Chapter 5: Food for Thought

Chapter 5

Jacob woke the next morning with a stuffy head. A cramp in his back made him stir, dislodging the bible he had been reading. The couch, littered with discarded kleenex was made more lumpy than usual by the laptop pinned between him and the cushions. Uneaten take-out was perched precariously on a stack of articles on the coffee table and somewhere he could hear the muffled sound of mobile phone notifications.

The front door opened.

“Sorry, I knocked, but no one answered. Door was open. You’re missing some of your house numbers.”

Jacob blinked and reached for the mug of coffee from the night before, but finding it empty, he put it back on the table. Rubbing his eyes he sat up and tried to dispel the uneasy dreams of a dragon and a woman named Joyce that lingered in his groggy mind.

“You look like you could use some coffee.” Alexander called out in a cheery voice. He was rummaging in the kitchen cabinets.

“To what do I owe this visit?” Jacob watched as Alexander rinsed out the coffee pot and filled it with fresh water.

“Rachel is worried about you.”

“Really? I didn’t notice. All I seem to hear are snide comments when I see her.” Jacob continued to watch as Alexander dumped the old grounds and replaced the filter.

“She just doesn’t know how to handle you. What with you going on about the end of the world all the time. It makes her nervous.”

“Well it should. We are expecting it any day now.”

Alexander turned the coffee pot on to brew and walked back into the living room. “Well it is not right now.”

“Oh, and exactly what is going on right now?”

“The castle is coming along nicely.”

“And when that is done?”

“There are no definitive plans at this time.”

Jacob watched as Alexander cleared off the chair next to the couch and sat down.

“Alex, what exactly would you have me do?”

“Stop it from happening.”

“Stop what, the castle from going up?”

“No, I don’t think that is entirely possible at this juncture. Besides, the project has been good for the town business. Looks like it will be quite the attraction when it is complete. You wouldn’t make very many friends.”

Jacob looked at Alex. “You want me to stop the apocalypse?”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you?”

Alex looked shocked. “I can’t do that. I am the son of War. Leader of the armies for the armageddon. My dad would kill me.”

“Well it seems he wants to kill the rest of us.”

“Don’t be so hard on him. He really is a nice guy once you get to know him.”

“He beheaded an interior designer over the weekend.”

“You have to admit, they can be pretty annoying.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The coffee machine beeped and Alexander hopped up and busied himself in the kitchen wiping out two cups from the counter and pouring coffee.

“Do you take cream or sugar?”

“Both.” replied Jacob. He remained seated on the couch.

Alexander pulled some dubious creamer from the fridge and hunted down the sugar. “You need to get fresh creamer.” He returned to the living room with two steaming mugs.

“Why me?” asked Jacob taking the proffered mug. He took a deep drink and watched Alexander sit back down.

“Well, it is your fridge. Besides, I’m not sure if you like plain or flavored….”

“Not the creamer. The apocalypse. Why am I the choice person to stop it?”

“Oh, well, because you’re smart. Rachel says you’re the smartest person she knows.”

“Not that smart. How exactly do you suggest I put a stop to the end of the world. My magic wand seems to have run out of fairy dust.”

“I’m not really sure. That isn’t what I usually handle. But everything that was supposed to take place first hasn’t.”

“Your Uncle Pestilence didn’t seem to think that was a problem.”

“It is. And he is not in charge anyway, the Conqueror is. Everyone takes orders from him.”

“I wonder. You know all the trout in the lake mysteriously died.”

“That wasn’t Pestilence.” Alexander shook his head. “I suspect pollution. Environmental regulations have gotten really lax.”

“I see. Just happened to occur right after your party’s arrival here.” Jacob pulled his laptop out of the cushions and set it on the floor.

“The evidence is there for everyone to see.”

“Tell me, why do you care?”

“You know I have been seeing Rachel.” Alexander looked down at his coffee.

“You want me to save your girlfriend?”

“It’s getting serious, for me anyway. I care about her and I want to make a future with her. But I can’t do that if there is no future.”

“That sounds like your problem. Not mine.” Jacob crossed his arms holding his coffee carefully.

“Uncle Pesty said you would be jealous. He told me that I stole your girlfriend.”

Jacob stood up spilling his coffee. “I am not jealous and she is not my girlfriend!”

“Then you will help me?” Alexander looked at Jacob.

“I can’t just pretend that I never found that document and this will all go away.”

“But maybe you can find another document that will refute the one you did find.” Alex brightened.

“It was a fluke that I found this one. It could take a hundred years or more to find another one. If there is another document to dispute this one.” He looked at Alexander. “What makes you think there is such a document?”

“I don’t know if there is. But what if there was? Isn’t there some way to look for it?”

“I wasn’t looking for the writings that I found. It was an accident.”

Alexander looked crestfallen.

“Look, I want to prevent the end of the world just as much as the next person, but I’m not sure how I can help. I spent last night reading and rereading revelations. Much of what I read doesn’t match current events as far as I can see them. In the book there are only four riders mentioned. Your uncle the Conqueror has made it clear there are supposed to be five.”

“My Uncle PC doesn’t have a horse. He has a Harley.”

