What Happens Afterward

What Happens Afterward

by e3khatena

The gentle white noise of waves and the warmth of the sun on my face were my first indications that it had happened. I yawned, stretching and pulling myself out of the warm sand, brushing my fingers through my hair, and finally donning my hat once again. I am Penny, but I am also Bit, Memmi... I was Tammy. I am so much.

But Memmi will do for now.

A number of buildings were scattered haphazardly around the island, with many people in a panic. Two people stood on a wooden platform arguing about something, a crowd clamoring too loud to pick any one voice out. I approached a man holding a bell and asked him for it, and walked through the crowd loudly and deliberately ringing it as I walked.

The crowd's chatter died down, and I approached the stage. "I am Memmi, the Resident Sage of the afterward," I said to the two people, holding out a hand in a peaceful offering.

"Bart Porter, Regional Director of the intellectual property of the city of Portland, Oregon," the man said, dressed in a cheap blue suit with a white dress shirt and red tie.

"Ashley Baker... mayor? President? One of the two?... for New Infinity," the woman replied, an older woman in a leather jacket and orange sweater.

"So you ran the simulation," I said, pointing to the woman, "and it was located in your town?" I continued, pointing at the man.

They both agreed after some fussing.

"Okay," I murmured as I turned towards the crowd, ringing the bell once again.

"If I could have your attention?" I called, before the man offered me his microphone, "Hello, I am Memmi, I am the resident Sage of the afterward. This is my home. You all were warped here by what is called a 'Class-X meta-reality data incident', which has unfortunately collapsed your universe into mine. At the moment, there isn't a way back, but I will set out in enlisting help in building one as quickly as I can. Meanwhile, all of you will be living here temporarily. It appears that your two settlements have been mostly brought over in the exchange, so hopefully life will continue with some sense of normalcy. There is a single caveat, though: that meta-reality data incident still exists, it's still here, and it will work to consume everything. I can help you destroy it, we've called it "Blight" in this world before, and I know how to rid this world of it. I will be meeting personally with some of you over the coming week to make sure that can happen. Thank you for your time."

As I began to walk off the stage, the man stopped me. "I'm sorry, did Horizon send you?" he asked.

"No, this is my home, and--"

"--I can only take orders from Horizon's higher ups," he said, sweating.

"Looks like that will change," I replied smugly.

"Let me contact Chief Executive Johnson right now," he continued.

He took out a small black phone and pressed a single button on its glass exterior. He put the device to his ear, then quickly returned to pressing buttons, waving the device in the air. "I can't—I can't get a signal," he said.

"I don't have any bars, either," the woman replied.

"You cannot contact the outside world at the moment, you are stuck here with no way back out until further notice."

"Look, ma'am," the man said, pushing past the woman and jamming his index finger directly in my face, "I work for the biggest corporation in the known universe, Horizon's Board of Directors owns the concept of the human race, we are quickly pursuing purchasing the entire solar system, we are in charge! I demand you let me speak with them right now, or--"

"Sir, if you don't mind, I have a schedule to keep, I'm dreadfully busy," I replied as dryly as possible, "and in the meantime perhaps you can grow a spine."

The man gasped at my comment, turning bright red before trying to storm after me. The woman pushed him off to the side and yelled at him for his actions, then caught up with me as I left the stage. "I had an old friend decades ago who'd be able to help figure out inter-dimensional portal technology. I just want to confirm, though, no wi-fi?"

"Nope."

"No telephones in or out?"

"Negative," I continued.

"What means do we have to contact the outside world, then?" she asked.

"The only real solution is to figure out the internal identification number of a rift gate from your world, ping its owner to allow an outside connection, and then funnel people out from that point."

"I still have Felix's ID number, though it doesn't get us any closer to Earth," she said.

"We will figure that out probably tomorrow. I have something important to go do," I replied.

"Oh no, go ahead, if you need me, you can find me at the red-roofed building... somewhere... in all this mess."

I nodded, and began to head towards home. It wasn't my home anymore, truth be told, but I can't bring myself to call it anything else. I knew the streets, still, even after they had been so thoroughly displaced, even after all I had been through. I assumed Nephim had gifted me each and every one of my memories back, so I should thank her for that nicety. 743 Southwest Chestnut Street, a quaint white home with a small lamp post out at the front, a great evergreen tree standing alongside it. I approached the door and knocked.

A man with longer, slicked-back brown hair opened the door, wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks. "Hello?" he said, looking down at me.

"Dr. Mark Wilson?" I asked.

"Y...yes? Who are you?"

"My name is Memmi, I am the resident sage here in the afterward. Can I come in for a moment?"