“I’m done listening to this!”
Joad turned and started to head back for the Jeep.
“Sure. Walk away!” his father called out. “But think about this. Think about what I got by just killing your little doggie. Poor, poor Flakey. Think what that created in you.”
Joad stopped and turned back around.
His father had come up right behind him. “Makes me wonder what would happen if I got my hands around the neck of that precious bitch of yours, and wrung it dry.”
He ripped off his sunglasses and leered at his son with those eyes that had haunted Joad as long as he could remember.
“Makes me all excited about what I might get out of you.”
One pupil was as green as an emerald, the other like the brightest sky blue.
Joad launched himself at his father and threw him to the ground.
His father laughed and yelled. “That’s it, son! C’mon, motherfucker! Let’s see what you’ve got!”
Joad pulled back his fist to smash his father’s face to oblivion.
And the sky turned purple.
45
“I’m supposed to believe the Husky is actually your father because it has his eyes?” asked Fixer.
“This coming from the man who moves objects by willing them, and told me that the same dog could talk,” countered Joad.
“Point taken.”
They were still standing beneath the Promise sign. In the time it had taken for Joad to spin his tale, the wedding party had slowed down in the background. The songs had come to an end, most of Promise’s revelers had wandered off to sleep, and the few Remaining voices were murmurs in the evening breeze. Joad continued to gaze down the dark road.
“So, that’s who you’re going after now,” realized Fixer.
“Seems as good a choice as any.”
“I think you’re a man who isn’t happy unless he’s searching for something,” Fixer suggested.
“Nothing wrong with looking for answers.”
“There is when they want to kill you. That’s what he wants, right?”
“According to Primo,” answered Joad, his eyes still drawn toward the unknown.
“What happened after The Purple?”
Joad finally turned back to look at Fixer.
The first thing he noticed was that the wind had stopped blowing.
Night had fallen, and he was lying in the sand. It glistened in moonlight with a hundred different colors. For a moment, he thought he had woken up on a giant Candyland board; the hues and tints were that brilliant. He rolled over and looked up at the moon.
And took in the most fantastical night sky he could have ever imagined.
He had seen the Northern Lights a few times on his travels, but they literally paled in comparison. Those had been streaks across the sky, feathers dusting a giant ceiling. This looked like a rainbow had taken over the heavens.
Suddenly, he remembered where he was and why.
Joad bolted up and looked for his father.
Both Jeeps were gone.
There was nobody in sight. Nothing.
With the exception of a burka and pair of sunglasses lying in the sand.
It was as if the man who had worn them had disrobed and disappeared, just like the Invisible Man in the “Chiller” movies he used to watch on the tube with his mother.
Joad was alone.
He even called out his father’s name, but it boomeranged back as a distant echo, bouncing off sand dunes that swirled in kaleidoscope-colored patterns.
After a while, Joad started to walk, beginning the journey that would take him seven years to get home. And beyond.
“Of course, in that moment, I had no idea what had happened,” recalled Joad. “Once I learned more about The Seventh Day, I assumed he’d been grabbed by the Retrievers—along with the Jeeps and everything else.”
Fixer nodded, obviously transfixed by the story. “But now you’re thinking your father’s out there somewhere, come back as a giant red-haired Husky with the same eyes.”
“As an actual dog? Who knows? Maybe he can manifest himself as one or has a mangled Gift that allows him to enter people’s heads and make them imagine things.” Joad’s frustration was evident. “Remember, I’m not the one who saw it.”
“True.”
“I also never told you about the color of my father’s eyes or hair before, did I?”
Fixer woefully shook his head. “I’m sort of wishing you had. Then, I’d probably think I dreamed the dog up because I knew that stuff.”
Joad wished he’d told Fixer too. In the world left by the Strangers, this had to be more than coincidence.
“This sort of lines up with something else I’ve always felt.”
“What’s that?”
Joad hesitated before answering the wiry man. He hadn’t revealed half of what he’d just told Fixer to anyone. But until now, he had no reason to believe the man he’d hated more than anyone on Earth could still be alive.
“I think my father knew what was coming.”
“The shitstorm?”
Joad nodded. “When he said it, I thought he was recruiting me for one of his missions.” He stared up at the night sky, the colors as bright as that first evening he’d spent by himself in the Gobi. “Now, I’m not so sure.”
“You think he knew about the Strangers before they got here?”
“Only one way to know for sure.”
“What’s that?”
“If he’s out there, find him and ask.” Joad’s eyes drifted yet again to the long dark road leading who-knew-where.
“I want to come with you.”
Joad turned. “You’re kidding.”
“Why not?” asked Fixer.
“I can think of a number of reasons. First, I didn’t invite you. Second, I don’t want you to.”
“Okay, I don’t care about those. You’ve got to come up with something better.”
“Says who?” Joad stared at him. “Besides which, why would you want to? Weren’t you just telling me what a terrific place this would be to settle down?”
