Behind You

The Email

Behind You

I was aroused from my deathlike slumber by the smell of bacon, and the sound of it as it crackled and hissed. Pans clanged in the kitchen downstairs, indicating that my mother was working hard to make breakfast. Then the sweet aroma of hot cakes reached my nostrils, and despite being extremely sleep deprived; I was up.

I hurriedly put on a t-shirt and and shorts because my mother had suggested (more believably demanded) that I wear clothes instead of my underwear, when I was in the presence of my sister. The point of the "rule" really made no sense to me. When we were younger, my sister and I would take baths together, and that called for way more that what I'd be showing with my boxers.

However, my mother insisted, and I don't enjoy arguing with her because I never win. Anyway, after I had put on clothes so that my sister was spared the sight of my abs, I rushed downstairs to see the feast before me. On the table sat troves of delicious breakfast indulgences; chocolate-chip hotcakes, bacon, sausage links and patties, eggs (scrambled,over easy, sunny side up, you name it and there were those eggs), crepes filled with creme cheese and fruit, biscuits, gravy, and fresh fruit.

"Hey hun! Surprised to see you awakes so early," mom said as she moved the last of the bacon out of the pan and onto a a plate with a paper towel on it.

"I smelled bacon," I replied, trying my luck at nabbing a piece of the cooked-to-perfection slices of thick bacon, but mom quickly swatted my hand away playfully with a wink and a smile.

"My entire book club is coming for brunch any minute. I can't have you eating all the food," she teased as she fixed me a small plate of my favorite breakfast fixings.

Pancakes with syrup in between but not on top, two slices of bacon, two pieces of sausage; patties not links the casing grosses me out, one biscuit cut in half with gravy in between the slices, and two over medium eggs with lots of salt and pepper. The perfect meal since after puberty my appetite skyrocketed and I can eat everything as if I were a black hole.

I took the plate kindly and thanked my mother before the doorbell rang and then I made a run for it. Mother's friends love talking about how "handsome" I am. I do not enjoy hearing it and my mother knows that; yet when her friends come around she sits still and quiet as they bumbard me with compliments and junk. I'm a very awkward person and compliments don't work well with me, especially with women. I don't know what to say.

"Oh my, Jack you've grown to be such a handsome young man," they say.

I just stand there like "I like your face?"

My mother always gets in a laugh or two, but I in no way find it even remotely funny.

Luckily when it's large meeting such as this, my mom doesn't require me to make an appearance, so I lurk back quietly into my lair and wait until they leave.

That's okay though. I have my tv, laptop, iPad, iPod, iPhone, xbox 360, wii, playstation, blu-Ray, and some movies here and there, so I'm pretty set. I'm kind of spoiled. Anyway, as I ate my breakfast in the bright crisp light of noon in December. I sat at my computer screen and noticed a notification on my email icon. When I clicked it I noticed an odd email.

Sender: unknown

Date sent: December 4, 2030

Topic: Jack

Don't dismiss this as a joke because I know how you are about things like this. Time travel is real. I'm you from the future. As cliché as it sounds, it's the truth.

Look, kid right now you're eating all your favorite breakfast foods. Hotcakes with syrup between but not on top, two slices of bacon, two pieces of sausage; patties not links because the casing grosses you out, one biscuit cut in half with gravy between the slices, and two over medium eggs with lots of salt and pepper. Don't bother looking out your window because there isn't anyone there. There's no one in your closet, under your bed, and the webcam isn't on so don't look. You'll just make a fool of yourself.

Behind all this madness, I promise that it will all make sense eventually. For now there isn't much that I can tell you. I really wish I could tell you more but I can't without the filters catching it and them coming for me. I'm risking my life...our life right now just sending you this message. I'm gonna get to see you soon, but until then just trust me. There will be more messages soon. Before I go I will tell you this.

You should probably read the first word of every paragraph.