Greshmere

by Scott Wittenburg

  The man suddenly jumped on top of Megan, pinning her flat against the back of the sofa. He got right in her face, his rage now over the top.

  “I don’t know what it is about you, but you really bring out the beast in me,” he said. “You’re so fucking beautiful, yet you waste your life crying over that nerd you were married to. What gives here? The guy was a second-class citizen who never deserved you in the first place! What in the fuck did you ever see in that loser? I gotta admit, when I watched you two humping away, I almost got sick to my stomach. I was thinking, ‘Jesus, what is this beautiful woman doing with this asshole? She is selling herself way too short!’”

  “What are you talking about?” Megan cried.

  “Now I’ve got your attention, right?” Gary said. “I know more about you than you can even imagine, Megan. You might even say that I’ve gone a bit overboard for you, in fact. But that obviously hasn’t impressed you in the least. You’ve been anything but a willing participant, to put it mildly. So when I started wondering what was so special about your marriage that made you so goddamn faithful, I decided to check it out. That’s when I saw your beloved Daniel for the first time. I made a special trip here just to see who the lucky guy was that had such a hold on you. I know that looks aren’t everything, but really? You must be suffering from some serious self-esteem issues is all I can figure.”

  Although she was being pinned against the back of the sofa and in obvious pain, Megan focused on what the man had just said.

  “Do you mean you’ve been spying on me? How could you!”

  “I always like to know what I’m getting into, you might say. Yeah, I’ve been checking you out. And once I realized that you were so obviously smitten with your loser husband, I realized that I had to do something about that.”

  “Wha—what do you mean?” Megan asked, her voice not much more than a whisper. “What are you saying, Gary?”

  “Clearly I had to make Daniel go away. He had way too much hold on you, Megan, and you can see what that’s done to you. You’re still hung up on the guy, even though he’s long gone. Surely you see how unhealthy that is now.”

  “What did you do to him?” Megan snapped. “What did you do to Daniel, Gary?”

  “Bumped him off, you might say. The road, that is. Him and his little Porsche. Did you know that those little old cars could never pass one of today’s safety impact tests? All looks and nothing but death traps. Your husband never stood a chance.”

  Megan recoiled. She managed to free her hands and began pummeling her husband’s killer in a blind frenzy. Jamison simply laughed, allowing her to get several licks in.

  “That’s it, Megan. Beat me up! I love it! You know, this is the most attention I’ve gotten from you in all these months. Sock it to me, baby!”

  His words enraged Megan even more. She suddenly broke away from Jamison and kicked him in the nuts when he stood up to grab her. For a moment the man was doubled over, writhing in pain. Then suddenly he seized Megan, pushed her down hard on the sofa, hopped on top and strangled her.

  “You are going to be sorry you did that, bitch!” he hissed.

  Megan struggled furiously and tried to scream as Jamison continued strangling her. Without a moment’s thought, Greshmere bounded out from behind the fireplace and shot over to the sofa. He flew directly in front of Jamison’s face and began pecking at his face, hoping to force him to release Megan from his grasp. Jamison was clearly in shock at the sudden appearance of this crazed sparrow furiously flapping its wings in his face and pecking repeatedly at him. He was so stunned that he let go of Megan for a moment. Greshmere turned his head to see that Megan was already turning blue. She too seemed shocked at his appearance but was much too weak to respond in any way. He then saw Jamison’s single hand come around and grasp Megan’s throat to finish the job. A split second later felt himself hurtling across the room from a blow by the killer’s other hand.

  Greshmere smacked the wall with a dull thud and dropped to the floor. He felt no pain but was shaken up by the impact. He recovered quickly, flew back over to Jamison and nosedived right into his left eye with all the force he could muster up. Jamison cried out and his head snapped back from the assault. He brought his hand to his eye and Greshmere retreated, flew in a swift circle around the den and then bee-lined for Jamison’s other eye. He could feel his beak pierce the killer’s eyeball on impact as he screamed bloody murder. Blinded by the attacks, Jamison struggled to his feet and made a feeble attempt to strike Greshmere but missed him by a foot. He then started to run but tripped over the leg of the coffee table in his sightless state. As he tumbled onto the hardwood floor, Greshmere flew over and lit on Megan’s chest.

