Under the Oak, page 31
part #3 of Interloper Trilogy Series
“Incredible feat of engineering,” says Bear. “May and I have been going over how they were built. Fascinating stuff.”
Bear looks back down at his writing as everybody else falls into idle conversation about what to make for dinner. He has been collating his findings, theories, and anything else to do with the phenomenon since his experience with it. His dreams have been strange but peaceful ever since – and his perception of the world has regressed back to a sharp, solid and real vision. No extra universes between anything. Glass has been a great help, giving him somebody to compare his experiences too.
He'd like to interview the southern survivors one day, too, but he puts it on his list of things to do in the future. They have time.
For the time being, Bear is spending his days reading and writing about their experiences, helping with the technology and science of the old pre-cataclysm world whenever they encounter it, and standing proudly by Bee as she leads the first expedition to find other survivors from across the world, wherever May sees them from her satellites.
Bear leaves them to chat, and squeezes Bee's shoulder as he retires to their room, setting himself up with his notes and some old books they found in the ruins of London.
“May?” he asks, once the door is closed.
“Hello dearest, what can I do?”
“Play it again for me, will you?”
“Again?” she giggles.
“I just like hearing it.”
“As you wish, my dear...”
May activates the vocal recording that is being broadcast from Union, from the most powerful transmitter that they could build. It is being bounced, he has told Bee, around the world at close to light speed, hitting the atmosphere and finding its way to the other side of the globe. Almost anybody on earth will be able to hear it at some point.
“This is Captain Beatrice Thomas,” says her recorded voice, “leader of the Interloper Initiative. Times have been hard on us all, but the strange phenomenon that has plagued us is gone. If you are out there; if you can hear this, then wait till dark and turn on the lights. We'll see you. I promise. And no matter how long it takes, we will find you. Just hold on. Wherever you are; we're on our way.”
Bear smiles every time he hears it.
The cavalry is coming – this time, for everybody.
The End
Steven William Hannah, Under the Oak
