Alicia did her best to compose herself but the tears slipped out and she fell to the floor. Triana joined her and held her. They joined each other in the loss of a man they both loved (which Triana did despite what she had done).
Reality set in that Babel was gone and the tears slowed. Alicia found that she was able to speak. “Where is his body?”
“He was buried in honor among his ancestors. He was buried next to your husband.”
Alicia’s face tightened. “So he is dead as well? Did he die before or after Babel?”
“He died before Babel arrived.”
Triana spent the next two hours telling Alicia everything that had happened since she first found Babel outside of the cemetery. When she finished, she was numb and she could tell that Alicia felt the same. “I need some time to digest this.” Alicia said. “I need to get out of here for a while. Do you want to go for a walk?”
Triana nodded sadly.
They walked for a while and didn’t speak. Triana watched at Alicia but her face conveyed that she was not yet ready to discuss the last item that Triana had for her. After a mile, Alicia spoke softly. “There was some sort of war in India and China. The reporters were not allowed much access but the photos were awful. The Taj Mahal was destroyed. Did that have anything to do with your world?”
“It did. The people who did that were the same who killed Babel.”
Triana noticed they were walking in a large circle and was pleased when they reached Alicia’s home. Back in the living room, she knew it was time to reveal her secret. “You’re in trouble here.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are those who may come looking for you.”
“Why would they come looking for me? What could I possibly have that they want?”
“They will come for you because you know what I am about to tell you.”
Alicia was surprised. “What could you possibly tell me that would make people come after me?”
Triana paused. “I’m pregnant with your grandson.”
Shock exhibited on Alicia’s face. Then her expression softened and tears came back to her eyes. “My grandson? Babel’s son?”
“Babel’s son.” Triana confirmed. “And that is why you need to come back with me. Babel’s son will someday rule our world. There will be those who will try to use you to get to him. In my world we can protect you.”
Alicia considered Triana’s words and looked at her seriously. “Triana, there is nothing for me here. My son is dead. My nephew Liam and my brother Julius will miss me but they will be fine. Besides, if my grandson is to be raised in the other world, then he will need his grandmother.”
“You’d be willing to leave behind your entire life and go to a place where nothing will make sense to you?”
“My grandson makes sense to me. If you’ll help guide me, I’ll make it just fine. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be the grandmother of the future ruler of the world?”
Triana laughed. “Follow me to the back yard.” Alicia did and there Triana called the portal. Others would see but she didn’t care. “Are you ready to see your new world?” Alicia indicated that she was. They held hands as they walked forward.
Triana was pleased. Once Alicia was in her world, she could give her the same gift that the Keeper had given her. That done, she would program Alicia just as the Keeper had taught her. Alicia would challenge Quentin’s rule and as the wife, mother, and grandmother of a Chokka, she would earn the support of the people. With Triana pulling the strings, the vision of the Keeper – even with his death – would come to fruition with her unborn son.
Triana smiled at Alicia and Alicia smiled back, unknowing of the mind of Triana. Together they walked forward into a new world.
CHAPTER SIXTY
Humanity only has a short shelf-life. Every generation has its issues. This was no different.
No one could really remember what exactly happened. There was no written record. There was only a statue of the founder of their city that reminded them that at one point there had been a beginning.
For years they wandered the city. It was large and despite living their entire lives there, there was much they had not seen.
They came across a part of the city that had been abandoned for many years. Many of the buildings in that area were homes (as the people died, often the homes were just closed up) and as they entered those homes, they saw the interiors just as they were before the inhabitants died.
They moved through the dusty living room of a home that did not stand out in any particular way from the others. In fact, later they would often wonder why they were drawn to that certain home at all.
In the living room, they came upon a large collection of books on a bookshelf. Only one in the group, Soloman, could read.
He scanned the books and found it difficult to distinguish one from another as the dust was thick on their spines. One-by-one, he wiped the dust that covered the titles of the books.
He came upon an atlas of the world and for the first time, they were aware of the fact that there was more to the world than the city. It was almost too much to take in.
They made the decision to occupy the house and moved in all of their belongings. For a week, they cleaned the home, making it their own.
Each day, they would pass the hours with Soloman reading
