Part III
Jason tried to concentrate from his spot behind the representative table, fidgeting nervously. It didn’t matter how many times he’d argued cases before the Elders, something about it always made him feel ill at ease.
He looked at Robert now, remembering what it had felt like to be on that side of things, waiting for the unknown to come crashing down on your head. His client sat stoic and upright in his seat. His eyes were alert and moving slowly around the room, drinking in everything around him as he sat expectantly.
Jason’s memory now flooded back to him, reminding him how when it had been his turn, he had done anything but sit calmly at the sleek, black table. He pictured himself, now looking back on that awful day as a spectator, and saw the young distraught man sitting where Robert was now.
The boy was a mere twenty-two years old. His hair was sweaty and tussled in a haphazard mess. He was dressed in the plain tunic, but blood was still smeared on his hands and face, and his eyebrow sported the large gash that had done him in. Young Jason’s representative had largely avoided looking at him, and only communicated when absolutely necessary.
As he looked back in time, Jason watched as his younger self twisted frantically to and fro, looking for her, desperate to see her one more time-to explain how sorry he was. But she had not been there.
He sat trembling as the Elders read the events of his life, his tragically short life, and sobbed as they went over the details of his final moments. How he had foolishly decided to drive when he knew better than to get behind the wheel while so intoxicated. How he had laughed it off as Sarah asked him to slow down, to turn the music down; how she begged him to pull over as he drove erratically back and forth across the different lanes of traffic. How he had no worries in his head when out of nowhere the headlights of the oncoming sedan blinded him and caused him to swerve—
Jason shuddered, jerking himself back into the present. He rubbed at the goosebumps that prickled across his arms and tried to ignore the sharp pang in his chest. There was nothing that could be done now. He would spend damn near forever trying to repay the debt for the life he had stolen, but no matter what he did, nothing would ever absolve him in his own mind. The weight of his actions, especially the loss of Sarah, haunted him every day.
The door across the room opened and everyone in attendance stood. Robert, following Jason’s lead, rose to his feet. One at a time, the three Elders walked onto the large platform and took their seats behind the bench. Of the three, two were women, Elder Miriam and Elder Lucia. Miriam took her place at the head of the court and Lucia seated herself to her companion’s right. Elder Conrad followed behind and sat to the left.
Each Elder was as distinct in their governing style as they were in personality and appearance. Each still looked the age they had been when they died and each held their responsibility in the highest regard and tried to make sure that they were objective and just. However, each judge could not be more different than the next.
Conrad, for example, was a tall thin, black man with wise eyes and a cheerful personality. He was the newest of the Elders, having passed away from cancer in the 1970’s at the age of 63. While he was a happy soul, he was also known to be quite blunt when he had to be.
Lucia was the softest one of the judges, and this was reflected in her appearance. She was petite and had fine, shoulder-length blonde hair, soft green eyes, and high cheekbones. She was known for her calm and compassionate nature. Lucia had died in childbirth in the mid 1800’s at just 22.
As the head Elder, Miriam was no doubt the hardest to please. Miriam had passed away when she was 31 after suffering at length from dysentery in medieval England. She had long black hair that brushed at her thighs as she walked and steely blue eyes that could silence even the most opinionated representatives. She valued life above all things and became angry at anyone who had let opportunity slip through their fingers. She also often saw fear as a weakness, and as a result, greatly rewarded anyone who had shown extraordinary strength in the face of adversity.
Each Elder looked through Robert’s file and then sat, hands folded, looking at Jason and the newest arrival. Miriam was the first to speak.
“It’s good to see you again, Mr. Newman. Could you please stand and introduce us to your client?” Her eyes moved slowly between the two men and then rested on Jason expectantly.
Swallowing hard, Jason again got to his feet and cleared his throat. “Your honors, I would like to introduce to you today, Robert Jenkins. He is a 65-year-old man from Little Rock, Arkansas and has passed away due to emphysema. He was never married, but has one daughter.” He stopped, waiting for the prompting to come.
Conrad spoke. “Very good, Mr. Newman. Can you now brief us on the medical report from Dr. Williams?”
