Chapter Three - Filling in the Gaps

Jonah returns to the diner, only find that something is different.

Jonah watched silently from the cover of a bus stop shelter. Across the street was the diner had he had frequented every Friday like clockwork " or what was left of it at least. There were workmen shuffling around in the parking lot, loading rubble onto the back of a large trailer while others broke down parts of the wall that remained standing. The front of the diner had been completely obliterated and what remained of it was littered across the street and on the opposite pavement. 

“What happened there?” he asked the man at the bus stop. His zulu was a bit rusty but the man understood his question, and replied that there had been some kind of explosion three days prior. When Jonah enquired of any injuries, the man shook his head and said that only one man was killed when he was thrown across the street and through the clothing store window. Jonah followed the man’s pointed finger to see another set of workers removing a large burglar bar from the clothing shop window. Apparently the man had flown through the bars. There had been chaos as injured people scuttled about. Before the police and emergency services arrived, a black panel van had arrived and some strange men in green plastic suits came and took the dead man away. Jonah thanked the man and stepped off the curb to cross the road. 

On the other side, he saw the manager of the diner having a heated discussion with a man in a black suit. Jonah did not see the man’s face, but the man said something in German and stormed off. The manager was a stout, older man called Stuart. He looked up in Jonah’s direction, and the colour bled from his face. His jaw flapped wordlessly as he stumbled backward into the door, fumbling for the handle.

Jonah stopped a few feet away, and put his finger to his lips and smiled. 

“You!” the blubbering man finally managed to get a word out. “I saw you die!” he said as he slumped against the door, unable to open it.

“What can I say? It’s a kinda magic.” Jonah smiled. “Relax Stuart. Take a deep breath, and sit down.” He said as he ushered Stuart toward a nearby concrete municipal bin. 

Stuart sat down on the rim of the bin and looked up at Jonah. His shock was beginning to subside, and his breathing steadied. He looked around, suddenly self-conscious to see if anyone else had witnessed his little performance. He gave a sigh of relief when he realised that the workmen were far too busy to notice his whimpering.

“How is it possible?” Stuart asked, finally coming to his senses. He fiddled in his pocket until he pulled out a handkerchief, and swabbed his beaded forehead.

“I don’t have time to explain, but there are things happening in this world that you don’t need to know about, Stuart.” He glanced around to see that no one was watching then grabbed the man firmly at the base of his skull.

Stuart struggled a little at first, for a fleeting moment, and then he succumbed to the warm dreamlike sensation that was filling his consciousness. His arms fell to his side, and his eyes rolled about in his head as Jonah sifted through his mind like a librarian looking for a card in a locker drawer. Eventually he found what he was looking for. Gail’s home address and cell number. He slowly drew out of the man’s mind leaving a hole that was quickly filled as his consciousness resettled into place. When he was fully out, Stuart began to come to. He had passed out momentarily during the process due to the strain that Joining exerted on the minds of mortals. When he was sure that Stuart would be able to keep himself upright, Jonah let go of him and stepped back. The man’s eyes slowly came back into focus and he peered around like a hippie through the purple haze. The warm sensation in the back of his head had begun to dissipate and he was nearly fully conscious.

“What happened?” he asked wearily, slurring a little.

“You feinted.” Jonah lied. He was thankful that Stuart was a Forgetter, and could not recall what had just happened. 

“It’s the stress, I think.” He said with a sheepish grin.

“Yeah, perhaps. Maybe you should go home and get some rest.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

Jonah left him there in his daze and headed across the street to his car. He looked around briefly then climbed in and drove away.