Chapter 4
The Fire Day

Spiral galaxy with vibrant purple and blue.

05/07/2026|The Intelligent Universe|Hologram Universe

1_RECAP

Sleep so welcome. I saw and heard them sleeping soundly for the period of dark. As Big light slowly appeared waking their day, they looked tired and sore. Giggling and grimacing at the annoying gurgling sounds coming from their bellies. I felt hungry.

And what a day they had! They woke to the substance world. They learned of their physical existence and all their senses. The breath of life, food and the waters. Pain, fear, and danger. The sights and the tastes. But, they knew the numbers and the codes to survive in a hostile world. They built life-saving shelter away from the rains and the cold and the now wild animals. They witnessed the lightning and the fires between them and their goal. They slept around danger.

Then slowly opening their reddened eyes, breathing came deeply. Now dry, and with a new day they were anxious to reach the cave where they could be safer from the beasts and other wild dangers that lie ahead, and behind, and to the sides, and above, and below. Weary bodies coming to life and warming from Big-light beaming through the narrow opening in the shelter. Ami peered up from under BOY’s arm, and said,

As beaten and battered we are, we are survived our first dark. Open the front and let more big-light in. Yaeh.

I saw them turning and bracing their bare feet against the entrance branches. Then pushing and the branches rolled away enough to let Big light pour into their tiny shelter.

Aah. I then sensed they could feel inside their bodies making startling changes. All their senses adjusting to recognize lack of comfort, wet, cold, thirst, hunger, pain and agony. These experiences were totally new as they had not known any suffering in the hologram dimension whence they came.

I wondered how could they survive this journey just starting, full of such peril? Each day would be a new terror, then the dark to dread. The beasts of the wild now striving to eat, brought danger at every turn. AMI and BOY huddled together and felt solace as they envisioned the possible dangers. They would live together or perish together. They hugged each other deeply and knew they were just beginning their substance world experience. AMI shrugged her shoulders.

To be, we must suffer the pain and the agony of the substance world or we not be.

BOY leaned into AMI’s ear with a reassuring smile,

My AMI, we must also remember the pleasure and the joy of the substance world senses. We must make children. We must make happy. Whatever be, will be. It is our mission to whatever the end. We must make children. It is our mission.

Well then, they were to experience life in its pleasure, and all its agony. Through the pains of life and death they would journey to create their children’s existence. I felt they would let nothing stand in the way of their mission. They must reach the cave before Little-light reappears and they knew there were many dangers on the way. Stormy weather had passed. The next day was clear. BOY said,

Drink and drink again. We will refill from the fast creeks where the water is not deceitful of content.

Water that collected in large leaves gurgled down their throats. Their wisdom told them they would need to drink more of the water than thirst will tell. They would need to refill at the fast flowing creeks, where the waters were pure and safe. AMI said:

To eat of the best foods will make best our bodies.

They was much munching and chewing of nuts and berries they had collected, and they savored the tastes, but not filling. As they sat they could vision the river they must cross with its fast waters, and its

predators and then the fields near the cave with their soils and grasses. It would be at least half of Big light to arrive in its refuge and safety. They saw the great need to find sanctuary, where their life forms could survive and they could secure their children’s future.

As Big light became warmer they removed their moss covering by tossing the leaves aside. They sat up. Their hands brushed their bodies of dirt, moss, and gently of strange little creatures. More water and watched them do the motions.

2_THE MOTIONS

After observing this I saw them sit straight up and then face each other with Big-light’s warmth shining to their sides. I had no idea what was to happen. BOY said,

Let us move all our life parts. Bring the breath-of-life, and the waters-of-life, and the energy-of-life, to come together in movement to make our life forms as best they can.

Breathing deeply and long, they began to move together, stretching and reaching with their limbs, even though it was cramped inside their shelter. They watched themselves as fingers were stretching, in all manner of ways, and repeating their actions together. Wrists turning, elbows bending, and then shoulders and waists stretching. Seeking each movement they could, and learning them all.

Then, as I looked at the shelter, they stood outside and holding each other’s hands they rotated each of their feet opposite each other, then knees and hips.

They twisted and torqued and followed all natural movements. Back and forth they moved and swung their arms and legs high. AMI hummed with their movements. BOY followed her lead. They hummed together as they moved so gracefully. Their movements were in unison as if choreographed to be a symphony in motion. Eyes would follow each other’s eyes matching a dance to their physical Life forms. Every so often BOY would say,

I love you, I love you so much.

AMI giggled and brushed some twigs off her shoulder. They took their time and they made sure all physical actions would be known and ready to move anytime needed. All their body parts were moving, their neck, their back, their waist, even their face and fingers with odd contortions.

They were sweating through their face pores, but then drank more of the pure waters and splashed some over their faces. With breathing slowing down and with long deep breathes, they felt more refreshed and alert. All physical life parts were primed for action. When they had finished the motions, they rested and AMI said,

3_THE TIME OUT

Now we must open the time-out to join our memories and release aberrant thoughts. These memories will forever be our bidding in Harmony.

AMI nodded and they sat down facing each other. Crossing their legs, and resting their hands palms up on their knees. They looked at each other and closed their eyes. I wondered, what could be happening? Was this like how they used the time-out before to get here? The Voices then said to me,

TIME-OUT IS WHERE MEMORIES ACCUMULATE AND ABERRANCE IS DISCARDED. TWO TIME-OUTS TO EACH PASS.