Jason glanced quickly down at the neat row of papers in front of him, his gaze immediately falling on the report. He scanned it one last time to be thorough, then proceeded to brief the trio on the findings. “Dr. Williams found that Mr. Jenkins had led a life full of honorable labor and had not chosen to be a lazy man. He did state that Robert had lived a lonely life, falling in love only once and allowing himself to become estranged from his only child, who resulted from a short affair with a random woman. As a bachelor, he engaged in a poor diet and indulged in habits such as smoking and drinking. The doctor also found that he had cirrhosis of the liver and, in addition to emphysema, an undetected case of lung cancer.”
As he finished speaking, Jason tried not to look at Robert, who he had no doubt must have been very nervous at this point. He also tried not to flinch at the sharp sigh that came from Elder Miriam as she shook her head in disappointment.
Lucia stepped in, interrupting quietly before Miriam could begin her predictable tirade. “Mr. Newman, do you mind if we question the client at this time?”
“No, Madame Elder, not at all.” he replied. He sat down and leaned over to Robert. “Ok, you’re up. Remember to answer honestly, even if it’s uncomfortable. They will know if you’re lying. Also, try to keep your answers short and simple, unless they ask you to elaborate.”
Robert nodded, then placed his worn hands on the wooden arms of his chair, using them to help him slowly rise to his feet. Once standing, he lightly clasped his hands behind his back and looked forward respectfully.
Lucia smiled at him kindly and began. “Mr. Jenkins, can you tell me what happened with the woman that you fell in love with?”
Robert’s eyes dropped momentarily and he took a deep breath. “She left me, ma’am.”
The smallest Elder looked at him sympathetically and nodded. “Please continue.” She said softly. “It would help us to hear you tell the whole story.”
Jason’s client raised his eyes again, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke. “Her name was Eleanor. We were childhood friends and fell in love in high school. However, her family did not approve of me because they felt I was too poor to properly care for her, Your Honor. One night I helped her sneak out of her bedroom window and we took off ...”
Elder Conrad interrupted at this point. “You took off?” he repeated.
Robert nodded. “Yes sir. We left the state and I found work on a small farm. I was given a modest wage, as well as a little place for the two of us to stay. Eleanor took a job as a seamstress and we tried to make our way together.” He paused, getting choked up as he spoke. “We told everyone we were married, and planned on making it official. But life just seemed to get in the way. We struggled financially and fought all of the time. Eleanor just wanted to go to the courthouse to make our union finally legitimate, but I wanted to wait until we had money to go away together for a few days and celebrate the way newlyweds should. I also wanted to wait for a time when we weren’t at each other’s throats. After a few months, it all just started to take its toll.”
Robert hunched his shoulders and rubbed at his eyes. He paused, and everyone in the room waited for him to recover. It took him a couple of minutes, but eventually he spoke again. “I sta
rted putting in more hours on the farm and even went into town now and then to drink. I did anything I could to avoid coming home. I guess I didn’t know better. I was only a kid. But Eleanor felt abandoned and grew even more resentful. Before I knew it she had replaced me.”
Robert’s breathing quickened and he bit his lip as he attempted to hold back tears. Elder Miriam looked at him, expressionless.
“Mr. Jenkins,” she said firmly, “please go on.”
Nodding, the emotional man continued his sad tale. “I came home one afternoon for lunch. I had given it some thought and decided that I needed to apologize to Eleanor and ask for her forgiveness. I was even going to tell her I was ready to be married. I mean, I had been such a fool! Who runs away with the girl of their dreams, risking everything for the both of them, and then doesn’t marry her right off?” He sighed. “Me. That’s who. Anyway, when I got home all I found were empty closets and a note on the table. She told me she had fallen for a middle-aged gentleman in town. She had started spending time with him on days when I didn’t come home. She planned to marry him and then return to our hometown and repair the relationship with her parents. Just like that, she was gone.”
Conrad questioned again. “Did you go after her?”
Robert shook his head. “No, Your Honor. I did not.”
Not satisfied, Conrad pressed the issue. “Well, why not?”
The other man shifted uncomfortably and whispered, “Because I wanted her to be happy.”
Conrad nodded and looked to his peers. “Do either of you have any more questions?”
Miriam jumped right in. “I certainly do. Mr. Jenkins, I need you to tell us about your daughter. And please don’t skip. I want to know how you met her mother as well as why the two of you remained estranged, even until your death.”
Robert’s face paled a bit but he didn’t hesitate. “Ma’am, I met her mother in a diner in my travels between towns to find work. She was a waitress who was very friendly and I was a man who was very lonely. It didn’t take long for us to end up in a motel room across the way. Really that was it; just a thoughtless one night stand.”
