SECRET SALVATION

by Chad Josey

  Joe closed his eyes for a moment hoping this would drown-out the infernal cries of Satan’s spawn… but, this did not work.

  “Does she sleep during the night?” the woman asked.

  The mother said something back, but Joe could not understand her. To pass the time, he had his own responses in his mind to the woman's questions.

  Of course, she doesn’t sleep for God’s sake. Can’t you hear?

  The baby hijacked Joe’s bright and cheerful morning. His eyes attempted to zone-out the merciless noise by staring out the window.

  Joe listened to the woman and the young mother talk. Joe knew she was attempting to make the young mother feel better.

  “Can she eat any solid foods, yet?”

  Are you listening? It sounds like they are feeding her broken glass.

  “We just started with some baby food,” the mother said.

  “Do you have any other kids?”

  “Uh… a son. He’s ten.”

  Why can’t he be here instead of her?

  “Have you heard about Mars?” the woman asked.

  Yeah, like you mean, we’ve been going there since the ‘80s.

  “No, what’s going on with Mars?” the young mother replied.

  “That’s where we will escape when a planet destroys Earth,” the woman said.

  “What planet? Destroy Earth?” the young mother asked.

  Shut that freakin’ baby up.

  “When is this going to happen?”

  Five years from now, in 2020.

  “2020, in five years,” the woman replied.

  “Yes, you’re all going to die!” Joe shouted opening his eyes after falling asleep.

  Joe scanned around at everyone. Silence filled the train car. The vibrating wheels screeched beneath them. Joe’s announcement scared the baby into stopping her crying. All eyes stared back at Joe.

  “Oh… sorry… bad dream.” Joe shrugged his shoulders and lowered his head failing to make eye contact with anyone. The train slowed.

  Thank God. It’s my stop.

  “Excuse me,” Joe said as he stood and stepped out of the stopped train into the bright, early September air. Joe made his way to his lab walking through the Stonehaven campus. Flower gardens with pink and purple New England asters reflected the bright rising sunshine.

  Except for the time back in 2012 when Joe and Mary contracted a terrible case of the swine flu forcing them to miss two weeks of work, this past week was the longest time Joe had been away from his laboratory. Today, Joe knew he had the place all to himself, since Charlie was still away with Becky and the kids for an extended Labor Day vacation. This was a relief for Joe, as he was unsure if could handle any more conversations about Colorado.

  Joe entered his office and closed the door behind him without turning on the lights. He sat behind his desk. Stacks of paper and countless numbers of research books were around the room. Musty, the unopened room smelled.

  I should take all this, but how?

  Going on his sixth night with little sleep, thoughts raced through him.

  What do I need to take? I’ll tell them I need all these books… Oh, I can just scan the papers. Why does it smell like ass in here?

  The silence in the room was deafening until the phone on his desk rang startling Joe wide-awake. On the second ring, he picked up the phone. “Stonehaven, this is Dr. Bishop.”

  “Good morning, Joe. This is Gabriel. Hope I’m catching you at a good time.”

  “Uh… hi… um… yeah, I’m good.” The wrinkles on Joe’s forehead suggested his curiosity of the call given he was just with Gabriel two days earlier.

  “Thought I’d check-in to see how you’re doing since our meeting? We thought your presentation was perfect, and our donors can’t wait to hear more from you.”

  Huh… what presentation? I never gave my… oh, yeah…

  “Oh, yeah, the presentation. It’s my first day back, and uh, I need to gather my thoughts about what’s needed.”

  Joe remembered what Gabriel had told him in Colorado. If he called Joe, Gabriel would do so under the pretense of calling about the presentation. This is just in case someone was with Joe or if the call was on speaker.

  Joe looked around his office. “No one's here, Gabriel.”

  “Well, I was calling to see how you were doing, and if you needed anything. Remember, if you need to contact me, call me on the number I gave you. It’s a private line.”

