The Disappearance of Johnny Silas

Cecily went back to putting the finishing touches on her toenails, while Lillian ran off to find Firebird and comfort him. Stephen looked like he was going to explain who he was, and why he was there, but just started philosophically musing and walking around the house again.

"What do we do?" Asked Roscoe, looking back at Johnny.

It was just the two of them in the kitchen now.

"Just let it play out," said Johnny, staring at his tea on the counter, but not picking it up. "He's not dangerous."

The next day things went back to usual business (with the edition of Stephen's constant discourse with himself while walking about every floor of the house). At no point did Stephen explain who he was or what he wanted; and everyone just got used to him walking around. Eventually Lillian looked him up on the internet (to see if he had a police record) and found out he was a well respected local physics professor, who had a well documented mental break down that was covered in a medium-circulation newspaper called "The Milwaukee Discourse."

Johnny managed to have a semi structured conversation with Stephen three days after he started living at their house. Stephen told him that he had heard about Johnny Silas being in town from a "dark web" site for hitchhikers and anarchists. He figured Johnny's place would be the best spot to continue his investigation into what he explained as "the next level of particles." He told Johnny that he was on the verge of a complete scientific break-through involving particles "beyond neutrinos and other particles on the same plane." He told Johnny it was driving him insane, but that he would soon reveal to everyone in the house the "very, upmost truth of the universe." Johnny's response was that he would be thrilled to hear it.

Johnny told Stephen about the time he saw the goddess of death Kali; and how he perceived that she existed on a plane beyond molecules. Stephen's only response that the real goddess of death was "The Morrigan" from Celtic legends.

"She can change into a crow, if she feels like it," Stephen explained. "Only Cu Chulainn could resist her beauty."

"I think I've heard the name Cool Coolin' before," said Johnny.

"It's pronounced Coo-Kullen," Stephen explained. "The goddess Morrigan also told me when I will die."

"When will you die?" Johnny asked.

"Very soon...but I don't want to think about that. All the gods are beyond this plane..obviously."

"You guys are both wrong," Cecily interjected, having been unnoticed in the side office on the third floor, with the door wide open.

"We are?" Said Johnny.

"The only real goddess of death is Mrityu," Cecily explained. "She's covered in bracelets, anklets and tattoos. She's more beautiful than you can ever imagine."

"I think I saw her working down at the 'Video Hole' in Portland ten years ago," Johnny joked.

"Yeah whatever," said Cecily. "Why do you always underplay your hand Johnny?"

Stephen resumed his ongoing dialogue with himself.

"Ta'xet is the only goddess of death," said Lillian from behind Johnny and Stephen, holding Firebird in her lap and combing his fur again.

"How the hell do you do that?!" Johnny replied, referring to Lillian's ability to seemingly become invisible, only to appear out of nowhere when she had something to say.

"If you're seeing Ta'xet," Lillian continued as she combed the cat. "It means you are about to die a horrible death."

"I bet Johnny's dodged her more than one time," Cecily yelled from the side office.

"Sounds like my boss at the 'Four Seasons Car Wash' in Arizona," Johnny continued to joke.

This would be the last time they would all be in the same room for a long time (including Roscoe). For whatever mysterious reason, if simply the process of living; they all turned into ghosts to each other for the next several weeks. They still managed to get by busking, but not with the same enthusiasm they started with. Cecily became particularly cold to Johnny; for reasons he figured were better to not address. Stephen's constant walking floor to floor began to leave noticeable marks everywhere. Johnny kept to the first floor (with the "crash couch" he preferred). Cecily and Lillian stayed on the second floor, taking care of Firebird and inviting various people from downtown Milwaukee to party with them. Roscoe stopped asking Johnny the rules of the road and started reading every book about spirituality he could find. He ended up creating a mountain of books in the third floor living room. If they all exchanged words, it was only brief, informational statements in the first floor kitchen. After decades on the road, Johnny had learned to call this "the lull" and knew deep down that trying to change it would only make it worse. The only choice he had was to ride it out.

