Mr. Benson

Part 1

“Do you think we’ll see him today?” Penny said, taking James’s arm in hers.

“I don’t know Penny,” he said, stepping outside the line of people and sizing up the distance. The line was laid out like an undulating snake crossing the rolling hillsides. “The line looks to be long sweetie. The man is very busy. We might be able to see him today, maybe not.”

“Its ok. I’m just happy we can be together,” she said. “What a sight it will be!” Penny beamed and James felt as though he could fall in love with her all over again. He hugged her close and she hugged him tighter still. “They say its magical when he tells you, that your life will be changed forever.” She laid the side of her head on his shoulder.

“I’m sure it does,” James said. He held her arm close and watched her as she looked at the hillsides. Just as beautiful as the day we married. Penny’s blonde air waved slightly in the hillside breeze. He smiled from the center of himself and turned to looked forward. The line was long, it stretched on for what seemed miles. James tapped the person in front of him on their shoulder.

“How long have you been waiting friend?” James said.

“Not too long really. I think,” the woman said, turning to meet him.

“Sorry, I’m James and this is my wife Penelope,” James said, shaking her hand.

“Pleased to meet the both of you. My name is Rachael,” she said, shaking Penny’s hand.

“So you’ve been here for a short time then?” Penny said.

“Yeah I think so. It was a blur really. The last thing I remember I was talking with my mother on the phone. Then I woke up here.” Rachael said. “I think its only been a few hours. Like a ride at Disneyland,” she laughed. All three of them smiled and laughed.

“We’ve been here for I’d say....like an hour honey?” Penny said, turning to James.

“Something like that. I think,” James said.

“What was the last thing do you guys remember?” Rachael asked.

“Well I was in the garden planting bulbs for the new season. When I heard a sound behind me. I turned and I woke up here.” Penny shrugged. “I don’t know really. You were inside right honey?”

“Yeah I was. Oh look were moving.” James said. The line had begun to move forward, leaving an empty space between Rachael and the person in front of her. They walked together down the hillside as the line moved. The stopped in a valley between two hills. Sunlight shone ahead of them in sunbeams, the way it peaks through clouds. The valley where they stopped at was dipped in a pale opacity of shadow as light ringed the tops of the hills. James felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned and saw a man with his family standing behind him and Penny.

“Hi there,’’ the man said.

“Hi. The names James and this here is my wife Penny.” James said, nodding his head over to his wife. James shook his hand and Penny did likewise. “And this over here, is Rachael.” He said moving and pointing at Rachael. She waved from behind them at the man.

The man waved at Rachael,”Its nice to meet all of you, My name is Craig, my wife here is Janet. The two boys behind her are Derrick and Jason.” Two twin boys hid behind Craig’s wife Janet, peering timidly from behind her legs.

James crouched down and looked at the two children. “Hey there boys,” he said outstretching a hand. They each shook reluctantly and withdrew back behind their mother.

“They’re just a little shy,” Janet said rubbing the tops of their heads. Each looked wide-eyed at them.

“Sorry I couldn’t help overhearing that you guys couldn’t remember how you got here either?” Craig said.

“Yeah it’s the funniest thing,” James said.

“I only say that because the last thing I remember was driving to the Platte River in Nebraska,” Craig said. His wife nodded beside him.

“I don’t know much really,” James said, shrugging his shoulders. “The only thing I do know is that were supposed to meet a man at the end of the line.”

“Yeah.” Penny said. “Its suppose to be life changing.”

“Come on guys,” Rachel said, she motioned for them to catch up. She was already halfway up the hill. They caught up with her and they crested the top of the hill into the ring of light. As the light touched their skin it seemed to warm from the inside out. An airless weight that fit onto them like mold, an aura of reassurance that one feels as a child. In the distance a subtle change of color seemed to paint the sky like an aurora, colors of red and golden yellow.

“It must be something truly amazing,” James said. They all agreed.

Part 2

They had waited a good while at the top of the hill before setting onto the next valley. It seemed to James there was only a short delay between starting and stopping. James had regaled Rachael and the family behind him with his war stories. The children looked up at amazement and cowered when he spoke about parachuting at the Battle of Normandy. The enemy fire had came up like bright yellow fireworks that zipped by, except these fireworks would kill you. The boys grabbed their mother’s legs, Janet held the boys close, and James only stopped when Penny pulled on his arm.

“Ah well. That was a long time ago...I think,” James said. The taut skin of youth still stretched closely over him. He looked at Penny, and she simply glowed in the afternoon sun.

“I don’t know about you guys. But, I’m in the mood for some games!” Penny said. “ I think that we should play...I Spy. Boys do you know how to play it?” Penny asked crouching down to meet the boys at eye level.

One of the boys looked at her, then looked behind her. “Honey! We’re moving again!” James called. He had been speaking to Rachael about her phone call with her mother. He turned back to Rachael.

“Yeah I was speaking with my mother about Mother’s Day. She is in a home you know. My husband and I were reluctant to put her there. But, she sometimes forgets things. It was the hardest thing I had to do,” Rachael said. James could see that she had teared up a little bit. Rachael dabbed at the tear and put her head up high. “What’s that?” she said, pointing to something ahead.

A disturbance up ahead in the line made them look at something being passed down the line of people. It looked like two clay jugs James watched a man ahead of Rachael drink from one jug pausing then went onto drink from the other. The man after finishing the second gave an inquisitive look at them both and passed the jugs along.

Rachael held up one jug closely to read it. “I don’t know what it says. It’s written in some language. And this one here, it’s different. It’s nothing I understand,” she said.

