The Coffee Shop Pt. 05

Then I heard the crying. It was soft, barely audible. I had to strain to hear it and figure out where it was coming from. No one attempted to stop me as I searched for and quickly found the source of the crying. It was coming from what seemed to be an old open and abandoned well. A very large well that seem to be nearly forty feet wide. I leaned over the edge of the low wall and looked down into a deep dark pit. There seemed to be a pale flickering light at the bottom. The walls looks slimy and slick. Whomever was down there wasn't getting out on his own. I heard the crying again, and it sounded like a small boy. A small frightened boy. This was strange since we were in the mind of an adult man.

"As a gifted person, you have the power to bend and change the perception of reality in this place, within certain limits," Mary said to me as she suddenly appeared beside me. "Imagine what you need. See it become real. You wished to partake, and so this is your task to complete."

It annoyed me when Mary started sounding like Yoda from Star Wars. At least she was talking in correctly constructed sentences. I leaned over the edge and looked again. There wasn't any way to get down there. Then I imagined an elevator car attached to the side of the pit wall. Like magic a wire elevator car appeared next to me. It seemed that Mary was correct. I could change reality in this place. Feeling somewhat more sure of myself, I entered the elevator car, closed the door and pressed the button on the wall labeled 'Bottom'. The trip lasted only a few seconds. The pale flickering light became only marginally stronger as the car neared the bottom of the pit. As soon as the elevator car came to a rest at the bottom of the pit, the door swung open by itself. I stepped out.

I held my right hand out and up above my head. I concentrated and there was light all around me. I looked up to see that the ball of glowing light I had imagined creating had become real, at least in this place. It floated there contently. I lowered my right arm to my side and walked towards the pale flickering light, my own ball of light following me like an obedient dog. The ball of light showed the rough dirty floor of the pit, but not much else.

Moments later I arrived at the source of the flickering light. It was from a small hurricane lamp with a small candle in it. The lamp was slightly off to the side of a small boy of perhaps seven or eight. He was curled in a ball lying next to the lamp. His small helpless looking body was nearly swallowed up by the oversized adult police officer uniform that he was wearing. What caught and held my attention though, was the look of profound terror that blazed in the eyes of this small boy. He was trembling with fear. His whole body shook with it.

This was the last thing in the world I had expected to find in this pit. In my softest and calmest voice I spoke to the boy. "Hi. What's your name?"

"You're the bad man! Stay away from me! Mommy!!!!!!!!!" With that the boy snatched up the lamp and ran off as quickly as he could. I was surprised that he could run at all considering how the grossly oversized uniform hampered his movements. I did not try to follow him. He was sacred and my presence only made matter worse. I walked back to the elevator car and took it back to the top of the pit.

"What did you see?" Mary asked me as she suddenly appeared beside me.

"A small terrified boy in an adult sized police uniform," I answered. "Do you have any idea what's going on here?"

"What you saw is the present mental self image of the policeman. This is how he sees himself on a subconscious level. I suspect that this situation was created in his mind to provide additional motivation for the two compulsions that we just removed. He could find his way out of this pit only by doing what he was compelled to do. As for the second compulsion, he would not be aware of it. We are dealing with his subconscious mind, remember," Mary answered.

"I can't get near him. I tried and he ran off. I think I scared him even more. He called me 'the bad man'. What do we do now?"

"What do you think we should do?" Mary answered.

"Please don't do that, Mary. If you have an idea, just come out with it." I said not bothering to try to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"Paul, if I had an idea I would share it with you. Being a council member does not make me all knowing. Think. He's a small boy. Perhaps there is a clue in that. Who would a small boy trust, other than his parents? Before you ask, no it would not do any good to try to appear to the boy as one of his parents. We do not know enough about his relationship with his family to get away with such a deception," Mary said. Her voice was calm and serene.

We stood silently thinking for several minutes. My mind was empty of ideas. We had solved only half the problem. We had dealt with the compulsions. Now we had to repair the policeman's mind. It's rather hard to do that when the person runs away from you and hides in the dark.

"How about the Lone Ranger on Silver to ride to the rescue?" I asked jokingly. I had to say something.