"He who goes against the tide only drowns himself," Johnny thought, opening a can of peanut butter and staring down at it, realizing he had got extra creamy instead of extra crunchy.

"Whoops."

Firebird the cat darted between his legs and swiftly back out of the kitchen.

"I wonder what his day was like?" Johnny wondered, trying to imagine how the cat conceptualized the three floors of the house. Perhaps if he could see it from the cats perspective, he could figure out where the mice were. Thinking about the house reminded him of Marcus and his mysterious disappearance.

"I hope he is okay..."

Johnny roamed up the newly made, expensive looking stairs built from wood of unknown origin, to the third floor to find Roscoe. Roscoe was completely absent and the room was almost completely dark; only his tower of spiritual books and the glow from his charging cellphone remained.

"This is depressing...," Johnny thought.

He considered going to the second floor to check on Lilian and see if he could get on Cecily's good side.

"Bagghhh...," he protested to himself. "How long is this going to last."

"Johnny Silas!" Said a voice from a corner of the dark room.

"Oh no...," Johnny thought.

"That's right!" Continued the veiled figure.

The intruder switched on the ornate lamp on a table next to the chair he was sitting on, unveiling a familiar and dreaded face.

"Johnny Silas himself!"

"I've got nothing to do with you anymore," Johnny protested, already knowing what was about to happen.

"You don't?" Said a man with a pervasive smile that still haunted Johnny's dreams.

Half of the man's face was limp and he was holding up an arm he had only partial mobility in.

"I'm never getting wrapped up in your world again...please leave. Things are very different from seven years ago."

The intruder in question was a man simply named "Copenhagen," and nothing else. He was a mid level heroin dealer and the sort of person you would get involved with if you felt like casting yourself into an infinite abyss. Johnny had met him during a rollerblading trip through southern Florida; in which he was raising money for a small, burning man type festival called "Flaming Person," by rollerblading through four counties. A Florida based tech company was willing to pay seven thousand dollars to the festival if Johnny succeeded. He almost had, and had reached Miami-Dade county and the last leg of his quest; before Copenhagen interjected himself into Johnny's life. He never finished the challenge and Johnny was quickly drawn into a scheme that almost claimed his life.

"I've got the deal of a lifetime Johnny!" Said Copenhagen, still pawing at the lamp he just turned on like it belonged to him.

"I thought I was feeling an aura of oppression and pain in the house today," said Johnny. "I should have guessed."

"That's no way to talk to a friend Johnny."

"Where do I see a friend?"

"I'll pay you and your friends five thousand dollars each if you help me get my claws in the trade," Copenhagen explained. "Milwaukee has just been begging me to set up shop. I can feel it."

"I think that's called an anal fissure."

What Copenhagen was referring to specifically; was that if Johnny helped Copenhagen establish himself as a heroin dealer in Milwaukee he would pay him and his friends.

"That's never going to happen," said Johnny. "Please leave."

Copenhagen didn't say anything, and continued to stroke the lamp.

"You can just have that lamp now."

Seven years prior, Copenhagen had quickly seduced Johnny into a life of heroin addiction. Johnny had always prided himself on his self control and knew deep down self control was what made his life on the road sustainable and continuous. He had the occasional bout of drinking too much; but always managed to pull himself out of it and keep his boots tightly laced on the way to the next adventure.

Copenhagen had seduced him with the promise of entering an exciting world with all kinds of exciting people. It seemed very real at first; he met a continuous stream of Miami artists, musicians, intellectual figures and alluring women. Day by day he became increasingly more addicted. Johnny still kicked himself every time he thought about how far he let himself fall. By the second week he was shooting up just to start the day. By the third he was running drugs and feeling like there was no escape.

"I own you now Johnny Silas," Copenhagen whispered into his ear one night while he thought Johnny was sleeping.

Copenhagen had a sick desire to claim the souls of anyone and everyone; and the legendary Johnny Silas was a shiny trophy he could place on his mantle place of corruption.

