by Stephen Levy
Upstairs, Ann sat next to Tricia to hopefully soothe the antagonism of last night’s arguments. “It must be wonderful…you and Johnny.”
Tricia responded after a moment, “He enhances my popularity standings. The Indian likes you…he’s coming over, you know. He crept into church today.”
“Really! That’s interesting. Ann, was I really slutty last night?”
Tricia responded, “More like tartish, oh wait, the French say coquette. Yes that’s it–coquettish.” The girls were quiet. Quite rare for these two. Simultaneously, they raised their eyes to the ceiling. Tricia’s gum rolled out of her mouth and fell to the floor. Their pupils rolled upwards. And together eerily they said, “It’s time to sleep.” They fell back on Tricia’s bed.
And downstairs, Julie removed a boiling tea kettle and placed it down safely. “I’m thinking of having Banks move in…it would be so great. It would free me up. Dassi, it’s time to sleep.” Julie dropped safely to the floor. Dassi bent down in state of shock, “Julie! Julie! She glanced at Peyton’ obliviousness to the situation and flung the front door open.
Pandemonium erupted on Skyline Boulevard. Dassi screamed all the way to her house.
As Banks’ truck approached Skyline Boulevard, he slowed and watched a woman pull over. She gave her baby a bottle of milk, reclined her driver’s seat and turned off the ignition then began to sleep. Another car pulled over as the woman’s husband began to scream. He yanked out his cell and dialed 911. A recording began and he slammed the cell on the pavement. An oncoming car pulled to the right. A middle-aged mother flagged Banks down. The woman claimed that she could not get her daughter to wake up. She asked Banks to get an ambulance or a doctor since no one answered her call for help. Banks told her that he would talk to Dr. Abrams.
As Banks reached the top of Skyline Boulevard he noted that two seaplanes landed in the water and that a commercial airline landed at the airstrip at about the same time. His attention turned across the street of Abrams’ house where all neighbors gathered. They held cell phones and pointed to a women lying on the sidewalk and others who reclined in a sleeping fashion in their stationary cars. A woman holding an infant walked over to one of the screaming neighbors and handed the baby to an elderly lady. The mother of the baby simply stated, “It’s time to sleep.” She fell to the grassy yard in front of the group.
Banks parked his truck as Stan, Murray and Dassi ran out of the Abrams’ house and bee lined to the Powers’ home. They motioned to Banks to follow. Murray grabbed his stethoscope out of his medical bag as all entered. They surrounded Julie and Murray listened for a heartbeat, “Incredibly slow. Otherwise she seems to be alright.” He attempted to open Julie’s eyelids but they would not budge. “How unusual. I think it’s alright to move her to the bedroom.” Banks, Stan, Dassi and Murray each took a limb. Julie was dead weight and unmovable. Murray shook his head, “That’s a first.” Peyton swayed to the music ignorant of the ensuing pandemonium. Meanwhile, the foursome headed up the stairs as Stan caught Peyton’s eye and waved.
Tricia and Ann lay apparently asleep; Murray could not open their eyelids either. He announced that all three women seem to be in a state similar to hibernation. His twelve years of medical school was useless. Stan looked to Murray, “What do we do?”
Murray raised an eyelid, “Do? We wait.”
Banks joined Peyton holding a deck of cards. “Let’s play gin, Sport.” Peyton appeared happy to see Banks and was excited to play cards with him as he ripped off his headset. Peyton appeared to be totally oblivious to the recent events. Banks wisely did not want to add additional panic to Peyton’s state of bliss. But perhaps most of all, Banks was not in the mood to subject himself to Peyton’s drill and grill which Banks could not possibly answer.
Upstairs, Stan covered the two girls with a blanket. He went to the hall closet and gathered a blanket and pillow. He donned a smiling face as he past Banks and Peyton and covered Julie with the blanket. Julie’s head was on its side against the tile. He attempted to lift her head to place the pillow underneath but this proved to be a fruitless effort. He dropped the pillow. He whispered, “What the fuck is happening?”
Murray opened the front door. The neighbors across the street motioned to him to come over. Murray eyed the bodies of lifeless women up and down Skyline Boulevard. He and Dassi crossed the street to a hysterical group.
