The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

instant between life and death. It’s as brief as the blink of an eye or as infinite as the universe itself. In that instant, people put life behind and make the transition to whatever is next. Some face a white light. Others are drawn back by forces they can’t control. Most give in and accept what is to come. They do this because they don’t understand there’s an alternative.”

The gun in Jamie’s hand felt warm, necessary. His anger spiked.

“You’re saying I’m gonna die anyway.”

Ben sniffled. “Yes, Jamie. I am. But life doesn’t have to end at death. The Jewel is changing you. If you can give yourself over to death, I believe you can use the power of your soul to end that program. You will see inside your body without the burden of a rational, limited mind.”

Jamie walked to the door, keeping his back to his brother, certain that if he turned around, he would pull the trigger.

“You always do this to me, Ben. You come along and get my hopes up. So, I die, take control of my soul, order the Jewel to go away and then what? I wake up feeling great? Like it’s the first day of summer vacation?”

Jamie saw the world through a narrow, focused tunnel. As his anger perpetuated a sensation of utter defeat, he felt the rage of blame being funneled into the pistol.

“You have a chance, J. It’s a small one, granted. Don’t give up.”

Jamie snarled. “I just gotta believe, right?”

“Yes, J. That’s what you gotta do.”

“Here’s what I believe,” Jamie said as he swung about, the pistol raised chest high, both hands firmly gripping it, his aim true. “You could’ve told me the truth anytime. Mom and Dad, too. I mean, what was I gonna do about it? I was screwed fifty ways to Sunday.”

“Jamie, the Mentor was supposed …”

“Yeah, yeah. What say I let you shoot me in the head? I’ll be out of my misery, and those other people – those great friends of yours from another Earth – can put down their guns and go home. How about it, dude?”

“Jamie, please. I’m trying to offer you a way out, but it’s going to take some preparation. We need to sit down and …”

“Preparation? Like what all you people been doing the past fifteen years? Must have been a game to you Chancellors. Why wait until now? You try to save me at the last minute, the others are trying to kill me at the last minute. Why wait? Any one of you sorry bastards could’ve put a bullet in my skull years ago. I never would’ve seen it coming.”

“How we got here is complicated, but …”

“Not complicated. You needed this thing inside me to finish sequencing so you could find the location of the fold and go home. You people didn’t kill me because you needed me. You were cowards. The whole sorry damn mess of you.”

“I can’t dispute that, J. But I’m here now. I need you to …”

“Trust you.”

Ben smiled. “Yes. In spite of all I did, I’m asking for your trust.”

Jamie didn’t understand how it happened, but the anger cooled. The tunnel disappeared, restoring the light of day all around him. The knot in his belly dissolved as he lowered the gun. He wobbled as he held his place, putting up no resistance as Ben wrapped arms around him.

“I don’t want to die,” he whispered. “Please, Ben. Don’t let me die.”

“I can’t make any promises. But you have to believe in yourself, Jamie. When the moment comes, have faith that you can change the ending. Accept that you have a soul, that it can be your guide as you cross over, and that you can use it to fight back.”

Seconds after Jamie wrapped his arms around his big brother, energy drained from him as if a vampire drank his blood. His legs bore the brunt of this weariness, and his feet seemed ready to slip from beneath him. Jamie knew the sensation. He felt it before, along the shore of Lake Vernon.

“How, Ben? How do I make that happen?”

“The power of your will. In life, we can will ourselves to do things the flesh is not capable of on its own. If we believe strongly …”

“Like now.” Jamie pulled out of the hug. For the first time, he understood. “I’m healing you. Before long, that bullet hole will be gone and your knee will be better.”

“What?”

“They shot Coop in the back.”

“Who? When?”

“We found him by the lake. He was almost dead. I didn’t even know I was doing it; but all the time I was carrying him, this thing inside me was somehow going into Coop. It cured him. Just now, I felt the power leaving me again. I think … I think you’re right. If my will is strong enough, I can make things happen. Impossible things.”

Ben’s jaw dangled. Then a smile crossed his tired, beaten face.

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? This is proof. So, you weren’t conscious of what you were doing when you were carrying Coop?”

“No. I just wanted him to live more than anything.”

Ben ran his dirty, bloody hands through his hair. “You’re a good man, Jamie Sheridan. This is more than I imagined. There are ways to do this, J. If we plan it carefully, maybe …”

The cabin door flung open, hitting Jamie in the back. Michael stepped through, his rifle lowered but his eyes wide.

“Sorry, dudes. We got trouble.”

Ben yanked his pistol out from behind his belt, and Jamie once again sensed that a moment of hope was about to be dashed.

 

41

M ICHAEL SAID HE heard a car door slam. Jamie panicked as they raced onto the porch. Ben grabbed the AK-47 from Michael, exchanging it