Garrett Grave walked briskly across the wooden planks of an old and battered pier. His breath created a small cloud of fog before him as the morning dew clung to the tips of his auburn hair. A man stood hunched over at the end of the pier, his forearms resting on the wooden beam railing which came only to his waist. Garrett wasn’t sure this was the man he was supposed to be meeting with, but no one else was around. Their only company was the seagulls and the sound of the waves lapping rhythmic against the rocks and wooden pillars.
Garrett approached the man’s left side slowly and realized the stranger was taller than he anticipated. The man turned as Garrett approached, his salt and pepper hair glistening from the moisture and the early rays of sunlight. Being just shy of six feet, Garrett never had the feeling of being short, but standing next to this man made him feel like a child. A child looking up into gray spheres desolate of all emotion. Garrett’s hands shook nervously as the man’s eyes gazed down at him. His eyes never diverted from the strangers, but every bone and muscle screamed at him to look away, to stand down and concede defeat.
“Thank you for meeting with me Garrett. My name is Charles Thomas and I am a researcher at Awaken with your father.”
“Him and I haven’t spoken in years. If he wants forgiveness he can drive the two hours and ask for it himself.”
“Sadly he is unable to make the trip. Which is the reason behind my visit. There was an incident at the lab and your father was one of three researchers who were harmed. He is in critical condition and the medical staff need a blood donor or his chances of living after the surgery are slim. According to our records, you share the same blood type as your father, making you the prime candidate for the transfusion.”
The waves no longer lapped at the rocks but now seemed to crash against the pillars. What was once calming and serene now held a sense of chaos and destruction. He hadn’t spoken to his father in years, ever since he received a new contract with the company Awaken. He would send money and buy the family expensive gifts and vacations, but no amount of money could replace their father. Father always argued that it was part of the responsibility of being a husband and a father, to provide for his family. Making sure that Serenity could attend the art university she always dreamed of and supplying mother with a house along the beach. What he didn’t see, what he failed to realize is even though we all wanted things, we desired his presence more than anything.
Garrett came back to the pier, knowing Mr. Thomas was here for an answer and not to gaze out at the ocean. “I’ll need time to think and gather information. Do you know the doctor that will be performing the surgery?”
Charles produced a blue file folder from the confines of his ash gray jacket and handed it to Garrett, “This file contains every bit of information you can think of requesting. I will need an answer in twenty-four hours, Mr Grave. I do pray making the decision to save a life does not take that long, especially a legendary man like your father. I will see you shortly Mr. Grave.”
Garrett could feel an icy chill run down the length of his spine when Charles spoke his name. Something in the way he pronounced it made the blood in his veins freeze and his breath catch in his lungs. Garrett watched him return to the parking lot across from the pier and slide into the back seat of a white luxury sedan. The vehicle itself had no visible markings or vendor emblem, not even a license plate. It was just a white blur in the morning fog.
Garrett let out a sigh. Finally able to breathe, but his muslces longed for movement, to run in the opposite direction as the white sedan. To get as far away from Charles as he could. Then as if he was wearing an earpiece Adele spoke to him.
“His file is Classified, but he was speaking the truth. His name is Charles Thomas, he is employed by Awaken and currently holds ‘The director of Resources’ position. Besides general information and birth records, his file is completely secured. A private firm seems to be solely responsible for all legal matters in reguards to Awaken. A labortory incident was discovered in the media, however very little has been reported on it. The main journalist is cited as Dave Smith. Most of Mr. Smith’s articles have been directed at Awaken however he also writes passionately about political viewpoints as well, almost all of which can be traced back to Awaken.”
“Thank you Adele. Is Serenity and Molly home?”
“Molly is in the process of getting ready for work, and Serenity is still sleeping.”
Mile 29 