The Epochracy Files

by Chele Pedersen Smith

“Well, this is promising, right?” Lyrehc was back to her hopeful self.

  “Yes, solutions will be sought.” Inot smiled too and resumed her lunch.

  “Hey, this is our last night to read the diary. Maybe you can sleepover,” Lyr requested. “Tomorrow’s just a half day.”

  That evening after studying for their last exam, the girls cozied up on Lyrehc’s window seat once again, eager to see how the 70s saga played out.

  “Aw, their prom portrait!” Lyr cooed at the yellowed-taped photograph.

  “It’s as if we were there that night,” Inot chuckled. “Only now we can see them more clearly.”

  “Janet’s cute and Grayson’s a hottie. Good choice, Janet,” Lyr whistled.

  “Yeah, he’s one of those subtle ones, humble and cool. More concerned for others than himself,” Inot agreed.

  After staring for a few minutes, Lyrehc cleared her throat to snap them out of their infatuation. “Let’s get into the heart of the matter, shall we?” and then she dove in. “May 31st. Rose didn’t expose me in ecology club! She even joined, I was nervous at first, but all she did was wink. It’s a step up from the hairy eyeball.

  June 1st. The stick pin is still “lost!” My folks believed it fell down the drain at school and I didn’t get in trouble. They must be pretty preoccupied or else they’d realize the big old owl head wouldn’t fit. However, they didn’t just let the excuse sit on the john. They demanded the janitor take the center sink pipes apart. So poor Mr. Jenkins went through all that trouble and of course it came up empty. The only result was wobbly plumbing.

  Because the stick pin was so expensive, the folks insisted he check the other sinks too. Even in the bathrooms I didn’t use, including the boys’ rooms! They even had him snake the toilets. I knew it was getting out of hand when they pointed to the urinals. Now c’mon! I think I’ll have to make it up to old Jenks. Maybe I can cash in a necklace.

  June 5. The folks are convinced someone stole the diamonds and want to put up flyers offering a reward. I suggested it was a bad idea. Why advertise your wealth? They agreed they’d rather not have any break-ins. I’ve been feeling guilty. Maybe I should fess up?

  June 6. I did it. I told them the whole story. Of course Daddy wanted to press charges for blackmail, but I admitted how I wanted to help her family and I even told him what I knew about Chem Chums. Then something wonderful happened. Daddy admitted he was in over his head with them! He wants out but doesn’t know how. I guess his accountant isn’t the only one he yells at on the phone. Some of those calls were to his corporate lawyer. I’m relieved to know they are working on breaking the contract over negligent practice. And Daddy hired Mr. Winston back as a consultant to help change their image with safer plastic and organic answers. Rose gave the owl back too. Now we all have clean consciences and our water will be cleaner to boot. What a lighter feeling.

  June 15. Our last week of school! If we didn’t have so many blizzards, we’d probably be out by now. Things with Grayson are promising. I really like him. Marcie and I have been going to their band practice every Saturday. They’re really sounding professional. They’ll be a smash at the fair.

  Our can drive was successful. We raised $47.85! That’s a lot aluminum! Also a lot of can squashing. Boy, our feet were sore but sure worth it. We’re donating it to the Connecticut Save Our Sound project.

  Our roadside litter cleanup went well too but it was a little scary. I thought we might get hit by all the whizzing cars. Grayson held my hand which sent electric sparks up my arm and into my heart. (Doodles of Cupid.) He pulled me over under a tree for a quick kissing session. I wanted to stay there longer but the earth needed us.—Aw, I want a Grayson,” Lyr yearned.

  “Me too,” Inot sighed. “And I’m glad Janet’s father decided to clean up his company.”

  “Yes, and hire Rose’s father back! I love a satisfying ending,” Lyrehc smiled.

  “Well, we don’t know exactly how it ends. But it’s a good start,” Inot drowsed.

  “At least her family is in harmony again. Let’s get some sleep. We can have happy dreams now.”

  Lyrehc sat up startled when the sound of meowing kittens chimed in her ear. Touching the tympanic alarm off, she was in the strange sphere of a nocturnal fantasy that felt real. She wondered if it had meaning.

