The first lesson – Temperance effect

He runs. And everything changes. Then it changes again. Life can be a series of ups and downs but Jeremy isn’t thinking any of this as he runs. The shouts that begin behind him are urgent. He doesn’t turn but runs even faster. The ground is shaking and he can hear other sounds behind him as he runs.

A moment later and he is clear of the station and outside running. There is a major stitch in his side and he feels like his heart might burst from the intense running. The sense of displacement hits him again. Furthermore, he is thick in the middle now. He is heavier than he had ever been in his whole life.

The first lesson – Temperance effect

His pace begins to slow involuntarily. His legs are spent. There is a muffled thump behind him as the ground shaking subsides. Now he turns and the lot and road behind are clear. He is not being pursued. Furthermore, the lights of the rail station are out. Instinct tells him something happened.

His near lapse into a coronary tells him he escaped it. Barely. The phone in his pocket buzzes again. This time he wastes no time checking it. The suitcase is beginning to feel heavy as he walks down the sidewalk. The message on the mysterious phone wasn’t helpful this time. “Keep walking.”

He doesn’t see that he has a choice. Then he stuffs the phone back into the pocket of his too large pants. He was beginning to feel annoyed and angry. Is this happening because of something he did? He walks and tries to remember anything at all before waking up in the station. Other than one year ago, when he left work for the meeting.

His mind is empty. This is more than a description. He feels astounded. It is as though someone had used an eraser on his memory. He had left work to go to the meeting. This was a solid memory. He clearly remembers starting his car. He also remembers how many pallets were on the last truck. There had been seventeen. Less than normal.

The phone

Startled out of his recollection by a loud siren, he jumps. It is a firetruck leading several more. They roar past. All heading toward the station behind him. For his part, he walks faster. Now more sirens as the police begin arriving. What had happened back there? He is grateful to have avoided it, but what was it? He turns and looks back again.

Further away now, but still visible is the front of the station. Smoke is now billowing out the front door, as the firetrucks arrive. Jeremy turns and walks even faster. He doesn’t like the implications his mind is trying to draw for him. However he feels his stomach drop, as he notices a cop car slowly pacing him. The officer is on the radio. Looking at Jeremy.

Caught

He nearly trips as he looks away from the cop car. This was bad. He knows he is going down. Furthermore, he doesn’t have any damn idea why. The phone in his pocket buzzes again. This time he takes his time. He is working with all his might to appear unsuspicious. As he brings the phone from his pocket, a black windowless van pulls up beside him.

At first he ignores it. Then a side door on the mysterious van begins to open, as Jeremy looks at the phone. Only two words, but they change everything. “Get in.“