The Total December Experiment

by J.T. Lewis

  She headed for a long pier jutting out over the water. She walked the length of it, then sat on the end with her legs dangling over the edge. She watched the movement of the water and was soon mesmerized.

  She found herself thinking about Susan and the B&B.

  Has the baby arrived? Boy, or girl? Were the trees still in bloom? Manda wished that she and Susan lived close to each other. We would have been good friends and good company for each other.

  Manda decided that she’d try to find the inn on the computer, get the address, and write Susan. She wanted to get a gift for the baby.

  Manda’s thoughts were jerked from memories of her stay at Mimosa Lane when the sky darkened. She looked up and saw a huge black cloud covering the sun. The rest of the sky was light blue and clear. The visual effect was so bizarre that a trickle of fear rippled through her body. She looked around at the others on the beach and was surprised that none of them seemed to notice the phenomenon. Instead of that fact comforting her, her fear began to intensify. The air and water became still and silent; so silent that she felt she had been struck deaf. She began to stand up in panic and twisted around to look at the others on the beach. They were all still behaving normally.

  What is wrong… am I going crazy ? Something terrible is happening and I’m the only one who sees it.

  Manda felt a slight rumbling vibration in her feet and spun around toward the sea again. The water was being drawn out to sea, farther and farther out. The rumbling became stronger and Manda could see a wave building off in the distance. She tried to run, but was unable to move the smallest muscle. She stared in shock and terror as the wave grew higher and closer. The sky grew darker.

  God help us. We’re all going to die. God. PLEASE. Those innocent children can’t outrun this one.

  The vibration of the pier grew so intense that Manda could barely keep her balance.

  The wave was very close now. It towered high in the sky and was as dark as pitch. There was no crest along the top…Dear God, it’s still building…

  It was almost on her and she instinctively tried to brace herself. As the water approached, a wall of air, so bitter cold that she involuntarily gasped, slammed into her sending her reeling backwards. She felt herself being sucked into the glistening black wave that was as frigid as the air that preceded it. As she was engulfed by the crushing water, she saw many shapes being swept along with her. Tortured phosphorescent trails of twisting and swirling matter that seemed to be grasping and tugging at her. She tried to escape from the translucent patterns of spiraling white but was enveloped by the shifting patterns.

  Her terror began to ebb and she was aware of a growing acceptance. She was dying, drowning, yet the fear had passed and there was no pain, no discomfort of any kind. She ceased to exist.

  Chapter 36

  “Mommy, why is this lady sleeping here ?”

  The tiny voice barely reached her ears.

  Manda felt herself being shaken.

  “Miss, are you OK? Miss, Miss!”

  Manda slowly opened her eyes and stared up into a blue cloudless sky.

  She heard a child crying in fear.

  “Miss, answer me, please.”

  Manda turned her head to see a frightened woman with a sobbing little girl hovering over her.

  Manda saw them and wanted to reassure them, but she was very disoriented. For a moment, she thought that she was in bed, having just awakened from the worst nightmare ever. As her memory returned, she became frightened beyond description.

  Manda fought to a sitting position, whipping her gaze to the water, then the pier, then the beach, then the faces of the woman and child. Disbelief flooded her face as she realized that none of the horror had really taken place. Everything was as before the apparition. Except for Manda: her clothes were soaking wet.

  ***

  Several hours later, Manda, woke in an unfamiliar place that seemed familiar. She realized that she was in a hospital. She felt very drowsy, relaxed, and confused. After a few moments of trying to make sense of something senseless, she gave up and allowed herself to fall back to sleep.

  She heard movement in the room and opened her eyes. A nurse moved to the side of her bed.

  “I see you’re awake, Ms. Harris. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine, except tired and a little light headed. Why am I here in a hospital?”

  “Actually, you’re in the emergency room. Seems you fainted. You’re just here for a few tests and observation. I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake. He’ll be in to see you shortly.”

