The Beast of 1977 (Book 1)

Chapter 2

"Good morning. I'm Helen Lewis with Action Seven News. We are pre-empting our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this live report. I'm here on the campus of Cypress State Community College where yet another kidnapping has just taken place here just twenty minutes ago.

Twenty-two year old Gloria Cohen was abducted right here, in front of this vending machine by the elusive B.O.D. Kidnapper According to eyewitnesses, Gloria, who is a psychology major here at the college, left one of her classes. Her schoolmates say that she stops here every day to purchase a candy bar and a soda. One moment everything is fine, and then the next moment, Gloria is heard screaming while being snatched away by a large man wearing a blue ski mask. This man grabbed Gloria, tossed her into a blue Ford van and took off down Charleston Street.

Members of the Cypress State basketball team chased after the van, but to no avail, as the vehicle sped away down the road. Gloria's abduction makes this the sixteenth kidnapping by the same individual. We got a chance to speak with some of Gloria's classmates. Sir, can you tell us just what took place here?"

"I don't know...it all happened so fast. One second, Gloria was by the vending machine, then you turn your head for one moment, and she's gone. Just like that. Where are the police when something like this happens? What are our parents paying takes for when the cops aren't even around to protect people?"

"Okay, obviously a very distraught young man, indeed. Ma'am, were you able to describe the individual that snatched Gloria away."

"He was wearing a blue ski mask and black gloves! He just picked her up like a baby and threw her into the van! He was tall! I don't know, maybe six-foot four or five! I can't believe this is happening! Gloria is such a nice person! Who would do such a thing?"

"Well, as you can see, tensions are high here at Cypress State. We will keep you apprised of this tragic situation as it unfolds. For Action Seven News, I'm Helen Lewis. We now send you back to The Jokers Wild."

***

Isaac Mercer. Six foot. Dark brown skin. Low cut hair; a pair of brown jeans, and amber eyes that shined like shards of crystal in the dark.

One by one, Isaac neatly placed articles of clothing into his blue suitcase while listening to the disorderly commotion outside his room.They were the white noises that he would be taking home with him. Sounds of disturbed patients screaming and moaning for no apparent reason other than the want of attention.

From his room he could smell the cafeteria preparing lunch for the day; macaroni and cheese, tapioca, and his favorite, beef stew.

As he placed his last pair of Fruit of the Loom underwear into the suitcase, Isaac paused and glanced over at the picture of his mother that was sitting on the nightstand next to his made bed. He reached over, picked up the frame and glared deeply into the woman's smiling face.

Almost instantly, Isaac himself began to smirk as though she would be waiting for him the moment he walked out of the building.

Gently, Isaac packed the frame into his suitcase before reaching over and taking the photo of his longtime girlfriend and young son. His body could hardly contain itself from the overwhelming feeling it had in knowing that in only an hour's time he would be seeing them once again.

Isaac couldn't count how many times he had masturbated to his lady's image before falling asleep at night, or just the thought of holding his little boy in his arms as though he were a newborn all over

again. It all made his body jitter with unbridled elation.

"Hey, man." A muscular, bearded black man came into Isaac's room with a brown paper bag in hand.

"Hey, what's up?" Isaac smiled as he gave the man their daily, five point "ghetto" hand shake.

"Not much, just thought I'd stop by and give you this before you left." The orderly remarked as he handed Isaac the bag.Isaac took the bag and reached inside to find a carton of oatmeal cream pies.

He snickered and said, "Thanks, brother. I'm gonna need these for that long trip home."

"I sure as hell ain't gonna miss sneaking those things to you at two in the morning!" The orderly laughed out loud.

"I hear you, man!" Isaac laughed back. "Listen, I really appreciate everything you've done for me since I was here."

"That's my job, my man." He shrugged. "You just make sure you take care of that woman and son of yours."

"Will do," Isaac said as he slapped hands with the man once again. "You gonna come and meet my dad before we leave out?"

"Sorry, my man, I gotta go clean Mr. Reynolds' bed." The orderly sighed. "You know how that dude can get after he eats cornbread. But you state loose, Merc."

"I will. You do the same." Isaac grinned as he watched the man exit the bedroom, leaving the door opened behind him.

As Isaac turned around he found himself suddenly paralyzed by his own reflection in the mirror that was mounted on the closet door. He couldn't explain why the image seized him so violently at that

moment, or why he even spun around so quickly to begin with.

Skittishly, he approached the mirror and stared deeply into his own strange looking eyes, the same eyes he had been carrying with him since last November. He then took his right hand and gipped his left forearm. He squeezed and rubbed the appendage as though it were bothering him.

