Chapter Two - Flashback

When our sight returns to us we are standing on the platform in the Assembly Hall. The preacher sees us and says something about how Jake is planning on killing everyone. Some men grab him and drag him away. I am escorted to a seat next to my family. My father looks disappointed and my mother is crying. It’s a good thing Katy isn’t in the room. I am very embarrassed with everyone looking at me and knowing I was hanging out with a bad person.

Once the preacher stops talking. My parents and I go to speak with the preacher privately.

“Was that the boy you have reported seeing in the past?” The preacher asks me in a warm inviting voice.

“Yes” I answer truthfully.

“And he is the same age each time you see him?” The preacher continues.

“Yes” I answer again.

“Do you know why he is the same age each time you see him?” he asks.

“He said the reason is because he travels through time.” I say.

“Do you believe him?” he asks.

“Yes. He showed me by taking me through time.” I answer.

“What did he tell you he was trying to do?” the Preacher goes on.

“He talked to something in the Assembly Hall. There was a voice but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. It gave him a small thing I had never seen before. It had information on it. We went back in time to give that information to something in the past. Something was supposed to happen but I don’t know what.”

“He lied to you. If you had succeeded, you would have destroyed everything. Everything you know and love would be gone.” I think about the preacher’s words. Maybe Jake isn’t such a good guy after all. Maybe Jake is a homicidal maniac. I mean what does someone like that look like anyway.

“Would you like to say goodbye to him?” The preacher offers. I think about it for a few minutes. Maybe it would be better if I just didn’t see him again. On the other hand, I would be able to give him a piece of my mind before he goes.

“Yeah, I would like that.” I answer.

“Splendid. I will make the arrangements.” The preacher smiles when he hears my answer. It is a different kind of smile and I can’t quite place it.

I go home with my parents. I am not looking forward to that. No doubt I am going to get a lecture. My parents don’t lecture me very often but when they do, it is brutal. To my surprise however, they don’t lecture me at all. They just tell me to get some rest. Maybe the preacher told them it wasn’t my fault and not to do it. After a while there is a knock on my door. Lidia has come by to see how I am.

“How are you?” She asks shyly.

“I don’t know” I reply.

“Do you remember anything?” She asks.

“About what?” I ask.

“About us” she answers.

“What about us?” I’m not sure what she is getting at.

“Don’t be mad but you and I were a thing.” She confesses.

“What are you talking about?” I am really confused.

“Before the preacher cured us we were attracted to each other. He said you might not remember though.” She says.

“I don’t remember. Do you remember?” I ask.

“Yeah, I remember everything. At the time it felt natural but now it just seems weird.” She says, “We’ve been friends a long time and I didn’t want you to think I was keeping it from you in case you forgot”

“It’s okay. We’re still friends.” I tell her. Since I don’t remember any of it does it really matter? We aren’t attracted to each other now. Lidia looks relieved. I know it must be tough for her to talk about it.

“I feel like a fool” I tell her, “I trusted that boy too quickly. I just wanted to know who he was and why I kept seeing him around while I was growing up.”

“Do you like him?” She asks.

“Of course not!” I exclaim, “Well maybe just a little.” I correct.

“You have to tell him you hate him.” Lidia advises.

“Why?” I ask confused again.

“So that your reputation won’t be ruined. If everyone thinks that you were deceived, they will feel sorry for you.” She explains.

“I don’t want people feeling sorry for me!” I object.

“It’s either that or have people hate you.” She offers. I know she is right. The whole village saw me with Jake and if I don’t distance myself from him, nobody in the village will want anything to do with me anymore.

The preacher takes me to see Jake. I play it up and tell him that I hate him. He seems unfazed though. It’s almost like he doesn’t even care. The preacher smiles after I tell Jake off. The whole thing is weird. It’s like Jake and the preacher know something that nobody else knows. Like there’s some kind of inside joke between them. It’s really strange.

I try to get my normal life back. People tell me things that I don’t remember. Bobby says I turned him down when he asked me to the dance. Why would I do that? It’s all I’ve been thinking about for weeks. Katy says that I was acting weird and when she saw me kissing Lidia she just had to tell the preacher. Katy begs me not to be mad at her. I tell her it’s okay and she did the right thing. I try to get back into my own life but nothing feels right and I’m not sure what to do about it.