Change

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THE ROAD TO CHANGE has been long and winding. I could fill an entire book with thank yous for everyone who has helped me along the way.

Thank you to my mother and father for bringing me into this world, caring and providing for me to the best of your ability, and educating me with your words and deeds about how to be a good person and live a good life. I am deeply saddened that you are not here to celebrate the publication of this novel. However, I believe that you are with us in spirit. Your memory lives on in the hearts of many who knew you. We had some difficult times, but we also some wonderful times. Any good that I do in this life was surely made possible by your love and guidance.

I would also like to thank the rest of my family. Thank you to my stepfather, Don, for helping to support us and building a new family with us. Thank you to my brother, Errol, for always being there for me. I've rarely said so, but your thoughtfulness, kindness, dedication to your studies, concern for social justice, and basic human decency have always been an inspiration to me. Thank you to my sister, Valerie, for appreciating me, going on adventures into other worlds with me, and always sharing your writing and music and dreams with me, even when I hadn't yet learned to appreciate them. Watching you grow from a tiny infant into an amazing woman helped inspire me to do what I can to make the world a better place for future generations. Also, thank you to my extended family for many fun childhood memories, including visits to local forest preserves and Graue Mill with my grandfather. Walking in the woods encouraged my environmental awareness at an early age.

Thank you to the many members of the Student Environmental Center, Friends of Bell Smith Springs, R.A.C.E., Heartwood, the Cove Mallard Coalition, and others who introduced me to the Shawnee Forest, the Nez Perce Forest, and a variety of local, regional, national, and global environmental issues. Your education, mentoring, and friendship helped me to transform from a timid recluse into an environmental superhero.

Thank you to the many friends and colleagues who have inspired me. Thank you to Aur Beck for being a friend, introducing me to the radio show and community, and helping me to stay energized. Thank you to Sarah Kemp for being my friend and yoga teacher. Thank you to Courtney Hahn, Steve Hahn, Daniel St. Francis Xavier Hessian Raino, Rhiannon O'Neal, Christopher Eel Williams, Travis Baker, Brandon Guess, Ben Simpson, Ryan Favier, Jennifer Melfi, Joshua Guess, and others for adventuring with me and introducing me to new realms of fantasy and science fiction. Thank you to R. Michael Fisher for the fearology and integral praxis and Zach Seibert for the magic and poetry. Thank you to Sarah Mae Paull and her friends and family for the weekly dinners and game nights that helped me keep my sanity and feel welcome.

Thank you to Gaia House Interfaith Center and everyone who I've met there. This amazing community center is a crossroads where people of all faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds come together to break bread, share stories, explore their spirituality, and seek environmental and social justice. It was the first place I ever attended an environmental event and the main reasons I stayed in Southern Illinois. It has been my honor and pleasure to serve the Gaia House community in a variety of ways.

Thank you to the many authors of science fiction and fantasy who have inspired me with their creative vision and passion for developing fantastic worlds, characters, and stories. This includes pioneers such as Isaac Asimov, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Kurt Vonnegut, and Robert Heinlein, and more recent inspirations such as Starhawk, Neil Gaiman, Phil Satyros Brucato, and Richard Garriott.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my girlfriend, Grace, for being with me during the final stages of completing this novel. Your presence in my life has brought me the happiness, inspiration, and motivation I needed to finish a project that was several years in the making. I love you and am blessed to have you in my life.

KICKSTARTER ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THIS NOVEL WAS MADE possible in part by a Kickstarter campaign. Kickstarter is a crowdfunding website where people propose creative projects and ask for backers to pledge their support. If there are enough total pledges to meet the goal by the deadline, the project is funded.

