"Time Warp"

Jesse got a new magical watch at a pawn shop. When he realizes the power of it, he decides to stop the MLK assassination. But then he finds the painful and terrifying truth of the crime.

“Time Warp”

By Cody Williams

 

1.

            Jesse knew that the one he wanted as soon as it caught his eyes. There was just something about it. It wasn’t just a wristwatch. It looked like a ray of gold from the heavens shot down at it. It was meant for him and he knew it. The watch had a silver colored wristband with a golden stripe down the center of it. The face of the watch was a royal purple color covered with clean clear glass. At the top of the watch were the 12 O’clock mark should be contained a golden colored outline of what looked like an old man with a long bearded and a Cain. The figure reminded him a bit of what father time would look like if he were a real person.

            Jesse pressed his index finger up against the glass case the contained the watch and pointed at it.

            “This is the one! This is the one I want!” Jesse declared. The store clerk walked over and slid opens a glass door. He reached in and pulled the watch out placing it on the top of the case.

            “Good choice mate!” The store clerk said with his British accent to Jesse. He was wearing a blue short-sleeved button up shirt and a nametag resting over his heard that read Ross. He was a slightly overweight man who had a baldhead and bushy gray mustache resting under his nose. “But this is no ordinary wrist watch my friend.” Ross said mysteriously. Jesse paused and looked at him for a moment before finally asking that question.

            “What do you mean? It looks like an ordinary watch to me.” Jesse decaled.

            “But I assure you that it isn’t! Look closely into the watch and tell me if you notice anything different.” Ross told him. Jesse hesitated but then finally placed his hands on the glass of the case and leaned him staring at the watch. The crazy old b*****d was right! There was something different. Closer towards the center of the face of the watch was another clock. But it wasn’t a regular clock. It was just a circle with the five being where the twelve usually would be and it only contained five numbers 1-5. The small hand that was in the smaller circle was resting on the 5.

            “What is that? I didn’t notice that before!” Jesse said pointing towards the smaller circle. Ross reached down pulling the watch out of the case and unfastening the bottom of it. He handed the watch over to Jesse. Jesse grabbed it and put it on. He fastened it and smiled looking down at it.

“Looks good don’t it!” Ross said. Jesse nodded with glee and admired the jury that was now resting around his wrist.

“Yes it does! But what is that other circle for?” Jesse asked Ross.

“This is no ordinary watch my dear boy. It has…special abilities.” Ross answered him.

“What do you mean?” Jesse asked him. He smiled and turned behind him grabbing two shot glasses and a glass bottle of Jack Daniels. He sat them on the counter top of the glass case and poured whiskey into the two glasses.

“Drink up mate! Let’s face it, that will probably be the only way you believe a damn word I say.” Ross said to Jesse. Ross sat the bottle down drank the shot from the shot glass. Jesse picked it up and finally drank the whiskey slamming the shot glass back down on the glass case. “This watch is defiantly a special one! You ask what the inner dial is for? That’s what tells you how many you have left.” Ross explained. Jesse looked at him confused for a moment.

“How many what I have left?” Jesse asked.

“The watch only works up to ten times. After that it’s pretty much useless.” Ross said.

“What is it that it does?” Jesse asked.

“If you turn the watch backwards it takes you back in time. All you have to do to return to the present is push the green return button on the side. But be warned, every time you return that too counts as one time.” Ross explained.

“You’re shitting me! You have to be shitting me!” Jesse said. Ross shook his head.

“I assure you that I am not! Everything I have told you is the truth.” Ross told him.

“You are out of your Goddamn mind!” Jess said reaching into his back pocket pulling out a black leather wallet. “Now how much do I owe you for the watch?” Jesse asked him.

“I’ll let it go at four thousand.” Ross declared. Jesse pulled out a check and an ink pen and wrote $4,005 in the dollar box. He signed the check and handed it over to Ross

“Here’s an extra five dollars for that shot of whiskey. Although, you probably should lay off that stuff.” Jesse said to him. He turned his back to him and walked out of the store.

“Why bother? They never listen!” Ross said putting the check into the safe that was hidden behind a painting. He closed the safe and the picture behind it that had a sticker reading: NO REFUNDS in red letters.

 

2.

            When Jesse got into the parking lot, he got into his old s****y rusted out black 1999 Chevrolet Lumina. Jesse had the car every since he graduated college in 1999. He was just starting out in life and just got his first job as a high school history teacher. His parents bought the car for him because he simply wasn’t making enough to do so on his own.

Jesse slammed the door shut and took the keys out of his right pocket and shoved it into the ignition. He turned the key and the engine began to roll over but then died.

