Emma’s mother Lisa arrived and immediately hugged her. She then met privately with Mrs. Jamison and Ms. Morrison. They were baffled about the behavior of this bespectacled honor student and cellist who had even dreamed of performing with the orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
“Emma, I have to ask you a direct question,” said Ms. Morrison with a querulous intonation. “Are you using drugs?”
Emma exploded, “No are you!?”
After the outburst, Mrs. Hayes met privately with the two and they concluded that some time away from school was best.
Emma and her mother drove home silently, and the traumatized seventeen-year old went straight to her room where she remained for the next five days. She barely ate, and after three days she was required by her parents to take a drug test which she passed without issue. The fifth night her parents knocked on the door to her room, entered, and sat down on her bed. Her dad, Matt, spoke first.
“Emma, you do know we love you and we’re, well, very worried about you to say the least...”
Mrs. Hayes spoke next. “Emma please tell me that this is all some kind of bad joke and you don’t really think you spoke to a space rabbit…”
“He’s not a freaking space rabbit mom! He’s a Quittu, and he’s trying to save the human race!”
“Oh my, I was afraid of this. Okay listen...your dad and I thought about this a lot and we think it’s best if you go away for a few days. You’ll be safe there; no one will call you names, and we’ll come to see you every day that we possibly can.”
“Emma threw up her hands. “Ughh! I get it! You two think I’m crazy, too! Great, just great! Thanks a lot!”
“It’s only temporary, honey.”
“Don’t honey me, mom! This is serious!”
“Listen to me young lady, you DO NOT speak to me like that! Now you’ve just lost your tablet privileges for the rest of the weekend. And by the way, you’re leaving on Monday morning to go stay upstate for a few days. So if I were you, I’d get some rest. We’ll be out back if you need us.”
“What?!” Dad you’re just going to just go along with this? Can Darci and Ranger at least come hang out with me in the fort tomorrow?
“We spoke to the therapist about that, and we don’t think it’s a good idea. Not right now anyway. What you need is a change of pace and a little time away.”
Emma grabbed a stuffed animal off of her bed and hurled it at her parents as they turned to leave her room.
“The world’s ending and you don’t give a crap! All you can do is throw me in a looney bin! Great parents you are.”
Monday morning a white, non-descript van pulled up the driveway at 51 Clarella Court. Four people got out: three men and one woman. The three men appeared to be EMTs and the woman looked as if she was from a TV police drama. Emma could hear them speaking to her parents outside, then in the kitchen downstairs. All four accompanied her parents up to her room as her mother knocked on the door.
“Emma, I think we’re all ready to go. There’re a few very nice people here who are going to help us through this.”
“Tell your nice people to go screw themselves, how about that, Matt and Lisa?” Emma’s mother shook her head, distraught and perplexed at where her quirky honor student with the squeaky clean image had gone. She turned to her husband, “Did she just call us ‘Matt’ and ‘Lisa?’ ”
Her mother then became steely eyed and more resolute as she motioned to the four strangers. “Okay, it’s time…Emma I know you don’t understand this, but it’s for your own good. Now let’s go!”
As the white van left Clarella Court and rolled up the turnpike towards the Baybrooke House upstate in Tannerstown, no one had any way of knowing of the chaos that would soon begin to rule the coming days in the outside world, nor were they aware of the amazing tenacity of Emma Hayes.
CHAPTER 13
CONTEMPORARIES
No one believed Emma’s story despite its intense realism and undeniably plausible theories of astrophysics. The ridicule came not just from within her high school but from all over the social media world and the suddenly ubiquitous #spacerabbitgirl was home to a steady stream of cruel posts deriding her.
Darci and Ranger were distraught over the unrelenting scorn Emma was subject to. They decided to come up with an emergency plan to secure Emma’s tablet to try and contact Srenyi.
“Darci, I know her parents took her tablet, but where do you think they hid it?”
Darci thought for a few seconds. “Well, it’s probably in her room, up in the storage area that was once supposed to be a bunk bed.”
“Okay we need to get in there. What can we say we need to get in there for?”