  Manda was relaxed, but still a little confused and frightened. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. She searched her mind for a plausible explanation for her hallucination and fainting spell, but could think of nothing that made sense.

  A tall man in a white jacket with a stethoscope slung around his neck, entered the room and approached her bed.

  “Hello, Ms Harris. I’m Dr. Walker. How are you feeling?”

  “A little tired and woozy-otherwise, fine.”

  “Do you remember what happened?”

  Manda had decided to keep her ‘vision’ to herself. She knew if she told her unbelievable story, she would probably end up in a psych unit.

  “I just remember feeling dizzy; then I woke up on the pier. That’s it.”

  “Have you ever fainted before?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Have you been feeling unusual or ill lately?”

  “No. Wait…I do remember feeling too warm, but I just moved here from the North and I’m not used to this climate. Could that have caused my problem?”

  “It’s possible. I’ve run some tests and examined you. Your blood pressure and heart rate were a little elevated when you got here, but that’s to be expected. You were very upset. Everything else is normal. Why were you hysterical, Ms. Harris?”

  “ I remember being very frightened. I thought something was very wrong with me because I’ve never felt like that or fainted before. Why do I feel so light headed Doctor?”

  “ You were so upset that I ordered a sedative. It will wear off in a few hours. I’m going to examine you again and if everything is still ok, I’ll release you. You should have someone with you for 24 hours though and you’ll need to take it easy this evening.”

  He examined her and reassured her that all was normal. He wrote for a minute on her chart.

  “Do you have a physician, Ms. Harris?”

  “ No.”

  “ I suggest you call this Doctor’s office and get checked out tomorrow. Dr. Case is an excellent physician and I think you’ll like him. If you have any more problems before you see him, come back here. OK?”

  “ Who can I call to come pick you up? You can’t drive with the sedative in your system.”

  The only person Manda could think of was Mr. Lanier. After giving Dr. Walker his name, the doctor left the room to contact Mr. Lanier and make arrangements for Manda.

  Manda dressed under the watchful eye of the nurse, and waited to be picked up.

  “Manda, What on earth happened?”

  Mr. Lanier had escorted Manda to his car and they now sat in the hospital parking lot.

  “ I fainted and the squad brought me here to be examined. Don’t be so concerned, Mr. Lanier. The doctor said I’m fine. I’m sorry I had to drag you into this, but I didn’t know anyone else I could call, and he said that I couldn’t be alone for 24 hours.”

  “Manda, I would have been upset if you hadn’t had the doctor call me.”

  “ Thank you.”

  “You have a choice. I didn’t know if you’d be comfortable staying with me since I live alone, so I took the liberty of calling a dear friend of mine. She said that, of course, you can stay with her. She’s a wonderful woman. I’ve know her since I was a little boy. She owns Breakfast, Brunch, and Lunch. Kate Bradshaw is her name.”

  “ I met her one day in her restaurant. We had a nice talk. If you’re sure it’s ok, I’ll stay wi
th her. My mom would prefer that, I’m sure.”

  “ Then we’ll be on our way. Buckle up.”

  Manda was silent on the drive to Kate’s house. Some of her anxiety had returned as the sedative began to wear off. She was attempting to keep her mind off of what had happened by thinking of other things, but it wasn’t helping much.

  Mr. Lanier pulled the car up in front of a Victorian style house.

  ”Here we are. Try to relax, Manda. You’ll be in good hands.”

  The front door opened as they walked toward the house and Kate stepped onto the porch.

  “Hello, Manda…John. Come on it and make yourselves at home.” She led them to a small sitting room and gestured toward several overstuffed chairs.

  After they were seated, Kate offered refreshments. “I have dinner on, but it’ll be several hours before it’s ready. John, you’ll be staying for dinner won’t you?”

  “I always accept an opportunity to eat your cooking, Kate. Thanks for asking.”

  “Manda, do you feel like a little bit to eat to hold you till dinner, or would you rather lie down?”

