The Eve of Abounding Wickedness

by Mark Spaid

  “Spend the night?” Lexi asked cringing. Lexi was not a twinkie but the thought of sleeping in a barn with spiders and bats and spiders and owls and spiders…well you get where she’s coming from.

  “Let’s eat first,” Edna said and fixed them omelets, bacon, waffles, etc. Not a heart friendly meal but they were hungry and they could worry about their cholesterol some other time.

  “When did they come by?” Andy asked.

  “Let’s see, about three days ago I think.”

  “What’d they want?” Justin asked.

  “They didn’t ask but I think they were looking for someone in the resistance.”

  “But he wasn’t here,” Dave said.

  “No, but they looked anyway.”

  “In the barn?”

  “Yes, but they found nothing. It’s just a barn with animals in it. There’s nothing that’d suggest there’re hidden quarters.”

  “Did they surprise you at the door?”

  “No, I saw them coming a mile away; literally. More like two miles. I have cameras in the woods and they’re well concealed.”

  “Where’s the monitor?” Andy asked. Edna walked over to a tall Victrola in the corner and turned the crank. A section of the wall opened up and a large monitor appeared showing fourteen pictures. Six in the woods and eight around the house.

  “That answers my question, thank you.”

  “Well, it’s getting late and they like to conduct raids at night. They came the last time around ten.”

  “Lead the way,” Dave said and they followed Edna across the lot to the barn and she closed the big door. She went to a room on the side of the barn and they heard a metal clanging then the floor moved and opened up revealing a stairway. Andy looked down and saw a large room.

  “Okay, I’ll go first,” Edna said and they went down into the basement of the barn. It was huge; maybe sixty by sixty. There were about twenty cots with blankets and pillows. “Here’s water in sealed jars, there’s food; mostly snacks but you won’t be here long. There’re extra blankets in this cupboard and here’s the first aid station. Flashlights are over here but I’d use them sparingly. One of the battery-powered lanterns will light up the whole room. If you hear footsteps above be very quiet. The room isn’t soundproof. Well, that’s it. Now, if I see anyone, I’ll signal you by a lever that’ll raise these flags. When the red one is up there’s danger. When it changes to green it’s all clear. Any questions?”

  “Thanks for this,” Dave said.

  “You’re welcome, sleep well.” Edna left and closed the door over their heads. Andy scouted around the room then discovered the secret to the floor.

  “Hey, come here, Dave, Justin and anybody,” Andy said. Dave, Sol and Julieta went over and saw the underside of the floor mechanism. “He was an engineer alright; a genius. Look at those pulleys and ropes. They’re weighed just right so even a frail old lady can open the floor. He had it figured to the ounce. With the floor closed the weights rest here on this ledge so the floor doesn’t open on its own. But when the lever is dropped upstairs the ledge moves and the weights do their work.”

  “Seems like you’ve become an engineer on the spot,” Dave said.

  “Me, no, I’m just a brainless reporter for a Midwest daily. A small Midwest daily.”

  “Oh, I think you’re a bit more than that,” Sol said.

  “I second that sentiment,” Dave added.

  “Well, I guess we should get some sleep if we can,” Andy said and they found a cot and laid down. They all slept except Julieta who stayed awake listening and watching. It was around eleven when there was a clopping on the floor above them. Justin and Jozette woke up then they all came around. Julieta was walking around looking up.

  “Mommy, what’s that?” Beth asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Are they after us? Did they find us?” Dixie asked as she and Jessica clung to each other. The noise grew louder and seemed to be all over the floor. Dave walked around the room looking up as dust fell down through the cracks with each loud clomp.

  “Oh, now I get it,” Dave said as he chuckled.

  “What?” Andy asked. Dave looked at Justin who then broke into a grin.

  “I think we’re being visited by Simon the goat,” Justin said.”

  “I suspected something when I didn’t see the flags go up,” Dave said.

