Stephen Reedman is a thirty-five year old farmer living in the rural area of Johnston, PA with his wife and four year old son. The village of Johnston is a very small area located on the outskirts of what we now know as Pittsburg PA. The year is 1701, and the month is May. A Historical event is on the brink of traversing within this time and Stephen Reedman will be caught dead in the middle of it all. As this honest, hard working farming husband comes out of his well needed slumber even he doesn’t realize the significance of what is truly in the works of transpiring.
As the sun slowly elevated over the horizon and night transformed into dawn Stephen already knew in his heart that he would more then likely have a productive and thoroughly exciting day a head of him. First thing he would do, even before eating breakfast is attend to the farm. Being a farmer in his day and age was a job that always began at the crack of dawn; only the most dedicated of people could find success in this field of work and because of that Stephen thrived in what he did. As Stephen lay preparing his mind for the day to come he felt as if there was something abnormal about this morning, the house itself had this odd odor to it, it was a clammy, dank smell and he knew that Marianne, his wife would never allow such a smell to corrode in there home. When Stephen tried to move he felt this feeble and frail feeling in his bones and muscles. Something was definitely wrong with him, not a limb would even budge as he tried to shift about. Stephen became very puzzled from this discovery. Within all of his bemusement he started to gain yet another realization. He quickly came to the conclusion that the place he found himself in looked odd from the home that he had come to know and love. His bedroom looked very ragged and exceedingly old. It seemed as if it hadn’t been used in years; dust and spider webs were literally spread everywhere, not a corner, space or wall was left untouched by it all. With sheer puzzlement in his attempt to reason the situation he looked over to his night stand and noticed how his candle appeared. The thing was covered with dirt filled wax and also shrouded with spider webs; it appeared as if the candle hadn’t been used in ages as well. After Stephen made that perplexing discovery he attempted again to move his limbs and quickly realized it just wasn’t going to happen. His muscles just weren’t going to work; Stephen obviously was experiencing some type of bizarre, unexpected atrophy. Then, as Stephen lay there helpless and unable to even lift his leg all of a sudden a bright light flashed into existence; it appeared as prompt as a flame and just like that the whole room was illuminated. This gave Stephen a startled feeling, he didn’t know what to make of the occurrence because within the thirty-five years he’d never witness or even heard of anything of the sort occurring. It seemed as if daylight had suddenly irradiated the bedroom, it was like the sun was actually in the room with him; he’d never seen a light so bright on the inside of a building before. As his eyes adjusted to the light Stephen noticed how all of the windows in his room were covered up with this black film. It was strange, Stephen knew he saw the sun coming up as he gazed out the windows that morning but at that moment nothing but this strange black film which was shaped like widows was all he saw. More confusion filled Stephen’s head and a massive headache came out of nowhere and hit him in the worst way. Stephen felt like throwing up but then he felt as if he hadn’t eaten in ages. Another surprise occurred for the young farmer as he helplessly lay in his bed. A quick steering sound resonating on the outside of the room and because of it this feeling of utter fear rose from Stephen’s insides. As this happened Stephen noticed how the door to his room started to slightly shake and then moments following it was flung open. Two men with white, protective puffy suits which were fully assembled with large head gear and connected footwear came wailing in with quick, broad struts. “Everything is going to be alright Mister Reedman”, one of them uttered as they both approached Stephen’s position. In the talking man’s hand Stephen noticed some type of very large syringe with black liquid swimming around inside of it. As soon as the man got close enough, with sheer intensity and potency he quickly jammed the needle straight into Stephen’s shoulder. When this happened the fear in Stephen arrived at its highest point and the confusion he held was at a full blown stage. Then within the next moment this feeling of drossiness overcame Stephen and following everything went dark in his world. Whatever drug had been pumped into Stephen’s shoulder would sent him quickly back to the land of the slumber.
Stephen woke and felt he had the strength in his body of ten men. His memories were a bit fuzzy but for one reason or another he felt as if he’d woken up earlier and was on his way to start his day. The feeling inside of Stephen’s body was just a feeling of strength and energy. It was great, he felt strong as a mule; Stephen never felt this good before in his life. As he flung sheets from the bed off of him he noticed the clothes he was wearing. Very strange, he had on this white t shirt that was the whitest shirt he’d ever seen and he had on these funny black pants. They had this stretchy marital on the end of the legs, like some type of elastic belt and these pants felt soft and very comfortable to Stephen. He also had on these socks which felt really soft and comfortable. These clothes were strange but they did feel good to him. He rose out of the bed and slowly ambled over to a mirror that was located to the far left of the room. As he approached the mirror he noticed how strange this room that he found himself in was all together. This room was gleaming white; immaculate would be an understatement for this room. Not one spot of dirt was found, it felt a lot different for Stephen then it did when he first woke up. He really didn’t remember all of the details but then again, everything that was going on in Stephen’s life was on the strange side at the moment. He noticed his face in the mirror as he came to it. He felt on his skin and noticed how clean it felt. No hairs were on his chin or cheeks. His face felts so smooth; he hadn’t felt his skin in that way since he was like 15 years old. It was amazing. His hair was styled in a way which he had never seen before as well. It hung very even around his head, it looked very clean, it looked like one of the prettiest hairstyles that he’d ever seen on a man. As he looked into his own blue eyes he noticed this look of vigor in them. It was something else, this energy that he felt he had. While he gazed at himself in this mirror he noticed on the floor to the right of him these funny shoes. They were white with these strange strings coming out from the sides of them. They had blue stripes on them which ran symmetric on both sides of the shoes in funny designs. Stephen came to his hunches and then decided it would be easier to just sit on the floor. As he sat he took grasp of one of the funny shoes and analyzed it. It felt like leather in a way but this felt like leather that he’d never felt before in his life. As he slipped on the shoe he noticed how perfectly it fit his foot. The boots that he was accustomed to wearing never fit this well. What was going on? The strings which hung out of the shoe looked as if they were there to hold the shoe on his foot. He quickly tied the strings in a tight knot. As he stood he noticed how the long strings still hung off the shoe. He knew that if he were to walk around like this then he most definitely step on the strings that still hung out the shoe and take a tumble. Stephen though to himself for a moment about his dilemma and then felt as if he’d come up with an answer. He quickly took the strings and tucked them into the sides of the shoes. This he felt was a great idea, he would be able to walk around and not worry about falling over from the strings. When he had the thought of walking around he thought to himself where he would go of ever if he could go anywhere. This was strange, he didn’t know if he was trapped in the room he found himself in and didn’t even know how he got in the room. These thoughts made Stephen’s head hurt even more, he knew he needed to do something but he didn’t really know what. There was a door on the far right corner and it was the only door in the room. Stephen walked with a quick gait over to the door and put his hands on it. That was all it took, he barely touched the door and it creaked open. When Stephen saw this he quickly realized the door was unlocked and he would be able to venture out of this room. Stephen pushed the door open and moments later he was out the room.
