by Jason Davis
“Ahh! Stop! I mean it, Rob.”
He took another step forward, but she turned, moving out of the path of the water. When the spray hit against the back door, he turned. He saw her moving in the shadows, getting around him.
Rob would be the first to admit that, over the last year-and-a-half, he had let himself go. He used to hit the gym a couple times a week, keeping pretty fit for an officer in the Chicago PD. Since the fire and his hospital stay, he didn’t work out as much. When he did, it was working through sore muscles, trying to get back his flexibility. He still wasn’t quick, couldn’t turn fast enough to keep up with her. Before he knew it, Robyn was behind him. He heard the valve turn, then felt the hose in his hands grow slack.
“Can’t keep it up?”
“Oh, how you know better.”
When he turned to face her, mud hit his face. He felt it up his nose and tasted it in his mouth. He stumbled away, but the grass was slick. Before he knew it, he felt himself falling to the ground amidst laughter.
“I warned you,” the giggling woman standing over him said. He tried to wipe the mud away, but his hands were just as wet and dirty. It felt like he was just spreading it. As much as he wanted to openly glare at her, he couldn’t.
Rob heard the back door open, more giggling coming from behind him. Jake. It frustrated him that he couldn’t turn around and look up, the mud forcing him to keep his eyes closed.
“Go ahead and laugh you two. Just wait. I’ll get my revenge.”
The laughing behind him stopped momentarily, then came again in small bursts.
“Sorry, Dad,” Jake said between chuckles.
“Did you get it in your eyes?” the woman asked, laughter dying away, genuine concern replacing it.
Rob wanted to bite out a response. Instead, he took a deep, steadying breath. “Yeah, I got it in my eyes.” Okay, there might have been a little more sarcasm in there than he wanted.
“Oh, hun...”
Then he felt her arms slip under his and around his chest from behind. Robn pulled him close.
“On three, I’ll get you inside and we can wash your face in the sink.”
He didn’t know if she could see his nod, but she counted. When he felt her pull, he was quick to push with his feet. Rob stood and let her guide him inside. He was frustrated, covered in muck, smelled like sewage, and was cold. Right then, though, he just focused on her perfume and the warmth of her against him.
* * * *
As warm as the water felt, Rob didn’t believe it would ever get warm enough. The shivering had stopped, but no matter how long he stood under the stream, steam filling the bathroom, it just could not penetrate into him. The chill was there, and felt like it would always be there.
It just wasn’t hot enough. He was sure that if he went any hotter with the water, he would burn himself. He was tempted, though. If it meant getting rid of this chill, Rob was more than happy to have some first-degree burns. It would just add to the scars from his third-degree ones.
That fire had been so hot, he smelled the burning flesh around him. He had watched as writhing bodies got consumed in a fire that leapt at him the moment he entered. Fire burning from…
Rob closed his eyes and lowered his head into the water, letting the stream sluice over him and take away the memories. He tried to save them. His memories sometimes tried to show him differently, but deep in his soul, he knew he had done all he could, even if a part of him wouldn’t accept it.
But why did that part have to be the one in control of his nightmares?
“Knock, knock.” Robyn stepped into the bathroom, waving her hand in front of her face. “Geez. Enough steam in here? It feels like a sauna.”
He pulled his head out from under the water, pulling the shower curtain back to look at her. “Still cold.” The steam was so thick, Rob couldn’t even see the door.
“Well, supper is ready. Jake already grabbed and went. I guess he’s got some gaming about to start.”
“You didn’t make him eat at the table?”
“He got me. He was so sweet and innocent when he asked, then volunteered to take out the garbage.”
“Really?”
“Yep, although him taking it out meant he just opened the back door and threw the bag of garbage in the proximity of the garbage can before running off to his room.”
He sighed. “Robbie...”
“Yeah, I know, but it’s Call of Dangerous, or Danger… I don’t know, but it’s some big tournament.”
Rob felt the chill, wanting to close the curtain and get back to the warmth of his shower. It started getting colder in there. She must have left the door open, letting all the warm air out.
He shook his head. “Well, you can deal with him when he’s a teenager and you can’t get him out of the house because he’s playing video games all day.”
“Oh no. You’ll be too busy teaching him how to drive.”
“Yeah, right,” he said, hearing her close the door. thankful she was finally trapping the steam back in. He closed the curtain, soap threatening to get into his eye. “I’m not teaching him to drive. You ever watch him mow down people in that Grand Theft City. Oh no, driving duties are all on you, my dear.”
“Nope. Can’t hear you. Try telling me when you’re not in the shower.”
“Uh-huh. What’ll be your excuse then?”
“Don’t know. I’ll come up with something.”
Rob chuckled. “Sure.”
“Hey, hun, are you working this weekend?”
“You know I am.”
“Okay.”
He could hear the disappointment. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know something was on her mind. Sure, he had never been a detective, but he wasn’t dumb, either. Rob had been around detectives enough to pick up on the subtleties. This wasn’t even subtle. She wasn’t happy, and she wanted him to know.
“Okay what?”
“Well, you work every weekend.”
“That’s the job.”
