Phantasm 1: For the Light of the Stars (three)

If we were logical, the future would be bleak indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope, and we can work.

Though she had vaguely sensed it at the time, that was Laura’s final test. No one told her it was a test, to Laura it was just another exercise, but that was what it was and despite the difficulty and the doubt, she passed.

The idea hadn’t been to take the prisoner’s life as much as to see how Laura reacted when she was exposed to evil, to see how comfortable she was mediating between learning truth and exacting punishment. Laura had confronted the trial and examined its heart, allowing herself to listen and be influenced, empathising with the victims rather than just seeing the brutality of the acts. She’d almost failed because of that, but in the end it had been overcome, pushed aside. She had succeeded and learnt from the experience, now she knew what to avoid the next time, understood that she couldn’t allow herself to become involved.

Not long after it was over, Laura was told she was to leave the facility. At first she thought she had done something wrong and was being sent back to Earth, sent back home. If that was the case she knew she should have felt sad, but strangely she didn’t; she felt only a relief that it was over. But it was simply the beginning of the last stage of her training. The facility wasn’t equipped for the next stage and she’d be shuttled to the planet Pnath for it to be completed. Shamir and Josh were also ready — all three of them would make the journey.

Laura realised she’d never again return here. She would be forced to leave Willow behind. She had been a curiosity when they’d first met, an unusual creature that intrigued her, and from that Laura had accepted her as a person. Indeed, apart from Shamir, Willow was probably her only friend — she had many acquaintances but very few friends. She valued their relationship and was sad that it would end, and the mystery of Willow’s origins would remain unsolved as well.

With this in mind, Laura went to see her for the last time.

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"Why are you worried, Laura?" Willow asked.

Laura hadn’t yet told her and, not for the fist time when in Willow’s presence, she was surprised that she was so transparent, her sombre mood betraying her.

"I’m not worried... not exactly. More preoccupied, I guess," Laura said.

Willow shifted and scratched her back; Laura hadn’t seen chains on her since her first visit and there was very little left to restrict her movements. "You are not the only one who can read minds. I have a knack for interpreting… feelings. You’re lying, I know that, but you’re lying to protect yourself… or maybe me. Yes. This does have something to do with me. Doesn’t it?"

Now it was Laura who fidgeted, turning away. Her gaze found the silhouette that belonged to Diana standing out against the blackness. Something about her posture indicated she was smirking. "She’s got you there," mumbled Diana. "There’s no hiding from Willow, she’s dead right each time. I said as much when you first met her."

"I’m going to be leaving soon," Laura said. "I don’t think I will be coming back."

"Then you will be missed," Willow said.

"You’ll forget me soon enough," Laura said.

"Only if you want to be forgotten," Willow replied. "You are one of the most honest people I have seen here in a long time. You have shown me compassion, friendship, things no one else but Diana has done. You saw beyond my appearance to the beauty within the beast. I thank you for that."

"I wish I could have done more."

"You can’t do the impossible. You can’t find what does not exist. But it doesn’t matter to me, not anymore. I live my life in the moment and not in the past or the future. There are far worse ways to live."