One Good Man

I was working my typical night shift at a little gas station/store combo not far from where I lived. It was a dead end job but at least it paid enough to take care of the bills and provide me with a roof over my head. The night had been slow and I was getting ready to close up when the roar of a motorcycle pulling up to one of the pumps pierced the quiet night air. The guy unfolded himself off his beautiful metallic midnight blue bike, chrome shimmering under the night lights, and proceeded to run his card through the pump. When the tank was full he took his helmet off and headed my way.

Once inside he introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Kyle. I’m just on my way home for the weekend from the base. I’m a Marine and I’m being deployed oversees next week. I just found out I’m going to be a father and I want to spend some time with my wife.” He was a friendly enough dude but that was information overload. Besides being tall, he was quite well-built, the leather jacket he had on hiding nothing of his rugged torso. Mind you he wasn’t body builder big but he was in good shape. A young man, probably in his mid-twenties, with dark hair and moody dark eyes, he could easily have been a male model that would drive women, and dare I say a few men, into a frenzy. He spied the chair near where I was standing and sat down.

I’m not usually one to be extremely outgoing but there was something so easy going about Kyle that it was like I had known him for years even though he was a few decades my junior. “I’m Roger. It’s nice to meet you Kyle.” We were bantering back and forth when a young skinhead entered. He walked around the store, obviously on edge. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. He drew out a pistol and demanded the money from the register. I was going to open it but he must have thought I was reaching for a gun. Chaos ensued and a gunshot rang out.

 

I woke up, drenched in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. That was one very realistic dream. Eventually I calmed down and went back to sleep. Morning finally came and with it a new day but I was bothered by the memory of the dream I had last night. Normally dreams fade but this one didn’t. The day went by and soon I found myself at work where fortunately nothing unusual happened. I returned home and got into bed, hoping I wouldn’t have any dreams tonight.

A gunshot rang out… Before he knew what was happening and could stop me I tackled Kyle and pushed him to the floor. The gunman, surprised, fired his weapon again and my chest burned like fire. I had saved Kyle but what would happen now?

Time froze the instant I hit the floor. All noise and motion simply stopped. A bright glow materialized beside me, expanding until it filled the room. I was suddenly very light as I was pulled towards the heart of the glow. All of my senses were still intact yet I had the very weird feeling that I wasn’t in my body. I turned to look back and sure enough my body was lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

A voice spoke from within the glow. “Do not be afraid, Roger. You saved Kyle with your selfless act. You will be rewarded for doing such good. The one who murdered you will not be quite so fortunate.” What I next saw was amazing. The whole scene reset itself, just like a movie being run backwards, until the instant where the thug entered the store. Kyle was sitting in the chair as before and my body was standing nearby talking with him.

I turned to look at the punk who had killed me. Something was happening to him. I watched as his being was removed from his young rugged body, which then vanished as if he had never existed. He obviously knew what was happening and struggled to prevent it but his struggles were in vain. Ultimately he was forced into my body. He was now Roger, older and not anything like he was before. I pitied him but I guess he had made his own future so he had to live with the consequences. Time resumed as though nothing had happened. Kyle would live to be a loving husband and father. I turned back to face the light.

The glow enveloped me tenderly. Suddenly I was growing smaller until I was encased in flesh once more, oblivious to everything except the soft liquid darkness in which I was nestled. Content, I closed my eyes in peaceful sleep. Abruptly something slapped my bottom and uncontrollably I started to wail. Voices echoed throughout the darkness all around me. One in particular stood out above the others - Kyle! I was gently washed in warm water, swathed in something very soft, and placed in someone’s waiting arms. I was still crying, the shock of having been so rudely awakened still with me. A woman spoke gently in such a loving voice that I became calm. I knew instinctively that I had just heard my mother for the first time.

Kyle spoke. “What shall we call him?” I had become Kyle’s baby son! The woman in whose loving embrace I was cradled intoned softly. “Corey.”

The memory of my life as Roger faded quickly. Kyle and Ann, my mother’s name, were wonderful loving parents. My mom was the complete compliment to dad: beautiful, smart, and just as gentle as my dad. I grew up rugged, good looking, intelligent, and very much into playing sports - the all American kid. People would tell me I took after my dad. He even bought me my first motorcycle when I was old enough to get my license – a dark Marine blue HD sportster with lots of chrome. Of course my mother protested, saying it was too dangerous, but she knew my dad loved motorcycles and I had grown up to have that same love.