“Drink,’ the man said ahead of Rachael, and motioned with his hands.

“It’s all Greek to me,” James said jokingly, “I wouldn’t drink it.” The man ahead motioned again.

Rachael looked from the man to James and shrugged. “Here goes nothin,” she said. She pulled a large swallow from the jug then set her lips to the next. She pulled again gulping down. She stood there fixed for a moment before passing the jugs to James. “Drink,” she said, motioning with her hands to drink from the jugs.

“Are you ok Rachael?” James said. He set the jugs on the floor.

“Drink,” she said, motioning again.

“Rachael. Are you ok. Did the water do something to you?” James said, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Is that water? I’m so parched,” Penny said. Before James had time to tell Penny to stop she had taken a large swig from one of the jugs. After drinking from one she paused then drank the other. She passed the jugs back to Craig and his family. Penny motioned with her hands, “Drink,” she said.

“Honey!” James said. He grabbed at her shoulder and pulled on it. “Are you ok? Rachael just had some and she’s acting odd now.”

Penny turned to James and smiled. She looked at him but James wasn’t certain if she was looking at him or maybe through him. He moved to the side and Penny’s stare didn’t change. She wasn’t looking at him. She was looking ahead. James followed her gaze and could see everyone around him looking forward.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Penny said.

James shook her. “Honey. Wake up. I don’t know what’s happening.” Penny looked forward and kept smiling.

Part 3

James trudged along in the line. He hadn’t been able to rouse his wife from her state. Nor Rachael. Nor Craig or his family. They walked toward the light. He held his wife’s hand in his. But, if Penny had noticed. James couldn’t tell. He wouldn’t let go of her hand Wherever they were going we’re going to meet it together. James squeezed his wife’s hand and looked at her, she continued to look forward. They crested the top of hill and saw below them a valley that lead to a marbled step. As they neared, James could see the first marble step was just one of many. Steps descended down to a half circle of marble and at the edge a huge beam of light that seemed to come from nowhere. James held his wife hand tightly as they descended to the marbled platform. James was watching the beam of light as he approached, almost too bright to look into. “I can’t see where it comes from Penny,” he said, more to himself than anything. At the edge of the platform he could see a shadow too faint to see from where he stood, the beam too bright to discern any shapes. As James neared a man stood dressed in the robes of someone he had only read in books.

“Welcome,” the man said. He was old and spoke with the baritone voice that still had the strength of youth in it. He motioned with his hands into the beam of light. James watched as people entered the light, each person taking deliberate steps until their feet stepped off the platform. Every person that entered appeared to have dissipated in its soft glow. A cry came from the light as a man walked into it, a sudden shift of color as the beam grew red then back to its yellow glow. A woman entered next and screamed, again the light shifted in color.

“Honey, we have to go,” James said pulling on his wife hand. He tried pulling her away from the line, but her body felt heavy. “Let’s go, c’mon,” he said. She wouldn’t move from her approach. Another person entered, this time the soft yellow light remained the same. The same from the next person. James could see that he was only three people away from the edge of the platform. Three people away from the light. The beam of color shifted as another woman entered, her scream seemed to echo on the marble. “This isn’t funny, let’s go Penny,” he said, grabbing and pulling her with all his strength. She seemed immovable. “Penny!” He screamed. Rachael entered into the light and the soft glow welcomed her. “Penny!” he cried. Penny walked into the light. James’s heart pounded in his chest. “Penny!” he screamed again. The light inundated Penny and the soft glow did not change but welcomed her. “Penny...,” he whispered. She was gone. Craig from behind began pushing James, pushing him closer to the light. “Get off me,” he said, and tried to get out of Craig’s reach. Craig pushed him into the light and James fell headlong into the light. He felt weightless like when his sergeant called the drop, and his stick jumped from the airplane to the battle below. He fell. He didn’t know for how long.

—

“Mr. Benson,” a voice called, “Mr. Benson? Are you alright?”

James was hunched over in an uncomfortable chair. He held his face in hands and felt cool tears in his palms. He moved them and looked down. He had been crying.

"I’m sorry Mr. Benson,” the voice said again.

James looked up from his hands to the voice. A man in his late thirties sat behind a desk. James looked bleary eyed at the name on his lab coat. Dr. Reed - Neurosurgery. “Dr. Reed...” he said softly. James looked back down at the floor, a forgettable cross stitch of dull colors weaved the carpet in dizzying shapes. He spoke to the floor, to Dr. Reed, and himself. “Rachael died in 83’, she had an aneurysm. Craig and his family died on a road trip. They were on a family vacation. I can’t remember when,” his voiced started to crack. The tears came again. “Pe..”—he wiped tears from his eyes. “My Penny died. Five years ago.” He grabbed a tissue from the box on the desk. “I wasn’t even there. I was watching the ball game inside. She died alone in the garden. She asked me to spend the day with her outside, but I just wanted to watch the game.” James sobbed.

“I’m so sorry for your loss Mr. Benson. But, I need you to understand what’s happening,” Dr. Reed said, “You have a brain tumor Mr. Benson, it’s located in the temporal lobe and its inoperable. If only we had more time, we would have been able to do something.”

James Benson wiped his nose and dried his tears. “I know Dr. Reed. I heard you the first time,” James said, “I wish I had more time too.”

“Is there anyone you can call?” Dr. Reed asked.

“Everyone I knew is gone Dr. Reed,” James said. He got up and walked to the door. He looked behind him and looked at the room again then closed the door behind him.