Prolouge

Prologue

THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED


I look around the dimly lit trailer. The dinner dishes are patiently waiting for me in the yellow sink, they need washed, dried, and put away. The coffee maker is brewing the last pot of coffee of the day. The strong aroma of fresh coffee fills the room and makes my mouth water. Turning my ear, I listen for the kids. All is quiet so they must finally be sleeping after a day of pure chaos.

“Lisa, will you remind me to check on Kris tonight. She still had a headache when she went to bed and I’m worried about her.” I ask Lisa. My best and only friend of eight-teen years now.
“Of course I will Jenn. Don’t worry she will be fine. She probably has a headache from you asking her all those questions about her picture.” She responds with her slight southern accent.
“What was that all about? I thought you were going to drive Kristen crazy with all those questions.” David my youngest brother looks at me with lines burrowed into his forehead.
“She drew a picture of her Dads family and on the Grandpa she left out the nose.” I explain.
“Sooo what does that mean?” David asked.
“I don’t know, but it means something. I need to figure it out” I demand.
“Oh my God Jenn stop that psychology shit!” David shakes his head and runs his calloused hand through his blonde hair.
“It does mean something David.” Lisa backs me up.
“Jimmy had a headache too didn’t he? Did he draw a picture too?” David asked eyebrow arched high and a half smile on his full lips.
“Very funny David. The picture doesn’t have anything to do with the headaches. He said he couldn’t get off the couch, it was really a bad headache.” I insist.
“For Jimmy not to get up and do something on his birthday it must have been a bad one.” Lisa said.
“Did you have Josh call him and wish him a happy birthday?” David asked with a hint of suspicion.
“Yea I thought I better. Stop looking at me like that David. It is Joshes Dad you know.”
“Whatever it’s your life. Have either one of you guys noticed that the first thing I can lay down is six, six, six, every time.” David is always quick to change a subject.
We focus back to the grueling game of rummy we have been playing for two hours now.
What are you saying?” I ask.
“The first thing I can lay down is six, six, six.” his grim stare, nearly makes me laugh.
“Oh David that’s just crazy. And stop looking so serious! ” I yell.
David is staring at the cards that are lying on the kitchen table.
“No it’s not crazy, Jenn,” Lisa said, “I noticed it but didn’t want to say anything.”
“You guys stop it! I don’t believe it, that would be to uncanny” I chastise.
“You know what I heard once. I heard that the devil is as powerful as God!” David’s piercing blue eyes, stare into me.
“Oh no David, Please don’t ever say that. God has so much more power! David you know God has more power right?” I ask.
“I know Jenn.” David said as he looks at me and grins. I think maybe, he was just trying to pacify me.
Jumping to the rescue Lisa said. “Let’s change spots David, maybe that will help out.” I take the deck of cards and begin to shuffle. “Ok a couple more hands but that is it.” I say, while passing seven cards to each one of us. I watch closely to see which cards David laid down first. It was true; the first play, David put down, the six of clubs, the six of spades, and the six of diamonds. He looks at me with half a grin on his lips. “I told you Jenn; it’s been this way every hand.”
“No way, David it can’t be every time.” I say glancing down at my cards on the table, the four of hearts, four of clubs, and the four of diamonds, now seem magnified under the dim light. I deal two more hands the same result each time. David’s eyes are showing a trace of fear. The wooden clock above the kitchen sinks chimes twice.
“Do you guys realize how late it’s getting.” I look to Lisa for help.
Lisa looks at me with her hazel eyes, dark skin, and long brown hair, and stretches, “I am getting tired of playing this funky old game.” Lisa yawns, and throws her cards in the middle of the table. Collecting all the cards from the table I return them to there case, not knowing that would be the last time I ever played rummy.
David now standing in the small paneled living room, hands in his tan kaki pants, with one of those, we have to talk, looks on his face. “You know what Jenn, I have woken up at 4:44 for the last three nights,” David stares intensely at me.
“Really, so have I. I just wake up for no reason and look at the clock its 4:44 every time.” I begin to wonder if maybe David noticed the fours in the card game.
I walk to the old brown couch that is worn, but still so comfortable, and sit down for that last cigarette of the day. My six-month-old orange and white kitten jumps up on the arm of the couch her green eyes bulging at me, her ears laying flat against her skull. “David give me a minute I have to put her outside she is acting crazy. I think she will be okay. What is wrong with her she never acted this way?”
“You know Jenn, I don’t remember much of our childhood.” David yells as the ice-cold wind blows against my face. Guilt washes over me. My kitten has never been outside before.
“I know David, I don’t either. Maybe we just don’t want to remember.” I say closing out the cold. I return to the couch and sit down next to Lisa.
“I remember Moms’ voice, but I can’t see her face.” Was that David’s voice?

