Who is Sally Mumford?
Bio
Sally Mumford is a Professor and a distinguished scholar with dual PhDs in Linguistics and Archaeology from the University of the Central U.S. Republic. She is also an advanced student of Molecular Reconstruction and Genetic Engineering.
Originally from Brookhaven, Homochitto in the Mississippi Islands, Sally served as one of ten scientists aboard the deep space exploration vessel Astra Peregrina as part of the Titan Exploration Corps’ 30-person crew.
In 2140, she embarked on a groundbreaking 20-year mission to explore the Alpha Centauri system, 4.2 light years from Earth. The expedition’s stated objective was to assess mineral resources and the potential for human colonization. Six days into the second away team sent to the surface of the second planet in the Centauri A system.
Tragically, the Astra Peregrina was destroyed. Sally Mumford is the sole survivor of the mission. She has lived on this Earth-like planet, home to a 30-hour day cycle and extraordinary life forms ever since.
The planet supports two distinct humanoid species: one sharing ancient genetic markers with humanity (including Y-MRCA and Mitochondrial Eve lineages), and another highly advanced species capable of manipulating energy at the subatomic level.
Over the years, Sally has studied these beings, their culture, and the mysterious Amerine crystals they use to enhance abilities and extend life. The planet’s unique environment has dramatically slowed her own aging process.
A dedicated scientist and explorer, Sally continues her research in isolation, documenting one of the most profound first-contact experiences in human history while searching for answers about humanity’s place in the universe.
Unbeknownst to Sally and most of the Astra Peregrina crew, the true purpose of the mission was far more complex than mineral exploration or colonization. It involved multiple extraterrestrial civilizations and a galactic conflict that few on Earth even knew existed.
The 21st Century Global Flood
In May 2060, Earth was struck, near the North Pole, by a massive meteorite six miles across. The catastrophic impact triggered a global disaster: sea levels rose by 450 feet within days, coupled with a global cooling effect and a massive reduction in global rainfall. African countries, the sub-continent and large swathes of Asia suffered drought and crop failures. The northern parts of the world were gripped in ice age like temperatures for the first three years post-strike and billions perished world wide in what became known as the North Pole Cataclysm (NPC).
In the aftermath, many nations spiralled into chaos or authoritarianism. New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa descended into absolute police states and were eventually ostracized by the international community. Canada fractured into several smaller nations, with English Canada (comprising British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) emerging as the largest. The northern territories became semi-autonomous regions based on indigenous tribal lines, while Ontario and Quebec (now French Canada) declared independence, along with a unified Eastern Seaboard entity.
The Middle East collapsed into prolonged violence and internal conflict. Europe lost several entire countries, and the United Kingdom tore itself apart in a brutal Urban-Country civil war that lasted nearly two years. India, China, and much of Southeast Asia fragmented into lawless regions ruled by warlords. Many other nations around the world slid into feudalism and never recovered their former standing.
In the former United States, vast stretches of the South and Eastern Seaboard were swallowed by the rising oceans. Florida, Delaware, and Louisiana disappeared entirely, while Mississippi was reduced to a scattered archipelago of islands. Tens of thousands of refugees fled north, sparking widespread civil unrest, riots, and looting. For several months, order virtually collapsed.
On February 5th, 2061, the “Montana Massacre” occurred when 265-armed civilians and 22 Federal Security forces were killed. The event sent shockwaves across the country, causing militias to unite, most notably in Texas, where 50,000 armed militiamen posed a serious threat to federal authority. What followed was effectively a second American Civil War. Defections from the military and government were rampant.
In April 2061, governors from the Midwestern states met in Dallas and signed a Declaration of Independence, birthing the Central United States Republic. The new republic adopted a constitution based on the original U.S. Constitution, established its capital in Austin, and introduced a system of proportional representation. This fracture triggered further divisions. The Western states formed a loose alliance, and by May 2062 the Eastern states accepted the inevitable. Leaders from the three factions met in Pittsburgh and formally dissolved the United States of America.