            “Come on you stupid piece of s**t!” Jesse shouted as he turned the key to start the engine again. The engine still wouldn’t start. “Damn it to hell!” Jesse shouted as he beat his fists on the steering wheel. He looked down at his left wrist where the watch was located. He looked at it and unfastened it. Jesse gazed into the watch. On the right hand side beside where the 3 was sat a white rectangular box that read the date 1/20/14. He looked down on the under side of the watch were the instructions were located. The underside of the watch read:

            Watch is water resistant. To set date pull the knob out half way. To set time; pull it out all the way. Push the knob back in when your destination is set. To return, push the green reset button.

            Jesse grabbed the knob of the watch and puled it out half way and began to fumble his way through the dates. He turned the knob back until the little black numbers in the white box read 5/12/99. He pushed the knob back in and disappeared into thin air as the inner dial’s hand dropped from 5 to 4.

 

3.

            Jesse began to look around noticing that everything was different. Where Ross’ Pawn Shop was before was now Ernie’s Barber Shop. He didn’t really remember anything happening. All he remembered was it first was Ross’ before a neon green flash came across changing everything.

            “Ernie’s?” But it closed down years ago. Jesse opened the driver side door and stepped out of the Junker he called a car and slammed the door behind him. He walked up to the glass windows and leaned his face on it while cupping his hands around his eyes looking in. Jesse closed his eyes for a moment not really believing what he saw. The young man who was currently sitting in the barber chair was Jesse.

            “What the hell?” Jesse asked when he first saw his younger self. The younger Jesse stood from the barber chair reaching into his left back pocket pulling out his wallet. He reached in his wallet pulling out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Ernie. Ernie was an older man in his mid sixties. He had a full head of silver hair and a bushy gray mustache under his nose.

            “Thanks for your business Jesse! Are you going to pop the question tomorrow?” Ernie asked him. Jesse walked over to the coat hanger that was sitting next to the front door. He pulled off of it his leather jacket and slipped in on. Jesse reached into the inner pocket pulling out a ring case. He opened it revealing an engagement ring. Ernie smiled at him. “I wish you two a long and happy life together!” Ernie told him giving him a hug.

            “Thanks Ernie! I’ll see you later!” Young Jesse said as he shoved the ring back into his pocket and walked out the front door. Present day Jesse turned his back to the younger one and covered his face. The younger Jesse got into his brand new black 1999 Chevrolet Lumina and started the engine. He backed the car out of the parking lot and drove out of sight. Jesse uncovered his face.

            “That’s right. You ask that b***h Brenda to marry you. That way in 2011 that w***e can have an affair with the man ho down the road and divorce your a*s.” Jesse said bitterly. But it’s okay now. She never crosses his mind. Except when wakes up every morning in the double bed he and his wife built together. He walked over to his s**t can car and got inside of it pressing the green button that read RETURN on it. Another neon green colored light quickly flashed as he returned back to the parking lot of Ross’ Pawn Shop.

            Jesse looked down at the inner dial on his watch. The hand was now pointing at 3 and the watch has been reset to the 3pm with a date of 1/20/14. He turned the key of the car again and it started. Jesse put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking lot. Jesse shifted the car into first gear and drove away.

 

4.

            On the drive home Jesse was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had somehow traveled back in time. The truth is he still wanted to deny it but the evidence was just too true. At first he thought of the possibility that it was just a dream. But then he decided that it wasn’t. It was all too vivid to be just a dream.

            Jesse parallel parked his Lumina in front of the apartment building where he lived. He turned off the engine of the car and stepped out of it locking to door behind him. He walked inside the front of the apartment building walking up the staircase that was on the right. When he reached to top of the staircase he walked down the hallway until reaching apartment number 110. Jesse unlocked the door and walked inside.

            Gustavo, his faithful companion, ran to the door greeting him and wagging his tail with glee. Jesse smiled and knelt down petting the dog on the head.

            “Good boy Gustavo!” Jesse said happily. He stood up and walked through the living room into his personal home office. He turned on the light switch and closing the door behind him. Jesse walked over to his desk where sat the US History book that he used every day to teach his students. That’s when he began to think about some of America’s worst tragedies. It then became clear what he had to do as he began flipping through the pages of the textbook.

“If I can go back and stop some of these things from happening maybe the world wouldn’t be the s**t bowl it is right now!” Jesse said to himself. He continued flipping though the pages until finally landing on the section of the book about the life and death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

            “That’s it! Imagine how much greater the world would be if he had lived! And maybe I can finally find out the truth! Many people even in Kin’s family believe that James Earl Ray is innocent!” Jesse said to himself. He pulled out the knob half way turning the date back to 4/4/1968, the day that Martin was assassinated. “It’s about a seven hour drive from Betsy to Memphis, where King was shot.” Jesse said to himself. “It would take about an hour and a half to fly there from Betsy International Air Port.” He concluded. He thought for a moment. “King was shot at approximately 6:01 pm. With and hour and a half flight, I would have to leave here no later than about 4pm to be safe. That way I would have enough time to fight traffic and get to the Lorraine Motel, the place where King was shot.” Jesse concluded. That’s what he decided to do. He thought about it once more. “No, I better make it 3:30 to be even safer.” Jesse said again to himself.