  “ I feel fine, except for being a little light headed from the medicine. I am hungry, thank you Kate.”

  “Just rest then and I’ll go get a snack.”

  “Excuse me, Manda; I’m going to see if I can help Kate.”

  Manda reflected on the day’s events. She felt embarrassed and frightened at the same time. She could hear the murmur of voices from the kitchen and knew they were probably discussing her.

  Manda concentrated on the crackling fire in the fireplace. The sight and sound of it was relaxing. It dawned on her that a fire at this time of year in this climate was very unusual and normally unnecessary. The house was very cool however, so the fire was welcome and soothing.

  Kate and Mr. Lanier returned and Kate placed a serving platter on the coffee table. On it was a pot of tea and an arrangement of small slices of various tea breads. After everyone was served, Kate sat and relaxed. She noticed Manda’s preoccupation with the fire and chuckled.

  “It’s nice, isn’t it. People knew how to build houses for this climate. The house is always cool enough to be comfortable in the hottest weather but this time of day and through the evening, it’s cool enough that I can enjoy the fireplace. I spend most of my evenings in this room.”

  “I’m enjoying it very much. It has a calming effect on me.”

  Kate smiled, “Nanny May and I enjoyed many an evening in front of this fireplace. She loved it too.”

  “ It’s a little peculiar,” returned Manda,” I keep my room at the hotel on the chilly side so I can enjoy the feel of my cozy sweat suits or an afghan draped around me. It’s really odd when you think about it.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, I’m that way too. I think a lot of people are more comfortable when they can control their environment as much as possible to suit their wishes. It’s kind of like a good conversation with an old friend or the scent of pine at Christmas or the sound of church bells chiming. Makes a person feel good.”

  “ Ladies,” Mr. Lanier stated, “I apologize but I won’t be able to stay for dinner, after all. I had forgotten that I have some paperwork that I have to complete before morning. So, if you will excuse me, I’d better be on my way.”

  “ That’s fine, John…next time.”

  “ Thanks, Kate. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  After Kate escorted him to the door, she walked back to the sitting room to suggest that Manda nap for a while only to find her already sleeping in the chair. She placed an afghan over her and sat down with a good book to relax and to watch over Manda until suppertime.

  ***

  Kate and Manda were sitting at the kitchen table. They had eaten dinner, cleared the table, and were about to have coffee.

  “How do you feel now, Manda ?”

  “I feel so much better. I think the shot has worn off and I’m almost back to normal,” she said with a faint smile.

  “Thank you for the delicious supper, Kate. I was hungrier than I thought I’d be.”

  Kate looked at Manda with concern and speculation.

  “You’ve been very quiet since you woke from your nap. I know you’ve had a tough day, but I get the feeling that there’s something else bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?”

  Manda looked over at Kate with a trace of fear on her face. “I would like to talk about it, but I don’t know if I should.”

  “Why not, Honey? It will probably do you a world of good to get it off your chest.”

  “I’m afraid you’ll think I’ve lost my mind.”

  Kate smiled at her, “I’ve been around a long time and I’ve heard just about everything. Don’t worry; just spill it.”

  Manda was silent for a moment, absentmindedly stirring her coffee. She laid her spoon on the table and looked at Kate with resolution in her eyes. She began to tell Kate, with many starts and stops, of the terrifying experience she had experienced that afternoon.

  Kate sat for a few minutes after Manda finished her story, seeming to stare off into space, indecision written on her face. She finally looked at Manda, after making up her mind.

  “Manda, I’m going to tell you something that you need to know. First, you are NOT crazy !”

  “Second, your great aunt, Nanny May, also had visions.”

  Manda gasped and felt her muscles tense with shock.

  “She began having them when she was 16, although she later decided that she had experienced them at an earlier age, but they weren’t as strong and she just thought of them as being a result of a lively imagination. Her mother agreed with her and reassured her that all children were the same.”

