Chapter Text
“You’re Pythagoras?” he’d said, disbelieving, eyes wide, and it’s exactly the same now, except this Jason is a lot younger and had introduced himself as Michael.
I manage to choke out a Yes, and the boy grins. I can hardly look at him. It’s not the kid’s fault he looks so much like him, but it’s painful.
Michael reaches for his belt, which looks like it’s been made from puckered leather, and pulls a small notebook from a pocket in the side.
He holds it out. “It’s from my great uncle.”
I stare at him. “I’m sorry?”
“Dude, I sacrificed my One Thing for this, and almost died getting it to you. You could at least take it.”
I take it, warily. The boy grins again, and I almost crumble. He seems to notice.
He touches my shoulder. “I really am sorry.”
I look at him, and wonder how much he knows.
*
Dear Pythagoras,
It’s been four months and I still don’t understand why it happened, or why it had to happen to me.
I hope you’re all okay. The last thing I remember is being sucked under the ship, and you were screaming at me and then everything went silent under the water and there was a bright light and I thought I was a goner. I was pulled down by this awful pressure, and then it released me and I was hurtling back to the surface so fast I thought my head was gonna explode, but I needed to go help you guys so I swam and – well. You probably don’t care about this stuff. The bottom line is, the sea was calm and flawless when I popped up on the other side. The sun was setting. There was an aeroplane (a type of flying craft we have) overhead. I couldn’t hear anything but the sea and my own breathing. I couldn’t hear you. For a terrible moment I thought I’d made it all up, that you were a figment of my imagination. But I couldn’t ever make you up. That’s cheesy but it's true. My memory of you is the strongest proof I have that it wasn’t all bullshit that my dying brain came up with when my sub crashed.
I hope you’ll read this one day. I’m working with people who know about portals now. Even if I can’t come back in my lifetime, I hope this book finds you. Fuck sending back scientific papers and technologies and warnings to heed – I just want to say hi, one last time.