By June 2062, the Western states officially united as the Western United States Union, with its capital in Reno. In the same month, the Eastern states formed the Eastern United States of America, retaining the original constitutional framework with Pittsburgh as its new capital. The border between the Eastern and Central republics was formally established along the Illinois-Indiana line.
In August 2062, the densely populated Mississippi Islands held a referendum. The northern islands joined the Eastern United States of America, while the southern islands voted to join the Central United States Republic.
By 2063, a fragile calm had finally settled across the former United States.
Anadaria
Sally Mumford
Part 1
Chapter 1
2140
Sally Mumford woke with a start. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed. A sheen of perspiration covered her body, and the memory of the dream she’d just had was still fresh and raw in her mind.
“Angelica!” she said aloud, shrugging her shoulders as she shivered.
“Good morning, Sally,” came the reply in a calm, authoritative female voice. “Did you sleep well?” Angelica was Sally’s house AI.
“Not exactly.” Sally stretched her arms toward the ceiling. “Call my mom, please, Angelica, and relay it through the house open channel.”
“Calling Louisa Mumford…”
Sally stretched again, plumped up her pillows, and lay back in bed. She heard the connection click, and the ringing came through loud and clear.
“Decrease volume by ten percent!” she called out just as someone picked up on the other end.
“Hello, Louisa Mumford speaking,” came a sweet-sounding voice over the house speakers.
“Hey, Mom! How are you? Still using that antique phone?”
“Oh, Sally, you know we don’t like all that fancy technology. How’s university, dear?”
“It’s fine. How are you and Dad?”
“We’re okay, but it’s not like you to call this early. Is something wrong? Especially with that Disclosure group you’re involved in.”
“Mom, we just investigate things and talk. It’s harmless,” Sally cut in.
Her mother’s voice tightened. “Even talking can get you in trouble. You’re one of the brightest scientists in the Central Republic. You can’t afford to slip up now; you must finish that second doctorate!”
Sally pulled the duvet over her head and blew out a frustrated breath. It’s genetic engineering and molecular restructuring, she thought, rolling her eyes.
“I’m fine, Mom. Really. Is Dad there? I need to speak to him.”
Sally knew how to change the subject. Mentioning her father always distracted her mom.
“He’s down at the barns feeding the animals, darling. He’ll be back soon. Are you sure you’re not in any trouble?”
“Did Dad manage to get into the attic and find Grandpa Bob’s box file?” Sally asked. “I had the strangest dream last night. It’s got me thinking.”
“You know your father, he keeps saying he will. I’ll remind him before we come up this weekend. Why? What was the dream?”
“I remembered something Dad told me years ago. Grandpa Bob said our family came to the Americas right around the start of the War on Terror.” Sally hesitated. “In the dream I was on an old ship in rough seas, everyone in period clothes. There was a young man, about twenty, staring out at the ocean… and it felt like he knew me. Like I’d touched the past.”
Her mother’s voice softened with curiosity. “That does sound intriguing.”
“I really need to talk to Dad and see what’s in that box,” Sally said. “Any chance you can come sooner than the weekend?”
“Sally, you have a PhD in archaeology, darling. You’ve always been digging into the past. Remember your 9/11 project when you were ten?” Her mom laughed softly. “A dream about an old ship isn’t that unusual.”
Sally rubbed her temples as the dream’s eerie feeling crept back. “Mom, I can’t explain it, but the man on the ship… it felt like he was family. Like he came into my dream for a reason.”
“Darling, dead people don’t visit dreams. Those conflicts were over a hundred years ago.” Sally rolled her eyes and scrunched her face. “Is Dad there yet?”
“Shall I get him to call you, darling? He shouldn’t be long.”
“Yeah, okay, Mom as soon as he can, please.” Sally didn’t want the dream to fade.
“Okay, love you, Sally.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
The call ended. Sally lay back against her pillows, replaying the fragments in her mind. She hadn’t told her mother everything. It would only make her worry more.
She had always felt a quiet loneliness. As an only child on a small farmstead on one of the Mississippi islands in the Central United States Republic, she had no aunts, uncles, or cousins. Both sets of grandparents were gone before she could know them. Grandpa Bob had died when she was just three.