Stephen hadn’t even noticed that he was outside until the blazing sun hit him in the face. It was a warm but a nice day. It was really bright and sunny, the skies were clear and blue and Stephen guess the time of day to be sometime in the afternoon. Something was really going on outside, Stephen knew right then and there that he wasn’t on his farm anymore, as a matter of fact, as Stephen stood there confused as ever he wondered if he even was still on earth. There were so many people walking about outside. Stephen became very frighten because he was in the mist of more noise then he’d ever witnessed before. He was standing on some type of stone walkway and as he looked forward he noticed some type of dried up river which didn’t look like it was that deep. In this river Stephen saw these big, quick, medal contractions zipping about, these contraptions were the main reason for the noise. They rumbled and they honked, they made skidding noises and this strange smoke looking substance would come out of them when they pulled off. The stone walkway that Stephen stood on was lined with these strange buildings. All of these buildings were connected; even the building that Stephen came out of was connected to the one next to it. It was just too much; hundreds of people flooded the stone walkways. They moved about with there strange wardrobes and they moved quickly as if every last one of them were in a rush. None of them spoke to each other as they passed, it was like they all lived in the same village but they didn’t know or care about each other. It seemed to Stephen that there attitudes were just self centered. This made Stephen gain a bad feeling in his gut. No one smiled, no one laughed, it was like they all were in there own worlds. It was strange to Stephen and he didn’t like it one bit. He thought to himself that he would feel better back inside of the building that he’d just come out. Maybe if he waited there, someone would come and tell him what was going on. Maybe things would become clearer if the people whom put him in this position were to come and let him know what was going on. “Ahhh!” Stephen heard as he stood. It was a yell of a female, a female in anguish and then Stephen saw a man whom looked meaner then he’d ever seen produce some type of black, medal device from his strange looking coat. At the sight of this device straight pandemonium broke out. Everyone in the vicinity started to run. People yelled as they ran and the lady whom it looked the man was trying to show the device looked more frighten then ever. Stephen didn’t understand but he wouldn’t run. He wanted some answers and he felt he would get them now. He ambled over to the man whom seemed to cause all of the havoc and as he did the man raised the device and pointed it towards Stephen’s head. “I will shoot, don’t come any closer” the man yelled. “I just want some answers” Stephen retorted with distress in his tone. The statement that this man made confused Stephen a whole lot because he didn’t understand how the man could “shoot” him with such a small device, didn’t this man need an actually gun of some sort to shoot him? Guns were bigger then that, unless, in this strange world guns could actually be that small. It didn’t matter to Stephen at that point, he was just about one hundred percent sure that this device which this crazed person wielded was a gun but still, it didn’t matter. Stephen needed some answers. “I will shoot you, I swear to God I will if you step closer man!!!” the man ranted on. “I am not part of this war which you are fighting. I just want some answers” Stephen marked with even more confusion in his tone. At that moment Stephen heard loud, blaring horns go off and then all of a sudden, all of these blue and white quick contraptions came racing towards them. They stopped feet away and out jumped these men and women with dark blue suits on. They produced the same small device that the crazed man was now pointing and Stephen and pointed them at the man. All of a sudden, without warning Stephen took off and started running in the opposite direction of everything. He ran away from the crazed man and also from the people with the blue suits on. He ran and ignored the blaring booming sound which he heard behind him. Yelling, screaming, it was sounding like people were being killed but this didn’t stop Stephen as he ran. “I’m I in hell?” he uttered softly to himself. He ran in the bright sun, he ran as quick and as long as he could. As he ran a feeling of hurt and pain overtook him. He wondered what this world was about. So many mean people, crazy people, people out to starting war with each other, just war out of nothing. It was just too much for him. He really felt as if he needed some answers. There were just too many questions to be answered. Stephen finally felt too tired to run and stopped in place. He sat on the stone walkway and just looked forward. As he sat there, from behind him he heard a man yell, “Excuse me sir, you seem lost, is there something I can help you with?” Stephen turned around and faced his body towards the place which he heard the man’s voice. Standing there, at the top of a flight of steps was this older gentlemen with a black rob on and also, something the Stephen recognized right away hung from his neck, a crucifix.” Father!” Stephen exclaimed as he quickly rose off the ground and started to quickly head toward the man. At first the gentlemen thought to feel a bit threaded but then, he felt something from Stephen that cried for help. This softened the man’s heart and this look of joy slowly spread across his face. This made Stephen feel a bit better, it was the first time ever since he’d waken up to this nightmare that he witness a person with joy in their gaze. Before the older man could get anything out of his month Stephen started to speak. “Father, what has happened?” The older man meant to answer Stephen but was cut off, “I see you in front of me and seeing you tells me that ether I still am in the land of the living or I am in another place other then hell.” Not answering Stephen’s question because quiet frankly the older man didn’t know how, he instead said, “Why don’t you come up in the church with me. We have food in the kitchen and you really look as if you need a good meal. After I’ve gotten you fed then we can figure out everything together.” It was the best thing Stephen had heard all day. This made Stephen realize something about his situation. For one thing, he was a live, for another, he still was on earth. There was still good as well, everyone whom lived weren’t quick moving, self centered robots. Or, crazed folk whom where dying to war with someone for no apparent reason. With a bit of relief in his demeanor Stephen followed the older man up into the brick building that they were standing in front of with more hope in his heart then he’d had all day.
