IS

The rain was coming down pretty good by the time Shane was ready to leave for Tyler’s house, just at the other end of the street.

Corey had failed to keep her date with the shower, as she was now curled into a corner of the couch, comatose to anything the night had to offer. The TV was playing an old episode of Lost in Space that nobody seemed to be watching.

I felt uneasiness at the sight of Alley sitting on the floor alongside the door wall, watching the rain fall, and drawing on the fogged glass with her finger; precisely where the blood mural had recently been on display.

I couldn’t help but feel that her gaze was at times traveling to the shed, and to the mystery that lay beyond it. I tried not to think about him. The thought of his buried existence would only bring emotional pain and distraught, and now, I feared, Alley’s attention.

Nervously, I looked at the digital clock below the TV that read 7:32, as Shane passed through the kitchen. The bad weather had already made it prematurely dark outside. The back of my neck was tingling and my palms were sweating.

“Shane!” I yelled. I inadvertently made him jump, and Alley turned my way.

“Geez! What?” he asked, annoyed.

“Sorry… let me drive you,” I said.

“Seriously? It’s like, just down the street, Dad!”

“I know, but it’s raining pretty hard out,” I replied.

“Whatever,” he answered.

“Hold on a minute,” I said. I jumped to my feet and hurried down the hallway.

“Dad, the guys are waiting!” he yelled in my direction.

Corey opened her eyes for a brief second and then rolled over so that she was now facing the back of the couch.

“Just a second!” I yelled back from my bedroom, as I reached up to the shelf in my closet and pulled the 9mm from between a stack of folded jeans. I slid it inside the waistband of my pants and pulled a large bulky sweatshirt over my head, making sure it covered the cold, rigid steel. Seconds later, I entered the kitchen again.

“C’mon Alley, you’re coming with us,” I commanded.

“I am?” she asked.

“Yeah. Maybe you and I’ll go pick up a movie or something, after we drop your brother off.”

“Cool! Can I pick it out?” she asked.

“Sure,” I replied.

“Awesome! You’re gonna end up watching some stupid teen movie!” her brother teased.

“Shut up, Shane!” Alley yelled.

“All right, that’s enough. Both of you, in the truck!” I commanded.

They filed out through the garage door and I turned to tell Corey that we would be right back. I looked at her sleeping there, and felt compelled not to wake her. I just smiled in her direction and closed the door behind me. She will be all right, I thought.

The cool and damp August air felt more like early October, as a steady drizzle continued to drop down on everything and the trees were helpless in the wind’s playful presence.

I couldn’t help but wonder if I had made a terrible decision to leave Corey alone. We slowly backed out of the driveway and I stared at the large door slowly falling and closing off the space between us and her. I pushed down on the brake.

“Dad, the guys are waiting for me!” Shane barked.

“Oh my goodness!” Alley teased.

“Shut up, Al!” Shane retaliated.

“Both of you shut up!” I said, my nerves unsteadied and my thoughts unsure. It suddenly felt too quiet. I looked to their faces for an answer, but saw only questions.

“It’s fine. We’ll only be gone for a few minutes,” I mumbled to myself.

“What?” Alley asked.

“Nothing. Let’s go,” I answered.

“Finally!” Shane yammered.

I lifted my foot, and we were on our way. But still, even then, I hated how I felt.

The whole time Alley and I spent in the video store, I kept a close connection with the time. I felt the night progress, and with every minute, move that much closer to the final showdown.

Even though I was with my daughter and surrounded by at least a dozen people at any given time, I felt a cold loneliness inside. I was afraid Powder had either disappeared on me again, or he had finally been tracked down and killed. ‘Extinguished’, as Powder would say, leaving the remains of the night to just me, and it.

I only wished that I still felt the anger I felt before; the rage that Hercules’s death had fueled me with. It was gone, replaced by sheer intimidation. I knew this was something I had to do—a final chapter that would have to be written, no matter what.

But, I was scared. The kind of scared I felt when this had all started, back when scared was new. And I’m not talking about the kind of scared you feel when you’re surprised during a horror movie, or the kind of scared you encounter while walking alone through a cemetery at night. No. I’m talking about the real thing, the real McCoy. I was horrified by the idea of having to face my white nemesis. Imagined details of disturbing final conclusions plagued my thoughts.

“Hey Dad?”

I flinched with surprise, then tried to regain my composure. “What is it, honey?” I finally asked.

“I don’t see anything I like, and I’m feeling really tired. Can we go now?”

“Absolutely. Let’s go,” I answered. I looked at the time and was amazed that only twelve minutes had passed since we got there.

I hadn’t noticed until I knelt down to tie the laces of one of Alley’s shoes, and looked up at one of the monitors that the movie “Powder” was playing.

Suddenly, a sadness tore through me that, for the moment, dominated my fear. How could I have gotten to a place where I actually had grown fond of a being from another world? Where ever, in fact, that place was. There was so much I didn’t know or understand about my new friend, when it appeared that he had spent my whole life learning everything there was to know about me.

“Dad, are you okay?”

I gave her bow a strong tug and stood up. “Of course I am. Let’s go home.”

When we turned into the driveway, I noticed that the rain had finally stopped. My headlights reflected the glistening wet sheen that lay upon everything. The wind had refused to stop though, and its alternating rushes of intensity continued to batter the trees and everything else that stood helpless in its path.