“Hmm, let me see…oh man I got it! I’ll just tell her mom that she has all of my makeup and I need it. Don’t worry Ranger I won’t say our makeup, I’ll just say my makeup.”
“Okay thanks, I think! Let’s go right now.”
Emma’s mother was planting early spring bulbs out back when the two arrived. “Oh, hi Mrs. Hayes, how’s Emma doing?”
“Hi kids. She’s okay. Her dad and I were just up to see her yesterday.”
“Oh good. Well, Mrs. Hayes, I think I left my makeup and some clothes up in Emma’s room. Is it alright if I run up and get it?”
Emma’s mother stood up from kneeling in the garden. “Well, I don’t see why not. In fact, seeing you two reminds me of her.”
“Okay, great. Thank you, Mrs. Hayes. We’ll be right down.”
Ranger and Darci ran up both flights of stairs to Emma’s room. Ranger dashed through her uncharacteristically tidied room and right up the ladder that led to the storage bunk.
“Man they have all of her stuff piled up too well. I can’t see anything.”
“I don’t see anything. But you better find some makeup or something too.”
The two searched the bed frantically, then the closets. “Crap dude, it’s not here.”
Ranger looked down the hallway towards the master bedroom. “I know where it is.”
“Oh no! What if she comes up and gags us in their room?” Darci was undeterred. “It’s now or never. Let’s go!”
They ran down the hall into the master bedroom just as the sound of Mrs. Hayes could be heard right below the window as she was finishing up a conversation with the next door neighbor.
“We’ve got like 5 seconds!”
“Okay, okay, if I was a tablet, where would I be?”
Ranger had another epiphany, “Top drawer of her dad’s bureau…but which one is it?” “The one that looks like a dad one! Dude, she just opened the screen door, just hurry up!”
“I am, Darci, chill out!”
Ranger frantically searched the drawers of two different bureaus, unceremoniously moving clothes out of the way.
“Boom here it is!” He shoved the tablet down his pants.
“Cool, now we gotta go!”
Ranger and Darci sprinted down the hall and dove onto Emma’s bed just as her mother was starting to walk up the second flight of stairs. She began to speak before she got to the top step. “Any luck finding your makeup? I don’t remember seeing any.”
They were trying to hide the fact they were out of breath. “No, Mrs. Hayes, but it was nice just being here in Emma’s room. I really hope she comes home soon.”
Mrs. Hayes managed an appreciating smile and returned, “I do too.”
After night fell, the two went up to the field and simultaneously dropped onto the same bean bag chair where Emma said she had communicated with Srenyi. The warmth of the early spring day had given way to a chill in the night air, though the sky was clear and the air was still fragrant with the smell of spring.
“Okay Ranger-Danger, how the hell are we going to get this little bunny to talk to us?”
“Umm well maybe you should try turning on the tablet. I charged it earlier but was afraid to turn it on.”
“Can he see us right now?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
; The two were in luck. Srenyi had already sensed something was wrong when Emma’s coordinates on earth fell silent weeks ago and his fears were confirmed by the kuri. He had been patiently awaiting an opportunity for another transmission and as the tablet screen went black and then to snow he appeared.
“Hello my friends. I trust that you are Darci and Ranger. I’m Srenyi.”
“Dude no friggin’ way!!”
“Ranger grow up! Hi Srenyi. Listen I’d ask you about the weather up there and all but we have bad news…”
Srenyi interrupted. “I’ve sensed something had gone horribly awry, and I feel completely and utterly responsible for the whole matter. I should have thought this all through.”
“Well yeah dude I kind of agree only because Emma’s like living at this crazy place now, and they have her on all kinds of meds because they think she made this whole story up. So could you like do something cool like maybe just shake the earth a few times?”
Darci smacked Ranger’s shoulder. “Ranger, that’s just plain nuts!”
Srenyi was impressed by the passion being conveyed. “We can’t shake the earth; that’s indeed true. But we can use gravitational force for a wonderful transmission.”
“Dude, that’s genius! I mean I’m not sure what that means but still.”
