Cul de Sac

“Cul-de-Sac”

Nothing about a cross-country move is easy. The upheaval to a person’s life seems to almost outweigh the reasons for moving in the first place. A mix of risk and adventure.

The dashboard clock read 9:32 AM and Zack could already feel the sun through his open window. The Arizona summer heat lasted until October but he and Sarah had decided that hot summers were better than cold winters. Their decision to leave Michigan and move to the southwest was a long time in the making, something they’d talked about for years. Most of their families had moved to other parts of the country and now seemed like the perfect time for them to do the same.

Online job searches began and they took their vacation time to fly to Phoenix for interviews. It was a long process but they both found good jobs. It was time to start the next chapter of their life. Zack drove out ahead of their final move to begin training and orientation. Sarah stayed back to sell the house and coordinate things with the movers. Despite the chaos they looked forward to the move.

Zack was at their new home waiting for a message from their realtor and finally got a text. It read: “Zack, sorry, stuck in traffic, should be there in ten.” He got out of the car and stared at the house, a Spanish-Contemporary style at the end of a cul-de-sac. The lots on either side hadn’t yet been developed so neighbors were only in the future. Their realtor, Bob Avery, told them their house had been on the market for over a year, which was surprising given its immaculate condition and beautiful setting. When they asked him why it hadn’t sold he got tongue tied and replied, “Oh, every house has its own time on the market.” It was a vague and not very satisfying answer but fortunately, the home inspector’s report was very thorough and said everything was in good condition.

The wait for Avery gave him time for a slow walk around the outside of the house. The entire property was landscaped with native cactus, yucca and agave. Mesquite trees shaded the spacious patio. The watering system had been upgraded and Zack figured his days of tedious yard maintenance were over. By the time he got back to the driveway Avery had arrived.

“Sorry, Zack, the eastbound traffic is usually pretty light.”

“Well, I’m gonna have a commute so it sounds like I’ll have to learn some patience in the future.”

Avery handed Zack a brightly colored canvas bag. “I brought you the second garage door opener and the extra set of keys that we forgot to get from the Bradshaws at the closing. Since you sent the other set to your wife be sure to hang on to these. There’s also a bottle of wine in there for a celebration when she gets here.”

“Man, that’s really nice of you.” He turned back toward the house. “Hey, Bob, I don’t remember if I asked you this, but do you have any idea what’s going on with the two empty lots? Is anybody looking at them?”

Avery seemed nervous and hesitated. “Uh, well, I’m not aware of anything specific right now… but you never know”

It was another vague answer that didn’t satisfy Zack. “I just don’t get why they’re still vacant.

Avery’s nervousness was obvious. He changed the subject as he opened his car door. “I think that does it. You signed all the papers and everything’s filed so it’s your new home sweet home now.” He reached toward Zack and as they shook hands, he said, “Better get that wine into your fridge. It’s getting hot out here.”

As he watched Avery drive away Zack used the new remote control and opened the garage door, then went into the kitchen and put the wine into the refrigerator. He’d told the people in his new office that he wouldn’t be in until late morning so he took a few minutes to walk around the house.

It was a classic Southwestern design; stucco exterior, Saltillo tile floors throughout the living space, hardwood floors in the bedrooms, Mexican iron light fixtures and daylight filling every corner. The original owners, Hank and Lily Bradshaw had meticulously maintained every part of the place It looked as though no one had ever lived there. Zack’s favorite feature was the large archway between the entry foyer and the living room. It was a high, curving arc of white stucco with a brightly painted border with a traditional Mexican flower and vine motif. It was the focal point of the entire floorplan. He’d been through the house a half dozen times and every time he’d stop, look up at the archway and run his hands over the band of vines. It was really special to him.

His first workday was the typical orientation; a mix of meeting people and learning more about his duties. Somehow he managed to find time to call Sarah. After a delay she answered breathlessly. “Hi, honey. I was just packing the next to last box. I think we’re almost ready for the mover.”

“That’s great, babe. I wish I was there to help you out but the situation is what it is.”

“Don’t worry about it. Dave and Lynn have been over to help out and a guy from the mover brought some boxes and stayed around to help me with them. The truck comes on Friday and I think it’ll go just fine. Did you get your travel plans worked out? What time does your flight leave?”

“Everything’s set. My flight leaves at 8:20 and I should get in there about 1:30. Do you remember where to pick me up?”

