Six Days - [4.4] - Numbers / Bamidbar

I cleared my eyes, but I could not figure what my next move would be because I did not have a clue as to where my location was, or what time it was for that matter. It was within an hour or so either way of noon, but what day it was is a total mystery. My life is a total mystery. The parchment was blank in my hand now and I did not really know what caused it to write to me. I knew that I was not letting go of it because as far as “weird” goes it has been a more “friendly weird” than all the “ghastly weird” that goes on around me these days. I imagined that the first thing I should do is look up from this hedge and see where I was, but at the same time I was terrified that something bad was about to happen. It was hot outside, so at least that has not changed.

I heard a familiar voice say to me, “What are you doing down there?” and of course that voice made me jump up from my crouched position in the hedges. Craning my neck, I saw that I was in the bushes of Bob Culvin, since I had alluded to earlier, everyone knows where everyone lives in this town. I knew Bob Culvin, since his son Ricky is Jake’s best friend and had already graced this tale before now. I never had a good relationship with either of his parents; since they were class A hicks even by the woefully low standards around here. Being caught sitting inside of his bushes was not something I ever wanted to do, but my life was full of that at this point. I did not reply, because I really did not have anything to say that would sound logical, and of course he did not say anything either, so it made for an even more uncomfortable situation.

I decided that it was best to speak since I was on his property, “I twisted my ankle while walking, and dragged myself behind your bushes to whine about it without being embarrassed,” but I did see Bob trying not to laugh, so it worked. He was without a doubt one of the stupidest people in this town so I knew it would be easy to lie to him and at the same time give him something to be amused about, especially if it was at my expense. Jumping through time was great considering the situations I left at times, but I always ended up in a confusing situation at the other end. I was starting to think that every time I ended up in a situation it was something I need to know about though, so as uncomfortable as this was, I needed to get through it. That is just myself, now looking back on it, but I am quite sure I had grasped this at the time.

Bob looked at me, long and hard, and his accusatory stare came back, but it was not his voice that broke the silence. Ricky had strayed out behind him and was walking towards us when he said, “I’m sure that she came here to see me,” and if my brain had worked then I could have worked with that. It took me completely off guard though, and I was happy in the back of my mind that I had such idiots to work with. On most of the other occasions I was stuck in a new situation I did not remember putting myself in, the characters were far brighter. Fortunately, still I did not have to say anything since Ricky continued, “I’m sorry about the window, but Jake told me that he would grab a spare out of the basement.”

“He did!” I exclaimed a little too forcefully, and then tried desperately to cover my tracks, “I was checking to make sure that you were, ok?” just fumbled out before I could stop myself. Of course I would be acting down to my audience. It was very lame, but it was all I could think of. Bob looked at his son as if he had fallen through the window, which of course he was nowhere near the window when it happened. I started thinking about what we were saying, because something did not fit, but the conversation was moving too quickly for me to get a handle on it

Ricky then gave me an amazingly fake look of shock which was so obvious he wanted me to see it, “Oh really?” I can remember the shiver he sent down my spine when he looked at me. He was sly, and there was a cleverness that Ricky Culvin could not have bought at a grocery store that he suddenly had. If it weren’t for the fact that Bob Culvin was the dumbest man in town he might have noticed that his son, the second dumbest, was having a moment of shrewdness that didn’t belong when he said, “Well I didn’t throw my arm out, if that was what you were worried about.”

The only thing I could think of was “oh boy,” and that did not come out, but it was all my mind had to say. I was really starting to hate the mental games that the world was playing on me. I was being bounced around time to make mental notes about things, but for what reason I did not have a clue at the time. I might not have gotten the opportunity to see this Ricky that was already scaring me around my son, but has instantly terrified me, if he is going to be around my son. The old Ricky that would be staring vacantly out in space was no longer with us, and I doubt any Jedi mind trick I would have usually used on such an idiot would work here. I was scared as well as at a loss for words. I went with the concerned mother approach, “I just didn’t want you upset about the window is all, it happens to everyone,” and I stopped myself before I mentioned concern about “the stranger” he talked to. My mind told me that his father is too stupid to be concerned, and Ricky is now too shrewd to tip my hand to.

Ricky went straight under my skin by saying, “Oh really?” again which I personally thought at that time was tipping his hand. I just now decided it was time for me to step out of the bushes. My mind was also telling me that I should under no circumstances touch Ricky, but fortunately he was not getting any nearer to me. “I’m fine,” he then added but quickly asked, “So how’s Jake?” and it was a strange minor change in his voice as if he started realizing that as stupid as his father truly is, he is not deaf.

It seemed to work since Bob walked away as Ricky and I were having the conversation now, which was a good thing. If I were to talk to Ricky then it would be better to do it without someone else there, or was it? I could bungle my way around the conversation easier without an audience since Ricky seems to have an advantage, and I never thought I would say that before that day. I decided to play casual, “Jakes doing ok, he replaced the window, and told me about your pitching,” or at least I thought I sounded casual, but I was not so smart. I was getting used to that. It is hard looking back on it all to see what exactly was going on. Sometimes it is a blur, but I remember asking, “Are you getting any help?” and thinking I scored one there.

Ricky looked me over thoroughly at this point, and at best I can say that he gave me a little smirk, and nothing more. I chose to leave the question open and wait for him to say something. I have learned over the last few days, or whatever it has been to offer little and wait for answers. It was not Ricky that ended the silence, but Lou who had walked up behind me, I think, and said, “He’s just a pawn, and the only real thing he’s been given is the ability to confuse you,” and that changed the look on Ricky’s face instantly. I could see his lips curl into definite anger, but his resolve to do anything more was not there. “He can’t bend my thoughts, or get me to reveal things, so he’s going to be perfectly silent until I leave,” he added and then he smiled at Ricky, but talked to me, “I would suggest you leave with me, because nothing good is going to come of this.”

