Supervoid Sector

Happy Void

Down, down, down, down, down, down, suddenly up, then down again. Will it never come to an end! 'I wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time?' Hedy's surroundings are bright blurry blue now, not a cloud insight, not a bird to see, not a rain drop to feel, not— 

Crunch! Smack! Bump! She's fallen onto a familiar looking house, right on the roof.

"Hedy, get off the roof, you'll hurt yourself!" That sounds suspiciously like her dead father. But he looks different! He is no longer bald, he has thick blonde hair and he's shaved so the mustache is nonexistent. Hedy's mother comes behind him. She looks younger, her face is bare of makeup but she doesn't seem to need any, and instead of the poodle skirt and angora bolero she had before, she now has a beautiful pink dress made of tulips.

"What- who- Where's Isaac?" It seems the only rational thing to ask now.

"He just nipped out to see Olga — that lovely girl. I've dedicated my latest best seller to her, because she's such a good friend... Isaac's boyfriend is a bit jealous — but I keep telling Jan — Issy only has eyes for him. And I'll dedicate the next book I publish to him."

The name Jan rings a bell in Hedy's head. Didn't Jan used to play with Isaac when they were kids? But then they fell out when they were in high school and Jan had to move to a different neighborhood and new school.

"Jan still lives here?"

"Yes just down the corner. He's so perfect for Isaac. I keep telling them to get a move on and get married already."

Dad smiles too at this.

"I volunteered to be best man, even though it's a best friend's job. I'd love to throw flowers around. Just like confetti, eh?"

"Dad you're allergic to flowers."

"Don't be silly Hedy, I am an irrigation technician."

"A what?"

"Haha very funny. You used to help me water the flowers. I think you've been on that roof too long Hedy. I'll help you get down. Where's my step ladder?"

At that moment Hedy sees Isaac falling from the sky - Boom! - right on the raised edge of the steps leading up to the front door.

He shakes his head, looks around and stops when he sees his parents. 

"Isaac you're back already. How was it at Janny's? Did you plan a wedding date?" Helle fires question after question and Isaac just stares mutely. He looks up and sees Hedy. 

"HEDY?? WHERE THE HELL ARE WE?"

"I think... I think we might be in the happy void the government was talking about."

Isaac's face suddenly breaks into a smile.

"So... we're stuck here forever. And we never have to go back to our old lives."

Hedy smiles at this too and as her Dad is helping her down, she suddenly hugs him hard, almost toppling them both over.

"Yes, we're stuck like magic glue."