“Brrrr, Angelica it feels a bit chilly! Increase house temperature by 3 degrees and put the shower on please!”
Instantly the sound of water splashing in the shower room echoed across the hallway. “Where’s Tibsy?”
“Tibsy departed the house at 08:46 hours,” Angelica confirmed.
Tibsy was Sally's extremely beloved but oh so very pesky cat.
Suddenly a jolt of pain raced into Sally’s head, and she remembered the bottle of wine that she’d drunk the previous night.
“Ouch, how much did I drink last night?” Sally said to herself.
“9.6 units of alcohol,” Angelica unwantedly responded.
“Hmmm. Thanks for the input!”
“No problem, Sally!” Angelica added, courteously.
‘Shower!’ Sally thought, then threw back the bed covers and raced to the bathroom.
“Would you like your usual breakfast, after your shower?” asked Angelica, as Sally lobbed her pink and black pyjamas and red t-shirt unceremoniously in the washing basket, before quickly opening the splash door and entering the warmth of the steaming shower.
“YES PLEASE!” She shouted above the sound of the power shower that thundered down on her body.
She wasted no time washing her slender frame. Sally was extremely petite and beautifully slim. Her long, mousey coloured hair reached right down her back, which she often bemoaned when she was in a rush, but also loved because she could style it in so many ways. She wasn't one for the latest fashions or beauty fads though. She liked to dress casually most of the time and often wore good old-fashioned jeans and a man's cotton shirt, especially when she was on a dig. She sometimes wondered that if she made more effort, she might not have been single for as long as she had.
She quickly washed her hair and rinsed down, then jumped out of the shower and was back in her bedroom getting herself dried and dressed in no time at all.
“Your coffee and bagel are ready, Sally,” Angelica announced.
“Thanks.” Sally wrapped her damp hair in a towel, twisting it into a quick pineapple knot on top of her head, and padded toward the kitchen.
“Welcome home, Tibsy,” Angelica said warmly. “I see you’ve brought Sally another present.”
“Oh no…” Sally stepped into the kitchen and froze. “Not another, MOUSE! AAAAAHHHH!”
Tibsy trotted toward her with proud, wide eyes, a plump mouse dangling from his jaws. He dropped it at her feet like a trophy. The mouse wasn’t dead. It immediately darted across Sally’s bare foot. She shrieked and jumped back as Tibsy pounced again.
“BAD CAT!” Grabbing the broom by the door, Sally chased her very beloved but very pesky cat across the kitchen. Tibsy finally got the message and shot out through the cat flap with the mouse still in his mouth.
“Angelica, set cat flap timer lock for ten minutes,” Sally ordered, catching her breath.
“Cat flap timer set. It will unlock at 09:56,” Angelica confirmed. Sally rolled her eyes. She was already running behind. She quickly finished drying her hair and pulled it into a ponytail.
“Angelica, what’s my schedule today?”
“You have a two-hour lecture at the university at 1 p.m., followed by student tutorials at 6 and 7 p.m.”
Sally already held a PhD in archaeology and linguistics, but she was now pushing hard into genetic engineering and molecular restructuring. Between Disclosure meetings and teaching, her own study time had almost disappeared, something her mother never let her forget.
“You have an incoming call on your secured personal frequency,” Angelica announced. “Caller ID displayed.”
Sally glanced at the clear kitchen screen and smiled. It was Jonathan, her best friend from university, an astronomer working as a technician. He had arrived on campus just a year and a half ago, and they had instantly clicked. Like her, he was a member of Disclosure.
“Angelica, connect on the house secure channel please.”
She picked up her coffee and bagel and headed toward the sun lounge.
“Hey, Jay! Angelica, open all sun blinds.”
The blinds rose one by one, flooding the room with warm sunlight as Sally settled onto her large, comfy sofa.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” came Jonathan’s bubbly voice. “Bit too much wine last night?” Sally laughed. He knows me far too well. “Same results, different day.”
