never be entirely familiar with him. "You know what your father said to me that finally convinced me to leave Berlin? And to be with him?" Paula paused briefly before she continued, "He said I would learn to love him. Ha! I thought it was the most absurd thing I ever heard in my life, but it turned out he was right. I learned to love him. What do you think of that, Emil?" Emil admitted to her, "It does sound absurd." Paula sighed and ran her fingers through Camilla''s hair. Camilla seemed to be looking at her mother as if her whole childhood made sense now. It was not a look of dismay, but rather one of awe. "Mother . . . you learned to love me too, didn''t you?" Paula hugged her. "Yes, dear. Please don''t ever doubt that." The mother and daughter stood, and Paula gave the copper key to Emil. He put it in his pocket, breathing a sigh of relief. "Though I may have said it sounds absurd, I do believe anything is possible," Emil said with a grin. Emil''s words wiped the smile right from Paula''s face. It was as if she was deeply offended by what he said. Her shoulder muscles tightened and she clenched her teeth, but then released the tension with a sigh. "Why don''t the two of you stay here for the night? Camilla can sleep for twelve hours, sometimes more in the days after her attacks." Camilla nodded to Emil, and he nodded back. Camilla needed to stay and get some rest. Emil, on the other hand, would need to speak further with Paula Silber. There was a question he needed an answer to. It was a question which he could not let go unanswered. It was simply a matter of how he would be able to ask it. He wondered, how could he ask Frau Silber what triggered Camilla''s seizures? Such a serious matter cannot be addressed with inconsiderate means of interrogation. After being told by Gustav himself that holograms were what caused Camilla''s seizures how could it possibly be that Camilla was having them before Gustav reached the origin point and created his hologram to trigger the seizures to begin with? Emil decided he would sleep on it. 07: Gods Image Emil knew he was in a dream. All of his thoughts were words being spoken to him in his own voice. He was fully self-aware, but not in control enough for the dream to be considered lucid. He was standing at the foot of a grassy hill at twillight. He wondered, what does this mean? He never had a dream like this before. As he started moving up the hill, he realized he was floating, not walking. He could not see his own body; it was his spirit which was moving without a vessel. Before he reached the top of the hill, there was a flash of light which blinded him for just a fraction of a second. Then, before him was a crucified man wearing a crown of thorns. His face was covered in blood, making his features indistinguishable. "Why am I here?" Emil asked. The crucified man''s face began to twist and distort until it became clear who the man was¡ªGustav Silber. Gustav said, "I died for you, Emil. Would you die for me?" Emil was both horrified and offended. "Who do you think you are?" "Don''t you know who I am?" "You always answer questions with questions, Gustav. I''ve had enough of it." Gustav''s face morphed back into a bloody disfigured mask. Everything was quiet, completely still; there was not even a slight breeze to make the world around him feel terrestrial. This made the sight of crucifixion even more disturbing to Emil. He wanted to shout, thinking he could wake himself up this way, but he was mute. Emil''s father''s voice spoke to him, "I just wanted the best for you, my son." Emil could tell it was his father''s voice. He had not heard it in many years, but it was a distinct masculine voice which played in Emil''s mind every day since he was a young boy. However, when Emil turned around to face the man who called him son, he saw it was not his father. "I''ve seen you somewhere before," Emil said, finding his ability to speak once again. The man was husky, dressed in black, wavy brown hair¡ªEmil was certain he had seen a man who looked just like this, but could not recall where. "You wish to be a man of science, Emil? Why not be a man of God?" "Who is God?" Emil asked. "You have the answer already. You learned it from me, young man." Emil realized who this man was. It was Martin Luther, the German theologist who defied the Catholic church. He was the man who founded the first protestant denomination. He was the man who Emil once looked up to for his tenacity, long before Gustav Silber was even an acquaintence of his. "Why did you call me your son?" Martin Luther frowned. "In another life, I would have been proud to call you my son." "I don''t see how that affects me where I am now."Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "You chose this. It is your weltanschauung." "My father used to tell me something like that . . . the way we see the world is a reflection of our own weltanschauung. But Herr Silber told me it is impossible, and to be an astronomer I must seek out the objective truths of the universe." Luther nodded. "This Silber you speak of is not God, I can assure you. He is a fraud." "But what of his abilities, these powers of his? He is the closest thing to a god I have seen with my own eyes," Emil contested. "That is what I cannot refute." Luther''s demeanor suddenly became darker as if a shadow was cast over him. "His powers are of the devil, Emil. Do not believe his lies. Gustav Silber is a Jew. He lies to you, as all Jews do. I was betrayed by them, Jesus was betrayed by them, and you will be victimized as well if you trust them." "The Silbers are like family to me. I will not hold any prejudice against them for such things." "You will learn the hard way." This was the last thing Martin Luther said to Emil before vanishing instantaneously. Emil turned around and looked closely at the crucified body. Throughout Emil''s childhood, the story of Christ''s crucifixion was told to him. The Jews did this, he was told, but it was God''s plan for it to happen anyway. Despite Martin Luther''s own anti-semitism which was apparent in his written works, Emil''s upbringing in the Lutheran church never demonstrated any resentment toward Jews. The bloody face of the crucified man morphed into Gustav Silber again. "We were all created in His image, Emil Weiss. Jews and Christians believe this, yes? It is common ground between them." "Doesn''t make it true," Emil debated. "Camilla and Paula see you as their pillar of strength. Will you choose to love them, Emil? Or will they be scorned?" Gustav said, speaking with no emotion. "Can you love a Jewish family? Your perseverance will be put to test. Will you be a man of moral conviction and diligence, or will the pressure be too great for you to remain a solid foundation?" "You keep asking me questions! I don''t know the answers to any of them. I don''t even know what I am doing. I . . . I don''t even know if I have the will to keep living in a world like this." "Do not fear, Emil. I have faith in you." Emil, astronished, could say nothing more. There was a flash of light which surrounded him and sucked him in, and he could feel himself falling freely for what felt like eternity. He woke up in a cold sweat, his heart beating relentlessly like a hammer against iron. He was back in the guest bedroom of the Silber residence, the sound of crickets chirping outside and a somber darkness which his sight slowly adjusted to. .?. The second dream of that night was one Emil had before, many times¡ªa reccuring dream which mirrored a real life event. He would always remember the dream in its entirety when he woke up, but while he was in it he was never aware he was dreaming. No matter how many times he had it before, it always was a brand new experience in the moment. "You''re a smart young man, Emil," his mother said to him. It was the same dialogue every time. "Your family is very proud of you. We want you to succeed and we will support your decision. Do not worry about us." She was sitting in a wooden chair in the kitchen of the Weiss residence in Berlin. The chair was by a window which provided a view of a perfectly clear blue sky. Suffering from paraplegia since Emil''s infancy, Emil''s mother spent every day of her life in this one particular spot. Emil''s uncle on his mother''s side, Walter Ziegler, stood beside her in the dream, and would say, "Hilda, your optimism is truly inspiring to all of us. Emil, please remember we will always be here for you. No matter how far away you may be, we will be right here thinking of you and wishing you well." Every time, after Uncle Walter would say that, Emil woke from the dream feeling heavy-hearted, homesick, and regretful. This time, Emil felt exhilarated knowing he soon would be returning to Berlin. Regardless of what adversity he would have to face there, he would have a loving mother and uncle who would welcome him back with open arms. He would be introducing Camilla to them, too. Things could change for the better. Yet, he felt unsettled by the ominous first dream. Looking deep inside himself for strength, Emil told himself he must be optimistic. It is what his dear mother Hilda Weiss had taught him to do. He drifted back to sleep, peacefully, knowing there was a positive influence within him that could never be lost. 08: Weltanschauung "Time to wake up," Paula said to Emil as she knocked on the door of the guest room. "I''d let you sleep in, but I already made lunch. Come out and get some schnitzel." Emil wiped the crust from his eyes. He looked at the clock on the wall across from his bed; it showed 12:00 noon, on the dot. It was unusual to wake up at this hour, even for an astronomer who works exclusively at night. It was thirteen hours, he calculated, since he went to bed last night. It could