There the sable sat at his wooden desk; Jack was mostly just waiting for 5:00 to strike so he could go home to his loving wife and kids and put this Friday out of its misery.
“Twenty-three more minutes…” he sighed, not expecting any calls between now and closing. He picked up the photo of his family with his paw and looked at them. They smiled up at him, but he wasn’t returning their happiness.
“I can’t wait for all of you to find out what a big disappointment this venture has been. I should’ve taken a normal job; something stable that we all could have relied on. I shouldn’t have underestimated my rival...no, he’s not a rival, he’s clearly my superior…This is what it’s like to be crushed…”
Jack couldn’t bear to look again at his spending and earning report; it was nothing short of bleak. Sure the margin of profit this week was greater than that of the spending, but the amount was negligible. The numbers didn’t appear to reflect the fifty hours he was putting in his business each week, nor all the hours his seven employees were putting in either.
Jack ran a business that involved the selling of hearing aids and eyeglasses; tools designed for helping the hearing- and sight-impaired folks around the world. His heart was in the right place in wanting to help them; the only problem was that his competitor was much better at it, and much more experienced.
“I should’ve just opened business elsewhere; somewhere where there’s no competition.I wish I had thought about that before deciding to move here, but no, I just had to move everyone here because of the nice scenery and community. Stupid, stupid me!”
Jack pounded his desk in frustration, causing one of his employees to knock on his door.
“Are you okay, Mr. Tyndale?”
“Yes, uh...I was just squishing a bug.”
The employee didn’t buy that story, but didn’t press him any further.
At 4:55, Jack was starting to pack up his things, and then his phone rang. He groaned and picked it up off the receiver.
“Jack’s Hearing and Seeing, how can I help you?” He answered with as much enthusiasm as he was able to muster.
“Hello, this is Wallace, calling to remind you about your rent that is due next Friday.”
“Yes, I know that is due.”
“Okay, thanks. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Jack hung up, irritated and worried. The rent for working out of this building was eating heavily into his profits, leaving him and his employees with barely enough to squeak by. He had been looking around his town for cheaper places to rent, but it was tough.
The phone rang again just ten seconds after hanging up, and he picked it up with force.
“Jack’s Hearing and Seeing, how can I help you?” He answered through gritted teeth. Maybe it was Wallace again calling him about the rent; after all, the guy treated him like he had short-term memory.
“Oh sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?” The voice replied. This one sounded unfamiliar.
“Ah, no. I, uh...just stubbed a toe and was in pain.”
“Ouch! Well, I hope I’m not too late to put in an order for eyeglasses and hearing aids.”
“Oh, uh, not at all!” Jack’s face lit up for the first time at his job in about a week. He hoped this customer was in dire need of tons and tons of his wares. “How many of each would you like?”
“Well, it’s going to be a lot, so I hope you’re ready to write down these numbers. You see, I’m the principal of a new school that focuses on educating students who are hearing and visual-impaired, and I’m going to need a great amount of both eyeglasses and hearing aids.”
The time was 5:00, but going home was the last thing on Jack’s mind right now. His life, and his family’s life, was going to change within the next minute. He could hear the person on the other line flipping through some papers, and he was getting more and more antsy each second.
“Let’s see, I will need...ah, 186 of your Model A eyeglasses, 213 Model B, uh...97 of C…”
Jack wrote down the numbers he was hearing, scared to miss a single detail. This was already more that he typically sold in a month. The mysterious stranger continued to rattle off numbers; Jack didn’t even know this person’s name yet, but he was already a hero in his book.
“And for hearing aids...I will need, uh…”
Jack’s heart was racing.
“...1,077 hearing aids. Yeah, we’re a big school, as you can imagine.”
Jack dropped his phone from sheer shock, and he quickly picked it back up. “I, uh, sorry about that. D-did I hear that correctly? One-thousand and seventy-seven?” He repeated the number, as though it were larger than one billion.
“Yes, that is right. I hope that’s not too many.”
“Oh, not at all!” Jack didn’t have that many prepared, but he didn’t care. “I will need some time to produce all of those, uh, maybe three weeks.”
“I need them in two.”