  The moment he landed, Greshmere feared that she was already dead. He felt no heartbeat and her eyes were bugged out, frozen in the terror of her final moments. He jumped up, lit gently on her cheek and brought his head down to her lips, hoping to hear or feel her take a breath. But she was deathly still.

  The love of his life was gone.

  The sorrow that gripped him was overwhelming. He remained there for several moments, not wanting to leave her. His mind was wracked with despair and remorse, wondering why this had happened. Why had he chosen to rediscover himself and why did his wife have to die? It made no earthly sense.

  He paid little attention to Megan’s killer as he got up from the floor and fled the room, cursing and whining from his injuries. He heard the man enter the first floor bathroom and turn on the water, most likely to nurse his eyes. Greshmere wondered if he had blinded the man for life and hoped so. The murderer deserved to suffer.

  As reality began to sink in, Greshmere knew he had to leave. He was of no use here. He took a moment to gently close each of Megan’s eyes with his beak and took one final look at the woman who had made his earthly life complete.

  Goodbye, my love. Rest in peace.

  Then with a heavy heart, Greshmere flew over to the phone lying on the coffee table and stood over it. The phone was a cordless extension of the landline wall phone in the kitchen. Taking aim, he pecked the talk button as hard as he could. A second later he heard the dial tone in the earpiece. He pecked out the numbers 9-1-1. When he heard the dispatcher answer, he flew over to the fireplace, up the chimney and took to the sky.

  Chapter 22

  - Now -

  It had been twelve hours since Greshmere exited what had once been his earthly home. He had been totally directionless, unsure of what to do or where to go. Megan’s death had devastated him to the extent that he wished he were dead, too, if that were possible. He knew that this was not the way he was supposed to feel, ever, especially in heaven. He had learned that unwritten law on the very first day. He had been given “a second chance at life” and was “free to do whatever he pleased and go where ever he wanted to go.”

  But this freedom had begun slipping away the moment he had chosen to rediscover himself. Yes, he could put the blame on feeling driven to pursue that rocky path, but it was he alone who had made the final decision. So he had only himself to blame.

  He felt abandoned, like an orphan, in a place that no longer seemed blissful and peaceful. He felt doomed. To be tortured day and night by the memories of his former life and his undying love for his wife. To be haunted by memories of an evil character who had ruthlessly ended the lives of two innocent people for his own selfish gain.

  Unlike nearly everybody else in heaven, Greshmere was now privy to that which the others had wisely chosen to avoid.

  Where will all of this lead? he wondered.

  Then suddenly, like a breath of fresh air, he had experienced another heavenly miracle. Having circled Columbus for close to an hour in limbo, like a pilot awaiting clearance to land, Greshmere had felt a sudden, incredible force beckoning him to return to New York. And to do so right away. He had a fleeting vision of Shnarker perched on the Essex House sign high above Central Park, awaiting his arrival. The vision was crystal clear, unmistakable, and undeniable.

&nb
sp; Greshmere now wondered what the old bird had to say. He hadn’t a clue, but knew of no one else in heaven or earth that he more wanted to see. He felt just as clueless as he had the first moment he had awoken on that building ledge in Babylon. He needed his mentor to tell him what to do, where to go.

  In essence, what his fate was to be.

  Although it was night, Greshmere had little trouble finding his way to the east coast. It was as though Shnarker shone like a beacon in the darkness, lighting his way back home. He was quite aware of the uncanny timing of what had just happened in Columbus and this sudden vision of Shnarker. This was by no means a coincidence.

