Wandering Wizard

"Naw, I done ok this summer. I think I will be ok. Do you have a room we could use for the winter?"

"I think I can take care of ya but it will be 50 cents a day. Do you have that kind of money Bob?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well ya must of did good then. Now, who are these beautiful ladies if I can ask?"

"These are my wives (pointing as he introduced them) Little Deer, Beautiful Fox, and Sweet Woman."

"Three wives! I sure say ya done ok this summer. Oh, wait. Ya're not aplannin' on them workin' tha bar are ya? Ya know I only lets my wimmin work here."

Bob felt a surge of anger and let is show before he tamped it down. He knew many men still took Indian wives and rented them out but he was a little insulted Sam thought he would do that. His voice was tight when he said, "NO! I said they were my wives. They are ladies and I expect them to be treated as such. If this is going to cause problems we will go somewhere else."

Sam relaxed and said, "I am sorry Bob. I should have known you were better than that. You and your ladies are always welcome here and we will have no trouble that way. If any of the fellers give you or them trouble I will take care of it."

"You don't have to worry about that. If someone causes trouble you know I can and will handle it. Now, how is Mable and the other girls? I don't see them, but I know it is still early."

Sam looked sad for a moment before he answered, "Abby and Pauline are still here but Mable's gone Bob. She took off and married some rancher from up north and moved to his ranch. Before she left she said if you came back to tell you she was sorry she missed you and you would be welcome to come visit. If you needed a job she said come ask and she would have her husband give ya one. I think his name was Anderson. Rode horses with a Lazy A brand from up north of Denver."

"I'm sorry to hear she's gone but glad she found a good man. He is a good man isn't he?"

"Far as I know. Haven't heard nothin' bad about him."

Bob was remembered with favor by the townsfolk and he and his wives settled in well. None of them were too happy however as they felt constrained by the town. It was too built up and had way too many people for any of them to be happy. They talked about finding a house to live in farther out in the country but finally decided they'd stay in the room they had and just leave earlier than Bob had the year before.

After the first of the new year, he got busy buying supplies, mules and a couple of wagons to haul everything with. He intended to file a claim (he had already staked it out) and open a mine. Even with all the changes from the history he was used to, the Indians didn't think like the white men. They accepted them and lived peacefully with them now but didn't think about business, manufacturing or mining like the whites did so were still on the economic sidelines. Bob intended to file on and open a mine for the Indians and try to get more of them to do the same so they wouldn't have their wealth stolen as it had been before.

This year, they left in early March with two wagons full of supplies. Most of them were for the mine but they also had some food and cloth and other gifts for their friends. It took ten days to get back to the small village where they were met with great joy. Each of the women had their child during the winter so the children were introduced as well.

After a day of festivities Bob began the task of opening the mine where he'd found the largest deposit of gold. He had three young men who agreed to help him and they rapidly began their tunnel into the mountainside. The gold was piling up quickly and things were going well. When they needed more supplies, Bob took about 100 pounds of ore to Cripple Creek to sell and buy supplies. He could tell several of the more disreputable characters had avarice in their hearts and took more than a passing interest in him and his gold.

After he bought his supplies, he and the two men who came as guards left, headed back to the village. The loaded wagon left a trail a blind man could follow and, naturally, some of the characters did so.

Two days after they left Cripple Creek, Bob and his men were once again working the mine. He was showing one of them how to set charges when, once again, his world ended with a flash and explosion. He never heard the rifle shot that missed him and set off the powder he was setting for their next mining blast.

WANDERING WIZARD

CHAPTER 4

Bob regained consciousness with a groan. Once again, his whole body hurt; his eyes were still painful from the bright flash of the explosion and he had a splitting headache. He was weak as a kitten as well and it seemed as if he'd lost a lot of weight. He had no idea where (or when, for that matter) the hell he was, but he knew where he was. He laughed quietly to himself when he thought that. He could tell he was in a hospital... WAIT! A hospital? The last thing he remembered he was setting a charge in his mine. How could he be in a modern hospital with beeping machines, an IV and florescent lights?

