Talitha Koum

Chapter 29

TALITHA KOUM

CHAPTER 29

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“What do you think, Julie?”

The three had returned to their original quarters. Since then, Tom had gone on to fill the other two in on what he now remembered from that early Sunday morning in the attic of the old Church, when he had been twelve and daydreaming one time, those many, many years ago.

“And you think this is why we’re here?” Julie cocked an eyebrow at him. “Because of what you said? Back then? Back in…Sunday School?” She leaned back in her seat.

Tom dropped his eyes. He coughed into his hand. “Well…I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Actually, now that I think about it…maybe…” He shrugged again.

Julie looked away too. She sighed.

Mr. Fong reached up and scratched his head. “Now, I no PhD., so maybe a little slow cook myself, but…” He squinted his eyes at Tom. “…what you mean is that DaNI maybe know your question, so bring you here, so you can…”

Tom let out a breath. “Well…”

“…so you can see…” Mr. Fong gestured with his hand.

Julie jumped in. “…Him.” She shook her head and began to laugh. “I mean…ha! That’s what you mean, isn’t it, Tom?”

“Look…”

“So you can see Him! And ask Him!” She laughed some more.

“Hey!” Tom held his hands up. “Now, I’m not saying that I’m at all sure about this…”

Julie slowed and then stopped laughing. She still smiled, though.

“In fact,” Tom went on, “that’s why I thought I’d tell the two of you in the first place. To bounce it off you. See what you guys think. Do you think it’s possible that that’s what happened? That that’s what DaNI did?”

Julie crossed her arms. She scoffed. “And so what if it was? So what if it wasn’t? We wouldn’t be able to confirm that either way. DaNI’s dead!” She shook her head. “And there’s no way to revive him.”

Mr. Fong looked from one to the other of them. “So what we do?”

Julie glanced over at Tom. “You might as well say it. Because I know you’re thinking it.”

Tom shook his head.

“What?” Mr. Fong asked.

Julie looked to Mr. Fong but pointed her finger at Tom. “He thinks we should go see Him.”

Tom’s eyes widened.

Mr. Fong turned to him. “Do you?”

“I…”

Julie laughed. “You see?” She shuddered as she chuckled.

Mr. Fong frowned. “Well…maybe not so bad idea…”

“What?” Julie leaned forward in her stool. “You think so too?”

Mr. Fong turned to her. “Well, what you think?”

Julie thought about this for a minute. She sighed. “I think…”

“Yeah?” Tom leaned closer.

She stretched out her back. “I think we should go to sleep.” She yawned.

“Huh?”

“It’s been a long day. And we’re in no hurry. We might as well take our time. Sleep on it.” She scratched at her left shoulder without thinking. “And if it’s one thing we do have, it’s time. Lots of it. A few thousand years’ extra, actually.”