“Hm…” Jack knew that would be hard, given his resources, but it wasn't impossible. Plus, all the money his business would make from this was a massive motivator. “I can get it done in two. I will need your name, shipping and billing address, and payment information. I will also require full payment before starting production, as that helps fund the resources I need. If I’m unable to get everything to you in two weeks, you have the option of canceling the order and a full refund, or going through with it with a ten-percent refund per each week it’s late...of course, I won’t be late with this; much of that information was a formality. Give me a minute to calculate the payment, and I’ll get back to you.”
“Okay, thanks.”
So Jack went to work with his good friend, Algebra, to work out the cost. He knew he wasn’t prepared to see the amount, as it would make his jaw drop to the desk, which would hurt. He ran up the numbers, multiplied the coefficients and variables, added in the shipping cost, and applied the bulk discount and got…
$1,044,000.
Jack’s mind went numb; that number was just impossible as far as he was concerned. To be sure, he redid the algebra, but got the same exact number.
“Hello?” The guy on the other end of the line called, not having heard from Jack in over five minutes.
“Oh, uh, sorry, I was just double-checking the math here. The total is,” he gulped, scared that the amount would be too staggering for him to afford, and thus lose this customer, “A million and forty-four thousand, and this includes the shipping and bulk discount, sir.”
“Oh, that’s it? All the other businesses I contacted ran me up nearly two million; this is a really good deal!”
No. Hecking. Way. Jack wondered if this guy had called his local competitor, but asking would’ve been the epitome of stupid. He couldn’t afford to blow this order; this was a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
“Great!” Jack’s paw was shaking from excitement and nerves. “Now I just need your information, and I can get the order started.”
So even though Jack had gotten off of work over thirty minutes late, the delay was very, very worth it. His business had just accumulated over a million dollars, and he knew just what kind of effect this would have on him, his family, and employees. Plus, his business would receive much more notoriety, and sales would naturally improve.
This was certainly an entrepreneur’s dream come true.
As Jack was racing home to proclaim the news to his family, his competitor was just wrapping up his own week and ready to spend time with his family. Unlike Jack’s business, which raked in only five-digit figures per month, his business brought in seven figures. Jack was an ant compared to him; his business had been around longer, he sold his wares at competitive prices, and he provided more than just hearing and sight aids. He was extremely well known among the handicapped and disabled population not just in the valley, but on two continents. Despite Jack’s recent order, as impressive as it was, it would still barely put him on the radar. However, maybe this order from the school principal would lead the two businessmen to interact in the future.
The millionaire boss and CEO arrived at his house as the sun was setting, and his wife was there to greet him, like always.
“Well, Marcus, how was work?” Diane kissed him, and he returned it.
“Can’t complain; operations at the warehouse are running like normal, customers are getting their orders on time, and it’s looking like profits will be enough to give everyone a raise within the next couple of months.” The wolf replied. “And how was your day? Manage to keep Ronald out of trouble this time?”
“I can hear you, dad.” The seventeen-year old squirrel said to him from the next room. “And no, no one can keep me from trouble.” He stepped out from the other room to greet his father.
“You didn’t forget, did you?” Diane asked Marcus. “About what Ronald is doing today?”
“Let’s see…” he thought, shaking his head shamefully, forgetting something about his own son. “Oh, today’s when you’re starting your job! I’m sorry I completely forgot.”
“Eh, it’s no problem; you’re busy too.” Ronald shrugged.
“But I’m your father, and I’m the one who pestered you the most about finding a job. It’s the one you applied for at the theater, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, and the best part is, besides getting paid, of course, is that I get to see two movies for free every week.”
“That’s good and all, but don’t let your boss think that’s why you’re really there. Work hard every minute you’re on the clock, and do everything with a good attitude. Remember, work as unto Christ, though your boss is in the flesh.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Good, so what time do you start?”
“7:30, and I work until 12:30.”
“Ah, the night shift, I think you’ll enjoy it. That’s always the busiest time at the movies, on a Friday night, no less. How about we have dinner first and then we’ll leave at seven.”
“Sounds good, and I guess mom will pick me up after?”
“Yes, I’ll do that.” She answered.
During dinner, Ronald couldn’t stop thinking about work; he was excited to get started. At first, he grumbled at the fact that his millionaire dad was going to stop paying him allowance for chores, but Marcus lectured him on the importance of having a job and learning to work hard for your money. Despite being affluent, Marcus didn’t want to spoil his children so much that they would learn to hate working, but told each and every one of them that he wasn’t going to give them allowance forever, and that they would have to find their way into the workforce somehow. Right now, Ronald was the only one old enough to get a job; Cecilia was thirteen, and the wolf siblings were nine. They got money by doing simple chores around the house, but were told that once they were in their late teens, it’d be time to find real work.