FUCK. Where the hell was he, no, WHEN the hell was he? He threw the covers off and tried to stand. This set off the machines and the beeping became a loud scream. He was struggling, trying to just sit on the edge of the bed when a nurse came almost running into the room. She saw him sitting on the bedside and said, "OH, Shit!"

The nurse rushed over to Bob and grabbed him as he tried to stand. She said, "Sergeant, stop. Please, lay back down. You're too weak to stand. Please just lay back down and let me look you over. Everything's ok here."

Even if he'd wanted to fight her Bob had no strength. He allowed her to guide him back down onto the bed. She covered him once again and checked the machines and tubes then took a cell phone from her pocket. She punched a speed dial number and said, "Find Doctor Khan stat. Sergeant Throckmorton is awake and trying to get out of bed."

It seemed as if she hadn't even disconnected the phone when an asian doctor and two orderlies as well as another nurse came bustling into the room. The doctor began an exam immediately and asked Bob questions such as who he was, what he remembered, how he felt, next of kin and on and on. It seemed he was testing his memory with every question. Bob was unsure how to answer the questions. Where was he? What was the correct answer? Was it Tara, his first wife, Rose, his sister, or someone else?

Finally, Bob decided to try and answer truthfully but obscurely in the hopes he wouldn't mess up. He said, "My sister is Rose, her husband is Doug. They're my closest blood relatives. The last thing I remember I was in Afghanistan and we hit an IED. The Hummer rolled and my legs caught on fire I think..."

"Well, Sergeant, from your records that is indeed what occurred. Now, if you'll just relax and let us do some tests we'll get you built up and start some physical therapy."

"Yeah, fine doctor. Uh, what day is it? How long have I been here?"

The doctor looked worried. He finally sighed and said, "It's April 24, 2023. You've been here in the VA Long Term Care Facility now for almost three years. Now, please rest and let us get you better here. We'll let your sister know you've awakened. Is there anyone else you want us to notify or anything you feel you need right now?"

Bob thought about Tara but then wondered if this was her timeline or some other one. Finally, he said, "Uh, no, not right now. Just my sister. She can get in touch with anyone else that needs to know. I could sure use a hamburger and malt though."

The Doctor laughed and said, "I'm afraid we can't do that right now. You probably noticed you have a tube in your abdomen. We had to put a feeding tube in. It will have to be taken out and we'll have to slowly get you back to a solid diet then you can have that hamburger. I'm afraid you have several days before you can eat the foods I'm sure you want."

They took Bob's feeding tube out the next day and the day after, his sister Rose came rushing into the room crying and threw herself onto his prone body. She could hardly be understood as she said, "Oh Bob, we'd given up. I'm so sorry I wasn't here. With Mom and Dad gone and you in that coma I thought I would be all alone for the rest of my life, except for Doug and the kids.

"Oh, how do you feel? Are you going to be ok now? When can you come home?"

Bob laughed quietly, weakly, and said, "I'm weak but they tell me I should be fine now. I have a lot of physical therapy to do so I can regain my strength and regain what use I can of my burned legs. They say I have heavy scarring over about half my legs and the left one is pretty damaged. I forget how much muscle mass they said I lost in it."

As he was talking to Rose, Bob held his hand out for Doug to shake. They spent most of the afternoon catching up and planning for when he could come home. While they were talking, he noticed Rose was using her mind to caress his. He could feel her gentle touch and her caring. He even saw her use telekinesis to move a few things on his bedside table and to get a handkerchief from her purse.

After Rose and Doug left, Bob drifted off to sleep because the visit had tired him out. He was awakened after a few minutes to eat his supper which consisted of clear soup. After that, he was allowed to use a wheelchair and go out into the other parts of the building. What he saw surprised him greatly. It seemed many, if not all, of the mentally competent people were apparently using mental powers to move items, even themselves, from place to place.

