An Echo Through Time: A Novella by Nicholas Licalsi

Author:Nicholas Licalsi
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Step into the Road Publishing
Published: 2018-10-31T00:00:00+00:00

6

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I opened my eyes. I was lying in bed on March 20, and I would have to live through another Sunday with my parents. But after the chaos that was Gretchen’s murder, a few chores might calm me down. I made up an excuse to get out of the house in the afternoon, and I spent the time trying to get my hands on a gun. Unfortunately for me, this was harder than I suspected. Gun laws in the early 21st century were a little stricter than the history books made them out to be.

By the time I returned home for the traditional March 20 meatloaf dinner all I had gotten my hands on was a baseball bat and a pellet gun. I had convinced myself that these were better options, since a gun would be too messy, complicated, and loud. When the killer showed up tonight, a bat and some stealth would be enough for me to prevent anything from happening. I didn’t plan to give him any time to get to the back door. A gun would alert everyone in the neighborhood of what I’d accomplished. If the worst-case scenario happened tonight, then I could transport myself to another universe and use the firearm.

I walked to Gretchen’s in the middle of the night with the bat and the fake gun. I was glad the suburban town was too exhausted from their Sunday chores to notice a delinquent like me roaming the streets with the baseball bat at my side.

When I got to Gretchen’s place, I hunkered down behind some bushes in her backyard and watched the fence gate and listened. After what felt like moments but was realistically hours, my watch read three o’clock. I listened for the tell-tale signs of a car door opening and closing. It wasn’t until four-thirty that I heard a car door open and shut. It was followed by an engine turning on, and soon I heard a car drive down the street.

By five-thirty, the killer hadn’t made an appearance, and I needed to get back before anyone saw me and worried enough to call the cops. I ditched the bat in a trashcan and slipped away in the last of the dark hours. I was in bed with enough time to have a quick nap before my alarm went off and I had to get ready for school.

* * *

I nearly fell asleep in my first class of the day. After the bell let us out, I broke routine and darted to Gretchen’s first period. We didn’t usually meet up until after our second period, but I had to see her.

I expected her not to be there, and when most of the students coming out of the classroom weren’t her I had nearly accepted the theory as truth. I told myself stories of how the killer had gotten to her without my noticing. I was about to leave my post by the door when she finally walked out of the classroom. I smiled at her.

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