  Inot was still in a deep sleep, so Lyr got dressed and cherished her dream before waking her. “Last day of school and then we’re free!”

  “Finally, summer break,” Inot said, sitting up and stretching. She noticed something amiss about her friend. “Are you okay? I know you’re sad about giving the book back, but all’s well that ends well.”

  Lyrehc laughed. “Did you sneak some of my Shakespeare special for lunch the other day? I knew you did better on the quiz than you admitted. But yeah, I’m fine except for mixed feelings. And the oddest one comes from a dream I just had. It was so real. We were strolling through the graveyard, like we were the other day. But this time I found two hundred diamonds sprinkled in dirt in front of a tomb. I reached down to pick one up but they sank deeper and disappeared and then a hand reached up to shake ours. When I looked at the marker, it said Janet Marsh Matthews Stone!”

  “You found Janet Marsh’s stone!” Inot rambled in excitement.

  “Yes but her final last name was Stone. Kind of sad. If the information is right, she didn’t stay with Grayson after all.”

  “Pixels! I was rooting for them. But sounds like she did marry him. Maybe they split over environmental differences.”

  “Or too many groupies.”

  “Or maybe it was true love til death do us part.”

  “Since when are you a romantic?” Lyr razzed.

  ““When a couple deserves it,” Inot blushed. “So, which cemetery were you in? Maybe it’s giving us a clue.”

  “Or maybe it’s telling us we are thinking about this way too much!” Lyr crazed. “Besides, the burial grounds were just a generic place like dreams often are. But it did remind me of the West Droftrah Churchyard. We’ll check after school. It’s a half day so we’ll have more time.”

  When they got to school, freedom teased the air. Not much was expected of students. Except for their math final, the other classes were mostly parties and signing Yearbook iPads.

  The girls ducked out of the celebrations and glided up the fifth spiral to hide in the library’s display room. They wanted to read the last entries before turning in the borrowed pages.

  With their backs against the table legs holding the treasures, Lyr read. “June 20th. Today the school cracked open a time capsule from 1878! A few cool things happened that year for our state. Connecticut got its first phone business— The District Telephone Company of New Haven. It became Southern New England Telephone, or SNET as we know it now. And it got its first telephone book, too. Get this. It only had fifty names in it! So much easier to find someone back then and send them a pranked pizza. Too bad they weren’t a thing here in the states until 1905. Also The White House got its first telephone installed—by the inventor himself!

  Wow, kids back then did not have much for toys or technology. When they played outside, they rolled big hoops down the street on a stick. Guess they were easily entertained. But there wasn’t much medication or vaccines for that matter either. Many people died from their diseases. I never thought I’d be grateful for shots.

  Funny how kids back then had a one room school house with all grades mixed together. How did the teacher keep track? They also had delicious meals made from scratch! They didn’t have a choice because there were no McDonalds like we have today. They didn’t even have an electric mixer or dishwasher. But electricity was starting to hum that year thanks to Thomas Edison and others, so I’m sure appliances weren’t too far behind.

  There was a big scientific event one hundred years ago —The Great Eclipse of 1878. A few newspaper articles were tucked inside the capsule. Apparently the best view was in Denver so a lot of scientists clamored to Colorado. Pikes Peak was the place
to be! But it was so overcrowded, it was like the first Christmas--no room at the Inn.

  A pair of the special glasses were in the capsule. Someone devised it to view the sun eclipsing without damaging their eyes. The lenses were made from glass smudged in soot from candle flames. Not sure how they saw the slightest inkling through that but other versions were out there too and were selling like scalped concert tickets!

  They say we will get another total solar eclipse this October! And to celebrate the event, we will bury a time capsule, too! How amazing is that? A hundred years from now kids will see what we had. I only wish I could see what they have. I bet they zip around in monorails and flying cars to beat traffic. Hmm, maybe I should become an inventor, or a scientist. They help save the world too.”

  “Whoa, Lyrehc. A scientist or inventor! How awesome is that?”

  “Coolzoids, the coolest!! I looked her up online and she became both. Hey with all these buried museums of nifty stuff, we should seal one up, too.”

