Semicolon savior VIIII

As Gage and I stood together in the tiny cafe kitchen, wrapping bacon around shrimp, we couldn’t help but flirt. These nights were like mini date nights for us. Tonight’s gig was a bridal shower that rented out our space, and after dropping the kids off at grandmas, we grabbed a juice at our favorite place and headed back into the cafe to prep. “What do you want to do afterwards babe?” I asked Gage as he pushed the pan of shrimp into the oven. “Doesn’t matter to me hun, movies?” As I started to pull up the local AMC lineup, I heard a quiet tap, tap, tap coming from the door glass. Our host had arrived and was double fisting big bottles of champagne. “Oh this is going to be a fun one, and it’s co-ed” I reminded Gage looking back and winking.

It was around 9 when the party started wrapping up, so Gage and I packed up the trash to take to the dumpster down the alley. We were enjoying those long summer days, so the sky still had some light in it and wasn’t pitch black yet. Holding hands we took this stroll extra slow. “That was pretty cute how the bride and groom were looking at each other all night” I said softly as I leaned my head on Gage’s arm. Kissing my forehead, Gage started to say something to reply, but noticed a large swarm of birds overhead. Little black specs were all I could make out for the sheer quantity that existed. We had just reached the alley and noticed they were all starting to gather above the temple. They weren’t just hanging out on the roof or flying by, they instead started to simultaneously fly in a circle just above the building. Hundreds if not thousands of birds had just made their way downtown to this exact location and were now performing some sort of air aerobics. “What is going on babe!?” I said looking up at Gage, but he was just as perplexed as I. Never had I seen such an event. It was if someone or something was commanding this from them, or was coming to life from an old horror film. At that exact moment the clock tower started chimming, Dong, Dong, Dong... We both must have looked up at it being startled by the unexpected noise during such an event. It was striking 9pm. When we both looked back towards the sky every single bird had vanished. Not flying off in the distance, just gone. “What just happened?” “That was so so weird” Gage was able to get out. We were both so confused at where all those birds ended up and in just a matter of 2 or 3 seconds. We started to continue down the alley, noticing a yellow tool box that was sitting on the street curb. “What is that?” Walking over to it, we looked around. No one was downtown besides us and the wedding party that were still enjoying the evening inside our cafe. I opened it and didn’t recognize the device. I saw ink and needles still in sealed sanitized bags. “This is a whole tattoo kit” Gage said starting to go through its contents. “Where did it come from?” “This is so crazy” I said while starting to laugh. Let’s take it back to the shop and figure it out tomorrow.

I began to go in and out. Feeling as if I was living in two different dimensions. I didn’t know what was going on. I was awake most nights hanging upside down from our bed, listening to Tool LOUDLY trying to drown out my never ending thoughts. The necklace I was wearing from two passing through gypsies was a tiny glass jar with two dried juniper berries still on the vine. It kept randomly filling with water and at one point spilled all over Gage when I went leaning over him one evening for a kiss. “What the heck babe! I’m all wet! Why is that filled with water” he said somewhat irritated. I honestly wasn’t sure what was happening. “And why were you outside at 1am dancing in the backyard?!” What life was I living? What was happening to me? It was if I had been poisoned, but still able to function somewhat. One day while trying to ring up a customers coffee, I completely forgot how to operate the machine I had been on for over 5 years. One of my regulars who could see I was struggling came over. “How bout we start a pay it forward” handing me a $20. This trend continued for five days. Everyone paying for one another, sometimes more. I was truly grateful for this gift since my mind had shut down this portion of my abilities. I looked around the room, and could feel the “darkness” and “lightness” everyone was carrying at the moment. “I think I need to go home babe” I said to Gage. “ I’m not feeling very well.” He seemed concerned and annoyed all rolled up in one. “Ok, I’ll close up early and grab Rae, you go home and rest.”

While laying on the couch I went in and out of sleep, nothing longer than 45 minutes at a time. I felt more comfortable on the couch these days and this was where I was in this moment. Scratching noises started coming from the ceiling and walls. Was it in my mind or really happening? I could tell I was awake in that moment, looking over at the cable box the letters pst flashed and then vanished. I had never seen this before. The weather was starting to change and the rain started to pour. Gage came walking in with the kids just then and he ushered them upstairs so that I could continue to rest. I drifted back into a light sleep, talking to someone or something. They were offering me diamonds and rubies if I gave my permission for some event to happen. I remember replying “as long as no one gets hurt.” I don’t know exactly what I was allowing to happen or not, but it felt as if it was going to be some demonstration of its powers. An act to show just how powerful they were. Just then Gage was quietly speaking in my face “Babe, we need to head to the basement, they just issued a torndo warning.” The grogginess wore off quickly as we stood in the garage, watching the sky turn green and the rain coming down in sheets.