EACH OPEN IS ONE PARTITION OF FORWARD-TIME. ONE PARTITION IS 1500 HEART BEATS.

Both AMI and BOY seemed to know what to do. I saw them starting by closing their eyes and breathing deeply through their noses as they did in the garden-of-harmony to transcend into the physical world. They held their breath briefly at the top and then slowly released their breath. They then held briefly at the bottom and continued breathing long deep breathes in the same manner. Chests bulging out, and then stomachs too.

Continuing with me watching intently through their opening of the time-out. It seemed they were connecting through their breathing, and I noticed slowing, of their living body functions. Through all of the events with AMI and BOY I could sense their feelings, contact with and care for each other. Now all I could make out was their last utterings.

Their breathing seemed long and it was drawn out in two parts. There was a long Aaaah-breath in and then a long Zaaah-breath out and a rhythm to their breathing. I could still sense their hearts beating and I counted the beats. I counted four beats on the up breath, one beat on the hold, four beats on the down breath and one beat on the hold.

They sat motionless and undisturbed by events around them even as some animals were making disturbing sounds. Then I sensed their hearts beating as they were gradually slowing down, each beat a little fainter and further apart.

Then suddenly I lost all contact with their thoughts. Their thoughts were outside of my detection just like last time. There was a period, where I felt I was at the beginning of something. I could not tell how long, but I felt it was of a lot of heart beats. As the beats happened I became entranced. There seemed a period of silence where I had no thoughts at all.

The slow rhythm of their breathing remaining the same and I felt their decreasing heart beats had perhaps affected their blood flow, and must have slowed down their physical body functions.

The Voices woke me from my trance and then said to me;

THE AZ ENERGIES CREATED THE CODES TO OPEN TIME-OUT. TIME-OUT IS THE GATHERING POINT FOR ALL PAST TIME ALLUSIONS. WITHIN TIMEOUT, VISION LEAVES THE PHYSICAL BEHIND.

Then AMI and BOY started shifting and moving. Their eyes opening slowly as their breathing became as before. Hands dropped down. Their legs turned to the side and they leaned forward to meet in embrace. They smiled at each other. They felt excited and ready to move on.

I felt as if I had somehow lost them. Amazing, it was as if they were gone somewhere and returned without me knowing. I had lost all contact with their thoughts. Just their physical bodies gave them away. Now I could again sense their being and their thoughts. It was like they had come back. They were invigorated and ready for Big-light’s challenge. What now?

My awe never fading, my wonder intensifying. But I kept wondering, how do the Codes open time-out? The Voices answered my wonder;

ALL WILL BE KNOWN THROUGH THE EVENTS YOU WILL FOLLOW. THE INTENSITY OF EMERGENCE IS IN THE AWE OF THE VISION.

Emergence? Are they referring to all the emergent properties of the new AZ universe I travelled through? Yes, yes, everything created through the codes since the beginning. The awe of it all. Then AMI said,

4_THE BLOODS

Look, we are covered in bloods. We must wash our life fluids and cleanse them to protect our bodies from blood loss and internal dangers.

AMI looked at her feet and saw they were cut from the rocky ground. She could feel discomfort and saw blood flowing. Some blood had hardened into dark crusts They had never seen blood before, but they knew this could happen and the blood would set hard to protect itself from leaking more and from letting hidden killers inside.

They knew the blood was their life fluid. It travelled through their bodies and brought life within. It could also bring harmful life inside. Wow, this is what the wisdom of vision is, the ability to understand how the universe works.

Then they both noticed their legs and feet were bloodied and sore of the cuts from the branches and sharp objects they had hastily used and trounced on to make shelter. One branch had thinly gashed behind BOY’s arm from his elbow and up a short ways. The cuts had let the bloods out. The bloods had set overnight in dark crusty mounds upon them. The mounds were hard and brittle. AMI picked at one mound on BOY’s arm. Liquid then oozed out and they looked at them and touched them. AMI picked at one mound on her leg and the red bloods seeped out. BOY said,

The bloods came easily. We must not let the bloods flow. Let me clean around yours and give comfort by my words.

They felt curious that their bodies were so vulnerable, and they realized without the bloods they could not live. They would need to seek body protection as they were making their journey to the cave. Without protection they could perish before they started their mission.

There were many things they needed to protect their bodies from. The weather was suitable for naked, but the weather would change and the nights would be cooler or even cold. Much of the land was rocky and treacherous to tread over and through. Then a loud roar came from the distance on the route they must take. They startled and looked up. BOY said,

There be many predators on our trip over the land and past the fast waters.

They also knew that they faced carnage from the predators that feed on other life forms. They were out there and they were everywhere. They discussed protection from predators, but,

5_THE FUZZ

They made unsure motions while breathing deeply of life’s air and drank more of the waters. As I sensed their relief, I felt as if I took deep breaths myself. Whew. Brushing against BOY’s cheek AMI peered back and looked closely as strange fuzz had come out over BOY’s face. She ran her fingers over it. It felt rough to the touch. BOY held the other side with one hand and placed his other hand over hers. Their eyes opened wide as he said;

It is as the fuzz many creatures have in harmony. It be hair. The hair will keep our life forms warmer.

AMI poked at the hairs and said,
Yes, and some fuzz is coming out over your chest. They be ever so tiny, yet they now be coming from over your head right down to your neck. They be so pale, not like real. Will they turn dark? They be also in your nose and over your eyes.

BOY said, I feel fuzz under my arms and between my legs. Be there fuzz in my ears?

