Chapter Seventeen:
They realized quickly that going forward in time was not a possibility for the device. One experiment allowed Alex to go in the past five minutes. When he tried to spin the dial forward it only allowed him to go to however much time passed since he pressed the button but no further. The last experiment allowed Alexys to go backward half an hour to when Nick and Luke were dropping them off. She quickly pressed the button and found that it sent the user back to default. She made sure to jot down all her notes along with sketches of the golden compass in her journal.
Her notes included:
"Works similar to DBs timewalking so no extra copies
Get put into place you were at the time (clothes and all)
Can bring items with you
Creates Time Fissures
Possibly Creates New Time Lines"
Along with:
"Portable
Probably could be used as a weapon
Definite Time Lord Technology"
And lastly:
"Don't show Nick"
"Do you know what this means?" Alex asked as he looked down at the device on the bed, "We can go back to all the missed opportunities we've had. I can follow the Doctor instead of bumping into the Dean. I can go to the Church of Stillhet the night of the Bonfire. We can see what scared the Doctor!"
"Alex…we can't use this."
"Why not? It's the only thing we have that can help us against Father Blackwood!" Alex looked to Alexys with absolute confusion.
"It's too unpredictable. We've seen what using it can do. It creates the Time Fissures!"
"We don't know that. The Time Fissures go back to Christmas. It doesn't go back to Hannukah," he countered.
"It awakened on Hannukah. Come on, Alex. Imagine every anxious person getting their hands on these? Do you know how many people are going to use it to fix being embarrassed in front of their crush or failing a test o-or having multiple orgasms over and over again with their partner!"
"Whoa, that last one there. Gotta say, that is not where my mind went. That is very telling," Alex chuckled softly at the way she blushed.
"I-I well…I'm sure I'm not the only one! Father Blackwood wants us to use this and we don't know why. We have to make sure it's out of everyone's hands before it's too late."
Alex looked at his friend feeling as though it were a mistake to not use the only thing that could help them against the mysterious forces at work in Greendale but also feeling as though she could possibly be right. He sighed and looked away, "How do we know who has them and who doesn't? How do we know if they're even being us—"
December 1st
The air was strange.
Or perhaps it was not the air but the particles reacting to the wrong thing occurring around them. The English classroom had an oversaturation of color to it as well as a strong brightness that was not normal. Professor Schmidt seemed to be in the middle of a sentence with fez in hand.
Alex and Alexys looked to each other in the middle of a breath.
"—inspiration for Hamlet," Professor Schmidt smiled.
Alex and Alexys seemed to be released by some invisible hand choking their throats. The two took in deep gulps of air as they scanned their surroundings. It was English class all over again.
"Now, can anyone tell m—"
The man threw his hat to the back of the room and everyone turned to see it land perfectly on a student named Todd's head. Everyone shouted in surprise and clapped happily. Alex and Alexys made eye contact again—the way they remembered it was that he dropped it on the floor.
"Incredible! Would you look at that, Alexander? I would stick very close to him. Adaptability is a rare quality to find," the Professor praised before walking to his little notebook and writing something down, "Extra credit for the both of you!"
Present
Alex and Alexys fell to their knees as if dropped back into the appropriate time.
"What the fuck!" Alex shouted while Alexys shouted something similar.
They were shivering, suddenly so very cold as if they had been traveling through the tundra. Alexys ran to her closet and grabbed two sweaters for them to wear then returned to the bed, "We went back in time and it changed!"
"It had to be Todd, that fucker!" Alex was angered by the fact that someone had altered time to gain favor with the Doctor that he had rightfully earned.
"You see! You see! People are going to keep…doing that!" she shouted, rubbing her arms as if to rub off the space feeling.
"Not if everyone else keeps feeling what we just did!"
"I don't think they are! We were the only ones affected by it. Did you see the class? It was normal! Now everyone has a memory of Todd catching it on his head! That's reality now!" She grabbed her journal and began plotting down what had occurred, "What day was that?"
"December 1st! I don't even remember Todd dropping the hat! I just remember Hamlet!" Alex collapsed backward on the bed with exasperation.
