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| if_only_we_could_bottle_that [2023/06/17 16:41] – created raventree | if_only_we_could_bottle_that [2023/06/17 16:51] (current) – raventree |
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| Keven R. Bye Assignment : 8 | |
| 2961 Cardwell Ln Kris Franklin | |
| Frankfort, KY 40601 Date: 25 July 2011 | |
| Word Count: 2997 | |
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| IF ONLY WE COULD BOTTLE THAT | IF ONLY WE COULD BOTTLE THAT |
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| I’m not sure exactly when I woke up. I don’t know exactly where the line is between being unconscious and conscious. I do know that I was very confused. | I’m not sure exactly when I woke up. I don’t know exactly where the line is between being unconscious and conscious. I do know that I was very confused. |
| “Mr. Grains, you’ve been in a traffic accident. You’re in the hospital; we’re taking care of you.” Her face was pleasant, but there was something wrong. There was something she wasn’t telling me. She gave me a plastic smile and walked away. | “Mr. Grains, you’ve been in a traffic accident. You’re in the hospital; we’re taking care of you.” Her face was pleasant, but there was something wrong. There was something she wasn’t telling me. She gave me a plastic smile and walked away. |
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| At first, I thought there was something wrong with my arms, but then I realized they were strapped down. There was also some sort of cloud muddling all my thoughts. I remembered an old lesson, and went to work. | At first, I thought there was something wrong with my arms, but then I realized they were strapped down. There was also some sort of cloud muddling all my thoughts. I remembered an old lesson, and went to work. |
| The brain is an incredible organ; the mind is even more incredible. Where one stops and the other starts is hard to say; its like trying to define where your body stops and your spirit starts. My unusual upbringing helped me understand a lot in these things. My grandmother had | |
| BYE 2 | |
| Assignment 8 | |
| AVY8681 | |
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| been called a mountain witch, and it was quite a badge of honor. The lessons she knew were more often passed on through the female of the line, but I had been an exception. I’d learned much; to see auras, to feel moods and to calm myself when needed. And now, I cleared away the cloud in my head. With a clear head, I could think. I reached out with my mind and felt around. | The brain is an incredible organ; the mind is even more incredible. Where one stops and the other starts is hard to say; its like trying to define where your body stops and your spirit starts. My unusual upbringing helped me understand a lot in these things. My grandmother had been called a mountain witch, and it was quite a badge of honor. The lessons she knew were more often passed on through the female of the line, but I had been an exception. I’d learned much; to see auras, to feel moods and to calm myself when needed. And now, I cleared away the cloud in my head. With a clear head, I could think. I reached out with my mind and felt around. |
| There were other people around. They felt sedated. Some felt very weak. But there was something else I could feel; something in the distance that felt. . . just. . . wrong. Some sort of energy hole. I’d never felt anything like it, and it scared the shit out of me. At 22 years old, I was rarely afraid of anything or anybody, but this hole gave me a terror. | There were other people around. They felt sedated. Some felt very weak. But there was something else I could feel; something in the distance that felt. . . just. . . wrong. Some sort of energy hole. I’d never felt anything like it, and it scared the shit out of me. At 22 years old, I was rarely afraid of anything or anybody, but this hole gave me a terror. |
| For all appearances, I was in a hospital. But from what I could sense, (or more importantly, what I didn’t), something was wrong. It was quieter than it should be There were things missing; worried loved ones couldn’t be felt anywhere. The ones with busy, working minds were the staff. They felt unusually cold and uncaring. Unhurried, and unconcerned, too. And then, out of the edge of my perception (which I had learned was 100 feet on a good day), I felt another mind. He wasn’t so cold; he seemed quite happy. The others tensed up around him, which meant he was in charge. Suddenly, I realized he was heading toward me. So, I pulled | |
| myself back into my body and groggily prepared to find out just what was going on. | |
