Family Secret
By LM Hooten
Chapter 3

One summer when I was just into my 20's, my sister Joy and I decided to go out on an adventure. Strange that we should choose to vacation together after growing up at each other's throats for so many years, but I suppose we both knew we had to part as friends, and time was running short. Soon we would be starting our own families and would have little time for simple togetherness. We planned a driving trip to the World's Fair, going by way of nearly every National Park along the way. Joy and I had such disparate tastes in music that we almost cancelled the whole thing after only a single day on the road. I had only days before completed an engine overhaul on my little Opel Kadette, so the first leg, a 400 mile jaunt to San Francisco, also served as a test drive. Fortunately, my uncle who lived in Daly City was able to assist when a stripped bolt caused a rather messy oil leak.

Three days later, having enjoyed our stay, we were ready to continue our journey, with Emerson, Lake and Palmer alternating with John Denver and Elton John as the miles rolled on. Our first evening was spent in the Redwood Forest, where she camped out under the stars while I tried out my 2-man pup tent. The next morning, I noticed that she seemed somewhat tired, but happy, and looking as if she had just discovered sex. I knew THAT was wrong, since I saw no likely candidate for her partner. Besides, she WAS old enough, and it wasn't really my business. So, I put the puzzle aside. We breakfasted together and broke camp, then continued on the road. Several miles later, she began talking about myths and fantasy. We talked about J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbits and other creations, and of any number of science fiction and fantasy characters, including dragons and unicorns.

Joy always knew more of how my mind worked than I ever knew of hers, and I suspect that she was playing on the facts that I was very heavily into science fiction, but was also attracted to the occult aspects of life. We explored the concepts of fantasy and reality, and the sometimes-thin line that separates them. I remember mentioning that I'd rather see a flying saucer than a unicorn, because I'd like to learn a saucer's drive principles. Besides, unicorns could be dangerous.

"Then you agree that Unicorns could exist?" she asked.

No way was I going to destroy the rapport that was growing between us.
"Maybe, but it would almost take an alternate world for it to happen. Didn't God mention Unicorns to Job in the Bible?"

"I don't know. Why would they be dangerous?" she asked.

"I think I read that they were feared in at least some parts of the world. And that horn isn't just for looks!"

"Maybe it was just in self-defense," she continued. "Maybe they're really kind and gentle."

"Maybe." I agreed.

"I think they're beautiful!" she continued.

"Depends," I said, "Rhino's aren't even pretty to their mothers! And a goat with one horn, or a horse with a stick-on horn just look silly."

"But that's not what they look like at all!" she gushed.

"Hmmm? What DO they look like, then?"

"Would you believe I saw one about the size of a donkey, but built lighter?"

"You... saw one." I replied, thinking of her experiments with marijuana a few years before.
"When was this?"

"Last night, a little way from the camp."

Well, I thought, there WAS a full moon out last night. A long mental howl played through my mind, but I decided to play along.
"So what happened? How close did you get?"

"Oh, I was able to touch her. We talked through most of the night."

If this was just a story, it was starting to get good.
"What did you talk about?" I asked.

"Oh, things. Did you know Tolkien was a sort of historian?"

"Actually, I HAD heard something to that effect some years before. So your Unicorn knew Tolkien?"

"Her name is Francine and she is not MY unicorn. I don't know if she met him herself, but they have mutual friends."

"Any chance I can meet . Francine?"

"I can ask."

"But what about our schedule? How do we find her again?"

"We just keep going. She said that she would keep up."

We were traveling about 75mph when she said this, but since I wasn't yet sure she was being level with me, I let it pass. That afternoon, we stopped at a park I'd had no idea existed. Joy showed me the map and itinerary, and I saw a full week's worth of stops. Actually, it was more like a month's worth, since we usually spent 2 to 3 days at each site. We set up camp and fixed ourselves some dinner. Joy then said she was going for a walk, and asked me to stay behind. I agreed, and she left.

As she headed out into the darkness, I considered following, but figured that wouldn't do any good and might ruin my chances if I were caught. Instead, I pulled out my guitar and songbook and began practicing a few songs beside the campfire. Our campsite neighbors came by, attracted by the music, and we shared a few songs and talk. A couple of hours later, Joy returned, surprised by the visitors, but she joined in readily. Somehow, though, her presence put a damper on the evening, and soon our newfound friends headed back to their own site.

