This is episode thirty-nine of the novel, From Here To 1137 AD. If you would like to purchase From Here To 1137 AD, it is available on Amazon in Kindle format or paperback.
D
A Day At The Beach
At the back door of Debbie’s home, she met Tom with a quick kiss.
He spoke privately to Debbie’s brother about taking care of the cattle. Her brother agreed.
Tom asked Debbie to climb into the truck and go with him back to his house. As they drove the short distance, Debbie looked perplexed as she stared at Tom’s profile. She sensed something was deeply troubling him. His face blended with the vacant and cold—vacant and cold as the farm fields they drove by.
Tom steered into the driveway and turned off the truck. He turned to Debbie. “Can I trust you with a secret?”
She hesitated and appeared confused. “I feel as if you are about to tell me something that might end our relationship.”
“I told you I love you. That will never change. He gently held her hand. “I will be gone for a while. I’m not sure how long, but I will return.”
“How long?” Debbie asked.
“I don’t know, but I can’t see it lasting more than a few months at the very most.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Debbie said as if she wanted more of an explanation. “But when you mean trust, do you mean me seeing someone else while you are gone?”
“No, I said it was a secret,” Tom said, “but I’ve always lived with the possibility that if you should find someone else—well, we are young and we change.”
“I love you, Tom,” Debbie said. “That will never change.”
“If you should find someone else, you cannot tell that person,” Tom said. “Can you do that? Is that possible?”
“I love you so much that no matter what, I could never betray your trust,” Debbie assured.
Tom grabbed the door handle and cracked the door open. “Come with me. I’m going to show you something that will be hard for you to believe.”
Debbie tossed her head from side to side as if to say, ‘I’m ready for this.’
They walked without a word to the empty cornfield.
Tom stopped and turned Debbie toward the cornfield.
“Pod un-shroud,” Tom said.
The pod appeared.
“Ahh,” Debbie let out an excited scream and lost her breath.
“You’re okay,” Tom said, curling his arm around Debbie.
“Pod, shroud,” Tom said, and the pod disappeared.
“What…?” Debbie said with a combination of fear, excitement, and wonderment. “What is going on? What is that?”
“It’s called a pod,” Tom said.
“Where did it come from?” Debbie stared at the cornfield.
“Several months ago, I was visited by someone from a distant galaxy, and he entrusted the pod to me.”
“We’re not both crazy or hallucinating, are we?” Debbie said.
Tom smiled assuredly at Debbie. “Let’s get out of the cold.”
She turned to start walking back down the lane toward the house.
Tom tugged gently on her arm. “Wait.”
Her brow furled.
“Pod hatch, open,” Toms said, and the pod door opened as if a part of the cornfield.
Tom held Debbie’s hand and led her inside the pod.
Tom felt her hand tremble.
“Pod hatch, close,” Tom said.
Fear spread across Debbie’s face when the hatch closed.
“Let me take your coat,” Tom said. “You’re safe here. In fact, this is the safest place on Earth.”
“No, thank you,” Debbie said. “I’ll keep my coat on.”
Tom gestured with his hand toward the lounge. “Let’s relax over here.”
Debbie cautiously walked into the lounge and sat in a chair. She remained suspicious and nervous.
“This place is just as real as your living room,” Tom said.
“I have to let my thoughts slow down,” Debbie said.
“That’s okay. I had the exact reaction when this was all revealed to me the first time.” Tom paused. “Are you still prepared to keep this secret?”
A sickly smile of resignation fell upon Debbie’s face. “Secret! Who’s going to believe me anyway?”
“That was my feeling also.”
“What is this thing?” Debbie asked and slid her coat off.
“It’s called a pod, but it travels. I’ve been to New York City and San Jose, Costa Rica. I can be any place in the world in a matter of minutes. Soon I will travel beyond this galaxy, through another, and into the next. It will take only a few days.”
“Why are you going to do it?” Debbie said. “Are you being forced?”
“No,” Tom said, “not at all. But it is something very critical.”
Debbie leaned forward and held Tom’s hands. “You were never the one to trivialize anything. It must be important. It must be dangerous too?”
“There’s danger in picking corn. I really believe the danger involved is less than that for me. However, many others are involved and will be affected.”
“I won’t ask you how you can be so sure,” Debbie said. She smiled and relaxed.
“Let me ask you something,” Tom looked into Debbie’s eyes and smiled. “Would you like to go someplace warm?”
“Who wouldn’t?” Debbie said, unsurely.
“Brain,” Tom said.
“Yes,” Brain said.
Debbie jerked.
“That’s an onboard computer that runs this thing,” Tom said. “It’s just a synthesized voice. It’s not a being. Although I do take to him like he’s one.”
Debbie continued to appear confounded.
“Brain, take us to a deserted island in the Pacific. Sandy beaches, swaying palms, clear skies, and warm breezes.”
“Several islands are matching that description,” Brain said.
“The closest will be fine.”
A slight movement of the pod caused Debbie to jerk again.
“We’re okay. We’re airborne. Let’s go forward and take a look at the Earth that few people ever see.”
Tom held Debbie’s hand as they walked to the front of the pod. They sat in two chairs at the control panel. Debbie’s eyes filled with wonderment as she saw the orb of the Earth slowly turn as they sped along at a speed neither of them could comprehend.
“I did not think anything like this was possible except in movies,” Debbie said.
Tom tapped a screen on the control panel. “We should arrive in twenty minutes.”
“How fast are we going?” Debbie said.
Tom tapped another screen. “6,822 miles per hour. That’s almost 9 times the speed of sound.”
“I’m feeling sick,” Debbie said.
“Brain,” Tom said, “what do you suggest?”
“All physical readings point to stress,” Brain said. “Four ounces of Chardonnay will certainly help.”
“Brain, have the replicator prepare four ounces for both of us,” Tom said. He patted Debbie’s hand. “I’ll be right back.”
Tom hurried to the replicator and returned with the glasses of Chardonnay.
“I don’t believe this,” Debbie said and sipped the wine. “This is so good.”
Tom sipped and said, “It’s probably the best. But what do I know?”
They chatted as they sipped the wine.
“I’m feeling better,” Debbie said.
“We’re about there,” Tom said, glancing at one of the screens on the control panel.
There was a slight soft jerk of the pod.
“We have arrived at an uninhabited island,” Brian said.
“Hatch, open,” Tom said.
Tom and Debbie stepped out of the pod. They were greeted by three-foot waves breaking onto a white sandy beach. In both directions, palm trees hung over the beach. The water shimmered in a luscious blue expanse.
They sat down and removed their shoes and socks. Then they strolled hand in hand along the water’s edge.
“Thank you for not keeping this from me,” Debbie said.
“I wanted only to see the expression on your face. This! Look all around, this is how much I love you.”
“I wish we could walk forever like this,” Debbie said.
They walked for a while and returned to the pod. While there, Tom had a meal prepared, and they ate on the beach.
They watched and listened to the waves. They talked about the serious and mundane. They laughed, and they cried.
“We must go back,” Tom said.
“We must,” Debbie agreed with a smile and a kiss.
They flew back to the farm. Tom drove Debbie back to her home. Tom walked Debbie to the back door of her home.
“I’ll see you soon,” Tom said.
They kissed and parted.
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