The first time Julie noticed the man was during a short hike she took after work. He was touching a Douglas Fir tree, like it was the first time he had ever seen one.
Julie rarely approached strange men, but she felt compelled to make an exception this time. The man was so intently staring at the tree that he didn't notice her. "Nice tree" Julie said sarcastically.
For the first time, he looked at her and then went back to the tree. Julie shook her head "weird" she mumbled to herself. Later as she was heading back to her home, the man was still at the tree although he wasn't staring at it any longer.
When the man saw her approaching, he smiled. Weird or not, the man was incredibly handsome, Julie noticed. He had dark hair, sensitive brown eyes and was probably six feet tall with broad shoulders.
"Hello again" Julie said to him. "You were here earlier" the man said absently. Julie nodded and held out her hand "Julie Swenson"
The man stared at her hand for a moment and then gently grasped it. "Michael Foster." he said in a deep baritone.
"Are you a tourist Michael?" Julie asked since she had never seen him before. Michael smiled again "you might say that."
Just as if they were old friends, Julie and Michael began walking down the steep trail to Greenwater. "I rented a cabin near Crystal Mountain a couple of days ago and I have just been exploring since then" Michael said. "Are you from this area? Julie asked. Michael hesitated for a few seconds "Yes, I live in north Seattle." he answered.
Julie nodded, already calculating how far that was from Greenwater. Julie loved the beauty of the Cascade Mountains, but sometimes it was so lonely. She longed to have someone to share it with. When they reached the end of the trail Julie felt empty. "Are you going to be here tomorrow?" she asked. The question sounded like something a schoolgirl would say, but Julie didn't care. "I will be up at the tree" Michael said.
The next day, Julie hurriedly removed her work clothes and put on a flannel shirt blue jeans and hiking boots. Michael was at the tree as he said he would be.
Together they hiked to the top of the ridge where you could see for miles. "You are so lucky to be able to live here." Michael said. "Maybe you could move to the area" Julie said hopefully. Michael frowned and shook his head sadly. "Is it your job?" Julie asked. Michael said nothing at first, but then began to speak.
"I'm not from north Seattle. at least not in this time period." Michael said. Julie was confused "What are you saying Michael?" " "I am from the future." He said.
Julie laughed. "You're kidding right?' "No, I am not kidding" Michael said grimly. "Wars and pollution took away all life on the surface of the earth. In my time, there are no trees or animals left. The remaining humans live underground. Every year there is a lottery and the winner gets to go back in time to see what it was like before."
"If you are from the future, prove it." Julie challenged. Michael thought for a moment and then pushed a spot on his arm. His right hand suddenly detached from his wrist. "When I was a child, there was an accident and I lost my hand. At the hospital, they gave me a new one. In my time, replacing diseased or damaged body parts is routine." Julie stared at the detached hand. It looked absolutely normal. While she watched, Michael re-attached the hand to his wrist. The artificial hand blended seamlessly with the rest of his arm.
" I believe you now." Julie said. Michael smiled "I'm glad." "How long are you able to stay in the past?" Julie asked. "Only a week and then I am automatically transported back to my time." Michael answered.
Julie stood up and brushed herself off. "It's getting late.We better get back." she said. Michael walked silently beside her down the trail. When they approached Greenwater, he pointed to the neon sign of the Naches Tavern. "What is that place?" Michael asked. Julie smiled, "That's a bar. They serve drinks." she answered. Michael looked puzzled "Drinks? you mean alcohol?" he asked Julie nodded. "Don't they have alcohol in the future?" Michael shook head. "All of our resources are geared towards the production of food."
On impulse, Julie grabbed his arm. "Let's go in." The bar was lightly crowded so Julie chose a booth not far from the fireplace and ordered a pitcher of beer.Michael looked at the old mementos on the wall. "It is so strange being here, it doesn't seem real" he commented. The waitress brought their beer and poured two glasses full. Julie touched his left hand. "What is life like where you come from?" she asked. Michael frowned. "It is a struggle. A struggle to produce enough food, enough power, and to keep everything running for another day."
For a while, they drank their beer in silence. After only two glasses, Julie could see that Michael was getting tipsy. "I think we better go" Julie suggested. Michael was sick in the parking lot and Julie decided to take him to her cabin at least until he felt better.
