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Tuesday - September 14

Claire begins to turn around to exit out the front door, when suddenly, the woman appears in front of her. Scared and needing to relieve herself, Claire softly whispers, "Danielle?" The woman brings her finger to her lips, signaling Claire to be quiet. She looks around, then looks at Claire, and with her index finger instructs Claire to follow her. Claire is skeptical, but she's come this far, and there's no turning back. Quietly and cautiously, Claire follows the woman.

Both of them walk down a corridor that has a sign posted "Employees only." Is this woman an employee? Claire turns around to see if they're being followed. Apparently, no one saw them coming this way. The woman stops at a door with an 'Exit' sign above it. She pauses for a moment, and then opens the door, exposing the alley. Claire wants to turn back, but is somehow mesmerized to continue.

After they exit the store, Claire notices a black limousine at the end of the alley with its engine running. Knowing the cost of gasoline, she wants to know who these people are, and how can they afford to waste such a commodity? Wanting some answers, Claire turns to the woman, and asks, "Danielle? Are you Danielle?"

The woman looks at Claire, projects a smile, and then says, "No. Follow me, please. We don't have much time."

The woman starts to walk towards the car, when Claire yells out, "I'm not going anywhere with you! I was supposed to meet Danielle here! If you're not her, where is she?"

Reaching the car, the woman opens the door and a rugged, hoarse voice speaks from within, saying, "Come on in, Claire. It's too cold out there. By the way, I'm Danielle."

Frightened and cold, Claire doesn't know what to do. Wary, Claire looks at the woman holding the door, and then looks at the figure in the car sitting in the shadows with a blanket covering their legs, holding a cane, and smoking a cigar.

"Oh, forgive me," Danielle says, as they extinguish their stogie, "you're pregnant, and we don't want any harm coming to this child. Do we, Claire?"

Astounded as to what the figure said, Claire stammers, "How... do you know... that I'm... I'm pregnant? Who are you?"

The figure inches their way closer to the light when Claire recognizes who it is. "Raymond! You're Raymond!"

Extending his hand, Raymond takes Claire's hand, and says, "Yes, I'm Raymond. Please, dear, get in before we're seen."

Claire turns to look at the woman, and then looks around in the car, and cautiously steps inside, quietly taking a seat. The door closes quickly, accelerating Claire's fears.

"Don't worry, Claire," consoles Raymond. "The answers you're seeking will come soon enough."

The chauffeur puts the car in gear and drives off, leaving the woman alone in the alley. Claire looks at everything in the limousine: a bar, a television, a refrigerator, and a phone. There are shades for the windows, and a glass divider between the driver and its occupants.

Claire stares at Raymond, too scared to say anything to him. Finally, she gets enough nerve to say, "You're dead. Or, you're supposed to be dead."

Raymond gives a light chuckle, and says, "I am dead. Not physically, of course. But I was dead for a long time, Claire. Do you know how long?"

Claire recalled the conversation she had with Aunt Ruth yesterday. "Aunt Ruth told me that you've been dead for about forty to forty-five years."

"Yes, Ruth," Raymond says, "she would have said that. She has to say that. To be completely honest, dear..."

"Honest!" Claire interrupts. "You're supposed to be dead! And you want to talk about honesty?"

Raymond smiles at Claire, and then holds the talk button down on the intercom to tell the driver to go to the Plaza.