As they walked into and through the sanctuary they talked. The older man reviled himself to be Father Winooski. He said the name of his church was Little Jerusalem and that he’d been a pastor for the last thirty years. They arrived in the kitchen and there was a woman standing in front of the stove cooking something that really smelled good to Stephen. “Sit down, make yourself at home Stephen” marked Father Winooski. A warm feeling overcame Stephen and at that moment he felt that he’d just figured out what was going on. “Father” Stephen said, “Can I ask you a question that may not seem normal?” “Go right a head my child” answered Winooski. “What year is this? What day is this? What time is this? Where am I?” The pastor looked at Stephen with nothing but respect in his gaze. “This is 2009 Stephen. The year is 2009, the month is May and you are now in the city of Pittsburg. You are in Pittsburg PA on May 13, 2009.” After the pastor answered Stephen first blinked and then after a few moments of just gazing in the pastor’s face Stephen started to smile. As he smiled with more confusion in his mind then he’d ever thought he’d have tears started to slowly roll down his check. The pastor knew that Stephen truly believed he was from another time whether it was fact or not. It would be shocking for anyone to hear the type of news that the pastor relayed to Stephen, even if it weren’t really true. To believe that you’re from another time and then to be told that you aren’t anywhere near the time which you feel you’re from would be harsh. The father thought to himself that Stephen must believe that all the people whom he loved were dead. Everyone who Stephen believed to have known must have been dead too in Stephen’s mind. It was something else, and the father didn’t really know what to do for Stephen. While these thought swam around in the pastor’s mind Stephen slowly rose out of his seat and started to amble towards the door. “Whoa son” spoke Winooski, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea for you at the moment. I have an idea.” Not saying a word Stephen allowed the pastor to lead him out of the kitchen and up a flight of steps. When they touched down at the top floor Stephen noticed a door which stood at the end of the hall. They both ambled towards the door and then when they arrived in front of the bedroom’s door the pastor gently placed his left hand on the wooded door and gently pushed it open. The door slowly opened to reveal a bedroom which looked like it hadn’t been used lately. There was a widow, bed and a closet in the room. It was very plain looking, the walls were made of wood, the floors were wood and it was a bit dusty. “This room is for guess and it will be your room for as long as need be.” Winooski spoke in a loving tone; he wanted Stephen to get some needed rest before he did anything else. The pastor didn’t even need to say anything else to Stephen because not even three seconds had past before Stephen was already lying on top of the mattress which was located on the bed. Moments later Stephen was a sleep and as he slumbered father Winooski quietly let himself out the bedroom, and silently shut the door behind him.
As Stephen and Marianne slept comfortably in their beds a light tapping was heard on the window to their bedroom. It gave Stephen a start and he shifted about in the bed. As he did, he took a quick glance over to the window and saw a shadow move about. Then, a loud thump was heard and a really bright light shinned into the bedroom from the outside. This light came rushing in the bedroom window like waters from a dam. It literally illuminated the whole room. This made Stephen’s wife jump up out of the bed and with plenty of confusion she started to look up, down and all around. “What?” She yelled and as she stood their Stephen still laid in the bed with even more confusion within him then his wife. It was then that it happened and it was then that Stephen felt as if he….
Sweat saturated the pillow that Stephen laid his head on. It had become dark as Stephen slept so it would seem to Stephen that he had been a sleep for a few hours now. He awoke within the dark room and felt that his whole body was saturated with sweat. For one reason or another Stephen felt a bit ill as he lay there in the dark. He felt that within the nightmare that he’d just had a memory of how he came to be in his current situation was revealed to him. There was a bit of light which shined in the room that Stephen occupied from the outside. When Stephen noticed this it caught his curiously a bit because he’d never seen a sight like that in the dead of night before. It seemed as if there were bits if light shining through even though it was dark outside. Stephen slowly got up out of his bed and walked over to the window. With plenty of caution (because of what occurred within his dreams) Stephen peered out of the window. He saw that his room was placed pretty high because he could see below him the street made in stone. From his current position it looked to him like if he were to jump he would definitely hurt himself pretty bad. He thought the he may even be killed if he’d jump from the window. Stephen did know of tall buildings but he couldn’t recall one quiet this tall. Stephen knew that he was in a church but he had never known a church this big. Stephen had heard of societies where tall buildings did exist but he never would have thought that he would have ended up in one of them. Following the gaze out of the window, Stephen slowed ambled towards the door which was still shut and slowly opened it up. He looked outside of his room and into the very quiet hallway. The hallway had bulbs of light which were lined up on each side of the walls and they were slightly illuminated. Even though the light was dim, Stephen could never the less see enough so that he would know where he was going. He slowly walked out into the hallway and backtracked down the long flight of steps that leaded up to the hallway with the bedroom. When he arrives to the bottom of the steps, he slowly began walking towards the kitchen. It looked as if someone was inside. The kitchen in itself was illuminated but it seemed that the church as a whole was very quiet. There was another door which was a yard of two away from the kitchen and it was shut. Stephen figured to himself that he would go through the door and in the room that it lead to so that he would have a place to go and gather himself, by himself. He slowly and quietly walked by the kitchen and when he got to the other door he gently pushed it open. A creaking sound resonated, it sounded as if the door led to a really big room because it seemed to Stephen that the sound had a bit of an echo to it when the door was opened. He then let himself through the door and found himself standing inside the biggest Sanctuary that he’d ever seen. “Is this where the pope stays?” Stephen uttered softly to himself. There were about thirteen roles of wooden benches that lead down a slop, and then in the very front of all of the benches there was the pulpit. Stephen stood in the door way which was located in the back of sanctuary in awe. He began to walk towards the pulpit and as he