"Not the Lone Ranger, Paul but perhaps someone a small boy would instinctively trust," Mary said thoughtfully. "An RCMP constable on horseback," Mary said with a small smile.

"That's crazy," I said with a scoff.

"Why not? Think about it. Small children are taught that the policeman is their friend and to go to a policeman when they are lost or in trouble. We dare not use the image of a local policeman because the subconscious mind will know if the person we project is in fact a member of the local police force. However, if we have Constable Anderson appear here in his Scarlet Tunic dress uniform that will make the image appear much more believable to the mind of small boy," Mary said.

"I'm supposed to make myself appear as Andy? I'm not sure I could pull that off," I said doubtfully.

"You misunderstand me, Paul. We need Constable Anderson to join the mink link chain and enter this place with us. If he is here in person, so to speak, it will work. Constable Anderson can create the alteration of reality, and the rest of us can watch as invisible observers. Unless you have a better idea?" Mary said.

The rest of the Council of Coins suddenly appeared beside us. One member, the mature man, seemed to fade in and out for several moments.

"Colin is speaking in the physical world which means he has to split his concentration. This causes his presence here to fluctuate," Mary said by way of explanation. "I have already explained my idea to the rest of the Council members and they have agreed on this course of action.

Just as Mary finished speaking Andy appeared beside me. He looked a bit lost. He was dressed as he was in the physical world, jeans, t-shirt and a denim jacket. "Hi Paul. So this is what it's like in another person's mind? Cool."

I smiled. It took a lot to fluster Andy. I liked to think that my presence in this mental world helped to reassure him.

"Okay, I've got it," he said to no one. His appearance shimmered for a few seconds. When it finished he was wearing his Scarlet Tunic and looking so damn handsome I almost forgot where I was and why he and I were there. I let out a wolf whistle, before I could stop myself.

"Down boy," Andy said with a chuckle. "I'm here on business. Come on." With that he lead the Council and me to the elevator car which was still waiting at the top of the side of the pit.

"With his consent, we used telepathy to bring Constable Anderson up to speed on the situation, and the suggested course of action, Paul. We are short on time," Mary said to me as we walked into the elevator car, which was now large enough for all of us to stand comfortably.

So much for my presence helping Andy to adjust to this most unusual journey, I thought to myself.

The trip to the bottom of the pit took only a few moments. "Here, you may need this," I said to Andy as I waved my glowing ball of light towards him. It took up a position next to him, just as it had with me. It did not seem to mind the change of ownership.

"We will accompany you, Constable Anderson, so that we may observe the results and to offer any aid should it be required. We will be invisible and silent, to both you, Constable, and to the boy," Mary said as she began to fade from my view. "All you have to do is believe to make it real, Paul," she said as the last whispers of her voice faded away.

I concentrated on not being there, on being invisible to all but the Council. I looked down and was mildly surprised to see my body. When I looked up a second later, I could see the members of the Council gathered all around Andy, waiting for him to start walking. Andy however, looked a bit confused as he looked about.

"Shit. Where is everyone? I hope you're still there, somewhere. Well here goes," Andy said. He was speaking more to himself than to us. He looked about again and spotting the dim flickering light he slow walked towards it, the glowing ball of light holding position with him, as it had with me. We followed, no one speaking.

Soon we came upon the little boy. He was as I had found him. Huddled on the floor of the pit, curled up in a ball, next to the hurricane lamp. He looked up at Andy, with that same terror in his eyes.

"Who're you?" He asked cautiously. He seemed ready to bolt again at the slightest provocation.

"I'm a policeman. My name is Andy," Andy said softly.

"You're funny lookin'," the boy said doubtfully.

"I am an RCMP constable," Andy replied, keeping his voice warm and soothing.

"What's RCMP mean?" The boy asked. The look of terror in his eyes had faded somewhat. Curiosity seems to be fighting with it.

"It means I'm a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We're also called Mounties," Andy answered.

"Like those guys on the black horses that ride around holding those big poles?" The boy asked.

"That's called the RCMP Musical Ride. I'm not a member of that team, though someday I hope to be allowed to join. There is a long waiting list. I'm here because RCMP constables help people who need help. Especially lost little boys who are hiding in the dark, afraid, lost and alone," Andy said soothingly.