Miriam’s voice was stern. “That was enough for you? What about her?”
Robert thought carefully before speaking again. “Well, Your Honor, I can’t pretend to know exactly what she was thinking. However, my impression of the situation at the time was that she was of the same mind that I was. There were no lies told and no promises made. We were just two needy people filling our emptiness with the company of each other. I didn’t sneak out on her in the night; I stayed until morning and even bought her breakfast. I told her goodbye and then I was on my way.”
Lucia cut in. “Do you remember her name, Mr. Jenkins?”
He nodded and smiled. “Of course I do. Her name was Iris. I could never forget because it fit her so well. She had the most beautiful green eyes I’d ever seen.”
Conrad was the next to inquire. “Ok, Mr. Jenkins. So where does your daughter fit into this story?”
Robert sighed and shook his head. “Well, I saw Iris again quite some time later. She was still working at the diner. I told her ‘hello’ as I sat down and then ordered a cup of coffee. She had a funny look on her face the whole time and I figured that maybe she didn’t recognize me. But after she came back, she sat in the seat across from me. She said she needed to introduce me to someone. Then she called out the name Susanna and a little girl emerged from behind the counter and came and sat in her lap.”
Robert looked up and laughed a little. “I just stared at this sweet little girl with curly blonde hair and it didn’t hit me. Then Iris asked me ‘don’t you think she has your eyes? Look, greyish-blue: just like her daddy.’“ He paused, a small tear rolling down his cheek. “I didn’t know what to say. I mean this little girl was almost five years old by that time, and I was just learning about her. I talked with her and had a sweet little conversation, but I was scared. I didn’t know how to be a dad. I offered to help Iris with money, but I had a job waiting for me and I couldn’t stay. She took it kinda hard, but said she understood. So I sent money, every month for years. I tried to come and say hello from time to time, but the trips were few and far between, and sometimes they weren’t even there. Eventually the money started to come back as well. The envelopes were covered in red ink, telling me I had the wrong address.”
Jason felt a pang in his chest, feeling real sympathy for his client. He hated this part of the process. No one liked having the stories of their lives filleted open for the court to dissect, but it happened to everyone. He shot Robert an encouraging look when he noticed the older gentlemen glance at him nervously. He nodded at him to continue.
Taking a deep breath, Robert began again. “I guess I just didn’t know what to do. I tried to find them for a while, but after a time, I gave up and just let them go from my mind. It wasn’t until Susanna was 19 that she tracked me down.” He sighed. “She was so angry with me. Her mother had died when she was twelve and she had been forced to live in foster care. She blamed me for her lot in life, and honestly, I blamed myself as well. I tried to make it right with her and to explain everything from my perspective, but she wouldn’t have it. She left and I let her go. I got pictures from her every now and then, but when I wrote her letters she never responded. The last picture I got was when she was 25 and had her first baby. I never heard from her again and I just figured that it was best to leave her alone. If she wanted me in her life, she knew where to find me.”
Conrad raised his eyebrows and spoke sternly. “So that’s it? You never tried to find her again? You never tried to see your grandchild or tried to be part of their lives at all? There were 14 years between the time you last heard from her and your death, and you never once looked back?”
Robert’s shoulders slumped and he looked down at the floor in shame. After a moment he whispered inaudibly.
“Speak up, Mr. Jenkins!” Miriam said sharply.
Raising his head and straightening his defeated stance, Robert looked squarely at the Elders. With chin quivering, he mustered his courage and spoke loudly. “I looked back every day, every damn day!” He was nearly yelling. “But I was a coward! I didn’t know what to do and I thought she’d be better off without me anyway! Who the hell was I but an old working man with no real future? I was a drifter at times; you could have even called me a vagabond. I was no good for her or her child! I was too hard to love, Eleanor proved that.” Robert began to sob, leaning over and placing a hand on the table to support his weight.
The Elders all looked at each other and exchanged hushed words. Jason got to his feet, putting his hands reassuringly on Robert’s shoulders. “You can sit down now, Robert. The worst part is over.”
His client’s watery eyes looked into his and he nodded. Wiping tears from his cheeks, Robert lowered himself slowly back into his chair. Jason waited for the Elders to finish their conversation, preparing himself mentally for final arguments. When they were ready for him to proceed, Miriam looked up at Jason and motioned with her hand.
