Things went pretty much as they normally do, Max came over for lunch today, and we discussed Candace and Sam for a bit. Mostly Max was curious about Sam, but either way I couldn't answer because I hadn't seen them since we left after their feast. That didn't stop her from asking though, seven times. Max was excited at the idea of going as The Three Musketeers, though I'm pretty sure she's hoping Sam will come as our driver. She even suggested having him be the Count D'Winter.
Surprisingly, she didn't spend all lunch on him. She'd found a new conspiracy to bring to my attention. There was a news article in the Post about a young man walking out of Sand Creek Park into the East Park Lane neighborhood in Aurora. He seemed lost and confused, and when approached at first he tried to run. Authorities were called, and eventually he was found back in the park hugging a tree. They were able to calm him down and approach him, offering water, food, and a blanket. He wasn't unclothed, but he wasn't wearing much. He looked native, all the way down to his dress, and didn't speak a lick of English. Authorities have contacted local Native American groups hoping someone might be able to identify him, or communicate with him. Of course, if anyone knows anything they are encouraged to call in.
Max pointed out that it's almost the exact opposite of all the missing hikers. Which by now she's got quite the list of people going missing all across the west and now down into Mexico. She suspects that wherever these people are disappearing too, there must be people who live there as well. Those people, she suspects, must be going missing from their homes and are finding their way here.
As she was telling me this, I realized that I hadn't told her much about my conversations with Hal. But considering his thoughts on the Ohvao, I was thinking she might be right. She had even gotten a hold of the news about the bar fight that was down the street from where Hal and I first dined. With what all was going on I had forgotten to tell her about that. She reminded me that the guy who was accused of starting the fight was also dressed very oddly, though not like the young man in this new article. But he was also speaking a language that no one could identify or understand. She thinks he too might be from this other place.
She had so much to go over on this new conspiracy with me that we ran out of time and I had to get back to work.
Which is the other thing, my dinner with Hal that I just got back from. Chinese did hit the spot, but after the feast at Candace's, I haven't been all that hungry lately. I brought half my meal home with me. Even Max didn't seem to eat much more than me at lunch.
Anyway, I restarted the conversation by asking what he was going to do. The question he hadn't answered last week. He said he wasn't sure, but that he wasn't in the position to turn them down. He needed the money, and the stability was fantastic. They weren't even being all that present in his life, so it's not like he had to pack something else on top of his load at school and at the museum. They had talked with him that first trip they'd taken, and he'd met with... he accidentally let his tutors name slip, Tim. They'd met a couple of times since and that's how he'd gotten the information he had, but they hadn't really met up a lot. Hal was getting the idea that either Tim wasn't overly committed to being his tutor, or that they were very busy with something. He said Tim came across as arrogant, but he suspected that with everything going on they're probably busy as well.
So for now Hal is going to stick with them. They don't seem to be impeding his progress, in fact with some of the things the old man had mentioned, Hal figured they were actually going to fast track his plans. But they also offered the chance to learn things that the academic world knew nothing about, and he was excited to have that chance. Once he learned what he could, then he'd be in a position to decide what to do about it. He asked though if he could keep in touch with me. These dinners have been nice, but if he does move to New England or into Canada as had been mentioned, we wouldn't be able to keep having dinner together. So we agreed to set up some email accounts that didn't have anything identifying either of us on them, and then he could email me and we could chat that way any time.
He stressed that these things wouldn't be happening that soon. It was just that if something did come up, it'd be better if we were prepared. For my part, the whole suggestion felt covert, and I have to admit a certain excitement that comes with that. But with that excitement comes the worry of danger. Things wouldn't be covert if they weren't dangerous.
Things got quiet for a bit while we ate, and it gave me a chance to ask about the things Max had brought to my attention. Hal hadn't heard anything about it, and we ended up using his phone to look up the news article. Hal was amazed that Max had made that connection, and more than a little embarrassed that he hadn't also kept up with the news on the bar fight. He thanked me for bringing it to his attention and said he'd have to look into it. If people had always been able to unintentionally cross the Ohvau, and not always come back; it stood to reason that they might be able to meet up and create a population on the other side.
A few people missing here and there though doesn't seem like enough to create a lasting community. Just consider the history from a genetic standpoint, assuming people had been crossing since the Ohvau was raised. A few people here and there wouldn't provide enough genetic variation for a stable population. I do listen to the biologists when they talk, most of the scientists in fact. Hal agreed when I mentioned that, and we both wondered if maybe when the Ohvau was erected, populations of people had been trapped on the other side? It would offer a much better explanation.
We spent some time speculating on possibilities, which was a fun. He and I actually got along really well once we were able to just be ourselves. So far it'd just been him being the new recruit into some secret society, and I being the sympathetic ear for him to chew on. That reminds me of The Departed, Leonardo's character and the shrink he goes to see, played by Vera Farmiga. And again I am reminded of both the excitement and danger of our covert plans.
Anyway, the reason I felt that maybe Fate had had other plans, was that Max had found those news articles and made the connections. It shouldn't have been me sitting there talking to Hal, it should have been her. She'd have loved this! And now I'm stuck with it, and I can't discuss it with her.
So anyway, that was my night. It's been a month and a half since my black out, and that feeling I've had is still there. By now though I've become accustomed to it. On these nights though when Hal and I can talk, I'm reminded of that feeling and it's just as strong as it ever was. I tell myself I'm humoring him, that I'm providing an anchor to reality for him or something, but really I join him because he makes me feel that that sense is justified. It makes me feel like there's something more going on than just my little death.
And that is why I like Legion so much, right there. What if that feeling isn't the world changing? What if that feeling is me losing my own grasp on reality? Conspiracy theories, another world separated by a magical veil, real magic? And then there were the giants and the illusions that we'd discussed last week. What am I getting myself into here? How much of it is real? Am I already hallucinating? I like Legion because I identify with David.
With all her problems, Candace seems completely normal in comparison. Maybe I need to spend more time with her. I'll set up the email address so that I can continue to act as an anchor for Hal, and we can go to dinner every once in a while. It's actually kind of enjoyable. But I need something real to keep me grounded too. Candace can be that for me, working with her on her garden and cooking a feast, that was real.
Monday and Tuesdays are generally pretty slow at work. I still get off at the same time, but with it not being as busy I won't be as tired. I'll have to plan to drop in on Candace one of those days.
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