Encompassing

by Richard Lord

  Solstice starts moving fast while she thinks to herself, “She wanted the comfort of knowing she isn’t alone, plus she can’t click back home without me or Dad.” Solstice realizes she has made a mistake in bringing Illumna here. She clicks around trying to follow her sister and taking out attackers as she goes, but Illumna is too fast. Then she catches her arm as Illumna crosses her path and she clicks them home.

  Illumna screams in anger, “Why did you do that Solstice! You tricked me!”

  “No, I didn’t! I saved your life and mine and hopefully Dad’s. He’s right. It’s a good plan and we need to realize that and sit on our hands and wait. We certainly helped increase his odds while we were there, but we can’t go back. One or both of us will die and we are distracting him, just like you said. That means our help increases the chance he never makes it out. Do you understand?”

  Illumna angry and frustrated clicks to the lab. Even though she is still blocking her mind, Solstice knows where she would go and clicks in behind her sister.

  “Illumna. We have to have faith in him. If we don’t, how can he have faith in himself?” Solstice says.

  Then Illumna’s face goes slack as the gravity of her sister’s words hits pay dirt with her. She unblocks her mind and thinks to her sister. “Fine. Then lets eat.” They both click to the kitchen and begin finding random foods to satisfy them while they wait.

  Solstice looks at her sister and Illumna looks back at her, “How about popcorn and a movie?” Illumna says.

  Solstice laughs, “I hate popcorn and you know that! I hate the kernel pieces! They get stuck everywhere in your mouth! Tongue and throat, teeth! It’s gross.”

  “Very telling, sis.” Illumna rolls her eyes at her younger sibling. “Well, now I know what one Johnson didn’t get.” Illumna replies.

  “Pop the corn! I’ll eat it. I know how to spit.” Solstice snaps back at her. The two giggle at each other, but while the microwave runs Solstice begins staring at the wall and doesn’t move for so long it makes Illumna worry.

  “Solstice! Are you ok?” Illumna raises her voice to be sure to get her sisters attention.

  Solstice turns to her slowly. Illumna holds her breath and feels her heartbeat rise wondering what is coming next. “Besides the next target, what will life be like if he’s not here?” Solstice say to Illumna. Just then the microwave beeps.

  Illumna looks at her sister. “Which movie did you want to watch? I’m thinking a romance!” Both of them click to the few DVD’s they have and Illumna pulls one out, clicks to the Blu-Ray player and loads it while reaching up and turning on the TV.

  Solstice yells at her sister, “That’s not fair! What did you choose?”

  Illumna clicks besides her sister on the couch and grabs a handful of popcorn and stuffs it in her mouth while responding, “I don’t know. It had a guy and a girl kissing on the cover so I picked it.” Solstice laughs at her sister. The movie begins. Illumna adds, “Also you can move through time, so there’s that.” The movie starts with a gentleman speaking to a lady of his desire and they watch intently.

  A few minutes into the movie, Solstice says to her sister, “He wouldn’t just be angry, he’d be let down. This timeline is one he’s proud of. We’d be robbing him of that if we changed this one. I don’t want to do that to him.”

  Illumna, engrossed in the movie until the comment from her sister sits up, grabs the remote and hits pause then turns to looks at Solstice. “Would you rather he’d be dead? Gone forever!”

  Solstice retorts, “No! But he would and you know that! It would be dishonorable.”

  “Screw him and his honor! He’s done things that aren’t so honorable!” Illumna’s voice raises even louder.

  “Illumna, he always tries. What’s his saying, ‘Each night go to sleep and pray you wake a better man than you were the day before and eventually you’ll reach perfection. Keep taking steps toward the top of that mountain.’ He’s right. There are fine lines and everyone’s idea of moral behavior is different. ‘Define your own and don’t judge someone else’s unless you’re about to marry them.’ He’s right!”

  Illumna thinks back to her fathers sayings. She looks at Solstice who replies to her sister’s look quickly, “NO! We are NOT going back! Watch lover boy and think about something else.”

  Illumna clicks to the restroom. She returns and says to her sister, “Let’s go check on the kids.”

