Chapter 25: Esther's Hole

After a time that seemed like an eternity or two, I found I could open my eyes without them frying. The light had died down, but it was still unnaturally bright. Blinking a few times, I looked around. Paul and John were doing the same as I was, while EC and Ringo had their faces buried in their arms.

I turned towards the source of the light. It was no longer like staring straight into the sun, but more like looking at a clouded light bulb. A huge, clouded light bulb. Inside the entire hamster-wheel-thing was the glowing light. It was very simply a large circle of glow.

"What the bloody hell is that?" John demanded, speaking slowly. Hearing his question, Ringo cautiously raised his head from his arm, blinking as he looked around.

"Hm?" Mr. Richards was calmly staring into the circle of light, a pleased grin on his face. "Oh," he said, fully realizing the question, "This is Esther's hole."

I truly expected John to make some witty, probably perverted, comment in response to that, but to my surprise, he stayed silent. I suppose he realized the severity of the situation.

Paul replied instead. "It goes home, doesn't it?" he asked bluntly. His voice was filled with sadness, but mixed equally with acceptance.

"Smart boy," congratulated Mr. Richards, "It does."

"This is home, Paulie!" EC said fiercely, tears flowing freely.

"Perhaps it is for you, but these boys do not belong, just as you don't belong in another time, decades from now," Marden Richards corrected, earning himself a glare from EC and I.

John took a step towards Mr. Richards, hands clenched at his side. He stood straight and tall, looking threatening. "But," he said through clenched teeth, glaring at the man, "Ye can move where you live, from one home to another. And that's exactly what I plan to do."

I nodded in agreement. His argument made sense to me, but Mr. Richards was not buying it.

"No, no, no. You're not even supposed to go on vacation from this type of home."

I got the image of a dungeon in my mind.

John looked ready to murder the guy. Mr. Richards, seeing an angry Lennon turn even angrier, took a step back. I think he was remembering what happened the last time John was ready for a fight. Paul stepped in between the two, facing John.

"John," Paul began in a soothing voice, but was interrupted.

"Paul, ye better bloody move. Get out of me way!" John snarled, "Someone's gotta fight for our choice, and ye don't look like yer gonna do it!"

"Lennon," Paul began again, sterner this time, "Settle down and think this over. We can't abandon our old lives, as far away as they may seem."

"Well, we can't abandon our new ones, either, now can we?!" John yelled. His temper was still high, but he was at least listening to what Paul was saying.

Paul put his hands on John's shoulders and looked levelly into his face. "I don't want to either, but it's for the best. We can't possibly stay here; the older versions of us must already live here. We would have no life, John. That's why we must go back. We have to live the life we were intended to live."

John gave him a sour look. "Maybe I was intended to live this life!"

"Nope," Mr. Richards said from behind Paul's shoulder, "Trust me, you were intended to live back in the '60s."

"Trust you?!" John exploded, charging towards the man. Only Paul's grip on his shoulders saved Mr. Richards, and even Paul couldn't keep him still.

During this, the light was dimming. I had noticed, but had thought nothing of it. At least, not until Ringo mentioned something.

" 'ey, Paul?" he said nervously, staring at the orb of light in the hamster wheel, "I think ye should have a look at this…"

Paul was too preoccupied with preventing murder, but EC and I looked.

"Bloody…" EC whispered, then began mumbling under breath too quietly for me to hear.

"What is that?" I asked. Through the circle of light, I could see a landscape. It was very fuzzy, but I knew it was a landscape of somewhere. Tall, fuzzy shadows stood in a background of a cool gray. I squinted, trying to get the buildings to focus, but it did nothing.

Ringo and EC gave me an odd look. "What do you mean?" EC asked, "It's obvious, isn't it?"

I shook my head slowly. "No… It's pretty vague and fuzzy, innit?"

Ringo exchanged a look with EC, then said, "No. It's clear as day. That's London. Ye really can't see it?"

I shook my head again.

Lewis appeared, seemingly from nowhere, at my feet. He rubbed his eye with his paw, then looked expectantly at me. When I gave him a quizzical look, he rolled his green cat eyes and meowed. "Glasses."

I understood quickly. He wanted me to take out my contacts. I shrugged and took them out.

"What are you doing?" Ringo asked, slightly concerned.

I looked him in the eye (or where the blue blur was located on his face) and replied, "Lewis told me to take them out."

He looked like he was going to question me again, perhaps my sanity, but he shrugged and turned back to the landscape of London. I squinted around the room, seeing nothing but colorful blurs. But when I looked at old Esther's English landscape, I gasped.

"It is London…" I murmured in amazement. The view was crystal clear, in contrast with the rest of the room.

A loud thump diverted my attention. I turned towards the noise, squinting to try to make out what was going on. All I could see was a big blur on the floor, squirming. Beyond that, it looked like someone was standing, but there was no way I could have known who.

