“What…, no way,” she said, “… For real?”

“Uh-huh, but keep it on the down-low. It’s very hush-hush.”

“Well, if that’s true, where do you go?”

“Just where you’d expect; it’s where people usually go for that sort of stuff.”

“You mean Stiffy Joe’s?”

I nodded.

“Bullshit, I’ve never seen any in the shop window. Never seen it advertised. You’re having me on, Tim.”

I laughed. “’Course you’ve never seen any, you silly moo. It’s illegal, be bad for business, wouldn’t it! Frighten the punters away.”

“As if hunting trophies don’t? But anyway, how much does it cost?”

“No idea.”

“Well, how long does it take then?”

“No idea; it’s not the sort of thing I’ve done before or am ever likely to.”

“Well, you’re not much bloody use then, are you!”

“Excuse me for trying to help, Liz – I told you, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, I s’pose, thanks. Can I ask another favour?”

Stiffy Joe’s

“Is Joe in?” Liz asked.

I shuffled about, surveying the macabre interior. There was no one else in the shop, the place was like a morgue. I re-directed my eyes from a dead opossum clutching a fake tree to a rigid bichon frisé urinating underneath. I exhaled loudly, totally avoiding eye contact with a goth shop assistant who had miraculously appeared without an accompanying flash of sulphur and smoke. Clearly, she was also trying to avoid eye contact with me.

“The jerk’s on his constitutional.”

“You mean the toilet?”

“No, a coffee break: an americano every day at 1.45 pm. His constitutional right, he says. The 9th amendment, the unenumerated right to a coffee break. Friggin’ freak!”

The shop assistant added without intent, “Can I help?”

Liz hesitated, pacing side to side.

“… I’m… not… sure.”

“I’m fully qualified, you know. I apprenticed with Joe – for three years!”

“Oh…” Liz started.

I interrupted, trying to sound important: “It’s a special job,” parenthesising ‘special’ with my index fingers.

The shop assistant immediately changed her attitude. Not for the better.

“Come back after 2 pm.”
She turned and walked away.

Bats don’t like the light, I thought, She’s probably gone out the back to hang upside down.

“I guess it’s not everybody’s cup of tea,” I said, trying to reassure Liz.

“Coffee?” she prompted.

“Rum?” I countered.

“Rum.”

I smiled.

36DD’s – The Dyslexics Bra

“Better than Hooters,” I said.

Liz rolled her eyes like she always did.

Our drinks arrived.

“Why,” I asked, “… why?”

“You mean Hector?”

I nodded.

“I just want him around forever, I s’pose.”

“Still don’t get it!”

“Well,” she said, “Can’t live with him, can’t live without him. Isn’t that what they say?”

“Can’t argue with that,” I said. “Up your bum,” I added, raising my glass while checking out the barmaid.

“Have you thought where you’d put him?”

“No.”

“I guess you have to be a bit careful about that.”

“What ya mean?”

“Well…,” I said, just as the hot chips arrived. “Could we have some ketchup, please?”

“Lots of it,” Liz chimed in. “It always reminds me of thick sticky blood – sweet.”

“Good chips,” I said after a minute. “Pass the salt.”

Two hours later, chips and ketchup and a few rums onboard, we were back at Stiffy Joe’s.

“I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“Snooty bitch,” Liz cursed quietly.

“Shush! She’s getting him, isn’t she?” I said.

Thirty seconds later, a disheveled man escaped from the plastic strip door curtain.

“I’m Joe,” he announced. “Whatcha want?”

Liz hesitated.

“A private chat about a private job,” I said, tempted to use my index fingers again to emphasize ‘private.’

“What?”

“A private chat about a private job,” I repeated.

“Why are you whispering, you fool? What do you want?”

“A private chat,” I said, now surprising and frightening myself with my increased volume.

“Is that right?”

“I think we should go,” Liz interrupted, clearly feeling uncomfortable.

“Your choice,” the sasquatch hippy with Joe engraved on his badge said.

“Hang on, Liz, are you sure?”

She looked at me, eyes searching for her thoughts.

“… Um… Um.”

“Can we go somewhere private?” I suggested, this time pulling the trigger fingers.

He looked at me strangely, then said, “Come through then, follow me.”

Wild-eyed birds watched our movements as we entered the bowels of Stiffy Joe’s. The stench of stringent chemicals hit me hard, nearly bowling me over.
The shop cat stared, frozen to a spot on the back bench.

“Well…?” he asked, reaching for his tobacco pouch.

I gulped. “We heard you did special jobs?”

“Who said that?” the old man responded, suspicion in his eyes, tobacco shred in his moustache.

“Just a rumour I heard.”

“Rumours are like dicky spirit levels. They can put you wrong, my friend. If they’re not correct, they make things unbalanced. Put you out of kilter. Make you make bad decisions.”

Bang!

Liz and I jumped, my heart froze, my mouth opened involuntarily.

I spun around, spied a red squirrel dead on the concrete floor; it must have fallen out of the faux fir tree in the corner.

Liz gasped.

Joe ejected a single expletive. “Crikey.”

Heart beating again, I asked, “Okay… okay, let’s say you did ‘special jobs,’ how much would that kind of thing cost?”

Taking his time, the old man deftly rolled a cigarette – then expelled air from his lungs, preparing for an onslaught of incoming smoke.

“Same price range as a funeral,” he answered. “Some people want bells and whistles; some just want a cardboard casket. Some people send their loved ones off in a golden shroud and a Mercedes Benz; others, well, they can’t get rid quick enough, no-frills, nothing fancy. A sheet, a hole in the ground, or a can of kerosine, and a lighter.”

Liz shook her head, looked down at her feet.

It was my turn to expel air. “Even an el-cheapo funeral is $5k. That’s pretty expensive.”

“Piss off,” the old man spat back. “It’s friggin cheap at twice the price. Think of the advantages. Cemeteries are running out of room; they’re starting to double-deck plots, bury people standing up. Do you want that? Cremation pollutes the air – releases carbon into the atmosphere. What I offer is a chance to be with your loved one forever. Do burials and cremation offer that?”

“So, is there a top end, then? You say minimum $5k, what’s the upper limit?”

“Most people spend between $12k and $15k. That’s a quality product that will last a lifetime. So, what do you think?”

I deferred to Liz: “What do you think, Liz?”

“I’m not sure, I don’t know,” she replied timidly.

“Jesus, Mary, and the whole freaking cavalcade of saints; don’t waste my time, lady: I’ve two dogs and a cat to mount.”

I stalled for time. “You got a portfolio or something? So my friend can see what you can do.”

“Guy or girl?” he asked.

“Who?”

“The bloody model, the specimen: guy or girl.”

“Guy.”

“She better not be a friggin’ tyre kicker, mate.” He said staring at me as if I was in charge. He stormed over to the back bench, threw some papers around then came back with a chemical-stained folder.

“This is what I can do.”

Inside the folder was a catalogue filled with models in different poses.

“Let me walk you through it.

“Picture One is our base model. The price of $5k includes mounting but minimal animation. What you see is what came in. Might not look glamorous – but it’ll never age, and it comes with our thirty-year guarantee.”

Liz recoiled and grunted, “Yuk, it’s not very flattering.”

“Natural though: this guy fell off a ladder, landed in a thorn bush, and broke his neck. His wife was very pleased with the realism.

“Now, number two is $6k. It includes a more natural look, with a bit more animation.”

“Erg, gross.” Liz turned her head away.

“This guy was frightened to death, but his wife didn’t want to change a thing! She liked the idea that he saw it coming.

