by Paul Harm
“I have to apologize I’m very tired today because I had a rough week, I feel exhausted.” “No need to apologize Melinda, we can meet another time if you want to and you can always call Gabriella to reschedule your appointment.” “Unfortunately, that isn’t possible. I’m running out of time, you see.” She leaned forward and with one swift motion she pulled her hair back and sank back into the chair focusing Joseph but with much less intensity than he was used to. “Alright then, what do you want to talk about today?” “I need you to listen. Listen closely.” “I can do that.” Joseph smiled a warm and reassuring smile at her. She really seemed exhausted. Very unusual, he thought. “I feel old, Joseph, and alone, like all the good things in my life left me a long time ago. After all these years I seem to reach a point where I cannot find a reason nor a purpose to hang on any longer.” “That doesn’t sound very good Melinda, is there some concrete reason for this?” “No, just a feeling, but it’s getting worse and worse by the day.” “Is there...” “Now listen closely, I’d this dream about a tower in the darkness.” “Ok, I’m listening.”
“I’m at the coast with a man beside me, he seems worried and around us darkness falls quickly. We see a tower in the gloomy twilight we find ourselves in. The tower is far away, deep in the mountains ahead of us. The air feels more and more dense as we approach the structure. The gloomy twilight which surrounds us carries a feeling of despair from every direction. The tower although source of the terror feels at the same time as the only place to go. As we approach the tower there’s a faint light at its top. It glows violet and the closer we get the clearer we can see there’s a flame burning on top of the tower. As we reach the gates twilight falls into darkness behind us and we enter the structure with precaution.” Melinda takes a big gulp of tea and sighs. “As we enter the tower there’s no one around anywhere so we make our way to the stairway and go for the top. The height of the tower is almost unreal, and it takes us quite some time to get on top of it. We reach it eventually and before us the land unfolds. We’re at the seaside and the moon’s reflection sparkles at the shore in bright white light. The night sky is clear and soon I start to see the luminescent northern lights again, this time however they’re more intense. It looks so beautiful as the Northern Lights start to reflect on the ocean. I take a look around and see mountains rise high in the land to the north. The sky starts to burn in blue light and waves of blue start to fall from the sky accompanied by the crackling of electricity. Our flashlights went dark and the blue waves run over us and all the land around us in slow motions.” Melinda’s eyes start to get watery as she closes her eyes altogether. “My companion looks at me and he’s the look of a man who is tired of this, he accompanied me so far, but I can see in his old face that he can’t go much further with me. I never realized how exhausted he was up until now. But now there’s no way around it. This will be his last journey with me. I remember him saying something about being tired. I tell him to rest and he insists on getting to the ocean. Before we go down he points at a mountain far in the north barely visible but distinguishable due to its sheer size. He tells me to go there, he tells me we’re almost there. So, we descend to the sea while waves of blue go down all around us fortunately substituting the flashlight they seemed to knock out. He breathes heavily when we reach the shore and lays down just far away from the waves to reach him - ‘Sunset and evening star, and on clear call for me!’ - he says, and I understand that his journey ends here.” A tear flew down Melinda’s cheek and stayed for a second at her cheek until it dropped on her blouse leaving a little wet spot behind. She took a long breath. “I respect his wish and I sit there with him. I lay down next to him and put my arm around his chest one last time. He looks at me from a far distant place and smiles as his eyes showed me that he’s already more than half of the way to the other side. The blue waves are still going down, the Northern Lights are still glowing in the sky, and the ocean sparkled with all the wonderful lights it reflects. I feel lost and empty as I lay there next to him alone now, he’s gone.
