AWOL: A Character Lost (22 page)

“This is just . . . how could you let this happen!”

“Calm down. You’ll wake Johnny. It’s not like it’s the end of the world.”

“If only you knew,” Danny thought, as he paced. What now, what to do, what now, what to do, what now, what to do, like a broken record it played on in his head.

“You told me not to bother you on your date. I thought . . .” The babysitter trailed off as Danny glared at her. She shrunk back even further against Barbara, and Barbara gave her shelter.

“My son runs away and you didn’t want to concern us because we were on a date!”

“Danny, lower your voice.” Barbara was upset as well, but she had to be the voice of reason. “Go cool off and come back. You are not you, when you’re angry.”

Danny thought of the three shots he had upstairs, the plan, and how it was all coming a part. He had to do something, and quick. He walked over and grabbed his car keys.

“Where are you going?” Barbara asked.

“To find him,” he replied, looking at Margaret. “Where the fuck did he go?”

“What is wrong with you? Don’t take it out on her. You know how Michael is.” Barbara put her arm around Margaret and hugged her close; soft tears found Margaret’s eyes and escaped down her cheeks.

“Where?”

“Out. Towards town I think. Maybe the mall, kids like to hang out in the parking lot.”

“I’ll find him.”

“Margaret needs a ride home,” Barbara replied, not sure Danny should be driving, but not sure how to stop him.

“She walked over, she can walk back.”

“You know we don’t let her walk home after dark.”

“Fine! Come on.”

“Cool it, Danny. Honestly. What’s gotten into you tonight?” Barbara paused. “How about I take her home, you cool off, and then you can go look for Michael?”

“No. You need to stay here with Johnny, and you need to sleep. I’ll handle this.”

“I can’t sleep knowing Michael is out there.”

“Please, Barb, just go to bed. I’ll find him, I promise.” He looked at the babysitter, and then the clock. How long did they have? How long before the world went boom? He didn’t know, but what he did know was that time was wasting. Seconds were becoming minutes, and those minutes would soon turn into hours.

“But . . .”

“No, Barbara, please, just take care of Johnny. We can’t leave him sleeping alone.”

“What’s going on?”

They all looked up to the top of the stairs, and there Johnny stood wiping sleep out of his eyes, wide awake.

“Nothing honey,” Barbara replied.

“Fuck,” Danny replied, as he shook his head. There went the plan, now everyone was up.

“Danny,” Barbara replied, turning his face to hers. “Calm yourself, and drive safe. I love you.”

Danny looked at her, but there was no calm inside him. He just needed it all to go according to plan, and it wasn’t. There was no way he was going to be calm until all the pieces fell into place. “Please Barbara, both of you need to go to bed. I’ll find Michael, and I’ll take Margaret home.”

Barbara kissed him, and made her way up the stairs. She led Johnny back to his room, as Danny took one last look at them, prayed to himself they would be asleep when he got back. He then ushered Margaret out the door, as she was putting on her coat.

The Chevelle was sitting outside since it was the car they took on their date. Danny pushed Margaret into it and slammed the door, nearly catching her foot. He climbed into the driver’s seat and backed the car up into the road with smoking spinning tires. He stopped, slammed the car into gear, and then sped on down the road.

Barbara watched from the window of Johnny’s room in amazement. She had no idea what to think about what had just happened. She had never seen him like this.

“Is dad okay?” Johnny asked, concerned.

“He’s fine. Let’s get you in to bed,” Barbara replied, helping her son get situated under the covers. When he was settled, she exited out of the room, and tried to find her calm. She went downstairs and poured herself a glass of wine, dropped onto the couch, and started to read.

At Margaret’s house, Danny slid the car to a stop. Margaret looked at him as he got out the cash, and tossed it at her. He just wanted to be rid of her as quick as he could.

“I’m sorry, Danny,” she replied, starting to cry, collecting her cash, looking ashamed at what she had allowed to happen.

Danny froze.

In his rage he had blanked out, lost his mind, gone loco with the coco, and her tears had brought him back. He knew he had to find his son, but he had no reason to be a jerk about it.

“I did the best I could. I tried, but he just wouldn’t listen.”