take a while to get adjusted to a new, more conventional sleep pattern. "Yes, Frau Silber. Thank you. Give me a minute and I''ll be right out." After he got dressed and came to the dining room, Paula came in with a plate for Emil and herself. The fried slab of meat was still steaming hot, and some chopped vegetables were beside it. This is a good meal, Emil thought, certainly it is something a husband would be thankful for if a wife cooked it for him¡ªbut now her husband might never eat it again. Emil wondered if Gustav Silber would miss these meals, or if it was now too insignificant for him to even think about. Emil picked up his knife and his fork and began cutting. "How is Camilla feeling?" "Hm, well, I went to wake her up before you," Paula explained as she poured a glass of water for Emil from a pitcher. "She told me she isn''t hungry. So that means more for us." "I had a dream last night that I was back at my home in Berlin. Also . . . I had another dream, but I don''t quite know how to explain that one." Emil took a sip of water. Paula did the same. She didn''t look at Emil, but she nodded as she continued cutting her food into pieces. She did so methodically, not eating a single bite until the entire portion of schnitzel had been cut into edible chunks. "I can never remember my dreams," she said. They ate together in silence, all the while Emil reflected on the first dream he had¡ªa manifestation of Gustav on a cross? Martin Luther speaking to him with his father''s voice? What did it mean? He could remember every bit of it, and the more he reviewed it in his mind, the more it plagued him. "Frau Silber, may I ask you a question?" Paula put her fork down and said, "I will answer any question you wish to ask of me." "What is your weltanschauung?" Emil asked her, aware that she may find his question somewhat arbitrary. Without skipping a beat, she answered. "I married Gustav, I kept his home, I raised Camilla. The world has much to offer beyond that, yes. You see, when I was younger I told myself I wanted to travel the world. But since I''ve been with Gustav, my only wish is to hold on to the simple things. Being the wife of such a remarkable man is humbling." "Come with us to Berlin," Emil said, leaning in closer to her. "I wish for you to come and see my childhood home. Then, we will go to your old home where you lived with Herr Silber. I think you will be rejuvenated by this. Returning to the city where you met your husband, you may see the world differently now." Paula turned her head and stared blanky at the wall. "Oh, I don''t know . . . I''m afraid I can''t. No, you and Camilla must go without me." "I can''t leave you here alone, Frau Silber. Please, come with us. I promise I will try my best to give you closure with Herr Silber. I need you to have faith." Faith. Just days ago, Emil never would have asked anyone to put faith in him or in anything. Now, it was crucial. Paula looked to Emil, a gleam of hope in her eyes. He recognized that look as the same unfeigned expression his own mother and his Uncle Walter had. Before she could tell Emil she changed her mind, there was a knock on the front door. .?. "Hello, hello, hello! My dear Frau Silber, I''m afraid I haven''t seen young Camilla. Such a shame. Can I keep you company?" Emil could hear the man''s voice fill the entire house. Who was this man? How did he know Camilla? Emil wanted to stand up and run straight into the foyer, but decided to remain seated at the dining table and listen. Paula''s shy voice replied, "Rabbi Uhlstein, Camilla is home. And I have company, so . . ."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "Ah! A burden is lifted. I was so worried she had ran away. Girls that age have chutzpah, but they can be so irrational at times. Who is this guest of yours?" Paula called over to the dining room. "Emil, can you come here please?" "Good afternoon, Rabbi," Emil said, entering into the foyer with a polite smile. "My name is Emil Weiss. It''s a pleasure to meet you." The man was indeed a rabbi. He had bushy facial hair and mutton chops with a fancy black hat covering the top of his head. He wore nice clothes¡ªa black suit with a bow tie, a shiny gold watch on his wrist. There was one thing that stood out above this: Rabbi Uhlstein carried a heavy stench of liquor. "A pleasure to meet you as well, young man. I am Udo Uhlstein. I have heard your name before, indeed! The up-and-coming astronomer, yes?" "Emil, Rabbi Uhlstein is our neighbor from down the road. About half a kilometer or so. Like you, he is a dear family friend." Emil nodded. He thought to shake the rabbi''s hand, but was too put off by his smell. Emil wondered why a rabbi would be walking around drunk in the middle of the day¡ªand to such a staggering extent at that. "Rabbi Uhlstein! I knew I heard your voice!" Camilla called out, running from her room to greet him. She