The Finished Mystery Ii

By James Hunta

John Lennon is famous for his song Imagine, which includes the lyrics Imagine . . . no religion. We all have the innate capacity for spirituality, and many people express their spirituality through religion, which is fine when it enhances the good within us. Yet when a religion feeds our spiritual nature with false or deceptive teachings, then this can be dangerous. Many people see religion as being responsible for much of the worlds trouble and conflict. No wonder John Lennon adopted the view about religion that he did; and he is far from alone in feeling this way.

Islam is under fire from many quarters today because of the terrible acts that are committed by its more extreme adherents, and while this religion figures prominently in the story, Islam is merely an example of what can go wrong within any religion. All the major religions of the world are guilty of similar crimes, not the least of which is Christendom, where the worst wars of all human history were begun and fought. The two world wars were supported by Catholic and Protestant clergy on both sides of the conflict, who each prayed to the same God for victory. Catholic killed Catholic and Protestant killed Protestant in violation of Christs clear command not to bear arms, especially against each other. This, of course, poses an obvious question: whose side is God on? Is he really with any religion? Who on earth would God fight for if he were to support any of the worlds religions? The continuing story of The Finished Mystery comes in two parts, and among other things, it explores the tenets within worldly religion and compares them with the natural laws written within us.

Ally and Dave are carefree teenagers who attend the same school on the Gold Coast of Queensland and are born into families with no strict religious affiliations. Ally is a sixteen-year-old gymnast with Olympic aspirations, and Dave is a seventeen-year-old football player who is madly in love with her. Their romance is cruelly interrupted when Dave, who has temporarily moved to Dubai with his family, is abducted by terrorists during a family trip through Saudi Arabia and is held hostage. Thus begins an initiative by Ally to secure their release and understand the justification extremists maintain for committing their cruel acts. This leads her to examine their religion to see how, in the name of Allah, they can go directly against the human conscience and ignore what is natural for us. Religion versus nature.

In part one, she also ponders questions, such as, If there is a God, why does he not show himself to us? Alternatively, if we are accidents of nature, then why is there no convincing evidence of human evolution in the fossil record? All races of mankind are genetically related, proving that we have a common origin. Why must the existence of our first parents, Homo sapiens, be such a mystery? Has religion so thoroughly confused the minds of mankind for thousands of years that we have forgotten entirely who we are and where we all came from? Is Darwins theory true despite the gaping holes in its structure that cannot be bridged? Not all scientists accept Darwins explanation.
Our universe and the complex life forms show evidence of design and engineering. Every design requires a designer, and every building requires a builder. This is logical.

Evolutionists maintain that the universe and all life is accidentalthat it came about unaided and for no reason. It just happened. This is illogical because our experience tells us that nothing comes from nothing and every effect has a cause.

Reason and logic tell us there can be only one true answer to this dilemma, and the real cause of all we see and know is the answer that Ally finds herself striving hard to locate and understand, with exciting results.

Part two reveals the inner wrestlings of an al Qaeda operative who, against Islamic tradition, explores his faith and pits his violent ways against the law of love and God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Apr 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524562137

James Hunta

  JAMES HUNTA was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, where he studied acting and appeared in various films and TV shows. Writing, though, has always been one of his favourite passions. He is now living on the Gold Coast with three of his four sons. This is his first novel.

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Copyright © 2017 by James Hunta.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/28/2018

Xlibris

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CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter 1: News Breaks

Chapter 2: Reality Bites

Chapter 3: Against the Wind

Chapter 4: There Can’t be a God!

Chapter 5: What Do You Do When You Are Bucked Off Your Horse?

Chapter 6: Thoughts and Feelings—How Do You Get Them to Match?

Chapter 7: Jasper

Chapter 8: Attending the Service

Chapter 9: Ally Speaks to the Congregation

Chapter 10: Seeking Inspiration from Nadia

Chapter 11: What Is This Life All About?

Chapter 12: Serious Training Begins

Chapter 13: The 7:30 Report

Chapter 14: Delhi

PART 2

Chapter 15: Dubai—Nine Months Earlier

Chapter 16: Tested By Fire

Chapter 17: Saudi

Chapter 18: Prisoners

Chapter 19: The Road to Riyadh

Chapter 20: Sam

Chapter 21: Saudi Hospitality

Chapter 22: Samahr

Chapter 23: East Meets West

Chapter 24: Samahr’s New Friends

Chapter 25: Sam’s Military Training and Military Dilemma

Chapter 26: Sam Questions the Imam

Chapter 27: Samahr’s Last Visit

Chapter 28: Aliens in their Own Land

Chapter 29: The Serpent Strikes

Chapter 30: The Execution Begins

Chapter 31: The Final Solution

Chapter 32: The Mystery Comes into Focus

Epilogue

About the Author

PROLOGUE

J ohn Lennon is famous for his song Imagine, which includes the lyrics Imagine … no religion. We all have the innate capacity for spirituality, and many people express their spirituality through religion, which is fine when it enhances the good within us. Yet when a religion feeds our spiritual nature with false or deceptive teachings, then this can be dangerous. Many people see religion as being responsible for much of the world’s trouble and conflict. No wonder John Lennon adopted the view about religion that he did; and he is far from alone in feeling this way.

