The Post Sunday Experiment | COMPLETED 2020

Chapter 38

The next morning the guards at the Pentagon directed Penny, Eric, Ody, and Mae toward a bus that would take them home. The lab was full of more scientists than ever. They had appeared in groups, all trying to understand this alternative form of radiation and how this hormone reversed the paralysis. That was no longer any of the Winters' concern.

Despite the fact they'd all come here out of obligation, they didn't really want to leave.

The Winters had missed their home, but the truth was, there wasn't too much of a home to return to. As for Eric, he would be staying at the old Winters' estate while Penny acclimated to city life. Mae would have to find a new job because her boss had dismissed her. Ody had to catch up on all the school since he'd missed roughly a week.

So, in truth, there wasn't much of anything waiting for them at their final destinations except pressure and work. And neither was fun for anyone.

For Eric, he was choosing to take a break from the chaos and secrecy of the Post Sunday Experiment. Aldrich and the president had promised him a new job on some other project, but would certainly be another Post Sunday Experiment.

The four of them climbed into the back seat of a van. Eric's fingers touched something he had carried for a while now and a little smile crossed his lips. It had remained in his pocket for what felt like years now. He couldn't remember when he'd bought it. It was simply part of a stupid fantasy but now... now he knew it was different.

Ody took a seat in the black bus. This bus was different from the one he and Penny had rode on their way to DC. This one had leather seats, tinted windows, and cup holders. It was still gloomy and dark, but it at least didn't feel like a death trap.

They clicked their seat belts and reclined in the comfortable seats. The car started the long drive back to Cazenovia.

Eric picked up another newspaper on the seat next to him. He read the dramatic headline revealing the disease. It told of the Technasma as if they had just come up with the idea yesterday. The public would be alarmed at the headline, but certain people had known about it for years.

Mae looked out the window then glanced back towards the others.

"I almost forgot," she laughed as she dug through her pocket. Pulling out Ody's cell phone, she reached over Penny and handed it to him. "Hey, the next time you end up kidnapped by the military, do not leave your phone in the van!" Mae laughed. "You are lucky I found it."

"Oh my gosh, thanks!" Ody exhaled as he took it from her. "I thought this was long gone. But yes, next time that happens, Mom, I'll be sure not to forget it."

She smiled. She looked away for a moment, but her head turned when she heard Ody messing with a circuit board in his hand.

Ody caught her watching him. "Hey, I didn't go through all of that to contract Technasma."

"Well, I guess that's fair," his mother replied with a grin.

The rest of the ride was quiet. Ody fidgeted with the circuit board the whole time, Mae looked out the window, Eric read over the newspaper, and Penny sat quietly. Although no one seemed to notice, Penny wasn't quite the same.

When the tires of the bus pulled up to the Winter's estate, Eric thanked the driver. They all ran into the house as if they'd been gone for years instead of mere days.

After they all unlocked the front door and came pounding in, their hearts sank. The moving van had taken all their stuff.

Mae started laughing. The others looked over at her in confusion, but when they noticed her twinkling eyes and stressed-to-the-point-of-joy expression, they couldn't help but join in.

"Well," Eric sighed, "I guess I can get some pillows and blankets from my apartment?"

They calmed down and shook their heads as he grabbed the keys out of the door and headed outside. Eric made his way through the front yard towards the red pickup truck at the back to the estate.

"Can you pick up a pizza or two while you're out?" Ody called after Eric.

The Winters sighed as they turned back and entered the empty house. Despite all the other crazy adventures that they would soon become involved in. This failed to sway their calm resolution that everything would work out in the end.

It wasn't long after when Eric came back with blankets, flashlights, a laptop with a movie, and two large pizzas—one pepperoni the other cheese.

They ran out to help him carry the stuff inside. They built a messy bed out of blankets on the floor and used the laptop to play the movie. While the children lay on the floor, Mae tapped Eric on the shoulder and rose to leave the room.

He rose to follow her without Penny or Ody even looking up from the screen. Even though they didn't look up, they couldn't help but grin. After all, they weren't blind and had not been the entire week. They knew their mother and Eric would get together and they accepted it.