Free The Days of Peleg by Jon Saboe

fully.”
    Salah paused for a moment. His wife didn’t need to know all the details, and these guests needed to know even less. He thought of his small meditation chamber with its pyramid-shaped roof which focused his thoughts outward. He had been fasting for the last week to clear his mind. Of course, he had never eaten anything in his life except his own pre-Calamity vegetarian diet as given to him by the Ancient Minds.
    “Well, dear. As you know, I usually focus my thoughts to the past as I meditate. This is how I am able to ascertain many of the mysteries from the Ancients. Sometimes they speak to me, but usually I simply glean impressions of past events and images.
    “Tonight, instead of using my thoughts to bridge time, I chose to venture into the cosmos. Time and space are truly one and the same thing, you know, as the Epics of Aenoch tell. I filled my chamber with sweet eresh smoke and began my trance.
    “I projected my thoughts toward Nibiru, since our latest discoveries ascribe great importance to this world. Initially I glimpsed images of mass destruction and panic, but after an hour or so I was rewarded with a clear vision.
    “I saw the face of a man; but not just any man. There was great learning and years in him, and I felt great power emanating. He had large, wise eyebrows and piercing blue eyes. His countenance was pale, but glowing, and I could sense the great distance between us.”
    Salah stopped and looked around. Inanna smiled patiently and nodded for him to continue.
    “This is when he spoke and informed me of what I have just informed you. He had a most musical voice. He was Semyaz, and he and his people did survive the Great Calamity. The inhabitants of Nibiru are a special race of beings, and they were great saviors. Their leader is named Nergal, the Great Overseer. Although Semyaz and his refugees endured great hardship, when they return they can share the totality of their wisdom and strength with us. We simply have to wait, and our descendants will reap the fruits of their survival!”
    He paused again with shining eyes, and waited for a response.
    Inanna said, “I’m certain you are quite hungry. You know how your meditations take so much out of you.”
    Salah was oblivious to her lack of reaction and hurriedly continued.
    “You must understand. Contact with Nibiru will become increasingly difficult as it moves away. Semyaz stated that only my training and innate abilities allowed me to reach his mind. He has many details concerning their flight and subsequent arrival, but he was unable to share them all at once. I must try and reach him as often as possible to learn what I can before he moves on.”
    “My dear Salah.” Inanna rose and walked towards her husband. “You really must eat and rest after such an incredible exertion.” She took his arm and began to steer him towards the doorway. Salah shuddered and suddenly became docile at her touch and exited the room with Inanna at his elbow.
    The two men were left alone in the room, and Serug broke the silence.
    “Perhaps you were correct about Mentor Salah.” Serug sounded as if a great friend had betrayed him. “He can’t seriously allow some vision to undermine his wife’s research.”
    “I don’t know,” Peleg spoke cautiously, trying to get his thoughts together. “He sounded pretty convincing. It seemed like more than just a delusion.” Peleg was bewildered at his own words. “I’ve always felt that Mentors had mental abilities they never told us about, and—.”
    “I thought you weren’t going to fall for any of that ‘flying to the moon’ nonsense.” Serug scowled and looked him in the eye.
    “No. Of course not.” He shook his head. His brief moment of impressionability was over, and Peleg, who had been momentarily disoriented, prided himself once again on not succumbing to mysticism and superstitions.
    Inanna reentered the room briskly, and gave a small laugh.
    “He really is a brilliant mind,” she started