Frying potatoes and onions, crisp bacon, and strong coffee, the smells greeted Rev. Maasaki Stanley as he entered Little Al’s Diner. His generous stomach grumbled hello. Ruby gave him a friendly nod and gave his order to chef AJ.

With a newspaper under his arm and humming a jaunty tune, Maasaki headed for his favorite corner booth. He spied Simon Fleming sitting in his seat. The clergyman stood stock still lost in some very unchristian thoughts.

Simon looked up startled. Maasaki realized the local high school science teacher was pale.

“Would you care to join me Pastor? I’ve not been to church since forever but I could use a good listener.”

Simon’s hands shook slightly. The reverend sat down. Ruby came over and set a cup of coffee with light milk and Splenda and a slice of apple pie in front of Maasaki.

“You look like you could use a good breakfast Professor?”

“Just more coffee. Thank you Miss Jensen.”

Ruby and Maasaki traded looks. The waitress walked away.

“What’s bothering you my child?”

Simon grinned at that. Then his face turned troubled. He toyed with his full cup of cold coffee. Patient Maasaki demolished his pie.

“Pastor I’m a man of science and I’ve never believed in things that couldn’t be proved. But this morning I found a book.”

Simon paused when Ruby returned with a fresh cup of coffee and sweet potato pie for Simon and the Apollo breakfast special with orange juice for Maasaki. Simon ate some pie.

“What about this book Professor? What frightens you? I’ve known you all my life. Hell you nearly failed me in Algebra 1 and I’ve never seen you so shaken.”

“It was a B, you drama king. I’m doing renovations at the house. You know I inherited my grandma’s place. We’re opening the place up, updating and redecorating. I broke down a wall in the upstairs and revealed a hidden closet. Inside the closet, I found the dusty book, a notebook from my great Aunt Octavia….”

“Well the closet just got covered up from a past renovation. Not too sinister,” Maasaki said around a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

Ruby was swishing a towel on the four top behind their booth.

“The book was dedicated to me—“

“That’s disconcerting but maybe Simon was a family name or your great aunt had a friend named Simon,” Maasaki said before biting a pancake.

Ruby stopped pretending to clean the table and leaned in to better hear.

“The notebook read: to my sweet grand nephew Simon from your dear departed Great Aunt Tavi, Believe. The rest of the book was filled with descriptions of different events that happened on October 15th around the world after she died. After she died, Pastor. Remember that explosion outside of Shreveport?”

The clergyman pursed his lips. “I think so.”

“Yes, October 2013 fertilizer plant versus ruptured gas main,” Ruby said squeezing into the booth. “Scoot over Maasaki. You know the Bible but I follow nineteen crime, conspiracy, and paranormal podcasts. Did you research every event?”

“The explosion was on October 15th to be exact. My birthday. Each event my great aunt listed was real, a real disaster that occurred on October 15th.”

“Professor could it be an elaborate prank?”

“I opened that door myself. The plaster and lathe were from the 1920s. I swear to God.”

Simon’s hands began to shake. Ruby and Maasaki each took one of his hands.

“You’re going to be okay. We will get through this.”

“That’s just it. The last description is—you know for my 50th birthday we booked a train trip along the eastern coast—The last description just reads: October 15 2023 Philadelphia boom.”

Maasaki gasped and Ruby covered her mouth. Simon looked like he was going to cry. They sat in silence. Ruby stood up.

“I have an idea. First I’m going to get us more pie.”