Reply To: New Ongoing Story, please add your continuations.

Meanwhile, Biz and Annie were still on the road searching for an all natural rattle. Suddenly, they realized that they were driving in unfamiliar woods. Then their car broke down in front of a small cabin on a small hill.

Having no other choice, they knocked on the door. An old man answered and greeted them warmly. “What’re you doing ‘round these parts, though?” he asked. “You don’t look like small-hills people!”

“We’re not!” Biz answered. “We were looking for an all natural rattle for our baby, and then we were driving somewhere, perhaps to go back home, but possibly to continue our search, and then our car broke down right here in front of your cabin!”

“Interesting,” said Jones. “Well, you’re welcome to stay here as long as it takes to fix the car. I can help. And I happen to know a little bit about snakes; I collect them myself. What did you say your name was? You can call me Jones.”

“I’m Biz, and this is my wife Annie,” said Biz, “And do you know how to hold a rattlesnake safely?”

Jones showed him how, and he showed him his whole collection of snakes. They were mostly ball pythons, corn snakes and milk snakes, but he had one rattlesnake and one other venomous snake. And he had a whole cabinet of snake skeletons from the snakes he’d kept in his youth.

Then he showed them how to fix the car. It was a simple problem, and they got it into top-notch condition within an hour. By then, they were all friends.

But as they got ready to leave, Jones began to feel short of breath. He went into the house, took an envelope marked “46q” and a brown bag, and asked them to drive him to the emergency room. They drove quickly. When they got there, he told them that he would be okay and that he would call his wife. Then he handed them the envelope and bag and told them to go. They said goodbye and left.

In the car, they opened the envelope. It contained a letter written to them:

Dear new friends,

If you are reading this letter, it means that my prediction came true. A man and a woman drove by my house, seeking a rattlesnake rattle for their unnamed baby. Their car broke down. I helped them fix it. Unfortunately, I began experiencing medical symptoms, so I went into the house, grabbed the right letter that I wrote for this kind of situation (I like to be prepared.), and gave you this along with the rattlesnake rattle you wanted. If you want another, I already taught you how to safely get one.

Please know that I care about you deeply, or else I would have given you letter #43. I will probably be alright; had I thought that I were truly in danger, I would have given you letter #44. Go home, live your lives, call me in two weeks at 555-234-1643, and please name your baby after me.

Sincerely,

De’Forrest Malysh Jones

After reading the letter, they had a little talk. “Do you want to name the baby after him?” asked Annie. “I would, but I know that you were concerned about the baby’s name.”
“I don’t care about that anymore, we’re giving the name!” Biz said with conviction. “I don’t like my own first name, but if my parents had named me that after such a dear friend, such a wise and strong person, I would be glad to bear such a name!”

They went home, content with their decision, and named their child De’Forrest Malysh Sakanah. However, they were so used to calling him “the baby” that they kept on doing so. They had just arrived home when Baruch and Aliza knocked on their door.