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| “Good morning, Mr. Grains. I’m Doctor Morgan Sonnen.” The man was middle-aged, tall and thin. His skin was tanned, and he appeared to have a somewhat athletic frame. He looked at me directly when he greeted me, and then went to looking at the contents of a | For all appearances, I was in a hospital. But from what I could sense, (or more importantly, what I didn’t), something was wrong. It was quieter than it should be There were things missing; worried loved ones couldn’t be felt anywhere. The ones with busy, working minds were the staff. They felt unusually cold and uncaring. Unhurried, and unconcerned, too. And then, out of the edge of my perception (which I had learned was 100 feet on a good day), I felt another mind. He wasn’t so cold; he seemed quite happy. The others tensed up around him, which meant he was in charge. Suddenly, I realized he was heading toward me. So, I pulled myself back into my body and groggily prepared to find out just what was going on. |
| BYE 3 | |
| Assignment 8 | |
| AVY8681 | |
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| clipboard while he continued talking. “You’re probably wondering why your arms are strapped down. I assure you, it was done for your own well being. You see, you’ve suffered a head trauma, and you probably have some memory loss. As a matter of fact, this is the third time I’ve seen you. I only offer you my word that you’ve been less than sedate lately. Some of the medicines we’ve been forced to give you to reduce the swelling of your brain can have some nasty side-effects.” Now, he looked at me, waiting for a reply. I asked, | “Good morning, Mr. Grains. I’m Doctor Morgan Sonnen.” The man was middle-aged, tall and thin. His skin was tanned, and he appeared to have a somewhat athletic frame. He looked at me directly when he greeted me, and then went to looking at the contents of a clipboard while he continued talking. “You’re probably wondering why your arms are strapped down. I assure you, it was done for your own well being. You see, you’ve suffered a head trauma, and you probably have some memory loss. As a matter of fact, this is the third time I’ve seen you. I only offer you my word that you’ve been less than sedate lately. Some of the medicines we’ve been forced to give you to reduce the swelling of your brain can have some nasty side-effects.” Now, he looked at me, waiting for a reply. I asked, |
| “How . .how long have I been here?” | “How . .how long have I been here?” |
| “You’ve only been in this room for a couple of days. You were in intensive care for several days. I’m sure as long as you continue along your path to wellness we’ll remove the restraints.” A nurse entered with a bouquet of flowers; yellow tulips. She placed them on a table. She stated “These are from your mother. She and your father went out to get some breakfast.” | “You’ve only been in this room for a couple of days. You were in intensive care for several days. I’m sure as long as you continue along your path to wellness we’ll remove the restraints.” A nurse entered with a bouquet of flowers; yellow tulips. She placed them on a table. She stated “These are from your mother. She and your father went out to get some breakfast.” |
| “Atlanta Baptist East. I need to ask you a few questions to see how you’re feeling. Okay?” I nodded. “What is your full name?” | “Atlanta Baptist East. I need to ask you a few questions to see how you’re feeling. Okay?” I nodded. “What is your full name?” |
| “Jonathan Joseph Grains” | “Jonathan Joseph Grains” |
| “Birthday?” | “Birthday?” |
| BYE 4 | |
| Assignment 8 | |
| AVY8681 | |
| “March 7th” | “March 7th” |
| “Where were you raised?” | “Where were you raised?” |
| smiled, and replied, “I’ll get Reginald to help you. He’ll be right in.”. I closed my eyes and started my prayer: “Spirits of my allies, spirits of my friends. Come to me in this time of need, for I need you once again. Spirits of my allies, spirits of my friends. Come to me in this time of need, for I need you once again. . . “ I concentrated on my center, and concentrated on the Earth Mother, giving myself a firm connection to it. There was still some residual fog which filtered away. Then, before I knew it, six foot 4 inches tall by 250 pound Reginald entered the room. | smiled, and replied, “I’ll get Reginald to help you. He’ll be right in.”. I closed my eyes and started my prayer: “Spirits of my allies, spirits of my friends. Come to me in this time of need, for I need you once again. Spirits of my allies, spirits of my friends. Come to me in this time of need, for I need you once again. . . “ I concentrated on my center, and concentrated on the Earth Mother, giving myself a firm connection to it. There was still some residual fog which filtered away. Then, before I knew it, six foot 4 inches tall by 250 pound Reginald entered the room. |
