Chapter 20: Plans for the future.

Chapter 20: Plans for the future.

More sleepy than they ever had thought to be, Billy and Petra woke up after their hour of sleep.
Mom was a bit concerned, while Billy did look so pale, but he did not feel feverish. He ate a hearty breakfast, so she believed him, when he told, he had a very long dream with lots of running and so on.
They all laughed, everybody sometimes did dream that way.

Petra escaped all the teasing, by not showing herself, before they were on their way to Nemo.
Nemo also did look, if he had not slept much, which was true.

It was too interesting, to read about how far technology in the world had developed, a thing, the Atlantians only could hear about, when the mermaids did rescue somebody.

Lately only Billy’s parents were scientists, al others had other jobs, important to know about, but Nemo did like to know all he could and investigate.

“Have you slept a bit tonight?
I have not after you were gone, and there was a big heap more of those sacks in the hallway this morning.
I did not hear you, while I was reading about decompression.”

Billy did rub his eyes again, Petra did yawn a bit, but their eyes were on his face, waiting for him to explain.

“I do think, the Lady did lift a tip of the veil of the future, by telling you to learn, as hard as you can. So your whole family will have to do.
For we are so deep in the ocean, we cannot go up in a very short period of time.
The normal world is not of paper!” he joked, with a wink to the kids.

“Decompression is simply said: very slowly getting used to less water pressure and another mixture of air.
Divers do use different air as the normal air from the world under the sun, or on dry land.”

Here Billy laughed, and told: “In Homeland it always smells fresh, and feels light, quiet different from here!”

“How that works, you will learn in the next years.
But to keep all of you healthy to do some missions for us on dry land, a group of the humans is slowly going up, each month a few centimeters.

For that we have to design, and make, with the help of a lot of this books, and our own special knowledge, a special bubble, that will not be discovered by people, but allow you all to adapt to the other conditions.”

“Why could that not earlier than?” Billy wanted to know.
“I do know my parents sometimes are homesick, although they are lucky here.
They do miss the family on dry land, who now must think, they do not live anymore.”

Petra smiled, looked at Nemo, and almost at the same time they said: “There is a time and place for everything.”
There after they both said something different. Petra said: ”my grandmother told” while Nemo said: “the old books say!”

They started with sorting all the things they collected in Homeland.
“Do I have to learn áll that is in there?” Billy wondered.

“Yes, most of it, but this bubble is not build in one day, as the one that brings the humans up will be.
We take all the time that is needed, mister impatient!”

Than Petra told, what they had thought to ask, so Billy would not say the wrong things: the writing assignment about the house of knowledge.

“That was a good thought,” Nemo answered.
“But soon your parents will know about the going up project.
Let’s start and bring all this knowledge to were it belongs.
After that you have to leave it to the Atlantians, the Lady, and the adult humans, how we share what we know by now, or what we can use.”

“But you have not told one tiny bit of the secret of the healing stones,” Billy sulked a bit, also while he was that tired.

“Well, that is the last I will tell you, before the hard work of bringing all this to the house of Knowledge begins.

You have seen the Axels. You do remember, I did tell you, the world also does have an axel with the same color follow up.
There are also spots, we Atlantians do know, that conduct the energy of the stones from one place to another.
The crossings of those connecting points have even more energy.

Some of this knowledge is saved by the humans as folklore: they do call this path ways ley-lines and the crossing are vortices of power.”

“What are vortices” Petra asked.

“The more energy-rich crossing points.
Some people can feel them, and before electricity most people could feel, they were on the good road, while it was a ley-line-road.

They did build churches and important buildings on this spots, feeling their power.

Well, some of the humans have the difficult task, to burry a heap of powerful stones in buildings like this, or along this lines.
They do have to do that, with out others knowing it, or those easily can destroy it or take it away.

This way slowly the world should be brought into its right balance again.
More of the secret, I am not allowed to tell you now.
Still, you do not have to wonder until you are a scientist yourself, Billy.
Petra will learn as much as you will, while she is your lifelong friend.”

“Did I hear right, the Lady sometimes can come and visit you?” Billy asked curiously, while this made, he was not the only one with a Homelander friend I the bubble anymore.

“Only a few times alas, Billy.
She can, when we do draw her a drawing of my study, the one with the locked book case. Petra will bring that to her.
But while she is the Lady, and does have so much important tasks, it will be not that often.”

Petra told: “Sometimes, there also are friends, that have a great different in age, may be your friend is not born yet” she consoled Nemo, and at the same time let her friend know, he wás very special.

“So let’s start with our own great project, so you, and some others can go up in a few years time as our ambassadors.”

“Ambassador?”

“That is somebody, who can speak for another country or people. It is a very important task, so we start early, more early as I did think before.”

So all went on with discovering learning, and preparing for a clean and healthy future of our world.
On dry land a lot of friends did, what they had to do.
May be we meet some of them in the future, knowing they do have a friend, but mostly not, while we cannot see the friends of others outside Homeland.

And in the bubble Billy, Petra, Lilo, later even Violet and their parents came together with some other humans, when the time was right, and they started the long and slow way up.

But that is another story, may be later we do tell about.
For now how our Homelander friend Petra met Billy and what adventure they had together ends.
But knowing Homeland, and also knowing, it is were all the real secrets of life are saved, you will hear another story about what will happen to them, when they do tell me.


© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 19: The big ending ceremony of the Pow Wow.

Chapter 19: The big ending ceremony of the Pow Wow.

Billy and Petra had really a nice time. In between they had to go to their own flag, while the sacks with material for Nemo became to heavy.
Than they took just new ones, and went on, looking, asking, dancing dances from all over the world.

They did taste food, that also was so very different from what Billy was used to, he had to be careful not to eat to much, for his tummy was very full after trying so much different things!

Luckily there was another circle, that had a pool, so they did meet Purple again, who dared them to swim for speed, not showing, she easily could have won each contest. After that Billy was hungry enough to try another bite when he did see something, he never dreamed of being there.

Special the food and clothes intrigued him, being used to very simple ones.
All did look so more colorful, had such different kinds of taste, he was afraid his food home would seem boring, and he said so.

But Petra said: “when you are home again, you do remember how it was, but it never stands in the way of your daily life, remember that promise?”

That made it a bit easier, his life was not always a celebration like this, and again Petra was the wisest of them.

“We do learn in our bedtime stories, that when you have a party every day, it is not a party, but also not normal living.
So enjoy the day, like he comes, and make the best of times like this, so you have a good memory, for when your day does not go smoothly!”

“Your mom and grandmother must be wise women,” Billy said.

“Well, they must be, for I did grow up in Homeland, were all secrets of life are saved, remember?”

