by T. Jones
It was just after ten when she arrived at the house. It was Sunday morning and the Trench was quiet. Danielle hadn't called, afraid the woman wouldn't want to talk to her. As she pulled up, a young woman in her twenties was standing on the front step, just leaving it appeared. Danielle walked up while Kendra still had the front door open.
"What you want, woman? I told you before, I'm not going to go stay with those hateful people. Long as you’re here, you might as well have some coffee. Crazy young girl wanted to know if she should marry her man. I told her to run like the wind, but she don't listen. Waste of five dollars."
"It's difficult when people won't take good advice, isn't it?"
"You're a smart mouthed girl, aren't you? But you're kin, so I'll still feed you a biscuit and a cup of coffee." She turned and called to her daughter. "Felicity! The woman from Minnesota is here again, come say Hi."
The girl came bouncing down the steps wearing an overly large tee shirt that doubled as pajamas. The women sat at the table, and the little girl crowded up behind her mother's shoulder, peeking around at Danielle shyly. Danielle smiled at her warmly.
"Good Morning Felicity. Where's your little friend?"
"Home. She has church this morning."
"We go sometimes, but not every week. You here on a Sunday, you should be at church with my uncle. He'll think you're Obeah for sure."
"He seemed very nice to me, Kendra. And he made it clear his house was open to you and your daughter if you wished to stay with them. I think Goldie is a little superstitious of the old ways. Knowing what we know, sometimes, people don't like what they don't understand. You have to admit, what we can do, it is hard to know where it comes from. I don't know myself, I just know it can help people. That's why I'm here. Your uncle is a good person, Kendra, and I'm sure Goldie is too, if you give them a chance to be. I'm afraid for you."
"You're pretty." Felicity smiled shyly and walked over to Danielle. Danielle slid her up onto her lap and cut her biscuit in half, spreading jelly on it for the young girl.
"You're pretty too, Felicity."
"You come here all smiles and sweetness and try to make me feel guilty, and use this sweet child against me. I know you mean well, but you don't know my Aunt. She tried to take this girl from me, when she was just a baby, because I live where I do. She would try again. My own mother had nothing good to say about her."
"Eldon is a strong man, and he is your blood. He wouldn't let her do that, not if you were both there, if he saw how much you love your daughter, and she you. You could go for a few days, until the trouble passes. You can always come back if it doesn't work out." Kendra seemed to be weakening.
"You are sure, of the thing we talked about?"
"The quake? My friend, Goldie would really be afraid of her, she has amazing sight, and the rest of the group together, they are all very sure. Soon, it will happen soon."
"What's a quake?" Felicity asked, munching on her biscuit. "Who's Goldie?"
"Nothing for you to worry about child." Danielle felt the change, the resolve that settled onto Kendra's face. "We will be fine here, Danielle. I have seen none of this."
"But you wouldn't, you couldn't, please."
"I will keep my daughter safe, she will be here with her mother, that is the end of it." There was no more talk about the quake, or the possibility of their going to live with Eldon. Danielle didn't want to argue and upset the little girl, so she made the best of her time with them, laughing at the child's antics. Before she left she made sure Kendra had her uncle's phone number, there was nothing more to do. She got in her car and looked at the time. Church would be over soon, perhaps Nigel would listen this time.
Monday morning Danielle went to visit Lamar. No one would listen to her.
"That was quite a display you put on with Lucy Mitchel. Who knew you could be such a charmer." Danielle teased.
"She is a very attractive woman. I will allow, she is half my age, but she seemed interested, don't you think?"
"You better move fast. Once this quake hits you're going to be way too busy to be chasing women."
"Still convinced it's coming?"
"I know it is Lamar, and you know Lucy thinks it is too, she just can't commit until her bosses look at the data. I'm going up this afternoon and pick her up. Hopefully she'll have enough to convince them. Who else can we talk to? The Festival is on Friday, we think it will happen before then, but it could be after, or it could be five minutes from now. I just feel like I'm banging my head against the wall, nobody will take this seriously."