| undid my straps and my I. V. I could feel a coldness about him; I was just another subject to him, completely un-human. There were deep scars in his spirit. I looked up at him and sent an outward feeling of frailty. “Help me up?” He did. I leaned on him as he helped me to the bathroom. While we were walking, I silently asked for forgiveness. And then, I did what I had | undid my straps and my I. V. I could feel a coldness about him; I was just another subject to him, completely un-human. There were deep scars in his spirit. I looked up at him and sent an outward feeling of frailty. “Help me up?” He did. I leaned on him as he helped me to the bathroom. While we were walking, I silently asked for forgiveness. And then, I did what I had |
| BYE 5 | |
| Assignment 8 | |
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| to do. Inside his mind I went. His wounds penetrated the surface of his spirit, for he used them to give him power; to justify his actions. I saw flashes, and tore. | to do. Inside his mind I went. His wounds penetrated the surface of his spirit, for he used them to give him power; to justify his actions. I saw flashes, and tore. |
| “You didn’t deserve to be beaten. You deserve to be loved.” He stopped, dead in his tracks. With eyes wide, he turned and glared at me. I continued, “You did what you had to do to survive. Your past is behind you. You can’t change who you were, but you CAN change who you will be.” I felt his mind racing, and with small nudges, I gently guided its direction. He demanded, “How do you-“ | “You didn’t deserve to be beaten. You deserve to be loved.” He stopped, dead in his tracks. With eyes wide, he turned and glared at me. I continued, “You did what you had to do to survive. Your past is behind you. You can’t change who you were, but you CAN change who you will be.” I felt his mind racing, and with small nudges, I gently guided its direction. He demanded, “How do you-“ |
| “What is going on here in this place, Reggie? What is it they do here?” Fear welled up behind his eyes, and his mind flashed to the horror he feared the most, and I saw his memory. | “What is going on here in this place, Reggie? What is it they do here?” Fear welled up behind his eyes, and his mind flashed to the horror he feared the most, and I saw his memory. |
| There was a hallway. I could hear the wheels of a gurney on the floor. A teenage girl was on it, eyes looking like dull marbles amid red and swollen flesh. I heard Sonnen’s voice speak: “Reginald, what you see here isn’t a young girl. She drugged and whored herself into obscurity. She has at least 3 kinds of sexually transmitted diseases, and her last trip took away most of her sanity. Now, she could be cared for by tax dollars for the rest of her life, or we could do our nation a service.” Reginald swung open a very thick metal door, revealing a white, clean room. In the ceiling was a device shaped like a crescent moon the length of the gurney. Cables hung down at one end. The gurney was rolled in and placed under the device. The doctor worked some controls at a console and the device lowered. Sonnen continued speaking as he worked near the girl’s head. “Fossil fuels, fission, fusion. . . All these messy ways to harness | There was a hallway. I could hear the wheels of a gurney on the floor. A teenage girl was on it, eyes looking like dull marbles amid red and swollen flesh. I heard Sonnen’s voice speak: “Reginald, what you see here isn’t a young girl. She drugged and whored herself into obscurity. She has at least 3 kinds of sexually transmitted diseases, and her last trip took away most of her sanity. Now, she could be cared for by tax dollars for the rest of her life, or we could do our nation a service.” Reginald swung open a very thick metal door, revealing a white, clean room. In the ceiling was a device shaped like a crescent moon the length of the gurney. Cables hung down at one end. The gurney was rolled in and placed under the device. The doctor worked some controls at a console and the device lowered. Sonnen continued speaking as he worked near the girl’s head. “Fossil fuels, fission, fusion. . . All these messy ways to harness |
| BYE 6 | |
| Assignment 8 | |
| AVY8681 | |
