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The wearying journey back to Halcyon passed uneventfully. Floyd kept them going with all possible speed, camping on islands they had used before. Finally they saw the mouth of the river and the familiar islands in the channel. Once clear of the mountains, Floyd radioed ahead, so a small welcoming party, including the chancellor and most of the senate, was at the harbor to greet them. The chancellor spoke a few words, and then the newly arrived adventurers were hustled off for a debriefing that took the rest of that day.
Al’s session had all the characteristics of an interrogation. He was repeatedly questioned about his trip to the deserted city with a succession of crossexaminers phrasing the same questions using different words, as if they wanted him to recant or catch him in an inconsistency. Toward the end of the day, their questions turned to his religious beliefs and the possible impact these beliefs might have had on the performance of his duty.
It wasn’t until later that night, after he had been released, that the fatigue of the journey, with all its rigors, loss, and uncertainty, settled on Al. Not wanting to go back to his empty dorm room alone, he walked by himself for a while. He turned into the library, hoping to find the feeling of familiarity. But the comfortable sense of being at home among the books at first eluded him. Then he reached his old study table and saw his friend Dwight at his usual place.
Seeing Al, Dwight’s face lit up. They traded punches.
“Man, am I glad to see you!” said Al.
“Likewise. Your exploits on the river expedition are all over campus. I thought you would have had your fill of adventure after our brush with the lupi. You’ll have to tell me about things over a cup of tea.”
“I’d love to. Why don’t we find Tom and make our reunion complete?” Al suggested.
Dwight’s face betrayed a look of concern. “I’m afraid he’s not doing very well,” he said guardedly.
“What’s up?” said Al.
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got lots of time.” They headed for the cafeteria.
“Well,” began Dwight, “it all started shortly after you left. Tom started seeing this incredibly beautiful woman named Cynthia, Cynthia Dodson. He told me at first he was very concerned about her spiritual state. You know me, I’m always a bit of a cynic, so I gave him one of my inscrutable stares that says ‘yeah, right!’ and left it at that. Well a few weeks later, I find out he’s spending nights with her.
“Now here’s the real kicker. After this development, he began to avoid me. When I finally cornered him, he told me he’s having all these intellectual troubles about the reliability of the Bible. He brought up a number of old chestnuts, and we talked about them for a while. I got exasperated, because I knew it was all a smoke screen. I lost my temper and told him his gonads had far more to do with his doubts than his brain did! Needless to say, that didn’t go over very well!”
The weight of this blow on top of everything else seemed too much for Al. “How can this be! We’re being destroyed little by little. Where’s the Lord in all this? Why doesn’t he stop it? Why isn’t he working? Why isn’t he answering!”
Leaving the question unanswered, Dwight continued in a quieter voice. “Anyway,” he said, “a week after I told Tom off, Cynthia dumped him for someone else. Tom has a new girlfriend and really wants nothing more to do with me.”
Dwight wanted to know about the adventure, so Al filled him in on the details. Later, when he finally returned to his room, although exhausted Al was unable to sleep. He knelt beside his bed and prayed to the God that almost no one seemed to believe in any more.
God, where are you? Why aren’t you working? I thought Dave was really coming around to think about you, and you let those ape-men kill him. For every step forward, we go two steps back, and you don’t seem to care!
The next morning, Al checked the Halcyon work schedule to find Tom’s work assignment. He was working on one of the kelp-harvesting trawlers and would return from the kelp fields about two o’clock in the afternoon. Al waited for him at the wharf on the east side of the island.
As Tom came through the gate and saw Al, his face registered surprise.
“How are you, Tom?” said Al.
“I’m fine,” said Tom woodenly. “How about you?”
“I just got back from the expedition, and I wanted to see you.”
Tom nodded.
“I know you’re just off your shift,” said Al, “but could we go for tea, or what passes as tea, and talk for a while?”
“I’d like that,” said Tom, but his voice and manner contradicted his words.
Tom warmed up as they remembered mutual acquaintances, talked about their adventure with the lupi, and Al recounted details of the most recent river exploration. They had been sitting for some time at the cafeteria, and Tom was already on his third beer when Al ended his tale. “I’ve heard there have been some changes in your life since I left on the expedition,” said Al.
Tom’s eyes hardened. “You’ve been talking to Dwight.”
“Yes,” said Al.
“Listen, Al,” said Tom, with some bitterness, “all my life, I feel like I’ve lived in a state of puritanical repression. And now I have a gorgeous girlfriend, Lynn Whitford, and I’m having the time of my life. I’d like for us to continue to be friends, but I don’t want you telling me what I can and can’t do.”
“Tom, hear me out. I’m not here to tell you what you can or can’t do. You’re a grownup and have a God-given right to make your own decisions about things. That doesn’t mean we don’t disagree or that I don’t care. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I just don’t want our friendship destroyed, because of Lynn or anyone else.”
Tom’s eyes softened. “Al, I’ve just gotten off my shift and I’m really tired. Maybe I’m overreacting. I’ve got to get some rest, but I’m glad that you went out of your way to see me. Maybe when I’m less tired we can talk some more?” With that, Tom got up, clapped Al on the back, and left.
Al sat for a few minutes mulling over their conversation.
Why do I do that to people, especially a friend like Tom? Why did he feel criticized just because I asked about Lynn? How do I let him know that although I think he’s making a big mistake, I’m still his friend and his decisions aren’t going to change that? One step forward, two steps back!
Al finished his tea, rose wearily from his seat at the table, and went back to his room.