Dead to Me

I realize it has been some time since my last story went live. I have been extremely busy with four different writing projects that have kept me tied up - figuratively, not literally, although I sometimes wonder... Those projects are wrapping up, and I should see them published very soon.

Many thanks to those who have reached out by email, and those who have offered comments and constructive criticism on my previous stories. This story was inspired, in part, by several other stories with a somewhat similar theme.

And now, the disclaimers:

For those who want to say this or that would never happen, remember this is my universe, a place where nearly anything can, and often does, happen. At least on paper... In addition:

1. Characters in this story may participate in one or more of the following: Smoking, consumption of adult (meaning, alcoholic) beverages, utterance of profanities.
2. All sexual activity is between consenting adults 18 years of age or older.
3. Statements or views uttered by the fictional characters in this story do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the author.

Please refer to my profile for more on my personal policy regarding comments, feedback, follows, etc. (Yes, I DO moderate comments) And please remember, this is a work of fiction, not a docu-drama...

...

Waterloo Waterloo

Where will you meet your Waterloo?

Every puppy has his day

Everybody has to pay

Everybody has to meet his Waterloo

"Waterloo," written by John D. Loudermilk and Marijohn Wilkin, sung by Stonewall Jackson, 1959

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Thomas Stonewall Jackson - Tom or "Stone" to his friends and family - looked forward to the upcoming weekend as he drove home that afternoon from work. Monday was Memorial Day, but he and Janice, his wife of five years, had been invited to spend a four-day weekend at the country estate of her boss, Darren Hansen, a senior partner with the Remington Law Group, where Janice worked as a paralegal.

Stone already had Monday off, so he took a vacation day to cover Friday. His boss - who also happened to be his father - was kind enough to let him go early on Thursday so he could get packed and hit the road. The drive to Darren's estate would easily take three hours, given freeway traffic and the nature of the narrow winding roads leading to Darren's estate.

He had high hopes for the weekend. Things had been a little rough with Janice over the last two months. She had become somewhat moody, snapping at him for no apparent reason. And sex? Forget that. What had been a three or four-night-a-week enthusiastic thing had dropped off to maybe a grudging once-every-other-week 'get-it-over-with' exercise - if that.

Being the concerned, loving husband, Stone reached out to Janice, hoping to help her overcome whatever bothered her. But she would simply shrug him off, telling him she would deal with it herself.

Worse yet, Janice constantly rebuffed his efforts to initiate sex or ANY physical contact and now frequently recoiled from him when he tried to hold her in his arms or comfort her. The situation was becoming increasingly unbearable for him, and he wondered if she was having an affair. Then she told him they had been invited to her boss' country estate for the weekend to celebrate her promotion.

"Promotion?" Tom asked, confused. "You never said anything about a promotion. How long has this been in the works?"

"A couple of months now," Janice told him. "I'm sorry, I should have told you before."

"Is that why you've been so short with me lately?"

"I... guess so. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to be such a bitch to you. I've had a lot on my mind lately," she replied contritely. Tom smiled as he wrapped her in his arms and felt saddened when she flinched slightly.

"I can imagine," he said. "And to think I was worried that you might be having an affair." He felt her stiffen up slightly, but then she relaxed.

"Of course not," Janice said. "I would never do something like that to you." He heard the words, but something in her tone didn't sound convincing.

"I'm glad to hear that," Tom forced himself to respond through his growing uneasiness. "Cause you know that's the one thing I simply wouldn't tolerate."

"I know," Janice said quietly. "So, do you think you can get off the Friday before? Four days in the country would do us both a lot of good."

"Sure. I have plenty of vacation time. We can leave Thursday after I get off work if you want."

"That would be wonderful. I'll let Darren know and have everything packed by the time you get home," she said. "I promise, it will be a weekend you'll never forget."

Stone thought about those words as he filled the gas tank on his new Ford F-150 four-wheel-drive pickup. A weekend he would never forget? He could only hope she meant that in a good way, but a part of him had mixed feelings, especially after the rather serious discussion he had with his father and uncle earlier.

