A Lesson to be Learned

As Todd Drucker was getting ready to “borrow” the family car and pick up Sara for their date, he was keeping an eye on the clock. He didn’t want to be late, but he really didn’t care about letting people wait for him. “Time is a human concept,” Todd thought. “Why bother to keep track of it?" "You will still get older and you will still die no matter what the time."

Todd never really cared about other people before the incident. He was a wild, carefree spirit with a gusto for life itself. He was always laughing, not caring if the joke was at the expense of others. Todd believed that he knew about life and love and never doubted his decisions, no matter how flawed or mistaken those decisions may be.

There are so many unanswered questions since Todd woke up in this odd, solitary world. He didn't remember how he got here, only that this is his new reality. A reality so different he wasn’t sure he who he was. Yet he knew he had to check the tally marks on the cavern wall and check to see if his hands were still bleeding. 

Todd began this journey without a second thought. He didn’t consider there would be consequences when he took the family car and drove out to meet Sara, his longtime girlfriend and the love of his life. His father didn’t want him to use the car tonight since he said the exhaust pipe had a problem. It didn’t sound like a problem to Todd, and he knew his father was still mad at the joke he pulled on him the other day.

Todd approached Sara’s house and caught a glimpse of something shimmering in the corner of his eye which he immediately dismissed when he saw Sara. She was young, beautiful and very much infatuated with Todd. She ran out of the front door as fast as she could and jumped in Todd’s car. Todd couldn’t believe his luck when Sara said yes when he asked her out last year. How could he know this night would change their lives forever.

The road was bumpy and dark, but Sara and Todd laughed and sang with the music that was playing on the car radio. After some time, it was only their voices as they drowned out the radio and laughed even louder.

The night was magical, as if this world belonged only to Todd and Sara. The sounds of the night, the cool air on their skin, the feeling of overwhelming comfort in each others arms. At that moment nothing could have made that night more special.

“All good things much come to an end," Todd thought as Sara started complaining of a terrible throbbing headache and she was feeling very tired. Todd looked through the windshield and he saw it again, a faint glimmer that shone for only a second. Time enough for Todd to doubt that it was ever there. “Did you see that?” Todd asked Sara apprehensively. “See what?” she asked. “I have my eyes closed.” Todd avoided the question and they continued to listen to music and relax together in the car.

As the moonlight shone on the forest and a gentle wind moved the trees so slightly, Sara glanced out the window, held her head and nodded off to sleep while murmuring “Todd, what is that beautiful light?” Todd put her head on his shoulder to shield her from the light he saw outside the car.

Sara looked up and the light was closer to the car now. She was no longer afraid and felt so warm and loved. The light floated closer and enveloped her and seemed to protect her. Todd was frozen and unable to move, there was nothing he could do to help his Sara. Sara looked at him and with a soft voice, whispered, “Todd, something happened to us, I know it and I feel it, but I am not afraid.” As the vision turned and looked at Todd, he heard a voice say, “Sara will always be happy and will live forever but for you Todd, you may need to learn.”

Todd awoke with a headache, feeling very confused. He reached for Sara but she wasn’t there. As he opened his eyes, he was lying in the grass, it was hard, scorched and crackled as he moved. He noticed the sky was blue with streaks of red. “Where am I?” he thought. As he rose from the grass and began to walk toward the rocky landscape that was only a mile or so from where he woke. Suddenly, he thought of Sara! “Where is she?” “What is happening?” 

As he approached the shade of the hills and felt the coolness of the rock, he found an opening in the side of the small mountain. He approached the cavern opening and entered, slowly, step by step, with an uneasiness he was not familiar with. His eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, but he was unable to see. As he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, fear overtook him, he tripped and tumbled to his knees. Gazing up, he saw a light illuminating the cavern wall. Upon the wall were a few strike marks as if someone was here before counting something, maybe marking the days or hours.

Todd walked toward the light, hoping to find answers to his questions, but he couldn’t find the source of the light. It was as if it appeared from nowhere, but gave off enough light to see the cavern wall and the details it provided.

Todd sat on the cavern floor and felt the tears run down his cheeks. The shock of his isolation faded into depression as he felt his head nod and sleep overcame him.