Than the Elder came round to announce the last secret ceremony.
They did announce, that all had to prepare for leaving, when this was over in an couple of hours, while otherwise they would not be home, and in their bed at the right time.

And specially for the kids that was very important.
Billy and Petra did look worried to the heap of sacks, they still had to take home, although they did bring so much already to Nemo.

” Hopefully there will be not to much extra we get,” Petra sighed, “otherwise I am afraid we have to mirror hop several times,” she said.

“Did you not always say: in Homeland all is possible?” Billy laughed.
“Keep trust, all will be alright!”

“Now I do act like I am the one, who is here for the first time, you really are the best friend I can wish, while others may be had laughed about me.”

“That I do, but not about you, but to you, so we laugh together.
So lets go. Time is nearly up.
It will be very, very difficult, not to tell the others about this,” he ended.

“May be we can ask Nemo for writing lessons, in which you have to tell about what you have learned about the world above in the house of knowledge, and than tell about that?
Remember that for tomorrow, but now we have to go,” she urged, pointing to all the others, looking their best, and slowly walking to the Secret Circle.

There the drums were already beating, the flutes and other instruments sounded great.

One could not do different as join the others in rhythm and dance, so all danced, like there was one long chain of dancing people.

The most lovely was, it was like there were beads from all corners of the world, while each did wear the costume of his land of origin, when that still was in use.

Billy had a great look, and wished, he had something, like he had seen Lea use: a video-recorder, so she could save all not only in her head, but also to look at.
But alas, that was not there in the Atlantian bubble.
He had to be happy with very good look.

Than Lea came to dance besides him and softly whispered: “I will send Cindy some photo’s, and she will give them to Petra, but you have to promise, that you keep them safe at Nemo’s house, otherwise it is not fair to your siblings.”

After that she danced back to her own place, behind Cindy.
When the dancing finally was over, Wise Feather sat down with next to him the Lady and the Elder.

Than the speaking began.

Only in this case, most came from the Lady, that was the difference with a Pow Wow on dry land, were people came to solve problems between each other or did seek for healing and consultation.

Wise feather held the talking stick with the eagles feathers on it in his hand, so he was the one who could speak first.

“All my friends from Homeland, and the world we come from, My Lady and the Elders have some special words to say.
So all I will, and can do is thank you all, for being here, and both working that hard, still making it a big celebration.”

Than he gave the talking stick to the Lady.
And as always, everybody could hear each word she said.

The lady also thanked everybody for the hard work, and went on: “I do know, that it looks strange, the small tent in the middle of the secret circle.
We have put it there with a purpose.”

Here everybody, also the kids, looked with much anticipation, for they still did not know for certain, what would come of all their hard work.

“I am glad, you all did also have time to celebrate, to learn, who everybody else is, and what was done already.
It was nice, we nowadays have a big circle of friends, but from olden times on, when there is need for much help, there also do appear a lot of friends.
How come, is one of the secrets, that are saved here in Homeland,” on which word almost everybody did laugh loudly, remembering a time, or circumstance, they did forget about that.

When everybody was calm again, the Lady went on: “as you do know, I have been with Petra and Billy to the Atlantic Bubble, but just as you, I do not know, where precisely it is situated.

Only Nemo told, his ancient books tell, it will be some more years from now, before we will meet outside on dry land.

But he has made a plan, for which he needed all the crystals you together did collect, and sorted.
But to make it possible, to implement this plan, for the little ones, that means to make it come true, we have all to make a sincere promise.

Nobody will tell about this when home, while Atlantis, and their knowledge for now have to stay a mythe.”

Everybody nodded and a buzz went round the circle.

But the tone did say, they did understand, as well that they did expected, that people, who did not have a Homelander friend, would think, this was just another fairy tale or old story.

On went the Lady: “”Starting with the people, were the sun rises earliest this day, everybody comes through the pavilion, together with their Homelander friend.

There me or one of the Elder will give you a task, something you have to take care of. Some will need for that some of the crystals, we gathered near the crystal flag. Others will need something different.

We are not allowed by Nemo to tell each other, what we are going to do with the crystals, for when there is a rumor going around the world, there are so much crystals hidden, greedy people will destroy the balance in Nemo’s healing plans.”

Again a buzz went round the circle, and the Lady did let them talk for a moment, knowing, they better could do that here, as in the world.

When all calmed down again, she went on: “Do not think your mission is less important, when you did not get any stones with you, for it is not.

It is just the best you, and your friend can do on the place you do live.

Or just important for the whole planet, like the boat-cleaning project, you all did hear about, as the new trees, that are going to be planted, to protect the world.

This way, I can go on till tomorrow, when all of you have to be home.
So now I say goodbye to everybody, see each of you in the pavilion, and after that: have a good mirror hop home, and success with your missions!”

After this, she did give Wise Feather his talking stick back.
He used it, to tell everybody, who was a bit impatient, now the Pow Wow was over, to wait his turn, and he did lead all in fine order.

Billy and Petra got an extra message for Nemo, and the words: “You two will have to sort out in your lessons with Nemo a great lot, we still are not allowed to know.

But be brave, and courageous Billy, it cán be you, who is starting to bring the Atlantian knowledge to the humans of dry land.

So still it is important to learn your lessons well, to come in Homeland every now and than, so you will not look to strange about the world of dry land, when you are that one.

Now go, we will meet again.
Do not forget all those information for Nemo!”

After this, they did say goodbye to a lot of friends, and all kept their promise not to tell, what they had to do.
It was a pity, they would not see each other that often, Billy thought.

But on the other hand, not being used to have so many people around, he was very, very tired too.
It was really as Petra and Cindy told before: that one night in the normal world had been a week over here, so they had all the memories, tiredness, and happiness of that week together too.

When they mirror hopped home, they did see, they could bring the sacks to Nemo, and still had an hour of nice sleep to go, before another day began.

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 18: The big Pow Wow, part 2.

Chapter 18: The big Pow Wow, part 2.

After so much fun and some sleep, Billy and Petra came by a group, that were talking around a flag, with a big, blue ocean on it.
And it was, as if suddenly a memory-switch in Billy’s head was turned over: Purple!

She was the one, with whom all this started, after Petra had come through the mirror. She was the one, who was crying about all the dirt in the oceans, who did make him aware of the word environment, and what that could mean.

Why did he not remember before, Billy did ask himself.
So in this ocean-group he asked: “Does anybody of you know Purple, and have you seen her around?”

Petra looked a bit guilty too, and did softly ask the same to Homelander children, in case the humans did not notice a mermaid.
But here in Homeland all could see, what was going on, so they pointed out, that Purple had a swim to have a great breath, while in the water breathing worked better for her.

