Chapter 4
"-don't know what you were so afraid of," Eva was saying. "Even if I did end up hitting you, nothing would have happened."
"You don't know that," Neil responded with a frown. "The memento is charged first before activation, right? So what happens to a person that gets charged? Zap! Nothing but ashes, I bet."
"It's not the same as an electric charge," argued Eva. "Quit comparing radishes to carrots and focus on your job. I swear, I spend more time reminding you about work than actually working."
Neil scowled but said nothing, turning his head instead to survey the new setting.
Tan cubicles sat in orderly rows, decorated with posters of palm trees and beaches, many captioned with phrases like "You're Next Vacation!" or "Escape to Paradise!" Similar pictures hung on the building's walls, which were the same dull color as the cubicles. The shrilled voices and clattering of phones saturated the room like sweat in a gym locker room.
Robert sat in one of the tight office spaces, though it was obvious he wasn't here for work. Unlike the man sitting in front of him behind the large desk, Robert was not wearing a tie or a collar shirt or anything similar. He had on a dark damp overcoat instead with a similarly colored hat on his knee. A wet umbrella leaned against his chair. On his knee sat a small box and he patted his other knee as he waited for the man before him to finish his phone call.
"I...yes ma'am, I understand but...I afraid we cannot make any refunds if you didn't purchase-"
The man tore the receiver from his ear as a stream of obscenities spewed out followed by a sharp click as the line went dead. With a shake of his head, he set the phone aside and leaned back in his chair, taking off his glasses as he rubbed his temples. "Sorry you had to hear that, Robert," he said, sighing.
"Heh, guess I don't have to ask you how's work treating you then."
"Yeah, but you will just to be polite."
"How's work treating you then, Michael?"
The two men shared a chuckle and shook hands. "It has its perks," Michael said. "Got you the tickets." He leaned back and removed two pieces of paper from his bulletin. "Two to the Indy 500."
"Thanks," said Robert as Michael handed him the tickets. A small race car was printed on each with the words "Indy 500: Single Admission" and some dates right below.
"Hey, no problem. You're almost family," Michael declared with a glare. "Speaking of which, we'll be seeing you for Thanksgiving this year, right?"
"Of course." Robert pocketed the tickets. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Oh, I've got something for you too." He lifted the little box off his knee and placed it on the desk next to a large pile of papers. Slowly, the top was lifted, revealing a slice of...
"Cake!"
The sides slipped apart, displaying the dessert in full. It was a simple arrangement, with a chocolate base and vanilla icing on top. Small strawberries peeked from beneath the white cover.
"Been teaching the kids how to make it," Robert said proudly. "Hopefully, one of us will eventually remember to actually write down the recipe."
"Man, your cakes are the best," Michael moaned in awe as he took a giant bite out of the cake. Chocolate smeared over his lips. "And you don't actually follow a recipe?"
"Well, not a written one." Robert tapped his forehead. "All in here. I don't even remember when I started baking, really..."
"Well, you're doing something right," the younger man said, setting the cake to the side. "Is it raining still?"
The conversation turned to the weather and Neil and Eva soon lost interest. They turned their attention to the chocolate cake, glowing like a lighthouse, a chocolately, mouth watering, delectable...
"Neil, you're drooling."
"Cut me some slack. I haven't eaten yet." Neil knelt down, examining the confection carefully. "Hey Eva, you want this cake?"
"I thought you wanted to charge the next memento but if you don't want to..."
"You want this cake?"
"...Neil..."
"You want this cake?"
Eva sighed, bringing her hand to her face. "Why me?"
"You want you want I WANT THAT CAKE!"
The office area disappeared in a flood of light.
*****
"...and you didn't burn down the kitchen. I am impressed, with both of you."
Andrew and Peter squirmed as their mother brushed their hair with her fingers affectionately. "Aw, ma! Cut it out!" Andrew protested. His brother whined in agreement.
"And this even looks edible," Jessica said, sitting herself in front of the large chocolate cake. She plucked one of the strawberries out from beneath the vanilla icing and ate it.
"Aw, ma, you ruined it."
Robert laughed. "It's fine boys. That's what the cake's for, ain't it? Now, who wants a slice?"
"I wanna cut it!" Peter screeched, banishing a large kitchen knife.
"Peter!" Jessica screamed in horror. "Put that knife down!"
"Aw..."
"You're too young for that job," Andrew laughed. "'Sides, you gotta use this..." the young boy said, holding up a giant cleaver.
"Andrew! Put that down!" Jessica took the blades away. "How are you two getting into the knife drawer?" she wondered out loud as she made her way to the kitchen.
The three males sat awkwardly around the table, forks in their hands and flowery plates in front of them. Robert extended his hand and popped a strawberry into his mouth, his giggles blending with the brothers' protests. He leaned back in his chair and signed.
"Neil, you're drooling again."
The bespectacled man groaned. "Can't I, you know, just pop in and grab a bite? We could just reset the memory and it'd be like nothing happened."
