out for someone to help me once again. But the words never left my mouth. Please help me! The plea echoed within the confines of my own mind. Christian, I’m in San Francisco. Please … help … My head fell forward. Please … I could no longer form words, even in my thoughts.
I felt myself lifted onto a table, felt a bright point of pain as someone inserted a needle into the top of one hand.
And then I felt nothing.
***
A single bright light.
The sensation of my eyelid being lifted by someone not myself.
Lord, have mercy.
The words echoed in my head.
Was I at midnight mass with my abuelita ? I felt so sleepy. I snuggled into her fur coat as the priest spoke the words of the Christmas Eve mass.
Christ, have mercy.
The priest sounded so young. I tried to raise my eyes to see what he looked like. Was my abuelita’s priest young? But I was too tired. And my grandma’s coat felt so warm and snuggly. I buried my face in the dark of her mink.
Lord, have mercy. I mumbled the words with the priest, with my abuelita .
***
Voices.
I heard someone speaking. Mass must have ended. I didn’t want to get up. I wanted to remain sleeping on the pew.
“ Er ist da. Und zwar jetzt !”
I knew the words. German words. They meant: He’s here! Now!
Silence. Peace.
Then more words. In English.
“Greetings, Father.” (I knew that voice …)
“You were successful, then, in persuading her?” (A different voice, one that sounded remote, as if it came from a TV.)
“Ah.” (The voice of … who? I knew him …) “Here, you can just see our harvest … we were fortunate in our timing.”
“Don’t leave it there, fools!” (The TV voice was angry.) “Place it in the stasis chamber at once!”
The sound of several feet, all leaving me. Suddenly I felt alone and afraid. I wasn’t in the pew beside my abuelita . Where was I?
Don’t leave me alone! My heart cried out to the silence. Have Mercy. I murmured the words of the mass. I wanted my abuelita back again. Where was I?
Samantha! The voice spoke in the merest whisper. I’m here. You’re safe.
I smiled. I whispered the familiar words of the mass with my grandmother. And grant us salvation. I relaxed again. My abuelita smiled, squeezed one of my praying hands with her own. Her hand felt so cold, so icy, but then I felt her arms about me and the embrace spread warmth to the core of my being.
Abruptly, a fog that had cloaked my mind lifted, and my brain functioned normally once more. My eyes darted up and down, looking for my body. It had vanished.
Sam, do you hear me?
I heard Christian’s voice, strong within my mind.
I’m right here. I’m awake. How did you wake me up?
You were under an ether of some kind. Now that you are insubstantial, it no longer affects your mind.
I had strange dreams, I said.
I thank God that you’re alright, Mademoiselle Sam!
I looked around, searching for the voices I’d heard or imagined. I saw a computer screen with the face of Helmann upon it. His appearance matched what I’d seen on the Brave New World video—the one where he described the elimination of billions. This didn’t look like a video, though. It looked live; Helmann appeared to be waiting for someone with whom to speak.
Skype , I thought. I heard voices down the hall as well, and Helmann looked up, alert for the reappearance of Hans or someone else. The thought of Helmann, out of my reach on some other part of the planet, sent anger pulsing through me.
All will be well, now, Mademoiselle, said Christian .
Bits of overheard conversations came back to me along with the memory of what had been done to me.
No! I called out to Christian. All will not be well. They’ve taken something from me. I want it back!
I felt motion as Christian pulled us away from the center of the room and into the wall. It was a smart move—our icy forms would be a dead giveaway to a chameleon like Hans.
Sam, we must return to safety, said Christian.
Wait! I cried.
A man
I felt myself lifted onto a table, felt a bright point of pain as someone inserted a needle into the top of one hand.
And then I felt nothing.
***
A single bright light.
The sensation of my eyelid being lifted by someone not myself.
Lord, have mercy.
The words echoed in my head.
Was I at midnight mass with my abuelita ? I felt so sleepy. I snuggled into her fur coat as the priest spoke the words of the Christmas Eve mass.
Christ, have mercy.
The priest sounded so young. I tried to raise my eyes to see what he looked like. Was my abuelita’s priest young? But I was too tired. And my grandma’s coat felt so warm and snuggly. I buried my face in the dark of her mink.
Lord, have mercy. I mumbled the words with the priest, with my abuelita .
***
Voices.
I heard someone speaking. Mass must have ended. I didn’t want to get up. I wanted to remain sleeping on the pew.
“ Er ist da. Und zwar jetzt !”
I knew the words. German words. They meant: He’s here! Now!
Silence. Peace.
Then more words. In English.
“Greetings, Father.” (I knew that voice …)
“You were successful, then, in persuading her?” (A different voice, one that sounded remote, as if it came from a TV.)
“Ah.” (The voice of … who? I knew him …) “Here, you can just see our harvest … we were fortunate in our timing.”
“Don’t leave it there, fools!” (The TV voice was angry.) “Place it in the stasis chamber at once!”
The sound of several feet, all leaving me. Suddenly I felt alone and afraid. I wasn’t in the pew beside my abuelita . Where was I?
Don’t leave me alone! My heart cried out to the silence. Have Mercy. I murmured the words of the mass. I wanted my abuelita back again. Where was I?
Samantha! The voice spoke in the merest whisper. I’m here. You’re safe.
I smiled. I whispered the familiar words of the mass with my grandmother. And grant us salvation. I relaxed again. My abuelita smiled, squeezed one of my praying hands with her own. Her hand felt so cold, so icy, but then I felt her arms about me and the embrace spread warmth to the core of my being.
Abruptly, a fog that had cloaked my mind lifted, and my brain functioned normally once more. My eyes darted up and down, looking for my body. It had vanished.
Sam, do you hear me?
I heard Christian’s voice, strong within my mind.
I’m right here. I’m awake. How did you wake me up?
You were under an ether of some kind. Now that you are insubstantial, it no longer affects your mind.
I had strange dreams, I said.
I thank God that you’re alright, Mademoiselle Sam!
I looked around, searching for the voices I’d heard or imagined. I saw a computer screen with the face of Helmann upon it. His appearance matched what I’d seen on the Brave New World video—the one where he described the elimination of billions. This didn’t look like a video, though. It looked live; Helmann appeared to be waiting for someone with whom to speak.
Skype , I thought. I heard voices down the hall as well, and Helmann looked up, alert for the reappearance of Hans or someone else. The thought of Helmann, out of my reach on some other part of the planet, sent anger pulsing through me.
All will be well, now, Mademoiselle, said Christian .
Bits of overheard conversations came back to me along with the memory of what had been done to me.
No! I called out to Christian. All will not be well. They’ve taken something from me. I want it back!
I felt motion as Christian pulled us away from the center of the room and into the wall. It was a smart move—our icy forms would be a dead giveaway to a chameleon like Hans.
Sam, we must return to safety, said Christian.
Wait! I cried.
A man
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