“Sure. For people like Aurora, Doc, and Laura. But I’m not happy unless I’m on the move. Don’t forget, I’ve been wandering just as long as you.”
Joad couldn’t deny this. But he wasn’t ready to sign the man up as a constant traveling companion either.
“C’mon, Joad. We make a pretty good team, you have to admit.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re going to stand here and tell me I didn’t save your holy butt more than once?” Fixer held up a hand and started to count on his fingers. “There was the thing at the crater with the Retriever. Then, grabbing Primo off you on the church lawn. Not to mention me blowing up The Fixer… .”
“Where I believe I saved you… .”
“But look what that did to them. Practically fried ’em to a crisp.”
“And they still made it to Nemo and almost killed us,” Joad pointed out.
“But they didn’t.”
Fixer took a step closer and looked him straight in the eye. Joad saw something in the man’s gaze he hadn’t seen before—total sincerity.
“Look,” said Fixer. “These past few days, and it’s hard to believe it’s only been a few days, have been the most exciting ones I’ve had since The Seventh Day. Even more gratifying was that I felt like I mattered for once. Mattered to other people. I liked that feeling and figure if I hang with you, maybe I’d get to do it more, and also help out along the way. Given what and who you’re looking for, I think you’ll need all the help you can get.”
Joad stared at Fixer. “You done?”
“Pretty much,” Fixer said.
Joad hesitated before speaking up again.
“I’ll think about it.”
“You go and do that,” said Fixer. “But if you don’t let me come, you know I’ll end up following you anyway.”
Joad cracked a slight smile. He didn’t doubt that for a moment.
/> He was back at the pond in the Fields, wrestling with the Wraith on the riverbank.
They rolled in the dirt, a high-pitched keen emitting from the pulsing sinewy creature as Joad tried to wrap his fingers around its veined neck. He could hear Laura screaming behind him.
“Get away from it! Get away, Joad!”
He ignored the cries and finally got his hands on what he presumed was the thing’s throat. He squeezed with all his might and felt it kick and scratch beneath him.
Eventually, he overpowered the Wraith, which stopped struggling.
Joad lifted himself off the dead creature. Only then did he look down into what had once been something resembling a face.
Now there was nothing human about it, except for its eyes.
One emerald green, the other a bright sky blue.
Joad woke up in a sweat.
Rock, who had kindly offered him his sofa to spend the night on, was sitting on a chair across the former Burberry store, watching him.
“Bad dream?”
“Worse,” replied Joad.
It was definitely time to get going.
He thanked Rock for his hospitality. The ex-Rockies catcher didn’t question Joad’s choice to leave. He wished him luck and said Promise appreciated him bringing Sayers, Aurora, and Laura into their fold.
“Doc will help a lot of people,” Rock said.
“I think he will now,” Joad replied, and honestly believed it. “Watch after ’em, will you?”
“It’d be my pleasure, Reverend.”
A short time later, Joad found Aurora and Doc sharing a plate of fruit by a giant Reebok shoe, the only thing remaining in front of a black and white building indicating what store it had been. Joad was fairly sure Promise wasn’t the honeymoon destination they had in mind, but knew they couldn’t care less. Somehow, in all the upheaval of The Seventh Day, they had found each other. Promise was a new start. A promise of a brighter future.
Aurora didn’t spend much time talking him out of leaving. Even though Joad didn’t say where or why he was going (he’d made Fixer swear to do the same or he’d have one pissed-off reverend on his hands), Aurora could tell he was a man full of renewed purpose. She begged him to be careful. They hugged each other tightly, and then he was left alone with Doc.
The former physician and man of the cloth stood together in the onetime outlet mall that no longer sold anything except a new chance to dream.
“Long way from a Winnebago on The Flats,” Sayers said.
“That’s for sure.”
“I can’t thank you enough for all you did.”
“I didn’t do anything except let you tag along.”
Sayers shook his head. “That’s the modesty of your collar talking. I think you know better.”
Joad didn’t respond. He started walking, and Sayers fell in step. Joad knew there was something on the man’s mind and waited. Finally, after a few minutes, out it came.
“This Gift I’ve been given. I’m not sure I’m up to the burden that comes with it.”
“I think you are,” said Joad. “The Strangers wouldn’t have given it to you otherwise. I think they were very specific about who got what.”
“How is that possible?” asked Sayers.
“I’m not sure we’ll ever know.” Joad took a few more silent steps. “Just like I’ll never fully understand that burden you’re feeling. It’s probably why I wasn’t given one.”
“A Gift?” Sayers shook his head. “You’ve got one, all right.”
Hardly, thought Joad.
I’d know by now.
“Is that so?”
Sayers nodded. “I’d say it’s the ability to help other people find theirs.”
Joad didn’t have a comeback for that one. But if this were true, it validated the decision he’d made with Becky way back when to return to Nemo and begin anew.
Perhaps he really was being offered a fresh start.