How Johnny escaped this life was a complete miracle; and in retrospect (if he was honest with himself) divine intervention. Copenhagen was slowly priming Johnny to take over as his right hand man, and eventually wanted him to take over the local operation completely. By this point Johnny was completely addicted and kept having dreams about his adoptive parents weeping over his grave every night. Johnny and Copenhagen were supposed to have an important meeting with the other local drug traffickers that day; but Copenhagen suddenly suffered a stroke and had to be hauled off in an ambulance. Johnny tried to rush to the hospital (while on a combination of heroin and amphetamines) in an attempt to get him out of the hospital and still make it to the nefarious meeting. Johnny ended up driving his car off a small bridge and crashing into a drained water canal. He regained consciousness, ironically, in the same hospital Copenhagen was in (just two rooms away).

After several tests it became apparent to the doctors why Johnny had irrationally plowed off the road. He sustained a broken leg, a broken wrist and three fractured ribs. What made the situation a miracle; was that the nurse who was in charge of Johnny was a recovered addict herself, and made it her mission to help Johnny get clean before he left the hospital. Copenhagen fled into the night after two days at the hospital. His stroke symptoms went completely untreated, and that was the last time Johnny had seen him. Johnny assumed he mostly likely had died after that.

Johnny still remembered the beautiful, angelic face of nurse Olivia Thomas. He had met every kind of person that existed during his life on the road, but he never met anyone else with the kind of dedication Olivia had. During his month in the hospital, she was by his side every day (sometimes even staying at night unpaid) nursing him like a baby as he slowly recovered from his injuries and suffered serious withdrawal symptoms. When he was later transferred to a drug recovery clinic she was there again, every day; encouraging him and telling him stories. In the end she succeeded and Johnny was back to his old self. The most secret of secrets Johnny had (that he told absolutely no one), was that he considered settling down and marrying Olivia. He made this clear to her the day he got out of rehab with the very cheesy line "You can cage me baby." She simply looked Johnny in the eyes, already knowing how Johnny was supposed to live, gave him a perfect kiss and said "You can't cage the wind baby."

Copenhagen continued to stroke and abuse the Ming dynasty replica lamp and insist on his offer.

"You could help your friends out a lot Johnny," he said. "I know all your friends live on the street. Think of how much better things would be."

"I might as well just burn this whole house down if that's your idea of helping people. It's time for you to leave now."

"Very well...," said Copenhagen ominously, standing up and still holding his paralyzed right arm with his left hand. "Don't think you can't be touched Johnny Silas. The day will come when you are brought down."

"Rule of the road number 42...," Johnny began to say.

"I don't care about your stupid, idealistic rules Johnny," said Copenhagen as he slunk out of the dark living room and towards the stairs.

"I trust you can find your way out," Johnny said. "Goodbye."

Copenhagen walked promptly out of the house after that, angrily muttering something that sounded like a voodoo curse.

"Who the hell was that?" Said Lillian, holding Firebird and leaning around the wall she had been hiding behind.

"Just an old demon who won't die," Johnny explained.

"He smelled weird,"' said Lillian.

"You have no idea."

"What is rule of the road number 42?" Lillian asked, rubbing her dreadlocks.

"Rule number 42 is: Don't destroy yourself with bitterness."

Johnny and Lillian ended up not telling anyone in the house what had happened with Copenhagen. Johnny didn't want to think about it, and Lillian assumed it was Johnny's private business. They all continued to be ghosts to one another for several more days; still only casually exchanging information in passing. It wasn't clear if Stephen was about to announce his breakthrough, although his pacing and talking to himself were increasing rapidly. Johnny hadn't shied from the possibility that there was merit to Stephen's words; he was an actual respected physicist after all. It was two days after Copenhagen's visit when Stephen intensely insisted they all meet him in the first floor kitchen. He was in a state of creative exuberance. He had prepared five glasses of what everyone assumed was some kind of alcoholic mixer to celebrate his announcement. It was an especially dark midnight when they all stood around him in the kitchen, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"I've figured it out!" Stephen explained.