He pulled into the driveway, cut the engine, and headed into the house. True to her word, Janice had everything packed and ready to be loaded into the truck. He checked his bags, verifying that his stuff was packed and ready to go. He was impressed that Janice had even packed his toiletries in his overnight bag. Then he took in the other bags.

"You have enough stuff here for a week," he joked when she came into the room wearing cutoffs and a t-shirt. "I thought we were just going to the country for the weekend."

"You know I like to prepare for anything," she joked. "Why don't you get that stuff loaded up, and I'll finish up here." He saw that she had sandwich stuff on the counter and was packing a picnic basket with snacks and drinks for the ride out, as she used to do when they took day trips over the weekend.

"Sounds good," he said with a smile. Maybe this would be a good weekend after all, he thought. He loaded everything into the truck, helped Janice finish packing the food, locked the house, and set off for what he ardently hoped would be a good weekend in the country.

"This weekend is going to be the best ever," Janice gushed as Tom drove. "Trust me, you'll have a great time."

"I'm looking forward to that," Tom replied, hoping she meant it. It took longer than Tom planned to get out of the city, thanks to an accident on the freeway that brought traffic to a screeching halt. As a result, they were running almost two hours behind schedule. But that didn't affect Janice's buoyant good mood, which pleased Tom.

He filled the gas tank up once more when he reached the road that would take them to Darren's estate, then followed the windy road through the hilly wooded terrain. It was well after dark when they reached the gate leading to Darren's sizeable two-story home. Janice had been given the code for the gate, and soon, they pulled up to the sprawling brick mansion.

"Damn, this is one helluva big-ass house," Tom exclaimed. Three men in dark suits and sunglasses approached the truck as Tom turned the engine off. Tom wondered, "Why would they need sunglasses in the dark?"

"I can get our luggage," Tom said as he opened the back door of the pickup. "Thanks anyway."

"No sir, that's our job," one of the men said in a voice that held no humor. Another man held his hand out.

"Keys, sir? I need to park your vehicle," the other man said.

"Please do as they ask, sweetheart," Janice suggested in a tone that made it clear he should obey these men. He looked at the man asking for the keys and saw the tell-tale bulge in his jacket that indicated he was armed.

"Sure," Tom said darkly, handing his keys to the second man as the other two men grabbed their luggage unceremoniously and stalked off into the gloom without a word.

"Thank you," the man said mechanically. Tom watched as the men easily carried the heavy bags up the steps.

"Are you coming?" Janice asked.

"Yeah, sure. On my way." Tom followed Janice and the two men up the stairs, wondering why they would need to be armed. Something about this just didn't seem right.

"Ah, there you are! I trust you had a safe trip," a tall man with dark curly hair boomed when they entered. Tom recognized the man as Darren Hansen. He had met Darren a few times at company holiday events. As Tom watched, Janice and the man exchanged hugs. Then he turned to Tom.

"Thomas. It's good to meet you again. I'm Darren Hansen," he announced, extending a hand. "Welcome to my humble abode."

"Thank you. A pleasure meeting you again, Mr. Hansen," Tom said, accepting Darren's hand.

"No need to be so formal, Tom. May I call you Tom? I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of each other," Darren said with a slight smile. "Especially now that your wife is moving up in the firm."

"Of course," Tom said.

"I'm sorry we're running late. There was an accident on the freeway," Janice explained.

"So I heard," Darren said. "I am gratified you made it safely."

"Are the others here?" Janice asked. Others? Tom wasn't aware others would be here.

"Yes, they're all here. Unfortunately, they decided to turn in for the evening. Wanted to get well-rested before the festivities begin tomorrow," Darren replied. The man who took Tom's keys returned through the front door, handing the keys back to Tom.

"Thank you," Tom said, putting the keys in his pocket. By now, the two men who took their luggage had returned from the second floor.

"Harold, escort the Jacksons to their room, if you would," Darren commanded.

"Yes sir," one of the big men said.

"We'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning," Darren said. "Sleep well."

"Thank you," Janice said quietly, her eyes downcast demurely. Tom noticed, but didn't say anything. He simply filed it in the back of his mind. Maybe Dad was right, he thought.

