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sending back in time,” David explained.
    “Huh, I still can’t believe this works.”
    “Believe it,” David said, “It’s about time you believed in something.”
    David’s comment sank in slowly and got twisted in the process by Tom’s tanked brain. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    David spoke quickly, “I didn’t mean what you think. I—”
    “You what?” Tom said, his voice growing angry, “Want me to believe in your God? Your Jonas…”
    Tom squinted his eyes, attempting to free his mind of the alcohol’s effects, and said, “Your Jesus ? It was my lucky day. That’s what he said, you know, my lucky day! My lucky day…”
    Tom spoke through gritted teeth, “Megan dedicated her life to ‘saving people.’” Tom’s nostrils raised and his lips turned down. “Saving people... She called it that. She died for being a Christian. She died... She died because she believed in an ass of a God who could care less about those who served him.”
    David looked around the room. They were beginning to get an audience.
    “Here God! I want to serve you so I can die too!” Tom shouted toward the ceiling. He looked back at David. “I hold Jesus... Jesus is responsible for her death. She’s dead. It’s his fault. How could I ever believe in him? If he were who everyone says he is, why did he let Megan die?”
    David spoke slowly and softly. “Sometimes bad things happen to good people and we can’t see why. But the greater good—”
    “Greater good? David, my wife was gunned down in front of me and died at my feet! Right at my feet. And the blood... What good could possibly come of that?!” Tom fumed as his mind raced. “You weren’t there, David. If...if you believed in Megan’s God, you died. They killed you. Fffft, that was it. If you didn’t…if you didn’t, you lived. It was that simple…that easy. Be glad you weren’t there. You’d be dead too.”
    “She died for what she believed in, Tom,” was all David could say.
    “Why do you think...? What… Yeah, you know, you’re right. She died for what she believed in: nothing. She died for nothing… Megan died for nothing.”
    Tom wound up and punched the tabletop with all his might, getting the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Tom’s chest heaved with each passion-filled breath. He thought of Megan and how he wished he could save her—go back and save her—but he knew he couldn’t. Time would be changed forever and the time travel device he invented would cease to exist, trapping Tom in an unbreakable cycle of self-defeat. But there was something he could do. Something that wouldn’t change time, but would prove once and for all that Megan died for nothing and that David’s naïve beliefs were ill founded. At least David could be saved from a life of worthless devotion to a dead god.
    Tom shoved away from the table and pounded toward the door.
    “Tom, wait,” David urged, not sure what was happening. He fumbled with his wallet, attempting to pay for their meal before leaving. Tom had plenty of time to make his escape.

    David careened out of the restaurant unsure of Tom’s plans. Would he find Tom crying over the loss of his wife? Would he encounter a swift fist to his jaw? Would Tom pass out and wake up with a headache?
    The Land Rover skidded to a dusty stop in front of David, nearly crushing his feet. Tom was behind the wheel. David approached the already rolled down window. “What are you doing?”
    Tom looked at David, his eyes clear and said, “If you could go back in time…and witness any event…from beginning to end, where would you go?”
    David was exasperated and didn’t want to spend time on silly questions, “Tom, I don’t know.”
    “Well, I do,” Tom informed him.
    “Tom...”
    “I’m going to prove it to you once and for all. I’m going to prove it to the world. My wife is dead and so is your God, dead and buried,” said Tom, “Don’t worry. I won’t change anything. I won’t get