Chapter One
THE ARRIVAL
There are no records of Zeke Tartal’s birth. The night of his entry into the world, Mackinaw City was blasted with a whiteout unlike anything even the oldest resident could remember. But that didn’t stop Ben Tartal and his wife, Audrey, who was in labor, from jumping into their car and setting out for the nearest hospital in St. Ignace, just across the Mackinac Bridge. Fallen trees had blocked many roads, forcing a panicky Mr. Tartal to turn down small streets and alleyways he didn’t recognize, hoping one would lead him in the direction of the bridge. The snow was seriously deep, and the possibility of another storm was looming large, worrying him to no end.
That fateful evening, Christmas Day to be exact, Ben came up from the basement of Tartal House to discover his wife in severe pain. Her water had broken, and their new baby was clearly on the way. They immediately rushed towards the hospital, but the terrible blizzard made driving conditions icy and dangerous. He found only a tiny road where he could make it through. It seemed unfamiliar, and the snow was getting heavier by the minute, making it practically impossible to see anything. He frantically drove their car along the open street, hoping to find any place that could take her in.
“I feel like a desperate Joseph searching for any open stable he can find,” he chuckled, referring to the very first Christmas long, long ago.
“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” his wife yelled out in pain.
“Nothing, pumpkin,” he assured her. “We’re almost there.”
“Almost where? We’re nowhere near the bridge! If the snow gets any worse, the authorities are going to close it and then we’re really screwed. Oh, this is going to be a Christmas for the books,” she quipped.
Mackinaw City, despite its name, was a small town, and Ben had spent his entire life there. He knew all the roads like the back of his hand, but something about this narrow road felt off to him. Regardless of his attempts to double back, no matter how many turns he took, he was clearly lost. Even in the freezing cold, sweat dripped down his forehead as he hectically made turns to avoid the pounding snow. He had no idea where he was. There wasn’t a single landmark, shop, or street he could recognize, and he was too preoccupied with getting Audrey to the hospital to notice just how different everything really was. By all accounts, that small road had taken him… somewhere else.
“This is like being in an episode of The Twilight Zone,” he mumbled in disbelief.
Out of nowhere, Audrey grabbed his shirt. “BEN!” she screamed. “I don’t care where you take me, just please do it quickly, because this baby is coming NOW!”
“I’m trying, honey. Please hold on a little longer. We’re…”
That’s when he saw it, like the light at the end of a tunnel. It was a dim, indigo-blue neon sign that read, “Starlight Clinic.”
“I don’t recognize this place,” he said under his breath.
“I DON’T CARE!” Audrey yelled. “We’re pounding on that door!”
He rushed to the door to ask for help, and to his great relief, they took his wife in. It was a precipitous labor, and thankfully, there were no complications. It was a tremendous sense of relief for the Tartals.
And so, on the evening of December 25, 1999, a healthy make infant arrived on this planet, in a modest clinic on a quiet corner of a snow-covered street, somewhere on the top of lower Michigan. Audrey knew precisely what she’d name the baby if it were a boy: Zeke, short for Ezekiel, which in Hebrew means, “the strength of God.”
Zeke Tartal was born with buttery brown skin, a head full of dark brown curls, green eyes, and an interesting constellation of freckles. Ben was overjoyed to have a boy who would carry on the Tartal family name and could take care of his garage business once he grew up. He wanted to go back and thank the staff at the clinic with a box of homemade goodies for taking his wife in at the last minute.
Oddly enough, he couldn’t find it. He went up and down the street he suspected he had driven that night, but there was just no sign of the clinic. He called the hospital in St. Ignace, which was originally going to handle Zeke’s birth, but that got him nowhere. Nobody had ever heard of Starlight Clinic. It was like that entire part of town existed for one night and then disappeared. He even went to the local police station and the Mackinaw Township office to check if there were records of it anywhere, but they couldn’t come up with anything. Ben was at a total loss.
“What on Earth is this supposed to mean? How could that place just vanish into thin air?”
The clinic’s disappearance left him baffled. There was only one logical explanation and that was he had somehow driven to a nearby town in the storm, but that just wasn’t possible. He wondered what it meant, and for years he would drive down random roads, wondering if he would ever see the “Starlight Clinic” again or if he could ever find that mystery enclave where his son was born.
