Funeral

  At that moment time slowed to a crawl. He saw the colonels’ lips moving, but heard no sound. He felt his insides churn and his eyes sting and begin to well with tears. If the cars' safety features had not activated, he would have crashed at that very moment. Perhaps that would have been for the best. Then reality came into focus, and the colonel’s image had a look of sympathy. His eyes locked with Danny's, and the professionalism began to fall away. “Danny, we have been friends for a long time.” Danny couldn't help himself. He may be slipping back to reality, but he wasn't quit back. “How did it happen?” he droned semi lifelessly. The man he knew as Ross began to consul him, but Danny heard his lifeless words interrupt his friend who was delivering the bad news and attempting to emotionally embrace him. “How did it happen?” Danny, now back to himself saw that Ross was now a little disheveled, and noticed that he too was taking this hard. After all, all three of them were close. Ross admiring his last bottle of authentic Jameson, and perhaps the last bottle in existence took a swig and said “An O-ring antimatter stabilizer went critical. The lab was evacuated but the cube didn't detach. The AI malfunctioned, and initiated the incursion protocol.”. Danny who was now silently sobbing interrupted “It's not your fault.” His friend broke down “Well I'd like to think it was.” In all the years they knew each other’s, he knew his friend took loss hard, and felt responsible for every person he lost who was under his command. Danny's team may have left the foundations for the tech, but it was Colonel Ross who oversaw its completion. Ross slammed his fist on the table “The AI was showing signs of rampancy and needed to be restored from a backup, and because of my admin team, the AI was not able to initiate the proper protocols.” Danny continued listened. At the very least he would know what happened. “Your wife's actions saved the station. She climbed through the maintenance hatches into the AI control room and took control of the system, and initiating the containment protocols separating, and launching the lab into the far reaches of space, but not before the interior turrets got her.” Danny didn't blame him for this, and now he knew. Knowing did not make it better, because now he knew that she was a part of him that would be lost forever, and that saddened him more than anything. He would give it all if it brought his Cathrin back. Ross continued “I have lost to many friends Danny, and I have made this same call one to many times. Before this call I tendered my resignation to the federation, and I am allotted a house, some land and a pension for my service with a sizable chunk of money. Should you need to get away come visit me for a while.” Hearing this was reassuring. It meant that he wasn't completely alone.

  After the call ended, Danny sat in the car for what seemed like hours as cars sped past him with their lights flashing passing him by. Thanks to the safety protocols, the car was on the side of the road so there was no danger to him or others. The car didn't sense an impact so no distress calls were sent out, and the med tech remained inactive. Too bad it could not fix the gaping hole in his heart, and the sadness tearing at his soul. Now that Catherine was dead, he had nothing to live for. Sure, he had his friend, and he was like a brother, but he could never be what Cathrin was to him. He couldn't help but notice the bridge just up a head. Strange thoughts crossed his mind. They were dark thoughts, and he decided a long time ago that he could not live in a world without her. It would be easy. All he had to do was drive the car off the bridge. If the car was damaged enough then the med tech would fail to save him. Sure, a distress call would go out, but he would be dead long before he could be saved, and he would be with his dead wife. After all, this bridge was as good as any, and it would be painless. He started the car. With his mind made up he put the car in reverse, putting distance between him and the bridge. Cars blasted their horns at him for his reckless behavior, but he did not care. It would be over soon anyway. Placing the car in drive he hit the accelerator. The car was blaring its warning as he headed for the other side of the railing “No road detected. Warning No road detected.” The safety protocols were about to activate, but he ripped the AI computer out of the center console disabling it. Too bad the distress signal was triggered, but in the end it didn't matter.

