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  “Well, what are we going to do with that woman?” I joked with my father as soon as she left.

  “You’re bad!” He laughed. “I hope to God they discharge me sometime this morning, because otherwise, besides the aneurysm I’m going to have to recover from a heart attack, too.”

  “That makes two of us,” I responded, laughing.

  Fortunately, for both of our bodies and hearts, the specialist came by to see him that morning. After an examination and an ultrasound for control, and once the results verified that all was well, the doctor signed the discharge order. He’d have to return in a few weeks for a follow up consultation, but the worst seemed to have passed.

  We got back to his house around two in the afternoon. I made something to eat and then we both crashed on the sofa. We slept until Ian came by to visit.

  Chapter 28

  The First Expedition

  It was the last week before starting the trip to that remote country in Central Asia. I was nervous. In spite of following my usual practice of meditation and writing, a routine that helped me quite a bit, I had to start incorporating tisanes of mint, chamomile, and lime in the minutes of my day, all to try to get my heart rate to slow down, that rhythmic and strong beat that seemed to emulate the sound of drums announcing the slow but inevitable step towards an uncertain destiny.

  I felt like being alone and concentrating, but that wasn’t an easy task. With my father recuperating from the operation, I was going to visit him every day.

  Luckily, my Aunt Jimena and Uncle Jorge lived in a building near his and took charge of almost everything, giving me a break. When they weren’t playing poker, the entertained themselves eating, sleeping, or watching television. My aunt organized the distribution of domestic chores and they asked her to cook. It was very picturesque.

  Meanwhile, Ian worked in a sort of photographic studio that he’d set up in his own house. What started as a hobby, little by little turned into a job, and that occupation permitted me to have some hours to myself without making excuses to do so. I was curious about him giving me so much space, but I was grateful. Even when he came over late to see me, he didn’t want to stay for dinner, much less sleep. I think that both he and my father knew that I wanted to be calm.

  On the other hand, even Victor seemed not to want to interfere with my moments of solitude. If he needed something, he wrote an email or text and waited patiently for me to answer.

  That week, besides my nerves, my dreams wouldn’t let me disconnect. In some, I saw lights making beautiful formations on the horizon, in others even flying saucers appeared.

  I was shocked by the last one I had before getting on the plane to Mongolia. I saw a planet in the distance, very similar to ours. However, it wasn’t the Earth. It was a somewhat larger world, also with water, an atmosphere and water and beings habitating it. It was so familiar to me that it was baffling.

  After spending some time observing that uncertain globe, my visual field approached it, adapting to a new perspective that was at least revealed: The Earth. However, that experience had not ended. I was losing the view of our beautiful star again as my vision quickly entered the earth’s surface. After that, I could see myself in the middle of Asia’s largest wasteland, the Gobi Desert. There, in the middle of the infinite sand, was a temple marked by two large eyes. They looked at me expectantly, as if they wanted or demanded something from me. I noted that they wanted to communicate something to me. However, the more I paid attention, the more I tried to sharpen my senses to hear its message, the more silence I perceived. So, submerged in a sea of questions without answers, I woke at six in the morning, seconds before the alarm went off, to take the last shower before leaving on that inevitable trip. Although apparently I had already started it.

  *･｡.·.｡･*

  I arranged to meet Victor at the Adolfo Suárez de Barajas Airport in Madrid. Ian got up early to come get me and take me to the airport.

  On the way I felt something huge and uncertain moving inside of me. Something I didn’t know how to describe in words, that moved me with joy as well as sadness. I didn’t know if it was an emotional block or why I was finding myself like this, I just knew that one part of me wanted to break down and another wouldn’t allow me to do it, not to control it, but because I didn’t want to.

  “Do you have everything?” Ian asked, breaking the silence that enveloped us.

  “Yes, I hope so,” I said with a sigh.

  “Are you nervous?”

  “Very,” I said without any qualms. “I wish you were coming with us.”

  “Me, too. Now I’m sorry I didn’t get a plane ticket to go with you.”

  I looked at him tenderly while a sad smile played on my face.

  “Seven days,” I said to myself out loud. “It’s only seven days.”

  “Yes, it will go fast.”

  “I think I’m afraid because I don’t know what’s going to happen and..and at the same time, I want to go. Could there be anything more illogical?” I said rhetorically.

  “I suppose so, but I can’t think of anything right now,” he laughed.

  I smiled at him affectionately. He was so sweet and loving to me. I never thought it would be so hard to leave him.

  We arrived at the terminal. Victor waited for me at the glass door. Ian got out of the car with me to help me unload the large backpack from the trunk that would go with me and serve as a portable house. We were taking small tents for nighttime. I was afraid for a few seconds I hadn’t brought enough warm clothing, since those fine fabrics would be the only thing sheltering us from the elements.

  Victor gave a signal, raising his arm so we could see him. After checking that I had everything, we closed the car and headed towards him.