The elderly Mrs. Bundy, the very pregnant Lydia and the righteous Mrs. McGruder vied for speaking time:
“My daughter won’t wake up,” sobbed Lydia and she held her stomach to notify all of her pregnant condition.
Mrs. Bundy who listened to cable news all day long reported, “The news said that 25,000 meteorites per hour hit the city. Although they were only the size of peas; they could have emitted some alien gas. Maybe that has something do with all this. That was the biggest storm on record. What do you think Mrs. McGruder?”
Finally, Mrs. McGruder vocalized her opinion: “I know what it is.” The buzz softened as all approached her, “It’s the rapture! They have all gone to Jerusalem. They have been…swooped away!” She continued hysterically, “They took my daughter. I’m a better Christian than my daughter. I don’t understand it. Why didn’t they take me instead? We’re all going to die…all of us. Armageddon!”
I long pause crept over the group. Then as if all members had something to say simultaneously, there was a cacophony of sobs, screams and exclamations. To add to the mayhem, The Monarch Raven added loud caws to the mix. It leapt from the roof of the Powers’ house and flew directly over the group.
Once airborne, The Monarch Raven took for the clouds and ascended above the clouds. The raven saw a colorful upward form of lightning known as a sprite. The sprite resembled a reddish violet jellyfish. An indigo mist outlined the sprite’s form. It flashed. As the sprite sent out colorful electrical charges to the ionosphere above, the mist flashed below. The raven was the only witness to this event. Humans could not possibly have interpreted these happenings. It happened in milliseconds. Perhaps Banks’ grandfather might have seen and understood, because Banks’s grandfather could take the point of view of the raven. And even though at this point in the sky there was little or no oxygen his senses could interpret what was happening. That was why his tribe called him Flies with Raven. He would assume that these two entities were communicating. The sprite could be the Spirit Above Our Heads…the Great Spirit. And the indigo mist could be the soldier of the Spirit. That soldier who took orders. The soldier who carried out the wrath that the Great Spirit ordered…like breaking promises. For every great breach to the Spirit there were consequences. The soldier was known as the Old Soul. And the Old Soul continued its mission in the inaccessible city of Juneau, Alaska. If it were not completely inaccessible today, it soon would be.
Meanwhile, the raven had reached an altitude where it could not breathe. The sprite sent out an electrical charge to the raven. The raven tumbled to an acceptable altitude then headed back from where it came. The raven wondered if his powers were needed. If after all his years of restraint and countless years of watching, should he actually get involved? As he tumbled downward he decided that it was not time yet to intercede. The raven thought that the charge sent out was a warning. He was right in this assumption. For now, the raven would simply continue to watch.
Banks Blackhorse opened the Powers’ front door. The raven landed directly in front of him, “Caw!” Banks thought about the Shaman and what he said about ravens. Banks wondered if the bird was okay. As he extended a hand to the bird, the raven flew away. It landed atop the Powers’ roof and simply watched.
Something Scary
Stan lay on the kitchen floor next to Julie as the sun set. The darkness of the house enhanced the eeriness. The TV was on as Banks and Peyton walked to the kitchen. Stan stood up and pulled out the brunch trays from the refrigerator.
Peyton localized for familiar sounds, “I’m hungry, dad. Where’s mom?”
Before Stan answered, the TV
news announcer stated that reports were coming in from all over Juneau regarding a ‘nap-out.’ He went on to explain that some sort of mass sleeping paralysis was in progress by most of Juneau’s women. He continued his report and said that Juneau was an isolated case and that no further explanations were available at this time.
Stan addressed Peyton’s question, “Mom is sleeping right now, Peyton. So is Tricia. Let’s eat.”
Peyton pleaded, “Dad, can Banks stay over…please?”
Stan glanced at Banks whose smile and nod connoted acceptance. “Sure, Peyton. That would be great if Banks will stay.”
Banks’ goal was attained in the most unusual manner. He did want to stay and he did want to be useful. And he additionally knew that he would probably not be welcomed at the compound. “Sure, Mr. Powers. I would like to stay if I can be useful.”
