The Rapture

TWENTY-SIX

DUMUZI

Above my head, the synthetic weather system whirled, misting the green flora to my left and right. A sense of peacefulness, not found in another realm or world, permeated the air I breathed.

After my morning jog—for I was determined to stay at my peak physical fitness—the cool mist felt pleasant on my heated skin. As I breathed in the scent of moss, decaying leaves, and dirt, I was enthralled. Everything about Earth was so... raw.

I raised my eyes to the top of the dome of New Dilmun, which was swallowed by green leaves and thick branches. Earth's surviving life was preserved here; safe from fallout, radiation, and the barren world in which was deemed to die.

Today, I desired to bring Pearl here to teach. Yet something was amiss with her once more, and since I vowed to stay out of her thoughts, I was clueless. She requested to be left alone. I honored that request, even if it puzzled me considerably.

A sciurus carolinensis—a grey squirrel—eyed my snack from a few feet away. I fiddled with a small piece of fruit rather than consuming it. I was strict about my caloric intake and preferred less, not more, so I offered the timid creature my piece of fruit with two fingers.

Beady black eyes regarded me with trepidation, naturally. For my kind, life on Earth was far too basic and uninteresting to entertain. I found it peculiar; everything was so soft, so warm, so prey-like.

Even my Pearl.

Small paws quickly snatched my fruit. Before scurrying away, the squirrel's tail bushed out and flicked thrice. A group of parakeets chattered in the branches above, warning its flock that a predator was about.

The predator was me, and I battled the urge to smile. A being who did not belong in their world—an anomaly. I cast my long braid of hair over my shoulder, spooking a few creatures that toiled in the undergrowth.

The pond in front of me was enormous and rather deep, with several species of fish surfacing to leave disturbed circles. On the opposite side of the bank, a few cats—I was sure they had names, courtesy of François—basked in their scaled prey, leaving nothing but brittle needle-like bones behind.

There were only three cats on the property; any additional cats would likely decimate the bird population. Not only was Earth raw, but fragile.

My thoughts were peaceful. Without the bracelet around Pearl's wrist and without Osa taking advantage of our bond, it left me in the dark about what was bothering her.

Pearl taking off the bracelet last night only cooled the bond between us and obscured her innermost wonderings. Typically, there was no need to hide one's thoughts from a Sohme. Yet Pearl was human and... different.

Which was why I sought the counsel of Ogrik and came here alone.

Previously, my mood had been too dark to allow Osa to connect me with my brethren. Since meeting Pearl, no one wanted to be in my head. My mood had stabilized now, so they could link to my thoughts rather quickly.

This is how I recall it, Ogrik said mentally as he worked on a sliver of a virus from our world–more precisely, its glycoprotein and genetic code. While he worked, his thoughts were calm. Your mind has always been a wonderful place to visit. So astute and calculated. Kindly notify me when you work on mathematics; it's remarkable how effortlessly you do it.

It was like complimenting the prospect of me having skin. The meaning escaped me.

What brings you to New Dilmun? he pondered. You seem to enjoy the creatures there. Your mate is undoubtedly rubbing off on you. François is also influencing Shadrach, I'm afraid.