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The first flashback scene for Chapter 3. The title of this chapter is Together.
Michelle is very guarded about her past. Of those early years. She only talks about what her life on Earth was like to the people she trusts. And those people are few and far between.
There was a ring of a bell attached to a weathered wooden door, followed by the sounds of footsteps stepping onto the creaky floors inside. A young man causally walked into the dark interior of a small shop.
This shop was a simple book store. This building stood atop a land that was weirdly out of step with the rest of the world, and it wasn't just due to it's antiquity. Security was relaxed and it seemed that there was no way to get here other than by boat – and the 'other way.' Of course.
The old man behind the counter looked up from the book he was reading. His eyes lit up.
"Hello there, lad! May I help you? Make a suggestion for good novelty literature? The book of possibility is open to you, my friend!"
"I suppose it is, sir, but we're fine."
"I see. Our first time in Cornwall, is it?"
"No, sir. Not just me. My friends are visiting."
"Oh, is that so? Where are your friends?"
"I'm not sure. Out and about, I suppose."
"Do tell me! What brings you all here to our bright little spot, lad?”
"We're vacationing for the time being. I go to college overseas and decided this summer to show all my friends around. That's why I'm back. The reason why I'm in Cornwall is a different matter. I'm here to meet a friend of mine whom I'm told is here. She may be staying at her grandmother's cottage."
"Who is this individual that you are looking for?"
"Michelle Auzolle. She's eleven. My family knew her family. I know how ecstatic she'll be when she discovers I came out here just to see her."
The store clerk gave an amused look at the young man.
"Well, the name Michelle doesn't ring a bell, but the name Auzolle does! Old lady Anne-Marie Auzolle lives within a few minutes, walking distance. Angry old loon she is, but nice when she wants to be."
"I am not surprised to hear that. Would you happen to know the way to the cottage by any chance?"
"Indeed. Take the path past this store. Search around the hill for the old Church. Past the Church is a narrow pathway through some dense forest and all that. You'll find old lady Auzolle's cottage at the end of it. You shouldn't miss the pathway by my reckoning."
The young man nodded and began to turn back towards the exit.
"Thank you very much, sir.”
Oh my! The name is Donald Thomson, and it is my pleasure to help my fellow man in any way, shape or form! Didn't catch your name though!"
"Anthony Wellbanks, sir."
"And how old are you, Mr. Wellbanks?"
"Twenty-one. Come to turn twenty-two a month from now."
"Well, Mr. Wellbanks, may the God of this world shine good graces upon your journeys!”
"Yes, sir. You too." Anthony said as he exited the small book shop. Once outside, he took a deep breath. He studied the gloomy sky above.
Old people here on Earth were weird. Some of them were very jubilant to see and talk to younger people. Anthony had no idea why.
Coming back to Earth was jarring. In Nia, everything was vibrant, despite it's ancient backdrops and settings. Here, it was gone, this life and vitality that once made Earth resilient to the declination of numerous events. The 'color' was gone, if that made any sense. It didn’t matter that the floating island sea colonies existed. Even the better parts of Earth were grim and depressing.
That old man back there would have had better business prospects in Nia, thought Anthony. Too bad he was old.
"Hey, Anthony!"
"Oh! There you are, Tweek."
Tweek's real name was Tobias Harrington. He was the same age as Michelle. Tobias originated from New Zealand, but had an accent that was more American than anything else, at least to Anthony's ears.
Tweek treaded over muddy puddles and made his way up to Anthony.
"Haven't seen Michelle anywhere," he stated.
"No matter. I think I know where she is. Where's the others?"
"We broke up. John was behind me a while ago. Don't know where Andrew and Milton are. Probably actin’ like total butts, as usual.”
"What about Ashlin and Duckett?"
"Haven't seen 'em."
Anthony groaned and rolled his eyes. "Go get John. Find the others. Take them down the path that leads past this store and find an old church. I'll be heading off that way."
Tweek darted off as Anthony went the other way, down the muddy, worn pathway trailing northwards. This path trailed around the steep hill that stood high up above the ocean. Along the way, Anthony paused and stared out towards the sea. Several yards down the slope stood a miniature lighthouse upon a small, concrete plateau. Sitting on it's edge were Athena's kids, Ashlin Blithe-Havins and Darren 'Duckett' Wagner. These two were American.
Ashlin was still the new girl. She arrived in Nia quite late for her age. Usually, census commissions would accept those under the age of ten or eleven, but Ashlin was granted citizenship at the ripe age of twelve. That was one year ago. Duckett was close to her. The others were still getting to know Ashlin, given the fact that she had been spending most of her time on Athena's Island.
"What you two doing?" Anthony yelled out as he approached them.
"Resting!" Duckett shouted back as he stood up. "Honestly! We're just going around in circles at this point! No idea where to look!"
"I have a place," said Anthony. He told them about the cottage and the church.
"How was she able to get a return ticket?" asked Duckett. "I thought the rules were set against letting those her age just waltz through gates and all! Gate port authorities dropped the ball on this one."
