Book 2: Return

Chapter 6

Though Joey had pushed the evening call, Nah seemed in no rush to get back. He called him the moment the reached the outskirts of the city, though not evening at all their reconocanse mission ended early.

"Is what he says true?" Joey asked over the phone, "Nothing to report today?"

"Nothing." Jordan answered flatly, "Will try again tomorrow."

CLICK.

PHone closed, conversation over. The scenery was just as boring on the trip back, more so as the cool blanket of night covered the landscape. AFter their little tussle, Jordan tried to talk to Nah, but she never got an answer. He just kept staring out the window. He isnt even smirking.

Jet black paint had coated the sky. Small specs of stars glistened now and then, but the lack of moonlight was noticed. There was no natural shine anymore in the evening. Whatever darkness midnight brought, remained until the sun peeked around the corner.

Her time all those years ago with Ray had been short. But he had been kind, different. His lackadaisical nature truly showed through with all the experiences he was having. It was outlandish, the situation they had been put in. I wonder if it was for the better we made it through. Zero was right, the suffering.

Each time a star shined brighter she wondered if Ray was up there. Solar flares exploded, and she wondered if Zero had solved another problem. Jordan was small, fragile. Her heart had been hardened this last while, but there was the odd time it was tender. There was the odd time she thought back to when things were simpler, when she thought she knew everything.

"Vast eh." Nah piped up, his eyes were no longer fixed on the sky, "Far more to see without the moon,"

He was right. The galaxies floated across the sky like a streak of celestial paint. Colors could only be guessed, though they looked pink and purple, Jordan knew better. Everytime she looked at the sky she noticed more detail, more stars. Glossing voer familiar constellations in the speckled dome of radiance she always marvelled. This time, she was stuck viewing from behind a car window.

"You ever think about it?" Jordan asked, locking eyes with him, "How we fix this issue?"

"Nah." he answered in typical fashion, " I just keep thinking about the stories I hear."

"Stories?" Jordan said.

"You were there." Nah said, and he leaned in, "When it was destroyed. What was it like? What did you see?"

Jordan swallowed. She could remember Joey's hand closing in on her face, squeezing her temples. And the flash. Even with he eyes shut that white was like nothing she had ever seen, or wished to see. Her temples still ached with the though, her eyes still burned with the memory.

"Nothing," Jordan answered, "Im sure you know how I got these. Happened before it came down, I only woke up after it was done."

"I see." Nah smirked, "Too bad. I guess the only others who would know are hiding or dead."

"Dead?" Jordan said.

"Well Ray and Fredrick." Nah responded, "They went into a portal according to Joey."

ONe thing Jordan can remember is her heart tearing as her water eyes watching them go. Ray being held up by Fredrick as they hobbled as one into that portal. The pain in her chest split her collarbone and exploded up her throat. She had tried to scream. She howled at her weakness, wallowing in a crater of her own shortcoming. John had come to her briefly after before disappearing alongside the rest of the crew.