- CHAPTER 11: Dreams p.2 - © 2.15.2007

“A diamond is created by atmospheric pressures that cannot be reproduced by any invention of man.  The most interesting thing about the diamond is that sometimes there are very rare inclusions within the diamond -- the strongest carbon bond known in the universe.  The atoms are so tightly bonded that there is no decay or decomposition, which escapes even the carbon dating capability of all other objects or artifacts.  Even light can be carbon dated, but the diamond cannot.  Except for the inclusion that is.  The inclusion within a diamond is often a bit of debris trapped over time.  They are the most pristinely preserved objects from 2 to 4 billion years ago, encased in a most beautiful, clear and virtually unbreakable seal.  The rarest of all inclusions is a diamond only three people have ever seen in this world.  I am going to show it to you.”

“When?” asked the little girl, who seemed more interested in the picture book the adults were looking through earlier.

“Right now.  If you promise to behave and never tell anyone else about this, ever.”

“Yes, I promise.  I promise with everything I have,” the girl replied with her curious eyes giving equal time to all three adults.

“Okay.  I believe you," said the oldest of the adults, rubbing his eyes to clear them of dust.  "Are you ready?”

The most amazing sight to ever beset a child’s eyes were witnessed by three people that day as she gazed in wonder at this perfume bottle-sized rock, so intricately cut that she might have fainted if it weren’t so cold in the room all of the sudden.  The most curious object was embedded inside the 3 o-clock zone of this impeccably pure diamond, cut in over thirty different angles it seemed.  Only later she would find out it was cut in over 3,000 angles, in concave and convex slices of spectacular refraction.  For now, she was mesmerized by the strangely orange and pepper spotted shell of the embedded object, which resembled something close to a lady bug.  It was in fact, exactly what was inside the diamond, and it was truly incredible, that a lady bug and a butterfly could be trapped inside a block of carbon that immortalized its bonds with time.

When Shawn saw the expression on the little girl’s face, she looked so enamored that he hardly noticed how familiar her smile looked to him at that very instant. 

What a strange dream, he thought.  After opening one eye to gaze at his watch, he could only dread what everyone dreads on Monday, that the alarm clock should be ringing right about… now.

Continued...