As he started to wake he realized he was laying in hard grass, feeling the heat and seeing the blue and red sky. Todd remembered this, or thought he did. “Was I here before?” He thought about it over and over but couldn’t understand how he knew this place. There was so much to learn, so much to know and so many questions and he didn’t know what to do. Somehow he knew he had to make his way toward the rocks and shaded mountainside.

He made his way into the dark, cool and moist cavern, tripped and fell to his knees and noticed the cavern wall marked with numerous strikes. These strikes were being used to count something, he just knew that, what else could it be.

He began counting the strike marks slowly. Taking his time he glanced down and found a pile of rocks that seemed to be used to make the marks. He picked one up and noticed the initials TD on it. Todd saw dried blood on the rock and he picked up another and saw the same initials, TD. As he continued to check the rocks he found the same initials on each one. Todd Drucker looked at his hands and saw old scars and fresh cuts yet their origin was a mystery.

Todd felt confusion and fear well up in him again. He didn’t know when he ate or drank and realized he hadn’t used the bathroom. He didn’t know how long he was here, but knew he wasn’t hungry or thirsty. This was odd, as Todd was always hungry.

Todd looked over at the rocks and the tally marks on the cavern wall. There were so many of them now, he thought. He didn’t remember making those marks but if it was him, he has already been here a long time, yet it feels like the same day. 

Todd again fell asleep in the cavern and again awoke in the scorched grass, but this only added to Todd’s confusion. He got up and walked to the cool rocky landscaping, he walked slowly into the cavern as if it was the first time. Apprehension, fear and sadness overcame him again and again. “Maybe” he thought, “I am insane!”

Today as he started his journey to the cavern, the opening was brightly illuminated and welcoming. A feeling of peace came over him as he stepped inside and turned toward the cavern wall. The face of the rock was smooth and the cavern wall felt cool to his touch. He slowly made his way down the the length of the wall using his fingers to trace where the tally marks had been. 

He cried out in confusion and anger as he screamed at the light. “Why are you playing with me? “What do you want from me?” He waited for an answer but none came. Was he insane? Will he ever get out of this nightmare? Placing his hands over his face and collapsing to the ground, he let this insanity engulf him as he resigned himself to his fate knowing it was a fate he deserved since he let Sara die. He cried himself to sleep.

The sun burst through the bedroom window and Todd

slowly opened his eyes. He didn’t feel the heat or the scorched, hard grass on his back, instead it was soft and a soft blanket lay on top of him. “He’s awake!” a voice cried out, “Nurse, doctor, oh my God, my son is awake! The team of doctors and nurses gathered around Todd’s bed with their machines, needles and the endless beep, beep, beep.

Todd looked around and saw his family, his mom and dad, sister and brother. Tears welled up in his eyes and thought about Sara. “Where is Sara?” “Is she here” he asked. Todd’s father answered him gently and slowly so not to cause more confusion for Todd. “Sara is gone Todd,” “She died in the car when the carbon monoxide leaked through the exhaust.” 

“You have been gone for so long, almost three years and we never gave up hope for you to return to us.” Todd’s mother added.

Todd lifted his head and brought his hands up to his face. “The scars, I saw them before. How did I get them? What happened to my hands?” Todd yelled out.

Todd’s parents looked at each other and Todd’s father responded, “We don’t know what happened to your hands, but every day there were more cuts and scars. The doctors couldn’t explain it or understand what was happening. The nurse noticed when the cuts stopped appearing. It was yesterday and there were none this morning. We think they stopped when you were coming back to us.” 

When the doctors examined Todd and the crowd left Todd’s room, his mother gently sat on the edge of Todd’s bed. “What is it Mom?” Todd asked. “Are you alright?” 

Todd’s mother, with tears in her eyes and a sadness in her voice looked at Todd and began to sob, “I can’t imagine what you have experienced and the pain you feel after losing Sara. You experienced the death of someone you love, and that shouldn’t happen until you are very old.” “Todd, please don’t judge me, but the most magnificent thing happened the other night when I looked in your room; there was a glimmering light, a vision, and I heard Sara’s soft voice saying you will return to us soon since you have learned so much. She also told me your slate was wiped clean and you are ready for new beginnings.”