We cautiously walked to the door and Jake slid it open. Well, believe me, but he actually looked excited about the whole thing. Of me? I was excited-but in the negative way. My dad, New York of 'then', and my school was now history. In there, I must have disappeared with Jake. Dad and Jake's parents could have been searching... Plus, I had just stumbled upon the window by mistake. What had I done wrong to be here?

 "Just relax, Rick. We might be able to go back," I didn't believe him. We had both guaranteed one last time that the window couldn't be brought to be seen in our naked eyes with our power. Thus, returning could be impossible.

 At least I had one acquaintance from the past, and now, he was happy about having become an adult in a single hour.

I didn't reply, and we walked into the fresh, night air. 

 The sound of cars and traffic was the first to hint that life hadn't changed very much, even 7 years after.  We saw people in T-shirts and light jackets lingering on the streets, in groups and chattering. The cars seemed a tiny bit more hi-tech designed, but the drivers still honked at each other, skidded, and raced. 

 Me and Jake walked to a fence surrounding the counterpart Shack(it did deserve a big name), which was tall and sturdy. The grass was better kept under our feet. Well, I noticed that I seemed a bit taller, now directly proven. Whoa.

 We leaped over the fence this time, and quickly joined the small stream of people walking down the streets.

 "Gee, I guess we both need some rest and do something of our looks and clothes," Jake said lowly. "How much did you bring?" I asked back. "$400. That's all. We'll have to earn money-or find a way back home," I didn't want to have a job, I told myself. All I wanted to pool my money in was finding out a way to go home. Plus, I wasn't very used to working-I had only worked part-time in a cinema for a few months a year ago, and the stuff I had to do had pissed me out.

 "First thing-get a hotel room, I guess," I said as we reached a sidewalk with the green light freshly turned on. Jake didn't reply. He just looked around, staring at every face available. He seemed interested in everyone and in observing them. Well, I wasn't.

  We walked aimlessly over to a street packed with big roads, cars, and a lot of stores in tall buildings. I didn't bother to look up the city on my phone since even if I knew, it wouldn't matter.

 Neon lights flashed, people cheered and laughed. I had only been to big, packed cities like these a few times, so it did make me feel a bit excited in the good way. 

 We found a descent-enough looking building with carved letters above the entrance telling it was a hotel, and went in.

 Cool air blew from A/Cs in the big lobby. Soft music flew over empty sofas, and a few receptionists in their early 30s or something with obviously nothing to do, looked up. Luckily, Jake didn't flash a grin at them as he did at school. I nudged him toward the desk and stood a bit behind him.

 They didn't ask of him if we were staying here for some math contest or something. Well, we were now adults, so it would have been rather rude if they did. Well, this was one of the benefits of being adult, yes...

 Jake aptly got the key, and walked over to me. Once the receptionists couldn't see, he flashed his grin and I was glad to see it again. "I did fine. Maybe it'll take little time to adjust here," "Whatever. Don't be too complacent, though," I muttered, and he hit me playfully as we walked over to the elevator. "Stop being my mom. I'm grown up," "Only in a literal sense. Your mind's still 18 years old," The elevator arrived just in time and with a ding, opened, and we walked inside.

 The room Jake had gotten was on the 14th floor. Jake opened the door with his key, and we stepped into a small but just enough room with sweet-scented smells, a TV,  2 beds, a fridge, and a couch. I walked immediately into the bathroom first, while Jake went right over to the fridge and examined the stuff inside. 

 I found a shaving blade in a stall and went to work. I was bad at it, though having watched dad do it every week. Still, it was great to watch me turn back to myself a bit. Then, I took a long shower, washing my hair twice. But after I got done and got dried, I finally wondered-what should I wear now? The clothes I had just worn were sweaty, and Jake had unfortunately not brought some clothes from home. I was just standing there, silent, when someone knocked on the bathroom door. 

 "Rick, it's me-just bought some cheap clothes at a store below," Jake yelled then an unmistakable sound of something soft flying and hitting the door came. Ok, how had Jake known my problem? Plus, had I showered so long and obsessively that I hadn't notice him get out of the room for shopping?

 It didn't matter. I opened the door  crack, got the clothes and got into them.

 The black T-shirt only had the white logo of Adidas on the front(the company had survived the 7 years, awesome, I thought), and the jeans were nothing unique but just fit right onto me. I practically sighed out in relief and with a towel around my neck, got out.

 "Hell, you look like the Eric Hunter I know, though a bit taller," Jake grinned from the couch-the TV in front of him was turned on. He waved at it. Just getting myself updated on the current issues," He got up and picked up his bought clothes from a chair. "Don't let anyone in," He said and shut the bathroom door.

 This was crazy, and I knew it-just like when a doomed amateur actor knows he's doomed in the middle of his show. But there was nothing he could do about it but just play along-the crying was for the backstage. And he was me.

 I already wanted to meet dad for at least an hour and tell him everything, and I knew he'd eventually believe me, since while the whole teleporting and using the time machine was just right-down insane, his son disappearing then appearing in the future was much more illogical. 

 But only the Shack and its Window could allow that.

 And it was shut down for now.

 Just play along, Eric.

 Right.

 I turned my eyes to the screen and slumped down on the couch. 