“Number three – sports pose! I was told this weedy guy was a wimp but always wanted to be a boxer. His girlfriend wanted his dream to come true. Not my cup of chimp juice, but she was happy enough.”

Liz shook her head.

“Now, number four, very proud of this one - $7.5k. He was a writer. The main difference is the facial hair. You see? That stubble will be there for eternity, and he’ll never have to shave.”

“I’ve seen that guy before,” I interrupted.

“Yeah, probably; he’s parked in the west corner of the town library. He wanted to be put there, close to his precious books. Patrons of the library think he’s a statue. The pipe isn’t really lit – the library is a public building, you see – non-smoking.”

I smiled. “Yeah…yeah…that’s right, that’s him!”

At last, Joe decided to light his rollie – inhaled a deep draught of rum-soaked tobacco. My nostrils flared in attraction. Rum, I thought.

“Number five. Similar, but the props are more elaborate, fancy. Came with the chair, trilby, and mohair suit—$ 10k.

“Number six. Wannabe gangster look. In fact, this guy was a gangster. His father is a crime lord. He wanted a reminder of his son. The old man ordered a hit on him. The unfortunate lad had eyes for his father’s missus and a bit of a sweet tooth!”

“A sweet tooth?”

“Yeah, he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar!”

“Oh,” I said.

“Rigor mortis had set in by the time I got to him, so I put a gun in his hand. Good thinking ae’, and quality all the way with this one. $12.5k – worth every cent.”

“Number 7, top of the range! $17k! This guy was in the military, killed on active service. His wife wanted something to remember him by. Better than a flag and a medal – don’t ya think?”

“Was he killed in a battle?” Liz asked

“Hell, no, he was electrocuted repairing a hot water cylinder; he was an army electrician. Must have been a shit one at that.

“So, that gives you an idea of what I can do; whatcha think? You interested?”

I looked at Liz.

She nodded.

“How much did you want to spend then?”

“Um,” she said, “$10k, but that would be my top budget for sure – the max.”

“Good, we’re getting somewhere now.” Joe smiled. “Thought of a pose or style?

“Something natural, nothing too posed.”

“Okay, good. What did he like? Tell me something about him.”

Liz smiled. “He loves… I mean, he loved parties. He loved football. He’s Dutch… I mean was Dutch – from Holland.”

“That’s good; it’s given me a few ideas – maybe a party pose, a football celebration, something like that. Put him in an orange tee. I could do that for $10k. When can I see the model? When can you bring him in?”

Liz hesitated, turned bright red.

I jumped in to help her. “That’s where there’s a bit of a problem.”

“Problem? For God’s sake, you are freakin’ wasting my time. What problem?”

“Well… Shall I tell, or will you?” I asked Liz.

“You.”

Joe looked at me expectantly; I could tell it was more than gravity wearing his smile down. He was pissed off.

“Well… He’s not dead yet!”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!”

“But, he will be, will be soon,” Liz quickly added.

Hands-on hips, Joe rolled his eyes.

“I take deposits,” he said, after a minute. “10% non-refundable. I’m the only guy in town who does this kind of work – so I reckon you got no choice.”

“That’s ridiculous; why would we pay you a deposit?”

“Because if you don’t, I might say no, and then you’ll have a body to dispose of, a body due to an unexplained death, or I just might tell the cops what you told me! Your choice.”

I looked about the backroom; dozens of marbled eyes inserted into manky pelts stared back at me. It was clear Joe traded in misery and revelled in it.

“We need time to think.”

“Fair enough,” Joe said, throwing the butt to the floor, stubbing it out with his hairy feet, then kicking it toward the staring squirrel. “But don’t take too long. I’m having my brother over for lunch on Sunday afternoon. He’s a cop. Me and him like to spin a few yarns, share a drink or two. Who knows what might pop up after a couple of beers?”

I looked about again. Well, it won’t be a live meerkat, I thought.

“What’s the best way to kill him?”

The unabashed tone and gravity of Liz’s question stood out like the balls of the mangey elk standing in the east corner. Like me, it looked confused, although it was standing spread-legged in front of a pathetically painted mountain diorama. I think I knew how it felt.

What the hell? I added to my thoughts. I turned to Liz, wearing a what-the-fuck face.
She had steely eyes; determination engraved on her face.

“What’s the best way? A way that doesn’t affect the skin and a way to make sure I won’t get caught.”

“Poison,” Joe responded immediately. “Yep, poison’s the go, doesn’t leave a mark, difficult to prove.”

Liz smiled. “Let me think about your offer then; give me a chance to raise the $1k deposit. I’ll only need 24 hours. I can come back tomorrow at 1.30 pm; I can bring some coffee if you want?”

“Well, that’s about when I take a coffee break, so why not? I drink Americanos.”

Liz turned to me. “What about you, Tim? Can you make it?”

“Sure, why not?” I parroted, “I’ll try an Americano as well.”

“Too easy.”

Liz’s flat - reprised

“Thanks for coming with me today, Tim.”

“No worries, but are you sure you want to do this?”

“Do what?”

“Well… you know what I mean… Do this to Hec, get into bed with that freak Stiffy Joe?”

“I’m doing it for him! Securing his future.”

I stared back at her; she was deadly serious. She was clearly deranged. I started to question my involvement.

“You still cool about tomorrow?” she asked, perhaps sensing my fading enthusiasm.

“Sure,” I lied.

“I’m phoning Hec tonight; I’ll ask when he’s coming back. He’s at a Gun conference in Wellington. Hopefully, he’ll be back the day after tomorrow. He’s sure in for one hella-of a big surprise!”

I gulped and decided to have a tall rum when I got home.

Stiffy Joe’s - again

The shop doorbell chimed as I walked in.

I’d arrived five minutes early, so I looked around the shop. Stiffy Joe’s was a carrion cornucopia for the depraved; what once were beautiful lythe breathing animals were now buckram beasts of grotesque rigidity. I shivered.

The goth appeared out of nowhere. “Oh, for God’s sake, it’s only you.” She rolled her eyes and blew a ginormous strawberry coloured bubble gum bubble. It popped, making me jump.

She looked pastier than yesterday, crispier whitewashed face, shinier bottle black hair. The coloured language stayed the same, though.

Not surprised, I thought, working in a place like this, with a boss like Joe.

“I’ll let him know you’re here,” she said.

The doorbell chimed again. Liz walked in carrying a cardboard tray with three coffees safely inserted.

I smiled a half-smile. The goth returned, offering a quarter smile and a wink to Liz.
“Come through,” Joe called from behind the tacky red and black plastic curtain, bringing back childhood memories of old butchers’ shops.

No greeting. I wasn’t surprised.

“You got the money?” he asked.

Liz nodded, smiled. “Coffee?”

I’d only taken a sip when I felt my throat clamp shut; I struggled to breathe. My guts were set alight. I was on fire. I felt my body start to shake, my eyes bulge. I began to convulse; I tried to focus. I saw Joe lying on the ground, holding his throat. I fell. I looked up, squinted, saw Liz standing over us. She was smiling.

Liz’s flat - again

“Mmm, so nice to see you, Hec! I missed you so much!”

“Whoa, settle down, Liz, aren’t you Miss Frisky today? I’ve just walked in the door; there’ll be plenty of… Whoa, you have missed me!”

Liz looked up. “You not like?”

“You know I do, but I’ve just got in; I didn’t shower this morning. Let me have a coffee and a shower first!”

“Oh, you spoil all the fun. I might change my mind, you know – you might not be so lucky later!”

Hec smiled and helped Liz off her knees. “I’ll take that risk!”

“Let me make you a coffee,” she suggested. “You go have a quick shower now.”

