BOOK of KNOWLEDGE,
a novel by Alexandra Kryuchkova
in the “PLAYING ANOTHER REALITY” series
PART 1. PLAYING ANOTHER REALITY, or the WAY to the LIGHT
Chapter 19. STARS
Time is a great deceiver, illusionist. It only seems to people that they have learned to measure it with hours and that it always flows evenly. Time speeds up, then slows down, or even stops. It seems to me, it doesn’t stop, it is stopped by people. It’s very dangerous to play with Time. The word «play» for me personally already carries something negative and false. As RAM once said, «People are playing. We are not…» Time flies faster over the years, and the realization of how much I had no time to do is painfully gnawing at me inside. So suddenly and completely unnoticed, Spring came to our city again.
«Hello,» I said, opening the door for her.
«Hello, Girl the April,» she said with a smile.
«I wanted to ask… Have you accidentally brought with you the Man Who Was Not?»
«Who is he? What a funny name!»
«I don’t know, but I want him to become the Man Who Is.»
«No, I haven’t heard anything about him, but I brought another stone for your rosary, with which you count the years in the Earthly Reality,» Spring answered, holding out a moonstone with another two-digit number engraved on it.
Nonna congratulated me in the morning. The star of the «Battle of Psychics» series, it was easier to see her on television than in the original. They started making a documentary film about her, Nonna invited me to participate in it by telling people about our accidental acquaintance, my books and paintings about Another Reality. I was happy for her. Unlike many psychics, Nonna was real.
My friend, Larissa the astrologer, had worked in a highly advertised center of wizards in those days when there was almost nothing on store shelves. Her colleague used to tell clients to bring as a gift to the gods something that, for some reason, was absent at her own house. True, everyone was required according to their financial capabilities, which had been clarified in advance by the clairvoyant. For example, for happiness in their private lives, girls gave the gods a set of bed linen (of course, a new one), and old women brought a variety of food to remove magic damage. The wizard did nothing for them, since she possessed no abilities, except for convincing clients of the need for sacrifices.
Once again despaired by no manifestation in the Earthly Reality of the Man Who Was Not, I decided to turn to the stars, or rather, to an advertised astrologer on an equally advertised website. For a stellar consultation, one needed to send the date, time and place of birth, one’s name, question and email address, and transfer some money. As you had already understood, my question was the following, «When will I finally meet my man?»
In the evening I received a multi-page answer, but I was happy not for long. Until the last sentence, it was the description of the location of the planets in the Zodiacal Houses at the time of my birth, which for a person ignorant of Astrology was like reading a book in Sanskrit. And only the last phrase was the desired answer, saying, «Taking into consideration the mentioned above, you must get married and give birth to your first child before the age of 35!»
I burst out laughing, the Astrologer didn’t realize that I could have managed to do all that many years before, but I had never met my man.
If you have questions for the stars, contact Larissa. She hosts a corresponding broadcast on television and can talk about Luminaries until the end of time. Larissa compiles Natal Charts, a multi-page document about the planets at the time of one’s birth and, as a result, what the newborn is predisposed to in the Earthly Reality.
I read my Natal Chart, having already lived long enough on Earth to appreciate the level of the truth, and to assure you that if it is not truth itself, it’s at least something very similar to it. The Natal Chart is compiled once in the current incarnation, and if you don’t have one yet, take a look at your Star Solitaire. It’s very interesting. Perhaps such information will help you answer the question of who you are and for what purpose you are sent to Earth.
Larissa makes me also a forecast for the New Year, which begins on one’s next birthday. The main trends of the next year depend on the location of the stars above the place on the globe where you will find yourself on New Year’s Eve. If you look at them in advance and the forecast doesn’t suit you, you can look at the location of the stars on the same date over other cities and move in space. Thus, unlike the Natal Chart, which one cannot avoid, the next year plan can be adjusted.
The main leitmotif of my current year according to the stars was life as a hermit, immersion in creativity, completion of literary work. In general, it all turned out to have passed that way. Agree, no matter how much I wanted something else, they sent me no one, except for the Man Who Was Not and the Moon Cat. I had almost come to terms with it. «The same deal won’t happen twice,» I thought, waiting for the approach of my New Year with a secret hope for…
On my birthday, I invited all my close ones and not so close, including the MWWN, who had disappeared from my horizon many months before, to a cozy cafe. Everyone who couldn’t come for some earthly reason called to congratulate me, or sent me a message, one of the dearest was the following, «Dear Alice! Happy birthday!!! Good meetings with interesting people on the wide open spaces of the distant roads of Your Path! I know YOU ARE GREAT! With love, RAM.»
The MWWN didn’t come, didn’t write, didn’t call.
Larissa solemnly handed me the forecast for the coming year. As usual, hoping for the best, I excitedly opened the star gift and read the first paragraph.