  “I hope we do. So what else does Janet say?”

  “June 22. I can’t believe I’m officially a senior! And I’m officially Gray’s girlfriend! It’s going to be a fun summer. Tonight we’re going to double date at the drive-in to see “Dawn of the Dead.”(Something tells me I will be grabbing onto Grayson a lot tonight.) And more good news—the band has gigs already lined up. Marcie and I are the band’s PR Firm. We make flyers and hang them all over town and we schedule their engagements. We’re hoping one day they’ll give us one of our own. Hee-hee. (Doodles of hearts with their initials. J.M. loves G.M, M.E loves C.R.)

  “It’s almost time for the bell so read toward the end. Any clues if they marry? Does it say who Stone is?” Inot was eager for the answer, like a cliff hanger on the soap opera, Space Station Hospital.

  Speed reading, Lyrehc shuffled ahead for anything interesting. “There’s a chunk of pages left but the last of the writing stops on the day of the time capsule, which makes sense, right?”

  Inot nodded, as Lyr read the last entry.

  “October 15. We’re making history. I’m so proud this is happening my senior year. We have to put something in the vault by the end of the day. Mom donated her typewriter but I can’t decide. I feel it should be something important. Something that will make a difference or be a voice from the past. I suppose I will figure it out at the last minute.”

  Lyrehc closed the diary and sighed. The girls stared at the book awhile, digesting the last three days.

  Then Lyr stood, still clutching the journal. “Let’s go.”

  Inot scrambled to her feet, expecting Lyr to drop the diary into the box. Instead, she followed her down the staircase. “Where are we going?”

  “My dream’s been haunting me all morning. I have to see for myself.”

  They left school grounds and rounded a corner. “But what about the book?” Inot called, puffing after her. “We have to return it.” She was practically galloping to keep up with Lyrehc’s stride.

  “It doesn’t belong in the time capsule or wherever the items go afterward.”

  “Whoa, since when are you a rebel?” Inot asked in disbelief.

  “Only when it’s important. Besides, I know where she is.”

  After several blocks, they were standing in front of another wrought iron gate. Except this one sparkled with a counterfeit crystal in the middle of its name.

  “I hope we can hover back,” Inot panted, holding her side.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize I was running,” Lyr wheezed, catching her breath as well.

  “So Jewel Gardens. That’s where she is?”

  “From what I could dig up, yep,” Lyr revealed.

  “Uh, we aren’t really going to, are we?” Inot faltered.

  “Of course not.” Lyr pushed the gate open. Once they were on the other side, it closed with a squeaky thud. Lyr pulled her electronic tablet out of her bag and showed Inot a cemetery map. “This should make it easier.”

  “Good, because this is like finding a lost star in an infinite universe.”

  “Exactly! And like brilliant stars, the diamonds in the dream tipped me off. The lanes here are named for gems. One of which is—“

  “Diamond!”

  “Yes! You were right about clues, too. The other was Janet’s future-future last name. It also lead me to investigate here,” Lyr grinned.

  “Stone? But every cemetery has headstones,” Inot countered.

  “Right, I thought that was what the dream hinted at, but I finally figured out stone as in jewels…”

  “Oh, what a clever subconscious. So Stone isn’t really her last name?”

  “No, the list didn’t say so there’s a good chance it was just a vision. Okay, let’s see…Diamond Drive is this way,” Lyr mumbled, studying the maze on her screen.

  As the girls meandered over, they discovered huge tomb houses scattered on every corner.

  “These are rich memorials. Of course Janet would be here,” Inot said. “It’s probably an inherited plot. I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together before.”

  “Yeah, me either,” Lyr agreed. “Maybe it was too obvious.”

  “Look, the name Marsh! Oh, no…she’s ensconced in one of the mausoleums. How will we get in?”

  “It’s her family’s property, but she’s not there. I already investigated online. It’s a regular grave. Maybe she elected to stay near her husband.”

  “Or she disowned her dad after all,” Inot fretted.

  “I hope not. Everyone just needs a little space now and then.”

  The girls walked on until they found the row they were after and Lyrehc announced the spot.

  “Here, number 214. Janet Marsh Matthews. February 1st, 196o to September 29, 2054.”

