“They stole it, they stole my cigarette, dumb asses!” The rant had continued for more than five minutes. David was used to it. The long pink coat, the hair net, rain boots on a dry day, and the ragged skin of the homeless woman who had been shouting did not affect him anymore.
“. . . I . . got to . . get to the wet place. . “ David mumbled to himself. “My cigarette!” the lady shouted on last time, as she moved on across the polished marble floor, off to blame her loss on others, a loss that may or may not have ever happened. That seemed to be a common problem with the denizens of the Newark Pennsylvania Station.
Day in, day out, David moved along with the flow of this place. You had to move more during the day, but once the sun went down, about 50 other lost people made their pilgrimage to this Mecca. The benches had signs that said ‘For ticket holders only”, but it didn’t seem to matter much. Every hour or so, the local law enforcement would come through, banging on the benches, yelling “Wake up!” and moving the people about. With a ticket you were safe. With a ticket you could sit without impugnment. But tickets cost money, and David had none. He didn’t think that he would be allowed to sit even if he had a ticket, they would find some way to make him move. David didn’t mind so much, it broke up the monotony of the day. Some people went outside, only to return ten to fifteen minutes later, most people shuffled about and sat back down five minutes later. There were the brave ones, perhaps not brave but just weary, that immediately walked to another bench, and sat back down. The security didn’t seem to care, as long as it wasn’t all of them.
“. . .gotta. . .gotta go. . .” David mumbled. His beard had gotten long and raggedy, his fingernails were gray, part of him was sure that he smelled something fierce, but that part of him was long buried into the misery of the train station. How could so many people be here in this state? It wasn’t supposed to be this way, it was supposed to be different. But why did David know that? It all seemed so clear in the back of his mind, but only became more muddled as he focused on that idea.
How he got here was a constant question. He came from the water. That he knew. He woke up in the Passaic River, sputtering, coughing, almost drowning in the sludge that floats over the top like fat skimming on milk. He was confused and lost. He tried to ask for help, but no one seemed to respond to what he was saying, or avoided him at all cost. No threats, he wasn’t trying to force an issue, why did they avoid him?
“You have to go!” The officer was shouting at Henry. Henry didn’t budge. Henry was a sad husk of a man. He had given up on almost everything, and this was the proof. Henry didn’t care that he didn’t have a ticket, he didn’t care that he hadn’t eaten in days, Henry was done. David felt like he should do something for Henry, but what? What could he do? He couldn’t even figure out how to help himself.
David remembered the pin prick. He had been trying to talk to some of these people who live at the train station, one man had suggested that he would feel better if he got a fix. Fix sounded correct, maybe that was what he was supposed to do? But he didn’t have the money the man wanted, so he couldn’t have that fix. He was sleeping on the bench outside after being moved by the security. Suddenly he felt a prick in his neck, he woke with a start. The fix it man was standing over him smiling. He held something in his hand. “Just wanted to give you a taste.” David didn’t understand. Then his world changed. Things were moving. Colors swirled, he felt alive! All his senses accelerated. While he took in the enormous reality shift, his mind went numb due to over stimulation. Then suddenly, images! The water. Light. ARK. Canines. What was it? Where is it? The fix had done something, but not enough, and only left him feeling more empty than before, more questions that would get lost in the miasma of his mind. He wanted more, and he didn’t. “water. . .water. . “ “You want something to drink, man?”
There was a young man standing in front of David. Where had he come from? Where had David gone? Where was the fix it man? He looked above the young man. The incredibly high ceiling with the buffalo and crabs on the hanging lights were still there. Buffalo, there was something about them. . . He was back at the train station, he realized suddenly, it was long since the fix, but his mind had stayed focused on one thing.
“Hey man, are you hungry? The truck is outside. Come one, let me help you up.” David looked into this person’s eyes. There was clarity there, sincerity. He wasn’t ravaged by life, he still believed, and he wanted to help David? David nodded, and the young man put his arm around David’s elbow, and heaved him up. He felt so light, and yet so heavy. How had it gotten to this point?