  Solstice replies, “They’re sleeping peacefully. Why would we wake them?”

  Illumna looks at her sister for a while. She studies her hard lined face and wonders how old her sister really is. After a few seconds of watching Solstice eat popcorn, she reaches down for the remote and hits play. She looks at the guy in the movie and thinks to herself that she doesn’t have anyone in her life. Her sister turns to her and says, “Nor do I. One day, perhaps. On this timeline.” Illumna imagines that and looks back at her sister. Her sister leans to the side and she turns quickly.

  “Solstice! You can be pretty gross sometimes!” Illumna yells while avoiding the assault.

  “Apparently you’ve never had to hear you when you sleep!” Solstice retorts.

  Illumna looks back at Solstice. “What?”

  Solstice replies, “You heard me. I’ve had to hear you a lot!” They both giggle as the first kiss begins in the movie. Then they both focus on the moment. When the ‘video perfect world’s most passionate kiss‘ is over, Solstice asks Illumna, “Is it hard to have a shadow of him around?”

  Illumna sits quietly then turns and looks at Solstice, “Can you be quiet, he’s wooing her!” She reaches down for the remote again and turns up the volume.

  Solstice leans again and Illumna looks at her though narrowed eyes, leans herself squeezes her face in concentration then looks frustrated at her lack of ammunition to fight back. She sits up and looks at her sister then she smiles and leans again. They both laugh as the puppy model runs into the room tongue out and tail wagging.

  Solstice looks at her sister and grins. “I see the name is fitting.”

  Illumna chuckles then looks down between her legs at the puppy model looking at her. As she reaches down to pet its head a tear falls from her eye onto the model. Solstice puts an arm around her sister as she turns to her and asks, “Do you miss him?” She turns her eyes back to the puppy model.

  Solstice aware of whom she means replies, “It was two nights, but yes, I do. When I look at Brian I can’t help but wonder. That’s why I know how you feel. I’m sorry, Illumna.”

  Illumna looks back up at her sister and says, “Well, there is one thing I have learned. Love is timeless. It doesn’t matter if it’s two nights or two centuries. You felt for him. He felt for you. I don’t know what made them both try to kill us later. I suspect Dad has some theories, but if he knew for sure he would have told us. At least you got more boobage out of the deal!” In synchronicity they both look down at their chests and than at each other.

  Solstice laughs and replies to her sister, “Yeah. I guess so. So does that mean more chances at that?”, she asks Illumna while pointing to the screen. The fellow in the movie is embraced in another kiss with his beloved.

  Illumna snorts, “Of course! Guys like that!”, she replies while holding a finger pointing at her sisters breast progression while pregnant. She looks back at the TV and announces to her sister, “I’ll use my wit!”

  Solstice watching the scene asks Illumna, “Do guys like that too?”

  Illumna thinks for a few moments and then replies, “I don’t know. You do realize we both have kids but neither of us knows much about guys. Just what we see in these movies.”

  Solstice considers that thought and concludes her sister is correct. Then Solstice remarks, “I don’t think girls who have normal lives know much more than us about guys. I think guys know even less about girls. I think that mystery keeps the sexy because a relationship is about breaking down the mysteries and becoming one.”

  Illumna looks back at her sister briefly then
back at the screen. “Whatever. That’s deep.”

  “I think about the same things you do ‘Miss Encyclopedia’. It’s not like I don’t hear what you’re thinking sometimes. It’s embarrassing to me when I realize you can hear what I am thinking.”

  Illumna makes a half choking/half laugh sound and stares hard at the screen. She replies, “I don’t know which one of us is worse!” She reaches down to the remote and again raises the volume.

  They sit silently watching the movie for a while and then Illumna says, while still staring at the screen, “I’ve got Persistence. She’ll grow up and figure it all out for us.”

  Solstice grins and looks toward the hall leading to the kitchen. She senses something, but ignores the thought determining that whatever made her senses rise is not a threat. She reaches besides her and pets Snifalotapus on the head and says, “Good boy.”, to him.