  “No, everything’s good. I’ll be back in touch in a couple of days. Let me pull myself together, and I’ll call you, then.”

  “That’s fine. Oh, and one more thing. No more outbursts like that on the train, okay?”

  “I was having this crazy dream, and I…” Joe stopped talking. He realized someone must have been following him from Eden for Gabriel to know so soon.

  “Good. As long as we are clear about that,” Gabriel said in a stern voice.

  “I’ll be careful, I promise. So, I have to go. I’ll call you soon.” Joe faked his sense of urgency to get off the call.

  “Well, good talking to you, Joe. Take care, and we’ll be watching.”

  Huh, you’ll be watching.

  After Gabriel hung-up, Joe placed the cordless phone down on its charger in slow motion. His eyes darted around the room. Already on edge from no sleep, Gabriel’s last comment amplified Joe’s paranoia.

  They’re watching me everywhere. Someone was following me on the train? I bet it was that lady beside me. She was way too nosey about that damn baby.

  Joe leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head for support. His books and papers spread around the room appeared and disappeared repeating in slowing intervals. His eyelids opened-and-closed, slower-and-slower.

  Several hours later, a car horn woke him wailing away outside his office window. The daylight had disappeared into complete darkness. Joe looked down at his watch. The time was 11:20 p.m.

  I must have passed out here.

  He reached for the phone to call Mary to apologize for being late. But as he placed it to his ear, he slammed it back down.

  I can’t call her. She might be asleep.

  He got his backpack from the corner chair and left his office locking the door behind him. Darkness filled the hallway except for the eerie glow of the red light from the exit sign.

  No wonder I slept all day. It's so quiet. Everyone’s still on vacation.

  Gone was the warm morning. Cold, misty air filled the darkness of night as he ran to the station to catch the last train for the evening. As he stepped up the platform at the tracks, he looked behind him.

  Is someone following me? They must be. Doubt they’d only follow me in the morning and not at night?

  His platform was up a flight of stairs from the parking lot of the train station. Each footstep up the metal stairway reverberated down the platform into the quiet night.

  Ten minutes to wait.

  He sat on a cold, metal bench under the arrival time board. Joe could not sit still. His eyes turned faster than his head. Paranoia had joined him in his wait.

  It has to be a person, right? I mean, there’s no way cameras are watching me from inside the train?

  Light footsteps floated from the opposite side of the train tracks. He peered through the misty fog between him and the opposite platform. A petite shadow walked up the steps. As Joe squinted his eyes, the veil lifted as the shadowy image became clear. A young girl under a hooded parka waited for her train.

  Joe stared as she sat down on a metal bench across the track from him at least thirty yards away. She waited for her train going in the opposite direction into New York City. His eyes slowed their wandering and focused on the girl.

  The glow from her smartphone illuminated her face. She was a black woman, but he was too far away to identify the details of her face.

  She glanced up at him and looked away once she caught Joe staring at her. Joe saw her mouth moving.

  She must be talking to someone on her ce
ll phone.

  Joe kept studying the image.

  She looks like that girl with the baby this morning.

  He flashed back through his fuzzy memory of the young mother and her devil baby.

  That can’t be her, right? Why would she be out so late by herself? Maybe, she’s the one following me?

  Joe stood and walked to the edge of the platform trying to get a better view. She looked at him as a train approached on her side of the tracks. Within a minute, a train had arrived stopping on her side of the track blocking his view.

  Seconds later, the train inched away. Electricity bounced off the overhead cables with the movement. He looked on the platform. The young girl was gone.

  I’m going crazy. She obviously got on the train.

  After a few minutes of peering through the fog, a distant light appeared accompanied by the familiar squeal. Joe’s train had arrived. An empty car, typical for this time of night, comforted Joe.

  Good. No one's on following me.

  Joe sat by the window and looked through it to the opposite platform. As his train lunged forward, he saw the same young girl. She was leaning against one of the support columns of the platform's metal roof.

  What the hell?

