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

"You could've stayed here with your flock.

middle of the floor

"I just feel like something left

"How do you

like when Isaac was taken, something was taken from me as well.

do you think that

endless seconds before saying, "My

very easy

sharp eye and said, "You've been my friend and deacon for over seventeen years. How could you not be

help." Hawthorne giggled. "I had one young man ask me to help him fight some gang a couple of months ago. Do I honestly look like I

men just laughed for a while before coming back down and settling. To Charles, just having the opportunity to joke, albeit briefly, was like hearing a favorite song from

"You should've never left, Charles." Hawthorne seriously stated at

at the man in frozen time. His stare was locked on the pastor until a

"Come in!" Hawthorne said out

with some papers in her hand. "Good

presence. Charles stood to his feet and stepped forward to the woman only

Mary." He

Mary pressed her thin lips together as tight as she could before replying in a cold tone, "Fine. She then

Sister." Hawthorne said as he took

Charles watched with a heavy stomach as the woman simply turned, without

be going myself."

"You don't have to leave so

I do." He turned to Hawthorne and extended his

But rather than shake his hand, Hawthorne instead grabbed Charles

anything, just let

stood back with his bible in hand and said, "I need for God to speak

out of the office and

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

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 he was

in an all snow white dress. Her hair was totally white, as was her face that looked as if it were dipped in white paint.

was aware that such an action would have been futile. The old hag just waved

check behind him to make sure the double doors

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

Charles swung around with both

up in surprise as his breath left him. "Child, what

Lynnette carefully approached Charles. "I...I saw your car here." She timidly stammered. "I just

as hard as he could; Lynnette returned the gesture, only her hug seemed to feel even more

Politely prying himself away from her grip, Charles looked

been better." She meekly

also realized that he himself wasn't too far from judgment. A swelling of pity dropped deep down into his gut. For the first time in months he took his own anguish and set it

"How

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

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

smiled and said, "Of course you

that of emotion. He hadn't forgotten what he

man cut on the ignition and pulled out and onto the road. He made sure to roll down his window first before suggesting the same

her window, Charles said, "I've been trying so hard