Chapter 11

Morgan had to listen six times to be sure but in the end she was positive that it was a message left by Trent on her voicemail. It was one of the only times that she could remember that she was happy that her phone hadn’t had signal. If she had answered the phone to an inebriated sounding male she would have quickly hung up. But something made her listen to the message again instead of deleting it. She was glad she hadn’t. It was Trent and he made absolutely no sense what so ever. Her concern moved to a new level- frantic. Trent and Morgan’s mutual friend Corwin did not agree exactly. He expressed his assessment to Morgan with, “Come on…it’s just a prank caller or someone with the wrong number.” But he did secretly admit to himself that he was becoming increasingly concerned with Trent’s lack of communication.

She would have to explain to her professor later why she missed her lab. The image of the Trent’s blank parking space would not leave Morgan’s mind and she knew that something must be wrong. She had sped most of the way and was thankful that she hadn’t broken her record of exactly zero speeding tickets. She felt that Corwin’s objections to coming along were mostly and act and she was not surprised that it took little cajoling to convince him to come. Forty-five minutes later as she wound her way down the long winding driveway that led to the Malum cabin, her heart skipped when she saw Trent’s car parked under a small patch of trees. Her initial joy was soon replaced with tension as she noticed the layer of dust that coated the car and signs that it had not been moved for several days. Coming to a skidding halt near a large black sedan that somehow seemed familiar; they quickly jumped out with grand intentions of quickly finding Trent. After only fifteen minutes of searching and yelling she was glad that she had been training for the Vulcan Classic road race coming up next April. Corwin had obviously not been training. A general perimeter search of the area had no productive results. She decided to take a chance and head in the direction that led to the overlook. Corwin headed the opposite direction towards the Great Oak. After several minutes she reached the overlook and proceeded to call Trent’s name several times to no avail. She felt frustrated and powerless to be so close if there truly was something wrong and yet not be able to help. She decided to head towards Corwin by cutting through a low ravine that did not have a path but was quicker than heading back the way she had come. As she came through a small grove of trees she thought that she saw movement ahead. She gasped as she recognized Trent’s crumpled body on the ground and the owner of the black sedan standing over him. She proceeded to scream at the top of her lungs. The name of Johnny Malum echoed through the trees.

Chapter 10

Tuesday arrived exactly like Monday. Trent, however, was not bright and cheerful like the arriving sunshine. Morale, energy, and strength, had left him like Ret left Scarlet. His injuries were screaming at him and no matter what mind games he played with himself, they would not be silenced. He had stopped praying that God would deliver him from this forsaken place, and began praying that the end would come painlessly. Curiously the thought of Morgan, the girl that had led him to the Lord, came to his mind quite a few times and he noticed the pang of pain he felt knowing that he would not see her again. On and on he seemed to walk westward. Hill after hill he descended only to ascended another. He noticed that focusing on anything, be it a thought or be it the objects in front of him, was becoming increasingly difficult. And although the ability to focus was becoming more and more arduous, the sense of being followed continued to surface on the pond that was Trent’s mind. The feeling of being watched or being followed is indescribable. The clues that the human mind puts together to form this feeling may seem trivia and unimportant if examined alone but by considering all clues, one weaves togehter the undeniable feeling of being followed. Trent knew at least one of three things. Either he was being followed, he was losing his mind, or both. Delirium was making its unabated way to the recesses of his mind.

He felt dirt on his tongue and realized that he was literally hugging the earth. How long had he been unconscious? He didn’t even remember passing out..or perhaps he had tripped and didn’t have the strength to get back up. Either way, he was not going to rise. The last thing Trent All became black. remembered thinking was random nonsensical gibberish and asking for forgiveness.

Chapter 9

Seventy-five percent of the human brain consists of water. Seventy-five percent of Trent's water bottle was empty Sunday night. He knew immediately that this could be the key to his undoing. Water was a resource that was not in abundant supply here.

He spent the remaining daylight that evening trying to locate an acceptable place to bed down for the night. He found a place along a low ridge that had a small rock over-hang that could be taken for shelter if you stood far enough away. But it did allow Trent to have his back against a wall and he was grateful for that. Apparently Sleep didn't get the memo of where Trent was going to be staying that night and therefore didn't find it's way to him until the waning minutes of Monday morning.

Monday arrived clean and bright. Trent knew that he was east of the Malum cabin before taking his spill and he assumed that this was still the case. If this was an incorrect assumption....well...He put those thoughts from his mind. Instead of focusing on thoughts of despair, he focused on heading west (and gave a prayer of thanksgiving that it was not an overcast day), and the monumental task that God had set before him months ago. He pondered why he had chosen to ignore the task in spite of the many signs that God had made increasingly obvious. Trent admitted to himself that it was because he believed the challenge too extraordinary and that God would not ask him to try to accomplish something of that magnitude.

Monday departed with Trent seemingly no closer to his car. During the heat of the day he had remained in the shade and tried to conserve energy. The water ran out then also. As he laid down that night to get some rest, he knew that one way or another he was going home tomorrow. Which home he was going to was yet to be seen.

