Black to the Past

Chapter 56

The kids quietly trekked back to the basement. Wilson still felt misgivings about leaving Halle. Who knew what would happen if they traveled back in time without her. How would she awaken the next day to a new life without her mother?

Wilson called Halle again.

"Yeah," Halle said groggily.

"Halle? You're not supposed to be sleeping," Wilson reminded her.

"But I'm so tired. What difference does it make? When you guys return I'll be back to my old life anyway," she added sadly.

"Halle I really think you should come back with us. What if your life is affected by all the changes we're making?"

"I can't get there, Wilson. I can't sneak out. These goons of my dad are stationed outside I think. Plus, I know you don't understand this. I don't understand it, but my mom - she's here. She's here with me. I need this time with her. I'm about to go back down just to lie in the bed next to her and tell her how much I love her."

"Halle that's not real. We need you," Wilson pleaded with her.

"This is as real as it gets! I couldn't even remember what she looked like, Wilson. I can't let her go now," Halle cried to him.

"Okay, okay. But listen. If things are weird after we get back. You'll have to come. Do you hear me? You have to," he told her forcefully.

"I hear you. Go, Wilson. Hurry up and do whatever you have to do. Call me when you all get back," Halle said.

Upon hanging up, Halle felt what could only be described as an explosion. Wilson on the other side of the city felt it too.

Halle called Wilson back but all she got was a busy signal as if the lines were tied up. She waited in case he was trying to call her but no call came through.

"Halle, Halle, are you okay?" Her mother's voice called out to her from down the hallway.

Halle left her room for her parent's room.

"Mom, what was that?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Come here," she said patting the side of the bed next to her.

She was holding the baby in her arms. Halle crawled into the bed next to her mother. She felt small and childlike again despite her height. The t.v. was turned onto the news.

"This just in: An explosion has rocked the Perry Nuclear plant. I repeat.

An explosion has just happened at the Perry Nuclear plant. We will follow up with more details-," the news reporter disappeared.

The screen was filled with snow.

"Let's try another channel," Halle's mother said as she flipped to a national news channel.

Fortunately the channel was still on air. A breaking news report surfaced on the screen and the reporter repeated what the previous channel's news reporter had declared.

"As of right now, we do not know how extensive the damage is. What we do know is that cellular service is down in the area and there is no way of knowing how long that service will be down for. Please stay tuned to this channel for further information." 

A sick feeling hit Halle's stomach. If Wilson and the others hadn't left they would be stuck and since she'd just gotten off the phone with him when the explosion hit it was unlikely that they were able to get to the time machine and away in time.

Halle wondered what would happen to them now. There was no way to know but she felt like they were stuck in this future.