I’ve been driving through another depressed, emptying section of Cleveland, trying to find my way back to Cedar Road. I intend to close the Door. Since Naomi is dead, that should be enough to bring closure to my experience with the other world and end this tragedy. Currently, I’m stuck at an abnormally long red light with no indication it’s going to change. The electronic sign at the crosswalk to my left depicts a white stick figure, as it has for what feels like minutes. I turn on the radio. Scanning through the stations, I hear DJs talking nonsense, popular songs I’m not sure would be so popular if people weren’t forced to listen to them over and over, and a collection of commercials advertising minor local businesses in acrimonious ways. The light still isn’t changing. I should just run it. I inch my foot off the brake and then stop. Why did I do that? No one is here. I worry too much. The extended red light can’t be the prelude to another incident. Why would there be any more incidents?
