April 13, 1980 9:36pm
They all sit quietly in the basement that they have learned to cherish. None of them knowing what was coming. None of them knowing what they were going to get themselves into. And probably, none of them wanting to know. If they did, they wouldn't have opened that damn box in the first place….
—
"I forgot to tell you! I was thinking about asking Nina out…" Fez says.
Fez and Jackie broke up a few weeks after they got together. Mostly because they agreed they felt more like brother and sister than boyfriend and girlfriend.
"That's great Fez! Just try not to act as much of a pervert around her as you do with us." Jackie points out.
"You know I am not capable of doing that…"
Jackie rolls her eyes, but smiles. She always loved how none of her friends personalities really changed over the years.
"Yeah, if he wasn't a perv, all he would have is his obsession for candy, and that just isn't weird enough for him." Hyde says.
Well, maybe she would like one of her friends personalities to change a little bit.
A knock interrupted their conversation.
They all glanced at each other, confusion in their eyes. No one ever knocked on the basement door. Ever…
They all got up in unison heading for the door. Eric put his hand on the doorknob and turned the door slowly.
There, tied with a satin pink bow sat a small box.
"Oh a present!" Jackie screeched, reaching down.
Before she could reach it, a strong hand pulled her arm back. She shuddered at the touch.
"I don't think you should be doing that." Hyde said, not taking his hand off Jackie.
"Why?" She asked.
"It could be a bomb."
"Who would send us a bomb?"
"The government."
She just ignored him and reached for the box. She picked it up and slowly brought it into the basement. Once she sat down and started untying the bow, everyone took a step backwards.
"Wusses." Jackie mumbled loud enough for them to hear.
With that she opened the lid, holding her breath. After seeing what was inside she exhaled with disappointment.
"It's just a dumb rock!" She said not even bothering taking it out of the box.
"Probably someone playing a prank on us." Donna says.
"That's a pretty dumb prank…" Kelso said looking down at the round piece of junk.
Hyde picked it up and examined it. There was a small hole in the middle of the rock. He squinted, and saw something red inside it.
Of course, like any smart teenager, he threw it across the room. Making the rock break in half, revealing the item inside.
"What the hell, man!" Eric screamed.
Ignoring him, Hyde walked over to where the crash happened. He finds two objects instead of one though. The first he picks up is a note.
Use carefully, I will be in touch
The next is a red crystal.
Next thing he knows, Donna is grabbing the note out of his hand, along with the crystal.
"'Use carefully', what does that mean?" She studies the crystal.
"Not to break it! Duh Donna!" Kelso says.
She rolls her eyes and hands the note for Eric to see.
"Who will be in touch? We don't even know who gave this to us." He says.
They all pass around the crystal, getting a good look. Different ideas pop in their heads, but nothing fully explains the situation.
"We're never gonna guess who dropped this off here." Jackie says not having moved from her spot on the couch.
"Then what do you think we should do, midget." Donna says.
Jackie finally gets up and walks towards her friends, who are all huddled up in the corner where the rock broke.
"This person says they will be in touch. So why not wait for them to be in touch!" She says with her arms crossed. "He or she, will explain everything and we'll get the answers we need."
"For once, I agree with the devil." Eric says after a brief pause.
"Thanks nerd…" She says with a fake smile.
—
next day, 10:05am
Hyde is the first to wake up. He barely opens his eyes when he realizes he is on the couch in the basement instead of the cot in his room. Confused, he tries his best to open his eyes wider. He finally sees all of his friends asleep around him. Kelso in his chair, Fez sitting in the lawn chair, and Eric and Donna sitting on the couch with him.
Then he noticed the weight of a 90 pound girl laying on him. Not only him though…
Jackie way laying across Eric, Donna, and Hyde on the couch. Her head laying on his lap.
The rest of the gang started waking up ,except Jackie, registering everything the way he had.
"What the hell?" Donna said picking her head off of Eric's shoulder.
"I don't know about you guys, but this is not where I fell asleep." Kelso says.
"No shit, man." Hyde whispers, trying not to wake Jackie.
Failing, Jackie starts wiggling around in her spot. Smiling.
"Comfy there?" Eric asks.
"Yeah…" She says still sounding asleep. After a few seconds, her eyebrows curve. "Wait, what?"
She opens her eyes and her mouth drops. Hyde is smirking above her with his arms crossed. She gets up as fast as she can, feeling dizzy. She straightens out her blouse and scurries to the freezer, glaring at Hyde.
"Guys, I think I'm having a heart attack!" Fez says standing, holding his left arm.
Everyone winces in pain and copies Fez's motions. Now noticing a white gauze over where doctors take blood.
"Oh my god, what happened last night?" Jackie says in terror.
They all look at each other hoping someone will burst out and yell burn… but no one does.
"Look at this." Donna says picking up a piece of paper left on the table.
Go to the water tower, your questions will soon be answered
She reads the note aloud.
"Guys, I'm really getting nervous now…" Jackie says pouting with glassy eyes.
Kelso automatically gets up to comfort Jackie, but she runs to Hyde. He responds quickly, and rubs her back.
"Calm down… we'll just go to the water tower and figure all this stuff out." Donna says.
"What? No freakin' way! This dude knocked us out and brought us here! I am not going to run to the villain!" Eric yells.
"Do I have to start quoting Star Wars for you?"
"No…."
"Good! Now get your ass in the car!"
Eric puts his head down and walks out the door. Everybody else slowly follows him. Jackie lets go of Hyde, and he suddenly has a feeling of warmth leave his side.
—
top of water tower, 10:37am
"Now what?" Eric asks.
"We should repaint the pot leaf, it's wearing off a little…" Fez says.
You can feel everybody roll their eyes.
"Why don't we go in?" Hyde suggests.
"No way!" Kelso screams.
"Why not?"
"There is all water in there…"
"Maybe there isn't."
"What are you saying?" Donna asks.
"Look, the guy wouldn't tell us to come up here and just stand around." Hyde says.
He continues to try and convince everybody, as Jackie sneaks off to find the entrance. She goes around to the other side and finds a door. She lifts the handle and peaks her head in. She can't see anything, but decides to put her foot out. It touches something that feels like a metal floor.
"Hello?" She says weakly, taking small steps forward.
She hears her voice echo, and she tries to swallow down her fear.
"Hello Jackie."
She stops in her tracks, eyes wide.
Slowly she turns around to a mysterious face.
—
back outside the water tower, 10:42
"Lets just wait out here." Eric says.
All of a sudden, a loud girly scream is heard by five ears.
"Alright! Someone's getting it on…" Kelso yells.
"Wait guys… where's Jackie?" Donna says nervously.
Everyone looks around in panic.
"LET GO OF ME!" They hear.
Hyde's breathing picked up pace. He is the first to run to the other side of the water tower.
He opens the door and enters the dark room.