Islam is under fire from many quarters today because of the terrible acts that are committed by its more extreme adherents, and while this religion figures prominently in the story, Islam is merely an example of what can go wrong within any religion. Most, if not all the major religions of the world are guilty of similar crimes, not the least of which is Christendom, where the worst conflicts of all human history were begun and fought. The Crusades and the Inquisition were not Christian acts but were acts of fear and extremism, and what has changed? The two world wars flared up within the realms of Christendom and were supported by Catholic and Protestant clergy on both sides of the conflict, who each prayed to the same God for victory. Catholic killed Catholic and Protestant killed Protestant in violation of Christ’s clear command not to bear arms, especially against each other. This, of course, poses an obvious question: Whose side is God on? Does he side with any religion? Who on earth would God fight for if he were to support any worldly religion?

If we discount the existence of God altogether and believe we are accidents of nature, then we face another dilemma. Why is there no convincing evidence of human evolution in the fossil record? The record is silent. In natures book, new life forms appear suddenly and fully formed. (‘Cambrian Explosion’) Research confrms that all races of mankind are genetically related, proving that we have a common origin. Why must the existence of our first parents, Homo sapiens, be such a mystery? Has religion so thoroughly confused the minds of mankind for thousands of years that we have forgotten entirely who we are and where we all came from?

Not all scientists accept Darwin’s explanation of how life originated, and his theory is often hotly disputed among them, which puts the idea on par with religion. Britain’s ‘New Scientist’ magazine once observed: An increasing number of scientists, most particularly a growing number of evolutionists, argue that Darwinian evolutionary theory is no genuine scientific theory at all….most of the critics have the highest intellectual credentials. Evolution is not a proven fact nor is it in harmony with the scientific method, so it begs to be honestly scrutinized and brought into line with proven science. Not all we are taught in school is the truth.

Our universe and the complex life forms we see on earth show amazing evidence of design and engineering. Every design requires a designer and every building requires a builder. This is logical.

Evolutionists maintain that the universe and all life is accidental—that it came about unaided and for no reason. It just happened. This is illogical, because our experience tells us that nothing comes from nothing and every effect has a cause. Appearance of marvellous design and purpose is all around us. Has religion actually led us further away from our cause rather than closer to it? Why has the truth about our existence been so obscured from mankind in general? Is there something beyond us that endeavors to control our thinking and influence our actions?

Reason and logic tell us there can be only one true answer to this dilemma, and the real cause of all we see and know is the answer that Ally finds herself striving hard to locate and understand, with exciting results. The truth is out there and it can be found.

CHAPTER 1

News Breaks

A s Terry contemplated the image on his screen, horror flowed into his bloodstream like poison. His entire body became flushed with an emotion that no description could do justice. The nightmare had come true. Although he had known this outcome was a possibility, after all the effort of the past few days it was an eventuality he fully hoped had been averted. His faith in the goodness of human nature was now being tested to the absolute limit, and he wanted to scream, but who would listen? Only those in his household—those whom he loved the most on this earth—would hear his outcry. His outburst would only cause them panic and amplify his distress a hundred times over, for now they were all comfortable and safe in their beds, sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware of the tragic event that had unfolded. Their momentary peace provided cold comfort for Terry. Oh, how he wished they could remain contented and happy in their sleep and never have to deal with this horror—especially his beloved daughter Ally.

Breaking this news to her was going to be like stabbing her in the heart. He now understood how Abraham must have felt when he was about to sacrifice his son upon the altar. Sadly, there was not going to be any angel to prevent him from stabbing her, so what was going to become of her? Will this affect her for the rest of her life? Is she strong enough to cope with a trauma like this? For the first time in his life, he wanted to believe there was a God who cared enough about good people to rescue them so they could be spared this agony. He needed comfort, and solace, and for a reason he could not understand, he needed absolution; as though this outcome was partly his fault. Contrary to all hope, it seemed God was unable or unwilling to help, so apparently it was entirely up to him to be the pillar and support for everyone. This thought caused him to slump back in his chair and place his hands over his face. How could he possibly be the strong one and make things better for everyone when he felt as though all life had been drained right out of him? Being the strong one wasn’t an option right now, when he didn’t even have enough strength to lift himself out of his chair. Damning questions pounded his brain: Why didn’t I do more to prevent this massacre? Why did I not act sooner? His mind screamed in silence while he grappled for answers. Why? Why? Why? If he’d had any belief in the existence of God before this, it was all but gone now.

Terry was in no mood for rational thinking. Nothing made sense to him any more, and he supposed that there were no true answers to be found anyway—only imagined consolations. It was all out of control. Evil had triumphed over good yet again, and the innocent had suffered the ultimate penalty; nothing in the world could put it right. Where is justice? Where is human kindness, empathy, and compassion? Where are those who can put a stop to this madness? So many thoughts and emotions clashed within him that he felt like a storm-tossed ship that was being smashed against a reef. If there were any answers to be found, they were way below the surface, tangled up in all the muck and mire of this contradictory world.

