by Mark Harritt
He turned to the two scientists and helped them stand up. He kept a hand on Sebius, and Mara’a kept a hand on the tech. Jhani walked through the door first, looking up and then down to make sure they were safe. When she was satisfied, she motioned for the rest of them to move onto the landing.
Om Varee guided Sebius out the door, and Mara’a followed. They walked down the stairs and found the door propped open with one of the corpses. They maneuvered their way around the corpse, and stopped behind the disfigured man and the two Contai.
The disfigured man turned around to look at Om Varee. He pointed out at the central shaft, “We have to go out there?”
Om Varee nodded, “Eventually. That’s the only way out. Any other direction will take us directly into the Dostori Rev’s security. I can guarantee you, that is not something that you want.”
“How do we get past Min?” the disfigured man asked.
Om Varee held up his hand, “Don’t worry, I have a plan. As soon as your friends get down here, we’ll leave.”
Behind them, they heard a deep, ‘boom, boom, boom.’
Om Varee looked back at the stairwell, “Your friends need to hurry. That’s the sound of the Dostori Rev’s security trying to get through the stairwell at the top.”
“We’re not leaving our friends,” the disfigured man told him.
Suddenly, the two soldiers and the feverish man appeared at the top of the stairs. The feverish man was walking, but he had to be propped up between the two of them. They made their way down the stairs.
“Brett, we found Mike,” one of the soldiers said.
The disfigured man, evidently the one they called Brett, turned to Om Varee, “Do you know where Ken is?”
Om Varee pointed at Sebius, “I think he gave your other leader to the Dostori Rev. If she has him, he’s dead by now.”
The three men stared at Sebius with hatred. Brett limped toward him, no doubt to beat information out of Sebius, but Om Varee held up his hand, “No, I need him. You have your friend, and now we’re leaving.”
Brett pointed out at the central shaft, “How? Min’s out there. He’ll kill us and eat us.”
Om Varee shook his head, “No, he only needs one. He has plenty of food out there, thanks to you and your friends, but he likes to play with his food. He needs a toy.”
Om Varee turned toward Mara’a, “Seal that door. I don’t want security following us. I’ll take care of this, and then we’re out of here.”
Om Varee took hold of Sebius by the arm and pulled him toward the end of the tunnel. Sebius was confused at first, but then horror etched his face as he realized what was about to happen, “No! No! Don’t do this!”
Om Varee didn’t listen to the scientist, “Understand me, Sebius, I don’t care what you say. You are more of a monster than Min ever was. You’ve caused more death and misery to innocent people than I care to remember. You’ve cut them up for your amusement, twisted their bodies until they aren’t even human anymore. You’ve taken rational people and turned them into animals. You’re done.”
Sebius started begging, pleading with Om Varee, squirming, trying to get away from him, “No, don’t take me! You need me! I can heal those men back there. I can heal the one they call Mike so that you can question him! I can translate all my data for you. I’ve discovered amazing things! You can’t give me to Min.”
Om Varee stopped and looked over his shoulder at the tech, “You! What’s your name?”
The tech stared for a second, and then answered, “Kulidt.”
“Kulidt, can you translate all of his,” Om Varee shook Sebius, “All of his data for me?”
Kulidt didn’t speak, wondering why Om Varee was asking him that question.
Om Varee yelled at Kulidt, “Look, I only need one of you!”
Comprehension dawned in Kulidt’s eyes. His gaze flicked past Om Varee and Sebius toward Min. Quickly, he nodded, “Yes, and I can undo the damage that’s been done to these men. I can translate all of his notes.”
Om Varee looked back at Sebius, “There you go.”
He started dragging Sebius toward the mouth of the tunnel again. Sebius started screaming, “He’s lying! He’s lying!”
Om Varee punched him, and Sebius, stunned, staggered. Om Varee dragged him to the mouth of the tunnel, and held him in the middle. Om Varee grabbed an injector out of his pocket, and placed it against Sebius’ neck. A hissing sounded as Om Varee injected a substance into Sebius.
