11:55 AM PST
Marty One was sure feeling nervous - as he was sitting in the living room with his counterpart, both Docs, and Clara. It felt strange that he spent the night sleeping with his older self, and even interacting with his older self felt a bit unsettling.
"Thank you so much for the coffee cake, Clara," Marty One said, smiling. "That was very scrumptious. It's always great to be able to eat with you folks. We'll sure have to try our own hand at this." Turning to Jennifer, he added, "How does that sound?"
"It sounds wonderful," Jennifer replied, smiling. "You know, it's pretty scary to think that we're both almost adults, now. I'm not sure about you, but I will sure be sad to graduate from high school. I mean, I won't miss Strickland - but it's that the idea of making such a major step in our lives is pretty scary to think about."
"I know that my life has never been quite the same," Marty Two commented, "since the time that Doc unveiled the time machine to me. It's really nice that my family is much better off, after Dad actually dared to stand up to Biff. In a few ways, though, it does seem that my life has become a little more complex. Know what I mean?"
"Okay, everyone," Doc One said, as he he spoke up, "I really think it is almost time that I head outside, and start making more reparations to the DeLorean. It's almost about noon, and I should be able to get the display panels fixed in a few hours."
"Well, Doc," Marty One said, a little nervously, "I really hope we can get that fixed in a matter of hours. It's been almost a whole day, and..." Marty One stopped short, as he really noticed a strange sight. The older versions of himself and Doc were quickly fading away, as a few items had shifted. Clara was now standing in the entryway.
"Where on earth have the two of you been?" Clara called out, stunned. "You have been missing for a little more than a week! The kids have sure been restless, and Marty's parents are very frantic! Did something happen to the time machine?"
"I was so worried that this would happen," Marty groaned. "Doc, we really can't let my parents know that I'm here! We can't exactly tell them about the time machine that you invented, and I'm so afraid that they might actually ground me!"
"Great Scott!" Doc gasped, as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "We showed up at the future at precisely noon yesterday - and it's only shortly after noon, now. It took precisely 24 hours for the ripple effect to catch up. That's why our future selves look as if they have been erased from existence. We should be able to fix this, though."
"What do you mean it looks like they've been erased from existence?" Marty asked, confused. "I just watched them fade right in front of us. If they haven't been erased from existence, then what did happen to them? Oh, Doc, I'm just very scared!"
"If my calculations are correct," Doc replied, "after I'm finally able to fix the time display panels, and we go back a week in time, then we'll eventually become our older selves. We'll then relive the day from the perspective of our older selves."
"Whoa, Doc, this is heavy!" Marty breathed. "I'm so afraid to go anywhere. I mean, how are we supposed to explain being gone for a whole week? It is not as if we can exactly let anyone else know about this time machine! In a few ways, it would have been better off if we did travel forward to the year 2015. I'm just so scared."
"Just stay right here in the house," Doc suggested, "and the DeLorean should still be in Hill Valley Park. I hope I'm not going to have to fix everything over again. Just be sure you stay in the back room, in case your parents should come looking for you."
"You're the doc, Doc," Marty replied, worriedly. He then picked up Frieday's issue of Hill Valley Telegraph, and said, "Hey, check this out! It says 'Dr. Emmett Brown and Martin McFly Missing For A Week'. Gee, maybe this town is in a messive panic."
"You were mentioned in every issue of this week's paper," Clara explained. "I knew that you two travelled a week into the future, but I was at such a loss of what to tell everyone. Also, the kids were very worried that you might be stranded or hurt, that it became necessary to explain to Verne which video game you were buying him."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Marty was very nervous, as he was worried that his parents were at the door. The two of them quickly ran into the back guest room. Marty was stunned to find that the room was neater, and the bed was made.
"Emmett! Marty!" Clara called out. "It's just Jennifer! She came here to see if Marty had shown up, yet. I'll send right in the back, and you'd better get out and finish up on that time machine. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to cover for you two."
