Sarah Jean Says Some Things

Sarah Jean took a deep breath and began.

“Like I said, Doc heard through his contacts about this crypt that just seemed to spring up with this weird writing in it. They sent it to him because he knows about all sorts of weird things. Doc took one look at the picture and got very serious. We had to go check this out. It was so serious to him that he had to come along and that sort of situation is rare. We were a bit concerned, said he didn't have to come along with all the technology we have to transmit pictures and video, he could translate from home. But no, he had to come along.

“We got to the crypt with no problems and me with Lloyd Brown, the researcher that had called on Doc. This man looked like a researcher: wild hair, small glasses perched on the end of his nose, clothes that were slightly grubby because he was too absent-minded to wash them. He takes us to the crypt to see these carvings in person. When we got there we had two problems. Doc glances at the carvings and freaks out because they didn't match the pictures Lloyd had sent him. Someone these ancient carvings had changed overnight. The other problem was the strange man.

“He was there when we arrived and just kept asking questions and adding to the conversation that nobody thought much of him until Doc asked Lloyd to be introduced to him and Lloyd became confused because Lloyd thought this man was with us. The man tried to dismiss the questions about his identity, pointing out that what the carvings spoke of was much more important.

“That settled nothing. Doc got loud, the strange man kept refusing to explain himself and, in the midst of this argument, everything went purple.

“It was really weird. There was a flash of purple, just for a moment, just long enough to notice. After the glow faded, everything looked the same as it had before until Barbara pointed out that the carvings had changed again.

“The Stranger used a device to scan the carvings. He identified their origin and Doc got concerned again, one of those 'how do you know that?' moments because Doc likes being the smartest person in the room. The Stranger just grinned and said he'd seen a few things in his time.

“They agreed that the carvings were Banydren or something like that, in nature and that the carvings were the display of some device but at the time they weren't sure what type of device.

“We exited the crypt and things were just going nuts outside. Our communication system was reporting cracks in reality and crazy things happening everywhere with no one else picking up the phone. We spread out to hit some of the disasters, just to try and do something to help, while the eggheads examined the device in the crypt, as they were sure it was the cause of all these problems.

“Harry and I headed to Chicago to investigate reports of a 150 foot bear that was rampaging through downtown. The bear was real and real big. Eventually we managed to lure it between two skyscrapers to stop it from moving around and Harry killed it. I just... you really don't want to hear how. It was beyond gross.

“I had wanted the Chicago mission because I knew that would put me near you. After the bear had been dealt with, I twisted Harry's arm a little to check on you and he agreed. You know, he may not show it much but Harry does like you. I think he was worried about you too. At least a little.

“Pirate ships had landed on the shores of Lake Michigan and the pirates were attacking the city. When we didn't find you at home, we went to school and...

“Ahem. We, uh, went to school and, um, the pirates were attacking there. No one was really there to fight back so the pirates were winning. I was able to sense you and we hurried to find you, stopping pirates as we ran. When we finally found you, you were bravely fighting off a pirate in the stairwell near your office. I... and I, um, got so excited and relieved that you were okay that I called out your name and... it distracted you and...

“And then the pirate stabbed you. He laughed and stabbed you with his sword.

“I guess I yelled, Harry said I yelled and ran to you but it was too late. You died in my arms.

“I don't know how long I sat there, cradling your body and crying but I did until Harry got me moving again. Harry had killed the pirate that killed you, not that it really mattered much at that point.

“Much of the rest of it is a blur. We fought off pirates, crushed some robots in Detroit, captured a talking tiger in Battle Creek, just a blur of stuff until the communication came from Doc. They had figured out the device. We were in a pocket universe. The device was an ancient toy that had accidentally become activated in the chaos. We all returned to Vermont, fought off an ancient evil that guarded the device and made it back to our proper reality.

“Once we were here, I couldn't sense you so I came running to check that you were okay and here we are.

“I... I didn't expect to feel quite like that. When you died. I mean, I don't know what I expected to feel but... It just felt like a warning or something. I don't know how to describe it.

“It's just...

“Patrick, I love you.”