“Awesome, I’ll be quick; I have so much to tell you about the conference.”

Liz smiled.

Five minutes later, Hec exited the bathroom.

“Phew, that feels better.”

“Here’s your coffee,” Liz said. “Sit down and tell me about Wellington.”

“Well,” he stated, “I’m pretty keen to get started; after talking to lots of people, I reckon there’s still a market out there.”

“I’m so pleased you said that,” Liz said. “I’ve got something to show you; follow me.”

Hec grinned. “I’m up for anything, Liz; you look so naughty today.”

Hec followed her to the garage.

“Look in the freezer Hec; I think you’ll like what you see.”

“Oh my God, Liz, oh my God, what have you done? Oh fuck, that’s Tim, isn’t it? And– oh shit, oh shit, is that Stiffy Joe?”

“Yep,” she beamed. “Got rid of the competition for you; now you can open your taxidermist shop and not worry about the competition. And you get a chance to practice on some models. I’ve even got your first employee for you. She’s fully qualified!”

“Holy fuck, Liz! You know when I said I wouldn’t mind stuffing some people...You know I was joking, right?”

Isaac saw himself standing on the bimah before the lectern on a Saturday morning. He wore his royal blue tallit with silver embroidery. He looked out over the sanctuary as he prepared himself to deliver his sermon and saw a sea of empty seats. The southeastern sunlight seeped through the cracks of the bedroom blinds and through his closed eyelids. He heard the rhythmic breathing of his wife beside him; he heard the trills of the song sparrows as they twirled by the bird feeder his wife had hung under the backyard sugar maple. He opened his eyes and took several deep breaths. “Modeh Ani,” he whispered the first words of the morning prayer. “I offer thanks before you, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.”

Carefully slipping out from under the blankets, he went about his morning rituals of showering, beard trimming, and eating a breakfast of granola, soy milk, and orange slices. After sitting in silence for fifteen minutes in the breakfast nook, he left for the day, gently closing the front door of his three-bedroom bungalow on Chestnut Street, leaving his wife and two children still asleep inside. He ambled through his neighborhood of small bungalows, admiring the well-kept front gardens, and pulled the collar of his long coat up around his neck in an attempt to keep out the chill fall breeze. At Grand Avenue, he turned right and proceeded past the Oracle Movie Theater. Rabbi Stein glanced up at the water stains and cracked windows on the facade as he walked by at a fast pace. The decaying facade filled him with melancholy. The movie theater had been empty for the past ten years. He hoped that an adventuresome entrepreneur would buy the building and transform it into a new enterprise.

Isaac unlocked the back door of Beth Israel at eight am and stepped into his office. A pile of papers and journals awaited him on his desk. He had dismissed his longtime secretary, Louisa, two months ago. The dues paying members of his congregation had dwindled over the years along with the funds to pay his secretary, the Saturday morning guard and the janitor. He sifted through the papers, turned on the computer, checked his email. After napping at his desk for twenty minutes, he picked up one of the journals and read of Maimonides’ views on the Messiah. “The Messiah will be a very great king,” the rabbi read aloud. “His great righteousness and the wonders that he will bring about will cause all peoples to make peace with him. Though he may tarry, yet do we wait for him each day.” Oy vey, Isaac thought, I’ve been waiting my whole life.

At precisely five pm, Isaac locked the back door of Beth Israel. He walked along Grand Avenue on his way home. When he reached the Oracle Theater, he noticed the posters, three pasted to each side of the main entrance on the plaster wall. He stopped to study the first one he reached. Five women dressed in flowing white dresses that displayed their arms and hid their legs stood on the stage of a theater. They held cobalt blue spherical candle holders in their cupped hands and the flames of the candles lit their faces from below, casting faintly menacing shadows about their eyes and throats. Below the image of the oracles, in Gothic lettering, the poster read, “Grand opening for the New Oracle Theater, Friday evening, October 30th, at eight pm. Bring your questions and the oracles will provide the answers.” And, in fine print at the bottom, “We request that all questions be submitted in writing and anonymously. Your identity will not be revealed.”

Oracles? The rabbi thought as he stroked his graying beard. What would Maimonides think? I could always ask a question. Ask about the Messiah. But what would they know? Who are these oracles?

Isaac walked the rest of the way home, to his bungalow with the two stone piers holding up the porch roof. He proceeded up the stairs. His wife, Sarah, sat on the pine bench reading the Oak Brook Daily. “Did you see the posters?” he asked. “The ones for the New Oracle Theater?”

“They have an ad in the paper. Take a look.” She handed him the newspaper.
“Same as the poster.” He stroked his beard and looked at her. “Whaddya think? Should I ask a question of the oracles?”

“How are they any different than the astrology forecasts in the paper?”
“Maybe they’re in touch with the spirits.”
“Do you believe that? You’re a rabbi, is that part of your training?”
“Think about Moses, the great prophets. God spoke through them.”
“So you think God will speak through these oracles?”
“Not God, but perhaps something, something of the inner spirit, some force that knows more than we do.”

“Rabbi Stein,” she stood up and touched his beard. “Have you been watching Star Wars again?”

#

Over the next few months, on his walks to and from the synagogue, Isaac observed the carpenters, painters, plasterers, and electricians working on the theater.  The water stains were gone and the sculptures of the muses – music, comedy, tragedy, dance – that occupied the niches under the second story cornice line shone with a clarity of detail he had not seen for years.  Isaac would pause in front of the theater to marvel at its renewal and to watch the ballet of the workers as they clambered about the scaffolding, fixing and polishing.

As a boy, he had watched Hollywood comedies and adventures on hazy Sunday afternoons. Inside the theater, Moorish horseshoe arches topped the walls and above him, as the lights slowly dimmed, a cerulean sky faded through to light indigo and then to a dark blue-violet pin-pricked with stars. He would sink into the plush red seats while munching on popcorn as the adventures of Robin Hood took him away from algebra and schoolyard bullies.

As he grew older and sought out other entertainments, the theater on Grand descended into a shabby senescence. Water stains marked the umber exterior, the red seats were shredded as if by the sharp claws of feral cats, and the customers wore dark overcoats and fedoras with faded feathers.

His own children haunted the video arcades and, eventually, fixated on the flat panel computer screens hidden away in their bedrooms. No longer did children congregate in movie theaters or playgrounds with bent basketball rims. They communicated with text messaging and played multi-user online games with compatriots from Chile and Taiwan. His children ignored the posters depicting the oracles, and they wondered why their father would want to ask questions of these strange women when he could simply Google it.

After walking past the theater and continuing home, Isaac began to wonder, who were these oracles? Could they surrender their psyches to a higher wisdom? Or were they simply impostors? Hucksters hired by unscrupulous businessmen. And what questions would he ask? Will the Messiah ever show up? Why was his congregation diminishing? Could he get them back?

On the day of the grand opening, the scaffolding disappeared. The muses gazed out from their perches below the cornice. The blue and white tiles inset within the arched entryway above the oversized doors formed crisp geometric patterns of five, seven, and nine-pointed stars. In the glass of the series of smaller arched windows to each side of the main entryway, Isaac could see his reflection.

He had joined the line at six pm. He read a book, The Multi-Cultural Jew, while he waited. The line grew longer as seven pm approached. At half past seven, a tall man wearing a tuxedo opened the front doors of the theater and beckoned the awaiting crowd to enter. Isaac purchased his ticket and stepped into the renovated lobby.

