The Long Flight Home
      Chapter 7
 

I, in the sour black tomb, trodden to absolute death
I put out my hand in the night, one night, and my hand
touched that which was verily not me,
verily it was not me.
Where I had been was a sudden blaze,
a sudden flaring blaze!
So I put my hand out further, a little further
and felt that which was not I,
it verily was not I,
it was the unknown.
--D. H. Lawrence

The strident ringing of his cell phone jolted Danny back to reality. He was a little surprised that his concentration had wavered from the storm ravaged road and the howling winds. He had encountered the storm half way home to Springfield. Pilar had not been kidding when she had spoken of its depth. Looking in his rear view mirror Danny noticed that his seemed to be the lone car on the road this morning. Hell, you couldn't really call it morning because it was just past one A.M. Despite his persuasion of the past evening to leave the fundraising dinner early, his mother, in the end, had decided to stay with her friends, the Saldana's and enjoy the seemingly endless rounds of political gossip. Therefore, Danny had ended up driving back to Springfield alone. He liked being alone. Ever since he had lost his father and taken his place at his mother's side, he had found time for introspection scarce. His days were filled with an endless array of tasks that needed to be done for the "good" of the business. Frankly, he was becoming wearied by the demands of his families business. There were times, like now, that he longed to leave this life far behind, but he knew that there was no way out. There was no way out for him, but as long as he drew breath, Pilar would never have to walk the path that had been chosen for him.

Grabbing his phone from the passenger seat, and keeping one eye on the slick road in front of him, Danny answered "Hello!", a bit more brusquely than he had intended.

Dietz's hissing tone slithered down the phone lines. "Yeah, Danny. I was looking to talk to the boss. Is she with you?"

"Dietz, she's not here with me. She's catching a ride home with the Saldana's. I expect she will not be far behind me. Has Pilar settled in at the house O.K.?" A lengthy silence greeted Danny's query. "Dietz, did you hear me?", Danny demanded.

"I haven't seen her Danny, but then I've been working on a little job for your mother tonight. I just got in myself. You want me to go check and see if she's in her room?"

"No, I want to surprise her. Don't bother to look for her. I trust that Jimmy has safely delivered her home."

"O.K., Danny boy, I'll try your mother's cell number. Goodnight."

"Good luck Dietz, you know mother does not like to be disturbed with business at this early hour."

Before he had a chance to press the end button, Danny heard what sounded something like a harsh bark from Dietz. He realized it was a laugh, of sorts. Well, would wonders never cease. Perhaps one of Mama's men were human after all.

Chuckling to himself, Danny felt his mood lighten considerably. Re-focusing his concentration on the twisting road ahead, he wondered why he had chosen this route home tonight. Old Highway 78 was a dangerous road in mild weather, but in this weather it was almost impossible to see two feet in front of him, and it's desolation bordered on the stuff of which urban legends were made of.

Truthfully, he'd needed the isolation tonight. He was become increasingly distant from the "business" and mama, completing tasks with minimal personal involvement. The mantle of his birthright weighed heavily upon him these days, and he'd been relieved to escape the masks of falseness that had surrounded him this evening. It had been a glittering fete, but there had been no depth to anyone's conversations or actions, only the shiny veneer of polished lies and innuendo. Danny felt as if he was slipping away, losing that part of himself that was nakedly vulnerable, where his gut ruled, and not his head. Sometimes, he didn't even recognize his face in the mirror anymore. It was as if a stranger looked back at him. Physically, his appearance hadn't changed, but his eyes were becoming dull. He could see the fire in them dying, and he almost didn't care. He'd had moments of joy and happiness, but they had soon been countered with times of heartache and duty. A lifetime of regrets loomed ahead of him and he felt helpless to stop them. At one time, he had dreamed of a savior from this life, but now he only longed for a swift completion of it.

The only bright spot for him had been his sister and her innocence to the inner workings of their world. Her spirit of generosity, and her purity of heart had given him the courage to fulfill his destiny. His sole motivation in life these days was to ensure her continued health and protection. She was without blemish, and he was damned if she would ever stain her hands with the tainted blood of their family.

Thinking of Pilar caused Danny to glance at the gaily wrapped jewelers box resting next to him on the passenger seat. He had been secretly pleased by Pilar's confession tonight about her failed attempt to locate their star through the angry sky of the storm. In anticipation of her homecoming, Danny had gone to a jewelry store in Chicago today.

