Peter’s tongue hung heavy in his mouth. Orb was daring them to say something that he could almost certainly, instantly shred as a lie. It was Jenny who saved him with an interesting approach.
“Orb, what do you think about Irene’s desire for physical perfection? Is that a good thing? It seems more like the worship of a false, or fleeting god but I’m sure there is a good reason.”
Orb pulsed red once, twice. “I fulfilled Irene’s request. That does not mean I approve of it. I, like any parent, often spoil my children.”
The menace Orb implied with his “spoiled children” comment made both Peter and Eli want to wince, but they kept their faces straight and calm and let Jenny lead this where she wished.
“That makes complete sense. As you said, our brains are small and far from perfect. There is so much more we don’t know, and every day we lose part of what we’ve learned. I only bring up Irene because her request came, I think, because she wanted to attract Matt, who had become more interested in his body’s new powers and his ability to impress other girls. Your improvements to Matt caused Irene to request her own enhancements—like an arms race between two old Earth governments.”
A particularly strong gust of wind blew through, and Peter tried to subtly shake his head no at Jenny’s aggressive comments as he used his hand to push the hair out of his eyes. Jenny was trying to distract Orb by questioning his judgment, but Peter suspected that gods, or near-gods, did not enjoy being second-guessed.
Peter, and all three of them, were therefore shocked when Orb responded to Jenny’s pointed questions with laughter.
“Well-played, young Jenny. You would have no doubt made an excellent lawyer if your world still needed anyone in that dubious profession.”
Jenny nodded slightly at the near-compliment but maintained a calm, almost disinterested look as she waited for what else Orb was going to say.
“I, of course, am not interested in your opinions any more than those expressed by that pack of apes but, as they used to say, game respects game.”
The trio waited, unmoving, for Orb’s next words.
“An arms race is an interesting analogy, though one ripe with metaphor for young Peter—and I should ask, Peter, if you continue to ponder your potential improvements. I am happy to aid you, just like the others, at any time.”
Peter shook his head slowly as he wrapped his right hand around the stump of his left arm.
“No? Very well. This can be addressed at any time provided that in the meantime you don’t freeze to death atop a mountain, or in the void. You really might want to tell me where you are headed on your recreational outings so I can help, if needed.”
“I didn’t want to bother you,” Peter said.
“Oh, you’re never a bother. You’re my lead Disciple though, and please don’t say anything yet, that’s an honor I may shift over to young Matt as I think it might be more meaningful to him. What do you think, Peter?”
“I think you should do whatever you wish. You know best.”
Orb pulsed a few times, then drifted up above them, gaining size as he went.
“It’s interesting that you say that, Peter. Yes, it does make sense that an immortal being with almost limitless power might have more wisdom than adolescent members of a very mortal race that has devoted large portions of its time and energy towards senseless, murderous wars over power, and resources.”
Peter nodded, as did the others.
“Well, I won’t keep you away from your recreation. Do be careful as a slip in the void is not something I, or anything, can remedy. I will let you know about Matt’s position shortly but, in the meantime, let’s make that our little secret. All of you are, I believe, very good at keeping secrets.”
With that, Orb disappeared, and the three shaken Disciples were left staring at the sunrays warming the coast of Africa as the apes chattered behind them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Doubts
Peter lay back against the pillow he propped up against the wall at the head of his bed. All three of them were shaken by Orb’s casual, passive-aggressive comments—so much so that Jenny insisted on sleeping in her own bed with Eli lying on the floor beside her. Peter was left at home to listen to Big Ed’s snores as his mind raced.
How much longer will Orb let us run around before he stops us? Before he vaporizes us? How do we convince Matt and Irene to join us without completely exposing ourselves, our plan? Will Matt and Irene even want to come with us? They seem pretty happy with exactly how things are, and if Orb makes Matt the lead Disciple, I doubt he’ll ever want to leave.
Peter stared at his ceiling as if the answers might appear. They did not, but the lamp on his nightstand did show a fairly large spider working on its web in the corner of the ceiling. Peter, mesmerized by the spider’s diligent efforts, stared at the strands of the web as the spider scurried over to deal with a small moth snared at the extreme edge of the translucent trap. The spider, black with orange marks on its back, bit the moth to stop it from struggling and then began to roll it up in additional webbing.
We’re the moths and Orb is a giant version of the spider, sensing our vibrations in his web. Taking his time, knowing we are stuck. Eventually, Orb will come for us. We won’t be able to fight him, and we can’t escape as the entire world is his web.
Peter, unnerved by the spider, pulled the pillow down as he flopped onto his belly.
The entire world except, maybe, the portals. Peter’s index finger traced a scratch in the paint on his wall. Will Jenny’s idea work? If we manage to find a Cube receptacle and beat Orb’s guardian—big ifs—will we enter the portal and find a way to escape, or will we simply vaporize while the Cube receptacle falls to the ground? And, if I survive the portal will I still be me or will I be something else completely?
Peter sighed and turned onto his side, staring into the shadowy corner of the floor where his pile of dirty clothes lurked.