“I’m calling about last night’s meeting. I found some interesting material on the Triangular Alliance, plus an old 2016 newspaper clipping about the Alpha Centauri system. There’s also a suspicious string of astronomers who studied that system and died mysteriously in the early 21st century.” His voice rose with excitement. “Oh, and there was a new guy at the meeting. This could be big, Sal. Things are starting to unravel. I’m going to ask the university if I can use the 40-inch refractor.”
“When do you want to meet? I’m on campus this afternoon for a lecture. Ten past three at the usual spot?”
“Perfect. See you then, Hon. Love you!” he said, and the call ended.
Sally leaned back, staring at the ceiling. While Jonathan chased stars and government cover-ups in the skies, her own forbidden research went much deeper, into the quark level. Officially, molecular restructuring stopped at the subatomic barrier. But in her private experiments, she had pushed further, withholding results from her mentors and hiding data from the ever-present outside technicians who monitored every practical session. Something didn’t add up, and she was determined to find out what the authorities were so desperate to keep hidden.
Jonathan was such a handsome guy; he was fun and caring and there wasn't a bad bone in his body. He certainly looked out for Sally whenever he could and she would dearly like to date him but for the fact that he was gay, or at least she thought he was gay. She’d never actually seen him with a guy and the subject had never come up. She had always just assumed that he was because he had never tried anything with her, even when they’d had too much wine together.
“The cat flap lock is disabled,” Angelica announced.
“Ah, Tibsy!” Sally jumped up and headed to the kitchen. Sure enough, the clever cat slipped inside the moment the lock released.
“Welcome home, Tibsy,” Angelica said warmly.
“Hey, boy!” Sally called. Tibsy leaped onto the kitchen table and meowed loudly, demanding breakfast. She opened his favourite chicken sachet and set it down, stroking his back as he ate.
“Thanks for the lovely present this morning,” she said with a wry smile.
“Angelica, another coffee please.”
Ten seconds later, a fresh mug waited in the reconstructor. Sally sipped it carefully, her mind already ticking through the day. She still had time to drive to the store and pick up supplies before her parents arrived at the weekend.
Then, without warning, the man from her dream flashed into her mind, his face clear against the stormy sea. A cold shiver ran down her spine. He had tried to tell her something, but the words were lost beneath the roar of wind and waves. There had been an explosion in the sky too… What did it mean?
She stood frozen, mug halfway to her lips, staring at the wall. It was just a dream… wasn’t it?
“You have an incoming call. Displaying caller ID…” Angelica announced.
Sally jumped, spilling coffee down her jeans. “Ah, crap!” She rushed to the sink for a cloth.
It was her father. “Angelica, connect on the house open channel please.”
“Hey, Dad!” she said brightly, dabbing at the stain.
“Now what’s this about a dream, Sally? Your mom’s all worked up and worried,” her father said, his tone serious but warm. “Tell me what happened.”
“In a nutshell, Dad, I think the man I saw in my dream last night is related to us. He came to warn me about something, and I believe the answer might be in Grandpa Bob’s box file.”
She could always be direct with her father. He loved history yet had always been strangely reluctant to dig into their own family past.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve never had a dream like that before. The feeling was… different. Can you come up sooner, please?”
“Sally, we’ll be there at the weekend. We can’t drop everything and drive up over a dream and an old box file.”
Sally sighed quietly, slumping in her chair. She knew there was no changing his mind. “Okay, Daddy. See you Saturday.”
“I love you, sweetheart. Make your mom happy and get stuck into your studies, alright?”
“Sure, Dad.”
The call ended. Sally sat for a moment, staring blankly at the wall, feeling deflated. Then she shook herself, stood up, and got moving.
Best to go to the store and get back in time to go to University, Sally thought as she grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.
In an age of molecular re-constructors, getting supplies from a store was more about carbon cells and packets of elemental materials. Re-constructers, however, could not make a 2055 vintage bottle of Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. Sally knew how much her father loved a good bottle of red, especially one from before the world flood; post-flood wines were a waste of an attractive bottle according to her dad.
