End of the Road Page 26

  Today is the day; soon, soon she will be a part of my life. No one will be able to stop us, she is legal today. If she only knew how long I have waited for her, how long I have anticipated this day. My heart is pounding with excitement.

  She enjoys a simple meal with her friends as I move into the shadows. It won't be long. I have played this scene in my mind many times before. Her friends will leave her, exiting through the south entrance. She will be left alone as she makes her way toward the north entrance.

  I wait.

  An hour is not too long to wait when it is your future you are waiting on. As her friends leave the table and walk out of sight, she takes her time gathering her packages. I move out of the shadows and walk the 30 feet separating us. Her back is to me. It takes all of my self control not to reach out and touch her. The time is not right, not yet.

  "Claudia?" The word escapes my mouth. It isn't what I had planned to say. My plans have all disappeared; nothing I wanted to say or do is within my grasp. Like a wisp of smoke, it is all gone.

  She turns, startled at hearing her name. I can't speak; our close proximity has stolen my words and taken my breath. My hands are sticky with a cold sweat. I feel my body shaking with fright. I wonder if she can see my fear. I can do nothing but stare at her, I am in awe. I have never been this close; her beauty is even more striking than before.

  "Yes?" She speaks first, her eyes piercing into my very being. Questions written on her face leave me feeling panicked and small.

  "I am..." I try to introduce myself, to remember the words I had planned. There is nothing.

  "You are my mother."

  She speaks for both of us. She knows. I try to read her face, her eyes, her body; I see no hate, no anger.

  "You know?"

  "How could I not know? You have followed me for three years, constantly snapping photos of me. The first time I saw you it was like looking into a mirror. I just knew, and I have waited, waited for you to tell me. By the way, you are a terrible stalker." She smiles slightly, speaking to me through her eyes as much as her words.

  Opening my arms I hesitate, hoping she will fill them. She does. Allowing me to envelope her for only the second time in eighteen years. The first time I caressed her little face, only minutes old, I held her close and told her I would find her again. I was only fifteen. I begged her not to hate me as they took her from my arms.

  I breathe deeply, taking in her scent. I run my hand through her long hair. I feel her close to my body; her cheek against mine is as soft as the first day I held her. My life is now complete, as the mother's heart within me is filled with joy.

  The End

  If you enjoyed this short story, you might also enjoy the Valgrid short story series by Sherrie Giddens. You can visit her website here.

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  Chapter 30

  Home Now

  By Suzie O’Connell

  From the comfort of his recliner, Robert watched out the big picture window as snowflakes drifted in a lazy, disoriented dance from a sullen gray sky, muting the once-vibrant colors of the autumn as they gathered in a frosty quilt. A few leaves still clung desperately to the skeletal branches, unwilling to fall with their comrades that now lay scattered and dead. His old eyes had seen so many days like this, but he had never appreciated the quiet, cold beauty of them until Edith. Days like this had always been something to endure on the ranch, bringing numb fingers and toes, and making hard work even harder, but she had shown him how to find the warmth in even the darkest, most bitter December night.

  He wished she were here with him now to warm away the sorrow in his heart. Has it really been a year already? he wondered as he picked up the framed photograph sitting on the table beside his recliner. His gaze sidetracked briefly to the gnarled hands that gripped the weathered-wood frame. Veins protruded like the knotty roots of an old tree pushing up the ground, and the skin was paper thin and splotched with liver spots and the bruises that came so easily these days. The face half-reflected in the glass didn’t look anything like the smooth, smiling young man staring out at him from the photograph; it was creased with time, weathered by eighty-seven years of riding the range, and its main reason for smiling had died. When did I get so old, Edie?

  He tilted the picture frame so he could no longer see the reflection, and focused instead on the man and woman in the photograph. They were so young, so full of life and love. There were other photographs scattered around their house—dozens upon dozens of them—chronicling their sixty-six years together. There were images of road trips and vacations, pictures of their son and grandson and great-granddaughter, and photos of beloved pets.