Jesse pulled the knob out all the way turning the time back to 3:30 PM. He pushed the knob in all the way and another neon green flash came across him as the small hand dropped from 3 to 2.

 

5.

            He arrived back to 1968. He was on the outside of where his house is currently sitting in the present. He cautiously pulled out his cell phone knowing that he best not let anyone see it as it could alter the time line. He knew that it was best to keep a low profile until the assassination occurred. The more commotion he made the more difficult it would be to stop the assassination and the more he would unnessicarily alter the future.

            Jesse glanced down at the clock that was on his phone reading 3:31 PM. With the time change halfway through the state of Tennessee, he knew that he had a little time to play with. He quickly shoved the cell phone into his pocket and began to look around. That’s when he saw the cab come from around the corner. He reached out his right arm and put his thumb up. The taxi stopped and Jesse opened up the back door and got into it.

            “Where to mate?” The cab driver asked Jesse. Jesse looked to the dash of the car where there was a name tag glued to the plastic. It read:

CAB NUMBER: 102

DRIVER: FREDDIE SAMSON

            “Can you take me to the Betsy International Airport?” Jesse asked him. The cab driver smiled and nodded as he shifted the car into first gear and pulled out into the street.

            “So why are you going to the airport? You goin’ on vacation or somethin’?” Freddie asked him.

            “No. I’m flying to Memphis.” Jesse replied.

            “What’s in Memphis?” Freddie asked.

            “Just business.” Jesse told him. Freddie nodded his head in understanding and the two sat in silence the rest of the way to the airport.

 

6.

            After about a thirty-minute drive, Freddie pulled the taxicab into the parking lot parking near the front entrance. He turned to Jesse extended his arm.

            “That will be two dollars and twenty cents.” The cab driver said smiling at Jesse. Jesse reached into his right side jean pocket and pulled out four one-dollar bills. He handed them over to the cabbie and opened up the door stepping out of the cab.

            “Keep the change!” Jesse declared as he slammed the back cab door shut behind him. He turned to face the building looking down at his watch that was now reading 3:47. Jesse quickly walked into the front entrance of the airport to the front desk.

            “How can I help you?” The woman at the front desk asked him with a huge smile.

            “I need to be on the first flight to Memphis!” Jesse told her. She smiled and reached down under the desk pulling out a plane ticket that read Memphis on it.

            “It’s seventy five dollars even!” The woman said with a big smile. Jesse reached into his the front pocket on his button up shirt pulling out three twenty dollar bills, a ten dollar bill, and a five dollar bill and handed them to the lady. She grabbed them and handed him the plane ticket. He grabbed it and began walking towards the gate. It was strange. This was the first time in a long time he was just able to walk to the gate without having trouble in customs. He handed the man who was standing at the gate the ticket and walked through the gate loading the plane.

            Once he got on the plane he began to make his way down the isle until finally reaching row T. He scooted himself to the wall to seat number 5 and sat down. As he got he situated and began to wait for the plane to take off.

 

7.

            Jesse sat trying to get comfortable wiggling around in his seat. He looked down at the watch again and saw that it was now 4pm.

            “We should be able to get there no later than 5:15. That gives me about thirty minutes to find the motel.” Jesse said to himself. But he knew exactly where the hotel was. He studied the assassination of Martin Lither King his whole goddamn life. The only question he had in his mind was how he was going to stop the assassination. He reached down into the space in between the arm of the chair and the side of the plane pulling up a leaver that reclined him. He sighed and began to relax,

            “I’m just going to take a quick nap on the way.” Jesse thought to himself as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 

8.

            “Sir! Sir!” A man sitting next to Jesse nudged him as he awoke. “We just landed.” The man said to him as he stood up and began to walk off of the plane. Jesse reached up and wiped his eyes. He looked down at the watch that was now reading 5:10.

            “We must have landed a bit early.” Jesse said to himself. He quickly stood from his seat and began to walk off of the plane. When he reached the ground and quickly walked into the Memphis Air Port. When he got inside he looked around for a moment. Everything was completely different. Every one was dressed in the clothing that a person would wear during that time. Hell, it reminded him of a scene that would come from a 1950s television show. He walked around in the lobby trying to take it all in. The air was filled with cigarette smoke. Jesse looked down at his watch seeing that was now 5:30.