“Yeah, I know, but, well… I hoped we could make the trip down and visit my parents one weekend. It’s been awhile since we have, and it would be nice to get away for a couple days. They can take Jake and hang out, and we can find our own fun things to do.”
He heard the plea in her voice, knowing what she was trying to do. It wasn’t just about taking the time off to visit her parents, but about getting away from other things. Ever since they moved to the small town, strange little things seemed to happen, making him more and more detached from them. Worst yet, Rob could feel himself getting more distant, caught up in something that kept pulling at him. He knew it was happening, but was helpless to do anything about it.
No, there isn’t anything going on. We’re just caught in a rut.
Yeah, and that voice in his head always told him not to worry. The inner whisper kept telling him everything was fine, but was it? He wasn’t even sure anymore, so a weekend away did sound like a great idea. Maybe the chief would switch shifts with him and let him take a weekend off.
“Okay. It was just a thought.”
Rob heard her disappointment, pulling him out of his thoughts. He’d been standing in the shower, not speaking.
“Hun?” he said, pulling back the curtain so he could look at her.
She stood there in the steam. The beautiful woman he had married so long ago. As the mist swirled around her, he was reminded just how breathtaking she really was.
Robyn was a little shorter than he was, her pale skin never tanning. It would just redden in the sun, freckles appearing. She was a beauty with short dark brown hair, and when she smiled, he saw those kissable lips.
Those lips were now pouting, but not in that way she used when she playfully manipulated him. These were genuine sad lips, ones that were hard to watch as she looked toward the sink.
She had changed out of her wet clothes and had put on what she called her PJ’s—a black tank top and sweatpants that clung to her curves, making her look like heaven. He w
ould sometimes slip up behind her, putting his arms around her and pulling her into him. They’d even dance to their own song as they held each other like that.
God, please let her always remember how much I love her.
* * * *
Robyn wasn’t sure if they were safer since moving from Chicago. She thought they would be, but it seemed like something always happened. None of it was like the small town she had grown up in. Maybe it was because the world was changing, or because she was now an adult in a world in which she had once been a child. She had lost her childhood innocence long ago.
“Hey, do you want to join me?”
Robyn blinked, not realizing she had just been standing there. “Aren’t you almost done?”
“I can stay in a little longer and enjoy the view. I’ll wash your back.”
“Down, boy. Jake’s in his room playing Xbox. Don’t need him hearing us.” She came closer as he held the curtain open. “Besides, the water will start getting cold.”
“You’ll warm it up.”
“You are laying it on thick today.” He blew her a kiss, making her smile. “We’ll see about later.”
* * * *
Rob watched as she left the bathroom, the mist swirling in her wake. As soon as she left, the mist closed back in and turned dark. Really dark. It blocked out the light, surrounding him. The water in the shower grew so hot, it felt like it burned his skin.
Shapes appeared in the haze, walking toward him. He couldn’t see their faces, but knew they were the ones he couldn’t save. The room disappeared and he was alone in the dark.
Breathe, Rob. Come on. Breathe.
He couldn’t, though. As he tried to pull in air, the steam burned his lungs. The water got hotter. Fire flickered and writhed around him, touching his skin and turning it red.
Not able to see the shower wall, he reached out. He ran his fingers along it, but it was like touching ice, making him recoil. He reached out again, feeling the knob for the water and pushing it.
The rushing fire pulsing at him died away, a sudden rush of air assaulting his lungs. He was able to take another breath, then another. The water no longer running, the mist dissipated, the room reemerging around him.
He knew the room hadn’t gone anywhere, but he wasn’t sure whether or not he had. It wouldn’t be the first time he had found himself somewhere else.
That had been then, but things were good now.
Get dressed, go downstairs, and eat that nice, warm supper made for you by that amazing wife of yours. Everything is just fine.
He stepped out of the shower, quickly drying with the towel. In the fading mist, he saw a glint of metal on the vanity and reached out to grab his cross. The glistening steel was cool to the touch, comforting. He felt relaxed as he placed it around his neck, taking a deep breath, smiling.
Bacon. Damn, that woman is truly amazing.
* * * *
“…and I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Amen,” Rob said, listening as Jake, who knelt to his left, spoke in unison. He looked over and saw his son nodding in agreement.
“And you brushed your teeth? I don’t need to go in there and check the toothbrush?”
Jake stood, frowning. “Dad...”
Rob laughed. “Okay. Give me a hug and get some sleep.” Rob also stood, although he needed to rely on the bed, then the dresser. His leg felt better, but he was used to using support whenever he could.
Jake, his growing boy. Rob was always amazed at how big he was getting. Already up to Rob’s chest, he’d probably be as tall as he was within a year. How was his son able to grow so fast? It should be a law that boys couldn’t grow up until the parents were ready.
And where did his attitude come from? Where did his sweet little baby go, and how did he get replaced with the know-it-all who seemed to begrudge anything his father asked him? It seemed like Rob had to pull Jake’s teeth out to get a hug. Was it really that much to ask? He didn’t think it was, but he watched his son slump his shoulders and walk over. He wrapped one arm around Rob, barely making it around his growing stomach. The other arm dangled, Jake not using the energy needed to lift it. It was a quick hug, then he walked to his bed and pulled back the covers, getting ready to climb in.