  The car was now moving at speeds that no sane driver would go. Other cars driving past, and couples enjoying a nice stroll now noticed an out-of-control vehicle heading towards its doom. People screamed and cars came to a screeching stop as Danny's car zoomed over and plunged into the abyss. There was no regreting this decision. In fact, he looked forward to it. It was his release from this world. The car continued to nose dive. In the cars' free fall fear filled his mind, and time seemed to slow as he heard the crunching of his car impacting the ground, and before passing out unconscious, he heard a familiar voice “Come home Danny.”, and he was wrapped in a green light.

  Darkness was all that greeted him. Even so, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. Danny harrumphed and began silently cursing his luck. Well shit burgers. This is not heaven or hell. Danny was a believer who had lost his way a long time ago, but some of his faith still clung to him. After he made that fateful jump off that bridge, he had expected one of two things to happen. A, disappear into nothing proving atheism right, or B there would be some kind of afterlife which would prov that there was a god after all. There was one problem. This was neither, because standing in front of him was that same beautiful woman from his dream. So logically speaking this was a dream. “Yes, it is, and no it is not.” she said as the darkness became something more fantastical. Danny and this dream women were now standing in a garden that was a paradise, and it went as far as the eye could see. A thought then accords to Danny She had answered my question. Who or what is she, and if it is a dream then she is my subconscious, but if it is not then is this god? Danny struggled to puzzle this out. The women looked confused. That settled it for Danny. It couldn't be a dream, because he would know the answer, and it was not god because gods are supposed to be omniscient. He could only conclude that he did know what was going on and, just went along for the ride. So, Danny for a third time in his life did just that. “If this is my dream and it is not, then what is it? If this is the afterlife which I am a little doubtful of, then where is my wife?” Danny finished the last part with some hope. She shook her head with pity and piety in her eyes. “I am called Craylon, or the lady of the forest. I have traveled the infinite reaches of the universe. That is who or what I am, but not a god in nature. Danny had failed with his reasoning. Craylon continued “Come home Danny. Come back to me.” She kept saying that. “What do you mean, and what If I don't want to exist anymore?” Danny questioned as sadness welled within. “I cannot give you your wife but maybe a fresh start. You were never meant to live on earth. Your ancestors were sent there by a Wizard who stole a piece of me and brought them with him by mistake.” Craylon held a hand in an upward position and a blue ball of energy appeared. She kissed it, and it flew into Danny. imeediatly screens flew up across his field of vision.

  Name: Danny Anderson Race: Human Level: 2

  Mana: 10/10 Regen from Stamina

  Stamina: 10/10 Re gen +1.5

  Skills--

  Craylon then gave a look that all women had mastered as if to say do it, and I'll make sure you regret it. “Then that is your choice.” She vanished, but not before reiterating her hidden meaning with that same look.

  He awoke in a dark room. It took his eyes time to adjust, but he could see an IV stand with a bag pumping liquid into him to keep him hydrated, a holovid across the room, and the room smelled sterile. It would appear he had failed, and was now at the hospital with pain racking his body to serve as a reminder of that failure. The machine sensing his pain gave him a dose of pain killers. Danny thought back to the dream. It seemed so real. Then something caught Danny's attention. Whatever it was, it resided in the corner of his vision. Despite the dark room, it was not hard to see it, like it was there to be seen but not distracting. That confirmed it. It really happened. He began to reflect on what Craylon had told him, or was it lady of the forest? He could not decide, but what stood out the most was, what she said. This was assuming what she said was true, and if so, did that mean that his life up to this point was just beginning, or did it mean that it was borrowed? It still didn't stop the hurt, and none of it made sense. So, Danny decided to let his more curious side take the wheel, and besides, the distraction would be welcomed. He concentrated on the thing in his field of vision... Trying to discern what it was, and failing. Soon the blur expanded into view as if noticing his desire to see it. It looked similar to a garbled player sheet from those RPG games he read about like D&D and Pathfinder.

  Name: Danny Anderson Race: Human

  SRK: 0!

  D*X: )(9

  ??N: 1&

  INT: 12

  X2&: 10

  98^: @!

  LCK: 20

  Ga2na: ??/??