"Did you have any luck?" I eagerly asked.

"Yes," She said, "and she said she would be happy to meet a man who Believes!"

That brought me up short. I still wasn't sure a Unicorn was really possible, although it was looking more and more like it by the minute lately!

"Cool! Lets go!"

Joy pulled out her flashlight and led the way down a narrow pathway. Soon we came to a small clearing, and Joy motioned for me to pause for a moment.

Soon, I heard the sound of something walking towards us. A moment later, I saw a creature I can only call a unicorn, surrounded by a sort of hazy glow one could easily confuse with moonlight.

"Hello, Believer," I heard within my head." I must say I am pleased to finally meet you."

"Oh, my!" I muttered almost to myself, "You're telepathic?"

"You humans give names to everything, don't you?" She replied.

"You're right. Let me try again. 'I am most pleased and humbled to finally meet YOU!'" I said as I bowed deeply before her, rising with a flourish.

"My, what a pretty greeting!", then to Joy, "I think I'm going to like him!"

I smiled and approached slowly, looking for any cues to continue or to stop. Putting out my hand over her mane, I asked "May I?". She seemed to nod assent, so I began stroking her neck, then moved on to curry her coat with my fingertips.

"Oh, yes, I'm going to like him!" I heard Francine say.

"This is so great!" I began. "But do you know what this means? Magic is real, or at least Science has some really huge gaps that nobody has noticed in hundreds of years!"

"I like him already," came a sardonic rejoinder. "but I begin to wonder what I can teach him."

"Sorry," I replied sheepishly, "but this has got to be the coolest thing that's ever happened to me!"

"Coolest." She repeated, sounding as if she expected better.

"Joy, may I speak with you alone?" Francine asked.

"Sure," she replied. "Larry, could you just." She motioned me back, and I knew I had put my foot in it, so I made my farewells.

"Later!" I headed back to camp, where I waited uncomfortably, thinking of all the ways our meeting could have gone better. What I should have said or done or whatever.

The fire burned down to embers, and I was about to turn in for the night, when the two of them walked into camp as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Looking quickly toward the neighbors, I breathed a sigh of relief that they were all asleep.

"Isn't this a little...dangerous?" I asked.

"I've walked this world for hundreds of years. There are ways of concealing one's self from the uninitiated. Do not concern yourself. I was just telling your sister about your greatest flaw. You need to focus yourself. Choose your goal in life or you will never achieve anything. The paths of science and spirit will both find the same answers if you search honestly. It matters not which you choose, but I promise you, you will flounder forever if you don't begin to move. I can see that you have a good heart, but I can also see that that is not enough for you. Come with me."

This time, Joy was left behind, but she did not seem disturbed by this. I followed for quite a long time before she stopped me.

"Can you follow a track?" Francine asked.

"Um. no, I've never tried to."

"Try now." She commanded.

Looking around, I saw a small set of paw prints. To me they looked like a housecat's print. I followed them for all of about five feet before they disappeared. Looking for a place it may have jumped to, I noticed a fallen log. Searching around it, I found a disturbed area of clovers and four small footprints standing together. The trail led back to were we came from, crossed the previous trail, and disappeared once again. I looked at Francine with a touch of exasperation, wondering what this was all about.

"I'll tell you the truth about Magic: The fox leaves false trails as a matter of course, knowing they are the key to her safety. Beavers engineer their environment with sticks and mud. Horses and sheep contract with humans, the top predator of their world, for their safety. Few creatures have the audacity to do that! You Humans have minds, and hearts, and imagination. Magic is simply the ability to do that which others cannot. And your magic is different from that of your sister, or that of any other human on your world. Harness it, and you cannot help but succeed."

With that, she turned and walked away. She looked back just before she disappeared.

"We will meet again, young one." A moment later, she was gone.

