From: eah4@po.CWRU.Edu (Elizabeth A. Hlabse)
Newsgroups: alt.ql.creative
Subject: There But for the Grace of God, Part 1
Date: 27 Mar 1993 20:08:49 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Lines: 312
Message-Id: <1p2c8h$ksm@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Reply-To: eah4@po.CWRU.Edu (Elizabeth A. Hlabse)
Nntp-Posting-Host: slc8.ins.cwru.edu


Usually disclaimers and such apply.  Hope you like my little story.   Write
to me if you do or don't.  I want to know either way.


			THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD
				by Beth Hlabse


As the quantum fire faded from his eyes, Sam Beckett looked around in
surprise.  He was on the sidelines of a football field on the bottom row of
a human pyramid.  His arms began to shake and he could hear the squealing
of the girls above him as his elbows gave out.  He shook his head as the
puramid tumbled, finally noticing that he was dressed in a green and gold
cheerleader's skirt.

"Janice," one of the girls said to him as she pulled him to his feet.  "I
thought you said you could handle being on the bottom."

"Uh, yeah, I was just distracted," Sam answered her weakly.

"Yeah, I bet you were," the girl answered, looking out onto the playing
field where the football team was practicing.  "Mark is a real looker.  And
those pants.  God, I love them.  They are so tight and..."

"Toni!"  The reprimand came from the woman who appeared to be the
cheerleading coach.  "Pay attention to what you're doing and not to what's
on the field."

"Sorry, Miss Mathews," Toni answered with little apology in her voice.

Toni went back to getin position as Miss Mathews came over to Sam's side. 
"Are you all right, Janice?  You looked a little dazed there for a minute."
 She laid a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Miss Mathews.  Just got the wind knocked out of me, I
guess," Sam answered her.

"I'm sure Mark wasn't hurt by that tackle.  Come on, I want to have this
routine perfected by the end of practice."


			**********

After what could only be considered a grueling practice, Sam followed the
other girls into th elocker room.  Glancing around, he noticed that the
girls weren't changing, just picking up book bags and heading out.  With a
sigh of relief, he began his search for "his" books.

"Hey, Janice!"  It was Toni.

"Yeah, Toni?"  Sam called back, heading in her direction.

"Do you think Mark would consider going out with me?"  Toni handed a bag
with the name 'Janice Miller' on it.  "I mean, I know I'm your best friend
and all and he's know me forever, but I'd really like to go out with him,
but he seems so shy sometimes.  Could you ask him for me?"

Sam was at a loss as to how to answer.  He didn't know his relationship to
Mark and didn't want to make promises that Janice wouldn't be able to keep
when she got back.

"It's okay, Sam.  Tell her you'll talk to him."  It was Al, Sam's
holographic friend and only contact with his own time.  "Mark is Janice's
twin brother."

"Sure, I'll talk to him," Sam answered Toni dutifully.  "I don't think
he'll mind that we're friends."

Toni threw her arms around Sam in an enthusiastic hug.  "Thanks, Janice.  I
really owe you for this.  I'll see you tomorrow."  And with that, the girl
ran out of the locker room, whistling to herself.

Sam lowered himself to a bench and looked up at Al, who had pulled out the
handlink to Ziggy.  "If I'm here to get Toni and Mark to go on a date, I
think I'm going to be sick."

"No, Sam, you're not here for that."  Al had a very thoughtful expression
on his face as he whacked the side of the handlink, causing it to squeal in
protest.  "You're name is Janice Miller.  You live in Leeper,
Pennsylvania... hey, Sam.  You leaped in Leep."  Sam glared at the
hologram, not really in the mood for jokes.  "Spoil sport.  Anyway, you're
16 years old and have a twin brother named Mark, who, by the way, is a
scant two hours older than you.  You live with your fater, John.  Mother
died last year from cancer.  Let's see...  Ziggy says you're here to per
... pervert ... no, that can't be right.  Oh, prevent.  You're here to
prevent Mark from..."  Al paused and swallowed hard.  "...from committing
suicide."  Al read the message that scrolled across the screen and his face
got even more pensive.  "In two days, Mark is found dead in his bedroom. 
Seems he swallowed a lot of sleeping pills.  Too many, damn it.  Three
months later, you, or rather, Janice, runs away from home and ends up on
the streets.  Kid's killed by her pimp in '92.  It's October 14, 1987, by
the way."

"Why did he do it, Al?"  Sam looked decidedly green.  Just once, he wished
he'd get an easy leap.  Perhaps rescue a kitten cought up a tree or
something.

