Life’s Little Issues

For some, the end of existence as we know it is a cause for mass panic, repentence of sins, expectations of rising to a higher plane where perfect peace and harmony would reign for eternity.? ? For October Henry Tudor, it was a faintly inconvenient event that interrupted his 2 am bowl of corn flakes.

October, or Tobey as he insisted on being called - hating his name, had yet to see his bed and had only just sat down and poured the mild over his cereal when there was a flash? and the lights went out.? ? He sat, perfectly still, senses alert.? Nothing happened though and after a moment the lights flickered back on.

Tobey sighed in annoyance, then got up and made a quick circuit of his flat. There was nothing out of place, at least at a quick glance, so he sat back down and started eating his corn flakes.

His cat, Bess, twined around his feet waiting for him to finish and put the bowl down for her.? Tobey reached down with one hand and scratched her behind the ears while he chased the last few flakes around the bowl with his spoon.? Once the last spoonful made its way to his mouth, he set the bowl on the floor and watched Bess lap up the milk in its bottom.

He reached for the milk carton and just as his hand touched it, his phone rang.? Not his home phone, but his cell. The one that only four people had the number for.? The ringtone told him which of the four was calling.

Tobey stood up so fast that his chair fell to the ground as he lurched for the counter where he’d left the phone to charge. In the process, he kicked the bowl, sending it spinning and spiraling across the floor, splattering drops of milk across the room as it went. He grabbed for the phone, flipping it open as he lifted it to his ear.? His voice was breathless as he answered the phone. “Yes, sir.? I’m here.”

The young man listened carefully, all of his attention directed to the voice of the other end of the call.? He nodded onece, pulling a PDA from his belt and making a note.

“We just had a brief blackout here, sir, but I didn’t notice anything unusual afterward.”

He tapped teh PDA stylus against teh counter as he listened for a few more minutes.

“Yes, sir.? I’ll be ready when the car gets here.”

He lowered the phone, closing it and setting it back on the counter.? ? Rubbing his eyes, he sighed, grabbed a dish towel and made a quick, cursory attempt at cleaning up the mess his mad dash for the phone had created.? Picking up the bowl, he looked at Bess. She just sat there, looking up at him, but when his eyes met hers, she meowed pitifully. “Okay, Bess, okay.”

Tobey grabbed the milk carton from the table and poured a little in the bowl before setting it on the floor for Bess.? He scritched her ears and stood up to put the milk away.? He dried his hands on a dish towel and took a minute to think.? Mentally he put things in order and headed for the bedroom.? It wouldn’t do to show up in fornt of his employer in wrinkled clothes, no matter the hour or how recently he’d left Mr. Radcliffe’s presence.

Five minutes later he was running a damp comb through his hair.? A quick glance verified that his shoes were shined. He grabbed his phone and PDA on the way out, giving Bess one last scratch.

Tobey checked the lock, pulled the door shut behind him and took the stairs down to the street two at a time.? ? He had just enough time to catch his breath before a limosine pulled up in front of the building.? As soon as it stopped, he opened the door and slipped in, settling back in the expty passenger compartment for the drive to his employer’s residence.