Memories from a Different Future: Jump When Ready, Book 2

by David Pandolfe

Jamie shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “But it was different. This time the woman, the one with the little girl—”

  “What the hell was that?” Nikki said, then turned, noticing something in her peripheral vision.

  Although Martha had never approached them outside Halfway House as a group before, that didn’t particularly surprise Nikki. If anything qualified as an event needing Martha’s involvement, what they’d just experienced definitely fit the bill.

  “Let me guess,” Nikki said, when Martha drew close enough to hear, “someone told you we might be in need of a little counseling.”

  Martha met her eyes, paused, then nodded. “Technically, you told me,” she said. “It’s just one of those things about being in Service—I know when something is troubling you. I’m sure I’ve mentioned that before.”

  Henry raised an eyebrow. “And it wasn’t like someone you know—who remains invisible to us—told you?”

  Nikki wasn’t sure how Martha would react but she just shrugged. “Well, there was some of that too. But I also knew.”

  “I suppose it would be silly to ask when we actually meet these people,” Jamie said, glancing around as if someone else might be listening.

  Martha hesitated. “No, it’s not silly to ask. But I just don’t know.”

  Jamie took only a moment to consider. “Maybe not this time around?”

  “I really can’t say. They might be a little too… Well, let’s just say you already have enough on your mind at this stage. For example, I got the definite impression you had some serious questions right now. Why don’t we take a walk.”

  Nikki had joined Martha on walks before—they all had—so she knew to expect what happened next. The sights and sounds of their neighborhood faded and they found themselves someplace entirely different. This time, Martha brought them to a countryside somewhere. Rolling hills stretched into the distance and the blue sky above shined with sunlight. They walked upon a dirt road.

  Within moments, a horse-drawn carriage crested a hill and rolled toward them. A man was at the reins with a woman beside him. On the bench behind them sat two children, a boy and a girl probably somewhere around ten years old. No one spoke as they rolled past and no one in the carriage turned to look at them. Only the horse seemed aware of them, glancing over and nickering softly before turning its head forward again. Nikki wondered for a moment but felt sure those people they’d just seen weren’t from their same realm. They’d crossed over but to where or when she couldn’t possibly say.

  “They weren’t in-between, were they?” Henry said.

  “No, they were just people going about their day,” Martha said. “By the way they were dressed, I would imagine they might be coming back from church or perhaps some other type of gathering.”

  Nikki hadn’t consciously thought about it before but the family had been wearing pretty formal clothes—both the man and boy in dark jackets and white shirts, the woman and girl wearing simple blue dresses with lace collars. “And we’re in the past,” she said.

  “You can take us back in time?” Jamie said.

  Martha nodded. “For instructional purposes only. Isn’t it lovely? Stop a minute to take it in.”

  They stopped walking and gazed out at the hills, the carriage already shrinking from view as it rolled into the distance. Other than the faint clatter of the horse’s hooves, Nikki heard no other sounds. At least, not at first. The impression was of complete silence until she became aware of birds chirping from the trees. Then the sound of a fly buzzing past. A light breeze ruffled the tall grasses, leaving in its wake just a whisper to reach her ears moments later. She closed her eyes and inhaled to gather the sweet scent of the grass and the earthy clay beneath her feet. An entirely different world, without the background buzz of cars, planes, music and people talking on phones.

  “Why are we here?” Henry said, now just opening his eyes too after taking a moment to experience this place.

  Martha started walking again. “Partly because I felt you needed to be somewhere calm and simple for a moment. Each place in time offers slightly different things, some better and some worse. For example, in this time medicine wasn’t very advanced and people didn’t live nearly as long as they do now. Even in your times, people Transitioned sooner than they do now just decades later. On the other hand, the basic experience was more calming for most. Simpler, slower, less demanding and distracting. Good for the soul, if you will.”

  Martha looked around at them, beaming that smile of hers. As frustrated as Nikki sometimes felt at Martha’s apparent need to be cryptic, she liked Martha. She was impossible not to like—always kind and patient, always having their well-being in mind above all things.

  Still, Nikki shot Martha a knowing look. “And?”

  Martha chuckled. “Right, I also wanted to make a point. You saw that family a few minutes ago. We don’t know where they were coming from or going to. Come to think of it, I made the assumption that they were returning from church or from some other event. To be honest, I haven’t even thought about what time it might be here. What time do you suppose it is?”

  The three of them looked around again and this time Nikki noticed that the sun wasn’t far above the horizon. Not setting, definitely, the light already casting further out than when they’d first arrived. “Morning,” Nikki said. “I’m guessing before eight.”

  “I think you’re probably right,” Martha said. “We certainly chose a nice morning to visit. So, let’s say you managed to get the attention of that family we just saw. Which, for your group, wouldn’t be particularly difficult. What do you think would have happened?”

  “We would have scared the crap out of them,” Jamie said.

