Zero to Infinity

At the breakfast table, Jenny listens aimlessly to Gordon share his enthusiasm about their new arrangement. With no thoughts of her own, Jenny realizes what she is about to do. She knows the decision she is about to make is major, but it is the right thing to do. There is a soft, but sudden knock at their door. Ones they could hear coming from a peaceful neighbor. Zero and November had arrived.

Inside, November and Zero meet Gordon and Jenny. Shocked, as he had not yet called for Madam to be retrieved, he scowled and grit his teeth.

“I assume you are here to rescue Madam.” said Gordon with determination and point. “This way”. Gordon, responding as though he were a butler in his own castle, pointed November in the direction of the matriarch.

November heads below after Gordon to retrieve Madam from the dungeon. It is dark and moist. Madam sat in the far corner with shackles at her ankles and dirty rags for clothes. She was too weak to shape shift. November comes closer to see if he can help.

“I cannot heal you”, he said with sadness in is eyes. “Madam, we need to get you up,” November urges. The matriarch looked so frail; November wondered how long she had been sitting here? Despite her visual weakness, Theorians living on Mount Pioneer have a much heavier mass. The weaker she was, the deeper she sank into the ground.

“I can’t leave this place,” she pants. “I don’t have much left inside,” she whispers.

“Madam, we will get you out of here. Come on, stand with me,” November pleads.

November left the dungeon to find a way to lift her. He was going to need to carry her back. In her condition, she would not be able to hold on so tying her onto him would be his best bet. November, finding more rags instead, returned to find Madam struggling to get up. Tying the rags to her and pulling her up from the floor, November headed out of the dungeon.

***

“Jenny!”, Zero yells as runs toward her. “Hurry up, lets go. November is grabbing the matriarch and …”

Before he had a chance to finish his statement, Jenny interrupted.

“I’m staying, Zero”

“What, Why?”

“Because Gordon has promised to cease the killings of all Theorians for my hand in marriage, she said with confidence.

“He cant do that!” a wave of shock flew over Zero.

“And why not?”

“Jenny, I have to tell you something”, Zero replied, hoping to spare the moment but knowing this was the worst time.

“Oh yeah what’s that?”

“Well I didn’t just go to Earth to reclaim you. I also went there because I am...”, he hesitated because he knew his next words would not go well.

“You are what zero”, Jenny said with an attitude.

“I’m your betrothed, Jenny” replied Zero in defeat

“No freaking way. Are you kidding me right now?

“No. I am. And I know I haven’t always been the best to you. I’m sure I could learn how to treat you better. But I can’t let you marry him without you knowing the truth”, Zero pleaded.

“Are you kidding me right now? You wait until now to tell me. What about when we were in the car. You had so many opportunities to just tell me what was going on.”

“I know. I was stupid”

“Stupid, No. That’s letting you off too easy. You were…” She looked for the words she knew would sting. “Immature!”

“Yes and I accept it. But I want you to know that nothing about Gordon can be trusted. He has been through a lot and I think it might cloud his judgment.”

“Well, so far he’s made more sense than you have. He’s treated me right and he spoken to me like an adult,” Jenny yelled.

“I know. And I can’t possibly understand how you have felt about the way I’ve spoken to you. But I just don’t trust him.”

“Well, it’s a bit late for that. Besides, he’s the only one that’s been honest to me. About everything.” She paused for a moment considering she didn’t fully believe everything the Matriarch even told her. “All about the technology and the shift changing. He told me about the biometric change too. I know about you and I know about him. Do you know that he spends his free time sitting with me and reading?”

“Jenny, I’m just saying…”

“What exactly are you saying Zero, because Gordon has been nothing but kind to me. He doesn’t treat me like a prisoner here”

“But you are. You cant see that. Its just…”

“It’s just nothing Gordon. Please recognize that I’ve grown a lot over these few months. And I know the right thing to do is to stay with Gordon”, Jenny interrupted.

“I understand”, Zero said with his head hanging low.

“Take the matriarch back to Mount pioneer and prepare yourselves for a new matriarch.”, Jenny demanded.

“It doesn’t work like that. Jenny. You are the matriarch. So when you marry Gordon we accept him as well”

“Well then if that’s the case...”, not even sure she knew anymore what she had agreed too, the adult response would be to stick with her guns.

“Jenny, I just don’t think this is a good idea”

“Because you love me so much?”, Jenny responded, angry that Zero wanted to help her so much now.

“Honestly Jenny, I have really seen things different with you. And I do care about you”

“That sounds familiar...”. Rolling her eyes at what she thought was the lamest pickup line she could have ever received from Zero, she accepted his words and turned away. “November should be down getting the matriarch. Please tell her that she has been all the more kind to me and I’ve learned so much from her as well. I know that my marriage to Gordon will not be looked upon with favor, but know that I’m doing this for future Theorians.”

“Is there no changing your mind?”, Zero begged.

“None, zero.”

“Very well. As future matriarch, and my original betrothed, I accept your request, despite my better judgment.” Turning away to walk toward the door, he replies, “And you sincerely think it will stop him from killing?”

Jenny believed she was sure she could change Gordon, and in exchange, Gordon promised not to kill anyone else. Zero wasn’t sure if Gordon would actually follow through on his promise, but he decided to give Jenny the benefit of the doubt. Zero didn’t know what to say; he had always saw Jenny as his childish betroth whom he would have to teach to be more adult like. And although her decision to marry Gordon was far from immature, he struggled to accept it. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Zero agrees to accept that Jenny wants to do this for the safety of Theorians.

***

After a beat or two, the door creaked open, and Madam slid in quietly.

“Come on, lets go,” Zero said reluctantly.

“Where’s Jenny?” November asked in a scurry.

“She’s staying. She’s chosen to marry Gordon in exchange for peace.”

“She cant do that, you cant let her do that!”

“No, what has she done!”, the matriarch said in despair.

“She can, and she has.”

“Im still in charge here, and I say no!”, screamed the matriarch.

***

Back home, Mount Pioneer was abuzz with gossip of all shades as the news spread that Jenny was marrying Gordon. The matriarch, Zero, and November knew it was a bad idea, but they had to prepare the kingdom to accept her as the new matriarch. Zero and the matriarch now knew that Jenny was a strong and capable woman who could handle anything, but they were worried about Gordon. He was once a good man, but he had since grown skeptical and mischievous, set on the eradication of their kind. A townhall meeting would be called.

“Attention everyone”, the matriarch said, silencing the room.