AMI then rubbed her head and fumbled her hands all around.

Yow, I too have the fuzz. It is all over my head, and a little bit here and a little bit there. We are growing hair. What length will it grow?

They knew that the hair to be would help keep them warm. Loud chuckles and wide smiles covered their faces. The voices strangely told them;

IN THE SUBSTANCE WORLD, POWER WILL OVERCOME THE SUBSTANCE. VISION WILL OVERCOME THE POWER.

This profound statement emphasized their power of Vision to overcome. When they again stood, they breathed deeply and stretched arms high. They trilled bird songs and set about preparing their march to the cave and to sanctuary.

6_THE BARK

BOY looked over the distant terrain they must travel and said,

We must protect for the dangers ahead. We be travel over sharp angled rocks and be aware of perils in the grasses and the bush. We will need somehow to cross the fast river and we must be able to protect ourselves from predators.

They would need to make covers to protect their feet from the wet and rough slippery ground, the sharp rocks and debris, and small dangerous creatures. AMI’s Vision was quick. She pointed to a large wide tree and said,

Our feet can be cut and bloods will flow. We ha not the time to make sure our body, but we can take from inside the bark of this tree and tie the barks under our feet with these vines to form temporary foot protectors. We cannot know how long they will last. We can also use bark sheets to hangover our bodies to protect from the falling waters, bugs, branches and the weathers.

BOY agreed.

Yes, and the bark is so light, it may also help us to cross the fast waters. Let us also take the vines and tie around our middle to carry our gourds of water and our seeds.

They set about gathering bark from a nearby cork tree. First they needed something sharp to cut through the outside bark and peal the cork off the tree. BOY found sharp pieces of rock from the sides of a small rocky rise. They put the sharp ends to the bark and used the rocks to slice a circle around part of the cork tree about waist high. It was hard cutting.

They pounded and sliced. They repeatedly cut until they broke through. They moaned and the burnt waters poured out through the pores of their skin. They now had cut a circular cut almost all around the tree.

They worked together and knew what each must do. They sliced rows straight up from the circle cut as high as they could reach. They placed sharp triangular shaped rocks they found in the rise, inside of the rows. The tapered rocks all faced one direction. They would cut straight through to the bottom of the cork then along the side of the tree. AMI placed and held the end of a short, strong stick, against the rock’s outside edges. Then they set about stripping the bark from the tree. BOY hammered the stick with a large boulder and the rock wedges lifted the cork away from the tree. They continued with all the wedges and around the tree. It looked like an umbrella opening up when they broke the tops of the slabs off by lifting them up high until the tops cracked. As BOY lifted the sheets, AMI hammered the top inside of the sheets with a long stick and the sheets broke away from the tree.

The cork was now in large thin slabs and still had the bark attached. The inside was the cork and could be cut to size. They would cut and peel away the bark on some pieces. The fresh cork was pliable but could break. Now, how to connect to their feet between foot and ground? AMI said,

I can weave cords from the vines. We can use the cords to tie the cork together. The cords I make will serve many purposes.

BOY smiled as he said,

AMI, you are wise. Your Vision brilliant.

The cords were tight and quite strong. She braided some smaller cords into yet bigger ones. They now had crude cords to work with. Could this be their first invention?

When the parts were all assembled, AMI placed her left foot on a sheet of cork with bark side facing down. BOY gave her sharp rocks he had broken away from a larger rock. She then took a sharp rock and cut an oblong shape about a hand width away all around her foot. Once the sheets were cut, the rest could be easily broken away around the cut. She then took a piece without bark on, and cut another shape the same size with an opening near the back large enough to slip her foot through. She had a top to put her foot through and a thick cushy bottom for protection, and maybe some soft comfort for a little while.

I saw her twisting a pointy rock into the edges of the cork pieces and she formed soft spots in certain places around the cork and then broke through with a long thorn. She now had holes to put the cords through. Now, just the pieces left to join. The parts were ready. She slipped her left foot through the foot holed cork and placed her foot on the other cork which still had the bark attached on the bottom. The cork was pliable and she folded the top cork down around her foot and then wove the braided cords through the holes and pulled tightly to raise the bottom cork up over the top piece. She even knew a special knot just for such purpose to tie tightly and easy to undo. The cork crinkled and cracked in some places. As she placed her foot inside she laced it tight. She stood and walked on it. She called Boy,

Look Boy, I ha made a foot shelter. It works for now and we will need it over the sharp rocky hillsides.

Boy smiled, and acknowledged her great vision. Ingenious as it was, it would be only some help and they knew it might not last the trip. She made 2 sets for the journey, and then said,

We will need to carry more cork for to cross the river and also use it to protect ourselves from the sticks and thorns and now biting insects. I will make front and back covers. We can join them over our shoulders with the cords.

AMI then took two large awkward sheets of cork and joined them together at one end with the cords. She left a hole in between so when she put her head inside, the sheets hung down in front and back with the cords over her shoulder. It resembled a lopsided sandwich board of sorts and covered from neck to above their knees. They now had body protection and an easy way to carry the cork. AMI then said,

I can make head covers from the large leaves to keep us dry from the falling waters and cool to the heat.

Then she evenly spread leaves with strong stems in a circle with the stems all in the center. She grabbed the stems and
squeezed them close together as she wrapped them with cord and tied them that way. They could fold them when dry and when opened up it would serve as a hat to keep any rain or heat away. She made another and they wore them right away. BOY said,

I will take a few bananas.