  A knock on the door disrupted his thoughts, and he pushed slowly out of his chair. These creaky old bones and tired muscles certainly didn’t work like they once had, but he didn’t mind. Truthfully, he didn’t mind the wrinkles and fragile skin, either, because growing old was a privilege. He’d earned every sore joint, every scar, and every one of the few gray hairs he had left. Edith had taught him that, too. He shuffled to the back door and knew before he opened it that he’d see his son standing on the other side. It was time for Jim’s daily visit.

  “Hiya, Pops,” his son greeted, stamping the snow from his boots as he stepped inside. A waft of crisp, cold air followed him in. “How are you today?”

  “I miss your mother,” Robert said simply.

  Jim’s lips curved in a sad smile. “I know you do. I miss her, too.”

  “You’re a good boy, Jim. A good man,” he corrected. “I hope you know how proud you’ve made me. And how much I love you.”

  “I know you’re proud of me. And you’ve always made sure I know.” Jim frowned quizzically at him. “Are you all right, Pops?”

  “It’s just this weather. Your mother used to love days like this. Make me snuggle on the couch with her under an afghan to watch the snow fly. So silly, but I loved it. I don’t know if I ever told her that.”

  “She knew.”

  Realizing they were still standing just inside the back door, he hesitated before stuffing his feet into his muck boots and yanking his old Carhartt coat on. “Mind if we take a little walk?”

  “It’s pretty slick out. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stay in by your nice cozy warm fire?”

  “I’m sure. I need some fresh air.”

  He followed his son out the door, and stepped from under the eaves. Closing his eyes, he turned his face to the sky, and the feathery snowflakes brushed against his skin. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Edith laughing at his antics and felt his face lift at the sound of her cherished voice. When he again turned his gaze upon his son, he was startled to see that Jim wasn’t young anymore, either. At sixty-four, his hair was the color of pepper, and the virility of youth had begun to fade faster in the past few years, but Robert had no trouble seeing the strapping young man he’d been. Memories of birthday parties and football games and their last father-son rides on the ranch poured through his mind.

  “Are you sure you’re all right, Pops?” Jim asked.

  “I’m sure. But, you make sure my grandson and great-granddaughter know I love them,” he said. “You’ll do that for me, won’t you, Jim?”

  “Of course, Pops. Why are you….”

  “Don’t mind me. You should probably get on home. I know you’re busy.”

  “Everything can wait.”

  Such a good boy, Robert thought again. What a legacy I leave behind….

  “I’ll be all right, Jim. Don’t you worry about me.”

  Jim hugged him for several long minutes, as if he sensed something out of place. He’d always been intuitive like that, though. He got it from Edith.

  Robert stood on the back deck and watched his son climb into his brand new pickup. Their eyes met briefly in the rearview mirror, then the taillights glowed brilliantly red in the dull gray evening. He lifted his hand in farewell, and Jim did the same. They held gazes until the distance became too great, then Robert turned and w
ent back inside.

  There was nothing left to do. His son was grown, and his grandson, too. They were both successful with everything Robert ever hoped they’d have. And his great-granddaughter was a beautiful young woman now, well on her way toward a shining future. Their lives were in full swing, but he knew his was winding down. It had been since Edith had passed away last year on a night so like this one. Maybe he didn’t mind the aches and pains so much, but there was one hurt that had become too much, and it couldn’t be soothed away like the rest.

  He fixed himself dinner—a tasteless microwaveable concoction—sorely missing Edith’s delicious cooking. The house felt emptier than usual tonight, and he flipped through the channels for an hour before giving up and turning in early for the night. He went through the motions of preparing for bed, but none of it had any meaning. He was tired of being alone, tired of climbing into his bed to see Edith’s side empty, and tired of lying awake, wishing he could hold her in arms just one more time. With a sigh, he stoked the fire for the night, made his way slowly through the house to turn off all the lights, and climbed beneath the blankets.