After another whack to the link, Al answered.  "Don't know.  Mark didn't
leave a note, or if he did, there's no record of it.  Kid had everything
going for himself, too.  Captain of the football team in his sophomore
year, class president and good looks.  Colleges are already looking at him
now, for both football and academics.

"That doesn't make sense, Al.  A kid that has all that going for him
doesn't commit suicide.  There has to be a reason.  Did he do really bad on
an exam?   Blow a game?  Problems with a girl? What?"

"Nothing here, Sam.  According to Ziggy, he didn't have a problem in the
world."  Al punched the exit code for the Imaging Chamber.  "I'll go do a
little more digging.  I'll be back as soon as I can.  Have fun."

"Thanks a lot," Sam mumbled to himself as the glowing door closed behind
his friend, cutting him off from his own time.  Sam gathered up his books
and headed out of the locker room, wondering where he was supposed to go. 
He was saved that problem by the sight that greeted him as he exited.  Toni
was talking with a teenage boy and from the look on her face, it could only
be Mark.

"Come on, sis," the dark haired boy called out, confirming Sam's guess.  He
was standing next to what had to be the family car.  "See you later, Toni. 
I'll call you tonight."  He pulled the door open for Sam and waited for him
to get in.

"Bye, Mark."  Toni leaned down to whisper in Sam's ear.  "I didn't even
need you this time.  He asked _me_ out.  See you tomorrow."  Toni backed up
as the motor started and waved as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"You looked pretty good out there, Jan.   What made them decide to put you
on the bottom of the pyramid?" Mark chuckled.  "It looked great, watching
all of you take a tumble like that."

"Very funny," Sam mumbled back, easily slipping into the easy banter that
th etwo seemed to share.  It reminded him of times with Tom and Katie back
home.  "How about that terrific pass that ended in the opposition taking it
back for a touchdown?  Do that during a game and it's goodbye game."

"Yeah, I know," was the quiet response.  Sam looked over at Mark and
decided to see if he could figure out what was troubling him.

"Listen, everybody makes a mistake or two.  Even you.  Don't let it bother
you."  Sam was looking at Mark carefully and noticed a slight shudder. 
"What's the matter?"

"Oh, you know.  I don't want to disappoint the team."

"You won't disappoint them.  I was watching.  You're really good."  Mark
made a small sound that could have meant anything.  "I mean it, Mark.  All
those colleges already looking at you and you've got to be one of the most
popular peaple in the class."

"You're not feeling left out again, are you, Janny?"  Sam shook his head
when Mark looked over at him.  "I don't know, Jan. Sometimes, I feel like
I'm pushing you into the background at school.  I mean, for my sister,
you're not bad looking and people seem to like you a lot.  One of the guys
on the team even asked me if you were dating."

"What did you tell him?"  Sam felt a little apprehensive at the mention of
a date.  So far, he'd been able to avoid this type of thing, for the most
part, when he was a woman, but if Mark was setting him up with someone, he
didn't know what he'd do.

"I told him 'no' and that he'd have to do his own asking."  Mark chuckled. 
"You sounded almost scared, Jan.  What's the matter?  Not interested in
dating yet?"

"Just not sure I want to date a football jock," Sam retorted easily as they
pulled into the driveway of a small house.  "You know how they are ... all
brawn, no brain," he said as he got out of the car.

"I'll get you for that," Mark yelled, getting out of the car and giving
chase.  Sam dashed for the door and made it in just before Mark could
grabhim in retaliation.  The two were laughing when the ran into an older
man, obviously their father.

"Have a good day at school, Janice?" he asked.

"Yes," Sam answered truthfully.  What he had had of the day had been good. 
"I have homework to do," he said, hoping to avoid any intimate conversation
until he got his bearings.

"You can do it later, Jan."  He turned to Mark.  "How did football practice
go?" he was asking as Sam headed into the living room.  Sam could hear Mark
answering him softly and then his father yelling.  "How doyou expect to get
a football scholarship if you mess up in practice?!"

Sam came back into th ehallway just in time to see Mark headed down a side
hallway and slam the door shut with a resounding BANG!  He looked down the
hall briefly and then at the man standing next to him.  "What happened?"

"Nothing you need worry about, Jan.  How about I treat you to dinner out?" 
He was smiling as he grabbed his coat.

"Uh, sure, but I have to change first," Sam said, looking down at the
cheerleading outfit he stil wore.  "Won't take long."

"I'll be waiting in the car," he said as he went out the door.

Sam headed down the hall and knocked softly on the door that had been so
forcefully slammed shut minutes earlier.  He heard a muffled "Come in" and
did so.  The room was dark, blinds closed against the late afternoon sun. 
Mark was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Dad's taking us out for dinner."  He got a 'hurumph' in response.  "Aren't
you coming?"