Thank you to the following people for your support:

Aur 'daenergymon' Beck

Jessica Bradshaw

Andi Darnell

Retha Daugherty

Don Ellis

Kimberly Ellis

Wes Foskey

Joshua Guess

Stephen & Courtney Hahn

Melissa Hubbard

Heather Jacob

Tim Kirkpatrick

Leaf Lad

Joel R. Landry

Hugh

F & J Murphy

Julia Murphy

Errol O'Neill

Auntie Kristie

Ben, Amy, and Kieran

Dinah Seibert

Jessie Sims

Katie Thomas

Lex van Vucht

Joshua Vaughn

Christopher Williams

Marisa

THERE WERE SEVERAL backers who didn't respond to the backer survey. To err on the side of privacy, if a backer didn't respond to the survey, they are not listed above. I apologize if I missed anyone who wanted to be on this list. There were also some backers who chose to remain anonymous. Even though you are not recognized in this list, you still have my personal thanks and a share in the credit for making this possible.

Your pledge to this project not only supported this novel, but also supported the emergence of a world in which artists describe their creative vision to the public and everyone who likes that vision can participate in making it a reality.

CHAPTER 1

"Death is in the air.

Chariot out of control.

Change is awakened."

—Bertram Muhnugin, The Death of Birth

SARAH OPENED HER EYES and rose out of her crouching stance.

It had all happened so fast. An aging silver Dodge Dynasty had come crashing through the railing of the overpass and into the crosswalk below. Sarah had reflexively thrown her arms in front of herself and ducked down, knowing full well that she couldn't stop the several ton hunk of metal hurtling in her direction.

But somehow, she had.

Sarah's heart was still racing as she scanned her surroundings. The formerly airborne sedan sat motionless in the street just a few feet in front of her. It was mostly intact, aside from a shattered windshield and some compression of the front end of the frame.

The other half-dozen people in the crosswalk behind her slowly emerged from their own protective stances and stared at the car in wonder. An old man on the other side of the intersection was looking back and forth between Sarah and the car, his eyes and mouth wide in wonder. After a few moments, he started clapping slowly. Soon, everyone around the intersection joined him.

How did you do that?

Sarah looked down at her hands, dumbfounded.

I don't know. I didn't even touch it. I— She looked back at the car, wiping the sweat from her brow. I guess I just willed it to stop. She shook her head in disbelief, turning back to the old man across the street. I really stopped it?

The old man nodded and started walking toward her slowly. Lady, that old junker was about to rip your head off and land across the street. You stopped it in midair. Damnedest thing I ever seen.

Really? Sarah turned back to the wreckage, shaking her head again. I wish I'd kept my eyes open.

The people around her burst into uneasy laughter. Sarah's heart was still racing, but she chuckled too.

Is everyone all right?

The bystanders looked around. Nobody seemed hurt. The car had landed in the street without hitting anyone. The driver stepped out of the car and examined it carefully, looking even more confused than the people in the crosswalk.

Sarah and a few of the other pedestrians walked around the car slowly, making sure that no one had been crushed beneath it. After a few minutes, several police cars and an ambulance arrived, followed by a news van.

An officer with a notepad stepped out of the nearest police car. He spoke first with the driver of the Dynasty, then with a few of the other pedestrians. Finally, he shook his head, took a deep breath, and walked over to Sarah.

Ma'am, I'm Officer Harold of the Gorton Police Department. Mind if I ask you a few questions?

Sarah laughed nervously. Sure, why not?

Officer Harold nodded. Your name?

Sarah Athraigh. Sarah with an H, Athraigh with an A-T-H-R-A-I-G-H. You can call me Sarah.

Alright, Sarah. Can I see some ID?

Sarah pulled out her wallet and showed the officer her driver's license. He wrote down her name and address in his notebook before handing the license back to her.

Got it. He paused, lowering the notepad and looking Sarah in the eye. Look, Sarah, I'm not going to lie here. I'm a little skeptical about what these other people are telling me. So I'd like you to tell me, in your own words, what happened here.

Sarah laughed. I wish I knew, Officer. I was just crossing the street, when suddenly this car crashed through the railing on the overpass. I covered my head, closed my eyes, and figured I was about to get hit. But then it just stopped.

Huh. Just stopped?