Julie made Michael lay down on her couch and got a wet rag from the kitchen. "I'm sorry about the beer" Julie told him as she lay the cloth on his forehead. Michael tried to smile "You don't need to apologize. " he replied. "Do you think you could eat a little?" Julie asked . Michael shook his head. "Maybe later."
Julie went to her big easy chair and started to read a book. Sometime during the night she dozed off and when she awoke Michael was gone.
The next morning, Julie went to work as usual, but all she could think of was Michael. A time traveler? What the hell was she thinking.
After work, Julie was cooking dinner when she heard a soft knock on the door. It was Michael with a bouquet of wildflowers. He handed the flowers to her. "What are these for?" Julie asked. "For taking care of me last night" Michael replied.
Julie opened the door for him. "Would you like some dinner? " she asked. "Sounds good" he replied. Julie opened the refrigerator "How about another beer?" she joked Michael laughed. It was a nice sound.
After dinner, they sat on the couch and watched an old movie. As the ending credits rolled, Michael leaned over and kissed her lightly on the mouth. It seemed so natural and right that Julie kissed him back. Several moments later, Michael abruptly separated himself from her. Hurt and confused, Julie reached out for him, but he moved further away.
"What's wrong?" she asked him. Michael held his head in his hands. "Don't you understand?" he said in an anguished voice. " I have to go back to my own time in less than a week and nothing can change that." Julie went to him. "So we will make the best of the time we have" Michael looked in to her eyes and kissed her deeply.
Julie used some vacation time she had been saving and in the remaining few days the new couple hit all the good trails, went to Seattle for dinner and a show and spent one entire day making love.
So quickly the week went by and Julie dreaded the time when she would have to say goodbye. Michael said his departure time was 2:00 PM on Sunday and they watched the hour approach together. At the extraction time Michael said that his physical presence would slowly disappear.
Just before two, Julie kissed Michael goodbye and they waited.. At two nothing happened. 2:15, 2:30, 3:00, Michael still remained. "Something is wrong" he said. "Could you have miscalculated?" Julie asked. Michael shook his head. "I think I know what happened." he said. " One of our scientists had this theory that even a small event could change the course of history."
Julie grasped Michael's hand. "You mean that our love changed the future."
Julie rarely approached strange men, but she felt compelled to make an exception this time. The man was so intently staring at the tree that he didn't notice her. "Nice tree" Julie said sarcastically.
For the first time, he looked at her and then went back to the tree. Julie shook her head "weird" she mumbled to herself. Later as she was heading back to her home, the man was still at the tree although he wasn't staring at it any longer.
When the man saw her approaching, he smiled. Weird or not, the man was incredibly handsome, Julie noticed. He had dark hair, sensitive brown eyes and was probably six feet tall with broad shoulders.
"Hello again" Julie said to him. "You were here earlier" the man said absently. Julie nodded and held out her hand "Julie Swenson"
The man stared at her hand for a moment and then gently grasped it. "Michael Foster." he said in a deep baritone.
"Are you a tourist Michael?" Julie asked since she had never seen him before. Michael smiled again "you might say that."
Just as if they were old friends, Julie and Michael began walking down the steep trail to Greenwater. "I rented a cabin near Crystal Mountain a couple of days ago and I have just been exploring since then" Michael said. "Are you from this area? Julie asked. Michael hesitated for a few seconds "Yes, I live in north Seattle." he answered.
Julie nodded, already calculating how far that was from Greenwater. Julie loved the beauty of the Cascade Mountains, but sometimes it was so lonely. She longed to have someone to share it with. When they reached the end of the trail Julie felt empty. "Are you going to be here tomorrow?" she asked. The question sounded like something a schoolgirl would say, but Julie didn't care. "I will be up at the tree" Michael said.
The next day, Julie hurriedly removed her work clothes and put on a flannel shirt blue jeans and hiking boots. Michael was at the tree as he said he would be.
Together they hiked to the top of the ridge where you could see for miles. "You are so lucky to be able to live here." Michael said. "Maybe you could move to the area" Julie said hopefully. Michael frowned and shook his head sadly. "Is it your job?" Julie asked. Michael said nothing at first, but then began to speak.
"I'm not from north Seattle. at least not in this time period." Michael said. Julie was confused "What are you saying Michael?" " "I am from the future." He said.