Misery demands me to stay and mourn and misery demands me to make haste for my resources are limited. So, I lay there wasting my precious time trying to find the strength to get up again. Even though I lay there in the chilling cold my inner eye sees the world around me burn. Even though the blue waves are still falling out of the sky my inner eye sees the sky in a red blaze. A cleansing fire burns in the sky. Eventually I get up after a long time. I pass the tower and I’m on my way into the remote mountains, the icy surroundings remain, and I’m facing a long and lonely journey. The most dangerous thing is the cold but as long as I keep moving it’s bearable. I walk for two days and two nights until I finally reach the monstrosity of a mountain. At the foot of the mountain there’s a steep track and I make my way up. I’m exhausted and frustrated beyond my limits. Eventually I reach a dead end, after looking around I find a hidden door somewhere around and thus I go into the mountain to find myself in some sort of...” Melinda opened her eyes and focused on Joseph. Usually it knocked him back and all sorts of feelings overwhelmed him for a split second but this time there was nothing. “I have to go now, we’ll see each other next time.” Joseph was puzzled. Melinda chuckled, and all her heavy feelings seemed to lift up for a second. “I feel nostalgic and lost, to be honest with you, but that doesn’t matter now.” Another strange thing to give such an accurate answer where there was nothing but disguise usually, Joseph sighed. “Well that sounds good enough, I’ll see you next time then. Tell Gabriella you need a new appointment.” “Thank you for all your support so far. I’m looking forward to our next encounter.” Melinda drank up what was left of her apple mint tea and got up leaving the office. “Joseph before I forget, don’t let the evening star fool you.” Joseph looked at her with a rather baffled expression. “Ok? I won’t. Is that a figure of speech?” “It’s general good advice. See you, Joseph.” And like that she closed the door behind her and was gone.
With finishing his notes and making entries in his journal Joseph was busy for another half an hour. When he finally finished he set off home. Again, Friday afternoon, the last appointment of the week, always Ms. Finch, always Melinda. Joseph packed away his notes and other files lying around in his office and left. He had planned a great weekend with Claire hiking through Colorado’s Garden of the gods. Something they had wanted to do for a long time now. As he left his office he looked back at where Melinda was sitting. A shiver ran down his spine. He had a bad feeling about this. “Gabriella.” He said, as he closed the door to his office. “When did Ms. Finch schedule her next session?” “I didn’t see Ms. Finch today, Mr. Grey.” They must have missed each other. Unlikely, but possible. “Never mind, shouldn’t you be on your way home anyway?” Joseph smiled at her. Gabriella was in her second year of civil service another six month and she will have earned enough public service to have earned a place at the University. She reminded him a bit of Mia in her early twenties. “I’m just finishing today’s paperwork and I’ll be on my way in about an hour.” “Sounds great. See you on Tuesday, Gabriella.” “Have a nice weekend, sir.” The door closed behind him and he was already mentally going through the checklist. -tent, cans, backpack, matches, a flashlight- circled his thoughts.
“I’m going to miss you.” John whispered softly. “I’m going to miss you too, as usual.” Lucia snuggled up to him. “This sucks, you know.” “At least we’re looking forward to seeingeach other again in a couple of months.” “You’re probably right.” John gently stroked back Lucia’s hair. It had been two weeks now on Ruby and in their free time they barely left the bedroom, you could not blame them for being human. “I can’t believe I’m leaving tomorrow already, has it been two weeks, really?” “ I’m afraid so, Lucia, but it’s been two very good weeks. When you come next time, we might even watch a sunset from the surface.” “You either think I’m not going to show up for another two years or you, Dr. Silverman, are delusional.” She laughed. “What? How dare you speak to me like that
!” He threw himself on to her and tickled her. That was the advantage of lovers, you knew each other’s weaknesses. “Stop it! That’s just not fair, John! It’s not! Please!” But there was no mercy under her gasping for air and giggles. His relentless assault left her rather exhausted as he finally stopped. He laid on top of her and looked deep into her blue eyes as they both suddenly felt at home and knew this would not last much longer now.