Jason stood and walked around the front of the representative table. “Your Honors, Robert’s case is a sad one, indeed. His life was hard and full of heartache. As is all too common, it was also full of missed opportunities.” He glanced backward at the client file, and deciding that he was better off without it, continued on.
“Let’s not only look at the things that this man did wrong, let’s look at the whole person, shall we? Mr. Jenkins grew up poor and lost both of his parents at a very young age. He fell in love very young, and due to the naiveté of his youth, he also lost the love of his life. Though he had no one to anchor to, he did not merely continue on directionless. He was always a hard worker. He was never unemployed; when the work ran out on one farm he would move onto the next, always trying to be productive and useful to others. Let us also not forget that when he could, he sent money to his child and her mother. After they disappeared, he spent years trying to find them.”
Jason
paced in front of the Elders, his robes sweeping back and forth as he walked. “It is true that Mr. Jenkins did not take the best care of himself; he smoked and, towards the end, he drank heavily. He neglected his heart, in the emotional sense.” Stopping, Jason looked at the three judges imploringly. “But does that mean that this man was without emotion or regret? I would strongly argue not! You have seen him before you, broken and weeping like a child. He yearned for his true love! He longed for his daughter! While he lived and died virtually alone, in his mind he was most assuredly always in the company of those he had lost.”
Jason took a deep breath and began his final plea. “I ask that you, as in all cases, consider the fullness of the man you have before you. Robert Jenkins was not perfect, but he is a good soul! A soul that begs for your reprieve; a soul who deserves your understanding and mercy.” Emotion welled inside Jason’s chest and began to spill over, like water breaching the walls of a dam. “He deserves better than this! How is it fair that he now has to spend eternity alone as well? It’s not I tell you! He is a good man, a kind man. How dare you suppose that you can sit behind an invisible wall and judge —”
“Mr. Newman!” Conrad’s interruption was harsh and angry.
Jason, caught off guard, halted his speech immediately. As he looked at the shocked and unamused faces before him, the gravity of his words began to sink in. He had not only become invested in Robert’s case, something about it had become so personal and so close to him that he’d actually lost control and berated the Elders. This offence would most certainly not be taken lightly.
His face flushing with embarrassment and shame, he tried to take back the words that now hung so heavily in the air between them. “Your Honors, I am so, so sorry. I honestly don’t know what has come over me...”
This time it was Lucia who cut him off. “Mr. Newman, I really think it would be better for you at this time if you were to relinquish the floor and take a seat.”
The room was beginning to spin now. “Yes, Your Honor,” he muttered. “That is all that I have for you at this time.” He felt every eye in the room boring through him as he returned to his chair. Robert’s face showed his obvious bewilderment, and Jason avoided looking at him directly. Sweating and very dizzy, he placed his hands together in front of him and awaited further instructions.
Elder Miriam looked at him distastefully and turned to her companions. “I am calling a short recess so we can deliberate this case in private.” Each of the two remaining Elders nodded in agreement, and joined her as she stood and left the room.
Jason put his head in his hands and tried to calm down. In all of the years that he had been a representative, he’d never become unhinged like that. He had learned early to control himself and to remain matter-of-fact about everything. He felt a touch on his back and jumped, startled.
He looked up to see Robert gazing at him, resting his hand on the back of his much younger counter-part. “You did well, Mr. Newman. I’m sure that they will understand.”
“Jason.” he replied weakly. “Please call me Jason,”
Robert smiled at him and nodded. “Of course. Well done, Jason.”
The door behind the bench opened again, and the three Elders emerged. They all took their seats and looked at the men before them, their expressionless faces failing to even give a hint at what was to come.
Miriam began. “Mr. Jenkins, we would like to address you first. As the keepers of these sacred positions we would like to assure you that every aspect of your case has been taken into consideration and that any decision we come to will not be taken lightly.” Robert nodded to show that he understood, and Miriam continued. “It is up to us to make sure that we take into account harm you have done to yourself, and more importantly, harm that you may have caused to others. While we hope that most people learn from their lives while they are still living them, the reality is that most people still need a retrospective look back after they rejoin us. Please understand that unless there have been unforgiveable injustices done, our decisions are not about punishment. In fact they are largely about having you help others. In doing so, you will help yourself by coming to terms with the life you led and who you are inside.”
Robert nodded again, taking a deep breath, as if waiting to hear bad news. Jason felt his own breath quicken and his heart begin to pump furiously as he became nervous for his client.