  “Indeed. By the way, did you notice the horse became aware of you? To animals, you’re as natural as everything else around them. But that’s another discussion for a different time. I’m sure you’re aware of the concept—since you’ve probably heard about it in movies or books—but if you had gotten their attention, something would have shifted. Probably something very small but it’s safe to bet they would have been at least later getting wherever they were going. And, certainly, their experiences of that event would be colored differently. Quite likely, what would remain foremost on their mind would be the moment of interacting with you, no matter how brief or even well-intentioned. As a result, they’d almost certainly say and do different things than they would have otherwise.”

  “The butterfly effect,” Henry said.

  “That’s one way people have described it,” Martha said. “And, to a degree, it’s true. One little change affects everything else. At least a little. Sometimes more than a little.”

  Nikki stopped and stared at Martha. “Are you saying it’s because of us that we saw the woman get shot this time?”

  Martha shook her head, just slightly. “Not necessarily, although it is possible. Something else could have shifted too. With any event in time, there are many variables. But it does appear that now there are different possible outcomes. Maybe what you saw was always one of those possible outcomes and we just now became aware of it due to something else changing. The Universe is in a constant state of flux and, believe me, remains way beyond my comprehension.” Martha paused to be sure they heard what she said next. “Please understand, no one is mad at you. In fact, you might just be a natural part of the environment for the event itself. When I tell you to be careful of your actions on the other side, it’s not about judgment or even what kind of effect your presence may have. What I’m most concerned about is how the result of your actions will affect you.”

  Nikki took a moment to process Martha’s words. “Aren’t you worried that we may have caused someone’s death?”

  Martha’s eyes met Nikki’s. In her gaze, Nikki saw a depth reminding her of just how much longer Martha had remained between lives. “Of course, I do care about those in the other realm. At the same time, every death is caused by someone, even if it’s that same pers
on’s choices. The same goes for every birth.”

  Nikki wasn’t often caught speechless, but Martha’s words had that effect on her. She never could have imagined the truth of what Martha had just said while still in her past life.

  A few moments passed before Henry said, “Why did we even end up going back to the event? One minute, we were talking to someone Ian knows and then we were just there somehow.”

  That question had momentarily slipped Nikki’s mind.

  “You mean Julie,” Martha said. “Yes, I’ve become aware of her now since she’s become aware of you. As it turns out, she’s very advanced. As you must know, Julie is capable of experiencing quite a bit more than what most of those around her can experience. She’s also quite powerful. In this realm, I have no doubt she’d be assigned to a group much like your own.”

  Nikki brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes, blown there by that same breeze that had been caressing the grasses. “Did she make it happen? Did she somehow send us there?”

  “She forced you away,” Martha said. “As I said, she’s very powerful. Still, she couldn’t have possibly sent you to the event you keep witnessing. I suspect you went there because of the connection. After all, that’s why you went to see her.”

  Henry took a deep breath, as if trying to rein in his temper. “If she’s so powerful, if she can experience so much more than others, why did she refuse to help us?”

  “Well,” Martha said. “That could be attributed to a slightly different belief system. What she herself feels to be natural and unnatural. There is also fear, of course. After all, she’s only human.”

  15

  Wedding Plans

  Ian managed to snag a parking space a block away from the Olympic, where he supposed Peter and Brent were probably already waiting for him. He’d spent a little longer than he’d meant to riding his bike around the park at Green Lake. Partly, because it was such a nice day. Unexpected at this time of year, when it was almost always overcast if not raining or snowing. Not today, though, which had turned out to be sunny and relatively warm—in the upper forties—which had brought a lot of people to the park.

  The other reason Ian had lingered there longer than expected was his confusion over that weird moment with his mother in the kitchen. What the hell had that been about, exactly? One minute she’d been absorbed in something online—more than likely one of her projects—and the next she’d suddenly felt compelled to urge him to avoid going to the mall. Ian had never once thought of his mother as a worrier. In fact, despite some aspects of her personality that could be described as a bit quirky—for example, her refusal to learn how to drive—neurosis just wasn’t part of her deal. Just the opposite, in that she was normally easy going almost to a fault. The kind of person who took one day at a time, typically greeting each day as if it could only bring with it good things.

  There had been one other reason he’d kept cycling longer than intended, Ian realized just now as he got out of the car. The strange feeling that he wasn’t alone. That he hadn’t been before either. His mind shot back now to that moment this morning before he’d gone downstairs. He’d found himself thinking about Professor Russell’s brother again, hadn’t he? That kid, Henry. He’d totally forgotten until now. And some other name had come to mind totally out of nowhere, almost as if someone had whispered it in his ear. Curtis. Even now, Ian shook his head. Curtis. No idea. He didn’t know anyone by that name and never had.

  Ian crossed the street in a part of town that had once held a reputation for poverty and crime. It hadn’t been that way while he’d been growing up but that’s what his parents said. Evidently, twenty years ago this had been a seedy neighborhood. Now it was trendy, full of sparkling new restaurants and coffee shops like the Olympic. Inside, alternative music played and baristas pulled shots for a crowd almost all younger than thirty. Ian spotted Brent and Peter across the room where they’d managed to claim a table by the window. A few minutes later, he joined them and stirred sugar into his latte.

  Brent regarded him, eyebrow raised. “How did the shopping go? Can’t believe you braved going to the mall this time of year.”

