The Secret Manuscript (Complete)

Chapter Forty-Three

The glowing red digits read 3:00 a.m. when the music turned on. Ben rolled over and hit the button on the bedside radio, shutting off the alarm. He turned back over to make sure Vanessa was up. 

"Is it time?" Vanessa asked. 

"It's time." 

Ben peeled the covers off and got out of bed. He stumbled to the bathroom and flicked on the light. The bright fluorescent lights illuminated the tiny space, spilling out into the main room. Turning on the faucet, Ben cupped his hands under the cold liquid and splashed it on his face. He then reached for a nearby facecloth and dried himself off. Staring in the mirror, Ben considered what was at stake. 

Vanessa entered the bathroom while Ben was brushing his teeth and hugged him from behind.  

"This is a big day for you," she said. "How do you feel?" 

"I'm a little nervous to be honest with you," Ben slurred as he tried to talk with a mouthful of toothpaste. He spit out the foam from his mouth and said, "In an hour from now, a lot of questions will be answered." 

After getting ready, the couple headed downstairs and hurried through the lobby. The receptionist looked at them a bit oddly, but did not say anything. Once they exited the hotel, the cool night air gave them chills as they dashed across the small parking lot. Under the soft glow of the overhanging streetlight was Ben's Mustang. Taking the key out of his pocket, he deactivated the alarm and helped Vanessa get in. 

Once they were both inside, Vanessa made a comment. "You know what just occurred to me?" she asked. 

"What?" 

"This car doesn't exist yet." 

"It's fine, it looks enough like last year's model... or this year's model, depending on how you look at it. Besides, I don't think people in Cold Lake are savvy enough about cars to spot the difference and deduce that a couple of time travellers are in their company." 

Ben and Vanessa drove to the apartment and parked across the street. Ben checked his watch; it was just past 3:30 a.m. He turned on the radio, adjusted the heat, and got comfortable. 

"When does the fire start?" Vanessa asked. 

"I'm not sure, but I think it's around 4:00 a.m. I was asleep when it happened, and when I woke up I was disorientated. From what I heard, it was around this time. Should be any moment now, we just have to wait." 

They waited patiently for twenty minutes, scanning the grounds outside the apartment building. There were a few cars that passed by, but no pedestrians. After another ten minutes still nothing happened. 

"Ben," Vanessa said, breaking the silence, "I think we should start to consider the obvious conclusion that we're the ones who burn down the apartment." 

"What?" 

"Think of all the events in your life that were orchestrated by you, the dropped pickles, Velena, the lottery... maybe we are supposed to get out of this car and burn this mother down." 

"Vanessa, don't be ridiculous, I'm not burning down my apartment. That's where I draw the line. We're just going to have to wait and see what happens." 

Just then, a fire alarm sounded and they both sprang up in their seats. 

"Okay, we're on," Ben said, getting out of the car. Vanessa exited the vehicle as well and stood by him, observing from a safe distance across the street. 

The flames grew inside and billowed out from the window of a third-floor apartment. It was difficult for Ben and Vanessa to just stand by and watch from the sidelines without helping, but there was nothing they could do. Besides, Ben knew everyone made it out alive so there was no point worrying.  

Within minutes of the alarm, people began to pour out from all exits and gather on the front lawn in their pyjamas. The fire crew and paramedics arrived shortly after, parking their large trucks on the road and blocking Ben and Vanessa's view. The sirens where off, but the flashing red lights rotated around, lighting up the street. 

From Ben and Vanessa's vantage point, they were not able to see anything so they moved to a better position. They did their best to scan the crowd to look for the man who saved Ben. 

"Do you remember what he was wearing?" Vanessa asked. 

"No, but keep your eyes out for an elderly man carrying me. I will be the last person to make it out." 

"There!" Vanessa pointed.  

From a side exit, the couple caught a glimpse of an elderly man staggering out of the building, struggling to carry a younger Ben in his arms. Immediately, paramedics and neighbours swarmed around them, obscuring the view. 

"Come on," Ben said, rushing across the street. 

The paramedics were quick to respond. They attended to Ben and lifted him off the ground and onto a stretcher. An oxygen mask was placed around his nose and mouth as he was hauled into an awaiting ambulance. Another paramedic offered assistance to the old man, but the man waved them off and insisted he was fine.  

By the time Ben and Vanessa arrived, the younger Ben had already been loaded into the back of the ambulance. They went separate ways, weaving through the crowd in an attempt to apprehend the old man, but when they met up again, they came up empty handed. 

"Where'd he go?" Vanessa asked. 

"I don't know, it's like he just vanished." 

"What do we do now?" Vanessa asked. 

"Let's not give up yet. We'll keep looking." 

"And if we don't find him?" 

"I know one other place to look. At some point he'll show up at the hospital and leave a note for me with the receptionist. If we can't find him here, we can wait for him there." 

Vanessa looked around and from the corner of her eye, happened to spot an elderly man slink away behind the building. 

"I think I just saw him," she said. 

"Where?" 

"He went behind the building." 

"I'm going after him," Ben said, as he ran off. 

Vanessa took it upon herself to run around the other side. Eventually, they met in the middle at the rear of the apartment. 

"Where did he go?" Vanessa asked. 

"I'm not sure." 

Then, from the shadows, an unexpected voice startled them "Looking for me?" 

The mystery man emerged from the shadows and revealed himself. It was dark, as the building shielded them from the street lights, but the moon provided just enough illumination for them to see. 

"Who are you?" Ben asked. 

Without saying a word the man approached Ben and stared at him face to face. "Don't you recognize me?" the old man said. "I'm you."