by Peter Telep
A baby starts crying.
I have but a few seconds to glimpse my surroundings: the very Earth-like furnishings and art work on the walls, the wood floors, the thick carpeting, and the scent of something warm and savory cooking in the kitchen, like beef stew.
Hollis leads me through the foyer, toward the living room, but then he puts a hand over my chest.
At the same time, the baby falls silent.
This is Hollis’s memory, and he controls the details.
“Before I take you in there, I need a promise,” he says.
“Like what?”
His tone becomes stern, as though he wants me to hang on every word. “Promise that you won’t leave her.”
“Leave who?”
“Julie.”
I’m confused. “Whatever, yeah. We’re not exactly a couple or anything, according to her. But wait, what does she have to do with this, except for maybe her mother working for my father? She worked for him, right?”
“No, she didn’t.”
“Then why did they come to Earth with us?”
“Promise me, Doc. Whatever you see in there, you won’t let it come between you and Julie. You need each other.”
“Okay.”
“And I think you should be the one to tell her.”
“Tell her what?”
“Come on...”
We enter the living room.
A baby lies on the floor near one of the sofas like it’d been thrown there. It’s screaming, but the sound has been muted by Hollis.
“Is that me?” I ask.
But I already know the answer, and Hollis ushers me on, into the master bedroom—
Where chaos has struck.
The rear window has been shattered, allowing gusts of wind and sand to rip through the sheer curtains.
I can’t see much more.
And then, once again, utter silence... with the sand and curtains hanging frozen in the air.
Hollis leans against the door, looking even weaker. “This is the day the bombs went off. That morning, your father called the government and told them what Solomon had done. We were ready to turn ourselves in.”
“Then what happened?”
“That bastard broke into your house. Your mother got to me first because I was just down the street. Your father was still on the rail heading home.”
“Who broke into the house? Solomon?”
“Yeah, he went crazy. He wanted to punish your father for turning us in. I guess he figured his life was over anyway, so he didn’t care anymore.”
“Oh, no...”
Hollis grabs my wrist and leads me through the frozen sand, toward the bed.
There, a lean, shirtless man with blond hair raises a blood-covered knife.
He’s not moving, locked in this state by Hollis’s mind.
I focus on his sunken cheeks and the dark circles under his eyes...
On the thin hair whipped into a Mohawk by the storm...
And on the ribs flaring like some anorexic drug addict going through withdrawal. Deep scratches span his chest while pieces of glass stick out of his shoulders.
The expression on his face is just gruesome.
This is Solomon.
Hollis leads me even closer to the bed. The sand clears a little more to expose a terrified young woman lying there, clutching her bloody chest.
She’s tan, with a mane of curly black hair, bushy brows pierced with tiny blue orbs, and hands so delicate they were useless in trying to stop the blade.
Despite her agony, I see my face in hers.
This is the mother I never knew, and no wonder why Dad never spoke of her. It must’ve been too painful for him.
I glance over at Hollis.
He’s crying.
My voice cracks. “What was her name?”
“Lorinda, but everyone just called her Lori.” Hollis crosses to the bed and places a hand on my mother’s pale cheek. “When I got here, I found them like this.”
With an explosive burst, the pause button in Hollis’s mind is released—
And it all returns at once:
The whistling wind... the blinding sand... the flapping curtains... and the crying baby...
Hollis drags me against the wall while his younger self careens into the room.
Solomon whirls back for the younger Hollis, shrieking like a demon in a killing haze.
He takes one swipe, a second, a third, as Hollis ducks and jumps out of the way.
They’re shouting at each other now, the threats lost in the wind.
Hollis seizes an opening. He turns. Comes at Solomon from the left side. He’s about to grab Solomon’s wrist and hold back the blade, but he misses—
And Solomon’s blade lashes across his arm.
As Hollis wails in agony, Solomon’s blade flashes again. He stabs Hollis in the side, just above his hip.
In the next breath, the blade comes free, and Solomon bounds for the door.
“Come on,” Hollis’s persona orders me.
We follow the younger Hollis as he limps off, clutching his hip and trying to catch Solomon.
We cross the living room, the foyer, and bang out the front door—
To find Solomon standing there on the front porch, confronted by my father and Julie’s mother, who’s holding the two-year old Julie in her arms.
I raise my palm against the sand blowing into my eyes... and when I blink again... Solomon has dropped the knife and sprints off into the storm.
My father gapes at the blood on Hollis’s pants, and then runs past us, into the house.
The young Julie starts crying—
And this is it... the awful memory that Julie shared with me... the nightmare... the one that made me realize that Grace is not my real mom.
Hollis shouts for them to get inside.
As we leave the porch, a scream comes from the bedroom, a scream that digs deep into my bones.
The scene freezes again.
Hollis looks incredibly sad. “I wanted to chase him, but I couldn’t. And your poor father... I’m just thankful that Solomon didn’t kill you, too.”
“Why didn’t you jump in your personas and stop him?”