"Paul!" EC squeaked, dashing over to the wiggling lump on the floor.

"Back away, love," Paul grunted, "I have to keep John down for a while so he doesn't bloody murder Mr. Richards."

John hollered something, but it was muffled by something, I'd assume Paul. From what I could gather, Paul had tackled John to the ground and was trying to hold him there.

Ringo went over to Paul and John and joined the dog pile. "I've got his legs!" Ringo said triumphantly.

"Fuck you!" John screamed. I went over to his side, the scene becoming only slightly clearer. Ringo had John's legs pinned under him, while Paul was sitting on John's back, keeping his arms down.

"It is time!" Mr. Richards said happily. We all looked towards him.

"What?" Ringo asked. John had stopped struggling for the moment.

"It's ready," Mr. Richards repeated, "You can go home now!" He sounded so excited, and I wondered if he understood how we felt about this.

"Ringo, help me drag Paul to the wheel thing over there," Paul said.

"Oh no ye don't!" John snarled, flailing his arms and legs. Ringo lost his grip on John's legs.

"You can't take him away, Paul!" I argued, "He wants to stay! I want him to stay!"

Paul looked at me with sad hazel eyes. "He can't. You know it as well as I do. We have to go back. Let him go."

I began sobbing again. John, hearing me cry, struggled against Paul even more. With a great heave, he bucked Paul off his back and scrambled to his feet. He grabbed me in a hug and dragged me to the door, mumbling about how he would never go. I went willingly with him, but it felt wrong. A part of me knew he had to go back.

Lewis raced in front of us, causing John to trip. I was in John's arms, so I went down with him.

"Please, Lewis," I begged. The cat gave me a hard look, then hissed.

"Come on, now, John," Paul said impatiently, "Don't be such a baby about this. We have to go." Paul's knees were scraped, as well as elbows. He had scratches along his arms and what looked to be a bite mark on his wrist.

Mr. Richards peeked his head out from behind Paul. "Time's wasting, the portal may close soon."

"Let it close!" John roared defiantly, getting to his feet. He helped me up. Paul grabbed John's shoulder again and whirled him around.

"Ye know we can't stay. Let's go, Lennon. Don't be such a bloody arse," Paul told him sternly, "Ringo and I aren't throwing a temper tantrum, are we?"

John glared at them. I hugged him tightly.

"Paul, you can't go, please don't go, Paulie!" EC said, giving Paul a hug. Paul returned it.

"I have to, love. I have to."

I looked at the portal again. It was no longer showing London, but a small street elsewhere in England.

"There it is," Paul said sadly, "Liverpool. We best be off."

"No. I'm staying," John said, pursing his lips.

Paul looked like he was about to argue, but decided against it. "Fine, but at least come say good-bye to us."

I couldn't believe my good fortune. John was going to stay! I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, grinning from ear to ear.

"Gladly," John told him. We all walked up to the portal. Lewis kept his eyes on John and me, bristling.

EC looked miserable and kept giving John and me jealous looks. I decided to ignore it and enjoy the fact that he was staying.

Ringo stopped in front of the portal first. "Well… I guess this is goodbye," he told John. John nodded.

Paul looked uncertain. "John, are ye sure? We may never see each other again." John nodded. "Well, alright. Ye've been a good friend."

"Same to ye," John replied. He offered his hand. Paul looked at, then grabbed it and dragged John into a man-hug.

"I don't know how we'll explain yer disappearance to everyone," Paul said sadly, fighting back tears.

"Ye'll manage," John said flatly, his voice void of emotion. But I saw his lip quiver and his eyes fill with tears once again. He was merely hiding his feelings again.

"Come on, now, boys," Mr. Richard said, hurrying them along, "It won't stay open forever, you know."

EC flung herself at Paul, sobbing into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, love, I have to ask ye to give me some space," he whispered to her. He said it with regret, but determination. She backed off, obviously hurt. I saw Paul give Ringo a quick look. Ringo nodded and joined Paul in hugging John.

"Miss ye so much," Paul said to EC. Then, he tapped Ringo's shoulder. Paul began pulling John with all his might, while Ringo pushed him towards the portal.

"NOO!" I cried as they all fell towards the portal. It swallowed Paul first.

John was struggling to escape, but I could see he had no chance against the other two Beatles. He gave me a helpless look and whispered, "I love ye." Then, he was gone, with Ringo a split-second after him.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed as loud as I could. I flung myself towards the portal, but Lewis was quicker. He was at the slot machine thing, and as I leapt, he pawed at a lever. As he did that, the portal disappeared, and I landed with a thump on the bare floor. I hit my head hard on the far rung of the hamster wheel and knocked myself unconscious.

For a time, my world was dark.