“I see you here often, sometimes you get in line, sometimes you don’t. Do you get tired of hot dogs, or do you just not want to get up?” The young man asked. “Here, you look dry, have some water.”
“. . .water. . .I gotta get there. . .” David pleaded with the young man, hoping he would understand. “Okay, okay, let’s get some food first, then we’ll talk about where you need to get.” “Bison Bison.” David said as he looked up. “Umm, there may be some beef in the hot dogs, sure.” “Up.” The young man looked up, over the door was the head of a buffalo, carved in relief. “Oh, yeah, but why say it twice?” David shrugged. Why had that come to him?
As they got their hot dogs, the young man introduced himself as Jerome Flowers. He garnished the dogs with ketchup and mustard, “Do you like relish on your dog?” “Canis Lupus Familiarus.” “Ummm, there’s not actual dog in this, it’s just a name.” “Why?” “Why call it a hotdog?” “Why. . . me?” “Okay man, let’s sit down. The charity hot dog truck had a long line of shambling folks, from what seemed to be a wide variety of backgrounds. But they were all in a different part of the same state. Some had backs bent almost parallel to the ground, some more upright. Some had skin that wasn’t quite leather, and others were grizzled.
“Where are you from man?” Jerome asked kindly, watching the others get their food. “I’m from Trenton. I really stepped it up coming to Newark huh?” Jerome laughed at his statement. Was it funny? David’s blue eyes searched Jerome’s. A joke. That was a joke. David’s chapped and cracked lips parted to reveal fairly well maintained teeth. “Ah, a smile at last. So where you from?”
“Water. . . from water.” It was the best answer David could think of, but he could think of it, so that was something. David hoped that Jerome could possibly bring some light to these questions. Light! ARK. Keystone. Dogs. David shut his eyes hard as these visions flashed into his mind. He glanced back at Jerome, who appeared concerned, but didn’t run. “Water huh? Can you not remember? Was it the beach? I don’t like the beach up here, the whole Northeast thinks they have beaches, but they have nothing on Florida. Mile wide sand, waves that you can surf, girls like you wouldn’t believe.” Jerome smirked.
“Girls. . .do. . .do you have. . .one?” David tried to form the sentence, why was it so difficult? There was something about this Jerome, something that made David’s mind clear just a bit. Was it his honestly taking interest? No one had done that before. . . “Do I have a girl? Like a girlfriend?” Jerome responded, looking rather surprised that David had asked. “. . yes. . .” David responded. Jerome’s face flushed a bit. “Well, there’s this girl from church.” “Church?” “Yeah man, church, you know the big buildings with the steeples on top?” David didn’t know, but that didn’t seem important, “What is her name?” he asked. “Lauren, she’s beautiful, plays the flute, is always volunteering, everything about her is so great.” “Is she your. . . girlfriend?” David asked. “Well, no, I don’t think she’d go out with me, so I just kinda chat with her, and watch her. . .oh man that sounds a little creepy. I just don’t think she’d go out with me. Do you have a girl?” Jerome actually looked interested when he asked David the question.
Did he? He saw a face in his mind. Her raven hair was cut just below her ears, he always like how it swished back and forth as she laughed. Eve. She was shorter than David, but by just enough so that when he put his arm around her, they fit like a puzzle piece. Her almond eyes showed a hint of her Japanese background, which he found so alluring. Japanese. Japan. . .
“Japan! Something about Japan!” David yelled suddenly. Something was happening to his mind, things were getting clearer, but it just confused him more. “Did something happen in Japan?” Jerome was taken aback. “Yeah man, a huge earthquake and tsunami, devastated part of the country. They are in pretty bad shape, but luckily they got their nuclear situation under control.” “Nuclear. . .power plants?” “Yes, do you not see the papers? Can you read?” “Of course I can read, I just haven’t for a while. . .” The response came out of his mouth so quick even David was surprised.
