Chapter 21

Jennifer collapsed into James’ arms, tears streaming down her cheeks as the image of her father’s last stand played out again and again in her mind. She couldn’t understand it, she’d hated him for so long, despised his inability or unwillingness to change, but now, when he finally became the father she’d always wanted, she lost him. A strange urge overcame her, a desire to see Death suffer as she had, she knew that their mission would see his demise, so she decided it was that she would focus on from here on out, nothing else mattered.

James and Time pulled her into the room with the bookshelf, only now the titles of the books shone brightly, similar to the books in Death’s mansion. The shine of the books formed a doorway, one that neither Time or James hesitated to push Jennifer through as they followed close behind. Behind the bright gateway rested the grandest library Jennifer had ever laid eyes on, rows upon rows of books lined shelves of treated wood frame, a fireplace burned in the center of the room. Above sat a second story with marble railing, boasting another hundred rows of stories, a spiral staircase connected the two levels. Jennifer couldn’t help but see the similarities between the library before her and the mansion Death had brought her to. She wondered if maybe James and his nephew had a little more in common than either would care to admit. Great marble tiles lined the floor covered regularly by ornate rugs colored a rich dark red.

As the trio made their way through the library Jennifer became quickly aware of the room’s brilliance, each row of books formed a labyrinth that James navigated with ease, but Jennifer could see no rhyme or reason to. James stopped, Time and Jennifer followed suit.

“Did you feel that”? James whispered. Time nodded, Jennifer didn’t.

“Adam’s perished.” Time’s voice was somber, but unsurprised.

“Wait…” Jennifer stuttered, “If Adam’s dead than how are we still here? Shouldn’t we, ya know, be floating in space”? James shook his head,

“No, I knew that Adam passing was a possibility, so I placed this room in a dimension of my own creation. We are tens of thousands of light years away from where Adam once was, in a part of space so empty no one could have found it if they’d searched for millenia.” Maybe it was the distance, or the fact that it was now dust floating in the vacuum of space, but Jennifer felt a little homesick.

The room grew cold, Jennifer began to shiver uncontrollably, the sensation felt frighteningly familiar. Clearly Time and Destiny had felt it too,

“We need to move.” James ordered as he pushed on, ignoring the thunderous crashes booming behind them.

“Why isn’t he here already?What’s taking him so long? Not that I’m complaining, but shouldn’t he have been right behind us”? As if in answer to her question, a shining woman appeared before them, the brightness of her skin nearly too much for Jennifer to handle, so she shielded her eyes with her arms as a voice like an erupting volcano spoke to them,

“Dad, it’s good to see you’re still with us and uncle, i-it’s been too long… we’ve missed you.”

“I’d offer you a heartfelt apology if we had the time, but, I… I appreciate the help. Death will kill you this time, you know that right? The game’s over, he has no reason to hold back.” The bright woman smirked,

“Neither do we, sis and I may not win this, but we’re gonna make this a fight to remember. You three need to move, and, human girl,” Jennifer perked up, the face of the shining girl grew soft and humbled, “thank you for the sacrifice you’re making, the cosmos will owe you a great debt from now until the end of time.” Though she wished to correct her, Jennifer decided to merely take the praise and move on, let whoever this was die believing her uncle might live. And, with a flash, the girl vanished and the explosions grew louder than ever, the passion of the last stand fueling the battle and shaking the room to its very foundations, Jennifer desperately hoped the room could handle it.

Before she could dwell on it any longer, James grabbed Jennifer by the hand and began sprinting toward the next turn. As they moved right, Jennifer glanced left and saw, not the library as she expected, but the unending abyss of space, stars exploded brightly into nothingness, great galaxies burned and faded, leaving only the pitch black void. Jennifer continued to follow behind James, Time wheeling quickly beside them, each turn they made Jennifer glanced in the opposing direction, only to see the darkness again, this time lit with the scalding light of the shining girl, and a girl of dense darkness, battling against the cold figure of the reaper. His Scythe dancing through each strike, as great planets and stars formed around him, colliding and exploding inches from his face, yet each time he walked away unscathed. With a scream the shining girl’s energy swirled around her, forming a star larger than any galaxy, with her in the center burning brighter and brighter as the sun began to collapse into her. The other, her dark eyes fixed onto the reaper, calmly opened her hand toward Death, and, with a slight grunt, she began, slowly, to close it. The space around Death began to ripple, every remaining particle of matter left in the cosmos collapsed in on the very spot he stood, the force of the matter crushing itself into smaller and denser pieces. Under the reaper’s feet, a black hole larger than any that came before it, large enough to swallow the universe itself, began pulling the reaper’s body to shreds. With a cry the reaper began to reform over and over and over again, but each time he did, his body still could not seem to escape the dense prison that held him.