After six weeks of physical therapy, Bob was allowed to return home. When he got to his sister's home in Demming, he'd seen enough he was pretty sure he was back in his original time stream. He found he still owned his grandfather's old place in Strickland. After another week in Demming, he thought he was strong enough to go see it so borrowed his sister's car and drove down.

He felt a great wave of nostalgia when he drove into the driveway and saw the old place. It was in much worse shape than it had been the first time he "returned" from the war but he still thought he could clean it up, repair it and live there. If he couldn't, he decided he'd just build a small home on the place to replace it. After his years of wandering and the loss of so many wives and children he needed the solitude. He didn't have any financial worries because he was receiving disability retirement from the Army and a VA Compensation. He also had the funds he'd been stashing before his injury.

Bob did just as he had before and spent some time walking the place, making notes and planning out repairs and the supplies needed. This time through he intended to do the work himself. It would be slower but cheaper. He'd fix up the kitchen and living room first so he could move in, then work on the downstairs turning the den into a Master Bedroom and the maids quarters next to it into the Master Bath. He'd turn the Butler's pantry between the kitchen and dining room into his small office.

As before, he intended to restore his grandfather's old truck and drive it as his primary vehicle. He enjoyed driving the classic truck, even considering the poor fuel economy and he especially enjoyed talking with people about it.

This time, he could use his mental powers to do much of the heavy lifting and holding he hired Adam to do before. The way mental abilities seemed to flourish here and now, he still wasn't sure this was his original timeline but it felt and seemed more real than any of the others had been although he still found many glaring differences in history. For example, slavery never seemed to take hold this time around and there wasn't a Civil War. There were never the bad Indian uprisings, although there had been strife as the European settlers learned to live among them and accept their ways. There were no reservations now and the races were mixed, living side by side in harmony.

Bob had completed renovation of his kitchen and was working on his bedroom by late fall. One day, he felt particularly melancholy and found himself sitting outside enjoying the sunshine drinking beer while he reminisced. He looked around at the place, remembering Tara and Slim and how they loved the place. He missed her more than any of his other women and wondered if she had a counterpart in the here and now.

As he drifted further into a, dare we say it, drunken haze he felt a contact in his mind where he received other's thoughts. He couldn't put a face or name to the contact but it felt friendly, appreciative. The mental voice said, "You have served us and your race well Bob. In a way, we did you a grave injustice. Now that your work is done, we'll make amends to the best of our ability. Go, it's time for you to prepare your evening meal. After you've dined, sleep and all will be revealed."

Bob jerked and sat upright from his slump then shook his head. 'Damn,' he thought. 'I'm losing my mind or I can't handle the booze any longer. Booze and sad memories never mix well.' He got up and went inside where he fixed his normal evening meal. He usually had a hot breakfast of eggs, meat and usually potatoes, a sandwich for lunch and another hot meal for supper. This evening he was having pork steak, mashed potatoes and gravy with salad. After eating and cleaning up, he felt exhaustion take over, partly from the days work, partly from the beer and heavy meal. It was early but he cleaned up and went to bed.

After he was sleeping soundly, Bob was once again contacted by mind. The voice said, "What we discuss tonight will be forever locked within your mind but you have the right to know the facts and, hopefully understand the reasoning for what's been done to you.

"Less than one tenth of one percent of your worlds population had the genetic makeup to unlock and utilize the abilities you've used in your time travels when you first teleported in Afghanistan. Of those few who had the genetic makeup to utilize the abilities, even fewer had the correct ethical makeup to use the abilities wisely. You were one of those.

I feel your disbelief but that is truly what you have done, with our help, of course. You've developed and utilized those abilities for the betterment of your race and worlds civilization. Your world was rapidly proceeding down the path of self destruction. Your leaders, even the average citizens, were more and more selfish, more ready to act unethically, dishonestly and selfishly to gain riches and power, not caring where that led them or what pain and suffering it caused others. Our job as Guardians of Civilization was and is to aid as many fledgling young races as possible gain maturity and flourish.

