Chapter 44
The memories of the previous leap began to crystallise as Sam found himself, once again, identified from the beginning. And apparently, by the very twins he’d just helped to bring into existence.
I was… two people, he realised with a jolt. Has that ever happened before?
Two separate versions of himself, and neither had been the most rational of actors. He could only hope that he was one guy again, and there wasn’t a second Sam wandering around in parts unknown.
He didn’t feel angry, or euphoric, or frustrated, or contented. Primarily, he felt disoriented. Which came with the territory, certainly. He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to take stock of his emotional processes.
“What do you mean, a ‘blue light?’” the teacher—Brenda? Yeah, it’s really Brenda. Wow. She looks well.—asked her children, eyes narrowed.
The two small girls shrugged as they continued to gawk at Sam.
“I dunno, it went whoosh! And then that man was there instead of Mike,” said the girl that Sam assumed must be Samantha, since the other one seemed to be Allison.
“Is it Al?” Allie piped up. “Did Al come back?”
“Or maybe Sam,” Samantha added.
Sam stepped back as he felt the eyes of the room on him. He met Brenda’s eye, who was looking at him with curiosity.
“Hmm,” she said quietly. “Mike…?”
Sam gave Brenda a nervous grin. “Uh, yes?”
So I’m really Mike? Sam’s thoughts lingered on the ten-year-old child who hadn’t been able to read. Now he was writing algebra in quite legible print. It must have been about five years since the last leap took place, given the apparent age of the twins. Which would make Mike a teenager. You kept your promise…
And then he realised that Mike would be in the Waiting Room. He stifled a chuckle as he thought how excited he might be to meet Bingo.
“Well…?” Brenda continued. “Do we have another—” she cleared her throat awkwardly, “—er, ‘star child’ on our hands…?” She looked as though she almost wanted to believe it.
“Well, uh, the thing is—” he scratched the back of his neck. Dare he admit to it? Ugh, he just had to buy time. “Uh—I have to use the restroom.”
With that, he scooted out of the schoolhouse for which he now remembered laying the foundations, and emerged, laying his eyes on the new Moonstone Ranch.
The dome was still the most prominent part of the landscape, but now there were a number of new structures, and perhaps twice as many tepees dotting the land as there once had been.
The outhouses and shower shacks had been overhauled into a solid brick amenities block, and it appeared that a parking lot had been built just off the road. The old school bus sat there, still painted in all its colours, among several cars and a large sign that read:
Moonstone Ranch
Intentional Community and Rehabilitation Retreat
Sam smiled as he realised that he’d facilitated all of this change.
Though he was aware he’d be expected back in the classroom soon, he headed down the slope towards the parking lot, seeing that someone in a jumpsuit had the bus’s hood opened up and was working on it.
“Okay, give it some juice,” called out the man at the front of the bus, and the engine roared to life.
As Sam got closer he realised he recognised the man that had last been his reflection sitting in the driver’s seat of the bus. And as he got a look at the man working on the engine, he realised that he too had the same face.
It was then that he recalled Bobby had been a mechanic.
Bobby noticed him approach, and wiped the sweat from his forehead, throwing an oily rag over his shoulder.
“Hey there, Mikey!” he said cheerfully. “You’re just in time to see our resurrection of the ol’ bus.” He flipped a spanner in his hand with a proud flourish.
“Nice job,” Sam said, listening to the engine. “Sounds even better than it used to, I think.”
“Amazing what a new engine can do,” Bobby said, shutting the hood and climbing down from his stepladder.
“Do I shut ’er down, Bobby?” called Richie, leaning out the window.
“Yeah, we’re done here,” Bobby said, giving a thumbs up. The engine was cut, and Richie climbed out of the bus, revealing his loose tie-dyed t-shirt and flared jeans. He’d let his wavy blond hair grow out, and it sat bunched at his shoulders. Well, he was certainly still a hippie.
Richie flashed Sam a smile, before catching sight of something behind him.
Sam turned to see Brenda approaching. She was still staring at Sam curiously.
“Restroom, huh?” she said as she reached earshot.
Sam shrugged. “I got, uh, sidetracked.”
“He was attracted by the lure of the roaring engine,” Bobby said, and leaned over to kiss Brenda on the cheek as she reached them. “This baby’s got a few more miles in her yet.”