It was owned by a humble, yet brilliant man named Abraham Levine. Ironically enough, Danny had met him when Mr. Levine had sought protection against thugs who were threatening his business dealings in Springfield. Danny had always made it a rule never to become personally involved with clients, but there was something about this man that drew Danny. Perhaps it was his devotion to life, the fact that he had suffered and triumphed over the horrors of devastating tragedy in the concentration camps of WWII. Abraham had surprisingly become a counselor to Danny on many occasions. Abraham never discussed the criminal activities that were associated with the Santos family, but instead had challenged Danny on many levels to journey into "the heart of darkness" which held him bound to a life that was slowly suffocating him. Many times he had told him that if he searched with an earnest heart, God would answer him in ways unimaginable. " Answers will come", he would say. Pointing to Danny's heart he would punctuate his words with a stab of an index finger, and with eyes so openly naked and deep that many times Danny had to look away or be lost to emotions he could not or would not define. "Wait on the Lord, listen with your heart. You will know when the time is right, and He will lead you through this darkness," Abraham would counsel. Danny would always smile at this repetitive talk of Abraham's, but the smile never reached his eyes, and an overwhelming sense of breathlessness would assail him, as if the oxygen in his lungs was slowly seeping out, and with it his life breath. Abraham would lighten the mood with a chuckle, slap Danny on the back and offer him a fine glass of vintage brandy. They would then sit down to continue the chess game they had abandoned from their last visit and talk of the state of the world and its politics. If the drink and companionship loosened their tongues Abraham would speak poignantly of the family and friends he had lost to the horrors of war, and Danny would reveal the raw pain over the deaths of his father and brother, Mick, that still haunted him to this day.

Their conversations were sacred to them both, and were locked away in their hearts as they took leave of one another. After their initial business dealings were over, Danny had set up a blanket of protection around Abraham that some of the families associates had privately questioned, but did not openly ask about. The subject of Abraham Levine was taboo, and no one ventured to reverse Danny's orders. If Danny wanted to protect an old fool, then let him. In the scheme of their life this man was of no real consequence to them.

Danny had commissioned Abraham to create a special piece for him. Abraham had the vision of true artist, and could invent breathtaking designs with hands which had touched death, but that also could give life to inert metals and pressure formed raw gems. His jewelry was sought out for it's purity of shape and form. His clientele base was large and it was said that whoever wore his designs was blessed with good fortune and happiness. With each design, a piece of Abraham went with it, a portion of himself that he joyfully parted with. In his work, he restored the shattered remnants of a life splintered by the hatred and greed of others. The malleability of the gold and silver he worked with, coupled with the multi-faceted gemstones he set, allowed him to create beauty out of the chaos of life. And, what gracefulness he had forged in this piece for Danny. A necklace of the finest spun gold held a floating star created with diamonds of such clarity that light was trapped in them, and then expelled in vibrant hues through the perfection of cuts unequaled in precision and execution. Danny could not wait to give the necklace to Pilar. It was a symbol of the bond that they shared, two lost children, who looked to the stars and to each other to find their way. Now, Pilar could, in a way, touch the stars everyday. This necklace would be a tangible reminder and promise that Danny would always be near. As Danny placed his right hand back on the steering wheel, a lone tear slipped silently down his cheek. He didn't bother to brush it away.

A loud crack of thunder stirred Danny from his thoughts and he ran his right hand over the be-ribboned box. When he had gone to the store today, Abraham had personally greeted him, and given him the necklace. He had turned down Abraham's offer of a meal this afternoon, using the Gala as his excuse. For some reason he felt he might lose himself if he were to stay with Abraham through the evening. Seeing the disappointment in the elder man's eyes, Danny promised he would visit soon, and thoroughly thrash him at a game of chess. Abraham was not fooled by Danny's flimsy excuse. He saw the troubled look in his eyes and he sent a fervent prayer to God to help this tortured soul.

Up ahead through the murky darkness Danny saw flashing lights bouncing off the surrounding hills. They looked like the lights of emergency vehicles. Their rhythmic, stationary pattern of rotation suggested that they were at the scene of some type of accident. Danny wondered who would be out on this road, tonight, of all nights. As he came around the next bend he saw that both sides of the road were blocked with a fire engine, a paramedic unit, a police cruiser, and a van from the coroners office. He also saw the gaping hole in the guardrail, no doubt caused by a car as it went over the sheer drop which reached to his right. Stopping his car, and putting on the flashers, Danny got out to see if there was any assistance he could offer, and how long his pathway home would be blocked. As he approached the scene of the accident through the blinding rain he noticed the flurry of activity emanating from the drop-off. Unconscious that his tuxedo was getting soaked through, Danny strode towards the commotion in front of him. Fire houses disappeared through the crush of twisted railing and men shouted orders to one another. Danny saw a group of teens huddled near a car and from their looks, knew the accident had been a bad one. He wondered if the teens had been a part of the mess he saw before him, but they looked like they were traumatized enough by the police officer talking to them. He approached the first fireman he could find, hoping he would know when the road would be opened to through traffic. The fireman told him that a car had gone over the edge and was fully engulfed in flames when they had arrived. He knew for certain that there was someone injured in the wreck, but the paramedics were attempting to resuscitate them at this moment. The only other information he had was that the car fire had been brought under control. He couldn't tell Danny when the road would be re-opened, but he counseled him to go back to his car out of he furor of the storm. Danny had to reluctantly agree, and if the cop hadn't been talking with the teens he might have gone over to get their side of the story. He didn't feel like a run in with a cop tonight. There was an in-built distrust of his family with Springfield's finest, so instead of heading towards the forlorn group, he made his way back to his car. Getting a blanket from the boot of the Mercedes Salon he was driving, he removed his soaked jacket and placed it on the passenger side floor. He spread the blanket on the black leather seat and settled in for what could be a long wait. At random he chose an Ottmar Liebert CD. It's contemporary sound mixed with the soul of the Spanish gypsy guitar soothed his raw nerves. He hoped Pilar waited up for him. He tried unsuccessfully to reach her on his cell phone, but the ravages of the storm were interfering with his signal, and he couldn't get through. Expelling a long breath, he closed his eyes and gave himself up to the rhythms of the music.

