The Happy Haven by James Gerard (suggested reading txt) 📖

for the lobby.

 

“Come on,” he cried as it seemed the descent took forever.

 

As soon as the doors opened he barreled into the doors and crashed onto the sidewalk bustling with the noon time crowd.  Head turned back and forth just before he dashed into the street into the oncoming traffic with arms flailing and a frantic plea of “taxi!”

 

A cab came to a screeching halt, “Where to?”

 

He threw a wad of bills at the driver.  “The Happy Haven bar.”

 

Bill looked ahead at the traffic light ahead and screamed “run it!” but the driver ignored the panic and came to a stop.  “Just go!” he pleaded but the driver did not budge.  “Faster!” was shouted as the light turned green.  The taxi sped ahead as the driver shouted out warnings with a string of obscenities.

 

Bill bailed out the backseat as the taxi came slowly up to the curb.  Storming through the entrance, eyes frantically searched out for the familiar face.

 

“Scott!”

 

 His friend was spotted sitting in a back booth.

 

Bill ignored the shouts of warnings as he knew his only hope was to make a mad dash to the back of the bar.  He suddenly rushed ahead, broke the grips of hands and arms, and ran headfirst into the barricade of bodies attempting to halt the momentum.

 

Scott shot up from the seat.  “Leave him alone,” he screamed while lunging into the melee.  “I said leave him alone!” was shouted as he entered the midst of the scuffle and shielded Bill from the men and women trying to wrestle him to the ground.  The last of the defenders pushed away, Scott stood as a shield between the murmuring crowd and Bill.  “Everyone just stop.  Get away!  He’s our friend.”

 

The surly crowd slowly dispersed.  Kitty, who had run out from behind the bar toting a baseball bat said, “As much as we all love you Scott, you better make sure that crazy nut behaves himself or else I swear to God I’ll beat the hell out of both of you.”

 

Scott smiled and stepped to Kitty.  “We’ve all been there,” he whispered.  “He just needs some more time to come around.”

 

As Kitty stepped away Bill cried, “You’re telling me about reality?  You’re the one that screwed everything up for yourself.”

 

Scott took Bill by the arm and settled him to the confines of the booth.  With a nod to Kitty, he made it known to provide a free round of drinks to pacify the mob and with eyebrows raised called for a bottle and two glasses.

 

“Bill?” whispered Scott.  “Bill, I hate to be the one that tells you but you’re acting way out of character.”

 

He raised his head off the table as Kitty set the glasses and bottle on the table.  He glared into Scott’s eyes and said, “What do you know about character?  Look around.  Look where you are.  You’re nothing but a drunk.”

 

Scott smiled and looked to Bill, “Hey, come on now.  I’m still your friend.  Be careful with what you say.”

 

Bill jumped up.  “A threat Scott?  You, the genius who can’t see that the damn glass is just a glass, is threatening me?”

 

“Just sit down and relax,” Scott gestured.

 

Bill stood huffing and puffing while glaring at Scott.  The passive offer was met with a mind that was ready to lash out with just one confrontational word or the slightest misstep in his direction, but he noticed that Scott refused to relinquish the peaceable gesture and the tranquil posture.  He then looked around at the patrons going about their activities as if oblivious to the rage waiting to be unleashed and took a seat. 

 

“Look, I have to tell you I lied to you Bill.  I know what you four have been working on.”

 

“I don’t care what you know Scott.”  Bill banged his head on the table.  “Do you know what they wanted me to research?”

 

Scott shook his head.  “I have a good idea, yes.”

 

“They’re crazy Scott.  None of us believe in that stuff.  Why would they want to explore the possibility in the first place?  I just don’t get it.” 

 

Scott leaned over the table and whispered, “All that doesn’t matter Bill.  What does matter is he’ll never let you guys get away with it.  He’ll never allow it.”

 

“Stop it!  Stop the bullshit Scott.”

 

“We’re not that clever Bill.  We can only go so far in unveiling the so-called secrets of the universe.  But the true, ultimate mystery is that we’ll never discover the truth as long as our eyes are blind.”

 

“No,” shouted Bill.  “You’re wrong Scott.  You’re absolutely wrong about that.”

 

“Bill, consider an arrow shot one hundred feet from its target.  If you can momentarily freeze its flight every time it covers half the distance, how many times can you stop it before it hits the target?”

 

“Oh,” moaned Bill.  “That’s a question for philosophers.  It has nothing to do with the real world.” 

 

“Isn’t there a point Bill where the division stops?  Isn't there a point where the tip of the arrow contacts the target?  Isn't that the moment there is no longer any particle to be divided?”

 

“Will you stop it already,” cried Bill.  “The arrow hits the target.”

 

“But how can that be?” Scott whispered.  “Aren’t we then talking about nothingness?  A point where the tip of the arrow splits that last particle of matter?  Bill, doesn’t that final division of matter has to result in nothingness in order for the tip to pass through and arrive?”

 

“That’s so moronic,” wailed Bill.

 

“’Moronic’ you say?  Why, because it doesn’t fit into the standard model?  Or because all we do is produce convenient little lies to further the discipline of science just so we can further seek out vain glory for something the vast majority of the world could care less about?  Or is it all just an illusion?”

 

“Why are you doing this?” whispered Bill.