got closer he heard a voice from behind. “You’ve found your way into the sanctuary. The father told us we were blessed with a guess earlier today and that he was still with us.” Stephen turned around and in his gaze he thought that he spotted one of the most beautiful, exotic looking women that he’d ever laid eyes on. She was dressed as if she was a young nun; she looked like she was about 5’3 and even though she had on the nun garb he could easily see that she appeared to have a shapely figure. Her skin was tanned, she looked to him like she could pass for a descended of an African slave but maybe there was something more to her ethnicity then just African. Her eyes were slanted like A China men’s and on her smooth looking skin Stephen notices a few freckles which lightly dotted up her left and right cheeks. A pond turning around and noticing her Stephen stumbled and took a tumble onto the wooden floor. “Sir?” the young woman questioned as she walked with a quick strut toward the fallen Stephen. Stephen just lay there on his belly with plenty of embarrassment within him. He turned on his side and started to pick himself up. “Are you okay?” She uttered in a worried tone. While Stephen rose the young woman tucked her arms under his armpits and helped pull him up. “Thank you ma’am.” Stephen said. He felt his face flushing as he tried his best not to look so embarrassed. “No, I’m sorry sir” the young woman retorted, “I didn’t mean to startle you.” Stephen said nothing else as he allowed the young woman to lead him over to one of the benches. When they were seated side by side Stephen spoke. “I never thought I would see a church like this.” Before he was able to say anything else the young woman said, “This is a good sized church but we are in a big city. This church has a lot of people who come to it on Sundays. The father knows how to touch the heart like no other.” “Who are you?” Stephen asked the young woman. “My name is sister Reedmen sir” She answered. “You are a Reedmen?” He asked, “Does that strike you as strange sir” She retorted, “well” Stephen marked, “My name is Reedmen as well, I just found it a funny coincident. I find my whole situation funny and confusing.” It looked to the young lady that Stephen’s eyes were tearing up. Before she was able to say anything he continued, “I don’t know what is going on here? I don’t understand why I am even here. The last thing I remembered was me going to bed with my wife and then thinking I was waking up to a normal day of farming. I then wake up in this room that illuminated like I’ve never seen before. I was kidnapped and then placed in this other room. Following that I was left there to figure things out on my own for some reason. I go outside to see sites which I have never gazed a pond and then I find myself in a church. I don’t know why anything is happening but I have a feeling that everyone that I have ever known in my life is now dead.” Now it was quiet evident that Stephen had become upset because the tears were now streaming down Stephen’s cheeks. He felt so lost and confused. He didn’t understand why anyone would put him in his current situation. Sister Reedmen spoke, “I believe that you will receive your answer soon enough but I feel that maybe you should try and get more sleep.” Stephen wanted to ask more questions but before he was able to Sister Reedman placed her hand gently on his mouth. She slowly shook her head as if she was telling Stephen to just listen to what she had to say. Following she continued, “Let’s not worry about these things now. I really do believe you need some rest. You’ve been though a lot today and you are overwhelmed.” The young nun rose up off the bench and Stephen followed suit. She took Stephen’s hand in hers and this action made Stephen feel a bit calmer. They began to walk towards the isle and when they were clear of the benches they began to walk together towards the exit of sanctuary that Stephen had come through. They slowly walked hand in hand and they walked that way all the way back up to the room that Stephen was staying in. When they got in and Stephen was lying across the bed Sister Reedmen said, “I will be back here tomorrow to see you. Then we’ll figure something out together but for now I don’t want you to worry. Just get some rest. If you worry you may have nightmares. Just go into your sleep with a calm soul and I promise you tomorrow we will figure this out.” On that note and with those loving words Stephen felt a lot better. He didn’t say anything else but within his heart he felt glad that he did happen to come across the church. If not for the pastor and the nun Stephen felt that he would have even been dead or so lost that he would have wished he was. With a smile on his face Stephen started to dose of. He really was tired and now that he was calmer he was able to give in to the feeling of simply being worn out. When he was fast a sleep sister Reedmen quietly let herself out of the room.
The experiment
“It wasn’t supposed to be that way” a man uttered in an angry tone. “It is your fault so you only have yourself to blame.” Another man spoke “It was you who allowed him to wake up as he did. How were we supposed to tame him?” The other spoke, “He was too strong and it was too much. I only put him in that building because it was a way from his home. I figured that when he woke up he would be so confused that he would just sit waiting and then I figured he would have begged us for help, I didn’t realize that he was strong enough to open a locked door like that.” It was Raymond (whom spoke first) who spoke next, “do you think he really remembers? Do you think he really knows who and what he really is? He thinks that he is still living in the 1700.” “Really Raymond”, spoke Jesus (whom is the name of the other gentleman), “do you think that he doesn’t know that he is not in the 1700 by now? You don’t even know what had become of him.” “I know one thing though” Raymond answered, “We better figure something out before he does realize who and what he is.” “I say we terminate this project” Jesus said with the quickness. Raymond looked at Jesus as if he were mad, “Are you serious?” He replied, “Do you realize how long the experiment has been going on? It was my ancestor whom started it; we still have the funding which was set aside so we still can move forward with this.” “You know he may start aging like a normal person.” Jesus injected, “There probably isn’t anything different about him now. He is just a normal, confused and probably sad man at this point; what are we to do with him?” As the two went back and forth they both carried more worry then they would have liked. As they argued, they both had the same thought in there heads. They thought of what they were both doing and they thought of what the outcome may end up being. It was the two of them who were the two that Stephen saw when he first came too. It was them that sedated him and then placed him in the immaculate room. They thought that in doing so they would have the upper hand, they didn’t expect Stephen to venture out on his own. They had made a mistake and they thought that they along with everyone else just may pay for that very error.