I did not see Francine again until we reached the Hoh River Valley in Washington State. It was a rain forest, and the most beautiful place I have ever been to. We arrived in the midst of a 3-day drought. By this, I mean the heavy clouds and mist couldn't quite get enough weight to actually rain. And there were times when you could actually see blue sky above the green canopy of trees. Joy took the opportunity to go rock climbing, so I stayed alone at the base camp for the next 3 days. I visited the various sites and displays set out for the park visitors, hiked a few trails, and visited with other campers, particularly, one intriguing if somewhat shy young lady named Nancy. But that is another story. On one of my day hikes, as I sat on a boulder overlooking the valley, I began hearing Francine speaking to me.

"When you look out on all this beauty, what is it that you see?"

I turned and saw her approach easily, as if we were very old friends.

"I see the hand of God." I replied, smiling. "The beauty of His creation, the intricacy of His workmanship. Do you have any idea of how much activity goes on within the structure of a single leaf?"

"I can't say I've ever thought of it," the unicorn replied. "But I must admit they make tasty snacks!" She reached down and picked at a weed.

"For you, maybe." I replied. "But I see a factory, converting sunlight to sugars using processes men can barely comprehend. (This was true back in the '70's)"

"So you still haven't decided." Francine said.

"Decided? What?" I asked.

"How you are going to find your path to Truth."

"I know the Truth." I said flatly. "I am also quite sure that an unbiased Science must eventually lead to God. From what I can see, He delights in using the systems He created at the Beginning to do most of His work. He could as easily use Miracles--Magic to you-- but that would show His Hand a little too blatantly. He's serious about giving us free will and a genuine choice."

"That's interesting." She replied, "If that is what you believe, then how do you explain me?" She challenged.

"You're here; you exist. You don't need explanation. But if there are seven overlapping worlds as you say, I see no reason why their rules of physics there cannot include what we call Magic. My question is how do you travel between worlds without getting stuck here?"

"I wriggle my nose and tap my toes and think about where I wants to goes!"

"So you don't have a clue either."

"Nope! It's just a natural part of me, just as your musings are a part of you. I don't need to think like a human. But I enjoy making humans think!"

"You really like to rhyme, don't you?"

"Not really, it's just an old habit. There was a time when men played with their language. You children are much too serious nowadays."

"Second law of Thermodynamics. Everything runs down eventually. I suppose my kids will start dropping nouns. Everything will be 'that' or 'this thing' Eventually we'll get back to Ugh, Grockken Glackkin Hick!"

"You sound like you need a vacation." Francine said.

"That's the problem. I AM on vacation, but I feel like the bad guys are still moving ahead. Did you know the President just resigned? Not because he did anything wrong, but just so the country can go back to business. But what really hurts is that I rejoiced along with the rest when I heard the news, even though I KNEW I was being hoodwinked by the Media. That's why I'm out here. I need to know how they made me feel like that. How they overrode my own beliefs and convictions."

Francine pawed the ground thoughtfully. "You humans are not as solitary as you would like to believe. Like it or not, you do have a herd mentality, which shows itself on occasion. Your intellect tends to shut down in a crisis, or in a mob. It sounds to me as if you fell victim to a sort of mob mentality in which you rejoiced with the majority, even though you think of yourself as a minority. It was a momentary confusion. Probably deliberately caused. But I wouldn't worry about it, I'd learn from it. Learn to use the same weapon against those who are trying to control your world. Then infiltrate their communication centers and use it against them in the same way."

"Wow, sounds like another fox trail to me," I said doubtfully, "but I'll think about it".

Francine must have taken this as a dismissal, because she turned away and began moving off into a thicket. We had several conversations along our route to Spokane, but they would probably not be of interest to the average reader, so I will simply say that the last time we saw Francine was two days after visiting the World's Fair. She seemed disturbed, anxious to speak quickly. She told us that our mother was in danger, and that we must hurry home again as quickly as we could manage. Knowing that she had been undergoing dialysis for several months, we feared the worst, and I achieved a personal record of driving the distance from Bend OR to West Covina CA by car in only 22 hours and some minutes. That was over a thousand miles! Fortunately, there were long sections where there were no Highway Patrolmen around, or I could have gotten some really interesting tickets from that trip. Sadly, I have not personally seen Francine since the day of her warning.

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