October 22, 1988

8 days remaining

The air was getting drier, more snappish. The green of the lawns in their neighbourhood was fading, replaced with the more seasonal crimson and bronze. The skies were darkening sooner and sooner. Shadows coming early. As if the world was getting ready to close its eyes and sleep forever.

Donnie and his father were up at eleven, raking leaves onto a large tarp. They had to hurry, or the next gust of wind would undo all their work. Donnie scraped furiously at the ground, working up a sweat. Eddie watched him curiously from the corner of his eye. His son was filling out nicely. A little on the thin side, but no wimp. Be quite a package for the young ladies. He grinned to himself, recalling fond memories of meeting Rose for the first time. Woodstock, barefoot in the mud, smoking...

"I know everyone thinks I'm a nutcase."

Eddie stopped raking.

"I've been getting a lot of weird looks from people lately." Donnie had stopped too, back to his father, staring at the side of the house.

Eddie dropped his rake. "Who's been giving you weird looks?"

Voice a careful monotone. "A lot of people. Teachers. Younger kids. It's like they're afraid of me for some reason." Deep breath. "But that's okay. I know I deserve it."

Eddie tread cautiously through the grass, one hand hovering over his son's hunched shoulders. Tried to think of something meaningful to say. "You're my only son-"

"I know, Dad." Neither of them sounded especially convinced. Eddie sighed, stopped trying to think. Just opened his mouth and let words come out. "I know I'm not the best... communicator."

Donnie listened.

"But whatever happens in your life... Whatever obstacles you come up against... You just say and do whatever is in your heart." Eddie nodded with real conviction. "You be honest and tell the truth, even if they look at you funny. And they will. They'll tell you that you're wrong. They'll call you a fool.

"But what you've got to understand, son, is that almost all of those people are full of bullshit. They're scared of people like you. Because you're smarter than all of them."

Donnie smiled.

Elizabeth lay on the couch; bored, as they say, out of her gourd. Out the window, Donnie and Eddie were raking leaves in the yard. Having some kind of man-to-man talk. She clicked on the news, expecting to hear more about what the FAA weren't telling anyone and whether safety regulations for commercial airplane assemblies was going to skyrocket. Instead, the screen popped onto an image of a man being led into a police cruiser. The location in the background looked familiar. Elizabeth listened for a few moments, then froze.

"Oh my God!"

Donnie had just entered he room. Sat on the couch next to her. "What's up?" He caught the newscast, leaned forward, listening intensely.

"...The blaze was extinguished sometime after 8:00 last night. Now fire-fighters have discovered what has been referred to as a 'kiddie porn dungeon' hidden behind a scorched canvas oil painting in the main hall.

"...Cunningham, who has become a recent celebrity for his books and motivational tapes, was arrested early this morning at the Sarasota Heights Country Club. Arson has not been ruled out as part of the cause of the fire. A group of Cunning Vision employees lead by self-proclaimed leader..."

Donnie's skin drained of colour. Elizabeth shook her head in amazement. "Oh my God. Dad played golf with that guy."

"...vehemently denied the alleged link to a child pornography publishing circuit. In a vicious statement, Cunningham attacked the Middlesex Fire Department officials, claiming a vast conspiracy..."