From the street, the house had looked as though it was empty. Aside from the garage coach lights, only one light illuminated a dim glow from within the back living room where we had left Corey asleep. From the time we left to drop off Shane, until now, had only been a total of maybe twenty minutes. But I still felt uneasy as the garage door slowly began to climb, welcoming us back again. The first thing I did was to inhale a large breath of air, as Alley and I entered the kitchen. There was no foreign smell.

But there was also no Corey.

“Cor!” I called out, but quietly; anticipating the worst possible scenario.

Alley clamped a hand on to my shirt. She pointed to the half-opened door wall with the other. The breeze was filling the room with the very same dampness we had just left behind. I positioned my right hand close to the powerful steel companion that lay waiting under my shirt.

“Mom?” Alley called out, also quiet.

I squatted down next to her and tried to read her face. It showed only what any nine year old girl’s face would show—worry.

“Honey? Do you see anything? Do you see him?” I asked.

She shook her head.

“I’m just going to check something out, okay? I want you to wait right here.”

“No, I’m coming with you!” she answered.

I was ready to argue the point, then I quickly decided that maybe she was right. Even though the door wall was open, I hadn’t bothered to check the rest of the house. It would be better if I kept her close to me.

“It’s okay Dad. I know about the gun,” she said.

I looked at her, amazed, but also content with the idea that I would no longer have to uncomfortably conceal it in my pants. I lifted my shirt and carefully withdrew it with my right hand. I then moved closer to the door wall and stuck my head out. Alley stayed just inside, still clinging to my shirt.

“Cor-–Corey?” I whispered, as a stiff breeze blew into my face, making my eyes water. I could have flipped on the light to the deck, but chose to keep my arrival unannounced and quiet. I finally stepped through the door and took Alley by the hand to pull her along with me. We both slowly inched our way into the wind and across the wet deck, not really knowing what to expect.

Just when we were ready to step down off the deck and into the yard, something caught us by surprise. Corey appeared from nowhere, startling us as well as herself. We had apparently caught her off guard as well. I quickly stuffed the gun away, this time in the back, tugging my shirt down again for cover. She was cradling a small, wet kitten and smiling from ear to ear.

“Isn’t he cute?” she boasted, lowering him so that Alley could get a better look. “I woke up and saw him standing there at the door,” she said.

“You scared the hell out of us! And what were you doing way out here?” I asked.

“Well, when I slid open the door, the little bugger ran off. I must have frightened him. I had to coax him out from under the deck,” she added.

“Aw! Can we keep him?” Alley asked.

“Well, at least for tonight. Let’s get him inside and dry him off!” Corey said.

They headed for the door with their new project. Corey turned and asked, “Hey hon, is this the same kitten you risked your life for the other day?”

“Nah. He was a little bigger,” I replied.

They both shuffled their way inside and closed the door. I could hear them giggling, and making a fuss over our tiny new guest; adding new excitement to their humdrum evening.

I, on the other hand, had all the excitement I could ever dream of, waiting for me somewhere out there. As I looked out across the field, toward the playground, I knew it was waiting; possibly even watching me at that very moment. I reached behind and felt for the reassuring presence of the only security I had, when a strong gust surged over me again.

Corey opened the door slightly. “Are you gonna stay out there all night?” she playfully asked, then shut the door again before I had the chance to answer her.

I stepped off the deck and out into the yard to make one final plea to my new, absent friend. Powder, if you’re out there and you can hear me, I need you buddy. I don’t think I can do this on my own. I’m fucking scared. Do you hear me? I’m real fucking scared! My eyes began to tear up a little more, as another gust blew into me.

Just give me a sign, I pleaded one last time. I waited alone in the yard for a few seconds more, before I eventually gave up and headed back inside.

I feared the worst for Powder. And with him gone and out of the way, it would now be open season on me. I sat in front of the TV, keeping a close vigil on the digital numbers below it again, while my wife and Alley continued to play with the small kitten in the front room. It was close to eleven before Corey finally announced that she would be going to bed. Alley had already fallen asleep, so I had to carry her to her bed, as well. I kissed my daughter’s forehead and tucked her in. Then I kissed my wife and told her just how much I loved her.

“Aren’t you coming to bed?” she asked.

“No, not yet, there’s something I’ve been anticipating all day.”

“A movie?” she inquired with a yawn.

“No, it’s more like a special, on aliens.”

“Joshua Norman Stone, since when did you become interested in aliens?”

“You’d be surprised,” I told her. “Get some sleep hon. I’ll be in shortly.”

“Oh! Do me a favor and check on the kitten in a bit, would you please? He’s in a box next to Alley’s bed. Poor little guy tuckered out before Alley did.”

“I will,” I said. I kissed her forehead and left the room, closing the door behind me.

When I entered the kitchen, the big clock said it was almost 11:30. I rushed the windows that faced the schoolyard and looked for a sign of him anywhere… I saw nothing. But, I wasn’t going to wait for him to come to me. The stage was now set and I would go looking for him, as soon as I felt that Corey was asleep.

I reached behind me and pulled out the 9mm, looking over its strong promise. It would have to be the answer tonight. I would have to get close enough to make sure of that. I certainly wouldn’t trust myself firing at any considerable distance. I wouldn’t make that mistake again. No, I would have to be able to keep it hidden until I was close enough to make it count. And if I was going to get close, I would also have my knife again for back up. I had cleaned it up, and it was once again ready for action.

Dear God, please be with me tonight!