So after dinner, Marcus took his son to work, and at the same time, Jack was just getting home from work.
Marie didn’t know what was taking her husband so long to get home, and just when she started to pace back and forth from worry, she looked out the window and saw him pulling into the driveway. She sighed at his tardiness, but thought he would have a good reason for it. She thought that, since their seventh anniversary was tomorrow, he was picking up something from the story for the occasion.
“Just be happy he’s home,” she told herself, “Jack must have something sweet and romantic up his sleeve.”
When she saw him exit his car, she then saw him pull out two boxes of pizza, and a bag which she assumed contained drinks. She also saw a very excited and thrilled look on his face, as though he had caught a glimpse of heaven. She also knew that pizza was only something they got when there was something to celebrate, so she became very intrigued.
She opened the door for him, and he immediately set everything down and kissed and hugged her. She returned his affection, though she knew for certain now there was something major going on. He loved her, but didn’t always make a big show of it each time he saw her.
“So Jack, what’s the news? I have a feeling there’s something bigger than just our special day tomorrow.” She smiled.
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“There could be…” he couldn’t hide the huge grin on his face. “Maybe something will be said during dinner; you never know!”
Their young children, Dylan (five) and Beth (three), came in to greet their dad, but there was no time to even say hello before he scooped them up in his arms and hugged them.
“My lovely, crazy kids! How was your day today?” He asked, kissing them each on the forehead.
“Mommy was teaching me how to read.” Dylan shared, whereas Beth told him how she was learning her numbers.
“You’re so happy.” Dylan commented, not used to his dad’s current level of enthusiasm.
“I am very happy, and you know why? I have you two wonderful children to come home to, and the best wife a man could ask for. Plus, if I’m being really honest, something really good happened at work today, and I’m going to share it with all of you!”
So then, Marie set out the plates and napkins while Jack set out slices of pizza for everyone. Jack was so excited to get into the news that Marie had to remind him they should pray first.
“Right, thanks for reminding me.” They held each other’s paws, bowed their heads, and Jack gave thanks for his family, job, the spiritual blessings they had in Christ, and for the love of God that shined on them through every circumstance. After amen-ing at the end, the family began to eat, but Marie asked her husband right away about his good news.
“Well, everyone, I just want you to brace yourself.” He cleared his throat. “What I’m about to tell you isn’t just any ordinary good news. Just before I was about to leave work today, I got a call from a customer, and, well...he was very, very generous.”
Marie nodded, knowing that this would have something to do with his job. “How generous was he?”
“I want you to guess first.” He smirked. “I bet you won’t get it in three tries.”
“A million billion!” Beth blurted out; though not asked, she was excited to spout off giant numbers since she was learning how to read them.
Jack laughed. “Not quite, but I love the confidence!”
“Let’s see...two hundred grand?” Marie started, but Jack shook his head.
“Higher…”
Marie raised her eyebrows. “Huh...three hundred?”
“Nope! You get one more guess.”
“Five hundred? There’s no way it’s that high, is it? That would be life-changing.”
“It would be, and yet...that’s still not it.” Jack cleared his throat again, not even prepared himself to say the number.
“What if I told you, that, the amount the customer is paying me, is…”
Silence filled the air for a few seconds.
“One million, and forty-four thousand dollars.”
The number was so much more massive than Marie was anticipating that she couldn’t process it right away. She just stared at him for several seconds with mouth agape, and then she slowly shook her head.
“You’re not serious.”
“Marie, I couldn’t be more serious than I am being right now. The man who called me is the principal of a school for hearing and sight-impaired students, and he wanted devices for all of the students. I had a suspicion at first that I was being prank-called, but this man was for real. Marie, do you have any idea what this is going to do for us?”
Neither spouse even took notice of the pizza on their plates; Marie’s paws were over her mouth in utter shock and amazement. Jack reached over and took one of them with his own.
“Our future’s going to change...big time. I didn’t think, that, with Marcus and his company in our same town, we would get this lucky. I may not ever know why this customer chose to order from me instead of him, but all we can do is take the opportunity and run with it. This will means I will be much busier over the next two weeks preparing the order, but this will have profound effects on us for years to come.”
