Chapter 23

Safely Home

Carl trudged, lonely, up the long, winding road. Each step took him somewhere, but where ... he had no idea.

His steps were predetermined. He'd figured out that much immediately. The alien man had put this all together ... somehow ... for some unknown reason and now Carl was part of the play.

As he reached the summit, he could see a valley before him. It was a safe place. That was his initial thought.

Safe.

All his life Carl had craved and searched for a safe place, and the Alien Man brought him here.

Why?

Looking inside himself, Carl became aware that the usual terrors were not in attendance.

Fear, uncontrollable shaking, and hysterical babbling seemed to have taken a holiday, leaving him surprisingly calm.

He descended into the peaceful appearing valley. There were no people in any direction that he could see, and he continued to feel safe.

Safe. The one thing he had spent his life desiring had suddenly appeared, and he wasn't sure what to think of it.

He stopped.

Before him stood the Alien Man: tall, white as the hottest fire, immense, awesomely tall. His presence was formidable but felt somehow safe.

Carl waited with the patience accrued through a lifetime of psychiatric treatment. There was nothing to hurry for and nowhere to hurry to, so he stood, feeling calm and safe, waiting for what came next.

"You are changed, yes," the Alien Man reassured him. "You know you are newly changed?"

A flush of realization surged through Carl. He got it, finally, what this was all about. He got it.

"YES!!! I get it," Carl shouted. "I'm free!

You fixed me, didn't you?" His laughter rang across the valley as Carl exulted in the knowledge that he was finally free of the demons that had tormented him.

Flinging himself against the Alien Man, Carl hugged him as he had never hugged anyone before. The Angel returned the hug with compassion and joy that matched Carl's own excitement and relief.

Their embrace was carefully watched by other angels, and when Carl had had enough, he drew back, laughing and crying, and then hugged the angel again.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you..." He repeated into the Angel's garment.

It was enough.

Gabriel eased out of the hug, held Carl at arm's length, and with laughter in his eyes, said, "Make something beautiful of this place, Carl. Safe is not good enough. You have been given special gifts. It is time to use them now to give back, to lead, to love, and to teach others to love. Spend your gifts wisely and discover the joy The One has reserved only for you."

Spinning in ecstasy, Carl shouted his agreement and promise to give back just as he'd been given. When he looked around, the Angel had gone but his words repeated themselves to Carl, so he knew they were real and true and safe.

Starting out again, Carl understood that he had to reach the far side of the valley. Something important waited for him and he must hurry.

It wasn't far. It seemed that as soon as he knew exactly where he wanted to go, it was right there in front of him.

He saw the turn-off and knew it had been created for him. Looking up the turn off, Carl saw a little house and knew he had come home.

Then he saw something else. Waiting for him was Crazy Beau, looking lost, scared and oh, so alone. Carl knew scared; he was on a first name basis with lost; and no one understood lonely like he did.

Carl needed a friend.

This, then, was his task. God had given him this home, so that he could help God's lost and lonely ones find theirs.

I can do that! he thought. That's easy.

"Beau! Hey, Beau! It's me, Carl. Isn't this the greatest place you ever saw? Tell me this isn't the most wonderful place, ever."

Beau felt a little less afraid. The tremors had passed and now there was someone he recognized here with him. Maybe it wasn't going to be so awful.

"Hi, Carl," he stammered. "You know something? This looks really safe."