Exodus, Chapter One

Black clouds had receded and were banking sedately in an overcast but peaceful sky, far off by the misty line of wold which marked the horizon. Joe had seen the dome of a dazzling morning soar so high over these flat fens as to awe the observer with a sense of distance, but in this still afternoon hour the mood was more of a reassuring nearness. The heavens all but touched the tops of the telegraph poles, and those lopsided old wooden uprights were themselves not such a way from the verge. Birds were beginning to sit at rest along the wires that dipped between. Our hero, having been reading this land since infancy, knew the earliest signs of day drawing to a close.

It spoke to Joe of going home.

Which happened to be what he had in mind. Not however television and tea in the illusory town at his tailpipes. Rather, going home for real.

That reality was imposing itself on the spectral past as Joe’s crimson-coloured space-racer skimmed through the barnyard gates. It would indeed have been difficult not to notice that above the tops of the ramshackle farm buildings towered an interplanetary spacecraft, its vents steaming industriously while the bulk of it idled sprawling on the wide pasture beyond. An ambulance and a school minibus were parked in the cluttered courtyard, and all was a satisfying commotion as our hero put on the brakes.

Flashshadow was by his car door, though Joe was long resigned to never seeing her approach. She murmured to him that the ship’s medical bay contained a fully-functional stasis tube, and Joe’s cowboy alter-ego had gladly installed himself in it at the first opportunity. Our hero was deeply gladdened too, for that would sustain his other self’s waning life-signs and shield him from the rigours of transition.

Joe was able to see what else was going on, not that this stopped Flashshadow striking up an exhaustive commentary he could barely hear. The spaceship’s gangplank had been lowered to the yard, and Mini-Flash Splitsville was wheeling Sonica’s hospital gurney up this ramp. Farther out in the fields meanwhile the cargo-bay elevator was likewise down, and Mini-Flash Robin like a hardworking valet was loading the party’s assortment of space-cars one by one.

Joe remained seated, since he needed to add his own racer to that queue, and also because half his body was being held together by bandages. Mini-Flash Pseudangelos however flew at once from the passenger-seat beside him, to help her classmate Mini-Flash Splitsville convey their mutual friend onboard.

That was good to see. So there was such a thing as forgiveness, thought Joe. Even when uncalled-for comments had been made on other people’s drawings.

He had hopes along the same lines for the tiny drama about to unfold over by the farmhouse, but also a sneaking suspicion it was going to take more than that. Nevertheless Joe watched, and knew Flashshadow was doing so too, as Presh emerged from the front door.

She was wearing a blue skirt and sweater combination which had been Morag’s when Joe knew her at school, but which here he guessed belonged to that one’s little sister Marie. Our hero was well acquainted by now with his own subconscious capacity for conveniently rewriting the facts, since the last situation this had landed him in was the reason he had to stay sitting. Mini-Flash Juniper meanwhile, who’d been waiting pensively for Presh with something for her in her hands, had changed out of the navy-and-silver school uniform she’d lately adopted and her familiar form-fitting membrane was back.

Another thing that was good to see. The thought of suddenly becoming naked halfway through the journey wouldn’t have troubled Mini-Flash Juniper, as it was unlikely she’d have even noticed the incident when it occurred. Flashshadow must have had a quiet word with her on their trip into town. Joe, not for the first time, gave thanks his star pupil was around.

What Juniper now held was of course a beige Mini-Flash uniform from out of the ship, to replace the one Schiss-Zazz had savaged and spare Presh’s blushes when the time came.

Tentatively Juniper offered it, her expression beseeching.

For this was a chance for the two girls to talk.

Just a thank you would have been a start. Juniper’s gesture was kind. Come on, Presh, Joe found himself thinking.

That one snatched the uniform without a word, her pretty face twisted to the point of ugliness. Part of it however was the tears on the way. Choking bitter sobs Presh fled, the beige tunic flapping behind her, and hit the now-vacant gangplank to vanish into the ship. Mini-Flash Juniper was left alone and empty-handed by the farmhouse door.

Joe shared a sadly resigned look with Flashshadow.

Forgiveness for some might be a long time coming.

END OF CHAPTER ONE