“Jack, it is very hard for me to describe just how excited I am about this; if you put that much money in my hand right now, I’d barely know what to do with it. This is beyond wonderful!”
The number itself barely registered in the kids’ heads right now, choosing to dig into their pizza while mommy and daddy talked.
“I do have some ideas about what I will be doing with that money, but first thing on my plate will be finishing that order.”
The two of them finally started on their pizza, though their minds were still on that towering pile of money. Plus, they were really looking forward to celebrating their anniversary, so this weekend was extra special.
So while the little sable family was wrapping up their night, Ronald was just getting started on his. He was one of eight new hires, the other seven being about his age too. Their jobs consisted of working the movie projectors to start each particular movie, cleaning up the isles after each showing, taking the trash out to the dumpsters when they got full, and working the concession stand between showings. Ronald was ready to work hard for his $7.25-an-hour, and show his boss he was worth every penny.
“Okay, so Ronald, you’re going to start rolling the movie in Room 3 at 6:00, and I’ll guide you through it.” His supervisor, a ferret not much older than him, explained.
“Got it; I’m ready to learn.”
He wasn’t expecting the job to be very difficult, and so he hoped there was some kind of ladder he could climb in this company to do harder work and earn more. He knew that if he proved himself as the best employee that ever lived, then he’d be promoted in no time. He stewed in his thoughts while walking to Room 3, but just before he entered, he bumped into another employee who was leaving her station, a cute female squirrel who appeared his age, and he was immediately distracted.
“Oh hi, are you new here too?” She asked him.
“Uh, yeah…” He replied clumsily, still distracted by her cuteness. He could barely look her in the eyes.
“You know what, I remember seeing you at the group interview. You’re Marcus’ kid, aren’t you?”
“Heh, yeah.” He got that a lot from others. “That’s me.”
“Well, I think it’s great that you’re working here, even though your dad could give you all the money in the world.”
“Uh, I guess. It is kind of my choice to be here, but he also pushed me into finding a job.” He still couldn’t look directly into her eyes, and he fidgeted a lot. Truth be told, he wanted to ask her out, but was nervous about doing so.
“Well, I like that anyways.” She then paused abruptly and fidgeted herself. “Listen, uh, I’m kinda nervous about this, but...I was wondering...are you free after work later, you know...for a date, or something? You seem like a cute and interesting guy, and all.”
Ronald’s spirits lifted; he got to go out with this cute girl, and he didn’t even have to ask! He nodded quickly, maybe too quickly; it was as though she was going to vanish from his sight and go out with another guy if he didn’t respond right away.
“I-I’m Ronald, by the way. I don’t think you told me your name.” He said.
“I’m Ashley, and say...we’ll meet in the plaza after work? I already know something fun we can do afterwards.” She giggled.
“Like what?”
“It’s a surprise, but I promise it’s going to be really fun.”
“Heh, alright. I guess surprises can be fun. I’ll see you after work then.” He waved at her as he continued on to his station, and she waved back as she went on to hers.
Ronald thought off-and-on about what kind of thing Ashley had in store for their little date. A walk in the park? A moonlit stroll by the lake? A friendly conversation in the plaza? He then realized a few things.
“Ashley wants me to do something with her in the middle of the night, and we’re a boy and girl in our late teens who think the other is cute and attractive...wait…”
A look of horror flashed across his face. Ashley didn’t want...that, did she? Ronald knew he was a flawed person, but he knew better than to make a mistake of this size, at his age, no less. Of course, maybe she just wanted to do something innocent, and he was just assuming the worst, but then, the worst could still happen. Should he just call it off with Ashley, or try to get her to spill the beans on her plans next time he ran into her?
At around 11:30 that night, Marcus was sound asleep, but Diane was up, having a cup of coffee as she waited for 12:30. Besides her, Cecilia was the only other one who was up, listening to a Tchaikovsky CD and sketching something in her notebook quietly. Xavier, Janet, and Claudia had earlier bedtimes, so they were already asleep. The phone rang, and Dinae put her mug down and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hey mom.”
“Oh, Ronald! Uh, you’re not done already, are you? Don’t you have another hour?”
