Lucidity

Chapter 26 - Graveyard Shift

“So it’s a story you’re wanting?” Jimmy asked Alex once he had him snuggled safe and sound, back in his bed, oxygen machine hooked up.

The boy looked up at him, his color better, but Jimmy didn’t care for the dark circles that rimmed his eyes or the sunken appearance to his cheeks. The boy didn’t have much strength left—or much time. How much had he sacrificed rushing in to help Grace?

“Yes, please,” Alex answered. “Grace told us about when you and her met and Queen Maeve.”

Jimmy smiled. Yes, he knew.

He stretched out beside the boy and curled his arm around his shoulder. One of his greatest regrets was that he and Grace never had the chance to have children. Grace would have made a wonderful mother. He would have dearly loved to have seen her chasing down a handful of munchkins. And he didn’t think he’d make such a bad father, either.

“Ah, but she didn’t tell you how Maeve saved her people. Or how Grace herself saved half the world. Or how she saved me.”

Of course, now that he thought on it, some of that was Brother Leo’s doing as well. He frowned. How far did the good Brother’s power reach? He kept saying all he did was influence events. Meddling was more like it.

“Grace saved the world?” Alex asked, resting his head against Jimmy’s chest. “I believe it. I wish she really was my mom.”

Jimmy couldn’t help himself, he tilted his head down and kissed the top of the boy’s head. “She loves you like a son.”

Alex sighed in contentment, then after a long moment of silence, stirred himself and looked up at Jimmy. “My story.”

“Aye, aye cap’n. Let’s see.” How in hell was he to focus on a story when all he could think of was Grace alone over there? Leo hadn’t given him any details of what danger she might face, only that dire consequences were in store if she chose to remain in the Tower. Alex tugged on his arm impatiently.

“All right then. You already know of Queen Maeve and how she almost lost her people during the dark time.”

“From who? Space invaders?”

“No, something much worse. You see, there once upon a time was an island known to some as Thera, known to others as Atlantis. The people who lived there called it Kalliste. A long, long time ago, the volcano that made up the island exploded. The sky rained fire. The sea churned into tidal waves taller than the Empire State building,” he was exaggerating here, but the boy would never know. “And everything in the world changed.”

“What happened?”

“Those waves sucked the water from the Red Sea just as Moses was leading his people to safety, then the water surged forward to crush the Pharaoh’s army. The ocean devoured Atlantis, almost the entire island fell into the sea. The part that was left was covered in ash. Even to this day as the scientists dig it out, they’re finding beautiful art work and lovely houses, but,” Jimmy lowered his voice for effect, “not a single body. They all disappeared. Everyone. An entire civilization.”

“Whoa,” Alex breathed out.

“The explosion was so massive that the earth shook for days after. And the sky was so dark that the sun was blocked out. Everlasting night.” Alex’s eyes grew wide. “Fierce storms raged over all the lands and ash rained down from the skies, even as far away as Maeve’s land, half a globe away. Winter came months early and never left. There was snow in July. People prayed to their gods, thinking they were being punished. They turned on each other, fighting for what little food remained, brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor. No one was safe.”