Writing for Fun
January 2016
The Vanishing - Bob Wendelkin
'Oh, Tony, I feel so depressed. What are we going to do with the baby on the way, how will we manage?' asked Jenny of her husband, with a serious choke in her voice.
'Don't worry, love, you are bound to feel down at the moment in your condition. I understand it's quite common. We will manage just as thousands of other people have done in the past,' replied Tony as he placed his arms around his wife and gave her a very gentle kiss on the cheek.
'I know we will but that doesn't stop me from worrying. I know our parents will help if we really need it,' said Jenny.
'We won't, we will manage, it's only a question of money, so I must get onto work or I'll be late as the traffic these days seems to be getting worse. Bye love,' said Tony as he left the flat.
Tony went downstairs and got into his car and started his journey. His mind was on what his Jenny was worried about so much so he didn't see the big lorry bearing down on him; before he could react the lorry had smashed into his car. All Tony saw was a flash of white light.
Everything seemed to stop; Tony was held in suspension. Clouds swirled around; the car in which he had been travelling was no longer there. He felt himself being lifted and rising up.
'I think he's gone,' said one of the fireman as they cut the roof off the wrecked car.
'He's beyond any help we can give him,' said a rescue fireman.
'It's one for the coroners court now,' replied one of the Policemen as he tried to get the traffic flowing.
What are they talking about, said Tony to himself, can't they see I'm still here? funny though how did I get out of the car?
Just then out of the crowd a disembodied voice spoke to him. 'You had better come with me, you are no longer required here, you have business in another place.'
'Who said that?' asked Tony.
'I did. I'm to collect you, we are going to the receiving centre for the newly departed,' replied the voice.
'You mean I'm . . .?'
'Exactly, now we go, I have to deliver you.'
Tony felt himself drifting upwards at an accelerating speed; finally the clouds began to clear and he found himself in a queue with other people waiting to go to a desk where a clerk was greeting the individuals. Some of whom were directed to the right with smiles on their faces others were pulled to the left with tears running down their face. Finally it came to Tony's turn.
'Name?' asked the desk clerk.
'Anthony James Lucas,' was Tony's reply as he began to become aware of exactly what this place was about.
The clerk shuffled though the files on his desk and looked at the computer display. 'You sure of your name? because you're not on today's list,' said the clerk as he became a little uneasy, as he was not used to dealing with an unauthorised attendee.
'Of course I'm certain of my name, I'm Anthony James Lucas, I was christened Anthony James Lucas, I'm Anthony James Lucas,' said Tony with an edge to his voice.
The clerk, uncertain of what to do next, should he send Tony to the left or to the right. Before he could say any more the supervisor came up behind him.
'What's wrong?' he asked.
'He's not on today's list, and I don't know what to do,' replied the clerk.
'You had better come with me,' said the supervisor to Tony.
He led Tony into a side office and sat behind his desk. 'This shouldn't take long to sort out; this sometimes happens if the records are not updated and the clerks are working with old information. Now let me see.'
The supervisor called on his computer screen Tony's details. 'When were you born?'
Tony gave him his birth date.
'Are you sure?' as he viewed the results on the screen. 'Well according to our records you are not due to arrive for another 57 years. What are you doing here now?' in a manner that seemed to imply that it was Tony's fault he was here.
'You have upset the system you should have refused to come. You don't realise the amount of paperwork involved in trying to put this right, plus the embarrassment to those concerned. Let me see, who brought you here? Oh, it's him, he's new to the job, he should have checked in before he collected you.'
The supervisor then scrolled thought the workload for the collector, only to find that he was at the scene to collect another individual; when he saw you so he thought you were the one.
'Well I want to go back as my Jenny needs me; our first child is on the way and she needs me . . . they need me,' said Tony with a definite hardness in his voice.
'It's not as easy as that, if we send you back it's almost like admitting a mistake, and we don't make mistakes. It's your fault anyway, you shouldn't have come,' replied the supervisor.
'I want to see your boss, now!'
'Well he's quite busy at the moment, can I sort you out? can I send you straight to the right?' said the supervisor trying to stop the matter going to higher authority.
'No you bloody well can't, I want to go back to my Jenny, not to some place you have on the right.'
'It's very nice on the right,' said the supervisor.
'I want to see the boss, now!' shouted Tony.
The Supervisor had been having problems and the last thing he wanted was to be reported to the boss.
'Look I can send you back, but only for a limited time, otherwise you will have to go to the holding area until a court ruling can be obtained,' bluffed the supervisor.
'How long will that take? My Jenny needs me now,' replied Tony, seeing that there was some light in the tunnel.
'Well the court sits about every 500 years and you have just missed the last one,' continued the Supervisor with his bluff.
'If I went back now how long would I have?' asked Tony.
'I should think I can allow you 2 years, as it was your fault, then we call you back,' replied the supervisor feeling he was onto a winner.
'Okay I'll have to take it.'
Before he could say any more Tony found himself back in his car. He saw the lorry coming towards him but he was able to brake and pull the car up onto the pavement, the lorry rushed by and collided with the car that was following Tony's. Tony turned his head to see the driver being escorted out of the smashed car by the Collector. As they drifted passed Tony the Collector smiled at Tony and mouthed, 'I've got the right one this time.' With that the pair of them vanished.
Tony was very shaken and decided that he wouldn't go to work today as time was now very precious and he wanted to be with his Jenny. As soon as it was clear Tony returned to the flat.
'Jenny, I'm back,' shouted Tony as soon as he entered his flat.
'Oh, Tony, I need you, it's almost fate. It's started,' said Jenny, standing at the door with her hands on her hips.
'Right let's get you to the Hospital, I'll get your bag.'
The two of them got into their car and drove to the maternity home. Although it was Jenny's first, very soon she had a little baby girl.
Tony held their baby and put his arms around his Jenny and whispered into her ear, 'This is the happiest moment of my life; I have the two things I most treasure you and our little girl. Whatever happens in the future I want you to remember this moment.'
The three settled into a family life routine and the little girl grew and almost overnight they were celebrating the little girl's first birthday.
'Jenny, I don't know how many birthdays I'll share with you and our little one; I have a feeling that I'll have to leave you soon.'
'Don't be silly,' said Jenny with a look of concern on her face as she could see that Tony was being serious.
'No, Jenny, I feel I'll not be here for her second birthday. I've made special provision for you I've taken out a large insurance policy and as an extra I've bought you a lottery ticket, as I know the numbers; that I'm certain will provide for your financial requirements for the rest of your life.'
'You're not sick are you?' asked Jenny.
'No, but I'll be taken away from you. I can't tell how I know, you wouldn't believe me, but just trust me. Now let's get on with our lives.'
The time passed, then one night the two of them were watching the TV. The baby started to cry and Jenny got up and went into her bedroom.
The picture on the TV changed into one that Tony recognised and the face of the Collector was before him, telling it was time.
'Can I have just a few minutes more to say my good-bye to Jenny?'
'Yes, of course you can, but only a few minutes.'
Jenny came back into the room and Tony stood. 'Remember this, I love you so very much. I must leave you now.'
His shade arose from his body. To Jenny he mouthed, 'I love you very much,' and he began to fade and finally he vanished. Slumped in the chair was Tony's lifeless body with a smile on his face as if he had achieved all that he could achieve.