“I know, and I’m sorry about the way I acted. Michael is just difficult right now,” Danny replied. “He doesn’t listen to me either.”

“Will you find him?”

“I’ll try. Now you go in and get some rest. I really am sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“It’s okay. Will you need me again soon?”

Danny thought about that for a moment, thought about her, and where she might be tomorrow at this time. Maybe her dad or mom was one of the lucky ones with a basement and a security plan. Maybe she would be okay. Danny thought for a second about asking her if they had a basement and thought better of it. He had enough stress to take to the other side without adding more to it. It was best he didn’t know.

“We’ll see. Good night. Thanks for everything.”

“Good night.” She climbed out, and then made her way inside.

Danny took out his phone, and called home. Barbara picked up. “I just wanted to say I love you, and I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you ever act like that again.”

“Promise, I won’t.”

“I love you too. Now go find Michael, and both of you come home safe. How’s Margaret by the way?”

“Home safe with an apology,” Danny replied.

“Good, now go on.”

“Will do. You guys get some sleep.”

“Will do,” Barbara replied, hanging up the phone.

Danny punched the end button on his cell phone, and with frantic cylinders went off in search of his son.

*

11 P.M. 

12 A.M.

1 A.M.

2 A.M.

3 A.M.

4 A.M.

The hours moved forward as Danny drove through all of the towns, Apex, Cary, Durham, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Raleigh, and then back to Apex. He filled the gas tank often, got one speeding ticket (who cares – he would never have to pay it), and finally just as dawn was approaching gave up.

The clock clicked over to 5 A.M.

What Danny didn’t know was that the nuclear plant near Apex was scheduled to blow at 7:30 A.M. He had just two and a half hours to get things sorted out.

He pulled the car into the driveway and opened the garage door. He shut the garage door without even thinking about the rattling motor waking anybody up. If they were awake because of it, it was too late to do anything about it now. He would just have to make a new plan, one designed to fit the current situation.

Car secure, he hurried inside and found he was in luck.

The house was quiet.

Barbara was asleep on the couch; still dressed, still wearing her shoes, book lying open on the coffee table. He turned from her to the rooms upstairs. He hoped Michael was there, and Johnny was still asleep.

Danny took off his shoes and walked the stairs quickly, but quietly. At the top of them he stopped. He stood there a moment and just prayed.

He collected his nerves and walked over to Johnny’s door. He peeked in and found Johnny sound asleep on the bed, one leg hanging over the edge, head cocked in a position no person should be able to sleep in. Satisfied, he gently shut the door. Johnny kept on sleeping.

Danny turned and walked over to Michael’s door. He placed his ear against the wood and listened for sounds of breathing. He listened as the world ticked closer to extinction. He listened, he hoped, he prayed.

Danny reached down and turned the handle.

The door clicked open.

Fingers crossed.

He trained his eyes on the bed. There was a shape there, and that shape wasn’t moving. He inched into the room on burglar’s toes making his way over to the bed. He looked down at the lump and pushed down on it. His hands went all the way to the mattress, and came back up. He flung back the covers and turned on the light. Where Michael’s head should have been laying were two pillows, cool, and un-slept on. Michael had not been home all night.

Danny looked at the clock and sighed, took a hard seat on the bed, and cried. When the tears passed, he decided it was time he put his plan into motion. The night was wasting away, so he needed to get started. As he left the room, he hoped and prayed Michael would stumble in before whatever was supposed to happen today happened. If not, he was going to have to make one tough decision, one that he wasn’t sure he was ready to make.

Danny went into the master bedroom, and made his way over to the night-side table. He leaned down, and reached under it. He pulled down the syringes that he had taped there. The tape made a ripping sound as it peeled away from the wood. He hadn’t even thought about taking the tape off before Barbara went to bed. He was glad that she was now on the couch, because that ripping sound might have woken her up.

Shots in hand, he grabbed a couple of band aids, and made his way to the hall closet. Two suitcases were waiting for him there – one for him and Barbara, the other for the kids. He had packed these bags yesterday, just after the house emptied out, before he went to work on the wall. He had placed them back in the deepest parts of the closet no one ever went into. He wasn’t sure what they would need on the other side, but he did know that they would need to travel light.