Her trip to the store was quick and uneventful. On returning she walked up the path to the front entrance and placed her eye against the control panel by the side of the door. The retina laser scanned downwards, and the door clicked open, swinging wide and allowing her to enter carrying her bag of provisions. The door automatically closed behind her.
“Welcome home Sally Mumford!” Said Angelica.
“Where’s Tibsy?”
“Tibsy entered the house at 10:22 and is currently in the sun lounge.”
Sally looked at the clock on the touchscreen interface and saw that it was 10:32. She placed the brown paper bag on the kitchen table and began to empty the contents. Her brief excursion to the store had taken her mind off the dream and she was starting to think about her lecture and her meet with Jonathan.
Quite suddenly, a chill ran through her body that made her shiver. The paper receipt from the store on the edge of the kitchen table blew upwards as if caught in a draught; her eyes darted to it and flickered like time had somehow slowed. All her senses focused as it dropped gently to the floor in slow motion and she acutely registered the subtle sound of it landing. She stood motionless for a few seconds, staring.
“Angelica, are there any windows open in the house?”
“There are no windows open in the house!”
The hairs on Sally’s arms stood up on end and a tingling sensation raced up her spine into her head. She walked around the kitchen table and down the corridor to the sun lounge. Tibsy was cleaning himself on the comfy chair in the corner and he acknowledged her when she walked in. Something didn’t seem right; the silence was overpowering, almost deafening. A faint breeze swept past her from behind and into the sun-drenched room, causing goose bumps to instantly appear all over her skin. It made her feel nauseous and into her mind’s eye, the image of the man in her dream appeared and his face accelerated towards and through her, making her step back and gasp slightly at the power of the image. Tibsy stood in the chair and arched up into a defensive posture. Sally’s head spun as the face of the man in the dream flashed repeatedly in her head. Tibsy reared up again and hissed menacingly at nothing, then bolted out of the sun lounge towards the kitchen. Sally’s heart pounded in her chest, it was as if time had stood still, and the room quite suddenly felt freezing.
“Unexplained drop in temperature, would you like me to regulate?”
The sound of the computer seemed distant, almost unreal. She staggered forward toward the glass desk in the centre of the room reaching out to steady herself. She got an overwhelming feeling that someone was behind her and span around, eyes darting around the room. But she was alone. Without warning, she burst into tears and felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest. The nausea intensified and she felt an overwhelming sinking feeling in her stomach. She stood, swaying in a circular motion. Her throat began to tighten, making her feel like she couldn't swallow. Darkness slowly engulfed her, a twisting tunnel of blackness that narrowed and she felt her heart rate drop. She staggered forward, tears streaming down her face, fear and panic gripped her like never before, as she felt her breathing stop. The darkness became complete, her body went limp, and she felt the breeze pass over her face as she slumped to the floor.
Falling and falling, down, down Sally plunged, gripped by panic, paralysed by fear, then she splashed into water. She slipped under the surface and was unable to breathe. Her entire life began flashing before her eyes as she slowly descended into the dark of the darkest abyss.
The time when she was five and she had been riding a pony that had gotten startled and thrown her, mirrored the sinking through the mire and became almost part of the scene. The time she had made her first Native American archaeological find when she was nine flashed by, as she plummeted deeper. Sally gasped, trying to breathe, thrashing around, and all the time she felt herself slipping towards the end down below her, in the pitch black. It was close, another minute and she'd reach it and all the time the images of her life flashed by like she was in an old movie theatre. Then a small, beautiful woman appeared that Sally immediately felt could be an angel; her hair long, flowing blonde which partially hid the small wings protruding from her back. The angel reached out and smiled tenderly. She looked different from a human, like she was from another dimension in time. Sally felt that she had come to guide her to the infinite, but the angel whispered in a language totally unfamiliar to her, yet sally knew the meaning in her heart "the hour is late". Then an image of her parents appeared, both dressed in regalia, like when they had attended her graduation a few years previous. They smiled lovingly at her which slowly eased Sally's panic. The fear was replaced with a feeling of calm, an acceptance. She heard a distant faint voice, which slowly got louder as she sank ever closer to the dark nothingness that was below her in the water.