Persian style carpeting covered the floor and three Moroccan chandeliers with delicate wrought iron patterns like a series of interwoven spider webs hung from the ceiling. Ten booths, each with a curtain to allow for privacy, lined one wall. The tall usher explained that the booths were for privacy while the patrons wrote down their questions on pads of paper inside the booths. The crowd started to form lines in front of the booths. Isaac joined a line. He felt the pat of a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Debbie Luster, a member of his congregation he hadn’t seen for the past few months. “Hello, Rabbi Stein,” she said. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m as curious as the next person,” he said smiling. “So you can make it to see the Oracles, but not to the temple?”

“Oh, you know how it is, with the kids and the job and the house. I’d like to be attending services, but I’m just so exhausted.”

“Maybe you’d end up with more energy if you showed up to some of the services.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve been so busy. I’ll think about it for next time,” she looked over his shoulder to see that the Rabbi was now first in line. “Your turn Rabbi Stein.”

“Nice seeing you, Debbie. We’re having a Hindu guru speak next Friday evening. You might find that interesting.”

“Yes, sounds fascinating. What about tonight, Rabbi?”
“Tonight?”
“Yes. Who’s conducting the services?”
“Oh! I asked Cantor Goldberg to take over for tonight. I had to experience the Oracles for myself.”

He stepped inside the booth. Placed on a tall, narrow table he saw a box with inlaid geometric patterns formed of mahogany, ebony, and Mother of Pearl. He hesitated; he pondered; he tapped the pencil on the table top. He wrote down his question and slipped the paper through the slit at the top of the box.

Isaac left the protective cover of the booth and purchased some expensive chocolates from the snack bar. He hoped he wouldn’t see anymore congregation members among the crowd. The lights began to flash on and off. Two more ushers appeared and guided the patrons into the main auditorium. Heads turned up to appreciate the restored ceiling of sky and stars as they filed into the rows and took their seats.

After several minutes, the red curtains parted a few feet and a middle-aged man stepped out onto the stage. He wore a dark navy business suit with a white shirt and a powder blue tie. His black and gray hair was combed straight back from his high forehead. His goatee remained mostly black. He walked to the edge of the stage and looked out at the crowd.

“Thank you all for coming to the grand opening of the New Oracle Theater.” He paused. “Tonight, we present to you a resurgence of the art of the oracle. The tradition of the oracle is a part of our collective history. It is often forgotten, neglected, or even repressed. You may have thought of oracles as part of the past, a lost art, something we have moved beyond, but this tradition has never completely died out. Teachers have passed on their knowledge and techniques to their students. They have done this throughout the ages despite the dangers from various authorities. The five women who will answer your questions tonight are part of that long tradition. They are able to move into a state of mind whereby they tap into a deeper knowledge. This knowledge is available to all of us if we would simply listen.” He smiled, took a slight bow as the audience politely applauded, and retreated from the stage.

The house lights dimmed and the recorded tones of Gregorian chants emanated from the speakers placed within the Moorish arches. The red curtains parted completely and the lights were brightened half-way. The chanting ceased. Five women now stood on the stage, each one about three feet from the other. They wore the graceful, full-length white dresses that were depicted in the promotional posters. Their ages varied from late-twenties to about sixty. Isaac didn’t recognize any of them as being from Oak Brook.

Each woman stood beside a narrow, waste high table with slender, curved legs that flared out as they touched the stage floor. Two of the Moorish boxes sat upon each table. A spotlight highlighted the first woman on the audience’s far right; she was the youngest oracle. She stood with her eyes closed for two minutes as the patrons watched in silence. She then opened her eyes, lifted the lid of one of the boxes and withdrew a piece of paper. She read the question aloud. “I’ve been offered a new job with more pay and prestige, but I would need to move my family to another city if I took the job. I’ve lived here for twenty-five years. I’ve been going back and forth about this for the past three weeks and I must make a decision. What should I do?”

She held the paper in her right hand and placed her hand between her breasts. She closed her eyes. Wisps of steam rose from the cracks in the floorboards in front of her. A scent of faded roses wafted through the theater.

The oracle dropped her right arm to her side and released the paper from her hand. It spiraled to the stage floor. Her head rocked back and forth. Her jaw relaxed and her mouth opened wide to reveal her pink tongue. She began to moan and to utter insensible syllables in a voice deeper and more masculine than her original feminine reading of the question. Isaac looked around to see his neighbors and friends in the audience. Was this all some kind of hoax? he asked himself. Should I even be here?

The Oracle stopped all movement and stared into empty space above the crowd’s heads.

“I speak through this woman. I know of your concerns.” The house lights dimmed further and Isaac could only see the oracle illuminated by the spotlight. “We are often tempted in earthly life by earthly rewards. Whether a merchant or a king, humans seek things that gleam. The golden crown, the amethyst gems, the steel sword. And we want our names emboldened by Sir or Lord, Duke or Duchess.”

Several in the audience coughed while others twisted their torsos in their seats. The oracle continued to speak. “We also desire the love of our children, the love of our spouses, the love of our friends. Our choices in life take us to unforeseen places. To live our best lives, we must be guided by a voice beyond reason, a voice that speaks more to our hearts than to our minds. That voice comes in part through the oracle, but it must come primarily from within your own soul.”

The oracle closed her eyes and her mouth. Her head drooped forward. She began a slow crumbling descent toward the stage. Two male ushers rushed out from the side stage. Each one put an arm around her before she reached the floor and guided her offstage. Several members of the audience began to applaud, at first tentatively, and then the rest joined in their applause. A few stood up as the audience applauded with a loud and rhythmic clapping. Isaac stayed seated. Not a bad answer, he thought, but what about his synagogue or church? After twenty-five years, it’s hard to replace that.

The spotlight now swerved to stage left and shone upon the eldest of the oracles. Her gray hair was cut short except for several long strands on the right side of her forehead that reached to her eyebrows. She was tall and slender, and her face remained largely unlined. She opened the Moorish box on the table next to her and selected one of the notes. “I’ve been thinking of offing myself,” she read. A sin, Isaac thought. Well, a sin to do it, not to think it. “My life has become an empty routine, so dreary. I realize that I’m not alone in this predicament, but I see no reason to go on. Then, why am I asking this question? I suppose I hope there is an answer, a way back to enthusiasm. I’ve seen a shrink, that just makes me feel worse.”

The oracle closed her eyes for a minute or two while she focused her mind. She opened her eyes. There was no dramatic transformation as in the case of the first oracle, but she seemed somehow different. A subtle luminescence surrounded her. She returned the note to the box and shuffled the papers around. “Death will come to you soon enough. To seek it before it comes to meet you will cause great pain both to you and others. Perhaps the tedium you speak of is at least partially of your own making.”

“Oracle!” A male voice called out from the darkest portion of the balcony nearest the upstairs exit. The oracle raised her head and looked toward the balcony. “Why should I live? Tell me why!”

“I cannot provide a reason for you.”
“You sound like my shrink,” he yelled back to her. Several audience members laughed a bit before stifling their laughter.

“Don’t laugh at me! Please don’t laugh at me.”
“And your reason for death?”
“To escape this hell. This hell where I’m not wanted, not valued, not loved.”
“You will find another hell if you force death,” she answered. “You will find a hell far worse than anything you may be encountering in this world.”
“How do you know that?”

“I have died many times, sometimes with great peace and other times with great violence. The violence in my mind carried through to the astral realm, and it was not pleasant.”

“There is no astral realm, you fools.”

“You are free to believe that; however, at some point, you will find that you are mistaken.” Isaac glanced behind him at the balcony for a second, but could not see the man’s face. He had counseled a number of depressed congregation members who threatened suicide. None of them had followed through with the threat.