Just then, there was a knock on the guest room door. Feeling rather nervous, Marty opened it up, to see it was Jennifer. She was actually wearing different clothes from what she was wearing earlier. She also look a look of worry on her face.
"Marty!" Jennifer cried out, as she threw her arms around her boyfriend. "I missed you all week! It was hard for me to concentrate on school, and I felt very bad how we missed our date last week. Your mother and I went out for dinner last night, as we were both real sick with worry. She even cried, as she thought you were hurt!"
"Well, we sure never meant for this to happen," Marty replied, nervously. "The time circuits just went on the fritz, and Doc has great dificulty with getting them fixed. Of course, we were trying to get them fixed within just a matter of a few hours."
"All right, you two," Doc explained. "Here is the plan. I'm going to head to Hill Valley Park, and get to work. I just hope this won't take more than a couple of hours. Now, you two are not to leave this house. Just leave everything up to Clara, okay?"
"Right, Doc," Marty agreed, quietly. "I suppose we should leave all the shades down, and try to remain as quiet as possible. Gee, Doc, I really can't say that I ever felt so imprisoned before! Well, it's great that I have Jennifer here to keep me company. At least her presense will keep me from going completely insane! Well, good luck!"
"Yeah, I hope you can get everything fixed, Doc," Jennifer added. "All of his buddies from The Pinheads are getting quite frantic, too. I mean, they were so excited about hearing the new song that Marty wrote. Everyone in this town really misses him."
"I bet they don't miss me quite so much," Doc muttered. After taking a deep sigh, he added, "When I finish fixing up the display panels, I will just drive the DeLorean over here and get you. That way, we should be able to go back without any incidents."
Marty and Jennifer watched on, as Doc headed out to the garage. Marty decided to turn on the radio, hoping that listening to some music will help make him a little bit calmer. The song Shaken by Eddie Money came blasting through the speakers.
"Marty," Jennifer asked, "out of curiousity, what was the new song that you wrote? I think anything you write has got to be good! It's rather a shame that people like Mr. Strickland feel the need to be so down on you. I can remember how very upset you were last year, when that audition judge said that you were too loud."
"What bothered me the most, though," Marty commented, "was the whole fact that he looked so much like Huey Lewis. I always figured him to be a nice fellow, and it bothered me to think that someone who looked like him could be such a big jerk!"
"Well, anyway," Jennifer said, as the two of them flopped on the bed, "what was this new song you were rather excited about showing your buddies? I really wish I could have you perform for me, but I guess that's out of the question right now."
"The song is called Harmony," Marty explained. "Do you remember how we heard, in the news, about this poor little girl who was badly abused by her mother? I was quite distraught over hearing that news, I was rather compelled to write that song."
"You are such a compassionate person, Marty," Jennifer replied, smiling. "I actually remember how you were crying, after you heard what all the little girl had to suffer through. I never understood why some people would treat their very own flesh and blood in such an inhumane manner. Parents are supposed to be protective."
"Yeah, I just agree with you," Marty replied, nodding. "This first verse that comes from the song sure goes like this: 'I've watched the news on TV last night... What they've shown was a terrible sight. There were women being used... And children being abused. I keep losing faith in humanity!' How do you like that?"
"Oh, Marty! I love it!" Jennifer gushed. "When we hear of people being treated badly by those who are supposed to love them, it can sure be devastating. I definitely feel you should record that song with your band. So how the chorus go?"
"Here's what the chorus is, Jenn, " Marty replied, smiling. "'Harmony is what we need... To make this world a better place. Harmony is what we need... To bring peace to the human race. Can we ever all live in harmony?'"
"Hey, that sounds wonderful!" Jennifer gushed, smiling. "I'm sure the buddies from your band will really dig that! It's a pretty good way to give this world the wake-up call that it really needs. I also think our politicians could learn a thing or two."
Marty just smiled, as he leaned over to kiss Jennifer. At least spending time with his girlfriend would keep him from going insane with madness. He was also real excited to show his new song off to his buddies. His thoughts just drifted towards thinking of how Doc was managing with the repairs. He was anxious to get back to last week.