ran directly to him, jumping up and hugging him. The rabbi laughed and smiled wide, and Camilla did the same. Emil wondered, was she not put off by the overwhelming odor or was she too naive to recognize it? "Oy vey ist mir! Camilla darling, I am so happy you are back home and safe. You and your mishegas! Promise me you will never put such stress on your mother and I again." "I''m afraid I cannot promise that, Rabbi," Camilla said. "I will be going to Berlin with Emil. We believe my father might be there now, it''s such a long story . . ." The rabbi approached Emil and put his arm around him. Emil tried his best not to cringe at the invasive smell of alcohol surrounding him. "Well, then. This is quite a turning point for you," the rabbi said. "Emil Weiss, I would like to discuss this with you in private. Frau Silber, may I borrow this young man for the afternoon?" Paula smirked at Emil. She knew he was uncomfortable, but did not protest her neighbor''s proposition. "Go right ahead. Camilla and I have some things we must discuss, too." "Splendid!" Udo Uhlstein said, giving Emil a strong pat on the back. "You will come with me to my house, then." Emil thought to decline, but a wholesome smile from Camilla convinced him to reluctantly agree to the invitation. .?. The rabbi''s house was small, dark, and the floorboards creaked with every step. The main room had a kitchen, a dining table, and several tables with papers piled on them. Udo drank from his flask and motioned for Emil to sit at the table. "A friend of the Silbers is a friend of mine. You seem like a nice young man, Emil. I want to help you." Emil fidgeted as he stared at the floor, his legs crossed. He wanted to believe the rabbi was being honest with him, but his trust could not be granted so easily to a stranger. Udo continued talking, now slurring his words. "We all live with vice, Emil. To live without vice is not realistic. You are old enough to know this. Camilla is learning now . . . she is learning what you and I know about man." "It''s unfortunate," Emil said. "Nevertheless, I want to show her the good in humanity. She will see it when she meets my mother and uncle. They live in Berlin, and they are good people." Udo smiled and clumsily sat on the top of the table, causing it to wobble beneath him. Emil slid back in his chair to avoid the possibility of the table crashing on him. "I concur. There are good people in the world. I will personally bring you to Germany if you agree to marry Camilla." Emil scowled, thrown off guard by Udo''s suggestion. "Rabbi Uhlstein, our relationship is not like that. She is my friend, and we rely on each other for support. Even if we do share a romantic connection, this is not the time to be talking about marriage . . . considering the current events." "Camilla is a special girl. You will not find one like her anywhere else in the world," the rabbi said after taking another quick swig from his flask. "Truthfully, Rabbi, I don''t want to go into it. Until we find him¡ªfind Herr Silber, I mean¡ªI am in no condition to be in a relationship." Udo pushed himself up and started pacing back and forth, waving his flask, the fluid inside it swishing around. "Very well. We shall leave Austria tomorrow. Until then, go spend some time with Camilla. I am sure there is something she wants to tell you." "Such as?" Emil asked, cocking his head to the side. "You aren''t Jewish, are you? No, I don''t believe so," the rabbi said. "What is your relationship with God? "That doesn''t matter. Herr Silber and I never even discussed it until recently. We''ve lived in Austria for years, and I''ve all but disowned my religious faith." "It does matter. You will see. You are associating with us Jews, and people will judge you for it. In Germany, you will be judged harshly. Like it or not, it is something you will be forced to accept." "I do not associate with people who have such negative views," Emil insisted. Udo laughed and stroked his beard. He put the flask down and sat across from Emil, taking a moment to think of what he could say next. Nothing came to mind, so instead the two men sat quietly for a moment and cleared their heads. "It was a pleasure talking with you, Rabbi," Emil said. "I will go back to my home and gather some things, then I will speak to Camilla and Frau Silber. I will tell them you wish to take us to Germany tomorrow." "Yes, I will be happy if Paula comes as well. Thank you, Emil." As Emil walked out the front door, he could hear the rabbi vomiting in the kitchen sink. Emil took a deep breath of fresh Austrian mountain air. 09: Doppelg?nger Emil sat on a hill by his home, a bag next to him filled with various essentials. He had packed this bag with the intention of abandoning the rest of his possessions in his house for good. He asked himself if he would ever return to Austria¡ªthis remained a possibility. However, he knew