  Lyrehc’s throat lumped with emotions she did not expect.

  “So she did marry Grayson,” Inot murmured.

  “Or Lance,” Lyrehc choked out. “Either way she didn’t have to change monograms.”

  “That’s not funny,” Inot groaned.

  “I know.” Lyrehc sniffled a half a laugh. “We got attached for some reason. Like a dreamy heartthrob plasma’ed on our bedroom walls.”

  “Whew, it is Grayson.” Inot pointed to an adjoining grave. “Or was.” She patted the stone and was filled with a contented sadness. She read the inscriptions, then noticed two others. “Look, they had kids. Twin boys? Born 1988, died not too long ago. 2068 and 2070.”

  Lyr knelt down on Janet’s grave. She kissed two fingers, touched her stone, and then began pulling up grass.

  “Uh, is this some sort of ritual?” Inot asked. “A way of honoring the deceased?”

  Lyrehc laughed. “No, I’m putting the diary back where it belongs. Help me make room.”

  Inot sat with trepidation, feeling the around gingerly. “Not too deep right? I don’t want a skeleton popping up.”

  “That’s only in Halloween movies,” Lyr assured. “We’d have to go pretty deep to hit the casket. We’re just making enough room for the book.”

  As the girls dug a hole, Inot asked the burning question.

  “What about Mr. Ekib? And more importantly Mrs. Rethom. They’re expecting this returned and with answers.”

  “I scanned the ecology pages into my tablet. We’ll present the information when we get back. Mr. Ekib’s cool. He wouldn’t want the public nosing around in a girl’s secrets. And Mrs. Rethom let us keep it this long. I’m sure she’ll be fine with an eternal check out date.”

  “I hope so. As much as I kid about hating school, I really don’t want to be expelled. Okay, how’s this; deep enough?” Inot asked.

  “Let’s see.” Lyr held the book next to it. When it tipped to the side, they noticed the remaining pages didn’t follow suit. “Weird.” She put the book upright and tilted once again. The pages were stuck together.

  “Do you hear something?” Inot asked. “Sounds like those lightbulb maracas we made in kindergarten.”

  Lyr shook the book. “Yes. What c
ould it be? I never noticed before.”

  “Maybe it’s never been silent enough. Don’t tell me that’s where the key is?” Inot groaned. “Talk about a catch 22…”

  “Let’s cut this sucker open and see. I suppose you don’t have any of your exploring tools with you.”

  Inot reached into her bag. “Nope, but I have my laser pen for geometry. If I switch it to scissor mode, it should cut through easy as a cloud.” Clicking it on, she paused. “Are you sure we should break in again?”

  “We’ve come this far,” Lyr reasoned.

  Inot ablated a well deep into the pages, staying in the margins and careful not to go too far or nick the cover. When she was done, the layers lifted out like a Jack-o-lantern’s lid, the kind they made from a hollow hydrofruit.

  Lyrehc had the honor of removing the cap.

  They spotted a thick folded note tucked inside.

  “It’s like a book safe!” Inot marveled.

  When she removed the wad of paper, it exposed a treasure.

  “Marsh seed packets!” Lyr announced. She rifled through the corners. “Cosmos, I hear they attract bees, so that’s smart. Green beans, peppers, tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers.”

  The girls smiled, moved to tears with lumps in their throat.

  “We were carrying our future around with us all along,” Lyrehc murmured, hugging the book.

  ”What does non-GMO mean?”

  “Not genetically modified organisms,” Lyr explained. “They’re the real deal. Remember Janet mentioned Chem Chums making fake food? I found out Marsh Incorporated rallied against it and decided to grow only organic seeds. It was much harder but worth it. Unfortunately, their efforts couldn’t get enough farmers on board.”

  She removed the packages and fanned them out like a pack of cards. When she did, something else was exposed.

  “The owl!” they said in shocked unison.

  Each handling the pin with care, their eyes brimmed with tears.

  “So it is a full owl. It’s sitting on a golden twig. And the chest is covered in diamonds, too! This is so surreal,” Inot whispered. “After all this, here you are…you phantom little bugger.”