by JR Wirth
Harold snickered. “Actually he makes a lot of sense.” He looked around the bookstore and smiled. “It could work. I can see his vision and enthusiasm. I think I might even invest.”
Johnson smiled. He turned back toward the door. “We’ll talk, Harold. But for now, I have to go. See you soon.” He ran out the door.
“No Daddy, stop!” Hanna shouted, then fell to her knees. Kneeling on the floor, she cupped her tear-filled face with her hands.
Charlie ran to Hanna’s side, placing her hand on Hanna’s back. “Are you okay, honey?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Hanna sniffed and wiped her nose. She then rose, resting her hands on her thighs, considering her next move.
Charlie stood. “Well, I certainly didn’t see this coming,” she said with a smirk, then lifted her Starbuck’s cup and swirled it around in the light. “I’ll go put on a pot of coffee in the office. I think we’ll need a whole lot more than this to get through the day.”
Hanna took a deep breath, slapped her thighs, and jumped to her feet. With a determined look, she tightened her muscles. “If you’re not going to help, Harold, then I’ll just have to do it myself.” She wiped her eyes and rushed out the door.
Dino stood with a dumbfounded look on his face. “What the hell is going on?” He slowly shuffled for the door. “I’m going home. I need to regroup,” he continued, with a shake of his head. “And then I’ll look for a job.”
****
Johnson sprinted all the way to the park. Once he got there, he searched every table, big and small, starting at the area where the Easter egg hunt was traditionally held. Not seeing anything, he scouted the picnic area, where brunch was sold and served. In the far corner, at the last table, there she was. Johnson moved slowly, watching Mary’s every movement. Within twenty feet, he stopped and watched her talk to a young man. Cautiously, he crept closer, and listened to their conversation.
“I’ll keep my ear out for any job openings, young man,” Mary said. “It was nice meeting you, son.”
Johnson watched the young man turn and start to walk away. He then focused his stare back at Mary.
The young man noticed Johnson staring at Mary. Feeling he was strange and, perhaps, a little demented, he kept an eye on Johnson while he walked away. Suddenly, from the opposite direction, a young woman barreled into him, causing his hot coffee to spill down his shirt. “Ouch!” he yelled.
“I’m so sorry,” the young woman cried out. “Let me help you.”
Hearing the young man cry out, Mary looked in his direction, shouting, “Jimmy, are you okay?” Instead of seeing Jimmy, Mary caught Johnson staring at her. Curious, she joined in the stare.
Without breaking eye contact, Johnson sat and said, “I’m sorry I’m late, beautiful.”
Mary smiled. “What took you so long? Happy Easter, handsome.”
The Seers: Love and Terror on the Fourth of July
JR Wirth
Chapter One
Thursday morning, July 2.
The Fourth of July is a prominent holiday in our household. Not only is it the celebration of our country’s independence from English tyranny, marked by food, festivities, and fireworks, it is also a time for family reunions. Every two years or so, relatives on my father’s side of the family call for a reunion in the Northern Orange County section of Southern California; always around the Fourth of July. Sometimes we go and others…well, we don’t.
But nearly every year we make the Fourth of July trip from Southern California to Las Vegas where we stay with my brother, Jim, and his family. Our children, the cousins, are aligned closely in age, so they have always been very close. So close in fact, that Jim’s boy, Dylan, stayed with us for the summer. The stay included overnight trips to Disneyland and the beach, and several other day trips to local landmarks. And then it was back to Vegas, just in time for the annual celebration. There was plenty of room, however, since it was usually just me and the girls, Brandy and Jade, making the annual trip through the desert.
The Fourth was on a Saturday last year, so with a few vacation days prior to, and just after, it was easy to turn it into an extra-long holiday weekend. The weekend started out like any other Fourth of July weekend. We tried to get to sleep early to get up with dawn’s first rays. The early start would allow us to beat the flood of holiday traffic up the I-15 freeway; at least that’s what we tell ourselves every year. It’s never quite as early as I’d like. But, with a shrug of the shoulders and knowing smile, I always reconcile it with: “The earlier the better.”
It is necessary to leave as early as possible, since the trip has become increasingly more challenging. Every year it seems that traffic slows a few miles per hour, mostly due to the never-ending construction project to widen the freeway. A project that was started many, many years ago. At least I can count on the gas prices being inflated, as California artificially raises the cost of gas due to some secret-summer blend. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword, as it makes the trip more expensive, but it also keeps the potential travelers to a minimum.
I was the only one up early enough to see sunrise. So, as usual, I did the bulk of the work, which began with a trip to the doughnut shop for a dozen doughnuts. They substituted for the morning meal and reduced any unnecessary cleaning before the road trip. The morning’s load also included preparing the ice chest and snacks that we’d take along, as well as adjusting the luggage in the back of the car. It seemed that the luggage increased in size and weight every year, but as long as there was room, the luggage made it in. Per the usual course, the girls slept peacefully while I made my final preparations.