The paramedics gave no hope for the victim who was found by the teens. It was a young woman. She had suffered blunt force trauma in the crash and when they had gotten to her there was no pulse and no respiration. They had done CPR anyway. Their first charge was to aid a victim until they could be transported to the hospital, and many times that aid took the form of artificial respiration. They had witnessed miracles through the act of breathing life into someone, but tonight there was no spark of life to be lit. After a few moments they had called her time of death. The hospital had concurred with their initial assessment. Her injuries had been fatal. Her slender neck had been broken so severely that her head had fallen back and to the side, and bone had been exposed. There were numerous other injuries, but thankfully she had not suffered in her death. They had radioed the coroner with the grim news and had waited for him to arrive.

One of the paramedics had gently closed her eyes, wishing to give her a sense of dignity in her death. He had then placed a yellow tarp over her body to shield it from the harsh effects of the rain. A more detailed listing of her injuries would be done by the coroner, but in this storm, there was not much more to do, but wait. So, they waited, and they looked for other victims, one's they assumed had burned to death in the smoking shell of the vehicle which sat before them. The storm showed no signs of abating, in fact it seemed to take on a more sinister tone as they checked the scene again for any signs of survivors. They most assuredly would have to wait till first light to do a more thorough sweep of the area.

The coroner arrived soon after the call was sent out. He agreed that the injuries to the young woman were swiftly fatal, and that she would never have known what was happening to her. He prepared her body for transport, easing her into a body bag. As the paramedics looked on, he carefully eased the zipper up to close the bag. He carefully tucked stray, wet strands of her black hair into the makeshift shroud, and as the zipper rasped past her face the stomach of one of the paramedics clenched in reaction. He hated this part of the job, hated the fact that death had claimed another victim in such a brutal fashion. It was one thing to die after a long and rich life, another to be struck down in the prime of youth. He could only shake his head at the iniquity of it all.

A knock on the drivers side window startled Danny out of his meditation. Hitting the electric window button he eased it down. It was the fireman he had spoken to forty five minutes earlier. "You should be able to move soon sir. The police should be done with the bulk of their investigation, as much as they can do tonight." Danny thanked him and moved out and around the car to the drivers seat. As he passed around the hood of the car he watched the activity in front of him. The firemen were carrying a stretcher with someone on it. He could tell that they were not in a hurry, and that their heads seemed bent in defeat. He watched as they loaded the stretcher into the Coroners van, and not the waiting paramedic unit. He knew then why the teens had seemed so lost, and why it had taken so long for the rescue units to do their job. As the Coroner's van eased away from the scene, Danny started his engine and followed it slowly. He would be glad for once, to get home. He had someone special waiting for him, someone who gave him light in the darkness. He spared a thought for the family that would learn this day that one of their bright lights was forever extinguished.

Someone whispered her name. Michelle heard the voice's melodious tone. It whispered her name again, like a sigh on the breeze. She knew the voice, but couldn't seem to place it at the moment. More mouths joined the first and soon it seemed as if a choir were singing her name. She felt a mantle of peace descend around her, and felt herself moving towards the gentle tones of the choir. Her body was weightless, her mind free, a warmth invaded her leaden limbs. Behind her she felt the presence of God, and his almighty hand rested securely on her shoulder. She knew this was her death, and she freely accepted it. She was drawn to this peace that passed all of her human understanding, and she welcomed her passing into the next world. God spoke to her and asked her if she was ready to leave this life. Had he not asked she would have left gladly, but surprisingly she felt a moment's hesitation. She had enjoyed her life, still felt there were a lot of things she would like to do, like finish college, get married, and have a family. She told God she was young, and that her life stretched out before her with endless possibilities. Even with the peace beckoning her, she decided to ask God to stay. When her decision was made, He clearly spoke to her and told her that everything would be all right. The instant the words were said, Michelle felt a suffocating pain settle over her. It was so unbearable that she gave herself up to its greedy arms. She did not hear the firemen as they passed close to her location behind a mass of tangled trees. She never knew when they removed Pilar's body from the scene. She never knew that her destiny sat above her, high on the road, as battered emotionally as she was physically. She never knew…