But after that, she would swim up the wide ditch, they specially did dig for her, to all circles about the oceans, so she could be there too, and have her say.
Billy and Petra decided to wait for their friend, while Moy and Dory went to the group, with only crystals in their flag first.
They would come over to tell about it, they said.

“That was a lovely thought,” Petra said, when they left, “but Nemo had a lot of questions for them, so we have to go there our self.”
Billy nodded confirmation, but was distracted a bit, while his old friend Purple came swimming in.

“I knew you would come here, or in the other groups with a ditch. This friends have something you will not understand, but Nemo will.
Most of these people are Oceanographers and environmentalists.
That means, their profession is knowing all about the ocean, and the other are very concerned about the pollution, and nature, we talked about that before.
They also came together in the real world,” and there she did laugh loudly, “what was a bit awkward.”

“Why” Petra asked very surprised.

“While when they had met here, they did see each others friends, and when they did meet at an meeting about the pollution, they knew, the others were there too, but they only could see their own friend.
So sometimes they had to go, and sit in a separate room, so they could talk some things over, by asking their own friends!”

Again she laughed: “It is much easier, to have the Pow Wow over here, in Homeland! But the advantage of what they did is, they now do know things, other people with no Homelander friend are busy with too!”

“But how do I tell Nemo, what all those adult scientists are doing, I will not understand most, I guess,” Billy said.

“Not necessarily,” one of them said.
“We did put all on paper, for the Lady told about Nemo, and the knowledge of the Atlantians. So here is what you came for, and Violet can tell in words, you do understand, what is in it.”

This Violet told: “They did invent a kind of factory on a ship. It does resemble a big fishing trawler, only the catch-side is in front.
With that they manoeuvre through the heap of waste in the oceans.
Than sort it out in things, they can re-use by melting, like plastics, and what they have to burn.
The heat of the burning does help to make the plastic melt, so they can directly make either something useable of it, or blocks of plastic, to use later.

Sounds rather complicated by me, but they say, they can do it, so the beasts, the fish, and my friends do not have any trouble with that any more.”

Petra smiled: “that will make you and Nemo very happy!”

But Billy said: “Factories are polluting, I did understand, so how will make that both happy?”

“Me,” said Purple, “while I can stay a mermaid, my folks will not be discovered, as long as we stay out of the way of this rubble-recycling-boats.

And Nemo, while he will see in the papers, they use a part of the rubble, to get with of it, and still re-use, what they can.

Now go on to Moy and Dory, for I do see them waving. There is something going on over there in that circle.
I have to swim a round to come there too, so I can listen in.”

Away she swam.
Billy and Petra picked up the books for Nemo, put them in their carry bags, and went to the crystal circle.

When they arrived there, they had to protect their eyes, for enormous heaps of crystals, sorted to what kind, and what color were made, were laying ready for what there had to be done.

“You are just in time,” Cindy said, who was there with Lea, the Elders and the whole group, that had collected the crystals.

“You do see, that we have worked hard, to do as Nemo has asked.
We even sorted the crystals in the follow-up Nemo suggested by his color axel.

Here,” Lea said, handing them over some sunglasses, “put these on, so you are not blinded by the glitter and shine over here!”

Than the Lady took over again.
She said to Billy and Petra: “We have had about 1/3th of the time, we have to fill one night on earth.
But now we are shorten up your time a bit, by asking to wake up Nemo, and ask him, what he wants with the crystals and the maps.
We will tell him, we duplicated all, so we have enough maps and color-axels for a lot of people.

But we now do not know what to do with them, because our healers only do use crystals with human healing, not with earth healing.
Can you take me with you with the extra drawing please?
I am the only one, who can go everywhere, we have a drawing of. That is because I am the Lady.

I myself will take the pink/purple secret crystal with me in the box.
And all others will wait here for us.
For them it will be a short moment” she laughed.

With big eyes of wonderment Billy and Petra only could shake yes, took their mirror and the drawing of Billy’s bedroom, and with the 3 of them they mirror hopped to there.
Very hush they went outside to Nemo’s house, who was wide awake, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Welcome, Lady, Petra and Billy. I do see a lot of filled sacks, put them over there, if we do not need them directly.
Take a seat at this large table Lady, and you two too,” he pointed some nice chairs.

On the table was one of the maps, he had drawn, but there was a difference with those, he had given them before.
On certain places was drawn an axel of the colors, he had given them.

“Look, My Lady. This is, were all is done for.
You see some of these axels, and some are small, some are large.
I tried to give in centimeters how big they have to be.

There are other spots, that only have one color, and in that color group has to be certain crystals, I did write down by name.
They are marked with the round, colored spots with a number, that says, how much weight they do have to have.

On these spots, all over the world, you have to burry the stones, that have to heal the world.
As you see, there are 2 sorts of healing going on at the same time. The how I am not allowed to tell even to you,” he said when he looked in the Lady’s face.

Than he went further, knowing, the did not have much time: “The people, who do so, are to do this in a way, they will not been seen or in a manner, they are going to be found to soon.
Can you manage to give out the maps and the stones in a way, that nobody does know, where the others put them?”

The Lady did think for a moment and said: “I will do so within the secret circle, and give each one with a friend an instruction, just for them alone.
The smaller ones have to do something for the cleaning up in their own surroundings, or writing something for their classes.
Only Dory has to know, while one of the spots is on her Grandfathers land, but she will not tell.

Than I will end this big Pow Wow with the secret dance of White Feather, and announce a smaller Pow Wow in another ½ year.
There they have to show the things they made or pictures, like you got of this beautiful stone.”

After that she took out the secret box the stone, Nemo longed so long time to find again. Nemo sat down, totally flabbergasted with the honor, but his face was also gleaming like a star of luck.

“Will you take it back, or can I keep it here?” he asked after a short while.

The Lady answered: “The box still seems to want it back, it draws to the stone, so the time for you is not right.
We have learned to listen to an omen like this.”

“Alas,” Nemo sighed.
“But it was an honor, to see it, to hold it, and have such wonderful pictures of it, therefore I could complete my book.
Now, before to much time has gone for Billy and Petra, I have to say goodbye!”

“You are right, my friend.
But I will come, and visit you once in a while, when you made a drawing of your room, and give it to Petra, who can bring it to me.

We have lots of things to talk about, but you do still have not a Homelander friend. I am the only one, who can.
There is a lot to do for me, so it will be not very often.”

Nemo answered: “It would be an honor.”

Billy and Petra had rolled the map together while the adults were talking.
They knew, not all was for their ears.
Nemo or the Lady would tell, what they were allowed to know.

Than Nemo left the room, so they mirror hopped directly to the Lady’s tent.
There Cindy and Petra waited, together with 3 other very trusted friends.
They were send to collect the maps, and were told to mark each one with one axel or colorspot, and than write the name of the friend on it.