He proceeded to stare at everyone for a strangely long time before continuing.

"And...?" Said Cecily.

"There is a fundamental error in cosmology, which must be revised if any more scientific breakthroughs are to be made. Or any breakthroughs in any empirical field for that matter."

Everyone looked back and forth at each other, not sure what to think.

"The main factor is a misunderstanding of the nature of gravity...which also does not discredit the works of Isaac Newton; but simply an adjustment of the fundamental framework and how it is applied, otherwise we will continue to wander about in a rapidly expanding prison of complexity."

Everyone looked around at each other again.

"I've also confirmed, based on many years of private speculation, that Albert Einstein was actually withholding a critical break through for personal and religious reasons. To get to the heart of the matter we have to look back to ancient Chinese texts."

Everyone looked at each other for a third time as Stephen became exceptionally lucid.

"The error in the fundamental understanding of gravity is a reflection of a divergent and unhealthy trend in the sciences that developed some two hundred years ago."

"Is this really hap-," Cecily began to say, before being interrupted.

"The ancient Chinese believed--as did all the flourishing ancient cultures-- that all things are connected and that matter and mind are the same. This goes hand in hand with Einsteins theory of time/space and could also reconcile the randomness of Quantum Mechanics. Which leads me to now conclude that the true nature of the universe is-

"Yo, what the hell are we drinking right now?" Said Roscoe. "I'm starting to feel super...like, I don't know how to explain it. Just not okay."

"Yeah Stephen," asked Johnny. "What kind of booze is this?"

"I found it in the refrigerator an hour ago," said Stephen.

"Can you please finish the sentence!!!" Said Cecily.

Johnny started to become rapidly pale.

"What's happening right now?" Roscoe asked, staring down at the mug in his hand.

"We just drank 'Hate Juice," Johnny explained. "We are all going to be dead in about twenty minutes."

"Just finish the sentence please Stephen!!" Said Cecily.

"I lost my train of thought...," said Stephen, staring down at his mug as well.

"Come on!" Said Cecily.

"What the hell is hate juice!!?" Asked Lillian.

"We're going to die!?" Said Roscoe.

"Hate Juice' is a drug from Southern Florida," Johnny explained. "This dumb thug named Copenhagen came in here the other day. I kicked him out, but he must have left some in the fridge out of malice and spite. I should have guessed he would do something like that."

"What the hell is it?!!" Roscoe demanded.

"It's cool aid and vodka mixed with a hundred other ingredients. We are all going to enter a violent frenzy and then probably die shortly after."

"Does it make you feel good at first?" Lillian asked.

"No," said Johnny.

"Why would some one drink it then?!!" Said Roscoe.

"It's stupid," Johnny continued. "It makes people start fighting each other. It's basically something drug bosses in southern Florida use to weed out the thugs they employ when they want to get rid of them."

"I guess you can't live forever...," said Cecily, looking at her nails like it was the last time.

"Yeah right Cecily!" Said Roscoe. "There is no way you aren't scared right now. You think people can't see through your BS?"

"Screw you little boy!" Said Cecily.

"Oh no," said Johnny.

Stephen started to shuffle back and forth rapidly on the kitchen floor while reciting math equations.

"He's freaking the f!@# out!" Said Lillian, holding her head in panic. "Oh my god! Where is Firebird! Did he drink some! Whatever, screw that stupid cat!"

"Screw you both and your cat!" Said Roscoe. "Why don't you both take your daddies yachts back to Massachusetts."

"That's not logistically possible," said Lillian. "You unwanted latch key f@#$!"

Cecily turned and yelled at Johnny suddenly.

"Why won't you touch me you old hipster *$#@!?"

"It's inappropriate!" Said Johnny. "Rule 17 of the road is-

"F#$% the rules of the road!" Screamed everyone together, as Firebird charged between them in a fit of animal instinct.

"Oh god!" said Johnny.