  “Simon, come here,” A voice said and it was Edna. “Come here you dickens.” They heard Simon walk away then a gate could be heard being latched. “Now, behave yourself.” A few minutes later the floor began to open and standing at the top was Edna.

  “Hello, Edna,” Justin said as he waved.

  “Sorry about Simon but he’s curious and he likes to show off and play games. That was his way of teasing you.” She walked down the steps and handed out muffins. They were clearly freshly made and it was a welcome gesture.

  “Thank you for this but you didn’t have to,” Lexi said.

  “I know but I don’t sleep well and I’ve been watching the monitor. Nothing so far. I was bored and decided to make my famous muffins.”

  “Famous?” Andy asked as he munched away on one.

  “Well, they were famous to John and me. He loved them and so does everybody else I might say.”

  “I can see that; they’re great,” Justin said.

  “I forgot to tell you about the soundproof room.”

  “Where?’ Dave asked.

  “Here,” She said and moved a box in front of a door. She opened it, went inside and turned on the light. “Come here and Justin, Dave and Jozette went inside.

  “This is cozy,” Jozette said. There were chairs, a table and flashlights.

  “In the old days the slaves would have children with them, sometimes young babies. It’s hard to keep kids quiet as you know. This room was designed for that. With the door shut you can’t hear anything and no light can escape so you can use a lantern. ”

  “I see and we do have two young girls. They might be frightened so we can bring them in here.”

  “Exactly; now if you see the flag go red get the two little ones in here and close the door. There’ll be plenty of time. Then remain quiet and turn off any lights in the main room. You can detect light from above over the main room.”

  “We understand,” Jozette said and Edna climbed up the stairs.

  “Good luck and see you in the morning…but stay alert, they could still show up tonight,” She closed the floor and when it snapped shut, they went back to bed. Justin, Jozette and Julieta stayed awake. Around one-thirty Julieta saw the red flag go up and she nudged Andy, Dave, Sol and Lexi then she went to the girls and woke them with a finger to her lips. Jozette grabbed Beth and Justin Gabby as they went into the room and closed the door. A few minutes later there were sounds of people walking on the floor above them.

  “Check the loft,” A voice ordered and people could be heard climbing the ladder. Andy went around to everyone and bade them to remain quiet.

  “There’s nothing here but the animals, Edna said.

  “We’re looking for killers,” A man shouted.

  “Then look in the mirror.” A punch could be heard and someone landed on the floor. They knew someone had decked Edna.

  “What’s this?” A voice asked and clomping could be heard. “Hey, get away from me.” It appeared that Simon was not being hospitable, then a shot rang out and something hit the floor.

  “No!” Edna yelled. The men walked around for about ten minutes but found nothing.

  “Let’s clear out and go to the next place,” A voice commanded and they left the barn and cars were heard starting and driving away. After a few minutes Andy climbed to the top of the stairs.

  “Edna,” he whispered. A moment later they could hear movement then the floor opened up. Andy and Dave ran to the top of the stairs and they saw Edna standing over the dead body of Simon the goat.

  “Why’d they do this? He never hurt anyone.”

  “Are you alrigh
t?” Lexi asked as she examined Edna’s black eye and bloody lip.

  “Me, oh, I’m okay. I’ve been kicked in the head by a mule. This was nothing.”

  “We’ll bury him for you, Edna,” Justin said as he and Jozette came up with Gabby and Beth.

  “Thank you, son. We can all come to the house. They won’t be back again tonight.” Justin and Andy buried Simon in the front yard where Edna showed them. Dave attended to Edna’s injuries and Jozette made a pot of coffee.

  “It’s four am,” Dixie said as she stood with hair in her eyes and yawning.

  “This is what time I used to get up every morning…seven days a week, young lady.”

  “Why?”

  “Work on the farm starts early. I got up and made breakfast for John and our two kids. Homemade biscuits, bacon, eggs, pancakes…the works. I made the syrup from scratch.”

  “You can do that?” Jessica asked.

  “It’s what we had in the old days. My mother made everything from scratch. There wasn’t much available at the grocery store. Not like today. I had more choices but my mother had taught me how to do things on the cuff so I just continued. John and the kids liked it and I didn’t want to change.”

