Jen Air: Out There, Epilogue

Part One … Part Two … Part Three … Part Four … Part Five … Part Six … Part Seven

The final little part of this.  I’ll possibly make a few little revisions and then upload the whole thing to Kindle and give it away for free as much as possible.  After this, as I’m working on the next proper novel, I’ll also be writing several actual short stories, short shorts, which I’ll post on here and on the website.  Little sketches, vignettes, and more character stuff delving into their lives and pasts.  But first, this:

Jen Air: Out There, Epilogue

When Jennifer was young she believed in many things.  She used to carry a camera and notebook and her dad’s old tape recorder around with her everywhere in case she encountered a ghost, fairy, monster, alien or escaped cloned dinosaur.  She never did, but even though mystical beings and visitors from other worlds seemed unlikely at this point her life lately had taken a turn for what some might consider strange.

As she gazed into the heavens, all those she felt connected to generations millennia past.  They had no idea what those points of light were, but like them she saw that it was a universe filled with possibilities.  She no longer chose which ones she wanted to believe as to do so would close her mind to the others and to things she had yet to even conceive of.  She wanted to believe that Lionel was a good a person and could be trusted, but while she felt that he really didn’t mean anyone any harm, she knew it was a very likely possibility he would use what he had seen to advance his own agenda and belief regardless of how that impacted anyone else.

“Well then, ladies,” he said as put on his cap, “it has been an educational experience but I really must return to my loyal listeners.”

“What will you tell them?” The blonde asked.

“The truth, of course.  Or a version of it.  Why?”

“I’m… a very private person.  I appreciate solitude.  And Ten… she’s just a girl, and one who’s had enough stress in her life already.”

Kay put an arm around him and clarified, “I think what she’s saying is if we get any creepy anorak wearing unshaven pseudo-journalists sniffing around our home, or federal agents who should be more concerned with trafficking and terrorism and things like that, well… we’ll know who’s responsible.  So, seeing as how we did save your life and all it would be real swell if you could return the favour by just leaving us all out of it.”

“I see,” Lionel said, sagging.  “Look… I know what it is my people want to believe.  New World Order and alien conspiracies.  Magic, monsters, the afterlife… I feed them all of that.  But little girls with super powers?  That isn’t something I serve.  It’s a bit too surreal.”

Kay and Jen looked at each other and, apparently satisfied, the punk shrugged.  “Goodbye, Li.  We’ll see you out there.”

He would have just departed then, but Sayuri sensed an opportunity and seized it.  “Actually, if we are asking for favours, how about an ad spot on your show?  A lot of students listen to it, right?”

“Well I don’t really have much to do with that…” he tried to explain.

“I’m sure you could have a word with someone though, right?”

“I… suppose…”

They were, more or less, back where they had started the evening, out in the woods by the van.  Kaya found her guitar and started to strum it had always seemed to relax her.  “So,” she said, “what about this space station thing?  It still around?”

Jen kept looking up.  “Unless catastrophic has happened, it will orbit above us again soon.  But I didn’t think you were all that interested.”

“Nah, it’s cool.  Space is cool.  Better than being trapped underground with a psycho and driffids anyway.”

“Driffids?”

“It’s what I decided to call those things, because they’re part dog, part triffid.  Don’t look like that – it’s no worse than Liger, or Wholphin, or Brony…”

“What’s that one?” Tenley asked suddenly, pointing up at the sky.  “Is that a planet?”

“Hmm,” Jen looked, “I think it’s Saturn.  God of agriculture, and time, and various other things.  One of the harder working gods…”

Ten abruptly interrupted, “It’s the one with the rings.  I want to see the rings.”

“Okay, well… let’s see…”

It was a universe teeming with possibilities and, who knew, maybe it was even possible her friends would actually be able to learn something.