Chapter 8

On Sunday Johnny Malum believed that he had rid the world of one Trent Mason. The next night Johnny found out from the completely white clad Damon that the attempt had not been successful. Tuesday morning broke from the darkness and the previous night's rain without a cloud in the sky and yet someone was unhappy to be watching the sun come up. Johnny's large black sedan surged forth and the needle held steady at a brisk eighty-two miles an hour. After passing a police car headed in the opposite direction he checked his review mirror to see if the cruiser was turning around. What he saw in the mirror was not what he was expecting. "Don't worry about getting stopped. That's officer McDaniel and he is on the boss's payroll now. All he wanted in exchange for his soul was to be named police chief. Geeze....people will give their souls away for anything now-a-days. Boss was happy too. He needed somebody there since old what's-his-face died a couple of years ago. Anyway, I was riding with him when I spotted you," said Damon as if it were completely normal to show up in the back of someone's car out of no where. "What are you up to?" he added. "You know perfectly well what I'm up to," responded Johnny with as little feeling as he could muster. Johnny managed to keep his mouth shut for the remainder of the trip while Damon rattled on about how Johnny's grandfather had cheated someone "fair-and-square" out of the spacious property otherwise known as "The Old Malum Place." There was one part of the that story that Johnny always liked and it had to do with the children having to leave their beloved animals. "Children are pathetic," thought Johnny and admitted that Damon's particular retelling of that part was exceptionally enjoyable. "There is never time to do things right the first time, but there is always time to do things over," Johnny told himself as he pulled into the long drive that led to the property.

Chapter 7

As the situation became more apparent for Trent he found himself pleasantly surprised for two things. First of all, he was happy that he had decided to wear his trusty leather hiking belt. The second source of happiness was also the terrific source of pain to his lower back.

Trent was hanging from a horst and if he had not been wearing his trusty belt he would have reached terminal velocity (~124 mph) before coming to an abrupt halt with a graben. Thus, he would have attained two terminal states in a matter of moments. Giant puzzle pieces that make up the earth's crust move in relation to one another. This is also known as Plate Tectonics. If two of these plate come together, or collide, the crust crumples like the hood of a car that meets and immovable object and mountains are formed. On the other hand when these plates move apart a valley or faults are formed. In these faults are two groups of large blocks of solid rock. The uplifted fault block rocks are called horsts and a graben is dropped or lower fault block.

The jagged piece of rock preventing Trent from getting to know the below graben better was also digging into his back. He felt something moving up his spine and knew almost instantly that it was blood running up his back. With considerable effort, and fifteen minutes of his time, he was able to pull himself off the ledge. As he clung to a nearby tree he peered over the ledge. He knew that he had only himself to blame for the sick feeling he got in his stomach for looking. The thought crossed his mind that the piece of paper (calculus notes) that he seen when he first came to was resting on a smaller ledge that his head would surely had bounced off on his initial (and final) descent.

Trent, not one for carrying on about things that could have happened, quickly took inventory of his situation. Injuries included: one messed up back, one slightly sprained ankle, a big 'ol headache (minor swelling on the back of the head), and sunburn to the head and arms. Supplies included in backpack: one water bottle 1/4 full, Calculus 3 book, one granola bar, small knife, some rope, one cell phone with no signal.

After careful assement of supplies and injuries Trent lowered himself flat to the ground and began to pray. It was a prayer of thanksgiving for his life being spared. But more importantly it was a prayer asking for forgiveness. Although Trent did not know exactly what had happened and how he had got into this particular situation, he did know that he had disobeyed God and that this, among other things, was a result.

As Trent watched the sun dip behind the trees early Sunday night he knew that being lost and finding his way out of this valley was going to be a serious challenge.

Chapter 6

It was a magnificent oak. In late autumn it fell as an acorn and was washed along in streams created by a passing thunderstorm. Coming to rest on a flat piece of land it was happy to be covered by a small layer of soil. That same year the U.S. Congress established Yellowstone as the world's first National Park, 1872. The tree heard stories from other older neighboring trees that before it was born there was a mighty war between brothers of our country. As the tree grew it heard of other horrible wars, saw amazing things around and above, and watched as humans built things bigger and higher.

Morgan looked at the old stately oak and the shaded vacant parking space below. It was Tuesday now and Trent's parking spot was still empty. It had been over 24 hours with still no word from him. Every time she tried to call his cell phone all she got was voice-mail. She tried to replay some of their recent conversations over in her head. Where was he going Sunday night? Didn't he say something about going somewhere? The last time they had talked was at church on Sunday morning and she had admitted to herself that she wasn't paying close attention to what Trent was saying. It is hard sometimes to focus when there are many people around and more than one person is talking to you at once. She also admitted that she was keenly engrossed in Laura Donavan's attempts to get Trent's attention. She did remember that he had said something about going down to the old Malum place.