The shining girl, her star now entirely held within her, smiled wolfishly as she approached the trapped and helpless reaper, the very fabric of reality crackling and burning around her. The energy she held would decimate every last bond connecting any two particles together, essentially kick starting the heat death of the universe and forever morphing the dynamic state of the cosmos into a static unchanging void.

“HOW STRONG IS THIS ROOM?!” Jennifer shouted as she watched the battle unfold.

“STRONG ENOUGH!” James shouted back, despite the fact that the two women appeared to have the upper hand in this battle, James still seemed concerned. Jennifer wondered if Death even could be stopped, would the end of the universe be enough?

The explosion went off, James didn’t even glance back to see it. Jennifer turned around to watch it, the explosion didn’t disappoint. As the light faded Jennifer was pleased to see the two women were still alive, both breathing heavily and searching around them for… he leapt from a tear in the fabric of reality and sliced easily through the shining woman’s arm. She let out a harrowing cry as she gripped the stump where her arm once was. Before he could continue his assault, the dark eyed woman wailed, a sound the shook the entire universe, causing the reaper to hesitate and for the two women to regroup.

“HOW MUCH LONGER?!” Time shouted as he watched his daughters struggle escape the reaper’s unending barrage.

“WE’RE ALMOST THERE!” James shouted back, as he watched his two nieces slowly but surely, lose all their limbs to the wide arcs of the scythe. Death continued to laugh maniacally as the crafters of the universe stood defenseless before him, but it still did not satisfy, he would not rest till god bowed before him.

“DON’T FREAK OUT, WHATEVER HAPPENS, STAY CALM!” James ordered, as they rounded a corner only to see the empty vacuum of space before them. Jennifer nearly stopped, but James’ hand held firm as he broke into an all out sprint toward the nothingness. Despite her protest, she matched James’ speed and, with a final cry, leapt off the last inch of ground, into the void. Jennifer’s life began to flash before her eyes, but it didn’t get very far, as the three collapsed into a small little rumpus room with a single large lounging chair, a small table with a spot of tea that still looked warm and, next to the tea, a single Book.

But, despite the odd state of the room, despite finally seeing the Book that everything she had ever known, herself included had emerged from, the only thing her mind could see at that moment, was Death sitting in the lounging chair, sipping the tea, with his hand placed firmly on the Book.

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“It’s so nice of y’all to join me, I’ve been waiting ever so long.” Death chided as he leapt quickly off the lounger and drove his face inches from James’. Up close the similarities between the two couldn’t be ignored, James swallowed painfully.

“Ho-How did you-”? James stammered.

“Make it here first? Oh that’s easy, the second you opened the door I merely froze time and made my way here.” Death grinned in smug satisfaction as he watched the confusion stricken across the two brother’s faces. “Oh right! Y’all thought that, as long as timey boy over there’s still kicking that I couldn’t utilize my full power right? Like somehow both he and I still have a hand on the wheel of time.” He swung his neck around in a serpentine pattern to take in each juicy expression, “I can see why ya may have thought that, what with me intentionally holding back all these centuries.” Time and Destiny’s faces dropped, the words had hit home. Death leapt onto the chair and clapped his hands together as he descended into the seat, “It’s just TOO EASY!” His laugh chilled the room, there was not an ounce of humor left in it, “You really think I couldn’t have killed the both of y’all, the entire human race, the entire universe on a whim?!” He disappeared behind Jennifer, leaning in for a mock whisper, “And believe you me, I was certainly tempted on multiple occasions.” Jennifer swung her arm around, but Death had already reappeared on the lounger. “But, if I’d done that, then guess where all that wonderful death would end up.” With a pale finger he tapped the cover of the Book on the table, “Right here, safe and sound to, one day, reappear and ruin EVERYTHING!” The sudden raise in volume shocked everyone, seemingly Death included. He put a shaking hand on his chest and took a few deep breaths. “So-Sorry about that. I do tend to get carried away sometimes.” He gave them a chilly reassuring smile.

