Oblivion

by Karolyn Cairns

  Chapter Four

  Darkness and pain were all he saw or felt before his eyes. He sat up and groaned. How long he lay here; he didn’t know. All he could think of was getting to Dougie. He forced his body to move. He staggered to his knees and looked around the dank alley in confusion. It was night. He heard sounds of city life beyond the alley.

  Music and horns blared loudly. Where was he? He shook his head to clear it, feeling foggy and disorientated. The last thing he recalled was driving Cameron out to Marnie’s house.

  Cameron had used every trick in the book to get him to take him there. At first he refused, unwilling to chance Dougie getting done early. Then, he was driving down Route 4 and Cameron was playing with the radio. That was the last thing he recalled before everything went blank.

  He took a couple steps and his head was swimming. He went down on his knees. He had to get to a phone and call Lindsay. The kids would be worried sick. Somehow he’d been kidnapped and dumped here. His eyes were swimming as he took in the surrounding alley. The stench from nearby garbage made him gag. He struggled to remain upright, looking around to get his bearings.

  Heavy metal music blasted not far away. Loud raucous female laughter and shouting were heard. He stepped into the entrance of the alley. His gaze took in the scene grimly. Wherever he was; it wasn’t Helena. It looked like Gotham City to him. The city block was deserted except for a bar on the corner.

  He stumbled toward the neon sign flashing Deadhead’s Lounge. Along the way, he gazed about him in anxiety. The businesses all looked abandoned except for the bar. Everything was painted black. Even the concrete under his feet was black. Combined with the starless, moonless evening, the light from the bar was the only one he saw.

  Jace approached it and saw a large bald man with a tattooed head standing out front. He was dressed all in black and looked dangerous. He glanced at Jace and his cold, flat eyes burned into his.

  “We don’t take Newbie’s in here. Get outta here before they see ya.”

  “Wait!” Jace insisted, looking alarmed. “I need help. I think I was attacked and robbed. I need to use your phone.”

  That seemed to amuse the big man. He chuckled and his massive arms folded across his chest. “Ya don’t need a phone any more, kid. Trust me, you look like ya got diced up pretty good back there.”

  Jace looked down and his eyes widened to see his blood-drenched plaid work shirt. He felt no pain. His hands went to his chest and he felt no wounds there. His confusion was obvious. The big man seemed to see that.

  “Ya need to find Merrick. He can help ya,” the big man said. “Take my advice and go, kid. When those animals walk outta there; they'll make you wish you were more than just dead.”

  Jace appeared confused at his comment. “Who is this Merrick?”

  “He’s like the greeter here. He shows ya the ropes. Usually he finds you guys before you wake up and get into trouble.”

  “Where am I?” Jace demanded, looking around, alarm evident on his face.

  “Welcome to Oblivion, kid,” the big man said and grinned. He turned and went back into the club, leaving Jace standing alone on the sidewalk.

  He looked down one length of darkened street and the other, fuming to know he’d never heard of a town called Oblivion in Montana. He turned and decided to take a right and explore his options. He needed to get to a phone and call Lindsay.

  Knowing his girlfriend probably called the National Guard made him hurry down the street. His clopping footsteps echoed eerily as he walked. Suddenly those footfalls were joined by another set, heavier and more hurried than his. He looked over his shoulder and saw nothing behind him.

  Jace walked about a mile and began to realize he was being followed by the time he got to the next city block. Whoever it was seemed content to trail him. Apprehension filled him to know he was alone in this strange city called Oblivion and his pockets were empty.

  The money was gone. Worse, the ring he planned to give Lindsay was stolen. The impulse to ask her to marry him came upon him as he waited for Dougie. He reasoned if they were engaged, she would wait the year he asked of her so he could get his family issues resolved.

  Once he was home, another reality would hit him hard again. The three hundred dollars left over was for another matter; one that he regretted with every bit of his soul.

  He was lost in thought and not paying attention when he was struck from behind. He was tossed into the wall of an alley just as an arm slid around his neck, forcing him up against the bricks.

  “Hold still, kid,” a gruff, deep voice growled at his ear. “Those spooks ya got on your tail ain’t leavin’ by the looks of things. You’d have to wake up too soon.”

  Jace’s eyes widened, thinking this was the man who attacked him and robbed him. He continued to struggle.

  “Get your hands off me!” he raged and fought hard, but the man was strong.

  “They see ya and it’s all over, kid. Trust me and zip it.”

  “Who are you?” Jace croaked.

  “The name’s Merrick. Your tour guide here in Oblivion. I waited for you to wake up and thought I could go handle another bit of business. My bad. Sorry ‘bout that.”

  Jace stopped struggling, realizing the man meant him no harm. He was strong though, pinning him to the wall like an immovable force. Jace was six-two and two hundred and ten pounds soaking wet. The man who held him pinned to the alley wall did so without hardly any effort.

  “I need to make a call,” Jace began and glared in the darkness. “I got jumped. My girl is probably losing it by now. Just let me go and tell me where a phone is.”

  “No phone here, kid. Boy, you’re one of those. Great.”

  Jace was confused. “One of what? What are you talking about?”

  “You’re dead, kid. Ya just don’t know it yet. Sorry, it happens when you don’t see it coming.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jace said in a seething tone. “I’m not dead! I’m not even hurt. This blood all over me isn’t even mine.”

  “What’s the last thing you remember?” the gravelly voice asked.

  Jace recalled Cameron playing with the radio. They had just turned onto Route 4. He remembered nothing else.

  “I must’ve been knocked out. I don’t remember how I got here.”

  Merrick chuckled. “Ya got whacked back there, either way. You can fight it or accept it; that’s up to you.”

  Jace was furious. The man made no sense. “I just need to call my girlfriend. Can I do that?”

  “Nope, that doorway’s closed. You got two choices here, kid. You can pipe down and follow me, or I’m leaving you here. I’m too tired to fight off more Deadheads tonight.”

  “What are Deadheads?”

  “Let’s just say; they don’t like us none, kid.”

  “What did you mean by the doorway is closed?”

  “Anybody ever tell you that you talk too much? I’ll explain everything when the coast is clear. You got three Deadheads on your tail, and they ain’t happy.”

  “What do they want with me?”

  “They get off on pain. That’s something you can still feel even if you’re dead. They like tormenting Newbies. It makes them happy.”

  “You keep saying I’m dead! I’m alive,” Jace snapped under his breath, aware the footsteps were growing louder.

  “Hate to break it to ya, but ya got whacked pretty good back in your life. You’re dead and you’re trapped here in Oblivion. Don’t ask me why you didn’t get the pearly gate treatment. I don’t judge.”

  Jace scoffed at his words. “Yeah ok, this is a joke!”

  “Like I said; you can fight what I’m telling you. It only makes this worse for you. The sooner you accept you’re dead the sooner you can move on.”

  “What is this place?” Jace asked with a feeling of dread. “Is it Hell?”

  “Nah, that place is a real shithole. This is a temporary place in between, or not so temporary for some of us.”

  “W
hat do you mean?” Jace demanded, playing along to stall for time.

  “Depends on how ya got off’d, for one. Suicides are lifers here. Most of the Deadheads are suicides. Accidents get out of here pretty quick once they realize it and reroute them. The murdered are here indefinitely. If ya can’t remember what happened to ya, chances are you’re an accident or somebody whacked ya. Either way, you’re stuck here for a time.”

  “What about the people who die naturally?” Jace asked hesitantly, thinking about his mom.

  “Those lucky bastards get the full treatment, either good or bad, depending upon where they get assigned.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  “You will, now zip it. They’re real close.”