Dragonfly; Phan

IX

When he was handed a hot mug filled with steaming chocolate and he wrapped his fingers tight around it, he let his mind stutter to peace. Even if it was just for a moment.

"What would you kids like on the TV?" Dan's grandfather sat down and picked up the remote.

"Nothing—Can I talk to you about some stuff, Peter?" PJ began, and Dan rolled his eyes. He really didn't need this.

"Stuff?" Peter echoed. "Like we talked about last time? Littlerock and all your mysteries?"

"No, but we can talk about that," PJ grinned. "Yeah, Dan?"

Dan shook his head with a quick breath, eyes out of the front window. Skye. "He doesn't know anything else, PJ."

"Alright, then. Let's talk about some science stuff. What do you know about the concept of atomic theory in space?"

Dan wanted to punch him. He really did. And when he looked over at Cat, just briefly, she had the exact same yearn scrawled onto her face. She smiled at him though, regardless.

"Why are you so interested in space?" Dan's grandfather asked PJ. "I'm curious. It's a whole other dimension to ours, something else entirely, and yet you seem so transfixed by it."

"It's just cool, isn't it?"

"Cool. Cool it is. But it's only cool if you make it cool. Just like everything," The man pushed his glasses higher on his nose. "It is what you make it. If you believe in something, something that is a complete stretch, you have the willpower to create a whole series of other events that make that something seem rational."

Dan was listening now. His attention was prickling around the words and he didn't know why.

"How'd you mean?" he asked.

"I mean," Peter paused, smiling at his grandson. "A lot of life is subjective. Quite often, reality concocts with fantasy. Something you believe might not be what PJ believes, for example. And a lot of what we do in our levels of intelligence is try to convince others of our accuracy. Or, rather, their flaws. Now, with something as complex as space, we might take a concept that is based solely on theory and has no logic behind it at all. And what do you do with that concept? You give it logic. You conjure up an entire book of reasons why you are correct and everybody else isn't."

"Like brainwashing somebody?" PJ asked.

"Not exactly. That's usually a negative thing. This is only negative if you make it," Peter shook his head. "Went off on a bit of a tangent there. All I'm trying to say is that space is only fascinating to you because of the things you've heard, things that are being 'proven' by men who really just do it for a profession. Take something you believe is true and defeat what they do. You have the ability to find and create anything in your imagination."

"Ghosts," Dan said, and everyone looked at him. "What about ghosts?"

"What about them?"

"Does all that apply for them to? For the paranormal world? Could you take an irrational idea and make it rational? What if nobody believes you?"

"I've never thought about that one, I must admit. A lot of people reject the idea of a paranormal universe altogether."

"Which is just close-minded," PJ rolled his eyes, like he was offended.

"Yeah, but," Dan was clinging onto his point. "But could you? If you know something's true?"

Peter folded his hands on his legs. "Truth is such a false term."