It was time to go/ However, Jason was still out like a light. Lying on his side on the sofa. Nora hated the thought of calling out to wake him so she dropped a bag and it rattled then hit the floor with a huge ‘bang’.
Jason jolted, rolled, fell off the couch and landed face first on the floor.
“Oh my God, I am so sorry,” Nora hurried to him. “Are you okay?”
Jason groaned. He lifted himself to his knees and kept his head down. “Define okay.”
“What’s wrong?”
“This…” Jason stared at the floor. “Is what a hangover feels like; I forgot.”
“You need hydrated.” Nora extended a bottle of water to him.
“You’re okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
“How is that possible?” Jason sat up, but leaned with this back against the couch. “I saw how much you drank.”
“I don’t know. It was brown liquor. I tend to have a high tolerance to brown liquors.” She shrugged. “You on the other hand, have no tolerance.”
She watched him chug the water and then she extended two tablets to him. “Take these, they’ll help.”
“Thanks.” He grabbed them and then started looking around.
He scurried awkwardly on his hands and knees. “What are you looking for?” she asked.
“Ah ha!” He pulled forth a bottle.
“Whoa. Whoa.” She reached for it. “That’s not water. It’s vodka.”
“I know.” He uncapped it and took a long drink.
“Jason?”
“Best way to not be hung over is to drink.”
“That’s not true.”
He took another drink. “Oh, yeah? Then why am I feeling better?”
“Even if it did work it wouldn’t happen that fast.” She snatched the bottle from his hand as he brought it to his lips a third time.
“Hey.”
“Suck it up. Man up and let’s go.”
“Man up?’
“Yeah, man up.” Nora repeated. “I’ll be right back I want to grab one more thing. What is up with you? Talk about a complete one eighty.” Shaking her head, she grabbed the flash light and walked from the lounge.
‘What is up with you?” Nora’s question played over in Jason’s aching head. He sat with his face buried in the palms of his hands, feeling so sick, he would more than likely say he was never drinking again. But Jason knew that wouldn’t be the case.
He would drink.
He knew exactly what was up with him.
Realization.
Walking through the ruins of Cleveland he realized it was over. Things were done, gone and different, and unless the reset button also had a reset on time, there was no going back to the life he led.
His wife and child were gone. Even if they weren’t, even if he was released a year after being placed in stasis, he would have lost his wife. She married quickly, which told Jason, even if he never was part of the Genesis plan at all, he would have lost her.
He was heartbroken. His baby girl that he barely got to know was no longer a part of his world. He was also fueled by anger because he didn’t get to resolve his life. That life, not only was never resolved, it went on without him.
Jason had finally gotten his life in order. He did a complete one eighty, he was living the dream and now it was turned into a nightmare.
Fifteen years before he went into the deep freeze his life was different. Completely different. If someone would have told him that not only would he be playing music for Christ, but that he would lead a multimillion dollar network congregation on a faithful path, Jason would have laughed.
That Jason disappeared as soon as he believed in what he was doing.
He was playing in a bar band when the network executive came in to wait for a tow truck. He loved the way Jason looked, how good he sang and played guitar, and the way the audience responded to him.
He started as a guitar player for the Sunday Service worship band. But people took notice, they wrote in asking, who was that guy on guitar?
Each month Jason was more out front, until they wanted him to preach. Could he? Of course, he could, he had watched the others. He would ‘play’ the part.
Then not only was he playing the part of preacher, he was living it. Setting an example for others. It was difficult at first, living under the Christian spotlight. Until he finally believed in what he was doing. He saw the good in it.
Now all that was gone.
The million followers were victims of a deliberately released virus. A world torn asunder. A world he preached that God would save, was abandoned.
It took two weeks after wakening to realize that, but Jason did.
Finally.
Then the old Jason quickly wanted to come back. So he drank. He didn’t care. No one cared what he did. Which made him come to another realization. Drinking didn’t really help a hangover.
He stopped, but it would be only for the time being. Jason was certain he would drown himself in booze again, the next chance he got. Drinking was easy. It was easy before in his life when he had nothing, and it certainly was now with everything gone.
Salvation was under lockdown. It was only the second time that Trey could recall it ever happening. The first, he couldn’t get in. Now he was inside and couldn’t get out. No trade occurred on the streets, shops were closed, a strict sundown curfew was in effect.
He assumed it was because rioting and demonstrations started in the streets over the arrival of the former president. A man believed to be dead for thirty years. At the first sign of disruption, Salvation Command locked it tight.
Trey was preparing to leave the hospital when it occurred and was told to stay. His father was in and out of consciousness. The doctors examined him, operated to remove an infection pocket. They ran intravenous fluids into his arm and a course of strong antibiotics. The antibiotic treatment would be ongoing for three days before his father could leave.
Or rather, according to the medical staff… before Don could leave.
Trey didn’t stay in the room, not the entire time. It would look suspicious, especially after having lied about his father’s identity.
He wanted to stay until his father was well enough to speak to, but he stayed unconscious. It got to the point that Trey had to leave without rousing suspicion as to why he was hanging out diligently with a neighbor.
He spent the night in the first floor lobby, since he couldn’t leave until daylight. When he was able to, he went back to his father’s room, telling the nurse he just wanted to check on his neighbor before heading home.
His father was still sleeping.
“Hey,” Trey whispered shaking him. “Hey.”
Groggy, His father opened his eyes. “What happened? I missed the arrival.”
“I can’t stay long. But… You’re here and getting well,” Trey told him, speaking softly.
“What’s wrong? You seem antsy.”
Trey exhaled. Was it showing that much? He walked to the door, listened to hear if anyone was outside then moved to the bed continuing to speak softly. “Look at your hospital ID.”
Malcolm squinted. “It’s blurry.”
“It says Donald Stanton.”
“Why?”
“I had to give a false name.”
“To get me in here?”
“In a sense. Just… whatever you do. Remember, do not tell them who you are.”
“What’s going on Trey?” His father asked.
“Dad…. When you were in that experiment, was the president there?”
“Yeah,” his father groaned, attempting to sit up. “But he died. He committed suicide.”
Trey shook his head.
“He didn’t? Trey, he went back down. He went down to the decontamination.”
“Did you see him die?” Trey questioned.