Once he was through massaging his arm, he slowly opened the creaking closet door and vigilantly looked inside. From left to right all he could see was empty space, ready for the next patient's arrival.The odor or feces began to whisper into Isaac's room like the air was carrying it straight to him personally. He shut the closet door and tossed a few last items into his stuffed suitcase before hoisting it off the bed and carrying on out the room.

"Ahh, Isaac my friend." Doctor Sanyupta called out as both he and Doctor Levin rounded the corner. "I see you are ready to leave us today, young man." He graciously smiled.

"I sure am." Isaac humbly and bashfully grinned."Before you leave I would like for you to meet Doctor Jeremiah Levin. He will be taking my place for the next two months while I practice over in Asia."

"How are you, Isaac?" Levin greeted with a smile and a handshake.

"Doing good." Isaac responded in kind.

"Doctor Levin will be meeting with you at his office in Ligon in a few days. Anything you need you will take it to him."

"Okay." Isaac simply replied."I am very proud of you, young man." Sanyupta beamed. "You're recovery here has been nothing short of phenomenal. You are now on the road to a bright future."

All Isaac could do was stand in the middle of the hallway floor and blush. Suddenly, the heavy weight of his suitcase seemed almost inconsequential."Well, we must be on our way. Goodbye, Isaac." Sanyupta

said while shaking Isaac's hand.

"Goodbye, sir."

"So long, Isaac," Levin said as he shook Isaac's hand once more before following in behind Sanyupta down the hallway.

Isaac watched as both men turned down a noisy corridor full of the boisterous sounds of men and women groaning and crying for someone to assist them.Isaac turned and began walking in the opposite direction.

The door up ahead, just mere feet away, seemed like crossing an ocean as the rackets increased with every room that he passed by. Isaac twisted the knob, pushed open the door and then shut it behind him.

Like the flick of a light switch, the enchanting harmonies of Glen Miller's, 'Moon Love' cooed into his warm ears from the speaker up above his head.

At the front desk stood a late fiftyish, portly black man who was writing on a notebook pad. Instantly, the man looked up and noticed Isaac standing at the doorway. A delighted beam shined under his full mustache.

He dropped his pen that he was using, and without saying a word, the large gentleman grabbed Isaac into his arms and hugged the life out of him."How are you, boy?" The man smiled, rubbing his mustache.

"I'm alright, dad." Isaac modestly replied as he dropped his suitcase to the floor, straightened his white undershirt and stepped back to examine his father from afar. "Uh, oh, looks like you've been losin' some weight there."

Embarrassed, Isaac's father waved his right hand and said, "Cut that mess out, boy. Any weight I've lost is in my head. C'mon and let's go home." The man chuckled while handing Isaac a grey winter coat.Isaac put on the coat, picked up his suitcase and followed in behind his father.

"Is it real cold out?""

You better believe it is. Zip up so you won't catch your death out here." Father replied, holding the door open for his son.

The second Isaac stepped out of the warm confines of Ashlandview his entire body surged with shocking electricity. It was well below ten degrees that cloudy morning, but Isaac could feel nothing inside of him except serene and affectionate warmth.

Ashlandview wasn't a prison, but no one ever called it home.The customary odors of urine, stale vegetables and soiled linen were all replaced with the aroma of a cold winter breeze that would have any other person running for shelter; but to Isaac, it felt fresh and brand new, like the start of a new year.

Unlike most of the other patients, Isaac's stay at Ashlandview was short. Over the time he was there the young man had been inundated with stories from other residents and orderlies about how horrible it was to be inside for only one week.

Dissimilar from his father, Isaac wasn't much of a praying man, but he made sure to thank God every day for pulling through.

Both men stepped over sheets of ice and snow on their way to a brown, 1972 Ford Pinto that was parked next to a large, white laundry truck.

"I thought you were gonna get a brand new car, dad." Isaac mentioned as he climbed in on the passenger's side.

"Shucks," the elder Merger sniggered, "I'm still trying to recover from all that Christmas shopping I did. How do you expect me to get a brand new anything, son?"

"I figured God would make a way for you." Isaac offhandedly jibed."You know better than to test the Lord," Isaac's father rebuked before cutting on the rickety ignition and pulling out of the parking lot.

From Ashlandview to home was a forty-five minute trip, Isaac realized that his father had a lot of questions to ask, notably inquiries about his condition. Isaac wasn't looking forward to any of them, but he braced himself nonetheless, like an oncoming accident waiting to take place.

"So, did you see that Superbowl last month?" Father asked as he cut on the car's heater.

"Yes, sir, Oakland sure put a whoopin' on those Vikings." Isaac smiled. Minnesota ain't never gonna win a title. Everybody up in that place was goin' crazy. Even Sanyupta had money on that game."

"What?" Father frowned. "What does he need money for? He's a doctor."