“Breathe!” the voice said, but she struggled to make it out. Again, it came louder than before.
“Breathe!” it was much clearer now and she thought she recognised the voice.
“BREATHE!!” the voice shouted, and Sally instantly felt an overwhelming determination not to enter the darkness below her. The images disappeared and the sound of the voice echoed again.
"BREEEEATHE!" It was the voice of Jonathan, and on hearing it again, she suddenly felt a force like a hand on her back, yank her upwards towards the light above, up, and up, faster, and faster out of the depths, into the air. As she left the water, she took in the largest breath of fresh air she ever had.
“WARNING! Sally Mumford, your vital signs are critical, an AI paramedic has been called, remain calm, WARNING!”
She woke like a heart patient being resuscitated with a defibrillator and inhaled so hard she wheezed like a whistle; Tibsy was by her side and jumped at her head to rub his against hers.
“Sally Mumford, a paramedic has been called, please remain calm and wait for medical assistance!” Angelica instructed her.
She pushed the top half of her body up with her arms and saw a tiny pool of spittle on the fine oak flooring of her sun lounge. A pain shot into her head as she took another deep breath. Her hands felt numb and tingly, and her body was buzzing all over. She pushed herself up fully and turned to sit there on the floor of the sun lounge. Tibsy quickly came into her lap and lovingly rubbed his head under her chin. 'What the hell just happened?' Sally thought. Then without any warning she burst into tears and sobbed uncontrollably, the tears streamed down her face and all the time her faithful cat nuzzled into her.
“The paramedic has arrived Sally, please remain where you are!”
Sally, eyes still streaming, tried to compose herself as she heard the front door open, and the paramedic enter the house. She had never been keen on AI paramedics, a feeling instilled into her by her father who liked a 'good old-fashioned human doctor!'
“The patient is in the sun lounge. Her name is Sally Mumford, she passed out and for a short time and her breathing stopped!” Angelica dutifully informed the paramedic, who hastily entered the sun lounge and set about his task, asking questions, checking her blood pressure and a whole array of other tests. Sally just felt like she wanted to go to sleep and the ten minutes or so that she was being attended too passed in what seemed like a few seconds. A numbness had set into her, and she felt a great deal of relief when the paramedic instructed her to get into bed, rest, and that he would call back in a few hours to check-up on her.
As the door clicked shut, she was left in bed on her side, staring at the wall. She had no recollection of what had happened. All she could remember was picking out a bottle of red wine at the store. Before she could even think of another thing that she had done that day, she drifted off to sleep.
Sally woke and sat up in bed. A moment of de-ja-vu swept through her but quickly she recalled that she had a lecture to get too. She must have fainted but couldn’t recall why. The paramedic's visit came to her, and she remembered speaking to her mom earlier that morning about the weekend.
“Angelica what time is it?” she asked, feeling better for the sleep she’d just had.
“The time is 14:03 hours, I have informed the University that you were unable to attend your lecture, due to sickness!”
“What happened?”
“You passed out for reasons unknown.”
“What else is in my schedule today?” Sally asked. Her brain felt all scrambled and the passage of time had become contorted.
“You have two student tuitions this evening and a meeting with Jonathan in 1 hour and 7 minutes. The paramedic recommended bed rest for the day Sally Mumford!”
“I feel fine! Angelica call Jonathan please and route via the house open channel!”
“Calling Jonathan…”
The sound of the ringtone quickly came over the house speakers and after five rings the connection was made but clicked into Jay's answer message.
“I must be busy, leave a message!” Said the recorded voice of Sally’s beloved friend.
Then something hit Sally like a truck and the sound of Jonathan shouting “Breathe” at her, echoed in her mind. Her calm state vanished in a flash, and she got an overwhelming feeling of vertigo. Something was wrong, she had to meet Jay, she didn’t know why but she had to go and go immediately.