Billy and Petra were send to go around the nice things of the Pow Wow, they did not visit yet. So they could see all, and take with them, they had not gotten yet for Nemo.
They had a lovely time until the ending ceremony whould start.
© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

chapter 17: The great Pow Wow, part one.

Chapter 17: The great Pow Pow, part one.

That evening, after playing with his sisters, listening to a story of mom about how they at university were trying to make the Kirlian photo’s that down here, in the bubble ware so normal, Billy asked: “would you like to go back to dry land? Or as you say, to the surface again?”

Mom did ask: “Why do you want to know?” and she did shake her head in wonderment.
“Would you, if you had the chance? And why do you ask?”

“Well….” Than a moment silence followed, “I do not know.
But since I have been in the house of knowledge, I do know there is so much more upside the land, I keep wondering.
And than again, you tell about the university, and how you tried to make those nice color-bubble photo’s Nemo just has to put on a machine for.
Than I do think: the Atlantians, I do know.
They are my friends, and maybe they do know more than the people on dry land.
I really think, I have to learn more about both. Is that silly?”

Mom did shake her head, and dad, who had just listened in, said: “may be the people did learn a lot more in the 10 years we now do live here.
I do not know either. But I am satisfied, mom and me did not drown.
We can do work we like to do, ánd we have you three kids.

In one of the other bubbles do live more nice dry-land people.
May be there is a time, we slowly can go back together, when all kids have grown and things like Purple said lately about pollution, are not solved.

Lets talk about that another time, when you have been sleeping, for that time is already past, and mom and me also have to discuss this with the others.
Promise, we will let you know!”

Billy looked satisfied, although he did know what his father did not: tonight he went to Homeland.
And if the story’s Petra told, were true, this one night for his father, could take more time for him…
So he kissed them al goodnight and happily went to his room.

He and Petra had laid ready the last things to take with them in the bags, also the last drawings, and their new mirror with the books, Lea and Cindy did make for them. They were ready, but they tried to rest till lights should go out.
So when those lights finally went out, their great mirror hop did start a real adventure.

They ended on the place, besides the tent of the Lady, stepping immediately out of the lines, so someone else could use it.
Waiting for them was a line of people, so for the first moment Billy looked a bit shy. So many humans he never had seen together.

In his mind he did miss the trusted form of the longer faces of his daily friends, the Atlantians.
But this was what he had been longing for, even had worked so hard for, so he swallowed his pride and fears, and with his head up high, he asked Petra: “And what now?”

Petra looked for Lea and Cindy, knowing that the most they had done with Nemo, also was investigated by them, and their group of people.
Out of the line came a little boy, very proudly carrying a flag with a book and some crystals.

“Hi, Petra, and you must be Billy.
I will bring you to the circle, that is for those, that have books or drawings ánd crystals. In there are also waiting Cindy, Lea and some elder people, but also a shy little girl, that just as you only once was in Homeland.
Will you help her a bit? Here it is,” he pointed, before he went back to the line to fetch some more people, that should belong to this group.

Lea and Cindy were talking with two very young girls, who hardly looked old enough that they could read.
But both had necklaces of crystals around their neck and arms.

Cindy told: “these are Moy and Dory.
Moy belongs in Homeland and Dory in the mountains of Montana, on high ánd dry land, one could say.”
“And I am Billy from the bubble under the sea, and my friend is Petra from here. What a lovely necklaces you do have!”

Dory said, “I did look for the crystals, that Moy did show me.
My grandfather is a miner, he does know a lot about stones and always tells about them.
Most people do think it is boring, of why do you not sell them for money, but granddad said, there comes a time we are going to need them.
So he stored them in a place, only me and Moy are knowing about.”

Petra, Cindy and Lea were interested, while Billy pondered about the question, so he asked directly: “how does your granddad know?”

The circle round them all became a bit bigger, some more people with books, drawings and crystals joined in and listened.
They did behave mostly, if they knew each other from other times, what was correct.

“Grandpa’s father had a Homelander friend too, and he told this stories, and what adventures they had to my dad, and he to me, so I was not so very surprised when Moy came through my new mirror.
We played a lot with the stones, made necklaces and other nice things with them, and only once before I came here to meet the Lady, who told about the Pow Wow.
Will you help me? I do not know how that works?”
Billy confessed: “I also was here only once before, and while I do live under the sea, all is strange to me.
I never have seen so many humans in the same place! But we have nice friends, and those around us look very friendly, so let’s stick together.”

Lea said: “That is just, what this circle is for.
Cindy, being the lady’s great niece, is the one in charge.
All the others know about what we are doing, and looking for in this circle.
Most have met in between the time the Lady said we will have this Pow Wow and now.

But before we start talking, there will be the big opening ceremony.
We all are going behind the boy with our flag.
The oldest and wisest in front, the ones that are from Indian heritage, who look so nice in their costumes” she added for Billy and Dory,” will dance on the sound of the drums.
When we all are in the secret circle, Wise Feather and the Lady will welcome us, ask the great spirits in the sky, that other people do call God, or Allah, or even other names, for guidance to find, what we do seek.
After that we all dance to our own circle, and go and do the things we came for.”

And so it happened.
It was a lovely, colorful view, some were in nice dresses, Billy later certainly would ask questions about.
But now he had to keep his attention on how he had to dance on the tones of the drums. And even more, to understand all, Wise Feather and the lady told about the why of this Pow Wow.

Luckily Lea and Cindy could explain a lot about all later.
That was very nice, for Petra only had met Wise Feather once, and Nemo had nothing in his books about Indians or other native tribes.

Before they start comparing, what they did bring with them, they did choose a table for food, and did put there a bucket with water and some towels.
Nobody did like their books or drawing fatty with grease of the food.

And on one table, the stones came, everybody did collect, and had no need for to get them back home the next day,
Stones Billy and Petra had not, but Nemo’s drawings and the lists they made, were as good as gold.

And little Dory did already know, she had to leave her shiny toys behind, like her grandpa had told her, as did Moy.

All people in the group wondered, how come, they did not know, there still were Atlantians in few secret hiding places. But when the Lady said so in the secret circle, it hád to be true.
And Billy, living with them, had brought knowledge, most people did know a tiny bit of, like the force of the stones, or the sequence of the colors.
But not much people did know, you could combine most, or that the earth had the same colors hidden in itself.

Carefully they did lay down the drawing of the axel.
Cindy suggested: “Is there some of the elder people, that can make this big copy’s now, mirror-hopping home? And of that list of crystals and names. And when done, come back immediately?”
Two ladies nodded and volunteered, one saying: “When I do the Axel on my color copy machine, nobody will ask, even if one by accident is fallen on the ground, while I am an artist, who is discovering all there is about colors.
Can you do the other ones? In that case, we are back in a whimsy!”

