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Oct-24-2009 18:47

October 24, 1938- Heimlich VonVIctor felt a chill run down his spine. Autumn always had that effect on him. He looked up at the multitude of colors adorning the trees and placed his hands in his coat pockets. The pungent aroma in the air told him that, somewhere, leaves were being burnt. He took a deep breath and looked down, to the place he had visited as many times as he could in the past two years. The cold hard stone hadn’t changed a bit, and never would. It would always be a testament to the man resting under it.

RICHARD CAMBRIDGE
FEBRUARY 10, 1892-
JUNE 15, 1936
“Justice for all. Above all else.”

He took a deep sigh. He never left anything behind, nor did he suspect that Richard would want anything left for him. He leaned down and placed his hand on the stone, “I’m doing alright Richard. Eric and I started up another agency. We’re doing it right this time, and Sergei is getting better at English every day. He’s even solving cases now; you wouldn’t believe how well he’s doing.”

“Excuse me, detective VonVictor?” a voice called behind him

Heim whirled around to find himself face to face with a young uniformed officer, “What do you want?” he demanded, “Can’t you see I’m in a cemetery?”

“Yes sir,” he responded, “and I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but I’ve been asked to fetch you right away, it’s a matter of life and death!”

Heimlich let out a sigh, and leaned down to touch the stone again, “It never ends Richard, it never ends. I have to go now, but I’ll be back real soon.”

May-26-2010 14:47

"Gonzales," Hollis said, his voice quavering, "yeah I'm here... I'm... uh... I'm going to think about it before I... I decide how to proceed... yeah don't... don't do anything yet... goodbye." Hollis hung up the phone and put his hands on his head, "Oh God," he pleaded, "please don't kill me. I can give you whatever you want. The combination to the safe is my son's birthdate."

"You cocky son of a bitch!" the figure yelled as it spun him around and pressed the gun to his forehead. Hollis looked into the face of the man holding him at gunpoint, he was dressed in a full police uniform.

"Eric Marvington?" he asked, "You're not a police officer anymore! How the hell did you get in here?"

Eric smiled. "Heh," he chuckled, "turns out that Steele wasn't exactly lying when he said the guards were there for your protection, because I don't think you're going to try to leave, but I think there are plenty of people who want to see you dead. I guess they didn't train the guard very well though, because he didn't think anything of a man in a police uniform that he had never seen before walking the grounds."

"What do you want from me?" Hollis demanded, "I've already resigned and agreed to be a prisoner for the next year. I have given up all of my power. Have you come here to finally claim my life?"

"No," Eric said with a smile, "as justified as it would be in you losing it, it would be justified for me to take it. I've come to inform you that I intend to allow you to serve out your sentence."

"Allow me to?" Hollis scoffed, "There's a laugh! In return for this supposed generosity, what are you expecting from me?"

May-26-2010 14:52

"My friends are but people Mr. Hollis," Eric replied, "they hold no power individually, but together they are virtually invincible. Do you realize how many have tried to kill us and failed? Do you realize how many have paid for it with their own lives? So my message is indeed twofold. I also come here bearing warning, that if any harm comes to my friends, and your hand is involved, no matter what kind of deal you cut yourself, no matter where they put you, no matter how well guarded it is, I will find you, and I will come to claim your life."

Hollis laughed and pushed the gun away from his forehead. "And what makes you think that you won't be the first one to go down Mr. Marvington?" he asked.

Eric stared Hollis dead in the eyes and without emotion said, "Because if you even tried, you would be dead before you even finished putting the hit out on me." Keeping his gun trained on him, he slowly backed out the door, and he was gone.

Oct-9-2010 20:22

“Mama?” Josèe whined as Anais held her snugly against her, “Could you stop squeezing me so hard? I can’t breathe!”

Anais looked down at her daughter, “I’m sorry sweetie,” she said as she loosened her grip. “It’s just I’m so glad to have you back, safe and sound.”

“I know Mummy. I was really, really, really scared. But I knew you and Daddy and everybody would find us and save us,” She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. “And you did!”

“Yes, we did,” Anais smiled, “How could we not have?”

They sat in silence for a while, holding on to each other and listening to the traffic whiz below them.

“Josèe?” Anais asked suddenly.

Josèe looked up into her mother’s worried eyes. “What?”

“Josèe? I think, and your Daddy agrees with me, that homeschooling isn’t practical for much longer. You need to meet more girls you age and learn more than how to survive. I want to make sure you’re safe, sweetheart, and we don’t live in one place long enough for you to attend public school, and I don’t want anyone to use you to get to me or your father ever again. You’ll be safe at a boarding school.”

“But Mama! I want to stay with you! I don’t want to go away!” Josèe cried.

Just then, the lock clicked and the door eased open to reveal Joseph. “How is my girl?” he asked, unsuccessfully trying not to look at Anais.

“What is it?” Anais snapped as she let Josèe run to her father.

“Later, Anais. Ask Heim about it. He’ll explain,” Joseph replied as he bent over to twirl his daughter in a circle.

“Daddy? Mummy says I have to go to boarding school,” Josèe pouted. “I don’t wanna!”

Joseph looked at Anais. “I already tried to explain, it’s your turn, Joseph. Mind if I go out? I have some stuff I need to do.”

Oct-12-2010 15:32

Josée’s words haunted Anais as she left to sort things out. “Mama? You aren’t gonna die on me again, are you?”

She had died. Anais knew it. She had seen her Freddie, holding their nine year old son by the hand. Nine years. It seemed like a whole other lifetime. Tears streamed down her face as she let memories flood her. She sat on the ground, leaning against a building, not knowing where she was. The pain in her heart grew when she realized she had never visited her husband or son’s grave. Never. Ralph hadn’t taken her fearing what would happen to her in her weakened state, and before she could go alone, her sister, Lisette, had written her. She had to say her goodbyes. Anais checked her pocket book, her change purse, and the other areas she always had cash hidden and found there was enough for a trip.

