Hugi The Great Productions

This is my entry for the nycmidnight.com short story challenge 2010.  Entrants are given one week to write a 2,500 words or less fictional story based on an assigned genre (Sci-Fi) and subject (Undercover Officer).

Enjoy!

 

Le Garde D’Enfants

Part One

©2010

 

By

 Mercedes Segesvary

 

 

Synopsis

She was the first human that could do it using solely her conscious mind; before the proof of Zahira, most speculated that teleportation would happen through some form of mechanization.  But it took the beauty of a child’s mind to change the future of humanity and it took the simplicity of an old woman’s heart to save it.

 

 

 

Le Garde D’Enfants  Part One

By Mercedes Segesvary

 

Isabella Derech lived a quiet life in an unfrequented town hidden between a set of train tracks and the mid-northern shore of the Lake Balaton in Hungary.  Married at 18, a mother at 20, widowed by 28.  Her husband and daughter died tragically in an auto accident early one morning during the late winter rains of 1976.  Driving along the chaotic streets of Budapest’s untamed bridges, Mr. Derech and daughter, seated in a taxi on their way to the airport, were run off the side of the Elizabeth Bridge when the driver swerved to avoid an oncoming wavering motorist.  At his high speed, the taxi driver lost control of his vehicle and slammed into the side of the bridge, breaking through and falling to the swift Duna River.  They were carried away and drowned immediately.

Shortly after, Mrs. Derech quietly packed up her life and moved to a little cottage in Zanka where she faintly lived a version of life.  A version without anyone to love.  A version without anyone to lose.

Throughout the 34 years before she met Zahira, Mrs. Derech managed to create a whole new life for herself.  Her neighbors, of the few there were, knew her as the old maid that chose seclusion.  She demonstrated a talent for madness to ward off any intrusion into her world.  Outdoors she moved with a slight limp and dressed to repel. 

In public, once a week only, she spent a few hours in town to do her shopping, check in with the post office and visit the bookshop.  The shopping consisted of the staples for a simple woman’s life: butter, milk, eggs, meats and toiletries.  During the summers she had an ample supply of fruits and vegetables from her own garden, a source of her two main joys.  The post office was never an exciting visit.  In the 34 years she had lived there she had received the amount of mail an amputee could count on one hand.  But the bookstore; well, now, that was the center of her world.

Mrs. Derech had read every book the bookshop offered.  She bought a new book each week and when she was done she would sell it back to the store for half what she paid.  Once the bookshop owner asked why she didn’t care to start her own library at home.  But his inquiry received only a strange response, “What is loved is soon after lost.”  He had realized after ten years of the odd Mrs. Derech’s patronage that he could use her returns as a genius sales gimmick.  “Buy the book of the week.  Read by the Mad Woman.  Loved by the Mad Woman.”  He resold her returns higher than the original price.  Mrs. Derech did not seem to mind.  Sometimes she even made notes in the books.  Those sold for even higher. 

But in her home, within her calm castle walls, Mrs. Derech was not completely without stimulation.  Having read so many books about every imaginable topic, she created for herself an inexhaustible wealth of dreams.  She dreamed about travel, about the future, about mathematics, about animals, about oceans, about robust families, about happiness.  She lived vicariously through the stories of others to forget her own.  She was not without news either.  Along with her books she purchased a weekly newspaper and at home she would scour through it while listening to the evening news.  All and all, Mrs. Derech lived a solid life.

It was one week before Mrs. Derech met Zahira that she received her first introduction.  She was on her way to the post office when she noticed a man standing off to the side of the train tracks.  His was a new face but with an oddly familiar smile.  She didn’t think much about the man until the 10am train sounded its horn.  At that moment the man stepped onto the tracks and watched Mrs. Derech very calmly.  Mrs. Derech continued to walk but kept a curious eye on the man.  The train sounds came closer and closer but the man did not move.  He watched her with that continuing calm smile. 

The smell of the train exhaust was so strong that Mrs. Derech began to question if the man was deaf.  She suddenly felt a strain in her chest and was moved to motion to the man.  “Look!” She called while urging him to look to his left.  But he just continued to smile.  As the train came into view Mrs. Derech moved closer to the man and yelled, “Move you fool!  Move!  There’s a tra…”

The words were lost.  The train had come and gone but to Mrs. Derech’s surprise, the man had avoided the collide.  In fact, the man had completely avoided the scene.  He seemed to disappear.

Standing, staring at the tracks it took the horn of an oncoming car to shake her out of her trance.  To avoid her own madness Mrs. Derech continued on to her weekly outing.  She walked, a little quicker to her destination. 

After her groceries were purchased when she reached the post office she received another oddity. In her post box was a package addressed to: Isabella Derech.  Written under her name were the words: LE GARDE D’ENFANTS.  “Hmmm,” she thought, “I don’t know anyone French.”  Excited by the package she quickly opened it to find the contents of one book: Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything by Ervin Laszlo.  She flipped through the pages and a note fell to the floor. It read:

Dear Isabella,

The girl, Zahira, looks forward to your meeting.  Please expect her on the 12^th day of the 1^st month of the 2,010^th year.  Her relocation is vital to her purpose.  Her present location is due to receive a shift of topography to be followed by international attention.  Her family, her village will perish in the shift.  She must remain undercover of your care until her gift is understood.  Her transport is of a private nature.