"Why would he change that? It wasn't a big deal!" Alexys made sure to note the original memory and the new one.
"I see two possibilities. He is a perfectionist and that moment was crushing to his ego…or he was just testing it out," Alex looked to Alexys with concern of what else that could mean for them.
"Both those possibilities are terrifying. Either we're going to be subject to fixing people's most embarrassing moments or we're going to be part of their experiment."
"Honestly, it's probably going to be both," Alex leaned up to grab his milk on the bedside table. "I didn't feel this when me and you tried it. Do you think anyone else did?"
"I don't know…I doubt it though. I think we were the only ones and I think it's because we're from the 'wrong timeline' or something," she made sure to write that hypothesis.
"Or because we are the 'awesome and powerful—"
"Great and mysterious."
"—watchers.' Don't think I forgot about that or how much of a dick Johnny Cash was," Alex shook his head at the memory.
"Leave that man alone," Alexys playfully warned, "But really I think the only reason we didn't feel it when we were experimenting is because it's us. Also we only went back a few minutes at most. We just went back almost two weeks!"
Alex was quiet a moment before looking to Alexys with seriousness, "Do you think it's time to open the fob watches?"
"No," she let out a deep breath, "Just a little more time to see what we're dealing with."
Alex nodded his head, "Ok—"
December 4th
Alex and Alexys sat looking at the final on their desk.
The sound of a chair scrapping on the linoleum hit the room as a man shuffled out of the class in a hurry. The two looked at each other with confusion until they remembered someone had farted in the class. There was suddenly no fart.
Present
"—ay! Fuck!" Alex drank more milk.
Alexys shook even deeper, "On the bright side. I condone this one. I think we just helped some guy stop from pooping his pants."
Even in Alex's frustration he couldn't stop himself from laughing.
"How are we supposed to survive day to day if this keeps happening?" Alexys frowned, shoving all the compasses back into the bag in the hopes of shielding them back under the floorboard.
"I don't know…I still think using them is our only option," Alex watched with an itch to stop her that he suppressed.
"I think we should exhaust all of our other resources."
"We don't have any other resources," he pointed out.
"We do! Maybe we can talk to Professor Smythe and Professor Smith to see if they've had any weird dreams. You can talk to Abed. We can talk to that weather guy to figure out what he really knows about these things. We have other options!" Alexys strained to speak as she put the bag deep into the hole under her bed.
Alex let out a sigh, "I guess you're right. We should go to the campus today and see what's happening. We might be able to bump into everyone there."
"True!"
"I'm going to take a shower first," Alex walked toward the door.
"Me too! I washed my face last night but it definitely was not enough," she frowned. Before Alex left she called his name to get him to stop.
"Yeah?"
"We're going to get the bottom of this," she said with assurance.
He let a small smile cross his lips as he nodded, "We are."
With that they walked to their respective bathrooms. There was an urgency to wash off the muck of what had occurred the night before. There was still a sense of exhaustion and fear that needed to be processed through. Also, both Alex and Alexys just wanted to be alone for a few short moments. They didn't realize it but it was the first time their partners were not around. Though they loved to spend time with Luke and Nick it was nice to have some time to just be in silence.
Alex reached his bathroom quickly and turned on the shower to get the warm water flowing. He took off his glasses then looked in the mirror. Immediately he noticed the cowlicks that must have been present the entire morning. He cursed his hair then his friends for not telling him they had been so obvious. Though…it was nice to know something didn't change.
December 7th
"Oh, dear, could you pass the toast?" Hilda questioned.
Alex swallowed hard as he nodded, "Yes, Auntie."
Alexys at his side squeezed the fork in her hand as if to calm her nerves.
"Is everything alright, love?" Hilda wondered.
Alexys repeated Alex's statement, "Yes, Auntie."
Present
Alex gripped the sink as he looked back in the face of the mirror. He tried to ground himself. He let out all the air from his lungs then took in a long deep breath for four seconds. He held this breath for seven seconds and on the seventh—
December 3rd
The town hall meeting was packed with the same faces. Alex and Alexys were shoulder to shoulder and he immediately felt her arm circle his for comfort. They looked around for the look of someone on a mission but everyone appeared the same. It was before the weatherman began talking so everyone was shouting nonsense ideas about why the compasses fell from the sky. They were all still useless.