“Seek out what you love,” the oracle continued. “You must do that.”
“I love death,” the man cried out. “I love death!” Isaac looked again toward the balcony and saw a bit of curtain billow out from the exit doorway. He heard the falling of footsteps, at first loud and then quickly receding into silence. Poor man, he thought. He must be alone in the world. If he were part of a synagogue or a church, he’d be much better off.

The middle-aged gentleman who had introduced the oracles reappeared on center stage.

“Live performances,” he said as he looked out at the audience, “can be so interesting.” A few people chuckled, but not Isaac. “We cannot predict disturbances such as the one that just occurred. I apologize to those of you who found the previous interaction disturbing.” He motioned with his right hand to stage right. One usher came out and escorted the white-haired oracle off the stage. Three oracles remained on the stage and gathered behind the emcee. “These three oracles will take turns answering a single question. And, to show our true impartiality, we would like a member of the audience to choose that question. Please raise your right arm if you would like to do so.”

Several arms shot up and one or two came back down. The emcee pointed to a woman seated in the front row. She stood up and Isaac noted that it was Debbie Luster. An usher escorted Debbie up the stage stairs. She stood beside the emcee looking from left to right, and then straight ahead. With her long black hair and modest dress that reached to her ankles, she appeared to be a fourth oracle herself. The emcee picked up the Moorish box on the table nearest him, lifted the lid of the box, and held it in front of Debbie. She closed her eyes for several seconds. She then lifted her left hand and rummaged among the papers in the box before selecting one. She handed the folded piece of paper to the emcee.

“Thank you,” he said to Debbie. He placed the still folded piece of paper down on the surface of the table. The usher showed Debbie back to her front row seat. The emcee turned to the audience. “I will now leave you in the fine hands of our three oracles.” He left the stage.

The three oracles stood behind the table. The one in the center picked up the folded paper and unfolded it. “I am a religious leader,” she read aloud. Isaac leaned forward in his chair, and then quickly sat back. “I’ve tried many different activities at my institution to revitalize its members, but the size of the congregation continues to diminish. I wonder - what can I do? Is my faith too weak? Should I seek out another path? Or, can I transform my current situation?”

The oracle who had read the question placed the paper back down on the table. The three oracles moved to center stage, in front of the table. They joined hands to form a circle and began to move clockwise about a point on the stage. The house lights dimmed and a spotlight focused on them. They began to chant in unison. “Yood heeh vaav heeh, yood heeh vaav heeh.”

Isaac felt his heart beat faster. The oracles were chanting the Tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew letters representing the holy name of God. He watched the oracles in silence for half a minute and then began chanting “Yood heeh vaav heeh.” Soon, five or six more of the audience joined in. “Yood heeh vaav heeh.” More of the crowd added to the chanting until virtually the whole audience chanted with the oracles. “Yood heeh vaav heeh.”

After several minutes, the oracles stopped chanting, and then the audience stopped as well. The oracles ceased their circular motion, released their hands from one another and stood in a line stage center facing the audience. The one standing stage left spoke first. She was about forty years old with short blonde hair. “There are many futures,” she said in what seemed to be her normal voice. “Ask yourself what is it that you truly desire? A renewed congregation? Or a new path?” Isaac sat very still as he listened. “Until you know in your heart what your true goal is, you will not be able to manifest that goal.”

“I see an empty sanctuary.” The second oracle, the one in the middle spoke, a petite woman, about thirty. Her voice was feminine, but sounded as if it came from a woman of large stature. “Years have gone by. The members of your congregation have all drifted away. They have become entranced by the material trappings of their era. They have neither the time nor the inclination for worship.” Isaac saw Debbie Luster glance quickly back at him from her front row seat before she turned her head forward. His throat felt dry and he stroked his beard with his right hand for a few seconds before letting his arm slip back down to his chair’s armrest.

The third oracle walked a few steps so that she stood in front of the other two. She was a strikingly handsome woman, over six feet tall, perhaps forty years old. Her wavy red hair fell over her shoulders to just above her breasts. Her emerald eyes opened wide. “The future has not yet arrived. Your son, all your sons and daughters, and all their mothers and fathers, will be the creators of that future. There is yet room for hope.” Isaac gripped the armrests of his chair.

“Yet that hope will be vacant,” the oracle continued, “unless you renew your commitment to your faith.”

“How do I renew my commitment?” a man called out from the back row. Isaac recognized him. Scott Michaels, the town’s Unitarian minister.

“You must find that answer within yourself.”

“Could you be more specific?” asked Scott Michaels.
“That is your work, to examine your own faith, to return to the sources which inspire you.”

The oracle stepped back two steps while still facing the audience and grasped the hands of her sister oracles. The house lights brightened; the patrons applauded. The two other oracles joined the three already on stage and held hands with the one at each end. The elegant emcee strode in from stage left and took a bow. The red curtains closed and the lights over the audience came fully on.

#

Isaac left the theater and strode down Grant Avenue toward Temple Beth Israel. He was surprised to find himself so affected by the admittedly ambiguous sayings of the oracles. But he wondered if they weren’t right. He had become a rabbi because his father was a rabbi. He found comfort in the traditions of Judaism, but he questioned the depth of his own faith.

He turned down Canyon Street and walked to the back door of the synagogue. He unlocked the door and proceeded to the main sanctuary. He flipped on the lights and took a seat in the front row, looking up at the bimah. The cantor and any Friday night worshipers had probably left over an hour ago.

Isaac saw his father, Saul, reading from the Torah. His father appeared to be about forty years old; he hunched over the Torah and chanted the words. Isaac heard Saul read Bereshees, in the beginning, the first word in the first weekly Torah reading in the annual cycle of readings. Isaac saw several other men join Saul, all huddled in front of the Torah. The sanctuary overflowed with worshipers, with families and grandparents, with young men and women. Isaac stood up. He closed his eyes and began to chant from memory along with his father. He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet; he kissed the fringes of his prayer shawl.

Isaac opened his eyes. There was no one in the synagogue other than himself. He walked out of the sanctuary, switching off the lights on his way out. He locked the back door and proceeded up Canyon to Grant. He walked past the New Oracle Theater and stopped in front of the entrance. The oracles had granted him a vision. The synagogue would fill with new families if he devoted himself to Judaism, to the traditions of his own faith.

Isaac did not return to partake of the performances of the oracles. He did note that the entry price went up after a short while, and that the lines grew smaller over time. One Saturday morning, as he walked toward his synagogue, he saw a new poster on the theater facade; the Oak Brook Theater Players would soon begin their season’s performances at the soon to be open Oak Brook Theater. He could take Sarah and the children to one of the performances, he thought. But that would have to wait as the High Holidays had commenced and today was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the Day of Remembrance.

Isaac stopped for a moment. He looked up at the facade of the theater and studied the statues of the muses. He closed his eyes. He recalled the words of the oracle who had advised him to renew his own faith. He had looked within and discovered his connection to the Jewish people. The Jewish people who had survived centuries of oppression. The Jewish people who had made untold gifts to the world. The Jewish people united in their love of God and their love of one another. He saw the synagogue overflowing with Jewish families. He heard the blast of the shofar, the traditional ram’s horn, reminding all to reflect on their past deeds and hopes for the future. He tasted the apple dipped in honey and sensed the sweetness of the coming year. Rabbi Stein opened his eyes and walked briskly toward Temple Beth Israel.

Hesitant doors opened in fits and jerks, and the aging elevator disgorged its human cargo. A wide-eyed Tom Gray led his family through the collection of aging scientific devices, many of which looked like props from a B-movie mad scientist’s laboratory. When Tom was a boy, artifact displays were the focus of the children’s museum, but the emphasis now was on interactive exhibits, and the few remaining artifacts had been relegated to the seldom visited fourth floor. When the museum moved to its new home in two weeks, the rest of the artifacts would be packed off to other facilities, so Tom wanted to immerse his young family in one of his fond childhood memories.