So they decided, and the ones who stayed behind, looked at all the books, now laying on the other tables.

Each table had a motive, so Dory did ask: “I cannot read well, but I do see, that the pictures are almost the same.
Is that while one book is about what Billy calls chakra’s, and another about mountains?”

Billy admired the little girl, for his reading was also not very well yet, but she was right.

Than the Lady and the Elder came in their circle, just when the others mirror hopped back with the copy’s.
Together they talked, how they should divide the tasks.

Than the Lady did ask Billy and Petra, Moy and Dory to come with her outside their book-crystal circle.
There she told them, that a Pow Wow for children also was, to learn about what others do.
To have fun in discovering.
And to see, what more there was in the world.

So she did tell them: “Do not worry about time, as your friends have told before. When this Pow Wow is over, there only will be gone one night in the real world.
So you can go with your friends everywhere, you want to know something about.

Everybody will show you, what they are doing or talking about in a way, you understand. Have fun kids!”

Than she waved and went on, busy like always.

But first Billy and Petra had to tell Nemo’s story about the axel of the world, with the same colors as the axel in everybody’s body, the backbone.
And that Nemo said, they should search as much as possible sets of combinations of this axel in crystals.
And if that was done, they were allowed to go back to the bubble, to fetch some information, Nemo still was working on.

Than the others, seeing the eagerness in the kids eyes, did send them looking in the other circles, while they were looking, what was the same, and what was different in the books of the humans and Nemo’s Atlantian drawings.

Billy and Petra and all the other kids had the time of their life.
In almost all circles was something, they were interested in, or good to taste, or just a nice soft place to take a nap, before going on dancing, talking, asking or just back to their own circle.

Life was busy, but good in Homeland during the Pow Wow.
Billy almost wished, it never came to an end.

But he also knew, there were serious things to do, and he would miss his mom and dad and sisters to much, even Nemo and his Atlantian friends.
So he did the most logical: he enjoyed as much he could, while also asking all questions he could think of.
He even asked some people to write down what they said, while he did not understand what they were talking about.
So slowly but surely the bags, Petra had laid ready, were filled with the answers Nemo was looking for. And in the mean time, they made a lot of fun too!

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 16: Pow Wow preparations.

Chapter 16: Pow Wow preparations.

The next morning, after a long sleep, filled with colors and dreams, Billy woke up. Petra already had gone, but now he was used, she sometimes went her own way, and while his belly said, he was hungry, he prepared for breakfast.

Al where there: mom, dad, Lilo, still a bit bleak, but looking better than yesterday, and Violet, content chewing on a ring of very smooth material.

Billy did ask mom: “What is Violet doing?”
“She is chewing a biting ring, you did use.
Like Lilo did, when you two got teeth as well.
And the healing Lady gave Lilo a massage, and some stones to wear, until she feels totally well again.”

“Is that, while they are pink-purple-ish?” Billy asked.
”How do you know?” wondered Lilo.

“Nemo and me have yesterday talked about crystals, and what they can do.
We had a big book out of the house of knowledge with us.
And he showed me all colors around me with an apparatus.
Did he not teach you that?”he asked Lilo.

“No, I mostly got my lessons from a lady Atlantian, while sometimes girls do learn other things than boys,” Lilo said.

“But the apparatus, you are talking about, we also do use, when she is teaching me about healing,” Lilo proudly told.

“May be we can ask, we can have some lessons together soon, while it does show a bit, what we are talking about, too,” Billy said.
“Or do you think your Lady teacher does not like that?”

“I will ask Monadi, as you do the same with Nemo.
But first I have to be balanced again,” said Lilo, and went back to bed.

After breakfast Billy met Petra on the way to Nemo, and told, what he found out this morning.
“I knew,” Petra said, “sometimes, when I am not with you and Nemo, I do end up with Lilo and Monadi.
But while they mostly speak about things, who did not interest you until lately the crystals, I never mentioned it.”

“Did you learn a lot of them?” Billy asked curious.
“And were there things, you think Nemo has to know?”

“I do think, by the way they do use the same books, sometimes even the same words, they do know the same about what we are doing.
They only look at it on a different way, we do. A girly way.
And you are a boy who has to do more!
So lets go on, we have a lot of drawings to make today!” Petra urged.

So their day went very fast with preparations.
Only Nemo was curious about one thing: “Billy told me, that time goes different in Homeland, and so the books do say.
And nobody will miss him, while it does look, like he is still in bed.
Is that right Petra?”

“Yes, it is. In Homeland, there always is time to do, what need to be done.
There are a few people, who instinctive seem to know, how much time went by on thís world. Lea, the friend, I was telling about before, was out only for one night.
But in Homeland, it did look as if it were weeks.

As long as you do not go to much from our world to Homeland and back.
But that will not be the case, I do think, unless we do have to wake you up for information. Than time flies, as always!” Petra laughed, thinking of the few mistakes she herself had made with that, before she understood.
So they went on finding crystal forms, and colors as needed.

In Homeland at the same time, other preparations were being made.

The old place between what had been Homeland and the Otherlander place, was again set ready for this.
It had done it’s job good last time, and was big enough.

Under the guardian eyes of Wise Feather and Rob, who found some more people with Indian friends, they made all ready:
The secret circle, for the dance, at who’s rim the Medicines people, the elder and wiser people should sit, was cleaned.

All around it were smaller circles, where a flag did show, what kind of group was expected to use it.

There was a flag with a book, but also a big one with stones.
There also were flags with windmills and other machinery, Billy and Petra would not recognize, but the dry-lander’s should.

Big fires were made, and on the most pots of food were simmering, besides other places for food and drink.

There also were a lot of tables and benches around the flag with the books, so they needed not to be laid on the ground.

And as always in Homeland: there was space enough, for all that were expected.

But of all this, Billy had no idea, and Petra only could only suppose so, while she also had seen how the Lady and Elder had done, when Lea and Cindy came to the last Pow wow, to ask for help, solving the Otherlanders and their Gang problem.

“It really was nice, to know that in Homeland there is place, and a solution for all, with a little help from our friends” she loudly concluded her thoughts.

Nemo and Billy looked up, wondering, what she was talking about.

“Oh, I was thinking about the last Pow wow we had, and how well the Lady and the Elder did solve all, while they managed everybody, to do that, what was needed,” she answered.

Than Petra told about the field, and how everybody had found a place, while in Homeland always was time, and a place for all and everyone.