“What . . . what have you done?” Sebius cried.
“I can’t inject a sedative directly into Min, so I’m bating his food,” Om Varee answered. “It won’t kill you in the short time you have left, but be glad you won’t understand what’s happening.”
Sebius quieted down as the sedative started working. He started mumbling, and drool streamed down the front of his shirt.
“Min! I have something for you!” Om Varee yelled.
Min turned his head, piggish eyes staring out of the thick brow. He stood up and started growling, the growling quickly turning into a howl. Om Varee placed his boot in the small of Sebius’ back and kicked him out into the room. Sebius was barely perceptive enough to realize what was happening, and his howl joined that of Min’s. Om Varee turned and ran to get away from Min. Min might be okay with one body, but why give him an opportunity for two.
Min slid to a stop and picked up Sebius with one hand. Sebius was a small man, easily grasped by Min. Sebius’ howl turned into a blood curdling scream, and Min bit down on his head. The screaming stopped like a switch had been turned off. Blood and saliva streamed from Min’s mouth, the crunching of bones easily heard in the tunnel. Min continued eating his snack, sitting in front of the tunnel.
“How long?” Jhani asked.
“About five minutes. It’s a powerful sedative. Did you get the door sealed?” Om Varee replied.
“Done. It will be several hours before they get through both doors.”
One of the soldiers walked toward Om Varee with his hands up, “Can I ask you something?”
Om Varee studied him, then nodded, “Certainly, you can ask what you want. I may not answer, depending on the question, though.”
“Where are you taking us?”
Om Varee thought for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of answering. He decided it wouldn’t be a problem, “We can’t stay here, so we have to leave.”
“This city?”
Om Varee shook his head, “There won’t be a safe place for us on this planet. No, instead we’ll have to go to Sritus.”
The soldier’s eyes narrowed, “Where’s Sritus?”
Om Varee stored that information away in the back of his mind. The soldier didn’t know where Sritus was, “Sritus is the fourth planet in this solar system.”
Om Varee could see the consternation in the soldier’s eyes. The soldier turned, and walked back to his colleagues. “Mars. I think he’s saying that we’re going to Mars,” he told them.
Om Varee turned back to Min. The great ogre was leaning back on one arm, staring at Om Varee. He was fighting the sedative, but it was no use. Sebius had little time to experience how powerful the drug was before he was eaten, but there was no way that Min could fight the medication coursing through his veins. His eyes closed, and he fell back, asleep.
Min turned to look at his new menagerie. He motioned with his head toward the front of the tunnel, “Okay, let’s go.”
----------------------------------------------------
Epilog
Mike opened his eyes. The grass was freshly mown, and he could see down the gravel path to where the mailbox marked the two lane road. Summer sun lit up the multi-hued flowers that his step mother, Allison, had planted along the sides of the gravel path and in front of the porch. He could smell the jasmine and honeysuckle that grew on the trellises attached to the side of the house.
He looked down at his left arm. It wasn’t broken, and strangely, even if he was dreaming, he felt no pain. He was dressed in car
go shorts, a light, white, cotton, button down shirt, and his favorite huarache sandals. He was sitting in one of the rocking chairs that his dad, Jack, and Allison liked to sit in to watch the sun go down.
Mike felt an aching in his soul, a longing for his home in Georgia. He’d been all over the world, and he lived in Colorado with Jo, but this was where he grew up. This is where he’d experienced important parts of his life. He’d kissed his first girl down the road at the old Baptist Church when he was twelve years old. Her name was Emily.
He missed getting advice from his dad, and he missed getting hugs from Allison. He missed his stepbrother Craig, and missed talking to Sarah about her newest boyfriend. Mike smiled when he thought about Sarah’s boyfriends. She was a sweet girl, but some of those fellas weren’t the sharpest crayons in the box.
“You want some sweet tea?”
He looked over at Jo, sitting in the other rocking chair, and nodded, “Sure, I’ll take a glass.”
