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

ago that he’d sat there six years old
in his pajamas, eyeing the milk jug he couldn’t manage to lift on his own. Last
night, his parents had offered him a glass of wine. How had the time passed so
quickly? Ian wondered if he wasn’t too young to wonder about that.
    Ian’s father gestured with his mug toward Ian’s screen.
“Anything interesting?”
    “Nothing much,” Ian said. “Just the news, basically.”
    “Let me guess, Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on
anything.”
    Ian nodded. “Yep.”
    “The economy is still struggling despite holiday sales
and all that good stuff.”
    “True.”
    His father looked at the ceiling. “Someone missing was
found but someone else went missing. A freak accident at a zoo, someone mauled
by a big animal or something like that. Oh, and of course a weather calamity to
top things off.”
    Ian couldn’t help laugh. “Have you read this before?”
    “Way too many times,” his father said. “Taking a break
from it while I’m on break myself.”
    Ian’s mother turned and said, “Bacon’s done. You’re on.
Keep it legendary or you’re fired.”
    “Legendary. No pressure.” Ian’s father picked up his
cutting board and approached the stove to start scrambling.
    Ian hadn’t exactly told the truth about reading the news.
Technically, he was reading a very old archived news article—it felt strange to
be looking at 2-D images again—although, he actually was reading about someone
who’d gone missing and then been found.
    It was so strange to think that Professor Russell had
once been one of those people. Ian had been trying not to think about it but
then his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he’d started searching.
Just before his father offered to fill his coffee, he’d pulled something up. A
weird abduction, ransom attempt from twenty years back. Some freaky tech guy
had figured he could screw over his rich boss by kidnapping the guy’s niece.
Weird shit. Who would ever think of doing something like that? Ian turned his
attention to the article again. Yep, Virginia. Lisa had said it happened
somewhere down south. The girl’s name, Bethany Connors. Professor Russell’s
first name was Bethany. Kind of an unusual name. This had to be—
    “Toast or bagel?” Ian’s mother said.
    His father looked over from his place at the stove.
“There’s some muffins too. Cinnamon or blueberry.”
    Ian barely looked up. “Actually, a bagel sounds great. Do
we have any cream cheese?”
    Ian’s mother called upstairs. “Margo, breakfast is
ready!”
    “She probably can’t hear you,” Ian’s father said. “Try
texting.”
    Ian’s mother sighed and said, “Ridiculous,” but she typed
on one of the counter screens. A few moments later, Margo’s boots sounded on
the stairs. She took a seat at the end of the counter without removing her
earphones.
    Lisa had said something about a brother who died. Sure
enough, there was a link in the article about the abducted girl’s other family
tragedy. Ian clicked the link. His eyes widened and his heart jumped. Damn,
that kid looked just like the one he’d imagined the other day—the long dark
hair streaked with purple, the brown eyes. Freaking weird. How was that even
possible?
    Ian read about how this kid, Henry, had died in a freak
drowning accident. He’d gotten caught in some rapids on the James River. Ian
remembered the name of that river from history books. God, the poor kid had
only been fifteen at the time.
    “Must be a bigger news day than you’re letting on.” Ian’s
father set a plate down in front of him.
    Ian’s mother took a seat next to him on his other side.
She raised one of the counter screens and tilted it back. Ian figured she
planned on checking one of her new sites.
    “How about we all just talk,” Ian’s father said. “Ian’s
only home for a few days. Design can wait.”
    “Good point.” Ian’s mother tapped and the screen slid
back down again, becoming part of the counter.