The Unseen (39 page)

And so, when he'd suggested they leave DC in their rearview mirror, he was thrilled to hear her say yes. Not many people could do that, just pick up and leave. But not many people were like Sarea, were they?

No wonder the Connection was so strong with her.

Maybe they'd just drive until they ran out of cash, stop where they were, and find some work. He knew how to wash dishes, after all. She could wait tables. The world always needed dishwashers and waitresses.

She had agreed immediately when he asked her to do some traveling with him, to discover . . . whatever there was to discover.

The first two nights, he searched for a way to open the cube. Both nights he came up empty-handed.

On the morning of the third day, Sarea asked him to stop at a discount store so she could pick up a few things. He was happy to do so, and he lay out on the hood of the car, staring up at the sky above, so close it felt he could dip his finger in it. Out here, a few states away from DC, he felt safe to show his face; he wouldn't immediately be recognized.

He hoped.

“Hey.” Sarea was back, clutching a small bag. “I got you a little surprise.” She opened the passenger door and climbed inside.

He smiled, slid off the hood, and jumped into the car.

She held up a compact disc for him to see.

“Mad Billy Weevil,” he said, recognizing the photo of the blues guitarist.

He started the car, and she slipped in the disc as he put the vehicle in gear and started to inch out of their space.

Spinnin', you got me spinnin' all around
Spinnin' so much I ain't never been found
And when you tell me you don't mean it
I don't mind much, baby, cuz I seen it

The words resonated in his mind, and his last vision of Mad Billy Weevil came flooding back.
I'll play you what you need to hear,
Billy said, and then launched into a song.

This song.

He put his foot on the brakes. Behind him, in the parking lot, a small red car honked in frustration. Lucas paid no attention, but made a sharp turn back into the parking lot.

“What is it?” Sarea asked.

“It's . . . something I need to hear,” he said. He turned to the backseat, found the backpack he no longer felt the need to wear but couldn't quite part with yet, and unzipped it. Inside, he found the cube.

Cube in hand, he opened the door and stepped out.

“What are you doing?” Sarea asked.

He smiled. “I'm spinning,” he said.

He set the cube on the ground, then tipped it up on one of the corners and tried to twirl it like a top. The cube flopped around a few seconds, coming to a quick rest.

He picked it up and tried again, giving his wrist a solid flick as he did so. The cube whirred on its corner, creating a blur as it moved. After several seconds, it slowed and then came to a stop on one of its sides.

But now, a small door in one of the cube faces had slipped open. Inside the door was a small button.

He looked at Sarea, who was smiling. Inside the car, Mad Billy had begun to play a long solo.

“Go ahead,” she said. “Push it.”

He put his finger on the button, and the whole face popped open. Inside were a photo and papers, all folded.

His heart beating fast now, he pulled them out. First was the photo: a mom, a dad, and a young boy—maybe four years old—standing beside a body of water.

A body of water that looked to him very much like a spring of some kind.

On the faces of the three people in the photo, he saw looks of pure joy. Pure love. Pure living. It reminded him in many ways of all the photos he'd ever taken from offices, but mostly of Noel and her kids.

He turned over the photo. On the back it said
Mom, Dad, and Shane.

Heritage Springs State Park.

He handed the photo to Sarea. Next was a small card with a handwritten name and address.

James and Helen Mercer
3227 Marigold Way
Great Falls, MT 59403

He felt his breath stop when he came to the city name.

Great Falls.

(Humpty Dumpty had some great falls.)

I planted that phrase in you, to help you remember who you are.

And then, as his breath returned, flashes of memories began to return with it. Some of them, most of them, filled with feelings of terror. Dark corners, tied to a chair, hearing a long tape repeat phrases in his head over and over. Slide shows, flipping through images and implanting them in his brain.

But beneath those memories, he also discovered something else. A red bicycle. A high, trilling laugh
(Mom's laugh, that was Mom's
laugh)
. A bubbling spring, and a couple, hand in hand, walking ahead of him.

He called out to the couple, and they turned to him, smiles on their faces. When he ran to them, they took him into their arms and held him.

