What Came First, Chapter Two

It's a wonder that I could even sleep last night. But either way, I wake up in bed the next morning. I know that my mom is crying even before I look at her. She always sleeps next to Dad but last night we both agreed that it would be better with another person to comfort you in bed.


I'm not saying I didn't cry. I was up until two o'clock, staring at the ceiling. I remember his last words to me, when I told him, "Good night, see you tomorrow," just before he got into the taxi. He got unusually pale when I said that last part, and now I know why. He just replied "Good night," which isn't what he usually says. Or rather, said.


I have to ask my mother five times how the driver did it before she answers.


"He was texting on his phone," she replies. "And your dad didn't notice." Her voice cracks on that last part, and I know she isn't done crying yet. "He swerved the car into a tree, and they both..." She starts yet again.


"Mom?" I say in a small voice. "Want to come home early?"


She nods while still sobbing into my shoulder.


The early plane is scheduled for tomorrow. I can barely wait to get out of this room. It already reminds me of death. The red polka-dots remind me of blood now.


We eat, take walks, that kind of stuff on the new last day. But it doesn't feel the same without Dad. Last night was probably the worst night of my life. The driver died instantly. Dad had to suffer. And it wasn't even his fault.


How could have he known?


We pack extra fast today. I can't even tell which is which, my underpants or my socks. They're all going in the same place anyway.


I don't even want to ask what we'll do with Dad's luggage.


I guess we just pack up all of his stuff, and drag the extra luggage around.


While cleaning the desk in the room out, I see a piece of paper, a note addressed to me. It says "Jason" in big, curvy, messy handwriting. Dad's handwriting.


I get a horrible feeling in my stomach. Half of me doesn't even want to open it. But I do it anyway, slowly and carefully, like I'm defusing a bomb. My hands shake while holding the note.


Dear Jason,

I know I don't have much time. The taxi driver's going to kill me and himself---


I gasp. How did he know? I keep reading.


---and then I won't be able to tell you what to do. Go out of the room, to the left, and keep on going. This is a forbidden hallway, so don't let anyone see you.

Turn to the right at the end. You'll see an elevator. It'll look out of order, but don't worry, it works just fine. After all, I've used it before.


I bite my lip. I didn't know Mom and Dad have ever been to this hotel before.


It's already set to the right time and place. Only press the green button that says "GO". If you press anywhere else you'll mess it up and it won't work the way it's supposed to. It's crucial that you do only this. And you might want to say bye to your mother before you do this. It'll be a long time before you see her again.

Your dad,
Jason Sr.


I drop the note. My mother is still outside, talking to the hotel staff about the money withdrawal. I said goodbye already, I could go now.


I take a left like the note says, and follow the rest of the instructions to the elevator. This one doesn't look like the others at all. It's only black and white, like a photo in the early 1900's. Instead of normal buttons that write numbers on them, there are five types. The first types range from the negative numbers to three thousands. I'm startled to see that when I touch it, the wall moves. It appears that the numbers go on forever.


On the second wall, there's buttons from one to twelve. On the third, up to thirty one. On the fourth, one to twenty four on one side, and up to fifty nine on the other.


It doesn't take a genius to realize that this is a time machine.


I search for the "GO" button. I find it on the ceiling, right in the middle. I can't reach it, I'd have to jump. So I leap up, and miss. Like a graceful snowflake, I collapse on the ground. In the process, I hit my head on one of the buttons.


Panic seizes me. Which one was it? It seems like I changed the "month" section, but I don't see where. I almost cry out in frustration. Which one was it!?


During my seizure, the elevator starts to move. I feel my eyes widening right out of their sockets. In only five seconds, I feel angry, sad, excited, and faint. It takes a few moments to realize that the button on the ceiling isn't green.


I hit the right button while falling down, on the ground.


I start swearing, getting out all of the bad words I know. No one's here with me, anyway.


It starts shooting up, so fast that my eyes start tearing up. They should really put a seatbelt on this stupid thing, since I don't even have anything to grab on to while I'm airborne.


Finally the elevator jerks to a stop, and I fall to the ground in a daze. It opens, welcoming me into the new world. I scramble to my feet. After I'm out of there(thank God), the elevator closes slowly and curtly, as in saying, Have a nice day!


Of course that's totally believable.