An honest lookout for the loneliness to come. She kissed him fiercely as if it was the last time she would ever feel his lips on hers. They rolled over in their blanket. He bit her softly on the neck and she gasped for air as he started to bite his way down towards her belly. Every kiss one inch from the other and she felt an urge rise through her she could not hold back. She bit him in the neck but not as gently as he did. He did not look up as she continued to kiss and bite him. He reached her belly and did not make any attempts to stop there. Her body went up and down under his treatment when he finally reached his destination she could no longer bite and kiss him but fell back into her pillow and started moaning intensely. After a couple of moments, he came back up and looked into her eyes for a split second before she grabbed him and threw him on his back with one swift motion. Now it was her turn to claim revenge for that insult. Under her wild movements he pressed his hands aside her hips and his head back in the pillow. They both were about to explode in a moment but when their desire peaked they went calm, looked deep into each other’s eyes and kissed. When Lucia slowly slid off him and laid her head on his chest which moved violently up and down. His arm reached around her and pulled her closer, if that was even possible. There lay two lovers, like all the other lovers, peacefully embracing each other. They did not speak again that night, for the mood was bittersweet and no one of them dared to break it. Lights went dark as they slowly drifted into the last slumber they took together.
“This is Cetacea permission to take off, do you copy?” “Ruby station here please stand by.” “Cetacea you have clearing start take off procedure. Godspeed.” “Thank you, Ruby we’re on our way.” As the docking system retreated the giant UEF Freighter was thrown away thanks to the centripetal force and was on its way towards acceleration vector for Sapphire. “How does it look Brian?” “Looking good, Captain, we’re almost a kilometer out of the docking system. Firing positional thrusters in three, two one. Fire.” The first thrust pushed them gently back in their seats, it was about one fifth of a g. “Slowly, old lady, slowly.” “Did you say something, Brian?” “Sorry, Captain, old habit.” The blue drive plumes vanished and the Cetacea drifted further and further away from Ruby and the red planet. The G forces subsided. “Bringing her around, Captain.” Another blue flair torched through the night and the ship swung around in one slow motion until this light went out as well. The second the Cetacea aligned on the flight Vector EVA’s voice rose. “Vector established for Grid 27 Sector 48 Sapphire station please ensure safety protocol and proceed.” “Thank you, EVA. Captain, we’re ready to punch it.” - Green alert! all crew members check in your traveling stations. green alert! all crew members check in on traveling stations. - It rang through the speaker system on the ship.
On Brian’s console there was a list of all twenty crew members and as the last one went from red to green, which meant he checked in his seating they were good to go. “EVA establish a ship wide hail.” “Confirmed. Captain Romero you’re on ship wide transmission.” “This is Captain Romero, we’re aligned and ready to punch it towards our last supply run on Sapphire. See you there sleep well, Romero out.” She looked at Ruby floating in front of her on her personal screen. She saw John and missed him already but that’s a good thing, who misses anyone these days anyway. “Punch it, Brian.” “Confirmed. Bringing up the engines.” A howl went through the ship and a powering up sound filled every inch of the ship until it vanished. The space behind Cetacea’s drive went blurry as if it were breaking the light that passes through it. The ship leaped away as if a rider was spurring a horse. Lucia started to miss the gentle one fifth of a g, but that is the price you pay for acceleration, the five G lay heavy on them, but the ship would only do it for another two minutes until it fell back towards two g. “EVA Status report.” “All systems work within specified parameters.” “That’s good, Brian, I’ll be in the cargo bay I have something I have to check the water recyclers we’re bringing to Sapphire.” “Aye, Captain.” The G force declined slowly. “EVA status.” “Vector established, engines on two percent. There are no irregularities in any system.” “Brian, you get the crew ready and I’ll join you in a second.” “Of course, Captain.” “Goodnight Brian see you on Sapphire.” “Good night, Captain.” Romero was off towards the cargo bay. When she returned to the sleeping chambers her crew was already in hibernation and so she entered her hibernation pod and sweet dreams settled upon her.
