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  He let out a small laugh. One of the things he loved most about his wife was her sense of humor. Even now, in this dark moment, she was able to find reason to joke.

  “Want me to run to the store for some comfort food? Rub your back? Anything?”

  “Thanks, honey, but I think I’ll just go to bed.”

  “Alright. I’ll be here if you need me.”

  She deposited the tissues in the trash, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and left him sitting alone in the kitchen.

  Chapter 4

  David picked up the phone and tapped in a number.

  After a few short rings a voice answered. “Hello?”

  “Alex. You called?”

  “David! Buddy! I can’t wait to see you, man. It’s been weeks!”

  “Yeah, I know. ––It’ll be great.”

  “You okay? You sound exhausted.”

  David drew in a breath. “Yeah. It’s been one of those days.”

  “Wife on your case?”

  “I’d take wife troubles over this any day.”

  “I’ve had days like that.”

  “Oh I guarantee, you haven’t had a day like this.” David paused.

  “O-kay. Want to fill me in?”

  Did he? No matter how he told it he was going to end up sounding like a nut job. But this was Alex, his best friend since grade school. If he couldn’t tell him, who could he tell?

  “Hello?”

  “Sorry, Alex.”

  “Well?”

  “Well, it’s just––really weird.”

  “You’ve always been weird. What else is new?”

  “Thanks, Alex. Now I really don’t want to tell you.”

  “Come on, David, spill it.”

  David thought for a second. “Do you believe in ESP?”

  “What?”

  “You know, ESP, extrasensory perception.”

  “I know what ESP is, but what are you talking about?”

  “Well, this afternoon, when I was in an edit session with a couple of guys at work, I uh, think I experienced it.”

  “ESP?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You wanna explain?”

  “Well,” he took a deep breath, “I was scanning the room for something to read, because, you know, I was bored, and my eyes started going from one word to another and... You sure you want to know this, it’s really stupid.”

  “Yeah, go on.”

  “Well, my eyes were drawn to a bunch of words that made a sentence. It said, ‘Will exit needs tape.’” David paused again.

  “So––what’s so stupid about that?”

  “Nothing. Until it happened. The producer got up and went out because he needed a tape!”

  “Oh. That is weird.”

  “I know, right?”

  The line was silent for a moment.

  “These words,” Alex said slowly, “were from stuff in the room? You didn’t pull them from your head?”

  “No. It was a poster, a coffee cup, that sort of thing, from wherever my eyes landed.”

  “And your eyes went right to them, you didn’t guide them?”

  “No. Yes. I mean, it was like––like something else was drawing my attention to them. It’s hard to explain.” He thought for a moment. “It was, like being in a river current. I wasn’t controlling it. It was controlling me.”

  “O-kay.”

  “I know it sounds insane, but that’s what it felt like.”

  “Did you try it again?”

  “Yes. Get this. When I was driving home, I was thinking about what happened, and I thought I’d give it another shot, you know, so I could prove it wrong. But as soon as I started looking, my eyes went right to the words stop and now. I knew it was real and I...”

  “You stopped.”

  “Yeah! I slammed on my brakes!”

  “And?”

  The guy behind me swerved around and kept going and got plowed over by a Mack Truck!”

  “You’re joking.”

  “No! The paramedics said the man died on impact!”

  “Wow!”

  “That could have been me, Alex. If I hadn’t listened to that message, I’d be dead right now.”

  Several seconds passed. Then Alex spoke. “So you saw stop and now and you stopped. Just like that.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it was––it was. It wasn’t so much the message that made me slam on my brakes, it was the feeling I got when it came to me, like a confirmation, like I already knew the message, but the words were confirming it somehow. Something deep inside me understood that what I was looking at was not just real, but truth, something so pure it could not be doubted.”

  There was no response on the other end of the line.

  “Anyway. I knew if I didn’t stop, something terrible was going to happen, so I slammed on the brakes.”

  “Wow. David, I gotta say. That’s... That’s...”

  “Crazy! I know it’s crazy! Do you think it’s possible for it to be some kind of weird coincidence?”

  “One heck of a coincidence don’t ya think?”

  “Alex, I appreciate you not thinking I’m a head case.”

  “Oh you’re nuts, certifiably insane.”

  David shook his head. “I knew I should have kept my big mouth shut.”

  Alex laughed. “I’m joking. I know you’re for real. You’ve never lied in your whole life. If you said it happened, then it happened.”

  David was quiet.

  “Have you told Sharon about it?”

  “No. I didn’t want to upset her any more.”

  “Why, what’s going on?”

  David paused. He knew Alex really liked Brandon.

  “What’s going on, David?”

  “It’s Brandon, Alex.” He lowered his voice. “He was killed in the war.”

  “Aw, man, you’re kidding me.”

  “She got the news today.”

  “David. I’m so sorry. Sharon must be devastated. That’s horrible!”

  “Yeah, we’re all struggling with it.”

  “Brandon was such a great guy. Remember the time I got my car stuck in the mud and he came with his truck...”

  As Alex talked, David’s eyes shifted to the kitchen counter and rested on a can of beans and franks. The word frank popped out at him.

