Goshen's Watch

Chapter 1

Night was fast approaching as the man stumbled from his late-model sports car, where it had come to rest at the bottom of a lengthy but shallow embankment. The bumper and front tires had sunk into the soggy edge of the swamp.

Damn! He exclaimed as he hurled an empty liquor bottle into Goshen’s recesses. The bottle made contact with water somewhere beneath the mist with an ominous splash. The state of the car did not seem to bother him as much as the inconvenience of the situation. He staggered back a couple of steps and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Once he had removed the remaining cigarette he tossed the empty pack after the bottle. He dug into his pockets for a crumpled book of matches and filled his lungs with the calming smoke. The car was stuck. He studied it until the match flame reached his fingertips and he flung it into the grass with a shriek. In a matter of minutes the cigarette was spent and he tossed it into the dry grass at his feet. He laughed sarcastically as he watched it bloom into a small fire.

Burn you! Burn the whole damn thing.

He turned toward the road and looked both ways. The town was small, the road not well traveled. It could be hours before another car would pass. For a moment his actions were easy, as though in slow motion. Then he whirled about, defiantly facing Goshen Swamp, and shook his fist.

If the forces that be would let me, I would fill you with concrete and turn you into a parking lot for a shopping mall! he shouted at the dark alcove.

An eerie silence answered him. It seemed as though nothing else existed but the man and the foreboding darkness of the swamp.

Frustrated by his tiresome situation, he turned his attention back to the roadway. There was no sign of any approaching vehicle from either direction.

Unbeknownst to the man, a delicate wisp of vapor exuded from the depths, caressed the tiny patch of fire and it went out. The man’s attentions were elsewhere and he did not notice as the mist curled lazily over his shoes. As though with a mind of its own, it rose higher up his legs. He seemed lulled into complacency. Then the thought occurred to him that his cell phone had been casually tossed on the passenger seat. He smiled, determining that the phone was his best option; however, for a few brief moments he stood still. When he did, finally, attempt to move he suddenly became aware of a sharp pain in his hands. The mist was now, almost to his shoulders and as it touched the exposed skin it burned like fire. His scream was cut off in mid-shriek by unconsciousness, but his body never touched the ground. It was totally consumed, no clothing or bones remained. The vapor settled itself back to the ground and lay like a delicate blanket on the grass. A sudden thud signaled the close of the car’s door and the evening sounds resumed.

Chapter 2

The quiet darkness was suddenly pierced by the bedside alarm. Although it was turned to a radio station, the intensity and abruptness caused Kayle and me both to sit upright. Kayle groaned and lay back on the bed. I struggled to fathom the reason for so early an alarm. Today was the Fayetteville trip. Postal Service Sales Associates were required, periodically, to attend update classes whenever new services, trends, advances or equipment were implemented. I dragged myself from the bed and tried to coax myself in conscientiousness, while Kayle enticed Bugger, the cat, to move so he could get up.

As he did every morning, Kayle turned on the coffeepot and set out the cereal bowls in the kitchen. He turned on the television and snoozed in his recliner until I had showered and dressed. Because of our varied schedules breakfast was our best time of the day to catch up on our plans and experiences.

I stumbled down the stairs and peered into the family room.

Wake up sleepy head! I called in the cheeriest voice that I could muster.

It’s too early! he laughed.

I slipped into the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee. The morning shower had done little to make me attentive. I positioned myself in the sturdy kitchen chair, sipped my hot beverage, and blinked sleepily at Kayle, across the table.

I really don’t want to do this, I moaned. Why don’t I go to the hardware store and you go to Fayetteville? Or better yet, let’s go back to bed and pretend it’s Saturday.

Okay, Kayle chuckled. I’ll go to Fayetteville and pretend I understand what is being said and you go to the store and enter the new inventory into the computer.

Sounds like we both have really fun days planned, I smiled.

We cleared the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Our routine never varied, even when the time schedules did. Then while I prepared my makeup at the dresser, Kayle dressed for work. This morning, I would leave much earlier than he because my trip would require an hour and a half drive.