It was just after midnight when Terry had received a call from the federal police advising him to go online and view a particular website. He had been transfixed in shock ever since. The minutes that followed his first viewing of the image turned into hours, and the hours rolled agonisingly on and on till the morning light. Sleep for Terry that night had been impossible, and the sight of the sunrise through his window was foreboding to him. He felt that this was going to be the worst day of his life. He went downstairs to make himself the strongest cup of coffee he could possibly drink. Upon returning to his desk, he began to rehearse in his mind just how he was going to break the news to Ally. He still wasn’t sure he believed it himself, but every time he went back to view the image, he held on to a vain hope that it was all just a dream. But sadly the same horrific scene came up every time. It was out there for all the world to see, and there was no way he could shield his daughter’s eyes from seeing it sooner or later. Which would be better? he wondered. Sooner? Later? Should she be spared the image now and her agony postponed until later? He knew his daughter well, and it was obvious that trying to hide it from her for any length of time was not going to make it easier for her. She would be upset with him for withholding the truth from her when first he knew about it. As he took another mouthful of coffee, he became painfully aware that any moment now she was going to appear from her room and pass by his study as she went downstairs for her regular morning run. He was right. He could already hear the sounds of her rustling about.

She had been feeling so positive and happy when she went to bed that evening, but that happiness was about to change for her. He consoled himself with the decision that he would wait until she returned from her run before he attempted to break the news.

All too soon, Ally, a pretty and very athletic girl approaching her sixteenth year, appeared at his door with running clothes on and her long golden hair tied back in a bun. She beamed a glowing smile that showed through in her voice as she said, Hey, Daddy-o, what news from yonder window breaks?

Her bright humour so early in the morning was not making this any easier for him. He had removed the terrifying image from his Microsoft Window and replaced it with his schedule of activities for the day, but he couldn’t help but crack a restrained smile at her playful use of Shakespeare. Whenever she talked like that, he knew at once that her confidence was high and that she expected nothing but the best of things to happen. There was no way he could turn his face to her and betray his reddened eyes and distraught expression, so with all the composure he could muster, he said to her while keeping his eyes on the screen, Nothing that can’t wait, sweetheart. Why don’t you just go for your run, and I will give you an update when you come back?

Sure thing, Dad. You sound tired. Did you get any sleep at all last night? I need you to be fresh and alert for when news of the Marshalls’ release comes through. There is still so much we need to do. I wonder if we will have to arrange anything for their repatriation? Oh, I’m so excited; They will be back before we know it, and it’s all going to work out fine. I just have this feeling! Later, Dad, I love you!

With that breezy prediction, she flew downstairs to the kitchen. After downing her protein shake, she was out the door and on her way to the beach with her trusty companion, Buster, a black Border collie with a pure white underbelly and white fur that streamed down from the top of his head, fanned around his black nose, and finally wrapped itself around his neck like a scarf, making him very adorable. He was waiting when she appeared at the door with excitement so great it was agitating inside his body like the spin cycle of a washing machine and making a temporary exit through his wagging tail until she was ready to begin their run. Ally and Buster were a good match.

The positive attitude Ally was experiencing about the situation at hand was cultivated in part by her own strong constitution and the confidence she had in all the hard work she had accomplished. The rest came from the confidence others—in particular, her father—had imparted. To her credit, she had done all she could for her boyfriend whom she loved dearly and his family, the Marshalls, who were all being held for ransom by Islamic extremists overseas. To raise awareness of their plight and secure their freedom, among other things, she appeared on national and then international TV to boldly plead for them, while gaining support from the prime minister of Australia. It was a great achievement— one she was sure would bring her the desired results.

The enormity of this endeavor had been keeping her totally absorbed and was understandably distracting her from the specialised training she was engaged in as an accomplished gymnast. Previous to the abduction, to her utter joy and excitement, she had been invited to contribute her talents to the Australian womens gymnastics team. Her goal was to win gold with the team at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi. After her own family and her boyfriend, Dave Marshall, her greatest passion was her beloved sport and the feeling of elation she gains from it. To put it simply, she loves life.

Being a deep thinker and lover of nature, she was led after the abduction toward pursuing a spiritual endeavour in the midst of everything to search out why, when nature is so beautiful and wise, that evil also exists. The extreme evil that exists in man’s world makes no sense when our basic human desire is for love and peace. This dilemma begged her to find satisfying answers to life’s big questions—questions like Where did we come from, and who or what controls the universe? Are we just a random product of mindless evolution? and Is there a God who cares? She loved life and she loved the earth. Nature is perfectly balanced and in tune so why can’t humans be also? She desperately wanted to understand this strange phenomenon. There are so many conflicting ideas and beliefs in the world, so where is the real truth about life to be found? It has to be available. She longed to see everyone living in harmony with nature—not fighting against it. She felt that if there were something she could do to make even the smallest difference in the world, then that was exactly what she was going to do. The ongoing saga of her dear friends’ abduction was bringing this desire and her questions about life right into the forefront. This was the most distressing event she has ever experienced; it had been a huge distraction for weeks and was threatening to severely derail her. Hearing the good news she was expecting today was vital to her keeping her life on track.