  “Okay, he’s on the train now,” the young girl said. She spoke into a Bluetooth microphone connected to her ear.

  After her confirmation, the Monitor watching Joe tonight switched to a video feed from the train's security camera. Joe’s train rumbled down the tracks on its way toward Stony Brook.

  I’m just being paranoid. There's no way that could have been the same girl from this morning?

  12-The Will

  January 10, 2004

  Houston, Texas

  “MARY, HERE are our bags.” Joe pushed through the crowd in the baggage claim area at the Houston International Airport. Two black suitcases with red ribbons tied to the top handle spun off the carousel.

  “Good idea with the ribbons, Honey,” Mary said pulling her bag behind her, "it made them so easy to find."

  Joe and Mary walked to the rental car counter. “Joe, it’s been a long time since we’ve been home?”

  “I know, what? It’s been at least two years.” He collected the paperwork from his backpack. “Okay, Mary, wait here and I’ll get the car.”

  Mary remained behind as she watched him zigzag through the roped-off maze at the counter to speak with an agent. A few minutes later, Joe returned to her holding a set of keys and paperwork.

  “Okay, we’re all set,” Joe said, dangling the keys in front of her to get her attention, as she was busy people-watching.

  “Oh, Joe, look at that. See how happy everyone is.”

  “Yeah, well,” he said picking up a bag he had knocked over, “their happiness can balance out our sadness.” He clutched the handle on his bag. “Are you ready?”

  Mary turned away from the happy reunions and pulled her bag following Joe to the rental car parking area. “So, what kind of car did we get?“

  “It’s a black Jeep, perfect color for a funeral.”

  “Joe, you didn’t?”

  “No, just kidding… that just happened to be the color of the car… there it is… space number eight.” Joe pointed in the general direction and clicked the key fob to unlock the doors.

  The lights flickered on-and-off, creating a yellow strobe light as they approached. Joe opened the back and placed both bags inside, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his backpack.

  Mary got into the car as Joe walked around, completing his inspection to make sure everything was okay. Satisfied, he opened the driver’s side door and adjusted his seat.

  “Here are the directions I printed off from the Internet.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.” Mary lifted her right hand to mock a salute to Joe. “Just trying to lighten the mood, Babe.”

  “Thanks,” he said while adjusting his mirrors. The windshield wipers moved. He played it off like he meant for that to happen. “Well, at least I know what that button does.” Joe started the car and followed the exit signs out of the parking deck.

  “Have you ever met, Robert Spivey before?” Mary asked as she studied the directions.

  “No, the only time I’ve spoken to him was when he called Wednesday morning.”

  “Okay, turn left at the next light.”

  “He told me he first met Grandma many years ago, when she had that property line dispute with the neighbor.”

  “Okay, at the stop sign, you will keep going, straight.”

  “I still can’t believe it. I never want to hear a phone ring at 3 a.m. ever again.”

  “It says to go for one mile and then merge onto Highway 3-South.”

  “Damn… a heart attack… I still can’t believe it?”

  Mary peeked over to him and said, “Heart attacks? Do they run in your family?”

  “Mama died from a brain tumor, and she was adopted. So, I know nothing about her birth family. Dad died in the accident with a drunk driver. Grandpa Eli was killed in a robbery. Hell, I can only hope for a heart attack.”

  Joe sensed the dirty look Mary had given him. She did not appreciate his joke in the moment. “I think because of so much sadness when I was a kid that subject just never came up?”

  “Okay, take the next exit and it looks like you will stay in the right, left lane because our next turn is a left.”

  “I am happy though Grandma had a lot of friends through the church. I’ve always felt a little guilty leaving her down here when we left for New York.”

  “The office should be at the next light.”

  “Now, I hate it we didn’t come home for Christmas,” Joe said, turning into the parking lot of a small, brick building. A lone, candy-apple, red Corvette Convertible Stingray sat near the building. A tinted-glass wall stretched along the entire front. Two doors were in the center of the building.