7_THE SUPPLIES

They would take a small bunch of bananas along. Easy to carry with a stick over one’s shoulder. They drank again from the gourd’s water and filled up with more water to go. AMI said,

Collect the life sparks of the plants to take with us. We can bring them to full life within our sanctuary.

Plants of food and cures made perfect sense to start anew. AMI held close the seeds they collected in a gourd and covered with dry moss. BOY said,

We need to protect from danger. I will make sharp pointed sticks. I can make better after we get to the cave.

8_THE SPEAR

BOY was preparing for danger. He had searched everywhere near to find two sticks of straight strong design. One he took from the shelter and another he was able to chew into the base of and open a break point. It taste terrible and he spit out the taste. He then kept bending the sapling toward the break point and back. At one point it snapped and he could finish it off with the sharp rocks.

He shaved them of twigs and bumps. They were about three fingers wide at the front and about two fingers wide at the back and long. He knew the importance of the top end. It had to be tapered. It had to be sharp. It should be hard. He painstakingly chiselled away at the ends with the sharpest rocks and formed long tapers. He found a flat rock that was rippled and rough. He placed the tapered ends against the rough flat rock. He then rolled and pushed and pulled the tapers so as to form long sharp points. The points did not look that sharp but as feeble as they were, they could be their best chance. It looked pretty basic but it could mean life or death. He made 2 spears, one for each to carry.

Incredible,and as outlandish as it looked, they were all decked out and ready to go. There they stood. I could never draw a picture of how it looked to me. Yet I shall never forget this moment. There were two people, much like people I would know. They stood there in a world so distant from me. Yet at my most basic level I felt them to be like me. There was nothing people made, only their Vision and the Codes.

They had on boots made of bark and vines. The boots appeared kind of shabby all around. They had front and back protection with the sheets of cork hanging from just below their necks, to just above their knees. AMI tied vines around their waists and then tied the gourds on them.

They had the gourds of water and seeds of life, and cork tied on. It was very strange to observe, and they each carried a spear. They stood in defiance of their destruction. They would take their first steps to survival. It occurred to me, in no feeble manner this sight so momentous. Here were the people, AMI and BOY. They carried the Vision of harmony within them.

Their mission to be so important, that they would go through the pain and agony of life, and even physical death in order to bring children and memories back to the hologram dimension.. Could it have been much different in my world? BOY said,

Let us haste on. We have everything we can. We make it or not, it is our mission and our destiny. We will make it.

They had everything ready to go just one last look at their first night shelter. They pointed to the distance and off they went. How did they know to do this? The Vision was very powerful indeed and they were incredibly bold.

9_THE JOURNEY

As they took their first steps, they paced their walk with BOY leading and always on guard. They started to travel over rocky ground and
found the boots worked well. Their load was light for now. Walking was tough over the side of a gravelly hill to a forested area where last night’s fires were still glowing, then toward a level stretch below. They slipped and slid a bit on the loose gravel areas. It went on for a long ways with slips and slides over the loose rocks, then, AMI said,

We need to sit and retie our foot covers. We need to eat and drink some waters. I also feel pressures within.

Sitting on a ridge of rock and after retying their foot covers and re-shifting their loads, they drank some water. Then relief from the pressures of the burnt waters through their middle pores and the burnt foods through their large pores. They called the burnt waters ‘bwa’ and the burnt foods ‘burf’.

They cleaned themselves with dry leaves and covered the burfs with soil to not give their presence away to predators. No time to lose, Big-light had risen in the morning sky, almost half way to the top.

As they crossed the ridge a stench of smoke rose from below, punctuated with the curious scent of burnt flesh. The thought gruesome, animals had been caught in the fires and cooked. It caught them off guard as they were drawn to the meat. The scent enticing, with flames still nearby and the land hot to the touch. AMI said,

We know of these animals and have need of food. It is the food of life.

They only had a few bananas left. If they could eat something now it would mean more bananas for later. The meat smelled strange but good. AMI poked at it and BOY went first. He grabbed a large part of meat that fell into his hands. He looked at it and then bit. It taste good, it was warm, it was soft and easy to chew. He ripped a piece off and gave it to AMI. They savoured the taste and ate their full. But there was a strange silence as they ate. They sighed and looked at each other wondering about what they just did. As good as it felt, it did not feel right. Oh.

Satisfied they continued walking through the coolest paths and curiously looked at still glowing embers from the fires. BOY said,

We are fortunate, here be the sparks to make fire. I will push some of these hot embers in a large animal burf and we can carry the sparks with us. We need only blow on it at times and to bring to fire.

They had fire. What could be more needed and they could carry it with them. The first portable lighter I suppose. BOY said,

We need to find a safe path to the fast waters and then a way to cross.

As they angled their way down the hill side they discussed how they could cross the fast waters to the other side. As they neared the forested area they noticed there were birds now about and little noises coming from everywhere. Clouds appeared fluffy and harmless and gently floating about. Big-light was warm and the ground was mostly dry. Then, AMI noticed a dark shape over a ridge in the distance. The shape quickly moved off. I had to wonder what other shapes could there be in the distance? BOY said,

There be dangerous creatures all around us of which we know nothing about. It is their prints and their burf will show of them. For now we can follow the prints of the hoofed animals we know.

They followed an animal pathway that led through the forest. It was clear and easy to follow. Tracks of hoofed animals. Some were big, some were small. The tracks moved slowly, not of fear. They knew of these animals and felt no danger in their nearness.