This was another one of those times when I just assumed that Lou was reading my mind and started along towards the sidewalk, but for some strange reason so much had gone on I really did not want to leave with him either. Logic took over and reminded me that known evil always trumps unknown evil. At least I knew that Lou had rules he followed for whatever reason he did. Ricky was acting strange, and I did not know how to deal with him, and Lou was acting exactly like I had come to expect. This is not exactly an educated decision coming from me at that time, it was the formation of survival instincts, and nobody had to come along and tell me that I knew nothing about survival instincts as brilliant as I always proclaimed myself to be. I had a piece of parchment in my pocket that writes on itself, and Lord knows that is what everyone is missing during times like these.

The sad part of the whole exchange came when I made it to the end of the walkway, and I heard poor stupid Ricky come back in full force but through the beguiling mind of what I had been dealing with. I do not even know what had prompted him to blurt out, “You do not scare me! I know everything about you, and I do not have to fear you!”

An educated person in this situation I assume would simply be quiet and wait for the danger to pass. Actually I think anyone who understood what dire situations are, would have simply shut up and waited for the worst of this storm to go over head, but I had heard once, “If you give a monkey a brain he will rule the world,” and I think the monkey that recently received a brain in this scenario is about to learn something about ruling. Lou stopped and let out a sigh before he turned around and walked back to Ricky. Ricky stood there trying to puff himself up for God only knows what, but Lou obviously did not fear the monkey. He looked Ricky clear in the face and replied to his boldness, “You are too stupid to be afraid of anything,” and then he started slowly as if Ricky’s ability to comprehend was draining away with every word, “Everything that was promised to you was a lie, and in the end there are only two places that your soul can end up. I would not bet money on going to the happy place if I were you. This is a very short part of eternity kid, and you lost,” and then unceremoniously Lou turned on his heel and walked away, talking to the sky, “Once again I am stuck with something I never wanted to begin with, and you should blame yourself, like I do.”

This was a telling moment for me, as I watched Lou, walk away. Ricky looked at me and smiled again in that sickening manner that he had adopted since yesterday. I was not sure of what dynamic the two of them had at this point, but I did have the wherewithal to understand Lou’s premise even if he did not make it too obvious. Darius had recruited a soldier that can only serve two entities, and Darius is not one of them. I chose to walk away at this point and once my back was turned, I slipped the parchment out of my pocket to see if it has anything new on it, and it was blank. I wished my mind were blank, but it was racing. Lou was walking a different direction than I would to get home but something told me that I should follow along after him. My world was not a very safe place, and a longer walk home is not too much of a price to pay. For all I know my house was burned to the ground considering the number of hours that had passed since I had leapt here to this time. That sick smile of Ricky’s got under my skin, like the creepy kid in a horror movie.

Being confused is no fun, and I am sure I do not have to explain it to everyone. Being confused on two fronts is far worse, as I do not have a clue what any of these immortal characters are doing, and I do not know what I had done for the last twelve hours. So far always was in twelve-hour leaps so there is a new clue, to go with the Darius clue. I was completely out of sorts, but I was starting to accumulate the data necessary to get something sorted out. I was pondering so hard about myself I barely noticed Lou vanish in front of me, and it is sad that I do not even find it shocking anymore. I started assuming I could just turn around and enjoy a quicker walk home alone. I need some alone time anyway, but I had one last piece of information I needed before I was alone. I slipped the piece of parchment out of my pocket and whispered to it, “Do you know why I keep jumping in and out of time the way I do?”

The piece of parchment got that familiar warmness that it gets when it is starting to write and I saw the word “Yes” spell out quickly and concisely, but nothing more. I still had my back towards the direction I wanted to go but there was part of me that did not want to have Ricky watching me talking to a piece of paper. I really should not have had such vanity considering that he knew I was spending time together with the Devil, but what did I know anyway? I whispered into the parchment again, “Well can you explain it to me please?” and I was slightly elated that I had discovered the parchment was at least bidirectional in its communication.

My elation was barely in me when it turned to a temper from the scrawling word “No” that had formed with no explanation to follow it. Fortunately, I did not have to get indignant with a piece of paper yet because it started disappearing and unfamiliar words were forming. “I can’t reveal that to you because you cannot interfere with it,” and I was shocked more than angry when I saw that. In an instant my brain wrapped around that and knew that I would, because that is just the way I am. Damn it. Then the next thing that formed on the parchment totally threw me for a loop, “Turn around and don’t move, no matter what happens!” and I could not ignore the parchments use of an exclamation point. I always favored good punctuation.

The second I turned around I saw Ricky standing on the sidewalk tossing a good-sized rock up in the air and catching it. Again, he threw it up and caught it, and I wondered what the little creep thought he was going to do with that rock. I was angrier than scared and I should have been a little of both. How easily I had forgotten how hard he threw that baseball that shattered my window and more importantly how far. As far as the “don’t move” part of the note, I did not really have much of a choice because his arm hurled over itself so fast, and the rock was streaking at me like a bolt of lightning. It made a noise in the two seconds at best it went a hundred and fifty or so yards. It seriously looked like light, and I was only able to comprehend that it had been thrown the second it hit me square in the stomach only an inch at best above my belly button ... To be continued.