Miriam cleared her throat. “We have an idea of where we would like to put you, but we would ask that you do your Introspection first. Depending on what you see, we will adjust our sentence accordingly.”
Expecting the quizzical look that presented itself across Robert’s face, Jason leaned over and spoke in his ear. “This is good, Robert. It means that we are nearly done. Do you see that large mirror across the room?” He motioned and when he was given an affirmative response, he explained further. “All you have to do is stand in front of that mirror and tell them what you see. Everyone has to do Introspection as a final step before sentencing. Again, just be honest.”
“Ok,” Robert agreed. “I think I can do that.”
Noticing that they were being watched, Jason again turned his focus to the Elders, making sure that Robert followed his lead. When the men were at attention again, Conrad spoke.
“Mr. Newman. Your remarks to this court, while very passionate, were out of line and extremely disrespectful. Your harsh tone and assumptions were not at all appreciated.”
Jason dropped his eyes. “Understood. My apologies, Your Honors.”
Conrad softened a bit. “Honestly, the court needs to accept some of the responsibility for your attachment to this particular case.”
Not sure he heard right, Jason looked up, puzzled. “I’m not sure I understand, sir ...”
Lucia chimed in. “Mr. Newman, believe it or not, you came across Mr. Jenkins in life. When we were informed of his passing, we made the decision to break protocol and assign you to his case despite the fact that you were acquaintances.”
Now Jason was really confused. He turned to look at Robert, who just smiled at him sadly. Turning back to Elder Lucia, he voiced his doubt. “Your Honor, I am not sure what information you have, but I can assure you that I did not know Mr. Jenkins in life. The first time we were introduced was when he came through the door after he crossed.”
“We knew you would not recognize him,” came the reply. “We also made sure to redact any information from his file that would lead you to recollect anything about him. We needed you to be as unbiased as possible in your representation.” Lucia’s kind face seemed pained at Jason’s confusion.
He was beginning to panic. He started to mentally zip through all of the faces from his life, flipping past the images in his mind as quickly as possible. The first one belonged to a man with brown hair and a mustache. It was his father, Fred Newman. Robert was certainly not him. He continued on, thinking of everyone he’d known around his town or met in his many travels. Miriam stopped his train of thought.
“Mr. Newman. I think that we need to proceed with Mr. Jenkins’ Introspection now. Maybe it will answer some questions for you as well.”
Numb, he stood and held a clammy hand out to Robert, who accepted it gingerly and got to his feet. The two men proceeded over to the ornate mirror, and waited until the Elders had lined up across from them.
“Robert Earl Jenkins,” Miriam said loudly. “Having lived out your mortal existence and having passed into this immortal world due to illness, it is now time to introspect and to truly see yourself.”
Conrad picked up. “We ask that you now stand in front of the mirror and observe the man who looks back at you. We shall all see what you see.”
Lucia added her line. “As you get a glimpse of yourself, Robert Jenkins, we ask that you not only allow us to look with you, but that you speak out loud to this court what you see before you and how you feel in that moment. Then, and only then, will your sentence be imposed.”
Jason’s heart raced as he and his client listen
ed to their words in silence. He had heard them spoken a thousand times before; they were recited to each returning soul before their fate was handed down to them. This time, on this case, it was different. Every aspect of this assignment had felt different, a little off. Now, after the events that had transpired in the last hour, he knew it was because for the first time since his own Hearing and Introspection, the happenings inside the court room pertained to him personally. And he was about to find out how.
Robert moved slowly away from Jason’s side and stepped in front of the mirror. They all watched as he looked down at his bare toes, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Jenkins,” Conrad said softly.
Jason’s eyes flickered nervously between Robert and the image in the mirror. His palms were still damp and he was beginning to feel faint. Any moment now...
Robert closed his eyes tightly and lifted his head. He took in several breaths, obviously summoning his courage. Sweat poured down his wrinkled face and tears began to wet his cheeks. He whispered something to himself, and then opened his eyes.
The reflection in the mirror began to waver and the elderly gentleman in the tunic faded and morphed into a new image. As he looked upon himself, Robert smiled and began to cry harder. In front of him was a young man, about 19 or 20 years old. His sparse grey hair had been replaced with a full head of blonde locks and the lines and blemishes caused by years of worry and wear were erased. “Oh my!” he exclaimed, joyfully. “Oh my! I am myself again!”