  When we got to him, they both put out their hands in a strong handshake. I was distracted. Now that the moment had arrived, I just wanted to get on the plane and start putting in miles above the clouds. More than twenty hours separated us from our destiny. The act of thinking about it was exhausting. Fortunately, I was used to sleeping well on planes, and I figured that I could spend at least four or five hours that way.

  “We should go check the luggage,” said Victor after spending some time together talking.

  “Yes, whenever you say.” I looked at Ian and invited him to join us. I knew that after checking in, we’d still have to wait a few more minutes.

  Once free of luggage, we went to the terminal control queue from where we’d be flying in just twenty-three minutes. Enrique Paz and four other people waited for us there with whom, apparently, we would embark to the deep stretches of Asian sand.

  After greeting them, Ian and I walked a few feet away from the group to say good-bye. It seemed that neither of us had many words for the moment. The idea of separating was painful in spite of knowing that in only seven days I’d be back.

  He looked into my eyes and gave me a deep kiss that made me remember the years we’d lost being so far from each other. However, I felt that it might be the last kiss my lips would give him from the love I had in that moment. He squeezed me in his arms and in a quiet whisper, wished me a good trip. A huge grief took hold of me, settling in my chest. All the times I’d looked for him in my imagination, waited for him without knowing it, thought about him in between my projects, written to keep him close and now..now we were about to take separate paths not knowing if they would come together again.

  “I’ll be back,” I said, looking at him sadly and trying to convince myself, too.

  “Yes, I know your body will be back.” Those words broke the fragile resistance I’d tried to impose on the torrent of emotions that wanted to emanate through my eyes. A tear slid down my cheek and fell to the ground. “We just have to hope,” he added, trying to give hope to both of us.

  “I don’t know what’s going to happen on this trip,” I confessed.

  “You’ll soon find out,” he answered serenely, forcing a smile. I saw his eyes moisten and he looked away from mine.
r />   After a few seconds without knowing what to do, I got on my tiptoes and gave him a calm kiss on his full and beautiful lips.

  “I must go,” I whispered to him, despite not wanting to leave his side, and still having a few minutes that we could have shared.

  “Yes, go. I’ll be here to pick you up.”

  “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

  Again I hugged his body tightly and kissed him on the cheek, recreating the contact with his skin.

  “Until then, tough guy,” I separated from his chest.

  “Have a good trip, Smurfette.” He kissed my forehead.

  I picked up the heavy backpack, and put it carefully on my back. I turned around and headed towards the group of Victor, Enrique Paz, and the other four people.

  Although I felt great pain inside leaving Ian behind, I didn’t want to turn around and look back. My feet seemed to follow concise instructions from a part of myself that didn’t allow myself to be overwhelmed by emotions, and that led me automatically to the experience that would completely change both my life and my way of seeing the world and reality.

  Chapter 29

  Trans-Siberian

  The trip was long, hard, heavy. The hours in the plane lasted an eternity and the worst thing was that the trip to reach our destination did not end there. After flying the skies, we had to take a train called the Trans-Siberian, linking Russia with Mongolia. If you took it from beginning to end, it took you an interminable almost six thousand miles. Although luckily we wouldn’t have to take it the whole way, the truth is, I didn’t want to know how many miles it would take to get to the interior. What I did know was that the crossing in that metal box on wheels was very hot and exhausting.

  My travel companions seemed enthusiastic despite the few amenities of the facilities. On the other hand, it was hard for me to adapt to the situation. I tried to stay focused on enjoying the journey, but at times it was almost impossible. I missed my father, and Ian. I’d been away from home one day and I missed my bed, the comfort of a clean toilet to sit on, and a good shower. That would be an unforgettable experience, for lots of reasons.

  Victor was extremely attentive to me, asking me every so often if I needed anything. But I was looking for silence, to be left alone. I almost felt angry at him, for having talked to me about the trip, for having put the candy in my mouth, awakened my interest, and then giving me all the resources to be there. It seemed illogical, but I definitely felt upset with him, although it wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t done anything wrong, he just helped me. I sensed I’d get over it quickly, it was always like that, and more when I understood why I was upset. Besides, I knew that sooner or later, I would thank him for life for that altruistic and unique gesture. A part inside of me already knew it.

  I took advantage of one of the train stops to stretch my legs. While people got off the train to do some shopping in the little markets that were on the platforms, I just walked through the compartment from one side to another.

  For his part, Victor was in the restaurant car with our other expedition comrades, so I enjoyed a moment alone.

  I took the opportunity to go back to my seat to find a momentary personal retreat, with my only company a notebook and pen. I needed to let off steam if I didn’t want to end up crying over any nonsense for no apparent reason.

  Soon, people began coming back to their seats, although somehow I managed to stay concentrated on my artificial solitude.

  The machine started again.

  A few minutes later, I was surprised by a visit by Enrique Paz. Apparently I was the only one staying away from the group and he wanted to know what was wrong.

  “Aurora, right?” he asked, sitting next to me.

  “Yes,” I said, forcing a smile a little, and resting the notebook on my legs.