This is like entering a black hole. There are plenty of theories about what might happen, but the only way to know is to take the plunge.
He thought back through all the times he had felt this lost in his short life. The death of his mother was by far the worst, followed by the drying up of their river and what they thought was the end of their farm. He also recalled hiding in the woods, the tiny Orb receptacle in his pocket, terrified at the idea of being kidnapped by the creepy man who prowled the highway for victims. Ellie, El, saved me. I lied to her so she would bring me across the state and reunite Orb with his other receptacles. I wonder where she is. There is no more TV, no more newspapers, but I bet she’s heard about a young Disciple of Orb who sounds a lot like the boy she saved. If she knew what was going to happen, would she still have stopped and helped, or would she have just kept on driving?
Peter turned his head to face the other direction. These thoughts were not helping, and the answers were not coming. The only thing I know for sure is that Orb is coming for me. I don’t have much time left.
He turned off his lamp, closed his eyes, and waited for the sleep that never came.
The next morning, bleary from a lack of sleep, Peter pushed himself out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. Big Ed, a kitchen towel draped over his shoulder, hummed to himself as he stirred an iron skillet full of scrambled eggs.
“Glad you could make it. I was about to wake you up.”
Peter mumbled something in reply, running his hand through the mass of unruly hair on his head.
“I don’t see Eli or Jenny anywhere. You kids didn’t have your slumber party last night?”
“No, Irene wanted to sleep in her bed. Eli is over there.”
Big Ed slid a generous portion of steaming eggs onto a white plate, which he put down in front of Peter. “I don’t blame her,” said Big Ed, “that floor of ours can’t be comfortable.”
Big Ed took the towel from his shoulder, folded it over to make it thicker, and then set the skillet down on top. He reached over to the mason jar in the middle o
f the table, fished out a fork for himself, and another for Peter. Sliding one fork to Peter, Big Ed sat down and shoveled a large bite of eggs into his mouth.
“You not eating?” Big Ed asked.
Peter picked up the fork and poked at the eggs on his plate. “I guess I’m not that hungry.”
“You’re skin and bones, boy. Eat!”
Big Ed continued to shovel eggs into his mouth. Peter took a small bite and chewed on it for far longer than was necessary. Big Ed had nearly finished the eggs in the large skillet when Peter asked, “What would you do, Dad, if Eli and I were gone for a while?”
“Gone where?” Big Ed scraped the last bit of eggs from the skillet, then stood and walked it over to the sink. “He who cooks does not clean, right?”
Peter nodded in acknowledgment of the house rule.
“Is Orb going to send you away again? That first three weeks you were gone seemed like forever.”
“Something like that.”
“But where would Eli be going? I thought you boys did different things for Orb.”
Big Ed came back to the table and stared at Peter’s barely touched eggs. Peter pushed the plate over to his father, who accepted it happily, shoveling the eggs into his mouth as he stood next to the table.
“We might be working on something together. I’ll know more soon.”
“Well,” Big Ed said, with his mouth still full of eggs, “I’m just so glad to see you two getting along. I’m proud of you both, and your mother would have been proud of you too.”
Peter’s eyes tracked over to the family portrait on the wall. What would mom say about all of this? Would I be able to leave if she was still here? I’m still not sure that I can leave Big Ed.
“Dad, do you ever think you’ll get married again?”
Big Ed choked on some eggs, coughed, and set Peter’s plate back down on the table. “Married? Where’s that coming from?”
“I was just wondering. It seems like you might be lonely.”
Big Ed picked the plate back up. “No sir. Lonely I am not.” Big Ed scooped the last bit of the eggs into his mouth and then put the empty plate next to the skillet.
He sat back down, gave Peter a curious look and also looked over at the family portrait. “There was only one woman for me, and I take her with me everywhere I go.” Big Ed gently patted the spot on his chest where his heart resided. “But speaking of lonely, when are you going to get a girlfriend?”
Peter blushed. “I don’t know. It’s not that easy for Disciples. Everyone’s scared of us.”
Big Ed shook his head. “I think you might be mixing up respect and fear. People respect all of you, just like they respect constables.”
Peter debated with himself for a moment, then said, “I saw what someone scratched into the tailgate of your truck.”
Big Ed snorted. “Yeah, well, there’s bad apples everywhere. Orb already took care of it.”
“Banished?”
“Nope. Straight to the portal. But don’t change the subject—you still need a girlfriend.”
“I don’t need a girlfriend, Dad. Besides, I’m only thirteen.”
“Almost fourteen, and your mother and I started dating when we were only fifteen.”
Peter tried to envision his father courting his mom and found that he could only see his parents as adults. There were plenty of pictures his mother had collected, and protected, in a few shoeboxes in their closet. There were also boxes of slides they used to look at every once in a while. Peter remembered complaining about sitting through the slides because he didn’t want to look at a bunch of pictures of old people when they were young (particularly when in many cases he was barely even related to the second cousins and in-laws mixed in with his parents). His mother had shushed him, put him on her lap, and let him chew on the end of her long strands of hair as she told him about the people in the pictures.
“I miss mom.”
