Planets Falling

by James G. Scotson

  Theo and I jump through the hole where the screen once stood. Eliza, Magarat, and the woman stand, mesmerized by the commotion. Eliza jumps into Theo’s arms and I lead Magarat out.

  Amanda’s clothes dissolve from her body. She’s trying to brush the material off but spreads it around, speeding the process.

  I pause, considering her. “Amanda, I would recommend that you evacuate the building. I’ve no idea how long the beams will support the other floors.”

  We run into the gardens surrounding the Institute laboratory on the shore of the lake. It’s a glorious day, the sun warmly greeting us. The building looks gorgeous, gleaming in the light, not yet betraying the infection eating it from within. I watch the Institute workers run out, their clothing in tatters and their weapons disintegrating in their hands as I lightly brush the three remaining intact vials in my pocket.

  I yell to the Raven. “Run my dear ship. Leave this place before the disease gets you too.” I see the ship rising in the sky and then zipping away at an impossible speed.

  “Did you send the ship to mars?” Theo’s incredulous.

  “No, not yet. We’ll see what happens.” We watch as the building collapses from its considerable weight. Shattered glass and crushed metal roll into the lake.

  On the horizon, the shapes of the Phobos and Fuerst appear. They are clearly cautious about approaching too close. The bacteria’s likely billowing in the air above, contaminating anything artificial that comes too close. I smile at the thought of Gorian throwing a tantrum in the Fuerst’s cabin, with Etch chuckling under his breath.

  Grey, Amanda, and Vanne sit under a tree, with barely a stich of clothing on them. “Come on Grey, let’s get you some clothes.” He stands and walks with me to the village, leaving his companions behind.

  Ricard greets us at the gate. “What do we do about the Institute people?”

  I shrug. “Show them compassion. Let’s get them some clothes and shelter. I have no idea whether their people will come to rescue them given the danger that’s now here. Perhaps the Institute will ditch them just like they did our ancestors centuries ago.”

  “What will they do?” Theo scratches his chin.

  “I have no idea. Maybe you can find a couple of blacksmiths and farmers in there.” I take Eliza from his arms and head into town for lunch.

  Grey yells at me. “What do I tell Ferris about Gorian?”

  “I’m sure Etch will be back with her when he knows it’s safe to return. Gorian’s resourceful. She’ll be back, if it’s just to beat my ass.”

  Eliza, Theo, and I navigate the street back to our house, when people start shrieking. A woman exclaims, “My necklace, it's gone.” A boy riding a small bike he received from the Institute falls down as part of it disintegrates. People run from the streets as the Institute-made portions of their clothing melt away.

  I hold Theo’s hand tight. “Looks like the goop has infected the town.”

  “They’ll be alright,” he smiles. “Everything that matters is made of metal or wood and will still be around after this passes.”

  Once we’re home, I sit Eliza down. “What’d they do to you honey?”

  “Nothing. We just played.”

  “What kind of game?”

  “The lady asked me if I could wake up the cat. I don’t know how I did it. I just thought about being a cat and it moved. But it didn’t wake up.”

  I’ve avoided trying it but it’s time. I focus my thoughts on my girl. I say with my mind, “Can you hear me?”

  “You’re doing what my other mommy, the bad woman, did with me. You can talk without your mouth.”

  “Can you do that too?

  “Yes. Can I eat lunch now?

  Chapter 65: Aftermath

  We're eating lunch on a dock at the lake shore. Eliza throws rocks, examining the strange ways the ripples seem to expand and contract, rather than stretching out ever further. It is an odd place where the rules of nature don’t seem to work very well. Iggy and his children sit at the end of the pier talking. I lament that there is no way we humans, with the exception of Eliza, can understand their language.

  "Poor Iggy." Theo stands in front of our friend who's unable to communicate with us because his transmitter fell apart.

  I sigh, “It’s all my fault.”

  He produces a tablet of paper and writes in perfect script: My children and I will survive. We need to learn sign language to communicate with you. First, we must eat. Without a food synthesizer, we will need to search for food in the lake. We will return soon.

  A tear trickles down my cheek. I miss talking with him and now they must leave. "I'm so sorry, Iggy. I may have acted hastily. But I still feel I did the right thing. We'll make an aquatic garden for you and your kids. We'll grow the best greens you've ever eaten."

  Iggy nods, smiles in his toothless way, and he and his children slip into the water.

  Samuel hands me a perfect apple. "You did right, Amy. There's no telling what those people were up to. We're safer in our own hands."

  "Thanks Samuel. The only person I'm worried about is Grey. He hasn't seen Gorian in days and wonders whether Etch will bring her back."

  "Oh, she'll be back. No way she's leaving him and the baby alone."

  Ricard steps in from the city gate. "We've got some angry people out there."

  I frown. "We save them from Thresh and the brown death. Now they're ready to lynch us."

  "Cooler heads will prevail Missus Marksman." Ricard snatches my apple and takes a bite. "Show some patience. I’ve lived among them my entire life. They’re resilient and are already seeing the humor behind all this."

  “What humor?” I ask.

  “They were acting like spoiled children – getting candy without earning it. We need to work for what we get. The kids have already learned enough to improve things around here immensely. We’ll be eating better and having less sickness. It’s all good and occurring at our own pace.”

  "How’s your pa, Amy?" Samuel asks.

  I knead my hands and say nothing.

  Theo tosses a grape in the water. "Ansam is not doing so well. He's unaware of what just happened. I tried to explain to him - even encouraged him to have this meal with us. He said no and is staying with Magarat."

  Poor Eliza. I wish she could know her grandfather better. And the baby on the way may not know him at all. I change the course of our conversation. "Has anyone seen Bets or Minns?"

