By John Cosper

It’s amazing what a stupid boy will drive you to do. One week ago I was living in blissful ignorance that the dazzlingly talented Corey Van Jonson of local smash band Black Soul was mine and mine alone. Despite what my friends say, I was blissfully happy until six days, fifteen hours, and thirteen minutes ago SHE answered the phone. Seems that Corey never bothered to let his ex-girlfriend know that she was an ex. That, or he never let me in on his belief in doubling his fun. Expecting apologies, lies, or lame excuses, I got abusive language and a verbal assault that led me to believe maybe this was my fault.

But this is not my fault! Corey Van Jonson is a liar and a cheater. He’s going to pay for what he did to me, and the price will be so high, he will be damaged goods for life!

I was just going to start by having a word with his girlfriend, and then spreading some nasty gossip among the other regulars at the local clubs, but then a friend handed me the business card that led me here. I should have known. Josh is obsessed with those nerdy sci-fi films, and this place feels like something out of one of his lame movies. I’m surrounded by computers, wires, TV screens, strange things that go beep, and what honestly looks and smells like theatrical smoke. I’m looking for the fog machine when the proprietor, a tall, gangly guy with braces, a red beard and a crew cut approaches me.

"Hello there. I’m Dr. Levesque."

"Hi, I’m—"

"I know who you are," he says. A thin, bone hands beckons, "This way, please."

He leads me to a chair, like the one at my dentist but a heck of a lot creepier. There’s a giant cap with a hundred wires attached just above the chair. I trust my friend and his advice implicitly, but I can’t shake the feeling this creep wants to electrocute me.

"We picked up word of your arrival a week ago."

"You what?" I shake my head. "I can’t believe it. Corey’s such a jerk, his exploits are known in nerd circles. No offense."

He smiles. "We knew you were coming before your unfortunate loss."

"How?"

"It is our job!" he said proudly. "Well, not that we get paid. Not yet. We’re still in the testing phases, but our equipment does work."

"Yeah? What does it do?"

"Have a seat. Don’t worry, you are perfectly safe."

I don’t trust him, but I could kick his butt if I have to. I take a seat as he moves a flat screen TV suspended from the ceiling in front of me.

"It’s true, we know about your unfortunate twist of fate. You were treated poorly."

"Yeah I was!"

"And now you want revenge," he says, dragging out the last word like someone out of Josh’s stupid black and white horror flicks.

I nod. "I hear you’re the people to consult about vengeance."

"We’ll do what we can," he says. "Do you know what this equipment is?"

I can’t believe the question. "Do I look like the kind of girl that cares about technology? Unless we’re talking email or IPods, I don’t care."

"This is a Time Scoop," he tells me.

I nod. "All right then."

"A Time Scoop allows us to look through time. We can see the future. But not simply the future that will be. We can look at different alternative futures."

"Is that so?" I rub my chin thoughtfully. "Any chance you can tell me if a few bands I’m into will ever tour again?"

"You bet there is," he says. "But I think there’s a more immediate concern that should be addressed."

"Ah yes," I say. "What to do about Corey."

He flips a switch and the electronic beanie drops over my head. I yelp, surprised at the sudden entrapment, and the nerd laughs at me. "Don’t worry, it’s all right. We’re just going to tap into that brain of yours and peek a short distance into the future and find the best course of action for you."

"Can’t we just not and say we did?"

I don’t know how it happened, but the TV is now on, showing me an image of what can only be the Dead Dog Café. The usual goths, punks, poseurs, groupies, and, of course, musicians are all there. By the bar I see Corey.

The image moves closer. There’s some drunken, tiny blonde with him, screaming at the top of her lungs. I recognize immediately it’s the ex.

"How do I know it was only one? You know I should have known. You used to get so nasty when I kicked you out early. Then it all stopped about four months ago." She hits him hard as her bony arm can fly. "Because you were seeing her after leaving me!"

"Take it easy!" he says. "She’s a filthy liar, okay? She’s just jealous because I wouldn’t sleep with her."

The ex throws a drink in Corey’s face. "I hate you!" She stomps away. The screen follows her a second, then turns back to Corey, who walks closer.

Is he looking at me?

"Happy? I’ll make you sorry for this!"

I realize this is my point of view. I’m seeing the future as I will see it. It’s a bit trippy. Josh would love this, but I’m starting to hate it, uneasy about what I might see next.

Sweet heavens, it’s him!

I’m looking at another club, Headliner’s Hall this time, and Barry Griffin, the lead guitar player for Jagged Edge. I’ve had a crush on him for over a year. And now, here he is. Or here he will be.

