Enter the Rebirth (Enter the... Book 3)

by Thomas Gondolfi

  The woman—Astrid—held up her hands in what Zoe took to be a soothing gesture. "Everything is right in there," she said, pointing to the room outside the big window, "except for your knife and your bow and arrows. We have those stored somewhere secure. I'm sorry, but we can't let you keep weapons while you're here."

  Zoe made herself stop and breathe. These people had helped her, apparently, but they were straight out of a fireside tale. They had power she couldn't even understand, let alone resist. She needed to be careful. "My name is Zoe Sterling, from Westhill Township. If I was rude, I'm sorry. I just need to check my bag. I had something important to me in there; it might have fallen out during the fight."

  "Of course, Zoe. Please, follow me." Astrid turned and the door whisked open again, still without her touching it. Zoe stepped down off the bed slowly, testing the floor first with one bare foot. It felt warm and slightly soft like the inside of a newly fleeced boot. She walked across the room to where Astrid waited and looked through the doorway. It led into the same room she could see through the window. "Where are we?" she asked again.

  "This is our sick bay; it's a sort of hospital. Do you understand what that is?"

  Zoe nodded, too amazed to feel insulted by the question. "For sick people, back in the old world. Like Sainfrankis."

  The woman looked puzzled at something but nodded. "Right enough. You were hurt pretty badly, when those . . . things attacked Kenji. He couldn't help you there, so he brought you back here with him."

  That made her stop dead in her tracks, her head swimming at the realization. "I . . . I flew? He brought me here in that machine?"

  "Well, he would have a hard time carrying you all the way on his back," Astrid said with a little laugh. "Here we are." She touched the side of a box on one wall and it sprang open. "Everything is as it was, only we did clean your clothes and mend the holes."

  Shirt, trousers, underthings, cloak, belts; all there, except the knife, bow-case and quiver. Zoe dug into the bag and sighed in relief at the feel of the cutting of the forever tree under her hand. A quick run through the rest of her kit confirmed it was all in place. Zoe nodded and put everything back into the box. "Thank you, Astrid. And I'd like to thank—Kenji? For saving my life."

  "You're welcome, Zoe. Unfortunately Kenji is working just now, but I will ask him to speak with you when he can."

  Zoe looked around at the hospital room, so unlike the wreck that remained of Sainfrankis in the old city. This room was so small, for one thing; more, she couldn't imagine Sainfrankis ever looking this white and clean. "Who are you?"

  Astrid took a deep breath, looking like she was getting ready for something difficult. "Why don't we sit down? This might take some time." She pointed to a pair of chairs next to one of the shiny black-and-white tables at the edge of the room.

  “Around three hundred years ago,” Astrid said, after they were seated, “the world was so full of people that everything was starting to fall apart. There were just too many people and not enough space or resources to go around.”

  Zoe nodded slowly; Green River Township had started that way, splitting off from Westhill when her parents were young. She tried to imagine the whole world being that full and quickly gave up.

  Astrid continued, “So our ancestors built the Arks—gigantic spaceships with room for thousands of people, along with seeds and animals and machines to build a world from scratch. And humanity spread out, to half a dozen new planets circling new suns.”

  “New suns?” Zoe asked.

  “Yes, Zoe. All of the stars you can see in the sky are like Earth’s sun, just very far away.”

  Zoe wasn’t sure she quite believed that but nodded respectfully. The stars were pinpoints; the sun was the biggest and brightest thing in the whole sky. How far would someone have to go for them to switch places?

  “Building a new home was hard, and for a long time our colonies could barely even talk to the other planets, or people back on Earth. But we made it work, and several generations later, once we could do more than scratch a living, we wondered why we couldn’t get any response from Earth.

  “We thought at first it was just a machine that wasn't working right, but it went on for so long that we knew it had to be more than that. So the colonies sent back probes—spaceships that could fly themselves and send information back to us—to see what was happening back home. That was how we found out about the war.”

