“This is the first chapter. The rest are in here. Some are in book form. Some are recorded with interesting technology that you can watch with a player. But they’re all part of the same story.”
“What kind of story?” Courtney asked.
“You’ll have to read it for yourself, but I can say this much, you’ll be glad you did.”
The man held out the roll of paper. Courtney took it and examined it curiously. Bobby took it from her and did the same. He ran his fingers over the rough surface, as if trying to glean some information by touching it.
He cast a suspicious look back to the strange visitor.
“Do I know you?” Bobby asked. “You look awful familiar.”
“I doubt you’d remember me” was the man’s answer. “It was a long time ago.”
“I remember everything, and you sure do remind me of somebody,” Bobby said. “You ever been to Stony Brook?”
“Like I said,” the guy answered, “it was a long time ago.”
Bobby stared at the man. Something was tickling the edges of his memory. He had met this man before. He was sure of it. Then, like a light switch being turned on, he remembered.
“I know!” he exclaimed, sitting forward. Courtney held him back, as if the effort might do him some damage. Just as quickly, Bobby relaxed. His excitement was gone. “But that’s… that’s impossible,” he said as Courtney helped him rest back against the pillows. “You sure do look like him, though.”
“I get that a lot,” the man said with a knowing wink.
Bobby kept his eyes on the visitor. Though he knew there was no way he could have been the man he remembered, there was something about this stranger. Something truly familiar. Something that told Bobby he should be trusted.
“All right, fella, I’ll read your story,” Bobby answered.
“It’s not my story,” the man corrected.
“Then whose is it?”
“Just read,” the man replied.
“What do we do with this when I’m done?”
“I’ll come back for it,” the man replied.
“Gee, could you be a little bit more mysterious?” Courtney asked sarcastically.
Her comment made the man laugh. “That’s perfect!” he exclaimed. Courtney looked to Bobby and shrugged. The guy backed away, headed for the door.
“Where you going?” Bobby asked.
“Gotta run,” he replied. “I’ve got nine more of these to deliver.” He was about to walk out the door when he stopped and looked back. His expression turned serious. “You should read it now.”
He said it like he meant it. Bobby and Courtney both understood.
He winked and added, “But first take a look inside the box. Good night, Bobby. Good night, Courtney. See you soon.”
With that, he was gone. Bobby and Courtney sat there staring at the door for several seconds.
It was Bobby who spoke first. “You’d think I’d be a lot more confused about all that.”
“I know what you mean,” Courtney said. “Who did he remind you of?”
“Nah, it’s silly,” Bobby said dismissively. “Take a look in the box.” Courtney stood and went to the foot of the bed. She looked inside to see more scrolls of paper. Some were the same as the first, others were light green. She saw bound volumes as well as loose sheets, and even a small device that Courtney figured was the “player” the mysterious guy mentioned.
“Now this just keeps getting stranger by the second,” she declared.
“Why?”
She reached inside and pulled out a small, white box with a thin metal handle. She held it up to show Bobby, saying, “Looks like he forgot his take-out Chinese.”
“Close the door!” Bobby exclaimed quickly. “Hurry! I don’t want those nosy nurses coming in and grabbing it away from us.”
Courtney opened the lid, looked inside, and smiled.
“Smells good,” Bobby said. “What is it?”
Courtney chuckled. “When was the last time you had some Garden Poultry fries?”
She tipped the box over, so that Bobby could see it was packed with the tasty, golden strips. Piping hot. Seasoned to perfection. Bobby’s eyes went wide with delight.
“Reading can wait,” he exclaimed.
The two polished off the fries in minutes. The experience brought back long-buried, delicious memories. Neither spoke while they ate. They didn’t want to break the spell. When the last fry was gone and the last finger licked, Courtney looked to Bobby.
“Do you want to read it now?”
“I’m thinking we should. I need your help though. My eyes.”
He didn’t have to explain. Courtney understood. “I’d love to.” She put on her own reading glasses, slipped off the twine that held the scroll together, and was about to unfurl the paper when she stopped and added, “We really had a great life, didn’t we?”
Bobby held his wife’s hand, squeezed it, and said, “The best.”
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“Ready?” she asked.
“And so we go,” Bobby answered.
Courtney gave him a puzzled look. “You always say that. What exactly does that mean?”
He shrugged. “It’s something I say when I’m ready to move on. I’m always saying interesting things. Have I mentioned that before?”
Courtney chuckled and said, “Yes, I think you have.”
In the grand scheme of all that was and ever will be, a few decades is no more than a blip of time. An eye blink. A fleeting moment. But for the souls who live in Halla, every short second counts. All time is precious. The challenge is to make the most of it. The ability to decide how to spend time is a great and powerful gift. Everyone controls their own destiny. Makes their own decisions. Chooses their own fate. Not everyone chooses wisely, but that is the way it was meant to be. The way it should be. The way it will always be.
Bobby Pendragon got what he wished for. A little more time. When it ended, he could look back and know in his heart that he’d spent it wisely.
It was time for him to return to Solara. Courtney would soon follow. However, before that final journey could be made, he had to be prepared.
For that, he had to read.
“Can’t put my finger on it,” Bobby said. “But I’m kind of excited about hearing this story.”
“Then we shouldn’t waste another second.”
Courtney climbed into bed, leaned back into the pillow with Bobby, made sure they were both comfortable, and unfurled the scroll.
In a clear, confident voice, she began to read:
“Journal Number One. Denduron. I hope you’re reading this, Mark…”
