The Last Train to Yesterday | Groundhog Day

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He woke up to silence.

That was his first indicator that things weren't going well.

He didn't pay attention to it, his first mistake.

Instead, deciding to get up, Paul started the routine of life during a tour. It was hectic, but exciting all the same.

"Mornin', John," Paul said through a yawn. Maybe a few minutes wouldn't be too bad.

"Look out the window."

Paul raised an eyebrow at the other's response. What was so important that he suddenly forgot how to say hello?

Moving toward the window, he didn't really know what to expect. The fans were . . . at best unpredictable and at worst, the guys couldn't leave the apartment that day. Paul truly hoped it wasn't the latter, they had an interview to do and-

There was no one.

Except for the normal people that would walk the streets of the city they were in, no one.

No signs.

No screaming girls.

No police.

Just, nothing.

Paul took a tentative step back, worried the world would collapse with another disturbance. Which he felt it would. There was no way that this was real and it was just a dream, he kept telling him self. No, a nightmare.

"The news says it's because of what I said. The parents won't let them all and all that," John said in a quiet voice.

Paul turned toward John finally and couldn't help but wince. The older looked like he had little sleep along with all the stress of the States on his shoulders. In short, he looked like a Scouse wreck.

"We'll just have to convince them that we didn't mean any harm by it," Paul replied with vigor. It just had to work. Chicago's press wasn't as harsh as the rest and persuasive when they needed to be.

"It's just going to be me and Brian, Paul."

Paul raised an eyebrow.

So Chicago wasn't going to be as kind to them after all.

●

Nathan slumped into his seat and looked at the digital clock on the wall.

Only an hour until live history class would be over.

Fifty nine minutes.

"Class! Please look at the board!"

The bell hadn't yet rung, so Nathan didn't even bother to look at the board and continued with his gazing at the clock. Fifty eight.

The teacher-Madame Segi, as she came from France-tapped the board twice and it exploded with pictures, ranging from the time before Christ to events that happened just the day before.

But this was old news to the students, who all wore bored looks as they saw the different colors but tried to look interested.

It continued a minute longer until stopping at one picture.

The four men in the picture had the same haircut, the same clothes and of the same height except for one.

"Are they the white Jackson Five, or something?" one student blurted out. The class laughed but Nathan didn't. The laughter distracted him from the clock-fifty one minutes-toward the board and he instantly recognized one of the men there.