A Small Gray Dot

I didn’t want a medal but Dr. Bennett said that had it not been for me, even though he did the math and learned the cause, and found out about the aliens and their agenda, we’d still be on our way to perdition because he’d had no idea on how to begin the task of getting rid of the Binqua. I reminded him that I was simply working a tracking case, and if the aliens hadn’t kidnapped my client’s sister, none of it would ever have happened. It had been pure chance. He said it was fortunate, then, that I took the chance when it came along, and he insisted I go to the ceremony, so I went with everyone, and smiled and nodded when appropriate. I was pleasantly surprised to learn there was a monetary award, but I was glad when it was over.

Terry also received an award and since he was underage and had no living relatives, the accompanying money went into a trust for him with a lawyer appointed to determine an executor. Terry asked Dr. Bennett if he could live with him and the doctor was willing but the family with whom he lived tried to keep him – and his money – from leaving. The lawyer along with the newly recreated Child Protection Agency, questioned the boy, the neighbors of the family, and the doctor, and in the end, chose the doctor as executor and an ecstatic Terry went to live with him.

The arrangement has worked out nicely. The doctor likes having him around and Terry certainly likes being with the doctor. He brings the boy to the makeshift school the city finally set up in the uptown library. I gave him a copy of my book and told him to let me know what he thought when he was able to read it. The kid is smart so getting his reading up to speed didn’t take long. He liked the book and wants to read the sequel.

Who knows, once things get a little further along and the publishing and printing companies make a comeback, maybe the book will gain a good following and another company will take it up and do a reprint, and, maybe publishing the sequel will become a possibility. It’s a dream but then, where would we be without dreams?

The city also started other schools, all in libraries, because after the years of sitting empty, the school buildings need a lot of work before they’re in useable condition again. The libraries, having been used regularly – without TV, people got back into reading – are some of the buildings still in good shape, and they have plenty of room so they are good places for classes until the repairs on the schools are completed. And we need schools because the world going to shit didn’t stop people from having babies. All those born since the Event are now school age and parents are clamoring to get them properly educated.

To my immense surprise, one day a check arrived for me from the Board of Education. There was an accompanying letter explaining that it was my long ago missing summer pay. Whatever the original problem was has been corrected, and someone is going through old records and locating the teachers who’d never gotten the pay, and any who are still alive are finally receiving their money. As my father would’ve said, “Nothing is lost that comes at last”.

I’m busy these days. I continue to write, and I teach two days a week in one of the temporary schools. Much of my time and money goes to making sure that the kids who need it will have food, shoes, clothing, books, pencils, backpacks, etc. I’m back to doing fundraisers – there are fewer people but you’d be surprised at how many are willing to donate.

I still have the little brown elf magnet and Zoni’s last note to me, and I sometimes take them out and remember. The pain is still there but it’s muted and I can now think of her as she was before the Event. I will never get my old life back, but this one offers some measure of contentment and while teaching was my first love, I’ve found that tracking is something I won’t be giving up.

So, if you have someone you want to locate, I’m still in the small office over the smoke shop. I might be out somewhere rounding up supplies for kids or teaching on those two days a week, but leave a message and I’ll get it. Or, I may be at my laptop working on a new novel but I’ll stop for a possible client.

Just say hello to Lowell and follow the sign that says “Tracker Up”.

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Other Works by Bea Cannon

(Novels)

*Boucher’s World: Emergent (Book 1 of the Boucher’s World Trilogy)

*Boucher’s World: Transformations (Book 2 of the Boucher’s World Trilogy)

*Boucher’s World: Encounters (Book 3 of the Boucher’s World Trilogy)

*Bridge

*Turner: Bitter Change (Book 1 of the Spaceships and Magic series)

*Turner: World Change (Book 2 of the Spaceships and Magic series)

*Turner: Unexpected Change (Book 3 of the Spaceships and Magic series)

*Turner: Inevitable Change (Book 4 of the Spaceships and Magic series)

*Turner: Deep Change (Book 5 of the Spaceships and Magic series)

*First

*Sower

(Novellas)

*Seed

*Swallow And Dove: A Tale From The Turmoils

**A Blankie for Baby (#3 of the Cady and Sam series)

(Novelettes)