As she ran barefoot along the beach with Buster, she felt empowered by all her confidence and positive energy. Her slender, lithe body paced along with all the grace and beauty of a young gazelle; her oneness with nature was nicely accentuated by the sound of the waves as they rolled in to gently kiss her feet and then retreat. She felt strangely happy and free for a change, as if all the burdens of the past weeks were about to be lifted off her shoulders, leaving her unencumbered. Her life-giving breath was being renewed by the moist breeze that blew over her face while the salt air that filled her lungs was like balm to her soul. Nothing could stop her now. She wanted Dave to be extremely proud of her when he returned and discovered all she had learned and achieved. She smiled broadly as she imagined herself coming down off the winners’ podium in Delhi with a gold medal around her neck, and Dave right there to be the first to give her a big congratulatory hug. She couldn’t wait to see him again and feel his strong arms surrounding her. No one else besides her dad had ever made her feel so deeply loved, contented, and secure. She wouldn’t let herself think for a moment that he was never coming back. Her whole life was ahead of her, and Dave was a most important part of her future.

When she got home, she raced upstairs to shower and change into her school clothes. Her mother was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, and her younger brother, Mike, who had just woken up and was clearly not enthused about being separated from his bed, met Ally in the hallway. After giving her a sleepy high-five he hurried to get to the bathroom before she did. Unfazed and eager to find out the latest news anyway, she returned to her dad’s office while removing her hair bands. She walked through his door to find him still sitting quietly at his desk. After shaking her head and allowing her hair to find its natural place, she put her arms around him and pecked him on the cheek, inquiring if there was anything to report. He slowly reached up, and after gently placing his hand on her arm in a comforting manner, he asked her to pull up a chair and sit down beside him. Ally sensed the strain in his voice and became somewhat alarmed by his heavy demeanour. She was hoping for all the world that this sadness had nothing to do with Dave. Surely it was about some other matter relating to the electorate, since he was the local member of parliament. But it was not like Terry to react to any challenge in this way. He always looked for a solution to any problem immediately rather than complain about it to anyone. He knew well how to cope with the stress that unwanted situations created until things were put right.

Ally looked at his face and noticed the redness in his eyes along with an expression she had never seen on him before—a pale, hopeless expression that could only mean that something extremely bad had happened. She suspected the worst, but unless there was absolutely no question about whatever it was, and unless all possible doubt had been removed, she would not allow herself to accept any bad news. Sitting next to her dad in utter silence, she prepared herself for a powerful blow, at the same time arming herself with a thousand objections to fire out in refute of any supposed evidence he might present. You can’t believe everything you read and hear, she thought.

Ally turned to see Terry draw a breath in an attempt to speak, but instead a flood of tears began to gush from his eyes. Observing his anguish, she drew close and put her arms around him as a comforter. Immediately he buried his head into her hair and sobbed, completely unable to string together even two words that made any sense. Feeling his distress, Ally patted him on the back gently while repeatedly saying that everything would be okay. Even though the well-meaning words of comfort came out of her mouth, she was not convincing either of them that things really were okay.

Whatever it is, Dad, we’ll work through it; trust me. After all we have been through, I am more than ready to handle anything else they want to throw at us. We can do this together, Dad; I know we can. We’ve just gotta keep on fighting!

Terry sat up and forlornly shook his head. I only wish it could be that way, honey, he said as he wiped the tears from his eyes, and you know I would do anything to secure their freedom, too, but I’m afraid there is nothing more we can do this time. He looked her directly in the eyes and finally worked up enough courage to simply say, It’s all over; they carried out their threat, and with that he held her tightly to him, not yet wanting to see the distress that he knew would be building up all over her face. He kept repeating through his anguish, I’m so sorry, honey; I’m so sorry!

Ally pushed him away, and sitting up straight, she declared, Don’t believe it, Dad; it’s all propaganda. Remember the text Dave sent repeating that he loves me? He is alive and well I know it! They are just trying to put more pressure on us. It’s all a ploy, and it won’t work; I won’t let it! We will appeal to the US president next, okay? He wants to stop those terrorists as much as we do. I will get busy today, Dad. There’s no time to lose; just tell me what I need to do, and I will get started right away!

Ally, sweetheart, it’s no use, and I wish with all my heart that there was even just a slim chance that there was something more we could do. But the evidence we have is clear.

Terry braced himself for the inevitable question.

What evidence, dad? Is there something you’re not telling me? I want to know it! Tell me! What evidence do you have that could convince me that those evil men are telling the truth?

It’s on their website, the al-Qaeda website. The AFP called me and informed me about it. They and all the experts have examined the image and have verified it as genuine … it hasn’t been doctored at all.

