7.
 That night, his first night in this new life, Eon finally pressed his head against the pillow and fell asleep, sober but tired, drunk on piney air, treasuring the woman's touch. "Eon, your new life!" a woman's voice said in delight.
"Bridget!" He sat up under the OOHH moon.
"I was hiding." The dark hair was still sleek, but her blue eyes quivered in water. There were tears on her cheeks, glistening, and her lips trembled. She lay on her side, touching stray leaves with trembling fingers. She looked handsome, tragic, beautiful in her dark uniform and white blouse.
"Then—you are still here! We can stay together!" He reached out but could not touch her.
She sniffled. "I had no idea I could stay in your mind. When the Noma fried my cherry wood harp, I thought that would be the end. But I could live with you like this until you die, and then we would die together."
"Let's do that, Bridget, let's."
"You good guy."
"It's nice having you here, Bridget."
"Yes, I thought so, until she touched you."
"Bryse? I'm—that was just—I'm so sorry, was that you I felt? That hurt?"
"Yes, and I'm ashamed. I had no right." Bridget rose, dusted off her stewardess uniform. Graceful, desirable. "No, honey, it can't work. Look, I can't even do what I would like to do more than anything else in the world, which is take you in my arms."
"We can get by, Bridget, we survived one hell-hole already."
"Yes, but there will be no more hell-holes for you, my love. Nor for me." She blew him a kiss, turned, and walked away.
"Bridget, you must stay with me!" The realizations rushed up on him with deadly force: She had no way out, no place to go, and nobody could help her. The technology, eons old, was long lost...If she jumped now, there would be no receiving end. She'd cease to be. And he, Eon, would be the last human to see the ancient Earth. So there had been a home world, after all, it wasn't just a myth. She walked away among the pine trees, shaking her head, smiling. "I love you, Eon, That's how I want it to end. Do you understand? You will wake up and maybe eat breakfast, wash your face, yawn, all the things people do when they're alive and ready for love, real love, not this. Just tell me one time that you love me."
Aching, yearning: "Bridget, I love you! If you stay, I'll spend my life with you."
Walking away, she smiled once, gratefully, over her shoulder, very bravely. She did not look back again as she disappeared forever among the pine trees of the lost, ancient Earth.
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Copyright © 2018 by Jean-Thomas Cullen, Clocktower Books. All Rights Reserved.
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