I wasn’t perfect and yes, I did my share of trouble making as kids do. They let me make my own mistakes and suffer the consequences but my parents were always there for me if I needed them. Dad eventually retired from the service, a decorated hero, and after I finished college I enlisted in the Marines – like father, like son. My dad absolutely beamed when I told him the news. My parents were so proud of me. I had been rewarded with everything I could have ever wanted.

I woke up startled but at least not terrified like the last time. The dream had been so real. I could remember all the details and even the feelings I had experienced. This was all very strange. The day went by as usual and again the dream lingered in my mind. I really hoped last night had been the end of it as a conclusion had been reached and I could get some real rest. I went to bed as soon as I got home from work. I was so tired I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

A single gunshot rang out… Kyle fell to the floor. Time literally came to a standstill in that instant.

A bright glow materialized near me, growing larger until it filled most of the store. I suddenly felt very light as I was pulled towards the heart of the glow. All of my senses were still intact yet I had the very weird idea that I wasn’t in my body. I turned to look back and sure enough my body was standing still, not far from where Kyle now lay in a pool of blood.

I couldn’t believe what happened next. The light completely surrounded the punk. His life force was being torn from his body, fighting the inevitable outcome and being forced into my body. Being me would be a living hell for him, going from a strong young man to a much older and weaker body. I would like to say I felt sorry for him but that would be lying. He got what he deserved for murdering Kyle. Divine justice was quick and terrible.

As I stood wondering why Kyle could not have been healed, something quite unexpected started to happen. The now vacant body of the punk was being remodeled. Gone was the shaved head, replaced by full brown hair neatly arranged. The facial features softened, becoming a masculine beauty that rivaled Kyle’s own features. The once overly muscled body trimmed down, still retaining a powerful build but one that was more befitting of a rugged Marine. Lastly he became clad in a leather jacket and clothes suitable for riding a motorcycle. A soft mist surrounded the body, slowly being absorbed by the new flesh.

A voice came from within the glow. “Kyle gave his life unconditionally for you. His soul could not return to his original body as it would have caused confusion and conflict after having experienced death. Therefore Kyle has a new body and life. You need to learn to trust in others and believe in yourself. He is now Travis and you will be Kyle. You will have to rely on your mates for your protection and be willing to surrender your very existence to save someone else.”

Travis. Memories of our meeting and bonding surfaced in my mind. He and I were in the same unit being deployed overseas. We were as close as brothers and watched out for each other. We were meeting up with our wives this weekend before shipping out. We would be back on leave just in time for the birth of my son. Travis was going to be my son’s godfather.

When time resumed Travis and I were bantering with Roger but we had to be on our way as it was getting quite late by now. We thanked him for the break and went to mount our bikes, the engines roaring into life once more.

One day when we were on patrol Travis snapped a picture with his phone and promptly sent it to my wife Ann. She got quite the kick out of seeing her half-naked husband strutting around in the desert playing soldier. All her friends were quite impressed (and secretly jealous according to her). Payback would be a bitch as they say. Just wait until I catch that shithead Travis and post his picture all over the internet.

Travis was with me and Ann the night Corey was born. We both survived our deployment overseas, becoming decorated heroes for saving the lives of our unit when the enemy ambushed us. We were quickly promoted to permanent jobs in the states which enabled me to stay home with Ann and our new son. A few years later Travis and his wife had their first child - a little girl they named Bethany. My son grew up strong and smart, a chip off the old block. I bought him his first motorcycle over his mother’s loudly voiced objections. She knew he shared my love of bikes so she resigned herself to the fact that her son took after his old man. When he finished college he enlisted in the Marines, making me one proud father. My life was more than I had ever expected.

I awoke to find myself still in my own bed, safe and secure. Again the same dream but with a very different ending. How long was this going to last? I felt drained and not rested at all. My day dragged until finally it was time to go to work. The night had been slow and I was getting ready to close up when the roar of a motorcycle pulling up to one of the pumps pierced the quiet night air. The guy unfolded himself off his beautiful metallic midnight blue bike, chrome shimmering under the night lights, and proceeded to run his card through the pump. When the tank was full he took his helmet off and headed my way. Somehow this seemed oddly familiar as if… oh God no! My dream… but this time it was real. What was the ending going to be?