Image! What image, Dad? What have they published?

Terry was resisting his obligation to show her the image with every fibre in his body. Being as disturbing as it was to him, he could barely imagine how much more so it was going to affect her, given that she was in love with one of the persons shown. His resistance to let her see it was reflected in his next words to her.

It’s not necessary for you to see it, sweetheart; it’s too disturbing—too macabre for anyone to see. Please don’t ask me to show it to you. It’s enough for you just to know it exists. Trust me; it’s gruesome, and it’s conclusive. I don’t want anyone to have to see it—especially you!

The seriousness of her father’s words penetrated deep into her heart like a knife, chilling her veins. His resigned expression convinced her that he was absolutely sure about what he was saying, although she wasn’t yet on the same page. Until now her attitude had been to deny or challenge anything that the terrorists said, but now, listening to the way her father was talking, she settled down and prepared herself to be shown the evidence before making any more grand declarations of intended reactions. With a deep breath, she consciously made her heart like a stone for the possibility of having to accept a very bitter reality she could do nothing about.

Let me see it, Dad.

Terry shook his head and made no move to open it up.

Let me see it, Dad. If you don’t show it to me now, I will see it somehow. I can see it on my phone like everyone else, if that’s what this is about … I’ve done it before. I will be okay, Dad; I promise you. So please show it to me now; I have to see it!

There was no way he could keep her from seeing it for very long; The whole world had access to it on the Internet, and Terry knew that by the time she made it to school all her friends would be talking about it. It would be on the news and the front page of all the papers. Faced with no other option, and deciding it was best for her to see first with him, he put his hand on the mouse and reluctantly brought it up on his screen. He then wrapped his arms around her tightly in an attempt to absorb as much of her shock as he could.

When the image came up, her first reaction was to jump in fright as though a snake had just bitten her. It is impossible in an instant to fully comprehend such a scene; it takes time for the eyes and mind to make sense of and digest such an image. Is it real or is it imagined? She gazed at the image in wonder as a strange calm set in. She tilted her head this way and that to take it all in. She asked herself again, Is it real, or is it fantasy? Was she perhaps in a theatre watching a horror film? If so, was she sitting in the audience, or was she an actor in the film? She began to feel as if she were really there somehow—somewhere in Saudi Arabia, standing above the grave and looking down upon the bullet-ridden, bloodstained bodies of the family she knew and loved so well. She could see their faces clearly. Even though their experience up till the last moment must have been traumatising, they looked rather peaceful, as though they had died courageously and nobly. Despite the fact that the life force had been cruelly drained out of them, Ally had the strange sensation that if she stayed there with them long enough, she could call out to them and they would rise up, dust themselves off, and climb out of the pit to greet her. The line between fantasy and reality was all blurry. Rather than being overcome with panic shock and horror, Ally was caught up in a kind of reverie instead, internalising what she was seeing and trying to analyse what it meant. Her stone-like approach was having the desired effect. She was finding it difficult to accept death as a reality—especially since she and Dave were so young–it was like they were never going to die, they were meant to live forever. What is death anyway? Her inner self began to speak as she gazed at her friend and lover.

Wake up Dave, it’s alright I am here now. We are together again and I promise I will never leave you! Please wake up! There is so much life for us both to enjoy, so how can your precious existence be interrupted by this incessant sleeping? Did you really experience a cruel death? But it’s ok, I am here to comfort you now so you can open your eyes. I see your face and I know you are thinking of me. How am I to comprehend your death and accept it? Am I to believe that this was meant to be? But you will keep living in my memory for all my life. As long as I am alive, dearest Dave, so will you be too in my heart. No! This can’t be true … Where, really, are you now? Where is your family?

She examined closely the face of each one of them as they lay there motionless beside each other. First was Sally. She was dressed in a hijab just as her mother was. The head covering had been removed to reveal dark hair that adorned a kind and pretty face. Sally was nineteen years old and had always been the nurturer. She cared such a lot about people and was always quick to listen and encourage them when they were down. Ally remembered with regret the last time she had spoken to her at the airport when she was leaving for Dubai with her family. Sally wanted so much to talk with her and catch up with all that was going on in her life, but all Ally could think of was Dave and how much she was going to miss him, so she didn’t pay Sally the attention she deserved. I was too distracted; I’m so sorry, my dear friend,’ Ally lamented. "You had so much kindness to share with the world, and the world would have been a much better place if you had been allowed to remain. I wish I had spent more time getting to know you better. The blood that drained from Sally’s mouth was not able to detract from the sweetness that dwelt in her soul.

Next to Sally was her father, Julian, who was lying across the body of his wife Margot as though he had tried to be a human shield for her in their final moments. He had grown a short beard since moving to Dubai, so he must have enjoyed adapting to the local culture. He was a handsome man of medium build and was always well groomed. He and Margot were happily married and dearly loved each other, as much as they loved their children. They were both teachers, which is why they were living in Dubai. Both were well educated and well travelled and had an uncommon awareness of what made the world tick. Ally always found them interesting to talk to, and their insights and good nature were well reflected in the fine dispositions of their two children. Margot was always giving Ally some motherly advice; she was almost like a second mother to her. Losing them is such a dreadful loss, said Ally. Things will never be the same.