the outcome of the events in Berlin would be what truly decided his place in the world. "Mother, I don''t know what I would say to you now," Emil said, thinking out loud. "It has been so long. I spent many years pursuing my own goals . . . For what? I wanted to do so much more. I could have done so much more, but I didn''t. I have never felt like such a failure." Gustav Silber''s hologram appeared abruptly in a peculiar light. Emil faced his mentor''s likeness without fear. This time, he was self-assured. "You have been doing well thus far, my apprentice," the hologram said. "You have effectively won the support and affection of my family. Udo Uhlstein is a valuable asset as well, despite his blatant decadence. I have watched you become more than just a competent pupil. You are now a competent leader." Emil scowled, now feeling more bitter and resentful toward Gustav. "Is this a test? Now that you see yourself as God, we are your test subjects. You use your family as an experiment! I know your methods, Herr Silber. I respected you, once . . . But no longer. Your pragmatic ego has shattered your humanity!" The hologram spoke without acknowledging Emil''s words. "You have four days. If you can find me, you will have the chance to change the world as you see fit. I believe this is fair. Consider it a trial or consider it a test¡ªI am giving you the opportunity to decide your purpose." "Four days," Emil repeated to himself. "I accept this challenge, Herr Silber. You have told me before that war is inevitable, but I have not yet accepted this as fact. I want to change it! And I will, using the origin point! When we next meet, I will seize your powers and use them to protect the world!" Gustav''s hologram flickered. He did not respond; he approached Emil, and nodded. Then, he was gone. .?. Udo showed up early in his black Mercedes Simplex automobile. He allowed Paula to sit in the passenger''s seat, and put Emil and Camilla in the back. Camilla was excited to ride in it, and seeing her in a positive mood made Emil equally ecstatic. He was trying his best to enjoy the ride and not think much about the impending war Gustav foretold of. "I didn''t pay a thing for this wonderful piece of German engineering. Can you believe it?" Udo announced to his group of passengers. "It was willed to me by my mentor, God rest his soul. I was thinking of selling it, but it''s good for us that I didn''t, eh?" Paula nodded in response. Camilla smiled with a radiant glow. Emil watched the passing scenery, now seemingly aloof. The hills and valleys were filled with mist, animals gracefully running through it like spirits of the forest. Camilla put her hand on Emil''s forearm. "Are you feeling okay?" "Just a little motion sickness," Emil said. "I''m not used to this, I guess." "Are you sure it''s not something else bothering you?" she replied, moving her fingers up to Emil''s wrist. "No, it''s nothing," Emil said, pulling his arm away. "Don''t worry about it." "You know, I used to get motion sickness," Udo said, taking a moment to glance back at Emil. "That''s when I was drinking heavily. I''ve had to slow down with it." Paula chuckled, rolling her eyes. "I''m amazed by your self-control, Rabbi," she said with glaring sarcasm. "Frau Silber, darling! I assure you, my minor decadency does not interfere with my religious duties. Even rabbis must distance ourselves from Him sometimes, and it strengthens the bond between Him and us. You may think that''s wrong for me to say, but I am telling you the truth." This caught Emil''s attention. "Really? What if you already knew God? And you . . . saw Him?"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Like Moses, in the Book of Exodus," Camilla said, her response instantaneous. "Yes, that is correct Camilla!" the rabbi spoke in his preaching voice. "The Lord manifested through his angel at the burning bush. Moses was the man who saw this. You know the story, Emil?" Emil nodded. "You believe He will appear again one day?" The rabbi shrugged. "We have faith that He will." .?. Approaching the outskirts of Berlin, Emil gave Udo directions to his family''s home. They arrived at high noon, the clouds forming a silk-like arch around the sun. "What a beautiful home," Paula said. Camilla asked, "What would you like us to do now, Emil?" "Wait here," he replied. Udo waved his hand. "Don''t keep us long. We''d like to come in and meet your lovely family, young man." Emil stepped out of the automobile and walked toward to the two-story brick house which was surrounded by a small picket fence. There was a man kneeling in the garden, tending to flowers with his back turned to Emil. Emil approached the man with caution, knowing by his physique that it could not have been Uncle Walter. "Excuse me, sir. My name is Emil Weiss. This was once my home. Do you¡ª" Before Emil could finish his question, the man stood up and