Dad and I spent the rest of our visiting time discussing how my legal proceedings were advancing. He explained that I was not going to be charged with anything. The bus driver had explained to the police that everything I had done was in self-defense. It also helped that the gentlemen I had killed was wanted for murder himself. I guess people that run around on the streets with kitchen knives actually do use them eventually. I almost felt sorry for the guy. His situation right now must be a lot worse than mine.
How would you know that Kevin?
So I gave dad a big hug and told him that the sooner he could get me out the better.
“That all depends on you, son.”
“I’ll do my best. It gets kind of tough in here sometimes.”
“Just cooperate, relax, do what the doctors say, and I’m sure you’ll have no problem at all.” He smiled and patted me on the shoulder.
“I think I can manage that.” I smiled. He walked away, stopped at the unit doors, and turned around and waved.
No! That can’t be!
What can’t be, Kevin?
What’s in dad’s hand!
Dad was still waving.
You mean that little symbol? You’re not worried about that, are you?
Burned into dad’s hand was a pentagram.
Come now, Kevin. You must be seeing things. You know that your dad is a good man. You can tell good from bad now, can’t you?
I kept looking. I looked closely at his hand, watching it wave back and forth. Slowly the pentagram disappeared. Dad turned around and walked out the door. I was still stymied, though. This must just be another illusion. It must just be my mind playing tricks on me. Dad’s a good man. He’s my father. That pentagram was just…just my mind playing tricks on me.
C’mon, Kevin. You know that wasn’t a trick. You know what you saw.
Okay, you and me, right now.
What did you want to discuss?
Not you.
Who?
I don’t want to talk to you.
Did you want to talk to me?
Not you either.
Then you must want me.
Yes.
How did you know, Kevin?
I don’t know. I could just tell.
Do you know who I really am?
Not yet.
You’ll eventually know.
I figured that.
Well, what do you want to know?
I want to know what the water is for.
It's to douse the fire.
What fire?
The fire that’s going to happen tonight.
Tonight? Why tonight?
It has to happen SOMETIME, Kevin. You always knew it would.
No, I didn’t.
Well, now you know. Do you know what else to do?
Not yet.
Better figure it out quick, m’boy. Better figure it out quick.
How would you know that Kevin?
So I gave dad a big hug and told him that the sooner he could get me out the better.
“That all depends on you, son.”
“I’ll do my best. It gets kind of tough in here sometimes.”
“Just cooperate, relax, do what the doctors say, and I’m sure you’ll have no problem at all.” He smiled and patted me on the shoulder.
“I think I can manage that.” I smiled. He walked away, stopped at the unit doors, and turned around and waved.
No! That can’t be!
What can’t be, Kevin?
What’s in dad’s hand!
Dad was still waving.
You mean that little symbol? You’re not worried about that, are you?
Burned into dad’s hand was a pentagram.
Come now, Kevin. You must be seeing things. You know that your dad is a good man. You can tell good from bad now, can’t you?
I kept looking. I looked closely at his hand, watching it wave back and forth. Slowly the pentagram disappeared. Dad turned around and walked out the door. I was still stymied, though. This must just be another illusion. It must just be my mind playing tricks on me. Dad’s a good man. He’s my father. That pentagram was just…just my mind playing tricks on me.
C’mon, Kevin. You know that wasn’t a trick. You know what you saw.
Okay, you and me, right now.
What did you want to discuss?
Not you.
Who?
I don’t want to talk to you.
Did you want to talk to me?
Not you either.
Then you must want me.
Yes.
How did you know, Kevin?
I don’t know. I could just tell.
Do you know who I really am?
Not yet.
You’ll eventually know.
I figured that.
Well, what do you want to know?
I want to know what the water is for.
It's to douse the fire.
What fire?
The fire that’s going to happen tonight.
Tonight? Why tonight?
It has to happen SOMETIME, Kevin. You always knew it would.
No, I didn’t.
Well, now you know. Do you know what else to do?
Not yet.
Better figure it out quick, m’boy. Better figure it out quick.