She jumped out of bed, still fully clothed from feinting, and quickly got together a few things to take. As she quickly fixed her hair and put on some lipstick, she recalled the conversation she had with Jay that morning. He would be disappointed if she didn’t come and she needed to see him; it was unlike him to not answer his cell, especially during the day. She hurriedly walked into the kitchen, grabbed a jacket and her car keys then headed out the door.
The drive to the university took barely twelve minutes. Sally floored the accelerator, weaving through traffic like a character in an old 20th-century cop film. She barely slowed as she swung through the campus main gate.
Her heart slammed to a stop.
Two police cars, a paramedic truck, and a cluster of people stood gathered by the science block entrance. Yellow tape cordoned off the lawn directly beneath Jonathan’s lab. A white forensic tent had been erected against the wall.
Sally screeched into the nearest parking bay, slammed the door, and sprinted across the road, nearly getting hit by an oncoming car. She skidded to a halt at the edge of the crowd, staring.
The hairs on her neck rose. A sickening tingle shot up her spine.
Someone touched her shoulder. She spun around.
“Hey, Sally…” Dana’s voice was soft, already full of pity. The look on her face said everything.
Sally turned back toward the tent. Every moment she and Jonathan had shared flashed through her mind in a blinding rush, drunk laughter on her sofa, late-night talks, the way he always called her “gorgeous.”
And his words echoed in her head “This could be big!”
A cold spike of guilt stabbed through her chest.
What if they found out what I’ve been doing?
She had pushed far beyond the official subatomic barrier in her private quark experiments, hiding data, falsifying logs, deliberately evading the outside technicians who watched every session. Jonathan had been asking dangerous questions about the Triangular Alliance and Alpha Centauri. Had her own forbidden research made him a target? Had she dragged the one person who truly saw her, into something that got him hurt?
What have I done?
She ducked under the tape and marched toward the tent.
“Hey! Lady, you can’t be here!” A cop moved to block her.
Sally kept walking.
“Stop! Get back behind the tape!”
The officer stepped in front of her, hands raised. A freezing chill flooded her body. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“Come on,” he said more gently. “Did you know him?”
She couldn’t speak.
Dana appeared beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and guiding her back. “You two were close, weren’t you?”
The words hit like a blade.
“NOOOOOO!” Sally’s scream tore across the campus lawn. “NO! NO! NO!”
She broke free and ran straight across the road without looking, tears blinding her. She reached her vintage red Porsche, slammed her hands on the hood, and let out another raw, guttural cry toward the sky. Her legs gave way. She slid down the side of the car until she was a crumpled heap on the asphalt, sobbing uncontrollably.
Strong hands lifted her.
“Come on, let’s get you home,” Lecturer David said quietly. He guided her around to the passenger side. The door opened automatically. Sally folded into a tight ball in the seat, arms wrapped around her knees, staring at nothing.
David climbed in, glanced at the tiny, shattered girl beside him, and reversed hard. The tyres screeched as he accelerated out of the car park and through the main gate, leaving the growing crowd staring after them.
When David pulled onto Sally’s driveway and looked across at her, he felt like he was staring at a woman who had seen a ghost. Her face was solemn, dried tears streaking her cheeks. Her hair had fallen loose, the band dangling uselessly. She hadn’t moved from the position he’d placed her in back at the university. His concern had grown with every mile.
He switched off the purring engine, walked around to the passenger side, and gently lifted her out. She weighed almost nothing — barely 105 pounds — yet she had always carried herself with such strength. David had enormous respect for her. She was the brightest student to emerge from UCAR, the University of the Central American Republic, since its founding in 2066.
“Sally, you’re going to have to do the retina scan,” he said softly, setting her on her feet in front of the control panel.
For several long seconds she simply stood there, staring blankly. Then, moving as if in slow motion, she leaned forward. The laser swept across her eye. The lock clicked, and the door swung open.
“Welcome home, Sally Mumford,” Angelica greeted them.