There was a very small creek running by the side of the path and AMI filled up with its pure waters. BOY stood with his spear ever ready. The waters came from the high rocky hillside behind them. Beside the creek there was a bush of dark berries fed by the creek. They ate some berries. BOY noticed by the sides of the creek, shiny black pieces of rock beside white pieces of rock and others that looked rusted and he slipped some of the rocks into his water gourd.

They pressed on and came to a slight opening in the trees where they saw three horned animals quickly leaping, then flitting away. A few chirps sounded as they continued.

When they arrived at the other side of the opening in the trees the path split, and continued two ways. The one path looked down and looked shorter to the river and followed the animal tracks. The other was over grown, steep and much harder to travel.

10_THE PRINTS

They just naturally went left. As they walked a short distance to the left BOY noticed large wide paw prints with sharp dig-ins made from a predator’s toes following where the hoofed animals had gone. The prints had come out of the brush right where AMI stood. BOY squat down and pointed;

Look at these prints. They are large and have many sharp points. They are on top of and following where the hoofed creatures have gone and they are new.

The prints show the danger of continuing this way. The threat of attack is too strong. We must turn back and take the harder pathway.

Ami said,

I most certainly agree. We need to voice less and talk with our hands.

These were certainly the footprints of a large predator and the tracks were following the animals for food. They naturally and rightly thought it best to stay away. They turned and head back to the split in the paths and took the other path heading up and then down through the brush. The brush was thick but the path was straight. They adjusted their loads to suit. BOY parted the branches and stepped carefully forward. He kept his spear ahead, AMI followed close behind. Thistles, thorns and sharp branches tore at their arms and lower legs. Fortunately the cork kept their bodies and feet protected.

A few creaking sounds came from the brushes. They stopped and waited. As they moved forward there came a loud ‘squawk’ as a long necked bird flew off in front of them. It was followed by another. The path then became overgrown and needed to be trampled.

11_THE VIPER

BOY tamped the brush ahead with his foot covers. Then while stepping over a large fallen log, suddenly a startled viper attacked his foot from under the log. The viper’s fangs bit at the cork and Boy withdrew his foot. The viper slithered off in the underbrush. BOY turned and said,

Yike. The bite on the cork went deep in the cork but not to me. The poison is still in the cork. I must leave this one behind. Danger lurks behind every dark turn and under every twig. Stay close behind me.

AMI shook and held her spear to the trail and smelled the air all around. BOY sat and disposed of the poisoned cork. Their foot covers had saved him from disaster and had worked well. Now he had one less foot cover. He led now with the other foot. They detoured to the bottom around the log then saw the viper quickly slither high to the top. When they reached the bottom, the path opened up and large trees formed a high canopy.

Some small rough hairy looking creatures leapt about in the trees and followed them as they climbed downward on the cumbersome trail. The creatures hooted and hollered at each other through the canopy. These creatures looked new to her. She looked carefully at these creatures and saw how they were shaped as she, except for lots of hair and a tail. AMI felt the bottom of her back and noticed a slight bump but no tail. They called them ‘swingers’ for how they swung through the trees. BOY said:

The swingers in the trees are very noisy. It is such noises will give our presence away. We must walk slowly and let them calm down.

BOY then made grunting sounds like the swingers and their screeches subsided. They followed the path to the side of the level field. It was a longer way but this path was less travelled and they felt much safer. Because it was less travelled it was rougher to walk. It crossed over fallen branches, low brush and rocky edges. Their boots were breaking apart in some places which they retied, and hoped would last.

12_THE RIVER

As they followed the new path they were startled from a loud deep pitched roaring sound. The sound came from where the dark shape had appeared. This was a very unusual sound. BOY and AMI squat down and held their spears with both hands toward the sound. It was not heard again. They rose and continued. This time BOY led with his spear ever ready and AMI walked backward behind him with her spear ready to protect their back. BOY said,

We must crawl low and carefully to enter the field and hide in the tall grasses.

They walked and crawled slowly until they entered the level field with its high grasses. They were crawling low and slowly through the grasses hidden from view.

It became boggy ahead of them as they arrived near the riverbank. They stayed above the bog and hidden in the grasses and looked all around. Peeking out, they could see water predators around the river shore. The predators were very large with long rows of shining dagger-like teeth. If they took the low route they would be eaten for sure. They needed to think clearly how to safely cross the river and continue to the cave.

13_THE PREDATORS

BOY said,

We cannot cross here. The predators cover both sides of the river. We must find another way. There is no way down river. We must move upriver where the wind blows our scents away from the beasts.

The only way possible was higher up the river where it was narrower, but the waters were faster. If they moved up river the winds would blow their scent away from any predators below. This would be good, so they snuck further upstream and waited for a chance. They could see most of the predators were large and ferocious, even with their own kind. They knew these were creatures not to bargain with and to avoid them at all costs.

They heard a slight noise in the air. It was from far off. BOY placed his ear to the ground and could hear a great rumble happening. The ground was shaking. He looked up;

It is the thundering sound of many hoofed animals pounding the ground as they run. They are coming this way.

They realized the predators were waiting for the hoofed animals to cross the river. They would then hunt them as they crossed. With all these animals waiting for prey it was hard to even imagine crossing. But cross they must. They looked over the fast waters and felt if the waters dragged them downstream and near the predators, all would be lost. They had massive jaws that could hold half their bodies in one bite. BOY said,

We must form a float with wood pieces and tie them together with our vines. We can support the float by securing our cork sheets underneath.