  Robert.

  He turned his head toward the door and blinked, sure it was some trick of his eyes. She was still there, standing in the doorway of their bedroom, dressed in her favorite old nightgown with her hands braced on her hips and his favorite playful smile dancing on her lips and in her faded blue eyes. Her silver hair tumbled down over her shoulders in a shimmering river, and he levered himself up on his elbow to rake his eyes over her.

  “This is a dream. It can’t be real. You aren’t here anymore.”

  I am here, Robert.

  Disbelieving, he watched her sidle toward him, felt the mattress give as she slid over him to reclaim her spot in their bed. Then he reached tentatively for her, and when his fingers felt the heat of her soft skin, he gave in and dragged her into his arms. He held her tightly, trembling. She giggled, and the years fell away from them both. They were again the young husband and wife in the picture by his recliner.

  “I’ve been so alone,” he murmured, clinging to her like a drowning man clings to the sky. “I’ve missed you so much, Edie.”

  “Hush, my love. You’re not alone anymore,” she whispered against his lips. She kissed him lightly, then brushed her fingers tenderly across his cheek and his brow. “You’re home now.”

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  Find out more about Suzie O’Connell at suzieoconnell.com.

  Chapter 31

  The Velociraptor at the End of the Road

  By Vel R.

  One

  “Hey George, what the hell is that?”

  “What?”

  “Down there, at the end of the road. That thing standing in the moonlight. It looks like a big lizard.”

  “Wow. I think that’s a… velociraptor.”

  “What, like a model or something? I don’t think so. Its tail is swishing around.”

  “I think it’s alive, John.”

  “Don’t be stupid. Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. Maybe it’s animatronic.”

  “No. Look how that thing’s moving. That’s not a robot. That thing is alive.”

  “I think it’s watching us.”

  “Okay, it’s time to go. Just start walking backwards, very slowly.”

  “Are you nuts? We’re looking at a damn velociraptor! If we can catch that thing, we’ll be so rich, people will complain that we’re part of the point-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-one percent.”

  “Not likely. I mean, it’s not like that thing just happened naturally. Clearly, someone made it in a lab or something.”

  “That’s not possible. You can’t get dinosaur DNA.”

  “Sure it is. It was in that movie about that park.”

  “Don’t be stupid, man. That was a movie.”

  “It was based on a book.”

  “A fiction book!”

  “Yeah, but the method the author used to get dino-DNA seemed pretty realistic. Maybe somebody actually did it.”

  “What the hell is wrong with you? The method they used to get dino-DNA was completely unrealistic. It was just presented in a really realistic way.”

  “You know, you don’t have to be such a jerk about it.”

  “Well, stop being stupid. Sheesh.”

  “I’m not being stupid! Clearly, someone figured out how to make a damn velociraptor! You need proof? Look up ahead! And there’s no way we’re the first people to see it, so we’ll gain nothing by trying to catch it. We need to get the hell out of here.”

  “You need to stop screaming. You’re going to get its attention or make it mad or something.”

  “Then stop being an asshole.”

  “Maybe it came through some kind of time-rift. If that’s the case, we are the first people to see it.”

  “There’s no such thing as time-rifts.”

  “There’s also no such thing as velociraptors walking around in the twenty-first century, but there it is.”

  “Good point.”

  “I told you we should’ve taken guns on this trip. You can’t hike across the country without some kind of protection. Especially on old wooded roads like this.”

  “Have you forgotten what happened at the shooting range? If you need a reminder, just count your toes again, Niner.”

  “That was a freak accident.”

  “It was enough to convince me you shouldn’t be carrying a gun.”

  “I think we have bigger things to discuss right now. Like what to do about that velociraptor at the end of the road.”

