Thy Eternal Summer (6/15)

Chapter Three1

The week started out well enough. There was news of an earthquake or hurricane or something down south, but who cared? Those people could take care of themselves, and if they couldn't, the government would. Most importantly, there wasn't here.2

It was the President's Day pageant on Monday, and kids from the younger grades dramatized the more important aspects of the lives of various presidents, especially the first couple. They performed to general catcalls from their audience, boos and jeers and occasional thrown objects. They ignored it, or shouted back or gave back fingers. The thing was the annual debacle it always was. Jack and Ava spent it making out.3

Wednesday, the lights in school died. They just suddenly cut out, and all was plunged into blackness, though not really, because there were windows enough to see by. The lights weren't the only things that went; all the consoles, teacher's boards, any visual aids—all went down. There was barely enough light to stumble through the hallways and into the theatres. The finding of chairs was much as it had been during the drill, except this time Jack and Ava were clinging to each other. An authoritative male voice—maybe the principal—declared that competent crews were working on the problem, and it shouldn't be too much longer before things were back up and running. Just sit tight.4

They were there for over two hours, but this time Ava was next to him, so Jack didn't care. They were blissfully unaware of anything but each other, until the lights came back on.5

The principal was on stage again. “Thank you for your patience, boys and girls,” he said. “This has been a temporary inconvenience, and we hope it will not happen again. You may return to your classes now.”6

“Something's going on,” said Jack, as he and Ava navigated the surging crowd. “This has never happened before. My parents don't remember drills like this, much less this actually happening.”7

“Yeah,” said Ava, trying to think hard about it. “But... you know, they won't tell us anything. And if they did, we couldn't do anything about it. So why think about it?”8

Jack was going to answer, but they were at the doorway and had to part. He kissed her, and they turned opposite directions down the hallway.9

They spent the afternoon in the library. Lydia joined them a little late, and there were tears in her eyes. “Chris dumped me,” she said, and started to cry. Ava took her in her arms and hugged her, and let her cry. Jack stood by awkwardly, watching and trying not to watch. They read Romeo and Juliet, between the three of them, and that seemed to help a little. Miss Prism hovered as usual. There was a more than usually worried look on her face but she was silent. 10

Thursday morning, the men in business suits reappeared. They marched into Jack's math class, took him by the shoulder, and led him from the room. He was silent as he was marched through the hallways, deciding that whatever was in store for him, it would do no good to question or to protest.11

He was led to what used to be Dr. Spock's office. Spock's nameplate had been torn out, and there was nothing in its place save a discolored strip of wall. The security guards were gone; the government officers opened the door.12

Sitting behind the desk now was a small, wiry man, at least as old as Spock had been but he looked older. His hair was gray, and he had a small pointed goatee that was also gray and wiry. He turned to view Jack from mousy eyes that seemed to focus on a very small part of his face, perhaps in an attempt to see through it and detect Jack's oral hygiene habits.13

“You,” he said. “Son, you displaced our old psychiatrist, so it seems rather fitting that I am the one to take you down. Rather... poetic justice, wouldn't you say?” he smiled and laughed, but there was no sparkle in the smile, no joy in the laughter.14

Jack didn't respond. He simply stood and gazed at the man, and tried to both work out and conceal the shock and bewilderment he felt.15

“Ah, we have the last member of our little party,” said the new doctor, gazing over Jack's shoulder as the door opened again.16

Jack turned. One of the government officers escorted Ava in, and closed the door. She met Jack's eyes, then looked at the ground. They had her stand in a corner, Jack in the middle of the room.17

“The reason you are here,” said the small man without preamble, “is because we have discovered disturbing trends in your personal behavior. You are in grave danger of becoming someone you will not like, someone who is harmful to his family, his girlfriend, his home, his very society. But enough of this. We must move to the evidence.18

“You have, first of all, some connection to the group colloquially known as the Fishes, an illegal and outlawed organization that promotes superstition, hatred, and destruction.”19

Jack broke in, because he couldn't stand it any longer. “I was set up! Framed! It was proven!”20