They thought they may be able to sneak past the predators if they could build a crude wood raft that could carry them and their precious cargo swiftly past the predators down the river. If it worked they figured they would paddle fast downstream past the predators and could land down river on the other side. From there they could then head up to the cave.

Timing was critical. After the hoofed animals passed when the predators were full and back on the riverbank they would make their move. They quickly grabbed several large broken tree branches and tied them together with vines. They secured cork under the branches and their cargo on top. They tied it all together. The plan was to jump to the waters with their raft, and holding tightly to the burf of fire and gourd of seeds. Then they would hold onto the raft at the back and peddle hard with their feet to pass the predators as quickly as possible.

Would it work? It seemed a dangerous plan but no better idea came forth. They must cross the river. They looked at each other and smiled.

Then they were startled as they heard a shuffle in the grasses behind them and a grunting sound. But, they knew this sound.
They parted the grasses and saw Oink laying there. Oink had cuts around her neck and on her rear legs. She had been in a scuffle and survived with her life. AMI cried as she whispered,

It is Oink. She is safe, she is here. We have found her. She will come with us and we will help her back to health.

So happy to see Oink. Oink was so happy to see AMI and BOY. She obviously had been through a lot since they left the garden. She wiggled and oinked. AMI had to hush her. Although they were happy they now knew they must take Oink with them. Oink was their friend. They did not even think to leave her, but this complicated matters. BOY listened to the ground. The hoofed animals were getting much closer.

He would have to tie Oink’s front legs to the raft and hold her when they leapt into the waters and then place her on the raft. This they would have to do as the raft moved quickly downstream. AMI and BOY tied a tether between them so they could not be torn away from the raft by the fast waters. They prepared it all and waited. They were ready to jump. The rumble got louder and all the water predators now headed into the waters and hid below the surface. They knew food was coming.

As the hoofed animals neared the river they slowed down, and when they reached the edge, they paused. They were leery. They knew predators hung out in such places. But as the main herd showed up, the pressure to jump in was forced upon them by those from behind.

A few jumped in then many others followed. It was a mad scramble as the animals swam for their lives.

The predators stuck fast and hard. They lunged at the slow and young and weak or ailing animals with their huge jaws and spiked teeth. They dragged the shocked animals under the water and drowned them. They thrashed the limp bodies back and forth and tore them to pieces. There were legs, limbs and body carcasses lining the shores. The waters downstream tinged red from their bloods. There were many they took. Many more made it through. The herd left and the full predators slowly went to the shores to rest and digest their huge meals. BOY yelled over the desperate screams of animals and the roar of the river below,

It is time. We must jump now. It is our only hope.

The time was now. The carnage was gruesome but they must put that out of their thoughts. There was only one hope and they needed to do it now during the confusion. They leapt off the short cliff as planned and landed in the swirling waters. Oink’s head went under. They struggled and lifted Oink onto the raft. The waters were fast. They needed to go faster. BOY held the burf of fire above the waters.

They kicked with their feet. They righted themselves and each paddled with one arm. They came to the river crossing and a large predator saw them. It ambled to the waters and it slowly came out to meet them.

They paddled harder. More predators came out. It was just eyes and noses coming at them with teeth hidden below the water. A few came close within a body length away. BOY poked and jabbed at them with his spear and they receded. He still held onto the gourd in the crook of his other arm. They were travelling faster than the waters and had passed close by the predators. The Predators could not get close enough to stop them and most were already full.

I heard sighs with great relief as they came to some sharp rapids. They knew the predators would not follow them through the rapids. They held on tightly as they bounced and tossed to reach calmer waters. Pieces of their raft broke off. The river was coming to a sharp narrow bend where the waters were again faster. They needed to get off now, where the water was shallow. Oink looked scared but they had passed the main danger and now steered their craft to the opposite shore. They landed on a small sandy area with enough space to pull the raft to the side and all aboard to the shore.

As they lifted their cargo off the raft a rush of waters tore the raft bindings apart. The first to go was the burf of fire. It sizzled as it sank in the fast waters. BOY could not hold onto it and the fast waters drew away the raft with the cork underneath. They still had some cork they had worn. It was a small price to pay. He said,

AMI, we have lost our spark and we have lost some cork but it has saved our lives. We must hurry. The cave is not long from here. We must think later of the spark.

They rested and hugged each other. Oink was so happy she could not stay away from licking their faces and making happy snorts. They had survived and made the other shore. They had lost some cork, and the fire, but it saved their lives. The water predators were far behind and the cave nearby.

14_THE CAVE

The cave seemed less than a few partitions away. They must waste no time. Big-light was past half way. They knew not to drink of the waters that prey animals were hunted in. So, they drank from the one gourd they had left with water and the rocks inside.

They left. They did not need to carry Oink. Oink had regained spirit and tagged along closely. Oink ran to a soft muddy area ahead of them and rooted about with her nose and her small tusks. She had found root foods under the ground. The roots were dirty but large and had what AMI and BOY needed to take away the hunger. They stopped and all ate for a while. AMI said;

Oink can help us find foods not known to us. Her sense of smell can seek out foods.

As they walked on, one of AMI’s boots became useless. She tossed it aside and they went the rest of the way with one boot each, the other foot bare. They would walk more carefully over any animal path they found and lead with their boot foot.

