Page 39 of The Space Traveller's Lover
“Remember that late afternoon when we both saw a bright sphere briefly appear over the sea?” she says while standing in front of him and lifting his chin, making him look back at her.
As she speaks to him, Sam starts to realise that she must be, indeed, Erin. He can no longer ignore the unmistakable tone of her voice, her subtle gestures and mannerisms.
She keeps talking as if she hasn’t noticed his trembling lips, his paler complexion, or his drifting gaze.
“You asked me never to tell anyone, to keep it a secret, didn’t you? It was nearly dusk, and the Sun was setting—”
“Enough, Erin, enough! Why did he take you?” He bursts out.
“Calm down. I can explain, but it will take time for you to understand.”
Sam exhales a long, deep resigned breath as he stares at her in utter abdication. “I give up,” he relents, walking sombrely around the room. “Do whatever you want, Erin. Explain everything. I suppose we have all night, so you can tell me all about it. But first, tell me, how did you find me?”
“We can find anyone anywhere on the planet. I followed you closely. I was planning to come to the hearing tomorrow. But I couldn’t wait any longer.”
“How did you get in here?” Sam gulps, his confusion growing by the second.
“Well, I asked them to give me all the security codes and … they duly obliged. The guards will do anything I ask them to,” she replies, a smug grin flashing through her face.
“Oh, really?” Sam retorts in a markedly sarcastic tone. “Then, let’s get out of here right now!”
Erin nods enthusiastically. At least something she said has managed to cheer him up. She opens the door, inviting him to follow her.
They exit the cell, walk down the stairs leading to the main hall, and open the double exit doors without anyone making the slightest attempt to stop them, even when Sam makes funny faces at the guards. They both giggle and jump in joy as they finally run out of the court building.
She continues to guide him through the high-security gates, which she promptly opens on their arrival. Sam suddenly stops at the sight of the large police presence, makeshift campsites, reporters, and onlookers staying outside, waiting for the hearing. He tries to turn around, but Shaillah holds him firmly by the arm.
“They can’t see you. I’m protecting you,” she assures him.
“How?” Sam looks at her open-mouthed, completely baffled.
“Well … Part of my shield is surrounding you, and I am controlling their minds so they can only see or hear what I want them to …”
“Can I learn that trick? That’s why I requested to stay here. I was tired of being hounded by them,” he grumbles.
“Well, they won’t do that from now on.”
Sam smiles gratefully at her. For the first time in a while, he’s feeling relieved, even uplifted.
“Where are we going now?” he impatiently asks as they reach the edge of town.
“You want to know the truth of what happened, my friend. I will show you.”
She finds an isolated spot amidst the grassy hills and sits on the ground, inviting Sam to sit beside her. He follows her command automatically, not even attempting to imagine what will happen next.
He has never felt so intrigued and so bewildered at the same time as he watches a thick gyrating light column starting to form in mid-air.
He continuously rubs his eyes until the pain stops him. Still, he finds himself in the same place, sitting next to Erin, watching the most unbelievable light spectacle.If this isn’t a dream, it must be a life-changing event, he says to himself.
The luminous column gives way to swirling bands of floating particles, spreading far out and gradually forming a sprawling translucent haze, filling the entire space in front of them.
He can see the images starting to build throughout the fluctuating medium, eventually creating an all-pervading intricate hologram.
“I will show you what happened in this time-slice hologram,” she explains, “so you can understand why I’m here at all.”
Her spirited voice vibrates inside his numbed head, making him jump out of his stupor. “Where is all this coming from?” Sam wonders.
Then he notices the gemstones on her belt’s strap, flashing in a nonstop sequence.It must be coming from her belt, he reckons.