“Ah,” said the psychiatrist, “In the one instance you speak of, yes, you were. Proven not guilty, at least. An unfortunate incident... but never mind. That is not the connection I speak of. First of all, we have sworn testimony from Mr. Cullman that you sold him certain artifacts associated with the Fishes; that these artifacts were greatly damaged, as from much use; and that further you were unwilling to reveal the true source from which you got them. All of which leads to this theory: a fish, in great financial hardship, might easily sell some of the artifacts that were of least use to him, if it would save him from bankruptcy.21

“Furthermore, we have a great amount of testimony that you were seen associating with two known fishes, by the names of Chris and Lydia.” Jack and Ava both gasped at this. “You didn't know? Ah well. We got the leader in that pair, the boy, last night. The girl will go away yet today. As you know, or should, these things are right and necessary to keeping an ordered society.”22

He looked between the two of them, as if daring them to contradict him, but neither did. He continued. “But this is marginal stuff, not the great offenses that will get you brought here so dramatically. I need hardly tell you what you have done: you know already. But to confirm that I am indeed talking about what you think I am, I will say one word: library.”23

Jack and Ava both tried to conceal their reactions. Both succeeded in not making a sound; neither were able to keep their faces entirely blank. The psychiatrist smiled.24

“I thought as much,” he said. “I also know the next thing you will say: that I have no proof. But if you say this, you underestimate me again.” Jack barely resisted asking when they had underestimated him the first time. “We have all the proof we need. Enter, our witness.” He gestured at the door. The two government officers opened it, and a third walked in, gripping an old woman by the arm: Miss Prism.25

She looked more miserable than she ever had. Every line on her face was pointed downward, dripping with sorrow. It made Jack sad to see her, and he lost all of his initial anger at seeing her on the other side.26

The psychiatrist opened his mouth, but Jack interrupted. “Don't bring her into this, you bastard. She wasn't to blame. I strutted and threatened and scared her into keeping quiet. I'll confess to whatever you want, but keep her out of this.”27

The psychiatrist looked from Jack to Ava to the librarian, and nodded. The officer escorted her from the room. 28

The psychiatrist shuffled some papers, peered up, looking between Jack and Ava. “Now,” he said. “You two seem to be equally culpable. But there is always, we find, a ring leader, even in pairs. Someone who influences the others, or other, to their deviant behavior. So we must look more deeply.29

“A few weeks ago, when you two first came to our attention—you both remember; you were brought in for truancy. Ava behaved properly when she was analyzed: she accepted the analysis of someone who knew more about her than she did. Jack, however...”30

He pointed at the wall behind his chair. Below the bookshelf was a console screen, the kind you couldn't detect until it was turned on. A familiar yet strange sound met Jack's ears. He realized the view was this room, from above; the voice was his, the fuzzy occupants of the room seen through the security camera himself and Dr. Spock. It was his tirade, before he was escorted from the room. Jack hung his head.31

The current psychiatrist turned the screen off and turned back to face them. “Obviously, this must have been building up for some time before this incident. So we have determined that Jack is the ringleader.” He fixed Jack with a gaze from his narrow black eyes that made Jack cold to the very core of his being. “Now, there will be no protesting, no angry ranting, no opinions heard. My decisions here are final.32

“Jack, you will be taken this afternoon to be corrected. There is a correctional camp about a thousand miles south. It sounds bad for you, having never been away from home, but it isn't a bad trip. You're old enough that, though young, you will be able to enter a university of your choice upon graduating correction training. Since it will be paid for by the government, you will be able to go to an excellent school, and get an excellent job in one of our major cities.”33

He watched Jack a moment. Jack had to admit, inwardly, that the opportunities didn't come in much prettier packages. Then, Pandora's box was a pretty package.34

“I can see you're considering it,” said the psychiatrist. “It's not so bad, once you think of it. A life of privilege, laid out like a road before you, and all you have to do is take the first step?”35

Jack looked at the man, at the beady eyes gleaming as they lured the foolish boy into a web of dependence and suspension of thought; the world's web of slavery. Suddenly, he hated this man, this small acquiescing slave to the government. He hated him for his surrender, for the conscious choice he must have once made to give up his life, his being, his very soul for the prospect of luxury and security and the lovely lazy feeling of having no choice.36