  David’s breathing became shallow.

  In front of him, his eyes peeled the word needs from the cover of a Good Housekeeping magazine, and from a Valentine’s card on the fridge, the word you stood out. The message constructed itself in David’s mind. Frank needs you.

  “David? You still there?” The voice coming from the phone sounded distant.

  David’s heart throbbed in his chest. The room swam around him. He took in a difficult breath. “It just happened again.”

  “What? The words? Are you seeing the words?”

  “I have to go.”

  “David. Hello? David!”

  Bleep. The phone went quiet. He placed it on the table. Frank needs me? Was he in trouble? Was he in danger? The chair squelched as David stood. His hands were shaking. This is crazy. Was he supposed to rush into some unknown and possibly dangerous situation just because some random words came together and made a sentence?

  He made his way to the front door. Under the coat rack, in a bag, was Ben’s baseball gear. David pulled out an aluminum bat. It was small, but better than nothing. He gripped the front doorknob with a sweaty hand, paused, then forcefully pulled the door open and stepped out into the night. Looking toward his neighbor’s house, David saw Frank’s car in his driveway. There were no lights on in the house, but this was normal. Frank was the gym teacher at the local school, and most days he had to be up early. David jumped down into his neighbor’s driveway from the stone wall divider and climbed the concrete stairs to his friend’s front door. It was open a few inches. A pensive wind sucked it in and out slightly, as if the house was breathing. Shadows moved in the cracks around the door
frame. David angled himself to see into Frank’s living room, but the darkness was complete. If anyone was inside, the contrast created by the streetlight made it impossible to see.

  Now what? Was he supposed to just barge into his neighbor’s house with a bat? He gripped the bat in response to the thought. His adrenaline spiked. This is nuts! This is what crazy people do! Hear voices, sneak into their neighbor’s house with a bat, and end up on the Jerry Springer show––after a couple of years in prison.

  No. He was not crazy. He decided to knock. Sane people knock.

  A loud clatter and a desperate moan came from inside. Riding on pure adrenaline, David burst through the door. The room was pitch black except for a path lit by the streetlight outside. Sounds of thrashing came from the kitchen. David crouched low and moved toward the sound. He ran his hand along the wall to find the light switch. His heart was on fire, his senses working overtime. More movement. It sounded like a struggle. He rounded the corner and his fingers found what they were searching for. He gripped the bat, flicked the switch, and stiffened to defend against an attack.

  But none came.

  On the floor, surrounded by canned food, Frank lay gripping his chest. David dropped the bat and ran to him. “Are you okay?”

  Frank struggled to speak. “My- h- heart.”

  “I’ll call 911.”

  “Get––pills.”

  “Where?” David looked around frantically. “Where are they, Frank?”

  “I don’t kn...” Frank did not look well.

  David opened cabinet after cabinet, nothing but cups and plates. He slid open several drawers, still nothing. He could hear Frank gasping for breath behind him. He scanned the counter. “What does it look like, Frank?” His voice sounded desperate in his own ears. He needed to calm down. He remembered taking CPR in high school. Always stay calm, no matter what. He took a deep breath, and refocused. There was an orange bottle behind the sink. He scooped it up. Nitroglycerin. “Found it!” He dropped to his knees, popped the cap, and shook out a pill. Frank eagerly took it under his tongue.

  “That’s it, buddy. Relax. You’re okay. You’re okay. I found the pills. Everything’s gonna be okay.” He leaned back against the cabinet door and looked down at Frank, then jumped back up and left the room.

  “Wh- where...”

  “I’ll be right back. I’m getting you a pillow.”

  He re-entered and crouched down. Gently he lifted Frank’s head and put the pillow in place. “You rest. I’m calling 911.”

  He stood and grabbed the phone and punched in the numbers. They answered right away. “Yes. I think my neighbor’s had a heart attack. Yes. 103 Birchwood. I gave him a Nitroglycerin. Okay. Okay. Yes. Thank you.” He looked down at Frank and gave a reassuring smile. “They’re on their way.”

  Frank lifted a thumb.

  “You scared me half to death you know.”

  Frank smiled weakly.

  David crouched back down and leaned against the sink cabinet. He stared quietly at the recovering man.

  Amazing!

  Again the words had spoken the truth. Frank did need him. He might have died if David hadn’t shown up! What is going ON here? Something––or someone was sending him messages. It had to be. David couldn’t possibly have known his neighbor was in trouble.

  In the distance an ambulance shrieked; the fire station wasn’t far. The color was returning to Frank’s face. He reached out and gripped David by the wrist. “You know something?”

  “What’s that, Frank?”

  “God sent you to me.”

  David’s heart skipped a beat. “What? What do you mean?”

  “I prayed that God would send someone, and you came.”

  A cynical smile creased David’s lips. “You must’ve hit your head when you fell.”

  Frank looked serious. “I prayed, and you showed up just in time.”

  David hesitated. “Ah, o-kay.”

  “Why did you come, David? I didn’t yell. I could barely breathe. But you came.”