***
Zeke was conceived earlier that spring, just two years after his parents were married. The Tartals moved from their small apartment in the center of town to a bungalow-style house at the far end of Farley Street, just a stone’s throw from the shoreline. Mackinaw City was a charming lakefront community surrounded by nature. The Great Lakes Michigan and Huron meet under the impressive Mackinac Bridge, known by locals as “The Mighty Mac.” The area was covered with orchards, woodlands, and nature reserves, all surrounded by smaller lakes. A large U.S. Coast Guard ship called Icebreaker stood, and stands proudly to this day, on the eastern docks near the departure point where ferries leave for famous Mackinac Island. Further west on the peninsula lies the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, which had a strange, otherworldly feel to it. It was reputed to be a cosmic portal – lazy, aloof, immensely mystical, and attractive as if lost… somewhere in time.
Ben was a tall and sturdy young man who owned an auto repair shop on Straits Avenue, just a short distance from Farley Street. He had great ambitions and was working on expanding his garage business to include a dealership, which left him with little time for his simple and demure wife.
Audrey was a pale and petite yet beautiful young woman who spent most of her time reading, tending to the tiny garden outside their house, or working on stained glass projects inside during the cold winter months. Cooking wasn’t her strong suit, but she enjoyed sewing and knitting. The Tartals didn’t have much money, so they spent much of their free time walking along the shore and watching the massive freighters pass each other under the Mighty Mac. They frequently talked about starting a family.
“Let’s get a dog first,” they both laughingly agreed.
Ambitious Ben had big plans for his future son or daughter, although he decided to keep that information under wraps for the time being. One day on a whim, he brought home a small, white Teacup Maltese because he knew his wife craved company while he was at work. She fell hard for the pup and lovingly named him Coconut, but Ben always called him “Coco.”
A few weeks later, Ben had to drive to the western tip of the peninsula for some urgent business. Audrey always loved Headlands Park, so he decided to take her along. He dropped her off so she could explore it for a while, then he would pick her up on the way home. She thoroughly enjoyed roaming around the pristine woodlands. It was a magical afternoon. Sunlight kissed her soft cheeks, playing hide and seek with the leaves of the trees. A soft breeze suddenly blew over her, caressing her long, flowing hair and rustling her coat.
The silence of the woods was only broken by the feet of some wild turkey or coyote occasionally trampling on dry leaves or by the sound of a lonely bird twittering somewhere up in the trees. As she walked about, she noticed a bald eagle flying high right above her head. She discovered an osprey and a whitetail deer roaming lazily near a brook. She even spotted a small black bear resting under a tree.
This made her feel like she had entered a magical world where time stood still. She fantasized about what it would be like to be Snow White or Alice in Wonderland. In this enchanting stillness, it seems as if the whole world went on a pregnant pause, resting and nesting, waiting for something new and special to be born. This feeling of anointed magic stayed with her from that moment on.
By the time Ben finished work, it was already quite late in the day. He was in a hurry to get home, have dinner and relax. Audrey wanted to wait for the sun to go down so they could see the Northern Lights for the first time. The Headlands Dark Sky Park was a mecca for skywatchers and stargazers. She really wanted to witness the myriad of colors dance across the sky, and especially for her husband to be with her. Ben didn’t want to waste time just sitting around and looking at the sky, but Audrey had made up her mind.
“Please, Ben. Can’t we just stay for a little while? I’ve heard so much about the Northern Lights and I saw on TV that the conditions are perfect tonight. They’re supposed to be phenomenal, and I really want us to enjoy them as a couple.”
“But Audrey, it’s already so late,” he protested. “Plus, I’ve seen the Northern Lights as a child, and I didn’t think they were that big a deal.”
“Please, Ben,” she pleaded.
He couldn’t say no. This was the first time his wife had asked him for something with such urgency. Even Audrey didn’t really know why she was insisting, but something was telling her he needed to be there. They sat together on a warm blanket, gazing at the stars for what seemed like hours. The Northern Lights danced around the sky in a vast array of cosmic colors, circling in on themselves like a vortex – a divine painting upon the canvas of the sky. It looked and felt surreal. Even Ben was impressed.
Suddenly, Audrey perked up. “Ben, did you feel what I just felt?”
“Huh?”
“Something just blew over me and touched me in a special way.”
“Audrey, you’re reading too many fantasy novels and you’re spending way too much time in church.”
“No, I’m serious. It’s a different sensation altogether. Absolutely different. I can’t explain it. It’s strange yet comforting.”
“I think you’ve been staring at the lights too long and it’s affecting your already overactive imagination. You want comfort? Let’s head home and I’ll comfort you the way you like.” He winked at her with a naughty grin. “Besides we need to check on Coco.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She smiled at him lovingly. She knew very well that Ben knew how to make love to her and tonight would be no exception. Ben wasn’t an outwardly affectionate person, but he certainly was a great lover behind closed doors. The stage was set for a night of passion unlike any other.
