The Complete Atopia Chronicles

30

Identity: Jimmy Jones



I’D STOLEN OFF to the surface to relax a little and escape the madness of the media. With all the tourists gone, nobody else had come above yet, and the scene at the edge of the beach was quiet.

The sun was setting through low hanging clouds on the horizon, illuminating a beautiful orange and pink sunset. I was sitting by myself under some low hanging palms. A pleasant breeze blew in off the ocean and pelicans swept in on calmly curling waves. What a beautiful way to end the day.

I sighed and felt my mind calm and focus itself. Susie really understood more about the nature of pain and suffering than anyone, and truly wanted to help. I knew she wanted to help me.

I stood, trying to decide whether to walk myself home or let Samson do it and get some work done, when Bob appeared. He was walking along the beach alone, looking slightly dazed.

“Hey Jimmy,” he said as he walked up to greet me.

“Amazing. You saved my life. You saved all our lives.” He shook his head. “It’s crazy, but maybe you saved the whole world.”

He reached out to shake my hand, smiling.

“Thanks Bob,” I replied, watching his hand touch my mine.

“Wasn’t Susie just up here with you?” asked Bob, looking around.

“She was,” I admitted, “but she had to go somewhere.”

Bob shrugged and smiled. He looked off into the sunset and surf to watch some pelicans as they used their ground effect aerodynamics to sweep in ahead of the waves, unseen forces propelling them effortlessly through space.

“Hey Bob, I’ve got a slightly oddball question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“If you had to sacrifice your soul to save someone or something,” I asked, “what would that be for you?”

Bob regarded me quizzically. “Well, for love, for Nancy, I guess.”

I smiled. “That’s nice Bob, I thought the two of you…well, anyway, that’s nice to hear.”

Bob smiled back.

“So, still haven’t taken me up on that surfing lesson, big shot that you are now!”

“Maybe one day soon, Bob,” I said, smiling at him, “maybe we’ll do a lesson one day soon.”

He smiled back.

“See you Bob.”

I turned to walk away.