“Yeah, I’ll wait in the cellphone lot and when I see that your flight’s on the ground I’ll head to the arrival curb. And remember to wear your red shirt so I can spot you in the crowd.”

“Will do. It’s going to be three long days in the car heading back here but I’m excited. The next leg of our adventure.”

“I am too. I almost can’t believe we’re finally doing this, pulling up stakes and moving two thousand miles. I’m too excited to be scared. Keep in touch, honey.”

Zack was wall to wall busy the rest of the day and left the office around 5:30. After he’d gotten back to his hotel he changed clothes and headed to the house. He was curious about how it looked at night. On the way he picked up a takeout dinner and was almost finished when he pulled into the driveway. It was dusk and the outside lights were on and he remembered Avery saying they were on a light-sensitive control. He left his car in the driveway and went to the front door to make sure the new key worked. When he clicked on the ornate ceiling light in the foyer he got his first glimpse of the house in something other than brilliant sunshine. It was just as beautiful in the fading light.

A step through the archway brought an odd rush of cold wind that blew over him and he looked back at the door. A cold wind on a hot day. When he turned back to the living room he halted, not sure of what was happening. The previously empty house was now completely furnished with someone else’s furniture. There were even paintings on the walls. When he saw the picture over the fireplace he felt a chill. It was a formal looking painting of Hank and Lily Bradshaw.

“What the hell?” he muttered. “What’s going on?” A mix of shock and anger came over him and he stood there a moment before taking several cautious steps into the living room. Everything he saw said the house was still occupied. It was almost overwhelming. He reached into his pocket, his hands shaking, and took out his phone. ”Bob Avery damn well better know what this was all about,” he thought to himself. The phone immediately went to voicemail. “Bob, it’s Zack Marshall. I’m at the house and it’s full of the Bradshaw’s stuff. What the hell is going on here? Call me back like right now!”

There was too much going through his mind to just sit and wait for Bob’s reply. He took a long, deep breath and slowly walked further into the house. He noticed the scent of some kind of flowery candle or air freshener. When he reached the dining room he saw that the table had been set for two people. The sound of voices from the kitchen stopped him in his tracks. It was a man and a woman talking but he couldn’t make out the words. Like it or not he knew he had to go into that kitchen. As he walked to the doorway his anger grew with every step. He was flat out dumbfounded when he saw Hank and Lily Bradshaw standing at the counter.

It was a struggle to maintain his composure. “Mr. Bradshaw, Hank, what is all this? Why are you still here and what’s with all the furniture?” There was no response. He waited or a moment and then said in a loud voice, “You aren’t supposed to be here. It’s my house now!” Again there was no response. Part of him wanted to grab the man and shake him but he decided to take a less aggressive tack and waved his hand in Bradshaw’s face. The man didn’t even blink as he picked up a plate of bread and carried it into the dining room. Lily moved to the counter, directly facing Zack, as she filled two bowls with salad. “Lily, why are you here?” She was no more responsive than her husband. It was as if Zack wasn’t even there.

The whole situation seemed surreal and Zack didn’t know what to say or do next. His ringing phone decided for him. He pulled it from his pocket and hurried back into the foyer. The rush of cold wind blew over him again as he passed under the archway. When he looked back he stopped in his tracks. The living room and dining room were empty again; no furniture, no pictures and no Bradshaws. Nothing made sense. Prepared to scream at Avery about the former owners living there he was suddenly speechless. Everything seemed to be back to normal again.

His hands were still shaking when he answered. “Uh…hi, Bob. Thanks for calling back.”

Avery seemed hesitant. “Zack, I listened to your message a couple times. What’s going on?”

Zack couldn’t decide what to say, whether to tell him everything that he’d seen or just pretend that it never happened. “Bob, I’m not sure what to say. I thought there was a problem but I guess I was wrong.”

“You said something about the Bradshaws. Did they leave some of their stuff behind, because if they did I’ll call them in the morning to get it cleared out.”

“No, I thought they did but after I looked around the place…well, things look okay.”

Zack was struck by how long it took for Avery to say anything else and when he finally spoke he sounded evasive. “Well…that’s good. You bought yourself a beautiful house and I can’t imagine what could be wrong with it. Look, Zack, I have to run. Best of luck with the house.”

