A Bit to Read

“Back up a second,” said Taryn, “what do you mean, ‘three?’ And are you talking about Gerald?”

“What’s a ‘Gerald?’”

“Him,” Taryn pointed with a half-nod at the neighbor who was still looking at the tool catalog.

“Four,” came in a high, thin voice from a passing butterfly.

“‘Him’ is an unusual way to describe a multidimensional being intent on destroying the universe but if that helps…”

“You haven’t told me what you mean by ‘three.’”

“This is frustrating.  Dimensional, obviously. “

“How is that obvious?!”

A pointed silence settled around her, which was then punctuated by a chorus of daffodils who weren’t quite open, so it was a slightly muffled “four.”

“Anyway,” said Alex, “the universe is going to be ripped apart by ‘Gerald’ or whatever you called it, and you are the only one who can save it.”

“The universe.”

“Yes,” Sam said.

“Because I’m three dimensional?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And I’m supposed to save everything that ever existed?”

“Unfortunately.”

“How many dimensions are you?”

“Eight.”

“But…how?”

“Do you want to know or do you want to prevent the end of the universe?”

“I want to know.”

“Wrong answer,” Alex said, “and it’s already looking too late, because it seems to me Gerald is eating your neighbor’s face.”

Until next time…