JADEN'S GRACE

FREE PREVIEW, excerpt from JADEN’S GRACE, by Dianne Kaye Chapter 34: Southwest of Tucson. Arizona (667 words) Suddenly an old woman appeared, dressed in Native regalia. The woman handed her an Indian vase filled with fresh cool water. She drank from the kindness. “You are in a very dark place” the woman whispered. “I know,” she admitted. It feels like I am in a dark cave and it is filling up with water. I am afraid I will drown. I don’t know how to find my way out.” The old woman burned some sage and whisked the smoke into the sky with a bundle of feathers. Then she began beathing deeply at a slower and slower pace. The lost and found woman began breathing at the same slow rhythm. The old woman’s voice was low, as soothing as the sound of creek water running over rocks. It took both young women into the visual image of a cold, dark cave. Grace heard water running and became afraid of drowning. She felt trapped. The Native woman’s voice caught her ear when she said: “I encountered a teenage girl in the cave. She looked about fifteen and very angry.” Her attention shifted. “Yes. I know that girl, she has been angry for a long time. Probably, since she was about six years old.” She responded quietly. “The flip side of anger is fear. You can’t run from fear. You need to face it or it will chase you forever. The teen is demanding to get out of here. I tried to explain to her, that the only way out is through the muddy pond below. But she is refusing to go that way. She tried to defend the girl. “She does not know you and does not trust you. She lost the ability to trust somewhere along the way.” The Native woman tilted her head as if receiving a message from the Great Spirit. “I also see a smaller girl, about six years old. She is sitting on a giant tricycle, screaming. ‘Get out of my way!’ She is threatening to run me down.” “I remember that girl. She was not afraid of anything.” “Then maybe we can reason with her. Maybe the young girl can help the teenager understand, we need to dive into the mud. And you need to do it together.” “Dive into what?” She asked? “Into the pool of water.” The woman nodded her head. “Are you nuts?” She gasped. “No. It is the only way out of this cave.” “So, you want me to dive into this pool of water, right? Then what?” “Have Faith. You will find your power animal and conquer your worst fear.” The Native woman spoke with both girls for a few minutes and they finally agreed to follow her out of the cave. One-by-one, they all dived into the muck. She conjured up her strongest sense of self, took a deep breath, and dove into the pool. She kicked and swam along the murky bottom until she saw bright sunbeams filtering through the water. She reached around in the mud and the darkness and felt something large and scaly. “What is that? Her mind screamed. A voice answered. “It is a giant water snake. Climb on and it will take you out of this quagmire. “It is your power animal. It came to you. Make friends with it and it will always be your guide.” She remembered the Latinos covered in snake tattoos that transported her across Northern Mexico. Then the thought hit her, “I hate snakes!” Suddenly, a giant green snake swam from behind a rock, slipped between her legs and took her to the surface. The teenager and the young girl rode out with her. When she popped out of the water, she took several deep breathes of clean fresh air. The Native woman stood on the beach playing a flute. Her dress jingled as she danced--then she shape-shifted into an Owl and flew away.