They didn’t say much to each other on the drive home; they just held hands the whole way. Nevertheless, something was conceived that night – something had forever changed. Somewhere in the deepest, secret corner of her mind, Audrey sensed a little magic wand had touched her, yet the following morning and thereafter, she didn’t give it much thought. The couple returned home quite late, just approaching that magical moment when the dark of night suddenly turns to dawn.
Chapter Two
ZIGGY
Zeke didn’t walk or speak until he was three years old. He was always different from other children. There was always something “peculiar” about him, odd and distinctively different. His expressive face portrayed an almost animal-like sensitivity toward sights, sounds, and smells. He would squint suspiciously or smirk if he came across something or someone he didn’t like. He would sit on the back porch of Tartal House and gaze at the sky and the stars for hours. His mouth would move as if he were communicating with some invisible someone or something, yet no audible words came forth. Coconut loved sitting beside him, occasionally making strange noises and looking up at the sky, too, as if waiting for instruction or guidance from some hidden source.
Ben was distraught with his child’s weird behavior. He had expected a son who would run all around the house, learn to speak quickly, and show signs of growing into a capable heir to his garage business. That child turned out to be the exact opposite of all he had hoped for.
“There’s got to be something wrong with him, Audrey,” he would often say to his wife. “I’ve seen other kids his age. People bring them to the garage all the time. He should be active and screaming like a parrot by now.”
Audrey was a little more understanding. She loved her baby unconditionally. “All kids learn at their own pace, Ben. Our little boy is not like the others and is just taking his time.”
Zeke didn’t seem to like his father, either. He would cry and howl if the poor man tried to hold him in his arms. From the looks of it, Baby Zeke wasn’t very fond of his father’s unkempt hair and long, rough beard, nor did he like the smell of his skin. He cringed at the sight of him, raising his eyebrows and twitching his nose, making a strange face whenever he came near. Ben was left startled by the child’s blatant rejection of him. He was completely unable to decipher the reason for this apparent disdain. He began avoiding his son altogether as a result. He was a simple, material man, after all. Contrarily, Zeke loved his mother’s company and seemed to enjoy the fragrant, flowery smell of her skin. He would smile adoringly at her, which only served to unnerve Ben even more.
One night, Ben returned home from his garage a little tipsy to find his son sitting on the porch, gazing at the stars. He became so upset watching his son just sit there, it reminded him of the evening he and his wife had wasted at Headlands Park. “It looks like you invited an alien into your womb that evening at Headlands. I certainly wasn’t a part of that ‘immaculate conception,’” he muttered to her in contempt. Although he was clearly not in his senses, it hurt Audrey terribly.
Zeke evidently picked up on this. He was still quite young at the time, yet he didn’t cry or make a fuss. He simply turned and kept staring at his father awkwardly until Ben was forced to back up and walk away. Ben would always carry the memory of his son glaring at him with rage burning through his eyes at being called an alien.
One fall afternoon, Audrey suddenly heard him laughing and clapping his hands. She came running out of the house, thinking he had begun talking. He was pointing his finger up at a distance and laughing. Audrey tried to discover what he was pointing at, but there was nothing. All she saw was him laughing happily, clapping his hands, and pointing in the same direction, repeatedly calling, “Ziggy! Ziggy!” These were the first words Zeke ever spoke, marking the beginning of his communication with mere mortals. There would be much more that he would impart upon humanity, but it all started with “Ziggy.” He eventually began calling Audrey “Mommy” but continued to show no interest in his father.
Zeke attended his first playschool in January 2003. Ben wanted to throw him into school as soon as he began talking, hoping it would bring him up to speed with the other kids of Farley Street. He was extremely fond of his teacher, Mrs. Rosskopf, but he really didn’t make an effort to socialize with the other kids. He much preferred just observing the sky. The new year brought many ordinary and extraordinary events occurring simultaneously. Audrey was pregnant again, and in late May, twin sisters entered Zeke’s otherwise peaceful life. Whether they would add to the peace, bring some zest to his life, or create ripples was yet to be seen.
The girls were named Maya (after Audrey’s mother) and Leia, after Princess Leia Organa (Ben really liked Star Wars). They both had the same curly, brown locks and green eyes as Zeke. Audrey became busier with the two babies and had less time for him and Coconut, so Zeke took on the responsibility of giving the dog company. At age four, he began babysitting his infant sisters when his mother was occupied with other hostile duties. He was a responsible child and adapted to the changes his sisters brought to his home with common sense and an uncommon maturity for a soon-to-be five-year-old.
