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36 |Unknown Location South of Aksum, Ethiopia
“You’re okay. It will pass. Just breathe. In and out, slowly. In and out, slowly.”
Acton held Laura as she sat on the floor in his arms, the love of his life having insisted on experiencing the Ark herself, her reaction, from all outward appearances, the same as his.
She closed her eyes and drew a loud breath through her nose, then exhaled slowly, nodding. “Okay, I think it’s over.”
Acton helped her to her feet then moved the hair from her face with the end of his finger. “You okay?”
“Yes, just a little frazzled. That was intense.”
“What was it like for you?”
She turned to face the Ark, shaking her head slowly. “It was odd. I didn’t feel anything at first, but then as I began to think about what I should be feeling if it were real, I started to feel things. I found myself imagining the most horrific of things mixed with I’m not sure what. It was a confluence of emotions all at once. I don’t know if it was all in my head, or if it was from the Ark, but it was intense.”
Acton’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you think it could have been all in your head?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It wouldn’t be unprecedented. You go in believing something will happen, so your mind makes it happen.”
Acton’s stomach was suddenly cleaved hollow. Could she be right? Could it all have been in his head? He had wanted it to be real, he had wanted to experience something. Had his mind created what he wanted?
He turned to the priest. “I’m not so sure anymore.”
Amanuel smiled. “You have to have faith, my son. Do you truly believe that you, a man of science, would have such a rapturous, overwhelming response, simply by touching something I told you was real? A devout believer? Absolutely. But a skeptic like yourself? Are you really that weak of mind that you think it was all in your head, your scientific, logical head?”
Laura leaned against Acton and rested her head on his shoulder. He stared down at her, and could see she was as confused as he was. He looked at Amanuel. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “I wouldn’t think so.”
Amanuel reached out, patting them both on the shoulder. “Then have faith. Both of you. You know yourselves, and I think, deep down, you know the truth. Your minds have both been touched by the hand of God Himself.” He stared each of them in the eyes. “And you will never be the same.”