by Gib Whitney

Created on: December 03, 2008   Last Updated: May 14, 2009

The Haunting of Timothy Birch (part 1)

Love is a timeless song whose music has enticed the willing hearts of man throughout the ages, driving him to rejoice in its impulses and to destruct on its behalf. Love is also indiscriminate in its calling, which is unavoidably answered by all without hesitation.

Timothy Birch answered its call three decades prior, the by-product of which was two out of control teenagers and a acutely depressed wife named Eloise. Timothy often reflected on his marriage and couldn't begin to translate into any understandable truth when and how it went so terribly wrong, to the extent that he could scarcely recall when the union ever resembled anything amounting to good. And if not for the years-faded wedding photo which hung slightly askew in the foyer of the Birch mansion, there wouldn't be anything to submit as proof of a happier time.

If the photo construed something of value that others could fashion into love based, to Timothy the static figures held within were distorted and appeared as abstract caricatures in a hastily rendered sketch, which supported a visual lie and little else. Eloise seemed indifferent to it all and to any reality that could be held in a truthful light, aided by her continual cocktail of life-numbing medications which ensured an incident free continuum. The only reality that Timothy could grasp was the stark realization that something had to change.

Per the advice of Timothy's prominent attorney, the Birches were soon scheduled to vacation on the Southern coast of Italy in an attempt to rediscover what Timothy knew to be permanently lost. But as Timothy's lawyer had pronounced, either way it would look very good for his case down the road and would be construed as a move in the right direction. Timothy spared no expense, and put everything in motion for a vacation he gathered would offer the same monotony abroad, as he was accustomed to at home.

And on a crisp Connecticut morning, as bands of light silted through trees silhouetted against a golden backdrop, a private car whisked away the Birch children, while another carrying Mr. and Mrs. Birch slowly traveled along their extended driveway and out onto the pristine streets of the meticulously manicured Birch neighborhood.

As they made their way to the airport, Timothy looked at Eloise and feigned a smile; she only offered an expected stare of blankness in return.

As he pondered the large properties that signaled great affluence, he readily understood

• 1
• 2
• 3
• ...
• 7
• Next Page >>