  “Years passed and she had all but forgotten them. Then at 16, she began to have them again; much stronger and more detailed. She was terrified at first, as you are now. She was afraid to talk to any physician-she was afraid she would be placed in a home for people with mental illness. She began to read everything she could about such things and finally came to the conclusion that she had been born with certain abilities. She had a very hard time adjusting to having the visions, but finally learned to live with them. They weren’t pleasant for her, of course, but she finally lost her fear of them. She and I discussed them now and then. Her main concern was that she felt someone was asking for her help, but she failed because she couldn’t interpret the visions.”

  “ Does that knowledge about Nanny May ease your mind, Manda? It should, because Nanny wasn’t the least bit crazy. She had a great head on those strong shoulders of hers and she was very intelligent and down to earth.”

  “I don’t know if it helps or not,” Manda said while massaging her temples with her fingertips. Her shoulders slumped as she deeply sighed. “If you don’t mind Kate, I’d like to go to my room. I’m very tired, my head aches, and I need to think about things. Maybe I’ll feel better in the morning.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. Your room is the first door to the left at the top of the stairs. The bathroom is next to your room. I put everything that I thought you may need in your room, but if I’ve forgotten anything or you need me, just yell.”

  “Thanks Kate. Thanks for everything.”

  Manda rose from her chair and with shaky legs, walked toward the stairs.

  Kate stood, ”Do you need any help getting settled?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  Kate stood there with worry etched into her face as Manda slowly climbed the stairs. She was still standing there when she heard the bedroom door close.

  Manda did no more than she had to do before getting into bed. She had decided that thinking clearly was out of the question. Due to the emotional and physical trauma she had endured in just this one day, sleep claimed her instantly.

  ***

  Patrick and Megan, soon joined by Nanny May, gathered around her bed clasping hands to encircle her with protection while she slept a deep healing sleep.

  Chapter 37

  Manda woke early with a
clear mind and a brighter outlook. She lay in bed, letting her mind process all that she had experienced and learned the day before. After a great night’s sleep and with the sunlight beginning to filter through the curtains, she was able to be more optimistic.

  A definite plus was that she wasn’t losing her mind. Nanny May had passed on her quirks as well as her black hair, dimples, and worldly goods to her…that was all.

  Manda could look at the vision she had seen at the beach with more objectivity now that she knew of Nanny’s visions and now that she knew that she had not been in any danger at any time.

  All she had to do was figure out what it all meant.

  She sat up in an explosion of excitement. Today she was to get the contents of the lock box at the bank…YES ! Surely she would find something there to help her understand. She suddenly realized that she felt wonderful. All of the negative effects of yesterday had disappeared. ‘Thank you, God!’

  She threw her clothes on, straightened the bed, and swung around the door into the bathroom; where she splashed her face with cold water and ran a comb through her hair.

  She heard Kate moving around downstairs so she bounded down the steps and into the kitchen.

  Kate was startled when Manda breezed in but her expression changed to delight when she realized that Manda was back to her usual up-beat self.

  “Manda, you look radiant !”

  “Kate, I feel radiant! Things look so much better this morning. Now I have a mystery to solve.”

  “ Kate, I need to call a cab. I have an appointment at the bank and I need to get back to the hotel.”

  “How about some breakfast first.”

  ” Thanks, but I’ll just catch breakfast at the hotel.”

  “Well, give me a second and I’ll drop you off on my way to the restaurant.”

  “Are you sure it won’t be any trouble ?

  “Not a minutes worth, Hon.”

  ***

  After Kate pulled up to the hotel entrance, Manda leaned over and gave her a hug.

  “I can never thank you enough for your help, Kate.”

  “ I hope I was able to put your mind at ease. I’ll call you tonight if that’s ok, to see how you are.”

  “That will be nice. I can’t believe how good I feel. I must have a guardian angel who took all the bad away and left me with the good stuff. I just hope she hangs around.”