His first full day
As the sun came over the horizon Stephen expected to hear the roosters crowing but that isn’t what he heard at all. The most loudest, eerie, blaring sound that Stephen had ever heard is what woke him up, “Shit!” Stephen swore as he flew out the bed. Even though the sound had started to retract Stephen was still startled out of his mind. He was still in the clothes which he wore the night before but with no shoes on. He took no time to put on his shoes as he ran towards the room door and moments later he was out and in the hall. “Well good morning Stephen”, marked father Winooski. It was quiet apparent that Stephen was startled and the father had a good idea why. “I’m sure you’ve never heard anything like that before in your life huh?” the father asked. “Father, is the world ending now?” Stephen uttered with fear in his tone. Amused, the father began to chuckle. “Huh?” Stephen said with a more confused looked plastered across his face. When Stephen saw that the pastor was indeed being entertained, Stephen then felt himself calming down a bit. “It must not be as serious as I thought was.” Stephen retorted. The pastor continued to smile as he approached Stephen. “It was a simple fire engine” the father uttered. “Why would a fire need an engine?” Stephen asked. When the father was in front of Stephen he gave him a light, friendly pat on the back and then he said, “I guess I have a lot to explain to you as of how the world works now.” After that Stephen walked down the steps and in the kitchen.
It was the pastor who fixed breakfast for the both of them. “This really is good father.” Stephen said. This made the pastor smile from ear to ear as he sat in front of Stephen and ate. “Well” the pastor flustered, “I have been told that I do know my way around the kitchen. I actually enjoy cooking.” He then continued with a gleeful tone in his voice, “Every other weekend the church feeds the homeless and I always lead the cooking crew, there are times when they need me to jump in and save them. Just because people are homeless doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve a good meal.” The pancakes that Winooski fixed were piping hot with butter drizzling down the sides. The syrup which was prepared was homemade and it was the best syrup Stephen ever tasted. As Stephen breathed in he sat and enjoyed the aroma of the food. As Stephen let out his breath and as he ate he felt that he wasn’t able to taste the food anymore. Then as he breathed in and then out he felt the taste of the food returning to his taste buds. “Huh?” Stephen spoke and this made Winooski raise his head from his plate. “Is there a problem Stephen?” Winooski asked in a confused tone. “Um, not really, it’s just that…” He was cut off as sister Reedman let herself in the kitchen. She had this distraught look on her face; she looked as if she had been shaken up pretty well for some reason. “Well good morning sister” the father said in his overly friendly greeting voice. After he greeted the young nun it seemed that he face took on a friendlier look within itself. “Good morning all. It is a beautiful day outside today. But there are some strange men outside the church waiting for Stephen.” With this information Stephen lifted his head in a way that told he just felt a feeling of fear go through is body. Before the young nun was able to say anything else Stephen uttered, “These fellows didn’t have white, funny looking suits on did they.” “They are dressed in regular clothes Stephen.” She answered. Stephen thought to himself that maybe what was defined as regular really wasn’t because he hadn’t seen anyone whom actually was dressed normal yet. “Invite them in sister.” The father answered, “Maybe they will be able to help us out with Stephen. They may know what happened to him and what not. We will be out in the sanctuary in five minutes.” With a nervous knot of her head, Sister Reedman took exit of the kitchen. “I think we may be blessed with these guess today Stephen.” Winooski said a pond Sister Reedman’s exit. “Hopefully they will be able to help us out.” “I don’t know about that father.” Stephen retorted. It was quiet obvious that Stephen felt nervous about the whole situation. “There hasn’t been a friendly soul around besides you and the sister since I woke up in this world yesterday.” It troubled the Father Winooski’s heart to hear this come out of Stephen’s month. With a stern look on his face the pastor spoke, “You don’t want to think that way son. It’s that you don’t understand why things are the way they are and that is understandable.” The father took a deep breath and then continued, “I want you to understand that there is still good in the world as it is now Stephen. This is why I’ve taken up the work that I do, I want things to be the way that I believe Jesus wants them to be. This is what I believe and I still do have faith in people as they are. We don’t want to look at a situation as if something bad is going to come out if it because if we do then it more then likely will.” Stephen then saw the hurt in the pastor’s face when he spoke. He didn’t want the Father Winooski to feel bad and plus, he knew that the pastor was proof that there was good in this world that he found himself in. It was funny because if it wasn’t for the pastor, Stephen would have thought he was in hell, literally. Stephen thought to himself that he would try and feel good about the whole situation but then, it really wasn’t working that way. Stephen really didn’t feel good about these two strange men who were now waiting for them in the church with the young nun. Why would they come here for him? It made no since. How did they know that he was even in the church? These were questions that Stephen couldn’t help but think of but then he told himself that he would just hang tight and try and at lease appear as if he was feeling good about the whole thing. As he thought of what these men would be up to the pastor rose up out of his seat and started to walk towards the kitchen door and Stephen followed.