"You're expecting a lot, woman. You can't think that people are going to stop what they're doing and go to the shelters on your say so. Look outside, it is a beautiful day, people don't want to worry, they want to live their lives and be happy. The accepted wisdom is that it's impossible to predict an earthquake, Danielle. And if you tell them of your visions, they will laugh at you. I am sorry, I don't know how to help you."
"I should have started earlier, but telling people the same thing over and over does no good either. Is there anyone else in the government I can talk to, someone with some authority that might listen? How about the newspaper, any luck?"
"There will be a story this morning, saying that the Seismological Institute believes there is an increased risk of an earthquake in the near future. They will just be telling people what they already know. The experts have said that we are overdue for a major quake for years. Jamaicans know what to do during a quake. It will be in the newspaper, but it isn't going to be a headline. There just isn't enough information."
"I hope some of the buildings are stronger than they look, or they will tumble down around people."
"The schools and hospitals are all up to the latest codes, and most of the hotels. The old part of town is the place where things would be bad, if you're right." He looked at her closely. "I am becoming feeble in my old age, I am beginning to believe your Obeah. Your old neighborhood will not do well, some of those shacks would fall down if you leaned against them." Danielle thought of a seven year old girl, and her stubborn mother.
"I am going to the Emergency Preparedness Center today, try to bend some ears. Can you make a call, so they don't throw me out for being a kook? And I'll go to the Red Cross, tell them to be ready."
"You know there've been prophets warning of the big one for years, right? They will not take you seriously, Danielle."
"I have to try, Lamar. Call the EPC for me okay, and anyone else you can think of. I'm going to spend the day doing what I can. I'm afraid for Nigel, and I have a cousin in the Trench. I'll call them both again, remind them. I'm heading up to get Lucy about three so I can help her bring in the equipment, unless you want to go get her."
"I'm afraid I have to work. I hope she will stay on the island for a while, let me show her some of the things there are to do in Kingston."
"Yeah, I know what you want to show her."
***
Callie Fisher leaned forward in her seat, watching the runway peel away from under the plane. The pilot tipped the nose up and the plane lifted from the runway, the jet engines howling as the city below began to shrink quickly. It was uncomfortable, leaning forward against the climb and the thrust of the takeoff, but she stayed glued to the window, watching the roads and cars dwindle. Soon they were over farmland, miles of corn and oats and beans, all different shades of green, all full sections a mile square, with the occasional pocket of blue water sprinkled haphazardly about the landscape. She stared out the window until the plane began to level off and a cloud bank, a mile below them, hid the patchwork countryside of Iowa.
"First time on an airplane?" The man sitting beside her looked to be in his fifties, wore a sports coat, and had a warm smile. He reminded her of her father.
"It is, I didn't realize how cool it would be."
"I don't like the takeoffs myself, keep waiting for the motors to quit. I spend a lot of time flying, but that's always the part I don't like, that and a lot of turbulence. Most
flights get boring, not a lot of room to move around." Callie glanced past the man, the aisle seat was inhabited by a teenage boy with red hair and pimples.
"I can switch with you, if you'd be more comfortable by the window."
"Oh no, I'm fine. I don't really like looking down that far, makes me nervous." Callie smiled at him sympathetically.
"Don't really like to fly at all, do you?"
"Scares the shit out of me. I'm sorry. I fly twice a month for work, you'd think I would get used to it. Usually I close my eyes and pray during takeoff, but I was afraid you'd laugh at me."
"I wouldn't do that!" She laughed. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine, we'll be in Miami in no time. I'm Callie, by the way."
"Larry Turner, pleased to meet you. Don't let me ruin your flight, here it is your first time and I'm the one who's nervous."
"Safest way to travel, right?" She smiled her encouragement and looked back out the window.
An hour into the flight the captain came on the intercom, there was a problem. He didn't explain the problem, just said they would have to land in Kansas City. There was a chorus of groans, an expletive or two, but no alarm that Callie was aware of, except in the seat next to her. Larry was concerned, not quite panicked, but starting to sweat. He stopped the flight attendant and grilled him about what the problem might be.
