King Solomon's Journey (The Dominguez Adventures) by Sammy Sutton Page A

possibility of love was out there, she did not intend to get close to it.
                He continued his thoughts. A boy comes of age at 13 with his bar mitzvah, celebrating his entry into manhood. Judaism had 13 principles. The Temple included 13 Gates: (1) Shaar Ha’Elyon (The Upper Gate), (2) Shaar HaDelek (The Kindling Gate), (3) Shaar Habechorot (The Gate of Firstborn), (4) Shaar HaMayim (The Water Gate), (5) Shaar Yechonyah (The Gate of Yechonya), (6) Shaar HaKorban (The Gate of Offering), (7) Shaar HaNashim (The Women’s Gate), (8) Shaar Hashir (The Gate of Song), (9) Shaar Nikanor (gate between the Women’s Courtyard and the main Temple Courtyard). Counting the two minor doorways and two gates of relative unimportance without names, the total; was 13 entry-points.
                Maintaining this theme, the Seal of the United States encompassed the ‘13’ it dominated. Reaching into his pocket, he removed a dollar bill. The U.S. Seal possessed 13 letters, 13 arrows, 13 olive leaves, 13 berries, 13 stars, and 13 constellations. Was it possible that the Founding Fathers and Authorities within the Government have always known? Antonio thought it sounded extreme, but then again, the entire damn thing was insane.
                Antonio was tired, tomorrow would be here soon enough, he needed to rest and make plans for achieving success with Amanda. Unable to boast of anything today, he had crashed and burned. It was not completely clear why, but he needed her, and he sure did want her.
     

 
    Chapter 6
    “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
    — Winston S. Churchill
     
                As Antonio put toothpaste on his toothbrush the next morning, and looked up at blurry image in the mirror, the first thing he noticed was the circles under his eyes, and that is when his brain caught up with reality.
                 “Shit.” He dropped his toothbrush. His forehead was healed, without any evidence remaining of the bruise or laceration from his fall into the cavern! His witchy woman was more than she appeared. Cleaning his glasses, he placed his head near the mirror to inspect the former wound. It was supernatural. The situation now demanded that he get through to Amanda, failure was not an option.
    Determined, he finished dressing and headed downstairs.
                As he crossed the lobby, Tommy called out to him, “Antonio!”
                “What's up Tommy?”
                “I shouldn’t be tellin' you this, but, I trust you.” Tommy hesitated.
                “Go ahead, what is it?”
                “She’s leavin' today, three days early,” Tommy, sounded shocked.
                “She can’t.”
                “She booked a flight, and she’s not flyin' home.”
                “Where is she going, Tommy? This is more important than I’m willing to explain right now. Where is she going?” Tommy had to tell him.
                “She’s goin' to a cabin to write.”
                “Where’s the cabin?”
                “I don’t know.”
                “Tommy, you do know. Understand I have another job. I am an anthropologist. I’ve found something. She has connections with it. I knew it before I got here. Amanda does not know yet, and her fears about having a relationship made it too difficult to explain, so I didn’t get a chance to discuss it with her. It’s important, Tommy. You were right, she is special, and in many ways similar to the books she brings you.”
                Tommy believed him, knowing her on a personal level made Antonio’s story less bizarre.
                “She is goin' to some cabin in New Mexico. I think close to Santa Fe.”
                Tommy could have shot Antonio with a shotgun and shocked him less. Could it