Thunderland

by Brandon Massey

  “Do you mean it?” Mom said. “Do you really want to release the past?”

  He knew what she meant. Did he want to release the bitterness he held toward her and Dad? Did he want to grow beyond the painful memories? Did he want to take a chance and work toward building a better future with his family?

  Mom and Dad watched him, their faces unsure.

  But after the past several days, after a ghost from the past named Mr. Magic had torn down his old world of self-limiting beliefs and forced him to build a new world based on a fresh awareness of the limitless possibilities life offered—if only he dared to imagine them—Jason was certain of his answer.

  “Yes, Mom, I do want to release the past,” he said, and felt that, by saying those words, he had taken the first step toward a new, brighter future. “I really do.”

  He rushed into their arms and hugged them. They held one other for a long time.

  In the hours after they escaped Thunderland, Jason discovered who had survived ... and who had died.

  Brains had lived. He related to Jason an incredible account of his battle with Mr. Magic, and his miraculous survival. Jason was simply relieved that his friend was still with him.

  Michelle, Jason’s girlfriend, was unharmed. She was visiting relatives in Atlanta and had no knowledge of what had happened, and once Jason confirmed that she was okay, he didn’t tell her any details. Perhaps Mr. Magic had spared her because she was away.

  Granddad was dead. They found his body on the patio of his house, slumped in a chair, a warm Heineken and a bag of peanuts sitting on the nearby table.

  The paramedics stated that Granddad had likely died of a heart attack. Jason and his parents understood the true cause of Granddad’s death. The incidents of that night would haunt them forever.

  Granddad. Dead. When Mom found out, shock literally knocked her off her feet; Dad caught her and held her in his arms. Jason walked around numbly, feeling as though a vital organ had been ripped out of him. Oddly, he did not cry, though he expected that he should; he wondered if there was something wrong with him because he did not weep. Later, when Mom held him close and assured him that everyone grieved in his own way, and that he should allow himself to react in whatever fashion felt natural, the wisdom of her words settled over him. He found himself thinking of all the joyous times he had spent with Granddad, and he thought, over and over, of Granddad’s words that had come to him earlier, as if in a dream:

  Jason. I want you to know that I’m proud of you. Remember that forever...

  Had Granddad sent him a final encouraging message before he left this world? Jason chose to believe that he had, and it warmed his heart.

  He was going to miss Granddad so much. He would miss Shorty, too. He regretted that Blake and his friends had died. All of those people had touched his life, for better or worse. Although he partly wanted to blame himself for everything that had happened, to shoulder such a responsibility would prevent him from ever having any peace.

  He would be wise to release the guilt and move on.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Two years later, Linda gave birth to a child. Another boy.

  They named him Nathan. He was a healthy, beautiful baby. Although Linda’s latest novel hit the bestseller lists and launched her career into the stratosphere, she was happy to take a break from her work and rediscover the joys of motherhood.

  Much to his father’s chagrin, Thomas sold The House of Soul for a substantial sum and pursued his dream to become an architect. A couple of years into his college studies, an internship led to a lucrative job offer from a leading firm. His talent, though not tapped until he was nearly forty, was remarkable. He accepted thejob and began to attend classes at night, but spending time with his family remained his first priority.

  At seventeen, Jason graduated from Spring Harbor High School near the top of his class. Scholarship offers from prestigious universities flooded his mailbox. He decided to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta. He was far away from home, but he could have felt his family’s love from an infinite distance.

  In his senior year at Morehouse, Jason returned home for Christmas break. Although he loved living on his own in a new city, he always enjoyed coming back to Spring Harbor. It was great to see his parents and Brains (who insisted on being called by his actual name, Darren), and he especially enjoyed hanging out with his little brother, Nathan. Nathan had recently turned five, and he was a lively, smart kid with endless energy.

  On Christmas Eve, Jason and Nathan were in Nathan’s room playing a video game at which Nathan was somehow managing to destroy Jason. Jason did not understand how Nathan always beat him. Kids these days seemed to be born with a special gene that gave them prowess in all things electronic.

  “You’re sorry, Jay,” Nathan said to him. “I always beat you. I always beat my friend, too. He’s old like you.”

  “I guess I’m an old man,” Jason said. ‘Who’s your friend? My chances of beating him are probably better than my chances of beating you. “

  “I can’t tell you his name,” Nathan said. He grew unusually calm. “It’s a secret.”

  “Come on, you can tell me. I’m your big brother. You can tell me anything, Nate.”

  Nathan shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Fine, keep it to yourself.” Jason waved his hand dismissively. He was sure Nate was only making up stories. Kids his age would say anything to get a reaction from an older person.

  “Oops, be right back,” Nathan said. “I got to pee-pee.” He jumped to his feet and scrambled toward the door. Jason playfully swatted him on his shoulder. Nathan made a face at him, and then he darted out of the room.

  Jason smiled. He loved that kid. He reminded him so much of himself, but he had his own unique personality, too. He picked up the joystick. He selected the option to begin a new game.

  The screen turned black.

  He frowned. He checked the placement of the disc in the game console. It fit snugly.

  He looked at the TV, planning to check the connection. Something had appeared on the dark screen. Several words printed in red, in large block letters:

  I LOVE PLAYING WITH YOUR BROTHER, BUT I MISS YOU.

  WANT TO PLAY AGAIN, JASON?

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  About Brandon Massey

  Brandon Massey was born June 9, 1973 and grew up in Zion, Illinois. He currently lives with his family in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is at work on his next thriller. Visit his web site at www.brandonmassey.com for the latest news on his upcoming books.