Chapter Ten - Future Imperfect

“Who was that?” Katy asks me.

“Oh that was nobody.” I tell her.

“Where did she go?” Katy follows up.

“I don’t know.” I say honestly, “but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m here.” I say.

“Come on.” Katy says. She takes me by the hand and starts pulling me toward our house. I follow her. People are looking at me kind of strange. I guess they are wondering who I am. Katy runs through the front door when we get home.

“Mom! Mom! Nia is back. Nia is back.” Katy screams at the top of her lungs.

“Now Katy, you know that’s not something you should be teasing about.” Mom scolds as I walk into the kitchen.

“But I’m not. Look! It’s really Nia.” Katy screams again. When mom sees me she drops a cup and it shatters on the floor.

“Nia, is it really you?” She asks me.

“Yes, mother, it’s really me.” I say.

“Where have you been all this time?” She asks, “We thought you were dead. We looked everywhere for you. What have you been doing?”

“I’m sorry Mother.” I say calmly, “I don’t know how to explain where I’ve been.” I don’t know how to tell mother that I’m not really the Nia she thinks I am. That the Nia she wants me to be probably died a horrible death in the woods all those years ago.

“Well, your father will want to know.” She says. She picks up a telephone and dials a number. We didn’t have telephones in the village before. I guess it’s just one of the things that’s different here.

“Your father is on his way home.” Mother says, “Are you hungry? Is there anything I can get you to eat?”

“Yes!” I answer, “Eggs and Waffles and bacon would be great.” Mother starts cooking. Katy grabs me by the hand and leads me into her room. There is only one bed in the room. There is only one dresser. The full length mirror that was a fixture when we shared this room isn’t here. A tear wells up inside me and I fall to my knees and start to cry. Katy puts her arms around me.

“It’s okay Nia.” She says, “Your home now. I can’t wait to share my room with you. I mean our room.” I just hold onto Katy. It was so good to be back in the village. But how was I going to explain where I’ve been all this time. I can’t tell them that I’m not the same Nia and that their Nia has been dead for years.

“It’s just good to be home. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you.” I tell Katy. Mom comes in and tells me my food is done. I sit down at the kitchen table and I savor every bite. It tastes so good. Before I’m done eating Dad comes in. He scoops me up in his arms and starts to cry.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” he says, “We never thought we would ever see you again.” I feel the warmth of his arms around me and I melt into them and the tears start flowing again. I’m really confused. How could Katy just bring me here like it’s nothing? How was she able to travel between futures? There is so much I don’t understand about what has happened to me in the last month. It’s like reality has been all scrambled up. I thought the computer that Lisa built was responsible but now I’m not so sure.

“Where have you been all this time?” He asks, “How were you able to survive?”

“I don’t know how to explain it.” I tell him, “I want to tell you but I just don’t know how to put it into words.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to tell us now. You will have to talk to the village council though. Once you talk to them you can get back to your life.” He tells me. Village Council? We never had a village council. The preacher always directed life in the village. I wonder what else is different here. I started to wonder if I would like it here after all. It might be too much to get used to. I thought about Jake. I wondered what he was doing now. I was starting to think that Jake was a victim the same way I was.

“Okay, can I talk to the council tomorrow? I’m really tired.” I ask.

“Sure, Katy do you mind sleeping on the sofa and letting Nia sleep in your bed tonight?” He asks Katy.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.” Katy answers. She couldn’t contain her excitement that I was back. I had a feeling that it wouldn’t last though and I wondered how I was going to tell her.

I didn’t sleep well, I tossed and turned all night wondering how I was going to explain where I had been all this time. When morning comes I don’t have an answer. All of a sudden I wish I was back with Jake and Lisa and the preacher. Maybe you shouldn’t always get what you wish for.