Time held Jennifer’s hand, she looked down to see conviction burning in his eyes, hope lingering in his touch, at least he didn’t have the weapon, Time thought. Two bodies flew in from the portal behind them, a quite dimmed and cut up version of the shining girl and a small and fragile dark eyed girl, neither of them looked like they’d be able to stand, much less fight. Behind them strutted in the reaper, the closer he came to Death the more his body faded until his whole form had been absorbed into Death’s finger.

“I hope he didn’t give ya too much trouble, he was told to simply distract ya, but he, like me, tends to get carried away from time to time. But-” Death clapped his hands back together and hopped to his feat, circling the table to make his way behind the Book. “He did bring our final two witnesses, witnesses to the end of everything. Y’all should consider yourselves blessed, this is going to truly be a night to remember.”

“War…” Death shivered at the use of his old name,

“Yes, uncle”? He sneered as his smile twitched ever so slightly,

“You don’t need to do this… I know that we… that I pushed you, but… none of this needs to happen. You can still walk away, let us put it all back. Let us create a universe without me, one where you’ll be free. The kind of universe you’ve always wanted.” Death froze, his eyes welling up with tears,

“Ya...Ya really think so? Ya’d really forgive me after all I’ve done? I… I” He burst into laughter, “YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVED THAT CRAP?! I just told Jennifer that to mess with her head! Please,” He turned away and raised a single hand. With a snap the weapon appeared in within it. He turned to see the shock, “Oh come on, you really thought ya could hide MY OWN WEAPON from me? Hiding it in a pocket time dilated dimension, ya think so little of me don’t ya?!”

“Son… I’m… I’m sorry I failed you.” The old man whispered, Death faced him with a grin.

“Ya didn’t fail me pop, in fact ya helped me rise higher than I ever thought possible. Now-” Death kicked the wheelchair so it faced the two girls and Destiny, “Say goodbye to your family, I’m tired of waiting.” With a defeated sigh, Time did as he was ordered. The two girls hugged their father, Destiny laid a hand on his shoulder, there was nothing they could do, but at least they would go together. With a sad smile James reached a hand out toward Jennifer, but she refused it, turning instead to face Death head on,

“So why use me? Why did you need me”? Death merely chuckled,

“Please tell me ya don’t think I had some greater reason for choosing you. You’re nothing to anyone, just a sad little girl who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyone, and I want you to really take this to heart, ANYONE, could have played your role, you’re just another faceless human, bringing round the end of the world.” Death’s words stung, but Jennifer pushed onwards,

“But why give me the weapon, why tell me that story about you and all your reincarnations? Was that all just to mess with me? Was it all just a game to you”? He didn’t answer right away, but instead took a moment to revel in his own genius,

“Oooooooh Jennifer, those cowardly brothers next to ya would have NEVER come here if they thought I might make it here with the weapon, so I did the only thing that could possibly persuade them to sack up and finish this, I gave them the weapon. Not just that, I gave them the weapon in the hands of an angry little malcontent who, if she had just walled off and stabbed Destiny to death, would have brought me no end of amusement. Once they had the weapon I just had to sit back and wait, knowing they’d be too afraid to use it themselves. I figured, correctly I might add, they’d probably hide it, not knowing just how much power over time I really have.” The confidence with which he spoke told Jennifer that he had no doubts about his victory, that he’d spend an eternity describing the utter brilliance of each step if they let him. But she knew that this story had one more chapter to it, one important thing the bastard’d overlooked.

“Before I go-” Death stopped, watching Jennifer speak carefully, “I can tell ya from personal experience that getting exactly what ya want isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.”

“I’ll remember that.” Death chuckled as he raised the weapon above his head and brought it down toward the Book, shouting, “Goodbye universe! It’s been fun!” As the weapon descended, Jennifer turned toward the cowering family, mouthing the words, ‘I have the weapon, get him.’

The moment the weapon collided with the Book, time halted. Death watched in confusion as the shining blade bounced off the cover and skidded off into the corner. For less than a planck time Death fumbled for an answer but, before he could even complete the thought, Matter and Energy leapt from either side of him. With a yelp he attempted to freeze time, but, with the last ounce of his strength, Time managed to halt him for a fraction of a moment, just long enough for the two girls to grip his arms and hold him in place.

