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Down in the Dirt v049

THE HOUSE OF J

Mel Waldman

I


    Inside the House of J, the four centurions guarded the Master. Their positions formed a diamond when the four points of location were connected. A geometric diamond which enclosed and protected J.
    At the foot of the stairs stood Vonn, the old blind man (who was also positioned at the lowest point of the protective diamond). In the attic, the highest point of the diamond, stood Mary Young, the deaf woman. Homer and Hawk, the crippled twin physicists, were located at the other two points of the diamond. Their rooms were located left and right of J’s room on the second floor, from the perspective of the familiar visitor.
    The four centurions guarded J who was on a special mission inside his secret room. J was writing the ultimate story. The ultimate story was the final one and after J completed it, no other story would follow. Completion of this book was J’s ultimate goal. And although J never revealed the nature of his book, wise men speculated that his book would be the holiest scripture ever written.
    The enemies of J did not want him to complete his manuscript. They were afraid of the power that would be unleashed by the book. A strange, gifted being was hired to kill J.

II


    Detective Roy Ives received the 911 call from the House of J at 3 AM. An intruder was in the House. And J’s life was in danger. Ives’ partner was off so Ives would go alone. Joe Brown, his partner, was going blind. He spent a lot of time in the doctor’s office. Soon, he’d have to go on permanent disability unless a risky operation restored his vision.
    Ives arrived at the mansion at 3:20 AM Ives wore a shabby, multi-holed black raincoat. But the sky was clear. And although it was the middle of the night, the grounds surrounding the mansion were lit up by powerful street lamps. When Ives got out of the police car, his eyes darted across the grounds. No one was visible. Then when his eyes moved toward the mansion and upward, he saw the woman in the attic. She glared at him from within the illuminated attic.
    No intruder could go unnoticed at the House of J. The house and grounds were lit up, illuminated and clearly visible as if it were daylight. And apparently, the woman in the attic watched the grounds at night.
    Hunched over, Ives rushed slowly across an elongated path and climbed the long stairs to the high entrance. He rang the bell and spoke into the inter com. “Police.”
    “Why are you here?” Vonn asked in a husky voice.
    “Someone called 911. Said there was an intruder inside the house.”
    “A mistake. Go away.”
    “Sir, you must let me in. I need to check it out.”
    “Identify yourself: Name, badge number, precinct, and telephone number.”
    After Vonn confirmed Ives’ identity, he pressed a series of buttons which electronically opened the front door.
    “Enter at your own risk, Detective Ives.”
    Slowly, Ives approached Vonn who stood at the foot of the stairs next to a computerized electronic table with dozens of buttons. Vonn was a blind behemoth, weighing almost 500 pounds.
    “Can’t see you, Detective. But if you’re up to no good, the others will stop you. Me-I can hear you and smell you. Personally, I do not like Pierre Cardin. Have I guessed your cologne?”
    “Yes.”
    “Eternity is my favorite, if you know what I mean.”
    “Not really. But now, may I look upstairs?”
    “Yes. If you wish to see J, Homer and hawk will let you in. Be careful.”
    “Of course.”
    “One more thing. Leave your .45 Magnum with me. You may get it on your way out.”
    “But how...?”
    “The Computer reveals all! It is my eyes. Your gun electronically triggered off the Computer and caused certain reactions: three buttons got hot. I feel the heat. My fingers are on fire!”

III


    Ives gave Vonn his gun and then climbed the spiraling staircase. He searched for the intruder to no avail. On the second floor, two emaciated men in wheelchairs greeted him.
    “I’m Homer!” one man announced, wearing glasses and a twisted smile. “I’m talking to you by means of a voice synthesizer. It’s a blast!”
    “And I’m Hawk!” the other fellow said, wearing a crooked smile but no glasses. “I’m also talking to you by means of a voice synthesizer. Just press a few buttons on my wheelchair and I’ve got the power-the power of speech!”
    Ives looked quizzically at the two crippled men.
    “If you’re wondering what happened to us...” Hawk said nonchalantly. “We lost the power of speech. Had emergency tracheotomies.”
    “Saved our lives!” Homer added. “And with modern technology, we speak to you by pressing a few buttons. We also get around by pressing buttons. Right, Hawk?”
    “Indeed. And now, Detective Ives, would you like to meet J?”
    “Thank you, Hawk. But how...?”
    Vonn called us and let us know you were here. J will let you into his room in exactly 60 seconds. He’s waiting for you,” Hawk smiled wickedly.
    “We called him,” Homer proudly announced.
    “Let’s hurry, Detective Ives. Homer and I are close to making a breakthrough discovery in cosmology. Time is of the essence.”
    The door opened automatically. Ives sauntered to J who seemed oblivious of his presence.
    “He’ll let you out when you’re finished!” Homer shouted. “But remember, only J knows the code!”
    “Make sure he doesn’t die!” Hawk warned. “Or you’ll be stuck in there forever! Buried alive!”
    “But...”
    “If anything happens to J, we can’t get you out alive. The door can be opened electronically only from the inside. You do understand?”
    “Of course.”
    “We’d have to blast you out with explosives,” Hawk said dispassionately. “But then, you’d never survive the explosion.”
    “A logical conclusion,” Ives admitted.
    Homer and Hawk left, leaving Ives alone with J. Suddenly, the door shut behind him. And perhaps, for the very first time, he was claustrophobic. A wave of panic swept through his body as he pondered being buried alive in J’s tomb.

