Bad Time

WEDNESDAY 3:15 P.M.

Ellen’s dress swirled in the wind as she attempted to hang the clothes on the line.

“I’ll finish it later,” she said to herself, “there’s still almost thirty hours left.”

She took a few moments to enjoy the beauty of the day. Pillows of clouds silently floated by and the temperature were a mild seventy degrees. She knew it wouldn’t last though. She picked up the remaining clothes and strolled into the house.

WEDNESDAY 5:55 P.M.

Theo put his briefcase down as he sifted through the day’s mail.

“How was work today?” Ellen asked.

“Good. How are the windows working?” he inquired, brushing aside her question.

“Oh, they’re fine.”

“Did they pass inspection?”

“This morning.”

Theo grunted a bit and turned his attention towards the windows. His eyes immediately focused on the small purple boxes which were fastened firmly above each pane. He inspected the tiny gold tubes that hung below each box, and checked the fine mist of near transparent dust that cascaded down from each vile.

WEDNESDAY 9:04 P.M.

“Is Missy in her room yet?” Theo asked sharply.

“Yes dear, she’s all set. You know she’s still disappointed about having to come home.”

Theo mumbled to himself, firm in his rules about the family.

“Mommy, why does there have to be a bad time?” It was little Jojo at the top of the stairs.

She smiled and walked up the stairs to lead him back to his room.

“A long time ago, the Godlings declared that the lands needed to be purified,” she whispered as she tucked him into bed. “Bad time cleanses the land like when you wash your hands.”

Jojo seemed satisfied with her explanation until a new anxiety showed on his little face.

“What about Mr. and Mrs. Joffs?”

“Well, once in a while, they make a mistake. That’s why we need to stay indoors where it’s safe.”

“Who named it bad time anyways. That’s a dumb name.”

“You know what? I think so too. The Bible says that hundreds of years ago two little boys were the first to see bad time. Both were bad children and both deserved to be punished, but one escaped. For the rest of his life, all he could say was… bad time. We call it that now to remember his lesson.” She kissed his forehead and shut off the lights. “Now go to sleep.”

Theo flipped on the television. The screen filled with the image of a young, smartly-dressed man. “Good morning. Our top story today…three men were found dead earlier this morning in Brimesdale. Police suspect it was done in retaliation for last month’s murder of reputed drug kingpin Frankie Yardmouth. Yardmouth had been tortured and chained to a large tree before being taken by bad time.”

Theo’s eyes shifted away from the screen. "Animals," he thought out loud.

“In other news, a small cult in upper Merideth county has announced that its members will open themselves to the upcoming bad time in an attempt to ‘fuse the gap’ between them and the Godlings.”

Again Theo shook his head in disbelief.

THURSDAY 4:57 P.M.

“Kids, please come down here now.”

Both children appeared at the top of the stairs.

“We only have sixty three minutes left. You guys have your homework done?” The two children nodded.

“Good. Your father will be home soon and I want everything ready. I want to show him we can be prepared.” Her pride in her preparations showed through on her face.

Again, both children nodded.

Ellen began her final inspection of the house. She had it down to a science. Windows sealed. Curtains and shades drawn. Air tanks full and ready. Thermostats set at eighty-five. Shields charged. Perfect. She poured herself her third cup of coffee and settled down by the front bay window. It would be a while before Theo got home and she would be unable to totally relax until he did.

THURSDAY 5:42 P.M.

Ellen's fears were calmed with the familiar sight of the station wagon pulling into the driveway. Theo rushed out, knocking over two trash cans in the process, his feet hardly making contact with the ground as he ran into the house.

“Sorry I’m late but I got caught in traffic. Some idiots were staging a demonstration in the middle of the street. Called themselves the ‘Need to Know’ family. I guess they’re gonna wait outside till bad time comes. They’ll know, alright” he added with sarcasm. “What idiots.”

Ellen took his coat and briefcase and handed him the binoculars. He looked out the front bay window…nothing. He glanced at his watch….five fifty-eight. It was almost time.

“Do you see anything yet?”

“No, not yet. There’s still a minute and a half to go. Are the kids set?”

“They’re in their rooms.”