We said goodbye at the door and I was on my way. The morning was cool and wisps of fog painted the ground. As I traveled down the winding, desolate road that skirted the outer edges of Goshen Swamp, the first splashes of dawn played tricks with the shadows of trees and glistened off small pools beside the road. Then, just as I rounded a curve, the sight of a tow truck by the side of the road startled me back to reality. I hit the brakes and swerved. Glancing back in the mirror, I observed several men attempting to dislodge a vehicle from the swampy edge. It was quite obvious that my help was not needed. With but a moment of pity for the unfortunate owner, I thought little more of the incident and proceeded on my way.

The class was only two hours long, but it provided me with some valuable insights. By the time it ended, I was thoroughly motivated and anxious to try my new skills. I realized that I was hungry, too. I drove to the first convenient fast food restaurant and purchased a special and a soda. As I settled into a seat by the window, I decided to give Kayle a call. I slipped out my cell phone and called the house.

Hey, hon, did you just get home? I asked.

Yeah, Kayle answered. Had to get away from the store for a few minutes. The moon must be full. We’ve had some of the strangest customers today. With that on top of inventory, I just needed a break."

Sure hope the rest of the day will go better for you. I said. I’m on my way back and decided to stop for lunch.

How was class? he asked.

It was very interesting, for a change, I responded.

That’s great! Well, be careful and I’ll see you soon. Oh, by the way, what do you want for dinner?

How about taking some meat out of the freezer? I’ve got vegetables in the refrigerator. That is unless you had something else planned. I said with a smile.

I’ll take something out now, Kayle replied. Love you.

Love you, too.

I dropped the cell phone into my purse and returned to my lunch. As I gazed out of the restaurant window at the traffic, my thoughts drifted from the ride home to the final office hours of the day, and then settled on the vehicle scene that I had witnessed in the early morning hours. I wondered who and where the driver was.

The drive back to Taverstown, was totally uneventful, which in most cases is a good thing.

Slowly, I pulled into my favorite space in the employee parking lot behind the building. With the coming of spring, the workload was getting somewhat lighter and I should have the chance to tell my co-worker what to expect from the class.

No sooner had I walked through the door, than Gil approached me with startling news.

You will never believe who has disappeared! he exclaimed. Orrin Ruban’s sports car was found in the swamp on Eastfield Road.

That was his car? I saw it this morning as I was leaving for class, but I thought his vehicle was blue, I responded.

Brand new. He just bought it. But no one has seen him. The car is at the police station, waiting to be claimed. Now he will be in a foul mood when he shows up, Gil said.

I shook my head in amazement as I pulled out my cash drawer to set up so Gil could go to lunch. I had forgotten all about updating him on the class.

That’s amazing that Orrin would ever walk away from his possessions, I mused.

Well, he did this time, Gil stated as he prepared to leave. See you shortly.

The mail carriers were on their delivery routes by the time I returned from class. The postmaster was also at lunch when Damon Lance came by. I had dealt with him before. As time passed, I had begun to sense that he carefully selected his arrival times, depending on whom he wanted to encounter (or torment).

Damon was evil personified to anyone whom he considered affluent, or better-off than he felt they should be. Shortly after I was hired, I learned about him the hard way. He demanded immediate attention and requested services, which were not typical, and those which he knew we were not supposed to perform. Gil said that Damon had never given him any problems, but he strongly suspected that ‘Damon might have a problem’. But then Gil had been in school with Damon and knew him before his disposition had changed. Gil didn’t say it in so many words but he inferred that Damon was decidedly more good-natured towards some people than he was towards others, meaning that Damon had a strong aversion to people whom he did not like, even to the point of harassment. Damon was smart in his own way. He generally only bothered people in the service profession. Those whom he knew had to cater to his whims. Carefully planned, his animosity emerged only at times when there were no other witnesses. At first I thought that I was the only one he had developed a dislike for, but I was wrong. There were others.

One such occurrence was at a convenience store, which resulted in an employee’s termination. Damon celebrated his victory over that one. Another happened at the grocery store. As for my situation, I kept our postmaster informed of his behavior after a couple of not-so-pleasant experiences. He was completely aware of the problem and kept careful