Pi in the Sky Read online

  Ignoring the question, she sticks two fingers in her mouth and pulls at the sides, giggling at her reflection. Then she abruptly turns away from the wall. “How come you didn’t tell me I have cherry pie in my teeth? What kind of friend doesn’t tell another friend when they have pie in their teeth?”

  I step back. “Oh, we’re friends now?”

  “I thought we were starting to be,” she says, picking out a barely visible piece of cherry skin from between two teeth. “Now I’m not so sure.”

  “I am deeply, deeply sorry,” I say in an exaggerated apology. “Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I promise if you ever have food in your teeth I will tell you. Even if I can’t see it, and I can see everything.”

  “That’s all I ask,” she says, sticking out her chin. “Now let’s go see my grandfather before all traces of him disappear. He died only a few years before my grandmother, so according to Aunt Rae, he won’t be around much longer.”

  My recent offense apparently forgiven, she follows me alongside the wall until we get to a small, shiny knob. If you weren’t looking for it, you’d never notice it.

  Up close it becomes more obvious that it isn’t one straight wall, but rather dozens of connected buildings. Ty’s office is behind the door marked SCENERY & DESIGN. I’ve only visited him here at work a couple of times ever, and never unexpectedly. The first time I came I was really young and a little confused. Were the people dead? Alive? Half-alive? Bren had to hold my hand the whole time but he never teased me about it afterward. Annika hesitates before following me inside. I don’t blame her.

  We find Ty staring at his view screens, his eyes flicking from one to the next. It might look like he isn’t doing much of anything, but I know that’s not true. It’s his job to make sure everyone’s Afterlife experience is as realistic and pleasing as possible. He and his staff are in charge of weather, accessories, food, and music. With all the differences, big and small, among the intelligent species, they have to make sure nothing gets messed up. You wouldn’t want to feed a Senturon a chicken salad by mistake. All of it is generated by the holos, of course, but it’s very real to the person (the essence of the person?) experiencing it.

  I tap Ty on the shoulder. “Hi, Ty. This is Annika.” He jumps out of his seat so fast the cap he always wears goes flying off. He grabs for it and glances up at Annika. “She’s wetter than I’d have expected.”

  “Joss poured a bucket of water on my head,” Annika says.

  “That’s not a very nice way to treat your guest, Joss,” Ty scolds. “Do I need to tell Mom?”

  I glare at Annika.

  “That’s for the pie in my teeth,” she whispers.

  I open my mouth to remind Annika that the water is keeping her alive, but she doesn’t give me a chance. “I’d like to see my grandfather,” she tells Ty. “If he hasn’t disappeared from the Afterlives like my grandmother.”

  “This is highly unusual, Joss,” Ty says sternly.

  “I know.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a folded piece of paper. “And I need you to sign this.”

  He takes the paper and begins to read. “I, Ty, third son of the Supreme Overlord of the Universe, do solemnly swear not to reveal anything about what I am about to hear.”

  He looks up. “What is this?”

  “Keep reading.”

  He tosses the paper on his desk. “Joss, I don’t have time for this. Sixteen million babies are about to be born in Sector Three alone. I have to make sure all the proud parents are in place and—”

  “Please,” Annika says, her voice barely restrained. “Can you just sign whatever it is so we can get a move on? I hear death isn’t as permanent as it used to be.”

  Ty peers closely at Annika. He reaches out a finger and taps her on the top of the head. “Interesting.” Then he does it again, a little slower this time.

  She narrows her eyes at me. “Does anyone in your family understand the concept of personal space?”

  “C’mon, Ty,” I say, pushing the paper back into his hands. “Just sign this and then I’ll explain. It was Gluck’s idea.”

  “Fine,” he grumbles, scribbling his name on the bottom without even questioning the punishment for breaking the agreement—cleaning my room for the next millennia.

  Annika and I watch as he presses some buttons and literally millions of tiny newborn babies howl in their parents’ waiting arms. Some are pink, some brown, some orange, some have scales, some have tentacles, some are tiny, some are huge. A few even come out speaking full sentences. One begins to sing.

  Apparently satisfied with his work, Ty hops back up from his desk. “So what can I help you with?”

  Annika is glued to the screens. I have to call her name three times before she tears herself away.

  “Well,” I begin, “you know how Earth was taken out of time?”

  He glances uncertainly at Annika.

  “It’s okay,” she says. “I already know.”

  “Anyway, Gluck told me I have to bring it back. And I don’t have the holofilms anymore and now I have to piece it all together from scratch. We’re here to ask a famous Earth scientist how to do it.”

  “And to see my grandfather,” Annika adds.

  “You? You have to rebuild Earth?” Ty doesn’t bother to hide his surprise. “Why you? No offense.”

  “None taken,” I reply, and really, there isn’t. “Maybe because everyone else is so busy?” I can’t tell him what Gluck said, about picking me because I care the most about Kal and his parents. The fact that they are missing is still a secret. At least I think it is. It’s getting hard to keep track!

  Annika looks questioningly at me but doesn’t say anything about Kal, which I appreciate. “And you know how Dad is,” I add. “He’d never go back on his own decision, even if he wanted to.”

  Ty nods.

  Annika pinches my arm.

  “Ow! What was that for?”

  “Your father destroyed my planet? I thought Aunt Rae said it happened on its own. Something about breaking the laws of physics?”

  Ty takes this moment to suddenly find some vitally important papers to shuffle through at his desk. I’m beginning to think Aunt Rae conveniently left out the most important details so I’d get stuck explaining them.

  “It wasn’t my father’s decision alone,” I insist, finding myself in the odd position of having to defend him. “He’s the head of the Powers That Be. You know, the guys in the suits and robes that all kinda look alike? They’re just doing their jobs, trying to figure out what’s best for everyone.”

  She takes a sharp breath. “How was making my planet disappear best for everyone who lived there? Earth was supposed to survive another five billion years before the sun burned out or the Milky Way collided with Andromeda or something. I want those five billion years back!”

  I look to Ty for help but he doesn’t even look up. Nice.

  “Look,” I tell her, anxious to be done with this conversation. “It’s not like I don’t agree with you. Obviously I do, or we wouldn’t be here. But these are just the rules. Even the PTB don’t make the rules. Like you said, it’s something to do with the fundamental laws of physics, and you broke them.”

  “Not on purpose!” she insists.

  “Look, we’re trying to fix this. Can we please focus on that part of it?”

  She presses her lips together, but nods.

  “Ty, can you please take us to Annika’s grandfather now?”

  He stands up and pulls a small holoscreen from his pocket. “Full name and last known address?” He holds the screen out and gestures for her to speak into it.

  “Morty Klutzman,” she says, louder than necessary. “Twenty West Shore Trail, apartment one C, Richford, Ohio.”

  Ty takes the screen back and flips through some entries. While we’re waiting, Annika whispers, “Grandpa smelled like cigars and peppermints and soft flannel shirts. Will he still smell the same?”

  “Sorry. I’ve never smelled anyone in the