After eating, Stan carried sleeping-Peyton to his bedroom. As Stan closed Peyton’s door, he led Banks to the guest bedroom, “Thanks, Banks.” Stan then checked in Tricia’s room as the two girls continued to sleep. He shut the door. Stan downed the stairs and picked up sofa cushions. He created a makeshift bed next to Julie on the kitchen floor.
Banks undressed. He looked out the window of the guest bedroom at Skyline Boulevard. People lay down near their loved ones. Some sobbed. Some slept. Banks lay in his new bed. Despite the horrors of the day, he smiled and fondled his necklace. About an hour later, Banks’ eyes closed. At that instant, there was a rustling sound. Banks’ eyes opened. He heard the sound again. He opened his door.
At first he thought that the sound was coming from Peyton’s room, but when he heard it again he approached Tricia’s closed door. He put his fist up to knock and then decided against it. His hand went for the handle. He slowly twisted it opening the door partially.
The bed was empty! As he opened the door completely, Ann and Tricia stood where the ajar door had obstructed his view. The girls’ eyelids opened simultaneously. A shining indigo light emitted from the girls’ eyes. The light shined on Banks’ face. Banks could not understand what was happening. Then, the girls walked like automatons and bumped against Banks which in turn knocked him down. Banks got to his feet and watched the girls descend the stairs. He ran to the staircase and backpedaled to Stan’s closed bedroom door, “Mr. Powers, they’re up! They’re up!”
Stan awakened and jogged down the staircase with Banks following. Julie stood up from the kitchen floor. The threesome marched in a single file oblivious to the yells of Stan. Tricia opened the front door and Julie, Ann and Tricia stepped out of the house with indigo shining from their eyes that was reflecting on the ground in front of them.
Stan and Banks froze for a moment. Then Stan called out his wife and daughter’s names which seemed to have no impact. Stan turned to Banks, “Check on Peyton, if he’s sleeping don’t disturb him.”
Banks nodded and hiked up the stairs. He opened Peyton’s door to find him in a state of heavy breathing and apparently sleeping. More important it appeared to Banks that he was oblivious to the recent event. Banks quietly closed Peyton’s door. He cautiously walked over to Tricia’s room. All appeared to be intact. He jogged out of the house.
The sleepwalking women of Skyline Boulevard assembled in the middle of the street in a circular fashion. Those that were indoors, joined the other women as men followed and yelled after the women with no results. The indigo beam that emitted from their eyes lit the otherwise dark street. A neighbor ran after his wife; he fell and was trampled by other women. He survived the incident with only bruises.
The circle appeared to be complete. And it was Ann Abrams that raised her hands high as the other women followed. Ann gave out a hideous unearthly bellow and the other women followed suit as the loud sounds became one. An indigo light covered the circle and created a bubble. Two men inside the bubble were flung outside it to the grassy area. They stumbled to their feet.
Stan and Banks’ jaws dropped at the sight of the flung men. Banks rushed over to the men who were ousted from the bubble who seemed only to be bruised.
Stan and Banks looked upon the apparent closed bubble. The transparent substance that enclosed the women dissolved.
Ann was first to leave the circle. Others seemed to take their cue as if this happening came to a close. Ann headed in Banks’ direction. Banks called to her, “Ann, Ann are you okay?” Ann marched past him as the indigo shine dissipated from her eyes. Tricia and Julie followed also losing the shining. All were oblivious to Stan’s calls.
Women returned to the exact spot from where they awoke. Julie, Ann and Tricia returned to the house. Julie lay on the kitchen floor as Tricia and Ann returned to Tricia’s bedroom. Apparently the happening was over and the women struck the same sleeping pose in the exact same position from where they had recently arisen.
At the same time, Chief Dan looked at Marilyn as she lay down on his floor of his apartment. He picked up his cell and called Banks.
Banks ran to his new room and answered. He told his Uncle that he was fine and was staying at the Powers’ house. Chief wanted Banks to return to the compound explaining to Banks that he would be safer there. Banks simply told him that he would call him tomorrow.