  “Didn’t you get tired?” Darcy asked.

  “Sometimes but it was a good tired.”

  “What’s a good tired?” Paulita asked.

  “When I used to work from four in the morning until ten at night, I was tired sure but I cooked for my family and sewed clothes, canned fruits and vegetables. And, when I saw what I’d accomplished it was a good feeling. I used to help with the animals. We had pigs, milk cows, beef cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, turkeys and just about anything you can imagine. This farm was profitable. Our kids went to college and we paid cash so they had no debt when they graduated. Those were hectic and tiring times but rewarding. So, at the end of the day it was a good tired for me.”

  “I think I understand now, thanks,” Paulita said.

  “I’ll start breakfast…you girls can help and I’ll show you how to make a breakfast from scratch.”

  “Okay,” Mallory said and they all followed Edna to the kitchen. An hour later they sat at the dining room table and ate a feast.

  “These biscuits are amazing,” Andy said.

  “Your daughter made them,” Edna said.

  “Dixie?”

  “Yes, Daddy, it was me. Edna showed me the recipe and I mixed and baked them.”

  “The pancakes are so moist and still fluffy,” Jozette commented.

  “I did those,” Paulita said.

  “What’s the secret?” Justin asked.

  “Edna told me the best way to make pancakes,” Paulita answered.

  “So, what’s the secret?” Justin asked.

  “Can’t tell you, Mr. Justin, it’s a secret.” There was laughter and Paulita nodded to Justin and grinned.

  “This omelet’s very good. What’s in it?” Dave asked.

  “A few secret items,” Melanie said.

  “And you’re going to keep them a secret?” Dave asked smiling at his daughter.

  “I promise to make them when we get back home,” Melanie said.

  “If we get back home,” Mallory said and there was silence.

  “We’ll get back to where we were,” Dave said.

  “Do you think so, Daddy?” Melanie asked.

  “I do and if I didn’t, I’d say so.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Andy said.

  “I made the steaks, Mom,” Darcy said.

  “Mine’s terrific,” Lexi said. I suppose you’ll tell me or not how you did it?”

  “I might,” Darcy said grinning at her mom.

  “I can tell you right now, Darcy, when we have another cookout, you should make the steaks,” Andy said.

  “This is an incredible meal, Edna,” Jozette said and there were nods and words of agreement all around.

  “I’m glad you like it. It’s what I lived for every day when I was younger and John and the kids were here.”

  “I think I’m beginning to understand about the good tired,” Jessica said. Edna smiled

  “Seeing this table full of people brings back memories of Thanksgiving feasts in the past.”

  “I bet they were treated to some great food,” Andy remarked.

  “Not to brag but yes they were.” Justin and Dave laughed

  “Well, we can’t thank you enough for keeping us overnight,” Dave said.

  “You’re most welcome.” There was a pause and Edna looked all around the room then she cocked her head and nodded with a grin. You know there was a report of a group of prisoners that escaped from a truck and killed their captors. Now, the Nazis made the captors out to be heroes and the escapees as villains. I never buy that crap from them. I think it was you folks, wasn’t it?” Dave and Jozette exchanged glances.

  “It was,” Dave said.

  “Why were they after you and why’d they want to kill you and I’m assuming you were headed for a shot in the back of the head in a wooded area somewhere.”

  “You’ve grasped the world and how it works from here on the farm Edna,” Dave said.

  “I’d like to think so.”

  “Alright, I’m going to tell you something because of what you’ve done for us,” Dave said.

  “Go ahead, I’m listening.” Dave looked at everyone and received a nod from Justin, Jozette, Andy, Lexi, etc.

  “Okay, here goes and I’ll preface my remarks by saying I’m not crazy though it may seem like I am. I’m a physicist and so is Sol and Ariel’s husband, Warren.”

  “Where is he?” Edna asked.