"This way, please," Harold commanded in a dead, gravelly voice. Tom and Janice followed the man up the spiral staircase and down two hallways before stopping at a locked door. He pulled out a card key and held it before a reader, and Tom heard the door lock open. Harold opened the door and motioned for them to enter the room.

"Oh my," Janice gasped when they walked inside. The room was spacious and well-appointed. It even had its own bathroom with a double vanity and a large television monitor on the wall opposite the king-sized bed. A gas fireplace took up most of one wall.

"This is very nice," Tom said with forced cheerfulness as he looked around.

"I'm glad you approve," Harold said. He pulled out two card keys, one of which he handed to Janice and the other to Tom. "These are your keys to the room. Keep them with you at all times, please. Breakfast will be served at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Good night."

"Good night," Janice replied as Harold left the room, closing the door.

"This is a very nice room," Tom said as he walked around, taking inventory of the room.

"Yes, it is," Janice agreed as Tom began hanging his clothes in the closet. Janice put her things away, but Tom noticed she simply hung her garment bag in the closet, not taking her clothes out first.

"So who are these other people Darren said would be here?" he asked.

"Oh, just some bigwigs from the firm," Janice replied, not looking at him.

"And this new position... What is it, exactly?" Tom followed up.

"I'm Darren's new executive assistant," Janice told him. "The position comes with a healthy increase in pay. But I will have to travel from time to time. Are you okay with that?"

"As long as it doesn't interfere with our lives," Tom said. "We've talked about starting a family, you know."

"I know. But I may have to put that off for a while," Janice quietly said. "At least until I get established in my new position."

"What time frame are you talking about?" Tom asked.

"I don't know. Maybe six months. Maybe a little longer. Are you okay with that?" she asked.

"I know this job is very important to you," Tom replied neutrally, wondering what, exactly, this position entailed, and knowing that they weren't getting any younger.

"You have no idea," Janice told him. "This is a huge step for me. All I'm asking is for some time and a little patience."

"Fair enough," Tom said, taking his wife in his arms. "You know I'm very proud of you, don't you?"

"Really?" Janice asked in a small voice.

"Of course," he responded, kissing her face. "I love you, Janice. Don't ever forget it."

"I love you too, Stone," she replied. After they climbed into the bed and turned out the lights, Tom reached for Janice, but her eyes were closed, and she appeared asleep. He sighed, as this had been her pattern for the last two months. He turned on his side and fell asleep, frustrated.

...

The sky was a clear deep blue, with not so much as the hint of a cloud. The sun was high, and a slight breeze blew from the south. Suddenly, the sky grew dark and filled up with large menacing clouds. The slight breeze became a brisk wind that grew in intensity with each passing moment.

A deep rumble could be heard as the sky grew darker and the clouds gathered. A brief flash of lightning could be seen in the distance as the storm clouds grew and the wind intensified. A sudden flash of lightning struck the ground close to his feet. When he looked down, he saw a beating heart pumping blood onto the ground.

Tom had seen this dream many times, except for the beating heart. And each time he experienced it, someone he knew died within the following 72 hours. The last time was three years ago. Two days later, his older brother Andrew was hit by a drunk driver and killed instantly. A year before that, his mother suffered a stroke just 12 hours after his dream, and she died 24 hours later, never regaining consciousness.

Tom sat up in bed, sweat pouring off his body. He looked at the digital clock on his nightstand and saw it was 4:15 am. Although it was extremely early morning, Tom knew he had to contact his father. Grabbing his phone from the nightstand, Tom noticed he had no service.

He got out of bed carefully so as not to awaken Janice, donned his trousers and a t-shirt, then slipped on his shoes. Grabbing his card key, he opened the door to see one of Darren's armed security men at a small desk in the hallway. The man in the dark suit and glasses looked up when Tom opened the door.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Jackson?" the large man asked.

"I need to use a phone, and there's no cell service here," Tom said.

"Who do you intend to call?"

"I need to call my father. It's important," Tom told him.

"This way, sir," the man said as he stood. Tom followed him to a smaller room off the hallway. "You can use that phone," he added, pointing to a phone on a small table beside a chair. "Just dial '9' for an outside line first."

"Thank you," Tom said as he sat in the chair. He began dialing his father's number and saw the man standing in the doorway. "Can I have some privacy, please?"