Jo reached over to the small table, picked up the pitcher of tea, poured the sparkling liquid over ice cubes and handed it to him.
He took the glass, shaped like a mason jar, with a smile and brought the sweet liquid to his lips. The cool tea traced its way down his parched throat and he closed his eyes as he felt the coolness spread through his chest. He opened his eyes and looked at the scene in front of him, setting the glass against his thigh as he started to gently rock back and forth. He took another drink, the coolness of the tea not quite as dramatic this time.
“It’s beautiful here. I always miss it when I’m gone,” Mike said.
“Even when you’re with me?” Jo asked.
“Yeah, even when I was with Jo, I always missed it. And every time I came back, I always felt like I was coming home.”
He turned to look at Jo, “I guess we cherish our childhood memories. Things are always more idyllic, more appealing when we look back. We forget about the disappointments, the things that didn’t go our way, the girlfriends that got away, the friends we left behind and grew apart from.”
He looked back at the front yard, enjoying it for a moment longer.
“Why am I here?” he asked, and then took another drink of tea.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Mike waved at the front yard, “None of this is real.”
Jo smiled, “How do you know it’s not real?”
The corner of Mike’s mouth twitched, “The wind’s not blowing, but there aren’t any bugs.” He pointed at the lilies, “When there’s no breeze, there’s usually a column of gnats flying above those flowers.” He pointed at the tea, “And you’d be busy shooing flies away from the sweet tea.” He looked over at the honeysuckle and jasmine, “Also, there should be bumblebees and honeybees gathering nectar from the jasmine and honeysuckle.”
He looked at her, “So, once again, why am I here?” She didn’t answer, so he tried a different question, “Where’d you get this, from my memories?”
Jo leaned back into the rocking chair, “Some from you, some from Jo.”
Mike’s face showed his disbelief, “You’re telling me that you have the memories of a woman who died a billion years ago? Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”
Jo steepled her hands, and smiled at him, “I don’t care if you believe me. There are a multitude of ways I could show you.” She pointed at the two lane road, “I could walk you down that road and show you the armed encampment this place became after the bombs fell. But convincing you that I’m Jo isn’t the reason that I brought you here.”
Mike shook his head, “That wouldn’t prove a thing. You could just be manipulating my memories and blending them together. God knows I’ve been around enough armed encampments in my life.” Mike motioned around him, “If you can create this, then I think you can manipulate it fairly effectively. How do you do this, anyway? Telepathy?”
Jo shook her head, “No, not telepathy. Nothing that esoteric. Nanotechnology, actually. This is a holographic projection that we’ve created in your mind.”
Mike smiled and took another drink of sweet tea. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he was going to treat this like a vacation from reality. Who the hell knew, maybe he was catatonic and had a psychotic break. Jennifer and his friends were all dead. Maybe this was his way of dealing with that tragedy. He’d play along for a while.
“I’d hate to find out what you think is esoteric if you don’t think nanotech is.”
Jo smiled, “You would be amazed.”
Mike shook his head, “I don’t think I can be amazed at this point. I wake a billion years after nuclear bombs destroy my home and my life. I fought every type of monster this planet can throw at me, and I lost everything I love and care about.”
He turned his head back toward the front yard, “I think I’m past amazed.”
They sat in silence while Mike drank his tea. He asked again, “Why am I here?”
Jo stared out at the yard, “Why do you think you’re here?”
Mike shrugged, “You need something?”
Jo smiled. Mike looked her, and studied her intently. She looked like Jo, and had the same mannerisms. The way her eyes crinkled at the corners, the way she brushed her hair back from her face, the way she crossed her legs and hands. Everything about her was familiar to him. There was absolutely nothing out of place, nothing that screamed at him that she was an imposter.”
She sighed and gave in, answering him, “You’re here because you’re feverish and about to die. Because of that weakness, we were able to use our nanotech to create this,” She motioned at the world around them, “and, you’re correct, we need something from you.”
He pointed at her, “You said we. Who’s we?”
Jo’s eyes narrowed, studying him, “Others, like me. The imprints of those that reside here.”