faced Emil. His appearance caused Emil to take a step back in shock; it was like looking in a mirror, for the man was alike Emil in every way except his hairstyle, which was cut short on the sides and parted in the front. "So you''ve come back, Emil," the man said. "Hm. You seem unwell." "W-What is this?" Emil said, his legs shaking beneath him. "Don''t tell me you wandered back here in some kind of state of feverish delirium." Emil wondered if he was delirious. Udo and Camilla spoke of manifestations of the Lord, but what kind of manifestation was this? Was it a demon? A hallucination? A trick being played on him by Gustav Silber? The man stepped closer to Emil, looking directly into his eyes. "I guess you don''t have much to say to me? Hm. I remember you being so very outgoing and courteous. Now, here you are, staring as if you are looking into the face of death itself." Emil cleared his throat and choaked out a single question. "Who are you?" "What?" The man said, turning his head and scratching his chin curiously. "It is I, Nathaniel. Nathaniel Weiss, your brother, we''ve known each other our¡ª" "I do not have a brother!" Emil yelled, suddenly filled with violent rage. "Whoever you are, get away from here or I will beat you unconscious and drag you away from here!" Nathaniel scoffed at him. "You think you have the strength to do such a thing, hm? Why don''t you try it?" Emil knew he was in no condition to fight, and his bluff had no effect on his supposed brother. He sat down on the lawn with his legs crossed and his hand on his forehead, taking deep breaths to calm his anxiety. "You came to see Mother, I assume," Nathaniel said. "But I must ask you first, who brought you here?" "I don''t recall having a brother. Why don''t I recall having a brother? Why are you here?" "Hm. You continue saying these strange things to me, and I will have no choice but to bring you to a doctor." Nathaniel took Emil''s hand and pulled him to his feet. Emil looked over to the street at the parked automobile where Udo and the Silbers were waiting. Nathaniel, noticing this, looked to the automobile as well. "Someone drove you here, I see," Nathaniel said. "Will you allow me to speak with them for a moment?" Emil said nothing, but Nathaniel wrapped his arm around Emil''s shoulders and guided him to the road. As they approached the automobile, Udo opened the driver''s side door and stepped out. As soon as Udo saw Emil next to Nathaniel he said, "Oy vey! A doppelg?nger! The legends are true!" Paula and Camilla exited the automobile. They both looked at Nathaniel, then at a dazed Emil. Nathaniel shook his head, removing his arm from Emil''s shoulders and extending his hand to the rabbi. "You must be the one Emil gets his manners from these days," Nathaniel said. "I am Nathaniel Weiss, Emil''s twin brother." Udo reluctantly shook Nathaniel''s hand and nodded. "Camilla," Emil said, noticeably short of breath. "I feel . . ." Camilla called to him as he crumpled onto the ground. "Emil!" Nathaniel dashed toward Emil and caught him just before the back of his head made contact with the hard surface below him. "I got you, brother. Hm, here you are causing trouble as usual. Let''s take him inside, shall we?" Udo smacked the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Yes, yes, of course." Udo and Nathaniel hoisted Emil between them and carried him to the front door. "Darling, I know how you feel. I''m worried too," Paula said to Camilla. "Let''s go inside and help Emil." "Do you think perhaps . . ." Camilla said, watching two men enter the house with a motionless third. ". . . Emil''s mind is¡ª" Paula objected. "Now, now. Don''t talk like that. Let''s go in, dear." 10: Lifes Purpose "Dr. Khalil, we''ve received word of an incoming group from the countryside of Austria. They''ve made their way to a home here in Berlin. It is the address you mentioned earlier." "Very well, Max," said the doctor. "You may go home. Thank you for all you have done. I must now handle the rest of this alone." The young German man held his ground. "How could you have known? Doctor, in the few days we have become well-acquainted, have we not? You have never been wrong. About anything. I cannot simply forget this happened and walk away. It is as if you¡ª" "I was not sent here to give your life purpose, my friend. It was God who led you to me." You gave my life purpose. Max was going to say just that. It was as if the doctor could predict his thoughts and rebut him before he even had a chance. This created a sensation of profound astonishment which washed over Max, leaving him speechless. Dr. Khalil smiled, putting his hand on Max''s shoulder. "You will use what you have learned here to change the world for the better. I believe that is your purpose. If it is as you say and I am never wrong, you should feel quite confident hearing my words, yes?" The doctor donned