The use of fossil fuels was one of the things that David remembered reading about as a kid. It was done for a long time, and it was one of the things that lead to Earth’s ecosystem collapsing. But Earth’s ecosystem seemed to be okay. What was David remembering? She was beautiful. Eve.
“Eve.” David said coming back to the moment. “Excuse me?” Jerome questioned. “My wife, her name is Eve. You asked if I had a girl, I do, her name is Eve.” “Did something just happen, you seem extremely lucid, should I call a doctor? We keep one on call at the shelter.” “No, I don’t think so.” Jerome was nervous, he had been volunteering at the shelter a long time, but generally people didn’t snap back to reality. Generally when they snapped it was violent. There were lots of people around, other volunteers, and the mass of poor people who just needed a little help; Jerome felt safe with this amount of people, so he summoned up his courage.
“I want to help you.” Jerome said, his nervousness betraying his voice. “You’ve already done that, Jerome. I don’t know how much more I could ask of you. I don’t know if it was just your interest, or your questions, or just you. But something made my mind clear. Maybe it was Lauren?” “Lauren? From church Lauren? How could you know her?” “No no, I could tell that you cared for her, and it reminded me of Eve.” “Oh. . . I don’t know your name, I just realized.” “It’s David, David Welch. And I think I’m from the future.”
There it was. Jerome knew that everything couldn’t snap back into place. While David was extremely lucid, and definitely better than he was, his mind was still affected. He needed help, and Jerome would help him get it. But how did you get someone who didn’t want a doctor, to see one. He knew if he forced the issue, that things would only turn sour. “The future?”
“Yes, I know that sounds crazy, and in my current state, I wouldn’t begrudge you of that.” “Thank you David, I appreciate that. So, what is the next step?” David thought about it. Things still weren’t quite clear. He knew he had to get back home. But where was that. The sensation of a deep plunge in cold water filled his memory. Water. There was something about water. What had Eve said, ‘just take the plunge, we’ll go together.’ Eve. Oh for the sound of her, for the smell of her. That’s what he had to get back to. Eve was brilliant, she was the one to discover the breakthrough in the Keystone Project.
“The Keystone Project, that’s important. . .” David let slip out. “What’s the Keystone Project?” Jerome asked. “It’s what led to Eve’s breakthrough. The immense power of the ocean can be concentrated, specifically with the uses of tidal pools and rip currents.” “Used for what?” “Massive energy generation which can connect to different pieces of the temporal fabric, through the physical medium of water.”
“Wow, that sounds really complicated. I didn’t study much science in college, I was focused on economics. . .” “It’s fuzzy to me as well Jerome, that’s how it works though. Why did you study economics?” “I wanted to run non-profit organizations. Advancing humanity by helping the poor and destitute. People don’t understand them. Many homeless are mentally ill, they need help, but people don’t want to give money to someone they see as a bum. It’s understandable to not give the drunk guy sleeping in the train station money, but if you got to know him, maybe he wouldn’t be that person to you anymore.” “Sounds a little familiar. “ “It’s why I volunteer, David. I had a job, but it got cut when the State tightened it’s budget. I have money saved, so I’m fine, but just because things aren’t going my way, doesn’t mean that I can’t still help other people find a bit of hope.” Jerome was passionate, David could see that. Jerome was one hundred percent real. There seemed to be few people like him in this time and place.
“Keep with it Jerome. Bring Lauren along with you. You’d be surprised by what women are impressed with.” David smiled, “Show her your passion. If she responds to it, you know you’ll be good together.” “Thanks David, but I don’t know, I just kinda like the idea of her. . “ “You have helped me, so let me help you. I know I’m the guy with the crazy beard, but it sounds to me like you are just making excuses. Talk to her, tell her that you think she’s great. And ask if she would like to join you volunteering somewhere. You said she likes to volunteer, so that should be a win win. Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll still be helping people with your time.”