“Where’s here?” he asked
Jo paused. The silence grew between them like a physical barrier.
Mike turned his head, and took another drink, “I assume that I’m here for a reason. Whatever that reason is, I’m going to need to know, before we continue. If you don’t want to tell me, then I suggest you let me go back to the world I came from.”
“The world you know isn’t a good place for you right now. Your brain is cooking from the fever, and you might not live much longer,” she replied.
“So, it’s like that?” Mike asked.
She nodded, “Yes, it’s like that.”
Jo cocked her head, glancing at him, “What do you know about virtual reality?”
Mike shrugged, “Not much. Like all computer technology, it was getting better. They’d just started programming games in virtual reality before the bombs fell. But you had to have special glasses, sometimes head phones to really get into it.”
Mike stopped, suddenly understanding, “Oh.”
Jo smiled, “You were always quick on the uptake.”
Mike looked around, “So this is a holographic, virtual reality simulation that you’re projecting inside my head.” It was a statement, not a question.
Jo wagged her hand from side to side, “Somewhat. We create the reality here, but project it forward to you through nanotech that takes over the sensory synapsis in your brain.”
Mike nodded, and turned to look at her, “Makes sense, I guess. No crazier than anything else I’ve experienced here. But where are the computers that create the simulation?”
Jo leaned back, “That’s a completely different story.”
“It’s a story I’d like to hear,” Mike told her.
“I’m not sure you’d understand, Mike.”
“Try me.”
A wane smile painted Jo’s mouth, “Quantum polymorphic crystals in binary rare earth oxides.”
Mike stared at Jo, “You’re right, I don’t understand. What the hell does that mean?”
The smile grew, “What are the two things you need for a hard drive, something to store information?”
Mike thought about it, “Well, the hard
drives I knew in my day were magnetic, so you needed a magnetic field, and energy to write and read the information onto the hard drive.”
“And, what’s the largest magnetic field on earth?” Jo asked.
Mike’s brow furrowed, “Well, that’s easy, the earth itself.”
“And what’s the biggest energy source on earth, besides the sun?”
Mike had to think for a little bit to figure it out, “I would think it’s the iron core, creating energy through friction.”
“And that energy creates the world’s largest magnetic field. Imagine the amount of energy that creates! The polymorphic crystals reside inside the crust where they can take advantage of the energy that the core creates. The polymorphic crystals are the lattice on which the quantum operating system resides. The earth’s magnetic field is the largest hard drive ever created.”
Jo looked at him, “And you know, you have to continually feed the system energy to thwart the second law of thermodynamics and maintain parity. That’s why I’m still here.” She waved at the world around them, “Welcome to eternity, Mike. Or, pretty close to it!”
Mike’s head pounded from the picture that she’d painted for him, “You said you need my help. How can I help you? You seem to be a lot more capable than I’ll ever be.”
Jo placed one hand over the other in her lap, “As I’ve told you, we don’t directly experience reality. Instead, we create our realities inside the computer itself. That is well and good, but we have a problem. Eventually, everything ends.”
Understanding dawned in Mike’s eyes, “Ah, yes, even the world will die one day. The sun will expand, swallowing the earth, turning it into cinders, and eventually, destroy the planet. Your eternal life isn’t so eternal after all.”
Jo nodded, “You’re correct Mike. We are on the edge of eternity, but we aren’t there yet. We can get there though. We inhabit electronic realities. We colonized the interior of this planet, and we could do the same elsewhere.”
“Jupiter, or Saturn, perhaps?” Mike mused.
“Yes, we can colonize any planet with an active core that creates energy. Or we could colonize the sun itself.” She reached over to put her hand on Mike’s forearm, “Think about it. We could inhabit every planet, every sun in the galaxy. And, we could create quantum entanglements to link each world to the next. Each planet would become a larger component in the computer. The computing power would be incalculable. We might finally be able to tease the threads of reality apart so that we can peer behind the curtain and perceive beyond the veil of our own universe.”
