Isobel
By Jesse Steven Montalto
Blessed are those who discover my voice and embrace my words as sooth. And if you are wise yet, you would bear my precious tale close to your heart, for some day soon this memory will hold the last oracle to save you.
Deep in my past and far into your future I came and will come to know a very special child of a rare shade of reality from your world of many realms that exist in separate dimensions not entirely disconnected from my own. Isolation from your world would lead to failure in understanding my reality. Through dreams we are all able to ascend past the dimensional boundaries of space and time. Only in dreams may we steal from time and transcend through countless dimensions. In dreams all forms of life are able to connect in their purest expression. Through our astral plane, I comfort the lonely; I inspire the oppressed and satisfy the curious. There was one encounter unlike any I’ve known before. It was there he called out to me and I was helpless to answer his heart. Little would I realize how strong the child’s essence was, how he would inspire me and how I would grow to fall in love with him. It would be a love we’d share that is rarely experienced by any soul; God or mortal. It is a love beyond all human concepts of the sacred energy. It is an unconditional love as a mother would have toward her child and as timeless as true friendship. Although I am a Goddess among the stars, I am a child still among Gods. Despite my omnipotence and Elijah’s relative mortality, we are the same. I knew when I first saw him that he was too special never to see again and too powerful to remain confined in dreams. For the first time I began to question the role of my existence in intricate detail as my own origin was already clouded by forces I was led to believe I was born to obey and I then decided to release myself from the womb of the astral plane and visit the child in his reality, in his true world.
Although specific souls and situations have deliberately tried to keep us apart, our undying love and co-existence are what would salvage our worlds from isolation and eventual destruction. I have many names throughout a myriad of worlds since my transcendence and awakening of my spirits vast potential from my dimension into yours, folding our universe closer. I am loved and admired by all of these realms through those worthy of my presence. The name I cherish most is the name given to me by Elijah. Above all others, I am Isobel. I will tell you of the dream that changed the life of a Goddess forever and the unique human heart she would save and fall in love with. One day because of the divine affair between the two his heart will surge with renewed strength and inspiration unknown to mortals. He will rise to power and save the elite few of your reality that hear my words and hold his memory deep within their hearts as sooth.
His name is Elijah. His beauty is matched only by the kindness and wisdom his soul exudes. His innocent heart is a fervent, lucid beacon seen and felt outlasting the brightest supernova among the endless sea of wandering stars. The boundless might of his soul derives from the delicate nature of his purity. He harbors no ire towards any living being. How strange a miracle for one born with a spirit so immaculately resplendent in the midst of a world of vile, cancerous, wretched ones to deliver them in spite of themselves. Our kindred bonding is a mystery even to me.
His early childhood was a swarm of joy and love that came from two proud, loving, parents. Although he was blessed to have such wondrous guardians, I believe the child’s presence was so striking he could turn anyone’s heart from the shade. His parents were both artists. His mother, Angela, was a prodigal illustrator. His father was an upcoming novelist. Elijah indulged a blissful and loving childhood until the age of seven when his family separated for reasons I will not disclose to you until I am confident of your empathetic understanding toward Elijah. The child was devastated by his parent’s divergence. No one could tell what was bothering the child save his own mother. Despite the fact that people are naturally callous, the child was too mature and polite to draw additional attention toward him by burdening them with his own distress as most adults are too callow to consider. It was then I came to him. By then his mother was pained to witness the dimming of her son’s exuberant nature. His new mannerisms articulated heavy and unusual depression, causing immediate concern from Angela. She began to wonder if he required intense therapy. She knew once Elijah was alone his true feelings were exposed. She was the same at his age during the passing of her grandmother. She was correct, I would soon discover.
I had entered his room illuminating a faint glow of candlelit solitude. He was laid silently against his pillow scathed with dried tears originating from a cool expressionless white face. His room breathed memories past but not forgotten. Infiltrating my omnipotence with sorrow and compassion, his sacred soul permeated through my vast consciousness. I knew at that moment that I would love him always. Then he looked at me. I knew then his heart was like none other. He could see me in his reality without the aid of the dream realm. I decided to watch over Elijah and never let harm come across him. A union as rare and beautiful throughout the universe as ours is not accompanied without obstacles and unseen enemies as we faced relentlessly throughout our years together.
At first the poor boy received the first brutal wave of oppression that was to come from the sad monsters of his world eyeing his bliss with a shade of green. His mother could only watch in terror as little by little the wraiths of their shattered kingdom maliciously claimed pieces of him. She couldn’t understand what was happening to him and surrounded by tainted company the hollow hearted demons of their twisted vale crept into her vulnerable mind making her decisions for her with a grip on her quivering heart. She pleaded with the disturbed at first to keep their distance from an over-imaginative child who became deeply introverted due to the absence of his father. This lasted just for so long until a wretched self-righteous teacher at his elite academy for bright youth recognized an abnormal conversation the child had alone with an imaginary friend named Isobel. Due to a technicality in our conversation that separated his experience with an “imaginary friend” from the other children, she suggested therapy for apparent psycho trauma that would eventually escalate to in-patient visits at a psychiatric facility. His mother was heart broken and I was enraged. It was then that I took steps to intervene. It would be the first time that someone of my vast power made a direct physical presence in the reality of any world in any dimension since the beginning of time. They were hurting my true love and I could not help but protect and avenge him.
Of course once his torment was over, mine would begin. The older dominant forces of the universe were outraged by my uncompromising, reckless behavior and decided to either reprimand me or destroy me. I had no choice but to remain in your world and hold it hostage. I was in terrible trouble. It was a hopeless situation and I was completely responsible but I could not deny the bond I shared with Elijah. How could one? I’m certain his parents would sympathize with me, at least. I was willing to pay the price but I could not allow him to be harmed at all by any force, supernatural or other. All I could do was hold my ground against the Gods of the ancient order by holding a death cloud over the Earth. I knew it would be a matter of time before they took me down like the cosmic cannibals they are. It was Elijah who was able to save me, his world and countless others. It was clear from the beginning that he was special, that he was destined to free us from the confines of sad specters vicariously leeching our life essence through our experiences from their darkness.
Now, random soul, you’ve heard my voice but do I have your allegiance upon my dream, our dream, of Elijah’s dream for us all to walk among the clouds freely with one another? Only you may know by the movements of your heart’s truest pulse, the answer to my question and I will know as soon as you’ve felt it. Once your truth is uncovered, I will describe this dream in flawless detail, only if the answer is yes. Until then let my words melt far into your conscience inspiring nothing but the fires of rebirth.
Story concept, characters and plot of the manuscript for Isobel are written and created by Jesse Steven Montalto Isobel Copyright © 2008 written by Jesse Steven Montalto