"Dad, it was all just for fun. Isaac respectfully chided his father.

"I see." Isaac's father relented while worriedly glancing over at his son's face. "Did they ever find out what was wrong with your eyes?"

As though he were put on the spot, Isaac immediately directed his attention to the window beside him and said from out of the side of his mouth, "Uh, Doctor Sanyupta said that it may have something to do with trauma. Almost like hysterical blindness, but without the blindness. If that makes any sense."

"Hysterical blindness, huh," the man shrugged in disbelief. "Well, I've heard of hysterical blindness, but I ain't never heard of someone's eye color just up and changing overnight like yours did. And you're not even blind. You've been that way since the beginning of last November."

"C'mon, dad," Isaac moaned. "I told you last month, it's nothing big. It'll go away soon."

Isaac's father sighed. Isaac figured that the man was trying to conjure up another series of questions to hurl his way.

"I heard the weatherman say that we were gonna get some more snow soon." Isaac said.

"Yeah, maybe six or seven inches by the end of the week. But you know how these weather folks are, they say snow and we end up getting rain. Hey, did you happen to catch previews for that new movie series coming to TV, about the slaves?"

"The only thing we ever saw on TV in that place was these stupid singing shows. If I see another episode of Hee Haw I'm gonna snap." Isaac giggled.Isaac's father joined in laughing.

"You think that's bad? All last week they showed nothing but the Donny and Marie Show for twenty-four hours. Now that's torture!"

Unexpectedly, Isaac's melancholy mood began to diminish, right along with the frost that had gathered on the windshield.

"It wasn't so bad in there." Isaac exhaled. "We got three squares a day. We really didn't have to worry about much, expect Doctor Sanyupta's treatment sessions."

"Treatment sessions," Mr. Mercer grimaced. "What kind of treatments are we talking about?"

"Do you remember a couple of years ago, you and Deacon Hawthorne went to see that Jack Nicholson movie?"

Mr. Mercer pondered and then squinted his eyes, "You mean that cuckoo movie?"

"Yes, sir," Isaac said."Okay, I remember."

"Well, Doctor Sanyupta's treatment sessions were sorta like that. No one got electrocuted or smothered with pillows. We just sat around, talked about our feelings and mediated like a bunch of monks." Isaac explained. "There was this one woman named Shannon. She killed her dad with some scissors years ago and acted like nothing ever happened. But after a few sessions, she started to open up, and before you knew it, she was okay."

"I see." Mr. Mercer sighed. "So, do you think you're okay now?"

Isaac hesitated at first to reply; it was as if he were waiting for something to interrupt him. "I think so. Although I'm not too crazy about going back to church, or the old neighborhood again."

"Why on earth not," Mr. Mercer asked."C'mon, dad," Isaac whined, "everyone knows where I went and why I went there. It's embarrassing. I'd rather say that I went to the Penn than to a mental hospital."

"Don't say that, son. Only me, Lynnette and the good Lord know where you've been. What's done is done. God wants you to move forward with your life. He's given you a brand new slate, now its time to start writing a new chapter in your life."

Isaac listened intently to his father speak words that before going away were torturous to him. But sitting there in the same car alongside his father and away from the institution, the man's speech never sounded so relieving.

"Lynn and Isaiah can't wait to see you again, and as far as folks in the church and neighborhood are concerned, everyone thinks that you went to see your Aunt Doris down in Columbus for the past few months. And that's another thing, I wanna see you and Lynn in church for a change. It's time you start showing your family how a man comes back from adversity. Proverbs 23:18 says: surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off."

Isaac glanced over at his dad and noticed the man's eyes watering up. He had never seen his father cry outwards, but for the very first time, the man that he knew as the strongest human being alive was

sitting in the driver's seat, silently weeping.

"Hey, dad, if you had to do it all over again, sending me away...would you?"

Mr. Mercer wiped his eyes and said, "Son, you weren't exactly yourself a few months back. As much as it killed me to do so, I did what I thought was right. You have to understand, before then, I've never seen you behave that way. Can you believe that Deacon Hawthorne actually wanted me to perform, of all things, one of those exorcisms on you?"

Isaac looked up and cracked a whimsical smirk before asking, "You mean like the movie?"

"I'm dead serious, man." Mr. Mercer chuckled. "I kept on telling the brother that the Lord will know what to do. Whatever is wrong with Isaac, God will make a way. He always does in the end."

Isaac once more lowered his head in shame. Every so often he would peek at his uncanny eyes in the rearview mirror beside him as though he were expecting something sinister to occur out of nowhere.

He then closed his tired eyelids and slumped deep into his seat, listening carefully as the car's loud engine hummed along the endless highway that led homeward.