Out of the Mind Of . . . A Fantasy and Paranormal Anthology

by Barbara Combs Williams

  Austin pretended not to hear his brother, and possibly would have gotten away with it, if not for the tell-tale dirt and blood that was all over his dark hands.

  "Why you acting so funny?" Tyson said as he tried to look at Austin's hands.

  "Let's just go home and see what's for dinner. I'm hungry. I bet Ma cooking some fried chicken and rice." Austin took off running down the street. All the while he wanted to go back and snatch his new prize from under the mound of dirt it buried itself in. He was too excited and was deviously plotting ways to come back after dinner and get it.

  IT WAS 8:30PM AND AUSTIN pretended to be watching television. His favorite show was on; but it couldn't penetrate the layer of desire that filled his heart for his prize. He couldn't think of it any other way but his. The silly laugh track was distracting him from figuring out a way to get back to the deserted lot.

  Austin looked over to where his mother was sitting in her favorite chair. She looked tired, and he noticed on several occasions she nodded off to sleep. She won't notice if I go back to the lot to get my prize. I just have to get away from Ty, he thought. Tyson was lying on the floor near his mother's feet, idly flipping from side to side.

  I don't know why I put up with his silly ways. He don't do nothing but whine and act like a baby. I wish he'd just disappear. Austin didn't know where these thoughts were coming from. He really loved his brother. They were all each other had. He got up to go to the room he shared with his brother.

  "Where ya going, I want to come too." Tyson leaped up from the floor as if to follow.

  "Leave me alone, you don't need to follow me everywhere I go. Go sit down and shut up with your stupid self. I hate you."

  Austin shocked himself. He had never talked to his brother like that before. He was breathing hard and just wanted to run out of the house and get back to the lot.

  "Austin, what's wrong with you? You know better than to treat your brother like that. You’re supposed to be his big brother, not his tormentor." Austin's mother suddenly awake from her small nap said. "What are you doing anyway?"

  Austin tried to think of something to appease his mother and get rid of his brother. "Ma, I got to go to the bathroom, my stomach is hurting real bad and besides Ty don't need to go everywhere with me. I need to go to the bathroom, that's all."

  "Boy, you better remember whose house you're in. I don't want no games out of you. Go on to the bathroom and then get ready for bed. Y’all may not have school tomorrow, but I do have to get up and go to work and I don't want to be disturbed with all your foolishness. You understand? Tyson, leave your brother alone and you can get ready for bed after Austin comes out."

  "Yes ma'am," both boys answered together.

  Austin hurriedly ran into the bathroom, sat down on the side of the tub, and turned on the water. What to do now? He suddenly had a plan and it all depended on making Tyson go to sleep for a very long time.

  To be continued

  Year 2175

  One Hundred Years After

  01200 HOURS

  “Who was that on the cell?”

  Mom turned her motorized legs towards me. Usually it would turn her whole body around, but it had been malfunctioning lately. Her upper torso was still facing forward. I was standing to her right, while she continued to stare at the shuttered window in front of her.

  It wasn’t a pleasant sight. The thing looked like something from the old west days. It resembled a saddle, except it covered her from her upper back down to her knees.

  “Mom!” I closed my eyes against the sight. She knew how it unnerved me whenever the robotics malfunctioned. She didn’t care. Mom said it didn’t hurt, since she had no feeling from her chest down.

  “What, Kelly? What’s wrong now? And you didn’t answer me. Who was that on the cell? Did Daniel make it out? Did he?!” Mom was shouting as usual, as if she couldn’t hear herself.

  “You know how I hate it when your legs don’t work. Turn the damn thing around, please. I don’t understand how a hundred thousand credit bionic torso and knees, fails so often. Dammit Mom. How did you not see that thing was a piece of junk?”

  “Daniel picked them. He said they were the latest and most advanced. That’s why it cost so much . . . I don’t know why it doesn’t work right. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Now the tears would start. Mom was good with the tears. She could turn them on and off like a light sensor on a stormy, darkened day. Which below ground was every day.

  Daniel again. I should have known Daniel was involved. This was 2175 for God’s sake. Con-men still roamed the earth taking advantage of old women. She gave everything Dad made and left to her, away to people like Daniel.

  I answered her, but I was pissed. “No, it wasn’t Daniel! Why in the world would Daniel call me? You’re the only one who still speaks to that con-man.”

  I need to calm down. Don’t let her get to me. I’ve been down this particular street a million times and the view is always the same. Talk slowly and calmly. Think rationally.

  I lied. “That was the repair guy for the shutters. I told him we need to get them serviced. Remember Mom, I told you outside air was getting in. We can’t let the natural air inside. We have to keep the filter functioning.”

  “Oh, I thought maybe he called to let us know he got through. He said he would call once he made it to town. Remember? He promised me he would call. I need my . . ., I mean, I need Daniel to let me know if he made it.”

  I turned away from Mom and clinched my fists. How had I let myself get in the middle of this? My patience was thin to begin with and now it had holes bigger than my head riddled through it. I couldn’t take anymore.

