Echoes of the Past

Echoes of the Past Ch. 5

Jack startled awake. He was lying on the floor, his back seething with pain. He groaned.

How did I end up here? Jack wondered. Maybe I fell off.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Jack?" A breathy voice asked.

"Jackie?" He groaned. "Come in."

She opened the door and saw Jack laying on the floor struggling to get up. "Jack!"

"Jackie," he responded weakly. "Mind helping me up?"

She ran over to help him and lifted him up. She noticed he was pale and he was shaking.

"Jack...you look like hell," she said in that breathy voice that drew people in. "Are you okay?"

He cursed. "My back..."

"Your back?" She was puzzled.

He avoided her gaze. "Can you massage my back?"

Jack almost groaned in relief when her hands went up his back. "Jackie...Oh!"

She planted soft kisses along his backside hoping he would relax and he did, groaning at her touch. How long had it been since he had felt her touch?

"There you go, bunny." She said softly. He groaned.

"Thanks," Jack slid back into the sheets. "Can you get me food?"

Jackie came back with crackers and soda. She handed it to him. "Jack...I know I shouldn't ask..."

"Yes, Kid? What is it?" Jack teased weakly the humor still in his voice.

She smiled. Even when he was weak, he could be humorous.

"Why are you this sick?" She asked, avoiding his gaze. "I thought my husband would be a healthy person."

Jack blushed. "Yeah I'm pretty weak, aren't I?"

"Jack," Jackie said sternly. "Tell me my story-our story."

Jack sat up. "I guess you could say we marry in 1953. Our marriage only last for ten years."

"Before what?" Jackie asks.

He's guilty. "I'm shot in the head."

"Jack!" Jackie says her eyes full of terror. "How?"

"Victim of assassination," Jack replies tears streaming from his cheeks.

"Why? Would someone kill you?" Jackie is outraged.

He cries openly now. "Because I was president of the United States."

Her eyes widen like a curious child. "I won't let that happen, Jack." She sounds still angry and shocked.

"Promise?" Jack sniffs.

"I swear." She smiles softly at him. "Now...why don't we stop Hitler? Since he's the one causing all the problems right now."

Jack snaps back to the present. He knows now. He's in the cold era of World War 2.

"We have to wait till 1945," he says softly. "It's the only way we'll be able to capture him alive."

"Okay." Jackie agrees. "I'm going home." The teenager stands up. Jack speaks up again.

"I'll see you again; won't I?"

"Of course, we're going to marry each other aren't we?"

He smiles weakly as she leaves the room. Jack closed his eyes, falling asleep instantly.

The end of the war is drawing near, Jack thinks to himself. I can feel it. I can feel it!

With those thoughts, Jack fell asleep.