  Peter didn’t wait for Ian to answer. “Yeah, it totally sucks. It took me like an hour to get out of the parking lot the other day. So I could get my sister a present. And, I ended up buying a freaking gift card.”

  Brent snorted a laugh, covering his mouth since he’d just taken a sip of coffee. “Dude, sorry, but that’s hilarious. You could have snagged one at the grocery store.”

  “Whatever,” Peter said. “At least it will fit into my luggage.”

  Ian pulled his chair closer to the table. “I decided to skip it. I went down to Green Lake instead.”

  Brent reached out for a fist-bump. “Good move. It’s really nice out there today.”

  They took a minute to drink some coffee, sit back and listen to music. Brent and Peter scanned the room, no doubt checking out some of the women there. It wasn’t like Ian didn’t look too, just not in the same way he once had. A thought crossed his mind—a sudden, unexpected thought. He was going to miss them, these friends he’d come to love. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Ian didn’t know what to do with it. Where had it even come from?

  “So, listen.” Brent set his mug down on the table. “There’s a party going on tonight that promises to be one for the history books. I do realize you swore us off until after the holidays but you’re here now. What do you think?”

  Ian shook his head without even considering the invitation. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I should stay at home. I just thought I’d hang with you guys for a while first.”

  “Why?” Brent cracked a smile. “I thought you were sick of us.”

  Ian grinned back at him. “I totally am. But, you know, there’s something I’ve been thinking about and I thought I’d run it past you.”

  Peter leaned in and set his elbows on the table. “You have news?”

  “Yeah, maybe,” Ian said, even though he hadn’t planned on saying anything. In fact, he hadn’t planned on saying anything for at least another year or two. “I’ve been knocking around the idea of asking Lisa if she wants to get married.”

  Brent burst out laughing. Not derisively—more, just surprised. “Seriously? I mean, that’s awesome. You guys are great together.”

  “Agreed,” Peter said. “I can totally see you guys getting married someday.”

  “Right, exactly,” Brent said. “Someday, like five years from now when you’ve both finished school and maybe graduate school. Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally supportive, but are you ready for a move like this?”

  Ian looked both of them in the eye. “Yeah, I think so.”

  But the fact was, he hadn’t expected to say what he’d just said. Why did he feel like suddenly he had to fit as much in as possible? Almost as if he was running out of time. Again, the thought made no sense but Ian forced a smile. “I’m not talking about getting married immediately or anything like that. I just meant asking her so we could start to plan.”

  “Good idea,” Peter said. “Start by planning to pay off like ten years of student loans and then maybe get married.”

  “Bingo,” Brent said. “But, sure, why not start setting things up. I can totally see you two squeezing out a few offspring life forms in the future.”

  Ian laughed. “Yeah. Something like that.”

  “Something exactly like that,” Brent said. “You’ll be changing diapers before you know it. Just don’t rush things. You have plenty of time.”

  Was it a coincidence that Brent said exactly what he needed to hear? Ian wasn’t sure why he’d need to hear that but it felt good, nonetheless. He sighed and settled back into his chair. “So, what’ s going on with you guys?”

  ~~~

  An hour later, Ian left the Olympic and walked toward his car. Amazingly for this time of year, it still remained a beautiful day. A warm breeze blew past and the sun was now high in the sky, the sidewalks crowded as people worki
ng nearby headed out for lunch. Ian was almost to his car when he decided to keep walking. Another block or two and he’d be able to see Puget Sound. He’d always loved gazing out at that shimmering expanse of water, watching the ferries making their way out to the islands. One of his earliest memories was of his father holding him up so he could get a better look at that view.

  He found a spot overlooking the water and leaned on the rail as the wind rippled through his hair. Sure enough, within seconds a ferry horn blasted against the sky and the boat set off while another spread its wake across the sound in approach. Such an amazing city. Ian had never once wanted to live elsewhere. Visit? Definitely. But Seattle was home.

  Lisa should be with me, Ian thought. Right here, right now. He imagined her next to him, squinting out at the water, her long dark hair blowing in the wind like a silky flag he’d get to run his fingers through later. Her eyes sparkling and crinkling up at the corners. Her mouth parting to smile, then later parting to kiss. He called her, holding his flexlet up for when she answered, knowing she would.

  “Where are you?” she said, seconds later.

  Ian pressed the sensor on the back so he’d appear in a frame sharing the view of the water. He smiled and said, “Just downtown. Met up with Brent and Peter for coffee. Beautiful day here. How’s it going there?”

  Lisa smiled back at him. “Like forty-below. Okay, I’m exaggerating. But maybe twenty degrees and there has to be at least two feet of snow.”

  “Sounds nice,” Ian said. “Christmassy.”

  “Nice from a distance,” Lisa said. “No, I don’t mean that. It really is nice, but I guess my blood has thinned out from living in the Northwest. Guess I’m not much of a high altitude person these days.”

  “A couple more weeks and you’ll be back again.”

  “Works for me,” Lisa said. “How’s your family doing?”

  Ian almost told her about that morning but decided not to. Just a strange moment, already forgotten, he felt sure. “They’re good. We’ve been having fun. So, I’ve been kind of thinking about stuff.”