The psychiatrist smiled, like a cold wind sweeping across his face and chilling the room. “I see your heart harden, my son. Very well. We will have you, one way or another.”37

“Liar,” said Jack, very quietly.38

The psychiatrist paused, his mouth open. “What did you say to me?”39

“You're a liar,” said Jack. “You may take me, you may subject me to what you wish. But you will never have me, you will never own me, I will never be your chattel or your serf or your slave. The only thing you can have of mine is my life, and that is something I hold loosely and that holds me loosely at best. Take it from me; you but set me free.”40

The psychiatrist moved close to Jack's face. He had an impression of Lucifer bound in the lowest ring of Hell with Judas and the two other great sinners, but he did not flinch or look away.41

“You will return to your class now. You will see what happens to those who think as you do. After lunch, we will take you away and you will not come back. Your girlfriend will spend a month in suspension, performing community service. You will not see her again, at least not for several years.” 42

The officers each took one of them. The second period had come and gone, but the officers seemed to know where they were going. Jack took his seat in his chemistry class. Everybody's eyes were fixed on the giant console at the front of the classroom.43

The people on screen were news anchors; Jack recognized them from his current events class last year. Certain professionals whose jobs it was to keep up with world events watched the news channels. Others could too, but what was the point?44

“We have been asked to cover this event specially,” said the woman, stiff as a board. Her face bore no expression; nothing moved save her mouth. “For years, we have still had a two party system. The electors who elect the electors insisted on this; we have given in. The complicated process meant that certain voices, dissident to the common government, were allowed seats in congress. But today, the majority has finally acted on the will of the people, and passed a law making such dissidence a capital offense. The dissidents have risen in mass protest, and walked out of congress.”45

The screen showed a line of people, very well dressed, standing straight and proud before a large white building. Opposite them, perhaps a hundred yards away, was a regiment of soldiers.46

“The army, at the beck of the government, which is at the beck of the people, has been called in to punish these dissidents—legally.” The soldiers aimed, and a loud reverb echoed through the square and through the room. The dissidents crumpled and fell, their bright red blood staining the white stone.47

Jack watched, his mouth open. He looked down to see Cody, a fellow student who Jack knew was a Fish. “Our world just ended,” Cody mouthed.48

Jack nodded, and the first inexplicable tears coursed down his cheeks.49

Ava went down to the library that afternoon. They had taken Jack home after school; he had an hour to say goodbye to his family, pack a few things, and go with the government officers. They stayed with him all day, so he wasn't able to talk to Ava, to say goodbye. 50

That evening she went down to the library. Miss Prism was there, of course, but there were no government agents. Ava had expected to feel revulsion, anger, rage when she saw the old woman. But all she felt was sadness. Miss Prism's face reflected her feeling.51

“I'm never going to see him again, am I?” said Ava, resting her forehead on the librarian's desk. She suddenly wondered how the government bastards had known to question Miss Prism; she supposed it didn't really matter. 52

“No, probably not, dear,” said Miss Prism, and her voice was awash in sadness. “And that seems to me the greatest tragedy, in a day of great tragedies.”53

“Do you ever...” Ava stared, then shook her head, the rough grain of the desk rubbing against her cheek. “No, it's stupid.”54

“What, dear?” said Miss Prism, gently.55

“Well, do you ever get the impression that there's a whole... I don't know, a cacophony of events, swirling around in the world outside of you, and you're never aware of any of them save a very few, and even that's all fragments and hints and wasted time? The idea that this whole place, this whole world, could come crashing down around you without warning, and you wouldn't know a thing about it till after it happened?”56

Miss Prism smiled sedately. “That, my dear, is simply what it means to be human.”57

She took it out from behind her desk again—the Book, the sharpest poison in this whole poisonous building. She opened it, and handed it to Ava. “Read.” 58

Ava started to turn away, but Miss Prism said, “No, dear. Read so I may hear too. It is right, this day, I think.”59

Ava nodded, cleared her throat. “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 60