  Ricard laughs. "They fancy each other. Quite odd but nice too. They've left the village. Said they want to homestead down the mountain. Nice lasses. I wish them the best of luck."

  We eat the rest of lunch in silence. I wonder what Grey will tell Ferris about her mother.

  On the way home, we find Grey walking with Ferris in the empty street. I want to pity him. Instead, rage surges and I confront him. "Grey, why did you let them take Eliza?"

  His face falls. "To keep you from destroying any hope we had."

  "Grey, hope for what? Domination by those people? They didn't care about you or Gorian. Etch either. Why were you living on earth, hiding from them?"

  "There's good in the Institute. Oh, I can’t – won’t – explain. It's complicated."

  "Dammit man, I'm not going to let the complications of a corrupt government push us aside. What happened to Amanda and Vanne?"

  He examines his shoes. "They're living in a tent at the outskirts of the village. They're still hoping an Institute ship will rescue them."

  Ricard puts his arm around Grey. "My dear boy, let's work together to help those people. Maybe the ships will come. In the meantime, they need to learn to help themselves. It won't be summer forever and they'll need proper shelter."

  Winter arrives early this year and the Institute exiles are living in small wooden houses they built, with the assistance of our carpenters. The only evidence that the Institute still exists is in the lights twinkling coldly on the moon, which surely mock our guests, reminding them of an easier if not simpler life. Grey ha
s become a leader of sorts, stepping between both of our worlds. It suits him, although I catch him often searching the sky for the Fuerst and Gorian.

  Grey's become a talented carpenter as well as a farmer. He's helping one of the castaways mend their roof when we spot a single figure in the distance. Ricard is clearly concerned, still cautious after many years of dealing with the strangeness of the lake. "Send guards."

  The guards approach the figure and wave for us to come. We find Gorian with them adorned in a strange suit and lugging an enormous pack. She looks at me, "You haven't had the baby yet? What's the matter with you?"

  Grey lifts her up and smiles so broadly I'm afraid he may injure his face. "Where've you been?"

  "You wouldn't guess the half of it. I invented these clothes and the gadgets in this pack to resist the microbe. Amy had better hope they work." She stares at me with disdain.

  Gorian sets up a large tent next to their home, where she does research during her days. Luckily, Ferris still recognizes Gorian and from the moment they reunite, I see her soften. Gorian claims that if she finds the cure for the substance, she'll bring the Institute back. Deep inside, I know she distrusts them as much as I do and no such thing will happen. Of course, if ships could return, it would be glorious to see Etch and the Fuerst again. I sense the Raven waiting for me in orbit. I wonder when I can bring her back to me.

  A baby girl arrives to Theo, Eliza, and me shortly after the first snow. We name her Hope and the village celebrates her arrival. Bad feelings have wafted away, leaving a sense of peace, gratitude, and joy. The next day after Hope’s birth, Iggy returns with his children from the frigid lake. They bundle up and feast on the greens we've grown for them during the summer. We begin learning ways to communicate with our hands. Eliza’s ability to talk with them through their minds greatly improves our ability to talk. I’ve found that I can pick up bits and pieces as well, although I’m still more comfortable traveling in the minds of wild, unfettered animals of the forest than my companions.

  Eliza and I spend each of our days wandering the lakeshore and working the earth. I’m delighted to learn as much from her as I teach her. We’ve built a garden together and we’re exploring the depth of our abilities to see beyond the world around us. Without the Raven, the lake’s less clear to me. However, I still sense the many doorways and with a little effort visit them, peering through at other worlds.

  Chapter 66: Birthdays

  Today is Eliza’s twelfth birthday. The Raven swoops overhead, preparing to land before us. Eliza would prefer to spend the day with her friends and family, but I’m dragging her out over the lake, something I do most every day by myself. I am the keeper, after all. Someday, she and her sister will be responsible for the lake and it’s time for her to learn more deeply about the miracle at our doorstep.

  With Gorian’s help, the Raven and the Fuerst visit us safely, although other vessels from the Institute dare not approach us. Gorian has mastered the bacteria – understands it and knows that it gives us freedom from the rest of crowded, conflicted, and angry space. Etch provides us with enough information and materials borrowed from the Institute to help ourselves without become spoiled.

  “Happy birthday, Eliza.”

  “Thanks Raven. Mom says that she has something special to show me.”

  “Indeed she does.”

  We skim across the lake looking into its depths. A swirling bank of stars hangs below us.

  “What’s that?” Eliza asks mesmerized.

  “It’s called a galaxy. It happens to be the one we live in. The portal we’re looking through is on a small planet with some very interesting plants. They’re intelligent and talk with each other.”

  The Raven takes us to another spot where the world’s encrusted by dust.

  “This is a world where the intelligent beings used up all their water and the planet died. Very sad.”

  We spend most of the afternoon traveling from place to place. I explain how I learned of these places and how I’m able to travel into them with my mind – no need to make the physical jump. “I have a dear friend named Fromer. He’s similar to Etch. He walked into the portal and became part of it at great sacrifice to all of us. He’s the closest thing to a god I’ve ever seen in all my days traveling over this water.”

  Eliza crinkles her nose. “Will I ever get to meet him?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so.”

  It’s getting late and Eliza’s tired. So am I.

  “Eliza, I have one more thing to show you – a special birthday gift.”

  The Raven cruises to a place both familiar and comforting. I stand up and sit her in the pilot’s chair.

  “Eliza, I want you to meet your grandmother.”

  A light appears and the cabin grows silent. The figure of my mother, as beautiful as she was the day she died, appears in the glow. She kneels down and Eliza runs to her.

  The path to the future is complete. Somewhere out there, Fromer’s smiling.

  THE END