The words were an understatement, as the fog increased in density as they moved through it. The effect was highly unsettling to Logan. In just moments, the headlights of the car could only cut through a few feet, barely enough to keep the road beneath them in view.
DEREK
Though it was a Saturday, and no formal work was in the offing, Derek was up and out of bed well before dawn.
Following a brisk jog in the damp coolness of the early morning, he had proceeded through a series of calisthenics and a few of the martial arts routines that he had picked up during his four years of service in the military.
Regular workouts had chiseled his body into excellent condition, as well as giving him a way to clear his mind from any burdens besetting it.
Following the previous day, with his heart weighed down in the presence of Janus’ great sorrows, it was much more difficult than usual to regain any clarity of thought.
Fortunately, he had succeeded in arranging for a substitute for his late afternoon shift, and the next day’s as well, managing the produce section at the grocery superstore down the street. He had been compelled to barter off some favors for the late notice, which would result in his taking on some very inconvenient shifts over the next week, but he had agreed to the terms without any regret. The call of friendship had taken precedence.
Finished with the morning exercise and back in his house again, he had quickly discarded his sweat-saturated t-shirt into his laundry basket. Moving into the kitchen, he poured and imbibed a tall, cold glass of orange juice before picking up his satellite phone.
Clicking on Kent McNeeley’s name, he rang the number repeatedly, clicking off the phone when it reached the voice mail, and redialing until his sluggish friend grudgingly answered.
Kent was not pleased at the hour of the phone call, especially given the fact that it was a Saturday morning. He proceeded to utter some extremely descriptive language from the other end that would have reddened most listeners’ ears.
Knowing Kent well enough, Derek suffered the rant patiently as he stifled some amused laughter. Derek had inadvertently cost Kent his final hour of sleep before he had to go to work, which evidently was quite a major transgression in Kent’s eyes.
Yet once the situation was explained, it did not take long at all for Kent to agree and his mood to change. He had even apologized for addressing Derek with such numerous expletives for having gotten him up so early.
Plans for Derek’s jaunt were then set between the two of them, to be executed in the later afternoon.
Once off the phone, Derek treated himself to an extended, warm shower. The early morning workout and the massage of the pattering water from the shower left him feeling fully refreshed and ready for the day.
Janus was still asleep when Derek had finished with everything, as Derek had taken great care not to disturb his deeply grieving friend.
First turning the volume off on his speakers, he turned his personal computer system on. He indulged himself for a little while by catching up on several online sports articles, some current news, and the promotional sites for a few upcoming movies that he had been looking forward to.
He read over a few reports on the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East with some considerable interest, curious about some of the tactical approaches, the analysis of which appealed to his military background.
The motives behind the war, and the specific persons loudly championing it, though, had long filled his mouth with great distaste. To him, the conflict was about little more than power, made painfully obvious as the justifications offered to the public for the war had changed time and time again.
The nation under attack, with its decrepit, obsolete military, decayed under extensive previous sanctions, could not muster any threat to the USA, not in a hundred years. Even worse, a fragile lid kept on long simmering ethnic, religious, and tribal tensions within the area was about to be blown apart in the process of destroying the fully constrained regime that had been in power.
His heart went out to his brothers and sisters in the armed forces, many of whom who were undergoing their second, third, and even fourth tours of duty in the cauldron of Middle East conflicts. He would not hesitate to go overseas if his services were required, though he was grateful that he had not been recalled yet. Derek knew that his number would come up soon enough, though, as the military reserves and the National Guard regiments were now being used as frontline combat units.
His thoughts regarding the full situation were becoming very troubling, and for the first time he found that he had a nascent conflict building between his loyalty to the serving soldiers and the ideology of the war itself. While he would still serve if the call came, he knew that he could not condemn anyone who actively protested or opposed it. He had changed enough in the past year that he no longer held any animosity toward a fellow soldier that refused deployment.
In fact, some of the soldiers that had served multiple tours in the Middle East were now leaders in the opposition to the war. Derek did not see how anyone could question their integrity, for they certainly were no cowards and obviously cared for their country.
After perusing through some images of some of the latest hardware and technology being employed in the conflict, Derek heard Janus finally rustling behind him.
Turning around, he saw that Janus was slowly pulling himself up into a sitting position on the edge of the couch. Derek logged off his account, shut his system down, and rotated about to face his awakening friend.
“Get some rest, I hope?” Derek inquired.
Janus nodded, as he pulled aside the crumpled coverlet that he had borrowed for the night. Clothed in a t-shirt and sweats, Janus looked a little on the disheveled side.
“So, tell me what plans we have for today, because I don’t have any myself,” Janus said, only half in jest. Derek could hear the hollow, detached tone in Janus’ voice.
Carefully, Derek explained the forthcoming excursion to Kent’s father’s lake house. Janus listlessly agreed to the trip, but the apathetic reaction did not dismay Derek in the least. He knew in his heart and mind that while a change of scenery would not be fully medicinal, it would be a much more palatable choice among the immediate options facing his beleaguered friend.
For the rest of the morning and early afternoon, the two friends casually watched Derek’s flat screen digital television. Derek called and ordered some of Janus’ favorite pizza to be delivered, but was left with several extra slices as his friend had still not regained much of his appetite. Though Janus politely responded to what little conversation Derek ventured, it was clear that Janus remained largely numb in spirit.
Time crawled by, but the hour for departure finally arrived.
“Looks like it is getting near time to go,” Derek stated, peering down at his watch. “We still haven’t packed up a change of clothes. You and I are about the same size. You can borrow a couple of my shirts and some jeans. That’s all you’ll need since we don’t be gone too long.”
Janus nodded, stretching his arms out, before slowly getting up out of the couch. He glanced back, “I guess I will get in a brief shower before we leave.”
“Then I’ll get the rest of it together, while you do that,” Derek replied.
As Janus ambled towards the first floor bathroom, Derek trotted up the stairs to his bedroom to prepare for the coming trip.
Methodically, he packed up a few t-shirts, a couple pairs of jeans, and a few sweats to cover himself and Janus for the evening and next day. He added in another extra pair of underwear and socks for himself. He then pulled together some toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream, razors, and other trip necessities into a small bag, and placed everything together neatly within a large suitcase.