Then there was Dave. Her gaze fell upon him once more, as though she was looking at the reflection of her inner self. She was part of him. Strangely his face looked serene, as though he had been thinking and feeling good things right down to his very last moment. His thick brown hair, which could never be properly tamed, was partially covering his closed eyes—eyes that were as blue as the sky and always shone brighter whenever she was near. Ally spontaneously reached to the screen to brush his hair away so she could open those eyes for him again. Oh my dear, sweet, Dave; how will I ever live without you? You are the love of my life! I miss you so much! It was hard for her to comprehend that his life was not still inside his body. The heart within it that used to beat so fervently for her was now dormant. How can that be? His heart is still there and it is strong! How can it not be beating now? Our love is never going to die! I know that every bit as much as you do. Oh, my David, where are you? Please come back to me! You have to wake up and come back to me! Wake up. Wake up. Oh, please wake up!

Only now, for the first time since she saw the image, did her tears begin to stream down her cheeks. She was sad for all of them, but to see Dave like this was more than she could fully cope with. She wasn’t able to dismiss the notion that the life they had been planning together was now a non-event. In her heart, he was still very much alive and very much longing to claim her as his own. Love is stronger than death is, and she had given her whole heart to him to possess forever. I will never take my heart away from you, Dave—never. I promise!

Ally’s heart began to pound for him. She was remembering all his heartfelt words of love and the deeds of devotion that he demonstrated for her while they were together. Her tearful eyes were distorting her vision, but she didn’t want to take them off him for a second. She struggled to wipe the tears away, but as fast as she cleared them, more tears appeared. Tired of the struggle, and not being able to accept the reality anyway, she closed her eyes for a respite. Suddenly she could see him clearly, alive and well. He looked so strong and handsome, and the love in his eyes for her was burning bright. How she loved seeing that vision with her eyes closed. She could even feel the warmth of his loving embrace and taste his tender kiss. Everything went back to being fine when her eyes were closed. She recalled times like when she had watched him play footy on the weekends and saw how much harder he played knowing that she was there. Whether his team won or lost it didn’t matter, because he always felt like her hero whenever she cheered him on and screamed out at the top of her lungs for him. With her backing him, he ran like the wind whenever he got the ball, and more often than not, he scored a try. They shared so many good times together, surfing, skating, dancing on the beach watching the stars at night, sharing the innermost thoughts of their hearts and with her eyes closed, she was still able to enjoy the thrill of all those special times. Of course he was always there for her too whenever she competed in any competition. Inside her memory everything was still fine for them.

The scene when her eyes were open, though, was not fine at all and was far from being tasteful. Dave’s body was riddled with bullets, and his lifeblood was draining away. His left arm was bent above his head, as he had obviously fallen backwards that way from the impact of the gunshots, but his right hand was clasped firmly onto a chain around his neck. Ally knew exactly what he held in the palm of his hand. He was holding the shell she had given him on the beach the day he left in return for the one he had given to her. The shells were a symbol of their enduring love. Dave had threaded her shell onto his bootlace and placed it around her neck to rest over her heart. It had never left its position since the day he placed it there. She wore it constantly, and while looking at him on the screen, she lovingly placed her right hand over her shell in imitation of him. Then she gently clasped her other hand over it as though it were Dave’s hand and held the shell firmly against her heart, absorbing into her soul all the love it had contained on the day he gave it to her. She could feel his love filling up her heart and soul. The sensation she felt was intense, real, and very beautiful. The warmth of his enduring love was flowing like a river throughout her body, and she felt an ecstasy so wonderful that it overpowered the cold reality of the death she had not yet accepted. In that moment Ally felt at peace. She felt at one with him, and she knew that no matter what the future might bring, he would always have first place in her heart. No one else could ever match the love that he cherished for her, and she could never love another as she loved Dave. To her, he had already become a man. She knew that his love for her was complete. There was no other girl. She felt as if she had gained everything in that moment and had lost nothing at all. Something indescribable would live on inside her forever no matter what else happened.

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CHAPTER 2

Reality Bites

A lly remained silent in her chair while fixed somewhere between agony and ecstasy. Terry, not knowing what to do or say reached for a box of tissues, and after taking some out, he started to wipe away her tears. Without thinking, she reached for her own tissues and took over the procedure. She had just experienced a moment that had severely altered her perception. Whether it was temporary or for all time she didn’t know. Her thinking and emotions were undergoing an upheaval unlike anything else she had ever experienced. The realisation that she had just lost a friend and a lover hadn’t had time to be fully absorbed into her consciousness, and there was still no clear distinction for her between what was real and what wasn’t. With her eyes she had seen a picture of four people who had been showered with bullets and were lying sprawled out dead in a grave. Dave was one of them. That was the picture, but how should it be interpreted? She knew something was different, strange, even mysterious; but it was inconceivable that they could be dead. That just isn’t possible. Dave was seventeen and had barely begun to live.

