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Repairing broken mist bridges, munching on magically-appearing sandwiches, receiving awkward smiley faces in your Tome…
Sed nods along as you tell them about the Hub World, their intelligent eyes attentively following your every word.
“When we leave, can you promise you’ll take care of it, Sed?” You say, then catch yourself; “Or! Um, take care of them? I’m… not really sure, actually.”
You feel your eyes water with tears of gratitude, but readily blink them away. “Thank you, Sed. This… this means a lot to me.”
He smiles as you share a goodbye hug, and then promptly lose each other in a crowd of Chosen, all of who seem to be mimicking the two of you in some way or another: they are making promises, shaking hands, hugging, crying. You feel yourself lost in a sea of goodbyes.
So, you do what you do best: you tinker. You settle away from the crowd and, after a few minutes of scavenging through the broken-down vehicles that litter the landscape, you find enough spare parts to build… something. You’re not quite sure what, at first. It is only by working on your new creation that it takes form, that what you’re doing slowly dawns on you, as well as who it’s for. When you’re done, you take out your Tome, and quickly scribble a message:
Hey Hub World… I’m going to have to go now. For a pretty long time. I don’t know if we will see each other again…
As you are writing this, you see a face begin to appear on your Tome but, this time, it appears to be sad. Your heart breaks a little, and you make sure to finish the rest of your message extra fast:
But don’t be sad! My very good friend Sed is going to take care of you, and make sure you don’t go breaking again! Plus, I’ve made you a good friend too! I call them Crocbot!
You see the sad face quickly shift into a smiley face once more, and you breathe a sigh of relief.
Is there any way I can get Crocbot to you?
For a moment, you receive no answer. Then, in the ground immediately before you, a small Portal opens, white mist floating out of it like smoke from a warm cup of tea. With a smile, you take the mechanical croc you built, and slide it through the Portal. Immediately after, it closes.
“I hope you like it!” You call after the remaining wisps of Hub World mist. Then, your expression turns pensive once more, and your gaze returns to your Tome.
One last thing, Hub World… were you lonely before? Were the Guardians and the Chosen nice to you?
Part of you expects a grand answer, some kind of revelation that explains everything about this entity you’ve only somewhat gotten to know. But instead a bunch of interlocking circles appear in your Tome as a response – and if there is any meaning hidden within them, it totally escapes you. In fact, the more you talk to the Hub World, the more it feels only as sentient as something like the Sea, or Mother Earth. It has taken care of you, yes, but its modes of communication are cryptic, and you are not sure if it quite… understands you? It’s like talking to an unintelligent animal, or a very young child…
A child…
You look up and, in the distance, you see Amelia and Carmen waiting by a portal, smiling and chatting. All your life is behind that Portal, you think. Your friends. Your reptiles. Your children.
You take a deep breath.
It is time to go.
Day 1, Morning: Hi there! I'm trying this out cause… cause Amelia is really busy settling back into our time and I need to sort out my thoughts and feelings. So… yeah! Let's make this a thing!
Day 7, Evening: Well, I don't think I can do this everyday, as you might have guessed by now. But, I think I can write something down every time I can't get it out of my head. This time? The Original Book asking Amelia and I to meet them alone. I still get nightmares. Even though Amelia tries to logic me out of panicking, usually by reminding me that we are home and the Original Book is gone (well… mostly). It is sweet of her, just wish it was so easy to forget parts of our time in the Library…
Day 16, Late afternoon: You know how Carmen came back with us, right? It seemed right to invite her, you know? We had become such good friends while in the Library and she didn't want to go back to her own timeline. Said there wasn't anything left for her there and that she wanted to start a library here! Can you believe it? A real Roman-style library thousands of years in the future?
Sorry, I'm getting off track! I met up with Carmen earlier today and she seems to be adjusting well. She's already picked a spot for her library, designed some base schematics too! I didn't know she could draw so… emotionally? I'm not entirely sure how to describe it…
Other than chatting about Carmen's library-in-progress, we mainly talked about Amelia and I, how Amelia is working on new theorems for the first time in, well, forever, how we might want another kid… then I told Carmen about you!
She thought it was a marvellous idea. Said, the librarians' record from her time had become a precious keepsake of memories and emotions and ideas for her. And that maybe this diary could do the same for me.
I hope she's right.
A beautiful, handwritten card, decorated with a watercolour illustration of a smiling teddy bear holding a bouquet of flowers, arrives in dozens of post boxes around the solar system. It is especially enchanting considering digital cards are SO much more common in this century.
The illustration is paired with the following message:
Tegan and Amelia Keller-Keegan request the honour of your attendance to celebrate the addition of a new member to their family.
Please join us in welcoming baby Rosebud to the world!
RSVP encouraged. Up to two guests allowed. Pets of all kinds welcome, provided they are on an appropriate lead.
If one gives the envelope a little shake, a tiny metal disc slides out. When a slight indent is pressed, a sky-blue hologram bubbles forth depicting a picturesque family: two smiling women, a ten year-old girl, an eight year-old boy, and between them all, swaddled in a lavender blanket, a laughing baby girl with cheeks that somehow look rosy even through the blue sheen of the holo.
Plastered alongside space shuttles are massive, green, orange, and yellow flyers which announce:
GatorAid Conservation Centre Job Opening
Now seeking a junior herpetologist (double pay while employees on maternity or paternity leave)
If you meet all or most of the following requirements, do apply!
We look forward to receiving your application!
A child's drawing of a cheerful caiman waves goodbye as the space shuttle soars past.