"It's just a small mechanical issue, nothing to worry about at all, a warning light. The stupid warning lights are always malfunctioning, but it's protocol, we have to put down at the closet hub and have it checked out. Union rules or something."
"Doesn't sound like nothing." Larry grumbled. "They just don't want to tell us, so we don't panic."
"I'm sure it's like he said, nothing to worry about. Have a drink, that'll calm you down."
Ten minutes later the captain was back. The small mechanical issue involved the landing gear. The instruments indicated that it hadn't gone all the way up, and wouldn't move, either way. They were working on the problem, and no one should worry. Callie swore under her breath. If they didn't want people to worry, why tell them. Larry looked plenty worried, and a little green.
"Larry, calm down, everything will be fine."
"How can you say that? We're in a flying coffin. All that jet fuel, we'll be burned alive if we're not killed outright!" The red-haired kid looked at him, wide eyed.
It dawned on Callie, that it was liberating, knowing that this wasn't her time. Perhaps that was the reason the Gifted weren't normally allowed to see their own future, perhaps it would make them reckless. She was absolutely sure, that whatever happened with the airplane, there was a lot more of her future to come. By virtue of the fact that Larry was sitting right next to her, she was pretty sure he would survive as well. But she was losing her patience.
"Larry, Jesus, you're scaring the kid. All the whining isn't going to change anything anyway. I'm sure everything will be fine, now stop it." He stared into her eyes for a minute, eyes that seemed a little less blue, and closed his mouth. Callie watched him, trembling slightly, and felt bad. She reached out and took his hand, looking into his eyes again. "Listen, I promise you, it will be alright, I'm not just saying that, I know it."
She wasn't sure if it was psychic, the reassurance in her voice, or the warmth of her touch, but he relaxed. When the attendant came by again he ordered them both a drink.
They circled Kansas City for two hours, using up fuel just in case. Larry's nonchalance didn't last, but he did stop talking about being burned alive, which was a plus. As they circled again Callie felt a sudden bump and the Flight attendant smiled at her.
"Sounded like the gear locking to me." He told them. Within five minutes the captain came on and confirmed that he was reasonably sure the landing gear was in place, but that they would have to prepare for a foam landing just in case. They all assumed the position.
"Do you want to say a prayer with me Callie?" Larry asked. She took his hand again.
"Sure Larry, you pray, I'll just listen."
They landed safely, but two and a half hours late. Another plane was waiting to take them to Miami as soon as possible, with extra miles for the inconvenience and trauma. When Larry disappeared for a few minutes, Callie upgraded to first class. She felt a little bad ditching him, but she'd had enough. She missed her connecting flight to Kingston, but was able to get on a later flight. She rented a car and drove to the hotel, checking in on the same floor as Danielle's room. She didn't call her cell but had the desk ring her room, hoping that her presence would be a welcome surprise. When there was no answer she gave in to her exhaustion, took a shower, and climbed into bed.
Chapter Seventeen
Danielle spent most of the day talking to the secretaries of people who might have been able to help her, had they been willing to listen. Everyone assured her that the island was ready, and that earthquake preparedness was always part of their agenda. But it was Festival week, and there were other priorities. Even the Red Cross blew her off.
By early afternoon she had given up and went back to the hotel for a shower, then got ready to drive up to retrieve Lucinda. At least the EPC had said they would take it seriously if Lucy's professor and his colleagues thought it was serious. But time was running out. She wanted to scream that she knew it was coming, that her psychic friends had seen it, but she knew that was less than useless. It would brand her as a lunatic, and she wouldn't ever be taken seriously in the future.
