Night Lights Book Four Final Chapter
8/6/05
Emma was impatient to see Jim. She understood that the first week with the “others” was to be used for observation of those left behind on Earth. She was less concerned about those left behind than she was about Jim. It had been three days since her death and she was getting antsy. So far, though, she had been treated quite well in the colony. She was adjusting to the constant daylight and was beginning to understand what they expected of her during her stay with them. It was understood that this was to be a permanent relationship, but she was free to terminate that relationship at any time. She was also reminded that she was dead. If she didn’t have this, she was unsure what she would have.
It wasn’t until the fourth day that she was shown to her laboratory. It was there that she finally got to see Jim. The only problem was that they both had their own glassed-in enclosures in which to work. There would be no physical contact of any kind. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but this wasn’t it. I guess she expected to be able to maintain a relationship with her husband similar to that which they had when they were alive. This was not to be. She was, however, told that they would be given time together. One of the reasons they were both recruited was so that they could study the relationships of the aging human.
In the meantime, Emma had a lot of work to do in processing the animals for the colony. She would contend herself with her husband’s nearness for the moment. At least she could see him and he looked like he was doing well. During her work with the animals, she continually cast longing glances at her husband and had to remind herself to keep her emotions in check. There would be time for that later. If she did her work well, maybe the “others” would find it in their beings to give them time together.
Every day for two weeks, Jim and Emma worked side by side in their own separate enclosures. They were unable to speak to each other but did try. They eventually accepted nods and waves as their only means of communication. Even though Jim passed instructions to Emma, all the processes were automated. He couldn’t even include a short note to let her know she had been missed. At the end of the fourteenth day, Emma heard Jim say something. She looked up in surprise and said, “What was that?”
Jim was equally surprised to hear Emma’s response. The glass wall between their two workstations had disappeared! He got up from where he was sitting and walked to his wife, “I said I thought this zebra was showing signs of premature aging.” Jim was totally surprised to have reached his wife without mishap. He was, however, cautious. He knew the “others” were capable of punishing undesirable behavior.
Tentatively, Emma laid her hand on her husband’s arm. Nothing happened, but she relished the feel of his arm through his shirt sleeve. “What did you find?” she asked. With that question, they both walked over to the animal on the exam table. They had always worked well together. Both of them leaned over the patient, they bodies touching as they worked. Jim pointed out his findings.
He did whisper to Emma, “Be careful, be very careful” to which Emma nodded. Both of them knew they were being observed. Both of them knew this was a test. Neither knew how long it would last. At the end of their shift, they went their separate ways.
The next two weeks were a repeat of the first two. On the fourteenth day, the glass partition disappeared once again. Neither Jim nor Emma noticed its disappearance until Jim dropped a beaker that shattered. Emma rushed over to help him clean it up.
They finished their shift wandering back and forth between the two workstations and comparing notes on what they’d learned. This time, though, there was a difference. Until now, each workstation had one door that led to their respective quarters. These doors were highlighted to indicate their intended usage. Today, there was only one door highlighted. This door had been unnoticed prior to today.
Emma and Jim left the work area through that door. They found quarters similar to their individual rooms. The main difference was that this room had two beds. Obviously, they were expected to remain in their own beds. Now they could talk, but both were cautious about being observed. Their conversations were held in hushed voices. They spent several hours catching up. Finally, they retired to their own beds and slept.
Another two weeks passed. Each day, the glass partition was in place and their individual doors were highlighted at the end of their workdays. On the twenty-eighth day, the partition disappeared once more. The routine was becoming familiar to Jim and he had been testing its presence all day. Finally, they were able to work side by side again. They were making some good progress in their examinations of the animals and knew that another group was due to arrive soon.
At the end of the shift, the third door was once again highlighted. Emma and Jim left the work area together. The scene that greeted them was the same as it had been the last time. Each of them was feeling tension in this arrangement. They had always been a demonstrative pair. It wasn’t long before Jim gathered Emma into his arms and bestowed that long-awaited kiss. Tears of happiness and release streamed down Emma’s face.
There was still some nervousness because neither knew what the “others” expected from their relationship. After the hug and kiss, they waited for repercussions. None came. There were, however, still two beds in the room. Both had been turned down for the night. Unfortunately, Jim had other ideas.
Preparations were made for bed and Jim crawled into Emma’s bed instead of his own. Emma started to object. “Jim, do you think we should?”
His response was simple. “There’s only one way to find out, Emma. I intend to find that out with you in your bed. Whatever happens, we’ll be together.”
