Rewind Read Online Free Page A

numbers. The right side was blank—the upcoming games, beginning January 16.
    Games Edgar would never play.
    Reach him.
    Adam lifted his hand. He placed it on Edgar’s shoulder.
    He could feel the fabric. Barely.
    But Edgar wasn’t reacting.
    REACH HIM!
    Adam tried again. As if the touch would pull Edgar away from the lake. As if it would shield him, protect him from death.
    Edgar dropped his pen.
    With a flick of the wrist, he swatted his shoulder. Right where Adam had touched it.
    Blip.
    The surroundings melted into a brief swirl of blue.
    Ripley’s room instantly materialized around him.
    Ripley was holding the camera. The red light was off. “Enough,” he said.
    “What are you doing?” Adam pleaded.
    “Not Oscar material,” Ripley remarked. “I’d say C plus for the hysterical emotions, but A minus for the pantomime.”
    “Pantomime? But Edgar was— couldn’t you see?”
    “Adam,” Lianna said, “you were here the whole time, doing all these strange gestures.”
    This is not happening.
    Adam took the camera out of Ripley’s hands, set it back on the desk, and turned it on. “Go. Somebody try it besides me!”
    Ripley grinned. “Escape into the past!” he cried, grabbing Lianna by the waist.
    “Ripley, no !” Lianna screamed.
    But it was too late.
    They were both standing in front of the lens now.
    Lianna was sweating, glancing around uncertainly.
    A look of wonder passed across Ripley’s face.
    He sees it!
    “Can you hear me?” Adam called out. “What do you see?”
    “Oh, wow…” Ripley said. “There’s Washington crossing the Delaware…Lincoln emancipating the slaves… Leave It to Beaver making its season premiere…”
    Lianna rolled her eyes. “Ripley, you’re a jerk.”

PROGRESS REPORT
    Subject: Adam Sarno
    ACCEPTANCE SUBMENU
    Phase 1. Discovery. PASSED.
    Phase 2. Facility. PASSED.
    Phase 3. Commitment. PASSED.
    Phase 4. Fulfillment.

8
    E DGAR FELT MY TOUCH.
    Adam bounded down Ripley’s back stairs and lifted his bike upright off the grass.
    “So I can take it?” Ripley asked.
    Adam heard the words, but they weren’t registering.
    Which means I can do something. I can affect the past.
    “HELLO?” Ripley shouted. “ARE YOU HEARING ME, ADAM?”
    “Huh?” Adam said.
    “Read my lips,” Ripley said. “Can I take your videocamera? To try to fix it?”
    Adam slung the backpack around his shoulder. “It’s not broken.”
    And it may help me save a life.
    Somehow.
    If he could make his presence felt, maybe he could warn Edgar. Prevent him from going to the lake.
    Lianna was riding her bike in slow circles on the driveway, lost in thought.
    “Oh, you have plans?” Ripley asked. “Maybe a trip to ancient Greece tonight?”
    “Stop it, Ripley!” Lianna spoke up. “You just want to figure out how you can travel into the past.”
    Ripley’s jaw dropped. “Whaaaat?”
    “Maybe he sees something we don’t,” Lianna said. “And you can’t deal with it.”
    “Whoa, Lianna, you’ve been hanging around the Time Nerd too long. Come with me to practice. Slap a few. Come to your senses.”
    Lianna glowered at him. “You know I hate hockey.”
    She did. Even back then. Edgar dragged her to practice that day. He had such a crush on her.
    “Suit yourself.” Ripley’s jaw was clenched. “Enjoy your delusions. Both of you.”
    Ripley hopped on his bike and rode away. Lianna and Adam went in the other direction.
    For a long time neither spoke. Finally Adam said, “You do believe me, don’t you?”
    “I want to,” Lianna replied. “But how can it be true? How do I know you’re not playing a prank on Ripley?”
    “I don’t know how to play a prank, Lianna. Look, you have to be on my side. You know what this means. We can do something about the accident. Change it.”
    They came to a stop in front of the Frazers’ house. Lianna gave Adam a hard, appraising look. “Okay, Sarno, I want you to take out the camera, look at my house, and tell me what you see. Right