Page 22 (2/2)

"Of course," he said "The thing is, though, that lan’s prayertoward the border of Suht but--Albert had told ht have caused me discomfort

"Understand now," he repeated, "lan’s prayer isn’t a direct channel to Ann It only starts us on the path Finding her will still be difficult"

"But not impossible," I said

He nodded "Not i how he’d helped h he knows," Albert said "Not consciously, perhaps, but so for When there were no prayers from any of your other children--not because they love their mother any less but because they believe that prayers are hypocritical---I thought our cause was lost--and it would have been whatever your deterer son’swill it take to find her?" I asked

"You must understand," he said "We eneral bearing, not a step-by-step route"

I resisted panic and nodded "I understand," I said "Let’s hurry though"

Albert stopped We alking by a large, attractive looking park with--the sight was anomalous--a tall, iron fence around it "Chris, co to say before we continue"

I wanted to go on as fast as possible, not stop and listen But the urgency in his voice perateway to the park, past an ornamental pond I noticed that it had no fish in it and that the soil around its bank looked somewhat drab

I noticed, too, at that point, that the shrubbery and plants were liree, as verdant as the other growth I’d seen in Surass, too, had what looked like bare spots

Across the park, I saw so slowly, others seated on benches None wore robes but, instead, were dressed in fashionable earth clothes They didn’t look very pleasant, their expressions those of false dignity Those on the benches sat stiffly, faces set Everyone I looked at had an air of postured nonchalance None were speaking

I was about to ask about theht-- looked soestured toward it and asked me to sit

I did so and he took his place beside e of Suan "The first, as I’ve told you, is to let your systeradually adjust to rather unpleasant alterations in environain as a means of locomotion Once we depart frorosser atht"

I looked at him curiously IS that what he’d stopped to teller you will be in e’re traveling through the lower real It was nothing co While ere at the funeral, we maintained a distance from the influences of that level In the lower realm, ill have to actually take on those influences in order to function I can protect you to a certain degree but you must be prepared for the onset that will strike you--every dark e Summerland

"You hts As I’ve said, the way to Ann is not distinct It hastly places I want you to understand this now If you feel you can’t face theardedif I had the rethat you have the strength to resist what you’ll have to face, I warn you, with the greatest eers which will threaten you if and e actually find Ann" I confess to startlehtening dangers," he said, "but these are external dangers If we find Ann and you try to help her, you’ll be subject to internal threat Returning to a level of prily influenced by it Lowering your vibration to that of earth’s, you will no longer be able to think clearly but will be subject to the saht hich your wife lives constantly In this weakened state, you will not only risk losing your effort on her behalf, you could very easily be so affected that you’d become as much a prisoner of that level as she is" He put his hand on htly

"You would, then, lose everything you’ve gained," he said, "not only losing Ann but yourself as well’’

A current of uneasiness washed over me and I couldn’t respond

"You can return to where you were," Albert said "Frankly, I’d be much relieved if you did That way, you’d only have to wait for her for twenty-four years which would quickly pass for you

"By going on, you er ti chilled and weak I ht I have to help her Still, I was afraid-- and not unrealistically according to what Albert had told h? Wasn’t it better to wait those twenty-four years, knowing, for certain, that we’d be together again? Wasn’t that infinitely preferable to trying to help her now and possibly running the risk of losing Ann forever?