By Sally R. Simon

Todd squeezed his eyes together and opened them again. It was still there. An oversized hourglass rested on his coffee table, sand slipping downward. Where had it come from? Maybe his wife, Lois, had bought it at a flea market and put it there to remind him he had somewhere to be. Maybe his son, Stephen, had turned it over before school as a joke for his old man.

Todd looked to the antique clock on the mantle for the time, but it wasn’t there. In its place stood three frames holding artifacts from Todd’s life: a picture of him and Lois by the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign from their honeymoon almost twenty years ago, a picture of Stephen and him at a Boy Scout Father-Son Dinner, and a Certificate of Honor from the U.S. Customs Office of Nogales, awarded to Todd three years ago for apprehending a man attempting to smuggle a kilo of meth in his accordion.

In the firebox, wisps of vapor formed curly spirals.

There was no sound. No tick of the clock. No drip of the leaky faucet in the kitchen he’d been meaning to fix. No buzz of the refrigerator that had seen better days.

“Lois?” Todd called from where he sat in his favorite chair. “Lois! Where are you?”

No answer; only muffled, distant sobbing.

He struggled to retrieve his last memories. Yesterday he’d dressed in his light blue shirt and navy tie, put his government issued ID around his neck, and left for work. Nothing was out of the ordinary, not even a farewell party. It was his last day at the largest international border crossing in the U.S. Next Monday he’d report to a cushy office job at Nogales International Airport. No more drunken teenagers, housewives looking for a bargain, or dogs sniffing for drugs. No more worry from Lois every morning as she kissed him goodbye, saying, “Don’t you dare not come home to me.”

“Todd.” A faint voice broke the silence. The sing-songy voice repeated his name, “Tooooodddd.”

The fog from the firebox was pulsating and growing angry, flowing into the room like a wave. He didn’t recognize the voice when it asked, “Are you here, Todd?”

Todd sat up in the recliner, his feet planted firmly on the ground as if he wanted to get up, but he had nowhere to go. “Yes, I’m here, wherever the fuck here is! Who the hell are you and what do you want?”

“Time is drawing short. Are you here, Todd?”

Todd looked at the hourglass. The sand was more than half gone, and he had no idea what would happen when it stopped. He propelled himself upward. “Yes, God damn it! I’m here.”

“We need you to answer, Todd. If you can hear me, knock on the table.”

Todd knocked on the table.

“We’re waiting, Todd.”

“Fuck!” He knocked harder until his knuckles were raw.

“Please, Todd. Lois is here.”

“Please, Todd.” Lois’ voice broke through. “I need you. I need to say goodbye.”

“Lois.” Todd let her name fall from his lips. “Goodbye?”

The sand in the hourglass sped up. Frustration overtook him as the floor shook. The fog from the firebox hurdled toward him like a malevolent spirit. It enveloped him and drew him towards the fireplace.

Todd’s muscles tensed as he felt his body levitate through the narrow brick tunnel. Higher and higher. Faster and faster. Passing through a cloud of icy vapor. Until he landed with a thud.

He was in the corner of a room lit only by candles. Two women sat at a table, holding hands, heads bowed. One had her back to him and the other, wearing a thin black veil, was facing him. The veiled woman lifted her head. “I’m sorry, Lois. I tried. Todd isn’t coming.”

Todd raced from the corner of the room to the side of the table. There sat Lois, her face red and puffy. He put one hand to his heart and the other on her shoulder. “I’m here, my love.”

She didn’t reply.

“Did you feel that?” the veiled woman said.

“Feel what?”

“A cold draft.”

“No. Does it mean anything?” The other woman sounded hopeful.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Todd, are you with us?”

“What the hell is going on? YES! I’m here! I’m right in front of you! Why can’t you see me?”

“Todd, can you give us a sign?”

Todd jumped up and down. “I’m here, God damn it!” That’s when he saw his red hand. A puddle of blood stained his light blue shirt, and it all came back. The dogs going berserk, the shouting, Americans dropping their packages and running for cover, a Mexican pointing a gun, then darkness.

Lois put her hand to her mouth. Todd noticed something shiny on the table next to her. He leaned in to take a closer look. It was the silver cross he’d given her on their second date. She’d put it on that day and never taken it off.

Todd jerked away. A bloody handprint materialized next to the cross. Lois screamed.

The veiled woman said, “It’s all right. He’s here, but time is short. Say what you want to say.”

Todd felt the pull of the fog on his body. He tried to cling to the table, but the force was too strong, lifting him again, and dragging him toward the fireplace. “Lois, what’s happening?”

“Goodbye, Todd. I’ll always love you!”

Todd no longer had a voice. As he was swept upward, Todd heard, “Don’t you dare not come back to me.” Lois’ voice wasn’t worried like it had been when he left for work. It was warm as it wrapped itself around him, and lulled him to sleep.