“We tried. There was another fight I haven’t shown you, but it doesn’t’ matter.”
“So you lost twice.”
“I’m afraid we did.”
“Why would Julie’s mother be here, unless... but Julie told me her father died when she was two. She said his name was Matthew, not Solomon.”
“That’s what they told her. To protect her.”
My mouth falls open.
“That’s right, Doc. Julie’s father is still alive. And his name is Solomon. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? What am I supposed to say? Julie’s father killed my mother...”
He seizes me by the shoulders. “Before you do anything... before you even feel anything... let me show you a message.”
“A message from who?”
“From your mother. It’s meant just for you.”
“How?”
“After the body dies, the wreath lives on for several hours, so at the moment of death, many people will jump into their personas and say good-bye in the Community. Sometimes it’s really beautiful. Sometimes it’s more painful than you can ever imagine. But it’s our way.”
He clutches my hand and squeezes tightly.
Now I’m back in the park, sitting cross-legged on a picnic blanket, and it’s all flowers and sunshine and… life.
I glance around. It’s just me and my mother. Alone.
She’s smiling. “You’re just a little baby, and I want so badly for you to remember me.”
“I will.”
“I want you to know how much I love you. I want you to be honest and kind in your life. I want you to study hard. I want so many things for you, but above all, I want you to take care of your father.”
I don’t believe it. This isn’t just a message from her.
It is her.
>
It’s part of her essence that Hollis is giving to me...
I don’t just hear her words. I can feel them, the way I felt Hollis’s bond to my father. And even more incredible, I can experience her memories. They’re translated by my wreath into words and concepts I can understand.
I’m no longer Docherty Harrison.
I am Lori.
I grow up in an apartment in the City of Violet and learn how to play a stringed instrument called a tolla that sounds just like a violin...
I wear a uniform and get on the rail alone for my first day of elementary school. I wave good-bye to my crying parents through the window...
I’m fourteen and getting my first job at a shop that fixes batteries and solar panels because I like learning about how things work...
I graduate from college with an engineering degree and celebrate at a friend’s party. Some guy’s car breaks down, and I fix it for him. His name is Thaddeus Harrison. He’s a grad student, kinda cute, but with no common sense...
I’m at our huge wedding. It’s a fantastic ceremony with flowers arcing like rainbows above the altar...
I’m driving home from the doctor’s office, laughing and crying, because I can’t wait to tell Thaddeus I’m pregnant...
I’m giving birth to my beautiful son. I’m overwhelmed by all the love in my heart.
“I’ll teach him to water the flowers of his life.”
Because when you pluck flowers, they live for a short time and then die. But when you water them, when you nurture them, they reproduce... and they live on... forever...
My mother is no longer a stranger to me.
In the span of seconds, I have just lived her entire life. I know her hopes, dreams, and fears...
And now I’m looking at her and listening carefully to her instructions:
“When you’re old enough to understand what’s happened, I want you to go to your father and tell him what a great man he is. He blames everything on himself. He shouldn’t. And you need to tell him that.”
“I’ll tell him. I promise.”
“I love you, Docherty. Forever.”
She smiles and then... she’s gone.
A shadow passes over the blanket. I glance up at Hollis. His face looks drawn, he’s hunched over, and he’s got an arm wrapped around his chest.
“You okay?”
“I am now. It’s time for you to go.”
“You mean us.”
He shakes his head.
“But we need to get back.”
He winks. “I’ll point you in the right direction.”
“You’re not coming?
“I wish I could.”
I gasp. “What’re you saying?”
“I’m saying it’s okay.”
“But didn’t... didn’t Tommy help you?”
“He did what he could, Doc, but I died just after we left.”
My lip starts trembling. “No, that’s not true.”
“Hey, don’t be sad. I feel great. I kept my promise.”
“Everyone’s dying because of me.”
“Not because of you. For you.”
“I’m just a kid. I’m not worth it.”
Hollis smiles at me. “Yes, you are. You’re the son of the most generous man I know. Now stand up and listen.”
I brush off the tears and rise to meet his gaze.
With a faint groan, he straightens and lifts his shoulders. “Your work here is just beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
“It took Solomon nearly fifteen years to recruit his nomad army and get the parts to build another engine. He came to Earth for your father and Julie’s mother, but he wants more than revenge. I think he wants to nuke the other planets—and he’s forcing your father to help.”
“Why?”
“We’re not sure. Maybe he joined the Monkshood... or maybe he’s just insane.”
“So what do we do now?”
“You get back to Earth, and you stop Solomon.”
“Are you kidding? I can’t do that. I’m just a kid.”
“Doc, you won’t be alone.” He stands even taller and clears his throat. “My name is Hollis Centennial Rafferty, and I was many things in my life: a scientist, a husband, a brother, a son, and a man of two worlds. Now I’ll live on in the essence of Docherty Harrison, a young man who understands who he is and what he must do.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Hollis! Wait—”
I reach out for him, but he disappears.