“Okay what? He has a Harley?”

Alex nodded.

“Anyway,” Jacob continued, trying to regain his train of thought. “Besides that detail, there are other things that are supposed to happen, and none of them seem to be happening. There has been no sign of a dragon.”

“I think my father has one on backorder. He said it helps boost the reputation of the castle if there is a dragon.”

“Either way, your Uncle Pestilence has told me he isn’t going to let missing details stand in his way!” Jacob slammed his mug down on the coffee table sloshing the remains of its contents on the paperwork and creating a landslide. “He seems to think it is just a lot of paperwork and that the timeline of events is just ‘out of whack’.”

“If it is any consolation, the Conqueror thinks so too. He told me that is why he is not going forward with mass destruction at this time. I think that was why he agreed to let my father order a dragon.”

“No it is not very consoling.” Jacob turned and walked to the kitchen and stopped. “Where exactly do you order a dragon from?”

“Oriental Trading Company. They have just about everything you want.”

“Don’t you have to order from them in bulk?”

“Usually. But for some items they make exceptions. Dragons are a pretty big ticket item and shipping would cost a fortune if you had to ship a whole flock of them.”

Jacob nodded. “Well, I suppose we have that going for us.”

“Maybe we could somehow prevent the dragon from being shipped?”

“I think we would have an easier time finding a document to retract the armageddon.”

“Alex? What are you doing here?” Rachel entered the house.

“I was just checking on Jacob. You said he wasn’t feeling well so I thought I would stop by.”

“That was very thoughtful of you.”

“Yeah, he is thoughtful like that.” Remarked Jacob sarcastically.

“I just stopped by to see if you were coming in today. You sounded terrible yesterday.” Rachel sniffed the air. “Is that fresh coffee?”

“Yes, I just made a pot. Would you like a cup?” Alexander asked.

“I would love a cup. Saves me from having to stop at Starbucks. The coffee at the university is terrible.”

“Let me get it for you.”

“Get what?” asked a voice from the door. “Sorry the door was open and I heard voices.”

Jacob turned to see Famine enter the house. “By all means, come in. Everyone else does.”

“Alex was just getting me a cup of coffee. Would you like some?”

“Sounds nice.” replied Famine. “I was just stopping by to drop off some chicken soup my wife made. She heard that Jacob was sick and wanted to send some over. She made me promise not to open it.”

“That was nice of her, wasn’t it Jacob?” gushed Rachel taking the container of soup from Famine and going into the kitchen.

“Yes, very nice.” Jacob mumbled.

“Still three creams and two sugars?” asked Alex holding up a mug.

“Yes, thanks.” replied Famine. “Say, is the Chinese take out from that little place on the other side of town? Their stuff is really good.”

Famine moved around the couch and sat down next to Jacob, opening the box of take-out and sampling the cold food. Alex brought his coffee over.

“Mmmm, thank you Alex. You know the food is good when you can eat the leftovers cold.” Famine took a drink of coffee before forking in another bite of the leftovers.

“Here, some nice hot soup.” Rachel handed Jacob a bowl. “It’s your last clean bowl though. You should think about tidying up the kitchen. Things are really quite a mess and the dishes are stacking up in the sink.

“Let me get you more coffee.” offered Alex taking Jacob’s mug.

Jacob sat holding his soup watching Famine eat while Rachel picked up a stack of papers that had scattered on the floor.

“What are you working on?” asked Rachel as she shuffled the papers into a neat stack.

“I think he was reading Revelations.” Alex replied, returning with Jacob’s coffee.

“I like the part where the woman fled into the wilderness and there was a place for her where she was fed for a thousand two hundred sixty days.” Famine interjected with his mouth full.”And the part later about the trees yielding fruit every month.”

“I find it all rather confusing.” confessed Rachel. She took a drink of her coffee.

“There is a lot of stuff that might be seen as confusing and scary, but I rather think the end is comforting.” Alex said.

“I am not sure I got to the end.” Jacob said between spoonfuls of soup.

“I think I woke Jacob up when I came in.” Alex explained as he set the bible on the coffee table.

“Then we should let Jacob get some rest. I know it is hard to feel yourself when you aren’t feeling well.” Rachel looked at Jacob pointedly, then took her coffee mug to the kitchen and put it in the sink.

“You are right, we should let Jacob rest.” Said Famine as he finished the leftovers. He put the take-out box on the coffee table and downed the remains of his coffee.

“Here, let me take that.” offered Alex taking the mug. “I am just going to put these in the sink.”

Famine stood. “I have to be off anyway, I’m meeting Pest at the diner for a bite to eat. He is supposed to have the cookbook my wife loaned him.”

“Please thank your wife for the soup. It’s very good.” Jacob said with his mouth full.

Famine joined Alex and Rachel at the door. “Oh sure. She loves to cook, you know.”

“My Aunt Patty is a wonderful cook. I will see if I can get some brownies out of her later for you.” Grinned Alex. He and Famine went out the door.

“Don’t worry about coming in today. I can manage the library collection that came in.” Rachel snapped before closing the door behind her.

Jacob looked down at his soup, then had another spoonful. He had a lot to think about.