The Apocalypse Contract

CHAPTER 51 - PETER

Peter was lost in thought, so he didn't notice Samantha approaching until he almost ran into her.

"So where's your head at?" she asked. "I was waving at you from across the street and you just kept shambling along like a zombie."

"Really? Huh. Yeah, I guess I was thinking about a bunch of stuff."

"Like what? Spill it. You're the closest thing I've got to a friend on this bucket, so we should, like, tell each other stuff." She bumped her shoulder playfully into his while they continued their journey toward the Wonderland Library.

"Oh... mostly I was thinking about my life before all this happened... wondering if there is any way back to it. Like, did the aliens hang on to our bodies? Are they stashed in some life support pod back on Earth, just waiting for us to be loaded back into them, or are they well and truly gone?"

"I asked Mel about that a while back. She thinks the scanning process was destructive. Like, disassembling our molecules was needed to get the data, but reassembling them afterward would be rather pointless if even possible, from their point of view at least."

He shrugged his shoulders. "You're probably right, I guess. I just don't know what that means for my future. What sort of life can I have as only a digital... thing? How do I even go to job interviews?"

"Dude, we live in the age of the information economy. All the best jobs nowadays are all about creating or moving data around. We can make this work. Besides, we probably should worry about saving the planet before we get too hung up on what we do after."

"I get what you're saying... It's not really just about getting a job or anything like that." He wasn't sure what it was he wanted to say. He couldn't really find words that really encapsulated what he was feeling. "It's just.. I'm not sure I know who I am anymore, I think."

Samantha walked silently beside him for several paces before answering. "OK, I get that. I only just got over my own existential crisis, I can't blame you for wrestling with your own."

"Ah, is that what this is. Nice to be able to put a name to it. Thanks."

"No problem. What are friends for if not to help you wrestle with the big, unsolvable problems." They reached the entrance to the library. "Speaking of which, how about we join the rest of our friends and figure out how to save planet Earth."

Peter smiled grimly and opened the library door.

Sydney, Mel, and Roger were already there along with a full array of tea and snacks. Surprisingly, Marguerite was also present, though she was at the far end of the table apparently reading three books simultaneously. Peter and Samantha joined them at the table.

Mel poured two more teas and slid them over to Peter and Samantha. "OK, so now that the full war council is present, I call this meeting to order." She mimicked banging a non-existent gavel.

As Peter lifted his cup, he thought for perhaps the hundredth time about how much he missed coffee. He decided not to mention it to the table full of tea enthusiasts. They had not been sympathetic previously. "Thanks," he said. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Oh nothing too important," Mel replied, "just, you know, saving the whole freaking planet from brain eating aliens."

A chill embraced Peter. "Wait, what? So now we've learned they eat brains?"

Sydney shook her head. "Ignore my sister's flair for the dramatic. There is no evidence they eat brains. We spent most of the night in shadowspace digging through every alien database we could crack, and we've essentially confirmed the swooping down and invading planets thing, but it is still not clear what the whole 'feasting on complexity' is about. It is definitely not good for the local inhabitants, however."