            “Well, time to go!” Jesse said as he left the lobby and walked out of the building. He whistled for a cab and raised his arm. A yellow car that read Taxi on the side stopped. Jesse opened up the back door and got in.

            “Lorraine Motel please my good man!” Jesse said. The cabbie nodded and pulled into the streets of Memphis.

 

9.

            The yellow cab pulled into the parking lot at about 5:45. Jesse opened up the backdoor and handed the cabbie the money.

            “Peace!” The cabbie said as Jesse slammed the door shut and drove away. He looked at the room where MLK was staying and hid behind the bushes in front of the door. He had his mind set. He knew he was going to stop the assassination of MLK! He knew that he was finally going to find out the truth. He continued to stare from the bushes when a man suddenly appeared. The man was wearing all black with a black ski mask covering his face. He glanced down at his watch that was now reading 6:00 pm.

            The hotel room door swung open. Walking out of the room was one of America’s greatest icons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The man who was wearing all black picked up his 22 rifle and pointed it King.

            “No!” James shouted as he leaped out of the bushes and tackled the man down. The bullet was shot into the ground and the rifle was knocked from his hands. When King heard the shot, he quickly ran back into the motel room. The more the man resisted and tried to wrestle Jesse off of him; the hard Jesse began to punch him in the face. The two men continued to tumble around on the ground as they began to hear sirens at a distance.

            The Memphis Police arrived on the scene pulling Jesse off of the man. One cop removed the mask from the man and what he saw made his jaw drop. The two men looked almost identical.

            “Who are you?” Jesse asked the man with disbelief.

            “My name is Jesse Gonzalez Sr. You stupid mother f****r!” The man said angrily. Now he knew the truth. That it was not Ray who killed Dr. Martin Luther King. It was his father who died tragically years ago in a car accident. The cops escorted him away from the scene.

            “It can’t be! It just can’t be!” He stated. Jesse knelt down to pick up the rifle. “My own father was the man who shot MLK!” He said almost as if he was in shock. He turned away from the crime scene and began to walk up the stairs of the motel. He walked along the balcony finally reaching King’s room and knocked on the door.

            “That must be the police.” King said to himself as he walked over to the door and opened it. Jesse then pointed the rifle to the face of MLK.

            “You don’t know how bad I hate to do this, but if my dad goes to jail and never meets my mom, I may never exist! And it’s better you than me man!” Jesse sated. He pulled the trigger and a bullet pierced the skill of MLK.

            “It’s all in the family right?” He stated with an insane type of a glare. He cocked the rifle again the pointed the tip of it into his mouth.

            “Like father, like son!” He said as he pulled the trigger. His blood and brains splattered against the wall and Jesse’s lifeless body fell to the ground.

Copyright 2014 by Cody Williams

Courtesy of The Enchanted Press

A division of TTP Entertainment

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Author's Note

I took a few liberties when writing this one. It took a long time to finally write it. I wrote the first version in the summer of 2013. With a few minor changes, I finally posted it. I hope everyone likes it! It was a tough one to write requiring a lot of research.

This is in no way what I think happen. I am not trying to state that Ray is innocent of the assassination. This is just fiction.

Thanks for reading! Comments and reviews are always welcome.

-CW

Reviews

[Dayran]

I think you have found the style you wanted. The story moves at a leisurely pace ... and picks up on interests like a gust of wind that suddenly sweeps through the window. Its a great style for the theme you have chosen ... of time travel ... secrets ... revelations. Keep at it.

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Dayran!

-CW

[Bright Ocean Star]

You used a lot of unnecessary profanity. Profanity is fine if used judiciously, but it detracted from the first half of the story. Your character is supposed to be a high school teacher; not a high school student. Teachers are professionals that have matured beyond the quick use of that kind of language in their daily life. It detracts from the story. The second half of the story was better, because you got into the history and the planning of how he was going to thwart the assassination...but I was disappointed with the ending. I wanted the assassin to be someone else, and I wanted Dr. Martin Luther King to survive...but the flow was good.

[MsJewel]

An interesting and entertaining story that held my interest. Great writing!

:) Julie

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Julie!

-CW

[Lyn Anderson]

Interesting concept. As always, time travel's inconsistencies screw with us. Watch your grammar and spelling. The line I tripped up on most was the first one.
Jesse knew that the one he wanted as soon as it caught his eyes -
Jesse knew which one he wanted the moment it caught his eye.
Thanks for sharing your twisted imagination.

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading KL!

-CW

[melissa]

This is amazing story keep up the great work and keep sending me more to read i love reading them you should turn this into a book

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Melissa!

-CW

[melissa]

You're welcome

[A. Amos]

I enjoyed the read and you're a good story teller!

[Cody Williams]

Thanks so much for reading! It really means a lot!

-CW