“Well, I did, but I just wanted to let you know you won’t need to pick me up at 12:30. You see, uh, they asked me if I could stay an extra shift to help clean up the place. It got messier than usual because there were so many people here, and they need the extra help.”
“Wait, did you agree to this? It’s barely your first day.”
“I know, but they told me that they’re already impressed with my hard work, and asked if I was willing to do even more. They said they were going to pay me more, and I said yes.”
“Really? Well, I’m proud of you then for making a good impression on your first day. When will you be done?”
“I think, like, 6:00. Don’t worry, I’m getting a ride home.”
“From who?”
“Another coworker I’m friends with.”
“Alright. Well, thanks for letting me know, and I’ll see you in the morning. Please be careful, okay?”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you too, Ronald. Good night.”
Diane hung up, and let out a sigh of exhaustion. She hoped Ronald was telling the truth; boys his age typically liked to go out and have fun after work with other friends, and at this hour, if he were doing that, he certainly wouldn’t want his mother to know. She certainly wouldn’t want her son partying at this hour with strangers; that’s for sure. However, maybe he was being truthful, and he really was going to stay an extra five hours to help clean trash and whatnot.
But if he was getting into trouble; she’d find out about it one way or another.
A few hours before this, the Tyndales had finished their pizza, and Jack surprised them further with ice cream. As far as their children were concerned, this was the best day possible, just for the pizza and ice cream.
“Listen, kids.” Jack started as they were shoveling ice cream into their mouths. “Firstly, don’t eat like that, it’s messy and gross. Secondly, your mother and I are going to be away for the night, so your Aunt Meg is going to babysit you two, since we know how much you like her.”
The kids were thrilled; Aunt Meg always brought over fun games over for them to play, and she knew how to tell funny stories that always got them laughing. She was Marie’s twin sister, and she took every opportunity she could get to look after Dylan and Beth.
After Meg had arrived, a bag of goodies in her paw for the children, Jack and Marie headed out; Jack taking his own bag of goodies for the night. For the next several hours, it would just be them. They drove out to their secret little spot; not a single other soul knew where they were going.
The drive took an hour, but it seemed to just breeze by. The two talked on and on about their years together; reflecting on when they first met, got engaged, got married, had Dylan, and then Beth, and how they’ve been through it all together. Just for now, they wanted to talk more about each other than the million dollars.
Jack pulled up into a remote area only accessible by a well-hidden back road that twisted and turned through a thick grove of cedar trees. The end of the road took them to a lakeshore, and though the shore itself didn’t look too special, it was cozy and intimate. Neither of the two had ever seen anyone else here, and that was exactly how they wanted it. They could lie down and look up at the stars, and have deep, personal conversations that no one else would ever hear. As far as they were concerned, this was their plot of land.
The goodies that Jack brought along were simple; there were romantic-themed chocolates (like chocolate-covered strawberries), a bottle of champagne, and a couple of glasses for that champagne. They otherwise never actually drank, but this particular drink was reserved for special occasions.
“Here you are,” Jack poured her glass first, followed by his, and he set the sweets out.
“Thank you, my love.” She picked up her glass, and they toasted each other and took a sip.
“Seven wonderful years; we’ve done so much together, and yet it went by so fast.” Jack commented.
“And just think how much more we’ll experience together.” Marie added. “Be it all good, or be it difficult, we’ll share in it as one. I am beyond thankful for this deal you struck at work, but even if it never happened, I will always be thankful that I have you in my life, and in my future. You will always be worth more to me than all the treasures in the world.”
Their conversation began romantically like this, but the topic of the million-dollar deal sprung up eventually. Jack waxed long about his ideas; advertising, giving raises, creating and selling new products, expanding his business, investing in their children’s futures, and also, perhaps, giving Marcus some serious competition.
“I hope you’re not feeling that envious of him.” Marie remarked, taking a chocolate from the box. “Let’s be honest, I know you can be driven crazy with this whole competition thing with Marcus, and we all know what happens if you let envy guide your actions.”
Jack nodded, also taking a chocolate. “I’m not envious, don’t worry. I don’t consider Marcus an enemy, or want him destroyed, or anything; I’m just saying it’ll be validating to even enter onto that wolf’s radar.”