“That’s great, honey,” Brenda said, “but we have… um, a situation.” She looked pointedly at Sam. “Our girls swear they just saw a flash of blue light and Mike turned into somebody else.”
“You kiddin’?” Richie said, and turned an eye to Sam.
They’re all staring at me again, Sam thought, gritting his teeth. It felt like he hadn’t been without intense scrutiny for a few leaps.
“That’s what they said,” Sam mumbled, taking a step away from the three familiar faces.
“Far out,” Richie said, closing the gap between himself and Sam. “You another star child, man? I always wanted to meet one. Sure beats pukin’ my guts out night and day in the mothership.”
“You remember that?” Sam blurted out, and covered his mouth as he realised his mistake.
“Well jeez,” breathed Bobby, “I guess you really are one.” He joined Richie, and the two sets of blue eyes studied Sam’s face with intense interest.
“Which one is he?” Richie asked his brother. “Could it be Al?”
“I hope so,” Bobby said, “’cause I’d love to thank him for the letter.”
“Me too,” Richie agreed, gesturing broadly to the Ranch. “He made all this possible, after all.”
Sam, now cornered, figured there was no point pretending any longer. “Boy, there’s really no way to be incognito around here, is there?” He sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I’m Al.”
He winced, looking at Bobby. “Sorry about the wrist.”
Bobby laughed. “That’s ancient history, Al. Besides, it worked out for the best.”
Sam nodded, relieved, but looked to Richie. “Uh, and sorry about sending you to prison.”
Richie hitched a shoulder. “I’m a free man now, so don’t sweat it.” He grinned, looking to the Ranch sign. “Got released on condition of community service, and this place counts now that it’s a rehab joint—so hey, it all worked out.”
“You wanna see Marsha?” Brenda asked, her head popping in between the twins.
Well, thought Sam, I have no idea what I’m back here for, but I might as well see what everyone’s up to while I wait for Al to show.
He nodded, and allowed the twins to escort him to the dome, while Brenda returned to her teaching duties.
“It was wild hearing about your exploits, Al,” Richie gushed. “Who’da thought Danny would turn out to be such a dirtbag? Man, I wish I coulda seen the look on his face when he found out I had a twin.”
“When I came back, and saw a house full of hippies, I admit I was a little confused,” Bobby chimed in. “I had only the fuzziest of memories of everything that had happened. But Marsha filled me in, and then she gave me your letter, and that’s when I started to remember some of what happened on the mothership.”
“It was a trip, man,” Richie continued. “And when we got back, suddenly we were totally in sync, even while I was in jail. I somehow understood that I was there because I wanted to be.”
“And I understood that I had to save this place—for my brother,” Bobby concluded.
“I’m really glad it worked out for you,” Sam said as the three of them crossed the threshold into the dome. It had been converted into some sort of function centre, and there was a woman speaking into a microphone on the stage, addressing a number of people in rows of seats.
As Sam squinted at the woman, he realised it was Marsha.
“…And even though it’ll be a hard road,” she said, “the benefits of sobriety far outweigh the pain and struggles of addiction. I hope you enjoy your stay, and I look forward to talkin’ to each one of you over dinner. Remember: everyone’s here to help each other. That’s what Moonstone Ranch is all about.”
Light applause signalled the end of her speech, and she stepped down off the stage, catching sight of Bobby, who was waving her over.
She approached them with a tilted head. “Hey boys! You get the bus started up?”
“Yeah, but we have bigger news than that,” Richie said, beaming as he pushed Sam in the back, prompting him to lurch forward. “Mike’s hosting a star child.”
“It’s Al,” Bobby added.
Marsha’s jaw dropped. “No shit?”
She leaned forward, studying Sam’s eyes closely. “Hmm, I don’t see hazel,” she said in a disappointed tone, turning to Richie. “Guess a lack of drugs’ll do that. You sure this is…?”
“Allie and Sam saw a blue light around Mike,” Bobby said.
Marsha grinned. “That’s just what I saw back in the day. Guess that confirms it.”
She wrapped her arms around Sam, who stiffly hugged her back.
“You hug just the same,” she said, laughing.
Sam smiled at her sheepishly. “I guess I do.”
“What are you doing back here?” she asked, taking his hand. “You have more work to do?”
“I… well, probably,” Sam replied. “Just gotta wait for… the mothership to call.”
Where was Al, anyway?