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distance.
    “It’s Dave again, isn’t it? What’s he fucked up this time?”
    Just about everything, by the look of things.
    “Sorry, Jane,” Dave said again. “I need a favor. A big one.”
    “Can’t it wait till morning?”
    “I’m afraid not. Maggie says it’s important. It’s about the Cosmos.”
    “Come on, Dave. You of all people wouldn’t wake us up for that.”
    “I don’t have time to argue, Jane. Please? Can you and Jim get over here to Maggie’s place?”
    “What, now?”
    Dave heard Jim shout again.
    “Tell him to fuck off. I’ve got work in the morning.”
    “Please Jane? For me?”
    Dave hung up the phone and turned to see that Maggie had set up some crystals in two concentric circles on the floor.
    “Are they coming?” she asked.
    “Jane will. But Jim…”
    He made a see-sawing action with his hand.
    * * *
    Jane and Jim stood in the hallway of their house. Jane pulled on an outside coat. Jim stood, coat in hand, showing no sign of putting it on.
    “Tell me again why I’ve got to drive out to the sticks in the middle of the night.”
    “Dave said…”
    “Oh yes. Fucking Dave. What does he want this time? Let me guess. He’s fucked his life up again?”
    “He says it’s important.”
    “When he’s drunk, everything’s important.”
    “He didn’t sound drunk.”
    “Well, that’ll be a first then.”
    Jim started to put on his coat. A white envelope fell out of a pocket. He bent to pick it up, then realized what it was.
    “How did this get here?” he said.
    “I’ve no idea. Is it what I think it is?”
    “Fucking hocus-pocus, that’s what it is. Wait a minute. It’s not about this crap, is it?
    Jane put her hands up defensively.
    “Dave said…”
    “Can we please forget about Dave for a second?”
    He waved the envelope in her face.
    “Please tell me it’s not about this crap?”
    “He said that Maggie thought it was important.”
    “So it is about this crap. I’ve had enough. I’m going back to bed.
    He tore the envelope up and let the pieces flutter to the ground. As the first piece hit the floor, the light bulbs in the overhead fitting all blew at once with a fizzle and pop.
    “Oh for fuck’s sake,” Jim said, loudly. “That’s all I need.”
    Everything fell quiet, then from nowhere yet everywhere a wind blew through the room. The noise of an engine started up.
    “Jim?” Jane said, more than a hint of fear in her voice.
    “It’s just the fuse panel.”
    The room went icy cold, frost running across the carpet. The wind rose to a near gale. As if from nowhere, bright light flooded the room, and just as quickly cut off.
    The Barrs fled, rushing outside, heading for the SUV in the driveway. The noise of an engine revving filled their house as they drove off in a screech of tires.
    The sound of the SUV receded into the distance, but engine noise continued to run in the empty house before it was finally cut off and silence fell.

June 11 th

    The cop interrupted Dave’s story
    “Wait. How do you know what happened after you phoned them. You weren’t there.”
    Dave shook his head.
    “I don’t. I’m just guessing, based on what a dick I was to them over the years, and what I know happened to them on the way to Maggie’s place.”
    “But it was you who called them from the house in the country?” the cop asked.
    “I said that already, didn’t I?”
    “I’d just like you to confirm, for the record, that you invited the Barrs to that house.”
    Dave sighed.
    “OK. For the record. It was me that invited the Barrs to that house. Happy now?”
    “Not yet. But some pieces are starting to fit together. Tread carefully from here on in, Mr. Burns…you’re getting to the bit I’m interested in.”
    “That’s what I’m worried about. You’re never going to believe me.”

June 10 th

    Maggie motioned Dave over to the two concentric circles of crystals on the floor. She stepped over, into the inner circle, and held out her hand.
    “In here.