  “Darkness, death, and a broken world,” Zoe muttered, and blushed when she realized she’d said it out loud. “Sorry. It’s something from an old story one of my teachers used to tell.” She nodded for Astrid to continue.

  “At first we didn't really know what had happened. All we found everywhere we looked were empty wrecked cities and creatures like the ones that attacked Kenji. Finally one of the probes located some old records that gave us a part of the story. We still don't quite know how it started, or why, just that it destroyed almost everything. The weapons they used killed millions of people, and left others mutated—turned them into those creatures.

  “After that, a lot of people in the colonies wanted to forget the Earth and move on. But some of us knew we couldn't let that happen. This was humanity’s home, once, and we couldn't just abandon it. Eventually, we gathered up enough people who wanted to come back in person, to find out for ourselves if there was anything—or anyone—left.”

  Astrid's face was turning slightly red, and she stopped to take a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I just . . . I had to work very hard to convince a lot of people that coming here was worth it, so I tend to get emotional about it. And, while we hadn't planned to do more than have a look around, it might be that meeting you could be a huge help there."

  Zoe sat quietly, trying to digest it all. "You really came here from another sun—star? In a . . . a flying machine?"

  Astrid nodded, eyebrows rising slightly. "In fact, that's where we are right now. Would you like to see?"

  Outside the sick bay were hallways with smooth white walls, the same soft dark floor, and those strange pale lights. They passed a few people as they walked, who all greeted her and Astrid as they passed though Astrid never stopped to talk. Some of them stared, though Zoe knew she was goggling too.

  Their walk ended in a large open room, most of which was taken up with the flying machine that she had seen in the city. It still boggled her to think she had been in that thing. She followed as Astrid led the way around it to the far wall, where she stopped next to a small window.

  "Take a look."

  Zoe stepped up to the window. It took a moment or two for her to grasp what she was really seeing. "Oh . . . oh, wow." Spreading out below them, far enough away that the horizon was a visible curve, the surface was a patchwork of brown, greens, and blues. Layers of white blanketed the land to one side. Zoe remembered seeing an ancient treasure once in the old city, a ball with a map of the whole world drawn on it. What lay below her looked like that, grown to incredible size and covered by cattail fluff.

  Above the world, the sky was a deeper black than she'd ever seen, the stars sharp and unwavering points in the dark. She leaned as close as she could, breathing a slight mist on the pane. "Wh-where is that? Are we over my home?"

  Leaning closer, Astrid peeked out over Zoe's shoulder. "Asia, actually. Right now we're almost right on the other side of the world from where we found you."

  Her head swam. Zoe had to take a step back and make herself breathe slowly in and out. "Easy," Astrid said with a concerned frown. "I'm sorry, that was too much too soon—"

  "It's amazing!" Zoe exclaimed with a delighted grin. She looked back out the window, drinking in the sight. "The other side of the whole world. Nobody I know has ever been more than ten days' walk from the longhall. And flying! We're up out of the sky!" She laughed in the sheer delight of it. "They'll never believe me at home!" That sobered her; she turned to Astrid. "I can go home, can't I?"

  Astrid looked shocked and laughed aloud. "Of course you can, Zoe. We're not going
to kidnap you. In fact, seeing as we've now officially made contact, we were rather hoping you might be willing to introduce us."

  * * *

  The worst of the bouncing and jostling faded finally, and the walls in front of their seats disappeared with a whir, leaving the big windows open. Zoe watched in awed fascination as they flew lower and lower. Beside her Kenji and Astrid were dealing with the controls, talking low and fast between themselves in words she didn’t understand. Far below, Zoe spotted a gleam of sunlight on glass and metal. It startled her to realize she was seeing the old city, thrusting its tallest towers up out of the forest around it.

  From up here, right now, she could see every inch of ground she had ever walked in her whole eighteen years. Everything she knew, everyone she loved, their whole lives—it was so tiny, such a little piece of one little world.

  Kenji glanced over as she rubbed at her eyes. "Zoe? You feeling all right?"

  She cleared her throat and nodded. "I'm fine. Just—it's so different now."

  "What's that?"

