At the Right Time
Page 2
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“It’s time,” the trainer was all big smiles. Very big smiles, as if he was working awfully hard to maintain the facade. As if.
Rudolph had been summoned to the Exit Room and had been waiting for something to happen for about five minutes. He’d never been here before. It wasn’t enough time to walk around the place — which appeared to be a long, perhaps endless, corridor lined with bookshelves from the black and white checkerboard floor all the way up to the puffy clouds that served as a ceiling above — but it was long enough to get nervous.
Not that it took Rudolph all that long to get nervous these days.
All of the books had a name on them, and a long number. They were every color imaginable, some worn, others shiny and new, some tall, others rather squat, and of varying thicknesses. Every once in a while, a book would be tipped on its spine and sticking out from the bookshelf a few inches as if it was marking something. The corridor had a familiar, musty smell to it. It was oddly comforting, and made Rudolph wonder what kind of man he’d been before he’d passed over.
When had he lived? How had he lived? Where had he lived?
He pushed those thoughts aside. Not that they weren’t allowed to consider such things, but it was certainly discouraged. Partly because it was a waste of time. And partly because of the frustrations that would undoubtedly arise from any pertinent discovery.
Even though the passage of time was rather subjective, he knew he’d been in training for an awfully long time. All of the other trainees that he’d met when he arrived had moved on to Earthly assignments, and plenty of the new recruits had come and gone, too.
And now that it was time, at least according to the trainer, he was very, very nervous.
“Your first assignment is Julie Winters,” the trainer announced.
Rudolph nodded his head. He noticed he’d been outfitted in a crisp, perfectly pressed white button up shirt, tan linen trousers, and a navy blue pea coat. He must be going somewhere cold. It’d been a long time since he’d been cold. It was an intriguing thought, and a little bit exciting, too.
“Julie is at a crossroads in her life. Today is her thirtieth birthday. Lately, she’s begun to think about the choices she’s made and what kind of future she wants. She has some regrets, and she has some important decisions to make.” The trainer motioned to his left and began to walk in that direction. Rudolph accompanied him, knowing that when they stopped walking it would be time.
“Your job, as it always will be, is to be there for her, to allow her to consider more fulfilling options. You don’t need to worry about pushing her, or even guiding her. Simply allow her to see that other options exist, and serve as a safe harbor during any turmoil that may result.”
The trainer stopped walking in front of a volume labeled Julie Winters. Rudolph couldn’t help but wish they’d had to walk a bit further, and that the trainer was allowed to tell him more about his first assignment. But that wasn’t how it worked. If he knew too much, his interactions would seem suspicious. Or so he’d been taught.
Julie’s book was a tall, thick volume done up in a shiny, bright red leather. Her name was displayed in big, bold metallic silver letters. It seemed a bit ostentatious compared to the other plainer volumes surrounding it. A bit like a challenge — and that was just the book. What would the real-life woman be like?
“Are you ready?”
Rudolph knew the correct answer was yes. After all, they wouldn’t send him on a mission if he wasn’t ready, would they? He nodded, forcing a smile.
“Wonderful,” the trainer remarked. He rubbed his hands together as if he was relieved to finally release the nervous energy stored up in his body.
The trainer gave Rudolph a big, encouraging smile then tilted the book on its spine.
All at once Rudolph disappeared. And if anyone had been looking, they’d have seen the trainer’s big grin disappear, too.