  In the distance he saw the brightly lit skyline of Manhattan and the slightest tinge of magenta further east over the horizon. It would be daybreak soon. As he approached the city, he felt his anxiety return. Whatever Shnarker had to say, he would soon know.

  He flew over the Hudson River and made a beeline for the southern edge of Central Park. A moment later, he saw the illuminated Essex House sign and peeled his eyes for Shnarker. And there he was, perched atop the X. With a relieved sigh, Greshmere swooped down and landed beside his Who-Key.

  “Greetings, Gresh!” the starling said brightly.

  “Hello, Shnarker. It is so good to see you!”

  “The pleasure is mine. The last time I saw you it was right at this very place. That seems not so long ago, my friend. I never dreamt I would see you again so soon.”

  Greshmere sensed that Shnarker would have preferred later to sooner.

  Shnarker continued, “How was your trip? Columbus is quite a journey from here.”

  “It was fine. May I ask how in the world this has all happened, Shnark? How were you able to beckon me from so far away?”

  “Let’s just say that there are a few perks that go with the job of being a Who-Key. That happens to be one of them.”

  “So you know what happened back in Ohio?” Greshmere asked.

  “Yes, I do, regrettably. Under normal circumstances, I would be unaware of your actions, Gresh. In fact, as I told you before, my job was mainly to greet you and do whatever I could to make you self-sufficient here. But what just happened in Columbus was anything but normal! And because of that, some red flags were raised and now we are here.”

  “Shnark, I am totally stressed and don’t know what to do. I really need your advice.”

  “No need to fret, Gresh. That’s what I’m here for. I must say, before we begin, that this is by no means the first time something like this has happened. Perhaps knowing that will help put you at ease. One thing that we are often reminded of here is that humans are such imperfect beings. And those imperfections follow us here. Even in heaven, there is no perfection.

  “That being said, there is another thing we learn here: that all animals with the exception of homo sapiens are in a sense perfect. It is their innocence that makes them perfect. Take any animal you can think of. That animal comes into this world much like humans do, innocent and defenseless. As little children, humans are as close as they ever get to being perfect. That is because young children, like animals, do little more than eat, experience their surroundings and grow.

  “But unlike animals, perfection eventually ends for the human race. For lack of a better word, humans become contaminated. And once that happens, there is no turning back. In contrast, an animal continues living in this world as innocently as it came into it. Its only priorities are to eat, survive and propagate the species. They do only what their instincts tell them to do and nothing more. And despite human intervention, they are still able to remain true to themselves. They are just as innocent when they die as they were the day they were born. Do you agree?”

  “I never thought of it that way but yes, I agree.”

  “By now you are probably wondering what I am leading up to. Well, it’s not hard to see why God has chosen a lower animal to house our souls. As animals, we are encouraged to live on animal terms and not on human terms. Ironically, we have in a sense been upgraded by becoming lower animals. Are you with me so far?”

  Greshmere nodded. “I think I see what you’re getting at.”

  “Good. I told you right from the start, Gresh, that heaven is what you make it. And by far, most souls who come here make it a rich, rewarding experience. They simply live their lives, enjoy their freedom and observe what is around them. This is an easy transition to make because of the very nature of being a lower animal. It is made even easier because we don’t have to worry about food gathering or resorting to survival tactics.

  “But there are some souls who don’t allow themselves to take advantage of this. That is where you come in, my friend. By choosing to rediscover yourself, you set yourself up for a myriad of obstacles that can only be described as human situations. By choosing to move backward instead of forward, you have upset the natural order of things and subjected yourself to potential risks. I warned you about rediscovery and its possible ramifications, just short of coming right out and ordering you not to attempt it. But it is not my job to tell you what to do. What you do in heaven is, and always will be, your own call.”