The path led directly toward the cave. BOY stopped as he noticed a few similar large paw prints on the trail as they saw before on the hoofed animal trail. It was a large land predator that walked here when the ground was still damp. It was less than a day old as the
day’s light had set it into soft ridges. The prints were heading the way they had come. This was good. It was not ahead, but behind them. Still they were wary and took off their boots to walk barefoot so as to make less noise on the crumbled twigs. He said:

More of the danger prints. We must walk carefully through this field. There is the cave at the other end.

15_THE COO

The land cleared before the cave. They looked all around for danger and then walked openly toward the cave. There were many birds about and small scurrying animals. They heard one bird, it
flew high above them It was white as light and had grey wing tints. The bird spotted AMI and BOY and let out a loud Coo.

When BOY made a Coo sound back, it flew fast to them and landed on BOY’s shoulder. They laughed and stroked it. It was Coo from the garden. Coo had flown above all and found them. Coo was happy to find them and cooed repeatedly. They were happy that Coo had made it and found them. Coo would help them know the lands from above and spot danger before it would arrive. AMI said:

This is as hoped. To see our great friends, to know they are well.

Things looked better. They had some of their best friends with them and the cave was nearby. They stepped up their pace and then there it was. It was like they remember but different. From a short distance BOY held his spear out and made several strange sounds. No
reply from the cave. It seemed safe so BOY pushed AMI up the rise and handed her the cork and supplies they had brought. He lifted Oink up to the ledge, then threw up his spear and climbed up himself. Coo flew off and perched in a nearby tree. The cave was big and went back a long way. BOY said;

This be the cave I remember. It be bigger than before and has had much movement within. We have much to do to be safe.

16_THE WALL

They looked around at piles of long white shapes strewn throughout the cave. They were hard inside parts of animals eaten by a large predator. They then noticed large chunks of burf piled up in several places. The burf were from a large predator that used this cave. Could it be the predator from the footprints? The footprints showed it was very big. The burf showed it was very big. The cave was protected except the entry was open and they knew they must protect the entry from the predator that used this cave.

AMI and BOY knew this must become their home even if they have to confront its former occupant. Their only choice would be to fortify it and protect it from incursion for now. Big-light was well over the top of half way. They could not rest. They were tired. They ached everywhere. BOY said,

I will pass you many rocks. Roll them aside and we will stack them into a wall to protect above the ledge of the cave.

BOY set about gathering the largest rocks he could carry and roll and he passed them up to AMI. She rolled the stones aside and waited for more. He gathered many smaller rocks also. They piled them high as could be and relaxed. BOY said,

If Coo sees an intruder he will call. The rocks could be protection to throw down on and roll on top of any predator. If that does not work all we have left are our sharp sticks.

They were ready if they had to be. Now could they make the spark? BOY said,

17_THE SPARK

We must now make fire. Fire is our protector, our warmth, our light and so much more. We can try to make fire from the rubbing of the sticks. First we must try the rocks I found by the creek to make the sparks of fire. The Codes will make it so.

BOY pulled out the strange rocks from his gourd that he had taken when they were by the creek. They were odd, black and white ones, with some rust colours, and very hard. When they were dry they knew the rocks held great power within them. He chipped away at them until he separated the pieces. They blew on them and dried them in the low Big-light. BOY knew through the Codes these rocks when chipped together at the right angle had the power to create the spark. AMI said:

I will gather the fluff and the pitch, and then gather the kindling and the fire food.

She gathered what small amount of moss they had found and wrung it thoroughly as if ringing out a wet cloth. She then rapidly rolled the moss and some small fibers between her hands. She continued and the moss became warm from the rubbing. She then separated the fibers and laid them carefully to bone dry in Big light.

These dry fluffy fibers were precious, as they would hold the sparks of fire within. They went out from the cave and gathered pine needles damp of pitch, and sap from oozing trees. The pitch would feed the fire. They gathered more dry moss they found. They both set about gathering small dry twigs and sticks for kindling. They broke dry dead branches off trees. The kindling must come from off the ground so as not to contain moisture. The kindling was precious. The kindling would hold onto the sparks of fire and the fire would spread throughout the kindling.

Next they gathered many large chunks of dry wood, branches and broken roots. These were precious as they would hold and contain the fire if all worked together. BOY said;

We will place the fire near the entrance and near the wall and leave room to add our needs around the fire.

They set everything together. The dry fibers and pitch were loosely put on top of a dry flat hard pan area of the cave just a body length from the entry. The kindling was loosely placed around and over the fibers like a little round tent. More kindling was at hand to expand the fire and lots of wood nearby to feed the fire as it grew.

They were ready and nervous. Would it work? They closely bent over the fibers and looked at each other. If this worked, the fire would protect them and keep them warm. They would know other uses for the fire. It would light their way at night and provide food benefits they would need. It was very important.

BOY held the rocks right over and close to the fluffy fibers. He gulped as he struck the rocks several times. Nothing happened. Their hearts sank as they realized it might not work. They knew if it did not work they would have to try the rubbing of sticks or seek out the fires burning in the distance and bring some back to the cave.

He struck the rocks repeatedly, and again, ever so close to the fluff. AMI’s eyes opened as she saw a spark shoot off to the side. It shot in the wrong direction. She urged BOY to strike it again and again. He was very close to the fluff, he struck and a spark shot out to the fluff. It was only one spark but the fluff glowed and BOY cautiously blew the breath-of-life onto the glow. The glow burst out when it hit the pitch and caught onto a small piece of the kindling. It burst into flame. They both jumped in the air.