his coat and took his bag, making his way for the door of the humble Berlin home. "Wait," Max said, reaching out to stop him. "You came here all the way from Egypt during these restless times, and I have yet to know what your purpose is. Please, if there is more I must know, I beg you! Tell me now, or I will be left with regret for the rest of my life!" "What you choose to regret is up to you, my boy. May God bless you." Max pondered this. What I choose to regret is up to me, so I must ensure I regret nothing. I must follow my purpose and no longer dwell on the past. .?. "He''s been sleeping all day. Comatose, almost. Hm, it''s a bad sign," Nathaniel told Camilla as they stood by Emil''s bed. They observed his breathing patterns. Some little things about Emil''s state stood out, such as how he would ball his fist whenever the room was completely quiet. "I don''t want to say this," Camilla spoke softly to Nathaniel. "I felt like this was going to happen. Something inside me told me Emil was . . ." "Don''t be harsh with yourself," Nathaniel said, sitting on the bed and moving some pillows toward Emil. "You know, when we were children, Emil would frequently hit his head. He ran straight into a tree one time, and I saw it happen. Hm, that was a nasty concussion." "Do you think that may still have an effect on him, then?"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "I''m not quite sure, but I would say it likely has nothing to do with that incident." "Then what?" Camilla asked, avoiding eye contact with Nathaniel. "If such a thing happened to Emil, it could leave serious long-term damage. I know this as I have battled with these terrible seizures throughout my life." "Hm, well, you did say you had a ''feeling'' this would happen, didn''t you?" "Are you implying¡ª" Camilla turned to Nathaniel and stared at him not with a scowl, but with a blank expression of outrage. "No, no, I did not mean . . ." Nathaniel said, then taking a breath to calm himself. "I simply have a feeling as well. You see, I once knew this surgeon. He was the man who treated our mother. He said to me that after the human mind is traumatized, it may shut down for long periods of time to cleanse itself." Camilla''s tension eased, but a nervous shudder shot through her spine. "I''m sorry, Nathaniel. You''re right. I do know there are things Emil has seen. They must be horrible things, but I do not know what they could be. He hasn''t told me." "Hm, that''s quite typical of him." "Nathaniel, I must ask you something which I hope does not insult you." Nathaniel nodded. "You can ask me anything you like, Camilla." "Does Emil . . . resent you?" Nathaniel had to think about it. During the silence, Emil balled his fist. Nathaniel observed his brother closely. He wondered, does my brother hate me? Despise me? "No, he has no reason to!" Nathaniel''s wrath unleashed itself. "Our father always favored Emil! Hm, it must have been obvious, he was given a name to honor my father''s Lutheran faith. Martin Luther''s initials, M-L . . . That is the name our father decided to give my twin brother. He was favored just for that . . . So he could not be the one to hate me! He thinks he must act as if he does not remember me? So be it!" Camilla watched for a moment as Nathaniel cried with his head buried in the sheets. "I''m sorry," Camilla said, for there was nothing else to say. "I''m not going to leave you, brother. I''ll make sure you''re well again, I promise!" .?. "I understand your son''s grief, Frau Weiss," Camilla said, "but he seemed quite disturbed by the fact that Emil didn''t recognize him. Nathaniel holds a grudge, it seems." "You have no right to judge him, little girl," Frau Weiss said. "You don''t know a thing about Nathaniel. He is nothing like Emil. He is a loyal young man, and he cares for Emil. It is Emil who must hold a grudge." Camilla was appalled, but chose to keep her words respectful. "I understand I have little credibility, Frau Weiss. I am simply worried for Emil. Please, we must bring him a doctor, immediately. My mother and I can pay for the best doctor in town, and¡ª" "Enough! I am getting rid of you. Get your mother and that smelly rabbi out of our home!" "Please don''t do this! Emil is my best friend, I still haven''t told him how I feel . . . I need him to be alive, I will give anything." "You''ll never have a chance to tell him anything, because you won''t be seeing him again." "Smelly rabbi? I am a respected individual, I''ll have you know." Udo, previously eavesdropping, drunkenly staggered through the hallway and into the conversation. Frau Weiss saw the half-empty bottle of liquor in Udo''s hand. "Did you steal that from my cabinet? You disrespectful, disgusting man!" "What? Come here, I''ll show you!" Udo took the bottle by its neck and smashed it against the wall, creating a weapon consisting of broken glass shards. "Rabbi, no!"