  "Everything."

  They flew a slow, looping turn that took them nearly over the township, then settled down in a clearing a little over a mile distant. Astrid and Kenji left behind their big protective suits this time when they got out. For the approach to the township they let Zoe—back in her own comfortable clothing with all of her kit settled back in its place—lead the way. Here Zoe was the teacher, keeping her charges well away from the dangers around them. She couldn’t teach them to sneak so she needed to rely on speed.

  Their machine’s flight near the township had of course not gone unnoticed. Halfway there, Zoe raised a hand to tell the off-worlders to stop. Studying the brush nearby she grinned and called out, "Is this a proper greeting for a scout back from her trial then, Mister Finley?"

  The scout she'd called to seemed to materialize out of hiding a dozen yards away, arrow on the string but not raised to fire. "Your pardon, Apprentice," emphasizing the last word slightly, "but we looked for you to come back on foot. And alone." Despite his banter, she could see the man was nervous as he watched the three of them.

  "So did I. But things have happened. These people . . . they need to see the headman and the council."

  Finley looked at Astrid and Kenji carefully before nodding slowly. "They certainly do at that."

  They resumed their procession toward the township gate, with Senior Scout Finley now in the lead. Zoe could tell there were two other scouts on their flanks, which meant there were probably at least three others nearby she hadn’t seen.

  A group of more than a dozen townsfolk waited outside the closed gate, milling around nervously until they caught sight of the approaching band. Standing at the front, Headman Kramer adjusted his official coat—only to have it promptly knocked askew by Zoe's father as he barreled forward. Finley raised a hand as if to stop him, but wisely stepped aside.

  "Oh, my girl!" He caught Zoe up in a sweeping bear hug, spinning her half around. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his thick neck. "I knew you'd be making your way back to us in one piece." He set her down, patted lightly at her head, shoulders, and arms. "You are all right, aren't you?"

  "I'm fine, Papa. Better than that! Wait 'til you hear what's happened." She squeezed his hands in hers and looked over to where the headman and councilors waited, Master Hartley beside them. "I'll see you and Mama later. Things are going to be pretty busy right now."

  He looked unsure but nodded and, with a parting kiss on her forehead, withdrew to let her approach the master scout. She reached into her bag, pulling out the forever-tree twig—made of 'plastic,' one of the off-worlders on the ship had told her. "Master Scout Hartley, I have returned from the Trial you set before me. The cutting you asked me to bring." She held it out to him.

  He studied her a few moments before smiling his crooked smile and taking the twig from her. "Well done, Scout Sterling. But it seems you've brought back a little something extra as well."

  "Headman," Zoe said as she turned to face Daniel Kramer, "these with me are Astrid von Eisenberg and Kenji Inoue, captain and flight officer of the starship Katerina Magna."

  The headman managed not to gape for more than a few seconds before rallying and stepping forward. "Er. How do you do. I—I am Daniel Kramer, appointed headman of Westhill Township. On behalf of the people of Westhill and our neighboring communities, ah . . . welcome."

  Astrid smiled and inclined her head slightly in a polite bow. "In the name of the people and worlds of the Colonial Association, greetings. It is our great pleasure to meet you and yours, Headman. I believe we have much to discuss."

  Post Apocalypse Support

  A. C. Russell

  Editor: Support comes in many forms, shapes, and sizes.

  Well, the apocalypse done came and went, and really it wasn’t as bad as ever’body thought it was gon’ be. All them movies and books wit’ the zombies and the cannibalism, and Mad Max and stuff, none o’ that happened. I guess with all that death and destruction people didn't want any more violence, they just wanted to live peaceful-like. Food was a little tricky at first, but pretty much ever’body know if you stick a seed in the ground and water it, sumpin’ gon’ pop up. Cured the obesity epidemic that's for sure, so it ain't all bad. My only problem is you can't find a decent bra. In the end, that's really what made me decide to go with Henry and Curtis on that expedition to Houston.

