Chapter Five - Day of Reckoning

When I wake up Jake is holding me in his arms. I don't remember getting dressed after my swim but I have my clothes on. "What happened?" I ask.

"You fainted." Jake says matter-of-factly. It takes me a few moments to remember why but it comes back to me.

"How did you get inside my body?" I question Jake.

"I don't know. I went to this store and found this cube. I bought it and took it home. When I went to sleep that night in the morning I woke up as you. This happened every night until the preacher 'cured' us."

"What do you mean 'cured us'?" I folded my arms and stared at Jake as hard as I could.

"Somehow the preacher knew I wasn't you so he hooked us up to this device and when he turned it on, I left your body and woke up at home in the middle of the night." Jake answers.

"So you're not going to confess then?" I shoot back coldly.

"Confess what?" Jake is playing dumb like he doesn't know.

"That you made out with Lidia as me." I burst out, "You had me make a move on my best friend!"

"Since the third grade." Jake interrupts, "I know. I tried to control myself but I'd never been that close to a girl before and in my defense she was completely into it." I thought I was going to be sick.

"She was vulnerable. I was supposed to take care of her, not take advantage of her at a weak moment." I lecture.

"I know and just so you know, it felt both horrible and amazing at the same time." Jake reasons. I can't believe Jake would justify treating someone like that. Then it hit me that Jake has seen a naked girl and that I am that girl. I feel violated. I don't think I can ever look at him and not be disgusted. I want to be as far away from him as possible but I also don't want to be by myself. I mean the preacher is out there somewhere and there are

hungry animals. I feel really uncomfortable.

"Look, I didn't do any of that on purpose. It just sort of happened. Being you gave me confidence I never had before. Everyone likes you. You probably don't even think about it but for someone who has never been popular this was a huge change for me. Before I was you I would have never had the courage to do any of that stuff but once I got the courage, things started happening for me and it's all because of you." Jake is spilling his guts. Maybe I am being too hard on him. Maybe being alone with a girl for the first time and keeping your hands to yourself is asking too much. I soften my gaze a bit. Still everyone is dead because of him.

"I know it was hard for you to control yourself but Lidia is by best friend. You could have really screwed things up between us. No wait. You did screw things up between us because she's dead along with everyone else I have ever known!" I declare emphasizing the dead part.

"Maybe we should get a good night's sleep, go back to the Assembly Hall and wait for the preacher to open the door. He's got to come out sometime." I offer.

"Why? He's a machine. He doesn't need to eat or sleep or do anything that we need to do." I counter.

"Well, maybe he will come out looking for us" Jake offers.

"So we should be there so he doesn't have to look very far!" I say sarcastically.

"There isn't any reason for the preacher to hurt us. He only threatened us before so we wouldn't end up destroying everything." Jake reasons.

"Look how great that turned out." I say sarcastically. "Fine. We'll get a good night sleep and go back to the Assembly Hall in the morning." We sleep on the soft grass in the clearing next to the fire. It feels really warm. I don't hear as many sounds to keep me awake tonight like I did last night. I look over at Jake and he is sleeping soundly again. I wish I could see Katy again. I guess she was wrong about that amazing future she said she came from. I wake up to the smell of cooking fish. Jake didn't wait for me to get up before he started eating.

"You ready for breakfast?" He says cheerfully. It almost sounds like he's making fun of me. I am not a morning person. I don't answer him but I do take the other fish and start eating it. I notice him staring at me.

"What?" I ask.

"Oh nothing, you just look really beautiful." Jake comments. I smile in spite of myself.

"You think I'm beautiful with messed up hair and smelly old clothes?" I ask half joking.

"You're beautiful no matter how messed up your hair is." Jake says in all seriousness. There's a tenderness in his voice that I hadn't noticed before and it catches me off guard.

"Shouldn't we be going?" I ask as I'm the one who gets up and starts walking this time. Jake doesn't answer me but jogs to catch up. It seems to take forever but we manage to get back to the Assembly Hall. We try to open the door but it is still locked. The only thing to do now is to wait. Jake sits down and leans his back against the side of the building.

"Wanna hear a joke?" He asks me.

"No, I don't want to hear a joke." I answer.

"Why did the bear fall out of the tree?" Jake asks.

"Because it was dead." Says a voice from behind me. When Jake hears the voice he stands immediately, and goes over to where the person is standing and gives them a hug.

"Lisa, I never thought I would see you again." Jake says as tears fill his eyes. Jakes sister Lisa is here in the future? How is that possible? I am really confused now.