“Look at it, Abby,” said Tom to his wife who smiled at his boyish excitement. “I haven’t seen these things in twenty years.” Neither of their children would remember this trip, but Tom would one day reminisce and show the newspaper headline: “Mysterious Find Linked to Missing Man.”

“Don’t touch that!” a rusty voice slashed across the room, sending two young boys running and hurling Tom back in time. He was ten, and he stood staring at the blue and yellow electric sparks leaping and dancing on a glowing orb. The thing was old and should not have been on display, but there it was, beckoning young boys like the siren’s call.

“Touch it, Tom. I dare you,” said Rusty O’Meara. “See if it shocks you.”
“You touch it,” Tom said to Rusty. “I double dare you.”
“Tom’s chicken,” chimed in Petey Marshall. Petey was the smallest kid in the fifth grade, but he had the biggest mouth.
“I’m not chicken, boner-head,” snapped Tom.
“So,” said Rusty, “you gonna touch it?”

Tom sneered at his friends and reached toward the sphere, stopping with his hand poised inches from the target, preparing to strike.

“Don’t touch that!” The grating voice from behind the boys startled all of them, and Tom felt as though he had been shocked. “These aren’t toys, you little hooligans.” Red-rimmed eyes glared down at the boys as Micah Larkin, considered by most children to be the meanest man alive, gave the trio his death stare. Larkin had worked at the museum for as long as the boys had been alive, and he was a man to be avoided. He pulled a yellowed cloth from his pocket and wiped at the base of the device, pausing to turn a small knob on the back.

“Now I’m warning you,” he said, leaning close enough that they could smell his rancid breath, “Keep your grimy little paws off my displays.”

Larkin had thrown down the gauntlet, and the kids’ code dictated that they must now do exactly what they had been told not to do. They waited until Mr. Larkin had disappeared. Tom had hoped that, in light of the new circumstances, Rusty would take the lead and touch the orb, but it was clear that the boys were still looking to Tom to do the honors. The sparks looked brighter now, and the soft hum of the device seemed to be a menacing groan. Tom reached out and quickly poked the shiny surface. A jolt immediately ran up his arm, and his fingers felt as if they had been struck hard with the thick wooden ruler that their schoolteacher always used for discipline. Tom’s hand tingled and he would have a blister on his finger, but the worst part was that hateful laughter that echoed across the room from Larkin’s hidden vantage point.

“I warned you,” Larkin said as he disappeared again.

“Honey, are you all right? Tom?” Abby’s voice brought Tom back from his unpleasant daydream. “What’s wrong, Honey?” Abby said in her sweet nurturing voice.

“That’s Mr. Larkin,” Tom said, pointing to the old man across the room. “He’s been here forever. He’s the meanest man that ever lived.”

“Oh, Tom,” said Abby. “I’m sure that’s just your childhood perception of him. He’s probably a sweet old man.”

“No,” said Tom, “He was always playing mean tricks on children. I heard that he even cut off a kid’s fingers.”

“Tom,” said Abby, “that’s ridiculous.”

“No, no, it really happened,” Tom insisted. “The kid went to my school for a while, but they took him out because he was slow, you know.” He tapped the side of his head. “Anyway, he was fooling with some contraption they had here, and it started up and ripped off some fingers. The kid said that Larkin turned on the machine, but no one believed him.”

“Tom,” said Abby, “I’ll bet that was just a rumor, and if you talked to the man, you would find that he’s really quite nice.” Tom, though doubtful, knew that Abby’s advice was usually sound.

“Mr. Larkin,” said Tom as he extended his hand, “I’m Tom Gray.” Tom left his hand out though Micah Larkin showed no sign that he would shake it. “I used to come here as a boy,” Tom continued, “and I remember you from way back then.” Larkin still just stared with those same red-rimmed eyes that Tom remembered, and Tom gradually lowered his arm. He laughed nervously and cleared his throat. “Now I’m back with my own family,” Tom said, gesturing toward his sweetly smiling wife and two children.

“So?” Larkin replied in his vinegar tone, and Tom could smell his rancid breath with a hint of whiskey. “You want a medal for bringing two more snot-nosed brats into the world?” Larkin spat. “Well, you won’t get it from me.” The old man turned and shuffled away, hate dripping from his scowling face.

Tom turned to Abby, her mouth gaping, and said, “Told you.”

Tom’s nostalgia trip was short because the children needed to eat and take their naps. They strolled down the old building’s marble-floored corridor toward the exit, passing the janitor who was just starting his work day. The man was about Tom’s age, and he smiled at the children and nodded a greeting. Tom returned the nod. There was something familiar about the janitor.

#

“Here you go, Micah,” said Cora Lewis, “I made this for you for your last day on the job.” Cora handed Micah Larkin a white box tied with red and blue ribbons. Cora was a middle-aged woman who, unlike Micah Larkin, would be moving on to the new museum. “It’s from the staff,” Cora said, though she was the only one who ever had a kind word for Micah.

Larkin opened the package without the slightest acknowledgment of Cora’s kindness. He knew what it would be because Cora was famous for her homemade fudge, and when he opened the package Micah Larkin found that he had hit the mother lode, four different varieties. Larkin just stared at the gift with his permanent scowl.

“Well, Micah,” said Cora, knowing that she would get no thanks, “I wish you the best in your retirement.”

Cora began to turn away, and Larkin noticed that she held a second, larger box in her hand. This one was tied with a simpler ribbon, but what stuck in Larkin’s mind was that the box, which obviously contained more of the delicious fudge, was larger. “Short end of the stick again,” Larkin muttered under his breath.

Cora turned back. “What was that, Micah?”

“Nothing,” he spat. “Thirty damn years of service to this dump,” he continued, “and they force me out to bring in those college kids with their fancy notions of learning and child development. The little punks don’t care about physics principles; they want to see the goods. They want the displays. They want this.” Larkin held up an antique mahogany box inlayed with a brass eagle. Cora recognized it immediately as the museum’s pair of antique dueling pistols.

“Oh, Micah,” said Corah with wide eyes, “you’re not stealing those are you?”
“Of course, I’m stealing them,” he said. “Thirty years of service,” he growled, “and what do I get for it?” He shook the box of fudge at her. “The small box again!” He flung the fudge at the trash can, stuck the pistols under his moth-eaten coat, and stormed away.

#

“Good evening, Henry,” Cora greeted the janitor.
“Hi, Mrs. Lewis,” he said with a broad smile.
“Henry, I made this for you,” Cora said as she handed him the big box of homemade fudge. “It’s just a small thank you for all the hard work you do.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lewis,” Henry said slowly. “I love your fudge.”
“Just don’t eat it all in one night again, Henry,” she warned. “You know what happened last time.” Henry bowed his head in embarrassment, the smile still on his face.

“Good night, dear,” said Cora. She saw that Henry was mopping the floor and offered to let herself out the back door.

“Oh, don’t worry about the floor, Mrs. Lewis,” said Henry. He took her arm and helped her walk across the slick marble. When she was safely out the door, Henry returned to the mop bucket and swished the mop in the gray water. Micah Larkin stomped heavily on the marble as he made his way toward the door, the pistol box tucked under his arm. He scowled at the sight of Henry mopping the floor and never considered any route but straight through, but he slowed when he saw the large box of fudge on Henry’s janitorial cart.

“You,” Micah spat. “She’s wasting fudge on an idiot like you.”
“Mrs. Lewis is a nice lady,” Henry said in his slow speech. “You’re not a nice man, Mr. Larkin.”

