About the Author
Normand R. Bernier is an emeritus professor at Kent State University. He coauthored Beyond Beliefs: The Ideological Foundations of American Education and is currently writing a sequel to Mindlings.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
I felt a cold breeze over my body. I couldn't speak, for my lips were frozen shut. I could utter no sounds. My mind generated thoughts that couldn't be formed into words. A sharp burning sensation gripped my throat as I attempted to cry out. I felt a throbbing pain above my left eye.
I kept my eyes shut, hoping that I was dreaming and would wake up in my bed at home. A fruitless prospect, and gradually I gained the courage to admit it. Facing no other choice, I confronted whatever unknown reality awaited me. Slowly and with difficulty, I opened my eyes. As they adjusted to the bright light, I saw an amazing, unexplainable scene. I was no longer in Chicago. Stretching before me, a body of blue green water extended to the horizon . . . I was in the mouth of a small cave. A few feet away, a rose bush was in full bloom. The scent was intense and intoxicating. To my right, about a mile away, stood a large foreboding structure. It appeared to be a castle situated on a high precipice rising from the sea. A narrow dirt road ran between the castle and my cave.
Dark clouds dispersed above the horizon. Lightning struck the sea, and it was followed by deafening claps of thunder. I couldn't tell if the storm was moving toward me. I felt a slight chill, like a cold wind in August.
Could I have died during an experiment? Had I ingested a mind-altering drug? Was I hallucinating? Could this be a lucid dream?
Then, I sensed someone's presence. I turned to my left. Two figures were standing there, smiling at me.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
