C H A P T E R N I N E

The Henry Effect

A

LEX THANKED THE DRIVER as they got out of the car in front of the hotel. The driver stuck his hand out the window, waved and sped away. “Ah, it’s good to be home,” Alex remarked jovially, trying to encourage Ethan’s spirit. Usually he had some smart comment to impart. Not this time.

At the door to his room, Ethan held the key-card near the lock. It beeped and the lock clicked. He didn’t open the door, and turned to Alex instead. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” she replied. There was a long pause as a female guest exited the room next to them and walked passed. “Are you going to be all right?”

“You know, I’m not sure. This whole thing is just… I’ll talk with you later. Okay?”

She really didn’t want to leave him alone, but didn’t want to impose either. “Ethan, I’ll do anything I can. Come get me if you want to talk. Alright?”

“Okay, thanks,” he said with a forced grin, briefly glancing up at her before unlocking the door again.

The small sofa was beginning to lose its comfort after an hour of sitting and listening to the faint muffled sounds of the foreign city outside. It wasn’t unlike being home visiting the cemetery—listening to the sounds of life flirt with each other on a willing wind. Similar. Not quite the same.

Being here in a strange country, the isolation of encroaching madness, the visions, the impossible questions… The darkness and emptiness, the nothingness felt in that one instant from the vision was overwhelming. He looked up at the window that separated him from the outside world. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. He needed to be with other people—to feel life—to fill the emptiness.

The streets were busy as people made their way to destinations of importance. Everyone seemed to have a place to go, a schedule to keep. For many, time was an adversary, always nipping at their heels causing them to hop or skip in a frantic race to find more of what was allocated. For a precious few, it was an ally. Planning and knowledge facilitated understanding that allowed for a sure and steady pace in their race against rats. He watched and wondered where they might be going—homes, jobs, appointments, friends, husbands…a wife and family maybe.

Ahead was a large community square with a tall fountain at its center, water spilling over its sides into a surrounding pool. Hundreds of people traversed over the intricate stone designs, many in narrow lines like ants following a leader, making their way to a mass transit system somewhere. He was intrigued by the large open space, elaborate buildings, statues and trees. The essence of life was everywhere.

The fountain seemed to be a popular gathering place for many different types of people. Gray-haired men sat and talked while children ran around its edge to the dismay of some older and wiser. Even in the chaos of noise from voice and machinery, some could still hide themselves away in a world of their own to sit on an old wood and metal park bench, knees pulled up close as they read a favorite book.

Ethan stood in the middle of the square not far from the fountain and looked around. He wondered about these people and what their individual or combined ambitions might be—what they must believe in, how they perceive their lives. What would they do if they knew their existence was about to end? How would they react? How many would run in panic and fear? How many would stand and accept death either bravely or otherwise? He watched them and looked in their faces as they passed, knowing that whatever terrible fears or courageous convictions they held within, either to cherish in strength or to despise in ignorance, were theirs alone.

The vision of his own extinction scared him senseless and had him cowering like a frightened child. He had already discovered that his fear of the unknown in death was greater than his ability to terminate his own life. And when he found himself faced with what he perceived as the end, it didn’t matter what he thought, or how brave he might be, or how scared, how intelligent, how prepared, how wealthy… There was nothing that gave him comfort in that moment. But if nothing, then what?

He wondered if Rachel’s beliefs helped her when her moment of inevitability came. She seemed so sure about her convictions. Maybe he should have listened. But does anyone really know truth? Or is truth simply what is perceived by those wanting to believe something badly enough? Maybe she was right about all of it—maybe not. How does anyone really know?

People continued to stream by and Ethan continued to wonder if any of them understood any real truth, or even knew where to find it. If you only learn the defining truth about life at its end, then what is the point of its journey? There had to be something more. The inner deliberation was only making him more frustrated. There were no answers here, only more questions.

Continuing across the square brought him to a quaint little street with interesting stores and vendors. Even though he couldn’t read most of the signs or understand most of the people, these people and this place didn’t seem that different from his own a half world away. Just being around them was comforting in an odd sense.

The very uniqueness that makes us all different is exactly what binds us all together, regardless of where we live, what language we speak or what we believe. Everything is different everywhere, and exactly the same. It was a confusing preponderance of thought that continued as he walked along the sidewalk in the crowd of strangers.

About halfway back to the hotel, a man sitting alone on the curb caught his attention. His clothes were worn and old, which seemed to complement his beard and long hair. It was curious how he just sat there as the rest of the world walked by, keeping stride in their agendas.

Ethan stopped on the far side of the sidewalk near a storefront and watched the man. The man appeared to be destitute. Ethan wondered if he might have a family somewhere, and what could have happened to bring him here? He didn’t seem to be doing anything—just sitting. No one to meet, maybe not even a purpose for living.

Slowly, Ethan started to walk away when a second later he stopped inexplicably and turned back to look at the man again. His mind wandered to a time not so long ago when he probably didn’t look much different and no doubt felt similar. He was all too familiar with disparity. At least he had a nice house and friends. Well, one or two friends at least, and caring neighbors. This man appeared to have nothing. As the man turned to look down the sidewalk in Ethan’s direction, Ethan quickly turned away, not wanting to make eye contact. He was ashamed to acknowledge the man’s presence. Then Sara’s words rang clear in his mind. Could this be the disparity she told him not to turn away from?

Waiting for a few moments to find courage, Ethan walked over to the man and sat down on the curb beside him. Neither looked at the other. Ethan finally spoke. “I don’t suppose you know a young lady named Sara do you? Long blond hair, has a brother named Ty? Lives someplace called Summer Falls? A little eccentric maybe?” Ethan looked over at the man who was still looking ahead. “Yeah, didn’t think so. Probably can’t understand a word I’m saying either,” he mumbled, turning his head back toward the street. Now what?

There was a strange feeling about this man. Not threatening, but odd, like he was out of place or didn’t belong there. A minute or so of silence went by as they both sat bereft, gazing blankly at the blur of moving traffic. Suddenly, the man spoke. “What are you searching for?” he boldly asked, maintaining his apathetic demeanor.

Startled, Ethan turned and looked at him. “I’m…not sure what you mean.”

“You’re here because you’re searching for something. What are you searching for?”

Ethan was caught off-guard and stammered trying to think what the man was really asking. Only one answer came to mind… “The truth.”

The man smiled, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of tan folded parchment and handed it to Ethan. Ethan took it, then looked up at the man who was now looking at him. The man’s eyes were crystal clear blue and sharp. There was no disparity or sadness behind them. Instead, they projected strength and power in radiating clarity.

“What is this?” Ethan asked respectfully.

“A stone for your path,” the man said before he stood and offered his hand. Ethan looked at it, took it and stood. “When you seek, you shall find. Journey well.”

The man then let go of Ethan’s hand and stepped onto the sidewalk to disappear into the crowd of moving people. Ethan watched until he could no longer distinguish the man from the others, then unfolded the parchment to see what it was. There was writing on it, but it was nothing he recognized. Puzzled, he looked around, folded the parchment back in half and slipped it into a pocket where he held on to it all the way back to the hotel.

continues…