“You’re not a nice man,” Micah repeated with cruel mockery. “Get the hell out of my way, moron.” Henry stepped back and Micah began walking across the wet floor, but he stopped beside the mop bucket and eyed it with malicious intent. Micah raised his foot and placed it on the rim of the bucket.

“Don’t touch that,” Henry said in a surprisingly clear voice, but Micah kicked over the bucket and let the dirty mop water spread over the marble floor.

Micah laughed as he turned to walk away. His feet felt wet, but it was worth it put the dimwit in his place. With his next step Micah found himself walking through ankle deep water. He sped up but with the next step he found the water was halfway up his calf. This was impossible. He was on a level marble floor that was simply wet. Micah tried to retreat toward Henry who stood passively on dry ground gripping his mop. Micah had sunk waist deep and was in a panic.

“Help me, boy,” Micah called to Henry. “You know I didn’t mean any harm.”

Henry reached out to Micah, the old man sinking deeper with each step. Micah held both arms high, trying to reach for Henry with one hand and keep the purloined firearms above water with the other. With just his head and arms above the murky gray water, Micah lunged forward as Henry reached out. Henry grabbed the box.

A surprised Micah Larkin wailed. “No, you idiot. Those are mine.” He spat a mouthful of foul water and clawed at the box, dislodging the brass eagle. He looked at Henry’s hands clutching the box and noticed that the young man was missing some fingers. Micah looked at Henry’s face and recognition of a boy from years ago dawned. “You,” he screamed. The scream became a gurgle as Micah lost his grip and disappeared under the water. Henry placed the pistols on his cart beside his box of fudge then picked up his mop and went back to work.

#

Cora looked at the mahogany box on the museum director’s desk. “That’s it, except the eagle is missing” she said. “Micah must have had a change of heart.”

“I have serious doubts about Micah’s heart changing,” said the director, “and he still hasn’t been seen since Saturday. But there’s something I want you to see, Cora.”

The two walked to the front hallway with its immaculate marble floor. The director bent down and pointed at the floor. Cora looked closely and saw the brass eagle on the floor.

She tried to pick it up and found that it was not on the floor but in the floor. She ran her hand across the glassy smoothness of the polished marble with the eagle perfectly inlaid in the swirling gray stone as if it were floating in water.

Edward St. Boniface is based in London UK and is always seeking an unusual or interesting angle to tell a story. He works to and believes in the principle of Fun Fiction. He had two American-set crime stories published in 2022, one in MYSTERY TRIBUNE and another with the British crime fiction publisher MURDEROUS INK PRESS, in an anthology called 'Say What Now?'. He has also self-published a trilogy of contemporary novels set in the London of the 1980s to 2010s, available on KINDLE. Please search for titles 'Riding House Street' and 'Nine Elms Lane'.

David Henson and his wife have lived in Brussels and Hong Kong and now reside in Illinois. His work has been nominated for three Pushcart Prizes, Best of the Net and Best Small Fictions and has appeared in various journals including Moonpark Review, Literally Stories, Gone Lawn and Fiction on the Web. His website is http://writings217.wordpress.com. His Twitter is @annalou8.

“It’s the trickery!” the man in the crowd yelled at the witch with the noose around her neck.

She was to be hung once the cardinal and his entourage finished making their way through the dense crush of spectators and hecklers and reached the platform to say a few words of condemnation.

“It’s the trickery!” repeated the frenzied onlooker.
The witch broke the dignified silence she had until then bore and shouted, “Oh put a pie in it!”
“Trickery!”
“Go on then. What trickery?” asked the witch. “Have it out.”
“All this! Dark pageantry. Even the cardinal in those red robes is your puppet!” Upon the word “puppet” the man spat. “You plan for us to see you hanging from the end of that rope so that we’ll stop assuming you’re about, up to your trickery!”

“Aye,” proclaimed the witch “Sure as deed and stitch I’m all about this place. Though you do have it wrong, toad. When I swing from the end of this rope all of you pathetic souls are coming with me. See the sky above and the Earth below? This is my house. The table you sup at is my table. The victuals you pray over come from me. He’s correct the cardinal is under my spell. I make the rules in my home, and one rule is: if the guests set fire to the home, everyone has got to burn, including the mistress of the house. And here is the cardinal rushing now, his red robes licking about like a flame dancing at the end of a little match.”

The man’s voice broke into a high register. “Trickery!”
“What now, fool? Wish you that I hang or not?”
“This is a mockery of a hanging! She’ll pull tricks to set her tricksy self free. She’ll turn a bat and fly.”
“Wish you that I hang or not?”
“I wish you remain under the watchful eye of the magistrate and the cardinal, and I wish you to behave!”
“Wish you that this rope is lifted from my neck then?”
“Aye.”

“Oh but the cardinal arrives with a different belief written over him. I’m condemned by a guest in my own home. For one final trick I shall take you with me to the end of this rope.” She surveyed her audience and fixed her gaze upon the man in the crowd. “Where I go, you go.”

“Nonsense! Trickery!”

Upon climbing the stairs to the platform the cardinal paused with a hand upon his familiar to catch his breath.

“My love!” called the witch to the man in the crowd. “You’ve tried your best to save me! You tried with cunning and craft to protect me and keep me safe. You love me so. Never was a truer word spoke. And I love you, too. The world now is a witness to our love. Let yours be a final act at the end of life to make this abomination worthy of having been lived through.”

Now standing on his own and taking special interest in the man in the crowd, the cardinal charged two familiars and the magistrate with apprehending him.

“As we are together in life,” called the witch to the man, “so we shall be together in death. Let this be the law upheld on this day!”

James Moran is a professional astrologer who regularly publishes articles, fiction, and poetry. His published works can be found at https://jamesmoran.org/the-creation-playpen

While Phil Baisley is new to fiction writing, his non-fiction work has been published in books by Cascade Books, Atla Open Press, and in his own book, "The Same, But Different," by Friends United Press. He is a seminary professor, pastor, and reptile enthusiast born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and residing in Richmond, Indiana. His memoir/blog, “Tales of a Canarsie Boy,” can be found at  https://www.philbaisley.com/talesofacanarsieboy.

The windows are closed, the blinds shut. But the noise leaks in. Happy people passing my house on the way to Friday night. Maybe I should be out there too. But this couch is too comfortable. And everything I need is here.

I take a hit of Amnesia Haze from a glass pipe and stare at the wall. Tom’s been gone for almost a year. Maybe it’s time to redecorate. Maybe I’ll feel like it soon.

The kitchen faucet drips, devoid of rhythm. Tom would have fixed that. He would’ve fixed the leaky washing machine. He would’ve fixed the refrigerator light that flickers on and off. But he’s dead. Nothing works right in this house anymore.

I suppose I could have repaired it all by now. But then what would I have to talk about? My friends still come around, though just a few, and rarely. They cringe when I bring him up. Sympathy’s a shallow well. I refuse to bore them with my grief. So, we talk drips and leaks instead. Complaints are the lies we tell to belong.

I sink down further into the couch, staring at the piles of unopened mail weighing down the console. I’ll get to it all eventually. I turn my attention to the shadowy wall. A demon dances. A cobra strikes. A firebomb explodes. Surely, they’ve been here all along. How is it I’m just noticing now? There’s a difference between seeing and recognizing.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

I’m startled from my thoughts. Someone’s at the door who shouldn’t be. My body shivers, though the room remains a loyal 75 degrees. I sit up straight, holding in my breath, willing them to go away.

