CHAPTER 5
"Well, time's wasting young man. We can't very well change that just lounging about." The old woman hooked Malone's arm and tried to get them moving.
Malone stared confusingly at the older woman. "What exactly are you talking about, ma'am? Can't change what?"
"Well, you just said you wanted to change your relationship with Veronica didn't you? So, I'm going to help you do it. However, it will be difficult to do if you just stand there staring at me like a gaping fish. Now, let's go."
This woman is obviously senile. She has no idea what she's talking about. I never said any such thing. I wonder if she really even lost her cat. Good thing I ran into her, she would probably get herself killed wandering around this place all by herself.
"Now you listen to me, young man. I am not senile, and you would do well to listen to your elders when you are told to do something. It's not very respectful to disobey."
Malone's jaw dropped. "I-I didn't say that out loud."
"No, of course you didn't." She rolled her eyes and sighed impatiently.
I must be losing my mind. She can't be psychic or something.
The old woman leaned in close. "Ah, so now I'm not the crazy one, huh?" She chuckled and sympathetically tapped his arm, "No, Mr. Malone, you are not losing your mind. You were right, I did not lose my cat in here. I made that story up knowing you would fall for it. I'm sorry for the deception my dear, but over the years you have become less trusting of strangers. I couldn't risk you turning down an old woman so I had to come up with a back up. How could you resist a defenseless old lady trapped in a cave?"
Malone tried to take in what he was just told, but it didn't seem to click. "Wh-what?"
She sighed again. "Let me make it simple. I heard your thoughts and I came to help you. It's as simple as that. Now, close your mouth and let's get moving."
Malone closed his mouth and swallowed nervously. "I don't suppose I have any choice in this matter do I?"
"Well, of course you dear. I'm not forcing you to do anything. If you don't like what you see, you can come back whenever you want. I'm not going to kill you or anything." She laughed heartily as he hooked Malone's arm and they both disappeared from the cave.
- - - - - - - -
As soon as Malone glanced at his surroundings, he figured out where he was. "What are we doing here?"
"For someone who has been dying to get off the plateau for so many years, you would think you would be a little happy to be here." The woman snapped.
"It isn't that I'm not glad I'm in London, I just don't understand why."
The old woman started muttering under her breath. "Have you been listening to a word I have said? Because it doesn't seem that way."
"I have been listening, honestly. I'm just a little confused, that's all. So please, could you explain exactly what's happening here?" Malone waved his arms around him. "Maybe how we got here? And exactly who are you? You haven't even told me your name."
"That is just like the youth to waste time asking questions, instead of taking advantage of what they are given. All you need to know is that I heard you in the cave and I decided, being the omnipotent person that I am, to help you. And for how we got here, well, I guess your journalistic curiosity will just have to stay unsatisfied for now." The older woman grinned and bared her teeth. "As for why you're here, luckily for you, I am willing to explain. You want to change your relationship with Veronica, and if that's what you really want, I'll help you do it."
Malone was slowly starting to put things together, but he was still confused. "But that still doesn't explain what we are doing in London. That has nothing to do with my relationship with Veronica."
The woman smiled, "That's where you're wrong, my dear. You see, you youths are always rushing into decisions without taking time to consider all the possibilities. So before you go making such a big step, I'm going to help you see all the angles. Now we are in London because you left your first love back here when you went on your expedition."
"You mean Gladys? I figured out long ago that I'm not in love with her. A part of me will always care for her, but that's it. Whatever my feelings for her may have been, they aren't what I feel for Veronica. I'm in love with her, not Gladys. We have no reason to be here."
"Are you sure?" The old woman leaned closer to Malone. "I mean, are you positively sure? You can't make decisions like these lightly, you have to consider everything. Consider this; you haven't seen your fiancé in almost three years. Now these so called feelings of yours that do not exist for her anymore, how do you know they won't come rushing back when you see her?"
Malone seemed shaken. "Be-because I just do. Look lady, I'm telling you, I don't love Gladys, I love Veronica!"
She stepped back and threw her hands up into the air. "All right, no need to take that tone of voice with me. I'm just asking you to consider the possibility, that's all." Malone quickly apologized and she nodded her acceptance. "Well, at least you have some manners, I'll give you that. I still don't see the need to get all worked up and defensive though." She clapped her hands and rubbed them together. "Let's get going. We're wasting time."