Johnny stared down at the cup of poison he was still holding. He had close encounters with death many times; but never had it seemed so certain. He started to try to conjure any meaningful last words he could say to his friends before they tore each other to pieces and died of massive heart failure.

"You know you're both just prostitutes dressed up in hipster rags!" Roscoe yelled at Lillian a Cecily.

"Come on man, don't say that," said Johnny.

"It's true!" Said Roscoe.

"No it's not."

Stephen began to pace back and forth even more rapidly.

"X equals the opposite of B squared minus four AC all over 2A. X equals the opposite of B squared minus four AC all over 2A!! X equals the opposite of B squared minus four AC all over 2A!!!!"

"I @#%! hate the quadratic equation!" Said Cecily, bending down to pick up Firebird and throw him at Stephen.

If any passerby had been unlucky enough to walk by the trendy house's first floor kitchen's large, bay windows at that time; they would have been deeply confused as to why they saw five figures from every corner of the U.S. blasting each other fiercely, and then simultaneously fall down, dead.

Johnny looked up from the kitchen floor, lying on his back and unable to move. He noticed some of the ceiling tiles had begun to crack. He felt exactly the same as before when he had met Kali; as if he was going beyond the everyday world. The house hadn't changed one bit; but he was in the space of the universe now.

"Hate juice...that's how it happens then...," he thought with an unexpected lucidity. Johnny waited for his soul to leave his body, about to to find out what came next. But...nothing. He continued to look up at the cracking "Stratford Vinyl" ceiling tiles.

He saw a foot that was both beautifully and perfectly feminine, but also terrifying. It had many bracelets aligned on an indestructible and eternal ankle.

"Johnny...is this somebody you know?" Said Cecily, laying on the floor and looking back at him with tears.

Roscoe was also lying on the floor too, staring up in awe at the goddess of death, Kali.

"We should not have drank 'Hate Juice' man," said Roscoe.

Kali's appearance was different from Johnny's first vision of her. This time she was adorned with the severed heads of mortal men, both kings and criminals. She had many arms; almost countless. She wore the leopard skin clothing Johnny had seen in many Hindu paintings. In her hands she held a sword, a spear, a scale that looked the same as the one of "Lady Justice" in American courtrooms. She had many objects that looked like they were from different worlds.

"This is some serious stuff," said Roscoe.

"This proves everything!" Said Stephen, still somehow working on his theory. "This fits Einsteins concept of time/space!"

"Are we really dead Johnny?" Cecily asked, still looking at him from across the kitchen floor.

Kali shifted her head to look at Johnny and began to speak. The way she moved was deeply beautiful and absolutely terrifying.

"Mortal American legend," she said to Johnny as a long tongue danced between razor sharp teeth. "You have lived a full life. You and your friends have drank deadly poison and are slated to leave this dimension and go your separate ways."

Johnny was mostly paralyzed, but could still move his mouth.

"I don't want that," said Johnny.

"Ah....," said the goddess, her many arms gesturing every gesture imaginable, plus many more. "You don't want to die?"

"I'd like to stay with these people."

"You have done many good deeds in your life...what more do you want to do?"

"I don't want this to be the end..."

The goddess Kali's countless arms all made gestures of deep offense and disgust.

"Do you think you decide that?" She replied. "I am in charge of that."

"That fine, that's fair," said Johnny. "If I have a choice, I would like to stay here with these people. I love them."

There was a certain glint in the goddesses eye.

"Was that really that hard to say?" Replied the goddess, laughing.

Her appearance changed to that of the goddess Parvati. Her skin changed from light blue to fair and rosy. She had eight arms now; all of them held objects that represented peace, kindness and rationality. She let out a beautiful and gentle laugh.

"Dude...woah...," said Roscoe.

"Alright precious mortals," said Parvati. "I will let you live if you do as I command."

"CAN I JUST GOT WITH YOU!?" Roscoe asked.

"Definitely not," said Parvati.

"What do we have to do!?" Said Lillian.

"Tell us!" Said Cecily.

