The October Amaryllis: Everything Has a Cost

Chapter 11 - January 1st, 2015 9:35 A.M.

Until my father died, we all ordered the same thing as a family, the classic French toast from the breakfast menu. The smell of sickly sweet maple syrup enveloped our table. I always associated the scent with good memories, making it hard to cope once my father passed on. It’s like a part of him always stayed in that IHOP, and he existed as an essence. A specter is haunting IHOP, the specter of James Harlow Andrews.

It felt a bit strange to eat without a mask again, as if I had never done it before. I almost wished at that moment that I could have stayed in 2015 forever and avoided 2020, AKA, the worst year in history. 2020 is a mess that should never be repeated. If 2020 were a band, it would be Blood on the Dance Floor; I can’t even call that filth music. If you want actually good emo music, listen to MCR, they’re outstanding.

“Hey, dad? Do you ever, uh… never mind,” I said before cutting myself off. I was going to ask him if he ever thought about what would happen in the future, but didn’t want to accidentally create some massive paradox. Funny that I cared so much about it because I had already made about five different paradoxes with how impulsive I had been. I swear I don’t try to cause trouble; it just always comes running to me. I’m a magnet for anything negative, I mean it.

“No, no, you can ask me,” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

Be very careful.

“Do you ever think about what will happen in the future?” I asked anxiously. I worried he would know that something was different about me tonight.

“Well, sure, I think everyone does. What do you think will happen in the future?” he asked me, making my heart drop all the way down to my knees.

“Cyborgs,” I said, trying not to shake from how anxious I was.

“Like the superhero with the laser cannon?” he asked, laughing.

“Yes,” I simply said, not to say anything too unusual after.

“Well, son, I regret to tell you this, but I don’t think that will happen in my lifetime,” he replied, chuckling.

Even my high school graduation didn’t happen in your lifetime. How I wish you could have been there cheering for me… How I wish you could have risen from that bed of flowers. Please forgive me.

“How about you? What do you think will happen in the future?” he asked my mom.

“Well, hopefully, artificial organs will be better. Medicine will be better as well,” she said, pondering before replying.

If only you knew all the beauty that the future would bring… In the future, the cure to cancer is no longer a dream; it is something you can pick up over the counter at any pharmacy. Money doesn’t even exist in the future, as the worth of something is instead measured by the working hours of a man. You would have all loved it…

“But you know what I noticed, son?” my dad asked, staring right at me. I could feel my heart freezing in fear. What was he about to ask?

“Yes?” I asked, trying not to shake from pure anxiety.

“We always think that the future is going to be a lot cooler than it really ends up being. I remember watching the second Back to the Future in 89 when I was thirteen and being in awe of their predictions. Look at us now though, this place is a dump,” he said, frowning.

“Well… it’s not October 21st, yet so you just have to give it a bit more time,” I said supportively, smiling.

“Good point, but how can so much change in so little time?” he asked curiously.

Because sometimes, there are things that happen outside of our control that defy any sort of explanation. Some things happen inside this world that if you tried to explain to them, people would think you’re crazy. But it is possible; you just don’t know it yet.