Brandy was sixteen and somewhat of a night owl, particularly on weekends, holidays, and summer vacation. So, despite her desire to get to Vegas, the beginning leg of the trip was a difficult one for her. And no matter how much she planned, there was always a snag in the morning’s preparations, which caused her to scurry about to get organized. To counter her early morning difficulties, I always planned a little extra time. She’s a sweet girl, forever sorry for any inconvenience she may create.
Jade, on the other hand, was barely seven, so sleeping in was a natural fact. She was innocent in many ways, yet precocious in others. She could have an adult conversation with most people, then see the world through the smiling-eyes of wonderment. Both girls were of mixed race—Caucasian and Latin—with beautiful light brown hair, big brown eyes, and a tan that lasted all year ‘round.
Dylan wasn’t much of a morning guy either. At seventeen, he’d recently graduated from high school and was enjoying an extended vacation. He was not about to be bothered in the morning.
My remedy for the late sleepers was a dose of my music. As a ritual, or family tradition, I loudly blasted some of my favorite music throughout the house. Once the chosen songs begin to fill the girl’s early morning dreams, they usually came to life and the rush began. This time I put on some Buzzcocks to get the endorphins jumping.
The loud music must have startled Dylan awake, since he rose and got ready before the girls. Or, it may have been his desire to get home that drew him out of bed. I think he’d had enough of the So. Cal thing and was ready for his own bed. I’m sure he was a little homesick as well, and may have also missed his crew of motley compadres. Regardless of the motivation, guitar at his side, Dylan willingly moved his six-foot frame off the futon, in the spare room, and quickly gelled his spiked-blond, rocker hair. Then, while I retrieved my third cup of java, he approached me.
“Hey, Uncle Jess,” he said. “Do you need some help?”
“I’m fine thanks. But you may want to make sure you have all of your cords and gadgets before we head out.”
“I’m sure I got it all,” he replied with his deep voice and logical tone. “But I’ll double-check, just in case.”
When I saw that the girls were still asleep, I moved to the hallway and screamed, “Wa
ke up Sleepyheads, Vegas is waiting!”
Shortly thereafter, the girls zombie-walked their way to the kitchen and bathroom. I should have known something was amiss at that point. There was none of the usual excitement or exaggerated emotions trying to quickly get themselves together. It was as if all of a sudden they didn’t want to go.
Brandy was the first to slumber by me, on the way to grab a doughnut.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yes Daddy,” she replied in a sleepy voice. She then stopped long enough to rest her head on my shoulder and receive a reassuring hug.
“You need to hurry, kiddo.”
“On my way.”
I waited for Jade to make it out of the bathroom. “You ready for Vegas?”
“Yes, Pa.”
“Aren’t you excited?”
“Sure,” she said, in a drone voice, as she walked past me on her mission to secure one of the two, special-order, sprinkle doughnuts, before anyone laid claim to them.
Chapter Two
The girls trudged through their morning routine and we were finally ready to head out. I
double-checked doors and windows, set the alarm, and made my way out the door. On the way, I noticed that thunderclouds had gathered and made their way over the mountains. Not an unusual sight, by any stretch, this time of the year; but I certainly wasn’t anticipating any rain. Yet, as I turned the key, there it was—rain pounding the windshield.
“Buckle-up folks,” I said with a snicker. “We’re in for a rough one.”
Brandy sat in the passenger seat with a nervous look about her. “Are we going to be okay?” she asked, with a tremble in her voice.
“We’ll be fine,” I reassured her.
I looked in the mirror and watched Jade lift herself to get a good look out the back passenger-side window. With a look of pleasure on her face, she was ready for an adventure.
“Drive carefully,” she added, with a distant tone.
“I will.”
I then glanced directly behind me and saw Dylan rocking his head to music loudly streaming from his iPod, through fluorescent-red plugs. He was totally unaware of any potential danger, seeming to concentrate solely on his Vegas reunification.
The drive was a bit treacherous through the Cajon Pass, but eased up a bit when we reached the high desert. A steady stream of raindrops followed us however, and I knew we’d be on the road longer than we wanted. The traffic was the usual Southern California type. Everyone drove very cautiously and the top speed was sixty-five miles per hour―except of course the young guys trying to make it to Vegas in record time, winding in and out of lanes nearly causing several accidents along the highway.
The usual ninety-minute trip into Baker took a couple of hours and we were ready to have a real meal. Another family tradition was breakfast in Baker, along with a few updated pictures from the world’s largest thermometer. Just before Baker, however, traffic stopped and everyone was detoured off the freeway to avoid crews working on a jackknifed truck, another delay in the adventure. It was good for the town of Baker though, as most folks stopped to fuel up, have a meal, or stretch a bit at the local mini-mart. This created standing room crowds to get into the restaurants. Luckily, I had an umbrella to help shelter us from the storm. Unluckily, it was another delay.
Back on the road, and feeling a bit weary, we made our way to the freeway and next stop—Stateline. The consistent rain turned into downpours with occasional hail. Then, twenty miles from the final hill before Stateline, the rain ended and clear vision was attained. In the distance, right where we were headed, thick, black clouds loomed, and lightning thrust in abundance. It was a light show to be remembered. A pre-Fourth of July fireworks show, if you will. Thrilling as it was, I was concerned, as I could tell Brandy was.