At the front Alex saw the mayor pull something out of his pocket and noticed him take some sort of pain medication.
He had certainly not done that before.
Present
—Alex shoved the air out of his lungs then began hyperventilating. During the town hall meeting he had been breathing fine but back in the present it felt as though he had held his breath for hours. He rushed to turn off the shower for fear of what would happen while he was in the middle of stepping in.
December 1st
Alex was back on his date with Luke in the middle of hearing his story about bed wetting. Once again he was overcome with the amusement he felt when he heard it the first time. There was nothing in the moment he desired to change. It was all just something he wished to enjoy over and over again.
And then he remembered Rose.
Present
The idea remained. Rose had been far kinder on the night of his date with Luke than when he had met her with Alexys. If he could go back to that moment and really talk to her then there was a way he could get some sort of information. He could ask her if she had any strange dreams or anything like that. He could also go back to the day that he had lost the Doctor and he could really figure out what he was running away from.
December 4th
"My precious Alexander, I've got your smoothie right here," Hilda sang her words as she placed a large cold glass on the table right beside him.
Alex froze.
His eyes met Alexys who looked to him with the same fear.
"I've got a thermos in the fridge waiting for you. My dear Alexys, there is a thermos of tea waiting for you as well. I've also managed to pack you lunches. Today is a big day."
Present
Alex made up his mind.
If people were going to be using the compass with no rhyme or reason then he would put reason and Alexys would put rhyme. He walked out of the bathroom with a mission. If Alexys would not give up the compasses she had tucked under her bed then he would just pick one up off of the street.
December 2nd
It was the Bonfire and Alex danced with Luke to some song he had heard but never really cared for. He stiffened as he looked around in search of who could be redoing what event. There was the sight of Alexys talking to Professor Smythe and in the distance some shouting that quickly turned into laughter.
It was freezing.
Present
Alex returned to his body shivering. The inside of the Spellman home was warm but his body held the memory of where he had returned to just moments ago. He could not wait any lo—
December 3rd
Luke slept quietly against Alex as the show played. They had discussed what a frightening experience it was to follow those trucks and to see what they were doing. Luke, in a frenzy, made Alex swear to always ask him for help and to not do anything like that alone.
Alex had agreed.
They spent the rest of the evening cuddling and enjoying their time together.
Alex did not want to change a thing.
December 4th
Alex stood in the cafeteria watching the Dean and Professor Wardwell walking toward the Dean's office where he knew they would catch Alexys and Professor Smythe. His body felt the effects of the compass but he shouted to them, "Wait!"
They paused, looking at him with pure suspicion in their eyes.
"Dean, you have a…" Alex rushed over to them with as many slow steps as possible. He then made a big show of leaning to the Dean and whispering, "You have a booger in your nose."
The Dean gasped and looked away from Professor Wardwell, "I'm going to need to make a pit stop before the office!"
He rushed out with the woman behind him giving Alex a menacing look.
Present
—onger.
Alex began a brisk run to Alexys' room as he recounted the changes that had been made. In Alex's new memory, Alexys was able to make it out in time without having to tell the Dean about whatever surprise she had concocted. Professor Smythe and her also shared a loving embrace that could have turned to more if she hadn't realized what was happening and urged them to leave.
December 4th
The two stood in the kitchen while Hilda went off to make a phone call. Alexys and Alex looked to each other. It was the moment that Father Blackwood was to ask for Hilda's assistance and though there was no direct outcome yet there was something to be done. Alex opened his mouth and shouted, "HILDA! ALEXYS IS EATING YOUR BANANA BREAD!"
"OH DEAR, YOU BETTER NOT!" she shouted from the other end of the house.
Alexys gasped, "How dare you!"
There was a moment of pause then Alexys grabbed a handful of the end of the loaf and stuffed it into her mouth with a fury she had never shown before.