“Alright David, let’s make a deal. I’ll ask Lauren out, if you let me take you to a doctor.” It was a stretch, but Jerome felt that his could be his opportunity to get David the mental care he needed. “That seems incredibly one sided Jerome. How about you take me to one of these “beaches” first, then I’ll see your doctor.” Jerome thought about it, “Why the beach?” “It was the first thing you talked to me about. Maybe I’ll remember better there. . .” “Sure, lets do it. I like Sandy Hook, plus it’s not a bad drive. Then we’ll get you to the Doc, agreed?” “It’s a deal.”
Jerome covered his bases before he left, he made sure other people knew where he was going, and he had his cell phone on. He felt safe with David, but just in case he turned back to his previous state, he didn’t want to be in that situation without support. They got into Jerome’s last purchase before losing his job, a Prius. “I like it because of how the battery charges when you use the brakes. That’s the human brain being put to good use.” “Yes, that is very clever.” “Do you have a car David?” “Oh sure, but things are different back home.” “Can’t be that much different.” “You’d be surprised Jerome, things don’t go as well as people expect them to, I remembered what I remember because of the Japanese earthquake.” “Why do you remember because of that?” “It will turn out to be a significant mark in the timeline of energy generation. Nuclear energy comes under such heavy scrutiny, that investors and governments shy away from building new plants, and even shut down older ones. I’m not saying nuclear is the only option, but it was a better choice than fossils fuels for the time being.”
“Do we destroy earth?”
David looked at Jerome. This was the first time he had acknowledged David being from the future. David knew what Jerome was doing, going around the issue, trying to keep him routed in the “now” instead of encouraging what he saw as David’s fantasy. Perhaps it wasn’t intentional, or perhaps Jerome was hopeful to get David to a doctor, either way, it was an interesting turn.
“Yes, ‘we’ do.” David said with a grave intensity. “but don’t get it mixed up, it wasn’t just fossil fuel use, that was just a part of the problem. Other things we couldn’t foresee greatly affected the planet. There will be a large meteor that collides with Earth, setting off an environmental chain reaction, and due to the fact that we were already damaging the atmosphere with massive amounts of carbon, the scientific community couldn’t work fast enough to fix the damage. There was finally government support as well!”
“What do you mean?” asked Jerome, “The government supports the environment.” David looked long and hard at Jerome. “I’m sure many politicians do actually care, but a major flaw was the politicizing of scientific facts. They should be questioned, to determine the truth, tested over and over, but facts are not opinions for the media to run wild with. After the meteor, governments around the world got behind science to fix the problem, too little too late.”
“We’re you part of that team of scientists?” asked Jerome as he took the next exit off the Turnpike. “Me? No, that was long before I was born.” Responded David. “So, you can’t be sure it happened exactly like that?” Jerome retorted. “History does get some coloring in its telling, that’s for sure, but that’s the bare bones of it for sure.” “Okay, but when are you from?” “I was born in the year 2180, at the South Florida Prosperity Sphere’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital.” “South Florida Prosperity Sphere?” “Oh, right. After the ecosystem collapse, governments around the world started building biodomes. It’s kind of ridiculous actually, but it did save the population from extinction.
“So, the domes are gone then?” “Yes, basically large greenhouses took over the “dome” problems, and you had to wear special clothing when going outside. The dome idea was a bit of an overreaction, but the thought was in the right place. Prosperity Spheres are areas of the world where life was still sustainable. Over time, things got less toxic, and advances in science helped move the planet back to a previous norm. I was part of the research team for the Keystone Project, a new experiment in hydro/electric power. Time travel was an accident, but one that would change everything.”
“Like you said before, it touches different parts of the temporal fabric, right. So what happened after that?”
David twisted his wedding ring around his finger. He always caught himself doing that when he as nervous. Just a little comfort, he thought, Eve was his constant. “Captain Welch?” the young attaché who approached him asked. He was very young to be in such a position, but looking at the ribbons on his service uniform he had definitely earned where he was. “They are ready to see you sir.” “Thank you Corporal, I am ready. Also, you should be proud of Guantanamo.” “Sir?” “That’s a ribbon from the event, correct, green stripe on a yellow field?” “Oh, yes sir, my first tour.” “I was there too Corporal, you boys saved a lot of lives that day.” “Thank you, sir.”