Jason only had to look at the refreshed image for a moment before he was overcome. He dropped to one knee, gasping and shaking his head. It couldn’t be ... there was no way ... He rested his head on his arm, trying to calm down and breathe. He tried not to vomit as images of headlights and broken bodies flooded his brain. He had to force himself to find the strength to watch the rest of the events unfolding around him.
Robert continued on, oblivious to the crisis his friend was facing just a few feet away. He started to describe his transformation to all those in the room.
“I’m young again. I’m a young man, and I am happy and carefree. This is the age I was when my Eleanor left me, but I understand now.” He let out a happy gasp and wrung his hands. “It wasn’t all my fault! I was young, so young, and so was she! She didn’t leave me because I wasn’t enough or because I didn’t have enough love for her; she left because she was just as afraid as I was! I’m not a bad person, I just made mistakes. And now that I can see myself, I am ready to find my daughter.” He abruptly turned to face the Elders. “Please tell me I’ll see her again?”
Miriam nodded. “In time, Mr. Jenkins. For now we will allow you to be who you truly are. You will serve out your sentence in the form you see before you: a strong and renewed young man. You will retain all of your experiences and memories and you shall use them to assist others who come after you.”
Lucia stepped forward and took his hand. “Robert Earl Jenkins, we ask that you serve as a Guide to those who come to us in-between life and death. You will assist those on the borderline of our world and the mortal world and you will help them to learn from their mistakes. You will teach them all you know and much more that you will soon learn. At that time, you will help them decide which course to take: they may choose to fight to return to the lives they took for granted, or they may choose to join us. You will be their beacon. When the time is right, and upon faithful service, you will be given the opportunity to reunite with those you have lost.”
Robert finally lost control and hugged Lucia tightly as he wept. After a moment, he turned happily to face Jason. His face fell as he was suddenly yanked back to the present, and he worriedly rushed to the side of his companion.
“Jason! Oh, Jason! I’m so sorry. Do you know now? Surely you must!” He grasped Jason’s hand in his, gazing imploringly into the face of the broken representative.
Jason swallowed hard, and squeezed Robert’s hand. “It was you that night. You were there!” He stared into Robert’s eyes, which were now youthful and full of concern. The whole series of terrible events played out between them, and then began to broadcast onto the mirror.
Jason turned to watch the glass and saw himself, an irresponsible drunk teenager, singing wildly behind the wheel of a car careening down a dark road. He watched as Sarah screamed and begged him to stop, telling him she loved him and sobbing as she pleaded for him to pull over. But it was to no avail.
The Jason in the mirror laughed her off, telling her she was paranoid and that it was time to celebrate. They were in love and the world waited for them to conquer it. He whooped and hollered, sticking his head out the window and screaming with delight as the crisp fall air whipped through his dark hair. He closed his eyes to take it all in, then opened them quickly as he felt a jerk and heard a panicked cry from Sarah.
The headlights were blindingly bright, and he had no time to react. Sarah had pulled the steering wheel too far, and he overcorrected trying to straighten the car out again. Everyone in the courtroom gasped in horror as they watched the car flip and saw the helpless bodies of the two teenagers being thrown from the mangled wreckage. They sat, shocked and mesmerized, as Jason’s worst nightmare unfolded before them.
The bodies and the car came to a halt, steam and fog swirling eerily around the tragedy. The car from the opposite lane had pulled over, and the driver emerged, the pounding of his footsteps hitting the pavement echoing in the night as he ran back towards the wreckage. He came upon Jason first, his face coming into focus for the first time. It was Robert Jenkins.
Tears poured down Jason’s face as he relived the moment that the stranger had come to his aid, frantically asking if he was ok. He closed his eyes, no longer needing to watch with everyone else in the room. The movie of his final moments now played across the back of his eyelids.
Jason had broken bones and couldn’t move. The gash on his head was flooding the cool asphalt with rivers of his hot blood, and he knew that he was dying. But he was not worried about himself. He grabbed at Robert’s shirt, full of dread and struggling to breathe. “My girlfriend!” he gasped. “Sarah, my girlfriend. You have to save her!” The broken young Jason had wept, overwhelmingly regretful of his thoughtless actions.
Young Robert looked down on him and tried to be reassuring. “I’ll go check on her, friend. Don’t you worry, I’ll be right back.” Robert disappeared and returned after only a few moments. His face told Jason that his worst fears were reality.