«A year often brings a radical change of residence, leaving for a monastery or solitude. Favorable for everything secret and not manifested. Communication with monks, astrologers, occultists, theologians and philosophers. Occult, philosophical, theological, literary works. Training in secret knowledge, involvement in mystical and magical processes. Rethinking and transforming of life goals…»
«Thanks to all the stars for everything at once!» I thought, not without bitterness.
I cast a bit of spells on the stage. They asked me questions and gave me flowers. I asked people not to give me flowers, but for some reason they thought that I was flirting with them like that, and every time gave more and more.
I love flowers very much, even, perhaps, much more than the givers do. I love all flowers, except for carnations, since my mother was buried strewn with carnations, although I perfectly understand that carnations have absolutely nothing to do with it. However, I love flowers growing no matter where: in a field, in a flowerbed or in a pot on the windowsill. In my garden, I don’t grow potatoes or others like that, but I plant flowers along the path from the house to the well. Moreover, there is a clearing with daisies, clover, buttercups, cornflowers, bluebells, yarrow and other local residents, which make me and the butterflies, that constantly fly to visit us, happy. Cut flowers remind me of people whose days before the transition to Another Reality are already numbered.
When I left the stage, bards began to sing romances composed on my spells, and a stranger invited me to dance.
«Who are you?» I asked.
«Misanthrope, although it doesn’t matter. I love your creativity. One day it will be appreciated. At least by the Higher Forces. Unfortunately, our world is too cruel. The wrong stars are lit up in it, the fake ones. This is done for money on Earth. But real stars are given to us by Heavens, and they don’t know what money is,» the man said.
«Have you read my „Another Reality“?»
«I read it in one breath, Alice. You are an amazing woman, but the Man Who Was Not is just…»
«He just didn’t wish me a happy birthday.»
«You know, it doesn’t matter anymore.»
«Why?» I was surprised.
«You immortalized Him with your spells, making him history. His name is forever written next to yours in the Astral Tablets,» the Misanthrope stated with a sad smile.
«Do you know His name?!» my heart sank.
«No, but I hate Him. For the pain He caused you.»
«You can’t hate people, even if they hurt you.»
«You deserve the best in the world, not pain.»
«Everyone has what they deserve. My stars say that glory will reach for me… Posthumous.»
«Alice, you will never die. But, you know, if I were you, I would already start compiling a list of Dark People who offended you during your lifetime, so that the descendants would anathematize them!»
The Misanthrope smiled. I laughed.
Having returned to my earthly home after midnight, I put the roses to bed in the bathroom, lit the candles, and opened my email. New Year’s Eve smoothly flowed into the First of January. I found no letter from the MWWN (of course), but a congratulation from a friend who communicated with Tarot cards, scattering them like astrologers were scattering the stars.
«Alice, I took out three cards to see your Future. You got the „Wheel of Fortune“, which means that success and luck are coming to you! The Wheel of Fortune is picking up speed, beware of interfering in the course of events, don’t make unnecessary movements, otherwise it will blow you away! Strive for the center of the wheel, for its only fixed point, your own Self. Stop and watch. Look at your problems through the eyes of an outside observer; this is the only way to find their solution. Your most reliable support is yourself. Be confident in yourself, don’t change your principles. Change is inevitable. If you have a streak of bad luck now, everything will turn out for the better soon. If you have a streak of good luck, get ready for the situation to worsen. This is a regularity, no need to be afraid, just remember that Fortune usually doesn’t come by itself, it’s brought by other people!»
I thought, «What kind of streak I have now?» A rhetorical question, the answer to which one could find out only after moving to the next one.
«The second card is the „Chariot“. Some Power will force you to leave what you cannot forget — home, work, friends. You are overwhelmed with energy, looking for a new field for its application. Changing places is a great way to change your surroundings, take your mind off everyday life and the problems of a noisy city. Embark on a Path which will become the discovery of a New World. Don’t forget to be careful, the Path is full of sharp turns and surprises. The card means the end of a life stage; a change of residence is possible…»
I was going with RAM to the mountains, and, as many predicted, the trip should be the beginning of a new stage in my life. However, the sentence about the change of residence, like the stars of Larissa, the prediction of the palmist-astrologer in India, the prophecies of Santa Claus, as well as those strange dreams about my new home, spoke of something having no prerequisites in the Earthly Reality.
«The third card is the „Orchid Tower“. In the very near future you will meet a Man with whom you will find happiness and love. If you have relationship already, expect a fan to appear with whom you will have a whirlwind romance.»
It was apparently some kind of mistake or joke, or the woman had simply decided to please me, but I thanked her for the gift. As they said, «Hope dies last.»
I looked at the Saint, who, according to Maria, protected those who belonged to Another Reality on Earth, saying, «Listen, please give me a gift by showing this Man to me. Who is he? I have almost got a house in Another Reality, and He’s still absent. Show me His face so that I can be sure that He really exists.»
I put out the candles and went to the Kingdom of Dreams. Of course, you won’t believe me, they showed Him to me, exactly on that very night and very clearly, but he was…
...the Man Who Was Not…