Chief Dan exclaimed, “But aren’t you interested in the women at the compound? You haven’t even mentioned if Marilyn was okay?” But Banks had already ended the call.
Banks joined Stan as Murray and Dassi entered the house. Murray examined the three women again and claimed that there had been no changes.
Dassi brewed a pot of coffee as she eyed Julie on the floor. She put on the TV which gave little information since so many of the local station’s employees were sleeping after their happening. The event was definitely city wide.
Banks, Murray and Stan arrived in the kitchen. They sat as Dassi poured coffee and placed her ‘brunch’ trays on the table. Dassi asked, “Is Peyton sleeping?” Stan nodded his head yes. The foursome sat quietly listening for news.
Most doctors have a detective mind. They constantly rule out possibilities…diagnoses are based on a process of elimination. Murray cut the silence with his logic: “Earlier after we left you, Dassi and I went over to the hospital. Female patients were going through the same sleep state as well as much of the staff. Here’s the thing. The clue is not so much about the women who sleep but rather about the women who do not sleep. All the women who are awake have a common denominator. I think…from a preliminary sample…that they are women who cannot have children.
Stan undressed in his bedroom. A moment later he texted his paralegal that he would not be in the office today. Quickly, a text was returned, “Ditto.” He sniffed his arm pits with a resulting disapproval and stripped for a shower. As Stan’s fingers grasped the shower faucet, the fingers of Tricia and Ann moved.
Downstairs as Peyton and Banks played cards, the TV announcer spoke to an international audience of the reported incidences in Juneau. News crews were slow to arrive to Juneau since there were no roads in or out. Many of the traffic controllers sent notices of a closed airport because planes captained by woman remained on the runway and have yet to be taxied. That left a very slow journey by boat. Cruise ships in the Juneau Inland Passage remain docked as incoming ships were ordered to avoid the area.
Julie Powers stood. After a moment she opened her eyes. There was no indigo shine. Just plain Julie except for the fact that she appeared new and improved. Julie’s face glowed. She appeared ten years younger. Her figure was sexy…voluptuous as if the sleep left her with a sort of plastic surgery newness, only without a hint of plastic surgery. She moved with a vibrant flow of grace. She looked for the boiling tea kettle which she moved just before she napped.
Julie queried, “Dassi, Dassi?” As she swayed to the living room, “Banks, where’s Dassi? I was just talking to her.”
Peyton and Banks jumped up. Before they could answer her, Tricia and Ann sauntered down the stairs as if their descent was a lesson in grace from a girls’ finishing school. Tricia and Ann w
ere more ravishing than ever. And surprisingly from Tricia, “Mom, how can we help?”
Ann locked eyes with Banks. This was a tender look that was oozing sensuality. Banks and Ann smiled at the same instant. Then Banks’ eyebrows raised a questioning look as he thought about how he was knocked down by Ann last night and she appeared to be the leader of all the women when it was apparent to him that the other women took their cues from her while they were all in the bubble.
Stan appeared at the top of the stairs. Julie asked, “What are you doing in your bathrobe, Stan? I thought you were with Murray watching the game. Where’s Dassi? She was here just a minute ago.”
At that moment, Dassi and Murray stood in front of the Powers’ door. The scene on Skyline Boulevard awakened a sense of hope for the Abrams: From the outdoors’ grassy area women got up and loved ones rushed towards them. The newly awakened women apparently had no idea why they were lying on the ground. Dassi’s reaction to the rising women was a comforting sigh to Murray. She was hoping that Ann would be up along with Julie and Tricia. Murray gave a quick knock and opened the Powers’ front door as was his habit. Dassi was first to enter. Murray looked at Ann who appeared to be fine. Murray said to his daughter, “Good morning, Kitten.”
Ann’s earlier smile turned to a confused look as her father approached her with his stethoscope. Ann’s eyes shifted from her father to Banks, “Glad you could make brunch, Banks.”
Peyton alerted the girls that something was not quite right, “Ann, we had brunch yesterday.”
Ann retorted, “Yesterday? Peyton what are you saying? I just got here.”
Peyton responded, “No Ann, you’ve been here for Sunday night and this morning.”