  David didn’t say anything. He just sat there, crouched against the cabinet, staring at Frank.

  “You knew. I can see it on your face. How did you know?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I don’t even believe me!” David snapped.

  Frank recoiled slightly.

  “I’m sorry, Frank. I’m just a little freaked out right now.”

  Frank’s eyes widened. “It’s true! God did speak to you, didn’t he?”

  “Not exactly.” David put his head in his hands.

  “What do you mean?”

  “If,” said David, poking a finger at Frank, “if it was God who spoke to me, and I’m not saying it was, but if it was––he did it with written words. It was a message.”

  “A message? Did he write it on the wall with his finger, like in the book of Daniel––or in stone like with Moses and the ten commandments?”

  David put his palm on his face. He wasn’t really going to tell him he got the message from a can of beans, a magazine, and a Valentine’s card. Was he?

  The ambulance siren cut off; it was outside.

  “You okay, Dave?”

  David let his hand slide down. “Yeah. I’m okay. Look. I’ll stop by tomorrow to check on you, but I need some time to process, you know, before I start blabbing to the whole world that God is in communication with me.”

  Frank chuckled. “I imagine it’s a lot to swallow, talking to God and all, but I want you to know something.” Frank turned his head and fixed his eyes on David’s. “If you do decide to come back and tell me about the writing, I promise I won’t think you’re crazy.”

  David shook his head. “Well then––that will make one of us.”

  Chapter 5

  David splashed water on his face then looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Was he crazy? If he was, would he know it? Who knows they’re crazy? Crazy people think everyone else is crazy. Right?

  He splashed his face again, but no amount of washing was going to remove the bags from under his eyes. The glistening water only made his eyes appear more hollow. He toweled off, ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair, and adjusted his tie. Again he looked in the mirror. All he wanted to do was crawl back into bed, pull up his blanky force field, and make it all go away. Like it wasn’t hard enough being an intern competing for limited full-time positions at one of the largest television stations in Boston, he had to go and add a family crisis and a paranormal psychosis for good measure. He squeezed his eyes shut. “Just shoot me. Shoot me right now. In the face. With big bullets.”

  He turned to replace the towel on the rack and noticed a new piece of artwork taped on the wall. Obviously drawn by his daughter, it was a crude picture of a flower looking miserable underneath an umbrella. Rain was shooting down from big black clouds. In purple crayon were the words, “The flowr is sad becuz he duznt undrstand that the rane will help him grow.” David stood and stared at it.

  There was a tiny knock on the door.

  “Dad? It’s time for breakfast.”

  David opened the door. It was Ben, still in his pajamas. “I take it you’re not going to school.” He reached out and ruffled his matted blond hair.

  “Mom said we’re staying home.”

  “And what do you think about that?”

  Ben gave a lackluster smile and squeezed into the bathroom.

  Poor little guy, David thought. He had the day off from school but couldn’t even enjoy it. Ben loved his Uncle, and they both loved sports. They used to spend hours naming off baseball stats, even rare ones, like what player, in 1946 walked in the third inning, winning the game for the Dolphins. David wasn’t even sure if the Dolphins were a baseball team.

  In the kitchen, the aroma of eggs and sausages filled David’s nostrils. Sharon was at the stove. Emily, with her curly brown hair shooting out in all directions, sat staring vacantly into her bowl of Froot Lo
ops. She was not a morning person, and this morning weighed especially heavily on her little heart.

  David picked up the coffee pot. “How are you holding up?” he asked his wife.

  Sharon’s eyes stayed fixed on the stove. “Fine, I guess.”

  “We had quite a day yesterday.”

  No response.

  He sipped his coffee and examined her intently. Maybe a little too intently.

  “I’m fine,” she said, evenly. “You don’t need to stare.”

  “Ben says you’re staying home.”

  “Yes. I need to see about funeral arrangements. I guess the Marines want to be involved. There are a lot of details to comb through. I’m not just taking the day off to sulk.”

  “I never said you were. And I wasn’t staring, I was thinking. I was trying to decide if I should tell you something. Judging by your reaction, I guess it can wait.”

  She slid the contents of the pan onto a plate and set the pan back on the stove. With a heavy sigh she turned and faced her husband. “What is it? Something about work?”

  “No. Not really. It’s about why I was late last night. I wanted to tell you when I got home, but for obvious reasons, I decided to wait.”

  “You mean the accident?”

  “Yes. Well, not the accident specifically.”

  “Well then what?”

  David paused. “You know, I really don’t need to tell you right now. It’s not that important.”

  “David. You have my attention. Tell me.”

  “Okay.” He took in a deep breath. “Something really weird happened before the accident––and last night at Frank’s. Here. Let’s sit down and I’ll explain everything.”

  By the time he was done, his entire family was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at him, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

  “Can you do it anytime you want?” Ben asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Try it right now,” he said excitedly.

  Sharon interrupted. “Am I the only one who thinks this is creepy? I don’t know how I feel about all this, David. It makes my skin crawl.”

  “How do you think I feel?”

  “Are you a superhero?” That was Emily.