"No."  Mark turned over so that he faced the wall.  "He doesn't want me
along anyway."

"I do," Sam said softly, coming into the room and sitting on the ont bed
next to Mark.  "Listen, just because he got a little mad is no reason to
get this upset."

"I can't do anything right, Jan.  You know that.  My grades aren't good
enough.  I make a mistake at football practice, or worse, during a game. 
I'm not dating the prettiest girl.  Everything I do is wrong."  Sam heard
the Imaging Chamber door open and turned slightly to see Al standing there.
"Everything seems to be going great.  He says he's proud of me and then,
for no reason, he pounces on me again."  He abruptly stopped, as if he had
said too much.  "Go to dinner, Jan.  I'll see you when you get back."

Sam jerked his head at Al, silently telling him to follow.  He closed the
door and noticed the room across the hall.  Definitely a girl's room. 
Janice's.  He went in and began rumaging through the drawers for cloths,
talking to Al as he did so. "Did you hear all that, Al?  Mental abuse, at
least, maybe something more.  If what you said about Mark is true, and he's
getting this from his father, n wonder he snapped.  Maybe his dad did
something the day he committed suicide that shoved Mark over the edge."

"It's possible, Sam, I don't know for sure.  "Most kids don't kill
themselves just because someone yells at them."  Al as watching Sam ery
carefully, a worried expression on his face.  Sam didn't notice as he
continued.

"But if it's coming from someone they really trust and look up to?  I mean,
John seem slike a ery nice person and he obviously caes about Janice and
Mark."

"Sometimes, those we trust can turn on us, Sam.  A lving,supportive person
one minute, on their back the next for every little thing that goes wrong,
or doesn't go wrong.  It doesn't really matter."  Sam started at that,
something nagging on at the edge of his memory.  Al bit his lip, hoping he
hadn't said something wrong.  "Sam?"

"No, I'm okay.  That just sounded familiar."  He pulled a sweater over his
head.  "Listen, I have to go to dinner.  I'll see you later, okay?  See if
you can come up with anything."  Sam was headed out the door and down the
hall.

"Sure thing, Sam," Al said although his friend was already gone and getting
into the car.  Al punched up the exit command.  "Gooshie, find Dr. Beeks. 
I think I may need her for this one."  The door opened and he stepped
through, disappearing in a rectangle of white.


				**********


Sam arived back at his home of the moment, pizza box in hand.  He and John
had had a very good dinner, as long as the topic of Mark did not come up. 
Every time Sam tried to mention him, John had very carefully steered the
conversation in other directions.  Sam went down the hallway and entered
Mark's room, after knocking.  He hadn't gotten a response.

"Mark?  You in here?"  He stuck his head in, not knowing what to expect. "I
brought you some pizza.  It's peperoni and mushroom."  He heard a mumble
coming form somewhere in the room and took it as permission to enter.

"Thanks."  Mark sounded sullen and Sam wasn't sure how to respond to it. 
"Just put it down on the bed  I'll eat it later."

"Do you want to talk?  I'm a good listener."  Sam wanted to help this young
man and was rather surprised at the intense feeling of kinship he was
feeling.  Almost as if he knew exactly what he was going through.

"No.  Thanks, jan.  I'll see you in the morning."

"Mark..."

"Just leave me alone.  Get out!"  Mark threw a pillow at Sam as he ducked
out of the room.

Sam went across the hall to his own room, feeling very despondant.  He
quickly changed his cloths and crawled under teh covers, wondering how he
was going to get Mark to open up when he heard the Imaging Chamber door
open.  He sat up as Al made us appearance, closing the door behind him.

"Have you found out anything more?" Sam whispered.

"No, not really.  I've been talking with Janice in the Waiting Room and she
can't help.  She knows her brother is upset about something, but not what." 
Al put the handlink in the pocket of his silver flight jacket.  "I really
came to check up on you.  How're you doing?"

"I'm fine."  Sam looked at his friend in confusion.  "Why do you ask? 
there's nothing all that unusual about this leap."

"Oh, just checking," Al evaded. "Sometimes these leaps effect you more than
you know."

"Well, I'm fine.  You don't have to worry about me."  Sam lay back down as
Al blipped out of sight.  He closed his eyes and fell immediately asleep.


					to be continued.....


-- 
             Beth Hlabse    eah4@po.CWRU.Edu     Assistant Sysop
                The Science Fiction and Fantasy Sig (GO SCIFI)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Vampires and Holograms have a lot in common.  --Sam (Blood Moon)