He took out the suitcases (packed with clothes) and two large plastic bags, stuff he had bought at the superstore yesterday, tooth brushes, tooth paste, deodorant, Barbara’s favorite shampoo, and things like that. He separated them out, and put them inside their respective suitcases. He then closed them up, all the while listening for any signs of movement in the house, any signs of Michael coming home. While he worked, the house stayed silent.

He placed the suitcases at the top of the stairs and then crept over to Johnny’s room. He took out one shot, loaded it, and then walked up to where his second born was sleeping. Danny uncovered a leg (the boy so deep in sleep he never moved) and slid the needle into flesh. Danny watched the liquid go inside of his boy, and then when he was sure it was empty he removed the needle. He placed a band aid over his boy’s leg and patted him lightly.

“Sleep tight, Johnny. Daddy will be back soon.” He left the room and loaded the next shot; carefully he put it into his pocket. He grabbed the two suitcases and made his way down the stairs. He placed the bags near the basement door and stopped, someone was behind him.

“Danny,” Barbara replied, yawning. “Did you find Michael?”

“No,” Danny replied, turning around, trying to stay calm, trying to stay focused.

“I tried your cell, but I got no response.”

“I turned it off.”

“Why?”

“I just wasn’t thinking.”

“Should we keep looking?”

“He’ll be home soon, and we will deal with him then. You should get some rest.”

“Rest? How can I do that?” She trailed off, and looked around him, to the suitcases by the door, which Danny was trying to keep out of her view. “What’s with the bags?”

“None of your concern,” Danny replied, eyes flipping to the clock. He had no idea of when the first bomb was supposed to go off, but it was close to 6:00 A.M. Night was quickly becoming the morning, and no one was in the tunnel.

“You know I love you, right.” Danny pulled out the shot. He would have to do this while she was awake. He hoped she wouldn’t struggle.

“Is everything okay?” She could tell by looking in his eyes that he wasn’t all there. That something just wasn’t right with the man she married, the man she knew so well.

“I’m okay. We will all be okay. I promise. Do you trust me?”

Danny reached out and put his arms around her, but this hug felt unnatural, almost like he was attacking her. She tried to push him back.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing, I promise.” He pulled the shot up and went to ram it home.

Barbara was quick, quicker than Danny realized. She saw the shot and panicked, pushing Danny back and away from her. He grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her back to him. She might have been quick, but he was stronger.

Michael stepped into the house just as his dad pushed the shot into her arm. The liquid rushed into her body as she fought him, but it was no use. The liquid acted too quickly, and her eyes closed. Danny let her gently slip down to the floor.

Michael went from rebellion to protection in a matter of seconds. This was his mom after all. He rushed down the hall and tackled his dad. The two of them bounced off the wall and onto the floor, as Barbara went into a deep sleep.

Danny got up; and he saw Michael in a sitting position, a little stunned. He took out Michael’s shot and loaded it, as his son was gaining comprehension.

“What the hell is that?” Michael asked, as he saw that his dad had plans for him as well. It didn’t take Michael long; he got up and took off before his dad could reach him.

Danny went after him.

The clock clicked over to 6:00 A.M.

Morning had arrived.

It was now an hour and a half before the Apex nuclear plant was set to blow.

Danny’s plan was more than changed by now. He had hoped to be sitting in the tunnel, family asleep beside him, door closed, waiting on it all to end by this time. Instead, he was chasing Michael into the kitchen, as his wife slept in the hall, and his other son slept upstairs.

“Michael, you just don’t understand,” Danny replied.

“Get away from me with that thing,” Michael replied, flinging whatever he could at his dad – chairs, silverware, a toaster oven from the counter. Nothing stopped or slowed down his father.

“Please stop. We can both make this easier on ourselves, if you just stop for a minute,” Danny replied.

Michael wasn’t listening as he headed off to the living room with his dad hot on his heels. Through the living room they went with Michael throwing whatever he could at his dad – a remote control, pillow, a couple of vases, but nothing worked. His dad was still determined to jam that needle into him.