  “Okay, I have a plan. I’ll get a stick and hide in the bushes. Then you make a bunch of noise. When it comes to get you, I’ll jump out and knock it unconscious. Then we can call the news and start our journey to fame and riches.”

  “That’s a load of crap.”

  “I think it’s a viable plan.”

  “For you! I’ll probably end up as velociraptor food.”

  “I would gladly be the bait, but it just makes more sense if I’m the ambusher.”

  “Why the hell do you think that makes more sense?”

  “I have all ten of my toes. That means I have better balance.”

  “I lost a damn pinky toe! I think I’ll be alright.”

  “Okay, good. So you’re the bait.”

  “I did not say that!”

  “You said you’ll be alright.”

  “I meant as the ambusher, idiot.”

  “Look, do you want to get rich or not? It’ll be easy if we just stick to the plan.”

  “Can I at least have a stick too?”

  “Sure.”

  “Okay then. But if this doesn’t work, I’m blaming you.”

  “If this doesn’t work, you’ll be dead.”

  “What?”

  “I said if this doesn’t work, we’ll be dead.”

  “Oh. Yeah. Good point. Well, in the two seconds before we die, I’ll blame you.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “You ready to do this?”

  “I’m ready. You in position?”

  “Yep. Yell away.”

  “Okay… here goes… HEY VELOCIRAPTOR! OVER HERE! YEAH, I’M OVER HERE! FREE FOOD! COME AND GET IT!”

  “We’re gonna’ be so rich from this…”

  Two

  “Okay, Doctor, this had better be good. I’ve given this lab a lot of money.”

  “It’s good, Russell. You’re about to become ten times richer than you already are.”

  “I like the sound of that. What have you done here?”

  “I was going to surprise you, but I can’t hold it in. We cloned a velociraptor!”

  “Not possible.”

  “I assure you, it is possible and we have done it.”

  “How? How’d you get dinosaur DNA.”

  “We used the same technique from that movie about the park.”

  “Really? That worked?”

  “Yep.”

  “Amazing.”

  �
��Yeah. We named the raptor Bobbi.”

  “Doctor Traci, you’re a genius.”

  “I know, I know. Her cage is just around this corner.”

  “Everybody here is gonna’ be so rich, we’ll all make the one percent look poor.”

  “Uh oh.”

  “What? Wait, is that her cage? Why is it empty? And why is that window broken… oh.”

  “This is bad. Very bad.”

  “Why the hell did you have a window in its cage?”

  “We wanted to let her see the woods. You know, for comfort.”

  “Then why the hell didn’t you put bars on the window?”

  “We didn’t think she could fit through! Apparently velociraptors are more nimble than we thought.”

  “This is bad, Doctor.”

  “Now calm down. It’s not as bad as you think. We have tranquilizer guns. We just have to go find her. It’s not the end of the road for this project.”

  “If that animal harms anybody in those woods, we’re in deep trouble.”

  “She won’t hurt anybody. We keep her well-fed. Predators don’t hunt when they’re not hungry. As long as nobody antagonizes her, she’ll leave people alone. And really, who’s stupid enough to see a velociraptor in the woods and not run?”

  “That’s true, I suppose. Okay, let’s not waste any more time.”

  “I’ll inform my people to organize a hunt. Don’t worry, Russell. This time tomorrow, Bobbi will be in a new cage. A cage without windows.”

  “Just out of curiosity, what if someone does antagonize it?”

  “She’ll kill them. Those things are fast. A mean when provoked.”

  “Let’s just hope we can catch her before that happens.”

  “I’m not worried about that. Like I said, only an idiot would see a velociraptor in the woods and decide the best course of action is to antagonize it.”

  “Yeah. Someone like that probably deserves to be eaten by a velociraptor.”

  “Funny. And true. Luckily, nobody is that stupid.”

  “Okay, I feel better. You ready to organize that search team?”

  “Yeah. The day isn’t getting any longer. Let’s go catch our velociraptor…”