 A reporter was speaking quickly on CNN(that new channel never is unpopular, I thought), the background a video of some gov. officials. "The U.S. government just made it clear that they would be creating a new sector of police, tended to center not on secret issues, but on special, unprecedented events. It is expected to be called the Sector for Special Cases, though not confirmed. Officials announced the cause as recent increased vandalism and the calls from the citizens wishing for heightened safety," The reporter vanished, and the next news came up. I suddenly felt hungry and walked over to the fridge myself, and found a few water bottles, and that was all. I considered going down for some food, then realized that Jake was the owner of the money, and that I didn't want to go out of the room. So I just decided to forget my hunger for now, and leaped onto the bed. I tuned into downloaded music, which luckily gave me comfort. Though it still did remind me of the time when I used to listen to music on the bed on weekends, finding everything boring.

 I wondered how dad was doing.

 And I also wondered what would happen if I sent a message to him.

Err,,eek: Dad

                  Did you see my message?

 He didn't reply. I glanced at the time-10:54, so it meant that it was nearly 9 in New York-or had been. He should be home by now or getting out of work...

 Maybe he wasn't home yet. Maybe since he was a person of the past-I was ready to cry out now, I had let him behind...-his phone might not have received the message...

 Then a thought occurred to me. 

 The dad I'd been thinking of had been the dad the past me had known.

 And now, in the year 2042, he also must be alive unless he had been killed in some accident .

 Right?

 I was suddenly up from the coach and shoved the phone into my pocket. I had to find dad. How hadn't the idea occurred to me earlier?!

 Just when I had grabbed the steel knob of the front door, Jake opened the door, steam pouring out of the shower stall, looking fresher and cleaner. He still had the beard, though.  

 He saw me right away.

 "Where're you going?" He asked, then noticed the urgent look in my eyes. "Jake, our parents are out there, alive. I just figured that out-and I have to look for my dad. He should be worried about me," Jake's eyes showed a million things going about in his head-realization, happiness, then frustration. "Huh?" I said. Jake ruffled his hair as he always did. "But the thing is, Eric Hunter, that we don't have a clue of where they currently are. Plus did you plan on leaving me in the shower, completely oblivious?" I narrowed my eyes. "You had also gone to the clothes shop below, and you'd understand. I might have sent you a message later," I murmured, then figured out that Jake was right with the first sentence especially-I didn't know where my dad was at all. Even the fact that he was alive. "Guess you're right," I muttered. I turned back to face the room, my vigor gone. Jake put a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, we'll search for them, alright? I am also human as I said before-I am also worried of my mom and dad," He sighed, then put off the lights of the bathroom. 

 I leaned back on a chair and watched the news without interest. "I want to go back home," I said lowly, but Jake with his habit of cutting into others' conversations, heard it. "But you know what? We can't," If he had said that in his usual, laughing tone, I could have strangled him right there and then. But he had said it a bit slowly and sadly. "We'll find a way," I grumbled. "Maybe we shouldn't have tested out the Window," Jake said absent-mindedly as he dried his hair. Well, my brain took a minute to  consider that. "But we'd feel curious. I guess testing out was fine-well, until this turned up as a result," I said slowly. Jake pulled out his wallet and counted his money. "I guess," He walked over to me, then gave me some $50. "Just in case," He smiled. Gee, at least I had my best friend who had money to help us both survive here.

 "First on the agenda-we have dinner. Second-I buy the cheapest laptop available. Third-we research. Fourth-we decide our agenda for the next day," Jake said this all like some rap. "Seems good. I'm starving," I said, and got up, pushing the money into my jeans pocket securely along with my phone. 

 We got out of the room and down to the lobby. I ignored the receptionists who had nothing to do and would stare from behind their computers. Jake didn't do what I did, though.

 We walked back out into the night, and looked for some decent place to eat.

 We found some familiar brands, and a whole lot of fast food chains. Just for the price and quality, we stepped into McDonald's and ordered. I talked to a genuine person of the generation(you know what I mean, right?) for the first time, and believe me, it was all smooth. I just ordered french-fries, big size, then got a seat. Everyone else in the store were looking at their phones, chatting, or listening to music. It seemed so normal. I relaxed a bit and tuned back onto my songs with my earphones. Jake munched on his hamburger, staring at the contents, obviously trying to assess if the recipe had changed over the years. I saw him say something with half his mouth full and plucked out my earbuds. He gave me an annoying look. "See, you're adapting," Then he pointed at the burger. "Same as ever. I'm wondering if it's a good thing or not," I shrugged. "Both," I said, then dug into my fries. 

 We got out of McDonald's at 11: 30. We'd had been lucky enough to get in a 24 hour store. Since it was late and we were both tired, Jake amended his agenda to push them all a bit. We right away got to our room. 

 "Jesus, I'm ready to doze off," I said as I jumped onto a bed once more."Forgot how much you make a fuss when sleeping," Jake said cautiously. "You forgot since your snoring covered up my sounds," I said, remembering when I had slept over at Jake's-he had snored like hell. "Ok, Ok. Then I'll don't know this time, either. Good luck sleeping," With that, he flipped off the lights. 

 After a huge racket of bouncing springs and his body hitting the mattress resided, I fell asleep, as if waves were pulling me in gently into the sea, even before Jake's own racket started.

 And, let me remind you, I didn't have the nightmares that night.