Jennifer didn’t hesitate, from her bag she wrenched free the real weapon, the glimmering blade shining in the light of the fire. Memories of Enoch, Meerous, Squawk, Slade, Freddy, Helios, Adam and her father flooded her mind and screamed for her muscles to move, move faster than they’d ever moved before as she charged toward the pinned Death, the weapon bared and her eyes burning with determination. Death let out an enraged slew of empty threats as he struggled against his captors, a moment longer and he’d have been free, but Jennifer didn’t allow him that moment, she leapt over the table, the weapon leading the way as she drove it straight through Death’s chest. She’d won.

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She waited to see him crumble to dust as Melodus had done, but nothing happened, in fact, the shining girl and the dark eyed girl had stopped moving all together. Time within the room had frozen completely, with the weapon protruding from Death’s chest. He smiled at her, his face moving, but the rest of his body frozen. Small cracks began to emerge mere inches per minute from his fresh wound. Time hadn’t frozen, merely slowed, Death was refusing to die.

Jennifer watched Death curiously. As far as she could tell there wasn’t a single thing left he could do, and, if there was, he hadn’t done it yet. He smiled at her, his face occasionally twitching as the cracks made their way further across his chest.

“...How”? The question surprised Jennifer, she shivered slightly, his voice still chilled her blood.

“How what…”? Jennifer replied cautiously

“The fake weapon… Where’d you find it”? He didn’t know… It seemed strange, Jennifer had the impression that Death knew everything, that he’d watched her this whole time, but…

“On the battlefield, where ya fought Adam, Squawk talked m-” That’s when it struck her, she began to laugh, evoking a confused grimace from Death,

“What’s the joke”? He chuckled, a defeated somber sound, what else did he have?

“I got so mad at her… I was following that song ya stuck in my head, but Squawk tricked

me into going off course and seeing the battlefield… I suppose I oughta thank her…”

“Something that small eh”? Death’s smile broke and he began to laugh hysterically, tears streaming down his face, this went on for a few minutes until he lowered his head and mumbled,“That bastard… I bet he knew…” Jennifer raised a single eyebrow,

“Who knew”?

“Destiny.” Jennifer laughed,

“I’m not falling for it anymore, what’s the point in keeping this up?!” Death smirked,

“Not lying, Destiny’s read the Book, he knows everything… Suppose it’s hard to out think omniscience…” Jennifer considered this, but she didn’t want to. At this point James had done enough, now wasn’t the time to start questioning him again, besides, she had another more pressing question,

“Was that all ya wanted? To ask how I did it.” Death averted his eyes for a split second before slapping back on his signature smirk,

“Just curious was all.” He smiled, but time didn’t resume. Jennifer watched him closely, something in his eyes bothered her, they held her reflection.

“Say it. I’m listening.” Both Death and Jennifer knew exactly what she was referring to. With a great sigh Death began to speak,

“I suppose my last words oughta be heard by somebody… Jennifer… The world that’ll exist if ya let those monsters take back charge of things… It’s far worse than anything I could ever make.” He watched her face, he didn’t see what he was looking for, his desperation deepend, “Jennifer my father… My father created me because he hated being me… I-I was born from hatred, born to a father who hated the very necessity of my existence. He couldn’t stand watching y’all die over and over again. So he made me… to do the job he was too much of a coward to do himself… But I… I MATTERED!” Jennifer retreated slightly, Death continued, barely aware of her presence, “You humans… you all were so defenceless, helpless to every tyrant, to every Form and every king, but I… I brought equality, I struck fear in the hearts of the oppressors, fear of revolution, fear of suffering, fear of death! I brought you humans out of the dark and into the light, I freed you all from under the thumb of the Forms and what thanks did I receive? What thanks did I receive for betraying my own family? Hatred… You humans despise me… You curse me because I end your miserable lives. Yet I watched day after day, year after year, CENTURY AFTER CENTURY AS YOU GRUMBLE ABOUT HOW PAINFUL LIFE IS! My own brothers turned against me, my own father turned against me, and now, the very people I was trying to serve, led me to the slaughter. I was alone… Hated for who I was, hated for the circumstances of my birth.