  Yes, she’s my mother, but we have never been close. I guess I was a daddy’s girl. Always had been and always will be, even though Dad’s ashes rested on the cabinet gathering dust. I resented her being alive, still. Although her lower body was useless from the crash that took daddy, she survived while daddy perished in that horrific accident. I wanted to believe it wasn’t her fault but sometimes I just didn’t know.

  “Kelly, answer me.”

  She whined and whined. Her whining was like a sharp knife slicing through my brain. I suddenly realized I actually disliked her. My own flesh and blood mother and I disliked her immensely. So much so, I turned as quickly as my good legs could and escaped down the hall.

  01400 HOURS

  Eventually, I returned. Mom wouldn’t let it be. She knew she had me captured like a solider from one of those 20th century video shows we sometimes watched. The solider always walked right into the trap and was captured, held imprisoned and tortured. Mom was torturing me with every word from her mouth. And I had willingly walked right into the trap.

  “When’s 3rd cycle meal? I’m hungry. Kelly, I’m starving. Did Daniel call yet? He said he would, once it was safe.”

  “God A’mercy! Can’t you get your own food even. It’s right here. Like always and always, since I’ve been here it’s been right here.”

  The food like everything else, was in a lower cabinet, easily within reach of a half woman, half bionic mess that she is. I sound terrible to my own ears. What kind of daughter thinks this way about her mother?

  “I’m sorry Kelly. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I thought you came to help me out. At least that’s what you said when you came. What, almost 2 weeks now. That’s what you said. I can get my own food. It’s fine I don’t need your help.”

  Guilt trip time. Mom’s very good at that. “I’m sorry. I can get your food. It’s just that I’m tired and . . .” Now I feel foolish for overreacting. She’s an invalid and I should be ashamed. But I’m not. God help me, I’m not.

  01600 HOURS

  “Kelly, did Daniel call yet? He should have made it by now. I think something must have happened to him. You know those old street tunnels are full of violent criminals. He might be hurt in one of them and can’t call for help. We might need to send a holovid to the Peacekeepers. What do you think? Kelly
, did you hear me?”

  “I’m sitting right here, beside you. Of course, I heard you. And the only person who’s probably hurt is the guy who unfortunately runs upon Daniel. Now will you please stop that whining. I don’t want to hear anything else about that damn DANIEL!”

  Mom quieted down for a moment. But only a moment. “You know I’m sorry if my talking about Daniel upsets you. I’m sorry you don’t feel as I do.”

  Cue the tears.

  “It’s okay. I’m sorry for yelling at you Mom. My nerves are just strung out too tightly. I guess I’m just not used to living like this. I hate this half submerged, in and out of the ground building. I hate no fresh air. I hate freeze-dried food and no apples fresh off a tree. I hate everything about this world.”

  I was losing it and I knew it. It wasn’t Mom’s fault. It wasn’t even Daniel’s. It was just the way it was.

  “You don’t remember the way it was before. When there was real fruit growing in the backyard. In fact, you don’t remember the backyard. Your father built you and Daniel a swing. Oh, you couldn’t have been more than three and Daniel was about five.”

  I let her talk even though each word brought tears to my eyes. I did remember some things. Especially Dad pushing us in that swing. It wasn’t much more than a rope tied to a tree limb. But it was exhilarating. The fresh air. The togetherness. I looked up to Daniel. He helped me get on that rickety swing seat and hold on tight. He was the big brother to my little sister.

  And Dad was so big and strong. So brave, larger than life. He was my everything. Now he’s gone and we exist here in the after. It’s ironic that I would be here with Mom and everyone I truly loved is long gone.

  “Now we live like rats in a tunnel. A bad social experiment gone wrong. You know Kel, I used to bake cookies and cakes. I remember once making you a birthday cake.”

  Mom hesitated for a moment. I could tell there were tears in her voice. I said, “Yes, that was a long time ago.”

  “But that was in the before. Before the world went crazy. Before, when we lived on the good earth, not buried halfway down inside. Before the air went bad, and we didn’t have to manufacture it. Before the crash and my legs weren’t a metal/plastic monstrosity. I wished I had died right along with your Dad.”

  “I know Mom, I know. I’m sorry.” She called me my ‘before’ name. She called me Kel. I don’t remember the last time she used that name. Maybe when Dad died and Daniel went into deep depression.

  I never thought about it from their point of view before. How they were just as much a prisoner as I was. How Daniel was devastated by Dad’s death. He was trapped in the vehicle with them but came out without a scratch. How much guilt he must carry because he was alive and physically unhurt.

  “I remember Kel, I remember how the world was. We actually had states and governments and a president. We had neighborhoods we could walk around in. We had real neighbors. That was before, when they didn’t replace every damn broken body part with plastic parts that never die. Before you lived too long with nothing to live for. I’m 140 years old. I should have been dead 50 years ago, but here I am. Encased in this machine with nothing to do and . . .”

  Mom faltered. I kinda knew what she was going to say. She loves Daniel. He’s her reason for holding on. He’s all she has left. God knows I have not been very lovable. I guess I don’t want to be. To be loved and someone to love is a precious gift. I don’t deserve that gift.