Three more bangs on the door. I could turn out the lights, run upstairs. Or wait them out on the back porch. But that would require energy. Best to send them on their way. Steeling myself with a deep inhale from the pipe, I shuffle to the foyer.

“Who is it?” I ask through the solid oak, knowing they cannot hear me. With no response, I swing the door open.

A strange woman stands on the stoop. She has the air of one of those door-to-door evangelicals handing out Jesus tracts, certain I am doomed without her. She looks older than me, but not infinitely so. Her grey peppered hair hangs long and free down her back. Dangling feather earrings, long loose dress cotton dress that flows to the floor, handcrafted gemstone necklace. Some hippy medicine woman I have never seen before.

“Hello, I’m Meg. Meg Harmon.” I recognize the name. The former occupant—we used to get her mail all the time when we first moved in. Hers and some guy named Bruce Bradford. I assumed that they were together. We’d forward their mail to a place called “The Dragonfly.” From her mail, I gathered this was a shop proffering in crystals, potions, magical odds and ends. And that she was some sort of shaman. Ten years later, we still get letters meant for them from time to time and toss them into the recycle.

“I’m Jenny,” I take the hand she offers, startled by the frostiness of the fingers on this July evening. “You used to live here, right?”

“Yep, was just passing through, had an urge to drop by.” Her smile stops well below her eyes, though she does not seem unkind. Still, I want her to leave.

“Do you want to come in?” She should understand that by my tone, by the door held ajar, by my sideways stance, it is no offer at all.

“That would be lovely.” She breezes by me before I can stop her. She does a slow 360 of my living room. With an eyebrow cocked, she is taking in the half-empty glasses and dirty plates, the bags of chips and cookie crumbs that litter the coffee room table.

“Excuse the mess, I wasn’t expecting anyone,” I say flatly. It is a fact, not an apology.

“Oh, no worries, I completely understand.” Her voice is soothing, benign, and smooth, as though what she says is true. “I love what you’ve done with the place. The colors are lovely.”

I scoff at her flattery, wondering what her angle might be. “My husband picked them,” I say. “He has an eye for color.”

She is mute, bends her head to the right. I wait for the inevitable question. But she does not ask me where he is.

“Are you still in Asheville?” I am annoyed by my compulsive politeness and wonder how to nicely push her out the door.

“Not anymore,” she smiles wistfully. “May I look around?” She drives forward into the dining room before I can reply. My skin prickles as she passes. I am both annoyed and slightly terrified by her breezy pushiness. But I stuff it down inside. The faster I let her run through the house, the sooner she’ll be gone.

“Why all that?” She’s pointing at the black metal security bars I had installed over the back window after Tom died.

“Just a precaution,” the bars make me feel safer being alone. “We’ve got some crime in the neighborhood.”

“That makes sense.” She looks thoughtful, hands clasped in front of her belly. “Though I suppose if someone really wanted to get in, they’d find a way.”

She says it without a hint of malice. But I shiver at her words.

I follow her through the kitchen. Tom was the cook between us. The food processor and fancy knives lay dormant. All I need is the microwave. A little salt and pepper. A pan to fry an egg.

“So many memories,” her voice falters. Something in her is shifting. She seems to be shrinking, tightening. “Bruce and I loved to cook together here. Do you cook much?”

“Not if I can help it.” In the first week of Tom’s death, I was flooded by casseroles, pies, lasagnas. So much I could never eat, tossed in the trash. In the first week, so many friends crowded this kitchen, this house, I had no space to feel him gone. But no one feeds me anymore. Now, I live on take-out Thai and frozen burritos, shoved down at the kitchen counter.

She pats me on the shoulder. Her hand on me shocks, sets my teeth on edge. I have not been touched in months. I flinch and back away.

“Can I see the old bedroom?” she pushes by me up the stairs, oblivious to my hesitation. My heart beats faster, my shoulders tense, though I cannot exactly say why. I want her to go, but I follow her up all the same, subsumed in her willful wake. As we pass the hanging pothos plant, I swear it quivers from its ceiling hook.

She explores the pictures in my hallway wall: our wedding, a summer gathering at the family beach house, our last trip to Provence. Is that curiosity on her face? Bemusement? Tenderness? I am expecting her to ask me something, anything, about the man in every photo. But she says nothing and moves on into the bedroom.

I watch her take in my dirty clothes strewn across the floor, dresses half off hangers, odd shoes lying around. The one side table is covered in dust. The walls are bare. The old quilt, covered in a dingy blue duvet, hangs off the bed. There are water stains on the walls – since Tom’s death, I’ve kept the windows open through every summer storm.

“I barely sleep here anymore, it’s cooler downstairs,” I say, an excuse to ward off judgment. Though her pulled-down lips, her loose eyelids tell me she is more sad than critical.

“Being here brings me right back.” Her voice is shaky, her shoulders slumped. She trembles. Her skin shoots off an icy musk. Part of me wants to comfort her, part of me is inexplicably frightened.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologizes, wiping tears from her cheek with her fist. “Grief is such a funny thing, just when you think you’re over it…”

It finds you again, in that house where you’ve been hiding from it all. I feel her sorrow as though it were my own. Or maybe it is, I don’t know. “Have you lost someone?”

I don’t know why I ask her that. Why should I care?

She nods, crossing her bony arms across her chest. What makes us think there’s a thing in the world we can do to protect ourselves?

“My partner, Bruce,” she is slowly rubbing her arms with her hands. But she is still so cold, I can see her lips turn more and more blue. “Not so long ago. I didn’t realize how much sadness I’ve been hauling around until now.”

“I’m so sorry.” I am surprised that I mean the words I speak to this intruder.

“Thank you, Jenny,” she touches my shoulder. “And I am very sorry for your loss. It’s a kind of a comfort, you know?

“What is?” I wonder how she knows about Tom.

“Knowing you get it. Grief can be such a lonely affair.” A gentle wind passes between us. I know what she means and feel it too. Her words, like a spell, unravel me.

As we return down the stairs to the living room, I feel a little lighter than before. I watch her look around the room again. The empty wine bottles, the bag of weed, the crumbs are still where I left them. I don’t know what to think about this witchy woman, as she turns to me.

“You know what I’m learning through all of this?” Her eyes penetrate me.

“What’s that?” I mutter, compelled by the grey, shining hollows of her eyes.

“In the darkest of times, when it seems like the end of the world…” she pats me on the shoulder with her bony hand. “We always get the help we need.”

I feel reassured, startled, agitated, and petrified all at once. She opens the door and steps out onto the stoop. She takes in a deep breath, looks up and down the busy street. “Such a lovely evening. Go on out there, enjoy it!” she says and takes her leave.

I am sorry to see her go. I think she had more to say. I had more to hear. I consider her words, as she ambles down the street and disappears.

As I close the door behind her, I notice a letter at the top of the pile of unopened mail on the console. Funny enough, it’s addressed to Bruce Bradford. How odd, to receive a letter addressed to a dead man.

I open the door again and run down to the sidewalk in hopes of catching her. Perhaps this note will comfort her somehow. Perhaps it is more of the help she needs. But as I tare down the street, I can see, she is gone. I feel bad that I cannot forward it to her, seeing as she has gone from Asheville.

I return to my house and consider tossing it into the recycle bin. But the morbid curiosity takes over, having never received a dead person’s letter before. So, I rip open the envelope.

It’s a memorial card, decorated in doves and flowers. Condolences from an old friend of Bruce’s, for the untimely passing of his dear Meg.

Jessica McGlyn lives in Washington, DC and is a member of the Capitol Hill Writers Group. She writes short stories in different genres. You can see her most recent work in Spank the Carp, Bright Flash Literary Review, and Adelaide.