PASTING THE FUTURE

PASTING THE FUTURE from Rejected

Introduction: I am not “in like” with the title, but I cannot come up with a title I like, so it is what it is. After reading, contact me through authorcaseybell.com and let me know what you would title this short story. It was inspired by a Saturday Night Live sketch about a psychic who predicts people’s 2020 who are in 2019. It was funny, but it got me thinking, no psychic warned us about the pandemic, so can they be real? I originally was going to write a short story against psychics, but then a cool idea came to me. The idea then spawned a short story, which I hope you enjoy. In the words of Thomas “Fats” Waller, “here it tis.”

GREENVILLE, JORGE LAND 3050

There is a story that is passed around from generation to generation, family to family, and even stranger to stranger in this old town of Jorge Land. Greenville is what it is called. If the story if told right it seems true, but no proof has ever been found to make this story true, but due to its nature, whether true or false it is always fun to tell and even more fun to hear. It begins in 1974.

GREENVILLE, JORGE LAND 1974

In the wonderful town Greenville of Jorge Land, Vincent, who was born and raised in this town is seen running home, crying. He takes his key out of his pocket, opens the door, shuts the door, well, kind of slamming it. Then rushes to the downstairs bathroom and washes his face repeatedly, almost rubbing his face off his head. After hearing the door shut louder than usual, his mom rushes downstairs. She hears the water running frantically and knocks on the door.

“Are you okay, Vinny?”

“No!”

She opens the door,

“Hey, you watch your tone.”

Vincent turns off the faucet and cries a bit.

“Mother, he spit on me.”

“Oh dear, Lord. Lord, forgive him for he knows not what he does.”

“You’re praying for him? Whose side are you on?”

“The bible says pray for your enemies. Luke 6:27–28. You should be praying too.”

“Why doesn’t the bible say take revenge on your enemies?”

“Treat others as you want to be treated. That’s Luke 6:31. No matter what they do to you, only do to them what you want done to you. Don’t worry, karma will send that spit right back to him.”

“When? And will I see it?”

“It’s not your place to see it.”

“Why can’t I just do home schooling. They don’t like me. and I don’t need them to like me.”

“I was hoping you would try to make friends.”

“I don’t need friends.”

“Everyone needs friends.”

“Mentors, coaches, and even teachers, yes. But anyone can survive without a friend.”

Vincent’s mom sighs heavily,

“I hate that you think like that, but if you want to be taught at home, I will enroll you.”

“Thank you, mom.”

YELLOW CITY, NEW LOVED 2020

Vincent is in the kitchen preparing lunch for his son, Vector. Vector enters the kitchen. He stares at his dad for a moment. He then proceeds to ask him a question.

“Dad?”

“Yes, son.”

“I’ve always wondered something about you.”

“What is that?”

“I used to go through those family photo albums as a child. I saw mom’s graduation and prom pictures, but I never see yours. Why don’t you have any pictures?”

“I dropped out of high school in the tenth grade.”

“What? I never knew that. Why?”

“I was constantly being bullied by this white boy who hated people with beautiful brown skin. Your grandmother would always tell me to try to make nice with him, but it didn’t work. She suggested I go to his house and try to make a friend out of him. I did and he ended up spitting in my face. I won’t forget that day. It was May 3, 1974. I asked your Nana if I could be taught at home and she enrolled me. When you are home schooled there are no proms and graduations.”

“Do you wish you had one?”

“No. All I ever wanted to do was open my own music studio. I worked at a studio back in Greenville, starting when I was 17. At 19, with the help of Nana and Pop, I opened my own.”

“Wow. I didn’t know you started it that young.”

“Yeah. But talking about that brings back weird memories.”

“What do you mean?”

“A day later the police visited our house.”

“Why?”

“Adonis, the boy who would bully me told the police I punched him in the face.”

“Did you?”

“No.”

“Then why would he say you did?”

“I guess he was mad at me for trying to be his friend. I don’t know, but I stayed in the station for hours, then they let me go. They never said why or what happened, they just let me go and I never heard about it again.”

“That is weird.”

Vincent continues,

“Yeah. So, what are you up to today?”

Vector replies,

“Nothing much.”

“I thought I heard you working on something in your science lab.”

“I am but it’s nothing special. Just a silly idea, I’m crazily hoping works.”

“Do you mind telling me what you have cooked up?”

“I’d rather wait until I know I have something that is a scientific phenomenon.”

Vincent begins to fix his plate,

“Did you want to eat?”

Vector replies,

“Not now. Gina is coming over to test out my new scientific invention. I asked mom if it was okay.”

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK REJECTED. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE UPCOMING BOOK GO TO: https://www.authorcaseybell.com/rejected.html