"Who sent you?" The boy asked as if he were questioning Andy's right to be there.

This was the critical point. The wrong answer and the boy would run.

"I heard you crying. I came to help. It is what RCMP constables do. No one sent me," Andy answered. "When people are lost or hurt, or missing or just in trouble, the RCMP is there to help them. It is what we do. It is what I do."

The boy looked at him but didn't say anything. It was clear he was reluctant to trust Andy.

Andy took a couple of steps back turned and then sat down against the wall of the pit, so that he was a meter or so away from the boy. He sat there looking at the boy for a minute or two before he continued speaking."It's kind of dark here, would you like more light?" Andy asked.

Again the boy said nothing.

"Well, I would like more light," Andy closed his eyes. A few seconds later three more glowing balls about twice as bright as the first glowing ball appeared next to Andy. Andy opened his eyes and smiled. The combined light showed him clearly. It seemed almost as bright as day. Andy waved two of the balls towards the far side of the boy. Andy looked at the first glowing ball and a second later it was shining as brightly as the other three balls of light. "That's better. Now we can see each other. My name is Andy. What's yours?"

"Tony," the boy answered as he looked about the pit which wasn't nearly as dark as before.

"You look cold Tony. You can huddle next to me if you like," Andy said.

"Okay I guess," Tony replied as he moved over to Andy and lay next to him.

"That's better isn't it, Tony," Andy said as he draped his big strong right arm over Tony's small body.

"You're safe now, Tony," Andy said soothingly as he slowly enveloped Tony's small frail looking body with those two big strong arms of his. (Speaking from personal experience, dear reader, that is one heck of an enjoyable experience.)

"What if the bad man comes back?" Tony said with a shudder and he snuggled up as close to Andy as he could get.

"I will protect you from the bad man, Tony. You're safe with me. I am a policeman. I will protect you. You're not alone, anymore," Andy said quietly. Slowly Andy began to rock his body back and forth, all the while continuing to hug Tony securely. Inch by inch the tension melted out of Tony's little body as he relaxed in Andy's comforting embrace. The boy started to slob softly. Andy held him closer and began to mutter soft words, which I could not make out. This went on for several moments, until the boy stopped crying. He looked up at Andy with a tentative smile. He didn't seem to be scared anymore.

I felt a slight twinge of jealously for just a half a heartbeat. I had to sternly remind myself that what Andy was doing had no sexual overtones of any kind. He was helping a lost soul. True, a lost soul who had tried to kill me a few hours ago, but a lost soul and troubled mind nonetheless. I continued to watch.

"Tony, you're not a little boy. Look at the clothes you are wearing," Andy said as Tony looked up at him.

"Huh?" Tony replied. He looked down at himself for a second or two before he looked back up at Andy.

"You're wearing the uniform of a adult person. It appears to be the uniform of a city policeman if I am not mistaken. You're not really a scared little boy, you just think you are," Andy said in a firm strong voice. "You're a policeman, with a sworn duty to protect and serve. It's time you did your duty."

"No, that's not right," Tony said puzzled. His voice had lost some of its high pitched child like squeaky sound.

"I'll help you. It's why I am here, Tony," Andy said as he stood up. He reached down with his arms. "Take my hands. Let me help you to stand on your own two feet. I know you can do this Tony. They would not have let you become a policeman, if you were not the right man for the job."

"I don't know about this," Tony said doubtfully but he reached and took Andy's proffered hands nonetheless. Hope and doubt were mixed on his face, and Tony gripped Andy's hands firmly.

As Andy pulled Tony to his feet, Tony grew up literally. His body grew up and out until it the policeman uniform he was wearing fit him properly. By the time he was standing, Tony was once again the policeman who had called on me at my apartment a few hours ago. Tony looked at Andy, still unsure at what had just happened.

"Welcome back, brother officer," Andy said with a grin. He let go of Tony's hands, snapped to attention and saluted Tony. Reflexively, Tony came to attention and returned the salute. Then they both grinned at each other like idiots. Unsure of what to do next.

"How about we get out of this pit, Tony?" Andy suggested.

"How?" Tony asked.

"Will it. See us on the surface in the bright sunshine on a clear spring day, with nothing but beauty around us. This is your nightmare, you can turn it into a wonderful dream," Andy answered.