Please read through the enclosed book.  If you have any questions Jared is on hand. 

Again, your participation is supported by the greatest of love.

Knowingly,

Isabella Derech;

Le Garde D’ Enfants

She was stunned.  The note made very little sense but it was strange that it was so personal.  “What is the meaning of this?” she whispered to herself.  “Sorry?” replied the postman.  Mrs. Derech realized where she was and moved quickly out of the post office.  She went directly to the bookshop and approached the owner.

“Is this your idea?  A joke?  You are trying to increase sales again?”

The bookshop owner stepped back from Mrs. Derech and tried to focus on the book she was waving in his face, “Mrs. Derech, a pleasure.”

“Please.  Spare me the…  What is this book?  Why have you sent it to me?”

But he was just as surprised as she.  He took the book from her waving hand and read the cover.  “I don’t have this particular one.”  He gave it back to her. “But, I do carry other works by Lazlo.” He turned to the back shelf.  “A gifted writer, a little far-fetched ideas but gifted.  Writes a lot about chaos theory and evolution and how it might lead to a better world.  Lofty ideas, yet to be proven.  My favorite is his theory about teleporting.  He should really stick to science fiction.”  The bookshop owner turned back around to an empty shop.

Mrs. Derech spent the next two days devouring the book.  Every three pages or so she re-read the letter.  On the third day there was a light knock on her door.  “Who is it?”

“Hello Isabella.  My name is Jared.  We met three days ago.  I believe you’re expecting me.”

But Mrs. Derech would not open the door.

“I understand Isabella.  You are cautious.  But I am not one to fear.  I am with the girl.”

“Zahira?”  She asked.

“Yes.  I am one of Le Garde D’Enfants.  I bring you answers.”

Mrs. Derech opened the door.  On the other side stood a man that, although new to her, had a very strange resemblance to someone she had known.  When he smiled she felt safe.  She felt drawn to him.  She invited him in.

They shared a pot of tea and a sandwich before Mrs. Derech finally began questioning him.  She asked about the book, about the letter, about the girl and Le Garde D’Enfants and were “they” French and who were “they” and what did all of it have to do with Lazlo’s writings.

But Jared was careful in his response.  “Isabella, I understand you have many questions.  I will try to answer as much as possible but please know that all of your questions, you, yourself will answer in time.  In five days a very important young girl will be arriving in your home.  She is called Zahira.  There have been others like her but none have managed to do with their gifts what she will do for the world.”

“What?  What can she do?” Mrs. Derech intrigued, replied.

“Zahira is one who travels with the purest form of energy.  She exists through love and moves with this energy. She has mastered the art of teleporting.  As of now she is still a girl, but in time she will teach others how to do the same.  Her understanding of her gift is so complete that she will be able to translate the ability to others.  In fact, it is quite simple once it is learned.”

“Can you?”

“Yes.  The train, if you recall.  I was far from there at the moment the train passed.”

“But, what does any of this have to with me?” 

Jared took a moment to notice his breath.  “Zahira’s mastery has opened doors to a new way of thinking, feeling and knowing.  A new way of movement and transportation.  In her lifetime she will teach the ways of energy manipulation through self-awareness and within three generations of her death human kind will have mastered teleportation.  There will no longer be need for busses, trains, planes--”

“Taxis.”

“Yes Isabella.  No need for taxis.”

Mrs. Derech looked over to a table that supported a picture of her husband and daughter. 

Jared patiently continued, “You can see how this is a great destruction to the system already in place.  No need for mechanical transportation.  No need for mass assembly.  No need for oil.  A huge shift of power.”

Mrs. Derech looked up.

“There are others who know about a girl.  They know what the girl is capable of and they search for her, powered by greed.”  Jared said.

“But what about you?  You can do it too.”

“Yes.  I have learned too.  But I learned in another time that has yet to come.  In the future teleporting will even master the boundaries of time.  I am a Garde, or a police so to speak.  I travel under the cover of this exterior.”

“Why me?”  Mrs. Derech wondered aloud.

Jared answered this very carefully.  “In a few days, a massive earthquake will destroy a large portion of a beautiful nation.  The world will be so overcome with grief creating a need to help these good people.  There will be many orphaned children in need of homes.  The world will reach out to help and many of these children will travel to different parts of the world to live in new homes.  Homes much like yours.  Simple.  Kind.  Generous.  In need of love.”

“You mean….”

“Yes Isabella.  Zahira will be in your care.  Under your cover, you will provide her with the protection she needs and a love she already understands, if you choose to help.”  He paused for a moment.  “But I know you will help.”

“Why?”

“Because you created Le Garde D’Enfants.”

Before Mrs. Derech could respond Jared was gone.