This was the story I read last night at the Fargo Public Library. Enjoy!
The Ether Equations
by Paul Franklin
It took Greg seven months to devise the equations. He worked on them in his off hours and spare time. Aided by a suite of mathematics programs and specialized applications, he came up with a solution.
Greg examined the numbers on the screen and mentally went through the calculation for each one. They all seemed to be right, although he had more faith in his computer’s ability to provide the right numbers than his own.
Turning in the swivel chair, Greg stood up and walked over to the tangled mess of wires on the floor of the garage. The bird’s nest of cables curled around a triangular wooden frame assembled on the floor. At each corner of the triangle, a small LED panel displayed numbers that corresponded to the numbers on the computer screen. Walking around to each panel, he inspected them and double checked them against the computer.
Greg walked out of the garage, closing the door behind him. It was several minutes later when the doorbell rang. He put the three beers he was holding down on the counter. Opening the door to Sandeep’s smiling face. Greg poked his head out the door. “Where’s Rachel?” he asked.
“Well, hello to you too,” Sandeep said. His midwestern American accent threw people off at first because of his obvious Indian heritage.
“Oh hey, Sandeep, sorry. I thought you were going to pick up Rachel?” Greg asked.
“I was going to, but it seems Rachel and Mr. Wonderful had other plans for tonight,” Sandeep said. “So, you got beer or what?”
“Yeah, come on in, they’re in the kitchen,” Greg said as he lifted his arm from the doorway. Following Sandeep into the half-lit kitchen, Greg leaned up against the counter, across from his friend.
Sandeep popped the top on one of the still cold beers on the counter. “You’re not having one?” he asked just before he raised the bottle to his lips and took a long pull.
“Nah, I’ll wait until after,” Greg said. Greg’s watch began beeping. He looked down at it, hit a button and it went quiet. “It’s time,” he said.
Sandeep grinned. “Ooh, how ominous.”
“Yeah, ominous,” Greg said with a grin. “Let’s go. After you.” He swept his hands in a wide gesture for Sandeep to head into the garage.
They walked out into the garage; Greg closing the connecting door behind them and locking it.
“What the hell?” Sandeep said. He stood staring at the wooden frame and the mass of wires and electrical equipment surrounding it. “Now I know why you’ve been parking your POS car in the driveway, but seriously, what the hell?”
“Yeah, it’s not very pretty, but it’ll work for tonight,” Greg said. “Okay, you know I’ve been telling you that I’ve been working on a series of mathematic equations?” He sat down in a chair next to the desk, gesturing to the other chair.
Sandeep sat down and swiveled to face his friend. “Dude, you’ve been ‘working’ on math since I met you in college. I was always surprised that you weren’t a math whiz at some school or accounting firm instead of a computer programmer,” he said. “When you start talking about transformations and number theory I just tune out. Sorry.”
“Nah, I get it. Math isn’t for everyone. But this time, I’ve actually managed to accomplish something. Something big. You won’t believe me now, but in ten minutes, you will.”
Sandeep stopped playing with the mouse on the desk and looked up. “What’s going on here? You’re starting to give me the willies.”
“All you have to do is watch. We’ll talk about it afterwards,” Greg said. “It’s time.” Sliding over to the computer, Greg tapped a couple keys and hit the ENTER key with finality.
There was a small hum as power flowed into the six nodes around the triangle. The hum continued but soon there were intermittent pops coming from the air around the wooden frame. There was a louder pop and the entire room thrummed with energy. Greg could feel it coming from the triangle on the floor. A faint smell like a spring rain filled the room. A figure started to form inside the wooden triangle.
The figure was an older woman, dressed in flowing robes. It appeared to be composed of smoke and darkness, but the smoke only filled the outline of the figure. Roiling patterns of light and dark coursed through it.
“Hello,” Greg said.
Sandeep still sat in the chair, his one hand holding his beer bottle motionless as he stared at the apparition. “What the –?”
The figure turned towards them until it faced them. The face and body were clearly visible now, the colors so vibrant they bordered on the surreal. Sandeep’s face went slack and one hand started to shake. “Naniji?” he said.
“Sa — n — de — ep,” the figure mouthed. The sounds reached them in stuttering segments making it sound like she was talking in slow motion.
The figure began to deflate as the form dissipated, growing less and less distinct. The humming sound died out and soon the garage was completely silent.
“That was my grandma,” Sandeep said.
Greg couldn’t contain the smile on his face. “Yeah, wild, aye?”
“She’s been dead for three and a half years.”
“I know,” Greg replied. “The equations are a way to contact the spirits of the dead.”
Sandeep looked over at his friend. “You know, this changes everything.”