"Hey," he says, looking kind of uncomfortable. "Thanks for the drinks and all. I’d love to stick around but I need to get to bed. I’ve been a bit under the weather." He nods, gives me a light hug, then says, "See ya."

I follow Barry with my eyes as he heads for the back door. Corey? What’s he doing back stage with Jagged Edge? I get this sick feeling as Barry stops to talk to Corey on the way. I can’t read lips, but I can read their glances. They look at me. They laugh. Corey said something to keep him away from me! Oh, the hell he will have to pay.

"Shut up, okay??" The scene changes. It’s another girl, one I don’t know. "I don’t want to hear your lies! Don’t come spreading that crap around here, you hear me? Just ‘cause you can’t keep a man satisfied, doesn’t give you the right to mess with Corey and his happiness!"

I don’t even realize how far back I’m sitting in the chair, afraid she will strike. The image changes to one sweeter. It’s Josh. And he has that face that never means good news.

"They’re laughing at you," he says. "I know you never did anything. But Corey’s said enough that every one of them thinks you’re a slut."

"Everyone of who?" I shout out, forgetting this isn’t live.

"Every band in town," Josh says. "They all think you’re a big joke."

How can this be? I’m not the one who told lies and played with someone’s heart. How can it be right, this jerk getting away with… with murder??

Josh fades away, replaced by another bar setting. I’m moving fast, and a voice from behind – how do they simulate that? – calls out to me. I turn. He’s disgusting.

"C’mon, you know you want it. I want it, and I’m ready to give it to you."

Like I’d ever give anything to a guy like that.

"Please!" he says. "From what I hear, you’ll lie down for almost everything."

"Stop!" I shout. Doctor – whatever his name was – shuts off the monitor and steps in. "You okay?" he asks.

"I’m fine," I say. "I think." It doesn’t make any sense. He’s wrong! I’m right! And this… this can’t be the result. He has to be punished! "Why does it turn out that way?"

"Who said that’s the way it has to end?"

"Is there another way?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "The beauty of this machine is we can see alternatives. Would you like to see another possible outcome?"

I nod. Anything’s better than this. Not only would Corey get away with his crimes, he makes me the villain. Corey needs to learn a lesson! Not me!!

The doctor clicks away on the keyboard, then the video returns. It’s Corey that I see, sitting in a booth of what looks like Denny’s. He doesn’t look very good, almost in tears. Yes, this is how it needs to be.

"I can’t believe she left me like that."

That’s right, Corey. How does it feel?

"I guess I probably deserved it, the things that I’ve done."

You deserve that and more.

"Makes you think how badly you treated others."

Wait, what’s that? It’s my hand, in view, touching his!!

"You’re wrong," he says. "I’m not a good guy at all. You of all people should know that."

Of course, I know that! You’re a jerk!

"Who’s gonna love me, the things that I’ve done?"

Not me!

"You do?"

"NO!!"

He smiles, putting both of his hands around mine.

"I love you too."

I push away the machine this time, standing up. "This is unacceptable."

"We’ve seen this whole future from this view," he says. "What happens beyond this point. Seems that you’re getting married."

"Not to Corey!"

"No, no," he says. "Another man. With Corey’s blessing."

"I don’t need his blessing!!" I’m yelling, trembling, practically in tears. "I want him to pay."

"And you’ve seen where that will lead."

The images from both futures fresh in my mind, I ask him, "There’s a third option, right? Some way I can make him suffer, without suffering more myself?"

He shrugs. "I can only show you what the Time Scoop gives us. You can take the road of revenge, and perpetuate the cycle of evil he began."

"Or?"

"Or," he says, "You can forgive him."

I’m out the door in two minutes. I came here ready to wreak havoc on Corey’s life. I want him to suffer for what he did to me. That’s justice. That’s fair. What has he ever done that would warrant forgiveness?

What do any of us do? Forgiveness isn’t earned, it’s simply given in love. I loved Corey, but now he’s gone, and I don’t owe him anything.

And yet…

I come to a stop at the corner, waiting for the signal to cross the road. Corey’s girlfriend’s number is in my phone, right next to his. A few touches of a button and I can personally wreck his life. I think about the image of the young blonde throwing a drink in his face, the satisfaction it gave me to watch. Then I think about the image from Denny’s. Holding hands. The desperate longing for grace in his eyes.

A smile crosses my face. I press send on the phone as I step off the curb, confident in the path I choose to walk.

Copyright 2006 by John Cosper