  Joe parked the car. Mary placed her hand on top of his hand as he held the keys turning off the car. “Honey, you can’t beat yourself up over that. Remember, she had a great time taking the Christmas singles’ cruise down in the Bahamas.”

  “I know, but…” Mary rubbed his hand. A tear formed in his eye. Joe took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s get this over with,” he said before opening his door.

  Joe pressed the button on the key fob. Two quick chirps came from the horn. They hurried across the parking lot to the building. A sign written in gold letters was above a door: Law Offices of Robert S. Spivey.

  Joe opened the door. Mary entered first. He followed as the door shut behind them. The office was a throwback to the ‘80s with wood paneling along the walls. In front of a closed, white door, sat a receptionist. A small woman, she had muscular arms coming from her flowery blouse.

  She made eye contact with Joe and Mary as they entered the lobby. “Well, hey, y’all must be the Bishops. My name is Alice. Come on in. Can I get you folks some water? Coffee?” Alice reached out to shake their hands, welcoming them.

  “Thanks. No, I’m good,” Joe said.

  “I’ll take a coffee,” Mary said, smiling at Alice.

  Alice turned back toward the desk and pressed a button on the phone. “Bobby, the Bishops are here.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right out.” The familiar voice Joe had heard through his phone earlier in the week echoed back.

  “Dear, how do you take your coffee?”

  “Two sugars and a little cream, please.” Mary followed Alice to the coffee pot in the opposite corner of the lobby.

  Joe turned his head following the ladies, only to turn back to his right as the office door opened. Through the doorway walked Mr. Spivey.

  Brown wing-tips were the first noticeable things about Mr. Spivey in his dark navy suit. What grabbed Joe’s attention most was Mr. Spivey’s white tie with bright red hearts dotted across it.

  “Good evening, Folks. Happy to meet y’all. Just wish it was under better circumstances,” Mr. Spivey said. He had a crushing handshake.

  “Nice t
o meet you, Mr. Spivey.” Joe attempted to loosen his grip.

  “Oh, please call me Bobby. And, you must be Mary?” Mary walked over joining Joe.

  “Nice to meet you too, Bobby,” Mary said sipping her caffeine-laden coffee.

  “First, let me wish you both a belated Happy New Year. I just wish this was a happier meeting.”

  “Thank you,” Mary said with a smile as she pressed her head into Joe’s arm, lifting it off again to sip her coffee.

  “Here, let’s go into my office and we can get started.”

  Bobby extended his arm into the doorway. “Alice, that’s all for now. Go home and enjoy your evening with your husband.”

  "Okay, Bobby, I'll take care of our earlier situation, and I'll see you later," Alice said as Bobby closed his office door behind them.

  Joe and Mary sat before his desk in matching black leather chairs beside each other. Bobby walked up behind them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

  “It has pained me to no end losing Elizabeth. Your grandma was something very special. And, I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

  Bobby released his grip and sat in his desk chair across from them. A brown folder sat on top of his desk. He grabbed a small string hanging from the folder and spun it around its clasp, which had kept the folder closed.

  Once opened, Bobby pulled out a small stack of documents. “So, if it’s okay with y’all, let’s get on with the reading of the Will as we discussed earlier on the phone.”

  Mary grabbed Joe’s hand as she turned to Joe, who had fixed his gaze on the documents in Bobby’s hands. To Joe, it was as if Bobby was holding his grandma at that moment.

  “Now, before Liz left for her cruise, she met with me to update her Will. I told her there was absolutely nothing to worry about… to enjoy her cruise. But, you know, she wanted to be careful is all.”

  Joe sat uncomfortable in his chair. Memories of other family members he had lost at such an early age flashed in his memory. The difference between then and now, Joe had no responsibility as a child.

  Liz was his second mother, who had taken care of him as her own after Rachel’s untimely death. The lady who had sacrificed so much, so he could go off to college, graduate with honors, and get his PhD. Liz was his grandma, and Joseph missed her.