Unhappenings by Edward Aubry

Author:Edward Aubry [Aubry, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781620077184
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Published: 2015-01-08T05:00:00+00:00

thena visited again. Given the tone of our last two encounters, I was starting to wonder how long it would be before she showed up, if at all. But she did. I found her waiting for me outside my apartment. Before I had a chance to speak, she hugged me. This was unusual, but not the first time from my frame of reference, or hers.

“Hey,” I said. She didn’t let go. “Are you all right?”

She pulled back and nodded. “I want things to be better between us, that’s all.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Me too. Sorry about last time.”

She shook her head. “Don’t. It’s okay. I just…” She looked away. “I need someone to talk to. Can we table the other stuff? For now? I do want to answer your questions. But today I just need you to be here for me.”

“Of course.”

She took my hands. “Ready?”

“Sure.”

The world blinked. We were back at the park. There was no evident reaction to our arrival. Even knowing the cause for that effect, noticing it was a bit creepy.

“This is your safe place,” I said. “Isn’t it?”

She ignored the question. “Do you remember the last time I brought you here?”

“Yes,” I said. “You wanted me to kill a dog.” As I said that, I spied the gray whippet from before. Its person was wearing the same thing I had seen her in the last time. “Wait, that dog. Is this the same day?”

She ignored that question as well. “Would you?” she asked.

“Would I?”

“Kill the dog. If you knew what it meant.” She stared at the animal, a blank look on her face.

“Like, right now?” I considered the possibility. Even as a thought experiment, it made me incredibly uncomfortable. “I don’t think so. Maybe if I had time to think about it.” I shook my head. “No, that wouldn’t help. I’m sorry, I can’t kill the dog.” I took a moment to consider what its day must be like right now. Beautiful weather, a person to please. He seemed like a reasonably happy dog, or at least a dog with reasons to be happy. I was going to remark on that to Athena, but when I looked at her, I saw that she had given up on the whippet.

She was looking at the stroller.

So many things went through my head at that moment. Our last conversation had started with her asking me about killing baby Hitler. This one started with her asking me if I was willing to kill a dog on a moment’s notice.

“Who is the baby?” I asked, as calmly as I knew how.

She shook her head slowly, never taking her eyes off the stroller. On a bench next to it sat a young couple, doubtless oblivious to us.

“No more questions today, okay?” With that, she took my hand, and held it tight. “Just be here for me. Be my rock. Just for a little bit.” We stood there in silence for perhaps half a minute.

The world blinked.

“Thank you,” she said, and handed me two small clear yellow rods, about the size of paper clips.

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