“I’m so sorry, buddy. She didn’t make it. It looks like her neck is broken.” His voice trembled as he whispered the awful news. Tears rolled down his face and he patted Jason’s arm, who in turn cried out in anguish and screamed for the loss of the one person he truly loved.
“Sarah! No, Sarah no! I’m so sorry Sarah. Please don’t go!” Jason coughed and sputtered, his lungs beginning to fill with blood. He wished that the ground would split open and swallow him into its depths. He looked up at Robert, panic written all over his face. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Robert Jenkins. Yours?”
“Jason.” he responded as he gasped for air. “I’m dying! I need to be ... with her. Please help me be with her!”
Robert stood up and looked up and down the road helplessly. There was no one in sight. He ran over to Sarah, and after checking for a pulse one more time, lifted her shattered body into his strong arms. Her long red hair swung in the breeze as he walked, and Jason’s world got even blacker as he saw what he had done. The pain was raw and aching as Robert placed his beloved next to him, resting her head lightly on his bloody chest.
Robert knelt down beside the pair, staying silent as Jason screamed and sobbed into the thick blackness. He took a handkerchief out of his back pocket, wiping the blood from Jason’s mouth and turning his head to the side so that the injured man could cough into it. Then he began to hum, softly at first, and then a little louder.
Young Jason recognized the Hymn instantly, and t
ears pouring down his cheeks, he stared into the clear sky, surrendering himself to the stars. Robert continued to murmur Amazing Grace into the night. Soon, the twinkling lights blurred into nothing and Jason gave a final sigh as he left his physical frame.
As the movie behind his eyes ended, Jason opened them and stared into Roberts face. “You brought her to me,” he said breathlessly. “You brought her to me and you stayed with me until I crossed over.”
Robert’s kind, grey eyes overflowed again and he hugged Jason tightly. “It was the least I could do.” he whispered. “How could I have done anything different?”
As he buried his face in Robert’s shoulder, Jason’s voice caught in his throat. “Thank-you.” The words seemed so small and insignificant, but they were all he could muster. As far as he was concerned, Robert Jenkins was a hero.
Suddenly, Jason felt a hand on his shoulder. He lifted his head to see Robert looking behind him, his face flooded with disbelief. “Jason,” he whispered oddly. “Turn around.”
A lump formed in Jason’s throat and he tried not to think about the possibilities as he rose to his feet. He turned slowly, his breath quickening and hair prickling with electricity as his body recognized a familiar presence. And then he faced her.
Sarah’s long red hair was no longer tinged dark with blood and her face was not bruised and broken. Her skin glowed with life and her chest rose and fell as the breath entered and exited her delicate chest. She reached out to Jason, taking his strong hands into her soft ones and smiled his favorite smile. “Jason, I have waited so long to see you again,” she said sweetly. “Welcome home.”
A sob escaped from his throat, and Jason grabbed his love and wept relentlessly into her hair. She hugged him tightly and guided him over to the mirror. As the pair stood together, Jason was amazed at the transformation he saw before him.
The first time he had stood here, he was wracked with guilt and grief. He had seen a murderer in the mirror. Now, standing with Sarah, and also Robert by his side, he saw the young man he had thought to be lost forever. The heartache and shame erased itself from his face, and his countenance lit up whole the room. He had been forgiven and more importantly, he had forgiven himself. Jason Newman’s sentence was finally over.
C E Vance’s Bio & Links
C.E. Vance is an avid reader and proud Indie author. She is most known for her middle-grade fantasies in the Maxwell Grover trilogy. Her debut novel, How Maxwell Grover Stole My House, has had nearly 300 digital copies downloaded 8 countries. Eternal Arguments is her first official publication for adults and is a preview of The Eternal Trials Saga. The first full length novel of the series, The Innocent, is set for release in 2016. In addition to dreaming up fantastical tales for her books and short stories, C.E. also enjoys writing poetry, being outdoors, and daydreaming at inappropriate times. She happily resides with her husband and four children in Utah.
For more information on current and upcoming titles, please visit https://cevanceauthor.wix.com/books.
You can also follow the author at the following links
https://www.facebook.com/cevance.author https://twitter.com/CEVanceAuthor.
The Bridge
Between Yesterday and Tomorrow
A Swedish Tale
Lisa Veldkamp
Copyright 2015 Lisa Veldkamp
All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author