"Of course," the guard said, turning from the door. Tom couldn't believe the nerve of the man. And why was he armed? He finished dialing the number and waited. His father answered after the third ring.

"Hello. Who is this?" his father asked. Tom could tell the older man had just been woke up.

"Hi, Dad. It's me, Tom. Sorry for calling so early in the morning. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I was in the middle of a very nice dream, remembering your mother, but I'm okay, Tom. Did you have another one of your dreams?"

"Yeah," Tom said quietly. He could hear the other man sigh at the other end.

"Same as you had before Andy's accident?" his father asked.

"Exactly the same," Tom said.

"I see. Thanks for letting me know, son. I'm doing okay, but I'll keep a sharp eye out. Why don't you get back to sleep, okay?"

"I will, Dad. I just wanted to let you know," Tom told him.

"I appreciate that, son. I'm fine, though. I promise. You're stuck with me for a while yet," his father promised. "Remember what I said and watch your back." They ended the call, and Tom walked back to his room.

"Everything okay?" the guard asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine. Thanks," Tom said before opening the door to his room. He undressed and climbed back into the bed, and Janice groaned as she rolled over to face him.

"Where did you go? Is everything okay?" she asked groggily.

"Yes, everything is just fine. I had to call Dad," Tom said.

"Oh," she groaned before rolling back onto her side. From her breathing, Tom could tell she had gone back to sleep. He closed his eyes, but sleep eluded him for another hour as he kept thinking about the disturbing dream.

Tom rolled out of bed at 6:00 am and went to the bathroom to do his morning routine. Afterward, he took a quick shower, then changed into a clean pair of jeans and a polo shirt. Janice followed him into the bathroom after opening the blinds.

Standing at the nightstand, Tom gathered his watch and wallet and looked out the window. He noticed the wrought iron bars attached to the outside of the window and wondered why they were there. There was no landing, and the concrete pad of the driveway had to be at least 25 feet down.

Looking outside, Tom saw a helicopter sitting on a pad at least 50 yards from the house. He hadn't seen it before, but it was dark when they arrived the previous night. He also noticed guards carrying what looked like AR-style rifles slung over their shoulders. Tom couldn't help but wonder: Was Darren expecting trouble?

"Are you ready for breakfast, sweetheart?" Janice asked when she came out of the bathroom.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Tom said as he snapped his wristwatch.

"What happened last night?" she asked.

"Another dream," Tom said.

"You mean, like before your brother was killed?"

"Yeah. Exactly the same. I called Dad to make sure he was okay."

"How was he?" she asked.

"Fine. I caught him in the middle of a dream."

"I'll bet," Janice snickered in a way he found vaguely disturbing as she finished dressing. "C'mon. Let's go downstairs and get some breakfast. I'm famished. Don't forget your walking stick," she reminded Tom. The walking stick was a present from his father, given to Tom after he was discharged from the hospital years earlier.

During his service in Iraq, the Humvee he was in got hit by an enemy RPG. Two other Marines in the vehicle were killed instantly, while Tom and another Marine escaped. Although severely wounded, the two Marines managed to take cover and defend themselves until help arrived. Tom spent months in surgery and rehab and was eventually given a medical discharge.

Fortunately, the doctors saved Tom's leg but had to replace his left hip. The rehab helped Tom learn to walk again, and the walking stick helped considerably. Although he could get around fine now, he still experienced pain after extensive walking, so he continued to use his father's gift.

They arrived at Darren's table to find three other men and a woman waiting for them. Tom had briefly met the men before and knew they were executives with Darren's law firm, although he couldn't remember their names. He had never seen nor met the woman before.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce my husband, Thomas Stonewall Jackson," Janice announced. Tom shook hands with the others.

"Stonewall, huh? That's a rather unusual name," observed Glen Oldman, one of the firm's executives.

"My parents were big on the Grand Ole Opry back in the day, so they named me after a favorite country and western singer from the 50s and 60s," Tom replied. "Dad used to joke it was either that or 'Michael.'"

"Stonewall Jackson. Yeah, I seem to recall that name," Glen replied with a smile. "He died about ten years ago, didn't he?"