Tony closed his eyes. Seconds later we were standing in a field covered in wildflowers, on a clear warm sunny day with only a few puffs of white cloud scattered in the clear blue sky.

"Wow. This is cool. Am I dreaming?" Tony asked.

"Not yet but you will be Officer Tony Kendell," Mary said as she appeared next to him. The rest of the Council appeared one by one. I was the last person to appear.

"You! You son of a bitch! I ought to knock your block into next week!" Tony yelled as he recognized me.

"Why? What did I ever do to you?" I asked.

"You put me in that pit, you son of a bitch!" Tony yelled.

"No. I did not," I answered.

"Someone did, and that is why we are all here with you now. We are here to help you to remember who did this to you, and to bring that person to justice," Mary said as she reached up and touched Tony's forehead. "Sleep now, remember who put you into the pit, and show us." She succeeded in catching Tony by surprise. He had no chance to avoid her touch.

Tony's eyes closed and his head nodded forward. He looked like he was hypnotized. (Yes, I felt a stirring down south dear reader. I find hypnotized cops to be highly erotic. So sue me.) I was amazed at how quickly events were unfolding. The Council of Coins certainly seemed to know what they were doing. I still had a heck of a lot to learn about my super hypnotic abilities, it would seem.

"Start at the beginning, when you first met the person who put you into this pit. Show us everything," Mary said to Tony.

A large screen appeared to the right of us. As I looked at the screen an image began to appear. It was a car pulled over to the side of a road, somewhere in the city. I did not recognize the location. Don't ask me to tell you what type of car it was, as they all look the same to me. This car looked new, at least I could not see any rust spots on it. It took me a second or two to realize that I was seeing the events from Tony's perspective. The car became larger as Tony approached it. In a few seconds Tony was standing next to the car. The driver of the car had turned his head and was looking up at Tony. I sucked in my breath as the surprise hit me. It was the man called Brian whom I had encountered during the Council of Coin's testing event.

"License and registration, please sir," Tony said.

"Of course, officer," Brian replied as he slowly handed over the documents. It seemed he had had them at the ready.

"Sir, do you know why I pulled you over?" Tony asked.

"I failed to come to a complete stop at the stop sign back there?" Brian asked.

"Yes, sir, exactly," Tony answered in a very cool professional tone of voice.

"Well, I brought this on myself then, officer," Brian said with resignation.

Tony said nothing more as he filled out the ticket form. Then he handed the ticket to Brian, along with Brian's license and registration.

"Before you go, Officer, might I ask a small favour?" Brian asked as Tony started to turn away from him.

"Depends on what the favour is, sir" Tony answered.

"I would like to shake your hand to thank you for your service, officer," Brian said calmly.

"I suppose that would be okay, Please get out your vehicle slowly, sir," Tony instructed.

Brian complied. He slowly opened the door of his car and climbed out. In a few moments he was standing there beside his car with his arms hanging loosely by his side. I noted that Brian was wearing some dark brown pants, a dark brown belt fastened around them, a pale blue sports shirt and a light cream jacket. He could not look less of a threat if he tried.

Tony slowly approached Brian, and as he did so, Brian raised up his right arm and held his right hand out. Tony grasped it firmly, with his right hand. It was a bit odd to see a right arm in a police uniform shirt just appear from the bottom of the screen, move upwards and then grasped the offered right hand.

"Thank you so much for your service, Officer," Brian said with a smile. "I know that you're just doing your duty. It feels so good to do your duty doesn't it Officer?"

"What? Do my duty? What the heck are you....ohhh......" Tony's voice said and his words were suddenly cut off as he let out a very loud moan.

"Nothing but pleasure and joy as you shake my hand Officer. You love the feeling don't you?" Brian asked as his grin started to take on a evil cast.

"Oh...yes....gee whiz....feels so good, uh, sir," Tony answered in between moans.

"Deeper and more obedient because you feel so very good. All you want is to feel this pleasure, Officer. It is all that is important to you now. To feel this pleasure from me and to obey me completely. Nothing else is important to you anymore. Not your job. Not your career. Not even your life. From this point onward you will do anything I tell you, because doing what I tell you gives you this pleasure, Officer"