Zack looked back toward the empty living room, trying to get his head around what he’d just experienced. The house was empty then it wasn’t and then it was. He’d been alone, then he wasn’t and then he was. He retraced his steps in his mind. First he was in the foyer and everything was normal and when he passed under the archway he’d felt a rush of wind and then the Bradshaws and their stuff were there. “And what in hell is that wind?” he wondered. “It’s only when I go through the arch and then other times it’s not there.”

The next morning at his office it he’d tried hard to focus on his work. Every conversationhappened in a fog. He couldn’t avoid thinking about the house and about the people who were there, or who he thought were there. He wondered if his new colleagues thought he wasn’t paying attention or that he was some kind of flake. Somehow he’d managed to get through the day and then drove to his hotel. A drink at the bar didn’t begin to relax him and neither did sprawling on the bed for an hour. A phone conversation with Sarah happened in a fog and he decided not to tell her what happened at the house. As much as he wanted to avoid the same experience he knew he had to go back to the house.

It was dusk when he got there and he sat in his car for a few minutes, half eager to go inside and just as eager to go back to the hotel. The outside lights were on again. He took a deep breath, got out of the car and headed to the front door. Inside, the foyer light was bright enough to illuminate the living room, the empty living room. “Okay,” he thought, “everything’s okay, time to head back to the hotel.” But he couldn’t convince himself and turned toward the living room. His first step under the archway brought the wind and with his second step the furniture appeared and the lights came on. He closed his eyes in panic but he knew he had to search for an answer to his strange predicament.

Shaking all over, he called out. “Hello, is anyone here?” He walked into the dining room and, like his last visit the table was set, but this time for three people. He turned toward the kitchen and called out, Mr. Bradshaw are you here?” Not surprisingly there was no answer. He had no choice but to enter the kitchen and when he did he once again found the Bradshaws.

Sarah had circled the airport four times looking for Zack at both arrival areas. A dozen calls to him and a dozen messages brought nothing. It wasn’t like him to ignore messages. She’d been torn about what to do, stay home and keep trying to reach Zack or head to Arizona. Despite making a four more calls to Zack that night, when the moving van pulled up in front of their house the next morning she felt a pressure to follow through with the original plan. It was time to leave. The three day drive was sheer hell for her; no answered calls and no idea of her husband’s whereabouts or what she’d find when she got to their new house. She’d cried constantly and found it hard to eat or sleep. When she finally reached the curb in front of the house and saw Zack’s car in the driveway, she was relieved… and angry.

She sat for a moment staring at the house then got out and slowly walked to the front door. For some reason it was locked. Knowing there would probably be a confrontation with Zack she took a deep breath, unlocked the door and walked into the foyer. Despite her anger she took a moment to glance around and take in the view of their new home. She looked into the living room and thought about the painting she had already selected to hang above the fireplace. She looked at the stucco and ran her hand over the beautiful painted vine The cold wind that brushed across her as she turned to step through the archway caught her off guard, but it was when she saw the furniture that she stopped in her tracks. “What the hell is this?” she thought. A furnished house and a moving truck with everything they owned was just an hour behind her.

The situation was overwhelming and her anger turned into a very real panic. “Zack,” she shouted, “are you here?” There was no answer.” Zack!” She walked farther and when she saw the dining room with the table set for four, she wondered if she should turn around and leave. She felt frozen in place and when she heard voices from the kitchen she felt a chill. After few cautious steps toward the kitchen doorway she saw the Bradshaws standing by the open refrigerator. Then she turned and saw Zack sitting at the breakfast bar.

“Zack, what the hell going on?” When Zack didn’t answer or even look in her direction she turned to the Bradshaws. “Why are you here? This isn’t your house anymore!” There was no response whatsoever. “Zack, answer me, what the hell is happening?” He stood up and said, “Hank, I’m gonna grab a beer, do you want one?”

It had taken a long time and tours of many houses but John and Lynn Billings had finally found their dream house. They both loved the Spanish design. They loved the graceful arch with the hand-painted vines. Bob Avery locked the front door behind him while they waited in the driveway. He was grinning as he walked toward them. “You guys are going to love this place. The previous owners kept it in immaculate condition and the end of a cul-de-sac is a prime location. Those vacant lots on either side will give you plenty of elbow room. He reached back into his car and took out a brightly colored canvas bag. “Before you leave here’s some wine to celebrate with.”

Lynn smiled and took the bag from Avery. John turned and looked back at the house shaking his head. “I still don’t understand why this place has been for sale for a year and a half.”

Avery smiled. “Oh, every house has its time on the market.”