“Why thank you, Miss Ranger.”
“Srenyi, he’s actually ‘Mister Ranger,’ long story. Anyway, how are you going to do this? Emma is like a mess from everyone throwing shade at her. I’m really mad about it too.”
“Yeah, and I’m about to kick all of their asses!”
“Ranger, you couldn’t kick anyone’s ass.”
Srenyi spoke confidently, “My dear friends, not to worry. Today is your Thursday, is it not?”
“All day little dude.”
“Yes all day indeed. So next Tuesday evening at precisely 9:00pm is when Srenyi will appear before your world.”
“Before our world, you mean in the sky like MC 900 Foot Srenyi?”
“Very coy indeed, Darci, though in lieu thereof, my image shall appear for precisely eighteen seconds on every digital screen that exists on your earth. It shall preempt anything already in progress so to speak.”
“Whoa, that’s awesome!’
Srenyi’s near-permanent smile quickly dissolved and he displayed a look of utmost determination. “We are going to bring it.”
“Hell yeah we gonna’ bring the noise!”
“This transmission itself will end in a few seconds, but I ask that you place your trust in me.”
“We do Srenyi, and we will!”
“Oh and one more thing my dear friends...”
“What’s that Srenyi?”
“Emma is quite lucky to have such faithful companions. I’m quite fortunate to have one such trusted contemporary here myself.”
“Ha! You rock; thank you, Srenyi! You’re awesome too!”
Srenyi’s image faded to black and, as the familiar icons reappeared on the screen, Darci and Ranger started jumping up and down.
“Tuesday night’s going to be nuts.”
“Yup, DJ Srenyi gonna’ turn up!”
CHAPTER 14
SHE’S AWAKE
Emma was not making progress as far as recanting her story of Srenyi and his profound warning. One afternoon Emma wandered the hall and implored visitors to understand that she and a being from another planet had come together by divine providence. It was then recommended by a new administrator named Dr. Soren that she remained at Baybrooke indefinitely, and a decision was made to keep her under heavy sedation.
A few weeks later Emma was suddenly ordered from her stupor by Dr. Soren, and she sensed she had slept for a long time. As the tranquilizers were slowly allowed to wear off she realized that she had been moved to a new place in her sleep. She wasn’t sure where, and she didn’t know the people gathered outside her room wearing blue and purple medical scrubs.
There was a perceptible mumbling among them as they would alternatively glance in at her with unnerving smiles.
Emma was groggy and her voice course, yet it was clear her flair for sarcasm hadn’t waned at all when at last she spoke. “Did I get upgraded to first class or something? Can’t beat those loyalty programs; those points can really add up quick.”
Word rapidly spread that the girl was awake, and the cacophony of voices began to grow louder. “She’s awake, she’s awake!”
Excited people hurriedly made their way down the corridor and crowded outside of her room. Emma knew that something very out of the ordinary was going on as she tucked her perceptively longer hair behind her ears. Her first thoughts were of her two best friends.
“Has anyone seen a girl named Darci Donato with a boy named Ranger McShane? They must have been around here earlier. I mean how can you miss a five foot firecracker and a boy with long pink hair wearing makeup?”
A team of nurses that looked quite new to Emma just stared at her, seemingly unable to answer any of her questions. After a long uncomfortable silence one of the nurses finally broke their collective silence. “Okay, now try not to sit up too quickly so you don’t get dizzy. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Anything at all we can get for you Ms. Hayes?”
Emma flashed the nurse a disbelieving smile. “Ms. Hayes? Okay I’ve been called a lot of things but never Ms. Hayes. This is seriously weird. Where the heck am I anyway? This is a different room and you’re all different too. What the freak is going on here? And why am I on display in here? I feel like a damn goldfish!”
At that moment it was also becoming apparent to Emma that the inexplicable tumult in the air was even worse outside. There were cries of “EMMA, EMMA”, echoing across the grounds of the Baybrooke House, as if the whole spectacle had been suddenly transported to a giant sports arena. Emma’s eyes grew wide.