“You did mention that before,” Nemo said. “But what do you mean by that?
My books do not tell such things at all.
Probably, while I myself have no friend from Homeland, and they find things like that normal.”

“That is true,” Petra said.
“We ourselves even sometimes do forget, that time here, and with us in Homeland is totally different.
Even while we do have places, like the cave, where the grannies and the baby’s stayed, to learn about that.”

Nemo nodded understanding, but Billy looked, as if he did see water burning.

“Time is always the same, or not?” he said, looking very surprised to Nemo.
He said: “No, that only does look so.
But very learned people understand the relation between time and distance, and in Homeland that will be so too,” looking for confirmation to Petra.

“Yes, in Homeland there always is time, to do what is necessary.
But we have to watch that very well, so nobody is home again late, so their family will have sorrows, that are not necessary.”

With those words she looked at Billy. “They will see you in your bed, when they look around the door, to see if all is well.
But to show Nemo it works, we can go, and deliver already some of this papers to the Lady, and ask her, if there is more she does want from us?”

“But is it not a secret, how we travel?” Billy asked surprised.
“Yes it is,” Petra said, “so we will travel from another place, he cannot see.”

Nemo did not like it, he could not come. But there still was no Homelander friend found for him, so it stayed: no, he could not.
Billy and Petra did bring the papers and drawings, Nemo and they themselves had made, to the Lady.

The Lady had laid ready a lot of photo’s of the pink/purple crystal, an older friend from the world above water had specially made for Nemo.
Therefore he was not too much disappointed, while he seemed almost absorbed by the good view he had of this crystal, as he had of how big it was, while there was a measure besides it on one of this photo’s.
So he could complete his own axel with the right form and color.

He did send Petra and Billy swimming in the moat, while he thought, they did deserve a bit of free time to play.
This night, there had to be done a lot of work, so a bit relaxation in advance was no bad idea.

After swimming Billy did play a bit with his sisters, listened to another story of daddy about the time, he grew up on dry land, thinking, it was ok daddy did not now about Homeland.
For he did hear sometimes a bit of homesickness in that story. Specially when daddy told about climbing trees, and running down hill, and the plays, he and his friends did play.

Petra did find some sacks to carry things from Homeland to the bubble and back.
Billy had not spend any thoughts about this, but it seemed to be a good idea.
You never could know.

That evening they took the rest of the drawings, Nemo made, some fresh clothes for Billy, for when it would be colder or hotter than the bubble, with it’s steady temperature, and off they went: mirror hopping to the Pow wow.

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 15: Colors and crystals again.

Chapter 15: Colors and crystals again.

The next morning seemed to go slow: Lilo did not like her breakfast and Violet was crying, something she almost never did.
Billy looked to mom and dad helplessly, not knowing what to do.
Petra, who in Homeland also had a little sister, acted, unseen by the others, like she was slowly rocking the baby.

Billy thought, he could ask and try, so he said: “would it help If I rock Violet a bit, so she falls asleep?”

Mom wondered, but thought, that Billy had not said or played very much with his sister, like Lilo had done, but had seen hér doing so.

“Yes please, Billy, for daddy has to go to his project with the others. Than I can have a look what is wrong with Lilo. Nemo will understand, if you tell him why you are late.”

So for the first time without anybody watching but Petra, Billy took Violet in his arms, and slowly rocked her, singing softly a little song, he remembered mom singing when he had been small.

“Little, little sheep, do you have some wool? Meh, meh, yes three bags full, one for the morning and one for the old, and one to huddle in, when I’m going cold.”

Slowly Violet calmed down, while she did suck on Billy’s finger, like she sometimes did with mom or Lilo too.
Than he discovered something strange: Violet did not have teeth yet, and still there was a hard spot in her gum.

So when mom came back, after putting Lilo back to bed, he asked: “When do baby’s get teeth, mom? It does feel hard in her mouth!”

Mom took over Violet and said: “Well, Violet is starting to get them early than. And it hurts a bit, while they have to go through the skin in her mouth, that’s why she is crying. And Violet is getting a bit ill, but do not worry, I did send for the healing lady. So thank you for helping out, and now go to Nemo quickly, so he has not to wait to long for you."

When Petra and Billy were outside, Billy did thank Petra and asked: “Hoe did you know?”

“Well, I have younger siblings too, and we are taught to help too” but the question made her smile.
"Sometimes I do miss the little ones, so I am glad, you do have 2 sisters, that does make it more easy for me. Let’s run, who is the first at Nemo’s!” and of she was.

At the same time they arrived at Nemo’s, although Petra started running a little bit earlier.
There Billy wanted to know first: “What is a sheep? I remember mom singing that song, but what IS a sheep?”

Nemo looked at Perta, if she did know, for he already was busy with colors and crystal shapes.
So he went on, while Petra said: “that is an animal.
On dry land or the world above, they are kept, while they grow a thick coat of wool each year.
When not with people, they just loose this heavy coat by rubbing against ruff surfaces, but people had learned to cut the wool of, when the days got to hot, so they could make clothes of it.
And some people did eat not only vegetables and fish, but also meat from certain animals, sheep to.”

“Oh, I just do eat, what is on my plate and never do ask mommy what it is. May be I should have?” he answered.

“Well, when you are old enough to go to the growing bubble, you learn also about that. While there is, where all things we do eat grow, some small animals too.
But we seldom do eat them, besides fish.
We do think, that is not so necessary.
People above do eat a lot more of it, although more while they do like it very much, as while they need this every day” Nemo said.

“But now come, and tell what made you late today.”
So they did tell about Violets coming first tooth, and Lilo being a bit ill. Than they had their attention to the colors, on Nemo’s drawing.

“It does look, like there is a certain follow up in colors, you did use on that … what is it? A stick?”

“That is an axel.
An axel is something, around what something else is rotating.” He answered.

“Like the ball a few days ago?” Petra said?
“That is right. In the rotating of the ball, you could not see the axel, but it is there too.
For all things have a center, a ball also, even when you can not see it.
And a ball also has an axel, that makes it go round, like I did show you.
Our world does have that too.
The bottom end is called the south pole and the top end the north pole.
So the world rotates between 2 polar ends. This way it is created.
This axel has the colors you see in this stick, as you call it.”

“Has that a reason?” Billy asked, and Petra also looked very interested, like she had not heard so before.

“Yes, in this whole world this is a time and again repeating pattern. It works in all there is.” Nemo said.

“That often, you say it twice?” Petra asked.

“More often, as anyone does realize” was the answer.
“It does belong to this world, and each other world has a slightly different pattern of colors. But that is not interesting for now.
What we are going to do, is finding a sequence of crystals that precisely matches this sequence.”

“Sequence?”