“So I only had the one option left… If the Book deemed me a monster, then why fight it? I saw the truth Jennifer,” His eyes suddenly fixed onto her’s, the gaze dripping with sincerity, “I was the answer. The Book created me to end Its oppression, to give into my instincts and kill EVERYTHING! DON’T YOU GET IT!? I WAS GOING TO LIBERATE ALL OF US! I WAS GOING TO SET US ALL FREE! NO MORE BOOK, NO MORE DESTINY, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE SUFFERING! NO MORE MONSTERS, NO MORE HEROES, JUST BLISSFUL, ETERNAL, SLEEP!” And that’s when Jennifer got it… When it suddenly all made sense. The room grew eerily silent, Death’s eyes followed her every move, taking in the slightest tremor. Searching, against all odds, for understanding.

“The Book didn’t make you this… We did… I… I did.” As the words left Jennifer’s lips, she knew for certain they were true. Death merely gritted his teeth and stared at the floor, frustrated she couldn’t see what he’d wished her to see. “I was so scared of you, scared of what you meant, scared because I didn’t understand you… I couldn’t understand you. But that hatred made you… you. I saw it, all those lives you lived, all that hatred, having to live the same miserable life over and over and over again… it must have driven you mad. And it was our fault, our fault for despising you, our fault for hating you and for that… for that I’m sorry. But look at all that I did, just because I was afraid of you. You… you inspire us and… and I supposes sometimes a thing can exist simply to inspire people, nothing more, nothing less… An old friend taught me that.

“I’ve seen a world without that inspiration, a world where people just exist without knowing why, without asking why… That kind of stagnant world, that’s all we’d be without you. Unchanging automatons living without purpose, without meaning, despising anything different than ourselves because it… it reminds us that things could change… that maybe there’s something better out there… something to hope in... And I’ve seen a world where people fear you too much… where they make you into an unstoppable monster that must be avoided at all costs… If we’re ever going to live I think… I think we need to be okay with dying.” Death looked up, his eyes dry, but a slight smile lightly pressing on his cheek.

“You remind me of him.” Death chuckled.

“Who”?

“Jude.” And with that Death vanished into Death.

The weapon fell to the floor. Jennifer approached it, taking it into her hands and gripping the handle firmly. This next part wasn’t going to be easy.

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The shining girl and the dark eyed girl lay on the floor, the second time returned to its normal pace they had simply collapsed. Likely prolonged contact with Death had something to do with it. Destiny and Time shook off the odd sensation of slowed movement and scanned the room, searching for any trace of their millenia old nemesis, they found none.

“Is… Is he gone”? James whispered hopefully, Jennifer nodded evoking a sigh of relief from James. The relief was short lived though as James noticed the weapon gripped tightly in Jennifer’s hand, Time had noticed it as well.

“...Jennifer, it’s time to put the weapon away ok? We don’t need it anymore, the danger’s gone.” Time reassured her, but she didn’t move an inch, in fact her grip tightened.

“How much did you know”? She spoke into the floor, James looked surprised.

“What do you mean, how much of what did I know…”? Jennifer’s eyes met him, they told him that she wasn’t in the mood to be lied to… “The truth is… the truth is that I knew everything, every single event that’s happened since before you were born, all of this included.” Jennifer’s knuckles grew pale around the cold metal, “But I know none of it now. Jennifer, my job, my life, my very essence is tied to that Book… when I left it I lost everything. The further away I went the more I lost until, eventually, I barely knew more than the average person.”

“But you did know,” Jennifer stared him down, unblinking, unphased, “at one point ya knew about all of this”?

“Jennifer it’s not that simp-”

“JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!” James’ eyes dropped,

“Yes… Yes that’s right.”

“So ya left knowing you would die? Knowing that this would be your last act in this life… Or did ya know something I only just figured out, something that I only decided on five minutes ago”? James and Time both stared over at each other in confusion,

“Jennifer I don’t think I understand…? Look I wish I could tell you what I knew when I left the Book. I must have known that everything would work out alright, but the whole time we were out there I couldn’t be sure! What if I’d left because I knew the universe was doomed and that I might as well make my last stand now? What if I left because I was meant to die so that the Book would remain unfound? The point is Jennifer that I simply didn’t know!” Jennifer believed him, she didn’t really care what he’d known, she wanted to find out if he knows now.

“But do ya know what happens next”? James shook his head, exasperated,

“Jennifer we don’t have time for all this! Matter and Energy are dying, the second they’re gone you’re gone, and I don’t know what will happen to us!” Crossing her arms and nodding, Jennifer spoke confidently,

“You’re right, we don’t have much time, so we should get this over with now.”