They entered the sanctuary and a pond entering both Father Winooski and Stephen spotted the two men whom sat in the middle room with Sister Reedman. They weren’t wearing strange, white suits; when Stephen noticed this he was relieved in a big way. He saw that both of these men looked to be around the same age as he. One was a tanned skinned man with jet back hair which was very closely cut to his head. His eyes were dark brown and he had a look of surprise and fear plastered across his face as he looked at Stephen. The other man was a paled skinned man with green eyes and brown hair. His skin had a tint of red to it; it looked as if he might have gotten sunburn recently. They both sat by the young nun and when the Stephen and Winooski appeared to them, the young nun noticed how the tanned skinned man gave the pale skinned man a slight nudge in the side. This didn’t sit with Sister Reedman to well so after she spotted this action she calmly rose up off of the bench and walked through the isle towards Winooski and Stephen. While she approached Stephen immediately noticed the look that she had on her face. This made him feel more uneasy then he already was. “Well hello gentlemen” Winooski said, “It seems that you are some how acquainted with our new friend Stephen here.” With a calm gate, Winooski started to approach the two men and as he did they too rose up off of the benches and came into the isle. The both of them slowly approach the pastor and when they were a pond each other the tanned skin men stuck his hand out in a hand shaking manner. “Hello Father,” he uttered, “My name is Jesus and this here is my partner Raymond.” Pausing a bit and looking over the pastor’s shoulder at Stephen he continued, “We are acquainted with Stephen and it seems that he someone got away from us.” The statement that Jesus said made the pastor raise an eyebrow. The other man quickly cut in. “Well Jesus is exaggerating on the situation of course but I do want you to understand something father.” He got quiet and then brought his mouth inches from the father’s left ear. Obviously Raymond didn’t want anyone else to hear what he had to say except the pastor. He whispered something in the pastor’s ear and what ever he said made the pastor’s face take on a surprised looked.
While this all was taking place Sister Reedman stood beside Stephen with a feeling of unease within her. Stephen felt that feeling coming off of her and it made him uneasy as well. He thought to take a deep breath and sigh but then that is when he noticed something about himself. He felt as if he only took breaths when he thought to do so. Stephen just realized that whatever was done to him made him in a way that made it not necessary for him to breath. This realized fact scared him a bit and all of a sudden Stephen started to walk toward the door. He wanted to get out of the company of these strange men, he wanted to go somewhere so that he would be able to figure out what was wrong with him and what happened to him and he wanted to do so now. “Whoa mister Reedman.” Said Raymond, “We can’t let you just walk out on us again.” As Stephen walked his back was turned to everyone. He was inches away from the door and he was in the act of opening it up and going through it. He didn’t really care what these strange men had to say. Stephen didn’t feel right about them anyway and he felt that whatever they had just told the pastor had to be a lie anyway because at that moment Stephen noticed this look of fear on the pastor’s face. As Stephen opened the door he heard Sister Reedman scream. This sudden noise gave Stephen a start and he quickly turned around to see why she had let out the yell.
”Mr. Reedman, we are going to need you to calmly and quietly come with us now. You really don’t know what you have become and we need to take you back to the lab now so that we are able to fix you. Come with us now and with no fuss.” As he spoke, Raymond held a weapon, he had a small pistol and he had it pointed dead at Stephen. This is why the young nun yelled. This crazy man was threatening Stephen’s life. Stephen spoke, “Can you tell me what year this is?” he asked. When the voiced his question the pastor thought it strange that Stephen asked this question because he knew he gave Stephen that information all ready. It was strange within it self but the father didn’t say anything because he had no idea what Stephen was up to. “We are in the month of May and it is 2009 Stephen.” Raymond answered. Stephen then said, “So you confirm that when I went to bed in my home the other night it was 1701 but now as we stand here in this sanctuary it is the year 2009?” Raymond first looked over at Jesus as if he wanted him to jump in and Jesus just hunched his shoulders. Raymond never lowered the gun as he place all of his concerns back on Stephen. “Then I really don’t care what you do to me” This was Stephen’s reply and everyone in the vicinity was taken back. Stephen continued, “I feel like I am in a nightmare. Everyone whom I’ve seen so far has been evil. Everyone but these good people whom we are in company with, I am tired and I am sick. Something is wrong with me and I want to be a lone so that I am able to figure it out. I don’t care if you know who I am because I don’t feel that ether of you are good men. Do what you must but I am walking out of here.” It was then that Raymond took action. “Grab him!” he yelled as he started to run towards sister Reedman. Jesus took a firm grip on the father and with the quickness he had him in a headlock. Moments later Raymond was at the young nun with the gun pointed at her head. “Now Mr. Reedman, since you seem to just have shown me that you care about these two I’ve found your weakness. You are going to come with us now. You will load your ass in the back of the van so that we are able to sedate you and then take you in. You will move right now or we will hurt your friends.” The feeling of angry went through Stephen’s veins. It burned with the fires of fiery. He felt that he was on the edge and as he stood there in front of the door he felt something else bubbling to the rim up from inside of him. “Hey, Stephen!” Jesus yelled, “We know who and what you are and we are the only ones that do because it was us that made you that way. You will do what we say. Do not try anything. Don’t think, just move and move now or I will break this old prick’s neck?” The anger and the frustration in Jesus’ Spanish accented voice was heard loud and clear. Stephen felt that he just wasn’t in a nice word. These people didn’t care as they threatened people whom devoted there lives to do the work of God. They swore in a church like they were in a bar or brothel. Stephen knew that something was about to happen at that movement but he didn’t know what. The next thing Stephen knew was himself beganing to blacking out. Stephen’s world started to really darken and as he stood there he felt as if he was going to explode. Never in Stephen’s life had he felt so much anger. His fist started to ball up and his breath started to quickly go in and out. When Jesus saw that Stephen was starting to anger he got nervous and then spoke to Raymond, “Um, I don’t know if we should be going about this in this way Raymond. We didn’t come prepared for all of this.” Raymond looked over at Jesus with a look on his face that said, ‘why did you just say that?’ He spoke next. “Stand your ground Jesus! Do as I say! Things will go the way we want them to go if you keep your damn month shut and just do what I say!” As all of this went on the pastor felt Jesus’ grip loosen up on him and that is all that he needed to act. With the swiftness the pastor had Jesus’ arm in his. With the loosening of Jesus’ grip the pastor was able to take grab of the young Spanish man’s arm and get a firm grip on it. Within the next second Jesus was being flung over the pastor’s shoulder. The next second Winooski was again in action as he rushed the stunned Raymond. Within four seconds the pastor was on the man, as he came into the man’s personal space and in the same motion it took him to take that step that put him there his left arm came down with the strength of a falling brick and speed like lightening onto Raymond’s hand and the gun. As he smacked the gun was released but in the same blow Raymond was able to let off a shot. The shot hit Winooski in the thigh but this did not slow the pastor one bit because within the next second his right fist was connecting with Raymond’s cheek. Within the next second Raymond was falling backwards towards the ground unconscious. After all of that occurred, all who were still standing stood still as statues and in silence. Sister Reedman stood inches away from Winooski with her month open. She had never seen anyone move like that pastor just had. She didn’t think it was possible for a man Winooski’s age (let along anyone other man at any age) to move the way that the pastor just moved. The Sister knew that the Father did go running every other day and also he was known to disappear three times a week and return in a sweat suit looking as if he just had a great workout, other then that the sister had no idea of what he was capable of.
