Word Count: 750

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What Jasmine Saw

by Jan Ackerson  
8/09/2011 / Short Stories

Jasmine plopped into her favorite green chair, one arm flung dramatically across her forehead. She sighed when she realized that her only audience was her fluffy gray kitten, Bump, and sat up to activate her holo-mail. Sensing an opportunity to be adorable, Bump jumped into Jasmine's lap and lived up to his name, bumping Jasmine's hand away from the holo-reader with his tiny head and purring loudly.

"Thirty-two new messages, Bump. What do you thinkthirty holo-ads and two of those horrid Christmas letters?"

Bump declined to answer, being rather preoccupied with taking his afternoon bath on Jasmine's lap.

And sure enough, one after another, small holo-ads projected onto Jasmine's end table. A shimmering, miniature woman in a hula skirt sang out "Why not transport to Hawaii for the holidays?" A second hologram, this time a 7-inch high pilot in a sharply starched uniform, suggested "Let me fly you to the moon for your winter vacation!" Bump reached out with his Little Paw of Death and swatted at the pilot, who shimmered for a second before re-forming and starting his message all over again.

Jasmine sighed once more, this time not caring about the lack of an audience. She didn't want to go to Hawaii, nor to the moon. She wantedshe wanted

"Wouldn't you like to go home for Christmas?" crooned the next hologram, a matronly woman clothed in quaint, 21st century garb. "TimeView can take you back to your pastor for the really adventurous, we can take you hometo the future!" The hologram blinked off, and returned dressed in a shiny silver jumpsuit. "Contact TimeView today"

Jasmine slumped back into the chair, fingering the locket hanging on a thin chain around her neck. "I miss you, Mom and Dad" she whispered, but the single tear coursing down her cheek met lips that were smiling. "If they celebrate Christmas in heaven, don't let Dad near the lights, okay?" She reached over and switched on the TimeView ad again.

And so it was that three days later, Jasmine scratched under Bump's chin while she listened to the instructions to her Time Viewer.

"has been downloaded with five minutes of Past Viewing or two minutes of Future Viewing. Be sure that you are seated, as TimeViewing may be slightly disorienting. Simply enter your ID number and the date you wish to View, then arrange the Viewer comfortably over your eyes. Be aware that you will be Viewing only; there will be no sound, and of course you will not be able to interact with the people you View, even though you will feel as if you are present in the room with them. If you choose to View the future, keep in mind that you will be Viewing only one possible Future. Due to the Uncertainty Principle"

She muted the sound. Although she'd intended all along to "go home" to a Christmas in her childhood, before Mom and Dad had died, Jasmine found herself drawn now to Viewing the future. "Whatcha think, Bump? Ten years from now? Twenty?"

Bump's reply was a sandpaper kiss.

"Okay, then, here we gohome for Christmas, ten years from now." She entered the necessary data on the touchpad, donned the Viewer, and waited.

Whose apartment is this?no one in the roomoh great, I'm all alone in the futureno wait, someone's comingwell, hello, little girl, who are you?...she's toddling over to that treeoooh, I recognize that nativity set, it's mineoh no, honey, don't touch that, it'll breakshe looks about twowhere am I, though?...and who's heroh, I see me now, over in the cornerin my green chair!...I'm talking to the little girl, I think, she's looking over at megood girl, don't put that in your mouthbut who is youroh myoh myaren't you a handsome fellow, and so tall! Are youmine? I'm not sure I've ever seen hair quite so redhey, nice kiss...and there's grown-up Bump on the rug, in a pretty yellow collar

The Viewer flickered to black. Jasmine inhaled deeply, almost but not quite finding the scent from the apartment she'd just Viewed.

" 'One possible future', huh, Bump? Well, let's see what we can do to make that happen." Jasmine activated the Building Directory built into the wall behind her chair. "Pet Supplies...114th floorLet's go, Bump, I'm going to get you that collar!"

She settled Bump into a deep pocket in her tunic and headed for the Tube to the 114th floor. Was she surprised, do you think, at the tall, handsome redhead who greeted her there?

Jan is a Christian who has traveled through sorrow and depression, and has found victory and grace. She dedicates all writings to her Heavenly Father. Check out Jan's website at www.1hundred-words.com
Copywrite Jan Ackerson--2006

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