"Exactly. Nothing would happen and you wouldn't be any more full than you were before." Eva stared back and forth between the chocolate cake and the old man. "I wonder..."
"Eh?"
"Is it just me or does Robert look a little, I don't know, nostalgic?" Eva tapped her chin.
"Huh...the cake's his own recipe, right? Maybe it has something to do with his daughter...you don't think he cut her up and turned her into a cupcake, do you?"
"Neil! Of course not! That's horrible!" Eva exclaimed, horrified. "Where'd you get such a sick, deprived, macabre idea from?"
"The Internet...yeah, guess that was a little much, sorry."
A ring echoed through the room. Robert got to his feet but the two boys were faster and raced toward the phone that hung off the wall.
"Hi!" Andrew greeted cheerfully as his brother tried pulling the receiver away. "Ma!" he called. "Telephone!"
Jessica made her way back to the table and accepted the phone. "Yes...I see...I'll let him know." She turned to the old man. "That was the control tower...for the airstrip?" she added as Robert gave her a blank look. He began to nod understandingly. "Someone wants to land and needs clearance," she continued.
Robert nodded and gave Jessica a thumb up. She lifted the phone back up and said, "Clearance granted," and set back in its place.
Robert groaned as he picked himself off his chair.
"Where are you going?" asked Jessica.
"Welcoming our guest, of course," he replied happily. With some difficulty, he slipped his coat over his shoulders and his arms through the sleeves. "Visitors are getting pretty rare. Who knows..." he almost whispered. "...maybe she's..."
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing..."
*****
"Whelp, this can't end well."
"What do you mean?" Eva asked as she and her partner followed Robert through the grassy field toward the grey cement strip.
"Well, how many horror movies begin with a stranger-slash-traveler appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a dark and stormy night? How many Kung-fu films end with a final showdown in the rain on a grassy knoll?"
"Okay then, how many of movies deal with the traveler arriving via airplane? And with a pair of psychio-anamnesis reconstruction specialists?"
"Off the top of my head, at least three. Oh, and one of the specialists was black too. She died first."
Eva rolled her eyes but took an instinctive glance over her shoulder.
"Of course, guess I'd be the second to croak, being the dashing comic relief and all..."
Neil quieted as his foot touched solid concrete. The three approached before a large red biplane, its propeller slowing to a stop. A bright US flag was painted on the door, which swung open, revealing the pilot.
"Greetings friend, does thou come in peace?"
"Neil, shut up."
The pilot removed the large helmet, revealing a fiery ponytail.
"Evening miss," Robert greeted cheerfully. "Something wrong with your plane?"
The pilot shook her head. "Nah, nothing serious. Just runnin' a little low on fuel." She patted the plane softly. "Guess this old girl can't handle rainy weather like she used to." The pilot sighed. "Thanks for the clearance by the way, sir. Really appreciate it."
"It's not a problem," Robert said. "I'm sure we've got plenty of fuel to spare. This strip doesn't see as many visitors as it used to." He extended his hand forward. "You can call me Robert."
The pilot accepted the handshake. "Name's Rare."
"Rare?"
The pilot chuckled. "Yeah. It's short for Rihanna Aguilara Rachel Evans. My old man had a way with names. He called this old girl his DASHY for Dynamically Aerial Super Homing Yonder." The pilot gave the plane another pat. "Hey, mister, you alright?"
Robert shrugged. "Y-yeah. Just a little cold is all. Let's get out of this rain and see if we can find some fuel."
He led the way to an empty hanger. Robert flipped a switch and the lights flickered before illuminating the room. A few tool boxes laid scattered on the floor along with a few empty gas cans. On the walls hung motivational posters, schematics, and a few pictures.
Rare whistled. "It doesn't seem like this place has seen much use lately."
Robert nodded. "Yep. When the airfield was first commissioned, we used to see all kinds of visitors. These past few years though..." He sighed. "The town was growing really quickly at that time but now, not so much. Won't be long 'til we have to close it down. Still, we've got plenty of spare parts and room."
Rare approached the side wall and examined the photos. "Sure looked lively before. When was this taken?" she asked.
Robert squinted at the framed picture. "Ah, that one. That was taken the day the airfield was finished. See that young man over there in the center?"
"The one shaking hands with that fat official looking guy?"
Robert chuckled. "Yes, well, the mayor did lose weight after his first term. Anyways, the fellow shaking his hand? Me."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Oh, it was such a momentous occasion. The mayor was so convinced that an airport was what the town needed. We had such high expectations for this place, him and I..."
Robert trailed off on another story and began pointing out the other photos. Neil and Eva however were drawn only to the first picture. Like Rare and Robert noted, in the center stood a portly balding man in a lavish blue suit and a much younger Robert, his hair retaining some color. Several others stood in the background, eating or talk with each other. Light beamed from beneath the frame.
A few taps on Eva's device and the world faded to white.