Present
"Alex!"
He heard Alexys shout. It was no doubt in regards to what he had just done. In the new memory Hilda was unable to complete the call, Alexys got a scolding, and there was less banana bread to be sold. Because of that everyone wanted more because it was so good and there wasn't enough and word got around.
December 4th
It was the classroom again.
Day of the Finals.
Professor Wardwell sat at her desk while pencils scratched across papers. Alex looked to Alexys who looked at the paper with fury and then at Alex. She mouthed, "This better end now."
It did not.
The final continued for the same exact amount of time.
Present
The sound of shouting from Alexys grew closer and closer as Alex reached the hallway to her room.
December 2nd
Alex stood before his mirror as he planned what to wear for the Bonfire.
For a few seconds he seemed frozen with the shirt against him but when it wore off he threw the shirt to ground.
December 7th
Alex opened his to see he was in an intimate moment with Luke. They were in his bed, grasping at each other, kissing passionately and wildly while one of his documentaries played in the background. Luke was doing that thing he did when he took Alex's glasses and put them somewhere safe without breaking their connection.
But Alex faltered with that same feeling of color saturation and lung grip. It passed in a second though that second was enough. Luke held onto Alex's face with a worried expression, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Alex lied, "I'm fine."
"No, you're not. What happened?"
Present
He stormed into the room while the sound of the shower being turned off met him. The new memory was that Alex had said he had to sneeze but it went away. They continued the kissing that worked up to deeper expressions of love. The history had hardly been altered for them.
But history was about to change for all of Greendale.
Alex popped open the floorboard while Alexys shouted and probably got redressed.
He pulled out one of the compasses as Alexys opened the door from her bathroom.
"Alex! Do— AHHH! It's cold!" she shivered violently, "You're not cold?
"What? I was before but nothing happened," he looked to her with confusion.
Her eyes held the same confusion as she crossed her room for a sweater, "It was the night of the Bonfire again but it was before me and Nick had a talk. We were just standing around awkwardly. You were dancing with Luke."
"That happened before…?"
"Yeah but it happened aga—in! Shit! It was the final again! WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE GOING BACK TO THE FINAL!" She collapsed on her bed with exhaustion, "I'm so tired! If I have to spend another two and a half hours!"
"Alexys…so far you've gone back twice?"
She nodded her head with a frown.
"I haven't gone with you."
"What? But you were there!" she moved across the bed to get closer.
"But I've been here talking to you the whole time," he looked down to the compass he held in his hand, "I think it's because I'm holding one of these."
"What? Toss it to me."
He followed her request a—
December 8th
It was in the Cafeteria of Greendale.
Alex sat at a table with Luke, Nick, and Alexys for lunch. He looked down at his plate and recalled the sandwich they all got had hidden peppers. He pushed the plate away and instead snacked on some of the fries they offered.
"What's wrong?" Luke asked.
Nick took a bite then with a covered mouth shouted, "Oh, peppers. Definitely peppers you don't want this."
Alex smiled, "Yeah, thanks. I'll just eat these fries.
Present
—nd was amazed by the results.
She pointed at him and gasped, "I didn't do anything but you changed my memories! You changed the sandwich! You didn't eat the peppers!"
Alex dropped down and grabbed one of the compasses from the bag, "I think as long as we're holding one of these we won't go back when other people are messing with time."
"If Nick catches me with one of these he's going to be so upset," Alexys frowned. "But it's worth it. I stepped in the shower and then I was back at the Bonfire and then back here and…MY BODY CAN'T TAKE THAT!"
Alex looked to her with sympathy, "I was trying to do the 4, 7, 8 breathing technique."
Alexys looked at him in horror.
"I got stuck on the seven."
"No! Alex, what are we going to do?" she fell backward on the bed in exhaustion.
"I think…I think we split up. I think you go talk to who you want to talk to and I go…the alternate route," he motioned toward the compass in his hand.
She was quiet for a moment then nodded, "Fine. But now that we're going to mess with time anyway can we do it tomorrow? I just took two finals today and I need a nap."
Alex laughed, "Okay, I'm right there with you."
