“They tell me 8 million people used to live in this city,” he said.
“You mean there’s not a parallel version of New York where you’re from? There’s no side-world where, at this very moment, a different version of me is in my old house and my parents are still alive?”
“As far as I know, there are no parallel dimensions. My world is very different from yours. Our technology, in comparison, advanced far more rapidly.”
“So we must be like cavemen to you.”
“No, of course not. It’s just different. Unfortunately your world was an easy target. You were virtually unprotected, but you already know that.” Simon’s voice faltered.
Anna looked down at her dirty hands, lightly clasped together, and, past them, to her rust-colored boots. She knew how she must look to him, how this whole place must look to him.
“You’ve come to tell me this is goodbye.” Anna finally said, looking at him for the first time. “You’re leaving.”
“Not exactly,” he said.
He took the last few steps quickly and sat down beside her. They sat in silence for a moment. Anna could feel his eyes on her. She had the impression that she was being sized up. That there was a lingering question about her, and Simon was here to puzzle out the answer.
“Tell me, what does it feel like to travel through there?” Anna asked, nodding at the hole.
Simon shrugged. “It makes you feel insignificant.” He stopped, and shook his head. “No, that’s wrong. It makes you feel all opened up on the inside. Like the universe might be inside you, or you might be the universe, and then you realize that it doesn’t matter which is which, in the end. You’re just weightless.”
Anna didn’t respond, but instead they both watched the swirling of the rip in the sky.
Simon finally spoke again. “David told me I would find you here. You make him very nervous, you know. It was hard for me to figure out why at first, but then I realized it’s because you understand what’s happened to your world better than he does. Better than most people do, and I think I’ve figured out how. You and I, Anna, are very similar. You’re very brave, but you’re also very clever, which is why I don’t believe this runaway story you’ve concocted.”
Anna sat up straighter, but didn’t respond to the allegation.
“I think you’ve met someone from beyond the rift, and you’re looking for him now. In fact, I believe we’re looking for the same person, or thing, or however you would describe him.”
Anna looked up at the hole-rift-rip-tear and considered what Simon had said. She felt hot all over, and realized that her palms were damp. She wiped them on her pants before responding.
“And how would I have met this person, exactly? This person from beyond the rift.”
Simon leaned in close to her, like he was about to tell her a secret.
“How did he happen to come to the same small town on the same dying planet as you? That part is easy. That part is the simplest to explain. The world is different now. Anything can happen.” He smiled at her then. “You already know what’s coming next.”
Anna shook her head. Her eyes felt strange, though. Hollow and a little dry.
He continued. “We can really help each other out here because, the thing is, I’m looking for him too. I can take you well away from here. The places that are through that hole in the sky.” He pointed up at it for emphasis. “You can explore them with us. You can feel weightless too. All you have to do is help me find the dragon.”
• • •
