*****
When Jennifer was young she believed in many things. She used to carry a camera and notebook and her dad’s old tape recorder around with her everywhere in case she encountered a ghost, fairy, monster, alien or escaped cloned dinosaur. She never did, but even though mystical beings and visitors from other worlds seemed unlikely, her life lately had taken a turn for what some might consider strange. As if living in a lighthouse on top of hill miles from the ocean wasn’t strange enough.
As she gazed into the heavens, cool breeze brushing back her hair, at all those distant little points of light, she felt connected to generations millennia past. They had no idea what those points of light were, but like them she saw that it was a universe filled with endless possibilities. She no longer chose which ones she wanted to believe, as to do so would close her mind to the others and to things she had yet to even conceive of.
But now there was choice she had to make. She thought that Lionel was a believer, but he was also an opportunist. What would he do now that he had seen real things that the rest of the world didn’t know about? She didn’t care if he tried to expose Meridiem or Stag Corp, but the rest of them just wanted to be left alone. She felt that too much attention from the rest of the world would make it harder for her to find the truth she was after, and there were Tenley’s needs to consider now too…
“Well then, ladies,” the man in question said as pulled on his cap. “It has been an educational experience but I really must return to my loyal listeners.”
“What will you tell them?” Jennifer asked.
“That is the question, isn’t it?” He sighed. “My integrity as journalist of course demands I tell the truth, of course. Or at least a version of it that’s palatable to my listeners. Why?”
“I’m… a very private person. I appreciate solitude. And Ten… she’s just a girl, and one who’s had enough stress to deal with in her life already.”
Kaya put an arm around him and clarified, “I think what she’s saying is if we get any creepy anorak wearing unshaven pseudo-journalists sniffing around our home, or federal agents who should be more concerned with trafficking and terrorism and things like that, well… we’ll know who’s responsible. And, seeing as how we did save your life and all, it would be real swell if you could return the favor by just leaving us all out of it. ‘Kay?”
“I see,” Lionel said, sagging. “Look… I know what it is my people want to hear. They like to hear about New World Order and alien conspiracies. It gives them the impression that there’s someone or thing actually in control of all this chaos. Some hidden meaning. I fear however that I’m just not intelligent enough to figure out the meaning behind all this.”
Kay and Jen looked at each other and, apparently satisfied, the punk shrugged. “Goodbye, Li. We’ll see you out there.”
He would have just departed then, having doffed his cap, but Sayuri sensed an opportunity and seized it. “Actually, if we are asking for favors, how about an ad spot on your show? A lot of students listen to it, right?”
“Well I don’t really have much to do with that…” he tried to explain.
“I’m sure you could have a word with someone though, right? And I am a big fan!”
“I… suppose…”
They were, more or less, back where they had started the evening, out in the woods by the van. Kaya found her guitar inside and started to strum. It had always calmed her. “So,” she said, “do you trust him?”
“Not one bit,” Jen admitted. “But, sadly for him, I don’t think anyone takes him seriously anyway.”
Kay nodded in agreement. “So… what about this space station thing? It still around?”
Jen kept her eyes on the sky. “Unless something catastrophic has happened, it will come around again soon enough. But,” she sighed and turned to her friend. “I-I didn’t think you were all that interested.”
“What are ya talking about?” Kay laughed. “It’s cool. Must be amazing to look down on the whole world. See the land and oceans all calm and peaceful. No clue about all the madness actually going on down here. It’s just so far away…”
“I guess,” Jen admitted, “I’m just not very good at reading people sometimes.”
“Plus, after being stuck underground with that psycho and all those driffids, I’m willing to give space a chance.”
“Driffids?”
“It’s what I decided to call those things, because they’re part dog, part triffid, obviously. Don’t look like that – it’s no worse than Liger, or Wholphin, or Brony…”
“What’s that one?” Tenley asked suddenly, pointing up at the sky. “Is that a planet?”
“Hmm,” Jen looked, “I think it’s Saturn. God of agriculture, and time, and various other things. One of the harder working gods…”
Ten abruptly interrupted before Jen could give her the same lecture about the Roman pantheon and planets that her mother had delivered to her. “It’s the one with the rings. I want to see the rings.”
“Okay, well… let’s see…”
It was a universe teeming with possibilities and wonder and, who knew? Maybe it was even possible, Jen thought, that her friends would actually be able to learn something after all.
###
About the Author
John Coutelier is the author of the sci-fi adventure mystery ‘Jen Air: The Little Queen’, now an ongoing series that follows the adventures of Jennifer Airhart, her childhood friend and teenage bully Kaya Cade, the fearsome changeling Tenley Tych, and many other friends.
All his life he’s been drawn to mysteries, whether they be the mysteries of science, the paranormal, history or dressage – never been able to figure that one out. He has a very broad range of interests such as art and astronomy, video games and origami. Naturally he has a very strong interest in all things fantasy and science fiction related, whether they be books, films, games, or comic books. He is an avid collector of toys, merchandise and all sorts of tat.
Growing up with shows like Star Trek, Doctor Who and Blakes 7, the other major influences on his work are HG Wells, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams. In fact there are many, many more, such as Clarke, Asimov, Crichton and Carl Sagan… the list is far too long really.
As a young boy, he read a magazine called The Unexplained, and then started a club at school to hunt for ghosts, aliens and bigfoot.
He never found them, but he still has the magazine and the camera and binoculars.
Other books by this author
If you enjoyed this, please consider purchasing my novel, ‘The Little Queen’, and look out for more adventures from me in the future:
Novellas
Jen Air: Springheel
Jen Air: Out There
Jen Air: Frontier of Forever
The Jen Air Series
Jen Air: The Little Queen
Jen Air: Asterion (Coming Soon!)
Connect with John Coutelier
I really appreciate you reading my book! To get in touch with me, I recommend Wordpress or Tumblr below simply because I’m logged into them far more often than the other sites. But on all I will typically make posts about the projects I’m currently working on, as well as reviews and other articles about the things I like (mainly science and fiction). You can also drop me an e-mail if you’d like:
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