“Where’s my mom? I want my mom. What the eff is going on?”
“Someone will be with you shortly Ms. Hayes”, said one of the nurses. “We’re not permitted to tell you more than that. Just try to relax for now, and I’m sure they’ll be in soon to explain.”
The nurses were forbidden to explain to Emma that she was at the center of the biggest legal and political dispute in the history of the country. There was a tug-of-war was occurring between the “M’s” and the “garchs” over not just Emma’s custody, but arguably the future of the human race. Garch was the newly coined name given to describe the stunning collaboration between former enemies from the extreme wings of the two main political parties.
Emma spun around, stepped out of her bed, and dragged an IV drip a few feet in an effort to look out of the window. “Ms. Hayes please that won’t be helpful,” said the nurse.
She was already annoyed. “Cut the ‘Ms. Hayes’ crap will you please?!”
As Emma struggled to her feet, the effort to get to the window was unexpectedly difficult. She was greatly astonished to hear the discordance that was clearly audible from the raucous crowds outside.
“GRAYSON, GRAYSON!” Followed by retaliatory chants of, “EMMA, EMMA, EMMA!” could be heard throughout the campus. Crude competing banners were on display amid the crowds that read, ‘SAVE HUMANITY’ and, ‘NO BRIDGE!’
When Emma was finally able to look out of the window from behind the blinds she could see two competing masses of people beginning to converge as if in a giant rugby scrum. National Guard units were also visible in the distance, and they were preventing access to the grounds by additional throngs of people who were jamming access roads. Others were already being dragged away.
“Why are all of those people yelling and getting crazy out there?” she asked abruptly.
“It’s nothing,” said Nurse Chamberlain impatiently. “You’ll understand things better later.” The large nurse spoke curtly, and she looked out of the room as if waiting for someone to make an important decision.
Nurse Chamberlain walked towards Emma. “They think it’s best if you sit down. They said you’ll feel better in a nice, quiet room.”
&nb
sp; Emma used a deep voice and made a mocking face, “They said? Who the hell are they anyway? Can someone please tell me what’s going on?”
Out in the hall, a few administrators could be heard conversing in small voices, and seconds later the sound of shoes marching down the hall could be heard from others who would soon join them in heated discussion. Four men dressed in suits entered Emma’s room, and one spoke in an authoritative voice without introduction. “Ms. Hayes it’s in your best interest that we move you now.”
Emma again leapt to the window and threw open the blinds, this time revealing herself to the raucous crowds. The first sight of her in the window reenergized teems of them, and the very rafters trembled with cheers as the outside world again erupted in tumult. Their thunderous chants were unmistakable. “EMMA! EMMA! EMMA!” They were quickly answered by the other group, barely separated by barriers and riot police. The others were chanting, “NO BRIDGE! NO BRIDGE! NO BRIDGE!”
The whole world was in disarray, and suddenly she seemed to understand. Emma’s eyes grew wide and she uttered only one single word, “Srenyi.”
The four men moved quickly towards Emma. She was quickly grabbed by two of the men, then soon thereafter by all four. She fought ferociously but was instantly sedated, her mouth gagged as she was strapped to a gurney.
“Take her downstairs to room 401B,” said Dr. Soren.
CHAPTER 15
THE QUITTU
Each dawn, small groups of Quittu would emerge from the craggy steppes of the northern reaches, and greet the gift of a new day. Dressed in white, thousands of them would hold hands in circles along the shore line and breathe in the first light of the three rising morning stars of X7gTH5. Each day, without exception, their faces would reflect expressions of awe and utter astonishment.
Replete with the mental capacity to recite every planet and star in their galaxy, the youngest Quittu were songful and began the morning by reciting the names of galaxies with astute cadence. “We see Bootes and Sextans Dwarf, Sph Carina and Fornax morph, now we’re off to M32 and there’s always something there to do... Pegasus Dwarf is close behind, and good old Dwingeloo 1 is fun to find…Tucana Dwarf is easy to see, because it’s always followed by Camelopardalis’s and its big letter B.”
The Million Day Forecast Page 5
