Chapter 4: The Letter

In the suburb, the flora was surrounded by a vibrant hue that made the space synchronize with the houses that filled it, regardless of size, shade of lawn, or planted tree in the yard. The atmosphere was the same; a young man was eating a sandwich on one of the picnic benches while scribbling some sentences on a piece of paper as a bird overlooked from above.

What was peculiar about the young man was that he wore a dirty white blindfold over his eyes, with dried blood where the eye sockets should be. He wrote precisely and clearly, as if he could see what he was writing. When everyone saw this scene, they all assumed he was infected and that his power was activated when he couldn't see anything.

 The street was quiet as people gazed out their windows, waiting for the young guy to leave; children were not permitted to approach him or the park after it had been cleansed for any remaining germs that may hurt them all. 'sus'

The young man didn't mind; he wanted peace and quiet, so he finished his sandwich and threw the plastic into the bin without looking. He smiled with satisfaction as the plastic went into the garbage, and after finishing the letter, he stood up and took his cane from the side of the table with one motion from standing the bird flew away.

 He walked with the letter in his hand, using the cane as a guide toward a specific house that he had memorized based on how the grooves on the sides felt when the cane touched them, the pavement, and the soft grass on the lawn that felt damp if he was not wearing shoes.

He appeared unkempt, with tattered jeans, a soiled white shirt, and bottomless shoes. Some may have assumed he was going door to door looking for work, but that was not the case. He grinned, didn't knock, and simply slipped the note under the door before disappearing into the woods.

Mary and Allie did not leave Joseph alone in the hospital until he was cleared to leave with them. After around five days of being evaluated and delivering his statement regarding the kidnapping, he didn't say much and told them how he acquired a job in the mountains, was forced to be a slave in an underground mine and was compelled to worship a cultist god named Ariel of grooves.

 They referred to themselves as Jericho's "sons and daughters." They killed us Infected because they considered us as lambs to be slaughtered for the benefit of the world.

So, Joseph escaped with some of his fellow captives, but some of them were slain or apprehended. Only Joseph was fortunate to be spared by the strange individual, who he continues to deny that they were a blindfolded child of unknown origins assisting his family.

So, he wanted to leave the hospital to see Jerry and make sure it was him. The cops were also going to escort Joseph to his family home to verify Jerry's identity, but Mary and Allie didn't believe Jerry would do the things they had mentioned.

 Joseph didn't know the youngster, but he trusted his wife and child to give him the truth, so he planned to question his wife and daughter about Jerry when they returned home. Joseph felt like he could grin again, but he remained focused and wondered if it was an illusion created by Jericho's people who knew how to manipulate the mind.

So he got into a cab with his wife and daughter, and he elected to stay with his family in the backseat, even though it could only carry two passengers. Joseph appreciated how it brought them closer together as he held his daughter's hand while she smiled gently at him.

 Why was he doubting this miracle? He desperately wanted to cry and let all his troubles go, but his mind was steady and focused, not allowing his emotions to cloud his judgment of the event, which appeared to be real to him.

He did not want to exhibit weakness at this moment of their sick game. Nonetheless, he wanted to see the house, yard, and suburb he had grown to love with some of his friends and neighbors. Some of those people avoided him after learning about his status, but this didn't concern him much; however, it bothered everyone because he was fired and rejected because he was different from the others.

 Joseph didn't care just now; all he wanted was to see this through to the conclusion with a neutral mind; his body showed no signs of anxiety, and his mind was completely calm. He gripped his daughter's hand gently as possible.

When his daughter placed her head on his knee, he kept back tears; Joseph remarked that that small gesture was enough to break the first wall. He slowly expressed his adoration by touching his daughter's head.

 After a ten-minute ride, Joseph exited the automobile with Allie in his arms, who was now yawning. He helped her get out of the car, and he quickly dug into his pocket to tip the driver.

Mary smiled, handed the driver a bill of money, and thanked him as they drove away. Joseph was dressed in a brown coat with a red shirt stripped black with thin lines running up and down, and his short beard and blonde hair appeared unkempt and uncombed.

 He stepped gently to the door, looking for the key beneath the lettuce his daughter had planted four months earlier. This knowledge ultimately caused Joseph to drop the key, as he realized he had escaped.

In the prior torture, they utilized the same tactic of projecting a cheerful setting that corresponded to his memories of leaving. They never made any changes; he knew he had escaped for a while when the officer named a guy he didn't remember seeing.

 Jerry Maddison, he had never heard of that name before. He existed in the real world, and he fought so hard to accept it, but his high mental fortitude was too strong to break down. But now that he realized how much he had missed during the last four months, Joseph burst into tears, his enormous hands covering his entire face.

The tears kept falling as Allie and Mary hugged Joseph, comforting him that he was finally home.

 From the corner of her eye, Allie noticed white slip on the door, as if something had been shoved down the gap into the house. Allie let go of her mourning father and retrieved the slip to discover that it was paper with lovely writings that were suitable for reading, as Allie informed her mother after reading the first two phrases of the letter and stated:

 "Mom... I think Mister Maddison just left"

Mary and Joseph glanced at Allie, who was staring at the water. Joseph wiped away his tears and snot. He then motioned for Allie to pass the letter here, took the letter, and began reading in a somber voice due to the crying:

Dear Mary and Allie

 Sorry for not waiting to say farewell to your faces, but the voyage must continue. I hope Mr. Donwood is okay when he returns to the hospital.... Anyway, Mary, these last four months have been remarkable to me in several ways, and I'd like to thank you for not telling the registrar about me while I was always asking for bread.

Until you grew weary of the bother, you made me food and instructed me to work for it. I attempted to use the 'I am blind excuse on you', but you said excuses are for when you are bedridden and dying. I only lacked one sense—not a human mentality.

 I enjoyed watching you and Allie be strong in the aftermath of Joseph's absence; Allie learned so much as a child, and Mary, you became a true soldier, conquering this demise with the desire to be unmovable and powerful enough to hold the world together without him.

If it was me, I would have left that house and forgotten about the man. But I am not you, nor am I powerful enough to confront the world's fate and destiny. I can't say much on this piece of paper, but thank you and good luck with that heavy man... man, he was heavy to bring down the mountain. Tell him he needs to seek some counseling about the shivering affect I saw, and he'll be fine.

 I might come back sometime, but you know me after telling the cops. I am a wanted man, and I need to move quickly. I can continue to bother you, Allie, and Sir for a long time because of my infection.

Good luck with your presentation Allie. Earn that promotion Mary, and keep strong Joseph, they won't come back, I guarantee.

 Yours faithfully.

 The blinded wanderer

 Maddison