IV


    Later, J released Detective Ives from his locked room. J had informed him that more than one person plotted to kill him. Yet he had heard no intruders in the past 24 hours. He was not afraid. Still, he did not expect to live much longer. Even his guardians, whom he loved, might betray him.
    “Why?”
    “It is my Destiny!”
    Galvanized by his meeting with the Master, Ives left the House of J. His face glowed and he stood tall as he made his exit. Vonn gave Ives his .45 Magnum. Then he pressed a few buttons and the front door opened.
    “Goodbye, Detective. The Master speaks well of you. Please return.”
    Outside, Ives walked to his car. Momentarily, he leaned against a lamppost and looked up at the attic. She was still there, watching the grounds, guarding the Master. Her dark eyes captured him, held him, and let him go. He drove away.

V


    At 6 AM, Detective Roy Ives received the 911 call from the House of J. An intruder had shot J. J was dying and asked to see Ives immediately.
    Ives arrived at the mansion at 6:20 AM. When he looked up, he saw the woman in the attic. He scurried along the elongated path which seemed infinite. He climbed the long stairs. Eventually, he entered the mansion again. Vonn greeted him.
    “The Master is waiting.”
    “Do you want my .45?”
    “No! You may need it. Be careful.”
    Upstairs, he did not see Homer and Hawk. He waited outside J’s room, the .45 Magnum in his left hand.
    Soon, the door opened. He entered.
    “Hello, Ives. Or should I call you, Traitor?”
    J sat at his desk, scribbling a few more lines of his manuscript. “Your buddy Judas could not kill me.”
    “Where is the little beast?”
    “He’s a little prince! And he’s hiding. Figured you’d kill both of us.”
    “I shall!”
    “If you kill me, my power will increase. Already, it approaches Infinity.”
    “Then let it become infinite. Now, your earthly life must cease.”
    “Bless you, my son. The four beasts that guard me will never let me escape. I am tired of my worldly prison. Death is my only exit!”
    J automatically pressed a few buttons. The door started to close behind Ives.
    “Goodbye, J.”
    “I forgive you, my son.”
    Ives shot J three times and rushed through the closing door. Judas, who was hidden beneath the desk, scurried after Ives and slipped through the door too. Judas leaped high and landed on Ives’ back.
    “Get off me, you treacherous dwarf!”
    “Behave! Or I’ll scratch you with my poisonous, taloned red nails!”
    “Such treachery!”
    Yet Ives behaved and carried Judas on his back, hidden beneath his shabby, multi-holed raincoat. Hunched over, Ives came down the stairs and walked past Vonn.
    “How is the Master?”
    “At peace.”
    “A miracle!”
    “Goodbye, Detective Ives. I doubt we will meet again.”

    Outside, Judas jumped off Ives’ back.
    “I could kill you, brother!”
    “We’re flesh and blood.”
    “You’re a traitor, Roy. For the right price, you’d sell your freaky bro to the Devil!”
    “Never!”
    “And you’d sell your puny soul too!”
    “Already did. Don’t you know who gave us the contract?”
    Judas looked up at his big brother.
    “You made a deal with Him?”
    “Yeah.”
    Suddenly, he clawed Ives with his poisonous, taloned red nails.
    “Goodbye, Roy. You betrayed your soul. And your little bro.”
    The poison worked fast. Instantly, Ives fell to the ground. Within seconds, he was dead.
    It started to rain. A heavy rain came down and covered the soulless man who wore a shabby, multi-holed black raincoat. Momentarily, Judas looked up and saw the woman in the attic watching him. Then he sauntered off in the rain. Homeless and freaky, but a little prince with a soul.



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