Wearing a suit while grasping both his bicycle's handlebar and his father's briefcase in his left hand, Charles peddled towards Cathy's Snack Shop to meet his comrades. With summer making way for autumn within a few weeks, the sun's early descent beyond the horizon came slightly earlier each day. He pondered the notion that, if he lived just a little to the west, sunset would come even earlier. With Indiana in the Central Time Zone, people there did not adjust their clocks. His thoughts on the topic probably would have been more acute if Charles had lived in Eaton, just over in Preble County.
Wherever he placed himself in such alternative scenarios, people in Indiana, or even as close as Eaton, did not experience what happened in Lillian. Looking at some of the remaining burned out residences near the downtown area, Charles knew that his family was lucky. The Air Force "clean-up" team had not ventured into their neighborhood. If they had, the Kaznyks and everyone nearby would have gotten renovations, and even brand-new houses, courtesy of a subcontractor of some Japanese company. Some of the houses a few blocks from Alice's place were among the most heavily hit, many obliterated by fires that were started by artillery used against the creature. Although it made more sense to work on those places right away, reconstruction of that area had only started more recently, with residents remaining in unoccupied school gymnasiums throughout the summer.
Many of the buildings in the downtown area looked as they had before, albeit with a newer sheen and some signs of renovation. Since a large piece of plywood covered the window where Charles and his friends sat at Cathy's, he could not ascertain who had arrived yet. After leaning his bike against the plywood, he walked into the restaurant. He noticed Cary, already in possession of a plate of fries.
Cary regarded Charles as he walked towards the table, "Hey, Chompers. Gimme some," Charles said, settling across from Cary and grabbing a fry.
"Hey, you brute! Order your own. Is that why you wanted to meet with us? To take all our fries?"
"No," Charles replied defensively. "Besides, it looks like you're doing a pretty good job all by yourself."
As Charles took another fry, Cary said, "I was trying to finish before you got here."
"You're gonna get fat eating these." Charles grabbed two more.
"You're one to worry."
"Hey. How are you gonna to maintain your girlish figure?"
"Shut up!"
"I'm already a lost cause," Charles pointed out sardonically.
"And what's with the fancy outfit? You're a bit overdressed for chomping down fries."
Charles heard a familiar voice behind him. "What are you two bickering about?"
Charles turned around, regarding Martin as he limped towards the table. "I'm making sure Chompers here doesn't get fat, in case he needs to run away from setting Lillian on fire."
Edging himself into the booth, Martin said, "That's not funny."
"Oh, so what are you, Steve Martin?" Cary asked. "Or is that Steve Smartin, Smartin?"
"God, that's annoying," Martin moaned. "Why do you keep calling me that? And with my leg."
"Oh, so we can't make fun of you because of your leg?" Cary asked.
"We're not making fun of your leg, four eyes" Charles said. "It's fat-kid-in-the-running, running away from setting fires."
"What is this?" Martin asked. "A celebrity roast?"
"You could say that," Charles replied.
"Then if I'm Smartin Martin, he's Cary…"
"I know what you're gonna say, and it takes one to know one," Cary replied.
Charles waited for another spastic statement from Martin, but noticed that both he and Cary were looking towards the entrance. Turning around, he saw Alice and Joe, holding hands as they walked towards the table.
"Hey, what's going on?" Joe asked. "You aren't usually this quiet."
Alice took a seat next to Charles, with Joe on her opposite side. They resumed holding hands as Martin said, "We were just figuring out what to eat."
"Why aren't you looking at the menus?" Alice asked.
"I'm the one with all the golden wealth," Cary said, pointing towards his fries. "Right here for the taking, or so Charles thinks."
In an attempt at politeness, Charles frantically grabbed the menus behind the napkin dispenser. He distributed them to Martin, Joe, and Alice. "Here. I think Cary can manage on his own."
"I'm getting full," Cary proclaimed. "Anybody want these? Joe?"
Regarding Alice, Joe said, "We're sharing. Something."
"Like an old married couple," Cary said, shaking his head. "Taking advantage of the senior special?"
"Why didn't you offer them to me?" Charles asked.
"Because one of them is cuter than you," Cary replied.
With a nameplate that read "Donna," a slim waitress in her mid-thirties wandered towards the table. Standing next to Martin, she asked in a slightly husky voice, "Hey, kids. Can I get you something to drink while you look at your menus?
"Coffee," Charles said quickly.
Cary and Martin looked at him skeptically.
Regarding Martin, she asked, "What about you, hon?"
"Coke."
"And for the lovely couple?"
Alice smiled, "We'd like a large vanilla shake. Two straws."
"Of course." Donna nodded with a sad smirk. "And how are we splitting the check?"
"Oh! It's all on me," Charles said. Pointing at Cary, he added, "Including Chompers here."
