Continuum

Stevo sat down next to his son, again carefully speaking aloud. "I understand your shock, Mike, but you have to see the big picture here."

Mike, listening not just to the words of his father's voice, but to Stevo's thoughts, suddenly saw all the images Stevo was projecting and he got the whole concept at once, with all its nuances, right down to the foundational statistics. He was shocked anew that his father was so well studied. Stevo had no degrees. How had he gotten all this knowledge, he thought? He saw it all now. Of course his father was right!

Stevo spoke again. "I just read all kinds of things, from everywhere, and I spent a lot of time in thought. At times I get a sudden vision of the connections between events and trends, like an illumination. Those things come when you are old and all you can do is sit and think."

Mike, sitting by his father, was mute. He dared not to speak or even think right now. This was all so new to him. He was not used to hearing anyone's thoughts, - such complete, complex thoughts! So much information in such breathtaking fashion! Could he ever get used to this?

"I don't know, Mike. This is new to me too! I never had contact with another person in this way.  Not even with Mary. For some reason, all our thoughts are rushing about in both our heads. Why, I am not sure if one of them is mine or yours!"

--"No. Distance will not diminish this process. I somehow know this is true."

--"Yeah, it is the city here. Its the machine that is doing this to us."

--"You are right, we need to shut this down if we can. Soon, if possible!"

--"But what if we don't find her?"

--"We will find her. . . "

--"How do you know? . . . "

Their combined thoughts washed over them both once more like a flood. The more they tried to block something, the more it came to the fore. They were both quickly coming to an awareness of merging, or perhaps, a common area of shared thought.

They both found at the same time that they could still move their bodies independently, and that was something, at least.

Moving back from the abyss of madness, they both stood up drunkenly, leaning on each other, and walked uncertainly down the street toward the manufacturing building by the park. They were holding to one thought now, and that was to find a way to resurrect Mary!

* * *

As they rounded the corner of the last building approaching the park, Mike suddenly fell silently to the ground! Nothing Stevo did could revive him. He carefully checked his pulse and his breathing. He was alive, thank God for that!  But Mike's tumbling thoughts, that had been ringing in his head were suddenly cut off! Had the city done this? Was Mike somehow harmed permanently by this?

Stevo sat there with him for a long time, uncertain of what to do. His radio link was no longer working, or his other boys were unable to answer him. Presently he gave up and left Mike where he was lying and finished the short journey to the park, looking for, and hoping for - Mary!

Nothing prepared Stevo for the sight of a solitary figure standing there in the park. He knew without thinking that it was Mary! Thoughts pressed themselves forward. Were had she gone? How was she here again now? Was she the same as before? - all of these thoughts at once, and not a word or a thought from her!