"Going?"
"I told you we were going to see Gladys." She grasped Malone's hand within her own. "Off we go."
As Malone opened his eyes and recognized where he was, he let out a long sigh. "I told you I didn't want to come here."
"What are you so afraid of? Just go in and see her, talk to her for a bit, then we can leave."
"I'm not afraid." He took a deep breath and started walking to the front door to Gladys' home. He turned and defiantly faced the woman. "I'm only doing this so we can leave faster. Oh, and exactly what am I supposed to say to her to explain what happened to me? She probably thinks I've been dead for years."
She smiled as if she knew something she wasn't willing to share. "Now I'm sure she will be so happy to see you that she won't even ask or care how you came back to her." She waved her hands at him, "Now, get inside."
He rapped on the door and the butler answered the door. The man took one look at Malone and immediately went pale. "My goodness, Mr. Malone! Yo-You're alive! Mistress will be so happy! Oh, please, please come in."
Malone stepped inside and the man closed the door behind him. "I'll go let her know you're here. You know where the sitting room is." Malone nodded his thanks and the butler made his way upstairs.
He made his way into the room and found that nothing had changed, at least in this house, during his long absence. He sat down in a chair and waited anxiously to see Gladys again. What am I going to say to her? How is she going to react to seeing me?
"Neddy?"
Malone got up out of his chair and turned around to see Gladys watching him with tears building in her eyes. "Neddy? Oh my, it is you!" She ran and launched herself into his arms and started crying on his shoulder. "I thought…they told us…but now you're back…" Malone couldn't make out entirely what she was saying. He pulled her mouth away from his chest. "Gladys, I can't understand you."
She sniffled and started to wipe her tears off her face. "I'm sorry." She took a look at herself, "Oh dear, look at me I'm a mess." Malone reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. She started wiping her face. "Thank you, Neddy. I'm so glad that you're back, safe and sound. I was so worried when you didn't return then they told us that you…you…." She started sniffling again and Malone touched her hand. "Don't worry, Gladys. I'm alive and I'm fine."
She reached up and touched his face. "I'm so glad, Neddy. You don't know how lonely I've been without you. I never should have let you go on that silly expedition. After all these years without you, I've realized how much I do love you. And now that you're back, I'm going to make sure you know it every day. I love you, Neddy, I always will."
He looked at Gladys in shock. "Oh, uhm, Gladys, I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. I'm just so happy you're back!" She reached up and kissed Malone on the cheek. "And now that you're back, we can start planning the wedding."
Malone's face lost all color. "Wedding? So soon?" He looked at Gladys and saw that she was still smiling at him brightly. As he looked closer he realized she wasn't moving or even blinking. He waved his hand in front of her face and then tried shaking her, but still no response. "Oh my god, Gladys! Say something!" He looked around the room for something that could help, but he didn't even know what was wrong. "Somebody, anybody help!"
Malone felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. "Don't worry about her, she'll be fine. Come on, let's go."
He glared at the older woman. "What do you mean, she'll be fine? She isn't moving or anything! I don't even know if she's breathing!"
"Showing so much concern for her? Any particular reason?" The older woman grinned as she watched Malone's face start to turn red.
"Of course I'm concerned. It's basic human decency to care, it doesn't mean anything more than that. I don't have time for this, I have to help her."
She walked over to Malone and grasped his hand. "I told you, she'll be fine. Now let's go."
He pulled his hand out of her grasp forcibly. "No, I don't trust you, and I'm not leaving her until I'm sure she's safe."
"When we leave, she'll go back to normal and she won't remember any of this. So now, can we please go?"
As her words hit him, Malone couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You mean you did this to her? What did you do?"
"Let's just say, she's frozen for the time being, her and everyone else. When we leave, I'll release them and they won't remember any of this."
"You can do that?"
She sighed and shook her head. "Honestly Malone, I just transported you from a cave to London, are you really that surprised?"
He rubbed his head, "Uhm, no, I guess not."
"All right then, you've seen all I needed for you to see. I'm guessing off your reaction that it won't affect you that much, however. Well, let's get going." She once again grasped Malone's hand.
"Now where are we going?"
"The future."
TBC
A/N: Thank you everyone for your kind words, I'm glad you're all enjoying it. Next chapter coming soon. :)