“Are we going to see you again?” asked Sayers.
“Only time will tell,” Joad answered. “That, and maybe the Strangers.”
Both men laughed; they threw their arms around each other.
“You know there’s someone who’s not going to be very happy that you’re leaving,” Sayers said after they broke apart.
Joad’s smile slipped away.
“I know.”
He found her waiting for him under the Promise sign.
Fixer rode alongside Joad. They had each chosen one of the brothers’ jet-black horses, figuring they might come in useful along the way. Plus, Joad thought his own horse deserved a home and a well-earned rest after serving as his loyal longtime companion.
They dismounted and approached Laura.
Joad watched Fixer hug the girl for a long time; he could hear their murmured goodbyes. Then, Fixer remounted and moved onto the road, leaving Joad with Laura.
Once again, the girl surprised Joad.
“I know you have to go,” she quietly said.
She didn’t ask why or where, or beg him to stay. She just stood there, staring up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Yeah, I do.”
Laura reached into her skirt pocket, pulled something out, and handed it to him.
It was the packet of apple seeds he had tossed in the church garden.
The same one he had turned over every piece of rubble looking for.
Joad wasn’t just surprised. Stunned better described it.
“I picked it up right after you threw it away. I was going to give it back to you inside the church, but could tell it wasn’t the best time. And after that … ”
She broke off. Joad saw Laura repress a chill, even though it was bright and sunny out.
“The brothers came,” he said, finishing the troubling thought.
Laura nodded. “I hope you’re not mad at me.”
Joad shook his head. “I could never be mad at you, Laura.” He looked at the packet again, and felt some mist in his own eyes. “I think this might be the nicest thing anyone ever gave me.”
She smiled. “Maybe you’ll hang onto it and come back here some day and we can plant them together.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
They stood there a while, and Joad realized he had no idea how to say goodbye to this girl. In the short time he had known Laura, she had become such a huge part of his life that he wasn’t sure what he would do without her.
Yet, he knew he had to leave.
“You were dreaming of that place again, weren’t you?”
Laura’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“What?”
“The pond. Up in the Fields.”
“You’ve been peeking again.”
“Sorry,” she said, blushing slightly.
“Feel free to barge in on my dreams any time you want.”
She laughed, but then her face got all serious again.
“Who did you strangle? With the blue eye and green one?”
Joad considered how much to say before answering. “Someone I need to go find so I can stop thinking about him.”
“Someone who’s alive?”
“I think so. I didn’t for a long time, but I’m beginning to reconsider.”
“Someone you love?”
Joad couldn’t prevent the scoffing sound that came from his mouth. “Quite the opposite actually.”
He could see her mind working. “Why all the questions?” he asked. “What are you getting at?”
“I’ve been thinking about that place a bunch too.”
“Maybe that’s not such a good idea.”
Laura seemed to ignore this, and went on. “You know how I saw my mom up there? And how Doc saw her too?”
“Uh-huh. …”
“And Fixer his half-sister? Even the brothers saw the one who died… .”
“Quattro.”
Laura nodded. “Well, I was thinking. All of them are dead people. People we really loved. More than anyone else in the world, right?”
“I guess so… .”
“So, maybe that’s what we thought we were seeing. The person who died we miss more than anyone.”
“I suppose it’s possible… .”
Laura looked him right in the eye. “Then, how come you didn’t see anyone?”
Joad took his time answering again. “I don’t know. Maybe I was looking at them differently?”
“Or what if the person you miss most isn’t dead?”
Laura’s eyes drifted to the apple seed packet still in Joad’s palm.
Joad couldn’t move. Could that possibly be?
“But I saw her grave,” Joad said, shaken. “Under the apple tree.”
“Did you look inside it?”
“Of course not.”
Laura gave him the look only a pre-teen girl could pull off—a “that’s-what-I’m-talking-about” type.
Joad could hear his brain buzzing with a thousand thoughts, overloading and overwhelming it. He tried everything possible to calm it down, and glanced once more down the seemingly endless highway.
Maybe.
Maybe he needed to reconsider everything.
But first, he knew he had to say goodbye.
Laura beat him to it and leapt into his arms. She hugged him tightly and leaned close to whisper in his ear.
“I love you, Father.”
“I love you too,” he whispered back.
Then all he felt were her soft tears falling down onto his face and shoulder, while they stood as one beneath the Promise sign in the middle of nowhere.
Epilogue
Amy, the plump and jolly bleached-blonde waitress who had been working The Borg for as long as Joad could remember, led him and Becky across the dining room to their table.
Their table. At their place.
“I’m so glad you always think to call ahead,” babbled Amy. “I’d hate for you to come all the way up here and have to sit somewhere else.”
“We appreciate it, Amy. We really do,” said Becky. “How are your girls?”
“Growing up by the second, and getting much prettier than me, but thankfully nowhere near as big,” she laughed. “Thanks so much for asking.”
The Seventh Day Page 38