  “Kelly, Daniel hasn’t called. What should we do?”

  “I’ll send a vid to the Peacekeepers. They’ll know what to do. Don’t worry. Daniel will be back.”

  If nothing else God, please let Daniel come back for her.

  Haunts

  Love Lost

  Out in the lowermost part of the grove

  A form glides along as if drawn

  Bound to this earth by a tenuous link

  Still a bond stronger than life itself

  No longer does this form think of self

  Passion of a kind that few can imagine

  Links it to its frightened quarry

  Its quest, to reach - to touch, clearly lost

  Around and around it stalks

  Tangled in thick vines of forgotten lore

  Wedged in a void of ether time

  Fixated on capturing its one true love

  Sighted at last but still elusive

  Reaching for what can never be touched

  The form sags, deflated, deflected

  Still and slight, it yearns to be known

  Muted shrieks of anguish

  Stagnant, cooled, vanishing life force

  Feeling what was once, but now restrained

  It stands, but greatly lowered in stance

  Head thrown back ready to receive

  Accept the languishing heat

  Exult in the nearness of lost, found

  Reach, touch, claim, accept

  Startled, another being, senses

  The not quite stillness of an interloper

  Apparent to the inner beat of a broken heart

  Quicken heartbeat cannot fathom

  Trembling, faint but determined

  An ethereal moon emerges overhead

  Shadows intertwined between breaths

  Touched, but not felt, felt, but never touched

  The Time Traveler

  No Time for the Bull****

  "YOU'RE A TIME TRAVELER, huh?" The waitress with the platinum hair and big boobs asked the skinny young kid sitting in the booth by the window. He had on an old Prince t-shirt that had seen better days. His hair was a mass of spikes with greenish plaits interwoven between the strains.

  The kid pushed his empty plate away and replied, "Yeah, been traveling through time for the last 1500 years. My last stop was in the year 522."

  I perked my ears up to hear exactly what Doris the waitress was going to come back with.

  "Well, you don't look a day over 19 and I should know cause my grandson is almost 19. But if you been traveling since you left the year 522, how come you speak English? They weren't speaking English way back then and wearing ripped jeans. Back then they wore robes and stuff like that. I know cause I was just watching some old movie called Benjamin Her or something like that."

  Good one Doris, I thought to myself.

  The kid said softly, "My time traveling machine allows me to take on the language, dress and customs of whatever time I’m traveling in. But not currency. That's why I asked could I work off this meal, since I don't have any of your money on me. Besides, part of my mission is to integrate within the common population to learn more about your culture."

  The young man was starting to look nervous. I guess he wasn't used to somebody like Doris questioning him.

  "Look here son, how many customers you see in this old place. Ain't no work around here. You just better go out to that time machine of yours and find $7.95 plus tax and pay for this meal. What you think this is, the welfare office? We in a recession around here, ain't no free food. If you want to learn about this here culture, you can start by paying for what you ate." Doris threw her dish-towel over her shoulder and huffed at the boy.

  I could tell Doris was ready to blow a fuse by the way her eyes narrowed at the boy; so I said, "Doris I got the kid's food, take it easy. He ain't from around here; according to him he's from 522 ancient Rome or somewhere, so cut him some slack."

  I took the last couple of swallows from my coffee cup and got up from my booth. I gave Doris a twenty and went out the front door. I turned around and there was the kid coming up behind me.

  "Hey, thanks man. I really didn't have any money on me, but I was willing to work it off. I was just hitchhiking across country and ended up here. Anyway, the food wasn't that good, but thanks."

  I cleared my throat and answered back, "Sometimes you got to tell the difference between people who want to believe and people who ain't got time for your bullshit. Doris there, is one of them that ain't got time for the bullshit."

&n
bsp; "Well, anyway, thanks for picking up the check. I guess I'll head on out. You going far?"

  I looked the boy over and decided I didn't want to get any more involved than I already had. He looked like one them kids that would never understand.

  "Naw, I'm just heading home. It ain't far. You take care."

  The kid slung his back pack over his shoulder and hitched up his torn jeans and started off down the road. He looked at me like maybe I should of kept on helping him. I was through being a Good Samaritan for the day.

  I went around back and got into my old truck and started her up. "OK girl, let's see. The kid got me thinking about ancient Rome. What you say we make a trip there and see what's going on."

  "Roger that sir. Setting course to 522 BC. Sit back and enjoy the ride. We'll be there in the blink of an eye."

  A Killer Smile

  If You Only Knew

  PAULA DODSON STOOD knee-deep in rubbish. Not just any ordinary rubbish, but patterned sleeves, a chocolate colored pants leg, yards of billowing cloth, and a busted sewing machine among other things. A dress with an expensive lace insert in the bodice that she had labored over for days, lay slashed and shredded on the floor. Ribbons, buttons and even zippers, were ripped out by the seams, just like her shattered heart.

  This was all that was left of her small but prosperous clothing shop in the east end of London. The shop’s now useless contents had a deranged but methodical look of ordered mutilation. She bent down and picked up a severed arm from the mannequin she used to drape expensive satins and silks on. Her life flashed before her eyes.