“I think it’s time to tell Johnny,” dad said.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure he’s ready. Remember what happened to Sammy when the Millers told him too soon” mom said.
“Or when the Gills waited too long. Their boy is lost to them,” he said.
“I wish we didn’t ever tell the children. Why can’t we just live the old way?” she said.
“You know,” he said, looking out the kitchen window.
It was a beautiful morning. A field of wheat stretched from the back of the house, all the way to the horizon. Mist rose from the ground as the last of the summer sun burned away at the dew. Johnny was in the fenced area between the house and the wheat, bringing in the eggs from the coop. Their black Lab, Maestro was walking beside him. They seemed to be in conversation. Johnny looked to be about 9 years old.
“I’ll tell to him today,” dad said.
Mom didn’t look pleased, but she didn’t say anything.
The conversation changed everything.
The summer was coming to an end and Johnny was looking forward to getting back to school, but this year would be different. He’d meet some new kids and he was a little apprehensive about that. He’d been homeschooled by his mother, mostly. Although his father did take him out to the shop to help with things, mostly things like sharpening plows, or oiling some of the old tools and machines. There were other things he learned from dad, one was math. He liked it and had a knack for it. His mother taught him reading and writing. He’d spend hours making long loopy letters, being careful to stay between the lines. She said it was important for him to practice since he was young. “Fine motor skills develop in childhood,” she’d said. That’s also why he practiced piano every day, even though he wasn’t very good at it. She wanted him to read music, and to learn to sing. He did enjoy singing, especially singing with the kids at church. They were learning parts.
But by far Johnny’s favorite subject was science, and again dad helped him mostly with that. The conversation had mostly to do with that. That, and the back of the shop, the part that stayed locked.
“You’re not ready for what’s in there yet,” his dad had said. But the conversation made it seem like that was about to change.
Labor Day finally came and went, and baseball season was in the final stretch. They’d even gone to see the Mudhens the night before as a special treat. And on Tuesday, after his chores were done, he had breakfast with mom, dad, and his two kid-brothers. Mom made waffles, his favorite. But she looked sad, and everyone could tell something wasn’t right. His brothers usually fought over the last waffle but they let him have it this time without any fuss. Mom and dad didn’t look at each other much. But at last dad looked at the clock, it was getting close to 9:00. He got up and said, “Let’s get going.” Johnny looked at his mom, but she was looking down, and he thought he heard her sniffle. Then she left quickly.
He wanted to follow her, but dad was waiting. His face was set, and Johnny knew the look. He’d better not ask anything.
As they walked to the shop, they went around the barn, which was mostly empty since he’d let the animals out to graze earlier. He could see Maestro out in the pasture with some of the goats. Things were so quiet the crunch of their boots on the gravel path seemed louder than it should.
When Dad turned on the light in the shop the florescent tubes buzzed on and a light blue spilled over everything; old benches, and old tools were strewn everywhere and the room smelled of old wood, and oiled metal. They wound their way to the back and came to a door.
Johnny had never been on the other side of it. And dad only went in a few times a week. He’d seen the light coming from under it, and he knew dad was working on something behind it when the light was on, but he’d never actually seen dad go in or out. That’s why the electronic lock when it came on surprised him a little. It lit up when dad put his thumb on it. Then the latch clicked, and the door swung inward. Lights came on, not like the florescent lights. The room itself seemed to radiate from all directions. Then his father stepped through, and Johnny followed. They went back in time, although Johnny didn’t understand that yet. And they were greeted by electronic voices Johnny had never even dreamed of hearing. What he saw when his eyes adjusted at last made him catch his breath.
So, what does Johnny see, and where does the story go from here?
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to C. R. Wiley to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.