  “But I felt compelled to do it, Shnark! There were these moments when I kept questioning things, wondering why so many occurrences seemed like memories instead of knowledge. I know you told me that this was normal, but it never let up. And then there were the dreams. I woke up every morning feeling incredibly wonderful and happy, yet had no idea why that was. Then I found out that I had been dreaming of my past experiences with Megan and those dreams had been the source of my happiness. These dreams were memories, Shnark. I couldn’t escape them!”

  “My dear, Greshmere,” Shnarker said, shaking his head slowly from side to side. “I am well aware of these things you have experienced. And before you ask how that is so, I will save you the trouble. I’m not at liberty to say. Why you chose to rediscover yourself is not the issue here, nor is the fact that you chose to do it in the first place. There is certainly no law that says not to.

  “What is the issue here is what you have done in the process of rediscovering yourself. That is something that simply can’t be overlooked.”

  Greshmere was put off by this. “What do you mean? What did I do that was so wrong?”

  “I cannot say. You must figure it out yourself. That is the first step.”

  Greshmere realized that he was now being put on the spot. For the sake of redemption, perhaps. So what had he done that could be seen as an infraction of some kind? he thought.

  “Do you mean things like slipping into the Smithtown newspaper offices? Trespassing? Why, you showed me how to sneak into that Broadway play, Shnarker!” he protested.

  “I’m not talking about that, Gresh. I’m talking about something much more serious.”

  It only took a moment for it to suddenly dawn on him: what he had done to the murderer! He had viciously attacked him and may have even left him blind for life—

  But he had done that to protect Megan! How could that be wrong?

  “Are you referring to the man who was trying to murder my wife and what I did to try to stop him?” Greshmere said.

  “That is exactly what I’m talking about. Now can you tell me why that was wrong for you to do?”

  “He was strangling her, Shnarker! I couldn’t just sit there and let him do that without trying to stop him! Surely there was nothing wrong with that!”

  “It was wrong, Gresh. In every possible way, it was wrong.”

  “I don’t get it, Shnark. You act like it was some kind of sin to defend my wife while she was being attacked by that murderer. I was never a religious sort, but I don’t recall that ever being a sin!”

  “Oh my dear, Greshmere. Your earthly experiences have brought out your humanity in the most unflattering of ways! Did you hear what you just said? You are speaking just like you spoke in your former life. You have let your humanity take over you. And that is something to be concerned with. It simply cannot continue.”

  For the first
time since being in heaven, Greshmere felt frightened. He did not like the direction this conversation was going and he now worried what sort of punishment he was going to receive for what he had done.

  “Gresh, please relax. You are not going to be punished.”

  Greshmere was stunned. Shnarker had just read his mind!

  “Please hear me out,” Shnarker continued. “This is not about sin, punishment or retribution. This is only about your well-being and how to deal with what has happened. That is all.

  “You just endured a horrible experience that has left you feeling lost and alone. I am here to help you with that, not make things even worse for you! Greshmere, you have done nothing that would be considered ‘wrong’ by human standards. Your wife was threatened and you acted accordingly. The problem is that you are not human, Gresh! You are a soul living in heaven. You are not to interact with humans directly in any way. And you know this. But in the process of rediscovering yourself, you have forsaken this cardinal rule. And now you are paying the price for it.

  “I have no idea how this will all play out, Gresh. Only God knows. All I do know is that you must lighten up on yourself and move on with your life. Do your best to forget your past and what has happened. Otherwise, you may have a difficult time finding true happiness again. Do you think you can do that?”

  Greshmere’s relief at hearing this was palpable. “You mean I’m not in trouble after all?”

  Shnarker squawked. “Such a doubting Thomas! No, you are not in any trouble.”

  “I am so happy to hear that!” Greshmere exclaimed. “After I left the house, all I could think about was how my wife had just been brutally murdered and how powerless I was to do anything about it. I actually wanted to die then, Shnark! But I remembered that I was in a sense already dead and that made me feel even worse. Less than zero, you could say. And then you intervened, thank God. You are my salvation, Shnarker. I truly don’t know what I would have done had you not come to my rescue.”