And so does the park.
In the next breath, I’m floating above the planet, holding hands with millions of Florans and forming a halo over the planet’s north pole.
Hollis is to my right, my mother to my left.
The view below is breathtaking...
The continents. The oceans. The clouds... like those videos of Earth shot by astronauts.
But the most strange and awesome thing is us.
Then... twin balls of light filled with lightning erupt on either side of our ring.
They roll through people, snowballing larger and larger, coming at me from both sides.
“What’s happening?” I shout.
The balls of energy reach me and explode into each other, capturing me in the center of a single, enormous globe. My chest burns. My arms and legs feel like their being pulled 0ff. Even my eyes vibrate.
It’s hard to describe what I see next: like each person’s life is a picture, and each picture flashes through my head at light speed. Even though they move so fast, I can experience each one if I choose. We’re connected. And then, in the blink of an eye, the pain is gone, and I’m at peace, totally relaxed, like floating in a pool on a hot summer day.
This could be the ultimate mind-blowing experience, but to be honest, I’m not sure what it is... the Floran afterlife? Just a glitch in my persona?
I exhale.
And it’s gone.
I sense pressure on my chest. Not burning. Just pressure. I open my eyes. The floor bounces below me.
There’s smoke. The stench of something on fire. Shots ring out. Deeper booms in the distance. Someone breathing hard like running a marathon.
I notice legs. Blue pajamas.
Whoa. I’m slung across Tommy’s back, and he’s carrying me through a corridor—
And then we’re trudging across reddish brown clay, and the air’s thicker, more humid.
“Tommy, I’m here,” I manage.
“Roger!” He lowers himself to a knee and slides me off.
Just ahead, Keane and Julie jog across the park, toward the long racks where they stow the bikes.
“You all right?” Tommy asks. “You look sick.”
Cracks of more gunfire come from just outside the main doors. Two nomads storm into the park.
Tommy shoves me to the ground and opens fire. I must’ve lost my earplugs along the way. A high-pitched ringing fills my head as he hauls me back up.
We hustle toward the rack, where Julie’s already waiting with my ride. I can barely meet her gaze.
“Where’d you go?” she asks.
“You know. With Hollis.”
“Did you... I mean, we couldn’t take both of you. We had to leave him. I’m sorry, Doc, but he’s—”
“I know.” I look away. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” Keane asks, challenging my order. “I told these two fools that only Hollis could get us out. We have no map, no door codes, no gear, no nothing!”
“Just shut up,” I snap. “I have the codes. I know the way. I know exactly where the gear is.”
“You do?”
“What Hollis knows, I know.” I seize my handlebars and pedal off.
Okay, that’s not entirely true. Hollis gave me a piece of his essence, but I don’t have every memory, just a few related to my new mission. I sense there are other experiences, but I can’t get at them yet. Strange...
As I reach the first hill, I make sure the others are still back there. Keane’s s
truggling a bit, with Julie just behind, and Tommy pulling up the rear. He’s glancing around like he’s in love with the place, and even the bike seems to impress him.
It takes another minute of hard pedaling for me to realize that yes, I’m freaking out. One second I want to punch a wall, the next I want to go home and bury my head in a pillow.
They wanted to do it slowly, gradually, so that we wouldn’t be “crushed under the weight of it all.”
Hollis even mentioned therapy.
I don’t blame him for dumping the whole backstory on me. We got attacked, and he had a promise to keep. I had to find out sooner or later.
But what about Julie? I’m supposed to tell her?
Really...
So how will that conversation go?
Well, just an FYI, your dad killed my mom. And now he’s kidnapped my father and your mother... but no worries. I still think you’re hot.
I don’t realize it, but I’m screaming out loud.
Julie pedals up next to me. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing!”
“Then why are you crying?”
“Just get me behind me and ride!”
I come out of the saddle and charge ahead, leaving them in my dust.
Tommy said that when you’re on your bike, you’re either riding away from something... or riding to something.
I promised Hollis I’d never leave Julie. That was easy at the time.
Now I’m riding away from the job of telling her the truth.
But there’s something else that scares me.
Her father’s a murderer, and it’s like her blood has been poisoned, like there’s something evil inside her just waiting to come out—and I don’t want to be around that.
Yeah, that’s not fair. It’s crazy and stupid. But still... it’s an ugly feeling, and I can’t ignore it.
Maybe after I tell her, she’ll say something that’ll help.
I’ll do that. I’ll keep my promise. But right now, I’ll just focus on the path.
The tunnel’s close.
There it is. Looks dark. Wait. Beams from flashlights just inside entrance.
I cut the wheel and skid off the path, braking hard behind a stand of trees.
The others join me.
“What do we got?” Tommy asks.
“Jackals and grunts,” I tell him, using Halo terminology.
He grins. “Roger that, Master Chief.” Once off his bike, he crouches down and shifts forward, into the trees for a closer look.
