She stared. Finally she asked, "What's happened to you Bill? You've been acting strange all day. It's like you're a different person. "
"Never mind that. " I told her. "Tracy, do you remember when we were little kids?"
"Yes. " She answered carefully.
"We were very close back then. We were playmates. We used to conspire together. You used to call me 'little brother' and I used to call you 'big sister', do you remember?"
"No. " She shook her head, but casting her eyes aside in a way that told me she was lying.
"Well you did. " I told her. "We were best friends until about the time you started junior high school. From then on I was the object of your scorn. I understand that Tracy, I really do. You discovered boys, you discovered peer pressure. You grew out of me. It's a natural thing. And I developed interests of my own too. But the fact is, we're still brother and sister and some day we'll be close again. Can you understand that?"
She seemed about to say something snotty once more. Something like, 'as far as I'm concerned you'll be a piece of shit until you die'. But she paused at the last second and her eyes softened. "Yes Billy. " She answered. "I guess that some day we will be. "
A small triumph but a triumph in any case. "Good. " I nodded. "We're getting somewhere. Now here's a harder one. Despite our fighting with each other do you realize that we actually love each other as brother and sister?"
She opened her mouth. This time I was sure she going to say something foul.
"Again," I said before she could. "No one else is here in the room and I'll never tell anyone what you say. We don't have to get into any deep philosophical discussions. I just want an acknowledgement that, as brother and sister, we love each other. We may not always LIKE each other, but we love each other. Right?"
She licked her lips nervously. "I suppose. " She finally allowed.
"Okay. " I nodded, taking another drink of my beer. "On that note I want you to listen to me very carefully for a minute. I'm going to tell you something very important. The most important thing you will ever hear in your life. Please don't ask me to explain. I can't do that right now. You probably will think I'm nuts but that doesn't matter as long as you REMEMBER what I'm about to say. Remember it well. "
"Okay. " She said carefully.
I took a deep breath, downing another large drink of beer. I passed the bottle to Tracy and she looked at it for a second and then took a swig. I took faith in the fact that she didn't pause to wipe off my saliva first.
"Now hopefully I'll be able to explain this thing further to you before the time comes. " I said. "But there's a chance I won't. There's a chance I'll be the same old Billy you're used to tomorrow. If that is the case I want you to remember this. "
"Billy, what are you… "
"Shhh. " I hushed her. "On the night you graduate from high school you will tell Mom and Dad that you are going to a party at Cindy's house. That will be a lie. What you will be doing instead will be going to a frat party at the university. "
"Billy, what?" She cried, her flesh breaking out in goose bumps.
"Listen. " I admonished. "I can't explain further right now. I don't even know what the best way of telling you this is. But you have to listen to me. A guy named David Mitchell will want to take you to this frat party. He will be driving a 77 Camero. He will be a football player at the college and very good looking. Now you will meet him about a month before graduation but it's graduation night you need to worry about. Do not, under any circumstances, get in that car with him that night. No matter what you have to do, no matter what lies you have to tell, do not do it. Your life depends upon this Tracy. Don't do it no matter what. "
"Billy, you're kinda scaring me. " She said.
"Good. " I answered. "That's my intent. Lisa Sanchez will be part of the group that gets in that car. Her boyfriend will be another college student named Rick Manchester. "
"Lisa Sanchez?" Tracy asked. "She's a cheerleader. I don't hang out with her. "
"You will. " I told her. "I'm giving you the names of all the people in the car so that you'll know when the time comes, that my information is accurate. I'm hoping that will be enough to keep you out of there. If you can keep Lisa out of there too, so much the better, but the important thing is that YOU do not get in that car on that night. "
I was gratified to see that she was scared shitless by what I was saying. Good. I figured she would obey me even a year and half later when all of the circumstances that I described came together. At least I hoped she would.
"What happens if I get in the car?" She asked me.
"Dave will be drunk that night. " I said. "He will drive the car into the Spokane River from the levee road near the falls and you and Lisa will drown before you can get out. " I took a deep breath, tears forming in my eyes as I remembered my mother coming to my bedroom at four o'clock in the morning in tears, waking me up to tell me that there'd been a horrible accident. Please, let me be successful here. There was more to the story of course. Dave would be charged with vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to two years in prison. His sentence would be suspended and he would go on to play football in college, prompting my parents to become victim's rights activists; a pursuit they'd still been active in at the time of my recycling.
Tracy was looking pale as she tried to digest what I was telling her. "Bill, how can you know this? Where did you get this information? Did you have a psychic flash or something?"
"I can't tell you now. " I told her. "It's too early. I'll tell you later if I can. "
"But… "
"Tracy, just remember. " I said. "Just remember and don't get in that car that night. "
"I won't. " She promised.
I smiled and nodded. If I was only here for one day then I'd done the best I could do. If I woke up tomorrow back in 1999 then Tracy would probably still be alive. That would be the best purpose of the gift I'd been given.
Although getting laid had been nice too.
I made sure my alarm clock was set for the proper time and turned it on. I then lay down and turned out the lights. For the longest time I still couldn't sleep, fearful of what I'd find upon awakening. But at last my mind was able to shut down and I drifted off.
CLICK. "So if you're tired of the saaaaame old story. Ohhhhh, turn some pages. I'll be here when you are ready, to roll with the changes…" Came the voice of Kevin Cronin from my clock radio the next morning. REO Speedwagon. Another blast from the past. A song I hadn't heard in years. My eyes opened and I saw the now familiar confines of my teenaged bedroom. I was still here! I felt like shouting with joy. Still here!
Tracy was looking someone haggard as she combed her hair at her desk. Her face was pale and her eyes had bags beneath them. She looked up at me as I headed to the shower.
"Morning Trace. " I told her.
"Morning. " She said slowly, her eyes trying to read my face.
"Sleep well?" I asked her.
"No. " She told me. "I was awake most of the night. When I did sleep I had horrible nightmares. "
I nodded. "I'm sorry about that. " I said. "They'll pass. Just remember what I said. "
"I will. " She told me. "I don't think I could ever forget it. "
"Good. " I muttered, walking to the bathroom and closing the door behind me.
Dad, as usual had the newspaper before him at the breakfast table. As I slurped down my cereal I asked him if I could see the business section.
"The business section?" He asked, raising his brow again.
"Yeah. " I told him. "I'm just curious about something. "