  Sta*****: ??/??

  SLSLKI: Knowledge Lvl-0

  Danny noticed the only things on there that made sense was the name, race, and somethings that looked like stats. “Perhaps I'M losing my mind.” Danny concluded to himself as he stifled a yawn losing interest as sleep was reclaiming its grip. The garbled thing Danny had labeled a player sheet noticed it was no longer the focus of attention, and returned to its regular state of being which was just in view but out of mind. Something that Danny failed to notice before now made itself known. He saw movement against the adjacent wall where a person was sleeping on the couch. The unknown person was wrapped in a blanket with a colonel’s rank branded on the blanket. A notification popped up

  Congratulations! You have performed an unusual action. Intelligence +1, You have gained the perception skill, Skills Level determines effectiveness. You are able to perceive subtle hints with your senses, revealing creatures that wish to hide from you.

  Danny couldn't understand the message, because like the player sheet it was also garbled. That aside he could not help but feel confused, and a little touched that his friend Ross was here. It was at this point Danny was unable to fight off his need to sleep, and was taken by his need for sleep.

  He woke up the next morning to the sound of rain hitting the windows. That was not right. The rain cycle wasn't supposed to happen for another day. He could only conclude that maybe he had been out of it for a while. What was even more bizarre, was the fact that he felt no more pain, and that he was now in a different room still hooked up to life support. Danny... annoyed at this revelation began pulling the tubes and machines off and out of him. Now that he was fully awake, and of full mind began to grow angry. “They had no right taking this from me. I did not want this.” Danny thought completing his task in a fit of rage.

  A portly nurse waddled by, and saw him disconnecting himself from the machines, and yelled for the doctor “HE'S AWAKE!” People began entering the room, one of whom was Ross, and he looked relieved and then pissed, and then gave Danny that I'll see you in a bit look. He walked out of the room leaving Danny to the vultures he called doctors. He was trapped. There was no way he was escaping this room with so many doctors and nurses in it, and if he was correct, he had probably woken up from a coma. This would mean atrophy and no escape. So, he would have to ride it out. “My name is Dr. Garret. Do you know what day it is?” the doctor asked. Dr. Garret was a short stocky fellow warring a white lab coat. Danny didn't try to hide his agitation “No please enlighten me.” The doctor picking up on the agitation made some notes. “Mr. Anderson you were in a coma for 2 months.” then Dr. Garret waited patiently. When he got no response, he waved the others out. The others did so but reluctantly. Danny knew that these were students, but they were not helping him calm down. Thankfully the doctor thought so to. Dr. Garret seeing Danny's reaction continued “You were brought in by an ambulance after your car sent out a distress call. You should be dead.” The doctors' expression becoming more serious. Danny thought so to. This really was unfair. “I didn't ask to be saved.” The doctor looked mortified at this revelation. Danny continued a little calmer. After all it wasn't his fault. “What I mean is, you didn't have to.”, and Danny looked away ashamed at himself for lashing out at the doctor. “It is quite alright.” Garret’s expression brightened a bit, but only a bit. “When I said you should be dead, I meant it. The med scanner had deemed you non-savable, but you had a heartbeat so emergency surgery was performed. Even our best surgeons said you had a 99.9% chance of death.” Danny raised an eyebrow at that, and let Garret continue. “60% of your boned were busted into shards, and frankly speaking you should be a cripple. Your organs were ruptured and others were failing, but as you can see you are in perfect health. These are the test results from the other night.” Dr. Garret handed Danny the holopad. Danny was speechless. Dr. Garret was right he should be dead. He took back the holopad, and continued. “You were healing on the operating table, and if I may be frank, I can't explain it any way other than a miracle. Count your blessings Mr. Anderson. I have signed your discharge papers you are leaving today.” Dr. Garret got up. He intended this to be one sided anyway. Garret knew Mr. Anderson had tried to kill himself, but he caught a glimpse of life in the man's eyes, so he did not turn him in for attempted suicide, and left it at that. Dr. Garret walked into the waiting area, and handed the holopad containing Mr. Anderson's release forms to a retired colonel.