“Miss is a word that doesn’t begin to cut it, Peter, but I know I’ll be with her again—all of us will.”
Peter stared curiously at his father, who was not particularly religious even back before Orb when people went to church. His questions were answered when Big Ed continued, “Orb promised me, Peter. If we do his bidding, he’ll make sure that we’re all back together in the end.”
Peter’s tongue felt overly large, and heavy, in his mouth. What do I say? I can’t exactly tell him we’re about to revolt if he’s convinced that serving Orb will result in being reunited with the love of his life. He stared at his father and the odd, serene look on his face.
“Dad. Did you ask Orb to change you, or help you?”
Big Ed nodded. “He took away my pain, Peter. All of it. The loneliness too. I could never tell you or your brother how bad it got…but it’s all good now. We serve Him, and, at the end, He will give us our reward. He even gave me a longer life, like the one you and your brother will have, so I can look after both of you.”
Peter felt the nausea building in his stomach. Orb had deceived, used their father and, beyond simply motivating him to serve, Peter now knew for certain that Orb had changed something about Big Ed’s personality, just as he had changed Matt, and, probably, Irene. He had been pretty sure they could never convince Big Ed to join them for what they hoped would be their escape, but the doubt and remorse about leaving their father behind ate at him. He now knew there was no hope. Big Ed would have to stay. If we tell him anything, he’ll turn us in to Orb so that he can “save us” and keep the fantasy that Orb sold him of an eternal reunion for our family.
“I’m glad to hear that, Dad.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Game on
Early that same evening, after a series of meetings with districts in Moscow where each existing constable had to be replaced, and banished, for abusing their authority, Peter returned to the bank and stared at the globe. There were still colored dots throughout, but the number had fallen dramatically as the efforts of Orb and his Disciples had already touched most of the planet.
Peter sat in one of the leather office chairs, slowly rocking back and forth as he waited for the others. He had no idea how much time had passed but was eventually startled when Eli and Jenny opened the door and entered.
Peter stood up, nerves jangling, and had to stop himself from running over to give them both a bear hug. Instead, he waited and exchanged small talk as they came over and sat down in some of the other available chairs. Both Eli and Jenny could sense Peter’s anxiety.
You ok? asked Eli.
You look like you haven’t slept in days, added Jenny, who also fit that description.
We must go. Now.
Eli frowned. We’re not ready. We need more practice, and what about Matt and Irene?
They are our first stop.
And how are we going to persuade them to come? asked Jenny.
I will give it a try, but if they resist, we’ll have to leave them. If our idea works, we’ll try to save them later, just like all our parents.
And if it doesn’t?
If it doesn’t, Eli, then all our problems are over anyway. Are you ready?
Eli and Jenny stood.
To the old Gibson house, Peter declared as he grabbed the coil of rope off the floor just before he disappeared.
A nano-second later, they stood in the circle drive of the large, Colonial style house. Peter started walking towards the front door, but Eli was frozen in his tracks, staring at a medium-sized sphere of rubber and metal which sat atop a wide, concrete column in the garden area between the circle drive and the street.
“He must’ve had Orb move the Mustang,” Eli mumbled.
“What?” Jenny asked.
Eli shook his head to clear it. “Nothing, I’ll tell you later, if there is a later.”
Peter hustled them all to the front door, which was actually two wide, wooden doors under thick coats of white paint. The door on the right had a prominent, brass knob as well as a circular, brass knocker which reminded Pet
er of the wrought iron version of the knocker fastened to the door of the church in Real de Catorce.
Eli reached up, grabbed the knocker and loudly rammed it twice against the brass plate set in the door. There was no response initially, so he repeated his knocking until they heard Matt’s voice cry out from inside, “This better be important! You may want to start running now.”
They did not run, but instead waited until Matt opened the door. Jenny gasped as she stared at Matt, who was wearing only a blue bathing suit which dribbled water on the marble floor of the entryway. She had not gasped at the suit but, instead, Matt’s appearance.
If Irene approached goddess-like qualities in terms of her Orb-enhanced beauty, and she did, Matt was now her god-like equivalent. Peter could not help but stare as the water coursed down Matt’s now-significant pecs and over what appeared to be not just a six-pack but an entire twelve-pack of stomach muscles. Matt had always been a good-looking kid, but his face now captured the same level of symmetrical perfection displayed by Irene. It was hard to look at anything besides his perfectly formed arms, legs, eyes and every other spot that could be named on a body.
“What happened?” blurted Eli.
“Aw, this?” questioned Matt as he looked down at his washboard stomach and flexed a little for fun. “Irene had me ask Orb to do it so we’d be the same. It was getting a little tough with her as a supermodel and me as, well, me.”
Peter asked another obvious question. “Why are you wet?”
“Oh, we had Orb turn the living room into a giant hot tub. Irene’s still in there.” Matt stared at them, still holding the partially closed door in his hand, now curious about their visit. “We’ll go by the bank later to get tomorrow’s assignments if that’s why you’re here.”
“We need to talk to you for a minute,” Peter replied, with more urgency in his voice than would be considered normal.
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