How To Go Back in Time Book One: Chapter Twenty

AND NOW,
A CLOSING TRANSMISSION FROM THE ARCTURUS SYSTEM
The machinery hummed and beeped. There were tubes in my nose and I did not know why. I
had been in the hospital for the bullet Gretchen put in me. Though I did deal the final blow. I
remembered state troopers visiting me, and asking their questions. I just said I didn’t remember. Made
em’ believe I was in a fugue state.
I would have to go through two surgeries since they fucked up on the last one. I was never in
any pain thanks the medicine, but I hated being in the hospital. It was just boring. I didn’t feel like I
should be there. Just stitch me up and send me out, please.
But that didn’t happen. Though on one day, Rosa visited.
“So… you went the wrong way.” She said.
“Yeah, and you went the right way. You completed the biggest part.”
She shrugged. “I guess that’s true. But overall, I feel like you did the most work.”
“Totally choked in the end, though.”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
“So what are you gonna do?” I asked.
“Eh. Probably relax for a little while. This case has been… draining. What about you?”
“Head back home to Seattle and wait for more cases, I guess.”
She smirked and sat back. “It’s kinda fucked up we make money off people getting hurt.”
“Someone has to do it though.” I said. “Someone has to be the bad guy.”
“That’s true.”
“I feel like I’m a bad guy. Well, maybe not that. Just…”
“Strange?”
“Yeah. That’s it. Strange.”
She went quiet for a moment and locked eyes at me. “I’ve enjoyed your time here, Irwin. We are
all going to miss you.”
“All of you, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I suppose I’ll miss all of you too.”
And after saying our pieces, she left. Each night I’d have nightmares of being chased down
narrowing hallways. Or I’d dream of being backstage at a David Bowie concert where he gave me a
drink of his absinthe.
But one time in the evening, Paul showed up out of nowhere. He brought a six pack with him,
and two cheeseburgers. “I know you weren’t in a fugue state. No one does.” He said, popping the cap
off a beer. He handed it to me. And after a long sigh he said, “But we also understand that you probably
can’t tell us.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I think you did something that you can’t take credit for. But, in the end, saved
our asses.”
I smiled for the first time in a while. “Maybe.”
“How?” He said, crumbling. “How did you do it with a busted knee like that?”
“I don’t know.”
“Go on. Eat you lucky asshole.” He said, smirking. “Oh, and James says hi.”
“Yeah, why hasn’t he visited?”
“I guess someone higher up was proud of him, and picked him up. He’s doing work for the CIA
now.”
“No fucking way.” I said.
“Seriously. But, you know, he had to leave before he could see you. He regretted it though.”
“He did?”
“Yeah. He says that you two will probably meet again.”
I nodded. “That’d be nice.”
I enjoyed the beer and food, and we had some time to catch up. Paul and I had never really had
a chance to sit down and talk, so I’m glad we got to do it before I left. Dare I say that I was going to
miss this hick town.
And on the final night, with the full moon hovering in the sky, and the stars twinkling, he
appeared. “Hello, Mr. Sander.”
“That gets fresher every time I hear it.” I said, scratching at my bandages.
“I just wanted to say well done. Really, well done.”
“I just did my job.” I said. I lifted a corner of the paper up, and caught a glimpse of my wound.
Felt a little sick.
“So far, this has been the best path yet. Something’s… different.”
“Oh?”
“Never mind that. You do know this is only the beginning, right? There is much more to come.”
I drew out a long sigh. “I figured as much. I’ve only just begun whatever this is.”
He sat forward and spoke in a whisper. “Do you wanna know how it starts next?”
“Tell me.”
“You’ll get a phone call telling you to go across the country again. It’ll be from some invisible
higher up who likes to treat you like cattle. But little will they know, that it’ll be perfect you.”
“Perfect?”
“In the end, yes. I must bid you farewell now. Goodbye, Mr. Sander.”
“Goodbye.”
I opened my eyes and found myself on my side. A puddle of drool was on the pillow. I sat up
and looked out the window. The sun and leaves were glowing. It was morning.