“Good night. Love you,” Rob said as he reached the door.
“Love you, too.”
Was it Rob’s imagination or was there no real show of emotion? It was just a catchphrase with no meaning behind it. Rob sighed as he turned off the light and closed the door just until there was just a slight gap in the doorway.
He went downstairs, hearing Robyn washing the dishes.
“I told you to leave those to me,” he said, walking into the kitchen. The smell of burned hamburger still hung in the air, and the haze that had set the smoke alarm off still clung to the ceiling. He moved up behind her and slid his hands around waist, moving in for a gentle kiss on her neck.
“Yeah, but I wanted them done tonight, not sometime next week.”
“I would have done it.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” He knew she was mocking him. “Ooh, you still smell like that crap. Do I need to take you outside and hose you down again?”
Rob pulled her in tighter, feeling the warmth of her body as a shiver tremored through him. He thought about that cold water sure he would never be warm again.
“Nah, I’m good. Unless someone wants to join me this time.”
“Yeah? Do you need someone to wash you down?”
“Maybe later.”
“Maybe after you get another shower.”
“Maybe.”
An annoying tone screamed from somewhere in the other room. Rob groaned as he closed his eyes and rested his head against hers.
“Or maybe not,” he mumbled.
“Sounds like somebody’s calling. Either Dan needs you to go in early or Chief Winston is calling in sick.”
“Yeah.”
He opened his eyes to see Robyn’s lips coming up to meet his. It was a brief peck, but it lingered just a second longer than normal. When she pulled away, she pulled his bottom lip just a little bit. A shock went through him, his heart skipping a beat as she let go.
His arms itched to reach out and grab her, but the phone in the other room had quit ringing for only a brief moment before it started again.
He stepped into the living room and listened, trying to remember where he had set it down when he came home. He found it in his duffel bag among malodorous clothes. He wrinkled his nose as he flipped the phone open.
“Yeah.”
“Officer…Alletto?” The voice on the other end had paused for a brief moment, as if looking up his name. It was a female voice he didn’t recognize. It was odd to get a call from a stranger when he wasn’t the deputy on call. By now, most people in town had a certain amount of familiarity with him.
“Yes. How can I help you?”
“This is Officer Cantrall at County. We have been trying to get in touch with Chief Winston, but have been unable to do so. Will you be able to respond to a missing person call?”
“I can. The chief should be on duty now. Have you tried his cell, as well as the radio?”
“Yes, Officer. He has not responded to either. The last we heard from him was when he called in that he was going to check a strange light in an abandoned area this morning. He never radioed back in and never reported going off duty this morning.”
“Wait,” Rob said. The little bit of happiness he had moments ago evaporated as concern crept into his voice. “You said he called in this morning and said he was going to check something out, but no one followed up on it?”
“Officer Alletto, there are many times you locals forget to call in when you are going off shift. It is a large county. We don’t have time to check in when someone just forgets to sign off. It is not the first time Chief Winston has not called in.”
The woman had gone on the defensive, and Rob understood her point. If not for the chief not answering when they called about the missing
person, he wouldn’t have thought anything about it, either. When he did those long shifts, getting off at six in the morning, it was hard for him to remember to sign off. If the county police came to his house to check on him just because he forgot,he wouldn’t live that down for a while.
“Okay. Give me the details and I’ll check in with the missing person. Keep trying the chief. Where was his last position?”
“GPS has him reporting in at an abandoned field on the northeast side of town across from the school.”
Rob had to think for a moment about what abandoned field she could be talking about. There wasn’t a field over there. There was the coal dump, and south of that was a field. That field wasn’t even close to the school, though. If the squad car were parked there, he would have seen it on his way home. There hadn’t been anything parked there. He was certain of it.
But if the woman had an aerial view, he guessed the coal dump could look like a field. She was probably using some kind of satellite program.
“Okay. Give me the address of the missing person and I’ll check them both out.”
He wrote down the details as she rattled them off. In the back of his mind, he realized his long day had just turned into a long night.
CHAPTER 5
The dark sky gave way to the early light blue hue of dawn. The darkness fought to stay, but the sun was stronger. Its alarm was set. Although feeling like it was too early, it knew it was time. If the sun didn’t come out now, who knew if it would come the next day or the day after that. Then the world would be lost in eternal nothingness.
Rob could barely focus as he looked out the kitchen window. He smelled the coffee, hearing the percolating of a fresh pot being brewed. That helped keep his eyes open, but it didn’t help the exhaustion invading his senses.
He had been up all night, but where had it gotten him? He could barely recall driving up and down the streets of town, walking down some of the alleys along the way the boy would have taken home, having to use his flashlight to scan the darker areas.
He still hadn’t heard anything about the chief and hadn’t gone to find the squad car. He was surprised no one had followed up on it. When he called county back, they said the GPS had died and they were no longer able to track it. He would have to worry about it later, although it weighed heavily on his mind.