The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Charles sat inside the quiet office of his former church waiting patiently while viewing the walls that at one time bore all of his personal property. From one end of the small office to the other he carefully studied until his eyes met up with the middle of the floor.

Charles sat and stared at the grimy carpet where a small chair once sat. In the chair was a young man that Charles once knew; a young man that he spoke so fondly to one Sunday morning a time ago.

The man scratched at his growing, grey beard. He wore his jacket that smelled of aging sweat, while his dingy, white undershirt underneath stuck to his chest. His corduroy pants looked as if they hadn't been pressed in weeks, while his shoes still wore the dried up dirt stains of his ill-fated trip to the country.

Charles remained in his seat, still looking down at the middle of the floor with a drooping bottom lip. All he could hear was his son's voice speaking to him. It didn't matter what he was saying, as long as Isaac was talking, Charles could keep the image inside his head.

The office door abruptly opened, behind it appeared Mr. Hawthorne, who with a bible in hand, also wore a vexed frown upon his light-skinned face.

Charles immediately pulled himself out of his trance before sitting up and paying absolute attention to Hawthorne who sat down behind his desk and placed the bible in front of him.

"I found it in the janitor's closet, of all places." Hawthorne said while pointing at the bible. "Brother, do you know how it even got in there?"

Shaking his head from side to side, Charles replied with a grin, "I can't even begin to imagine."

"Well, it's yours." Hawthorne smiled back before gently shoving the book towards Charles.

Charles reached and retrieved the bible. He sat back with it and ruffled through the pages. "It looks like it hasn't been damaged at all."

Hawthorne sat and thoughtfully stared at Charles in the most pitiable way. The man folded his hands and asked, "Charles, aren't you hot?"

Taking his eyes away from his bible, Charles waved his hand saying, "Nah, I'm fine."

Hawthorne then sat back in his chair. "Did you know that Sister Woods' granddaughter had her baby last month?"

With a simple smile, Charles replied, "No, I didn't. That's good."

"Have you heard from Lynn and the baby lately?"

Charles leaned over in his seat and sighed, "No, Lynn is out there somewhere. All I can do is pray for the child."

"Well, she is grown; I guess she has to find her own way in the world."

"Yeah, I reckon so." Charles groaned.

A deafening silence lingered all around the men like dense fog. The longer it was quiet, the less Charles could think of something to say.

"We got a few new members last month, too." Hawthorne mentioned from out of nowhere."

"Well, praise Jesus for that." Charles mumbled with a humble grin.

"We were gonna try and have our picnic last Saturday, but—

"Was I wrong for sending Isaac to that hospital?" Charles unexpectedly asked.

Hawthorne sat with a paused appearance written all over his face. It seemed as if the question were offsetting to him, considering the paleness his face took on at that moment.

"Brother, I...I can't answer that for you."

"I can't answer it either." Charles' head hung.

"You have to understand, you just up and left everyone."

Sitting back, Charles said, "I didn't know what else to

here with your flock. We

and looked back at the middle of the floor for a moment before

"I just feel like something left

"How do you

arms. "I feel like when Isaac was taken, something was taken from me

"What do you think that something

Charles waited for endless seconds before saying, "My tongue won't let me speak

Hawthorne sat back and sighed, "Well, you certainly didn't leave me with a very easy job when you left. You never told me how difficult being a pastor would

looked at the man with a sharp eye and said, "You've been my friend and deacon for over seventeen years.

you never told me about all the people in need that would be coming to me for all kinds of help." Hawthorne giggled. "I had one young man ask me to help him fight some

To Charles, just having the opportunity to joke, albeit briefly, was like hearing a favorite song from long ago;

"You should've never left, Charles." Hawthorne

frozen time. His stare was locked on the

"Come in!" Hawthorne said

appeared an older, black lady with some papers in her hand. "Good afternoon, Pastor. I have those minutes from

paused at the sight of Charles' presence. Charles stood to his feet and stepped forward

He smiled.

a cold tone, "Fine. She then turned back to Hawthorne. "These are

he took the papers and placed them down

stomach as the woman simply turned, without taking another glance at him, and walked out the

"Well...I'd better be going myself." Charles murmured with a

"You don't have to leave

He turned to Hawthorne and extended his hand for

instead grabbed Charles and pulled him

"You need anything, just let me know."

each other, Charles stood back with his

the office and through the sanctuary that lead

quiet area, he felt something tap him on the shoulder from behind. Charles immediately stopped right in the middle

There was a presence along with him inside the sanctuary. He had felt its weight time and time before. Amidst the ominous silence, he was completely surrounded. It was such a dreadful feeling that the man wanted to drop to his knees which were already trying to buckle beneath him. But he stood strong until

was totally white, as was her face that looked as if it were dipped in white paint. She was waving back at Charles

would have been futile. The old hag just waved in all her ghastly glory before Charles'

stormed out the front entrance. He didn't even check behind him to make sure the double doors were shut all the way; he just persisted in moving as fast as he could

pants pocket before a person came trotting out from behind the vehicle as

both of his

up in surprise as

Lynnette carefully approached Charles. "I...I saw your

embraced her as hard as he could; Lynnette returned the gesture,

from her grip, Charles looked down at her and asked, "How...how are you doing,

been better." She meekly

otherwise, but he also realized that he himself wasn't too far from judgment. A swelling of pity dropped deep down into his gut. For

"How is Isaiah

hastily answered. "Look...I need to talk

church parking lot gazing at one another in the strangest manner possible. He couldn't speak for Lynnette, but Charles was at a complete loss for words on so many levels. He was elated to see her, and frightened all at the same time.

and said, "Of course you can talk to me. Get in on the

passenger side of the car. The second Charles closed his door a burst of heat immediately struck him across the face. However, it wasn't heat from the temperature, but rather that of emotion. He hadn't

and onto the road. He made

The moment she rolled down her window, Charles said, "I've been trying