The Golden Telescope

32 - CONTACT

DUBLIN, IRELAND – PRESENT DAY

"I think it would be a good idea to have the boys join us as we inspect this telescope, don't you think, Bill?" Arthur said, looking across the coffee table.

The two men sat in the library and had been reminiscing over brandy when their attention finally turned to the unusual object.

"Yes," Bill agreed. "I'll just text Bart and save us a trip up those stairs," he laughed and pulled his phone from his pocket.

Why don't you and Jack join us in the library? We want to talk about the telescope.

We'll be right down, came Bart's reply.

It wasn't long before the two men heard laughter and heavy footsteps lumbering down the wide, carpeted staircase, and the boys' smiling faces showed up in the opening to the library.

"Come on in," Arthur instructed when they hesitated at the door. "Have a seat."

Arthur stood and pulled two brocade-covered chairs with carved walnut backs closer to where the two men had been sitting.

The golden telescope was on display in the middle of the coffee table.

"Jack, I regret that I didn't have a chance to ask you about your experience with this thing before you left Portland," he paused and looked at Jack. "I hear you touched the telescope three times, yes?"

Jack shuffled on his seat, bringing his leg under him so he could lean in close to the telescope. "Yes, but I was only transported the first two times."

"It didn't work that third time?"

Jack shook his head, leaning back into his chair. He glanced sideways at Bart before saying, "Yeah, no, it didn't work. I don't know if I put my hands on it the wrong way or what.

Arthur spoke next, "I wonder if it might be a timing issue?" He glanced around the table. "I know that with some magical spells, that's a factor."

"You mean, there might be a time delay or reset element to the thing?" Bill asked. "That's a very distinct possibility..."

They all sat staring at the telescope for a couple of moments, then Bill said:

"Ok, so I'll address the elephant in the room," he turned to look at Jack. "How do you feel about testing it out again now, with all of us here with you?" He asked.

Jack sat there staring at Bill for a minute, then looked at Bart, who shrugged.

"I guess I could do that," he said. "Last time, Bart and I agreed that I would hold it for 30 seconds before he pulled it out of my hands."

Bill nodded. "That sounds like a pretty good plan, but first, I have to ask: Have you noticed any negative effects from these experiences so far? Anything weird going on in your body?"

Jack thought for a moment, jutting out his bottom lip, then shook his head again. "No, it just makes me feel a little dizzy when I come back to reality. I don't think there are any physical risks if that's what you're worried about."

"Ok, great!" Bill said, rubbing his hands together and sitting up straight.

"Would you like to do it now, Master Jack?" Arthur asked.

"Might as well, no time like the present, right?" Jack said, and he stood up, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. "Here goes nothing..."

But as he reached out to grasp the telescope, the surface of the coffee table began to shimmer. Jack jerked his hand back involuntarily, and just under the place where his hand had been, something was materializing:

A parchment scroll with an embossed purple wax seal: EMP

They all stood in silence, staring down at the thing.

"My name is on it," Jack said in a hushed tone.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"Where?" Bill asked, and they all dashed around the coffee table to stand next to Jack.

Sure enough, right there on the front next to the seal was his name: Jack.

"That seal...that is Sir Edwards own seal," Arthur spoke under his breath. "And that is his handwriting. I would know it anywhere."

Jack felt his hands trembling with anticipation, where he held them close to him. "Should I?" he asked, extending his right hand out towards the scroll.

"YES! By all means, yes!" Arthur said, his eyes glistening.

Jack leaned down and lifted the parchment, bringing it close to his face.

"There's a message," Jack started. "'Jack, Use the glasses.'" He looked up at the adults around him. His eyebrows scrunched together, and his eyes were wild with curiosity.

Arthur's face lit up immediately. "Sir Edward's spectacles! Oh, my lord! He wants you to use his reading glasses!"

The butler dashed across the room to the walnut sideboard and opened the top left drawer. Racing back to Jack's side, he attempted to hand the glasses to him.

Jack stepped back. "Uh... I'm not sure..." Jack started apprehensively. "Last time I touched those, they pulled me into another vision." Jack glanced around at the others, a look of trepidation on his face.

"Let's open the scroll first," Bill suggested, "and see what it says on the inside before Jack tries touching those things again."

Arthur nodded, withdrawing the spectacles momentarily.

"That's a great idea," Bart agreed, and they all looked once again at Jack.

Carefully bending the scroll in half, the wax seal cracked and fell away, allowing the parchment to unwind. Jack looked up again, and the others nodded for him to proceed.

As he slowly unrolled the parchment, a look of surprise and confusion spread across his face. Holding it open for the others to see, he looked up, "It's blank," he stated.

"Blank?" Bill reached out to grasp the thing. "May I?"

"Yes, of course," Jack relinquished the scroll to Bill, who took it and sat back down on the loveseat in front of the coffee table.

"Strange," he started, "it seems like this scroll might be spell-crafted," he said, looking up at the others. "As it just so happens, this is an area I might be able to help with."

Bill spread the scroll out on the coffee table as flat as he could, then looked to the boys for assistance, "Could you guys hold the corners flat for me, please?" he asked, and Jack and Bart quickly complied.

Bill closed his eyes with the scroll flat on the table, and, placing his right hand just above its surface, he uttered a command.

Instantly words began to flow across the page, written in an elegant script.

Bill opened his eyes and read the message out-loud;

"Dearest Arthur, Jack, and Bill, I chose to send this message incognito for your safety and security. If you see my words, it means that Bill is with you. Please know that I deliberately sent the glasses so that Jack could use them to make contact with me when the time was right. I will offer further instructions soon. Much love, Grandfather Edward."