Part 30 (2/2)
I chuckled at myself. Was I actually beginning to buy into this craziness? It didn't matter-- I still didn't want to be involved. This was a matter for monks or priests-- or whatever. whatever. I wanted no part of it. I wanted no part of it.
I committed myself to not thinking about it, and instead stared out the window at the pa.s.sing urban sprawl-- looking for all the ways the world had changed while I was asleep.
Eventually, the cab pulled up in front of Andy's. I paid with my fingerprint, and the machine bleeped happily. ”Thanks, man,” said the cabbie. ”Have a nice day.”
”You too. Thanks.” I stepped out and looked up at the house. I had never felt so exhausted in all my life. On shaky legs I made my way up the stone walkway, then dragged myself up the stairs, and opened the front door. Annie and Rebecca were sitting in the living room.
”Where is everyone?” I asked from the doorway.
Annie stood up and came toward me. ”They're at a soccer game, the state finals. She looked past me. Where's Sam?”
”He stayed with Hazel.”
Her eyes snapped up at me.
”He's fine,” I said. ”Hazel has insight into what's going on at the center. And Sam wants to find out everything he can.”
Annie blinked. ”Why didn't you you stay?” stay?”
”I got all the information I wanted.”
She c.o.c.ked her head.
”The answers are turning out to be worse than the questions.” I took her by the hand and led her to the couch. ”Come, let's sit down. I'm exhausted. exhausted. Hi, Becca. How are you holding up.” Hi, Becca. How are you holding up.”
”I'm fine, Dad. How are you? you? What happened?” What happened?”
”Well...” I looked at Rebecca, then Annie. ”You know how Solomon set up the computer to talk directly to the minds of the coma patients? And how he created a virtual world we could share?”
They both nodded.
”Hazel says I'm still going back to that world-- when I sleep.” sleep.”
Their jaws hung slack.
”And that's not even the craziest part. Hazel's daughter, Nan, told me that it's really a place between life and death-- a spiritual spiritual realm.” The word realm.” The word spiritual spiritual stuck to my lips as it came out. stuck to my lips as it came out.
Rebecca was wide eyed as she touched her fingers to her mouth. ”That's incredible.”
”If it's true,” I said.
Annie leaned in toward me. ”You don't believe her? Do Do you?” you?”
”Honestly, I don't know what to believe. We got chased today, by men who Sam said walked through through walls.” walls.”
Annie and Rebecca sat frozen.
”Nan called them the fallen ones.”
Rebecca's eyes grew even wider. ”Like-- from Davata Notrals?”
”Fallen ones, angels, demons, whatever you want to call them. Apparently Sam Sam believes it, and I can't blame him. It was all very convincing.” believes it, and I can't blame him. It was all very convincing.”
Annie's became thoughtful. ”The man I saw at the center, the one who spoke that strange language-- could he have been-- one of those?”
”If what they say is true then, probably yes.”
She stared at me. ”Are we in danger?”
”I don't know. Hazel and Nan say we aren't. Nan said they were only following me to get to them.”
”Why?”
”Well-- Hazel is special, she has autism. Nan says she can remember her dreams, and and a spiritual place beyond her dreams. Apparently Vrin is a spiritual place beyond her dreams. Apparently Vrin is in in that place.” Annie looked incredulous. ”I know it sounds crazy! I don't want to believe it either. But Nan believes the fallen ones are after them because they know too much about Vrin.” that place.” Annie looked incredulous. ”I know it sounds crazy! I don't want to believe it either. But Nan believes the fallen ones are after them because they know too much about Vrin.”
A sudden fear flashed through Annie's eyes. ”And you left Sam with with them?” them?”
”I don't exactly have any authority over him. I wasn't around to be his father.”
She bit her lip. ”I don't like him being there.”
”Well you you tell him to come with us. Maybe he'll receive it from you.” tell him to come with us. Maybe he'll receive it from you.”
”What do you mean, with us? with us? Where are we going now?” Where are we going now?”
”I don't know, someplace hidden, remote, a place no one knows about but us.”
”You don't think fallen angels fallen angels will know where to find us?” will know where to find us?”
”They can't seem to find Hazel.”
Annie folded her arms. ”I don't like it.”
”Which part? The us hiding us hiding part?” part?”
”I'm worried about Sam. I know him, he won't walk away from this.”
”Then let him fight the battle.”
Rebecca put her hand on her mothers leg. ”Don't worry, Mom, G.o.d will protect him.”
Annie's face was devoid of emotion.
My eyes drifted up to the clock on the wall. It was only quarter past seven, but it felt more like two in the morning to me. I let out a long sigh. ”I hate to do this to you, but can we talk more in the morning? I can not not stay awake another minute.” stay awake another minute.”
”Yes,” Annie said blankly. ”Yes, of course.”
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