"I'll get those right away," she said, leaving the table.
"What was that?" Cary asked. "You feel bad about taking my fries?"
"Hey, it only seemed right, considering what we're here for."
"Is this all some kind of joke? Like ordering coffee?"
"I think 'affectation' is a better word," Martin pointed out.
"Why so dapper, Charles?" Alice asked. "And with the briefcase?"
"Oh, yeah. That's why I called you all here. Some news about The Case." Setting the briefcase on the table, he opened it with a flourish, pulling out the envelope and letter from the Cleveland International Super 8 Film Festival.
"That's why you brought a briefcase? Just to carry a letter?" Joe asked.
"Read it," Charles said, pointing at the envelope. "You see the certified markings and who it's from? That's why I carried it in the briefcase. It's that important."
Collectively taking in the return address, the gang sat quietly for a few seconds.
"And now, to read the letter."
"You mean we won?" Martin asked.
Charles unfolded the letter. "You'll find out."
"Shouldn't we wait for Preston?" Alice asked. "I'm sure he'd want to hear."
"I, uh… I couldn't get a hold of him," Charles replied. "No one must be home. I tried him probably 10 times before I gave up."
Donna arrived with Martin's Coke and Charles' coffee, with the milkshake still being made.
"You should try him again," Martin said, indicating the pay phone near the restrooms.
As he grabbed a sweetener packet from the small box next to the napkin dispenser, Charles said, "It's getting late, and I don't want to disturb his parents."
"That stuff causes cancer in lab rats," Cary mentioned.
Stirring his coffee, Charles said, "Yeah. In, what, like 30 years if you have it every day? Get back with me on that in 2009." He took a sip, involuntarily scrunching his face.
"Why don't you get a Coke or milkshake, like normal people," Martin asked.
"Just needs another sweetener," Charles replied. "Besides," he added, stirring in another one, "normal adults drink coffee."
"Get back with me in 1994," Cary said.
Donna arrived with Alice and Joe's milkshake. As they thanked her, Martin asked, "When are you going to try Preston?"
"Hey, paying for you guys takes up half my allowance for this week. Besides, what is he, your boyfriend now?"
"Like that'd happen," Cary commented.
Martin reached in his pocket, handing a quarter to Charles. "C'mon. Call him."
Charles took another sip, his face scrunching slightly less than before. "Ahhhh. Just right," he proclaimed, before turning back to Martin. "Look, I already tried calling him. Besides, he didn't come with us to…" He paused, remembering that Alice was there, sitting next to him. "To film that one scene. With the… the zombie."
"You didn't call him, did you?" Alice asked.
"Yes," Charles replied.
"Yes you did, or yes you didn't?" Joe asked.
"C'mon, does it matter? He'll find out anyway."
"Charles, I'm not mad at him for not coming with you guys to find me," Alice said.
"Alice. I didn't say that," Charles responded defensively.
"No, but I know what you're referring to. Besides, if it wasn't for him, my dad and Joe's dad wouldn't have known to come back here to look for us."
"Let it go, Charles," Martin added.
"I can't believe this," Charles said, taking another sip of coffee. "And you got your leg broken. It should've been Preston."
"And if I had stayed in the evacuation shelter, what would you be saying to Preston right now?" Martin asked.
"But that isn't right now."
"We were able to do everything without him, Charles," Cary pointed out. "Besides, I had the firecrackers."
Charles felt his heart racing, and he had only had a few sips of coffee. "I don't care about the freakin' firecrackers! Are you guys all against me now? Even with what I was going to tell you?"
"Charles. It's okay." Alice placed her hand on his shoulder. "Give Preston a call."
Turning towards Alice, Charles found himself looking into her clear blue eyes. The almost preternatural serenity he had noticed several months ago when casting The Case now focused on him.
"Please?" Alice asked. "He made his own contributions to the movie, and it wouldn't be much of a celebration without him."
The usual resentment that accompanied any thoughts about Preston seemed to dissolve from Charles, his attention focused on Alice's face.
"I was just thinking about you guys," Charles said weakly.
"I know," Alice said. "But this is what we want."
Charles reached for the quarter and stood up. "All right. I'll try to get a hold of him. Maybe he's home." As he walked away, he felt Alice rub his back quickly, but gently.
"How'd you do that?" he heard Cary ask. "He usually wears himself down before…"
The conversation at his table merged into the general din of the diner. After picking up the phone receiver and dialing the number for Preston's house, Charles turned around. For a brief moment, he caught a glimpse of Joe looking blankly at him. Charles exchanged a quick glance with Joe, then turned to face the entrance to the restroom area.
Someone picked up the receiver on the other end. "Hello?" a familiar voice asked.
"Hey. Preston? It's Charles. Come to Cathy's Snack Shop right away. I have some good news."