Without a thought, she walked to the train station, and bought the first ticket available to Chicago.

Oct-12-2010 15:36

Chicago


On wobbly legs, Anais Nin, formerly Mrs. Alfred Nowicki, stepped off the train into Union Station. She had met him here, here in this station, all alone. She was all alone now, but he wasn’t here to rescue her from the loneliness of life again.

“Freddie,” she whispered, on a moan as she fought back the tears.

It was early morning now. She had ridden through the night, not a though of her daughter or friends entering her mind. Only Freddie and the son she had felt grow, kick, and squirm inside her were in her mind.

She flagged down the first cab she saw, and gave an address on the South Side.

Ralph opened the door, shocked to see her face. “Ana?” he cried, “What are you doing here?”

She shoved past him, into the living room she had sat in so many times with Freddie.

“Ralph,” Anais said in a quiet, choked voice. “Do you realize I’ve been a widow for nine years, and I still haven’t visited my husband’s grave? That I don’t ever know where he’s buried? Or my son?”

“Ana,” Ralph opened his arms, and Anais fell into them sobbing. “I miss them too, sister dear. I miss them too.”

“Fred and Freddie Jr. are buried in the same casket. They’re together.”

Watery eyes met the compassionate ones as Ana asked, “Where?”


The Cemetery

A cool drizzle had begun halfway to the cemetery. Ralph drove in silence, with frequent glances at his
sister-in-law. Anais stared out the window, not even noticing the tears rolling down her cheeks, arms holding her stomach, an innocent, unconscious protection of the babe she had lost all those years ago.
Entering the tall, black wrought iron gates, Anais shivered. Ralph navigated the narrow twisty roads, making so many turns.

Ana wondered if they would ever arrive.

Ralph finally pulled over, got out, and helped Ana out.

“This way,” he said gently, steering her into the rows of once white stones.

She saw it then halfway down. She ran toward it and fell on the ground, sobbing.

Oct-12-2010 15:37

“Freddie, my baby, Freddie, my babe,” she cried over and over as Ralph tried to get her to sit.

The tombstone read:

“Alfred P. Nowicki
Police Officer
Husband
Brother
Friend
“Alfred P. Nowicki Jr.
Loved,
And
Born to
Eternal Life
“Ana N. Nowicki
Wife
Sister
Friend.”

“He asked me to give you this when I took you to his grave. He wrote it a year before, well, before it happened. Before your son. He always thought he would die before you. He was right,“ Ralph handed Anais a sealed yellowed envelope with “My Darling Ana” scrawled in his still familiar handwriting.

The rain stopped as she opened the letter.

Oct-12-2010 15:55

Ana read, tears picking up where the rain left off, feeling her Freddie’s arms around her as she read. His words soothed her, comforted her, and made her laugh and cry. He told her that he knew he would die before she did, and that he loved her always, but that he wanted her live her life. Freddie’s spirit surrounded Ana as she remembered one of the things she had always loved most about him- his never wavering faith in her.

Ralph stood by, aching at her pain and his. When Ana finally looked up at him, he went to her, holding her tightly.

“I’ve missed you, Ana. You are all the family I have left, you know. Why not move back here? You can stay with me while you look for a place, and-“

Ana cut him off. “Ralph, I can’t. I’ve made a new life for myself. I came back to say goodbye. To let myself stop mourning Fred and the baby so much. It’s been killing me. Come back to New York with me, Ralph. Please?”

Oct-12-2010 16:21

“Daddy? Where is Mama?” Josèe asked plaintively as Joseph paced the front room of Anais’ apartment.

Joseph turned worried eyes to his daughter. “I don’t know. I just don’t know. Let’s go visit Uncle Heimlich, how does that sound, Josèe?”

“But I want Mummy! She promised she wouldn’t die on me again! What if she broke her promise? I don’t want her to be dead, Daddy! I want Mummy!!!” Josèe wailed as Joseph uncomfortably took her into his arms, praying she would stop crying. He didn’t know how to deal with grown women’s tears, let alone his pixie sized daughter’s! He called every member of the group, but no one answered the phone. How could he go look for Anais if he was taking care of Josèe? He wasn’t about to leave her with someone other than himself, Anais, or Heimlich…

Jan-2-2011 17:25

"What? What? What? Me!" Heimlich shouted.

"It's just for a little bit Heimlich." Joseph pleaded, "Let her play with Valerie and enjoy the party, but I just can't look at her anymore with Anais missing. You owe me that much." Without another word, he turned and left.

Heimlich sighed and bent down. "Well Miss Josèe Nin, do you like board games?" he asked with a smile. Josèe nodded, but looked back nervously for Joseph.

"Well have I got a surprise for you then!" Heimlich said with a wink and a smile, "Your daddy bought me a new board game called Monopoly for my birthday last year. Would you like to play with Valerie and me?"

Josèe nodded enthusiastically. "Yes please!" she said with a giggle and ran inside to find Valerie.

Heimlich sighed. "Joseph Zeo," he said, "I may have owed you one, but now you owe me one."

Jan-2-2011 17:49

She sat alone, in silence, as the train rumbled its way through the night back to New York. She was lost in memories, good ones. She remembered how giddy she had been on their wedding day. The times when they had been so carefree. She smiled when she thought of how he would whisk her up in his arms and dance around the kitchen while she was trying to cook dinner. The smiles, the laughs, the excitement, and the joy stayed with her. The despair, anger, helplessness, and pain were left behind. She would never return.