Julie laughed. "You're kidding right?' "No, I am not kidding" Michael said grimly. "Wars and pollution took away all life on the surface of the earth. In my time, there are no trees or animals left. The remaining humans live underground. Every year there is a lottery and the winner gets to go back in time to see what it was like before."
"If you are from the future, prove it." Julie challenged. Michael thought for a moment and then pushed a spot on his arm. His right hand suddenly detached from his wrist. "When I was a child, there was an accident and I lost my hand. At the hospital, they gave me a new one. In my time, replacing diseased or damaged body parts is routine." Julie stared at the detached hand. It looked absolutely normal. While she watched, Michael re-attached the hand to his wrist. The artificial hand blended seamlessly with the rest of his arm.
" I believe you now." Julie said. Michael smiled "I'm glad." "How long are you able to stay in the past?" Julie asked. "Only a week and then I am automatically transported back to my time." Michael answered.
Julie stood up and brushed herself off. "It's getting late.We better get back." she said. Michael walked silently beside her down the trail. When they approached Greenwater, he pointed to the neon sign of the Naches Tavern. "What is that place?" Michael asked. Julie smiled, "That's a bar. They serve drinks." she answered. Michael looked puzzled "Drinks? you mean alcohol?" he asked Julie nodded. "Don't they have alcohol in the future?" Michael shook head. "All of our resources are geared towards the production of food."
On impulse, Julie grabbed his arm. "Let's go in." The bar was lightly crowded so Julie chose a booth not far from the fireplace and ordered a pitcher of beer.Michael looked at the old mementos on the wall. "It is so strange being here, it doesn't seem real" he commented. The waitress brought their beer and poured two glasses full. Julie touched his left hand. "What is life like where you come from?" she asked. Michael frowned. "It is a struggle. A struggle to produce enough food, enough power, and to keep everything running for another day."
For a while, they drank their beer in silence. After only two glasses, Julie could see that Michael was getting tipsy. "I think we better go" Julie suggested. Michael was sick in the parking lot and Julie decided to take him to her cabin at least until he felt better.
Julie made Michael lay down on her couch and got a wet rag from the kitchen. "I'm sorry about the beer" Julie told him as she lay the cloth on his forehead. Michael tried to smile "You don't need to apologize. " he replied. "Do you think you could eat a little?" Julie asked . Michael shook his head. "Maybe later."
Julie went to her big easy chair and started to read a book. Sometime during the night she dozed off and when she awoke Michael was gone.
The next morning, Julie went to work as usual, but all she could think of was Michael. A time traveler? What the hell was she thinking.
After work, Julie was cooking dinner when she heard a soft knock on the door. It was Michael with a bouquet of wildflowers. He handed the flowers to her. "What are these for?" Julie asked. "For taking care of me last night" Michael replied.
Julie opened the door for him. "Would you like some dinner? " she asked. "Sounds good" he replied. Julie opened the refrigerator "How about another beer?" she joked Michael laughed. It was a nice sound.
After dinner, they sat on the couch and watched an old movie. As the ending credits rolled, Michael leaned over and kissed her lightly on the mouth. It seemed so natural and right that Julie kissed him back. Several moments later, Michael abruptly separated himself from her. Hurt and confused, Julie reached out for him, but he moved further away.
"What's wrong?" she asked him. Michael held his head in his hands. "Don't you understand?" he said in an anguished voice. " I have to go back to my own time in less than a week and nothing can change that." Julie went to him. "So we will make the best of the time we have" Michael looked in to her eyes and kissed her deeply.
Julie used some vacation time she had been saving and in the remaining few days the new couple hit all the good trails, went to Seattle for dinner and a show and spent one entire day making love.
So quickly the week went by and Julie dreaded the time when she would have to say goodbye. Michael said his departure time was 2:00 PM on Sunday and they watched the hour approach together. At the extraction time Michael said that his physical presence would slowly disappear.
Just before two, Julie kissed Michael goodbye and they waited.. At two nothing happened. 2:15, 2:30, 3:00, Michael still remained. "Something is wrong" he said. "Could you have miscalculated?" Julie asked. Michael shook his head. "I think I know what happened." he said. " One of our scientists had this theory that even a small event could change the course of history."
Julie grasped Michael's hand. "You mean that our love changed the future."
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