  Illumna’s face scrunches a bit into a grimace. She remains silent and Solstice turns back to the television as they both watch the scene they’ve been waiting for.

  CHAPTER 71

  “When you see the shot, take it. Wind direction can change pretty fast.” – from the book of Kevlovsky

  The AI models and guards from the outside run in and begin strafing the room. Renfield realizes they’ve chosen to accept risk to the ‘zombies’. They know they will lose much of what they’ve worked for, but whomever is giving the order has made the call. Furthermore, Renfield knows it’s the final logical decision. He wasn’t expecting them to reach that conclusion so soon, but he’s prepared. He throws some type of small machination into the middle of the room and clicks.

  Outside of the hangar he notes a few haven’t entered. He takes them out quickly and shuts the hangar door as fast as he can. This part is the problem he had on both ends, but Solstice isn’t here so he pushes hard and fast. He is struck in the back but watches as the bullet passes completely through him and makes a clinking sound against the door he’s trying to get shut. He turns and notes some of the ‘zombies’ have clicked outside already, anticipating his next move. He thinks to himself, “Can’t win them all!” He clicks just as a massive explosion goes off inside the hangar. He appears in a room and checks his pockets to confirm he’s gathered enough receivers for he and the girls to begin testing. He chose a number that he needed with a rough estimate. He guessed at how many would rendered unusable while they picked them apart. He wants some to be useable in the long run. Sara wakes and looks at him. She quickly brushes a hand over her eyes as she sits up from sleep and hugs him tightly. Then she yells out, “Christina!”

  Renfield grins and leans down to kiss Sara as the door flies open and Christina tackles him from behind.

  Kissing his arms she looks at Renfield and says, “Do you know how worried we were. Never mind. Dumb question!” Her arms wrapped tightly around his stomach she looks down and sees the damage. She looks him over and looks at Sara who nods, but is smiling, so she takes that to mean that Renfield is fine. Even when most would be downed by that much bodily mutilation.

  Renfield loving the attention from the women he loves, extricates himself and looks down at Christina and Sara, “Where are the girls?”

  Christina looks at him questioningly but Sara explains to her, “He’s still blocked.” Then Sara looks at Renfield. “Brady said to leave them alone. He went downstairs and said they were having a ‘sister moment’ so he came back up and told us not to interrupt. He also said, if you come back, let the girls have their night together. They need to decompress. I’m not sure if my father is right on that call. I think they’re besides themselves with worry over you and you should let them know you’re ok!”

  Renfield gets a grim look on his face but answers, “No. Brady’s right. I’ll stay silent. They need their time together.” He walks to the dresser and puts the receivers in the second drawer down. Then he turns back and adds, “Plus, in the original plan Solstice was to pick me up.” Renfield takes a breath and sighs, “I had time to act without bothering her.” Then his gaze switches back and forth between Christina and Sara for a few second and he announces, “Did you know your daughters broke the plan anyway and showed up in the middle of that mess?” Both of them look at him dumfounded. He continues. “Everyone is going to have to get better at sticking to a plan. Too many risks when the plans change due to emotional reactions.” Renfield glares at both of them as a reminder they did the same. He also was purposefully making the point so they wouldn’t be to be harsh on the girls about it. He wanted to make sure they realized they are their mothers and they set the example.

  Renfield’s eyes lock on Christina who sits up uncomfortably and says, “I get the point. I was supposed to lead by example. I trained them. I should have shown them how a well-planned operation works by synchronicity not by over-zealousness.”

  From behind Brady booms, “Love was in the air. You all love him and wanted to help. But he’s right.” Renfield turns to the voice and steps over to hug Brady. Brady looks him over noting the damage. He looks to Sara and she slightly shakes her head.

  “Well, it’s good to know I’m worth waking up for!” Renfield laughs and then slaps Brady on the back. Renfield looks over Brady’s shoulder and sees Angela wrapped in towel. She waves slightly at him and he reconsiders. “Or not. Why don’t you get back to bed? Angela looks ‘tired’.”