“The same follow up of this line.
We used to have, in the days the Atlantians still did live above ground, a supply of each crystal, so we could choose.
Now we have to do, with what the friends come up with at the Pow Wow.
So it has to be done very carefully, this drawing.
You two can help, by wearing gloves again, and looking for the right colors crystal.

And yes, you get a small pencil, and a piece of paper to note down, the names of the crystals, and the colors you did find.
But do not press to hard, otherwise the core of the pencil does brake, and it is gone before it need to be.”

Again it was like a game of hide and seek: the crystals were hidden over several pages, while they also had different shapes with the same kind of colors.

Than finally, when all was written down and colored by Nemo to his satisfaction, he told some more.
Billy and Petra were ready to listen, tired from concentrated searching.

Than Nemo explained: “all does have a kind of axel, the earth, but also a human.
In a ball, you can imagine it very easy, by just putting a stick trough it.
That would be hard in an human, would it?”

Both laughed, but were to interested to intervene.

“So the axel in a human lays in the backbone. There it is protected by bone.
And it does have the same colors from down to up.
In a human the places, where those colors are the brightest, are power-centers, called chakras.
There goes the energy in and out, up and down, the easiest.
That does help to keep your body healthy.

People do use nowadays sometimes crystals again, luckily, like we used to do, although not with the force, we could use, and luckily some of us still can.

The world also has such an energy going on, like I did say before.
Not much people can see this, so you do have to believe me, when I do say so.
In the earth, there belongs those crystals in the same follow up.
That is deep inside, and humans have not the skills to delve that deep to our luck, so the most important big crystals still are in the right place.

Only the purple-pink healing crystal, the one that belongs between the purple and the white top one, was lost, and now is found in the box of the Lady.

To try out, if the system with a little help can be healed a bit, before the time we are allowed to show ourselves again in our predictions, we are going to try to lay it on as much places on the earth, and on maps of the earth, the right stones.

For that we are going to use, what we do have of the list, you two just made.”

“You do say so, Nemo, but I never have seen colors around a human,” Billy said.

Petra laughed: “In Homeland there are more people, who can see that, not all, just a few. Perhaps that is just so with humans, Nemo?”

He nodded, scratched behind his ears, as if he tried to remember something, and said: “Ah, yes, in the house of knowledge is a machine, that will show you.
Lets go there, and take the color-stick and your list with us, so we can compare, if we did our job well.”

They went, and in the house Billy did lay his hands on two tablets, than Nemo turned a switch and suddenly it did look, like there was a boll of colored light around Billy.
Petra and Nemo held the color stick besides it, and it nearly matched, only the pink one was missing.

“You see, that's the one in the Lady’s box, it was not in the book.
Shortly, when I have hopefully seen it, it will be again, otherwise one of you two will have to draw a precise drawing for me” he said, and switched of the machine.

“That was awesome!”Billy said. “Can I tell at home I did learn about this?“

“You can tell about the axel of the world and the colors of your body, while your mom and dad also do know about that.
They did work with them on dry land already. They did call this Kirlian photogaphy. But you cannot tell, why we are researching this right now.”

“Researching?”
“Investigating, finding out how and why it works,” Nemo answered.

Now lets go back to the normal classroom, and finish the drawing for the Lady.
We only have one more day after this to finish it.
Remember, the night after this one is the great Pow Wow, you 2 are expected with this answers.
So take care to sleep very well tonight.
Yes, I do know you sometimes talk late, while you have to do that when the others are not around, except me. But not tonight. Promise?”

That they did, knowing there was a lot to do still, before all the Lady did need from them was done. And they had no intentions to break that promise to the Lady and all the others.

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 14: What Billy, Petra and Nemo found out.

Chapter 14: What Billy, Petra and Nemo found out.

Billy found out, it took more courage, that he had imagined, to keep the drawing in the book for the new mirror, and than get enough confidence, so he could step through.
Petra did show him twice, how she did do it, and came back in one piece, with the drawing of his bedroom above, to come back.

Then finally he dared.
This was the most scary thing, he ever did, knowing, he went to an entire new world. But he did it.
He even kept his eyes open, to miss nothing.
The first he did see, was the bright light of the sun, so he blinked his eyes to adjust.

Than there was the green.
He never did realize, there were so much shades of green.
And when he finally dared to look up, there was the most brilliant blue, he only knew from the pictures on the murals, he had seen yesterday.
Even the blue of his moms dress was not that clear.

And when he had a good look around, it strangely did look, as if he always had lived in a place like this.

“It does not feel strange, Petra. It does feel a bit like home!” he said.

Petra had to laugh.
“Most friends do feel a bit like this.
But also, for most friends, who do come here for the first time, it is less strange, while it looks like home for them.
Dry land, as the people in the bubble do say. It looks, like the illustrations in their fairy tale books.”

“What are illustrations, and what is a fairy tale book?” Billy wondered.

“In the world most people do have books, while paper is not so valuable as in the bubble. So each kid becomes books like Nemo has.
They are smaller of course and there are stories for kids in them.
They also have nice colored pictures in them, like you did see yesterday on the wall, in the house of knowledge.
Those pictures are called illustrations, while they do show, what is in the story.”

“Are all kids books fairy tale books?” Billy wanted to know.

“No, of course not. There are all kinds of books, from just stories until books like Nemo possesses.
And a fairy tale book is a special kind of kids book.” Petra answered.

“Why it is so special, are the stories different than?”

“Yes, they are, although most people do not know why, the only do know the fairy tales are mostly old.
But they are written by someone, who does have a friend in Homeland, and they always do teach something, that is kept safe for all times.”

“What are you driving at, when you do say it this way?”
Billy got more and more curious.

“Well, I did tell how Lea and Cindy did meet, did I not?
For Lea was the message, there are different kinds of friendship.
There even is a kind that looks like it, but is not, remember?”

Billy nodded yes, and said: “that is why you always underline, I have to learn patience and trust, to become a good friend.
So that is a Homeland or fairy tale message.”

“You did understand!
A story can teach you something, but does not need to come from Homeland, where all secrets of life are saved.

In the most fairy tale books are illustrations, somebody with a Homelander friend has made.
Therefore this surroundings do look familiar to most friends.
And while you parents did tell, how their life was, before they were saved, to live in the bubble, ánd you did see the illustrations of Nemo, it is the same for you too.

Come, lets have a walk, and see, if we find somebody, I did tell you about.
And when you do want to know, how a tree feels, just touch it.
How is the smell of that flower? Just smell it” she said laughing.

So before Billy went far, he touched, and smelled, and said: “all is so nice and fresh here, like new!”

“That is, while all that is good, is saved here.
So the air smells, like it belongs: fresh. The trees always have the color leaves, belonging to the season.
About season I tell you later, for there are Amany and the Lady.
I do think, we should go to them, and hand over Nemo’s letter.”

