- BF -

“And so, that’s why I think something is coming. I just don’t know what, or how it will come.”

Gabzryel sighed as he closed his notebook, and laid back in the uncomfortable chair. He looked over at the man laying in the hospital bed, the beeping machines the only sound in the room.

“I was hoping you’d know. You always tried to figure out how events undeniably led to others, how history was never a coincidence, how order could be found, and its effects was distinctive on society...”

Gabzryel stopped talking, in search of new points. He looked again at the man in the coma.

“I’m always expecting you to scoff at me, when I tell you these things, like you used to when I contradicted you in your classes. I still believe it, you know? I still believe I can save both boats, even though you gave me a -C on that ethic thought experiment test. No, even more than that. I know we all can save both boats.”

He passed his hand in the black hair of the immobilized man.

“Hang in there, Bryan. The hospital direction allowed me to pay for your convalescence; but that’s not an excuse to sleep all day long, you know?”

Gabzryel sadly laughed; as he stroked the hair, he frowned.

“I wonder what happens to you during this time? Are you dreaming? What do you dream about? If you have all that time, are you able to go beyond what we’ve discovered that we can do? Don’t forget to tell me about it all when you wake up, got it? Okay, I’ll let you be. Nighty night, and as you bear so well that name, Shalom.”

As he left the hospital, Gabzryel’s phone rang.

“Oh, y-ello?”

“Yo Gab, it’s Alan! That request of yours is completed; can Clara and I drop by the farm to deliver the What-Must-Not-Be-Told-To-The-Siblings?”

“Hell yeah; besides, knowing them, Tom challenged Mad to a chess rematch, so they’ll be too busy to see you if you stop at the garage.”

“Okay; see you in ten!”

**

The small farm in Kansas was flooding with midday sun’s rays when Gabzryel barged in the living room and found Tom and Madzistrale in deep thoughts over a near-empty chessboard.

“Guys, come quickly!”

“What is it? I was about to kick Tom’s buttock with my single queen!” Madzistrale pouted, pointing to her two only standing pieces, a few cases away from Tom’s lonely King.

“No you weren’t; your single queen and king can’t checkmate my king, it’s almost impossible,” Tom answered, raising from his chair to follow their friend.

“I’m sure there’s a way,” Madzistrale answered with conviction as she followed them as well, glancing one last time at her game.

“You finally succeeded your never-ending motion machine?” Tom teased Gabzryel as they walked out the house.

Gabzryel frowned in disappointment, but immediately rectified:

“Disappointingly, no. It’s another surprise. Alan and Clara came over the garage, but you were too absorbed to have noticed them.”

“What?! Why didn’t they stayed? I would have made them cupcakes!” Madzistrale replied, offended.

“People have jobs, you know; they were just passing through,” Gabzryel replied.

“Now, why would two mechanics come over and not stay for tea?” Tom wondered, silently suspecting the nature of the ‘surprise’ Gabzryel referred to. “Please tell me you didn’t made a prop hero car.”

“No, we didn’t. We made two cars. Big difference. I gotta drive to the city with style too, don’t you think?” Gabzryel replied teasingly.

He led them toward a temporary plastic shelter, where he took it down to reveal his surprise. The siblings gasped at the two sleek cars waiting before them.

“This is yours, and this is mine,” Gabzryel precised, pointing respectively at a futuristic-looking silver car, and a forest green modern version of a 1930s-style car.

The two-passenger silver car belonging to the siblings looked like coming straight from a science-fiction movie, with its low and elongated shape, back wheels close to the body near the door, and the front wheels at the very end of the front bumper. The wheels themselves were unusual, looking like a round thick mesh.

“What are the wheels?” Tom asked, poking them.

“A new type of mesh wheel the aeronautics researchers were working on. Being a mesh, it will grip at absolutely anything and absorb much better shocks and bumps; the material is also much tougher than rubber as well as being adapted to all seasons, so I figured I’d make my own variation of these wheels, and put them on our cars.”

“The car’s amazing!! It looks like those amphibian/flying/sci-fi spy cars!” Madzistrale marveled, gaping at it.

“But yours is equally amazing, I love it!” Tom said appreciatively, looking at Gabzryel’s.

The second car had every aspect of a typical 1930s European car, with a more squared look, the two-seat driver compartment pushed toward the back, a long nose, wheels close to the body, and a fabric open-top; only more modernized and complemented with a touch of racing style.

“The green colour really fits it!” Madzistrale complimented. “It suits you perfectly!”

“When can we drive them?” Tom asked excitedly.

“Whenever you want. Alan and Clara made all the steps to ensure that the cars passed the road regulations.”

“Let’s go, then!” Madzistrale exclaimed gleefully, taking Tom by the hand and running to their silver car.

“Hang on, I’m coming too,” Gabzryel said, running to get his keys.

Inside, they found that not only it was comfortable, but the dashboard contained every necessities they could ask, including an integrated shortwave radio and phone.

“You know what would push those car to incredible?” Tom said to Madzistrale. “No gasoline!”

“Who do you think I am?” Gabzryel’s annoyed voice suddenly came from the radio. “I couldn’t call myself a fake mad scientist if I didn’t made electric cars!”

Tom and Madzistrale high-fived, and the trio started their engine, ready to take their beauties on the road.

“I know a little track not far used for racing car competitions; we’ll be able to have fun there. Dear Tom and Mad, follow me!” Gabzryel ordered, driving in front of the siblings.

As the day passed, the trio of friends spent some well-deserved time having fun, for a moment oblivious to the troubles of the world.