31
Identity: Jimmy Scadden
I’d stolen off to the surface to relax a little, to try to escape the madness of the world media. Surface access had only just been reopened, and with all the tourists gone, nobody else had come above yet. The beach was quiet.
The sun was setting through low-hanging clouds on the horizon, lighting them up in glowing oranges and pinks. I sat by myself under some squat palms. A pleasant breeze blew in off the ocean, and pelicans swept in on curling waves. I sighed, feeling my mind calm and focus itself. Susie understood more about the nature of pain and suffering than anyone, even me, and she was truly helping me. I’d never felt better.
What a beautiful way to end the day.
After I’d been staring at the waves for a few minutes, Bob appeared from the forest to my left, his projection walking along the beach, alone, deep in thought. He nearly went right past before he spotted me and stopped.
“Jimmy. Unbelievable. You saved us—maybe you saved the whole world.”
Bob reached out to shake my hand, and I took his in mine and held it.
“Wasn’t Susie just up here with you?” he asked, looking around.
“She was, but she had to go somewhere.”
Bob smiled. He looked into the sunset, watching a few pelicans as they used their ground-effect aerodynamics to sweep in ahead of the waves, unseen forces propelling them effortlessly through space.
“Bob, I’ve got a slightly oddball question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“If you had to sacrifice your soul to save someone or something, what would that be for you?”
Bob looked at me quizzically. “Well, for love—for Nancy, I guess.”
“That’s what I thought…well, anyway, that’s nice to hear.”
“Still going to take me up on that surfing lesson, big shot that you are now?”
“Sure, maybe we’ll do a lesson soon.” I let go of his hand. “See you later.”
32
Identity: Bobby Baxter
“See you later, Jimmy.”
I stood fixed, still feeling the warmth of Jimmy’s hand as I watched him step away, but he stopped and turned to look at me. Something was weighing on his mind.
“You were the only person who was ever nice to me,” he said after a pause. “I really appreciated that.”
“I love you, Jim,” I said simply. “We’re brothers, aren’t we? I’ll always stick up for you, no matter what.”
“You really mean that?” Jimmy looked like he was about to cry.
“Of course.”
He looked uncertain. “I think you and your friends should leave Atopia.”
In my whole life nobody had ever mentioned leaving Atopia for anything. Now two people on the same day? A sense of dread filled me.
“Why?”
Jimmy pressed his lips tightly together. “I’m just saying, I think it might be a good idea, and the sooner, the better.”
With that, he turned away and walked into the darkness.