“I don’t know for certain but I have a feeling you’ll be fine. Technically speaking you shouldn’t even be able to transport to other places like we can, but you were able to with Evan.”
“So your theory is that if I can survive that I can survive traveling to Terra?”
Eva’s lips curled into an uncertain smile. “Theoretically? Yes. Even I don’t understand the specific science behind it but I’m quite certain you’ll be fully reassembled on the other side of the gate.”
“Fully reassembled?!” Zoe exclaimed. The decorative pillow fell discarded to her side.
“Technically. Look I know it’s a risk but I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you would be fine. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is kill the girl my brother is interested in.”
Zoe looked at her incredulously. She couldn’t ignore the bad feeling settling inside her. She wasn’t the type of person who would drop everything in her life for someone else, irrespective of their experiences together. She could barely manage everything in her own life, let alone take on someone else’s. Throw in the fact that it was another universe and the whole situation seemed more trouble than it was worth.
“Like I said, I know how this all sounds and I know it’s a tremendous decision on your part. Think of it as an adventure! How many people in the world can say they’ve been to another universe?”
“Besides you, your brother, and countless others from Terra?” Zoe retorted.
“Yes, and I give you my word I will do everything I can to make sure you have a way to come home.”
Zoe hesitated. “I don’t know. I don’t want to be some pathetic girl who drops everything in her life just to accommodate the guy she likes. That’s not the kind of person I want to be. Not to mention the scope of what you’re asking me to do. I can barely believe the words are even coming out of my mouth.” It was too much to comprehend and even a lifetime seemed too short to fully appreciate how upside-down her world had turned in just a short span of time. She could only take things at face value for so long.
Eva nodded, seemingly resigned to Zoe’s reluctance. “I understand. I owed it to my brother to try.” She stood up to leave but turned to look at Zoe again. “I know my brother better than anyone. If anyone can find their way back, it’s him. He may not realize it but I can see that after two days with you he is a different person; a better, happier, lighter person.” Zoe felt her stomach flip in her chest again, this time for a different reason.
As touching as the sentiment was it was still not a valid reason to drop everything in her life for a man. “I’m sorry,” was all she could manage. Eva would have to understand.
Zoe stood and wished Eva a safe trip home, nearly apologizing for having wasted her time. Eva produced an object similar to what she had seen Evan with. Up close she had a better view of it, and nearly doubled over when she realized the same thick glass was identical to the box she had found in the wall only moments prior..
“What is that?”
“It’s a Communicator. Like a phone, I guess.” Before she could finish Zoe ran for the office and retrieved the box and opened scrolls. When she returned she put them in Eva’s hands, certain she would recognize it.
“Where did you get this?” She turned the box over in her hands before picking at the scrolls, reading the ones Zoe had already unraveled.
“It was hidden behind a wall in my office. Inside were all of these scrolls but none of them made any sense to me. I forgot all about it until I saw your Communicator-thing.”
Eva picked up the scroll containing the map and stared at it, her eyes growing bigger the longer she looked.
“You recognize it, don’t you?”
Eva didn’t say a word. She picked up the one with the family tree of names and slowly took her seat on the couch again. Her mouth was gaping open, but no sounds escaped. She was completely transfixed on the hierarchical tree.
“Eva?” Zoe put her hand on Eva’s shoulder hoping to break her trance.
“I don’t think you should come to Terra to see my brother,” she whispered, her eyes never leaving the scrolls as she examined each of the scrolls. “I think you should come because it’s your home.” She turned the scroll around in her hands and pointed to a line of script Zoe had missed on her initial examination. At the top written in a fine ink the color of gold, was: Lineage of the Original Family of Terra: Thanatos.
The blood drained from Zoe’s face, leaving her ashen and lightheaded. “No, that’s impossible,” she nervously laughed. Her body dropped back down to the couch, her back and legs sinking deep into the cushions.