  “We don’t know,” Dave said. “The three of us were coerced into working on something for the Nazis. They had our families as hostages. This was before the change in the Time Frame.”

  “The what?”

  “The Time Frame. It’ll make more sense as I tell you things.”

  “Okay, keep going.”

  “We were working on a physics concept called the Unified Field Theory. Warren solved it and was able to create all three of the devices that the UFT promised.”

  “What devices?”

  “The first was a teleportation device. It was a miniature but it worked.”

  “A transporter…Star Trek,” Edna posed.

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “That was John’s favorite show. We watched it together whenever it was on television. We went to all the movies.”

  “Me too,” Dave said.

  “What other devices?”

  “The one that got us in this trouble was the time portal.”

  “Oh, my goodness, he created time travel.”

  “In a way yes. That was what the Nazis wanted.”

  “Wait a minute. He created these things before the Nazis took over?”

  “Yes, that’s the reason things have changed and history was rewritten.”

  “But who were the Nazis that made him do it in the first place?”

  “Late in World War II the Nazis bred offspring of Hitler and the top Nazis…Himmler, Goering, Goebbels, etc.”

  “And they kept the line going for grandchildren etc.”

  “Exactly and if I may say so, I think they’ve kept a genius locked up here on this farm”

  “Nonsense, I make good breakfast items…that’s all.”

  “In a pig’s eye,” Andy said and Edna laughed.

  “I haven’t heard that one since John died.”

  “Well, I thought a little barnyard talk might not be out of place,” Andy said.

  “It was well timed…thank you,” Edna said and nodded to Dave to continue.

  “There’ve been Nazi sympathizers in America since before the war,” Dave said. “Most were just talk but some were working behind the scenes with these descendants of the German Nazis. Believing that someday they’d come to power in the United States.”

  “And now they have but how?”

  “The Nazis sent back four agents to 1939 to convince
Hitler to attack England and not Russia. England fell easily and Germany then built up its arsenal including nuclear weapons. When they finally did attack Russia they won. Then they attacked the US with a flotilla of ships and planes using nuclear weapons as the final blow. The U.S. surrendered and the Nazis had the world. That’s where we are today.”

  “My, that’s quite a story.”

  “Yes, and now Warren has developed a particle beam weapon that can control the world.”

  “My husband was working at the point of a gun,” Ariel said with guilt in her voice.

  “Honey, you have nothing to feel bad about so don’t go there. These are monsters who’ll kill anyone and everyone that gets in their way. The poor man had no choice.” Ariel lowered her head.

  “I can tell you that we’ve sent a team back to 1939 to intercept the first four and stop them.”

  “Good, when will that happen?”

  “That’s something we don’t know. It’s hard to match up the passage of time then and now. It’s not minute for minute.”

  “I see, so, we wait and hope for the best,” Edna said.

  “Yes, that’s right. In the meantime, we’re waiting around to retrieve our people when they come back through the barrier.”

  “Boy, you folks lead an exciting life.”

  “Too exciting sometimes,” Andy said. Edna lost her smile as she looked at the adults then caught Justin and Jozette’s attention and motioned to follow her into the living room. Andy, Julieta and Dave joined and Edna looked back to the kitchen to make sure none of the girls were listening.

  “I assume you’ll be leaving soon. I can’t imagine you’d wait around here much longer, though you’re welcome to stay as long as you want as I’m sure you know by now.”

  “We do and thanks for the standing invitation; we appreciate it,” Justin said.

  “I have a vehicle you can have.” Dave looked at Andy who was as surprised as the rest. “I don’t drive myself but I’ve kept it in working order. In fact, I just started it last week and it ran fine. I drove it around the farm lot. The tires are in good shape, the oil was just changed two months ago and it’s full of gas.”

  “What kind of vehicle? There are eighteen of us”, Andy asked.

  “I know but I think this’ll work…follow me.” They went outside and the sun was coming up as they went to an outbuilding and Edna took off the padlock. It was a large door so Andy and Dave opened it. Justin broke out laughing followed by Dave and Jozette.