Chapter 19: Hitting the Fan
"Time out." I recognized that voice when I heard it; Clockwork. This was either going to be really good or horrifyingly bad.
"So, what part of my life is about to hit the fan?" Clockwork very rarely shows up for something good, and when he does it was usually preceded by my world very nearly falling apart.
The look on his face could have resembled sadness as he looked at the frozen world around us: Sam in my arms, mom in mid-step as she came our way, Mrs. Stuth right beside me, ready to help if I needed it. There was no extreme displays of sadness, but there certainly was not the pain in the ass spark in his eyes. For the master of time, this was a huge display of emotion.
Translation? All the shit in my life is about to hit the fan and then some.
"If you had to choose just one, who would it be?" Clockwork's voice was soft and the direction of his gaze told me the question had nothing to do with the teacher and everything to do with the love of my life and my mother.
How could anyone choose?
"Danny, I can't stop this timeline. I can't play any sneaky tricks and revive someone. You're going to lose one of them again, and I can't bring them back. The timeline is fragile enough with everything I've done this far. If I tamper with it much more, the whole thing will collapse in on itself." He stopped, gauging the reaction I didn't have yet. My mind was still trying process what the hell he was talking about.
"You can only save one. Sam or your mother. I'm sorry. I only tell you this so you have time to say goodbye when the moment comes." If you listen closely, you'll hear the sounds of my world starting to crack and fall apart.
"I can't lose either one of them again, Clockwork!" I just got them back, I can't go through this again. I can't lose one of them.
"If I could stop this, I would. I'm sorry." This could not be happening. It just couldn't be.
"Time in." The ghost disappeared and I only barely held myself together as time started back up.
I couldn't think as mom and Mrs. Stuth rushed to help Sam. I numbly went through the actions, working on auto-pilot. The whole exchange with Clockwork was running through my head, and one word rang loud and clear everytime the memory finished replaying itself.
Dead.
Yes, I am aware of how short this is, but there will likely be an extra update over the weekend to make up for it. :)
Comments and feedback are as welcome as always! :D
Invisible One