The kindling was afire. Laughing with joy they slowly fed more kindling to the fire. Blowing gently on the fire, and it grew. Then they started to slowly add larger pieces of wood to the fire. They put one piece on and it spewed of deep smoke. AMI quickly took it off and added drier woods. The fire began to crackle and shot some sparks in the air. This was a great moment. They had made fire. They then surrounded the fire will a low wall of rocks. I somehow felt warmer.

As the fire crackled they heard a steady stream of chirps come from within the cave. Out of the cave came a flurry of small dark winged creatures. They came from deep within the cave and exited the cave in a huge mass as if one creature. They passed over AMI and out.

As warming light expanded, it lit the cave walls and showed their shadows throughout the cave. When they moved about the cave their shadows were distorted. Oink jumped over the shadows and spun around in circles. Oink was so happy. BOY said;

18_THE BED

We will make a warm ground bed with the rocks from the fire. They will last the night through.

The fire would keep the air around them warm, but the ground was still cold. They scraped the softer spots near the fire with the sharp bones found in the cave and dug a trench about a body length long. The trench was near the fire with the soft dirt piled up on its sides.

Then they brought many medium rough rocks and placed them within and around the fire and then they drank and ate of the bananas they had left. They would need to seek food and water soon.

They gathered more wood nearby to last the night and beyond. As they sat around the fire looking over the lands and the birds, Coo appeared near the entry. Coo saw all then left.

The sky was clear and great volumes of stars appeared. They looked at the far off stars and could see them steadily twinkling as their lights had stretched and became dispersed within the Turf’s airs. They knew the stars produced light. All else was reflection. They could see smoke from the fires still burning in the distance. AMI said;

Look, the sparks above all so bright, and some glows show us their light. There is such beauty in AZ Universe. We must now motion and seek time out.

As Little-light appeared They looked into each other’s eyes and started their movements all as before. They moved all parts of their physical bodies in synchrony. Each part stretched and returned. They continued for 1500 heart beats.

Then they repeated their breathing routine and sought time-out through their breathing, with their eyes closed. I counted their heartbeats. I then lost their thoughts, same as before. When their thoughts came back, they seemed invigorated, with their Vision enhanced and aberrant thoughts deleted.

They then rolled many of the now hot rocks from the fire using the bones, into the trench they had dug and spread them out evenly in the trench. They scooped the now dried out soil over the hot rocks. Now they had a warm bed that would last the whole night. They covered it all with leaves they had brought up and laid down. The unbroken pieces of cork they still had left served as a base and a cover.

What an amazing sight to see. They were dirty, they were sore, and they ached everywhere. Here in the middle of disaster and danger they would hold each other’s hands and smile off adversity. They cuddled on their warm bed with their spears and supplies at their sides and Oink at their feet. AMI thought she heard a howl in the distance.

Well they had reached the cave and could now build their home. They both drew deep breaths of relief. But their journey was just beginning. They would take turns waking to add more woods to the fire and push it around.

AMI and BOY knew through the Wisdom-of-Vision that having living form restricted their movements and senses. They knew that their life form would need constant and vigilante attention to survive. They knew they needed the pure air to circulate freely through their bodies. They knew they needed the pure waters to flow throughout. They knew they needed the pure foods to provide energy to their bodies. They knew they needed physical motion to make all parts work to their maximum. They knew they needed to seek time-out every light to maintain Vision. It was very apparent they would greet time-out twice in one day. These things they never failed to do.

Most important, they had the fire. No Codes could be more important to their survival. Fire was everything. It took them out of the dark. It warmed them. It protected them from the predators. This was only the beginning of what fire could do. With fire they were the masters of nature and all creatures. BOY said;

19_THE SLEEP

We must always break the wake to replenish our life forms and increase our powers of Vision. With the fire to protect and warm us, we now sleep.

They knew that their physical life forms and their attention to their Vision, was altered by each waking moment. AMI responded;

Our sleep will repair weak parts and connect good thoughts to our vision. Sleep is part of the Codes.

Their bodies needed to repair and replace worn out and disabled and unproductive parts. Their minds needed to consolidate thoughts and revitalize good memories. They knew sleep was needed for the optimal functioning of body processes.

I could only compare it to my computer. During times when I am using it, things happen. The information on my computer does not just stay the same. Each time I use it things are changing. I delete something. OK, Did I really delete it? Is it saved on a different file? No. It is still there in pieces throughout my computer waiting for new information to override it. There are still pieces interfering with operations and slowing my computer. The pieces are everywhere throughout my computer’s hard drive.

Fortunately my computer has a defragmenter that compresses all these bits and prioritizes them to speed up my computer. This must be like what happens in sleep.

Also my computer picks up viruses that affect my computer’s ability to function, even to the point where they can totally shut down my computer.

Fortunately my computer has an anti-virus program that can disarm, disable and eliminate those viruses and other harmful activities. This must be like what happens in sleep. They were ready for sleep. AMI said;

I will see you in my sleep where we will seek the goodness of the morrow.

Now they could sleep and replenish their bodies. Eliminate unnecessary thoughts and consolidate their memories. Build their immune systems and heal daily afflictions. They learned each day how to survive. As I saw this I realized, sleep is not to just cure sleepiness, but it does that too.

They took such bold steps into the unknown this dangerous day. I wondered, what trials would the morrow bring? They had the fire. They now needed to understand The Time Day.

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Chapter 4The Fire Day

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