“I think you should be more focused on just doing what is best for the business than comparing yourself with others. Yes, Marcus is very successful, but so are you. You don’t need to have millions of dollars to have validity; you’re a loving soul who cares about disabled people, you’re a terrific husband, father, and provider, and I know you care very much about the things of God, and that you want to use a lot of that money to benefit others. Good character and honor are more important than fickle riches and rivalries, and I just don’t want you to lose sight of that.”
“Of course, I’m sorry I get carried away with things like that.”
“Aw, there’s no need to apologize for anything,” she nuzzled him, “I’m just giving you my wifely advice. Hopefully it’s sound.”
The truth was, Jack was driven a lot by competition. He knew he was the tiny underdog living in Marcus’ shadow, but he also didn’t want to back down if he thought there was a chance he could seriously rival the wolf. It wouldn’t be now, but perhaps, in ten or so years, he would be giving the big canine a run for his money.
The night progressed, and their conversation gave way to silence as they took in the night sky together. Not a single cloud was there to obscure the diamond-speckled firmament that surrounded them. Later on, the two of them decided to walk along the perimeter of the shore. They had no idea what time it was anymore, but they couldn’t care less about it. For now, the night would last forever, and this moment of intimacy would never cease. Eventually, the two of them stumbled across a small, cozy cave, and that was where they spent the rest of their night.
------
At around 4 in the morning, Marie woke up from the short sleep that she had succumbed to. Jack was next to her, but not awake yet. Even though it was still dark out, she knew they should head back home right now. Their children became forefront in her mind again, and her motherly instincts wanted to make sure they were doing okay. She also didn’t want to make her sister look after them longer than they agreed to. She had no idea how much time there was between now and when the sun would be coming up again, but she did promise they’d be back by morning. She woke Jack up and reminded him that they should be heading back now.
“Are you okay to drive right now?”
“Yeah.” He yawned. “I just need to take a minute to wake up. Let me just say that tonight was the best night I’ve had in so, so long. It almost feels like it was just a dream.”
“Me too.” She smiled and kissed him. “Of course, returning to reality will be sad at first, but we gotta stay grounded. Besides, now you know you’re going to have to work longer hours for the next couple of weeks to complete your order. It might be good for you to head to work today and get started on it.”
“Oh, I plan to. I’ll work seven days a week if that’s what it takes.”
The two of them eventually began heading back home; Jack awake enough to keep his eyes focused on the dimly lit road. Neither of them talked very much during the drive back; mostly it was because of being tired, but Marie had another reason for her reticence. There was a chance that she could now be pregnant with their third child, and the prospect of having another baby made her excited, but also very distracted. They loved their two children to pieces, and a third one would mean more joy for Jack and Marie, even if it also came with more messes, screaming, crying, sleepless nights, and temper tantrums. They believed children were a blessing from the Lord, and Marie was hoping she was pregnant.
The two of them got home past 5:00, and the sun had not risen yet. Meg was asleep on the sofa, the kids were in their respective beds, and the house was only somewhat messy.
“I’ll take care of it.” Marie said to her husband. “Go sleep so you’re rested for work.”
“Good idea.” He yawned. “Good night.”
“Good night.” They kissed one last time before Jack went to bed. Marie wanted to sleep too, but the mess, combined with the potential third child on her mind, kept her restless. It took her only ten minutes to tidy everything up, and then she decided she was going to go outside and watch the sunrise before going to sleep again. The sky was just starting to light up, and she thought waiting a little longer for the sun to come up before going to bed would be worth it.
She stepped outside into the cool air, and took in her surroundings. Mostly everyone was still asleep, so it was quiet, save for the chirping of some birds. It was such a peaceful morning, and she thought absolutely nothing could ruin it.
And then something did.
She heard a small blast in the distance, and immediately turned her head in that direction. She noticed a small light shooting upwards in the distance, and thought it was a firework at first. However, instead of exploding in the air, like a firework should, it reached its parabolic vertex, didn’t blow up, and then came plummeting back to the ground.
Into the forest.
Marie’s heart just about stopped; she was certain she was watching a bomb or a rocket hurtle downwards, and was terrified it was going to blow up and start a fire. It then impacted the ground, and though she was far enough away, she heard the explosion loud and clear. This was accompanied by an orange flash, and Marie screamed. It appeared that the object had exploded in the industrial zone, and though she knew it wasn’t likely that anyone was there right now at this hour, on a Saturday (not likely, but possible), she knew what was in that zone.
Jack’s business.