  “I understand that this trip is very hard on you,” he explained point-blank. You didn’t have to be very clever to realize it, but it was clear he had hit the bull’s eye. My body automatically reacted with my eyes tearing up more than necessary.

  “Yes. I don’t know why, but I’m feeling some very strong emotions that I can’t understand or explain,” I found myself confessing to that stranger.

  “Describe it to me,” he encouraged sweetly.

  “I feel a deep pain for no apparent reason. As if I had a hole in my chest. As if I felt obliged to take this step. At the same time, these feelings overlap with a pleasant feeling of commitment and enthusiasm. It is a very strong energy that makes me take this path...”

  “...although you don’t want to?” he finished the sentence for me on seeing I had fallen quiet.

  “Yes. Something like that.”

  I let the silence fall for a few seconds. Enrique stayed attentive, waiting patiently. I looked at the floor, trying to find my own answers, the ones that could be hiding in some corner of myself.

  “You know what? I don’t know what I’m doing here,” I continued. “And at the same time, I feel that I shouldn’t be in any other place. I knew that I had to leave my father behind and that nothing would happen if I left his side, and Ian, too, despite the fact that we’d just reunited after so long. The fact is that I don’t understand why, but I think that this trip is going to ruin my relationship with him. As if he were not going to be part of my life any more, as if I were going to lose him, too. Or...better said, I’m afraid of being the one who moves away, which causes me pain and confusion. Anyway. I don’t know. You’re going to think I’m crazy,” I sighed, bringing my hand to my face.

  “It hasn’t crossed my mind that you might be. I think you’re doing very well in trying to find answers to everything you’re feeling. Don’t worry if the ones that arise don’t have an apparent logic.

  “At any rate, yes, you’re here for a very important reason. Within a few hours we’ll be doing some meditation work and visual projection to start settling and understanding what we’ve come to in these days.” He paused briefly. For my part, I didn’t feel like saying anything and I stayed quiet, observing him. “Besides, let me tell you something. Our companions are in a situation similar to yours: affected, nervous, restless, disoriented. The only difference is that they, instead of trying to analyze and understand it, are trying to escape from their thoughts during the journey.

  “Everyone has their own way of dealing with things...”

  “I suppose so,” I replied with a certain resignation.

  “Your role in this story is very important and I don’t think it will take you long to find what you’re looking for,” my conversation buddy ventured.

  “You do know why you’re here, so why did you come?”

  “Yes. They’ve been ‘training’ me for a long time. I’ve shared many experiences with them,” he said, referring to the extraterrestrial beings who contacted him. “Sometimes in an astral body, sometimes in mental projection, and sporadically, also in person.”

  “You’ve seen them in person?” I interrupted like a little girl.

  “Yes. On three occasions. In one of the experiences, they allowed me to get on their ship.”

  “Wow! And what did you feel? What are they like?” I asked, despite trying to contain myself as much as I could.

  “Actually they have a similar aspect to ours, but much taller. As you may know, some of them are ten feet tall.”

  “How strange. Once I had a dream with a very tall being, with gray-blue eyes, and long straight hair...he was very...” I kept quiet, evoking not only what his presence made me feel at my side, but the fact that maybe I had not seen him while I was sleeping. My face must have changed remarkably.

  “Have you remembered something?”

  “Yes. My brain has reproduced his face, his appearance, his energy and, I don’t think it was all in a dream, I’ve seen him other times.”

  “Other times?”

  “Yes, other nights. When I was a child I saw very tall, thin people. They told me things...explained things...” My mind was racing between vivid memories that woke up
suddenly.

  “The part is starting where you’ll be aware of all of the experiences you’ve had throughout your life with them,” Enrique explained to me gently.

  “What do you mean ‘all the experiences from my whole life with them’?” I repeated confusedly, squinting.

  “Yes, the moment has come to start accessing those experiences. It’s a process that you, as well as the rest of our companions, will go through. Your initiation trip is more a phase of reactivation of memories that you have registered in your subconscious. In your day, you decided to be part of this mission and now the possibility has opened up that you can act in a conscious way.”

  “What mission? What are you talking about?” I asked nervously, strongly feeling everything he was saying to me.

  “Before coming here, to Earth, you asked to form part of this mission of ‘support’ for this humanity. You all decided to dedicate your life to it, and because of that, you’re here. It’s time to work together, to carry out concrete actions. It’s time to spread the message that these travelers of time and space bring to us.”

  “But you’re already doing this, right?”

  “Yes, but it isn’t enough.”

  “Why?” I said uneasily.

  “They’ve been helping us for years, but we haven’t responded as they hoped. We’re decades behind, hiding and manipulating evidence. Many people keep asking how we’d react in case extraterrestrial beings contacted us, when in reality, they’ve been doing it for decades, if not centuries. They initiated communication with the seats of power, thinking they would obtain better and faster results getting them to believe them and thus, act on their warnings. However, the passage of time made them see that such influential characters hid their existence, denied it, and manipulated the evidence so that citizens didn’t know about their peaceful approaches.