He was maturing into a worthy young man at a good pace. He was a fast, conscientious learner, and everything he did he did with skill and with heart. His only weakness was Ally. She was everything to him; he absolutely adored her, and for a while she was probably too much for him—almost an obsession. Ally was aware that obsession is not a healthy state to be in, and even though she put the brakes on him because of it, she loved him more than he ever knew, and she had done so for a very long time. Unlike him, she had the presence of mind not to rush things. They were both too young anyway. She had other things going on in her life that surpassed the distraction he wanted to impose upon her, yet she had no doubt he was the love of her life. She was confident that given time, without any help from her, he would balance himself out and become the best companion in life that a girl could ever hope for. She had seen the results of his deepening values on the last day they spent together. He had moved beyond the feeling of pure passion for her and had progressed to respecting her dignity and being sensitive to her needs and feelings. That was a mark of good character in Ally’s estimation, and she was sure that after two years away in Dubai his character would grow and develop even more, plus his loyalty to her would be refined and tested by fire as he encountered the temptations and charms of other girls. He needed time to become sure of himself, just as she also needed time.

There was nothing anyone could say that would enable the whole affair to make any sense to Ally right now—no words to express the meaning of things. Only tears brought any relief at all. Ally became aware that her mother and brother were there also. She felt their comforting hands on her shoulder. She turned to look at their faces and could see by their tears that they were suffering from the same shock, disbelief, and helplessness as she was. Ally got up and hugged them for the longest time. Katy, her mother, didn’t want to let go of her, but in time Ally broke free and slowly left the room, wanting to be alone.

There was only one place for her to go as a refuge where she could find peace and solitude, and that was her favourite beach. Nature had always been her very best friend. And there was only one creature who had the capacity to give her the warmth and companionship she needed right then without feeling the same hopelessness—her loyal friend Buster. She was in no mood for talking when words had no meaning anyway.

On the same beach again, so soon after her vibrant run only an hour or so previous, the whole atmosphere had changed. Now, all of a sudden, it was as though dark clouds had appeared and night-time had overtaken her, even though the reality was warm sunshine and clear blue sky. Instead of moving with an energetic and tireless gait like before, she now walked slowly and pensively along the shoreline like a lost soul as the waves again rolled gently around her feet and then retreated, this time to provide her comfort instead of power. Like a shadow, Buster ambled alongside her just as slowly, looking up at her from time to time with sad eyes and drooping ears, sensing that something had gone seriously wrong for her. She stopped for a moment and looked out to sea. She felt heavy—so heavy that her sensation was that if she kept standing for long enough, she might sink below the sand and disappear as the waves washed around her feet. The biggest question on her mind was Why, why, why? Then came the follow-up ones: How can men be so cruel, and why can’t we stop them from acting so evil? Then she wondered, If Dave really is dead, what happened to him? Is he conscious or unconscious? If he is conscious, where is he? Is he somewhere else in the universe? Is there really an afterlife? If he is alive somewhere else, then that would mean he is not really dead. So what is death? Is he looking down on me now? If he is looking at me, then why can’t he talk to me? If there is a God, why would he be so cruel as to not let Dave talk to me if he is still alive? This is not how a loving God would act if he simply wanted to have another good angel in heaven. Doesn’t he have enough angels up there already? Humans are made to live on the earth, not in heaven!

God … is there a God? I was beginning to think so up till today, but now he seems like a fantasy. A God who had any decency or love at all would not let innocent people die for no reason! He would have no justice. His standards would be lower than those of many men if this were what he meant for us. There can’t be a God—at least not one that I want to know about. He is cruel and heartless! Ally kicked the water in anger and splashed it as high and as mightily as her legs would allow. There is no God! she shouted with every kick. There is no God! There is no God! … How can there be?

CHAPTER 3

Against the Wind

A lly didn’t know how long she walked for on the beach or how far she ventured. Time meant nothing to her any more; neither did distance or space. It was as if she had entered a surreal time zone where true life had become blurred and an alternate reality had been painted around her.

She felt far from home and wanted to be even farther away from all the commotion that would be certain to arise there. She was not ready to receive phone calls and texts from people who wished to give her consolation, and she certainly didn’t want to face any of the media, whom she knew would be quick to show up and try to get her to make a statement.

By now the news was certain to be featured on local TV and radio, and after all her publicity on national TV both here and abroad, Ally was doubtless going to become an item for a sensational story from many quarters. Normally she would latch onto such opportunities to further her objectives, but now, feeling as though the carpet had been drawn from under her feet and all her efforts had failed, she was in no mood for being an object of their sensationalism. They would expect her to be showing outrage and anger towards those whom she had targeted and to be seeking retribution against them. They would love for her to call out for justice against the evil terrorists and appeal to both governments and the Muslim community in general to voice their disapproval towards those who had abused the freedoms of the Western world and stained the name of Islam. Her tears, her sorrow, and her anger would make a great news story for their headlines!