Stephen looked like he was still taking mental notes.

"You...," Parvati began to say, looking like she was thinking deeply.

Time and space seemed to shift with her every thought.

"You must take this mysteriously acquired property and turn it into a place of freedom and beauty...for all living beings!"

"We haven't done that already?" Said Roscoe.

"It is a start," said the goddess. "You must dedicate yourselves to this task for the rest of your days."

"That means Johnny has to stay here," Cecily said, laughing and smiling.

"Indeed," said the goddess.

"What happened to Marcus?" Johnny asked Parvati.

"He is skiing in Montana."

"Oh good."

"Never mind these concerns! Do you agree or not?!"

Johnny racked his brain for a long time; finally face to face with his worst fear, but left with no choice.

"JUST SAY YES!!!" Said everyone in unison, from the floor.

Firebird stretched out an innocent paw and pleaded with Johnny by stroking his face.

"Aghhhh!" Said Johnny.

"Well mortal?" The goddess asked again.

"ALRIGHT! FINE!" Said Johnny. "We will turn this house into a place of freedom and beauty for all living beings."

"Excellent choice," said the goddess, her six arms shifting to show contentment and approval. She gave the five of them a pristine smile and then disappeared. They immediately felt the poison from the "hate juice" completely vanish and started to feel better.

"We've shifted back to normal space," said Stephen.

Everyone slowly picked themselves off the floor and looked around at each other in disbelief.

"That was heavy," said Roscoe.

"No one is ever going to believe what just happened," said Cecily.

"Did we hallucinate that?" Said Lillian.

"How would you hallucinate that?" Said Cecily.

"Well...I guess we had better get to work transforming the house," said Johnny.

The next three months were completely dedicated to making Marcus's house a place of freedom and beauty for all living beings. The first phase was conceptual, and consisted of a lot of arguments about how exactly that could be done. It was eventually decided that they should register the house as a community center/ living facility. After serious deliberation, they settled on calling it the "Johnny Silas House for Freedom and Beauty," with a four to one vote against Roscoe's "Ass Blast Manor." They started to get some attention after that. They did extensive research, and with considerable help from Stephen, figured out how to legally register the house and begin converting it for public access. The second phase consisted of implementing the freedom and beauty; which, although challenging, went surprisingly smoothly; as if they were being guided by a higher force. They did this by hosting various free seminars, based on what everyone in the house had to teach. Johnny taught a course on getting around hitchhiking, interlaced with his philosophies on life and the rules of the road. They started to get a lot of attention after that; mainly from word of mouth. They were featured on several news broadcasts, newspaper articles and local underground zines. Cecily and Lillian came up with a course on animal care on the road. Roscoe stared a local "Johnny Silas Fan Club," which was mainly used to help local travelers deal with drug and alcohol addiction. Stephen continued to refine his "ultimate theory," which (much to everyone's frustration) went under new, major revisions after the Kali incident. It was a long time before Stephen anyone in the house a follow up to what he had to say that night.Stephen managed to give some physics lessons when he was in a lucid state. Firebird the cat continued to keep the mouse population of the house under control. All the classes and activities were merely cosmetic however; what truly mattered, was that they chose to live their lives by the standards of freedom and beauty. Johnny spent the first three months in anxiety that his magic would disappear, but after a lot of soul searching, realized he could apply it to his new life. He managed adapt. Things went almost perfectly and they caught on fast around town. After a year of operation, they were finally contacted by Marcus out of the blue. He was a surprised to find that his vacation home, which he figured Johnny would stay at for a month, give up, and then return the deed; had been fully converted into a thriving community center. After some negotiations with Johnny, he decided to help out, and gave them a check for a hundred and twenty thousand dollars. They were able to fully convert the house (based on their goal) after that. After five years they had a staff of about twenty seven people and "The Johnny Silas House for Freedom and Beauty" became a well known, national example of kindness and charity. The five original occupants spent the rest of their days keeping the house dedicated to their original mission...and they all lived happily ever after.