David picked his portfolio off the bench and made his way to the Admiralty’s chamber. They would be watching his every move, to make sure of his confidence. After all, it wasn’t everyday that time travel was discovered, or that someone came up with an idea to use it to save the planet. David quickly checked to make sure the shine on his boots was adequate. Why did he do that? He wasn’t in the academy any more, these men were almost colleagues, but his nervousness demanded certain protocol from his body, and so his body responded.
The large doors of the old office opened with great gravity, or so David felt. He walked his way onto the ancient blue carpet, dark oak furnishings in the room a complete luxury. How had this furniture survived the years when everything was being burned for heat? No matter, it was hear now, and David had a solution that would bring these types of luxuries back for future generations.
“Captain Welch, welcome.” David saluted the high ranking gentlemen. “Sticking to the old Army way of saluting indoors, even though we are Navy men in this room, Captain?” “Protocol is protocol sir.” “Very well, relax David; we know why you are here.” “Thank you, Roger. You all have heard about our happy accident at Keystone.” There was a grumbling amongst some of the older man. “Let me confirm to you, that it is true. Through the tidal pool, an opening to various parts of time appears. The window stays open for return for 24 hours. We successfully went back, buried an object 400 years in the past, and dug it up yesterday. Carbon dating confirmed its age.”
The room burst in to noise. These men had read the reports, but hearing it from David’s mouth seemed to bring it to reality. So many questions being asked at once, David couldn’t quite hear them all. Proposals being thrown to the wind. Excitement barely describes the feelings. David had never seen these men ever be this excited, even before battle.
“Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Some order, please!” Admiral Billings yelled over the crowd. Slowly things settled down. “Captain Welch, continue to your proposal please.” “Thank you, sir,” responded David, “I propose that we use this ability to bring extinct plants and animals back to our own time, to help bring the Earth back to where it was, pre-meteor.” Once again the room exploded with excitement. David felt sure that this would pass unanimously. Once the room settled down once again, Admiral Billings, with his white hair and imposing height, stood. “I believe we can make this quick, everyone in support of this plan?” “AYE!” the word overwhelmed David. “Any opposed?” There were none. “Well, congratulations David, you have the council’s permission to proceed. What do you plan on bringing back first?” “Eve says she always wanted a dog, so I think they will be first. . .” “Then make cows or buffalo second.” “Cows sir?” “Why yes David, I’ve hear that steak is delicious, and it would be a wonderful celebration meal, would it not?” The room laughed, then applauded, David was going to get to change the world, he held back the tears until after he left the large room with it’s antique wood furniture and amazing blue carpet.
David was back in the car with Jerome. He felt itchy. He pulled down the visor and discovered a mirror. His face! He looked at himself, how had he not seen this? No wonder no one would talk to him. His lips were cracked, his skin red and flaky. His hair was matted to his skull. The blessing of corrective surgery had kept his eyes and teeth clean and protected, that had stayed at least. He thought back on the previous years. How had he survived? Had he? He didn’t feel himself. The past two years were like a nightmare. Not knowing where he was, or who. Where he came from. Only the thought of water had remained. He had successfully traveled back eight times. Retrieved various life; dogs, cows, grasses, oak trees, fowl, earthworms. These things were being raised, cultivated, bred, and brought back to the planet slowly. Small experimental colonies in the Carolinas were seeing great success with the oak trees. Perhaps they had grown there once.
Poor Jerome, he would be a part of this changing world. His vitality, his sincerity, his youth; were all to his credit. Perhaps Jerome would woo this Lauren of his. Perhaps he would change the world for the better. David believed Jerome could do it, after all, Jerome’s compassion had broken David’s mental dams. It must have been something with the time travel. He was not meant to be in the early 21st century, he was supposed to go to what would be known as California in the colonial times, when the population was much less dense. Somehow he had ended up in New Jersey, damaged. Jerome wouldn’t understand what was going to happen. Jerome, with is caring heart, didn’t quite believe that David was from the future. He would be alright though, David knew, something deep inside told him so.