"I hope she's okay," sighed Ashlin with an expression of concern.
Anthony mumbled angrily to himself. He was biting his lower lip.
"Hey! Anthony!" Ashlin shouted. "Look! I know I'm new to whatever 'family' dynamic y'all got going on here, but this whole GEDR thing you're tryin' to push Michelle into? Probably not her thing! That's my impression! Could be wrong, but I don't know!"
"You know what it was that she tore up?" Anthony vented. "You know what that was? It was construction plans for the upper deck of GEDR's relay ship! The Dearmul layout plans! I've been putting in my contributions on those plans for months!"
"Dude. Seriously. You know what Earth year this is?" scoffed Duckett. "It's twenty forty-seven. We got computers and shit in our heads! Your eyeballs double as frickin' camera's! You should already have digital backups to whatever it was that you were working on!"
"I do have backups! That's not the point!"
"Well, what is it?" Duckett pressed. "Is it GEDR's stuffy, bureaucratic nonsense? They want original blueprints? Is that it? Randel Fulster's not gonna shove a massive dick up ya ass if ya give him copies!"
Anthony threw his hands up. "I am not looking to be the bad guy in this instance," he sighed. "I am not making her career choices for her! Michelle could leave the institution and aspire for her dreams someplace else if she wanted to."
"Does this potential career bullshit have to be put on her shoulders right at this very moment?" asked Duckett. "She's ten or eleven, or something. Just a kid! Ya gotta grow up, like, right now? Don't think I ever did! I don't know what the hell I'm doin' half the time either! Might not freak out like Michelle did, but it's not like I don't get it!"
"Fine! I don't care anymore! You two take her to Athena! I don't have time for this! I have to get back to GEDR in an hour! Athena was the one who tossed that girl over Douglas' way and I'm the one who has to keep up with her! I didn't agree to that! It was Douglas who did, but he's not going to keep up with anything! Athena knows that! You tell her that! Okay? I do not care if Athena gets mad at me! I really don't!"
Anthony was already waking away. Duckett burst out laughing.
"Dude! You're just gonna run off?" he shouted. "We don't even have our return tickets! You got 'em all!"
Anthony groaned loudly as he rushed back to Ashlin and Duckett. He gave them their return tickets.
"You can exit out a gate near Athena's Island," Anthony uttered. "These tickets should be good for it. I'll send Tweek up to you. This is his ticket."
In an instant, Anthony ran off, back the way he came.
"Is Anthony always like this?" Ashlin asked Duckett.
"He means well, but he has things to do. That's how he likes it."
"What you think is going on with Michelle?"
Duckett shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. Probably like you said. Got overwhelmed."
"No, no. I mean... you remember the first time we met her? She wasn't a ball of sunshine and roses even then."
"Ever met an emo goth punk who was?"
"What?" asked Athura, taken aback. "Aren't emo punks supposed to wear black lipstick, pasty white makeup? Black dresses? Have a pierced nose, lower lip? Burn dolls in a fireplace?"
"Michelle's almost at that point already. She may as well."
"Whatever. Be that way – but don't be making fun of her!”
"I wouldn't do that to a lady," Duckett said sarcastically.
"Cause we need to be loving and understanding."
"Don't know about that part, but yeah. Sure. We'll go with that.”
Ashlin shot a disapproving glance at Duckett.
"Hey! I'm supporting the idea!" Duckett retorted, holding his hands up. "I'm just saying! You are more well adapted to these sort of things! Me? Not so much! I am an emotionally dumb, male jack-off, being led around by my dick while ramming head first into brick walls! I am very proficient at that, in case you didn't notice."
"Oh, god! You're sounding like Doug now!" Ashlin laughed. "How can you look at yourself in the mirror?"
"Bro takes the blame! He knows it! He don't care!" Duckett laughed back. "Asshole wastes his life, smoking weed. Cracking terrible jokes. Role model if there ever was one!"
"Makes me wonder why Athena thought passing Michelle onto him was a good idea," Ashlin wondered.
"Eh. She's got her reasons, ya know," Duckett explained. "She act's like some all knowing, great, spiritual oracle! I'm kinda indifferent to all that, but I would like to know why she tends to be sorta... I don't know. Whats-the-word? Bitchy? Yeah. Guess that's the word I'm looking for. She's kind of a snooty bitch.
"Amazed she ever had anything to do with Doug in the first place! Can't see those two in the same room for the life of me! I think Doug was like me back when he and his sister were staying on the island. Shut that stupid mouth of his. Did whatever Athena wanted him to do. That's how he took Michelle in, I suppose. Athena called him up, he fell in line, like a trained circus animal of some sort."
Ashlin let out a long sigh as she glanced around the area. "Anyway, we gonna get going here?"
"Yeah! Might as well. Anthony said to follow the path up the hill. He said something about a church and a pathway to a cottage somewhere near there. Pretty sure that was the gist of it."
"Yep! After you!"
With that, Ashlin and Duckett started up this steep, green hill in search for Michelle Auzolle.
NEXT SCENE (Coming Soon)
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