She called her grandfather's cousin, hoping that Kendra might have changed her mind and called him, but just got his voicemail. It was starting to feel like the whole trip was a waste of time, and she blamed herself for not starting earlier. Had Lucinda Mitchel done her testing earlier, perhaps together they could have convinced people. But, if she were honest, Callie's painting had worried her, and made her think twice about her trip. Rushing to her possible demise seemed foolish, but she couldn't have not come, that hadn't been an option. Had Anna called a week earlier, everything might have been different, she might not have had the courage to make the trip. She banged her hand on the steering wheel of her little rental car. Damn it, was it Fate that she hadn't called earlier? Was it preconceived somewhere that she had to come to Jamaica, to possibly die in some apocalyptic event when happiness with Anna was so close? Screw fate! She would change what Callie had seen, help as many people as she could, then go back to the love of her life. She smiled at the minor epiphany and stepped on the gas.
Lucy Mitchel stood in the yard of the Evans' house, watching her bounce up the rutted gravel road that climbed the last two miles from the paved main road. She shook her head as Danielle pulled up, and walked over next to the car.
"It looks like the wheel bearing is gone on that piece of shit. Was it making noise?"
"Hard to hear anything. I think the last guy that used it must have trashed the muffler. It was steering funny though." Danielle got out and inspected the tire, which was leaning at an odd angle. "Crap. The wheel's going to fall right off. I'll call the rental outfit."
"Okay. I just relayed the last readings to the Institute. The professor wants me to pick up all the equipment, so that means dragging in the two heavy units too. Hope you're up to it." Danielle swore briefly as she ended her call.
"They're going to get back to me. Shit. We need to get back down there."
"Let's go get the equipment, then we'll worry about it. Everything I've seen just confirms what you've been saying, that we could have a major shift just about any time. I hope the Professor will agree with me, but he doesn't like it when someone else is right. Plus, I think he's figured out I'm not going to let him jump my bones, that makes him cranky."
"You already have a boyfriend." Danielle teased. "Lamar is old as dirt, but he is a good guy."
"Don't know what it is about him, sometimes fate just throws something good at you."
"Yeah, and sometimes it goes the other way. Let's get going, it's going to be dark before we're ready to go."
By the time they came
back from their second trip the sun was settling into the ocean, south and west of them. There were no lingering sunsets at this latitude, not like in Minnesota. But as the sun slipped into the Caribbean the sky turned shades that Danielle couldn't remember seeing anywhere, a blending of orange and purple that stretched half way across the horizon. She stared, mesmerized, then realized suddenly that Lucy had slipped her hand around her arm, clinging to her with a demure smile on her face, as she watched the last few moments of light. She turned and looked up at Danielle, her lips parted slightly, her eyes half closed. Danielle fought the impulse to kiss her.
As suddenly as it had come, the moment passed. Lucy stepped back, and laughed.
"Wow, nice sunset huh? All that talk about Lamar kind of got my motor running." Danielle looked at her curiously.
"Ever been with a girl, Brainiac?"
"No. Thought about it a few times, though. Probably not a good time to explore that option." It sounded more like a question than a statement.
"Probably not. Girlfriend, remember?"
"Of course, I mean, I didn't mean you and I. The way we fight? Hell no. Silliest thing I ever heard of. Hell no." There was a lot of denying going on, but Danielle was happy to change the subject.
"I'm going to call the rental place, they were supposed to get back to me an hour ago."
Lucinda disappeared into the main house, returning shortly with Raoul in tow. They both examined the wheel as Danielle ranted at the rental company. She finally ended the call.
"They're going to bring a car in the morning, first light. I guess it doesn't matter, nobody wants to listen anyway. I hope the Evans have room for me to stay over."
They just had the one guest room, so Danielle had to share a queen size bed with Lucy. It was awkward, given their earlier conversation, but Danielle ignored the tension, brushed her teeth and slid into the bed. Lucy had her laptop open, her glasses perched on her nose, and her hair pulled to the side, tied with a binder. She scrunched up her nose and Danielle closed her eyes. Damn, why did she have to wear those cute glasses? She said goodnight then turned on her side, facing away from the young woman. After a few minutes, Lucy closed the laptop, put her glasses on the end table next to the bed, and turned off the light. Danielle had just begun to drift to sleep when she spoke.