“Smell that salt air!” Jerome said suddenly, “It’s so much cleaner than the city.” David knew that it wasn’t, but it did smell really great. His heart started beating faster. If he could catch the rip tide at the right time, the reactor from ARK would be sending its ribbon through time, and hopefully he could grab hold of it somehow. Hopefully it would sense his attunement. Hopefully his temporal signature would not have changed during the two years he spent with the desperate citizens of the Newark Pennsylvania Station. If it didn’t, he knew he wasn’t strong enough to survive. If hope fell through, David would drown off the coast of New Jersey.
“Do you want to get out?” Jerome asked. “I love feeling that sand between my toes.” Jerome removed his shoes and socks and stepped out into the evening. “We’re going to catch that sunset. You know, forget what I said about this not being a real beach, Florida is different, but this is still a beach.” “Yes, Jerome, it is beautiful.” David replied, “I hope I see it again one day.”
“Well of course you will. I’ll bring you back.” Jerome tried to comfort him, then noticed that David seemed to be slipping off in his mind. David looked at Jerome, taking this young man into his mind so that he would never forget him. “Best of luck, Jerome, you go get that girl of yours, and you make the world a better place. I need to get home.” And with that David ran.
He ran faster than he had in years, straight toward the cold waves. “Wait! Stop!” Jerome chased after him, but he didn’t have the training that David had. David could run. David was a Captain in the Army. David was a scientist. David was a lover. David had saved the planet, now he would save himself. David was from the future.
He plunged into the frigid sea, the pull felt right. He went with it, quickly he was out of breath. The water pulled him. That was good. He felt a sand bar go past. Yes so close! He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, feeling. It was a strange sensation, and then suddenly a warmth. David let go.
Jerome continued to watch the waves, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Why? David why? I killed you. I brought you here, and you killed yourself. I should have known it wasn’t safe, that you weren’t in your right mind.” He watched for David’s body to roll onto the shore. The currents could be very swift here, he didn’t know if David would ever be seen again. He sat on the sand. In his tears he made a commitment to himself. He would dedicate his life to the service of mental health. He wouldn’t let this happen to anyone, if he could help it. And he would ask Lauren out. After what felt like days, but was probably a few hours. Jerome got into his car, and drove home.
The water was warm here. That was David’s first thought. Suddenly there were hands pulling him up. He was in a facility. It was built over the ocean, so that you could easily get into the time ribbon. Large computers lined the walls, and dozens of people stood around staring at him. “Captain Welch! Are you alright?” this voice was familiar. “David!” “Eve. . .” David passed out.
This room was white, clean, warm, and comforting. “What happened?” David asked. A beautiful woman with short black hair smiled at him, she reached over and took his hand. “A sudden strong current came off of the gulf stream, it warped the ribbon exactly when you hit the water.” Eve said in her lovely tones. “How long were you gone?” she asked. “What? What does that mean?” David replied. “You were missing for five days on this end, but time travel is tricky.” “Only five days?” David rubbed his freshly shaved chin, it felt good to be clean again. “I think I was there for two years, it’s hard to say, something happened to my mind.” “You did look really rough, we thought the worse.” “I’m just glad to be back with you, my love.”
There was a knock on the door. “Captain Welch?” “Yes Corporal?” “It’s Sergeant now sir.” “Ah, yes, I am sorry, things are still a bit rusty.” “Yes, sir, understood. These are from the Admiralty. They say no rush, but they eagerly await your report.” “Sergeant Flowers?” “Yes sir.” “Is any part of your family from New Jersey?” “Oh yes sir, I’m named after an ancestor who is said to have been a great humanitarian. Seems really appropriate since I’m involved in ARK sir.” David smiled to himself, “Thank you, Jerome.”