Theo gave her a look.

“Yes, I checked their windows, they’re set.”

Satisfied, Theo continued looking out of the window. “Five fifty-nine. Are you ready?”

Ellen managed a weak nod.

“I don’t believe it,” Theo muttered.

“What? Has it started?”

“No. It’s that nut, Jonesboro, across the street. He’s on his front lawn with his screwy friends.”

“Oh God, it must be twenty below by now.”

“Six o’clock!” Theo cried and looked around even more nervously than before.

Ellen was the first to notice it, a small crack in the center of the street no wider than a couple of inches. Within ten seconds, it had grown large enough to house a small dog. Soon it was thirty feet long and was joined by other cracks, each snaking their way towards the one closest to it.

Missy and Jojo sprinted down the stairs, each trying to get ahead of the other. Ellen embraced the kids. Theo was watching Mr. Jonesboro and his companions sit completely still, in formation, and stare at the canyon before them which had only moments before been their street.

A dull greenish ooze seeped out from the chasm. It silently flowed outward, engulfing everything in its path. Mr. Jonesboro and his group still remained motionless,After five minutes, the entire street was submerged in four feet of the filthy green liquid. Although relatively transparent, it had a sickening thickness to it similar to new motor oil. After ten minutes, houses were covered up to the gutters. After fifteen minutes, nothing remained untouched by the nauseating green sea. Jonesboro and his friends paddled about, like wet dogs. Theo and Ellen were able to see their legs dangling up above.

Theo watched his neighbors. The men exchanged some form of a signal between themselves and withdrew their arms to their sides, sinking like stones. About six feet down, a shadow the size of a truck, swallowed them whole then vanished as quickly as it had come. The men were gone.

“What happened?” Ellen moaned.

Theo turned from the window.

“I sometimes wonder about all of this. Is it really necessary?”

“Well, the Bible says it is,” Theo shot back. “But we’re safe, and that’s all that matters.”

Twenty five minutes passed since Mr. Jonesboro was taken. The house was being subjected to numerous bumps and attacks and the smell was starting to permeate the living room. But the windows and doors held strong, bolstered by the mists. Both Theo and Ellen now avoided looking out any windows, hoping the time would pass quicker that way. It was these times they found the most comfort in each other.

THURSDAY 6:53 P.M.

Missy quietly shuffled into the kitchen. Ellen screamed when she saw her daughter but it was too late. Blinds gave way to fingers as a two foot wide eye sloshed up to the window pane, its grotesque pupil investigating and searching. Missy froze and stepped back.

Soon the eye disappeared only to be replaced with rows upon rows of steak-knife sized teeth gnashing and scraping against the thin glass… the same glass Ellen had gazed out only that morning into her backyard. Now she was afraid to look. She scrambled toward the window, eyes down and desperately closed the fragile blinds as quickly as she could.

Theo stood by the front door. Fear and anger were evident on his face. “Hinges are coming apart. Something’s pressing on it….something big. How much time left?”

Ellen glanced at her watch. “Twenty seconds!”

The door felt cold. Theo’s back was starting to grow numb. Foul green fluid began to seep through the cracks, and the door began to bend inward as dozens of tiny, wet tentacles blindly snaked their way in, feeling for prey.

“Ten seconds!”

He would have to move soon or his back would break. He couldn’t hold on much longer.

“Seven o’clock! It’s over!” Ellen cried and the door immediately started to conform back to its original shape. Theo felt it warming under his back as the green liquid crept back underneath it and the noises and groans quickly died away.

The family gathered in front of the bay window to watch the hour-old ocean release its hold on the world. Theo opened the front door and was greeted with the smell of flowers. He inhaled deeply and watched the pavement’s remaining wounds sealed themselves up.

“I’m going to give that Inspector a call tomorrow,” he said, running his hand down the side of the door. “Should’ve held better.”

Missy ran up the stairs to her room, eager to call her friends and Ellen scooped up Jojo in her arms and walked out the front door. They sat down on the front porch.

“Mom, which moon will be out tonight?” Jojo asked.

Ellen smiled, holding her little boy close. “Both of them,” she whispered and held him tight, waiting for the moons to appear over the horizon.