Steps of Dying

Justification

Step 3- Justification

As we approach, an elderly woman emerges from the house, she's short with long gray hair almost as long as she is tall.  As we get closer, I see that she has unnaturally blue eyes, but there's a mist over them as if she hasn't used them for sight in many years.  She smiles as we begin to walk up the small pathway to the front door.  In a thick accent, she says, "I've been waiting for you."

I look at Gerard, mystified.  How did she know we were coming?  Gerard shrugs his shoulders, showing he's as confused as me.  When we reach the elderly woman, I finally say, "How did you know we were coming?"

"You have questions, yeah?" she smiles, and gestures inside, "I wait with answers." She turns and disappears inside, so Gerard and I follow her in.  The inside is a maze of chairs, stacks of papers and an eclectic collection of objects, but the old woman seems to navigate it easily despite her lack of vision.

"How do you..." I mutter.

"Move around so quickly?" she finishes for me, "Sight is just one sense, one learns to live without it easily."  She sits down on an armchair so big that when she sits, her feet barely touch the floor.  She motions for us to sit before saying, "Your first question; who am I?  I am Savvy, the one you look for.  Savvy's question; why have you come Frank?  You know much, so why you come?"

I sit on a small two-seater couch and Gerard sits next to me, it's a tight fit, but I like the warmth of his body next to mine, it's comforting.  Once settled, I answer Savvy's question, "There are people looking for me.  I don't know who they are or what they want with me."

"You not know them?" Savvy says almost accusingly, "Be honest with Savvy."

"Alright... I think I know where they're from, but you'll think I'm crazy," when I think about talking about the white room I stay in, I feel like no one will believe me, it's crazy sounding.  I haven't even ever told Gerard about it, and I usually tell him everything.

She laughs loudly for being so small, "Try Savvy."

Gerard looks at me, wondering what I'm talking about.  This will be an awkward conversation, but there's no avoiding it, I really should've told Gerard before I guess....  I try to speak clearly and say, "Well there's a place I'm being held, even at this moment, an entirely white room in some facility and I think the men looking for me are staff from the facility.  But I have no idea how they're even here."

Gerard looks at me with an expression that says both what are you talking about and why didn't you tell me.  I just sit, looking at Savvy, not knowing what else to say.  Savvy smiles at me, "So you believe the men have followed you from the other world?"  I nod, she thinks for a moment before continuing, "So this is the path we're down.  I have waited long for you to come to me, Savvy knew one day you would."

Frustrated, I say, "Do you know what's happening?"

"You must be calm Frank," Savvy stands up and shuffles around, grabbing a stack of papers.  She sits back down, saying, "Do you know why they call me Savvy?"  Both Gerard and I shake our heads, so Savvy continues, "They call me Savvy because to them, I am savior.  I know all that happens and will come, so I guide and protect and people think me savior.  So yes Frank, Savvy knows what happens."

"Can you help me with it?" I ask desperately.

Savvy turns to Gerard, "This is first time you hear of this yeah?  Please be calm, just go with whatever comes."  Then she rests her sightless eyes on me, "Savvy will guide you but you make decision."

Quietly, Gerard asks, "What's it like knowing everything?"

Savvy laughs, smiling widely, "Is great pain in ass!"  I'm surprised to hear a little old lady talk like that despite what she is.  More seriously, Savvy turns to me, "These men do come from place of white room.  Be careful of them, they want to capture and study you and when they finish, kill you."