I patted her on the leg and, again, reassured her. “It will be okay, kiddo.”
“I hope so.”
I heard a loud, “Cool,” from Dylan and quickly glanced in the mirror. He was bobbing his head and smiling at the light show. I looked back at the traffic and then at Jade who also smiled at the natural phenomenon.
The closer we got, the more intense the show, enhanced by darkening skies. With each half-mile gained, the ability to see worsened just a little. As we climbed the hill, it seemed as though nightfall had fallen upon us, and all who were traveling alongside us. When we neared the apex between rock hills, the lightning was all around us, and the ground-shaking thunder was deafening. It rocked the cars, as though a string of earthquakes was ravaging the area.
Brandy went into her full-nervous-mode, fingers in mouth. With a quick look in the mirror, I caught Dylan upright and paying close attention, earplugs disengaged. Jade slipped out of her seaftbelt and onto her knees, face pressed against the window.
“Jade!” I yelled. “Put your seatbelt on. Now!”
She ignored my demand. Instead, she rolled down the window.
“Jade!”
She didn’t respond. She leaned out the window and reached for the rain and lightning.
On instinct, I reached to pull her back into the car. When I grabbed Jade’s arm, the sky lit-up with a flash of intense white, then a loud noise came from just outside the car. I heard screams and felt an immense shock.
Then nothing…
Chapter Three
I heard a loud bang on the window, and moved my stiffened, sore neck to see what was going on. I felt dumbfounded to see people standing all around the car, yelling at us. It was like we were fresh meat for the taking. The kids also lifted from their unconscious state, and fearful cries sounded.
“What’s going on Daddy?” Brandy squeaked.
“Holy shit!” Dylan yelled. “We’re under attack. It’s the Apocalypse!”
Not hearing anything from Jade, I glanced back. She wasn’t moving. “Dylan, check Jade!” I swiveled back to view the crowd at the window, and then back at Jade.
“She’s coming to, Uncle Jess.”
When I turned back to the window, ready to attack anyone one, or anything, I saw a CHP officer.
“Are you all right!” he shouted, in a concerned voice.
I sensed it would be safe, so I lowered the window. “What’s up, officer?”
He demanded that everyone move back from the car and immediate area, and then pointed at the road and the ditch where the car landed.
“Oh shit,” I whispered with amazed confusion. “What happened?”
The officer opened the door and helped me out of the car into the now, light rain minus thunder and lightning. He leaned into the car and checked everyone out, asking, “Are you all right?”
They all shook their frightened heads. Then Jade softly said, “I’m kind of warm.”
“The paramedics are on the way.” The officer smiled. “You’ll be just fine, sweetie.”
The officer backed away and leaned to whisper in my ear, “Witnesses say you were struck by lightning.”
“What?”
“Yes sir. And then you lost control and ended up in this ditch. There’s a tow truck en route to pull you out.” He touched my shoulder and looked at my garments. “You need to get checked by the paramedics and possibly go to the hospital.”
“I feel fine, officer”―I looked at his badge―“Frias.”
He nodded in the direction of the sleeves of my hoodie. “Really?”
I looked down and saw they were mostly in shreds and appeared to have been set on fire. “No way.”
A back-up patrol car and the paramedics made it to the scene in a matter of minutes. The extra officer acted as crowd control and made sure no other cars or passengers had been hit. He then directed traffic to get the stalled jam moving again.
The paramedics were kind and thorough. They checked the young one’s eye movements, pu
lse and heart rates. They even checked their breathing, while handing out treats and jokes, trying to calm the children’s visibly-shaken nerves.
The lead paramedic came to me last. While he did the exam, he smirked.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“Remarkably, sir, no, nothing is wrong. You and the kids check out just fine. But, I heavily encourage you to get to a hospital and be seen by a trained MD.”
“But why?”
“There’s a whole host of things that could be wrong that we can’t detect. But if you choose not to, you need to keep an eye out for residual symptoms. Such things as stiffening of the muscles, muscle aches, high fever, etc. Things like that.” He wiped his forehead and cleaned the raindrops off of his goggles. “Anything out of the ordinary, get checked fast.” Then he put his hands on my shoulders, and in a caring manner said, “I need a promise from you.” He nodded. “Okay?”
“I got you. And thanks for everything. You guys have helped calm the kids, and for that I am forever grateful.”
“Just doing our jobs, sir.” He turned and yelled, “Time to go, Tim!”
“Right away, boss.”
Officer Frias stayed until the tow truck arrived and pulled us out of the ditch. We said our heartfelt thanks and gave grateful waves.
Completely frazzled, but determined to make it to Vegas by nightfall, we continued our trek. And Jade humbly reported that she would never, ever, lean out the car window again.
****
We’d finally made it to Las Vegas and were less than a half-mile from Jim’s place, driving east on East Lake Mead, approaching Nellis Boulevard. I could see the driveway of the park, and the yellow light that awaited. Wanting to get there so bad, I was tempted to floor it. Then my leg, however, was directed by unseen forces to the brake. I slowed to a stop just before the crosswalk.