  I don’t go on a lot of expeditions; usually Curtis is the traveler in our little community. He takes off about four times a year and trades with other folks for stuff we need. Now, I do like to go to the annual harvest festival over in Alexandria, but that takes us two days each way and by that time I am just done with traveling for a good while. I like sleeping on a mattress, not the ground. Tish say I’m gettin’ old; I keep telling her she just ten years younger than me so she better watch out. And she don’t have this bra problem I got, neither.

  Henry he play saxophone and he need reeds but Curtis say, “ain’t no reeds no mo’, nowhere.” He say he’s combed all the old music stores from Nawlins to Memphis and that he even talked to somebody one time who got into the music department at Elleshu and they just ain’t no more. He say he think Henry should just stop playing saxophone, pick up the flute or something that don’t use reeds. Well he ain’t the only one who don’t like Henry’s playing, I can tell you, but I hate to see a man give up the thing he loves. I don’t mind it so much ‘cept when he play too loud, and he play much better now than when he was a kid. Anyway, you shoulda heard Henry when Curtis said ‘play the flute.’ He go crazy, all rantin’ and ravin’ about Coltrane didn’t play no flute and I don’t know what all. Screamin’ at Curtis, who be his best friend, getting’ right up in his face. And poor ol’ skinny Curtis all shrinking back from my baby bro like he scared to death Henry gon’ kill him. I laughed so hard I thought I was gon’ fall out. Curtis kept away from him for a while after that.

  But then the next time Curtis he come back from his out-n-about, he go up to Henry wit’ a big box and a little box. The big box was another saxophone, a tenor sax; Henry been wantin’ one o’ them for a long time. The little box full of little pieces o’ sticks, he say some kinda plant that somebody told him was the kinda stuff to make reeds. Well Henry looked about twenty years younger, started dancin’ and jumpin’ all around and everything. He went all over the yard, dosey-doeing wit’ all of us, grabbing our elbows where we stood and hooting like a crazy person. I woulda slapped him if I hadn’t been laughin’ so hard.

  But that was over a year ago an’ now Henry is all out of them little pieces o’ wood so he plannin’ on going with Curtis on this next trip. That’s why I figure I better go ahead on wit’ ‘em; it would be better travelin’ with both of them than just Curtis. An’ I got to go ‘cause there ain’t no way in hell I’ma let Curtis pick me out some bras.

  See, Tish don’t understand why I want bras. She ten years younger, like I said, and she only got these itty bitty bumps, not like me with
my big round melons. Even when she was nursin’ all dem babies, them things didn’t get no bigger than a B cup. Ain’t nothin’ but she gots to be wearin’ a bra all the time then and I reminded her of that the other day. She say “well naturally, I got to hold the nursing pads in, don’t I?” And I got to concede she got a point there. I used to hate it when I leaked; you don’t notice at first because the milk is the same temperature as your body and then some smart ass (usually Curtis) is all like, “hey Bossie, might wanna change yo’ shirt.”

  But now that Tish’s kids are big and she don’t have no plans to have no more she all footloose and fancy free and act like everybody else can hang loose just ‘cause she do. I said “girl, don’t you have eyes in yo’ head? Cain’t you see that if I don’t wear a bra I’ma be hanging down to my crotch?” She just smile and say “oh no, it wouldn’t be that bad, Immy, really, you should try it. You’ll be so much more comfortable.” Child don’t know what she talkin’ ‘bout.

  I got my first bra when I was twelve; that was before the apocalypse of course. At twelve I was already a double D. I was thrilled to death to get it; it was so nice to have everything all secure and not be sweatin’ to death under there. I heard people talk about the hormones in the milk and chemicals in the water and stuff and maybe that caused it, but Momma she was big, and her momma too. It mighta partly been all that stuff though, ‘cause my babies all came after when we didn’t have nothing but what we grew ourselves and they drank the milk straight from the cows we saved from that dairy farm south of Baton Rouge. None of my girls is endowed like me, thank goodness. They won’t have these backaches when they’re my age. Which is lucky ‘cause ain’t no tellin’ where they gon’ find bras by then.