Swirling around and around in the middle of the living room, was a white mist. I feel myself drifting away. A younger David is standing in the middle of the mist. His blonde hair is pure white. He is staring out of a small window. White thin curtains are blowing softly inward. Clear deep blue sky is all that is outside. Behind David moving slowly towards him, I see two lightning bolts of gold. Behind the golden bolts, are two white eyes? The wind is constantly blowing. The mist is evaporating. Lisa begins pulling frantically at my arm she is saying, “Jenn that’s it, that’s it!” I try to focus on her face but she seems so far away. Our eyes lock onto each other’s but only for a brief moment.




Page two of prologue.



January 21 1990

I roll over and look at the clock it is 9:30 am. I drag the warm blankets over my head and listen to the wind howling outside my bedroom window. I hear soft pattering on the window. It must be snowing. I feel so drained.
Josh my two year old is screaming, Josie is telling him to shut up and eat. Kristen will soon be knocking at my bedroom door to tell me every thing is in chaos. I sit on the edge of the bed, put my head in my hands, and begin to remember last night.
“MOM!” I hear the expected knock on the bedroom door.
“I’m up honey.” I say. The bedroom door burst open, and in runs, my special blue eyed girl with faint freckles covering her nose and cheeks. Placing her hands on her hips,
“Mom, Josie is being mean again and Josh keeps screaming. Will you please get up and get Josie in trouble! I mean for real this time.”
Grabbing my red fuzzy bathrobe I put it on hoping to stop the shaking inside of my. A quick glace in the mirror shows the black circles under my brown eyes. My curly reddish blonde hair plastered against my forehead.
“Is your headache better?” I ruffle Kirsten’s thick brown hair.
“My head don’t hurt at all.” Kristen said, and runs off to look for any unsuitable behaviors.
I shuffle out to the cold kitchen. The linoleum floor is cold beneath my feet.
Josie, my 10-year-old Mother Hubbard, blond hair still messed from her night of sleep. Her brown eyes glaring at me. “Do not even think about yelling at me.” She warns me.



Brushing the hair back from her forehead, I lean down and whisper, “I love you Josie. Thank you for helping.” Her face softens “I Love you too Mom. Want some oatmeal?” She asked.
“No thanks baby, I need some of Uncle David’s coffee first.” I hug her tightly, hoping they all slept through the night.
Picking Josh up from his highchair, I wrinkle my nose. His diaper was saturated, and hanging to his bony knees.
“Well no wonder he is crying” David giggles. Laying his head back in the brown recliner, feet raised, hands crossed over his stomach. Distinct dark circles under his eyes. Obviously, he did not get much sleep. More then likely he did not get any sleep.
“Could you please make some coffee,” I ask.
Carrying Josh back to his bedroom, the hair on me body stands on end. Telling my self, ‘everything is ok, there’s nothing here.’ I keep walking, one forced footstep at a time. The bedroom looks as it always does. The books are scattered across the brown-carpeted floor. Strange things are protruding out from underneath the beds. Once again, I wonder how many clothes, missing socks, and toys lay hidden. Yes, everything looks the same.
However, nothing feels the same. Questions keep running around in my head making it hard to focus. What happens next? How do I continue going on in this world? Last night wasn’t real was it? What do I do with this knowledge? Are there other people who have gone threw something like this? Never will I be the same, how could I, knowing that there is something like this in the universe.
Shuffling noise in the doorway startles me. Spinning around, David is standing in the doorway. Uncontrollable tears are rolling down his cheeks. Confirming, last night was real.
“Coffee is done Jenn.”