“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”61

Miss Prism closed her eyes, and breathed in deeply. It was as if Ava's haltingly spoken words were a kind of incense, hanging in the air to be breathed in to purify the lungs. “Enough of that, child,” she said. She took something else out from under her desk, an envelope. “Go off by yourself now, and read this.”62

Ava gave back the Book, and took the envelope. She had an idea what was inside it. She sat at the corner table, and opened it. Inside was a single sheet, covered in small, spidery writing. It began,63

My dear Ava,64

If you are reading this, it is at a time when you will want no words of encouragement, because none offered would do for you any good. So I will eschew them, and say simply that I hope you are sitting comfortably at our table in the library, where we discovered the star-crossed lovers, swam the seas, climbed the mountains and flew through the skies and attended Hogwarts and discovered Neverland. I hope Miss Prism is still there, and that she is watching over you as she ever watched over us. It is where I am writing this letter.65

I have probably been taken from you, if you have been given this. But I tell you, it is not forever, no matter what the manner of my leaving. It is not forever, my love. Yes, I dare to call you as Romeo called his Juliet, Troilus his Cressida, and as Hamlet so desired to call his sweet Ophelia. But there will be no daggers for us, my love, no destruction, no drowning in rivers or poison tipped swords. For our love is true, and love is stronger than distance, stronger even than death. Even if you read this and stare at my bespattered corpse, our partition lasts but a little while. You must live as strongly as you can, knowing in the end that you will return to me.66

There are some truths that you need to know, truths that, given the chance, I will tell you in person some day.67

I have been a frequenter of the library for years, more years than you have known me. My story about “Anabelle Lee” is only partially true; though I'm sure your father acted exactly as Miss Prism would have done.68

Your father? Yes. Your father.69

When I was fourteen, I was more philosophical and more depressed than the occasional philosophical and depressed moods you have caught me in. I did indeed wander into the library, in one of these moods. My dad had been beating my mother, before, and she thrown something at him and retreated to the room and locked the door. He spent the next hour hurling things—heavy objects and curses—at that door. 70

I wandered into the library, and your father was there. Of course, I knew not who he was. Miss Prism was helping him with something, and neither of them noticed me. I went to a corner and, having discovered a dark secluded place where all my terrible thoughts caught up with me, I cried.71

Your father approached me, then.72

“Why do you cry?” he said.73

I snuffled shamefully and said I didn't know.74

“Surely there must be a reason. Probably many.”75

I snuffled and told him of my parents, and of the way the teachers hated me, and of how no one would be my friend, and that life held small attraction and very little beauty. 76

“This is all good,” he told me. “All but your parents, that is. A parent, whatever their faults, ought to be a rock a child can cling to in an uncertain world.”77

I asked him what he meant, by all this being good. And slowly, over the course of several weeks, he explained it to me.78

I had a few months with him, before he was taken away. And yes, he was taken by the government, he did not die. Though I imagine he is dead now, for he had given up his spirit. The last thing he said to me was an old, trite sounding piece of wisdom, but it is great wisdom nevertheless: “You are not truly alive, until you have found something worth dying for.”79

When he said that, I thought I would die for him. But I know now that I couldn't have; it was the other way around. But I saw you, at the funeral. And I knew he loved you, though being a selfish little bastard I had never prompted more than passing reference to his family. I decided to submit my life to you.80

At first, as this sounds, I did indeed simply see your father in you. But as the days moved on, I got to know who you were, and that you were someone just as unique, in completely different ways, and truly worthy of my love. You were that, and you always will be. I desire nothing more than to stay with you, to love you, to protect you. 81

But how can I do that, if I have been taken away? If I am not dead, I say this from the bottom of my heart, and it will always be true: I will return to you, or die trying. If I am dead, well, surely such will must have some power. I will be with you, in the wind that breathes on your cheek, in the heat of the sun that warms you, in the cool night air that chills you. I will be the rain, soft against your skin, and the calm at the end of the day and the soft light that caresses you at dawn.82

Think on me, and you will be never alone. All that I have, all that I am, all that I possibly can, I give to you.83

With all my love,84

Jack85

Ava put her head in her hands, and cried. Miss Prism came and wrapped her arms around Ava and buried her face in Ava's hair and just held her, as a mother holding an infant.