No, Ally was in no fit state to take part in any of that sort of talk. What would be the point? This may be big news for a few days or weeks, but what then? What good would jumping up and down about it now accomplish in the end?

The extremists will not be affected by such publicity; in fact, they will revel in it and will keep on doing what they do regardless. Soon more hostages will be shot, or another poor soul will be beheaded for their ineffable and unachievable cause. They will not achieve their objective; nor will their victims receive any justice. Things will keep on going as they are in the same cycle of violence and rhetoric, and both sides will keep refusing to make peace.

No, she decided, there has to be a better way to undermine the stupidity of this hateful human behaviour. What that might be she could not fathom at this time, but she knew it would have to come from a source of knowledge far greater than any existing human knowledge. It certainly cannot be a political, military or even a religious solution.

Especially not religious! she said to herself as she furiously kicked up the water again and watched as it settled back into the shallows as if nothing had happened.

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Ally was right in concluding that her house was going to be surrounded by TV crews and reporters wanting her story. Terry did his best to give them enough information to be going on with and conducted countless interviews, but he was in no mood for this activity either. He was glad, in a way, that Ally was not there so that she could be spared the discomfort. As for him, because he was in a public office he was obligated to talk to them; he had no choice. But all he could really think about was Ally. He worried about where she was and how she must be coping. She had been gone for several hours, and although he was not surprised that she would seek refuge with her favourite entity, nature, he was becoming increasingly concerned for her welfare. She had been gone much longer than he was comfortable with. All the reporters were asking after her, but he told them that she was too distraught to make an appearance at this time and would talk to them when she was able and ready. They supposed she was inside the house, and Terry let them believe this. He knew that if he told them where she was, they would chase her down for sure, which he was more than anxious to do himself once the present commotion was over.

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In the meantime, relatives of the Marshalls were also besieged with reporters, some even before they actually knew what had happened. Julian’s parents lived in Toowoomba, and Margot’s parents lived in Labrador, and both families were being questioned about their reaction to the killings and whether they were going to plead for the bodies to be retrieved and brought back home. What were they going to do next? They of course were in too much shock to know what they were going to do and whether it was even possible to negotiate with the terrorists, the Saudi government, or even the United States, for that matter, to locate the bodies and bring them home for burial. It was too soon to think about anything with any clarity.

Terry phoned the families and promised that he would do everything he could to sort things out so that they would not be overburdened with this grievous task, for which they were very grateful.

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It was getting near midday, and Ally was still wandering along the beach with Buster in a thoughtful daze. She was not the least bit hungry or thirsty, but every now and then she would stop and let Buster drink water from a tap at the surf clubs they passed by. They were heading north and eventually came to the place that by coincidence shared her name in part, at least in speaking—Currumbin Alley. She always joked about how appropriate the name was, considering it was one of the best surfing spots on the Gold Coast. She and Dave had surfed there all the time. The Alley, as it was known, was really the mouth of the Currumbin River, which emptied into the sea at this point, creating a headland that could produce the most perfect waves. Understandably it could get very crowded. Today was no exception, and crowds were not what Ally needed or wanted right now. If she had wished to go any further, she would have had to go up a hill and then cross over a bridge to the Palm Beach side of the river. Ally didn’t really care where she went, but she wasn’t feeling inclined to cross the bridge, so after a brief pause to watch the surfers and feeling none of the thrill, she turned back and headed towards home. Buster occasionally chased a seagull that dared to stand in their path, but then he would quickly return to his loyal position beside her.

Buster was more than glad for the opportunity that any bird afforded him to have a run and expend some of his energy, because walking so slowly for so long was more than he was used to, and deep inside he was just itching to run like the wind. It wouldn’t be as much fun for him, however, unless Ally was running with him. On the beach, they were like two peas in a pod. His instinct was telling him that he needed to stick close by her for protection because something wasn’t right. So contrary to his nature he forced himself to amble alongside her at what seemed like a snail’s pace, while going nowhere in particular. In time one of Ally’s favourite places loomed into sight.

Adjoining the Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club is a huge rock standing on its own like a crouching elephant, hence its name: Elephant Rock. It rises up about ten or fifteen metres and is the size of dozens of elephants. A stairway climbed up the back of the elephant to the summit, where a well-fenced level platform with a 360-degree view exists for observers to enjoy the scenery. Ally and Dave would often stand there to admire the magnificent blue ocean beyond while talking about anything and everything. Looking towards the south, they viewed the golden sands of the seemingly endless beach, which stretched for miles right down to Coolangatta in the distance, where tall buildings marked the turning point of the coastline. Facing inland about two hundred metres away was the access road for Currumbin. It lay against a bushy hillside lined with houses. Back around to the north, looking over the clubhouse, was more golden beach that continued down to the Alley. Beyond that, the coastline gradually curved around to Surfer’s Paradise, which is about twenty kilometres away.

Directly below the elephant on the ocean side was a rocky