In mid-air. I had my eyes closed, but in my mind's eye, I just saw the car stopping in mid-air — and it did! She looked at the damaged car, then back at Officer Harold with another nervous laugh. Officer, that car was about to plow right through me. But somehow, something stopped it. I don't know if it was something I did, or divine intervention, or what. But whatever it was, it saved my life.

Officer Harold nodded slowly. Well, that's what they said too. He looked at her, then over at the car, then back at her again. And where were you standing when the accident happened?

Sarah looked down at the ground. Right around here, officer. I took a quick look around the car to make sure everyone was all right, but then I came back to this spot.

Office Harold shook his head with a sigh. Alright, Sarah.

He handed her a business card. Here's my card. If you think of anything else — anything at all — please give us a call.

Okay. Thanks, Officer.

Officer Harold started walking away, then turned back to her. Oh, I almost forgot. There's a reporter here. Do you want to talk to her, or should I tell her to back off?

Sarah thought about it for a moment. It's fine, Officer. I'll go ahead and talk to her.

Officer Harold shrugged. Alright, then. He turned away, reading his notebook and shaking his head as he walked back to his patrol car.

The reporter was a young woman in her mid-twenties with shoulder-length blond hair and a black suit coat and skirt. She talked to a few of the other witnesses before walking up to Sarah, followed by her cameraman.

Hi there! I'm Jenny Goodman with Channel 3 news. Mind if I ask you a few questions?

Sarah smiled. Sure, go ahead.

Jenny turned to the cameraman, and he raised his camera and pointed it at Sarah. Sarah smiled, adjusting her long black ponytail and green T-shirt as Jenny turned on the microphone.

Okay, can you start by telling us your name and where you're from?

Sarah Athraigh from Gorton, Illinois.

Okay, Sarah. Jenny paused, looking down at her notes. Sarah, people on the scene of this accident are saying that what they witnessed today was a miracle. Do you agree? Was this a miracle?

Sarah smiled, shaking her head slightly in exasperation. I really don't know, Jenny. It happened so fast, and I don't know how to explain it.

Witnesses say the car stopped in mid-air, just short of hitting you. Is that what really happened?

I think so. She paused for a moment, thinking back to the accident. I closed my eyes when it was about to hit me. When I opened my eyes, it had stopped short and dropped to the ground. It definitely stopped in mid-air.

Did the car hit you?

No. She paused again, looking over at the crumpled front end of the car. I just visualized it stopping, and it stopped.

Wow. That's... wow. Jenny laughed. Sorry, I've just never covered a story like this before. I wish we had video of the accident!

Sarah shrugged. It all happened so fast, I doubt anyone caught it on video.

That's what everyone else said, too. She looked at her watch, then nodded at the cameraman. Anyway, Sarah, I've got to go get this to my producer in time for the 6 o'clock news. Can I get your number in case we have any more questions?

Sure.

After the two women exchanged numbers, Jenny said a quick goodbye and rushed off to her news van with cameraman in tow. Sarah looked around the accident scene for a few more moments, then glanced down at her watch.

Late again.

Sarah looked around to see if anyone else had any questions for her. A few people who had been staring at her turned away when she looked at them, but no one was making any motions to approach her. After another quick glance at her watch, she looked both ways and finished crossing the street. Once she reached the far side of the street, she looked back over her shoulder for a moment, examining the accident scene one last time. Then, she shook her head and kept walking.

CHAPTER 2

"Center abandoned.

Poet of old knows the way.

Change is coming now."

—Bertram Muhnugin, The Death of Birth

THE STUDENT ECOLOGY Center was located in the heart of downtown Gorton. The other lots on Main Street were home to a collection of restaurants and storefronts housed in tightly-packed brick or concrete buildings. The Center, however, was nestled in the midst of a two-acre green space between Main Street and the train tracks. This land featured a pond with a bubbling fountain, a vegetable garden, several species of trees, a small Japanese garden, and a two-story geodesic dome at the south end of the property. The partial canopy left the land cooler than its surroundings, and the lush vegetation filled the air with the scent of green leaves, moist soil, and the first few blossoms of Spring.