Stephen still stood there feeling the anger in him subsiding. He felt that something inside of him was just about to be realized and he felt that he may not have been able to control it if it had. As he stood there he heard the sister yell something at him and then that is when he started to move. “Stephen, the Father has been shot” was what she yelled. Stephen quickly rushed over to wear the pastor was kneeling holding his thigh which was bleed profusely. Both Stephen and Sister Reedman kneeled down to the pastor’s level. Then he spoke, “Ahhhh, they got me good didn’t they. I told you something good would come of those two gentlemen.” “Father, we should get you some help” Stephen said and has he did he look at the sister. She understood immediately what Stephen wanted of her, knotted her head, got to her feet and started to run towards the doorways. She would then get on the phone, call 911 and get help. When she was gone the father spoke to Stephen. “As I was saying, we have learned something of you my son.” Stephen was more confused then ever. He looked at the Father and then he looked over at the two unconscious men whom were laid out over the sanctuary’s floor. “What good has come out of this day Father, you were shot and my life was threatened. The Sister had a gun put in her face. I don’t understand.” The pastor smile as he kneeled and the blood continued to run from his thigh. He spoke, “They weren’t going to hurt anyone other then how they’ve hurt me Stephen.” Stephen was amazed at the calmness in the pastor’s tone, the pastor continued, “Someone was going to get hurt really bad and it wasn’t any of us.” Before Stephen was able to add anything else to the conversation the pastor spoke on, “These two men were run by fear. They were glad they found you but they were afraid of you Stephen. They thought to put a fear in me, you and the Sister so that we would do what they wanted us to do. We didn’t know much but they knew plenty. They thought to feed us something so false, they thought to feed us a lie and in that lie they thought they would be the ones with the upper hand but seeing the way they were acting I realized we were the ones with the upper hand all along.” Stephen did speak this time, he said, “That man had a gun and the other one had you in a headlock. They would have hurt us Father.” As the pastor prepared to speak again the doors to the sanctuary flew open and in came about six men. Two were in the blue suits with the word police scribed on the hats that they worn. They went over to the unconscious men and started checking them out. The other men were dressed in blue suits as well, they worn no hats and one of them had a stretcher that he wheeled along. The Father then said, “these men are about to take me away so that I may get some help. I will tell you this now and then we will talk on this later.” As one of the men who came in started to tend to the pastor’s leg Stephen started to rise off the floor, before he was able to get up the pastor grabbed him so that he would gain Stephen’s attention. The pastor quickly spoke, “Those men knew the truth about you Stephen and because of it they were afraid of what you might have done to them. Know that you are someone who never needs to feel fear in this world. You have no reason, you are more powerful then you know yourself to be.” On that knot the Father released Stephen and allowed the man that was tending to him to continue. Stephen quickly got up, looked around, became more confused and then started to quickly walk towards the doors that he had come through from the beginning. Everything was so confusing to Stephen. He still didn’t understand what good came out of the situation that just occurred. He just didn’t get it. Why was the pastor still in a good mood when he’d just be shot? Why was this to be considered a good experience? Stephen then stopped walking and just stood where he was. As he stood there he watched as the men took the Father away. He also watched as the unconscious men that threatened them in the first place came to and then was taken away in restraints by the two other men. He watched until he was in the sanctuary all alone. It was just him a lone. He had wanted to be alone before and it looked like he now was. He would be alone to gather his thought and then try and figure things out.
Remembering
Stephen sat in the empty sanctuary just looking straight a head. It was the day after the strange and exhilarating event occurred and it was a time which Stephen felt the most confused. He really didn’t know half of what the Father thought was done or accomplished, or at lease he felt that he didn’t know anything. It was early in the morning and the sun hadn’t even risen over the horizon yet. Yesterday was a day that Stephen would never forget. He felt that he was so new to everything in this strange world but he knew that he would have to get use to it eventually. As Stephen sat there to his surprise he heard a voice next to him speak. “Everything that has happened is crazy isn’t it?” this startled Stephen quiet a bit because he didn’t even realize that someone else had entered the sanctuary and was in his presence. In seeing that she had startled him, Sister Reedman said, “My apologizes Stephen. I didn’t think you were that much in a trance that you wouldn’t have heard me come in. I am sorry I startled you.” A much calmer looked developed on Stephen’s face and then he spoke, “It isn’t that Sister. You have no need to apologize. It’s just that the Father told me something right before he was taken away and I quiet don’t understand what he meant when he spoke to me.” “What did he said?” Asked Sister Reedman with plenty of concern in her tone. “He told me that those men who attacked us were actually afraid of me. He told me that they were afraid of what I may have done them. He also told me that they knew something about me that no one else knows.” When Stephen finished talking sister Reedman looked him in his eyes and felt herself going into deep thought. A few moments past and then it seemed as if she’d realized something. She spoke, “You know what Stephen?” She spoke again before he was able to answer, “One of those men did tell Father Winooski something which made the Father’s face gain this look of fear when he heard it. Our dear Father Winooski may know more then he is leading on.” “Then we need to see him now” Stephen injected, “Plus” he added, “I want to know how he is doing. Even though he may not feel this way, I believe that if it wasn’t for him and his quick actions we all would have been dead.” Before the sister was able to say anything else Stephen quickly added, “Did you know he could move in that way? I have never seen anyone move so quickly and gracefully before in my life. He took those two guys out so quickly.” The young nun slowly shook her head. She then said, “I have known Father Winooski for six years, I’ve known him ever since I decided to listen to the lords call and become a nun actually so that make it more then six years. He has guided me well as I’ve walked this spiritual path. I can tell you that I had no idea that he could move in that way. I didn’t even know he knew how to fight.” “Everything happens for a reason” Stephen said, “I think it was God whom told him to learn how to defend himself. I believe he learned how to do that for the very moment that he needed to use his skill. We should go and see how he is doing right now.” On that note the Sister knotted her head and rose up off the bench. Stephen did the same and the both of them exited the sanctuary together.