 

“Why?   Because you’re about to find out about nothingness Bill.  I’d wish you good luck, but the truth is you can’t debunk him.  You’ll never succeed.”

 

“Who?  God?” cried Bill.  He grasped onto the bottle sitting on the table and lifted it to the air.  “This god Scott? This is the god you’re talking about isn’t it?”

 

“Why all the internal turmoil Bill?  How is it that your once carefree attitude has turned into a torturous soul?  Whose voice is talking to you Bill?  Are you hearing it from the mind or the heart?”

 

Scott took hold of the bottle and poured a drink for Bill.  He pushed the glass towards him.

 

Bill pushed the glass away and stood.   “I’m leaving.”

 

“If they are your friends Bill, you have to stop them.”

 

Bill marched towards the doors oblivious to the stares of all the patrons.

 

“Stop them Bill before it’s too late.”

 

The bright sunlight stuck the eyes.  The view down the sidewalk was clear.

A Journey with no Return

 A paralyzing state of doom and panic came crashing into the conscious.  His mind so overwhelmed with such catastrophic thoughts that a rush of madness plunged Bill blindly into the depths of despair.

 

The street suddenly reverberated with shrieking tires, crunching metal, and shattering glass as cars violently collided with one another.  In a matter of seconds people came rushing out of The Happy Haven.

 

Moaning and groaning, pleas for help, silence from drivers bleeding profusely, and others rushing to the scene shouting out to each other instructions for providing first aid and how to comfort the victims suffering from shock filled the area of the wreckage.

 

The target of frustration and anger, Bill’s state of panic muted the threats belching out from the mouths of those that came rushing out of The Happy Haven and the slightly dazed drivers and passengers that escaped the carnage.  

 

In the confusion, self-preservation lightened just enough of the perilous weight of despair to instinctively recognize the hostile intents of those that were rushing towards him in judgment.  They were acting executioners seeking to tear the vile perpetrator to pieces.

 

Bill tore down the street in pursuit of a refuge.   A taxi cruising up the other side of the street was seen.  Out of desperation, he jumped into the path.  The driver swerved and nearly sideswiped a cargo van speeding in the other lane.  He dived into the back seat, wrestled a wad of cash out of a pocket, threw it at the driver, and shouted “Go.”

 

The driver punched the gas and evaded the throng of people attempting to thwart the getaway and corral the madman for police to carry away.

 

The taxi suddenly stopped.  The driver shouted, “Get out.”

 

“Please,” begged Bill, “I have to get to the Easton Building on Fourth.”

 

“I don’t want trouble,” the driver screamed.  “Now get out.”

 

The Rolex came off the wrist.  “Here, it’s worth at least twenty thousand dollars, please take it.  Just get me to the Easton Building on fourth.”

 

The driver hesitated at first but then reached out and examined the watch.  He placed it in a shirt pocket and hit the accelerator.

 

Bill spun around to the rear window but could only hear the distant screams of sirens.  “Hurry.”

 

Crouching from the back seat, the tall towering building came into sight.  “Come on,” he whispered as the sirens screamed louder and louder.

 

In front of the building, the driver came to a sudden stop in the middle of the street and shouted, “Get out.”

 

Bill scampered out and raced towards the end of the building.

 

The sirens wailed even louder.  Flashing lights down the road were getting closer.

 

He darted around the corner and towards a heavily fortified fence protecting a small building.  A hand fumbled about a back pocket and ripped the wallet out of its hold.   He slapped the wallet on the face of a sensor and the gate opened with a click.

 

The sirens reached a screaming pitch that painfully penetrated the ears.  Bill leapt at the door, slapped the sensor, rammed a shoulder into the door knocking it open, and scurried into the building on hands and knees.

 

“What the….”

 

“We can’t do this,” cried Bill.

 

“You idiot,” Kevin shouted.  “We didn’t tell you to come back now.”

 

“Just great,” screamed Terry.  “You just blew everything.”

 

“Quick,” said Kevin, “set it up now.”

 

Bill ran screaming at Terry.

 

Paul lunged at Bill tackling him to the ground.  “Calm down,” he shouted.

 

Bill fought against the arms gripping his waist and cried, “We can’t do this.  Listen to me!”

 

“Why are you acting crazy?” screamed Paul as he pinned Bill to the ground.

 

Kevin walked up and with a wave of the pistol forced Paul to the side.

 

Bill scrambled to his feet but froze in response to the barrel now squared right between his eyes.   “You sniveling baby, you….”

 

Paul ran up to Kevin and grabbed his arm.  “Come on Kevin,” he calmly said, “please don’t do this.”

 

“He doesn’t matter,” shouted Terry.  “Kevin, we have the master key to the whole history of the world.  We now have complete control of everything and the power to manipulate whatever we want.  Put the gun down and let’s go.”

 

“We’re not even close to being ready,” Kevin yelled.

 

“Kevin, he’ll be here any moment.  We have to go now!”

 

“We need the solar charging system…all the other essential….”

 

“Damn it Kevin,” Terry responded, “we control time.  All we need right now is the gold and the hard drive.  We have all the time in the world to figure everything out and to get whatever we need.”

 

With eyes trained on the barrel of the pistol, Bill shouted, “Scott’s right Paul.  He will not let us get away with