Above the Vaulted Sky - Page 77

                ‘I wish we could know more about it,’ I say. ‘Do you know anyone who does?’

                ‘Not that I’ve come across,’ she says. ‘People just seem happy with the freedom. Maybe that was the problem with the living world? We were too busy labelling everything and finding out the tiniest details to remember what’s important.’

                I fight with the possibility. I’ve lived my life labelling things; placing the things that interested me most on a shelf in my mind in carefully marked jars so I could access them when I needed them. Is freedom from that a good thing? I can’t believe that the likes of Newton, Einstein and Darwin, great scientific minds simply died and gave up their life’s work. Where are they now though?

                ‘Here,’ Elle says, reaching into a pocket on her dress. She draws out a notebook and pen. ‘I write great 10 word epics of fiction in my spare time, tell Graham what’s going on.’

                I look down and realise that my friend looks an uncomfortable combination of ill and confused. His revelation of only minutes ago now still resonates in my ears. He loves me. But he never even gave any indication that he was gay, let alone in love with me. I suppose his perpetual lack of a girlfriend was a slight clue, although lack of girlfriend by no means confirms being gay.

                I explained briefly what happened in Rome back in Mecca for nerds. Quickly, I write on the note-paper.

                ‘We’re still here. Starbright Man must have followed us. We need to find how he did that to himself.’

                ‘How did you do that?’ he asks. ‘It felt like…well I don’t know what it felt like. Easton, about what I said…’

                I hastily scribble on the paper. ‘Don’t worry about it, you had to tell me. I wish I could say more.’

                He nods his head. ‘I always knew you loved Penny and there was no hope, but you don’t really get that kind of second chance,’ he says. ‘After people die.’

                I nod, then realise he can’t see me. ‘Let’s find out what happened to him, then maybe we can talk in person.’

                He nods himself. ‘Where to next? And why did he follow us?’

                I turn to Elle. ‘Good question. Do you think there’s any chance he wants our help?’

                ‘Oh yeah, the exploding comics looked like a cry for help,’ she scoffs.

                ‘Maybe he can’t help it?’ I say.

                ‘Oh Easton,’ she sighs. ‘Why do you always sympathise with the people who try to kill us?’