  Brady taking the cue, pats Renfield on the back and says, “Okay, man. Glad to see you’re in a few pieces.” They both laugh and Renfield turns around to his wife and Sara. Renfield grins. Then he disappears. Christina looks at Sara who shrugs. They both try to think of where he would go to in his condition. Then he reappears and flops on the bed between them with a huge platter in hand.

  “Cheese, fruits and some meats too! Dig in, let’s celebrate our win!”

  They both shake their heads at him while reaching for their own choices on his platter. Christina says to Renfield, “The girls didn’t notice you clicking into the kitchen?”

  Renfield gives her a look as if she’s lost her mind. “Are you kidding? I didn’t risk that.” He grins. “I went shopping, Renfield style!” Sara laughs and Christina looks at Sara realizing she’s more accustomed to Renfield’s antics.

  They all reach back to the platter and Christina asks, “So how often do you go. ‘shopping Renfield style’?” Sara giggles and Christina gives her a sharp look.

  Renfield reaches down for the remote and turns on the TV to a random station. He pushes the volume up then he turns to Christina. “Oh yeah! You’re a cop. I forget.” He grins again as she gives him a piercing look. “We only spent a thousand iterations together through oh so many years! It was so painful, I’m back again!” He pecks her on the lips as she puts a piece of watermelon into her mouth.

  Christina looks at him and scowls, “And you’re a kiss thief on top of that! I’m bringing you up on charges!”

  Sara giggles, but raises from the bed, turns and kisses Renfield goodnight. She leans over him and kisses her mother on the cheek. She giggles again and then says, “He’s not the only one, Mom. I’ll see you two in the morning.” She announces as she heads to the door.

  Christina forms her hand into a replica pistol and looks at Renfield and says, “Put ‘em up mister’.”

  Renfield replies, “Hey cop’er! Are you sure you want to do that? I’ve got a bigger gun just waiting to take you down!”

  They both laugh as they close in on each other.

  CHAPTER 72

  “I’ve been kicked before. It’s my job to take the hits so others don’t. Destiny does not offer a raise.” – from the book of Phillip

  Renfield wakes. Christina is asleep with her arm over him and a leg crossing his. He leans his head up, slowly, to inspect himself. He’s healing well and he jokes to himself quietly. “That’s the power of love!” So that he doesn’t wake her Renfield clicks out from under her knowing she’ll feel a slight sensation of falling, but won’t wake from that. He opens the refrigerator in front of him as Sara step
s in.

  She mumbles, while palming her face and rubbing it. “Good morning.” She lifts a leg as if to stretch.

  Renfield looks back inside the refrigerator and mumbles to Sara, “Well, some things never change.”

  Sara laughs and walks up behind him wraps her arms around him gently, kisses him on the back and continues her mission towards the bananas and the coffee mission. She begins to go into her morning routine and as she puts the pot under the drip, she turns and says to Renfield, “You’re looking for meat and other sources of protein. I can make you something. We’ve plenty of eggs, but I think the only meat in there is leftover. I’ll shred it in. Pull something out of the freezer for lunch and something for dinner. You’ll want meat those times to.”

  Renfield stands, still looking into the refrigerator with desire, responds, “How would you know what I’ll be in the mood for later?” He quips.

  Sara punches him softly in the leg and gestures for him to move out of her way. “Because you always want meat when you’re healing. Some things never change.”

  Renfield grins at the retort, turns to Sara, grabs her and pulls him to her for a kiss. He says, “45,000 years ago mankind followed mammoths to the bitter cold of the Antarctic. Hunger is a powerful force!” Then he announces. “I’m going to check on the girls.” He takes the block off his mind because it is taxing to keep it up. Then leans in, kisses Sara once more, smacks her buttocks and clicks.

  He looks at his daughters on the couch and realizes they stayed up all night. They both look peaceful. He finds a certain peace to see them sleeping and leaning on each other. He realizes they do lean on each other, so it’s fitting. Solstice is lost without Illumna and Illumna is lost without Solstice. He thinks about their workstations. He considers his idea to set them up so they would face each other. He grins thinking, “Once they got past their differences they realized their similarities and found compassion for each other and started working as a team.” Then he thinks of the hells they have both lived.