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The Red Trunks(continued) The two cops shared a look, and the man nodded. The woman said, "I'm
Constable Howlett. This is Constable Tate, RNC Patrol. We're looking
for a missing boy, 6 years old. Do you know anything about that?"
She held out a photo of a smiling boy. He had straight black hair, but
I didn't recognize him as the kid in my dreams. But, then, I never could
see his face, which always seemed to be in shadow. "What was he wearing?" I asked. "Blue shorts and a yellow T-shirt. Have you seen him, Mr. Seher?" "He wasn't wearing red shorts?" "For God's sake, Philip," Laura hissed in my ear. "What
are you doing?" "No," Constable Tate answered, eying me with suspicion. "Have
you seen this boy?" "No," I said. "I don't know where he is. How long has
he been missing?" "Since yesterday," Constable Howlett answered. "Why are you here, in this travel agency?" "You're asking a lot of questions, Mr. Seher," Constable
Tate said. "He lives on my street," the woman behind the desk interjected.
"His name is Eduardo. He was out playing with his friends yesterday
when he disappeared. Please, if you know anything, tell the police.
His parents are in a living hell; they don't know where to look for
him." "He's alone," I whispered. "I beg your pardon, sir?" said Constable Howlett. "In darkness. I don't know where." "The boy is asthmatic. We need to find him…" Her voice faded into a void as I stared out the window, wondering what
I was supposed to do, what I was supposed to know, why I was here. Out
front, the cars passed by on the street and I began to feel that familiar
tightness in my throat, making it hard to breathe. My gaze drifted to
a red car parked in the small lot, an old, rust-fringed Dodge Shadow.
Like being dragged over a cliff, I fell inside myself, lodged between
dream and reality. "Red trunks," I blurted, fighting to drag air into my lungs. "Philip, stop it," Laura pleaded. "Red trunk," I forced out with my last breath, pointing at the car, "Open it! Drowning…" I fell to my knees, suffocating, no more air in my lungs, and everything went black.
"Philip," a soft voice called from a far way off. "Philip."
Closer now. I opened my eyes and saw Laura's tear-streaked face smiling
over me. "What happened?" I croaked. "You stopped breathing for a bit. You scared me, Philip, but you'll
be fine. The police knew CPR. Constable Howlett got you breathing again.
The ambulance is here now; the paramedic said —" "The boy." Fresh tears flowed over Laura's cheeks as she smiled down at me. "Yes,
they found him, revived him. He's in rough shape, but he's going to
be okay." I sat up and realized I was still in the travel agency. Out the window
I saw an ambulance pulling away with flashing lights. Two more police
cars had joined the first and three cops were busy cordoning off the
area and taking notes. The other three were huddled around the travel
agent. She sat on a curb, rocking back and forth and weeping. Constable
Howlett squatted beside her, speaking to her. "The red car is hers," Laura said. Constable Tate saw me through the window, came in and stood over me.
"Glad to see you're okay, Mr. Seher. That little boy owes you his
life." "How did he end up in that trunk?" Laura asked. "Surely
that woman didn't..." "No, we don't think so. Miss Linwood believes she may have left
her trunk open after unloading some groceries yesterday. It appears
little Eduardo used it as his hiding place for the game he was playing
with his friends and accidentally locked himself in." "Didn't anyone hear him calling?" Laura asked. "With his respiratory problems, he may have lost consciousness
early, but if he did call out, no one heard him." Laura gazed searchingly into my eyes, waiting until Constable Tate
left the shop before speaking. "Philip, I don't understand this." "Neither do I," I rasped, my throat still feeling as if I
had been strangled. "But your dreams," Laura continued. "They started five
nights ago. How can that be?"
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