Amitabha - Pt.1

It had been some time since I got in touch with Lao Tze and I wondered how he was faring.  One evening, after recalling the many adventures we had together, I decided to reach him via my golden star.  He responded within minutes and stood before me, concern on his face.

“What’s up, friend?  Anything the matter?”  he asked.

“Oh, no, Lao Tze,” I replied. “It’s just that I hadn’t seen you for some time and I missed you.”

Lao Tze smiled.  “Thank you, my dear.  I am actually busy right now in the Silky Way polishing the stars.  Remember you went there once with me?”

“Oh yes,” I replied.

“Well, do you want to follow me again?  I’m nearly finished, it will take only an hour or two earth time.”

I hesitated.  It would be exciting whizzing through the stars again in Lao Tze’s starship … if nothing happened inbetween!  Once again, my thirst for adventure took hold of me and I said I would follow him!

Soon we were zooming through the heavens and when we reached the Silky Way, I was once again dazzled by the colourful stars which twinkled and shone to the chimes of celestial music.  

“Well, that’s the last of the stars,” said Lao Tze as he finished his task.  “It’s time to go home.  Have you enjoyed yourself?”

“I sure did!  The stars are still as beautiful as I remember them.”  I replied happily.

Lao Tze set course for home and after about ten minutes cruising, we saw to our surprise that there was a blue mass floating ahead of us.

“What on earth is that?”  muttered Lao Tze.  He fiddled with his computer and zoomed in on the mass.  “I don’t believe it, it’s a giant blue octopus!  Here, take a look!”

I looked and it was indeed a giant blue octopus. 

“What is it doing here in space?”  I cried. 

“Your guess is as good as mine.  We’re going to collide with it if I don’t change course … oh my God, the controls are stuck ….” yelled Lao Tze.  “We’re going to hit it….!”

Before I could even blink, I saw blue tentacles curling around Lao Tze’s starship, as the octopus drew the ship closer and closer to it. 

“Help, help,” I cried but of course it was no use, who was there to save us? 

The starship slithered to a stop and everything was still.  Lao Tze tried to get it going again but nothing would work.  We looked out and saw the sheepish face of a blue octopus, its eyes half-closed with drowsiness.  It was most unusual and had coloured spots on its head and tentacles.    
   

“What now, Lao Tze?”  I whispered, trembling with fear.  Before Lao Tze could answer, we heard a soft, tingling laugh.  We looked up and there she was, a young lady carrying a lotus, floating above us.

“I believe I’ve seen her before,” exclaimed Lao Tze.  The lady laughed again and spoke.

“Aha, my friends, we meet again!  Of course, you’ve seen me before!  Don’t you remember?  I met you some time ago in the Silky Way …..”

“Of course!” yelled Lao Tze.  “She’s the crazy lady who wanted to build a staircase to the moon!”

“Yes, of course!” I cried as I too recalled our meeting with her.

Lien Hua laughed.  “I am flattered you remember me though I don’t quite agree with your opinion of me!  But never mind, I see you have met my pet octopus, Amitabha.  Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you unless I tell him to.  Well, my friends, we’re going to have some fun.  You do remember how I like playing games with space travellers who come my way, don’t you?”

“What do you have in mind?” growled Lao Tze.

Lien Hua laughed.  “It’s all very simple.  I will give you a riddle and if you guess the right answer, I will let you go.  If not, you shall be dinner for Amitabha.”

“You’re crazy!  Get us out of here!”  yelled Lao Tze. 

“Lao Tze, we don’t have a choice, we’ve got to do as she asks,” I whispered.

“Your cat friend is very wise,” said Lotus …. “So shall we begin?  Here’s the riddle, think over it and I shall come back in half an hour earth time for the answer.  Ready?

"I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all, To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball. What am I?"

You got it?  I shall see you later then.”  With that, she vanished.

“We’ve got to come up with the answer, Lao Tze.  Let me think …er … how did it go .... I never was .....?"

Then a lazy voice interrupted us.  We looked round and saw to our surprise that it was the octopus.

“Look, guys, I’ll help you out.  I’ll give you the right answer but on one condition.”

“And what’s that?” asked Lao Tze.

“Take me back with you and drop me in the ocean, any ocean.  I don’t belong here and I’m tired of the silly games that Lien Hua plays.  I don’t enjoy eating astronauts and whatever comes along, you know.”

“Do you really eat astronauts?”  I gasped, aghast.

“Astronauts and much more,” replied Abitabha gloomily.

“It’s a deal!” cried Lao Tze.  “Now what’s the answer?”

“Listen carefully.  First you’ve got to pretend you don’t know the answer.  She will give you three guesses - give the correct answer on the third guess.  But she mustn't find out that I have helped you, otherwise she’ll kill me.  Here’s the answer,” and he whispered it into Lao Tze’s ear. 

“How do we know we can trust you?” said Lao Tze.

Amitabha shrugged.  “You don’t know.  I offered you a deal – take it or leave it.”

Just then Lien Hua appeared.   “Time’s up, my friends.  Now I shall give you three guesses.  You may begin.”

Lao Tze cleared his throat.  

“Er … the moon?”  he said.  Lien Hua laughed and shook her head. 

“The wind?”  I guessed.  She laughed again and shook her head.  

“The last guess now – I have a feeling my pet is going to have a very good dinner tonight - barbecued cat and rat meat,” she said gleefully.

“Is it …. the future?” said Lao Tze, giving the answer that Amitabha had given him.

Lien Hua stopped laughing and her eyes narrowed.  “My, my, you two are smarter than I thought.  I didn’t think you would get the correct answer.  Alright, so you guessed right, and I shall keep my part of the bargain.  Amitabha, let them go.  We shall meet again, friends and next time it won’t be that easy for you.”  She laughed her soft tingling laugh and disappeared.

We both heaved a sigh of relief.  “Thanks, Amitabha,” I said.  Amitabha uncurled his tentacles and Lao Tze started his computers which began working again.

“Wait,” said Amitabha.  “One more step – she has tied me to that star up there, you’ve got to cut through that string of small meteorites to release me!”

“Can you do it, Lao Tze?”  I asked anxiously.

“Hmm,” said Lao Tze.  “I shall try one of my golden stars – it should work.”

He hurled a star in the direction of the meteorites.  To my dismay, it hit them but didn’t cut through them.

Just then, Ambitabha shrieked, "Lien Hua’s coming back, she must have suspected I helped you two.  Quick, try again!”

Lao Tze hurled two stars together this time and to our relief, the string broke and Amitabha was free.  

“Hurry, let’s get out of here,” said Amitabha.  Lao Tze tied Amitabha to his starship and off we zoomed. We could see Lien Hua. in the distance, catching up with us fast. 

“It’s no use, I’m too heavy, I’m only slowing you down.  Just cut me free and you guys go ahead…” cried Amitabha.

“But we can’t leave you behind,” I gasped.  “Lao Tze, can’t you do anything?”

But Amitabha had already struggled free and I watched in horror as he slipped back… back …. into the depths of space.

“Lao Tze, Lao Tze, he’s gone …” I cried, as tears welled up in my eyes.  “He sacrificed himself to save us …..  can’t we go back and get him?”

Lao Tze shook his head.  “We don’t have enough power to go back and forth.  I’m sorry, Da ….”

Lao Tze deposited me at the temple soon and it was with a heavy heart that I went to bed.  I could only think of Amitabha and I prayed hard that he had slipped from the clutches of Lien Hua and floated away to Nirvana.