Four Weeks - The Beginning

The Ageless Damsel

Alan sat on a bench and wondered what had happened to Elaine and how he was going to find her. He pondered for a good long while over what Judith had said to him. With puckered eyebrows, he sat massaging his head with his hands. He was clearly under a lot of stress. He got back up on his feet and started pacing the room. He kept pacing for a while, after which, he stood against the wall keeping one foot planted on its surface.

'Elaine. Where are you?' he said, sounding exhausted.

He said, 'What could she have wanted to tell me and not her own mother?'

Alan went up the stairs into his bedroom. He picked up a backpack by its sling, slung it around his shoulders and hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. He crouched down to open a cabinet, opened it and took out various supplies. They were mostly food items and snack items. He also picked up some bottles of water. He put all of these items into the backpack. He got back up and reached for another cabinet, opened the door and pulled out a few medicines, putting them into the backpack as well. Then, he left the kitchen, went into the living room, picked up a few notebooks lying all around the floor and put all of them in the backpack. Alan walked up to the front door, drew it open, swiped the keys from a keychain hanger next to the door, clutched the keys in his hand and headed out, banging the door shut behind him. He kept walking down the barren strip of land until he found a road. He followed the road. It was late evening and the street lamps were all lit. Alan kept on his path until he reached the city. He found a bench on a street corner, walked up to it and sat down on it. He sat there, thinking intently about something, looking straight ahead. He held that position for an eerily long time. After a while, he became aware of a dog that had arrived on the scene. Alan did not know when it had arrived. He was distracted. It wagged its tail and held out its tongue, staring at Alan. Alan stared at the dog, which remained the same way it had been.

'Hey,' said a voice.

Alan looked up to see who it was. It was a kid. He looked about nine-ten years of age. Alan looked vacantly at the boy and then turned away, looking straight back out. The boy seemed to survey Alan's face. After a few moments, the boy sat himself down on the bench, beside Alan. Both of them sat still and quiet for a while, both sitting in an upright posture. The boy patted his dog, grazed his fur, withdrew after a few moments and continued looking ahead.

'Wanna talk about it?' said the boy. 'I'm Jim,' he continued, holding out his hand.

Alan looked at Jim with an icy, cold stare for about five seconds. In response, Jim goggled at Alan, took a quiet breath, his hand still in the same position and said,

'He is Timmy'

Alan looked down at the dog, examined its appearance for about five seconds more and looked back up at Jim. After another brief few moments, Alan forced a smile.

'Alan,' he said, as he shook hands with Jim.

'Does your mom know you're not at home, Jim?' Alan asked him. Jim looked at Alan for a moment, turned away and said looking ahead.

'My mom is very sick. Dad's with the angels. That's what mom always told me. I remember, she gave me a note on the day Dad went away to live with angels. It said I should take good care of my mom, that I was the man of the house now.'

Jim looked at Alan as Alan looked back at him.

'Do you know why she is sick?' said Alan.

'I don't. I just know she's getting worse,' Jim said sounding low.