“Thank you, now Time get over here and get ready, I’m going to start the exchange.” But Time didn’t move a muscle, he just stared at Jennifer, a single tear rolled down his cheek. “What are yo-”

“It’s going to be her…” He whispered, “She’s already made up her mind.” James’ eyes shot open as he glanced back over at Jennifer whose face had already confirmed Time’s statement. James shook his head, he rubbed his hands across his face and paced around a few time before sticking his finger in Jennifer’s face,

“NO! THIS IS NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!” He declared, “Now Time get over here and-”

“If ya try it then I’ll kill the both of ya.” Jennifer’s voice gave no delusions she was kidding. Time still hadn’t moved, he merely stared at her with somber acceptance. The exasperation on James’ face only worsened as he looked back and forth between his brother and Jennifer,

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?!” His eyes begged for an answer, something to latch on to, “Jennifer,” He ran over, grabbing her free hand and pleading, “You still have more time, more to live for, more to see! I was wrong, I was wrong for ever thinking that I had the right to make this choice for you!”

“And you still don’t.” Jennifer stated calmly, slowly removing her hand from his.

“But why?! Why change now?!” Jennifer smiled, her face suddenly sympathetic,

“Because James… Destiny, the world needs ya. As much as I may hate it, you keep the world in order, give people something to hope for, bring people together…. I can’t take ya away from them.”

“You’re not taking me away from them! This isn’t your burden to bare Jennifer! Please let me do this!” Tears now flowed freely down his face, he’d ceased caring who saw. Jennifer wiped a falling tear off his cheek,

“You’re right, this isn’t my burden and you have no right to ask me to do it, but there’s something inside me, this little thing that demands I do. A friend once told me that the thing that separates us from the monsters, the thing that makes us noble, a think beyond just living for yourself, is integrity.” With that she walked past him and put her hand on Time’s shoulder, mouthing, “thank you.” He smiled sadly.

“You’re gonna live on Jennifer,” The old man’s soothing voice quieted James, who now focused on the words intently, “everything you are, every impact you’ve had on this world, none of it will be forgotten. And, while many Forms change their host’s appearance to match their own, I won’t… I know it’s not much, but it’ll mean that your image will be seen, like a monument to all the good that you’ve done. Jennifer… I’m honored I got to meet you, watch you grow, and I’m so sorry that this decision fell on you. But the way you’ve handled it… that’s not the way the little runaway girl would’ve handled it, you’ve come a long way.” He smiled sweetly and then turned to his brother, “This is what I’ve been trying to show you all these millenia, these humans and their ability to grow, to change, to make decisions more noble than any you or I could’ve ever come up with on our own.” Hearing the words, James knew them to be true, he’d seen it. It was for this reason that he’d wanted to take this burden upon himself, for this reason that he’d felt shame for ever thinking that he had the right to decide someone else’s fate, end someone else’s life for his own gain… it was for this reason that he’d made the stars shine in the sky for a girl he’d just met.

“Jennifer… I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with this, but I understand I can’t stop you. Just know that the time we spent together… It was…” He hesitated and then shook his head, “You asked if I could write a story about you one day, when I told you I was an author.” Jennifer looked surprised, she’d completely forgotten about that whole conversation. “I’m going to. Jennifer, I’m going to immortalize your life forever in the very pages of the Book itself! The stars will play out your story from now until the end of days, I promise you.” He was pleased to see Jennifer smile again, but he still felt like nothing he offered would even make the slightest difference in light of what Jennifer was about to sacrifice.

“I wonder…” Jennifer mused, Time and Destiny perked up, “If we opened the Book right now, would it say I’m going to die? Was all of this written? Or is my choice something even the Book doesn’t know”?

“I don’t honestly know…” James scratched his head anxiously, “I’ve been away from the Book for so long now… But, we could find out… if you want.” Jennifer appreciated the offer,

“Sorry, but I’d rather not. As far as I can tell the only way to truly be free is to stop worrying about what the future’s gonna be, or supposed to be, but what ya want the future to be. I want to believe that I’m making a decision that not even the Book could’ve predicted, but, if I’m wrong, then who cares. If my life ends up being just another story in that Book, well… that’s just fine with me. Aren’t we all just stories in the end”? She smiled brightly at the two brothers and walked over to Time. “Ok, I’m ready.”