Emma was impatient to see Jim. She understood that the first week with the “others” was to be used for observation of those left behind on Earth. She was less concerned about those left behind than she was about Jim. It had been three days since her death and she was getting antsy. So far, though, she had been treated quite well in the colony. She was adjusting to the constant daylight and was beginning to understand what they expected of her during her stay with them. It was understood that this was to be a permanent relationship, but she was free to terminate that relationship at any time. She was also reminded that she was dead. If she didn’t have this, she was unsure what she would have.
It wasn’t until the fourth day that she was shown to her laboratory. It was there that she finally got to see Jim. The only problem was that they both had their own glassed-in enclosures in which to work. There would be no physical contact of any kind. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but this wasn’t it. I guess she expected to be able to maintain a relationship with her husband similar to that which they had when they were alive. This was not to be. She was, however, told that they would be given time together. One of the reasons they were both recruited was so that they could study the relationships of the aging human.
In the meantime, Emma had a lot of work to do in processing the animals for the colony. She would contend herself with her husband’s nearness for the moment. At least she could see him and he looked like he was doing well. During her work with the animals, she continually cast longing glances at her husband and had to remind herself to keep her emotions in check. There would be time for that later. If she did her work well, maybe the “others” would find it in their beings to give them time together.
Every day for two weeks, Jim and Emma worked side by side in their own separate enclosures. They were unable to speak to each other but did try. They eventually accepted nods and waves as their only means of communication. Even though Jim passed instructions to Emma, all the processes were automated. He couldn’t even include a short note to let her know she had been missed. At the end of the fourteenth day, Emma heard Jim say something. She looked up in surprise and said, “What was that?”
Jim was equally surprised to hear Emma’s response. The glass wall between their two workstations had disappeared! He got up from where he was sitting and walked to his wife, “I said I thought this zebra was showing signs of premature aging.” Jim was totally surprised to have reached his wife without mishap. He was, however, cautious. He knew the “others” were capable of punishing undesirable behavior.
Tentatively, Emma laid her hand on her husband’s arm. Nothing happened, but she relished the feel of his arm through his shirt sleeve. “What did you find?” she asked. With that question, they both walked over to the animal on the exam table. They had always worked well together. Both of them leaned over the patient, they bodies touching as they worked. Jim pointed out his findings.
He did whisper to Emma, “Be careful, be very careful” to which Emma nodded. Both of them knew they were being observed. Both of them knew this was a test. Neither knew how long it would last. At the end of their shift, they went their separate ways.
The next two weeks were a repeat of the first two. On the fourteenth day, the glass partition disappeared once again. Neither Jim nor Emma noticed its disappearance until Jim dropped a beaker that shattered. Emma rushed over to help him clean it up.
They finished their shift wandering back and forth between the two workstations and comparing notes on what they’d learned. This time, though, there was a difference. Until now, each workstation had one door that led to their respective quarters. These doors were highlighted to indicate their intended usage. Today, there was only one door highlighted. This door had been unnoticed prior to today.
Emma and Jim left the work area through that door. They found quarters similar to their individual rooms. The main difference was that this room had two beds. Obviously, they were expected to remain in their own beds. Now they could talk, but both were cautious about being observed. Their conversations were held in hushed voices. They spent several hours catching up. Finally, they retired to their own beds and slept.
Another two weeks passed. Each day, the glass partition was in place and their individual doors were highlighted at the end of their workdays. On the twenty-eighth day, the partition disappeared once more. The routine was becoming familiar to Jim and he had been testing its presence all day. Finally, they were able to work side by side again. They were making some good progress in their examinations of the animals and knew that another group was due to arrive soon.
At the end of the shift, the third door was once again highlighted. Emma and Jim left the work area together. The scene that greeted them was the same as it had been the last time. Each of them was feeling tension in this arrangement. They had always been a demonstrative pair. It wasn’t long before Jim gathered Emma into his arms and bestowed that long-awaited kiss. Tears of happiness and release streamed down Emma’s face.
There was still some nervousness because neither knew what the “others” expected from their relationship. After the hug and kiss, they waited for repercussions. None came. There were, however, still two beds in the room. Both had been turned down for the night. Unfortunately, Jim had other ideas.
Preparations were made for bed and Jim crawled into Emma’s bed instead of his own. Emma started to object. “Jim, do you think we should?”
His response was simple. “There’s only one way to find out, Emma. I intend to find that out with you in your bed. Whatever happens, we’ll be together.”
posted by Vickie at 7:49 PM
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