XV. The White Lady
A week of hiking in the garden of the gods recharged both Joseph’s and Claire’s batteries, it was amazing. Seven days of walking through the landscape constantly entertained by chirping birds, running water and the howling of the wind. That was one of the most amazing accomplishments of human civilization, we started out in the jungle to begin with and slowly but steadily we conquered every inch of the planet’s habitable ground. Cities, like anthills, were inhabited by most of us throughout history and the achievements in agricultural technology caused even more country bumpkins to join the city. By the year 2385 almost 99% of all mankind lived in cities. When we took a stroll in nature today it was not as if we pass through anymore as part of it, no, we pass through as visitors like a long-lost child who grew up and visited his old parents. We visited her with respect and good wishes, but we realized that by now we did not show up as part of the family neither did we show up as a stranger. We much more showed up as something that had emancipated itself from its parenting framework and still felt the good will and life supporting-aura it still had for so many beings. Of course, there were trees in our cities and of course there was grass and there were birds. When Claire and Joseph came home after that trip they fell into bed and the next day Joseph got up energized and was on his way into the office.
“Good morning, Gabriella.” He greeted her, opening the door, not seeing towards her desk by now. No reply came. As Joseph entered the office there he saw a woman standing behind Gabriella’s desk, she wore a white long sleeved dress that barely reached the ground. She did not face him. On every corner of the room there were men in black robes. Joseph’s heart skipped a beat. He did not know what this was, but he felt an odd shiver running down his spine. He pushed it away. “Can I help you?” The men did not move they stood in a military fashion hands behind their backs their look straight forward, no one in this room looked at him. The woman’s voice rose softly. “We’re looking for someone, someone we believe might be your client. Someone who goes by the name of...” - Finch - Joseph thought. “Yes.” He shivered and felt trapped in a corner. The white lady had long dark hair reaching far down her back. Joseph did not see her face. “Where is she?” “I don’t know, and I’m afraid I can’t tell you due to patient confidentiality.” She moved along the window she was gazing out of.
“Mr. Grey, this client of yours is guilty of the highest crime there is.” Her voice was still soft, she took a long breath and then she whispered in his ear: “Treason.” Joseph felt very safe still and a part of him really wanted to tell them. “I’m sorry, but if you’re a crime investigator don’t you have access to her files?” “I do, but she seems to be gone from there and after all I gathered from her absence, here in this office was the last time she was seen. So, you see I need to ask you if you might be able to help me find her. Did she ever mention a hideout another home something subtle maybe?” Joseph was curious but careful as well. This was strange, and those people could have been anyone. Even though this whole setting scared and alarmed him he decided to make a bold move. “Can I see your ID, please? You sure understand I need to see this before I can give you any i
nformation.”
“Mr. Grey.” Her voice lost its loveliness and carried sharp blades instead cutting Joseph’s skin and eardrums. It hurt. The room seemed to suddenly shrink towards him and the black guards came closer. Joseph was pressed on the floor he tried to fight it, but something pushed him down with sheer force. The guards stood around him now there was a red glow shining through the deep shadows their hoods provided. “Do you have any idea where she might be?” The voice now thundered through the room and echoed from all directions back at him. Joseph was terrified, but not willing to give up anything even if he knew something. Something kept pressing him even harder into the ground until the floor underneath him started to crack open. The guards drew some sort of crooked swords and rose them above their heads ready to strike at any moment. “Do you know where she might be Mr. Grey?” He felt the floor underneath giving away. He started to fall in an endless black hole, the red glowing eyes of the guards still staring at him from above. He cried out in panic: “I don’t know where she is!” Joseph’s hands and face started to burn, all around him it burned, and he screamed when finally, the relief came down from the faceless guards strike as they sunk their blades deep into his body cracking bones, slicing through his burnt skin and his organs. As he hit the base of the seemingly bottomless burning pit.
