Chasing Tomorrow

“Okay, so it’s sort of like a poem. It’s in four stanzas.”

Four stanzas? Jesus. “Okay.”

Jean cleared his throat and began to read Cooper’s words aloud in his soft, Canadian accent:

“ ‘Twenty Knights at three times three

Waiting for the Queen will be.

Her lover, husband, destiny

Beneath the stars, where God can see.’

“That’s the first stanza. Mean anything to you?”

Tracy sighed. “No. Nothing. Knights and queens, maybe something to do with a card game?” She realized she was clutching at straws. “Go ahead and read to the end. Maybe it’ll make more sense as a whole.”

“Okay.” Rizzo went on: “So then he writes:

“ ‘Thirteen lambs at altar slain,

Fourteen suffers daily pain,

Soon to end, his sins erased,

The shroud of old will be replaced.’

“Then:

“ ‘Dance the dance in black and white,

Where masters meet, the time is right.

Six hills, one was lost,

Here shall sinners learn the cost.’

“And the last verse:

“ ‘Twenty Knights at three times three,

Upon the stage of history,

At last, my love will come to me,

And what the Lord demands will be.’

“That’s it.”

“That’s it?” Tracy sounded bereft. “Nothing else?”

“Nothing else.”

Silence descended again. Jean broke it first.

“Do you know what it means?”

“No,” said Tracy.