There were more items inside the cube: a birth certificate, driver's license, and passport for Shane Mercer, who lived in Great Falls, Montana; the license and passport had photos—recent photos—of him. How, he didn't know. And finally, a cashier's check for $100,000 made out to Shane Mercer.

He showed the items to Sarea.

She looked at them thoughtfully, then back to him. “Are these . . . is this . . . you?”

He nodded. “I think so.” Then: “You ever been to Montana?”

“Never, but I hear it's a nice place, Lucas.”

He smiled. “I guess we'll find out.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THIS BOOK WILL FOREVER BE ETCHED IN MY MEMORY; DURING ITS CREATION I was first diagnosed with, and then treated for, follicular non-Hodgkins lymphoma. As I write this, I'm cancer free and doing well—and even able to see the many positive ways cancer has changed me, thanks in large part to the many people who have entered my life as a result of it. These include my network of family and friends who were there from the beginning, as well as Dr. W. Thomas Purcell and the entire Cancer Center staff at Billings Clinic; GlaxoSmithKline, makers of Bexxar; Dr. Michael Snyder, Dianne, Tina, Kim, Rex, and everyone at Community Medical Center for their care during my treatment; Karl Schwartz of Patients Against Lymphoma and Betsy De Parry for their support and information; everyone in my Monday evening group; countless friends on the lymphoma.com message boards and other online venues; and inspiration from more than 500,000 people currently living with lymphoma.

I am also indebted, as always, to my lovely wife and lovely daughter, who are my constant sources of joy. Thanks also to my agent, Lee Hough, editors Ed Stackler and LB Norton, as well as Allen Arnold, Amanda Bostic, and everyone at Thomas Nelson Fiction for their invaluable contributions. I owe you all Dr Peppers.

MUSIC CREDITS

Silversun Pickups, David Crowder Band, Peter Bjorn & John, Okkervil River, Fratellis, Future of Forestry, Mates of State, Rilo Kiley, Weezer, Derek Webb, Kingston Trio, Better Than Ezra, Fountains of Wayne, Wilco, Pixies

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR
THE UNSEEN

1. Compare your feelings about Lucas at the beginning of the book with your feelings about him at the end of the book. Did your opinion of him change? Did you identify with him? Why or why not?

2. If you asked Lucas what he most wants at the beginning of the book, what would he say? Would he be truthful with you? Would he be truthful with himself?

3. The members of Creep Club live vicariously through the people they monitor and record. In light of recent trends such as YouTube and “reality” television, do you think our society mirrors this odd fascination? What are the implications—bad and good—of our more transparent world?

4. Lucas feels a Connection to his co-worker Sarea, and even though he's entertained thoughts of spying on her life, he never has. Why do you think this is?

5. At the end of the book, Sarea willingly goes with Lucas—first to escape her apartment, then to travel with him across the country. What does this willingness say about her as a character? About her relationship with Lucas?

6. Lucas has an odd habit of collecting photos and other souvenirs from the people he observes, calling them “totems.” Why do you think he does this? What do the totems represent for him?

7. Throughout the book, Lucas tells us: “People look, but they don't see.” Mad Billy Weevil, the blues musician, says: “People hear, but they don't feel.” What do you think they mean by this? Do you agree most people go through life looking but not seeing, and hearing but not feeling?

8. At the end of the book, the character Swarm says he sees himself in Lucas. How is he like Lucas? How is he different?

9. Lucas repeats the mantra “Humpty Dumpty had some great falls” throughout the book, which leads to some obvious connections with his past. But do you think there's also some symbolic significance in this phrase? Can Lucas himself be seen as a “Humpty Dumpty” kind of character? For that matter, can we all be seen as “Humpty Dumpty” characters in our own lives?

10. At a key point in the story, we find out the person Lucas is most afraid of is . . . himself. Why would he be afraid of himself? Do you think other people may be afraid of themselves? Do you think Lucas is still afraid at the end of the story?

11. Toward the end of the book, Sarea recounts the famous tale of the crossroads and the musician Robert Johnson, then suggests Lucas is in the same position. What's the main “crossroads” moment Lucas faces? What is his decision? Do the effects of his choice begin to appear by the time the story has ended?

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