Chapter 1

Today was very unusual. It was both good and bad, but truly unusual! And then, things really changed!

I live in a seaside village, filled with a plethora of outdoor cafes and cultural venues. These are all mixed in with the usual tourist traps that are evident in seaside towns. As was my daily habit, I set out for my regular constitutional at about eight AM.

It was a pleasant day. White puffy clouds were moving across a vivid blue sky, and a slight sea breeze rustled the leaves of the many trees that grow all over town.

Years ago, this town was an unsavory and dangerous place to live. Thanks to the arts community and 'gentrification', things are now very pleasant. The town fathers expended great sums of taxpayer dollars to install gas-facsimile period lampposts, and brick sidewalks. Added to that is the fact that the Historic Commission (the body that says what can and cannot be done to buildings in the Historic District) makes sure that all buildings are in good repair, and adhere to the colonial motif. Since most of the town is in the Historical District, the whole place is near picture perfect.

It took about half an hour for me to get to Market Square: the town center. I went into my favorite café where I purchased a coffee and a biscotti. None of that double shot, soy latte stuff, or any other pretentious concoction. It was just a regular coffee ... easy on the cream and sugar ... with my favorite Italian biscuit.

[Editor's note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscotti]

I took my purchases out to my favorite table at curbside. For some reason I just feel better without a bunch of tables and chairs between me and the square ... go figure.

This particular café has been here for so long, that the town had to grandfather it in, when they established sidewalk regulations. At this particular establishment, the pedestrians have to walk through the out door café, maneuvering around all of the tables and chairs that fill the sidewalk. Very 'continental'. We locals call this place 'the town's living room'. It's a place to gather and talk with neighbors and strangers alike.

The tables are the traditional metal café type, with a hole in the center for umbrellas. But because there are two mature, shade trees out front, the umbrellas are not needed. Because of that fact, I habitually put my cane in the hole so that others don't trip over the thing.

As I sat sipping my brew, regaining the strength that I had expended on my walk into town, I did some people watching. Our tourists are from all over the world, but most are American urbanites that find our little town quite charming but a bit confusing.

This town has been here since the seventeenth century, and our roads and alleys are anything but straight. Added to that, is the fact that many streets are one-way, so it is easy to get distracted or lost.

Today was no exception. In fact, it was far worse than usual! A family from New York entered the square at a higher speed than was safe. On top of that, the driver was trying to read a map!

Thus distracted, he drove off of the street and plowed into the café. Thankfully for me he missed my table. However, he smashed into those that were sitting closer to the building.

It was a horrible sight as the Hummer crushed people under its wheels! Next to my table a wizened old man had just arrived with his granddaughter. She took the full impact of the vehicle while he received a glancing blow to the head from the mirror.

I grabbed my cane (I can't walk without the damn thing) and rushed to help the victims. The closest was the old man and the child. It was obvious that there was no hope for the little girl. The tires of the massive SUV had passed right over her midsection. She was little more than a collection of bloody rags.

Though only having received a glancing blow, the old man was also in very bad shape. We old people become very brittle as we age.

Using my cane for support, I lowered myself to his side to render what assistance I could. I wiped the blood that was flowing from his mouth with one of the paper napkins that were now blowing about.

"How is the child?" he whispered as he clutched at my shirtfront with a gnarled hand.

His grip was surprisingly strong!

"She's gone, I'm afraid," I said as gently as possible ... I mean, how can that kind of news ever be delivered gently?

With a shudder the old man closed his eyes, I saw tears mix with the blood that covered his face.

Imagine my surprise when he suddenly grabbed my shirt again, and pulled me down so that he could whisper in my ear.

"The Power must not be lost! Use it for the good of others, or it will be a curse upon you!"

I tried to ask him what he was talking about, but suddenly everything around me began to move in slow motion ... and the colors ... brilliant flashes of every color and hue imaginable!

That's when the pain came!

It was so intense that I passed out, but not before I felt horrible strong bolts of energy pass into my frail old body!

When I awoke, I found that I was lying across the body of the old man.

He was dead!

"Are you ok? Are you hurt anywhere?" asked the EMT that was kneeling next to me.

"I'm ok," I said. "I think it was the shock of seeing all of this," I added with a wave of my hand to indicate the carnage.

After all, if I mentioned the bolts of energy and bright lights ... I would, without a doubt, be taken to a mental hospital. I had no desire to be psychoanalyzed by some young, snot-nosed condescending, so-called doctor. I ask you, why do they say that they have a practice? It is because they really haven't any idea what the hell they are up to. Period! Full stop! Whatever!

The EMT, a cute young woman, helped me to my feet. She guided me to the chair where I had been sitting, before the disaster.

"Would you please hand me my cane?" I asked the young woman.

It was still next to the old man. Amazingly my coffee was still right where I had left it. It was still warm, I noticed, as I automatically reached for the cup and took a sip.

It never ceases to amaze me just how capricious fate can be! Outside of the path of gore created by the huge SUV all of the tables were exactly as before! None of the patrons that had been sitting in those spots even had a scratch, amazing!

A dazed café waiter brought me two towels, one wet and the other dry. The young man needed to be doing something. After handing me the towels he sat down heavily in the chair across from me.

"She took my table so that I could go to the bathroom. Now she's dead!" he said flatly. "We were going to the movies, tonight."

It was very obvious that the young man was in shock. I waved one of the emergency workers over to help the lad. The boy was taken to one of the ambulances as I began to make use of the towels that the lad had given to me.

Once I had finished removing as much blood as possible, I began to ruminate over what the old man had said.

'First he had mentioned 'The Power.' Well, whatever it was, it was real. I had felt it! The old boy had definitely transferred something to me. The pain was proof enough, ' I thought.

'Ok. Secondly, the next part of what he said, " ... it must not be lost" was covered too, since the power now resided within me.

"Now what was the last part? There was something about a curse in there ... Hmm...

"Shit! I hate these 'senior moments'..."

"Sir? May I ask you a few questions? That is if you are not injured in some way," asked the police officer that had come up from behind me.

I looked up into the greenest eyes I had ever seen in my seventy-nine years. The officer was a very attractive red headed woman. She looked as if she had just stepped out of central casting. She was wearing a well-tailored uniform, and had her hair done up in a bun that, somehow, was very sensual.

"Man I wish I was thirty or forty years younger!" I thought as I waved a hand at the chair across from me. She took a seat and proceeded to politely ask my name, what I had seen and done and so forth. She dutifully wrote everything down in her notebook.

Then rose and gave me her card, saying, "If you think of anything else, please call me."

"I will officer ... but, honestly, I've told you everything I know about this awful mess."

"Ok then, Sir. Thank you for your time," she said.

'What a woman!' I thought as I watched her move off to question other witnesses.