Thinking inside the Box

“This is a great moment Brother Francis.”

Francis felt himself to be at one of life’s crossroads, but did not know why.

This new Pope seemed genuine enough. He had been mightily understanding all told. He had kept to himself for the main part and allowed the Brotherhood to do as they may, without influence or interruption.

It was only a small box of polished oak, inlaid with lines of pearl. He lifted the lid to see what the artefact looked like.

“The dial goes around, and around, without stopping. And, it knows the rhythm of the day, with each day passing. It even marks its pace by the smallest of bells.”

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

His Head Morphed

“You can't be Sirius”, Puck chuckled when he saw what had happened.

Wildly, and most oddly, the Asian man now wore the velvety head of his former self, the Weimaraner. After he had started weeping, holding the magic mirror of Charley’s, the very shape of his head morphed back into Chips and stayed there.

“Was not sure what to call you - but now, Sirius it is” he laughed again - not unkindly.

“Dad this is not funny. You’ve got to get him to change back … he can’t be seen like this.”

But it was too late - Calvin had overheard and seen everything. He had been sitting up the back of the lab all of this time quietly and no one had noticed him, not one.


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Crisis of Identity

“Come, come look there” - he pointed to her mirror, which Charlie still wanted to get back in the moment.

Looking into it at his reflection she could see the image of the grey dog … and then it changed to a face that she did not recognize, and then to another, and another. It was reflecting back the subtle images he had worn of his former selves.

“I don’t really know what has changed in that regard - I am sorry if somehow I misled you. Everybody said they loved you at the time.”

“And now they don’t”, he said mournfully. He went very quiet.

Crisis of identity - that’s what this is, she thought to herself. He’ll get used to his new self soon enough.

“Please, can I have my mirror back now? - it was my mother’s. Anyway, how did you know it would do that?”

“I didn’t” he shrugged, “I just guessed after seeing you with it and Master Black”.

“Oh”, said Charley who had not yet fully reconciled herself to talking to a dog.

- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Unloved

“Why don’t you love me now?” he asked, with a soft toned sophisticated English accent.

“Now?” Charley asked in genuine surprise, wondering if there was ever a before.

“When I was a Weimaraner you would greet me with a smile - you had kind things to say - you would whisper in my ear and stroke my fur. You told me you loved me.”

“Yes, but … you were a dog then.” Charley could hear the harshness of her own words as she said this.

“Yes” said Chips-Bruce Lee.


- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Meddling with her Stuff

"What are you doing?” Charley called to Bruce Lee-Chips-Peter, as she caught him going through her handbag noisily.

He kept going, ignoring her being there, and plucked out a satin purse that held her precious mirror inside - the one that her uncle had bestowed her from the sleepy grove.

“Hey!” she was in plain sight now, and startled by this old guy’s rudeness. “Put that down!” she commanded. But he had now taken the mirror out from its casing and was holding it up, looking hard into its window.

“Let me give you another one instead,” she said, grabbing her bag and trying to find her make-up mirror to replace the one he had in his hand.

“Here, you take this one,” she pressed emphatically - “it is much better,” Charley was trying to hide her annoyance at this little man who had no business meddling with her stuff.


- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Healing through God

“Healing through God is spontaneous and unpredictable … it is higher than magic or pharmacy, it is higher than manipulation or remedy, and its timeliness cannot be anticipated."

-The Great Lion


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Life & Hope

“Life has the substance to endure of its own. It is the ‘Force’ of the Jedi, the ‘Spirit’ of the Trinity, and the divinity of the Divine.

“Hope is spontaneous, and godly: it is something which is not predictable - it is not based on anything predictable or reasonable …

“Hope is a gift, from the heart of the highest charity - from the love of God: it comes from the immortal pool of spirit - wherein we all come and go.

“Yes! it is unreasonable many times to expect the happiest of outcomes, and yet it will be hope that delivers this news before its reckoning.”

-the Great Lion 


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances