Chapter 12

With some money in my pocket, I continued through my list of trips, weaving my webs. I felt beaten down from meeting so much unkindness on my travels, but I learned to just keep my head down, get what I needed, and move on.

I arrived in a forest – as I had planned, but to my surprise I smelled burning and another stench I couldn't place. It felt off and I wanted to leave, but something compelled me to investigate, so I followed the smell.

As I was walking, I very abruptly came to an end of the forest and into an open space. There were smoldering piles of burnt rubbish everywhere, but it looked like the area had once been a town. The stench was unbearable, so I tied a cloth over my nose and mouth before I kept walking. The smoke was getting thicker, making my eyes blur and I tripped over something.

I looked down and almost screamed. It was a body. Gathering myself I knelt and examined it. Dead. I stood. Ahead was a tall, chain link fence but I couldn't see what was beyond it. After a moment's consideration, I ran and leapt, climbing the fence. At the top I had to carefully maneuver over barbed wire, but I made it and hopped down.

I looked around and saw only grey buildings. I poked by head into one. It smelled of urine. There were bunkbeds, if they could be called that, narrow and bare, pushed together wall to wall. There was nothing else to see so I moved on. I went into the largest building and immediately ripped off my face covering to vomit on the ground. Bodies were everywhere. The stench was overwhelming and the sight horrific. I couldn't tell what had killed them, but it was gory. My head swam.

Then I heard a cough and noticed a very old woman off to my left. She was still alive! I ran to her, trying not to trip on the bodies, and fell on my knees at her side.

"Hey, hey, I'm going to help you." I looked down at her bloodied clothes and gagged again. Reason told me this woman was beyond help.

Her breath got raspier. She tried to say something but no sound came out.

"Shh, shh," tears fell onto her withered cheek and I realized they were mine. Her hand squeezed mine as her eyes widened. A rattle sounded in her throat and then she was gone.

I sobbed over her body. What the hell had happened here? Shaken to my core, I set my VM for one week prior and activated it.

When I reappeared and I took a look around I couldn't believe it was the same place. There were homes where burned heaps of rubbish would be and people going about their business. No fence, no bodies.

I approached a young woman who was hanging laundry to dry on a line between homes. "Excuse me, I'm looking for…" what was I looking for? "…the market." I finished lamely.

The woman looked at me curiously but nodded in the right direction. "Head to the end of the houses and you'll be in the commercial part of town."

"Thank you," I muttered.

The market was bustling – full of life and noise with no sign of what would take place in such a short time. Finally, I purchased some provisions and inquired about an inn. I had six days to prevent what I'd seen from taking place.

Six nights later I walked to the outskirts of the town. The night was silent and still, but a heaviness was in the air as if foreshadowing events to come. When I reached the fence, I climbed it with ease and dropped silently to the ground on the other side. I continued through the camp until I came to the main structure. Although the building, like the whole compound, was newly built, the door creaked when I pushed it open. I surveyed the empty space silently.

"I saw you again yesterday."

A chill ran down my spine at the voice of the general so close behind me.

"You were helping an old woman."

"I was trying to save her."

"Why?"

I turned around slowly. "Why wouldn't I?"

He tilted his head. "Who even are you?"

"I'm a time traveler."

"Ah," he laughed softly. "That explains a lot. Then you know what happens here."

"Yes." I kept my voice even and quiet. "You massacre them."

He smiled grimly. "Then I win."

"Yes. Only problem is time can be rewritten." I lifted my gun and pointed it at him.

The blood drained from his face. "You wouldn't."

"Why not? I have been granted this opportunity by the universe. Why would I waste it?"

"Because your hand is shaking."

I looked at the hand holding the gun. He was right.

"You've never killed. You're not a killer. Believe me," he took a slow step forward, "I am one."

I took an unsteady breath. "There's a first time for everything." I pulled the trigger.

What have I done what have I done what have I done? The thought kept tumbling through my mind, torturing me.

I looked down at my hands and imagined blood covering them although they were clean.

You're a killer you're a killer you're a killer.

My whole body shook violently. "I did the right thing," I murmured without conviction.

Everything had changed. I was no longer keeping my head down. And it wasn't just about getting home anymore. I had the power to help. I had asked myself what lines I was willing to cross. Would I defy "fate"? Yes. Would I ignore that niggling sense instilled in me since the Master's experiment that I was breaking rules of Time? Without hesitation. Would I kill?

I looked up at the mirror and saw someone I didn't know.

Would I kill? With ease.