Free Curtain Fall: Second Edition, Disaster, Preparedness, Survival, Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 1) by Kenneth Cary Page B

without entirely exposing his capabilities.
    “Really?” replied Terry. “Is it hard to store that much food?”
    John shook his head and said, “Not really.”
    He was glad Terry didn’t say, “I know where I’m going after a disaster,” which was a familiar comment he heard from unprepared people whenever he opened a discussion about preparedness. When he heard such a comment, John usually replied with, “That’s fine, but I also have a gun, and know how to use it.” That response usually had the desired effect, but Terry already knew John had a gun, or more than one, actually.
    “It requires space, and a commitment to rotate the food, but maintaining a food and water storage isn’t that hard,” said John. “The biggest challenge is avoiding heat, light and pests.”
    They discussed preparedness for another ten minutes before getting up to walk back to work. When John began to walk toward the nearest park garbage can, he noticed a woman walking through the park. She was leading a little girl by the hand, and it looked like she was in a hurry. She was obviously frustrated that the little girl wasn’t willing to keep up with her, and the girl tugged deliberately at the woman’s arm to break away.
    John watched the scene, transfixed, as the little girl managed to break loose from the woman’s grip. Apparently surprised at her success, she stopped and looked around. When the little girl looked in John’s direction, she met his eyes and smiled. John was so surprised by her attention that he dropped the balled up paper sack that was in his hand.
    A feeling of Deja Vu swept over him so completely that he actually felt light-headed. There was something strangely familiar about the little girl - dressed in her yellow sweater and short denim skirt - that grabbed and held John’s attention. He was about to wave to her, but before he could communicate the move to his brain, the woman returned, grabbed the little girls hand, and led her away in a huff. He watched until the two disappeared behind an adjacent building, but he remained hypnotized by the exchange, and stared off in the direction they traveled.
    “Are you alright, John?” asked Terry, as he reached down and picked up John’s crumpled lunch bag. He completed the trip to the trash receptacle and said, “It looks like you just saw a ghost. Did you know that kid, or something?”
    “I don’t know? I think so. Maybe. Something?” said John, as he tried to clear his throat, which now seemed too tight for words, let alone conversation. He removed the cap and drank the last of his water before walking to the trash barrel and tossing it in.
    He turned to look at the park bench, wanting to sit for a moment. It was only a few feet away, but it looked farther, miles away. However, sitting again wasn’t an option. John knew that to do so would set off alarms in Terry’s head, alarms that would raise even more questions about his mental state, and bring more questions he didn’t want to answer.
    John turned and silently began walking out of the park, back toward their office building. Terry quietly followed at his side, unsure of what to think about his friend and co-worker’s strange behavior. He was about to comment on it when John stopped at the entrance of a narrow alley and began to stare blankly into it.
    “John?” said Terry, as he lightly rested a hand on John’s left shoulder. “Are you sure you’re feeling OK?”
    But John didn’t hear him. He was lost in his thoughts, taken back to a feeling, an experience so real that he could no longer deny it. The reverse angle did not diminish the effect, he was in the dream, the dream he had back in 2008 - the dream about the alley.
    He looked down and saw that he was wearing the black sports coat, and the dark gray slacks, the man on the street was wearing - the man he threw a rock through. John turned to face Terry and said, “I’ve . . .” and paused.
    “I’ve, what, John?” asked Terry.
    John