  Ross took the pad placing his thumb into the screen area allowing the holopad to scan it. Once that was done the screen blanked out and collapsed in on itself. The doctor who had announced himself as Dr. Garret took the pad and a couple minutes later a very pensive Danny was floated out into the lobby in a grav chair. Ross took a good look at Danny. If you didn't know him like he did, you would easily miss the signs, and the worse part was, he missed all of them. Ross was like family to Danny and Cathrin. They were close friends. Ross could have shot himself for not staying on the phone until he knew he was ok instead of assuming, and wished he had the sense to lay off the Jamison. That was in the past, and the main thing was that Danny was ok. Ross took charge of the grav chair pushing it, and his friend out to Ross's cherry red pickup. “Let's get out of here.” Ross suggested. Danny nodded “Yeah.” Ross could see shame in Danny's eyes. They both got situated, and a young and impatient nurse sensing that the chair was no longer being used flounced over, and took the grav chair back into the hospital.

  Ross got in started the pickup, and was greeted by his trucks AI “Welcome Ross please select drive mode, and destination.” Ross spoke clearly “Auto drive! Take me home.”. Ross understood what Danny was going through. His wife Jenna was one of the many that didn't make it off the planet, and Ross had to make a hard decision. He had to choose between her and a few hundred thousand lives, and it killed him inside. If not for Danny, he may have done the same. So now it was his turn to pay him back. He would be there for Danny, because from this point on they only had each other’s. He knew what it was like, and he knew what Danny needed, and first WACK. Ross punched Danny hard in the face bringing Danny back to reality. “What the fuck man?” Ross exclaimed. Danny flared with anger knowing that this was coming but was not prepared “You don't know what it’s like loo...” half way through Danny cut himself off. Ross could see the realization hit Danny, and regret flood his features. Ross placed a hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes “I have your back Danny. I will not leave you to fight this on your own.” Ross could see that Danny was returning, but knew him enough to know that this was needed. The Dim spark that was there began to burn a smidgen brighter, but Ross knew he was far from better. A tear fell down Danny's cheek “What’s to stop me from going home and trying it again. It hurts so much, and I need the pain to end.”. Ross was ready for this, and said “AI pull up Release forms”. He let Danny look it over “See? Looks like your stuck with me. Doctors’ orders!”. Danny harrumphed and looked away.

  They got to Ross's place. It was a ranch set up in the country side with a white 3-story dwelling. Danny spent the first week locked up in the guest room. He was moping, but deep down he was glad. It reminded him of the time he had helped Ross. Ross would stop by periodically to see how he was doing, and offered one of his famous motivational speeches which would make any sane person kill themselves, but he was trying, and he couldn't fault him for that. When Ross wasn't checking up on him Danny was contemplating what the lady of the forest had said to him, what his life had become and weeping. After the first week had gone by, he finally came out of his temporary bedroom to find Ross out on the porch looking out towards the city. Not looking at Danny, he said “Do you miss it?” Danny was stunned. He thought he was going to have to hear a motivational speech, but instead got something else. “Miss what? Your speeches?” Danny gave a weak laugh. Ross laughed “No! Your dream of space exploration. I used to have that same dream you know.” Now Danny was taken aback. That was a long time ago, and besides one would need a ship for that. Though what's to say he couldn't? They both could buy one and still live comfortable lives. “You know Ross, it was me and Cathrin's dream to fly an observatory to the edge of the solar system, and observe the universe.” Ross smiled “I know... Cathrin always talked about it.” Danny suddenly remembering his coma had asked “How was the funeral?” Ross turned and looked Danny in eyes “It was beautiful. Cathrin would have liked it.” That made Danny happy. He grabbed a beer and pulled up next to Ross sharing a good beer and enjoying good company.