Destiny
Jim was done with school; he came back home to fulfill the promises that he had made to David and Mary and move forward with his life. But the closer he got to the actual day, a growing old fear came back and the old familiar feelings of despair crept back into his mind. On the morning of June 29th, Jim was to sign the documents that legally changed his identity forever; the wedding was scheduled in the afternoon of the same day. The night before the event, Jim lay in his bed, tossing and turning with a fever that burned fiercely inside. He squirmed around in his bed and his mind raced out of control. His mind was racing through the events of his life and one theme kept recurring; it was something that he could not stop thinking about. Promises made and promises kept. He wanted to be the man everyone expected him to be, but he was afraid that he might fail and let them down, the way that he had failed Margaret. No one ever knew what he had promised Margaret, and no one knew that he failed to keep that promise. What could he have done differently? What if he had not went back to the inn to get Mary? What if he had brought Peter with him when he went to get her? What if he had not made the wish? Every choice you make foreshadows a unique and specific outcome. Should the choices change, the specific outcome is changed too. Jim knew that he would have to live with the choices that he has made in life, and the choices that he made on that day. Once a decision is made, the outcome is inevitable. Once put on the path, there is no going back, there is no changing course.
Jim struggled to know what kind of man he would be. Would he be a good husband to Mary? Was he going to be a man that David would be proud of? Would he be a man that Dr. Livesey would respect? Would he honor the memory of his father? Would he be driven by a strong code of ethics and live a life of virtue? Would he be a man with good standing in the community? Would he conduct himself with good form? Too many questions raced through his mind and he was frightened. It seemed odd that one could stare down the infamous pirate Israel Hands in a battle of life and death and yet could be so afraid of responsibility. Was there another choice? Was he capable of thinking only of himself and could he simply run away? Could he be a man like that? A man like Silver? His fever burned even more intensely, his sheets were wet, and in the silence of the room, the clock ticked loudly on the dresser.
When a decision is made, the outcome is inevitable; it is destiny. However, something unexpected happened that night; a snag in the fabric of space and time. Jim's conscious mind split in two, his soul broke in half, and then his body separated. For a moment, two objects occupied the same space. It was hard to distinguish what was happening; it appeared as if someone were projecting two movies on the same screen. Jim appeared to blur. Jim Hawkins accepted his decision to become George James Hawkins-Darling. He rolled over on his side and faced the wall, suddenly relaxed and confident. He was ready to move forward and begin his new life with Mary; he never saw himself get up and walk out the door. In that exact same moment, Jim Hawkins decided to leave it all behind and run away; he sat up and faced the door. Uncertain and frightened, he walked out and never looked back. He never saw that he was still lying in bed, facing the wall. Jim followed two separate paths into two possible futures. Space and time twisted over on itself and created two outcomes in one reality.
Jim awoke the next morning feeling happy and refreshed. Sometime during the night, he had finally come to terms with Peter's death; he was finally over it. His wish meant nothing; it was just a foolish thought that flashed through his mind for one brief moment. Just because you believe something, that does not make it real. Wishes do not come true simply because they are wished; his wish was not the cause of Peter's accident and therefore it was not his fault. It was quite childish for him believe that he had anything to do with it. He had been doing a good job in fulfilling his promise to Margaret, but accidents happen. Jim would never forget little Peter, and he would always hold those precious memories close to his heart. It was okay to feel sad about the loss, but he would no longer feel responsible and that was a tremendous weight that was lifted from his shoulders.