The Debt Read online

  Chapter 4: One hour

  Midas awakens when his cat rubs his leg and meows for food. He stands from the couch and heads for the kitchen. Once prepared, the food is placed on the floor for the cat. She eats it up. Dr. Stanley realizes that he never found a home for his little friend.

  “Oh, no.”

  If he leaves the cat there, his family will be contacted to see if they want her. Just in case, he runs into his office and sends a quick e-mail to his son with contact information for others who may want her if he doesn’t. Then, he heads back into the kitchen and hugs his cat and gives her a kiss on the forehead. He thinks about what he needs to bring with him, but he needs nothing. He doesn’t shower or shave, and he looks a little disheveled. He decides the look suits him and laughs at his attire. Then, a tear rolls down his cheek. The end is here and is very real. Still, he takes a deep breath and opens his door. The special bus is not in his driveway yet. He closes the door and waits outside. It is a beautiful morning that is a slightly chilly. Without a coat, his hands start to become cold, so he hugs himself and keeps warm. The bus soon arrives and parks in his driveway. He walks towards it, and the door opens. As his foot touches the first step, he hears a voice.

  “Wait! Wait! Don’t get on that bus, yet. Please.”

  The bus driver looks in the rearview mirror and asks, “Who is that crazy person?”

  Midas turns around and looks at the supposed crazy person and simply says, “She is my daughter.”

  Amanda runs into his arms and hugs him. Her face is red from tears. Amanda is a beautiful slender blond with deep blue eyes. The little makeup she wears is no longer where it’s supposed to be.

  “Dad, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

  “I wasn’t going to come, but I got your message. I hopped on a red eye. I was sure that I wasn’t going to make it.”

  “You made it though. I love you, honey. Is there anything else you want to say?”

  “I love you too, dad. I wish I had made better use of this time.”

  “You made today easier for me. Thank you.” He kisses her on the forehead and turns around. Midas begins to step onto the bus. “Wait, I forgot. Do you want my cat?”

  “Your cat? Princess?”

  “Ahh, her name is Zelda. Princess is a nickname.”

  “Right, I forgot how much of a nerd you are. Ummm, sure.”

  “Hold on.” Midas says to the bus driver.

  Midas races back to his house where he grabs his cat and gives it his daughter. Midas gives her a kiss on the cheek and pets the cat one last time.

  “Bye, sweetheart.”

  “Bye, dad,” she says.

  Midas finds a seat in the back and sits down. The bus is half full, but someone mentions that he was the last pickup. Some look nervous and others cry openly. Midas just smiles. He has lived a full life with few regrets. The bus ride passes quickly as he watches the scenery. A building that he has never encountered before is the destination. The retirees exit the bus in single file and line up to enter the building. All of them are lead to a young assistant who tells them the process they will endure. His helper is a young man who doesn’t recognize him.

  “Well.” The man looks at a sheet to find the doctor’s name. “Dr. Stanley, it’s a simple process. Once we process you, you will head into a room where you will be sedated. After this step, it will be assured that your vitals are stable. You will be placed on a conveyor belt which will take you to the final room. Here, you will be…uh…retired. The sedation will save you from any pain. Any questions, sir?”

  “Yes, who will be doing it?”

  “We have an automated process once you are on the conveyor belt, so it won’t actually be a person.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  The man nods at him as he stands and heads for his final destination. The line is long at first, but it grows shorter as he reaches the door. The door opens revealing a single chair surrounded by two attendants. Midas sits down. One of the attendants grabs his attention as the other moves surreptitiously with a needle. It enters his jugular, and, soon, he is struggling to stay awake. He dozes off. Still, he can feel them shift his body into another room and onto a conveyor belt. Before long, everything goes black.

  Throngs of people gather in an auditorium. They tell stories about Midas Stanley. Many of them had only met the scientist once, but their lives were undeniably changed for the better. There are people standing in the auditorium and others spill into the grassy area outside. After three hours, the stories are finished. Caleb and Amanda take the urn outside. They are overwhelmed by thousands of people waiting for them. A path opens for them, but people touch them and the urn as they pass. The act is touching, and they begin to cry again. They finally reach a vehicle. Amanda sits in the back with the urn as Caleb drives to the cemetery. Amanda carries the urn to the gravestone that says Midas Stanley. The other name on the gravestone is Natasha Stanley. The grave is already covered with flowers, and, though Midas Stanley is gone, he is not forgotten.