Billy became a bit shy, so he stood there in ah, not knowing how to behave.
Than he saw Petra going to the Lady, and just was pulled by the hand by Amany, who said: “well, Billy, Petra will have told you I am Amany.
Let’s go, the Lady does not bite… she loves us all!”

Than Billy gave the Lady a hand, like he had learned from his mom and dad and said: “Lady, Nemo has given us a message for you. Would you like to have it now?”

The Lady slowly did read it, while for her it was a long time ago, she had seen those Atlantian lettering.
Than she laughed, and said: “Tell Nemo, we will do as he asks. But Nemo does have to have a bit patience, for I do not know, if all the crystals, he is asking for, will be there, when the big Pow wow will be.

Amany had not have a dream about it, so we will have to wait patiently.
Now go and play a bit with the other kids.
I do see, they are playing football, and you always think it a bit sad, there are not enough kids around, to play this proper.”

Billy looked at Petra, who nodded and said: "What are you waiting for? That’s mostly a boys game, so I will talk a bit with Amany and the Lady."

That’s how Billy got used to Homeland: after feeling and smelling he did play his favorite game, so he never ever hesitated anymore, to go there, when it was necessary later in his life.

The Lady did write on a new paper the answer, Nemo was searching.
Than she did send one of the Homelanders with an adult friend, to find an atlas, in which was, how the world now did look, with all the maps, Nemo was looking for.

Further to bring a big notepad, and some pencils, among which a box with all colors of them.
That was easier to come by, when asked for from an adult friend, she explained Petra.

Than the football match was over, Billy came back, hungry, tired and all he wanted now was something to eat and than going to sleep.

He just said so, and the Lady told: “You will have all the time to rest, you will need in the bubble.
For in Homeland, there is always time to do, what is necessary, without interfering in your daily life. Petra will later explain.
Now go home, and in 2 of your nights, the big Pow wow will be here.
You are invited, together with Petra, to deliver Nemo’s answer.
So take this all to him safely, and let Petra carry it to him, so nobody else will see this.”

Amany said: “Have a safe mirror hop. And do not go by yourself, for you still do not know all the rules of Homeland. We do not want you being lost.”

So back they went, and Billy did see on his clock, there only had been gone a few minutes. But he was too tired to wonder, having played a nice game of football and seeing all those new things.

The next day Nemo did read the Lady’s answer.
Billy and Petra were curious, but knew, Nemo only would tell something, when he had finished reading.

Than he unwrapped the parcel, and with a big sigh of satisfaction did see, all he needed was in there.
The kids could not explain, why he did look so satisfied, so they looked at him with big eyes of anticipation.

“Where do you need that for?” Billy could not wait his turn again.

“In the time, we did live deep in the sea in our bubble, the world became a bit different. How that works I will explain later.
There also are a lot more cities, full of people, where no one did live, when we were there, except the animals and plants.

So in order to see, if our ancient wisdom of crystals can help, I do need to know, how the world looks today.
That I do find in this atlas.
Look, that blue lines does say: here is water, a river.
That colors on this maps do say: here is a mountain, and there is flat land.
And the big, big blue pieces are seas or oceans.
And here, just in the middle of this ocean, where the map says the water is the most deep of the world, on this spot, we have build our bubble.”

“So therefore you were so satisfied to see, the humans cannot dive deep enough to find us,” Petra said.

But why do you need those lovely colored pencils?” Billy said, a bit envious while he had to write with coral sticks, that scratched sometimes on the sleet.

“Well,” Nemo said, “when you are very careful, you can use them when we are drawing special things for your lessons. But for now, I do need them to draw something the Lady does need, so you only can look.”

There was a bit of disappointment in Billy’s eyes, but also an ah, when he did see Nemo draw with sure hands a map of the world.

Of course not all was on it, like in the book, the Lady called atlas, but they clearly did recognize the outlines, and the mountains, and the biggest of the cities.

Than Nemo took the colored pencils, and did try each color carefully, sometimes a bit mixing them until he got the right shade, fitting to one of the crystals in his old book.

At that moment Billy’s patience was ended, so he did ask: “Why are you doing that?”

“While each crystal has its own place, and function.
I did tell you, the purple one was the crystal of healing for us Atlantians. Specially the one with this form,” he pointed to a crystal, with 5 sides, ending in a point.

“This one is normally hidden inside a bowl, that from the outside looks, like a very big pebble.
But when it is broken, the inside is covered with these.
They mostly are found in the medium sized mountains. We were able to take them out, long ago and let them grow, until we had the size we needed.

Now only the earth itself can grow them, and luckily the very big ones, we do need to heal the earth, grow that deep, they are not discovered, and taken out yet for rich people to make jewels.

Luckily there are enough left in their rough state, so they can be used for the sacred act of healing, like we did once.

We are going to look in our olden books, if the places, where they were, before our Atlantis sunk under the sea, still are in the same place.
Both of you will also wear gloves and will be very, very careful!”

“Of course,” Billy said, “You told, these books were irrepla…”
“Irreplaceable,“ Nemo repeated.

With that, they filled the rest of the lessons, so without even noticing, while it did look like a game of hide and seek, Billy and Petra learned, where the most important things of this earth were.

“Can I tell mom and dad tonight, what we were doing today?” Billy asked, when the lesson was over.

“You can tell them, we did do geography, that is the adult word for knowing, where something is on earth.
But not about the pencils.
And only about the crystals, that you are learning, there are different ones growing in the earth. When they do need to know, I myself will tell them.

Now you have seen Homeland, you can imagine, they can get homesick to live above again. And you did see in Cindy and Lea’s book that paper, that explained, how difficult that will be in this world.

Can I trust, you are big enough to keep this all a secret as long as necessary?” Nemo accentuated again.

Billy looked indignant, and said: “I did not tell about Petra, did not I?”

“But this is even a bigger secret, and the Lady and Amany said, it had to stay that way, until they told you, you can talk about it,” Petra said.

And Nemo added: “than they even have to make that trip up without you and your sisters, when it have to be soon, for it does take a very long time to get used to less water pressure, and live normally on land level, like you can do in Homeland without any trouble. So promise!”

Billy promised.
And found out the same evening, how hard that promise was, while to his luck, Petra was besides him, invisible for the rest of the family.
She gave him a punch, when he started about the trees, he had seen, so he could go on with: “in the house of knowledge” the moment he realized his mistake.

That night, his dreams of Homeland were about how it really did look like, at least the part of it, he had visited yet.

And he dreamed of all colors of crystals, even in his dream guessing, what Nemo would tell about that tomorrow.

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.