Chapter 13

As I again became alert, I discovered that I was lying on the floor in complete darkness. I couldn't understand what had happened. It was only Noon, so why was it so dark? I must have hit my head when I fell. Am I now blind? Must I live out the remainder of my days as a burden to my family? I felt a cold, numbing sensation in my back, and I tried to feel around me as I lay there. Instead of the carpet that I expected to find, I found the cold smooth feel of floor tile. Then I saw a bright light. I surely must be dead. I had heard that when you die, a bright light would lead you to your destination, be it heaven or hell. I tried to move towards the light but found that it was only something shining on the floor. Was I dreaming? I moved my hand around and felt something like a tube. I picked it up and discovered that it was a flashlight. As I raised it from the floor, a bright beam shot out and illuminated the figure of a person standing in the darkness. I stared dumbfounded at the image of my dear friend Elizabeth, who had passed away so long ago, as she had looked when we were young boys together. Was she... he... here to lead me to my destination? He looked in my direction. Another sound caused me to swing my flashlight in a different direction and I illuminated a figure that appeared to be Rob. Then a final sweep illuminated my friend Marty. We were all together again for our final trip. I felt a tear beginning to form in my eye. At least I wouldn't have to travel down this path alone. My old friends were with me once again for our journey to the hereafter.

I managed to sit up, and as I sat there I became more circumspect about my situation. This didn't feel like what I expected death to be like. I moved the flashlight around and saw, illuminated in its beam, the entrance foyer of my home, Westervelt Manor. Then the enormity of it hit me. We were back. Seventy years ago, we had been pulled from this spot and put into the bodies of the four poor souls who had succumbed to the freezing temperatures of a mid-January snow storm. And now we had been returned to our former bodies. I was at a total loss for words.

I heard Rob say, "Where are we?" Marty said, "Are we alive?"

Eddie said, "The last thing that I remember is seeing my children standing all around my bed. I had a pain in my chest and I closed my eyes for a minute. Then I was here."

I cleared my throat and said, "I think that we're back in our own time. Our 'extra time' must be over." I got to my feet and said, "Lets go into the ballroom, ladies. I mean 'guys'."

We walked into the ballroom, which was still brightly lit by candles. There was no sign of the spirit who had kidnapped our souls so many years ago. Or was it only seconds? I walked over to what remained of the cases of beer. It was still cool to the touch and I turned to face my three friends. We all stood looking at one another for a few seconds. I don't know who moved first, but suddenly we were all together in the center of the room, hugging and crying. I hadn't seen Elizabeth or Roberta in years and had never expected to see them again. I found out later that Martha had survived Amelia's death by almost five years. We just stood there and hugged and kissed each other for a long time.