David guided her inside and helped her onto a kitchen stool. He brushed the tangled hair from her face. She looked hollow, pale, and utterly silent. He had never seen her like this. Sally had always been Little Miss Sunshine — the name he’d given her on her very first day in his lecture.
“Sally, can I get you something?” he asked gently. “Coffee?”
No response.
“Can I call someone for you?” His worry deepened. “You really shouldn’t be alone right now.”
Still nothing.
“Sally!” He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a light shake. “Come on, talk to me. Snap out of it.”
Nothing. Her gaze remained vacant.
Frustrated and heartsick, David turned away. “Angelica, two white coffees, plenty of sugar.”
The reconstructor hummed to life. Moments later, two steaming mugs appeared. He set one in front of her and waved it gently under her nose.
“Welcome home, Tibsy!” Angelica announced as the cat flap clicked.
Tibsy trotted in, meowing loudly. The sound seemed to reach Sally. She lifted her head, blinked, and slowly came back to herself.
“Hey, boy…” she whispered.
She slid off the stool. Tibsy ran to her, and she scooped him into her arms. He purred loudly, rubbing his head under her chin.
David exhaled in relief. “Sally, can I call someone? You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I’m fine, David. Thank you,” she said quietly. “You’d better get back. I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
She walked to the console and opened the front door. David hesitated, clearly reluctant to leave her.
“Thank you,” she added, still holding Tibsy. “Truly. I’ll be okay.”
“I’ll come by after my lecture to check on you,” he said, concern still etched on his face. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Take my car, I’ll get it tomorrow.”
She handed him the keys. With one last worried glance, David stepped outside. The door closed softly behind him.
As soon as David left, Sally pressed the console button and the door clicked shut. She stood in the kitchen, staring blankly. She had no idea what time it was anymore. The day had collapsed in on itself. All that remained was Tibsy and an aching emptiness.
What the hell happened today? The numbness returned, clamping down like a vice. She couldn’t even bring herself to think Jonathan’s name.
“Incoming call on the unsecured mobile network,” Angelica announced. “Displaying caller ID.”
It was Dana.
Sally let it ring. Part of her wanted to ignore the world, but at the last second she touched Dana’s face on the screen.
“Hey, Sally. How are you holding up? It’s been a horrible day here. Do you want some company?”
Sally shook her head. “No, I’m okay, Dana. I’m exhausted. I just want to sleep.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t think you should be alone right now.”
“I’m fine. Thanks, though.”
“Okay… I’ll call you later then. Try to get some rest.”
Just as Dana was about to hang up, a sudden wave of clarity cut through Sally’s fog. A cold chill raced down her spine and dissolved at the crown of her head, leaving an eerie calm behind.
“Dana, wait!” she said sharply. “What exactly happened? When?”
Dana paused. “Jay fell from the lab window around half past ten this morning. No one’s sure why he was leaning out. The police think it was an accident.”
Sally exhaled slowly. “Okay. Call me later.”
She ended the call and turned around. Her eyes flicked around the kitchen as if searching for something unseen. She started to pace.
“Angelica, replay my interactions with you from the moment I first woke until now.”
She picked up her now-cold coffee, took a sip, and continued pacing. As the AI replayed the day, it felt like it had happened to someone else. Then came the moment after she returned from the store, the chill, the floating receipt, the fainting.
“Angelica, freeze replay. Time reference: placing the bag from the store on the kitchen table.”
“You placed your bag of shopping on the kitchen table at 10:32:43.”
The exact time hit her like adrenaline. Every hair on her body stood on end. She looked down, the receipt was still lying on the floor where it had fallen.
“Angelica, call my mom. Patch through to the kitchen loudspeaker.”
“Calling Louisa Mumford.”
Sally lifted Tibsy onto the table just as the connection clicked.
“Louisa Mumford speaking.”
“Mom…” Sally’s voice was flat, empty.
“Hey, baby girl. Is everything alright? Shouldn’t you be in lectures?”
Silence. Sally’s eyes slowly filled with tears. Her mother’s tone sharpened with worry.
“Sally? Something’s happened. Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you in trouble?”
The tears spilled over.
“I need you, Mom.”