"You and others, some of which you met or heard about in your travels, were forced to maturity faster than your race as a whole then placed where you could influence racial growth. Most of those selected for the program were males because you could breed faster and spread your genes wider than if we had selected females to do the job. Your descendants, and the descendants of your compatriots, changed the genetic mix of humanity and the path of your species.

You were placed in various times to spread your genes, then, after you had made statistically significant impact on that time period, you were moved to another time period where you could, dare I say it, help fine tune your and other's contributions. You didn't jump as many times as did some, but you moved more than others. All of you left children and significant others behind but we, as the cause of this, made sure they all thrived and lived as good a life as was possible in that time period. We protected and encouraged your progeny after you moved on to your next temporal locus.

"After the desired changes were made to your world and race, and the path of your people became self sustaining, you were all allowed to return to your original temporal location or the location in which you were most happy. Unfortunately, many of you saw more changes than you may be comfortable with. You, for example, will have trouble adjusting to the great use of what was once called Magic, then later ESP as you reintegrate into this society.

"You will be compensated, however in several ways. For instance, you will soon be contacted by an attorney to receive an inheritance from a distant relative in Colorado who had a very profitable gold mine near Cripple Creek and Victor. You'll find many of the ailments commonly found in humans will never bother you because of your cleaner genetic code and you'll live much longer than the norm barring unforeseen accidents. Be reassured, this is as near your original time stream as we could place you after the necessary changes. You'll find your life merging with this time stream quite rapidly and lost relationships will mend. Live long with our thanks and enjoy your new life."

Communication stopped and Bob came awake with a start, his heart beating wildly as he sat up in his bed. FUCK, he thought. What a hell of a dream. He looked at the clock and saw it was 0553. He normally got up between 0600 and 0630 so decided to get up now. He wasn't up to cooking after that dream so decided to go downtown to the cafe for breakfast. They opened at 0600 so he dressed and headed out.

Bob sat and drank coffee after his breakfast while he chatted with the regulars at the cafe. It was after 0930 when he left to return to his home. For some reason, he decided to work in the shop that morning. There were still some small things he wanted to do to his old truck to doll it up and he didn't feel like working anywhere else that day.

He was underneath the truck, bolting in new boards in the bed when he heard someone say, "Hey Mister. You got a minute?"

Bob looked out from underneath the truck and saw two skinny legs underneath ragged jeans. He pushed himself out from under the truck to see a skinny young woman standing before him. He jerked in shock and felt his heart begin beating faster. Without thinking, he said, "TARA?"

The woman backed up a step or two and looked worried. She said, "How did you know my name?" They both gasped as they each felt something snap into place in their minds.

Bob said, "Where's Slim?" He felt instant sorrow from Tara and she sobbed. He didn't even think. He reached out and pulled her into his arms while she shook with tears.

"How did you know about me and Slim? He got ran over almost a year ago when we were walking home after dark from a job. How..." Her face got a shocked look and she continued, "OH! I feel... It's almost like I've known you before but you've just moved here. I."

Tara's eyes got even larger and she whispered, "You're him! I thought I was going crazy! I heard voices and dreamed about a man named Bob. I was married and he got blown up." She looked around the place and her face got white and she began to collapse. Bob caught her and carried her to a chair underneath a shade tree nearby. He sat and put her in his lap while she recovered.

After she recovered somewhat, she continued speaking, "We lived here. We sold garden stuff and had a store and diner in the barn. Slim could grow anything..."

Bob sat and held her as they both let the tears flow. He spent the afternoon talking to her, explaining his past life and her part in it. At first she didn't believe him. She got scared, said, "You're crazy," and tried to run away but she stopped three steps from him and stood rigid, her face slack with occasional twitches as the entity "talked" to her. Finally, she turned back to Bob and walked slowly to him again.

"Please tell me I'm not crazy! I've always known I was different. So was Slim and my Daddy but I've never talked to someone in my mind or heard the voices before. Please!"

Bob pulled her to him and said, "No, Honey. You're not crazy, or at least no more crazy than I am. Sometime I'll tell you more but I think, strangely enough, it really happened. Come on, lets find something to eat."