| energy. They either pollute, are dangerous, or just too damn expensive. But here-“ A drill could be heard- “We have a way to harness that elusive spark of life, and transfer it into clean energy.” The drill stopped, and cables were moved into place. “Of course, not everyone has the same amount of spark. I’m sure you’ve watched small children, admired their energy, and stated how you wish we could bottle it.” He laughed. “Well, we can! But now, its time for us to leave the room while the instrument does its work. I like to think of all the useful work electricity can do; so much more good than the world would ever have gotten out of her!” | energy. They either pollute, are dangerous, or just too damn expensive. But here-“ A drill could be heard- “We have a way to harness that elusive spark of life, and transfer it into clean energy.” The drill stopped, and cables were moved into place. “Of course, not everyone has the same amount of spark. I’m sure you’ve watched small children, admired their energy, and stated how you wish we could bottle it.” He laughed. “Well, we can! But now, its time for us to leave the room while the instrument does its work. I like to think of all the useful work electricity can do; so much more good than the world would ever have gotten out of her!” |
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| I snapped back to the here and now. Only a moment of real time had passed. Scared shitless, I pleaded, “Reggie! Look man, I’m not a druggie! This is wrong! You know it! You’ve got to help me get out of here!” | I snapped back to the here and now. Only a moment of real time had passed. Scared shitless, I pleaded, “Reggie! Look man, I’m not a druggie! This is wrong! You know it! You’ve got to help me get out of here!” |
| “Guards. Too many. And when they energy-scanned you-“ | “Guards. Too many. And when they energy-scanned you-“ |
| “Energy-scan. It’s how they tell if you’re worth it or not. I heard ‘em say you’ve got a lot; a whole lot. They don’t know how, or why, but they want to study and see why.“ | “Energy-scan. It’s how they tell if you’re worth it or not. I heard ‘em say you’ve got a lot; a whole lot. They don’t know how, or why, but they want to study and see why.“ |
| Suddenly, two more men busted into the room. Both were holding tasers. Reggie turned and looked at them, and then back at me. Aloud, and in his mind, I said, “Reggie. This is the moment. This is the moment that defines who you are NOW.” His eyes dropped. He turned, and ran toward the 2 men. Tasers went off, one going wild and the other hitting Reggie. He went to the floor, twitching. I grabbed the vase of tulips and threw it at one of the guards. It hit | Suddenly, two more men busted into the room. Both were holding tasers. Reggie turned and looked at them, and then back at me. Aloud, and in his mind, I said, “Reggie. This is the moment. This is the moment that defines who you are NOW.” His eyes dropped. He turned, and ran toward the 2 men. Tasers went off, one going wild and the other hitting Reggie. He went to the floor, twitching. I grabbed the vase of tulips and threw it at one of the guards. It hit |
| BYE 7 | |
| Assignment 8 | |
| AVY8681 | |
| him in the head, shattering. As he went down, the other pulled a baton and came at me. Then, things moved slowly – but only for me. | him in the head, shattering. As he went down, the other pulled a baton and came at me. Then, things moved slowly – but only for me. |
| I ducked the swing at my head. I thrust upward with the open palm of my left hand at the bottom of his chin, clamping his teeth shut on part of a now-bleeding tongue. As he staggered backwards, I grabbed the baton with my right hand, still advancing on him. I hooked my right foot just behind his left, and then continued moving my weight forward and down, landing | I ducked the swing at my head. I thrust upward with the open palm of my left hand at the bottom of his chin, clamping his teeth shut on part of a now-bleeding tongue. As he staggered backwards, I grabbed the baton with my right hand, still advancing on him. I hooked my right foot just behind his left, and then continued moving my weight forward and down, landing |
| I heard feet slapping at a run on the floor in the hallway and a voice saying not to run. Bobby turned and looked out the door and a child ran by. Bobby said, “Man, I wish we could bottle that energy.” He turned to me and smiled, but quickly looked puzzled. “You okay?” | I heard feet slapping at a run on the floor in the hallway and a voice saying not to run. Bobby turned and looked out the door and a child ran by. Bobby said, “Man, I wish we could bottle that energy.” He turned to me and smiled, but quickly looked puzzled. “You okay?” |
| “Don’t ever say that, man.” Now, I knew everything would be written off as a delusion. But I knew better. | “Don’t ever say that, man.” Now, I knew everything would be written off as a delusion. But I knew better. |
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