Annabel kept staring at Jasper, the revelation that he wanted to be destroyed to get sent back to Elysium, not what she had expected. She let out a deep sigh, “Jasper, I am going to destroy you, and I will hide my formula. Are you okay with that?”

Jasper creaked and managed to give her a thumbs up, he was finally getting what he wanted, but he felt so bad for her, he did not mean to hurt her feelings.

She picked Jasper up, grabbed a handful of notes, scribbles and materials, she then went to her attic, a lot of junk was scattered everywhere, dust and cobwebs had taken claim of the attic. She coughed a few times and put Jasper down on a broken chair, “I am sorry for the mess.”

Jasper tried to look around, Why does she have this much junk in her attic? Are these, broken machines? Why didn’t she ask someone to pick them up? These could be salvaged for a lot of materials. I want to apologize for hurting her feelings.

Annabel opened a big trunk, “I want to show you that I am hiding these before I send you back, to the land of the dead, or as it is called, Elysium.” She fiddled with the side of the trunk and opened up a secret bottom. She put the notes and her research in the secret bottom and closed it. Annabel looked at Jasper, “No one would even understand my notes, but, they are gone, hidden, is this good enough for you?”

Jasper played a sad song from a nearby radio broadcast, I hope this helps her a bit, it is very warming how selfless she is being.

Annabel picked him up, “Let’s go back to the lab,” she went to the lab and put him on the workbench, “Please give me some time to work.” She moved a bookcase and revealed a strange arcane machine behind it, she put it down under a beam that held her lab up.

Jasper tilted his head, What is she doing? Is that some kind of device that will fry me? Is she going to use it to open a portal? I have learned she is insanely smart, she can achieve everything that technology allows in this era.

Annabel started putting crystals in sockets in the strange device, “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you wondering what it is? Well, this is called a quantum flux convergence apparatus.”

Jasper tried shaking his head, but it barely moved, it seemed Annabel was paying a lot more attention to his movements.

“Okay, I will try to explain it, There are dimensions, other dimensions and I believe there is a void between them, a void with endless energy, I was never able to prove it, since I never made it work before.” She grabbed a rope and threw it over the beam and tied one end to the lever.

Jasper suddenly understood what she was doing as Annabel started making a hangman noose, he tried lifting his hand. Is she really going to kill herself? How is that going to destroy me? I am not following it anymore.

Annabel looked at him move, “Don’t worry, I got it under control,” she grabbed a nearby desk and put it under the noose, “I am coming with you, to Elysium. With enough leverage,” she softly tugged the noose, “This device is going to turn on. It will create a small black hole in the fabric of reality. I am fairly sure it will totally go bonkers and explode, which is why I never turned it on.”

Jasper looked at her getting ready and steeling her resolve, she will blow this whole lab to kingdom come, I did not mean to push her this far. She wants to come to Elysium, but there is so much she can do here and invent before it is her time. I am sure I can talk her out of it, that she will find someone, if I could just, say the damn words.

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Annabel made some final checks on her apparatus, “Okay, I have set it to make a huge black hole, it will hopefully implode on itself. If not, there might be a slight chance I will blow up New Albion along with us. But I am sure that will not happen.” She climbed on the desk, “Okay, together to Elysium, I am ready for it.” She put the noose around her neck, “I never thought I would go out this way, it is kind of taking the cowards way out, isn’t it?”

Jasper felt as if he wanted to shed a tear, he mustered all the strength he could and raised his mechanical hand. It creaked as wheels inside of him turned to push him to feats he should not be capable of, he made a stop motion with his hand.

Annabel looked at him, “What do you mean, stop? Play a song if you want me to come with you to Elysium.”

Jasper remained silent, he did not want her to take her own life. Please, Annabel, stop this madness. I don’t want you to die, you have a whole life ahead of you.

Annabel let out a deep sigh, “Jasper, it seems you may be my angel after all.” She removed the noose and jumped off the desk, she adjusted the settings on her quantum machine. She looked at Jasper, “You want me to find someone else, and to live my life? Even if you will go alone?”

Jasper lowered his hand, he sighed in relief, all that came out were creaks. I did it, I stopped her from doing something foolish, now it is time for me to go home. He looked at her and gave her a thumbs up, he even flashed a sincere smile. This insane woman, this insane smart woman was so selfless she wanted to come with him. He was fairly sure her machine would not blow up New Albion.

Annabel walked over to him and caressed his cheek, “My little mechanical angel, I am truly sorry for disturbing your peace, you really think I am going to meet someone?”

Jasper played a gentle song from a nearby radio broadcast. I hope I made the right decision, now all I want her to do, is to destroy this mechanical creation. I am really glad she hid the formula, no one will disrupt the dead again.

Annabel picked him up, “Thank you for that,” she opened up a hatch in the quantum machine, “I have set it to a tiny black hole. It will destroy your body and send your soul back to Elysium where you can be free.” She put him inside the machine, “Are you sure about this?”

Jasper tried to nod, this is it, the moment he would finally be free again, he saw Fay, even his wife. But he was more glad to see Fay again, he also stopped Annabel from killing herself. Despite the pain and sorrow he feels being away from Elysium, he did some good deeds while in this mechanical form, for a slight moment, Annabel felt what it was like, to be loved.

Annabel started sniffling and crying, “Goodbye, my angel, I am so sorry, please, forgive me,” she closed the hatch and put her hand on it. “Off you go, to Elysium, back to where you belong.”

The machine turned on, Annabel kept looking at her, Jasper stared back, the machine started whirring and shaking. The crystals fuelled the machine and created a hole in dimensions, it ripped Jasper apart, the mechanical parts were being destroyed. His soul was set free.

As the machine turned off, she let herself fall into a chair and cried, How could I have been this stupid? If I had not been a hermit, then I would have found him on this stupid street. He always lived so close to me, I will keep an eye on Fay, that is the least I can do to make amends for this.

She opened the hatch and looked at the broken parts, the remains of the doll were broken, and battered. Not a single sign of Jasper remained. I promise you Jasper, I will never tell a soul. You told me I will meet someone, I don’t know if that is true, but to keep your memory alive, I will keep believing that.

She went to her room and looked around, this could have been our place, yet, I listened to my parents, I should have broken out of my cage and discovered the streets. She sat down on her bed and looked at her pocket watch, It was good to have you back, even if it was only for a brief moment.

Annabel heard a knock on the door, she wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her dress, Who could that possibly be? She got up, “Oh that is right, I ordered new books, I completely forgot they were being delivered today, I better open up the door.” She grabbed a washcloth, made it wet and quickly freshened before rushing towards the door, “I am coming.”