Chapter 5

The coffee house on campus was emptying out but there still remained a few students studying or surfing the net on laptops. "I think that he should be here by now Corwin," said Morgan. She looked at her cell phone once again to make sure that it was on and that it had signal. "Don't worry about Trent. He is a big boy and he can take care of himself. Besides, if there was a problem, he'd call," he responded. Morgan thought to herself, "I know. It's not like Trent and I are a couple or anything." She didn't want to say this out loud but Corwin took the opportunity to ask, "So, are you guys a couple or what?" She reached into her "conversation toolbox" and pulled out the "ignore and continue" tool. "Well, I didn't see his car in the lot this morning and he knows that we always meet here after class," she tried. Corwin, without skipping a beat, continued, "No offense Morgan, but I just don't see your parents approving of a guy like Trent." Morgan made a mental note to try a different tool on Corwin next time. She looked at her watch as she stood up to put her bookbag on. "You are probably right. Got to go. See you Wednesday?"

Chapter 4

His hand dissappeared for a moment to an inside coat pocket and returned carrying a pack of cigarettes. After lighting it he inhaled deeply causing the end to burn brightly. " 'What' I am talking about is that he is not dead," said the man in white as smoke escaped from his nose and mouth. "Johnny, our master is not going to be happy about this. I remind you once again that you are assigned to me and when you don't do what he commands, I get in trouble also. And I really don't like being on his bad side. He set it up so you could dispose of Trent easily and without any complications," continued the man in the white suit while flicking the cigarette ash meticulously into the ash tray.

The room was well lit and the inside of this three story building was the complete opposite of the outside. It was like something out of a magazine. High expansive ceilings, modern appliances, it was "studio apartment meets traditional high class." No detail was overlooked and from the beginning the place was designed to be camouflaged by the hagard exterior shell. "Trent's not dead?" asked Johnny and then added, "Look Damon, there was no way that he could have lived through that. It's not possible." Before Damon disappeared into thin air he nodded his head slowly and nonchalantly replied, "Let's just say he is still hanging around...."

Chapter 3

Hundreds of convex, jiggling puddles rested on the hood and reflected the light of the street lamp above and then became still after the black sedan came to a stop. It had finally stopped raining and the air was as fresh as it could be considering the location. The buildings looked like they had survived a nuclear bomb blast. Close enough to do damage but far enough to leave the structures intact. People did not come to this dark, deserted, and crime filled part of the city to "get away from it all." Two street kids promptly crossed to the other side of the street when they saw this particular vehicle turn the corner. "It's Johnny," said one. "Don't look him in the eye," said the other as they watched the man enclosed in a black trench coat exit his car, climb the steps, and disappear behind the metal door that made a hole in the brick exterior.

Any reasonable person would never think of leaving their vehicle in this part of town for any length of time. Cars got disassembled here like dead grasshoppers on top of an ant hill. Johnny Malum didn't worry.

"Your sloppiness is going to cost you Johnny," came a silky voice from the back room as the metal door slammed shut. Johnny sat down across the room from someone who could have been on the cover of a men's magazine and was dressed to a "T". "What are you talking about and why do you insist on wearing white all the time?" asked Johnny. There was no response. "Well, are you going to answer me or are you going to sit there trying to light your hand on fire?" asked Johnny again. The man was calmly sitting upright with his hand over a lit lighter. "I get homesick sometimes," he said with a sly grin that you would swear came right off a fox.

Chapter 2

"If this is heaven," he thought to himself, "then heaven seems fuzzy." A few unfamiliar memories came to him as he tried to figure out exactly what he was looking at. He was quicky coming to the realization that he was, in fact, not dead. He knew this because he had been taught that in heaven there would be no pain. And right now the pain was like music coming from a low-rider. It was annoying and he couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Whatever the white object was in front of him had straight lines and seemed to have weird symbols printed on or near the lines. He could feel the pressure in his head building but on the bright side the pain that was once general in nature was becoming more specific in regards to source. It was coming from his back.

He felt a little silly as he realized that the white object with indeterminate markings was a piece of notebook paper that was four inches from his nose and was upside down from his point of view. This raised an interesting question, "What is my point of view?"

In an instant he knew. Two things gave it away. One was the pressure that was building in his cranium. The other, and more telling, was that after looking around either everything around him was upside down.... or he was.

Chapter 1

When he woke up he had no understanding of his surroundings. He did not know the time or place. As he realized these things he began to feel himself become tense, he felt his blood pressure begin to rise quickly. Then he started to relax because he remembered that once he had seen a T.V. show where a guy had woken up and he didn't know where he was or his name. By the end of the show he fallen in love with a woman that at one time had been the sister of a man that had killed his own brother (his brother being the brother of the man that didn't know his name). So he knew that if it worked out in the T.V. show, it had to work out for him.

He had seen her. He had seen blood. The pain was coming for sure. Then- nothing.

"Oh no!" he thought. He tried to put the pieces of puzzle that made up this mess together as he slowly brought things into focus. His mind was cobwebs. The time between the blood and now seemed like forever and a split second all rolled up in one and then nicely folded up and placed on a rack like the towels at a hotel.

Now all he saw was white. "This must be heaven," he thought.