Sarah walked down the sidewalk toward the Center, casually glancing at the garden as she walked. She was wearing black cargo pants, hiking boots, and a simple forest green T-shirt. Her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her green eyes were shining brightly at the sight of her destination. As she turned down the cobblestone path to the front door of the Center, she was surprised to discover someone waiting for her. He was a young man in his mid-twenties with disheveled orange hair, sky blue eyes, bold freckles, a light blue button-up shirt, and navy blue cargo pants. For a moment, his expression was calm and introspective as he leaned against the door and looked off into the distance. As Sarah approached, however, his eyes met hers, and a sudden look of panic spread over his face.

Oh Gods. He stood up straight, his eyes darting up and down the street behind Sarah. I was almost hoping you'd left already. We have to go.

Sarah slowed to a stop a few yards from the man, a quizzical smile spreading across her lips. Excuse me?

There's no time to explain. We have to go before they come for you.

Sarah chuckled, shaking her head with a slow smirk. Do I even know you? A lot of people pass through here, and some of them have pretty unique takes on—

He took a step forward, raising a hand to silence her. I can explain along the way. We just need to go. It's not safe here.

Sarah crossed her arms in front of her chest, her smile fading and her eyes narrowing into a stone-cold glare.

Do you have a name, sir?

The man sighed in exasperation. Taliesin.

Taliesin? My name is Sarah. Her stern expression was softened by a slight smile. For someone named after a poet, you sure don't have a way with words.

I do on a good day. Taliesin relaxed a bit, staring off into the distance. Today isn't a good day.

I tell you what, Taliesin. I'm about to start my office hours here at the Center. Why don't you come on in and tell me what's up? If you convince me I need to go somewhere, I might be able to find someone to cover for me.

Taliesin nodded, taking a deep breath. Fair enough. He stepped away from the door, standing in the grass to make room for Sarah to pass. After you, then.

Sarah gave him a wary look, then stepped up to the door. After unlocking it, she propped it open with a nearby stone and stepped inside.

The inside of the Center had just as much of an open and earthy feel as the outside. The first floor was forty feet in diameter and was lit by natural light streaming in through several six-sided windows, a set of double glass doors, and a six-sided sunroof. Most of the first floor looked like one large living room, with two couches, three small tables, several stacks of chairs, a desk, and an office and bathroom in the back. The second floor was shaped like a ring, with a large opening in the center that allowed people on the first floor to see the sunroof overhead and the shelves of books that lined the walls upstairs.

Taliesin walked into the center of the room and turned around in a slow circle, examining every detail while Sarah walked over to the desk and sat down. After a few moments, Taliesin's attention snapped back to Sarah, and he strode briskly across the room to her desk.

Have a seat.

Sarah indicated a chair to the left of the desk. Taliesin shook his head, dismissing her offer with a wave of his hand.

No thanks.

Fine, have it your way.

Taliesin paused, taking a long, slow breath.

Sarah, I believe your life is in danger, or at least your freedom.

Sarah chuckled, her lips spreading into a broad grin.

Is this about my student loans? I knew those would come back to haunt me eventually. Or is it another crackdown on environmentalists? I was worried the FBI had forgotten about me.

Taliesin's face flushed with frustration.

Sarah, this is serious.

Oh, don't mind me. I have a dark sense of humor. She paused, noticing the anxious expression on Taliesin's face. Seriously though, why do you think I'm in danger?

I saw you on the news last night.

Sarah sat back in her chair and stared off into the distance, her face settling into a serious expression. Her thoughts flashed back to last night, replaying every moment of the accident and the interviews in her mind. When she'd woken up in the morning, it had all seemed like a dream. But the look of concern on Taliesin's face made it all seem very real.

Last night was... strange. She paused, shaking her head with a sigh. "I still