The Fabric Of Reality by Benjamin Kelly Page B

“Well, it was worth a shot. I had been considering that it may be porous. I suppose my initial speculation about EM radiation only translating and not actually passing through is correct. Sound waves are most likely transferred in a similar way, and of course anything containing mass is blocked.”
    “It’s all right. There’s a stream in the forest if my thirst gets too unbearable.” Alesia untied the towel containing her food and spread it on the floor.
    Gil glanced down as she arranged her meal. “Oh, God, is that a fresh tomato and carrots?”
    “Yes. What are you eating?”
    “Five-year-old field rations. Roast beef with gravy and potatoes, at least that’s what the package says. It tastes like rubber and mush coated with goo.”
    Alesia giggled in spite of herself. “Well, if we can ever figure out how to get you into my Reality, I’ll cook you a proper meal with all fresh ingredients.”
    He held his face in his hands for a moment as if trying to regain his composure. “I can’t even tell you how much I’d like that. Is there no way for you to get out of marrying that man from your village, short of suicide?”
    Alesia shook her head.
    “What sort of society forces a woman to marry a man she doesn’t love?” Gil stabbed a slice of roast beef with his fork and shoved it into his mouth.
    “Baron Volga purchased my debt. If I return home, I’ll have to marry him. The only way he will release me is if I bear him a son.”
    Gil tensed visibly as his expression soured. “You owe money, and he wants to make you pay with blood?”
    The outrage in his voice came through louder than his words. Clearly such things weren’t normal in his society. “It’s perfectly legal. I owed the orphanage where I was raised for my childhood care. When I came of age, my mistress demanded payment in full, as she does from all the girls she raises. I had no way to get the money, so she sold my debt to the baron.” Gil stopped eating and gazed at her. Even through the mist, she could see the hurt in his eyes. “I’m a criminal, Gil. Running away from the baron is the same as stealing from him. I stole the oil lamp and a rope from two very good people. I needed those things to help me escape. I feel terribly guilty, but I couldn’t see an alternative that I could live with.” She picked up a carrot and took a big bite.
    “Alesia, that’s the most unjust system I’ve ever heard of. Children should not have to pay for their own upbringing. Your people sound like barbarians. You must have had a horrible existence. I’m glad you ran away, even if you had become a thief to do so.”
    “I was never mistreated as a child. The mistress was strict, but all the orphans were clothed and well fed. We were never concerned that we wouldn’t have a place to sleep or a roof over our heads.”
    “I lived in a Utopian society until I turned seventeen and the Brotherhood decided to destroy it for everyone. But, I don’t want to think about that now. My past is irrelevant, and my future is grim. All I have is the present, and I couldn’t be happier that you’re here to share it with me.”
    Alesia leaped into his lap and threw her arms around his neck. “I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She stretched her arms out, grasping at the foggy barrier separating them. “If I could get hold of this, I’d rip it open!”
    Gil chuckled humorlessly. “I’d gladly help you. If there were any way for me to slip through, I would, but I suppose I’m destined to say here and meet my fate. You know, it won’t be so bad. The Brotherhood thinks they’re battling thousands of people. Imagine the look on their faces when they finally get through and discover that one man has been holding off their best forces for more than a year.”
    She wrapped her arms back around him and squeezed him tightly again. “That’s awful. I don’t even want to consider that you’ll still be there when they get through. Perhaps