As they sat in the cab Stephen felt as if he was flying in some magical apparatus. His head was spinning and he had an ill look plastered across his face. The man who was driving the cab which they were in looked back at Stephen through his rear view mirror, noticed how it looked as if Stephen was going to throw up at any minute and then spoke, “ Hey ma’am, his he okay? I can’t have people getting sick in here. This is my business.” The man was wearing a white turban and he had a very thick Indian assent. When he spoke brown teeth showed and in the sight of this, Sister Reedman had to stop herself front making her face cringe. She said, “He is fine. He has never been in a car before so, well, I mean what you expect?” “Yes” Stephen said in a very sickly sounding voice, “I’ve never been in a….car before. This is a bit amazing and quiet overwhelming for me. A horse and buggy has been known to go pretty fast but not this fast and even so. When they do go fast the person whom is in control needs to put all he has into keeping control. It is amazing how calm you are as you maneuver this machine here.” “Hey where are you from sir? You sound like I did when I first came to America. In my country and in my village no one had cars. I can remember when I first road in one too. I guess I had the same attitude as you.” “I am from Johnston” He answered. “You mean the small suburban area just forty miles away from here?” The cab driver asked. “You must be from one of those closed up communities. Something like the Amish or something huh?” Stephen answered, “I was just a simple farmer who lived off of the land to support my family and nothing more.” By that part of the conversation they were at there destination. “Here is the hospital” Sister Reedman said. She then handed the driver of the cab some money and told him to keep the change. “Thank you so much.” The cab driver said with joy in his tone, “If you need a ride back home just call me and I will come back to get you.” The cab driver spoke in such a happy tone, Stephen figured that the sister had given him a very hefty tip. They both exited the cap and as they did Stephen found himself looking at one of the biggest, busiest looking buildings that He’d ever seen. “Follow me.” Sister Reedman said and not even a second after she started to walk towards a very wide door that had a big red and white sign above it which read ‘main entrance’. As they approached the door and before Stephen could figure out how they would open it the amazing happened. The doors opened up themselves, they opened up like they could think for themselves and they knew that Stephen and the Sister were in front of them. “How?” Stephen questioned. “The father and I will explain everything to you later Stephen, for now just continue to follow me.” As they walked a voice that had such a prodigious volume that it could have been God said, “Doctor Johnson, please come to trauma.” “Shit!!” Stephen exclaimed as he jumped back. “What was that?” Sister Reedman stopped walking, looked at Stephen and started to smile. A pond seeing this Stephen knew that the voice wasn’t anything serious. He said, “I have never heard a person speak in that way. It was like her voice was coming from everywhere. The doors can think for themselves, I mean, I don’t know what to make of any of this.” Don’t try to understand any of this right now Stephen because to tell you the truth even though I have been living in this world all of my life I still don’t get all of how all of these things work.” She continued with a very calm look on her face, “If you asked me to tell you one thing about how a car goes so fast or how it goes at all I couldn’t tell you. If you asked me to tell you how those doors were able to open as they did I all I would say is that I believe there are sensors in ether the floor or the doors themselves that let the doors know we are in front of them and still, I don’t know how that works ether. If you asked me to tell you how the woman was able to make her voice heard in that way I would tell you that she used a PA system. If you asked me what a PA system was or how one worked I wouldn’t have an answer for you.” Stephen formed a more confused look on his face but before he was able to talk Sister Reedman continued, “I don’t try to understand how things work in this world Stephen, I just know they do. There are people a live who come up with this stuff, they know how these things work and I leave things like that to them. It’s like when those same people need some type of spiritual guidance they come to people like the Father and I because they trust us.” Pausing a bit to think but continuing before Stephen could say anything she continued, “I pray so that I can have communion with God. I do this so I can understand and then I help people who come to me with love and trust. I do this because I have faith in something that is great and that something is God. I put the same kind of faith in the people who make inventions like smart doors and cars because I know it is God who puts these ideas in them. All I need to do is have faith in God and a knowing that God is great and with that faith I know that He is able to take care of everything. I don’t worry or try to understand machines and mechanisms because that isn’t what I was put here to do.” On that note she turned around and continued to walk forward. Even though Stephen knew that the Sister did make a lot of since in what she spoke on it simply wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to understand all that he could about the world that he found himself in because he knew if he didn’t then he would always live in a certain type of fear. As they walked Stephen wished that he could have such a carefree attitude like the Sister did but that just wasn’t in his nature. Even back in his time, Stephen was one to get a certain type of enjoyment out of learning about things and how they worked. He enjoyed watching people put together farming tools and horse carriages. Stephen just felt that he needed to know how things were put together.
No comments:
Post a Comment